I do not own, that would be Rick Riordan.
Sorry it took me so long to update.
My excuses: I had to read House of Hades (Best book in the Heroes of Olympus series); Work, writer's block (I could only write a couple of sentences at a time) and Procrastination.
Now on with this chapter: Oh for those of you have read HOH Nico in my story has brotherly feelings towards Percy.
Chapter 25: Gods and Tunnels
"We entered the Labyrinth, but the tunnel was totally different from when we had entered previously," said Annabeth.
"Which meant we were hopelessly lost soon after entering the maze," admitted Percy.
"My plan was to stick to the left side of the tunnel, so we could find our way back by reversing course," Annabeth informed the group.
"Therefore we immediately found ourselves in a circular room, no left walls, only eight chambers leading out and no idea how we got there," said Percy.
"The Labyrinth is designed to confuse," said Hades.
"So if you entered the tunnel already confused would it make it easier to navigate?" asked Connor but didn't expect an answer.
"Annabeth used deductive reasoning on which tunnel we should travel," said Percy.
"So you guessed," said Thalia looking at Annabeth who just nodded.
Unfortunately the tunnel she chose narrowed quickly and the ceiling got so low we were hunched over, Tyson was crawling," said Percy.
"Grover must have been hyperventilating," said Clarisse.
"Yes and wondering why Pan was down there as it was the opposite of the wild," said Percy.
"The narrow tunnel emptied into a large room, its walls covered in mosaic tiles. The frieze showed the Olympian gods at a feast," said Annabeth.
"Oh I wish I had seen that," said Rachel.
"In the middle of the room was a three-tiered fountain which hadn't held water in a long time. The whole room was Roman," said Percy.
"Roman!" exclaimed Hermes who flickered for a second. The gods looked worried.
"How can it be Roman?" asked Connor.
"The Labyrinth is a patchwork. It is always expanding, adding pieces," explained Athena.
"It is the only work of architecture that grows by it self," said Annabeth the others in awe.
"We continued down a tunnel as the architecture was getting older," informed Percy.
"Good plan," said Demeter.
"Unfortunately the maze was toying with us, the tunnel turned into cement with brass pipes running down its sides. The walls were also graffiti with Moz Rulz, spelt with the letter Z," said Percy. Athena spluttered at the disregard to the English word.
"We continued down the tunnel and ended up in a wine cellar," said Annabeth.
"How did that happened?" asked Travis.
"The tunnel lead us into the basement like room, which had dusty wine bottles on wine racks and lead out with no exit for the cellar," answered Percy.
"I wonder if that is the lost bottles of wine," mused Dionysus looking at Hermes.
"Could be, I did put them in a wine cellar. Not my fault the cellar disappeared," answered Hermes.
"The tunnel ceiling became wooden planks and it sounded like we were underneath a bar," said Percy.
"How do you know what a bar sounds like?" asked Poseidon glaring at Percy.
"The television show, Cheers," said Percy.
"It was nice to hear people's voices again but we didn't get closer to them, we continued further into the maze. That was when we saw our first skeleton," said Annabeth.
"It was a milkman," said Percy.
"What is a milkman?" asked Connor.
"The person who brings the milk each morning," said Nico rolling his eyes.
"The milkman was in his uniform and a crate of dusty glass bottles sat next to him," said Annabeth.
"You just go to the shops to get milk," said Travis.
"Once upon a time the milkman brought the milk around to the customers," replied Nico.
"How did he know how much you needed?" asked Connor.
"You left your old bottles outside with payment," said Demeter "the milkman would replace the empty bottles with new ones."
"The milkman would come around at about five in the morning. I got to know Maria's milkman fairly well. Someone didn't like to sleep and I was usually holding a screaming baby at that time," said Hades with a look of nostalgia.
"So Nico was an exasperating child from the start?" asked Percy.
"Hey, it could have been Bianca," said Nico glaring at Percy crossing his arms as Hades answered
"Yes, and then he took forever to drink his bottle." Nico's mood became even sulkier.
"What happened to the rule of not interacting with our children?" questioned Zeus.
"Oh SHUT UP," replied Hades.
"I think it has been established that that rule has not, and will never be followed," said Rachel.
"How did the milkman end up in the Labyrinth?" asked Clarisse.
"People just wander in, some by mistake, some on purpose to explore. The Cretans sent people in for human sacrifices," said Athena.
"How nice of the Cretans," said Will.
"There was a chance that they could survive, a slim chance by still a chance," said Apollo.
"Not that it happened often," said Ares.
"Grover was a little worried about how long the milkman had been in the maze, but he was more concerned about the smell of monsters. He wasn't happy when Tyson confirmed that he could smell a lot of monsters," said Percy.
"I bet you weren't happy to hear that too," said Artemis.
"The plan was to travel to the centre of the maze, however we found ourselves back in the Roman tile room," said Annabeth.
"You went around in a circle. I hate when we do that," said Thalia thinking about when she was hunting with the Hunters.
"We had re-entered the Roman tile room but this time we weren't alone," said Annabeth.
"The first thing I noticed was his two faces. They jutted out from either side of his head, staring over his shoulders. His head reminded me of a hammerhead shark," said Percy.
"He had two faces?" questioned Rachel; she had seen many strange things but a two face man?
"He was dressed like a doorman, a long coat shiny shoes and a top hat," said Percy.
"How can the top hat stay on his head?" asked Travis. No one could answer that question.
"The funny man, as Tyson called him, wanted Annabeth to choose," said Percy.
"Choose what?" asked Athena.
"Between two doors that were behind him that was locked. The two face doorman was passing a silver key between his hands," replied Annabeth.
"That hadn't been in the room the first time we passed through it. The way we entered had disappeared and the only way out was through those doors," said Percy.
"We were told that one door would probably lead us to where we wished to go, the other to certain death," said Annabeth. "He informed me that I was in charge now and all the decisions were on my shoulders."
"As leader of a quest, that is correct. However with you and Percy; you both did as much work," said Clarisse with a grin.
"He then went on to tell Annabeth about her indecision, and that she needed to make her choice sooner or later… and that her choice may kill her," said Percy.
"What choice did you have to make?" asked Athena.
"Who is this person?" asked Chris.
"The right face said he was my best friend. The left face said he was my worst enemy. He was Janus, God of Doorways, Beginnings, Endings and Choices," said Annabeth.
"There is a god for doorways?" asked Will, looking towards the door as if he expected him to appear.
"Great symbolism, doors mean change and options," said Rachel. All the demi-gods shuddered, remembering English lessons.
"He told me that he would see me soon enough, but it was now Annabeth's choice," said Percy.
"Why would he see you soon?" asked Poseidon as Athena rolled her eyes.
"Prophecy," stated Zeus while Poseidon made a silent oh.
"I was scared when Janus said that one bad choice can ruin your whole life. It could kill you and all your friends, but Annabeth had to choose," said Percy.
"What are you deciding?" asked Athena clearly anxious.
"Before I could make my choice a bright light interrupted Janus and a woman appeared and asked him if he was causing trouble again," said Annabeth.
"Who is the lady?" asked Katie.
"She was tall and graceful. She had long chocolate coloured hair and the dress she wore shimmered with colours like oil on water, when she moved," explained Percy. The gods looked towards Hera as it sounded like her. All their mouths dropped open in shock as Annabeth confirmed that
"It was Hera Queen of Heaven."
"You hate demi-gods!" exclaimed Thalia annoyed. Hera eyes flashed dangerously but also with curiosity. What was she up to?
"She sent Janus away because he was causing indecision, and that his visit was premature. She told him to leave us to her or be turned into a door," said Annabeth.
"Janus wanted to be turned into a French door," said Percy.
"Oh I can so use that," said Hermes clearly thinking of pranks he could pull.
"Once Janus had left, the fountain sprung into life and a table laden with sandwiches and jugs of lemonade appeared. Hera invited us to sit with her and talk," said Annabeth.
"She gave you food and drink?" Thalia yelled frustrated that her godly step-mother was assisting her friends while completely ignoring her.
"She was just like a normal mother," said Percy ignoring the glares he got from Thalia, her children and step children. "She served us food; told Grover how to eat, made sure Tyson got enough to eat."
"I thought you hated demi-gods?" asked Ares.
"Why do you think that?" asked Hera.
"Maybe because of you tried to kill Hercules a lot of times," said Chris.
"He was one of my loving husband's children from another woman, my patience wore thin," replied Hera.
"So rather than blaming Zeus for cheating on you, you blame the innocent child," said Thalia glaring at Hera.
"Hera admitted that she and Zeus have had some excellent marriage counselling sessions and had aired their feelings and had come to an understanding, especially after the affair that resulted in Thalia," said Percy.
"No, not more counselling," said Zeus with a sigh.
"Well maybe if you didn't cheat on me, we wouldn't need it," said Hera glaring at Zeus.
"Hera appreciated the difficulty of my quest, especially with the likes of Janus causing trouble. She informed us that that the minor gods had always been frustrated by their small part they play in the universe," said Annabeth.
"Some could be swayed to support our father," gasped Hera.
"That is why I am not at camp," said Dionysus showing that he was listening to the story. "I am checking up on the minor gods."
"Why is it in times of trouble we lose faith?" asked Katie.
"Even gods can start putting their trust in the wrong things, petty things. They stop looking at the big picture and start being selfish," said Hestia.
"You have to be determined, and always keep your goals in mind," said Hera.
"What is your goal?" asked Thalia.
"To keep my family together," replied Hera.
"For Hera the best way to do that was to help us on the quest. Lord Zeus doesn't let her interfere much but once in a while when she cares deeply for a quest, he allows her to grant one wish," said Annabeth.
"A wish, are you a genie?" asked Connor.
"Of course she is not, you get three wishes with a genie," replied Travis.
"Hera gave us some free advice, she told us to visit Hephaestus at his forge as he would have kept up with Daedalus and could tell us his faith," said Percy.
"He was a great inventor and mortal," said Hephaestus.
"So you know where Daedalus is?" asked Hades glaring at his nephew.
"I don't know where he is," said Hephaestus clearly confused.
"Annabeth's wish was a way to navigate the Labyrinth," said Percy.
"Hera unfortunately told me that my wish was something I had already been given," said Annabeth.
"I don't understand," said Poseidon.
"Percy already knew the answer," said Annabeth.
"Unfortunately I didn't realise that I knew the answer until much later," said Percy.
"Why am I not surprised?" said Thalia, which resulted with a small punching match between her and Percy.
"Hera told us that we would likely have to pass through the ranch. She told us to use all means at our disposal, however common they may seem to succeed," said Annabeth.
"Ranch, what ranch?" asked Apollo. Nico knew what ranch they were talking about but just sighed not sure he wanted to re-enter the story.
"Hera pointed out that she had only postponed my day of choice and I will eventually have to make the decision," Annabeth informed the group.
"The two doors melted away, revealing twin corridors before Hera turned into smoke and disappeared along with the food and the room turned dark and unpleasant again," said Percy.
"I was not happy with the help, here is a sandwich, make a wish, oops not able to help you with that wish," said Annabeth. The demi-gods were glad that the rule about no maiming was in place from the look of hatred sent towards them.
"Being handed the answer is not always practical. The easy option is not always the right choice," said Athena.
"EASY, EASY, I don't think my life as a demi-god has ever been easy," said Percy eyes flashing with a mix of emotion.
"It would be nice for an easy option occasionally," said Annabeth as their friends nodded agreeing with both demi-gods.
"We had to choose which way to go and decided to go left," said Percy.
"Only because something big was coming from the right tunnel," said Annabeth.
Please review, I like to know what you all think of this chapter.
Thanks you to those people who reviewed last chapter. It does motivate me to write. Thank you to all the people who favourite and followed this story- hopefully you leave a review for this chapter (Why did you like it so much to put it on your list?).
Oh and I don't own the rights to the television show Cheers.