The New Generation

Ch. 1: Talk in the Darkness

"What?" That was Zoe's only response. 

"Yeah, the doors of death. They are Thanatos doors that he uses when he travels to Tartarus. They are now chained up in some place in Tartarus and being used by Gaea's forces to bring monsters and giants back to the overworld," Percy simply explained as they got to walk down the river.

"From what little I know about Tartarus, they should be in the deepest and darkest part of it. And if we follow logic, the rivers should lead to that place since it goes downhill," Percy suggested.

Zoe was so shocked by his thinking that she stopped moving. Her eyes widened and her jaw was slack after hearing his logic. 

Percy looked back at her with a questioning gaze. "What? Did I say something wrong?" 

Zoe shook her head before answering. "No, it's just that I always have seen you as an idiot and never like this," 

Percy gave her a small smile while chuckling. "That is because I didn't want to be seen as a threat to the gods. Anna-Annabeth was always there to come up with the plans, even if I didn't like them, so I didn't have to act like my true self. But now that we are in literal hell and the gods can't see us, I can use my actual mental capacity without having to worry about them watching," 

Zoe was really shocked after hearing that. All those years she had thought of Percy being just an average mentally capable demigod while Annabeth was the one who came up with plans. But actually hearing him explain why he did it and also witnessing his intelligence made her believe him. 

"Okay, but how are we going to defend ourselves when we have no weapons?" Zoe pointed out. 

Percy turned his gaze at her while giving her a mischievous smile before pulling out riptide from his pocket. Zoe facepalmed as she was reminded that Riptide was enchanted to always return to the wielder's pocket. 

"Alright, you have your weapon, but what about me?" Zoe looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

Percy seemed to ponder over Zoe's statement before looking around. His gaze was shifted regularly until his eyebrows were pushed together. "I think I got an idea," He commented before heading to their left and over a few boulders. 

Zoe was confused by this and decided to follow him since she didn't have anything better to do. Also, she couldn't let her only company die when she had just earned his company. 

As soon as Zoe's vision was over the boulder, she noticed that there were a few monsters with spears and daggers on them. Percy was by her side with Riptide already in its sword form. 

"Let me get rid of them and you can use some of their weapons. Also, having a few daggers as extra weapons can always come in handy," Percy stated and Zoe understood his thinking. 

"Alright, since you have the sword I am going to throw a rock in the opposite direction that you are going to attack to distract them while you get behind them. After they notice you and start attacking you, I am going to get behind one of them and get one of their weapons, sounds right?" Zoe stated the plan not 2 seconds later and Percy nodded.

"Come on, once I hear the rock I will stab the cyclopes," Percy said before heading down the rock and getting behind the monsters. 

Zoe waited until she saw the sea-green-eyed boy behind the cyclops sitting on a rock with a spear by its side. She saw Percy give her a nod and a second later she threw the rock with precision to the opposite of Percy's position. 

At the sound of the rock hitting the burnt wasteland, the monster's attention turned to the direction of the sound. As Percy heard the rock hit the ground and saw the cyclops move its head, he was quick to stab Riptide through the back of the cyclop's throat to stop it from screaming. He didn't wait for the monster to completely die before taking out his sword and slashing across a nearby hellhound through its ribs.