Chapter 12: Maze Runner, but Not Shitty

Artemis POV

"What do you mean you need to go to camp?" I asked my son after seeing how distraught he was. "I had a dream. A tunnel of some sorts and the girl, Annabeth was there, but that's not why I need to go," he rushed out and I frowned at him.

"It was Nico, Mom," he said softly and his shoulder slumped. I quickly pulled him into a tight hug as he shuddered at the thought of Bianca. "I-I have to go… I promised Bianca," he said softly and I took a deep breath.

"Fine, but you will contact me once you get there and give me a full report on what's going on, okay?" I half-asked, half-ordered him and he adopted his emotionless mask and gave me a stiff nod. "Percy," I said quietly as he headed for the tent exit and turned around. "Be careful," I told him and he offered me a lopsided smile. "Of course, Mom," he told me and shifted into his wolf form and took off to the East.

"Whoa, where's Percy going?" Thalia and Phoebe asked as they saw him leave in a hurry. "He had a dream about Nico. He's going to camp to investigate," I told them and they grew worried. "Be ready to pack up and move out. We will head toward camp as well. He seemed shaken up and something tells me that can't be good," I told them and they nodded before leaving to inform the Hunt.

Percy POV

I took off immediately for camp and sprinted in my lupine form to further increase my speed. One of the drawbacks of that form was that I couldn't use my chakra, but it was just under my top speed with chakra and allowed me to conserve energy.

The entire trip, I slayed any monsters that came across my path directly, while I was lost in my thoughts. 'Nico, please be safe,' I thought as I tore another hellhound's throat and continued onward to camp. 'Bianca, I won't fail you this time,' I said to myself, determined to get there as fast as possible.

It was nightfall by the time I reached camp and I stopped at the top of Half-Blood Hill and let out an ear shattering howl to announce my presence. Almost immediately, camper and Chiron came out to see what the commotion was with weapons drawn. "A wolf?" Annabeth questioned as the rest of the campers were poised to strike. It was then that I noticed how few campers there were.

I shifted back from my wolf form and earned a round of gasps from all those present. "Percy!" Annabeth yelled and ran forward to hug me. I gave her a quick hug and a small smile. While she had a crush on the bastard's kid, I couldn't bring myself to dislike her.

"Where's Nico?" I asked the group and everyone, including Annabeth looked down and shuffled their feet. "Mr. di Angelo disappeared about a week ago. What is this about, Perseus?" Chiron asked and I let out a string of curses underneath my breath in Japanese, gaining a weird look or two from the campers. "Call a council meeting and inform me on everything I've missed while I was gone," I told them and the seriousness in my voice made Chiron nod.

3rd Person POV

The counsellors, Chiron, Mr. D, and Percy were gathered around the ping pong table moments later, ready to discuss the happenings since Percy had been training. "What's going on?" Percy asked the whole table and it was Annabeth that spoke up. "We found an entrance to the Labyrinth inside of the camp's borders at Zeus' fist. We think that Luke and the Titans will use it to launch an assault and wipe out the camp," Annabeth told him and another string of Japanese curses escaped Percy's mouth.

"Is that Japanese?" one of the Stoll brothers asked and Percy frowned, but nodded. "To begin, I have not been entirely truthful to you all. I am the adopted son of Artemis, yes, but I'm not entirely of this Pantheon," Percy said and everyone went wide eyed at the revelation, save Annabeth as she was in the Throne Room.

Percy turned to Steven and said, "I am biologically speaking a son of Poseidon, but that bastard is hardly my father," he said and surprisingly the earth didn't rumble in response to the insult. "So, Steven, know that I hold no loyalty to the man and do not fight for him. I do not wish to usurp any titles or achievements you have gained in his name, but the fact remains, biologically speaking, we are half brothers," Percy said and Steven was quiet for a long time before he nodded.

"What do you mean you're not from this Pantheon then?" the Aphrodite counsellor, Silena, asked him and he sighed. "My true Father is Susano'o, Shinto God of Storms and the Sea," Percy told them and everyone gasped, even Chiron. "How?" the Demeter counsellor, Katie asked and Percy gained a contemplative look. "My mother fell in love with Susano'o, but Poseidon was a jealous bastard and lusted after her. While I was 6 cells old in my mother's womb, Poseidon replaced her memories of Susano'o with himself with the help of Hera and "convinced" her to move to New York where I was born, thinking I was solely a son of Poseidon," Percy told them and then adopted a melancholic expression.

"My step-father beat my mother when I was 6 and I activated my powers, killing both him and my mother in the resulting lightning strike when Artemis found me and took me in. Poseidon assumed I was dead by Zeus' hand and I was left to be raised with the Hunt," Percy said and he gained pity from the room.

"Do not pity me. I am a monster and I have come to terms with that so long as I can protect my family and friends. I don't need your pity or fear. I am loyal to my Father and my mother, Artemis first, so you have nothing to fear from me," he told them and they nodded.

"Where have you been the past year? You weren't with the Hunt when they visited," Annabeth asked and Percy smiled softly. "I was training with my father and the other Shinto Gods in the homeland," he said simply and everyone nodded.

"Now, do you have a quest? I imagine you're not just sitting on your asses waiting for the attack to come to you," Percy said and Annabeth gained a determined look. "I do. It reads:

You shall delve into the darkness of the endless maze,

The dead, the traitor, and the lost one rasie.

You shall rise and fall by the Ghost King's hand,

The child of Athena's final stand.

Destroy with a hero's final breath

And lose a friend to worse than death."

Silence pregnated the room as each party digested the words of the prophecy. "The dead, the traitor, and the lost one," Clarisse began and Percy interrupted. "The lost one is Nico," he stated and everyone looked at him. "How do you know?" Annabeth asked and Percy looked at her sadly. "I had a dream about Nico. If he's been missing for the last week, it's him. I need to go save him… I promised Bianca," he finished softly and everyone nodded in understanding.

"He could be the dead," the other Stoll brother spoke and everyone looked at him. Percy growled. "He's not dead," Percy said through clenched teeth and the kid backpedaled. "I never said he was, but he is a son of Hades," he said and Percy shot him an apologetic look. "The Ghost King?" Katie spoke up again. "Could be a defector from Hades' realm, like the traitor is likely a former camper," Annbeth said and everyone nodded again.

"A child of Athena's final stand…" Grover, the satyr said and everyone looked at Annabeth. "There's no use trying to understand that line now," Percy interrupted and everyone looked away, thinking that line was straight forward. Percy, however, couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't about her.

"What's worse than death?" Clarisse spoke again, addressing the last line of the prophecy. "Torture for one," Percy said bluntly and everyone shivered. "Right, well. Annabeth, who will you be taking on this quest?" Chiron asked, trying to salvage the mood.

Annabeth was quiet in thought for a moment and came to her decision. "I will bring Steven, Tyson, Grover, and Percy," she said and Steven and Percy both tensed slightly at the announcement that they would be traveling together. "Are you sure?" Chiron asked nervously. Annabeth only nodded. Steven and Percy are the muscle and Tyson and Grover will be good to have underground for their tracking capabilities," she answered methodically and the group nodded in approval and understanding.

"Very well. Get some rest. The 5 of you will head out in the morning at first light," Chiron told them and everyone headed out to rest for the night. "In the meantime, Chiron, have the Hephaestus cabin set traps around the entrance after we enter. Percy," Annabeth began, but Percy cut her off.

"I will contact the Hunt and let them know what is going on. They will come to help defend the camp," he told her and she smiled softly and nodded.

Percy POV

I was headed to Mother's cabin when Steven stopped me. "Hey," he said not very enthusiastically. "What?" Percy said rather coldly and Steven shuffled his feet nervously. "I-I wanted to apologize," he started, but I cut him off. "Stop. I have nothing against you, just your father. You are powerful as a child of the Big Three, which is why people look up to you. So curb your pride or I will do it for you. Otherwise, you and I are good. This quest is bigger than both of us. We don't need a pseudo sibling rivalry because we are not siblings," I said and Steven nodded stiffly.

I then vapor traveled to behind Steven and whispered in his ear. "But know this: if you dare harm or insult one of my sisters, Annabeth, or anyone I respect again, then I will separate your head from your shoulders faster than you can blink. I'm a monster, Steven. Be glad that this monster is fighting for you and not against you."

With Steven effectively shitting his pants, I vapor traveled to his mother's cabin to place an IM call.

'Probably not the smartest move to threaten him, but he needs to know his place,' I mused as I created a rainbow and tossed a drachma into it.

"Oh Goddess Iris, the fairest of all the Goddess whom without your help, we would be doomed. Accept this offering," I said and heard a giggle through the rainbow. "Kiss ass," she said and I smiled. "Show me Artemis in the forest somewhere near Michigan," I said and the screen flickered to life.

Phoebe POV

Thalia and I were in our lady's tent when the IM flickered to life. "Percy!" Thalia and I called simultaneously and he smiled at us. Before Artemis could address her son, he said, "It's not looking good, Mom." All three of us frowned, but waited for him to continue.

"Nico's disappeared, but I know where he is," he said, but chewed his bottom lip before continuing. "Well?" Thalia asked and Percy sighed. "He's in the Labyrinth," he said quietly and Thalia and I gasped. "You are not going," Artemis said firmly and Percy frowned. "Mom," he began, but Artemis held up a hand to stop him.

"I just got you back after a year and a half or so from training where I couldn't even assist you. You. Are not. Going," she said with finality and narrowed eyes. Percy narrowed his eyes in return. "I'm going," he said firmly and Thalia and I exchanged nervous glances.

"Nico's in trouble. He's hurting because I failed. I'm going to get him because I promised Bianca," he said and Artemis held her resolve for a moment longer before it crumbled and her shoulders slumped with her sigh.

"Fine. When do you leave and who's going?" she asked and he sighed in relief. "Tomorrow at daybreak. Annabeth, Steven, Tyson, Grover and I," he said and all of us frowned. "Steven?" I asked. He sighed again and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah… Annabeth's quest and she picked him. We talked through our differences… sort of," he said and all three of us raised an eyebrow.

"I may or may not have threatened to remove his head if he harms or insults anyone I care about again," he said nervously and we chuckled on our end. "Be safe. Madness is abundant in the maze… If I lose you…" Artemis began but trailed off and Percy nodded. "I know, Mom."

"In the meantime, I need you to make it to camp to help with defense, the Titans know of the entrance of the maze at Zeus' fist. We all nodded and Artemis said, "We should be there in a week's time, but I cannot do anything to help. Ancient Laws and all."

"I know, Mom, but things aren't looking good. More campers have defected, they need all the help they can get," he said and we all nodded in determination.

"I'll contact you all when I can. I love you all. Stay safe," he said and swiped through the IM. The three of us sat in silence for a moment that was broken by another hefty sigh from Artemis.

"That boy will be the death of me," she muttered and the two of us agreed.

AN: Chapter 12! Having fun! Should Steven betray them and Percy kills him? Does Steven become an okay guy and Percy's still the prophecy child? Let me know!