CHAPTER FOURTEEN: LYDIA
They'd given Annabeth time to regain her composure. She had gotten up from their hiding spot and started marching forward towards the Fields of Asphodel. Lydia was a little puzzled at the abrupt change in the demeanor but she followed anyway.
The Fields of Asphodel were seriously huge, like seriously. The black grass had been trampled by eons of dead feet. The air was warm, and humid. Lydia's nose crinkled at the smell, it smelled kind of swampy—but then again she smelled like dog drool, so she fixed her face and continued on.
She remembered the week Desdemona didn't bathe at all because she was fighting with Theo. You might be thinking, isn't she always in the water? She can smell? Well yes, sorta, but rather than that nice seawater smell Lydia liked, she starts smelling swampy.
The cavern ceiling was so high above them it might've been a bank of storm clouds, except for the stalactites, which glowed faint gray and looked wickedly pointed. Lydia thought getting impaled by one of those would be a terrible way to go.
The four soon-to-be heroes tried to blend into the crowd, keeping an eye out for security ghouls. Lydia got the horrid thought that maybe she hasn't heard from her dad because he was dead. She tried looking for her dad, turning her head from face to face. But their faces shimmered and she could hardly see clear features. She forced herself to forget that thought. He's okay. He's probably getting help. I'll see him soon. She thought to herself.
They crept along, following the line of new arrivals that snaked from the main gates toward a black-tented pavilion with a banner that read: JUDGMENTS FOR ELYSIUM AND ETERNAL DAMNATION Welcome, Newly Deceased!
To her left, Lydia could see the Fields of Punishment. She could hear the most agonizing screams, and if she looked closer she could see the reason why. But Lydia was already having a pretty horrible time so, she decided to save the sightseeing for Elysium.
It was to her right and it was unbelievable. The entirety of the Underworld had a bleak color palette, but this? It was something else. She'd never seen anything as vibrant and inviting as Elysium. In the valley were neighborhoods of beautiful houses from every time period in history, Roman villas and medieval castles and Victorian mansions. Silver and gold flowers bloomed on the lawns. Lydia could only describe them as the most fascinating flowers she'd ever seen. She doubted they even existed up there, in the land of the living.
Her lips had parted in astonishment, eyes sparkling as she viewed the flowers and the plants. All she wanted to do was run in there and study every plant in there forever.
"That's what it's all about," Annabeth said, like she was reading her thoughts. "That's the place for heroes."
Lydia was still gawking at the sight as she thought of how few people there were in Elysium, how tiny it was compared to the Fields of Asphodel or even the Fields of Punishment. So few people did good in their lives. It was depressing. Lydia promised herself she'd have a place here, hopefully with her friends. No matter how perfect Elysium looked, she doubted it'd be any fun if she had to experience it alone.
They left the judgment pavilion and moved deeper into the Asphodel Fields. It got darker. The colors faded from our clothes. The crowds of chattering spirits began to thin.
After a few miles of walking, they began to hear a familiar screech in the distance. Looming on the horizon was a palace of glittering black obsidian. Above the parapets swirled three dark batlike creatures: the Furies.
"I suppose it's too late to turn back," Grover said wistfully.
"We'll be okay." Percy tried to sound confident.
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Fanfiction"Anything for you, Goldie." Lydia Allen didn't think Percy Jackson would crawl into her heart, but Lydia Allen wasn't the type to ever get things right. ❝ She was literally the sun personified; with her hair and her eyes and her sun kissed skin. Her...
