Going through Time-Chapter Eighteen: I'm Down Under in the Underworld

    White mist parted around me. I was encased in a swirling, writhing cage of snakes of smoke. I couldn't see five inches in front of me, it was so thick, but I somehow knew someone was there. Screams echoed around me that sounded like somebody was in pain, but there was also some growling mixed in with it that definitely did not belong to someone human. I opened my mouth to speak, but it was as if I had lost my voice. Nothing came out, and once I closed my mouth I doubled over, coughing. Then the fog lifted, and I looked up to see a man.

     The man had piercing black eyes that seemed to look into your soul. And by black I mean completely black. I felt like I was looking at pure night when I peered into those eyes. Oily black hair dangled down to the man's shoulders, and his mouth was twisted into an evil smile. Black robes draped over his body, but when he moved faces appeared in the cloth: screaming in agony and pain,   or wailing for things that were desired. I saw the faces yelling, but no sound reached my ears.

     The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and I knew I was in the presence of a god. Judging by the faces in his robes and the smile, I guessed that this was Hades, the god of the dead. As if reading my thoughts, the man smiled even more manically and spread his hands to the fiery background behind him. "I am Lord Hades, yes. Welcome to the Underworld."

     I clenched my fists and growled. "You...you..." I was able to speak now, but I was so mad I couldn't form sentences. This was the god of death, and I must be dead right now. "You killed me."

     "Ah, my dear, I didn't kill you. You see, I gave specific orders for a senior empousa to come after you, but it wasn't me who actually killed you." Hades reasoned. I shook my head furiously, but that only makes him laugh.

     "Where are my friends?" I asked menacingly. Hades smiled again and opened his hands. An image appeared, kind of like an Iris message, but this one had black fire swirling around it. I saw Will, Sadie, and Kronos dodging and running through the streets, occasionally glancing back behind them in fear. I looked where they were peering and saw a black cloud following their path, oblivious to the mortal's eyes. It passed right through people as if it were only a spirit, but now and then I saw a male form laughing in the midst of it all. It was Chaos.

     Hades closed his hand and looked straight at me. "Your friends are in a...difficult situation," he spoke, glaring at me while he did so. "And it's because of you, my dear."

     "How?" I screamed. I couldn't have done this to my friends. I didn't make Chaos come after them.

     "Oh, but you did." Hades smirked. "After Chaos had that unfortunate...slip-up, he was angry. He originally followed your group to destroy you, but after I got that done, he wanted to kill your colleagues and your...ah...father." He said the word father like it was something on the bottom of his shoes. And this being Hades, I was pretty sure that was much worse than some others.

     "Then why are you not stopping him? He wants to--"

     "Yes, yes, bring Olympus down and all that. But girl, we're working as a team. Once he does that, I will take the throne and force all the gods to being minors. Then I shall take that little camp if yours and that Jackson boy and make them the slaves of the Lord of the Dead!" He exclaimed. I could tell that he believed his plan would work, but I knew different.

     "You know, Hades, as the God of the Dead you're pretty cowardly." I said smoothly. I don't know how I did it, but I stood my ground as Hades glared at me.

     "You're wanting to get rid of Percy so you can stop him from destroying you." I sneered, and Hades looked as if he would explode. "Girl--"

     "Do what you want. I'm dead already," I shot back, then turned away from him and looked the other way.

     Hades smirked, then grabbed my arm and dragged me towards a shadow. "You'll be sorry you said that, girl!"