I know, I know! I'm terrible for leaving you hanging! Now that I've gotten the hardest chapter written, updates should be coming more regularly. What with making it to the cross country state finals (as a freshman) and getting my best time (by a over a minute) and with adjusting to high school life, it's been crazy! Homecoming was great and now that it's getting calmer now, I can write more! Long note at bottom.

Back Where I Belong

I'm sad to say, the Labyrinth hadn't changed. It was still dark, dank, and old-usually things I liked- but it's not the place you want to lead an army of monsters. Even with the new strategy, it was difficult navigating the maze. The Titan army had no sense of silence at all. Half-bloods and banshees shouted and shrieked orders down the ranks, weapons clanked, giants roared. If we made it to this meeting, then past this mysterious arena, I'll honestly be surprised Chiron couldn't hear them as we marched toward Camp.

I walked alone. No monster would come near me. The demigods wanted nothing to do with me; I would always be their enemy. I crept in the shadows, in the dark, alone and quiet. I was an outcast and no one wanted me.

I finally knew what it was to be the daughter of the outcast of Olympus.

It seemed cruel for the Fates to have this be my time to learn of my true destiny. The destiny to be alone, unneeded and uncared-for. This was when I had to be at my strongest. I would need all my wits and all my hope to pull off my escape.

I could almost cry. I've cried three times in my life and I really didn't want to make it four. I couldn't let anyone see me. They would exploit my weakness. Maybe later, in a cabin at Camp, I would vent or cry or something. My object was to escape and save Camp.

I suppose I could've lead the army astray or gotten them lost, but what good would that have done? I would've been stuck with an angry Luke, a lost army, and no way out.

"You can sacrifice yourself for the good of the Camp," you say? Hmm, has it not occurred to you people that I am actually-no matter how much I hate it- daughter of the cunning, sometimes evil, and scary god of the dead? Hmm, never really occurred to you, did it? Self sacrifice is not my thing. I do have a sense of self preservation. One life came before mine (Percy), two come close after (Grover and Tyson), and the campers follow that. The rest can deal with it.

I am not a hero. I am not a villain. I am simply there.

But anyway, the army marched down the tunnels, following behind as Luke led them with confident steps. If anyone had looked at him, they wouldn't have noticed me, standing far left of the whole army, barely a shadow to them. I could sense Luke's growing excitement. His each step echoed with triumph and eagerness. Too eager. Something was about to happen. I immediately darted to him as he was walking. He looked down at me and smirked.

"Having fun?"

"Stop!" I hissed at him, grabbing his arm. He frowned as monsters rammed into us. Generals and lieutenants yelled down the ranks to stop.

"What in Hades are you doing?" spat Luke. I turned from him and examined the tunnel. Things had been to easy. No traps, no demons or false tunnels yet.

"Are you to stupid to realize that this isn't right? We are obviously missing something." I said as I went up and touched a wall. "There has been nothing to stop us yet. Nothing. That's suspicious."

"So you're stopping the army because of something that isn't there?" asked Luke, his tone growing angry.

"Exactly." He rolled his eyes and took a step forward. I saw the near-invisible slits in the wall almost to late. "Duck!" I shouted to Luke, tackling him to the ground while dodging the two large axe-like blades that sprang from the wall, slicing the air where our heads had been. "Roll!" I commanded, as another blade emerged from the ground, nearly cutting my leg and Luke's arm in half. Luke panting heavily as he shot up to his feet, stumbling in his haste to get away from the now-visible blades. I slowly got to my feet, casually brushing the dust off my clothes. "Somebody owes me an apology!" I sang as I lightly stepped over the trap. Without looking over my shoulder, I waved for them to continue. "C'mon. Don't you have an appointment to reach?" I said, laughing. Luke was standing back from the walls, blinking, with his mouth opening and closing like a fish. "I'll protect you from the big, bad, scary Labyrinth."

"Uhhhhh. Blades. Yeah, right. Forward." Luke shook his head and started walking again.

I sighed and rolled my eyes. Saving Luke Castellan? I would regret it later, but the kid could be nice sometimes. I wasn't gonna let his attractive head get cut off, was I? Nope. Not when he was the only thing keeping me alive in this place; monsters would've killed me long ago if he hadn't stopped them. I suppose I was returning the favor. You know, you save my life, I save yours?

"So, thanks, for-uh-saving me from, like-you know." Luke muttered as he walked next to me, ducking as I brushed cobwebs an spiders out of our path.

"Use your words, Luke. Are you thanking me? Me, the girl who makes your life a living hell, who destroys your plans, and is the opposite of what you believe in." I asked.

Scratching the back of his head sheepishly, he answered me. "Yeah, I guess."

I snorted, casually nudging demon-rats away with my foot. This Labyrinth had some nasty little inhabitants. I liked them. "Just checking."

The army walked and clattered behind us as Luke turned down tunnels for hours, never speaking, only walking. The sound of monsters and demigod, the endless tunnels that all looked the same, and the overall evil atmosphere of the group was bringing me down. The darkness of the Labyrinth usually wouldn't bug me but with the lack of company, it was boring. I wanted something-anything, even light-to break the boring, crushing, utterly same darkness. After traveling through the maze for what felt like a day, I was tired and irritable and, above all, bored. Nothing makes for trouble faster than a bored Alex.

The only thing that entertained me remotely was when Luke or the army activated the traps in the Labyrinth. I'd saved Luke from arrows flying from the walls and from a pit leading to the Underworld, Connie from a demonic, rhyming harpy, and the army from a sea dragon that suddenly sprang from a small pool of water in a tunnel. After the sea monster incident, Luke decided to have the army stop for the 'night.'

I slid down the tunnel wall and sat on the damp stone floor. Pulling a knife out of my boot, I cleaned the mud and gunk of the bottom of my shoes. I never thought about it before, but the Labyrinth had a lot of water and gunk on the floor. Gross, right? Why can't anything in the demigod world be clean and fruity-smelling? Everything always has to be dark and foreboding and dirty and smelly and…

But I digress. When I finished, I sat and tossed my knife in my hand absentmindedly, waiting for food to be handed out. My hand and ribs ached, the cut over my eyebrow itched, and I was so tired. I could go days without sleep and it usually wouldn't bother me, but I was rundown. As I cracked my back and got ready to sleep against the wall that night, I wondered what Percy was doing right now…

Percy POV

My raft washed up at Camp Half-Blood. When I landed, the camp seemed deserted. It was late afternoon, but the archery range and climbing wall were empty. Then I noticed smoke rising from the amphitheatre. To early for a campfire and I didn't think they were roasting marshmallows. I ran toward it. Before I even got there I heard Chiron making an announcement. When I realized what he was saying, I stopped dead in my tracks.

"…must assume they are dead. After so long a silence, it is unlikely our prayers will be answered. I have asked their two best surviving friends to do the final honors."

Their? That must mean one thing. Alex hadn't come back.

My heart dropped from it's current position in my chest down to somewhere around my stomach.

I came up on the back of the amphitheatre. Nobody noticed me since they were looking forward. Annabeth had taken a long, green, silken burial cloth-embroidered with a trident- and set it on fire. Next came Clarisse and the Stoll brothers, holding Alex's shroud. The black shroud embroidered with two crossed knives was laid next to mine and the three campers lit it together. My nose prickled, but I didn't believe she died. She couldn't. Alex had made it out and was probably coming back to camp now.

"But Chiron said it's been two weeks." said a nasty little voice in my head, and it was right. It had been long. She might have died.

"…was probably the smartest and deadliest person to be around. She was brave and deserves a burial of a warrior." The Daughter of Ares was not crying, but she obviously liked Alex enough to halp make her shroud. Clarisse stepped back next to the Stoll twins, who had given their speech about how Alex always saw through their pranks and could hotwire a car in ten seconds.

Annabeth stepped up. She looked like a wreck. Her eyes were puffy from crying, but she managed to say, "He was the bravest friend I've ever had. They both were. He…" Then she saw me. Her face went red. "He's right there!"

Heads turned, people gasped. "Percy!" Beckendorf grinned. Kids crowded around me and slapped me on the back. Chiron cantered over and the group made way for him. I forced a smile, but it was quickly erased when I heard Clarisse's question.

"Where's Gloom and Doom?" I turned. Clarisse glared at me like she couldn't believe I had the nerve to come back alive.

"She's not with me." I said quietly. Clarisse's eyes dimmed and her shoulders hunched a fraction of an inch. I heard a few Ares campers curse. "Coward!" cried Clarisse. "You left her! You ran and saved yourself when-"

Something in me snapped. I was also trying to deal with the fact that my girlfriend might be dead. "You think I would run and leave my girlfriend behind?" I shouted at her. "You think I would abandon her like that? If I did, I would deserve the title coward!" Clarisse blanched. I turned away from her and to Chiron, who was trying to calm down the crowd of anxious campers.

"Well, I'm very happy to see that a camper has returned." he said slowly and calmly. I could see that he, too, was upset about the death of a camper who we thought had survived. "But you must tell me-"

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" shouted Annabeth, pushing campers and satyrs out of the way as she stormed up to me. I thought she was going to punch me, but instead she hugged me so fiercely that I thought my lungs would collapse. "I-we thought you were dead, Seaweed Brain."

"I'm sorry," I stuttered. "I got lost."

"LOST? For two weeks?" she screamed. "Where in the world could you-"

"Chiron, has there been any sign of Alex? Any notes or messages or a- a body?" I asked. I refused to believe this rumor she was dead.

"No, Percy, I'm sorry. We have not received any messages nor have we discovered a body."

"But Hades would surely let us know if-" I began, but Clarisse interrupted as she pushed aside a frowning Annabeth.

"The Lord of the Dead isn't used to telling everyone who dies and who doesn't. If Alex really had the guts to die out there without letting us know, Hades has a lot to deal with."

Chiron looked puzzled at this. Annabeth asked the question that was running through my mind. "Are you implying that Lord Hades is actually mourning his daughter's death?"

Clarisse smiled grimly and drew her spear. "Gods, no. I'm implying that she'll be raising hell for him in the Underworld." As Clarisse left for the arena, Chiron, Annabeth, and I went to the Big House to continue the discussion. On the way there, Annabeth ranted about me coming back and how we should've gone with her and blah, blah, blah. My mind was on Alex. She couldn't be dead. She wouldn't be wandering aimlessly through the Labyrinth alone, so there was only one logical explanation left.

She had been captured by the enemy. And if she had been, maybe she would be better off dead. But I had no intention of her dieing on me. I would find her and free her.

And gods help anyone who would be foolish enough to stand in my way.

Alex POV

"Ration time!" sang a chirpy voice, startling me out of my doze. I growled.

"I only need a couple hours of sleep, and you people take that from me, too?" I groaned.

A girl of about twelve nudged my tired form with her toe. In her hands she held a small bowl and a glass. She put them on the floor next to me. "The general says to wake up and eat. You're leading a smaller group to the rendezvous point."

"Ugh, tell him to do it himself." I muttered. I was to tired to deal with this. I wish the enemy still thought of me as a ruthless killer, then this girl wouldn't bug me and poke me. "Do I look like a girl who can lead a vanguard at five in the morning?" I asked rhetorically.

"Yes." she answered. "You'd better get up."

"No." After saying this, I promptly leaned against the wall, shut my eyes, and went to sleep. After awhile, I heard whispering.

"I told her to get up, General! I swear! It's not my fault!" The girl was annoying. I just needed to sleep!

"Well, lets see then." answered another voice. SPLASH! Water was thrown on my face. One time, a boy at camp made this mistake and threw water on me when I was sleeping. I spazzed out because I thought I was drowning.

"OH MY GODS!" I screamed as I bolted upright. I was shaking and I glared murderously about the tunnel. I saw the young girl hastily stepping back in fear. Luke, on the other hand, was laughing at the top of his lungs while holding a large pot. "WHAT IN THE GODS NAMES WERE YOU THINKING? YOU KNOW I'M AFRAID OF-" I was cut off in the middle of my sentence by my brain, which decided to wake up to late. Oh crap, I didn't just do that. Luke was my enemy, and I slipped up by saying that particular sentence.

Luke stopped laughing. I face palmed. Then he smiled hugely. "The great Alex Nexumbra, monster killer, Titan Army stopper, warrior of Camp Half-Blood, is afraid of water?" He made to throw more water at me and I flinched.

"If you do it again, I'll kill you." I threatened. Gods, this was so embarrassing. I felt like an idiot.

Luke just laughed even harder. "So all we need to do"- laughter- "to stop you foiling our plans" -laughter- "is dig a moat around Mount Othyrs?"

"Shut up!" I hissed, gingerly stepping around the large puddle where I had been sleeping. "It's not funny!"

"Yes it is! You're like a cat! Ha! Oh, when I tell Kronos-hahaha! Oh my gods, he's gonna flip!"

"I can't believe you let him do that to me!" I shouted at the girl. She had started to laugh too. After she saw my face, her smile quickly disappeared.

"Alex, leave the kid alone. She has a right to laugh! It's the stupidest thing I've ever heard! Oh man, Oceanus is going to have a field day!" Luke laughed. It was a comical sight, seeing Luke laugh this hard, but I was still shaking and angry. Growling, I pulled my boots on and looked around the stone floor for the food that had been set beside me. I growled again when I found that it had been overturned. Life just kept getting better.

We better reach the rendezvous point soon.

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Turns out, we did get there after another hour or so. The army broke camp quickly and, after I got some food, we set off. Luke and I led a smaller party of demigods up ahead of the main troops. After many loops, turns, and several traps, we met a large stone wall completely barring the way forward. Luke smiled when he saw it.

"Finally." he said, relieved. I frowned. "Took long enough." Pressing his palm against the wall, it glowed for a moment and then the wall crumbled to dust. Luke made to enter past the now vanished wall, and we made to follow. "No," he said. "I will go alone. You will wait here."

"And if you get lost?" I asked him, stepping from the shadows. Why was he refusing to let us follow him? It was quite obvious the boy was going to get something from someone else. An object of some importance, apparently. It didn't make sense…unless he was rendezvousing with a traitor or the spy from Camp.

"Starting to care about me?" Luke asked, looking over his shoulder at me and interrupting my thoughts. I had to play it cool but I was so mad that he had the nerve to keep it from me. I was also furious with myself for not thinking of it sooner! Duh, who else would get this mysterious object?

"You wish." I answered him absentmindedly. Stupid Luke. "Go on, go alone. You got your big boy pants on now. Shoo-shoo." He rolled his eyes and left through the tunnel. I sat down, stretched my legs in front of me, and puzzled about who Luke was meeting.

Annabeth? One of the Hermes kids? They wouldn't betray camp…I think. Maybe it's a new camper, one I haven't met yet…

We waited. And waited. And waited again.

Remember: A bored Alex is not helpful. So, naturally, I wandered off back into the maze. Not to far, mind you, just far enough that I could hear the demigod generals freak out when they saw I left. Then Luke chose the opportune moment to come back.

"YOU LOST HER?" he screamed. Man, he sounded like a girl. I let them sweat for a bit.

"Uh-uh, general, sir, she just-um- said she wanted a walk, sir." stuttered a very scared girl. Luke looked like he was gonna kill her. That was a bit to far.

"Someone scream?" I asked, appearing behind Luke. He whirled around, red-faced, with a murderous glare that threatened to send me to Hades. But, I'd already been there and it didn't matter. "Dude, high blood pressure much?"

"You're here."

"Nope. I'm only here physically. Spiritually, metaphysically, and grammatically, I'm somewhere else." I said sarcastically. "How'd the little villain meet n' greet go?"

Luke's back straightened and he breathed deeply. "You were supposed to stay with the vanguard. You disobeyed orders."

"Yeah, well, I'm supposed to do a lot of things. I like to keep it interesting by not doing what I'm supposed to. Keeps people on their toes." Man, it's like they guy didn't know me at all. I rolled my eyes. "Did you get it?"

"Typically, when a soldier disobeyed orders, they're punished." Luke said, ignoring my question.

I snorted. "Try to punish me, I dare you." I said, pulling out a knife and cleaning my fingernails.

"Is that a threat?" he asked, turning to deal with the rest of the troops.

"No, a challenge." I answered. He paused for a moment to glare at me again.

"Behave." he hissed. While he ordered the troops to pack up and rejoin the army, I laughed to myself; teasing him was so fun.

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He had gotten the string. Camp was screwed.

After we joined the army, Luke revealed the string triumphantly while saying that Kronos had given them the means to destroy Camp and, eventually, the Gods. It was like a little monster pep rally. I stepped away from the celebrating warriors. Everything I could've done to stop this could've saved Camp. Now, Camp Half-Blood's days were numbered. And it was my fault. I felt like a coward, like scum.

Like my dad.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. That's not right. That has to change. Hmm, I can fix this still…no killing…no running…aha! Steal the string!

I'm a genius. It shall be done! But not now, no. I will wait for the right time…subtle Alex is on her game now…

Apparently, we were headed to an arena of some sort. According to Luke, who followed behind Kampe, it was one of the last stops before Camp and you couldn't get to Camp without passing through it. I, for one, thought it was a load of harpy crap, but I simply followed behind. Kampe held the string in her scaly hands and we wove through what looked to be sandstone tunnels. Brackets holding torches of fire were attached to the walls, casting long shadows on the light brown walls. The Labyrinth was changing image-sandstone and dirt instead of red brick and gravel-and it seemed to be leading us down. About five minutes into a darker tunnel-after about three hours of walking- a horrible smell reached my nose. I knew that smell; it was the smell of rotting flesh and dead bodies. I decided I didn't like what this arena might be. Out of the passage we emerged and we stepped onto a large, circular arena with a dirt floor.

It was not the largest arena I've ever seen, but it certainly the largest underground arena I'd seen. The dirt floor was about half the length of a football field and about eighty feet wide. Sandstone walls ran up twenty feet, preventing any monster or human from climbing out. It was obvious from some bloody handprints that people had tried- and failed. The first tier of stone seats began about twenty feet from the floor and behind the wall. Plain, uncomfortable-looking stone benches wrapped all around the large oval. The creepiest thing was the skulls. Grinning madly from every angle, thousands of skulls looked to the floor where heroes would battle and die. Some were old and bleached with age, others looked gristly and fresh. As I looked to the domed rock ceiling, I saw that skulls were even hanging on chains like crazy chandeliers. Displayed in the very center of the arena was the flag of…Poseidon? I know, I know, Poseidon? I thought it would've been my dad or Nemesis or even Kronos. But it wasn't and I was very confused. I sighed as the rest of the group looked around the nasty arena.

"Apparently my dad and Poseidon have the same interior designer," I muttered, kicking up some dirt. This remark got a snort from Luke and a nervous giggle from a demigod beside me. The army dispersed into the arena. I leaned against a wall and surveyed the groups that had arrived. There weren't many here yet. According to Luke, they would pass through after the arena master granted us passage. Or as soon as he was taken care of.

I didn't like the way he looked at me when he said taken care of.

It turned out that Luke's tone of voice wasn't the only problem I had to deal with. About ten minutes after we arrived at the arena, a huge giant made its way out of another tunnel. In all seriousness, he shouldn't have been able to fit through the tunnel exit-he was to big! The guy was about twenty feet tall, bright red, and wore only a loincloth. Fat giants shouldn't do that. Blue wave patterns and fish designs were tattooed all over him. Another thing fat giants shouldn't do: get tattooed. His booming voice made my teeth shake in my jaw.

"Well, Young Castellan, you have certainly kept me waiting!"

Luke gritted his teeth and I smirked. Forcing a smile, Luke spoke. "My deepest apologies, Anteaus, my vanguard got a bit…lost."

"I've been waiting for some entertainment for days," bellowed the giant, plopping down on his big stone chair. "I don't like waiting."

Luke looked like he was ready to rip Antaeus's face off, but breathed through his nose and inclined his head toward him. This red sumo guy was glaring like a kid who wanted to eat more candy at the dentist's. It just wouldn't happen. "I apologize again, sir, but-"

"We can't just snap our fingers and appear." I interrupted Luke, hands on hips, glaring at the giant. "It's, like, three o' clock on a Saturday, K? We got stuff to do. Arriving at your lovely arena wasn't that big of a priority here, get it?"

"What she means to sat, my lord, is that-" started Luke, but I kept talking.

"We got here so sit your red butt down in your throne and we'll snap to it." I grabbed onto the arena wall and hoisted myself up on it. I turned to the arena that was quickly filling with the army. Without glancing at the giant I'd just shut down, I stuck my fingers in my mouth and let out a piercing whistle. The army quieted. "K, Dracaena and empousi get this half of the arena! Demigods by me! Giants, sorry, but you have to stand at the far entrance-no, no, the other one! Help him, Connie! There we go!- telekhines and hell hounds on the right side of dracaena-you're other right, morons-and other reptile-bat-snake things on the left! You five patrol outside the arena for intruders. Get moving!" The still arena began bustling with activity as monsters and demigods alike got into their seat. Offering my hand to Luke, I pulled him up onto the wall beside me.

"Luke, man up and tell sumo-guy to back off. Tell him that if he doesn't get over himself, I'll make him." I advised as we watched the army from our ledge. He looked at me, impressed.

"I dunno, I think you put him in his place pretty well. The guy looks like you threatened to take away his cookies." Luke didn't even glance my way, keeping a straight face as he stared Antaeus down.

Against my judgment, I laughed. "I knew it! You really are evil! Taking cookies, how could you think of such things?" I cried in mock horror.

"I've never heard you laugh." Luke said, turning to look at me. I felt my heart flutter a bit. No, bad heart! My heart doesn't flutter! Especially not around handsome Titan army generals!

"Liar. I've laughed around you." I said.

"No, a real laugh like that. Not a sarcastic laugh."

"Well, consider yourself special. I don't laugh that much. It's usually sarcastic."

"Bet you laugh around Jackson," Luke said bitterly, returning his gaze to the arena floor.

I frowned. Did he suspect my allegiance was false? "Not really. Doesn't really get the fact that he actually could be wrong about something. He keeps trying to figure me out. Maybe I don't want him to." I muttered this last bit, trying to sound angry. It was the opposite of how I felt. I loved his questions and our conversations. I wouldn't give them up for the world.

"When I was at Camp, I thought the kid was alright. A bit annoying and to hopeful, but alright. Then he returned the bolt and got all righteous. He was like the gods, thinking that nothing could touch him and he was right in every way." Luke spat.

I put my hand on his well-muscled shoulder. Well-muscled? What the heck? I don't think this way, what in Hades was wrong with me? "Calm down, man. When we reach Camp, you can kill him, I'll save the honors for you. But," I said, shuddering on the inside as I said this, "I get dibs on Chiron. The horse falls to me."

Luke composed himself and cracked a grin at me. "Thanks, Alex. It's just that I'm stressed out and Camp is almost in our grasp."

"Ah, don't sweat it. See, you're back to scheming in no time! I bring out the best in everybody. Like a therapist or…a dolphin," I said. A dolphin? What in the gods' names was wrong with me?

Luke smiled and rolled his eyes. "C'mon, loser, lets talk to the baby."

I sighed. Back to being evil. Luke seemed so nice and normal when he wasn't a taking orders from Kronos. We approached the sulking Antaeus. His arms were crossed and he was glaring at the floor.

"My lord, the army is seated and we can begin the entertainment at the time of your preference." Luke spoke loudly and confidently. Antaeus huffed.

"Hey, put your big boy pants on and deal!" I said. He turned to me, opening his nasty mouth to say something. "We're ready. What do you want us to do?"

The giant opened his nasty mouth bellowed in my face. "Someone must battle! A warrior of great strength! The death of an opponent will be most pleasing, then I might let you pass!"

Might? Gods, can anything be easy? I better get a medal for completing this ridiculous quest.

Luke did not look happy when Antaeus said might. I wouldn't be, either. Things are hard for us demigods. We never get to go out to eat or go shopping. It's always fighting someone or running away or going on quests. Anyway.

As it turns out, Antaeus is a huge fan of gladiator-like battles in the arena. As the army watches several prisoners and demigods die during the gory duels, he boasts of his own skill. Apparently, he was famous in Greece for his skill. I think he was exaggerating.

"…and Zeus himself bowed before me." Antaeus was telling an inattentive Luke about his victories. Luke just stared ahead, occasionally turning to glance at me behind his throne-chair. I looked at the arena floor in stony silence, like I had been for what felt like hours.

During my time with the army, I had forgotten about Kronos's plans to kill and enslave mortals and demigods. I had forgotten that what they were doing was wrong. I had pushed it to the back of my mind, trying to believe that guiding them through the Labyrinth would help my friends in someway. It only helped them. Watching fellow half-bloods and comrades die in that arena really brought me back to reality. I wanted to leap over edge and onto the floor, run at the enemy-the true enemy- and protect what cause I believed in. Not my father's cause, not Luke's cause, mine. To protect Camp no matter what. I wanted to save this poor centaur. My opportunity to steal the string would never come. I had been kidding myself. I knew Luke would keep it close to him at all times. I lied to myself, allowed my pity and cowardice to cloud my judgment.

I felt truly helpless. I ached to flick my hands and feel my swords in the palm. It had been so long… My finger twitched as a giant broke the centaurs leg. Luke noticed and his expression darkened. I glared down at the arena and didn't spare Luke a glance. If I had, I would've noticed his hand slowly inching toward his sword Backbiter. But I didn't look and I had to much confidence. I thought I'd fooled him into believing I was really a traitor to Camp.

He didn't draw his sword, to my relief, just gripped it tightly. With a roar, the giant killed the centaur. I winced slightly. It dissolved, leaving only a hoof for a trophy. The giant picked it up and raised it above his head, showing he was the victor and making half the army pass out because of his armpit stink. I turned to Luke. His cold smile chilled my bones and reminded me just how many of my friends he had killed. His small, quiet smile is what made me snap. I wouldn't stand to see innocent beings killed for entertainment. I wouldn't stand and watch me comrades get killed for sport. Maybe this was a test. Maybe he wanted me to watch my friends and comrades be slaughtered to prove my allegiance. If it was a test, I had a gut feeling I would fail it soon. I had made my decision when I saw the giant leave the arena to cheers and I saw a boy being pushed in. He was half-dressed in heavy defensive armor and he stumbled while trying to adjust the size. This boy would not die for the entertainment of a monster.

I drew my two swords, twitching my fingers and reveling at the feel of the smooth hilts in my hands. My expression was anything but happy, though, and I quickly stepped onto the ledge leading down into the arena. "Luke Castellan, you are a miserable excuse for a demigod and a general." I brought both arms back over my head with force and swung them down in a deadly arc towards Luke's surprised head. As I'd failed to notice before my attack, his hand had been on Backbiter before and he quickly drew it and blocked my strike. His arms shook from the weight but he bared his teeth and snarled.

"Just like you. You think I would be so trusting?" he spat, violently pushing me back a step, teetering on the edge of the narrow wall. "That I would blindly welcome you? Without me, the army would've acted and attacked you immediately! They welcomed you because I made it so! Without my so-called trust, you would be rotting in a cell, unmissed and unloved like the fools at Camp! Like you always will be! Without me, you'd be with your miserable, weak father in the Underworld!"

Luke viciously attacked me and hacked at me. Anteaus was bellowing at Luke to fight me in the arena and the monsters were screeching and cheering like it was some sport. My heart ached at the words Luke spoke to me. Part of me, no matter how much I denied it, liked the power and welcome I had received by joining the army. It hurt to know that it wasn't real. As much as I wanted Luke's friendship and acceptance to be real, I knew that I would have to sacrifice to much to make it happen.

I blocked several of his quick jabs and jumped up as his blade swept under my feet. I had the advantage in the fight, the high ground, but it had one drawback: the ledge. Another fairly large problem: the army, realizing that this fight was for real, quickly began coming to their General's aide. It was a battle I couldn't even hope to win. I frowned and sidestepped a javelin.

"Give up, Alex. This isn't some pathetic war game at camp. You've already proven yourself untrustworthy and it's obvious that if you don't surrender, you'll join your other companions in our dungeons. I swear on the Styx that you'll be treated reasonably well as we take you back to Mount Othrys and make sure your…trained properly." He smirked as he dodged my increasingly panicked attacks. Othrys? Surrender? It's like he didn't know me at all.

"Luke? Is that you?"

"What the heck is going on here?"

"Who's the red sumo wrestler?"

Freezing, like everybody else in the arena, I slowly turned to look at the small Labyrinth entrance. There, standing in all his clean, good-looking glory, was the boyfriend I never got to go on a date with. Behind him stood Annabeth and a red-headed girl with ripped, marker-colored jeans. Percy? He didn't seem to have seen me yet. No. it was a trick. I quickly turned to face Luke, pointing a sword at his throat.

"You've underestimated me. I won't fall for this trick." I spat. With a grimace, Luke quickly knocked my blade away with his own.

"You don't recognize your friends, General Nexumbra?" He put stress on my false title. His voice was quiet. I glanced back to see Percy's face twitch as he noticed Poseidon's banner hanging at the center of the arena.

"All I recognize, Son of Hermes, is another of your ill-conceived tricks brought to life by Kronos. I won't fall for it." I glanced behind me and saw that "Percy" and "Annabeth" were fighting several monsters. I jerked my head back to Luke, but I was to late. The hilt of his sword slammed directly into my nose and with a loud crack!, it broke. I stumbled back over the edge of the wall, dropping my swords as I latched to the wall while trying to find any foothold I could; there were none. Disoriented and temporarily blind, I fell. Strong hands caught grabbed my arm, pulling me back up. I heard a loud voice in my ear yelling at monsters to remain seated and then I was roughly thrown to the ground. I blinked several times but my vision continued to spin.

Why would Luke feel the need to continue talking to a fake Percy? I had already said the I wouldn't fall for the trick. He didn't have to keep trying to sell it to me. I could see right through it, there was no point in continuing the lie. Then there was him saving me. Luke saved me. Why? I had just betrayed him and tried to escape. I had insulted him and he had stopped my death. I groaned as a dracaena slammed the side of her javelin into my ribs. I could vaguely hear Luke taunting the fake Percy. I wiped the tears from my face, growling as I tried to overcome my blurry vision and spinning mind. I saw a large mass of green to my left and I gripped my knife, swinging it with all my might, I hit the dracaena. My strike went wide, but it got the job done. My mind came to a conclusion: the Percy wasn't fake. Another monster-a harpy, I think-squawked and screeched, but I managed to stumble to the wall and scream as loud as I could.

"PERCY!" I was standing up long enough to see his head snap toward me, then I was down. A demigod tackled me from behind. She kicked me in the ribs. "You don't turn your back against the Titan Army," she spoke from above me, aiming to kick my ribs again. "It's against the rules." I heard shouting and Percy yelling at Luke.

I caught her foot that was about to give me another bone-breaking kick. Turning it so she was unbalanced, I stabbed her in the thigh with a small knife from my boot. "Every rule has an exception. Especially this one." She fell, but I looked down as I felt a sword tip press to my throat.

"You don't know when to stay down, do you Alex?"

"As you so accurately pointed out, Luke, I can be impulsive and stupid." And I quickly kicked out with my legs. He jumped back to avoid my feet. He looked at the arena where Percy was fighting Anteaus. I did, too. Percy noticed and shouted something I couldn't hear over the shouting and cheering monsters. I glanced at the knife in my hand, then at Luke. He was now looking at me, waiting for me to make the first move.

"They've changed you, Alex, made you soft. What happened to the strong, street-wise girl Kronos knew about before Zeus was aware his slimy brother had had one? You've become weak. What happened?" Luke's words froze my blood. He was right. Camp-my friends- had changed me. They'd made me suffer wounds at their expense and they'd made me experience to many dangerous experiences to count. "Camp has done nothing for you. You've gotten nothing from them. Join us," hissed a voice in my ear, "and you'll get what you deserve. Riches, lands, family…power. All you desire will be yours. You can send your wretched father to his knees; smite him before you and take his power. Become what you know you can be!" Kronos's spell wove through my blood. I swayed on the spot.

Why shouldn't I get the best? I'm worthy! I deserve it! The gods don't deserve the loyalty I'm showing them, I thought. And the fools at Camp, who follow them blindly, are my enemies, too. They're as bad as the gods! Self-righteous and spoiled…they've done nothing for me. My thoughts grew more bitter and my brain grew hazy with anger. Kronos was right! The kids at Camp had to be gotten rid of. They were useless.

"Don't do it, child. This power he speaks of, it isn't for you. You are already strong, young one. Stronger than I had believed." This deep, slow voice ran through my mind. It reminded me of the present. Camp.

They had made me laugh. Camp had given me hope for family. It had made me feel again. It had changed me. It didn't make me weak, the emotions it made me feel made me stronger. Being at Camp had changed me for the better. I shook my head and with several blinks, I cleared my head of the enchantment.

"You were about to succumb!" taunted Luke. "A minute or to more and Alex Nexumbra would've fallen to a small enchantment!"

I looked around and saw Percy, without a sword, on the ceiling while he was blowing some weird whistle. Anteaus was stuck up in chains to but Percy was steadily making his way toward me, a look of worry on his face. I made my decision. I jumped from the wall to the chains dangling from the ceiling of the cavern. I grabbed one and climbed to my boyfriend. He saw I was gesturing for him to kill the giant and he did, jumping to the ground and stabbing him. I followed, landing gracelessly on top of him. He slung my arm over his shoulder and I clutched at my ribs. He half dragged me into the tunnel where I saw Annabeth and the other girl stabbing monsters left and right while Mrs. O'Leary was chomping on harpies. I guess that's what the whistle was. Maybe Quintus gave one to Percy, too. I heard Luke shouting, but it all went quiet as we raced down the tunnel.

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"Gods, Alex, is it really you?" asked Annabeth as she helped wrap up my ribs. I suppose I did look quite different. My face was covered in blood, swollen, and my nose was crooked. My hair was disheveled and my clothes covered in dirt and monster dust.

"Yeah, well, no one else could have these beautiful features," I muttered.

"Or the sarcasm," she answered. "Ok, you're all bandaged up."

"Annabeth…"

"What?" She wiped her hands on a towel from her backpack and looked at me.

"Straighten my nose. Punch me in the face." I ordered her. Without hesitating, she punched me and I felt my nose crack into place. Blood flowed. "Wow," I attempted to stop the flow, "I didn't think you'd be so willing."

"I figured it'd be better to surprise you than having you brace yourself. Ambrosia and some of the swelling and bruising should go away."

"Thanks," I said as I accepted the magical food. "Better?"

She looked up from where she had been packing up her things. "Yeah. I can actually tell it's you now. You have bruises and some cuts, but we can't risk you eating more ambrosia. Those will just have to heal on their own.?"

"Thanks, you know, for not killing me on sight. I would be a goner if it weren't for you and Percy." She nodded and stuck a hand out to pull me up. I accepted and we walked a short time to where Percy and the other girl, Rachel, were sitting. He shot up and smiled. I could vaguely hear him stuttering something, but I threw myself at him and gave him a hug to rival Tyson's.

I was finally back where I belonged.

I AM IN NEED OF A NEW BETA! IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, SEND ME A MESSAGE!

Now that that's out of the way, I can ask you: is Luke evil? Does Alex seem like a Mary-Sue? Am I keeping your interest? Do you hate me?

All good questions that you can answer. Leave suggestions as always and if you have any ideas for the story or if you're interested in making a fan video-I've actually gotten an offer- let me know. I have also posted this story on Wattpad and I'm updating it there twice a week until I've caught up with what I've written here. I'll always update here first!

My story is under the same name there. Here is a link to my profile:

.com/user/Neela4232

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Neela SilverDust