As we walked into the red gash, our steps turned into a pitfall. It felt like a free fall but nothing looked like it was moving. I turned my head to see Emma, she looked like she was screaming but no sound came out. It was a horrific fall until we hit what felt like ground. Both me and Emma were dazed and somewhat confused. Feeling the ground beneath was just weird, it was hot and skin like. Immediately jumped up and scanned my horizons. The air was hot and humid and it was hard to breathe. A constant feeling of bloodlust and dread consumed me. Everything was a shade of red. Phenoxies flew around looking red and demonic. After looking around for a bit I found Emma and ran to her side.
" Emma! Wake up are you ok!" I screamed,
Her eyes were wide open and her skin looked pale. I shook her until she gained some form of sense.
" Fuck! I'm fine just give me space, back up!"
She was angry for some reason and combative. She quickly shoved me away and sat up. Once she felt the earth she laid on she jumped up like I did. She started to shake like a leaf. I quickly went up behind her and held her arms down.
" Emma calm down! I knew this would happen to you. We're in Tartarus " I said harshly.
She stopped moving and dropped her head. She raised it back up and began to speak.
" Oh hey josh, how's it going? See I told you I would be fine"
" Fine my ass! You're acting like a madwoman you pushed me!" I screamed at her
" when? I don't remember any of that. All I remember is falling and you holding me. So far so good in my mind"
" When you feel, did you scream a lot?" I asked
" I mean yeah but as we kept going it got harder to breathe and the air smelt like rotten eggs so I stopped"
"A mixture of sulfuric mercury gas burns in the upper atmosphere. You were breathing all of that in when you fell. You had hysteria and immediately when I saw you you were going crazy and yelling and shaking"
" So that's why it smelt so gross. Well I'm sorry for whatever I did" she said sadly
" It's fine, just don't breathe in the air when we leave" I said softly. " alright let's get going, we have a mission to complete"
" Yeah your right " she agreed softly, and with that reply we were off.
Very few of the explorations through Tartarus have been successful. We both knew that before walking into this mess but still chose to go. We just had to find one guy that could help us with this job. Damasen. He's a Giant who roams around this world. He's rumoured to be kind but spending any amount of time down here can change a person or giant for that matter.
As Emma and I walk through this hellscape it becomes increasingly obvious that we were low on supplies. The red tint of the land could easily get you lost. A nice glass of cold water seemed like heaven To us right about now. The thick heat and humid land made breathing feel horrible. We were sweating from the moment we stepped foot here. parts of the way there, gaps of land kept forming and rivers of what seemed like watered down blood were forming in their place. Crossing each river was torture, with each river almost at boiling point. I carried Emma through most of them, even if she insisted she could handle it on her own. We soon came to a river we couldn't cross, it was like a small sea of blood connecting to a waterfall. This time there were creatures in this pool. Demonic kelpies, and hippocampus owned the water with an iron hoof. It looked like our journey hit a road bump.
"Josh we can't risk swimming with those creatures" Emma noted
" I know that but we can't just fly over it either. Those phoenixes will burn us to ashes" i retorted back
" Wait if we checked behind the waterfall? Sometimes there are caves back there" she said proudly.
" Well it's worth a shot, let's get walking" I said back
I sometimes forget how smart Emma had become over the time I've met her. As soon and we walked to the side of the waterfall we saw a small yet clear cave. I hoisted her up into the entranced and she pulled me up with her.
" See I told you!" She said triumphantly
" yeah yeah yeah, you were right wise girl" I said back
She turns around and shoots me a small yet cute death glare. I simply just smiled in return. We quickly pressed forward. The cave was like a fleshy sauna and added to the sweat that was pouring from our bodies. Every few steps or so drops of this burning liquid would land on or head or back. The heat and smells just made for a gross combination.
" Hey Emma, how much farther do you think we have?" I asked
" Maybe 60 feet or so. I'm sorry I'm going so slowly it's just this cave is so small" she answers
" it's all good, plus the view from back here looks incredible" I said cheekily
" You know if I had enough room right now I would turn around and smack you for that one" she said matter of factly.
I simply replied with a chuckle and continued walking. When we reached the end of the cave the hot humid air felt cold to us now. That cave was so hot and even the water felt nice. We continued to find Damasen. Phoenixes surrounded us like fiery vultures just waiting for us to drop dead. As we approached his home we saw footsteps of huge proportions. Almost 25 times the size of my foot. I knew we were getting close. As we walked further down we saw giants mounts of ground in the shap of furniture and house like appliances.
" Hello? Damasen! Are you here!" I yelled.
Suddenly the ground began to shake and this humongous giant walks towards us
" Who dares to call me in my own home. Show yourselves !" He said with anger in his voice.
" Down here Damasen!" I screamed back.
The colossal being bent over and greeted us face to face. His face looked grotesque and his breath was even worse.
" Oh it's just some Demigods! I thought you were on your way to kill me. Ha! Sorry I haven't had any friendly visitors in a while. So what's your purpose for coming all this way" he said sweetly. He then slowly lowers his hand and Emma and I climb atop. He slowly brings us to hiS face and walks us to a chair and sits.
" Your brothers are destroying our camp and we can't stop them alone. We need your help to stop them" I said with a tinge of sadness in my voice,
" wait so Polybotes and Porphyrion are working together? And on top of that there destroying your home " I nodded my head. " I would love to help you two but I'm not allowed in the overworld. My brothers banned me here. They closed the doors of death. They said it was my destiny to lay here and rot."
" Damasen, we'll do anything to help you escape. We can't do it without you!" Emma begged.
" Well I'm sorry little lady I just can't go, I'm stuck. I've been stuck here for millennia. The most I can do is take you to the doors of death. " he responded.
" That's fine for now, we can't go back though that unholy mess. " I said.
" Alright let's get going. We'll talk on the way" Damasen said.
" let's get going then" Emma said happily.
Damasen put us on top of his broad shoulder and we were off. He was crossing giant seas of water and miles of land with only a few steps. We started to talk along the way. We talked about Damasen and his brothers, we talked about the camp and what's been happening. The conversation started to turn towards why damasen was stuck here.
" Weren't you the strongest of the brothers, how could you be stuck down here for so long" Emma asked.
" Well long story short I lost my guard day. They had been planning it for months and got me at the right time. They attacked me and beat me till I was unconscious. They found the biggest Tartarus rift and threw me into it. To prevent me from leaving they created the doors of death. If I leave they would beat me until I was down here again. It's my destiny to be down here" damasen explained
" it's not your destiny Damasen! I'm sick of you saying that! You make your own destiny, your destiny doesn't make you! We didn't get here by following our destiny. This is our destiny we're making with every breath we take. You can make your own destiny Damasen, show your brothers that you're not what they think you are. Your a giant! Not a coward!" I said proudly.
" You know what kid your right, I make my own destiny. Hold on to something could I'm gonna get there at my speed, on my time, and make my own destiny" Dasasen said strongly. He started to run getting faster by the second. Me and Emma held on to his kin for dear life. He covered miles and miles of land like a beast. And we got to the doors of death in seconds.
" Alright guys were here. You two alright?" He asked slightly out of breathe.
" Oh I'm fine, that run cooled me off" I said happily.
" Yup, I'm good, maybe dizzy but that's it" Emma said nauseously.
" Great! Now I can't open the doors with my hands, they'll burn skin clean off the bone. I need some form of protection. Like a glove." He said loudly.
" Step back I got this," I said proudly.
Dasamen takes me and Emma off his shoulder and places me at the top step to the door. I start with my hand down and my press me finger tips together. I remember the training with my father and channel a strong and heavy stream of darkness into my hands. I moved them apart and put my hands into to fist. I pull them back and release my power at the door handled.
" Damasen! Open the door! Now! " I screamed at the top of my lungs.
The giant man hurry's to me and pushes the doors. They creak and rumble with the amount of strength pushing on them. I could feel myself getting weaker. My arms were shaking and my powers were fading. Then I hear a familiar voice and feel a familiar set of hands wrap around my waist.
" Come josh you can do it, don't stop now. Not when we're so close! You can do it babe" Emma said sweetly. She slowly pulled me and held me tightly for a hug
With her words and touch gave me so much much more fight in me. Hearing her call me " Babe " made me more determined than ever to do this. Damasen goes as hard as he can pushing the doors with all his strength. And as quick as things started ,they ended. The doors flung open and a guest of air blew into Tartarus. I use the last moments of my power to chain the doors down. We walked out onto the surface and celebrated.
" We did it! Holy shit we fucking did!" I screamed with pride.
" I'm back onto the surface! I'm back where I belong" Damasen said with a sigh of relief.
I turned around and was met by Emma's sweet smiling face. She had tears in her eyes.
" We did it Emma! We did I-" I was cut off unexpectedly.
Emma planted a kiss on my mouth. I kiss her back in excitement. When it was done I was in shock. I was speechless.
" I knew you could do it Josh, I just knew you could" she whispered into my ear.
My shocked demeanor quicker changed to euphoria. Damasen picked us up again, and held us close.
" you guys are an amazing pair. Oh shit I never got your names!" Damasen said shocked
" I'm Josh, the son of darkness," I said happily.
" And this lovely little lady" he questioned sweetly.
" I'm Emma, daughter of Athena," she said proudly.
" I'm Damasen, heir to the giant throne. Nice to meet you guys" he chuckled.
We all started to laugh and enjoy our success. But it was short- lived. As we looked into the horizon we saw it, the army of giants,beasts, possessed warriors and more. The battle had only just begun.