Chapter 19:

Percy looked around the dark room he had woken in. He was completely alone and it was extremely hot. He lifted himself to his feet shakily and looked around the room. He felt around in his pocket for Riptide but cursed when he realized it was gone.

"Perseus Jackson," a voice came from one of the corners of the room. Percy squinted and was able to make out an old man sitting in the corner.

"Who are you? Where are my friends?" Percy asked apprehensively.

"Your friends are in danger – but you must not worry about them now. There's something more important you must do." The old man motioned for Percy to come closer to him. Percy walked over cautiously, up close he got a better look at the man. He looked old – older than when he had saw his dad one time in his palace during the Titan war. His skin looked like leather and he was an unnatural pasty yellow color.

"I cannot stay here much longer, I'm already using too much energy being here right now. Take this," The old man placed an object into Percy's hand. It was a necklace with a small amulet on the end. "You will need to get out of here – even if it means leaving the others behind. You must take this to the ones who are trying to find you."

"Who is trying to find me?"

The old man looked like he was burning. Sweat was coming from his forehead and his leathery skin started drooping even more. It was like he was melting.

"Tell me? How am I supposed to get out of here? I don't even have my sword."

The old man nodded and then placed another object into his hand – Riptide. "You must find them fast, It's almost too late."

With that the old man melted into a puddle. Percy stared at the necklace and Riptide confused. He guessed that the people who were coming to find him were the other demigods, but he didn't know if they would understand what to do with the necklace if he didn't. Plus, there was still the issue of escaping – and he wasn't going to leave his friends behind.

Percy heard murmuring from people speaking behind one of the walls. He quickly pressed his face on the wall to try and hear what they were saying.

"The boss says we gotta feed them," said a raspy voice.

"If it were up to me we'd let them starve. We don't need all of them anyways, might as well kill some of them," said a familiar voice. Percy jogged his memory before realizing it was the guy who'd kidnapped them which meant someone even more powerful or influential than him was in control – and that was a scary thought.

"Let's just get this over with," the first voice said.

Percy felt the wall getting hot and begin to crumble. He quickly backed away and returned to where he had been laying when he woke up. He clutched Riptide tightly against his chest – hoping they'd think he was still passed out before attacking.

"He's still unconscious. The Greeks are really weak – he's pathetic for one of their strongest," said the man who'd kidnapped them.

Percy heard him breathing over him and took this as his chance to attack. He quickly unsheathed Riptide and slashed up before the man had a chance to blink. He made contact with him and he burst into what looked like hieroglyphics.

Percy turned towards the other man who was shrinking away from him scared. He didn't look as menacing as his kidnapper and was slowly backing away from Percy with his hands raised.

"Where are my friends?" Percy demanded.

"The-They're in t-the other rooms s-sir," he squeaked.

Percy grabbed the man by the collar of his shirt and forced him to lead the way to the other rooms. They looked like they were in some kind of underground building. The walls were made of sandstone and it looked like a maze of hallways.

"Open it," Percy demanded.

The small man nodded and Percy let go of him. The man said a spell and another hieroglyphic appeared the air. The wall crumbled and Percy saw Leo and Piper sitting on the floor. Leo leaped up from the ground and was holding a giant hammer with his good arm – he luckily missed Percy as he swung wildly.

"Stop Leo! It's me Percy. Where's Jason and the others?"

Leo stopped swinging, "Sorry," he said grinning sheepishly. He pressed a button on his hammer and it collapsed into a tiny pocket knife looking thing. "I dunno where the others are at."

Percy looked at Piper – she still looked pretty beaten up. He knew he had to get them out soon – it was only a matter of time before someone realized they were out of their rooms.

"Where are the others?" Percy asked the man who was pale and trying to back away from both him and Leo.

"I don't know. They took the Romans somewhere else."

"If you're lying you're going to be in trouble," Percy threatened. Leo revealed his hammer and glared at the squirming man.

"I-I p-promise I'm not l-lying!" The man begged, "They hate the Romans, so it wouldn't surprise me if they're already dead."

Percy heard Piper gasp. He looked the man over and knew he was telling the truth. He heard footsteps in the distance and realized they'd better not test their luck anymore – he'd come back for the others after getting Leo and Piper to safety.

Percy hoisted Piper onto his back and ordered the man to lead them out of the building. He'd tell the others about the strange visitor and the necklace after they escaped.

(^_^) ( ^_^) ( ) (^_^ ) (^_^)

Carter was the first one to step through the portal. He landed on his feet at the foothills of Mt. Olympus. Surprisingly he didn't see monsters or troubled demigods. It was quiet – too quiet.

He heard the chatter of the others stepping through the portals. Their weapons were raised before they also lowered them.

"Where is everyone?" Zia asked as she plopped down beside him. Her staff was raised and her eyes were gleaming, her hair twirling in the slight breeze, her cheeks were flushed, her red lips were parted –

"You're staring Carter," said Sadie.

Carter blushed and directed his attention back on the task at hand. They obviously needed to find the missing demigods first.

"So where are they?" Clarisse asked gruffly. She and her brothers looked disappointed and ready to pound on Sadie and Nico for wasting their time.

"They should be around here," Nico said weakly as he looked around frantically. The magicians and demigods started looking at him skeptically but Carter knew they had to look.

"We'll split into two groups – if either group finds them we'll call the others."

"How are we going to call them? I don't have any drachmas," asked a Katie Gardner.

"I don't know what drachmas are but just use a cell phone," Carter stared at the demigod's confused faces.

"We can't use cell phones, they act as beacons for monsters," Malcolm said as the others nodded.

Carter nodded and they decided to use magical flares to alert each other – not like that would be any less obvious. After splitting everyone into two groups of 30 they marched in opposite paths. Carter had split Sadie and AJ up after he noticed they weren't on good terms at the moment, leaving him in a group with Zia, Sadie, Nico, a few other magicians and an assortment of demigods.

Carter realized as he was walking that out of the whole group he was acting as their designated leader and no one disagreed. He hoped Zia noticed.

They walked for a few minutes before suddenly a spark shone in the air from behind them. Carter gripped his sword and ran toward the others with his group in tow. Carter recognized a few of the monsters but some of them looked quite foreign.

He slashed his sword hacking down a few overgrown birds. The others were also fighting the countless monsters that were around them.

"I've found Annabeth!" a voice screamed out.

Carter smiled with relief – if one of them was found then the others must be close. Then they could go to Egypt, get the amulet, free Ra, and let him defeat Apophis while the Greeks finished off Ghaia.

Carter continued fighting – it felt like hours had passed before all the monsters around them were gone. His body was aching and he wanted to collapse right then and there – but first he had to make sure everyone was okay.

Zia thankfully was uninjured but was also very tired. Carter walked past a few magicians who had nasty cuts but nothing life threatening, Clarisse and her siblings didn't even seem fazed and looked like they were ready for more.

"Carter!" AJ called as he ran over to him, "It's Sadie."

Carter quickly followed AJ to a large tent. Inside were cots with the injured being treated. They passed a bed with a girl with blonde hair who was surrounded by a group of Apollo campers. Sadie was in the back of the tent. Jazz was next to her along with a few other rookie healers, Bast, CJ, and Nico – who was holding her hand tightly.

"What's wrong with her?" Carter asked as he looked at her pale unconscious face.

"Sekhmet cursed her pretty badly -which is odd because I thought she'd be on our side," Jazz explained, "But I'm trying my best to hold back the illness, I think Sekhmet infected her with the bubonic plague."

Carter gasped, "Can you treat it?"

Jazz looked at him sadly, "I don't know."

Carter watched his little sister's frail figure lying on the bed and felt himself getting dizzy. He had never felt so helpless.

AN:/

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