Percy's POV:
This sucks. The tunnel is nothing like it was the first time we were down here. And I'm being as literally as I can be. The walls aren't even made out of the same stuff as before, it seems darker than I remember, and smaller. Hades, even the air just feels different. One look at Grover and he confirmed everything I felt. This trip is going to suck.
"So, any plans on how to navigate this hellhole, oh fearless leader?" I tried not to sound pompous, but her glare said otherwise. Oops.
"Actually yes." Annabeth did not elaborate. Which I am thankful for. If things went wrong or not according to plan and I knew it, then I would definitely freak out. Which would cause Grover to freak out. It would be a snowballing mess of everyone hyperventilating. I just hope that whatever it is that it works. I can chalk that up to my paranoia.
We slowly moved along, but any sense of direction and place got quickly disrupted. Every dozen feet or so the walls and the floor changed from mosaic tile, to brick, to cave... basically if it four-ish walls then we probably walked through it at some point. Hell it doesn't even have to be a tunnel of sorts because we walked right through a place that smelt much like fermented grapes. Weirdos.
It did not take us long to circle back into one of the rooms from earlier. A Roman tile room complete with a fountain and aged art spread all throughout. But that wasn't the thing that caught Annabeth's attention. I bumped into Annabeth and Grover bumped into me. I leaned to the right to get a better look and I felt Grover lean a little further.
What I noticed first was his face. Wait, no, both of them, on one body. They jutted out from either side of his head, staring over his shoulders, so his head was much wider than it should've been, kind of like a hammerhead shark's looking straight at him, all I saw were two overlapping ears and mirror-image sideburns. He was dressed like a New York City doorman: a long black overcoat, shiny shoes, and a black top-hat that somehow managed to stay on his double-wide head. He looks so weird. Who in the Hades is this guy? Do I have to fight him?
"Well choose!" One half of his face yelled, "Come on we don't have all day!" the other half followed his brother? I never thought that monsters or gods or whatever this is could go Siamese.
"So you do want me to fight you!?" I brought out Riptide knowing a feral grin was spreading across my face. I haven't had a good fight in a long while and I need something to drain some of my energy.
"No!" Four voices shouted. Four? I can stop this hurdle right here and now. At least, here, with a bigger room I can breath a little easier and my hand isn't shaking as much. It'll be a piece of cake.
"Why not!? We're trapped!" I shouted and sure enough Grover and Annabeth looked around finally noticing that, yes, we are indeed trapped. The entrance behind is gone, no idea what happened to that, magic perhaps. And the only doors are the two behind the one and a half man- god thing.
"Percy wait! I—I know who they are," Annabeth said.
"Clever girl!" The left face sneered. "But choose. It'll only take a sec."
"What's the game?" Annabeth asked.
The right face smiled. "You're in charge now, my dear. All the decisions are on your shoulders. That's what you wanted, isn't it?"
"I—"
"We know you, Annabeth," the left face said. "We know what you wrestle with every day. We know your indecision. You will have to make your choice sooner or later. And the choice may kill you."
The color drained from her face and I just about had enough. I uncapped Riptide.
"Now hold on there Perseus." The right face lifted his finger stopping me from advancing. "We'll be with you real soon. Don't think that we don't know about your-"
"Shut up!" I screamed, eyes opening wide in fear. I probably looked just as pale as Annabeth, if not more. I looked back at Grover and my heart stilled for a second. He is bracing himself. So is Annabeth and the other one. Dust and pebbles falling through the cracks of the roof with more shifts causing more cracks. Holding my breath I punched myself in the gut trying to focus on the pain and away from daddy dearest's gift.
"Haahaha. I'm Janus," both faces said in harmony undeterred of my outburst. "God of Doorways. Beginnings. Endings. Choices."
"I thought I had more time!" Annabeth struggled saying, taking an unconscious step away from the pesky god.
"Choose!"
Before Annabeth could even part her lips a brilliant light flooded the room, so bright it was noticeable through clenched eyes. Janus raised his hands to either side of his head to cover his eyes. When the light died, a woman was standing at the fountain. She was tall and graceful with long hair the color of chocolate, braided in plaits with gold ribbons. She wore a simple white dress, but when she moved, the fabric shimmered with colors like oil on water. There is only one goddess willing to go through the theatrics like this. The wife of the most dramatic of the gods; Hera.
"Depart from here, it is not yet time for our heroes." Hera waver her hand leaving no room for discussion. A sound like a pop of a bubble echoed through the chamber. And just like that Janus was gone. Good riddance.
"Do you know?" I blurted out refusing to let this matter go. If somebody knows, then it's all over.
"About?" She rose a perfect eyebrow.
"What two for one was talking about."
"You know I can't answer that." Well that's bull crap.
"Will you stop me?"
"I trust you." She responded sending a smile my way which was more reassuring than the others may realize. Because if she did know, she definitely wouldn't... Okay, okay. This is fine, I can work with this. This actually better than fine, this is good. Finally we can be on our merry way. "However, there is matter I'd like to discuss with you three before you continue."
"That doesn't sound suspicious at all." Annabeth grunted and to be honest she has a fair point, gods, especially big important gods, don't seek out mortals for simple kindness.
Hera snapped her fingers and a split second, my hair was clean, I had a shirt on, and there are a pair of shoes on my feet. I promptly took off all the extra clothing. If my mothers couldn't force me to where one then neither can a goddess, a mom goddess. She looked at me a little disappointedly, seriously she had the mom face down to perfection. Before she could snap again, "You can try all you want, but in the end you'll only be feeding Grover."
"I would never resort to petty games with a mortal." She said, though I somehow doubt that. "I came here to offer a hand."
"In exchange for what?" Grover mumbled.
"Keen, aren't we? Well this needs to be short anyway. You know who I am and what my domains are and in order for me to protect that, my best chances lies with you three. Especially you son of Poseidon."
"Why?"
"You have already laid some ground work in making sure that some of the minor gods don't turn against us. For that I thank you."
"Sooo?"
"Have you already forgotten our first meeting Perseus?"
"Listen goddess, I remember a thanks. I'm not sure what you got out of it."
"It was much more than that little one-" I feel like I should be offended by being called little. I worked hard to be fit and not skinny. "-it was a prelude to something much bigger. A fight you've been fighting for, for longer than you realize. Longer than you've known any of those around you today."
"I get it, destiny and fate, yadda yadda yadda. But that still doesn't answer what you want." I pointed my finger at her and if my moms could see me now they'd hit me upside the head for the finger I was using.
"A champion, you. I get that and I grant a wish for you three."
"The hell's a champion?" I cursed.
"An honor bestowed upon a very few wherein I become your patron."
"So a title?" She nodded slightly and I am absolutely avoiding looking at Grover and Annabeth here. "What use is a title for a dead man?" I blurted out then slammed mouth my shout. Well damn. That was supposed to be a thought, not a comment.
"A dead man you say?" Hera leaned in a little clearly sizing me up, "You look alive and well to me."
"Don't we usually? Until our necks are snapped and are buried with the caskets we made?" I snapped, fed up with destiny, nightmares, this damn cave, and the fact that I can't seem to keep my own mouth shut!
"Percy..." Annabeth reached out, but I took a step away.
"Look Hera, I'm sure this is truly an honor, but you don't want me."
"And why's that?"
"You don't want a half minded lunatic running around fighting everything and everyone. You gods have an image to maintain... I'm not in it."
"My Oh My, you sure have a high opinion of yourself." Hera wiped away at the none existent dust on her dress and readjusted her collar. "Just think about it, that's all I'm asking. Now have you thought about your wish?"
I wasn't going to claim it and frankly I bet they already decided. The only thing that I care about right now is keeping my secret as safe as possible from any more nosy gods, goddesses, demigods, monsters... well the list goes on and on. If I can manage that then everything will be okay. Just as long as no one knows. Its going to be the worlds greatest tragedy. And hopefully if all goes according to the plan, none will be the wiser.
"Yes, a way to navigate the Labyrinth."
"Interesting. A wish like that will get you more than you bargained for." Hera snapped. A brilliant light filled the chamber then vanishing taking with it, everything the goddess brought. Even the lit torches, leaving us in complete darkness.
"What did she mean by that?" Grover asked fumbling through his backpack. I can tell because of the sound of shifting aluminum.
"I think a better question is, did she grant it? Cause I don't feel or notice anything different. Do you guys?"
"Nope."
"Nah."
"Great. Let's move."
I must play my role perfectly. Afterall, people can't get stabbed in the back if they know it's coming. Nor can one stop it.
Sorry for being so late, I don't have an excuse just a lack of motivation. I don't plan on stopping till it's done. I hope you enjoy!