Second dragged into minutes which quickly became hours.
Or so he thought. Percy didn't even know how long they had walked, how long it had took. The place seemed to be timeless, never aging.
He hated that it was always night and there was no moon to light the way.
"I think we should rest." The girl breathed as she sulked behind him.
Percy felt guilty, sure he was used to walking such long distances being in Tartarus and being in wars and all. But he didn't even consider how tired his companion was.
"Why not." Percy shrugged as he threw the heavy pack on his shoulder to the ground.
She slumped down next to him.
"I am still getting use to using my legs walking and running outside for so long." She chuckled wearily. "I don't know if I should be happy or scared. Especially in a place like this."
"There is some good thing here…"
"Like what?"
"Well we have free water and some weird food powder." Percy leaned against one of the tree and winced when his sore back made contact with the rough bark. "On the bright side no monsters or demons attacked us...'
Percy had to bit his tongue to not say "yet" after his sentence.
"Doesn't it feel like we are in a game, where we are the pawn." Her head hung low. "and someone is making all the moves?"
"If it is a game. It really sucks." Percy saw her sad face and tried to lighten her up. "Come on! Who puts ugly trees everywhere and makes us wear these ugly gown things. There aren't even any rules….not that I could even read or play by them. Scratch what I just said. Rules are overrated."
She laughed a cheerful laugh, even though it seemed forced. He knew that there was a million of things to say that were much funnier, but at this point cracking even a lame joke was a miracle.
"You are weird." She chuckled weakly. "You know that right?"
"You know that you are talking to the Kingster of Weird right?' Percy smirked as he pointed to himself. "It is not all day you get to see a real life mermaid, I mean merman. After all I do have the ability to talk to fishes and what not.. "
He stopped himself, his water power seemed to be gone, so did he still have his supernatural ability to talk to other water creatures?
"You know since we are probably going to be stuck with each other and all, do you mind telling me your name?"
"My name… my name is... "She scrunched up her face in concentration "That's weird. I really don't remember."
Percy's face scrunched in thought until he saw it. Just a single white lily. It was a strange yet beautiful comfort from the darkness of the trees around him.
"Why don't I call you Lily then?" Percy said as he carefully twisted the flower's stem out of the black soil.
"Lily.." She smiled up at him and Percy couldn't help but bathed in its warmth as he smiled back. "That is a beautiful name."
"Good. Cause there is no take backs." Percy grinned as he gently stuck the white lily in her black hair.
Lily began to yawn. "I could keep watch as you go to sleep."
Percy wanted to argue, but her glare told him to back down.
So he tried the best he could to snuggle against the scratchy trunk of the tree.
For the first time in his hectic life he finally got to enjoy a dreamless sleep, unaware of the dangers surrounding him. Dangers that were soon to follow.