Chapter 23.
The next morning, Percy was roused from his slumber by Artemis. "Percy, wake up, the questers are preparing to leave," she whispered, gently nudging him awake.
Percy's eyes snapped open, and he quickly rose from the bed, stretching his limbs before gracefully jumping down. "Meow," he murmured softly before Artemis opened the bedroom door, allowing him to slip out.
Once outside, where the questers were already assembled, Percy shifted back into his seventeen-year-old form.
"Alright, let's get this show on the road. Artemis, we'll let you know if we end up needing help," Percy declared, turning to Artemis. She nodded in acknowledgment, replying, "Alright, we'll see you soon," before waving goodbye and retreating back into the cabin.
Turning his attention back to the questers, Percy grinned. "It's good to see everyone. How have you been?" The questers were Percy's close friends — Annabeth, Theo, Grover, and Thalia. He hadn't spent much time with Thalia, but he figured he would get along with her if she was anything like her brother.
"We're doing good, Percy," Annabeth replied with a smile. Percy returned the grin, but his gaze shifted down to notice Annabeth and Theo's entwined hands. Both of them blushed as they realized what Percy was looking at.
Percy chuckled before commenting, "Good for you guys," eliciting smiles from the couple. He then turned to Grover. "G-man, what are you up to these days?"
Grover bleated before responding, "I've been looking for Pan. The wild needs him more than ever." Percy nodded in understanding before turning to Thalia. "And you, Thalia?" he asked warmly.
Thalia smiled before replying, "Just training to prepare for the inevitable showdown with Kronos. Other than that, just watching over these idiots to make sure they don't hurt themselves."
Percy laughed as Theo and Annabeth turned to look at Thalia, protesting loudly. Thalia grinned mischievously before turning back to Percy. "Percy, Chiron says you know the way to the maze?" Percy nodded before leading the way towards Zeus's Fist.
"The gods know about you Percy, so why do you stay in animal form?" Thalia asked. "It's because I prefer being in animal form when with the Hunt. Plus since I stay in Artemis's cabin, it's easier when in animal form vs human," he explained. Thalia nodded as they continued walking.
When they arrived at the entrance of the maze, Percy halted and turned to address the group. "Listen to me carefully," he began, his voice firm and commanding. "This maze is nothing like anything you've ever seen. Stay with a partner, and stay together. Do not get separated from your partner or the group as a whole," he emphasized, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
The questers nodded in understanding as Percy's words sank in. Percy returned the nods before turning and slipping into the cove, with the others following closely behind. He made his way over to the delta rune and pressed it, watching as the wall slid apart, revealing a stairwell descending into darkness.
"Welcome to the Labyrinth," Percy announced, his voice echoing slightly in the confined space, before he turned and began leading the way into the maze. As the group entered, the door behind them shut with a resounding thud, encasing them in darkness.
"Well, that's just great. How are we supposed to see?" Annabeth questioned, her voice filled with frustration. Percy grinned in response. "I can see just fine. Here," he replied, extending a hand towards her.
Annabeth was about to question what he meant when she felt a warm sensation wash over her. Suddenly, her vision cleared, and she could see everything in vivid detail. Percy repeated the gesture for the other questers, ensuring they could all see as clearly as he could.
"Now you guys can see how I can. Now, let's get moving," Percy declared, his grin infectious as he turned around and led the way deeper into the maze.
"You have perfect vision in the dark, Percy? That's so cool," Thalia remarked, her grin widening. Percy chuckled in response. "Yeah, perks of being the primordial of darkness and night. Similar to Theo, who has perfect bearings at sea, I have perfect bearings in the dark."
Thalia nodded in understanding as they continued on their journey. Eventually, they stumbled upon a room adorned with Roman-style architecture, a stark contrast to the labyrinthine passages they had traversed thus far.
While they were exploring the room, a sudden bright flash erupted in the center, momentarily blinding them. As the light faded, they found themselves facing a man standing in the middle of the room. He appeared to be a tan white man dressed in a blue suit, but what caught their attention was the constant shifting of his face.
"Who are you?" Annabeth asked, her confusion evident in her tone. The man turned his gaze towards her before speaking. "I am Janus, demigod and god of crossroads. And you, my dear, have a choice to make," he declared, holding out his hands.
Two identical gold keys materialized in his palms, and behind him, the walls shifted to reveal two doors, each adorned with identical locks.
"What do you mean I have a choice to make? A choice about what?" Annabeth questioned, her confusion deepening. One side of Janus's face formed a smile while the other side glared. "You know the Great Prophecy, demigod. You know what the choice is," he replied cryptically.
Annabeth's brow furrowed in confusion until realization slowly dawned upon her. Percy, who had been observing from the shadows since Janus's arrival, could see the gears turning in her mind. He watched as her expression shifted from confusion to understanding, then to shock, and finally to fear.
Suddenly, Percy heard his mother's voice echoing in his mind. "Percy, do not let her make that choice right now. Stop her by whatever means necessary." Percy nodded silently as his mother's voice faded from his thoughts. Narrowing his eyes, he swiftly amplified his voice, causing it to reverberate ominously throughout the room as he enveloped it in darkness.
"Leave, little godling. You have no purpose here," he commanded coldly. Janus glanced around, his face's contorting with a mixture of anger and fear. "She needs to make a choice," he insisted, his voice tinged with apprehension.
"She will make the choice, just not now. So, I will say it again. LEAVE," Percy reiterated firmly, his tone brooking no argument.
Janus nodded his head before swiftly vanishing in a flash of blue. Once he was gone, Percy dispelled the darkness and returned the room to its normal brightness. Stepping out of the shadows, he faced Annabeth, who looked at him questioningly.
"Percy, why did you stop him?" she asked, her curiosity evident in her tone.
"Because it is not yet time for that decision to be made," Percy replied simply, his expression serious.
Annabeth nodded in understanding before turning her attention to the two doors that had shifted back into a corridor entrance. "Let's get moving," Percy said, taking the lead and guiding the group forward.
They continued walking until they reached a split path. "What path should we take?" Thalia asked, breaking the silence. Percy glanced at Annabeth, who appeared lost in thought. "We should head down the path with older architecture. It's likely closer to Daedalus's workshop," she replied after a moment's contemplation.
Percy looked puzzled for a moment before speaking up, "Why are we looking for Daedalus?"
The group turned to him in surprise. "Did no one tell you the mission of this quest?" Theo asked incredulously. Percy shook his head in response. "We're looking for Daedalus to obtain Ariadne's string. We need it to prevent the titans from navigating through the maze and reaching camp," Annabeth explained, filling Percy in on the details of their quest.
"Well, that makes sense, I suppose," Percy replied with a nod, absorbing the information. As they continued down the older-looking path, Percy turned to Thalia, curiosity evident in his expression. "So, Thalia, what's your story?" he asked sincerely.
Thalia looked surprised by the question, not expecting Percy to show interest in her background. After a moment of contemplation, she began to speak. "When I was young, I ran away from home. My mother was a famous movie star who turned to alcoholism. After years of being mistreated and feeling like a burden, I realized I wasn't wanted," she recounted, her voice tinged with bitterness.
"During my time on the run, I crossed paths with Luke. He had a similar experience at home and had run away as well," Thalia continued, her gaze distant as she recalled the memories. "Eventually, we encountered Annabeth. Luke and I looked out for her as we attempted the journey to camp. Along the way, we also met Grover. However, we made some wrong turns that allowed the monsters sent by Hades to catch up to us," she explained, a hint of regret in her voice.
"I sent the group ahead to camp and stayed behind to protect them. I was tired of feeling like a hunted animal," Thalia continued, her tone hardening.
Percy listened intently as Thalia recounted her story, his anger towards Hades growing with each passing moment. "I was overwhelmed, and when I was about to die, my father sent down a bolt of lightning that turned me into the tree that created the border around camp. When you guys retrieved the Golden Fleece to heal the tree, it ended up healing me as well and released me from it, and here I am," she finished, her voice tinged with a mixture of bitterness and acceptance.
Percy remained silent, his mind swirling with conflicting emotions. He was grateful that Zeus had intervened to save his daughter in some form or fashion, but his anger towards Hades burned fiercely. Thalia was just a child who had no control over her birth, and to hunt her down like an animal out of spite was unforgivable, even for a god.
"That's certainly quite a story, Thalia," Percy remarked, a hint of humor in his voice. Thalia smiled in response. "Yeah, it's definitely something, even for a demigod," she replied, her tone laced with amusement. The group shared a laugh as they continued on their journey.
Eventually, they arrived at a door, and Percy pushed it open cautiously, ensuring there were no lurking dangers on the other side. Satisfied that the coast was clear, they proceeded through and ascended a staircase. Upon reaching the top, the ground shifted to reveal the open sky above them.
As everyone gathered at the summit, the ground sealed shut behind them. "Where are we?" Annabeth asked, her voice tinged with curiosity as she scanned their surroundings.
Percy shrugged, casting his gaze around the expansive open field. In the distance, he spotted a house situated at the edge of the field. "Let's head there," he suggested, gesturing towards the distant structure. The group nodded in agreement before setting off towards their next destination.
When they reached the house, Percy abruptly halted in his tracks, recognizing a familiar face through the window. A grin spread across his face as he made his way to the front door. He knocked eagerly, awaiting a response.
As the door swung open, the figure inside froze momentarily before breaking into a wide smile and pulling Percy into a warm hug. "Percy, it's so good to see you!" the figure exclaimed.
Returning the hug with equal enthusiasm, Percy replied, "Hey, Nico. How have you been?"
Nico grinned, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Not too bad at all, Percy. What are you doing here?" he inquired.
Percy smiled mischievously before stepping aside to reveal the rest of the group. Annabeth shyly waved her hand as Percy turned back to Nico. "We're on a quest, Death Breath. Think we can come in?" he asked with a playful tone.
Nico looked surprised but grinned nonetheless as he stepped aside. "Of course. Come on in," he said warmly.
The group smiled and thanked Nico as they filed into the house, with Nico closing the door behind them as Thalia crossed the threshold.