Perseus Jackson: Titan of The Hunt

CH3: We Take a Bath

(Annabeth)

The last thing I remember, was trying to remember all of Seaweed Brain's stupid ideas before he had cut me off with a kiss and then tipped both of us off the bank and into the tepid river. When Percy had explained how he had felt when he had first taken a dip in the Styx. He described it as the most painful experience of his life, which as someone who has been stabbed, crushed by the weight of the sky, poisoned, and blown up, along with several other instances of extreme suffering. It describes something that you do not think, yeah, you know what. I want to do that too. But sure enough, the idiot had given me no choice and by the gods I was going to make him suffer after this if we survived.

However, I realized something very quickly I felt fine except for the lack of air usually found underwater (unless you are a son of Poseidon) and I could see clear around me despite the dark waters appearance when seen from the shore. Percy was still next to me but was mouthing words to someone I could not hear or see and seemed quite annoyed by the look on his face. As I kicked towards him, I grasped his hand drawing his attention from whatever was distracting him and swiftly noticing me holding my breath, he quickly created an air bubble around me so I could breathe.

"Percy what's the matter" I asked him quickly noticing he was a little paler than usual.

"I've been talking to Lady Styx, who isn't too happy about me losing her blessing and trying to get it again." He replied the annoyed look returning, as he turned back towards what I could now see as a pale skinned lady who had appeared in the waters a short distance away. It was therefore quite easy to tell to work out that she was the living personification of the river.

"Well, what does she want us to about it, can we just leave instead?" I asked nervously, Styx was the living goddess of Hatred after all. The last thing we wanted was to upset her whilst being at her mercy in these waters, or anywhere really.

"No, that's the thing she will give us her blessing, but this time there will be terms which I don't think you are going to like." He replied ominously.

(Percy)

When I had first taken a dive in the Styx, outside the entrance to the true underworld with Nico back before the Battle of Manhattan. I had not known what would happen, instead I had been lead there by the son of Hades and told it was our only chance. All that had happened upon arrival was Achilles had warned me of the risks in what we were doing and then left us to make my choice.

So, I was literally unprepared for what happened to me. I fell in as soon as I stepped in this river, the pain was simply so great it felt like someone was flaying the skin from my body whilst crushing me. This time felt like I was simply taking a bath, I felt absolutely fine, throwing me into confusion and making me lose hold of Annabeth (oops). That was before the voice of a woman started to assault my ears as if coming from every direction at once.

"Perseus Jackson what are you doing in my river again? I only give my blessing once son of Poseidon." The voice demanded angrily.

"Wait are you the spirit of the river?" I asked nervously.

"Of course, you foolish son of Poseidon just like your rivers on the surface, we rivers of the underworld are ruled by gods as well. Even if Lethe is a bit useless and never remembers the meetings but that's part of his nature I suppose. But that is beside the point what are you doing back in my river child of the sea?" The goddess Styx demanded with a tone now of simple annoyance.

"My friend and I are in need of the Curse of Achilles, to help us fight the Giant Horde and help the gods to close the doors of death, in doing so we can stop Gaia from ending the world." I responded desperately however from the moment I said 'Curse of Achilles' the waters had noticeable chilled several degrees.