Percy Jackson and the Incarnate-3: The Spy Predicament

CHAPTER 12 POV: Justin Riverside

We started out trek towards the Underworld. I was very much scared of Nico. That Emo literally looked deadly and angry. Now he knows my secrets. And he is a god. Had Percy not instructed him, I wouldn't be surprised if he left me here to rot in Tartarus. And A TITAN!! Are they kidding? They believe in a titan? I really was spooked by this prospect.

We walked until we reached the River Cocytus. Which means, we are nearer to the underworld than we thought.

"So, Nico. What is with Bob? Isn't he a Titan?", I asked cautiously. Nico stopped dead in his tracks, followed by Bob. Both turned around. I was scared of what their reaction would be.

"The same relationship Percy and Annabeth had with Damasen. A friend in a dire situation.", Nico said.

"Nico. I don't mind telling who I am. If it helps build trust.", Bob said and looked at me. The titan looked calm and composed, but I did not want to see him angry.

"Justin. I am Bob. But my actual name is Iapetus. The titan of the West and Titan of Mortality, Pain and Violent Death. I am also called as 'Piercer', for my affinity with spears. At the beginning, when my brother Kronos was rising for the second time, I was tasked to go underworld and kill Percy Jackson and his friends, which included Nico, who is standing right here.", he said and my eyes popped open, not at what he said, but at how Nico was composed on hearing it.

"But in that fight, Percy pushed me into the Lethe, which wiped off all my memories. Percy, being the son of Poseidon, remained untouched by the water of the Lethe. After I lost my memories, I was given this Alias, Bob. And I was appointed as a cleaner and sweeper in the underworld. Thanks to Nico.", he said.

We walked slowly. I still could not process that a titan could be friendly. Bob looked as if he was fighting a mental battle as to whether or not to tell him something.

"I was doing my job when I heard Percy's call for help in Tartarus. I helped them defeat the empousai. I helped them in their journey through Tartarus towards the doors of death. I was the one who introduced them to Damasen, when Percy was affected by the Arai. I- I sacrificed myself while fighting Tartarus so that Percy and Annabeth could escape through the doors of death. I had to press the up button for twelve minutes and the last minute was the difficult one. I barely managed to hold out the minute before Tartarus impaled me and absorbed me into his armor.", Bob said, his eyes glazed over while reminiscing the horror.

Nico looked like he was about to cry, which was a shock in itself. I had never seen the son of Hades cry, except when he saw his sister.

"How did you escape?", I asked.

"My brethren, especially Hyperion wanted to torture me for betraying them. After convincing Tartarus, I reformed the cruelest and most painful way possible. After I was reformed, I was tortured in ways that made the fields of punishment look like a carnival. I screamed my lungs out in pain, both physical and mental, caused due to the tortures. I felt that I could never see the end of it.", he said and I saw a tear slip out of his eyes.

Nico comforted Bob and hugged him. Had it not been for the situation, I would have laughed at the scene. A demigod hugging a Titan. A five foot six hugging a ten foot.

"At that same time, I heard his screams. I went to the Oracle and asked for a prophecy. I received a prophecy in front of Apollo himself. With the help of Will, we ventured down here and managed to free him.", Nico said.

"And I was healed and kept in custody at Olympus, which was fair considering that I had been their enemy. But, they truly have changed, especially after the induction of four Olympians in one day.", Bob said.

"You remember your past?", I asked.

"Yes. I remember everything. The Arai were the ones who reminded me of everything. I chose to help Percy defeat them.", Bob said.