Quest for the Doors of Death, Part One

The Quest to the Doors of Death was undertaken by the crew of the Argo II in @Greece, while @Percy Jackson, @Annabeth Chase, and @Iapetus journeyed across @Tartarus so that the @Doors of Death could be simultaneously closed from both sides.

Background

While on their quest to free @Thanatos, @Frank Zhang, Percy Jackson, and @Hazel Levesque learn that @Gaea has taken control of the Doors of Death, allowing any deceased soul or monster in her cause to walk the earth once more. Upon releasing Thanatos in Alaska, the god reveals that he is unable to close the Doors while they are under Gaea's power. He explains that the demigods will have to go on a quest to the original Rome, and one of them must be able to read signs that lead them there.

After being rescued from Otis and Ephialtes, @Nico di Angelo reveals that he's discovered that the Doors of Death have to be closed on both sides in order to restore control of them to Thanatos. The mortal side is in Epirus and it's heavily guarded, but the Underworld side is located in Tartarus and would require a force strong enough to fight an army of monsters on their home turf to close, something that Nico thinks is impossible.

Following the @Mark of Athena beneath Rome, Annabeth survives a number of challenges single-handedly and proves herself Athena's strongest and most worthy child. She finds the stolen Athena Parthenos statue in @Arachne's lair, located above a pit to Tartarus. She manages to trick the weaver into trapping herself in a woven prison, and when the Argo II arrives to procure the statue, Arachne falls into Tartarus. She drags Annabeth with her, but Percy follows them as he does not wish to lose Annabeth again. Before falling into Tartarus, Percy makes Nico promise to lead the Argo II to the @House of Hades in Epirus, where the mortal side of the Doors of Death are located while Percy and Annabeth make their way to the Tartarus side. Although the Seven have their doubts about Percy and Annabeth's ability to survive and reach the Doors, Nico reassures them that if anyone can do it, it's the couple.

Confronting Arachne

Despite having learned drinking fire water was the way to survive the wounds that Tartarus' atmosphere created, Annabeth and Percy knew little else. They were not sure that monsters could even die in Tartarus or how to get out. The idea came from Percy. The Doors of Death could bring them out to the surface in Epirus and since they had to close the doors on Tartarus' side anyway it was inevitable. The conversation that they had attracted the attention of @Arachne. Percy drew @Riptide which gleamed bright in such darkness and he cut through Arachne. This let the two know that not only could monsters be destroyed but that there was now a source of light.

New Allies

Percy and Annabeth had only traveled a few hundred feet when they heard the sound of five female voices and the clump of a bronze leg. This was a signal that the creatures coming were @Empousai. Annabeth recognized one of the voices as being Kelli who two years ago Annabeth had stabbed. Based on the conversation, Percy and Annabeth overheard that @Gaea had summoned them Percy deduced the empousai were heading towards the Doors of Death. Percy decided the best strategy would be to follow the River Phlegethon so they had a way to occasionally heal themselves. At the same time they followed the empousai keeping out of sight so not to be attacked. They followed the empousai for miles until they came to a ridge at the edge of a cliff where the Phlegethon met the Cocytus, creating a black fog. The fog made Percy and Annabeth lose sight of the empousai, but by now it was clear where they had to go. Briefly Percy and Annabeth stopped and talked about how it could be worse they could have fallen into the Lethe and lost their memory. This led to the story of how about a year and a half earlier Percy had sent @Iapetus into the River Lethe and when he came out he renamed him "Bob."

Percy and Annabeth continued their route, temporarily forgetting why they had taken it. Percy saw shapes but did not know what it was realizing too late; it was the empousai who circled around and trapped them. Outnumbered, Percy and Annabeth knew trickery was the best option. They mentioned that Kelli was leading them to a disaster and that her job during the Titan War had been to keep @Luke Castellan loyal to @Kronos, and that she failed and that was why the Titans lost. Kelli was able to convince the other empousai that the Titans' loss was part of the plan to wake Gaea. Next Percy tried to convince them that Romans and Greeks had united (using the brand on his arm as his evidence). Kelli was able to convince them that two demigods lost in Tartarus were not a threat. As a final effort, Annabeth brought up that the empousai were servants of @Hecate and that Hecate was on the side of the @Olympians. This tactic nearly worked because when they heard this they asked Kelli if it was true.

One of the empousai, Serephone who was older, said she would not go against Hecate. The others were about to follow Serephone away when Kelli attacked Serephone, destroying her and once again convincing them to follow her lead and kill Percy and Annabeth. Percy cut one of the empousi in half but Kelli dodged him and attacked Annabeth, while the other two attacked Percy (one jumping on his back the other grabbing his sword arm). Annabeth was doing fairly well avoiding Kelli's claws then hitting her with a rock and throwing gravel in Kelli's eyes, temporarily dazing her. Kelli however lunged and raked Annabeth's arm.

Percy tried to make it towards Annabeth but was bitten in the neck by the empousai on his back and the one holding his arm bit his arm. Kelli and the other two took a moment to savor their victory. In that moment a war cry came and Bob the Titan arrived on the battlefield broom in hand. Bob stomped Kelli flat. One of the two remaining empousai attacked while the second tried to run. The attacker was destroyed when a spearhead emerged from the end of Bob's broom. Bob then turned his attention to the fleeing empousai throwing his broom in a boomerang style, killing her. Bob healed Annabeth and Percy instantly and then explained his presence saying that he had heard Percy call his name earlier and knew he needed help. Bob then informed Annabeth and Percy that they had to move because monsters were coming for them.

Rest Stop

There was a brief rest stop in @Hermes' Shrine. Annabeth had a dream in which she was told that @Reyna Ramírez-Arellano was going to have to be the one to return the @Athena Parthenos. Apparently, food dedicated to @Hermes arrives at this temple. They had food and realized that this could be used as a way of sending a message. They used the flame to send a message to @Camp Half-Blood saying that Reyna had to be the one to take the statue. It was also at this point that Iapetus came up with the idea to have Percy and Annabeth receive the Death Mist from @Akhlys, whom he referred to as "The Lady."

Fighting the Arai

Along the way to see Akhlys, Bob, Annabeth and Percy encountered the @Arai (spirits of curses) who were spirits that when destroyed the one who destroyed them receives a curse that had been made by the fallen. The first after the first Arai was destroyed, Percy bled on both sides of his body as @Geryon had done when at @Triple G Ranch. The arai mentioned being crushed like @Kampê, disintegrated like @Telekhines in @Mount Saint Helens. Annabeth attacked and lost her sight which apparently was a curse brought on her from @Polyphemus. Bob used his broom to sweep away Arai. When he mentioned that he had received no curses, the Arai announced Bob was already cursed and that Percy was the one who took Bob's memory leaving him to scrub the floors of @Hades' Palace.

The Arai attacked again, but Bob, who had felt betrayed did not interfere. Percy began cutting trees which fell on the Arai crushing them but avoiding being cursed himself. Percy towing Annabeth made it through the forest only to find the edge of a cliff. One attacked Annabeth, who while blind, judo-flipped, it breaking its neck and receiving a curse that @Calypso had apparently made to Annabeth making her feel the despair and abandonment Calypso felt when Percy had left her to be with his friends, especially Annabeth. Percy used Riptide to cut down numerous Arai, receiving curse after curse, including stabbing in the gut, a burning sensation like a blowtorch, chill in his blood and a tic in his eye. No matter how many he brought down, more kept coming. Eventually his vision blurred, his sword arm got tired and his body ached. The final Arai he destroyed brought down the curse Phineas had made which was associated with Gorgon's blood. Nearly unconscious, Percy muttered to Bob that he was sorry and should have told the truth and asked Bob to protect Annabeth (though he doubted Bob could hear him). Percy lifted his blade once again to face the Arai who suddenly disappeared into smoke, courtesy of Bob's broom.

Percy wished to say thank you but had lost his voice, his legs buckled and ears rang. Bob then retrieved Annabeth who was about to walk off a cliff and cured her of the two curses but told Annabeth too many curses had been brought down on Percy and he could not cure him. There was a call not too far off from @Polybotes saying he smelled the son of @Poseidon. Thinking hard and quickly, Bob said there might be one place and that there is one good giant and that he would take Annabeth and Percy there finishing off with "unless Polybotes and the others catch us first."

Meeting Damasen

Bob carried a half-dead Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase made their way to a swamp where there was a cottage with two torches made of bone. There was a tree impaled on the skull of a Drakon. Annabeth heard a @Drakon which charged towards their location. @Damasen uprooted a tree, threw it down the gullet of a Drakon and then beat the Drakon which dissolved leaving behind some bone, meat and hide. Iapetus then introduced Annabeth who said that Bob had informed her that he could help then stating "or did Bob overstate your talents." Damasen then began creating an antidote to Gorgon's Blood muttering about how it was hardly a challenge for someone with his skills. Percy was revived and then passed out.