We followed Bob through the wasteland, tracing the route of the Phlegethon as we approached the storm of darkness. Every so often we stoped to drink firewater to keep ourselves alive. I was starting to resent it. It was as if I was drinking battery acid.
Percy slipped his hand into mine as we traveled. Every so often he would glance over and smile, or squeeze my hand. I know he was doing it to cheer me up. He had to be just as scared and miserable as I was, and I loved him for trying to make me feel better.
"Bob knows what he's doing." Percy promised.
"You have interesting friends, Shark Boy." I muttered, trying to be positive.
"Bob is interesting!" The Titan turned and grinned. I raised a brow. He had good ears, too. "Yes, thank you!"
"So, Bob, I have a question for you if you don't mind me asking." I brought up. "How exactly did you get into Tartarus?"
"I jumped." He said, like it was obvious.
"You jumped into Tartarus because Percy said your name?"
"He needed me." Bob's silver eyes gleamed in the darkness. "I was tired of sweeping the palace. Come along! We're almost at a rest stop."
He made it sound like there was a gas station in Tartarus where we could go buy snacks and drinks for a long trip. Hopefully there were also clean restrooms. I ignored the rumble of my stomach at the idea of food.
To distract myself, I stared at Bob's back as he led in front. There was a rip in his overalls in between his shoulder blades, as if someone tried to stab him. Cleaning rags stuck out of his pocket. A squirt bottle swung from his belt, the blue liquid inside sloshing hypnotically.
I thought about the story of how Bob lost his memories. Percy, Thalia, and Nico worked together to defeat Bob at the banks of the Lethe River. After wiping his memory, they didn't have the heart to kill him. He had became so gentle and sweet and cooperative that they had left him at Hades' palace, where Persephone promised to look after him.
Apparently, that meant making Bob the janitor. Hades and Persephone gave Bob a broom to sweep up their messes. I don't know how they could be so callous. I'd never felt sorry for a Titan before, but it didn't seem right to take a brainwashed immortal and make him into a janitor. However, I still felt a little uneasy being around him. Worry gnawed at my mind at the thought of him suddenly remembering everything and lashing out at Percy and I. The both of us were in no condition to fight him if need be and they way Bob easily defeated the empousai...
The three of us picked our way across the ashen wasteland as red lightning flashed overhead in the poisonous clouds. It was hard to see far in the hazy air, but the longer we walked the more I was noting that the entire landscape was a downward curve. We passed a blister in the ground- a withering translucent bubble the size of a minivan. Curled inside was the half-formed body of a drakon. Bob speared the blister without a second thought. It burst in a geyser of steaming yellow slime, and the dragon dissolved.
Bob continued to walk on. The more I stared at the blisters, the more they resembled pimples. I shuddered at the thought of us walking on skin and the ground being a living thing. That's when it clicked. This whole twisted landscape was the body of Tartarus- the most ancient incarnation of evil. Just as Gaea inhabited the surface of the earth, Tartarus inhabited the pit.
"Here." Bob said.
We stopped at the top of a ridge. Below was a sheltered depression like a moon crater. In the middle stood a ring of black marble columns surrounding a dark stone altar.
"Hermes shrine." Bob explained.
"A Hermes shrine in Tartarus?" Percy frowned.
"Yes." Bob laughed in delight. "It fell from somewhere long ago. Maybe the mortal world. Maybe Olympus. Anyways, monsters stay clear. Mostly."
"How did you know it was here?" I asked.
"Can't remember." Bob's smiled faded as a vacant look glazed over his eyes.
"That's okay." Percy said quickly.
I felt stupid for asking the question. Iapetus knew of course. He was a Titan. Like all of his brothers, they had been trapped in Tartarus for eons. If he remembered this shrine, what else does he remember?
We climbed into the crater and entered the circle of columns. I collapsed on a broken slab, lifting up my ankle to check on it. The bruising was all gone and so was the swelling. I think walking on it for miles just irritated it.
Percy stood protectively beside me, scanning our surroundings. The inky storm front was less than a hundred feet. It was obscuring everything ahead of us. The crater's rim blocked our view of the wasteland behind us. We'd be well hidden, but if monsters stumbled upon us we would have no warning.
"Your ankle okay?" Percy questioned.
"Yeah, it's fine. Just need to rest it." I brought my leg down. I turned to Bob. "You said something about someone chasing us. Who?"
"They're following us, yes." Bob swept his broom around the base of the altar, occasionally crouching to study the ground as if he were looking for something. "They know you are here. Giants and Titans. The defeated ones. They know."
The defeated ones...
My hands trembled slightly and I gripped the edge of the slab I was sitting on. Fear crawled into my throat. How many giants and Titans have Percy and I fought over our years as demigods? If all of them were here in Tartarus, and they were actively hunting for the both of us...
"We should keep moving then. If they're hunting us." I brought up.
"Soon." Bob said. "But mortals need rest. Good place here. Best place for...oh, long way. I will guard you."
I glanced at Percy anxiously. I didn't like the idea of us stopping. Even if Bob was good and would protect us, the idea of a Titan keeping watch while we slept left me uneasy.
"You sleep, Vine Girl." Percy told me. "I'll keep first watch with Bob."
"Yes, good." Bob rumbled in agreement. "When you wake, food should be here!"
My stomach growled at the mention of food. I didn't know how Bob would be able to find food down here. Maybe his job as a janitor also meant he knew where all the food was located at. He did lead us to this rest place after all.
Sitting on the slab allowed my brain to fully register how exhausted I was. My eyes were feeling heavy and I was forcing them to stay open. My shoulders were slouching from exhaustion.
"Shark Boy," I looked up at him with a warning look, "wake me up for second watch. Don't be a hero."
Percy gave me a smirk. Despite my sleep deprivation kicking in, butterflies erupted in my stomach at the sight. I couldn't help but smile back.
"Who me?" Percy kissed me, his lips feverish and parched. "Sleep."
Percy sat beside me on the slab. I laid down, resting my head on his lap. He ran his fingers through my hair, untangling the knots. My eyes drooped and I was overcome with drowsiness. It didn't take long for me to fall asleep.
🍇
Demigods dream suck.
They suck even more when you're in Tartarus apparently. It made me relive the worst moments of my life. My mom dropping me off without a goodbye and never contacting me. Seeing Castor die all over again. The Battle of Manhattan and seeing all of my friends die to save Olympus.
However, I did not expect to be standing in Half-Blood Hill staring at Reyna who stood the bottom. The Roman praetor wore crimson cloak with her gold armor glinting in the sun. What made it even more strange was Reyna speaking into my mind.
Your journey will be treacherous, but it needs to be done. This is a confirmation for my daughter. Someone else needs to help spread the word. Reyna spoke, but her voice wasn't her own. It sounded regal and wise. Athena. The rest of my journey must be on the wings of Rome. I must stand here. The Roman must bring me.
I didn't have time to respond. The hill shook. The ground rippled as the grass became folds of silk of a massive dress. Gaea rose over Camp Half-Blood, her sleeping face as large as a mountain.
Hellhounds poured over the hills. Giants, Earthborn, and wild Cyclopes charged from the beach. They tore down the dining pavilion, setting fire to the cabins and the Big House.
Hurry. Said the voice of Athena. The message must be sent twice.
The ground split at my feet and I fell into darkness.
🍇
My eyes flew open. I cried out, grasping Percy's arms. My breath was shaky as I tried to control my breath. I glanced around to see I was still in Tartarus at the shrine of Hermes.
"It's okay." Percy reassured me. "Bad dreams?"
"Is it my turn to watch?" I swallowed thickly.
"No, no. We're good. I let you sleep."
"Percy!" I gaped at him. My grip on his arms loosened as my hands fell to my sides. "You haven't slept-"
"Hey, it's fine." Percy slipped his hand into mine. "Besides, I was too excited to sleep. Look."
Percy motioned toward the altar. Bob sat crossed legged beside the altar, happily munching a piece of pizza. I blinked a few times to make sure I was fully awake.
"Is that...pepperoni pizza?"
"Burnt offerings." Percy said. "Sacrifices to Hermes from the mortal world, I guess. They appeared in a cloud of smoke. We've got half a hotdog, some grapes, a plate of roast beef, and a package of peanut M&M's."
"M&M's for Bob!" Bob said happily. "Uh, that okay?"
"You can have the M&M's Bob." I nodded toward him.
Bob grinned. Percy went to grab me a plate. He brought roast beef with the grapes on the side. I muttered a thank you. My stomach grumbled at the smell hit my nose. I started to dig in. The brisket was still hot. I wasn't sure if I was homesick or not, but I swear the spicy sweet glaze of the barbecue was just like the one from Camp Half-Blood.
"I know." Percy said, reading my expression. "I think it is from Camp Half-Blood."
Homesickness definitely hit hard. At every meal, the campers would burn a portion of their food to honor their godly parents. The smoke supposedly pleased the gods, but I never thought of where the food went. Maybe the offerings reappeared to the gods' altars in Olympus, or in this case Tartarus.
"Peanut M&M's..." I popped a grape into my mouth. "Conner always burned a pack for his dad at dinner."
My mind wandered to the last time I was at camp. I sat at the dining pavilion with Annabeth and Seth as we watched Piper chase Leo around for teasing her about Jason. Jason was laughing to the side when he saw Piper tackle Leo to the ground. The Argo II was decked on the beach a couple yards away. Campers were helping us load the final necessities we needed.
"Hey," Percy placed a hand on my shoulder, "actual food from home. That's good."
"Yeah." I nodded, giving him a weak smile. "Just made me a bit homesick."
Percy frowned. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and brought me closer to him. Percy kissed my forehead and my smile slightly grew. I leaned against him as I finished eating my grapes. We finished eating in silence.
"Should go now." Bob chomped down the last of his M&M's. "They will be here in a few minutes."
"A few minutes?" I furrowed my brows.
"Yes...well, I think minutes..." Bob scratched his silvery hair. "Time is hard in Tartarus. Not the same."
Percy got up from beside me. He crept to the edge of the crater. He peered the way we'd come.
"I don't see anything, but that doesn't mean much." Percy stated. "Bob, which giants are we talking about? Which Titans?"
"Not sure of names." Bob grunted. "Six, maybe seven. I can sense them."
"Uh, can they sense you?" I swallowed nervously, not liking the number.
"Don't know." Bob smiled. "Bob is different! But they can smell demigods, yes. You two smell very strong. Good strong. Like...hmm. Like buttery bread!"
"Buttery bread..." I muttered. "That's great. Awesome."
"Is it possible to kill a giant in Tartarus?" Percy climbed back to the altar. "I mean, since we don't have a god to help us?"
Percy glanced at me as if he hoped I knew the answer. I helplessly shrugged.
"I don't know. What we're doing now...traveling through Tartarus and fighting monsters here, it's never been done before." I glanced toward Bob. "Maybe Bob can help us kill a giant? Maybe a Titan would count as a god? I honestly don't know."
"Yeah." Percy said, worry in his eyes. He didn't like my answer and to be honest neither did I. "Okay."
"Where to now?" I asked, standing to my feet.
Bob started cleaning up. He collected our trash in a little pile, using his squirt bottle to wipe off the altar.
"Bob says that way." Percy pointed at the stormy wall of darkness. "Apparently the Doors of Death-"
"Uh, you told him?" I said uneasily, not knowing if that was a good idea or not.
"While you were asleep." Percy nodded. "Bob can help be our guide."
"Bob helps! Into the Dark Lands. The Doors of Death...hmm, walking straight to them would be bad. Too many monsters gathered there. Even Bob could not sweep that many. They would kill Percy and Ivy in about two seconds." Bob frowned. "I think seconds. Time is hard in Tartarus."
"So is there another way?" I hoped there was.
"Hiding. The Death Mist could hide you." Bob answered.
"What exactly is Death Mist?" I asked, never hearing it before.
"It is dangerous." Bob told us. "But if the lady will give you Death Mist, it might hide you. If we can avoid Night. The lady is very close to Night. That is bad."
"The lady." Percy repeated.
"Yes." Bob pointed ahead of us into the inky blackness. "We should go."
"Okay, then." Percy glanced at me, silently asking if I had any guidance or ideas. I helplessly shook my head. "I guess we'll see a lady about some Death Mist."
"Wait a moment." I glanced back at the black altar.
My mind drifted back to the dream I had. Athena telling me to send a message. We were standing in the shrine of the god of messages and communications. My gaze drifted to the pile of trash and then Percy's pocket where Riptide was.
"Uh...Ivy?" Percy sounded concerned.
I walked over to the pile of trash and picked out a reasonably clean paper napkin. Smoothing it out to try and get the majority of the wrinkles out, I thought about the dream some more. Why did Athena appear as Reyna? Then the words came back to me: I must stand here. The Roman must bring me.
"Bob," I glanced at him, "offerings burned in the mortal world appear on this altar, right?"
"Yes?" Bob frowned uncomfortably, not really expecting the question.
"Do you know what happens if I burn something on the altar here?"
"Uh..."
"That's okay. I don't think anybody knows the answer to that." I reassured him.
There had to be a chance that an offering burned on this very altar might appear at Camp Half-Blood. It's like a phone, right? It's a two way form of communication. It had to work.
"Ivy?" Percy said again, stepping closer to me. "What are you thinking? You've got that I'm-planning-something-that-I-might-not-like look."
"I don't have," I glanced up at him with furrowed brows, "an I'm-planning-something-"
"Yeah, you totally do." Percy cut me off, nodding his head. A smile was tugging at the corner of his lips. He reached over and placed a finger in between my eyebrows. "Your eyebrows knit and your lips pucker to the side and -"
"Do you have a pen?" I exasperated, ignoring my cheeks flushing.
"You're kidding, right?" Percy brought out Riptide.
"Can you actually write with it?" I pointed at the pen hopefully.
"I-I don't know." Percy admitted. "Never tried."
Percy uncapped the pen. As usual, it sprang into a full-sized sword. Normally when he fought, Percy simply discarded the cap. It always appeared in his pocket later, as needed. When he touched the cap to the point of the sword, it would turn back into a ballpoint pen.
"What if you touch the cap to the other end of the sword?" I tilted my head in question. "Like where you'd put the cap if you were actually going to write with a pen."
"Uh..." Percy looked doubtful, but he touched the cap to the hilt of the sword. Riptide shrank back into a ballpoint pen, but now the writing point was exposed.
"May I?" I plucked it from his hand without waiting for an answer.
I flattened the napkin against the altar and began to write. Riptide's ink glowed celestial bronze. I quickly explained all that I could on the napkin. Percy tried to peer over my shoulder to read it, but my body blocked him from reading it all.
"What are you doing?" Percy asked.
"Sending a message. I just hope Rachel gets it. And Seth."
"Rachel?" Percy asked. "You mean our Rachel? Oracle of Delphi Rachel?"
"Yup." I grinned. "And Seth, though he may know by now."
"Uh, know what ?" Percy's brows creased together.
"I'll explain later, let me just finish writing this..."
I folded the napkin when I finished the note. On the outside, I wrote:
Connor,
Give this to Rachel or Seth. Not a prank. I would do something better than this. Don't be a moron and give it to them.
Peace from Tartarus,
Ivy
I took a deep breath. Hopefully Annabeth got a hold of them already and the note would just be a confirmation for the three of them. Annabeth and Rachel should be able to carry out the plan to communicate with the Romans. I handed the magical pen to Percy.
"Now I just need to burn it. Anybody got a match?" I asked. The point of Bob's spear shot out from his broom handle. It sparked against the altar and erupted in silvery fire. "Thanks."
I lit the napkin and set it on the altar. I watched it crumble to ashes and wondered if I was crazy to think of this plan. Would it even work?
"We should go now." Bob advised. "Really, really go. Before we are killed."
I stared at the wall of blackness in front of us. Somewhere in there was a lady who dispensed a Death Mist that might hide us from monsters. Percy capped his pen and shoved it back into his pocket.
"Let's go."
☀️☀️☀️☀️
All I could think about while writing this is Bucees the gas station 😂