The Darkness Within

Chapter 15

Pax/Beta POV

Everyone is silent. No one questions when Percy took the lead. No one fights when Percy tells them to make a turn.

Everyone feels guilty.

We arrive at the edge of the pit. Shadows swarm around the entrance. This is the darkest place on the planet.

"Since I don't have my water powers," Percy spat and everyone looked down, "we have to risk a shadow travel. I'll try to get as close as I can to my house, but there is only so much energy one can spend."

Percy stands in the middle, his raven-black hair swaying in the breeze. I rush towards him and grab his hand. Annabeth grabs Percy's other hand and glares at me. What did I ever do to this girl?

We melt into darkness. Claws try to reach us from all sides. I try to squeeze Percy's supposed hand but I have no form. He has no form. We are yet we are not. We are shadows.

I have shadow traveled before, but this is different. Shadow travel uses the darkness to propel us to a destination. This time, however we are traveling into it. There is no veil between controlled darkness and wild darkness.

We come to and my mind fades to black.

Percy/Alpha POV

We arrive in Tartarus and Pax immediately loses consciousness. I catch her before she hits the rough ground and carry her bridal style. Annabeth shoots us a look of pure venom.

When I adjust to the darkness again, I remember my old hunting grounds. To my right I see the drakon hatching grounds. I should be able to see my house over the hill and across the plain.

I shout. "Everyone! Follow me!"

No one criticizes or questions me anymore. I'm glad. The sooner this torture can end, the sooner I can return to my peaceful life with Pax.

We quickly arrive at my bone home. Everyone stops and looks at my house. It is very similar to the Big House. I take out a small bone out of my pocket and jam it into a small hole. I turn the key and the door opens.

Everyone stares at me in shock.

I shrug. "Only way to keep unwanted pests out."

I carry Pax through my living room and into my bedroom. I lay her gently on the bed, careful not to disturb her. There should be some Phlegethon fire water in a bone cup somewhere in the kitchen. I frantically run over and search through all of my belongings.

Everyone gapes at the detail of my house.

"Percy, this is a nice place you got here." Jason admits, trying to start a conversation.

I respond curtly. "Only so much you can do living one thousand years in Tartarus."

"How can that be?" Frank asks. "You were only gone two years!"

I halt the search for Phlegethon water and turn to Frank. "One year on Earth is five hundred down here in Tartarus. I wouldn't act so cocky, Zhang. You haven't experienced the horrors I have. Now if you excuse me, I need to find my supply of Phlegethon water."

"Why don't you use this ambrosia?" Piper waves a Ziploc bag with squares.

I stare at it for a solid minute.

"It has been a long time since I have seen ambrosia in person."

I snatch it and run to Pax to force feed her one or two squares.

Pax's eyes slowly flutter open as I give her some nectar.

I help her to the living room and we sit on the big couch.

Annabeth comes from the kitchen with a bone full of water and sits right between us.

"Glad you're feeling better, honey." She gives a fake smile.

Piper shudders. Annabeth is reminding us too much of Drew.

We all sit there in silence.

Leo looks up with a face of confusion. "Wait, so you didn't kill those nature spirits?"

Pax facepalms and I sigh. Hazel leans over and pinches him.

"Hey!" he cries.

"To get to the point, Valdez, no I did not kill any nature spirit. Let us get to the matter at hand, shall we?" I retort.

"We will talk about what happened two years ago right now." Piper states, her voice laced with charmspeak.

I am about to respond when Pax stands up and shouts. "No! Piper McClean you will stop charmspeaking us and Percy no one will force you to talk to them about the matter unless you want to!"

Piper tries to speak, but she can't make any sound.

"You're a child of Hermes?" Hazel asks.

Pax rolls her eyes. "Obviously. Now let's regroup and focus. I figured out who we're fighting against this time."

A/N Aaaaannnndddd that's a wrap. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Kudos to whoever can guess who is going to be the enemy (pretty obvious if you ask me). This chapter is dedicated to TJ_Guest ! Have a good day!

- Sapphy