Shrouded in Darkness

World Down Under

"Nico." I hiss as we continue to walk. For some reason I've covered my eyes with my hands even though in the perpetual darkness I can't see anything anyways.

"It's fine. Calm down. They're just up ahead." Nico tells me his voice bouncing off Zeus knows what. Walls? Bones? Monsters enlarged stomachs? "Are you covering your eyes?" Nico asks as i trip over a rock or something.

"Yes, does it matter. I'm blind down here anyways. Besides, darkness like this has always sort of scared me." i tell him truthfully. I hear someone snicker and there's a soft glow i can see through my hands. I drop my hands from my face and in the dim light of Percy's and Jason's sword, i can just make out everyone's faces. "You all heard that didn't you." i mutter trying my best not to blush or turn around and hit Nico who has at some point during my confession dropped his hand from my shoulder.

"Yeah, but it's ok everyone is afraid of something." Hazel tells me a smile sitting shyly upon her face.

"Thalia's afraid of heights if that helps." Percy says gesturing back towards her. Thalia hits him, hard and Percy cries out.

"Zeus' daughter? God of the sky?" i say perplexed.

"Never. Mention. It." Thalia says through her teeth. Spinning around and brandishing her shield as she descends farther into the Underworld without any light.

"Flashlights would have been a good idea." i say grabbing onto Nico's arm and bringing him down onto the same step as me.

"I doubt they would work here." Hazel replied her voice wafting up from the steps below us.

"What are you talking about. It's a flashlight. It runs on batteries. How could it not work?" i ask.

"She means our Father might not let them work. He has a thing for the dark you know." i scoff and roll my eyes as i slip on one of the steps and cling tighter to Nico's arm.

"So your father can control batteries that's useful." Nico chuckles.

"No, just the dark." that doesn't make it sound any better. I was trying to make a joke and Nico ruined it. Now I'm scared.

"How far til we actually reach hell?" i whisper to Nico which isn't really whispering because I'm pretty sure Percy can hear me and Hazel. Jason and Thalia are father down. I can just barely make out his mop of golden hair.

"We're already in hell." Nico chuckles. I hit his chest.

"Oh really idiot? I meant the bottom. Like when do the stairs end perhaps?" i asked as we continued to move down as quickly as possible.

"I don't know last time it took us an.." Percy pauses as we reach the bottom of the stairs. "An hour.. What the heck?" We had emerged into the Underworld at the base of this massive cliff. Looking back up i realized Percy was right it should have taken us at least an hour but we got here in half the time.

"Maybe our dad wants to talk to us." Hazel says glancing at Nico. I loosen my grip on his arm and drop my hands to my sides as i glance around. There's a giant rushing river to our right falling seemingly from nowhere before disappearing off into a cascade of rapids. Off to our left is a red and orange gloom, like fire. I'm trying to remember all of the old stories and myths i read about the Underworld but i can't remember the name of that place. I just know it's where all the really horrible people go. The guy who pushes that stone wheel up to the top of that mountain everyday is over there. That's as far as my knowledge goes.

"That's not a good sign." Nico mumbles brushing past us and staring at the river shoving his hands in his pockets.

"The first time i used this entrance Nico tricked me into talking to his father." Percy said quietly by me.