Together: We Will Fight 'Till the End

Follow Me

 Chapter 8

~Harper~

Nico walked up to the largest of the boulders and placed his hands on the cold surface. He closed his eyes in concentration; seconds later a crack shot down the middle of the boulder, revealing a dark, narrow passageway. Nico let his hands fall down to his sides, "Follow me." he said as he stepped into the boulder. 

A chill rushed down my spine, as I watched Leo and then Korra follow after Nico without a second thought. Tara and I had only known these people for 2 days and I still didn't trust them. My hand went up to my neck and I felt the comfort of the gold pendant that hung from my necklace. I held on to it, giving me a sense of security. Mobius came and nudged his head against the back of my hand. 

You miss him don't you? Mobius said it as less of a question and more of a statement.

Yeah, I do. 

I missed him. My brother. Not Percy. My real brother, Colton. In my mind, he was my only brother.

"Harper, are you coming?" I looked up to see that Korra, Leo and Nico had stopped and waited for me. 

I plastered a smile on my face, pushing away the lugubrious thoughts. 

Come on Mobius, let's go for a visit to the Underworld. 

I'll be right behind you Captain!

As soon as Mobius was inside the passageway, the boulder slammed shut and darkness covered us like a blanket. 

                                                                         ~~~~~~~~~~

We walked in a single file line, heading straight for about 5 minutes until I heard Nico's voice from up ahead "Watch your step, there are stairs coming up." That was all anyone said for the duration of our walk.

As we marched down the stairs I started thinking. Thinking about what the land of death does to people.

For some reason (I'm not quite sure why) the Underworld silences people. Once you've been there and back you talk less, your footsteps are noiseless, you've changed and everybody knows that you've changed, but they do nothing. They say nothing.  Perhaps that's why Nico doesn't talk much. 

I'd like to say that the reason that I knew we were at the bottom was that I could see a faint light at the end of a seemingly never ending tunnel (to bad life isn't a fairytale, though I think I'm entitled to one.....more on that later). But no, the reason I knew we were at the bottom was that I could see a ghost or whatever you call those things that roam the Underworld. We emerged from the tunnel and the thing was just about to lunge on us when (he/she/it) noticed Nico. They stepped back (and I swear they tilted their head in a sort of bow) and then turned and walked away.

We all stood there for a minute taking it all in. It's been a long time since I've been to the Underworld and though it hadn't really changed it still took some getting used to. I would describe it to you but I won't for a couple of reasons: 1. you don't want to know, 2. I don't think I could tell you even if you did and 3. Nobody but the dead should be in the underworld, its bad enough demigods being down here and if I tell you and you get curious you might want to come check it out. That cannot happen because you would be dead faster than you could say your not-so-famous last words.

"What next, death boy?" Korra questioned, assigning Nico a nickname.

Nico was silent for a long time (see, the Underworld silences people. I bet you anything he wasn't always like this, but then again maybe he is) then he said "The Underworld is bigger than you might think. There are all sorts of hidden places down here, it will take us a long time to cover the whole thing." 

"Where should we start?" She pressed.

Silence.

"Well?"

"We can start in the south end and make our way north. But we need to hurry." Nico's face was expressionless, but I knew better. It can't be easy to have your father be the one your friends and loved ones face when they die. 

"Show us the way, death boy!" Leo tried for a smile.

We walked for hours. We fought few monsters due to the fact that Nico was with us. But by the end of the day we were tired, wounded and in need of some sleep. Nico found us a small cave that was relatively "safe". The four of us sat in a semi-circle around a small, low burning bubble of Greek fire. I tended to the cut on Korra's left forearm and the scratches all over Leo's arms and neck. 

"So how much did we cover?" Korra asked Nico. "About a quarter?"

Nico scoffed, "We've hardly covered anything! We have miles to go!"

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." The words were born on my breath and died on my lips. Unlike the great Robert Frost they went unnoticed by the people around me. But that was okay, the words belonged to the Underworld anyway.

"We should try and get some sleep." Nico advised.

"Your right death boy!" Leo winked at Korra, she just rolled her eyes "I think I'll hit the hay." 

After about 15 minutes of everybody trying to find a place in the small cave to lay down. Finally we got everyone situated and then Nico put out the fire. We all lay there, not one of us got anywhere near sleep. Leaning my head back against Moibus, I let my hand clasp around my necklace. I leaned over and swiftly kissed Korra on the forehead, she was like a sister to me.

 Late that night I stared at the darkness that thrived in the land of Hades.  

And miles to go before I sleep

And miles to go before I sleep

A/N

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