[Third Person's PoV]
"Anything else you'd like to share with the class, Lucian?" Percy's brow arched as he eyed Lucian, his tone a mixture of sarcasm and curiosity, almost goading him to reveal any more secrets he might have kept hidden.
Lucian's lips curled slightly, his eyes narrowing in thought before he shook his head with a half-smile. "No, that's about it... I think?"
"You think?" Percy repeated, squinting with suspicion. He sighed, giving up, and waved a hand dismissively. "Forget it. Let's just get this over with."
Lucian nodded, reaching down to pat Cerberus, who immediately took off with a deep, thunderous growl, bounding forward toward a looming, dark castle in the distance. As they approached the massive iron gates, Cerberus skidded to a halt, kicking up a cloud of ash and dust.
Lucian turned to the group. "Everyone, grab on."
One by one, they each placed a hand on Lucian. With a subtle nod, Lucian activated his power, pulling them all into his shadow and using Shadow blink. In an instant, they reappeared beside Cerberus, black wisps of shadow curling off their bodies like smoke dissipating in the air. Bianca and Nico stumbled slightly, their faces distorted in disorientation.
"Please, teach me how to do that," Nico asked, eyes wide with admiration.
Lucian smiled, ruffling Nico's hair with a hand. "Don't worry, little bro. I'll teach both you and Bianca everything I know."
"Awesome," Nico said, pumping a fist with excitement.
They continued toward the towering gates, and Lucian pushed them open with ease. The iron creaked ominously, echoing through the entrance of the garden, which they needed to pass through to get towards the castle. "Come on. My father's waiting for us in the throne room."
"How do you know?" Percy asked, eyebrows raised.
Lucian glanced at him with a smirk. "Because he just told me to bring you all to the throne room. He's waiting."
"Of course," Grover muttered with a slight chuckle.
As they moved deeper inside, Grover looked around in awe at the surroundings, which included the lush greenery of Persephone's Garden. "I thought everything was supposed to be dead in the Underworld?"
"Lucian," Annabeth simply answered as she didn't need to say anymore, casting a knowing glance his way.
"Ah," Grover nodded in understanding. "Alright I got it."
Bianca, however, looked at the exchange in confusion. "What does that mean?"
Lucian turned to her with a confident grin. "When you're as strong and skilled as me, my name alone is the answer to everything."
Bianca rolled her eyes but paused as she noticed Nico wandering toward a nearby tree, his gaze fixated on the glossy, ripe pomegranates hanging from its branches. Lucian noticed just in time, swiftly reaching over and lifting Nico by the waist. Nico dangled helplessly in his grasp, his feet kicking in protest.
"What are you doing?" Nico asked, looking up at Lucian in confusion.
"You were about to eat a pomegranate," Lucian chided gently. "And that, my little brother, would be a big mistake. Eating anything here would mean you can't leave the Underworld."
Nico's face fell in disappointment. "Ah, what a bummer! What's the point of having tasty-looking fruit if you can't eat it?"
Lucian just chuckled, setting Nico back down as they pressed forward through the rest of the garden and into the castle. Shadows slithered along the walls as they walked, and the air grew colder. Finally, they arrived before a pair of massive black doors.
Nico glanced at Bianca nervously, and she offered him a shaky, reassuring smile, reaching out to hold his hand. She took a steadying breath as Lucian raised his fist and knocked firmly three times.
"FATHER!" Lucian called out with a grand, booming voice. "YOUR SON HAS RETURNED! AND I BRING FORTH THE CHILDREN OF THE UNDERWORLD!"
Thalia and Annabeth slapped their palms to their faces while the others gave him incredulous looks as if he'd lost his mind. The doors creaked open slowly, revealing a vast throne room bathed in shadows. As they cautiously stepped inside, a high-pitched voice echoed across the room.
"LUCY! MY BABY!"
To everyone's surprise, a beautiful woman came rushing toward them with open arms. Medea embraced Lucian tightly, practically tackling him, her face glowing with joy. "There's my birthday boy!" She exclaimed, holding his face in her hands and beaming at him. "Look at you! Already growing up into a fine young man. Happy birthday, my little baby!"
She planted a flurry of kisses on his cheeks, then pinched them with a playful pout. "Who's my handsome little man?"
Lucian chuckled, his shoulders relaxing as he leaned into her affection. "hehehe, I am," he said with a grin.
"That's right, you are," Medea cooed, her smile warm and loving.
At the throne, Hades rested his face in his palm, sighing deeply as he watched the scene unfold, his expression caught between amusement and exasperation.
"That's enough out of you two!" he called, his voice echoing across the room.
Medea and Lucian shared a mischievous glance, suppressing their laughter. They both knew how much this exasperated Hades, and they enjoyed finding ways to get under his skin. After a moment, Medea's gaze softened, and she brushed a lock of hair from Lucian's face. "Happy Birthday, Lucy," she murmured, this time with a genuine warmth in her eyes.
"Thanks, Mom," Lucian replied with a soft smile.
Percy, Clarisse, and Grover looked on, wide-eyed, clearly not expecting Lucian's mother to be so beautiful or so openly affectionate. Meanwhile, Persephone stood off to the side, her gaze fixed on Bianca and Nico with an unreadable expression, though a hint of resentment glinted in her eyes.
Hades rose from his throne and descended the steps, his imposing figure cloaked in shadows. Bianca and Nico looked up, fear flickering in their eyes, and quickly averted their gazes, trembling under the god's scrutiny. Percy clenched his fists, bristling, but held his tongue.
Hades stopped in front of them, his gaze sharp and cold. But then, in a move that surprised everyone, including Lucian, he knelt down and gently pulled Bianca and Nico into a tight embrace. His hands rested on the backs of their heads, offering a rare, silent comfort.
"Forgive me…" he murmured, his voice a deep, quiet rumble. "For leaving you two all alone. But I did what I had to… to keep you safe."
Bianca and Nico's eyes widened in surprise, their lips trembling as they slowly returned the embrace, resting their heads on his shoulders. Hades held them close, the weight of his words lingering in the silent throne room.
Persephone watched the scene with a conflicted expression. Though she resented the existence of Hades' children, seeing his compassion—even as the Lord of the Dead—reminded her of one of the many reasons as to why she had fallen in love with him.
As Hades withdrew from his embrace with Nico and Bianca, he turned to the other demigods with a hardened expression. His eyes settled on each one, sharp and scrutinizing. "Did you bring my helm?"
Lucian, unable to resist, put on a mocking voice, mimicking Hades in an exaggerated, dramatic tone. "Happy birthday, Lucian, my boy. Thank you for bringing my child safely. Well done on completing the quest." He made a grandiose gesture, as if expecting praise. But Hades barely spared him a glance, too focused on the matter at hand.
Percy stepped forward, his stance tense. "First, I want to see my mother."
Hades nodded solemnly, his gaze softening slightly. "A reasonable request." He snapped his fingers, and in an instant, a figure shimmered into view beside them—Sally Jackson. She looked bewildered at first, her eyes widening as she took in the sight of her son.
"Mom!" Percy called, his voice thick with relief and urgency. He ran forward, pulling her into a tight embrace.
"Percy!" Sally exclaimed, her arms wrapping around him as though she'd never let go.
As mother and son reunited, Lucian's expression shifted. The usual glimmer of mischief in his eyes faded, replaced with something more solemn. He looked at Hades, his gaze uncharacteristically serious.
"We have a situation," Lucian said quietly, his voice low but filled with intensity.
Hades raised an eyebrow, momentarily taken aback. He'd seen Lucian wear a smirk in nearly every circumstance, no matter how grim, even in front of Zeus. This new tone demanded attention. "What is it?" Hades asked, leaning forward, his gaze narrowing.
"Grandfather," Lucian began, glancing at the others as if bracing them for the gravity of what he was about to reveal, "is trying to resurrect himself. He's been manipulating everything from the shadows—getting others to steal the master bolt, your helm, anything to fuel discord between you gods and make you weaken each other."
A shocked silence followed. Medea gasped, clutching her hands to her mouth as her eyes widened. "No... it can't be."
Persephone's hand instinctively moved to her chest as if the news had physically struck her. "Of all beings... not him," she whispered, her face pale.
Hades looked visibly shaken. The color drained from his already-pale face, his jaw tightening as he struggled to process this news. His horror was unmistakable, a rare chink in the armor of the Lord of the Dead. He muttered, almost to himself, "No... anyone but him…"
The room seemed to darken, shadows pooling around Hades' feet as his dread seeped into the air, thickening it with an ominous weight. The flickering torches cast eerie shapes on the stone walls, their flames seeming to dim under the gravity of the revelation.
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