The moment that I stepped into the Labyrinth, the voices started in my head again. They urged me to follow them again, down a path full of monsters for me to fight and chances for glory.
"You are skilled enough to battle all these monsters," they assured me. "Even injured and weaponless."
I ignored them and eventually the voices dimmed down to a small hum. I started walking. This time, I didn't have an aim, a mission, or a goal. I let the Labyrinth lead me where it wanted me to go.
No monsters attacked me, no psychotic gods popped up to have a conversation with me. I was completely alone.
The pathway led me to a large circular room. When I entered, all the doorways and exits disappeared. Images of my greatest failures and embarrassments appeared in my mind. Losing to Annabeth in spars, my father yelling at me to do better, Percy soaking me in toilet water, my mom sending me to Camp Half-Blood and the Stolls, and their humiliating pranks.
The illusions were so realistic that I could hear their mocking and feel the anger and shame that I had when they had actually happened.
I wanted to scream. I wanted to punch someone. I wanted to prove myself. Lyssa's, Ate's, and Kratos' voices became more persistent. I wanted to listen to them. I could go and fight like a warrior.
Then I remembered Chris' face. I heard Athena's words in my mind. I chose to stay and stand. I faced memory after memory. The longer I watched, the more I could withstand it. The Labyrinth didn't like that.
The illusions changed from humiliating reminders of defeat to visions of happy couples, friends playing, kids winning competition after competition, mothers with their daughters and others mocking Ares. These were harder. They were everything that I never had, everything I wanted. The voices in my mind became louder, almost deafening.
Chris' face flashed in my mind again. I ignored them for him and it gradually became easier. I could watch and relive the illusions without emotions of jealousy, wrath, and shame rising inside me. Finally, I noticed the room was reflecting red light. I looked down and realized that I was glowing blood-red.
I had heard about Ares giving his blessing to his demigod children to make them invincible for a small amount of time. He only gave it to the best warriors, his most powerful children. I felt like I was bursting with pride. The illusions disappeared, leaving me alone in the room.
I noticed the Charites, smiling from the shadows. Aglaia pointed at something behind me.
A threshold emerged from the wall. I could hear the five goddesses, whispering.
"Not bad, girl. Impressive for a daughter of Ares." I gave them a watery smirk before I stepped across the doorway. I left the labyrinth for the last time.
