Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians nor do I own The Heroes of Olympus.
Story: Champion of Olympus: The Maze of Death
AN: This chapter will provide some answers on Mjolnir and when Percy might return, enjoy.
Chapter 10: Prisoners, Lost Sons, and a Hero
Four days until the summer solstice - Antaeus's Fortress in the labyrinth
Thalia's POV
All of us were led from the arena to a large stone cell with bars on the windows and a heavy wooden door reinforced with celestial bronze. There was no way we were breaking out. Once the door closed behind us, Annabeth turned to Bianca and Nico.
"Can you shadow travel out of here?" Annabeth asked. Bianca and Nico ran to the darkest shadow in the corner of the room and smacked heads directly into the stone wall. They fell to the ground unconscious, we all stood there stunned for a moment before Jason, Annabeth and I ran to their sides. I held Nico as Annabeth and Jason helped Bianca. They both had large bumps on their heads and most likely concussions.
"Dammit, these walls must be laced with celestial bronze. We're definitely trapped." Annabeth yelled, as she and Jason placed Bianca carefully on the floor with her jacket tucked under her head as a pillow. I did the same with Nico, but I added a little kiss on his forehead for luck after I made sure no one was looking, that is.
"What are they going to do to us?" Grover asked worriedly. The poor goat boy was shaking slightly, probably imagining all sorts of horrible scenarios.
"He's going to make us fight in the arena." Jason stated. My brother wore a determined look on his face and I knew he was use to gladiator combat back at the Roman camp.
"If Ethan and Chris are here, then Kronos's army must be close by." Annabeth said.
"Not necessarily, they need to barter for safe passage beyond this fortress, they wouldn't risk all of their army for a negotiation." Jason said. Annabeth looked impressed at my once little brother.
"They teach you good tactics and strategy at that Roman camp." Annabeth praised. Jason gave her an amused grin.
"Three hours a day and every day, no holidays at Camp Rome." Jason stated proudly.
"How many hours a day do you train?" Grover asked curiously.
"Between twelve and fourteen, depends on rank and skill level." Jason stated. He had a proud and confident look on his face. It was my turn to knock him down a few pegs.
"So how long have you been dating Rhena?" I asked, trying to hold in my amusement. Jason's face turned red and his confident look turned into one of embarrassment and stupidity, it reminded of Percy. I tried unsuccessfully to clear that thought from my mind. Annabeth was smiling too, but she saw my face change and she knew what or in this case who I was thinking about. Jason's embarrassment ebbed as he looked at Annabeth and I with a concerned glare.
"Are you two, ok?" Jason asked. Annabeth and I looked at each other.
"Yeah, we're fine, just remembering a lost friend." I said, but the word friend just didn't feel right and I could tell that Annabeth thought so as well.
"Thinking about our older brother?" Jason said, he didn't know Percy, but I could tell that he wished he had. Annabeth and I both nodded sadly. Grover sighed from behind us, when we turned to look at him, he was wiping a tear from his eye. I looked over in the corner of the room as I stared passed Grover to see someone on the ground holding their knees to their chest. It was Rachel, she was half obscured in the shadows, but I could see her body shaking slightly and I knew she was scared. Tyson leaned down next to her, but she wouldn't move. I walked over to her and sat down on the stone floor beside her.
"Rachel, how are you holding up?" I asked, already knowing that she was having a hard time.
"We're going to die, aren't we?" She asked. I froze at the defeated tone in her voice. I looked around and the only person who heard her besides me was Tyson.
"Fire haired girl won't die, Tyson protect her." Tyson said. I smiled at the young Cyclops. He was so much different from his normal brethren, he was a lot like Percy when it came to his friends. He was protective of Rachel, even though he had only known her for a short time. Rachel looked up at Tyson and a small smile crossed her lips.
"Thank you, Tyson." She said. I gave her a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry Red, we'll get out of here." I said, trying to tease her with the nickname that Grover gave her. I guess it worked because she crossed her arms over her chest, and then she gave me the death glare. "Now there's the clear sighted mortal that drives the old brain child crazy." Rachel and I looked over at Annabeth, and then Rachel began to laugh. It was the first time she had laughed during this journey and I couldn't help to think that it sounded pretty good. I stood up and offered her my hand. She grabbed it and I pulled her up. We walked over to Annabeth, Grover and Jason as they discussed plans for escape, but they didn't look very confident.
"Any ideas?" I asked. Annabeth looked up, she frowned when she saw Rachel, but she covered it up quickly.
"Several, but none of them will work." Annabeth answered. Jason stood up and walked to the door of our cell.
"We'll have to fight." Jason stated.
"Of course we'll have to fight." I said harshly. Jason turned around with a determined look on his face.
"I mean we will have to fight in the arena and one of us will have to beat Antaeus." Jason said logically.
"You know he's a son of Gaea, but he kills because he thinks Poseidon blessed him." Annabeth said.
"Poseidon hasn't blessed him, right?" I asked curiously.
"Of course not, Poseidon may not be the best father, but he's not a monster. He would never bless a child that collects skulls and kills for sport." Annabeth stated confidently.
"She's right, but Gaea has blessed Antaeus, as long as he's in contact with the ground, he's unbeatable." Jason said.
"So the ground heals him?" I asked.
"More like he's part of the earth and the earth always protects its own." Annabeth said.
"They'll make us fight, so Thals, we need to be teamed together. We should be able to use our powers over the air to help us win." Jason said. I nodded in agreement.
"Tyson and I will work together. Nico and Bianca will be teamed together as well." Annabeth said. I looked over at Rachel; she was talking to Grover about some environmental charity that she worked for last summer.
"What about Grover and Rachel?" I asked.
"They'll let them watch, but they won't be allowed to participate." Annabeth said. The latch on the door began to turn; we all jumped back away from the door instinctively. The door opened to reveal two large stone warriors. They walked inside and flanked both sides of the door. They each carried a large battle axe that was at least six feet long. We all crowded against the back wall in preparation for the worst, instead Ethan and Chris walked in, they both wore their evil smiles.
"Annabeth and Grover, so good to see both of you." Ethan said. Ethan looked around curiously. "Where's Luke?"
"He's not here, you traitor." Annabeth spat. Ethan only smiled at her fiendishly.
"Don't worry bitch; we'll kill him soon enough." Ethan stated. Jason, Tyson and Grover both clenched their fists in anger.
"So, you're Thalia and Jason, and those are the twins of Hades. I hope that all of you provide sport for our host. Enough to allow him to grant our forces safe passage through the fortress. Your pathetic camp will be destroyed, soon enough." Ethan stated. Ethan and Chris both began to walk out the door, but Chris turned toward us. He looked directly at Jason and I.
"Your little plan to kill Antaeus won't work. Your godly powers won't work here in the fortress or in the arena. Have fun dying suckers." Chris said, as he and Ethan began to laugh. All of us slumped to the floor, so much for our great plan.
Black Fortress - Mount Othrys
Athena's POV
Luke jumped back inside before any of us could leave the room. He closed the door quickly and silently. We all looked at him curiously.
"More guards?" Zoe asked.
"No, Hecate is leaving her potion room, this may be easier than I thought." Luke said. We listened as the door opened, and then Hecate cursed out loud because her guards were gone. We listened as she griped to herself about the help. Finally, the sounds of her walking and yelling died down as she left the basement of the fortress. Luke opened the door again, and then stepped outside. He stepped back in a moment later.
"She's gone, let's go." Luke said. We all followed behind him as he opened the door to Hecate's potion room. When we walked inside the first thing I noticed was the layout of the room. The walls were stone and several torches hung from the walls providing light to the room. A large table sat in the middle of the room covered in notes, books, bottles and bags of dried herbs. In the corner of the room was a large fireplace with a black iron cauldron boiling over it. The rest of the room had a few lounge chairs and three large book cases filled with books and scrolls.
"Where is the Eye?" Artemis asked. Luke cleared his throat as he walked over to the other side of the room. His duffel bag was slung over his shoulder. He walked over to the empty far wall, two torches burned as they hung from the wall. Jason looked at the wall closely, and then he pulled the torch on the right. The middle of the wall opened to reveal a four foot by four foot steel safe. A combination lock was in the middle of the safe door with a bright silver handle next to it.
"It's in the safe?" I asked. Luke nodded as he sat down his duffel bag and opened it. He pulled out a pair of doctor's stethoscopes and placed them in his ears. He held the other end against the side of the door near the combination lock. He listened closely as he turned the combination. After a few minutes he turned the safe's handle and the door opened easily. I gave the son of Hermes a bright smile as he reached into the safe and pulled out the largest and roundest diamond, I had ever seen.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Luke asked, as he handed the Eye to me. I took the gem and held it in my hand. Artemis, Zoe and Clarisse stood beside me as I held it up to the light.
"Yes, it is, this was Odin's eye?" Zoe asked in awe.
"Yes, the legends of the Aesir stated that Odin gave his eye to Mimer, the keeper of the well of knowledge. In return, Odin would receive the great knowledge that he desired. Mimer threw the Eye into the well and it instantly turned into the giant gem.
"The Eye will help Perseus return to us?" Zoe asked.
"Yes, we will keep it with us. Percy will return the day after the summer solstice." I said. I looked over at Luke; he was looking at us closely. "Do we get out of here the same way we came in?"
"No, we'll go to the lower basement, there should be another set of pipes down there." Luke said.
"More water pipes?" Artemis asked. Luke shook his head.
"Sewers," Luke said, everyone groaned in disgust. We followed Luke down a level into the lower basement.
"How far to the pipes?" I asked. Luke pointed to the end of the hallway, but then he stopped as he stared at a door on the right side. Light leaked beneath the door. Someone was down here. They would certainly hear all of us, if we broke into the sewer system to escape. "We need to take out whoever is down here." Artemis and her hunters stepped forward.
"We'll take care of them." Artemis said, as Zoe and the hunters followed her toward the door. Zoe and the hunters setup outside the door with their bows at the ready. Artemis stood in front of the door and knocked. Clarisse and I had our spears at the ready, while Luke held his sword. The door opened revealing a dark haired man with a beard. His hair was greying on the sides and his beard had some grey streaks as well. His eyes were grey and there was definitely something familiar about him. His eyes grew wide as the hunters aimed their bows at him. He raised his hands in the air, he looked at Artemis and smiled.
"Does the master need something my lady?" The man asked.
"The master?" Artemis asked.
"Yes, master Loki, wasn't my map accurate enough?" The man asked. What map?
"Who are you?" Artemis asked curiously.
"I am Daedalus, master inventor for the great Lord Loki." Daedalus said. He's my son. I walked up quickly and when Daedalus saw me, he fell to his knees in fear.
"Mother, why are you here?" He asked, his body was almost shaking with fear. I remembered the curse I placed on him after he killed his own nephew Perdix, but I also remembered the old man who had lost his son Icarus in a terrible accident. I wasn't sure how to feel about him.
"We are here for the Eye of Odin." I said. Daedalus looked at me curiously.
"Why?" He asked.
"Never mind that, why are you working for Loki, he has made a deal with Kronos?" I asked sternly. Daedalus looked at me curiously.
"Kronos, no the master wants to help me, mother he wants me to invent things for the good of humanity, to redeem myself." Daedalus said.
"Loki is the god of tricksters and evil; you cannot trust him son." I said. Daedalus shook his head a few times and looked at me in shock and despair.
"Mother, why are you here?" Daedalus said. He was under a spell, he had to be.
"It's alright son, the titans wish to use the labyrinth to destroy Camp Half Blood." I said. Daedalus's eyes grew wide with shock.
"Oh no, I created a map for him, how could I be so stupid?" Daedalus said.
"You were under a spell; can you take us to the labyrinth. The camp sent a quest into the maze, my daughter Annabeth is leading it." I said.
"Follow me, there's a doorway in this workshop." Daedalus said. Everyone walked in, except for Artemis and me.
"How can he still be alive, he'd be two thousand years old?" Artemis asked.
"I believe that he found a way to transfer his soul into an automaton." I said. Artemis's eyes were wide with surprise.
"Incredible," Artemis said.
"Yes, but I doubt that Uncle Hades would think so." I said. Artemis nodded as we walked into the workshop. The room was filled with tables and bookshelves. The tables were stacked with tools, materials and other equipment. It was a real mess.
"Mother, I'm sorry, this isn't my workshop, its too messy." Daedalus said. I gave my son a reassuring nod. I held so much anger toward him over the years, but I did feel sorry for him in some ways. Daedalus walked over to the far wall of the workshop. He placed his hand on the wall and a delta symbol appeared. He touched the symbol with his had and an opening in the wall appeared. I peered into the tunnel, and then I looked back at Daedalus.
"Can you take us to find my daughter and her friends?" I asked. Daedalus nodded, and then he beckoned us to follow him. We walked into the great maze, I only hope that Annabeth is alive and well.
City of Valhalla, The Realm of Asgard
Percy's POV
I've been training with Mjolnir and my armor for a whole day now. It turns out that I can turn Mjolnir into any weapon I choose, but the base form of the weapon is the most powerful.
"Percy, let's continue training with the armor." Thor said. I concentrated on my armor and I began to float into the air. "Remember, the armor allows you to fly on your own, no need of wind currents. The armor is also indestructible. Your armor makes you nearly invincible, my boy." I flew forward through the courtyard on the outside of the great hall. The armor allowed me to fly at incredible speeds. Thor told me that the armor contained a spell that made it immune to the affects of gravity. I finally landed on the courtyard near my uncle. "Well done my boy."
"Thank you, uncle." I said.
"Now we must train you on the use of Mjolnir." Thor said.
"Uncle, you said that Mjolnir has magic as well as incredible power." I said.
"Yes, it does have incredible power, it can control weather, it can cut through anything, plus its not called the crusher for nothing." Thor said.
"What about the magic?" I asked.
"Mjolnir can look at the other realms, anywhere within the nine worlds. The weapons can also transport you to any of the realms." Thor said.
"I thought that the realms were closed off." I said.
"They were, but when Hecate used the Eye of Odin, she opened up the realms to transport. The Eye is still important, it will allow you, my boy, to transport to a specific location on Midgard." Thor said.
"That's why you asked my sisters to find it?" I asked curiously.
"Yes, let's hope they succeeded, now back to training." Thor said. I hope they're unharmed as well.
AN: We learned some more about Mjolnir and Percy's armor, plus it appears that the quest and the mission for the Eye are coming closer together, they're both in the labyrinth now. I had some requests to show a image of the new Mjolnir, this image shows the design, but the not the sea green aura. Also, I have a request or two for a new story. If you review, please let me know, if you would like for me to attempt to write a Son of Neptune story. I have an idea for a different take on the story, especially regarding the Percy-Annabeth dynamic. If I get an overwhelming number of positive responses, I will plan that story once Cybernetic Hero is complete. As always, stay tuned, more to come.