Thanks to Cameras and TheMeister7 for beta-ing the first few paragraphs and Rezurex for handling the rest!
A/N: Hello everyone. Here's the fifteenth chapter of The Dissonant Notes of Fate. I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter and were intrigued enough to stick around. As usual, don't forget to vote, comment, review, kudos, all that jazz. Have a great new year. Happy reading!
-TripleHomicide.
LUKE felt something brush against his shoulder, causing him to stiffen instantly and making his hand jerk to his sword thanks to his battle hardened instinct.
"Whoa!" a voice exclaimed placatingly. The son of Hermes turned slightly and frowned, spotting Quintus with his arms raised in surrender. He muttered lowly to Thalia, "I'll be right back, go ahead," then turned to face the sword instructor.
"Yes?" He questioned, folding his arms.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Quintus whispered in a low voice. Behind him, Mrs. O'Leary was wagging her tail whilst mauling a dummy. Luke arched an eyebrow and the man continued.
"I don't like the idea of any of you going down there." He scowled, eyes growing distant as if he was remembering a rather horrid memory. "But it is inevitable, you've made that clear enough. I must warn you, however, that the Labyrinth is a dangerous place for half-bloods such as yourselves to venture into. Its only purpose is to fool those who dare to walk into it. It's like a prison with no escape. No doors, no keys. Only a maze of death.
"You talk as if you have experience," Luke stated, narrowing his eyes with surprise woven into his voice. Another reason to suspect the older demigod.
"I wouldn't call it experience," Quintus looked down. "But I was in the labyrinth, only for a short amount of time, yet it still nearly cost me my life. Most who enter the Maze aren't as lucky as I. They venture into the labyrinth, only take a handful of steps, but never find their way back. And those who do will leave it broken, both physically and mentally. Those who enter that thing forsake their life."
Luke stared intently into the eyes of his sword master, searching for even the flicker of a lie. He, after failing to find anything remotely suspicious, took a sharp breath of the fresh morning air. "You think we'll not return."
Now it was Quintus' time to sigh loudly, while raising his head to meet his gaze."You're a brave demigod, Luke," The man said. "And a good one who is an excellent swordsman. Keep your mind on what matters most. If you can do that, then you might find the way out of it." He reached into his pockets, and withdrew something sleek, silver, and thin, pushing it only a moment later into Luke's hand, whereupon the boy hissed at the unexpected coldness.
"A whistle?' He looked up, unimpressed, and trying to ignore the burning in his palm.
"Yes," Quintus confirmed, his voice grave. "A dog whistle to be precise. For Mrs. O'Leary. She can appear almost anywhere when summoned, no matter how far she is. I'd feel better knowing you had this." He paused. "But be careful. The whistle is made of Stygian Ice. It's fragile. You've only got one use, so use it wisely."
Luke's eyes widened.
How in Hades' name had Quintus gotten ice from the River Styx? He didn't want to accept the gift, but he stuffed the whistle into his pocket nonetheless. "Thanks," he said, putting up his best and most charming smile, while at the same time silently promising himself to never use it. Turning away from the concerned-looking swordsman, Luke raced out of the arena to find Thalia.
-X-
ANNABETH, daughter of Athena, stared at the coffin before her, head bowed in respect. The sarcophagus, emanating a golden ethereal light, towered over her. She was young, but something about her just screamed authority. Her eyes, tired and showing just a fraction of how she truly felt, didn't even do as much as twitch, as multiple flashes of golden light suddenly filled the room.
She didn't pay them any glance, but she knew who they were. Tilting her head, she caught a glimpse of them as they approached. Lelantos was among the new arrivals, the Titan looking relaxed and even a bit happy. Behind him came Athena and Aphrodite, the two goddesses who had been living on the Princess Andromeda with Annabeth and Lelantos for the last six months. They were all on the run, all being hunted by the other Olympians and their forces. It was only thanks to the protection from Oceanus that they were safe from Poseidon's wrath. Annabeth looked down at the white chiton and cape she was wearing. Sandals adorned her feet and she looked every bit as regal as the future host of Kronos should be.
Lelantos motioned to the girl to continue, saying, "Don't stop because of us."
Annabeth's eyes narrowed and she glared at him through her eyelashes. She was becoming tired of the Titan and the goddesses. They were good assets to Kronos' forces but they—minus her mother—tried to challenge her most of the time. This new chance she had gotten—to attack Camp through the Maze—was the perfect opportunity to put down any whisperings or attempts at mutiny from those attempting to garner Kronos' favour.
She turned back to the pulsing gold coffin and bowed her head, saying, "My spies report success, Lord Kronos." She paused."Camp Half-Blood is sending a quest, just as you predicted. Our side of the bargain is almost complete."
Excellent, Kronos whispered in her head, the telepathic voice making her shiver. As usual, it sounded like a knife being scraped against a stone and Annabeth wasn't sure she would ever get used to it. Once we find the String, I will lead the Vanguard through myself.
Annabeth shut her eyes, pursing her lips. "My Lord, perhaps it is too soon to reveal yourself and your strengths. Let me and the other—"
No, Kronos' voice was low, but firm. I will lead. One more stray soul is needed, and I shall be complete. And at last, I shall rise from the depths of the pit.
Annabeth let out a sigh, her eyelids fluttering open. They had had this conversation many times. She was about to speak when Kronos demanded, Show me your weapon, Annabeth Chase. The daughter of Athena narrowed her eyes in confusion but pulled out the knife. Memories of her time with Luke and Thalia filled her, and she gritted her teeth in fury as she remembered how they had refused to join her, attacked her, and literally left her for dead after pushing her off a mountain.
You pledged yourself to me, Kronos reminded. That knife is imbued with my power and is a testimony of your oath. Annabeth didn't speak. She instead gave him a wordless bow and waited for him to continue. I promised you knowledge, power, and the acknowledgment of your mother. You are beyond harm. Soon you shall rule the world of gods and mortals alike. Is that not enough for you?
"It is enough," Annabeth answered mutedly. She looked up, watching the coffin glow. Then ready the armies. The time draws near. As soon as the deal is done, we shall move. First Camp Half-Blood shall burn to the ground. And then Olympus will fall, Brick by Brick.
Annabeth felt determination and raw anger fill her and she repeated, "Brick by brick."
They were interrupted by a knock on the door. She looked up just in time to see them flung open and Kelli the empousa marching in. The grey eyed girl felt brief annoyance and anger fill her once more. She hated the she-demon, but she was important to their cause, as her mother had so sagely pointed out many times before. She just had to be patient—if Kelli didn't eliminate Luke like she had been ordered to do, then Luke would kill her and that would be one problem solved.
"What is it, Kelli?" Annabeth stood. "We're busy."
"I can see that," The empousa curled her lips. She didn't like Annabeth either. "The advance team is ready, as you ordered. We're prepared to leave in the next hour." She smiled, a really horrendous sight, in Annabeth's opinion.
The blonde-haired girl waved the monster away. "Do what you see fit. You know what must be done if you encounter the demigods." Annabeth turned away, folding her arms behind her back.
"Mother, Aphrodite, You are to contact our spies," she ordered. "We have to begin preparations for the battle and make sure no one suspects what is to come."
The goddesses nodded and vanished into a fine mist. Annabeth eyed Lelantos distastefully and commanded, "Continue our dealings with the Son of Gaea. Check on the reserves in San Francisco after and see how far our other army is in their preparations in case of an emergency."
Lelantos bowed and said, "It shall be done," before he too vanished into a golden light. Annabeth's lips curled up into a ghost of a smile, enjoying the feeling of being alone once again, while her eyes, sparkling foreboding, slowly drifted back to the golden coffin.
She remembered Kronos words and a thrill of eager anticipation swept over her; Olympus would fall, brick by brick.
-X-
NICO let out a sigh and leaned back against the wall. He was scared, and although he tried not to let them fall, tears were filling his eyes. He didn't know how long ago it had been since the skeleton had pulled him into the maze. Said Skeleton had immediately melted back into the earth when the entrance back into Camp had closed shut, and Nico hadn't been able to find the Mark of Daedalus.
His heart hammered in his chest and he was sweaty and hungry and blinking a lot. Nico hadn't been able to fall asleep, and he knew that his sister was probably worried out of her mind. But he tried to stay strong against all odds.. The entrance had disappeared and the only thing he could do was keep moving. And so he had. But he knew he wouldn't even survive a week in the Labyrinth. He wasn't as experienced as Thalia or Luke or even Clarisse, and the sword he carried somehow wasn't right. He would not be able to protect himself with it, if he should face danger. And Nico definitely knew he was going to face lots of dangers if he stayed in the maze any longer.
Nico had tried to do that thing with the shadows again, but he was too exhausted and they hadn't responded to his call. Hefrowned, biting his lips as he continued moving, thinking about how he had to find another entrance to get the hell out of the maze. The dark eyed boydidn't know how long he walked, or how far he went, but finally, the son of Hades spotted dim grey light ahead.
Nico hobbled towards it, trying to ignore the fear and the hunger gnawing at his gut.
Finally, he burst out of the maze, and turned, watching the Mark of Daedalus, a Delta, glow on the wall, before the maze sealed itself again. Nico let out a huff of relief and turned to examine his surroundings. He narrowed his eyes in confusion, tilting his head as he combed through his memories to see if he had been there before.
As far as he knew, he had never visited a graveyard before. He squinted, looking up. The moon was out, but the place still looked impossibly dark, as though it was engulfed in blackness. Nico walked forward, hesitantly, examining the gravestones he passed. He felt himself relaxing, his breathing becoming normal, and a weird sense of energy filled him. As if he had finally returned home.
Nico's lips curled downwards in doubt and he walked around in a slow circle. First, he had to find out where he was and try to get back to camp. He'd never been out in the real world since last winter and the thought of facing real monsters scared him, now that he knew what they were.
He shivered as flashes of the attack of Dr. Thorn in December filled his head. He had wanted to put the skills and knowledge he had acquired at camp to the test, yes, but he hadn't expected it to be this soon.
"A son of Lord Hades." Nico jerked suddenly, spinning around, eyes wide as he tried to spot the source of the voice. It was throaty and low, and it continued, "It is an honour to finally make your acquaintance. It appears that your father's servant has fulfilled his purpose ." Nico felt his heartbeat quicken and he took a tentative step back, looking around him again.
"I am here, young master," the voice said again. He turned and stiffened when he spotted the glowing blue transparent figure standing before him. Where it had appeared from, the son of Hades didn't know. It was an old man, with a circlet of gold adorning his head, white robes, and ghostly arms and legs. He had many wrinkles and white hair, with a beard which was pointed like the business end of a spear.
"What—" Nico stepped back again in confusion and shock. "Who—"
"King Minos," The ghost before him bowed. "But please just call me Minos, my Lord. I am here on orders of your father, Lord Hades." Nico's eyes widened and he took an unconscious step forward towards the apparition.
"How—" He stammered. "How are you here? What does Father want?"
The ghost bowed once more. "This is a graveyard, young master. We are surrounded by death, meaning that your connection to the underworld, your father's domain, is at its strongest." He paused, looking up and Nico swallowed when he met the ghostly eyes of the man, full of kindness and… sympathy? "I sent that skeleton to fetch you from the demigod camp per your father's orders," Minos informed him. "To get you here, so I can pass his message on to you."
Nico clenched his jaw, brow furrowing. His father wanted to speak with him? "What-what is his message?"
Minos leaned back, eyes flitting over the black haired boy and he bowed low once more, muttering in a low voice, "Your father wants you to bring your mother back from the dead." Nico was stunned into silence. He blinked several times and a bitter taste filled his mouth when he was able to form a coherent sentence again, "My mother?"
His memory of her was blurred and foggy—he could only recall her name, Maria di Angelo. And for six months, for the entire period he had been in camp without Bianca, that was all he could think about. He had wanted to find out his roots. After using the Big House computer to search up her name and not finding any information, he had given up, filled with defeat and despair. It was why he had convinced Clarisse and Chiron to allow him to help. To distract him.
The memory he had of his mother was distant to say the least—she was resting on a sofa, next to a man, although he could not remember their faces as they were blurry and distorted. Nico, a child at the time, sat on the ground at their feet, playing with his sister Bianca. He remembered his mother's voice, though, and her Italian or Spanish-sounding accent as she said, "Certamente. We will stay together. Zeus is an imbecile." Nico smiled sadly as the memory replayed. He had been searching for his mother for so long.
But this message meant she was dead. And his father wanted him to bring her back?
Nico narrowed his eyes at the ghost. "Hades is the god of the dead. Can't he do it himself?" He had heard many stories from his time at Camp. No Greek hero had ever succeeded in bringing back the dead.
Minos frowned, and spoke, as if reading his thoughts, "It has not been done, yet. But there may be another way. And your father is…indisposed at the moment."
Nico felt a small bubble of hope form inside him. Could he really bring his mother back? He wanted to get to know her. He wanted to remember. He didn't recall anything before Westover in Maine, and that hotel they had left before that, and for six months he had been trying to, to no avail. Maybe if he brought his mother back, his father might help him regain the memories of his life.
"What—what is the other way?" He asked, voice low.
"An exchange," the ghost said, eyes glinting. "A soul for a soul." Nico turned stiff, blood-freezing as the implications of the words hit him.
"Not yours, or any other person you know," The king-ghost shook his head. "You cannot offer your father a soul he will eventually have Thanatos collect anyway. Nor will he be anxious for the death of his son. I mean a soul that should have died already. Someone who has cheated death."
Nico's face darkened. "But…I'd have to…kill."
"Not murder," Minos corrected him immediately. "Justice. Vengeance." Nico felt doubt grow inside him. Why would his father send a ghost to tell him to kill someone so he could bring his mother from the dead? And wasn't Hades already married ?
"Those aren't the same thing," Nico pointed out. "And Hades—Father—why would he—"
"Do you not want to see your mother once more?" Minos said, sounding convincing. "Do you not wish to learn of your past?"
"I-I do."
"I will help you," Minos said. "I will teach you."
"Can't I—," Nico hesitated. He still didn't understand what it meant to be a son of Hades. "Can't I summon her or something? She…she would help me, wouldn't she?"
"I will help you," Minos repeated, emphasising the I. "I will lead you through the Maze to fulfil the task Hades has given you. I will teach you how to use your powers." Nico hesitated once more, pursing his lips. He sighed. The ghost could help him understand how to use his powers and get his memories and his mother back.
He could reunite his family.
"Fine, then," he said. "Do you have a plan?"
"Yes," Minos said, smiling, and sounding quite pleased with himself. "We have many dark roads to travel. But first, we must go back into Daedalus' labyrinth." Nico narrowed his eyes as he remembered the stories Chiron and Clarisse had traded during their research.
"That's the soul you were speaking of before, wasn't it?" Nico asked. "Daedalus."
The ghost did not respond. Instead, he said, "Come. Open the Maze. You have a lot to learn."
-X-
BIANCA rolled around in her bed, brow furrowed in her sleep. She found herself in a throne room, dark and foreboding, fog clouding most of the place and chills sweeping down her spine at how cold and dead it felt. She looked around, taking note of the many entrances and the dark carpet she stood on. There was no ceiling, or maybe there was. Either way, she could not see it. Bianca clenched her jaw in nervousness at the malice and pure power radiating from the room she was standing in.
She knew she was dreaming, but that didn't make it any better. Demigod dreams were almost always more than just dreams. Her eyes flickered over to a dais, with steps leading to it, black and made out of obsidian. There were two thrones on the dais, one out of onyx and the other was pure white as if it was made out of bones, with skulls on the armrests. The room was empty, except for Bianca, and the one man seated on the throne.
Bianca felt nervousness take hold of her and she blurted out, "Father?" She instantly berated herself. How could she know that the man before her was the god of the underworld? Maybe he was Kronos. Artemis had certainly mentioned his likes for skulls.
Bianca properly examined the man. He looked tall, intimidating, and muscular, with pure white albino skin, and intense black eyes which seemed to bore into Bianca and glitter like frozen tar. His appearance was mesmerising, indescribable, and godly. He had shoulder-length black hair, with bangs that covered most of his forehead and eyebrows, and seemed to be pulsing with power and energy. He wore robes that appeared to be woven of darkness, and Bianca frowned when she spotted the souls which seemed to appear and disappear in the robes, trying to escape them.
"Bianca," His voice was low, but loud at the same time. Imposing. "I am glad that you could join me."
Bianca felt a million thoughts race through her, accompanied by several emotions— anger, and confusion dominant among them. So this was Hades, the man she couldn't remember. Her father.
But why summon her now? She didn't want to see him. She was fine with Artemis. She was fine not knowing him, and she was fine with not remembering her past. She had the hunters now—a new family which would die for her, just as she would die for them. What could Hades possibly want with her? Why reach out now when she had gone thirteen years without him, although it certainly felt longer than that.
Hades gave her a smile, which seemed more like a grimace and Bianca frowned at him. The god ran a hand through his hair and sighed, although his features were schooled into an expressionless mask. "I am…sorry, that I did not claim you earlier." He was scowling now, as though he had just been given a bitter pill to swallow, and Bianca guessed that he wasn't used to apologising.
"I don't care about that," She waved his apology aside. "I'm content with the Hunt. Why have you brought me here?" Hades' mask fell and he frowned, lips pulling down.
"I understand if you want nothing to do with me," He said, slowly. "Perhaps soon your view will change. Maybe in a few years, or months, you will want to get to know me, like how I would like to get to know you, although I am not allowed to interfere with your life directly." He paused. "However, I needed to speak with you urgently. There is no time to rebuild broken relationships. Your brother is in danger."
Bianca stiffened, and she felt a pain in her chest, as though someone had grabbed her heart and squeezed. "What do you mean?" She asked, worry evident in her voice. "How do I help him? Where is he? Is the Labyrinth—"
Hades held up a hand and Bianca went silent. She felt anxiety overcome her as her worry for Nico grew tenfold. She should have never left him. She shouldn't have joined the hunters and gone with Zoë and Artemis.
"Let me finish first," Hades said. "And then I shall tell you what you must do."
He leaned forward, his black eyes suddenly lighting up purple in a display of power. "One of the judges of the dead has gone…rogue. Daedalus is alive and has resurfaced in the mortal world once more. Minos used the Maze as an avenue to capture Nico. He might be with him as we speak, manipulating him and poisoning his young impressionable mind with lies and false tales." He gazed at Bianca unflinchingly.
"Minos wants Daedalus dead, and he will go to any lengths to accomplish that. He will destroy Nico to get what he wants and he will utilise your brother until he implodes in on himself. He will convince him to do unspeakable things…to kill Daedalus…and I fear that at the end your brother will be lost to the darkness forever. When Minos is done with him, Kronos will swoop in and continue the manipulation, convincing a broken Nico to do his bidding and kill Thalia Grace."
Hades paused. "You must find your brother and stop the Ghost before he goes too far." Bianca felt fear cloak her—fear for her brother's life and worry and panic at her father's words. Nico…she felt her eyes brim with tears. She had to find him.
She had to protect him.
She clenched her fist, blinking back her tears and saying, "I'll find him. I'll make sure he doesn't do anything stupid." She let out a breath. "And I'll kill that Minos myself." She was so angry she couldn't remember he was already dead.
Hades nodded, and Bianca smiled uncertainly when she saw the pride shining in his eyes. She blushed slightly, looking down. Hades tilted his head to the side, whispering, "Both you and Nico are strong…You are resilient. I hope we have another opportunity to meet." He smiled, sadly, and said, "Good luck, daughter."
And then she woke up, her hair matted with sweat.
-X-
THALIA ambled slowly towards Zeus' Fist, thoughts and emotions swirling through her. She was scowling as she walked, lost in her own mind. She had had a rather unpleasant dream the previous night. The daughter of Zeus had been looking forward to seeing Percy when she fell asleep, but her sleep had been filled with a disturbing insight into what Kronos and his lackeys were up to. What she had heard wasn't good. It wasn't good at all.
She forced a mask of indifference onto her face as she reached the pile of rocks and spotted the others, who seemed to be waiting for her. Zoë stood next to Bianca near the entrance, the latter looking worse for wear and a bit despondent. Luke looked serious, face set in an expressionless mask. Clarisse stared into the air, surely haunted by memories of her last journey through the labyrinth. Grover and Juniper stood at another side, the satyr and his girlfriend exchanging their last goodbyes with a lot of tears and promises to get back in one piece.
Thalia glanced around, sending a nod of greeting to Luke. She looked around again, spotting Chiron. She wanted to speak to him about the dream she had had. But there wasn't enough time. The centaur was studying her, as though he knew she had something to say to him but Thalia gave him an uneasy smile and he nodded in response.
Soon, all the other questers had said their goodbyes and Thalia stood shoulder to shoulder with Luke as they faced the entrance to the Labyrinth, a simple hole in the rocks. She inhaled, steeling her nerves. She knew the dangers of venturing into the maze. But she needed to save the Camp. She needed to stop Annabeth.
Thalia exchanged a furtive glance with her best friend as Chiron said, "Take care. All of you. And good luck."
"You too," Clarisse nodded to the old centaur. "I promise we'll succeed."
"Our survival depends on it," Chiron said, hooves pawing on the ground in nervousness.
"Well, this is it," Grover said, voice betraying his anxiety.
"It is," Bianca agreed. They exchanged glances. And as one, they descended into the darkness.
XMX
THALIA wasn't sure how long they walked before they got lost. It certainly wasn't long. Not even thirty minutes. The tunnel was round, like a sewer, constructed of red brick with iron-barred potholes over ten feet. Thalia clutched tightly onto her flashlight and shone it into one of the many light travelled down but seemed to be swallowed by the darkness the farther it went.
"Stick to the left wall," Clarisse instructed. "I read that if we keep on the left wall and follow it, we should be able to find our way out again by reversing course."
Thalia heard Luke mutter a low, "Oh, you can read?" And the sheer surprise in his voice made her break into a laugh. She however immediately stopped when the wall she was following disappeared. Thalia tumbled forward and she almost fell off the edge of the now wall-less tunnel when a hand grabbed her wrist. Bianca di Angelo pulled her bag with strength the black haired girl didn't know the hunter possessed. Thalia let out a breath and muttered, "Thanks."
The girl nodded in response.
Thalia blinked, and the next thing she knew they were in the middle of a circular chamber with eight tunnels leading out. Clarisse swore loudly, eyes flitting around in annoyance and mild…fear.
"Which way did we come in?" Grover asked, his voice nervous.
"Just…turn around," Clarisse instructed. They each turned towards one of the tunnels. Thalia almost cursed as loudly as Clarisse. She now understood why the Labyrinth was so dangerous. The bloody maze was toying with them like they were mice. Bianca's flashlight swept over the archways of the tunnels and Thalia followed the light, examining them. They were identical.
"That way," Clarisse said, pointing to the farthest tunnel.
"How do you know?" Luke asked. Clarisse shrugged. "I guessed. Come on."
No one argued. They followed the daughter of Ares towards the tunnel she'd chosen. As they walked, it narrowed and the walls turned to grey cement. The ceiling got so low that they had to stoop to walk. Clarisse began to crawl.
"Is it supposed to be doing that?" Bianca asked uncertainly.
"I don't think so," Grover said, eyes wide as they continued. The satyr was close to hyperventilating and Luke's hand on his back was the only thing keeping him from having a panic attack. Thalia squirmed as she walked. She was feeling so uncomfortable and compressed…claustrophobic. She liked feeling free and unchained. It was euphoric. But this maze…this death trap, it was horrible.
"Are we there yet?" Luke asked. Thalia glanced at him, seeing the antsy look on his face. Even he was feeling cramped.
"We haven't even been here ten minutes," Clarisse sounded annoyed and they all got the message. They couldn't have their quest leader complaining and lashing out because they were too sissy to handle the Labyrinth. They kept shuffling forward, and just when the tunnel got impossibly small, it opened into a huge room. Clarisse shone her light on the walls and Thalia followed her lead, marvelling slightly at the sight they beheld.
The entire room was covered in mosaic tiles. The images were grimy and faded but she could distinguish the colours—red, blue, green, gold. She recognised the Olympian gods and her eyes went to the centre, where her own father seemed to be dancing with a satyr and several women. Poseidon was handing grapes to Dionysus to make wine. Luke's dad was whizzing through the air on winged sandals. The pictures were beautiful.
Thalia's eyes moved to the middle of the room where a three-tiered fountain, where the others were gathering. It looked dry and dusty, as though it hadn't held water for ages.
"What's this place?" Bianca asked. "It's ancient."
"Roman," Grover marvelled, gazing at the walls. Thalia didn't question it. She knew enough about the Labyrinth to understand. The mosaics were old, but not that old. The Maze was a patchwork, expanding always, never-ending, always adding pieces. It was the only work of architecture that could grow at will. Thalia felt a deep sense of sadness engulf her. If Annabeth hadn't turned dark…
She knew the Wisdom child—her former best friend—would have enjoyed the scenes before them and been awed at how intricate they were. Thalia jerked suddenly when a loud groan echoed from the tunnel before them.
"We go down that," Clarisse said, pointing to another tunnel. "Forward." She looked around and when she spotted the doubtful looks on everyone's faces she pinched the bridge of her nose and affirmed, "The architecture is getting older. That means we're approaching Daedalus' workshop, which would be in the oldest part of the maze."
"I can't argue with that logic," Luke muttered. "I agree. Let's go down there." Thalia couldn't help the uneasiness; she suddenly felt like something terrible was going to happen. They walked down the tunnel, and it became apparent that the maze did not want them to find Daedalus. The tunnel turned back into cement, with brass pipes running down the sides. The walls were filled with graffiti. A neon sign read some stupid thing Thalia couldn't decipher.
"This isn't ancient, is it?" Grover said, quite unhelpfully.
Clarisse took a deep breath and they continued forward. Every few feet, the tunnels twisted, turned, and branched. The floor changed from cement to bricks to mud then back to cement. There was no consistency. They marched into a wine seller, with dusty old bottles in wooden racks, with more tunnels leading on. Later, the ceiling turned to wooden planks and Thalia could hear voices above them and footsteps, like several cyclops had decided that dancing was the best way to spend their evening.
It was a few feet later that they stumbled across the skeleton. After spotting the white clothes and the crate of bottles they came to a decision that it was in fact, that of a milkman, who had stumbled into the maze by mistake. Thalia huffed as they walked and almost bumped into Grover.
"What's wrong?" She queried.
The satyr gulped and said, "I smell monsters."
Thalia felt around her pocket for her mace canister and felt a little reassurance when she made it out. "We have to go deeper," Clarisse announced. "There has to be a way to the centre." They went right, then left, then through a corridor of stainless steel, much like an air vent, and Thalia had had a lot of experiences with those.
Finally, they burst in through an archway. The daughter of Zeus looked around and swore to Hades and her father and Olympus and Tartarus and back. They were back in the roman tile room with the broken fountain. But this time, they weren't alone.
-X-
CLARISSE clenched her fist when she noticed the faces. They jutted out from either side of his head, staring over his shoulders, so his head was extremely wide. He had nasty sideburns and big ears. He was dressed like a doorman, in a long black overcoat, shiny black shoes, and a black top hat large enough for his head.
"Well, Clarisse," The left face said. "Hurry up!"
"Ignore him," Said the right face. "He's extremely rude. Right, this way, daughter of Ares." Clarisse narrowed her eyes. "What?"
"Come along, miss," Left face shouted.
"No, no," Right face said. "This way. Talk to me, not him. I'm the better face."
The two-faced man regarded Clarisse out of the corners of his eyes. It was almost impossible to look at him without focusing on one side or the other. Clarisse then realised what he was asking of her. He wanted her to choose. She looked behind him, spotting two doors, with huge iron locks. The man held in his hands a silver key, which he kept passing from left to right.
Clarisse looked behind her, where the doorway they had come through had vanished. The others stood, worried and confused expressions on their faces as they watched, waiting for what would happen next. "Why are the doors locked?" Clarisse asked. "And where do they lead?"
"They are locked so you can unlock them, silly girl," Left face said. "And one leads to the answer to your problems. While the other leads to certain death."
Clarisse's eyes narrowed as she mentally went through a list of ugly gods she knew who had two faces. Hades, she wished she paid more attention in Chiron's classes now.
"You're Janus," Grover's voice reached her. "The god of choices."
"Yes, and I'm also the god who has other things to do apart from this," Left face barked. "So hurry it up."
"Why do you want me to choose? Why are you wasting our time?" Clarisse snarled. "We have a quest to complete."
"We know you, Clarisse La Rue," Right face said. "We know what you fight each day. We know how you struggle to please your father. We know your indecision. We know you cannot decide between joining Kronos to save your beloved, or supporting gods who have never loved or helped you." Clarisse stiffened, standing straight as anger overcame her.
"You will have to make a choice soon," Left face said. "And the choice may kill you and all your friends."
"What do you want?" Clarisse bellowed. She wanted to stab him in the neck. But even she knew how unwise attacking a god was.
"Choose!" Both faces shouted in fury.
"Leave her alone," Bianca stepped forward.
The man sneered at her with his left face. "Your time shall come, di Angelo. But for now, it is her turn." He laughed.
"Shut up!" Right face said. "This is serious. One bad choice, Clarisse. Lord Kronos will appreciate your service. The gods would not." Instantly Clarisse knew what was happening. The stupid minor god was trying to get her to pick between the gods and the titans. Chris and Ares.
"Don't!" Thalia yelled.
"She has to," Right face said, quite cheerily. Clarisse clenched her fist and said, "I- I pick—"
Instantly the ground began to shake. Clarisse spun as the very earth rumbled, eyes flickering to the top of the room to watch the roof shake. She looked down, watching in horror and amazement as the ground spat out the shimmering form of a teenager dressed in a chiton. She heard gasps, and then Thalia's voice. "Percy?"
-X-
PERSEUS looked around him, trying to see if he had arrived at the right place. He instantly spotted Thalia, and for the second time, he marvelled at how different she looked and just how beautiful she was. He looked around once more, eyes narrowing when they came upon the two headed minor god who stood before the two pathways.
"Janus…" He growled out. The two faced man yelped in surprise, and burst into a puff of smoke, then he was gone. Perseus smiled in satisfaction. Good to see Kronos' lackeys still feared him. He finally turned back to face the demigods, two of which were looking at him in absolute shock.
Thalia approached him first, eyes wide and she punched him in the arm, which he was starting to identify as her gesture of welcome. Perseus felt an odd warmth erupt in his chest. He finally smiled as Thalia said, "How the hell are you here?"
"Who is he?" Bianca asked, stepping forward.
Luke answered her, his surprise slipping away as he did. He nodded towards Perseus and the Titan nodded back in response. "That's Perseus, Titan of the Earth." Instantly the other questers stiffened and reached for weapons but Thalia held up a hand. "Don't worry, he's on our side. He helped us last winter."
Perseus resisted the urge to say he wasn't on anyone's side. He wasn't fighting for anyone. He was just betraying his family because he knew they were out to get Thalia and he wanted to protect her, by any means necessary. Never would he swear allegiance to the gods. He didn't support either of them. He was just there to protect Thalia and he would fight anyone who threatened her life, gods and titans alike.
Perseus waved at the other questers and turned back to the daughter of Zeus. "I do not have much time. The magic tying me to the Island is weakening. I told you, I started ageing and I'm also starting to get control over my powers once more. It's still weak but I was able to commune with the earth to send a piece of my spirit to you. I'm not really here." He paused. He knew it was confusing. But that was what magic was. "I'm here to deliver a message, from Hermes."
"And he couldn't do it himself, because?" Thalia arched an eyebrow, turning slightly to glance at Luke.
Perseus smirked slightly and said, "And here I was, think you would be happy to see me."
Thalia rolled her eyes and punched him in the shoulder, once more. Perseus snorted slightly at it. "What's his message?" Clarisse stepped forward.
"Seek out the god Hephaestus. Daedalus is a mystery to all but if you want to know his fate, Hephaestus is your only hope. The son of Athena was a great inventor, a mortal Hephaestus admired a lot. If anyone would have kept up with Daedalus and could tell you what happened to him, it would be the god of forges."
"But how do we get there?" Luke asked.
"The Labyrinth has been toying with us and I'm sick of it," Clarisse said in agreement.
Perseus pinched the bridge of his nose and said, "That I do not know." He looked down as his form began to flicker and sink into the ground. "Zeus and the gods grow suspicious," He said. "This is the last time you shall hear from me in a while, Thalia."
He tilted his head to her. "But we shall meet again." She nodded and Perseus turned to the other questers. He spotted the satyr, who had been silent throughout it all, and said, "Grover, Pan is also down here. I can feel him even in my weakened state. His power over the earth is weakened considerably but he is down here. That I can assure you. Find him. You will need him in the coming battle."
He turned to Bianca di Angelo. He had learnt of her heritage along with her brother's from Hermes, who kept him up to date on such things. "Find your brother. Make sure he doesn't succumb to Kronos' will." He finally turned to the burly daughter of Ares he didn't recognise. Hermes had a message for her too, though. "Your time to make a choice will come," He acknowledged as he sank. "But it is not today. It shall be soon, and you shall have to choose between your messed up Family, the Olympians and Power, from Kronos. Make the right decision."
Perseus looked around once more as his form continued flickering. He would be back on Ogygia in a few seconds and he knew, that the gods would not allow him to contact their children a second time. His eyes met Luke and he said, "Keep an eye on her, will you?" He jerked his head in Thalia's direction and she scowled at him, blue eyes glinting in challenge. "Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid."
Luke nodded to him in response as Thalia said, "I can take care of myself." Perseus smiled slightly as he lost his hold on the earth and his form sank back into the ground. The last thing he said was, "And find the ranch, you'll need to get there before you can proceed with things." And they vanished from view.
When he opened his eyes, he was back on his lonely desolate Island, hands on the hilt of Anaklusmos. He hoped he would see them again. He hoped his plan worked.
A/N: Well, so that's the end of the chapter. Leave a vote, comment, blah, blah blah. Good day/night/afternoon/morning to you all. Until next time.
-TripleHomicide.