north

vi, astray

Jason stops in front of the field of shadows. He hears a distant roar and glances behind them. They took a chance, doubling back to refill the thermos at the river. They ran into another hoard of dracanae, larger this time, but managed to get through without any trouble. But now more monsters are aware of their presence. All seek them out; old enemies driven by bloodlust that Jason can't remember and minions of Gaia eager to make Nico suffer.

Now, two lines of the skull thermos glow and Jason has no idea if they are any closer to the Doors of Death. Bob gave them a much needed edge, but Nico seems reluctant to summon him again, and explains to Jason the dicey past of the former Titan. They both agree to keep him as a last resort, because neither wants a Titan going berserk on top of every monster in Tartarus seeking out their blood. So they stand at the precipice of some great, foggy terrain, unsure of how to press on.

They've spent their time in tense silence. Well, Jason keeps trying to engage Nico in conversation and Nico keeps refusing. He's very frustrated by the time they end up in front of the murky haze.

Somehow, with each passing horror, Tartarus still manages to darken. The rust that surrounds them bleeds into the fog, creating a mist that makes Jason sick to look at. "How are we going to get through here? I can't even see through it." He thrusts his arm into the fog. A feeling of coldness and despair washes over him. He can feel gravity pulling him down, down into the depths of Tartarus. That's something else Jason hates. In Tartarus, there's nowhere to go but down.

Nico purses his lips. "I have an idea."

"That'd be great, because whatever that is," Jason says over a monstrous shriek, nearer than the last one, "is getting too close."

"It could be risky, but... I could shadow travel. It's the fastest transportation we have. If I can transport us in short bursts, getting closer and closer to the Doors, we can be out of here in no time... And it's better than taking shots in the dark."

Jason isn't eager for what's to come, but it's the only option they have. "Fine." Nico almost flinches at his short reply. His sets a determined face opposed to the trace of fear in his eyes. But when the son of Hades offers his hand, he accepts it without hesitation, deciding it's more out of fondness than the monsters chasing them. The shadows engulf them and they go.

Shadow travel makes Jason sick. The darkness creeps around him, tugs him along, fills his ears and his eyes and his nose with too much static. He keeps tight the grip on Nico's hand as he leads them through the night. The smog of Tartarus fades, filling his lungs with clean, cool air, frost settling on his nails and the edge of his ears.

They walk through the darkness hand in hand. It's like trudging through walls of mud. They're making progress, slow and sure. Then the dark path ahead of them ripples and Nico startles.

"Nico?" Jason asks. The ground beneath them shakes and they both stumble, holding hands tighter. "What's going on?"

"I--I don't know. This shouldn't be happening. It should be a straight shot. We shouldn't stop moving."

Light bursts in the tunnel of shadows beneath their feet. Two gigantic half-lidded eyes beneath their feet fixate on the duo. Jason pulls Nico close to him, drawing his sword from his coin. Nico, likewise, brings forth his own weapon.

DO YOU THINK YOU CAN DEFEAT ME IN MY OWN DOMAIN?

The son of Hades trembles beside him, wordless terror in his eyes. The voice of Gaea. "Run," Nico whispers. He grabs Jason's hand again and dashes further into the shadow. The eyes move fast underneath them, following through the darkness. Then, with a horror, the son of Jupiter realizes they aren't moving at all. They're running, but they aren't getting farther than a few feet. He pulls Nico back, breath short and wounds aching.