Death and Water

It takes two hours before we finally reach it. I could have just shadowed travelled our way there, but I don’t trust my powers here, they should be stronger, but there are many things here that are stronger then me. Especially since we have to pass right by Tartarus to get there, and I did not trust myself to not get sucked in.
It was tough enough just walking by, there was a force so strong we had to grit our teeth and hold on with every ounce of strength we had to not get pulled in. A thin strip of red cracked land bridged over the deep hole of Tarttarus, below us fires roared, voices weeped, an mosnters called to us.
I could feel voices in my head, calling me in, threatening me, threatening Jade, reminding me how bad an idea it was to bring her here, and that now they had her scent. I don’t know what Jade heard, but it must’ve been something similar because she had a terrified look in her eyes when we finally reached the perimeter of the palace, away from Tartarus.
“This is it, last step, and I promise you we’ll be at the ocean as long as you want.” I say and she chuckles lightly.
“Tell me what to do” she says running her hand through her hair, trying to brush out the dirt and grime.
“Oof” I say holding a hand to my chest, “Just give me a second, I need to relish this because this is probably the only time I’ll ever hear you say those words” I say with a half smile. She punches me in the arm but I can see a hint of a smile on her face. “Ouch.” I say laughing and grabbing her arm, bringing her close to me and pressing her against my chest. I needed to feel her warmth, to feel her heart beating, to make sure she was alive to give me enough strength to keep her that way. “How about you say it one more time” I say, looking directly int her eys, licking my lips softly, “slower.” I say, turning my voice husky and deep, the way I knew no girl could resist. And it worked, for a second, I could feel her shiver under my gaze and the goosebumps on her skin. She looked down for a second and swallowed hard. But I should’ve known better, this was Jade. Anything I could do, she could do better.
“How about you just get us both out of here alive, and we’ll see how I reward you” she says, her voice soft and light, seducing. A shiver runs down my spine, goosebumps appear on my skin, and my mind hazes over. She laughs lightly and pushes me away playfully, pulling us both out of the trance. “This is serious, and I feel like im being watched” she says looking around, back at Tartarus. I have to physically keep my hand back from holding her. “I’m serious, just get us both out of here alive, got it! No heroic measures where you sacrifice yourself, because if you do I swear to zeus Nicolas I will kill-” hearing her say my name, the thought of that intimate secret between us on her beautiful luscious lips, did me in.
I didn’t even know that I had grabbed her, wrapped my fingers around her jaw, and kissed her, until I did. And I sure as hell did. I felt her relax under me, and then I felt her kiss me back. I had never felt more joy in my life. We stand there for only a few moments, the highlight of my life. I have kissed a lot of girls,and I lot of these girls were really good kissers, and I did like a lot of girls, but none of that compared to how much I had been craving Jade, how much my body needed her to survive. I was like an addict who finally got his first rush after years. I haven’t been anywhere close to this level of ecstacy since thalia, and even then it was nothing compared to how I was feeling while holding jade to me, feeling her arms crawl up mine, feeling my muscles, before crossing behind my neck and pulling me in deeper, kissing me harder. I felt a thrill as her fingers twisted in my hair.
I slowly move my hands down to her waist, pulling her closer into me, so every parts of our bodies were touching, and run my hands through her messy, bloody, dirty hair. I felt her solid muscles relax underneath me, her strong heart beat faster and erraticly next to mine, and her superior lungs gasping for air as I kissed her as best I knew how. She only deserved the best.
I don’t know who pulled out first, but both of us were itching to kiss each other again. “Not here, not when they’re watching.” She says, still gasping for breath, a smile on her face, and something sparkling in her eyes. They almost seemd clearer, not as black, but I could’ve just been seeing things. I nodded and tried to breathe as well. “Promise me something Nico” she aks standing up straight and looking at me. I raise my eyebrows awaiting her question, certain I was going to say yes. I would do whatever she needed me to for the rest of our lives.
“Get us both out of here alive so you can kiss me like that again.” She says, her smile wide, one of the few times I could see her teeth when she smiled. She had the most beautiful smile I had ever seen. Even with her face covered in dirt and scratched up, she was more beautiful then the children of Aphrodite, more beautiful even than the goddess herself.
“There is no way in hell I’m going to let anything happen that will compromise my ability to kiss you like that again” I say, matching her smile. Her eyes become softer and she takes a step towards me.
“You know that’s the first time I’ve ever seen you smiel like that” she says placing a light hand on my lips, sending shocks through my entire body. I hadn’t even realized I had been smiling.
“I could say the same thing for you.” I say standing up straight, still smiling at her.
“You look almost handsome” she says laughing, making me shake my head.
“lets do this” I say, my soul seeming to settle into me, finally at peace, as if a huge weight had been lifted off of my shoulders, I only hope that I hand’t placed it on Jade’s instead.
“Do you think your dad knows what happenined” she says as we begin to grow serious once more as we get closer to the palace.
“I think he could know if wanted to, but with the looks of things here, he has more pressing matters on his mind, I would not be surprised if it totally slipped under his radar” I say, looking around once more, making sure nothing had followed us, and smiling encouragingly at Jade, before taking a deep breath and facing the palace.
I had been here before, I usually came here at least once when I was out travelling, but it never seemdd to stop taking my breath away. It was sheer black, made of the same material as my sword, and rubbed down until it was glistening. I could feel Jade catch her breath beside me looking up at it.
The whole thing was sparkling with jewels, precious raw materials creating elaborate carvings up and down the pillars, on the roof, on the floor. It was one of the most beautiful palaces I had ever seen, but a rare beauty, a dark one. One like Jade’s I realize as I look over at her, her dark eyes jumping around frantically, drinking in every single detail. The fact that she didn’t smile much, and her eyes were so black you were afraid that lookining them might kill you, leads a lot of people to take a step away from, in the same way as how the smiling skills and pure white bones in my fathers palace lead a lot of people away from it. My dad was isolated down here, with no one but Peresephone to keep him company, and she was no one you wanted as company.
The doors opened by themselves, and we were greated by a warm clean feeling, much different then the toxic air. I step forward and Jade follows as I march down the long marble hall, feeling the stares of the the smiling skulls and glaring mosnters until I’m at the feet of my fathers throne.
He looked the same as always, mid forties with wicked black hair same as mine, a scraggly beard, and sad mourning eyes. His nose was red, from either crying or drinking, probably the later, and his hands were white and shaking. He looked tired, worse, he looked dead.
Persesephone was siting to his right, looking bored as always. Her lips turned up in a frown, and her eyes studying Jade deeply. I had to hold myself back from hitting her.
“Father” I say, kneeling before him. He was the only god I would show this much respect too. He may be cruel sometimes, but he was my father, and he had seen me through a lot, has given me more guidance and aid than anyone else. Jade follows my example, although I can see how much it hurts her to kneel for someone, and we both stay quiet until he stirs.
He gets up from his throne and booms loudly. “Get of the ground son, I haven’t cleaned that up yet, you look like a beggar” and I know, thank the gods, he's in one of his good moods. I straighten up and Jade does as well, she was still guarded and closed, but she didn’t seem as scared.
“Father” I say bowing again, Jade does as well, and Hades does the same, which was huge, because my father bows for no one.
“You shouldn’t have brought her here son, there is not much I can do to help you get her out.” He says, kissing her hand.
“Of course there is father, this is your kingdom is it not!” I say.
“you will not speak to your father like that” he says, his eyes blazing. “It is an absolute pleasure to meet you Jade Rhodes, I take great pride in having such a beautiful niece.” He says cooling down and smiling.
“Uncle” she nods, which sends a sick feeling through my stomach, thinking she was my cousin. Techinally every demigod was related to each other, but it wasn’t gross if we dated each other. Siblings from the same godly paent didn’t, but other then that it didn’t matter much, and it wasn’t frowned upon.
“She would be prettier if she didn’t frown so much.” Peresephne says getting up and puring herself another drink. Hades rolls his eyes and brushes her off.
“Ignore my wife, she’s just jealous she’s not young anymore.”
“I heard that!”
“You were meant to!” I clear my throat and my father tunrs his attention back to me.
“Father, Athena says you might have answers” I say changing the topic.
“I might, I need to hear the questions first, although there’s not much I know outside of these lands, I don’t get out much son.”
“Good thing they mostly involve Hades itself father”
“What do you need Nico I have a job to do.”
“That’s exactly it, you're not doing your job. Neither are Minos and his coherts, Thatanos isn’t aroudn, and I’m sure you know the doors have been opened.” I say.
The old man sighs and sits back on his throne, holding his hand out and waiting for his wife to give him a glass of wine.
“It’s complicated son.”
“No its not! Just do your damn job. Something is happening, I know that, and I know me and some other demi god friends of mine are going to have to fix it, but you can’t expect us to do everything, dad. I came here to ask you not to give up, we are doing everything we can, but we need you to give a little. That’s why we are travelling down to San Diego, to ask to the other gods at the feats, and I would appreciate it if you would back me up and come down there with us to convince the gods to not give up and lend their support.” I finish.
“You don’t know whats going on, you might know the outside layer, but there are things sturring, forces so dark and evil they could destroy the world with a snap of their finger. Trust me on this, we are trying, no one wants to give up their positions, especially not my brothers, but sometimes it’s important to know when to say when.”
“Well I came here to tell you you don’t get to say when yet. Ok father, not yet. We just need your support” the old man sighs again, seeming so tired he could fall asleep right then and not wake up for eons.
“What do you think about this my dear?” he ask Jade. She seems surprised he noticed her but she quickly throws that back behind her mask and turns to my father.
“I think you're underestimating us sir. I think if you let us, we may be able to surpise you. Chiron has taught us well, we can handle whatever you need us to handle. We can help where you can not, I understand there are ancient laws not permitting you to interfere with much, but we are asking, I am asking, your son is asking you to do as much as you can”she finshes, and the room stays silent.
“I was under the impression you weren’t trained by Chiron” my father finaly says, and I have to fight back the urge to groan.
“You are correct sir.”
“Mme. Graceou was it?”
“Yes sir.”
“And you are heading back there now, to where you were tortured for years, in order to ask the gods, who might as well be deaf, to help you on a quest you will must likely die on.” He says, but Jade doesn’t miss a beat.
“That is correct sir” she says. He chuckles a little and turns to me.
“That is one of the bravest things I’ve ever heard of. Don’t ever let her go son.” He says, rasing his glass to her. I don’t answer, but it’s hard to fight back the smile on my face. “Now I would hate for you to rot down here sweetheart, but you are going to have to find your own way out,” he says. “My hands are tied.”
“I have no problem with that sir, as long as you swear to help us as much as you are able to” she says. My old man tunrs to me and smiles, rasing his eyebrows as if to say he wa impressed. He stands up with a groan, cracks his back, and holds out his hand.
“I swear on the river styx my dear girl, that I will do everything in my power to help you and my son and whoever else you support. Or shall I bathe in the blasphemous river my self for the rest of eternity” he says shaking her hand a few times. There is a loud roll of thunder, and she has shaken his hand before I could open my mouth. I didn’t like her making promises on the river styx, but she could handle herself.
As soon as that happened the lights began to flicker. “Wha’ts going on father” I ask.
“Oh no, I told you soon, there are forces, and they begin in my realm, they’ve been feeding on my energy, and they do not appreciate you being here. They have woken a little more with your scent, and now they are chasing you down, to make sure you don’t get out.”
“What do we do?” I ask, beginning to panic.
He shrugs his shoulders. “I told you this was beyond my power, they are threatening to take my kingdom. Now I have sworn to help you out as best as I could, but that did not include this” I could hear growling and roaring from outside. There was monsters, dozens of them, who wanted our blood.
“Nico” Jade says, whipping out krypton.
“What do you want!” I say, knowing this was the only way to make an actual deal wih my father, as honorable as he migt have sounded, he was not honorable. The deal would be broken if either of them died, and he was planning on Jade dieing so he wouldn’t have to go through with it. The whole thing was a trap to get what he actually wanted, me.
“You know what I want. As much as I enjoy your little visits, they are not enough to control my kingdom. You know that son. You belong down here, not up there.”
“Give us a way out!”
“three months every year, beginning on the anniversary of this day next year, only because I am feeling giving, and you need to go through hell of a lot more this year then hell, or may you bathe in the river styx for the rest of eternity.” He says, a wicked smile on his life. His hand was out, ready to make another damning deal.
“Nico don’t you dare!” Jade yells, but it was too late, with a grimace I clasp his hand, pump it once, and thunder rolls. The third deadly deal in as many hours. I was damned, to the same fate as Peresophone. She cackles loudly next to me.
“Oh you poor boy we both fell for the same trick, don’t worry its not that bad. Although I guess missing your girlfriend for three months of the year is going to put a strain on your relationship, I would be surprised if she dumped you” she says nodding toward Jade, who was turning red with anger.
“Nico I am going to kill you!”
“Get us out!” I yell at my dad, the growls and shrieks getting louder. He opened his hand and a hole erupted on one side of the castle, leaving a hole narrow enough for us to squeeze through.
“Not much further to the top.” He says, and smiles at me, “See you soon my son.” I try to punch him, but Jade takes my arm and we tumble through the hole, landing hard on our backs. It just closed behind us as the first monsters burst through my fathers doors, where he sat casually drinking his wine and shrugging his shoulder.
An Empousi noticed the hole and lunged for us, making me scramble backward, but it closed up right on her face, making a sickly cracking sound. Then the whole army attacked the wall, and we were surrounded by mad sounds, kicking, screaming and scrambling.
“They might not get in through there but they will find a way to follow us, we should get out of here” she doesn’t answer. “Jade it was the only way to get you out of there alive-“
“You have no business making that call, you have no business sacrificing yourself for me like that! Who the hell do you think you are Nico!”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“Yeah, well now look at us, we’re stuck in a hole hunted down by an army and you're just going to end up back here for three months out of every eyar. You said you wold do anything not to leave me! Well guess what, that’s exactly what you're doing!” she says, and a sob escapes her. The second time I had ever heard her cry, the first time she had almost killed me.
Im afraid to do anything for a second, but when the second sob came out my instincts take over and I wrap my arms around her, pulling her tight to me. She fights me off at first but she’s crying too hard to put up much of a fight. She calms down after a while, taking deep breaths and burying her face into my shoulders.
In the mean time the sounds get louder, more excited, they found a way in. “Lets go” Jade says, standing up and wiping her eyes, all evidence of her weak moment gone, and she became as guarded and introverted as ever. I grunt and get up, following her as we make our way through the tight looping labyrinth.
“Shit” she says just as I land on the thought. “We’re in Deadelus labyrinth!” she says, stopping for a second, making me run in to her.
“I swear we can read each others mind” I mutter to myself.
“Did you say something?”
“No” I say, running my hand through my hair.
“Whatever” she grunts, “We Need to get out of here, distance is thwarted in the labyrinth, stay in here too long and we might end up in south America, and then we’ll never do this” she mutters.
“Well how do you propose we do that?” I ask, the toxins from Hades finaly reaching us, making us angry and spiteful at each other.
She scoffs at me, and takes out krypton, waving it around the walls until she gasps, smiles, and puts him back in her sheath. She holds her hand on the wall, looking once again for what she found, and presses something against the wall. There was the sound of marble moving, and a pocket is moved above us, leaving the clear blue evening sky. “Give me a boost.” She says, and I clasp my hands together, and push her out of the edge. She rolls elegantly of the grass, then nothing.
I was almost afraid she had left me, before I see two little hands hanging out of the clearing. I did not doubt for one moment she wouldn’t be able to pull me out. I grasp her wrists, and she pulls me out effortleslly.
We both lay back on the grass, looking up at the setting purple and orange sky. It almost seemed as if we had only been there for a minute, and it was still the same day, but we came out at least 24 hours later. That meant we needed to get down to San Diego tonight, no more breaks.
“The pacific is 4.3 miles to the west, we haven’t moved much from where we came in, we’re probably like 10 miles away from the entrance, so I wouldn’t suggest we go back and get the same car, think you can hot wire another one?” she asks turning her head to face me.
I turn my head as well, and our foreheads touch. “You know I’m not actually angry at you” I say.
“I know” she says blinking at me. “Two more days, and we can go back home” she says.
“I feel like the hardest part is over” I mutter into her hair. She laughs lightly against my cheek.
“I doubt it, that doesn’t seem like our luck” she says, pulling my hair back from my eyes.
“I had to jade, at least now we know what the prophecy meant by one return to their land” I say, addressing the white elephant. She breathes out and lays back down on my chest.
“I know” she says again.
“Good” I say, brushing her hair. We lay there for a long time, holding on to each other.

Notes