Chapter 3

rapunzeleah123

I woke up later, and the first thing I noticed was that I was still bound and gagged. I rolled my eyes in spite of myself. As a goddess, Eris should at least be able to come up with something better, like magic handcuffs or something.
Then I noticed where I was.
A dark and gloomy cave, filled with spiders (ugh), dirt, and probably a few snakes. In the corner was a small tree branch with a few golden apples on it. Of course. The stupid golden apple from the garden of the Hesperides that Eris stole, trying to start a war. Congrats, Eris, cuz you succeeded!

Just then, Eris herself walked in, looking sour and a little hurt. Then I noticed that against the white pallor of her
cheek was a red welt. I wondered where it had come from.

Then Eris glared at me. "I don't suppose you know where you are?"
"Oh yes, this is a hard one. Hmmmm let me see...Olympus?" I replied, causing Eris's sneer to turn into a frown. "Sarcasm isn't permitted here."
"And I suppose air fresheners aren't either?" I couldn't help it. I was just hysterical.
"So help me, daughter of Athena-"

Just then, some black thing stepped silently into the room. Don't ask what it was, because that'll come later.
"Eris," it rasped.
Eris was on her knees. "Yes, master?" I could hear the submission in her voice, maybe even fear, and a little bit of-hurt?
"You will not harm the daughter of Athena. She is important to lure Percy Jackson here. If you do, you will be punished."
Eris flinched, and I finally realized where she had gotten the welt on her cheek. I prayed to all the gods I could think of, except Eris, to let Percy know that he wasn't to come here. But I hoped that I could escape, somehow.

AnnabethC

After they left, I tried to get a bearing of my surroundings, and to not panic. I saw some spiders, and tried to scream, but the gag stopped me from making much sound. Wait...would they have gagged me if we were in a remote location? Probably not, which meant...there was a chance someone might hear me if I could get the gag off! After working on that for a long time (I'm not sure quite how long) I gave up, defeated. I'd get it off later, though- I was sure of that.
I tried to work on getting my wrists free, and after that my ankles, but soon found it hopeless. Again, I'd work on it later, and next time I knew I'd succeed.
But right now, I had bigger problems. Like, for example, how I was going to get Percy to stay away from...wherever I was.
I was jolted out of my thoughts as a snakelike thing- a dracnae of course- came to my cell door. I lifted my head.
"Erissss Wissshes to ssssee you," she hissed. She jerked me to my feet, untying only the rope around my feet. She blindfolded me again, and I didn't struggle, knowing if I did- no matter what Eris's "master" said- they might kill me. SO I came obediently as she led my down what I could only assume was a hallway, and through a door into an equally dark room, where (after my gag was removed and my gag left behind for "future use") I saw- surprise, surprise- Eris. The door slammed behind me.
Eris turned toward me, smiling evilly.
"What do you want with me?" I snapped. She smiled, and in the dim light it was creepy.
"My dear, if we want Percy to hurry, he needs an incentive, dear." She must have seen the confusion on my face.
"We're going to make a dream for him," she giggled, "and you're going to co operate!"

rapunzeleah123

Percy's POV

Why me? WHY ME? Why did the gods steal the girl I love?
"You know, I don't think she's dead."
I turned, and there was Grover. He came and sat down by me.
"I just miss her so much. She actually made being within a forty mile radius of Clarisse bearable."
Grover smirked. "Where do you think she went?"
I sighed. "I don't think she left on purpose."
He looked at me strangely. "Still think she was kidnapped, huh?"
I looked at the ground and grabbed a handful of sand, then let it gradually fall through my fingers. "Well, I'm pretty sure she wouldn't leave without letting us know. That's not like Annabeth."
"Well, you're right about the fact that she isn't dead," a new voice replied, and Nico came and sat next to me.
"Good." I chucked the rest of the sand into the water. "That solves all the problems! Now we can just relax and forget about that Annabeth has been missing for the last three days." I got up, brushed the sand off of my pants, and sprinted back to my cabin. I sat on my bed, looking out the window which overlooked the beach. Nico and Grover were still sitting there silently.
I had just begun to doze off when there was the sound of the door opening, and Tyson came in and plopped down on the oversized camp bed that Annabeth had designed for him.
A few minutes later, I heard him sobbing.

"It's okay, buddy, Annabeth will come back." Even I didn't believe it.
Tyson sat up, wiped the tears that were flowing steadily out of his one big brown eye, and looked at me.
"Yes, probably, brother, she came back last time."
We both lay down.
More sobbing.
But this time, it wasn't Tyson who was crying.

Of course, I had a dream. Annabeth was bound and gagged on a small wooden chair, and tears were running down her face as she screamed through the gag. I could barely make out what she was saying.
She was crying my name.
I tried to reach out to her, to tell her that everything was okay, but my voice wouldn't work.
Just then, a redheaded-and I mean redder than Rachel's-woman came in. She had pale skin, too, but that was all I could see.
Until she looked straight at me.
Oh yes, she hissed. He will come. He loves you too much not to, daughter of Athena.

Then the dream changed.
This time, Grover was connecting to me through the empathy link, but some random part of me knew that it was raining, so the connection was bad. "Percy...know who...is?"
I tried to remember if I had ever seen that lady before. Then, I remembered fro my first time in the attic with the old Oracle, and in the corner of the room, a picture laid, face up. It showed a pale, choppy red-haired woman with black eyes and a sneering mouth. And in Ancient Greek, below that, lay the caption.
"Eris. Goddess of Chaos and Discord." I said, surprised at how much I remembered.
"Yes...lair...Hades..."
"What?" I yelled, because his voice was getting farther and farther away.
"Lair!...Hades..."
And then I woke up. And it was morning.

AnnabethC

Annabeth's POV

I. Couldn't. Believe. This. Was. Happening. I was bound and gagged (yes, again!) and tied to a wooden chair.
"Now," she said sweetly, "When I say go, you are going to do something- anything- to make Percy to want to come and get you. Or else," she threatened. And I was scared. I nodded.
"Gooood," she hissed. Fog spread around the room, and I assumed that meant this was basically being broadcast to Percy live in a dream. Whoopee.
I felt a sharp and short blast of pain, but for that short time I wasn't really conscious of it. I heard someone scream Percy's name, and only later did I realize it had been me.
Eris grinned at me evilly, and the pain left me as quickly as it had come. I wasn't sure how well my words would come out (because of the -sigh- gag), but I had to try. After all, a daughter of Athena always had some sort of plan, right?
"Percy!" I screamed. Eris smiled. "Percy stay away from here! Percy, do you hear me? Percy! Percy, STAY AWAY!" I could hardly understand my own words.
Eris must have known I'd tried something, though. She snapped her fingers and all of the misty fog disappeared.
"I told you not to try anything, girl," she snarled. Goddess of Chaos. I really don't think my life could get any more chaotic right now. "I gave you fair warning. But did you listen? No. And there will be consequences."
I guess I was wrong about the whole can't-get-any-more-chaotic thing. Oh, well. I knew they couldn't kill me, or come anywhere close, but still. I'll admit it, if you don't tell anyone: I was scared.

rapunzeleah123

Percy's POV

I squinted at the bright sunlight filtering through Tyson's window. It always hit my bed...but then I remembered something much more important than potential blindness.

Annabeth.

I clearly remembered her heartbreaking screams, the tears rolling down her cheeks.
What had Eris done to her?
Nothing good, obviously. But even though Annabeth had screamed, "Get away!" I wasn't going to let her die. Of course, I knew it was most likely a trap, using the classic hostage strategy.
I frowned as I tried to remember what Grover had said. "Lair..." and "Hades..." was all I could recall. I pondered, wondering if he meant Hades as in the Underworld, or Hades himself.

"Brother?" Tyson's voice broke through the silence.

I sighed. "Yeah?"

"You were right. Annabeth will be rescued! Had dream she was in big grassy place, with lots of fish ponies. She is okay, brother."

I almost considered telling him about my dream. But then I saw how much his spirit had picked up since last night.

"Yeah, you're right, big guy. Annabeth will be rescued."

Hey, it wasn't a lie...

We got up, took showers, and threw some clothes on. The whole time I was thinking about how I would ask Chiron for a quest to save Annabeth, but then I figured that even if Chiron didn't let me go, I would go anyway.

"Chiron," I was standing in the Big House, pen in hand, in front of wheelchair form Chiron. "I have a request to make."
His thousand-year-old eyes were locked on mine. He nodded. "Go ahead."
I took a deep breath. "I know where Annabeth is."
He didn't move, but I saw his eyes widen, ever so slightly.
"Well, I know what the place looks like where she is..."
Then I remembered what Grover told me. Grover! He knew where the place was. "Where is Grover?"
"He left with Argus to go deliver the strawberries into the city, I believe," Chiron replied.
I cursed inwardly.
"Percy, what is your request?"
I'd almost forgotten. "Right! ." I mumbled.
He leaned forward.. "Excuse me, I didn't catch the last part."
"I...WANT...to...go...on...a...QUES T.. .to save...ANNABETH."
He ignored my sarcasm. "Percy, this may be one of the most dangerous quests you've been on, because you do not know where you'll be going, only what you are trying to do. You might be risking your life."

"I risk my life on all my quests," I made a feeble attempt at a joke, but then turned serious.

"Annabeth is my life," I declared.

Chiron studied me. "Very well, you may go on this quest. But choose two heroes to go with you," Chiron said, and then rolled away.
I decided on Grover and Malcom, and knew I would have to wait until Grover came back with Argus.
I sprinted back to my cabin and thought about how I would start my quest off. Obviously, we would have to use the Door of Orpheus to get into the Underworld. Considering taking Mrs. O'Leary (my giant pet hellhound) with us, I figured I could always take her with me just for protection, leave her in the Underworld with Nico (he usually stayed there at this time of year, and I had seen him leave with a few bags this morning), if he would agree.

Just as I finished packing, I heard a car rumble up Half-Blood Hill and got my backpack, then walked quickly up the hill just as Argus got out of the van.
"Is Grover with you?" I asked.

He frowned, a funny sight as he had one hundred eyes, all over his body.

"He isn't? Chiron told me that he went with..."
Then a thought occurred to me. Chiron's exact words had been, "Young Grover told me that he was going to go to deliver the strawberries with Argus."

What if Grover had been lying? What if he left to go find Annabeth on his own?