I don't own PJO. In case you're wondering, I just watch Lord of the Rings to get in the mood to write battle scenes.

CHAPTER 21

My armor is faintly warm, like Argent's, but my fingers are locked in the cold. The storm has eased into the occasional strong wing, taking the puffs of mist out that ease their way from my mouth far away. Aaron is crouched next to me, clad in simple leather armor inlaid with gold designs. His eyes are serious and firm, but his hands shake as they try and get a grip on his sword. I try to catch his eye, but he avoids my gaze.

I feel a pang in my heart and gasp, clutching at my breast to contain the pain. Aaron suddenly turns to me, a clammy hand on my shoulder.

"What's wrong?" He asks.

I grit my teeth as the pain turns to a dull ache, then a simple feeling of weakness. A light flashes in my mind and I look to the sky.

The midnight expanse, usually peppered with the sentinels of the stars and the brightness of the Moon, is black, tinted with red. Perhaps the storm has calmed near the ground, but in the sky, the sands are still whipped around with enough power to hide the light.

"The siege of the Factory," I muttered. "Shall begin with no moon."

"Do you think she is doing it on purpose?" Aaron asks, glaring at the chasm. "To hurt you?"

"Maybe." I whisper.

Aaron looks at me, concerned. "Maybe you should head-"

"No." I snapped

"But-"

"No." My voice is a wall and Aaron sighs. "This is my fight too and-" I wince as another flare of pain takes shape. But I cut in quickly and say, "And you need me." The wind is blowing gently, I can almost hear my father's voice whisper my name on the wind, but I shake that voice free.

"I can't take the time to protect you and me."

"Trust me," I assure him sarcastically. "You definitely won't have to protect me."

"Aspasia," He said at an attempt to be commanding.

"Look." I point to the south end of the canyon. "The battle's begun." A bright line of fire, thin and wavering at this distance, glows in the deep night. I can hear soft cries, barely audible above the distance. I look to the north. Charlie must be leading his troops and the lions in now.

"We should get started." I say in clipped words, pulling ropes out of my bag. Aaron doesn't make eye contact with me, worry building up under his skin and rolling off him in tense waves. We wrap our enchanted ropes around a rock outcrop, tying the other end around our waists. The leather bag that holds the artfully made bomb, consisting of ballistic Celestial bronze and Greek fire and other nasty things, is slung tightly over Aaron's shoulders. Silently, we stand on the edge of the canyon, gripping the rope tightly in our hands. The rope is charmed to never run out, but the inky dark of the cavernous crack looks like it goes on forever. I look at Aaron's serious gray eyes and nod. We kick off the edge and start belaying down.

The rope only grows as much as we want it to, so we make our way down slowly. Of course, if we drop the rope, it will just keep growing until we slam into the ground and-

So, let's not drop the rope.

Sweat trickles down my cheeks, finding roads to sting my eyes. Heat makes my armor itchy and my hands start to ache. We're standing almost upright against the vertical canyon wall, walking down it slowly. I can hear full fledged battle on either sides of the canyon and I pray our ploy work, that Chaos' forces were drawn out, that we'll have enough time to set the bomb, to escape. I pray for a lot of things.

After an eternity of slipping feet and muttered curse words, we hit the ground with blistered hands and weapons drawn. An arrow notched in my bow, I scan the area. It's dark, nothing clear in the dim light.

"Aaron." I say tersely.

"Got it." He reaches into my bag and pulls out a lantern and gives it a shake. The magical fireflies in it buzz to life and fill the dark with their dim green glow.

The Factory is like a giant crystal formation at the bottom of the canyon. Though it holds the green light well, I suspect it's pure black in the sun, though I'm sure that the light of day has never touched this place. There are little tunnels pocketing the Factory everywhere. I approach the one closest to us slowly.

"Aspasia," Aaron warns.

"We have to start somewhere." I tell him. "Come on." I nod him forward and we start down the tunnel, running efficiently. I am tense, ready to fight, but we come across nothing in the cramped hall. The light reflects grotesquely off the crystalline walls. The hall suddenly opens up into a grand hall and we have to back peddle to avoid spilling out into the room. We press ourselves against the walls and listen in.

"... to the north, and tell the ghouls to focus their attacks on the archers. We need to get rid of those brats." Night is spitting out orders at a tall man in a black cloak.

"And the southern entrance?" He asks. His voice makes the room twenty degrees cooler and I shiver against the cold crystal. He pulls back the hood of his cloak and his glittery white hair is like starlight in the dark palace.

"Leave that to the shadows, they'll take care of it." Night says, running a hand through her smoky hair. "Go! Now, you idiot!" She barks at the man. To his credit, he doesn't flinch, only smiles faintly at Night before bowing and leaping into the air. Mid-flight, he transforms into what looks to be a great bird of shadow and darkness and flies out of the room, zooming out of the hall we are hiding in at a million miles an hour. He doesn't notice us, but the cold that he leaves behind is crippling and I have to cover my mouth to stop from crying out. Across the hall, Aaron's face is tense with pain and his breath comes out in puffs of fog.

"Erebus is right to mock you." Chaos' almost playful voice fills the room and I freeze. "You are tense, my dear Night."

"I am not tense." Night snapped. I peeked around the corner of the hall and I saw her, in midnight black battle armor, sheets of darkness rolling off her shoulders angrily. "I am stressed. I urge you to be as well, my Lady. The mortals have-

"Lasted only as long as I have allowed them to." Chaos cuts her off. I can't see her, but I feel the weight of her presence on my chest like an anvil. "Don't worry, my dear. We'll survive this skirmish."

Night is silent. After a moment, she disappears in an implosion of light. The room is silent, the spirit of Chaos still weighing heavy on my soul.

"Come in, come it." I hear Chaos coo. Suddenly, cold claws grab me and, before I can scream, I'm drug into the room with Aaron. Before us: Chaos. "We mustn't linger in doorways. It's rude."