*PERCY*
Percy couldn't believe this eyes, first of all he could see, second of all the sights weren't pretty. To begin with he was still strapped to Arachne's hairy back and they were making their way up the steps to a black temple that even Hades wouldn't want to live in. Also, Annabeth and he assumed himself looked well, like they had been in a Party Pony stampede. Annabeth's goose bump was still on her forehead, it was an ugly shade of purple and it looked like she got cut by something on her cheek as well. She also had who-knows-what smeared across her face but that was a given, they had been underground for what felt like months. He could only imagine what his face looked like. With difficulty he dragged his eyes away from her and examined their surroundings. All around the temple there were crowds of shadows, they were swaying in unity like a perfectly choreographed dance.
"Children, alert the Master that we have arrived." Arachne said, three little spiders scurried out from the mob of shadows and ran up the steps and into the temple. Arachne took one step at a time, as if she was relishing in her victory, which she probably was. Percy rolled his eyes, he glanced over at Annabeth who was still admiring the architecture; a little smile was beginning to creep up her face. She looked down at him as her mouth broke into a grin, for a second he was blinded all over again. Annabeth smiled at him like he was the greatest person in the world, even through the muck and dirt she still managed to take his breath away.
*ANNABETH*
Annabeth let out a rare giggle as she watched Percy go into SIS (Smile-Induced-Shock). His eyes were wide and he looked dumfounded. She loved that with only the movement of a few facial muscles she could incapacitate a sixteen year old boy in a matter of seconds. It was definitely empowering; even though she could just as easily incapacitate him with her dagger and a few well-placed kicks. Just as she was about to comment on his gaping mouth, Arachne stopped.
"Taraxippus'! Take them to the throne room and do NOT let them out of your sight!" Four shadow-shapes came forwards and began to untie Annabeth and Percy. Taraxippus! Of course! Annabeth thought to herself! She recalled learning about the monsters at Camp Half-Blood; they were ghosts that were most known for making horses skittish at chariot races, they seemed to have taken up a new hobby as of late. As the last knot came loose she let out a huge breath she didn't realize she had been holding. Finally the tight constraints were gone, she had a heck of a cramp in her, well, her whole body. The Taraxippus grabbed her by each arm and hoisted her from the spider's back, they looked like clouds of mist, but felt solid. Annabeth stretched her sore legs and surrendered to be guided up the stone steps, Percy was on her right; as they walked he kept glancing over at her, trying to gauge her expression. She gave him a half-hearten smile and kept walking. Finally they got to the top, Annabeth looked back at Arachne who was now giving orders to the other Taraxippus'. She looked down at the giant fiery pit and at the wide expanse of empty cavern floor, from her view she could discern no exit; not even the doors, if that was indeed where they were. The Taraxippus gave her a push as she walked through the towering black doors of the temple.
*PERCY*
Percy was so relieved to be out from on top of Arachne that he could almost forget that they were currently walking into a probable death trap. Annabeth was analyzing their surrounding landscape when the Shadow-shape shoved her through the doorway; that alone made him want to deck their captors. The throne room was as black as the outer facade, the walls were lined with torches that burned blue; and the floor was coated in a thin layer of dirt.
"Looks like Gaia hasn't heard of a mud-room." Percy said to Annabeth, he was rewarded with a forced grimace (he knew that joke was bad) and a punch in the ribs by the shadow-shape. At the end of the narrow room, there was a single throne, woven out of thick roots that intertwined with each other in a chaotic yet beautiful formation. Sitting in the chair was a humanoid figure made out of what seemed like clay. Percy and Annabeth stopped ten feet from the throne, the shadow-shapes released them and stood to block the doorway with locked arms. He took a deep breath and prepared himself for what was to come, unconsciously his hand reached for Annabeth's and all at once she was in his arms. He held her like tight to his body and ran his hand through her ratty hair. He kept his left arm tightly wrapped around her waist as her arms locked around his neck. Her face was pressed against his neck and he felt her whole body go limp as she finally relaxed in his arms. He squeezed her tight;
"Per- Percy" she said in a strangled voice, "your squeezing too tight." He released her and laughed, "Sorry Wise-Girl, I've missed you." She gave him a dazzling smile again and untangled her arms, taking her place besides him to face the dais.
*ANNABETH*
The clay figure sat up and looked at her with dead eyes, it looked like one of those adjustable, wooden drawing models that sat in her school's art classroom. It was a human shaped figure; but it had no definite features besides eye indention's and a line for a mouth. As she watched the line split and a rudimentary mouth began to move. The voice was gravelly but most definitely Gaea,
"Well hello little heroes, its about time you come to my domain." The figure's mouth turned at the corners into a gruesome smile and the body shook with silent laughter. But before Annabeth could react, Percy took advantage of Gaia's momentary distraction and lunged. He catapulted onto the dais and slammed into the root throne, but before he could get to the clay person, it got to him. The brown shape stood up and punched Percy in the stomach, Annabeth's breath went out in a whoosh as Percy slammed and slid across the marble floor. She gasped and fell to her knees as Percy rolled over and began advancing towards the figure again. Annabeth knew what was happening this time though, she knew that if Percy kept fighting she would lose conscious like the previous times. She had to stop it before it started. Annabeth braced herself on all fours and began to get to her feet,
"Percy! Percy stop!" She yelled, he looked over at her and stopped dodging the slashes from the clay man. "Wha-" He began, but he was cut off as a kick was landed in his gut. Annabeth choked back her nausea and held on to the ground as another wave of dizziness swept over her. Annabeth screamed,
"PERCY!" she took another gulp of air, "Percy please!" And then she played the wild card; she preyed on her boyfriend's one fool proof weakness, herself.
"PERCY YOUR HURTING ME!" She screamed with all her might and was rewarded with his undivided attention. He immediately landed a karate kick to the clay mans abdomen and caused the figure to slam backwards into the root throne. Then just as fast as it had begun, it ended and Percy was by her side; cradling her in his arms.
"Annabeth what? What do you mean I hurt you? I'm so sorry, what can I do to help, forgive me." He stared so intently into her face that she was taken aback by the self-disgust she saw clearly written in his expression.
"Percy, its a trap, we're connected somehow; every time you get hurt I go unconscious. And anytime I get hurt you start to slur you words and pass out!" Annabeth could literally see the gears turning in Percy's head, but before he could react a shadow covered their bodies and blocked out the light coming from the doorway.
"I see you have finally noticed your uncanny ability at surviving." Gaia's voice observed.
"What do you mean ability?" Annabeth spat back, Percy tensed up behind her and held on tighter.
"Well, how else would two half-bloods have survived down in the deepest part of hell without your ichor?" The clay man mumbled through his unmoving mouth.
"Ichor? As in godly blood? But everyone knows half-bloods inherit their mortal parent's biological anatomy." Percy said, all the fear in his voice had been replaced by complete interest. Annabeth was just as enamored with this knew breakthrough.
"Clearly the gods have withheld this information from you then. All half-bloods are born with mortal blood; yet within a small part of it flows the ichor of the gods. Let me show you." At this the clay man held out his hand, Percy looked to Annabeth, shrugged, and put his hand in the clay's. At first the figure didn't react, but then as fast as a bullet he slashed down in Percy's palm and gave him a shallow cut the length of a Q-tip, with what looked like a rock. Percy yelped and tried to pull away but the hand held tight.
"Look child; look at the blood of your race" Percy grimaced and squinted down at this hand, as his eyes began to widen Annabeth got to her knees and looked too. Percy's palm was beginning to pool with his blood; but this time Annabeth knew what to look for, as she examined his blood she saw what she always did, red. But when she really looked hard she saw a faint gleam, like someone had mixed fine, gold powder into it, ichor.
It is common knowledge that if a god is not worshiped or thought of regularly then their power is greatly reduced" continued Gaia, "and eventually they are erased from this world, immortal means they can never be killed, but that doesn't mean they cannot be forgotten." The figure paused, waiting for acknowledgment.
"Uh, yes." Annabeth said as she glanced, confused, at Percy.
"In order to stay alive the gods literally feed off of the peoples prayers, and sometimes the other immortals. In some extreme cases the gods have been known to take energy from their peers; but since they are all-powerful beings, they do not feel the side effects that their children do." Annabeth still didn't understand and clearly Percy didn't either. "This survival instinct was passed down to their offspring, ensuring their progression and completion of major quests. But half-bloods are not immortal, they can feel the results of such actions and sometimes they even kill each other." Percy interrupted,
"But if its a survival instinct then why would half-bloods die?" The clay figure paused and glared down at him for a few minutes, then resumed.
"Because if both half-bloods are in danger, they are feeding off of each other at the same time; giving no time for the other to actually recover from the energy drainage. For example, in your own case, you two have survived in the darkest of places on little food, water, and sleep. The only reason you two have pulled through has been because you have been feeding off of each other."
"But we both have different reactions to this instinct; Percy begins to slur his speech and I get dizzy and we both pass out." Annabeth said, her tone had lost all attitude and had been replaced by her typical knowledge-seeking self.
"Well, since each of your godly parents has his or her own domains, you two naturally feed off of what is part of that domain. Annabeth," She said quietly, "your mother is the Goddess of Wisdom, so as expected, when you are in intense danger or are severely injured, you feed off of the intellect of the closest half-blood; in this case it is Percy, he slurs his speech because you are stealing his intelligence." Percy huffed by her side,
"So essentially Annabeth is making me dumber."
"In that sense, yes." the clay man answered, Annabeth nudged his side, "Sorry." she mumbled, but they both knew she couldn't help it.
"And you Percy," she continued, "your father is the God of the Sea; so you feed off of the salt and water that runs through Annabeth's veins, hence her dizzy spells. Yet when you both reach your limit of energy reduction your body cannot go on and you fall unconscious, your lucky that death has not taken you sooner..."