Jason's P.O.V
I got to admit that Nico had guts to go against my orders. We'll just see about that when we left the underworld.
So, I lead the first and second cohorts to the doors of death. Nico lead the 3rd, 4th and 5th cohorts to follow him and Hazel.
The skeleton warriors showed up, but they didn't attack us. Something tells me that this is a trap.
But it is not. The skeleton warriors seemed not to put us into a trap. Instead, the skeleton warriors told us to follow them.
We followed them through the darkness, through the asphodel fields, and passing through fields of punishment. Finally, when we reached this cave opening, I noticed that we were going down and down and down. I could sense that something is not right. The skeleton warriors are leading us to the wrong place.
But it wasn't.
Right in front of us, there's a huge hole the size of a city block, and it seems to go forever downwards. I've seen this place before. This is the pits of Tartarus, and while I leaned to the bottom of the pit, I could see many strangelike demons began materializing and coming out of the pit. Me and the legions jumped in surprise.
Once the demons materialize, they disappear, and I figured that they will appear in Mount Othyrs as soon as they appear.
"Wow." I muttered under my breath. "Someone needs to shut this pit close."
"Then let's do it!" Nico said from behind me. I turned my head around and almost fell into the pit, but Nico caught me.
"Umm... sorry." Nico said.
Nico climbed to the side of the pit. Nico chanted some greek words that I don't understand but nevertheless, he was trying to close the doors of death.
Someone tapped me on my shoulder, and when I turned around, it's Letus.
"Letus." I murmured.
He also tapped Nico's shoulder too. "To the greeks, I am known as Thanatos, and yes. Me and Nico were working with the doors of death."
"Well, that's good, assuming that the number of demons that were materialising were getting less in numbers."
"Well, that too, has a drawback." Thanatos said to us, and he showed us a vision of Josh McLean.
Bella's P.O.V
Demons kept materialising around Mount Othyrs, and it kept getting more and more frequent. Some of the demons escaped from Mount Othyrs and most likely they were heading to Greece, the birthplace of the gods.
Meanwhile, I checked on Josh who is agonizingly trying his best to keep the sky up aloft from reaching the ground.
Sweat kept dripping from his face and his shoulder to the ground, increasing the surface area of the puddle of sweat that Josh produced.
Josh's P.O.V
I could feel it, from the tip of my toe, to the top of my head, every molecules in my little body, sinking and enduring the immense pressure of the weight of the sky.
The weight is burning me up. It took more than all of my strength and power, to keep myself from being crushed by the immense pressure. I had never held the sky for so long, and never felt pain that made my whole body tremble with furious effort.
I made a shaky effort to rise, but failed miserably. No one is going to help me bear my burden, because if they did, it would mean that the whole war will start again from the beginning and the demons will come out stronger and stronger.
"Do not give up, little brother." A voice said.
My vision were already so blur that I can't even make out a shape. I tried to focus hard, and sure enough, a glowing yellow figure came just a little focus.
I can't even open my mouth to speak. I was so very tired from this burden that I did not have the strength to even murmur.
I can't die now. I have a world to save, and I can't fail on my friends, especially when it comes to deciding whether the world will be spared or destroyed. I can't let go of this burden, no matter how much I wanted to.
But since my sister and my mom were staying with me, I was relieved by the fact. They're the only thoughts that kept me from being crushed by the sheer weight of the sky. Also, they radiate light, which means that I would be regenerating (as well as spending my energy on this burden).
As time goes on, I was dying slowly. I could feel one of my bones crack as the weight seemed to increase. I just can't take it anymore. I just needed a second relief, but I understood my position. No one is going to help me. I would die under the weight, and I figure that no one will come to help me.
The fates are cruel. I've seen someone defied fate once, and it didn't turned out good. If I tried to cheat or defy fate, then I would surely die.
Bella's P.O.V
My poor little brother broke a few of his bones from holding the Titan's Curse. Oh no! He's not going to make it!
While the demons were materializing, I decided to approach Josh again.
I saw Josh's agonizing effort to hold up the sky, and I touched his cheeks.
"Joooosh..." I called him with soothing voice. "If you can hear me.... I just wanted you to know that... I am proud of you, little brother. I just want you to spend just a little more time with me."
He's my most valuable little brother. He is even willing to sacrifice his own life for the sake of the world. I could see his sweat dripping down his whole drenched body which made a nice 1.3 meters diameter puddle of sweat around him.
I made a ball of light in the palm of my hands, and allow it to shine brightly. Then I made 8 of them and placed them beside Josh. Josh seemed to be regenerating now, but slowly. His bones doesn't seem to mend, but his strength is returning for sure, because he rises from his burden.