୨⎯ The Daughter of Ares ⎯ ୧ ☾P. JACKSON x FEM OC☽

22. "You.... are a bad... bad dog."

"GROVER!" Percy yelled as the other three continued running. The three had decided to split themselves. Which made the cerberus fall on the floor.

It was all so foggy right now that none of them could see properly. When the cerberus crawled in front of Percy, who had his riptide ready, he yawned and whimpered, letting Annabeth and Erika make it go to sleep. It began snoring as Grover left the Cerberus's mouth.

"You....are a bad... bad dog!" He yelled, being covered with the saliva of the cerberus.

"Guys! We can't hold this forever." Annabeth said as the two were still helping the Cerberus sleep.

"Can you help us fly us up there with your shoes?" Percy asked Grover, who wore Luke's gift since Medusa's house.

"You can do this." Erika said, looking at him. "One at a time. Take Percy first."

"Maia." Grover said as him and Percy began flying, Erika and Annabeth tried to get off the cerberus.

"ERIKA! ANNABETH!" Percy yelled. He got the toy ball in return. It was an odd silence for a second before Ceberus tried to attack them again. Which they missed.

"Guys?" Annabeth said, It turns out the two were hanging on the cliff from the Ceberus trying to attack the boys.

Percy extended his hand to Annabeth first to help her climb up. which she managed to do. "Excuse me." Annabeth said as she walked away.

"Uhm, I need help too." Erika responded, To which Percy helped her too. As the four were safe. Ceberus was trying to attack the four again, Annabeth threw the ball into the river, to which it started following.

"That dog is freaky." Erika mumbled, crossing her arms.

"Wow. That was really... I mean, how did you..." Grover asked, looking at Annabeth as Percy turned around, Erika watched him as Annabeth and Grover talked.

"My fathet had a dog when I was little." Annabeth responded to Grover's question. "I guess I remember the tricks."

"Oh wow." Percy said, looking at something else. "Look at that." He added as the other three followed him.

"Hades's palace." Erika said as she stood beside him.

"That's where he'll be keeping the master bolt." Annabeth added, looking at the Palace.

"And his mom." Erika responded, looking at the Palace as Percy stared at her for a second before looking away.

"Oh no." Grover said in a worried tone. "My pearl, I lost the Pearl." He explained, looking into his pockets. "I think it's..."

"It's in the dog." Erika said, looking at him.

There was some rumbling nearby. "What are we gonna do?" Grover asked.

"I don't know. But if we don't move, it is not gonna matter. Come on." Annabeth said as they made their way to Hades's palace.

"We can't ignore this." Grover said as they made their way to the palace.

"Stop." Percy said.

"It's just math. The four of us, plus your mom, are five people and only four pearls. Someone is staying behind, and it should really be me."

"It wasn't your fault." Erika said as she yanked him in front of her.

"And even if it were, you're not getting left behind. Period." Percy said as he looked at him. "After we get the bolt and stop this war, you guys are leaving. With my mom." Percy said, That's when realisation hit Erika, This blondie seriously gave Grover his pearl? That's sweet and risky at the same time.

There was distance creaking. "What about you?" Grover asked before Percy walked away. "Wait, wait, wait. Percy. What about you?"

"Quests aren't linear, right? I'll figure something out." Percy responded before someone appeared among the foggy area, It looked like a soul. "Sorry." Percy said, looking at the person.

"They can't hear you." Annabeth responded, staring at the person.

"They?" Grover asked before the fog began to disappear, and they noticed there was a lot of them around them.

"This must be Asphodel." Annabeth said, looking at the one behind them. "I read a book about this place. Annabeth went upto one of them and lifted their dress up, which was over the roots.

"Are those... roots?" Erika asked, looking at those... stuff with a digusted look.

"Souls here are bounded by regret." Annabeth said, looking at the Asphodel. "Haunted by the choices they made in life.. or never made."

The Ceberus was barking again, seeming even more mad. Percy grabbed Erika's hand as the three started running, Annabeth however, wasn't.

"Annabeth! ANNABETH! Why isn't she coming?" Erika said, she was about to run upto Annabeth but she didn't.

"Guys!" Annabeth yelled in distance. She wasn't able to move as Roots were covering her legs. Erika got down and tried to get the roots off but it was too hard.

"I already tried." Annabeth said, looking down at Erika. "It's too strong."

"How did this happen?" Percy asked, looking at Annabeth.

"It's some kind of regret, right?" Grover asked, looking back at Annabeth. "But what would you have to regret?"

"It's okay. Go. I'll distract the dog and buy you guys some time." Annabeth said, looking at the other three. Erika stood up. "This will work." Annabeth said as she showed him the pearl. I'll be okay. I trust your dad. You can do this. I know you can."

There was Ceberus growling again as tree branches were moving. "Run. NOW!" Annabeth said as Percy grabbed Erika again as they had no choice but to leave Annabeth behind. As they ran, Erika looked behind her, to see Annabeth disappeared.

"She made it. Let's go!" Grover said as they continued running.

After few minutes, They finally calmed down when they reached a desert, It was filled with sand which was weird, were they even in the Underworld anymore? This whole plot was weird for Erika.

"Weird. Haven't heard the dog in a while." Grover said, looking back at that gloomy place.

"He chased us all that way and then just... stopped?" Percy asked, looking back as Erika had her arms crossed and just stayed silent for now. "I wonder why." He added.

"That's what I'm saying, It's weird." He added, looking back at Percy. Percy stopped walking for a minute as Grover continued.

"Grover?" Erika said as she saw the wings of his shoes fluttering. "Grover, where are you going?" She asked again. It was like the wings were trying to lead him to a place. Erika and Percy ran after Grover and managed to catch him before he fell into a ditch.

"Who gave you those shoes?" Erika spoke up, Panting as she almost died, along with Percy and Grover. "Grover, Who gave you those shoes?!"