The Son of Death (Percy Jackson x Male Reader)

Nico Accidentally Screws Us

The sound of Mrs. O'Leary's barks echoed through the tunnel like cannon shots, and I figured we would not be catching anybody by surprise once we reached the bottom.  Nico lagged behind, which I thought was strange.

Percy: You okay?

Nico: Fine.

What was that expression on his face... doubt?

Nico: Just keep moving.

I didn't have much choice.  We followed Mrs. O'Leary into the depths.  After another hour, I started to hear the roar of a river.  We emerged at the base of a cliff, on a plain of black volcanic sand.  To our right, the River Styx gushed from the rocks and roared off in a cascade of rapids.  To our left, far away in the gloom, fires burned on the ramparts of the great black walls of Hades's kingdom.  Only Mrs. O'Leary acted happy.  She ran along the beach, picked up a random human leg bone, and romped back toward me.  She dropped the bone at my feet and waited for me to throw it.  I picked it up and chucked it into the distance, and Mrs. O'Leary went bounding after it.  I stared at the dark waters of the Styx, trying to get up my nerve.

Percy: So, Nico... how do I do this?

Nico: We have to inside the gates first.

YN: But the river is right here.

Nico: I have to get something.  It's the only way.

He marched off without waiting.  I frowned and shared a look with Percy.  Nico hadn't said anything about going inside the gates.  But now that we were here, I didn't know what else to do.  Reluctantly, I followed him down the beach toward the big black gates.  Lines of the dead stood outside waiting to get in.  It must've been a heavy day for funerals, because even the EZ-DEATH line was backed up.  Mrs. O'Leary barked.  Before I could stop her she bounded toward the security checkpoint.  Cerberus, the guard dog of Hades, appeared out of the gloom.  A three headed rottweiler so big he made Mrs. O'Leary look like a toy poodle.  Cerberus was half transparent, so he's really hard to see until he's close enough to kill you, but he acted like he didn't care about us.  He was too busy saying hello to Mrs. O'Leary.

Percy: Mrs. O'Leary, no!  Don't sniff... oh, man.

Nico and I smiled.  Then he looked at Percy and his expression turned all serious again, like he'd remembered something unpleasant.

Nico: Come on.  They won't give us any trouble in the line.  You're with YN and I.

I didn't like it, but we walked right past the security ghouls, who bowed to Nico and I, and into the Fields of Asphodel.  I had to whistle for Mrs. O'Leary three times before she left Cerberus alone and ran after us.  We hiked over black fields of grass dotted with black poplar trees.  If Percy really died in a few days like his prophecy suggested, he might end up here forever, but I tried not to think about that.  Nico trudged ahead, bringing us closer and closer to the palace of Hades.

YN: Hey.  We're inside the gates already.  Where are we-

Mrs. O'Leary growled.  A shadow appeared overhead, something dark, cold, and stinking of death.  She swooped down and landed in the top of a poplar tree.  Unfortunately, I figured I knew who she was.  She had a shriveled face, and leathery bat wings sprang from her back.  Her feet had sharp talons, and in her brass clawed hands she held a flaming whip and a paisley handbag.

Percy: Mrs. Dodds.

The Fury bared her fangs.

Alecto: Welcome back, honey.

Her sisters, the other two Furies, swooped down and settled next to her in the branches of the poplar.

Nico: You know Alecto?