When I returned with Snowstorm a few hours after storming off having almost torn down the Titan city, Luke just looked relieved. I could sense that Kronos was displeased but upon my return was satisfied that I remained loyal, as I proclaimed to him that I blamed the gods for Percy's death and I would see them punished for it, that I wanted vengeance against them for causing his demise. Thankfully Kronos was too full of himself to not see through my lies, and also I sold it pretty well because I was rather excellent at getting angry and tearful when I really wanted. It was great for lots of things, like getting free stuff or escaping trouble from teachers. Sadly, school and taster stalls at the mall were now many years behind me. What I wouldn't give to go back to the days before Percy and I knew we were half-bloods and then our lives just basically took a spectacular nosedive into chaotic and mortally dangerous. At least everyone had a healthy fear of me from then on, none of the monsters daring to suggest that they eat Snowstorm, and even Kelli kept her distance. Her nose was fixed, which I thought a shame. My punch had been a striking improvement and I told her so to her face. Luke meanwhile had berated me in front of everyone for losing my temper and control, but when we were alone with no one else around, he'd pulled me into his arms and hugged me tightly, telling me that he had no love for Percy, but he was sorry for my loss, knowing how much I'd loved him. I appreciated it, and it was hard to keep up the pretence around Luke but it was necessary. The longer they thought he was dead, the better for him. I would lie through my teeth until I deserved an award for best acting.
Not long after my outburst, it was time to move into the Labyrinth. Luke kept me close, making sure that I was always within his sight as I'd told him flatly that if he tried to leave me behind then I'd go in on my own, that I fully intended to stay with him until the very end and, knowing how stubborn I was, he'd finally acquiesced. It felt a little different, this protectiveness, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Sometimes he'd brush against me or touch my hand as if to reassure myself I was still there. The one time I'd tried to hold his hand because that's what I thought he'd wanted, however, he'd quickly pulled away and walked ahead. Honestly it was starting to mess with my head a little. I didn't complain though. I liked the little attentions he paid me when no one else got the same treatment. It made me feel special, important even, and when we rested he always came to sit beside me and I'd fall asleep against him, usually with his arm around me and Amaryllis unsheathed in front of us ready for an attack.
The monsters may have been on our side, but that didn't mean that there weren't some that couldn't be persuaded to join us, and some were just too stupid or animal-minded to understand and attacked us anyway. We lost a couple within the first few hours of entering the Labyrinth, and that was even when bringing a smallish group ahead. Luke desperately tried to follow the map but soon it became clear that the Labyrinth was just messing with us. It kept on changing, almost like it was listening to what we were saying and throwing our worst nightmares right into our paths, twisting and changing so that even when we looked back it was different to the way we had come. The last thing I wanted was to get lost in here, so I was glad that Luke stuck close. At one point the path split without warning so that some of us went towards the left until suddenly the floor seemed to drop from underneath us, crumbling away into nothing where only pitch blackness existed below and I had a feeling if I fell, I'd keep falling forever. I'd nearly fallen and actually fallen from tall heights before, and it is not a fun business, so when the ground gave way underneath me, I'd shrieked and immediately tried to grab onto something, anything, as the rest of us who had been separated also screamed. One of us fell and was never heard from again.
Thankfully we'd managed to cling onto what was left of the path and haul ourselves up, one of the other half-bloods, Michael, grabbing me and helping me onto solid ground as Luke came striding back towards us. He demanded to know if we were alright but his eyes seemed to naturally glance towards me as I brushed myself down then looked at Michael, thanking him for the help as I shivered slightly. Me and falling do not have a good history. If I could help it, I'd rather stay away from high places. When I'd glanced to Luke his jaw was set in a thick line, glaring slightly at Michael and I before turning and striding away again making me frown. What's his deal? I almost died! I brushed it off and managed a weak smile at Michael who made sure I was alright then put me on his right so that I was further away from the edge of the path which I was not going to argue over. After several more hours of trudging through one hell-scape after another, Luke finally called for us to halt so that he could check the map once again. He was growing visibly agitated. Nothing in this maze made any sense. "It should've been the last turn." The flashlight in his hand barely lit up the map it was so dark, all of us carrying flashlights and torches of some kind but it seemed like the shadows were still creeping towards us little by little. Luke crushed the map and threw it away since it was pretty useless, causing Michael who stood with him to protest in alarm. "Maps are useless here. Don't worry, I'll find it." I sure hope so, because if we end up stuck down here forever because of him, then invulnerable or not, I was going to dedicate the rest of my life to using him as a straw dummy for practice.
"Sir, is it true that the larger the group…?"
"The more likely you'll get lost? Yes, that's true. Why do you think we sent out solo explorers to begin with? But don't worry. As soon as we have the thread, we can lead the vanguard through." Luke assured him, though to me he didn't sound as confident as he probably hoped. Then again, my eyes were pretty sharp.
"But how will we get the thread?"
"Oh, Quintus will come through. All we have to do is reach the arena, and it's at a juncture. Impossible to get anywhere without passing it. That's why we must have a truce with its master. We just have to stay alive until…" Luke was cut off by another one of the half-blood soldiers who came rushing back to the main group with an excited shout which made me sit upright. He looked rather excited considering we were currently trapped in a killer maze with monsters trying to kill us when the maze itself wasn't. Don't tell me, he's found a trove of treasure.
"The dracaenae found a half-blood!" My blood ran cold.
"Alone? Wandering the maze?" Luke questioned with a lift in his voice even as his face furrowed and I was already rising to my feet whilst trying not to look conspicuous, slowly rising as the scout nodded his head eagerly.
"Yes sir! You'd better come quick. They're in the next chamber. They've got him cornered." When Luke asked who it was my heart gave a terrified jolt, hoping that my guess was wrong. "No one I've ever seen before, sir."
"A blessing from Kronos. We may be able to use this half-blood. Come!" With a sharp order everyone rushed to their feet and raced after him with me streaking ahead. Please don't let it be Nico, please don't let it be Nico, please don't…it wasn't Nico. Relief washed through me the moment I entered the round chamber made from solid concrete, and saw a guy trapped with his back against the wall with the dracaenae grasping hold of him securely, one of them squeezing his throat so tightly he looked like he was about to pass out as his one visible eye was pressed tightly shut, the other hidden behind an old eye patch. Even as I opened my mouth to speak up and intervene before he could be choked to death, Luke entered with an aura of authority and calmly ordered the dracaenae to release him. Thank the gods, he was starting to turn purple and blue. "I know you." Luke suddenly said with a glimmer of recognition which I wasn't expecting. "You're Ethan Nakamura, you used to be an undetermined in the Hermes cabin. What are you doing in a place like this?" Luke questioned in what could have been a kind voice were it not for the sinister edge. I guess Luke was probably suspicious about why someone from the camp was here but it looked to me that Ethan hadn't been anywhere near a good meal and a hot shower in a long time.
"I was sent here by my mother, Nemesis. I think it was to find you and swear loyalty to your cause." Ethan announced though he attempted to look brave, there was a slight tremble to him from his voice to his body so I stepped forwards and tried to give an encouraging smile, glancing at Luke with a silent word for him to back down a moment, because otherwise I'm fairly certain Ethan was going to pass out. I fished around in my pack and brought out some granola bars, extending them to Ethan.
"Here, eat something." Although he hesitated at first it appeared hunger won out and he grabbed them in order to stuff them as quickly as he could into his mouth as if he were afraid I'd change my mind and ask for them back. "You said your mother is Nemesis? Is she on our side then?"
"My mother believes in balance, not just revenge, but for me revenge is more than enough. I spent years unclaimed in that crowded cabin with a bunch of other undetermined half-bloods…all of us forgotten by our parents because we were most likely from minor immortals, and the gods never allowed them to have their own cabins, or a say in how things are done. If I can help change all that, then I want to. Let me join your army." It was simple enough reasoning but internally I was groaning. Not another one. There were probably hundreds of half-bloods with similar stories, being the children of different minor gods and goddesses who were pushed aside and treated like dirt because they weren't 'all that' like the big gods. I couldn't help but sympathise, and feel irritated with the elder gods for their stupidity. You would think that at least Athena would recognise how dangerous it was to mistreat and ignore someone for so long. There was bound to be a breaking point and now this war was the result.
Luke grilled Ethan for a little while, sounding him out before deciding to let him come along with us, warning him that everybody who wanted to be a part of the army needed to prove himself somehow, and Luke seemed to know exactly how Ethan was going to do that. I didn't find out until much later. I'd kept it secret from Luke because I was not interested in hastening towards the moment when he would be forced to fuse with Kronos, but I could see through the tricks of the Labyrinth by merely closing my eyes and tapping the butt of my trident upon the ground. It would send out ripples of vibrations and they would then rush back to me in a series of information, though they weren't as clear as when I had been completely blind. I'd noticed that my other senses had begun to dull slowly, and to be honest it was a rather alarming notion because I couldn't hear as far or as well. This was the price of sight, as it were. Anyway Ethan was glad to be accepted, even on a provisional basis and he very quickly seemed to attach himself to me like a lost puppy following someone that had given it food, which I guess I had done.
I don't think Ethan had been at camp when Percy and I arrived though he seemed happy enough to chat to me, asking me questions about who I was and how long I'd been with the army, though I never really told him much. He seemed rather disconcertingly cheerful and when I picked up on it, he told me that it was terrifying to be alone in the Labyrinth but being with a bunch of other people wasn't so bad. We wondered around for a long time, my legs starting to ache from all the walking and carrying this stupid armour. Just as I was about to throw in the towel and demand a break, a shout suddenly came up ahead and soon enough, everyone was as bright and cheerful as Ethan. We'd finally come to our goal, a place called the arena where we would meet with its owner and barter for safe passage. Luke signalled for me to come over and Ethan followed at my heels, though a single look from Luke had him slinking backwards with his tail between his legs. He really did seem like a puppy. "Don't get too close to him." Luke said to me rather sharply which made me frown at him in bewilderment. Who spit in his soup? We'd found the arena, he should be happy right? "He's not proven himself yet, so don't trust him." Oh that's what it was, he was suspicious.
"Ethan is fine, he's harmless." I brushed off as I rubbed at my shoulders and pulled on the straps of my armour to try and shift the weight. It really wasn't meant for me, I feel like it's about to crush my lungs. "You haven't told me anything about this arena of yours, or it's supposed 'master'. Anything I should be aware of before we head in? Also, how are you supposed to get Ariadne's string if…?"
"Don't worry about the string, Quintus will find us soon enough. It's the arena and its owner you need to worry about, because he's also a child of Poseidon." Ah crap. Now I get why Luke was acting so worried and protective over me all the way down here. "His name is Antaeus, son of Poseidon and Gaea, he's a half giant. I'm not sure how he'll react to you if he finds that you share the same father, so if you must draw Amaryllis for any reason, keep it in sword form unless absolutely necessary." I hadn't seen Luke this worked up in a long while, talking in a hushed but rushed whisper to me as he gripped my arms firmly, staring me down like he was considering just throwing me in a sack and expressing me back to the ship. I was surprised at first to learn that Antaeus was a son of Poseidon, but considering I don't have a great love for my dad, I just shrugged.
"So we don't tell him. Don't worry I'll be cool. I can hang with the other half-bloods and he won't even notice me." I said with a thought that my charm bracelet would dampen my scent, so he shouldn't be able to figure out who I was from that alone. Still, I couldn't help but feel slightly nervous, seeing as technically speaking, I was about to meet another half-brother of mine, and I doubted he'd be as cute and lovable as Tyson.