Desert of Despair, Erebus
Percy
Percy didn't trust Jax. It was obvious. He had harmed Annabeth, and nobody does that. Not when he was around. He had obviously taken out some revenge on Annabeth, but what, and why?
If Percy had to guess, he guessed Athena. After all, it'd make sense. Annabeth's mother was Athena.
Still, Percy didn't know why. It was frustrating, but with Annabeth's forehead bleeding, he didn't want to trouble her more. "C'mon," he said. "Here, eat some ambrosia." He force-fed it to Annabeth.
They marched out of the River Styx's banks, and soon, they reached a vast desert of nothingness. Through the fog, he saw a cave, with two purple torches hanging in the front. "Reminds me of Rachel's place," Percy said to Annabeth, though unsure whether she could hear him or not. Jax had done something to her, and Percy was going to find out what. Perhaps Will knows...
As he was thinking this, a giant scorpion crawled out of the abyss. Percy recognized it. It is the same species as the ones Quintus brought, Percy thought. Like a flash, one of Jax's axes hit a chink in its armor, melting the scorpion to dust. Jax held out his hand, and the axe returned, unscathed.
"That'll teach 'em," Jax remarked. He looked back at Percy and the others. "INSIDE! NOW!" he barked. Uncertainly, Percy headed into the cave, Annabeth draped around his shoulder. The others followed suit, though some, like Nico and Leo, didn't seem to keen.
Percy looked back at Annabeth. To his horror, she seemed to be turning blue. He pulled Will closer. "Annabeth... something..." Percy tried to describe her state.
Will looked at Annabeth, his face distorted by the light of the purple torches. He nodded. He put his hand over Annabeth's heart, then hummed a hymn. A warm light appeared where he touched Annabeth, his palm and Annabeth's chest seem to cover it, to trap it. Percy didn't want it trapped. It seemed so warm, so peaceful.
Percy shook his head, trying to snap out of it. As he looked back, Will was removing his hand, the yellow glow still contained in his palm, with a tail into Annabeth. The glow slowly died out.
"Poison," Will said. "Elder python to be exact."
"The snake," Percy answered. His heart seemed to be disconnected from his body. Will nodded.
"Jax's blade hit the snake, correct?" Will asked. Percy nodded back. "Then there's poison from the blade, and when he... accidentally hit Annabeth, it..."
"No..." Percy said. Will looked grim. "How can we stop it?" Percy asked.
"We can't. Remember Thalia's tree?" Will answered.
"No..." Percy repeated.
"Maybe Jax has a cure," Will said, trying to sound upbeat.
"Jax! Annabeth, the blade," Percy called, all fear of Jax erased.
"Let me see..." Jax leaned closer. "Nothing can do, son. Now GET BACK IN LINE, AND SHUT UP!" he screamed. Percy cursed under his breath. Before he could continue, however, the cave rumbled. Rocks fell, and dust settled on them like a blanket. Percy's instinct told him to run. He knew what would happen if they didn't.
They would be buried alive.