They're What?!

Dungeon Mini-Game

Percy woke up.

"Uh. That's not supposed to happen."

He was in Hades palace, floating in a little bubble up near the ceiling. When he looked to the left, there was Harry, eyes still closed. 

"What on Earth..." Percy tried to move.

It was like trying to push through water, if he didn't have water powers. His movements were slow, but if he concentrated he could do pretty decently.

He reached out and touched the edge of the bubble, expecting a barrier.

Nothing. The room outside the bubble was warm, but not uncomfortably slow.

Percy slowly pushed his way to the edge of the bubble.

The floor was pretty far away. He frowned, trying to figure out what to do.

There was a decorative protrusion on the wall. Percy thought for a moment.

"Maybe..."

He wriggled his way down to the bottom of the bubble, so only his upper arms were in it. Taking a moment to look around, he swung his feet back and forth, creating momentum, until-

"Yah!" Percy's arms slipped out of the weird substance in the bubble and he went flying towards the wall. He grabbed the decoration, clinging for dear life.

Now he wasn't so far off the ground. Percy planted his feet on the black stone wall and gritted his teeth.

"Don't stick the landing." He muttered to himself.

Percy pushed off the wall and let himself fall. He hit the floor and rolled forward, trying to dispel some of the landing.

He came up out of the roll in a crouch and looked around. "Where am I?"

Well, of course he sort of knew where he was. He was in Hades' palace in the Underworld.

But where in the palace?

He crept towards the doorway, staying in a crouch because it was what felt safer.

The doors were cracked open slightly so Percy peeked out.

"The throne room." He whispered. Peeking out a little, he realized no one was in there.

Percy looked back at Harry. Should he... No. They made a deal. Even if he had woken up somehow, he had to leave the wizard boy.

"Jackson."

"Holy Styx!" Percy about jumped out of his skin, whirling. He swung on instinct, but a calm hand stopped his fist cold.

"Easy." Hades offered something that was maybe a quarter of half of a smile.

"Sorry." Percy said quietly. "Why... why am I awake?"

Hades shrugged. "Because I figured it was necessary. I pulled some strings."

"Why?"

The god of the Underworld looked slightly confused. "What do you mean?"

"Why?" Percy asked again. "You didn't pull the others, did you?" 

"No. The demigods you brought back have not been removed."

"So... what do I do?"

"Well I'm not allowed to let you leave, but..." He glanced around. "If you were to mysteriously disappear... well I can't prevent that."

Percy narrowed his eyes. "Right. Anything I need to know about that?"

Hades shrugged. "There are skeletons that patrol the castle and if Persephone finds you it won't be pretty."

"Thanks." Percy rolled his eyes. He turned to look at Harry again and when he turned back around Hades was gone.

"Great. It's like the dungeon level of a video-game."

He walked out into the throne room, looking for anything useful.

There was a cape hanging in the corner. It looked human size, so Percy went over and grabbed it.

He had to laugh when he put it on. "Now you're doing too much. I look like the rebel character in some weird sci-fi movie." The cape draped around his shoulders in multiple layers, then draped off over his back.

Percy scanned the room. There were the main doors, but if he had to guess those would be guarded. So what other options?

Two side doors.

"I can't believe I'm doing this... eeny meeny miny moe."

Percy went left.

Dead end. He grunted in annoyance and headed for the other door.

This one led out into a hallway. Percy stepped back for a moment and looked for a weapon.

Nothing. Crap. He sighed and headed out into the hallway.

It was the most nerve-wracking experience of his life. And he'd been in plenty of very stressful situations. He dodged guard after guard, hiding in strange places and using shadows to his advantage. In the back of his mind he had a thought that this must be how Nico did things.

Finally he opened a door and found the Fields of Asphodel in front of him. Percy had to grin as he took off, weaving between mindless ghosts. 

"Hogwarts here I come."