I want to send a special shout out to Abcadabera who has reviewed this story so much! If it hasn't have been for those revies, I wouldn't have the motivation to write this far. Thank you and for the rest of you, anjoy and please review!-Flappy741

Chapter 10: Rebirth of a Creation

It sucks to be the "dead weight" of the team. I'm not saying that I suck, but when someone's better than you at doing something like archery, they get appointed guard duty and you get appointed whatever was needed. So I was appointed to lay on the ground with her on top of me. Jane was still sawing logs, but she was just out. Thaila was out on guard while Phoebe and Josh were doing whatever. She still needed body heat, so I had to hug her. It was also tricky placing my hands high enough so Josh and Phoebe can work and low enough were I wasn't violating. If she woke up and found that… I saw her murder a tree and I doubt my skull was as thick as that.

Her on top of me wasn't the bad part, though. It was the fact that I only got my injury from the dogs three days ago. Being on my back was bad enough, but the extra weight was killing me. I tried to ignore that and enjoy being inside the warm tent or something positive, but it wasn't coming to me.

I adjusted my position to keep her from rolling off. "How much longer is this?"

"Don, you've been only like that for five minutes. C'mon, will ya?"

"You're not the one with the back injury," I grumbled. Phoebe smirked real quick like she was enjoying my pain, then saw me looking and it died. "So… what exactly are you doing?"

"Phoebe's trying to sense where the damaged organ is," Josh informed me. "Once she finds it, there's nothing a little ambrosia and nectar can't fix."

I sighed and laid there. It took them what seemed hours to find the damaged organ and heal it. By then, I was pretty sure my back was broken. "Alright," Phoebe said as she stood up. "The organ should heal over a period of time, hopefully an hour. She should also wake up in probably a few minutes."

"Alright," I said with relief. "Thanks, Phoebe."

She seemed caught off guard from that comment. She blinked in surprise, then nodded. Then she hurried out the tent.

"Wonder where she was going," Josh said. "How's it going under there?"

"I still can't see why you can doing my part."

"Oh, yeah, of course. And when she starts to suddenly not breath all of a sudden, you already know what to do."

I paused to think about it. I sighed. "Have you ever missed your earlier life, Josh?"

He sat down and hugged his knees. "Naw, my mom didn't really care for me. She didn't really ever do anything special with me. Sometimes, I think she forgets I'm her son. Honestly, your mom has been more of a mom to me than my mom." He paused. "But since we're on this topic, how was your earlier life, Vanessa?"

"Wha-?" I turned her over to see her face. "She still looks like she's sleeping," I said.

"That's what she wants you think, but she's awake. Observe." He cracked his knuckles and scooted over. Then he started tickling her. No response. "Oh, we got a tough one," Josh said. "Don't worry. I can get you to crack." He dug through his pack and took out a long silver stick. A flute.

"You can play the flute since when?"

"Three seconds ago." He put his lips to it and blew hard. A loud, high pitch sound came from the instrument. It didn't fase me since I was use to any loud music, but Vanessa apparently wasn't. She put her hands over her ears. "Ok, Ok, you got me! Now shut it up!"

He stopped and looked at her with a victorious grin. "See? She's been conscious since you thanked Phoebe. But to restate my question, what was your back story like?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"You don't want to talk about anything," I said.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked. I could tell from her tone I was pushing her limits, but I didn't care. My back felt like it was already breaking. What more pain can she put me through?

"I seem to recall you didn't want to talk about why you were upset around Jane. I know you're not jealous because I am and you're not acting like me at the moment."

She repositioned herself. "Do I have to act like you to show I'm jealous?"

Josh lifted his eyebrows. "So you are?"

She sighed heavily. "I'm a little. The first thing that I want that she has were all those cool things she had when she had her tent set up."

"Like the sword you were looking at?"

"Yeah. She gets all those stuff from who knows where and my dad doesn't give me nothing. Even a hundred years ago, one of the top counselors of the cabin Clarisse got a cool electrical spear and a ship!" She paused to let what she said sink in. "It's not really that I'm jealous of her but disappointed at my dad, I guess."

I tried to see where she was coming from. In the only few stories I've heard of the heroes, they all got help from something or somebody. Life was hard for them with that stuff. Without something…

"Hey," Josh said. "You started from scratch: no magical item or no advance help and you got this far. That's pretty good."

"Seriously," I chimed in. "And if it'll make you feel better, after we rescue Apollo and Artemis, maybe we can go searching for a pegasus for you."

That cheered her up. "Thanks guys. I'm glad I—"

"AAAHHHHHH!" Jane yelled as she shot up right. She looked around in cold sweat with either fear, anger, or sadness in her eyes.

"Well, Sleeping Beauty finally stirs," Josh joked. "Are you ok?"

She was still looking around frantically, then her head fell back on her pillow. "Just a realistic nightmare. I tend to get these a lot for some reason."

"All demigods do," Vanessa said. "What'd you see?"

"Really?" she asked as she looked toward us. Then an awkward face came onto her. "Umm…"

"Don't ask," I said.

Just then, Phoebe and Thaila came charging in, bows up. "What's happened?" Thaila asked.

"Jane woke up," Josh exclaimed. "She had a nightmare, too. She was just about to tell us."

"No, it's not important," she replied. "Just a wrap up of my time since you guys came to the crabs all in a nightmare. Now, uh, are you two in a relationship or something?"

"No," I quickly explained. "While you were out, she got injured fighting a…" I glanced at Thaila. "What's that thing called?"

"A basilisk."

"Uh, yeah. Couldn't make her own body heat. It should heal in a few minutes, though."

"Um, OK."

There was an awkward silence. I hated when that happens, especially right after you say something that someone could easily get the wrong idea.

"Well, if that's it, we'll just be going outside," Thaila grumbled. Then she trotted outside, with Phoebe behind her. Jane observed her surroundings. Then she went to her bag and threw some stuff out until she pulled up a blue bottle.

"What's that for?" Josh asked.

"I don't know what it's called, but it helps me feel better whether I have a cold or sick. I usually do it after I finish my magic training," she explained. Then she gulped it right down. As she was drinking, she looked less strained and tired. She finished the stuff, then placed it in her bag. "I like to call it blue soda, since it's carbonated and the color."

"Jane," Vanessa asked. "The red sword you have…do you mind if I try it out?"

She beamed. "Sure! Take all the time you want with it! You can have it if you want."

"Really?" Vanessa squeak. "Are-are you sure?"

"Of course! I couldn't sell it for who knows how many years because the pigmies couldn't carry it. Though I'm not sure if you can."

Slowly, Vanessa started to struggle. I let go of her and she stood up cautiously. She almost got up, but got weak and fell. I caught her before she hit the ground. "Maybe you shouldn't get up yet," I suggested.

"Yeah," Josh said. "I said in a few minutes, you should be able to make your own body heat, not be fully recovered. It'd be best if you still rested some more."

"No, I'm fine," she defended. "I can move."

"Barely," Josh remarked. She ignored his comment and stood up, able to keep her shaking from under control. "May…may I see it?"

Jane ruffled through her bag and grabbed a leather handle. Then she slowly pulled the sword Vanessa was looking at earlier from her bag. I wonder if Chiron's wheelchair was magically edited by him or if had help. Her dragging the sword out exactly reminded me of that. Once she dragged it out, she lifted the handle so the point was in the ground. "Here you go. Are you sure you can lift it?"

Vanessa grabbed the leather grip and held it up, almost cutting Jane. She wobbled, keeping the sword under control until she was still. Then she slowly swung it around and did a few air practice jabs. "I like it," she finally confirmed. Then she looked at the handle with the weird snow globe with red dust. "What's that for?"

"I'm not quite sure," Jane said. "I haven't been able to work it with any of my magic. You're going to have to experiment with it."

Vanessa nodded, then did a motion of sliding it back in its case. She must of forgot she wasn't wearing it. "Does it come with a case?"

"Oh! Almost forgot!" She dug through her bag once more and brought out a hard black case for the sword and handed it to her. She took it then slid it in smoothly. Then she tied it around her waist. She looked at Jane and smiled. "Thanks. I owe you one."

"Alright!" Josh exclaimed. "Now that you two are feeling better, we can get a move on! Let's get out of here."

We packed up the tent. It was dawn and the air was cool with a nice breeze. Once everyone was ready, we headed north again. For once, we went pretty far without a stop, about what seemed like twenty miles. I was also happy to use my iPod during the run. Me without my iPod would make me have a different side. I should know. I've been there before.

We took stops during these runs since Jane, Josh, and I were new to these forever runs from nowhere to nowhere. After a while, we came across a huge mansion. We stopped along what must've been the border since there was a circular field of grass that was surrounded by the trees. He lot was beautifully decorated with hedges fountains, statues, hedges, and other enjoyable stuff. The mansion itself looked similar to the white house. It then occurred to me that a lot of some of the most important buildings in the country had greek designs like sport stadiums of the structure of the coliseum and the senate house. The mansion house looked like one of those big fancy people live in, but stretched out. In the yard with a plain open field of grass had a balloon set up. "We should visit," Jane said. "Maybe they could let us borrow the air balloon."

"Not a good idea," Thaila said. "There could be a monster in there." Now it me, or her face was getting pale.

Josh chuckled. "Yeah right, like a monster knows how to be civilized. Seriously, what's going to pop up? Medusa in a dress?"

"Yeah," Vanessa agreed. "Besides, if it's a monster, we kill it, then rob the balloon. We're going to need it to get a sky view if we hope to have a sense of direction besides polar directions."

"We'll just be careful the whole time," I assured, then hopped over a hedge towards the house. Thaila was getting more ghostly while Phoebe was whispering something to her. We hopped our way to the door and stopped. The front was amazing. Colored glass of a shape of a half circle was positioned evenly above the set of twin doors. There were multiple white columns supporting the roof that towered at the least thirty feet. Josh whistled. "This house has got to be, like, three stories with two stories for the attic."

On the doors were big handles. I went up to them and banged them lightly on the door. Almost instantly, the door opened. A tall man dressed in bronze armor looked down at us. "Do you have an arranged meeting with the king?" His voice was deep and rough.

"King?" Thaila asked.

The guard cleared his throat and asked again, more as of a demand. "Do you have an arranged meeting with the king or not?"

We stood there. I was forming a lie in my head saying we were servants until I heard another voice. "Oh c'mon, step aside, Burk." He turned around then whispered something. The voice whispered back to him, the he backed up, showing a girl into view. She had brownish, blackish hair with a red silk dress with golden lining all around and golden sandals. Her face was gentle and her smile was bright. "Welcome!" she said motioning us to come in. "It's been a while since we had visitors."

I stepped in, and if I thought the outside was beautiful, the inside was out of this world. A candle chandelier hung above, lightning the room. It was a hallway with red velvet carpeting all the way down into another room. Along the walls of the room were vases of plants and more statues of random stuff like a plane, spheres, and weapons in display cases on the walls. There were stairs along the left that led up to what must've been another room as brilliant as this one. All my sense of danger stepped inside and breathed in the relaxing aroma of cinnamon. Next to the guard who opened the door were three other guards standing aside, making the path as we all came in. The others looked around and observed with me taking in the beauty. The only person who didn't seem to be enjoying this was Phoebe, who seemed to be hating this royal paradise. "Now," the girl said as our eyes were finishing their sight seeing, "what business do you have with the king today?"

Jane was the one who spoke up. "We'd like to check out that air balloon you have in your yard."

"Of course," the girl exclaimed. She seemed to be speaking fast. I could also see sweat starting to break from her hairline. "Right this way, please."

"Not so fast," snapped the guard who

was called Burk. "I think the king should decide whether they may use it or not."

"But, as standing in as he finishes his bath, I make the decisions for him!" She snapped back. The girl and the guard were having a stare off contest until a voice from above said "I believe I am capable of having my own decisions." We all looked up. Coming down the stairs was a tall middle-aged man in white robes. He had a pointy beard and a gold circlet around his head and golden sandals like the girls. His eyes were calm, but looked like they were forced.

"Father," the girl said and she knelt down as the other guards did. "These people here are visitors. I was just about to show them around—"

"Your daughter was going to show them your balloon, your majesty," said Burt.

"If that is alright with you," she added quickly.

The guy who must have been the king examined all six of us. Then he looked at the guard Burt and his daughter. "There is no need for you to do that when I am here," the king said. "Come along, children."

The girl trailed behind us with Burt following her, leaving the other three guards at the door. He guided us towards the end of the hall into what must've been the dining room. A humongous chandelier, twice as big in the hall, hung over a red dining table that matched the colors of the rug. Paintings and candles decorated the walls. A pyro fireplace was lit against the wall next to the table and classical music came from what seemed of thin air. Immediately, I hated this guy just because he had classical music playing at all.

We went through a sliding glass door that led to the balloon. From where we were at first, it seemed small, but I was dead wrong. The air balloon was already set. It was blue with red and yellow circles, separated by golden silver lining in the balloon. Inside had a picnic basket and a small radio. "This is a nice balloon," Josh said. I knew he was faking since he didn't really even cared for this stuff. "Mind giving us a ride?"

"We should check out the house first," exclaimed Thaila. We all looked at her. Her face was white as if she was cold and was shivering. Phoebe stood besides her, nodding in agreement. Did they drink something before we left?

The king raised his arms up and smiled, as if he was waiting for someone to say that the whole time. "What a splendid idea. Why see a balloon when you can see living? I will show you around my home." I glanced at the girl who was shaking her head and motioning her hand as if she was cutting off her head. As the king turned around, the girl's expression changed into a polite smile. She was trying to warn us of something. Too late now. We followed the king back into his house. He led us across the dining room and through the kitchen. I still hated this guy, so all I had to say was that it was decent for a mansion. He went across the big kitchen and opened a door and motioned us in. "This is the room I am most proud of," he said as we went in. At first, I couldn't tell what this room was to be for. It had a big screen at the far end of it and was dimly lit, so I guess it was a movie room. If it was, it was pretty pathetic. There were to rows of seven wooden chairs that faced the screen. The room was an octagonal shape with guards around the perimeter. But what really caught my eye was the design in the center of the floor. It had two equilateral triangles, a blue one over a green, and the green was turned upside down. It reminded me of my old favorite videogame series 'Zelda' since it looked like the triforce image. But something looked oddly familiar about the green one… like I've seen it before.

My sense of caution came back to me as he hurried us to the chairs. "The place is so big, that it needs an orientation film for the explanation to be logical." We sat down. I looked around at the guards who were snickering and whispering to each other. "Um, John-"

"No talking during the film," the king said. "I want your friends to hear it."

I gulped. My nature senses were telling me now this was a trap. Need a plan, need a plan, need a plan…

I raised my hand. "Excuse me, sir? May I use the restroom? It's an emergency?"

"Me too?" said Jane. "Before I came, I was out and it's been a while. I didn't know whether she was playing along with me or she really had to go, but the king shook his head. The film is informative, but short, I assure you. Please, relax." The lights went completely out, but I could still see the king through the pitch black: he had a wicked smile on his face and there was no longer a friendly look in his eyes. It was cruelty.

A tape on the ceiling turned on, probably of a remote, and the screen lit. Once I saw the first image, I knew I was already dead. The graphics were so bad, it was barely better than Chiron's, if you can possibly tell the differences at all. The first few minutes played and I didn't get squat out of it. I was finally ready to go to sleep until I heard the audio: "…and this palace was created by a hero to his people and the noble king he is…King Minos."

Instantly, Thaila and Phoebe jumped from her seat, but were tackled by a few guards. "Thaila?" I started to get up, but behind by back, to guards toppled me. I watched as all the other guards around the room doggy piled onto my friends until they were all squished. I started to struggle, but the guard hit me somewhere along the spine, and then I couldn't move. Numbness went over my body. I was paralyzed.

The guards got off of me and the others got off my friends, who apparently got the same treatment. As soon as they were sure we couldn't defend ourselves, the lights came on. The king, who I will now call Minos, chuckled as he slowly trotted his way over to us. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. It's been over thousands of years, but I see demigods don't really get smarter. In fact, they seem to get dumber."

"Shut up!" Vanessa and Thaila said simultaneously. Thaila looked up to meet Minos's eyes. "I should've known."

"Yes," he said as he walked around us. "I'm quite surprised that worked. I'd at least expect you to realize my marking," he stated as he looked at Thaila.

She growled. "I wasn't sure. I still see the mark of Daedalus now and then. I just played it smoothly."

At this, Minos's face got red with fury. "It is my mark, not his! I rightfully thought of it, so it is mine. And don't ever mention his name to me again!"

I was in shock…not that the king was the enemy, but who he was. "You're king Minos?" I stuttered. The paralysis was still there. "But how can that be. Didn't you die thousands of years ago?"

The king turned his attention towards me. "Ah, not really bright, are we. Yes, I have been dead for quite some time, but ever since Gaea opened the doors of Death, she let come back. She gave me a deal: still be the judge of the underworld, or serve her and be a king again! And who would my dumb enough to decline that offer? Plus the price was really quite simple. In fact, it was something I dreamed of building again ever since he destroyed it when he died. But nothing lasts forever…yet."

"But that happened a hundred years ago! Where your cane old man?"

He turned and kicked my in the head. I coughed up blood and my sight was got dizzy from the blow. "Don!" Vanessa cried. Then she looked at Minos with murderous rage. "You'll pay for that!"

"Oh, like you're going to do something about it little girl?" Then he knelt down and looked me in the eyes. He was so close, I can smell the weird smell of his shampoo he must've used when he bathed. "But to answer your question, when I reentered the world, I bid my time. Sure it was hard not to help prevent the cursed seven close the gates, but Gaea assured my job was more important. So I finished what I needed to do and let it grow on its own. To do so, Gaea mad me and my servant with my daughter, Ariadne, immortal."

I glanced up to look at her. She was looking down and shaking her head. When we came in, she was trying to help us. As I walked the hallway, I thought she was the king's daughter of the prophecy, but how can she?

"Which is…" I encouraged.

"What you're going to experience right know," he said. Then he stood up and walked calmly towards the door. One of the guards had his hand on a handle and was looking at the king. Should I open it now, your majesty?"

"Not quite," he said as he turned around towards us. "I want the ignorant boy to realize his doom before."

I laid there thinking to myself what he could have done. Then it slowly hit my. I opened my eyes. "No…"

"I created it once," Minos gleamed as a triumphant smile came across his face. "Who is to say I couldn't do it again? But now, be the first to experience my updated creation… Minos's Labyrinth!"

He turned to the guard and nodded. The guard pulled the lever down. Then, with my ear to the ground, I could hear the ground rumbling. Then there were cracks that sooned for a circle around us. Then the floor gave away. All six of us yelled and screamed as we fell as victims to the labyrinth.

I am very proud of this chapter. It took me a while to thing up, but nobody can get an A on something without effort. Please tell me what you think! READ AND REVIEW!-Flappy741