Ch42

Annabeth's body ached as she tried to stagger. Pain shot through her body as the burns and blisters became agitated. She tried to let out a scream but only managed a croak as she fell onto what felt like mud. Ironically, the cold mud was a relief from the burning sensation she felt all over her body.

She let out a pitiful sob as she at her surroundings. She was in some kind of room made of stone walls and she was laying in a patch of mud. Bianca. Clarisse. She thought of her teammates as well as the rest of the campers and she finally broke down.

How could I fail you mother. It wasn't fair. Alabaster, Percy, and Ethan had completed the labyrinth with ease yet she struggled every step of the way and now was lying in a pile of mud.

It's not fair. I supposed to show them all. Tears fell down her face as her left shoulder began to itch in pain. She wanted to rub it but had strenght to do so as the pain grew larger and spread throughout her body. Her vision spun as she let out a muffled sob and her vision went dark.

"I want to see daddy," a young voice said.

In the darkness of her mind she saw a familiar image appear. Her younger self appearing in front of her stern step mother.

"No!" Her step mother said. "Stop giving everyone trouble and go to sleep!" She then slammed the door leaving her alone in the room.

She watched her younger self break down in tears. I was tossed aside along with Athena, nothing more than a mistake. The thought came to her mind like a cold whisper.

Why was she not good enough? Why was Athena not good enough?

More images of her life replayed in front. She thought she had a family in Luke but he replaced her with revenge. She thought Percy Jackson would be her key out of the camp, yet he chose Alabaster Torrington.

The image of that day replayed in front of her. She had mustered up the courage inside of her that day, she knew Percy Jackson needed all of the help he could get and who better than her? She was the most experienced camper how could anyone compare to her?

"Uh actually I already had someone else in mind," Percy Jackson said in the memory.

She watched her younger self stare at Percy in shock. "What! Who could you possibly choose!" Her younger self sounded hurt but she remembered that day she felt even more hurt on the inside. Percy was supposed to be her ticket out, she had preparing for a quest for ages and yet he chose someone else.

"I uh have someone else in mind," Percy said.

Chiron folded his arms. "Who do you have in mind?"

She watched the scene play out. Percy then brought a younger Alabaster Torrington with him and asked him if wanted to go on the quest to save Zeus' bolt. Of course Alabaster accepted it and with that took what should have been hers.

Why wasn't I good enough?

Tears fell down her face as more memories flashed in her mind. She saw Percy hanging out with the children of Hecate, what did he even see in them? She was a child of an Olympian one of the most distinguished goddesses. What did he seem in them that she didn't have?

I was supposed to show them all. How could I fail here? How could I let my mother down. She was supposed to bring honor to her name and save Luke along with the camp yet here she was on the brink of dying.

I don't want to die here. She clung to her life force as she forced her consciousness to not fade. Please mother help me with this quest. I'll save camp and show them I can do. Her heart began to beat inside of her. Please mother give me your guidance.

Various memories replayed in her head. She always dreamed of going on her quest and she would do all she can to leave, even if she was currently at a loss at how to proceed. Bianca and Clarisse please be safe. A wave of sorrow filled her up as she thought of them, wherever they were she hoped they survived somehow from that blast.

Her mind went in and out of consciousness. The few times she felt herself wake up she felt herself immobile with searing burns all over her body. She tried to move to get or do anything but her body listen, all she could do was lay down and cry.

Please mother don't let me die here. I have to save Luke and the camp. I'll make you proud I swear. Tears fell down her eyes and onto the ground as she made an unsuccessful attempt to get up.

She felt back unconscious. Strangely she thought of Percy Jackson she could see him training the children of Hecate with weapons alongside Ethan Nakamura. Why does he care so much about them? Why would he train with those people?

It still made no sense to her. Was Percy Jackson that slow to realize there were better company in the camp?

Visions of Percy hanging out with the children of the minor gods replayed her head. She was always on the sidelines wondering why he would do things. Yet as she watched herself glare at the children of the minor gods with a look of contempt the image shifted.

Suddenly she was a little girl again cowering under the gaze of her stepmother who glared at her with the same contempt. "Stop bothering your father and go to bed."

Her voice made her shoulder wince. She wanted to cry as the memories of how she was treated by her step mother replayed in her head. She was always felt unwanted and like a burden. How could her father replace Athena with her?

She wanted to yell and scream but the images changed her stepmother's stern face shifted to her own down to the same cold stare that she was used to seeing. "Stop bothering people," the replica of her said. "You don't belong here."

The replica looked down at a few figures. She saw them and recognized a few of them; Ethan Nakamura, Lou Ellen, Alabaster Torrington, the other children of Hecate. She didn't want to admit it but she saw it as clear as day; she saw them the same way her stepmother saw her as nothing more than a burden.

The wound on her left shoulder ached as memories Percy hanging out with the children of minor gods passed through her head. The pain was excruciating as it passed through all of her senses, it made her eyes shoot open and suddenly she was in the dark room again except there was a man standing over her with a large hell hound by his side.

For a moment her body froze as she tried to move but found she had no strenght to do so. "Now what is a young demigod like you doing here?" The man asked curiously.

She tried to form words but could only manage a small whimper. Her body was still immobile as she lay in the mud half naked and all she could focus on was the large hell hound and the sword at the man's side. It was the first time in a long time she felt this much fear.

Surprisingly the man knelt down. "You're alive, just barely." He shook his head as he moved the hair out of her face. "Don't worry anything can be fixed."

Her vision blurred as she slipped in and out of consciousness. Various images flashed in her head, which ones were real and which ones were of her mind she did not know. In some of them she was being carried by the strange man and the large hell hound, in others she was watching Percy Jackson dancing and hanging out with Lou Ellen and Alabaster Torrington. In another she was resting on a metal bed while a bright light shinned down on her face while the strange man applied some salve to her wounds. Eventually she fell asleep. It was a deep slumber yet the pain in her left shoulder persisted.

When she woke up she realized she was on a metal bed. She tried to move her hands and legs but that was when she noticed they were bandaged up, but more importantly she was wearing a new set of clothes.

"You're awake." The man was sitting by the corner tinkering with some mechanical contraptions. "You're lucky I found you in time; you would've died if your wounds became infected."

"Wh-Where am I?" She croaked. It was then she looked down and noticed she was wearing a new set of clothes. For a moment a sense of panic washed over her as her mind went through various horrific scenarios. "Did you-"

The man cut her off. "I did not nothing. You may call me Quintus." The man got up and picked up a cup that was on the table. "It's not everyday I find demigods down here, though the last three ended up in better shape than you."

He pressed the cup to her lips, for a moment she thought of resisting but realized it was nectar. She took a few sips before he pulled it away. "I've administered enough to you," Quintus said. "Anymore and I'm afraid you'll burn up."

"Wh-Where am I? Did you find anyone else with me?" She asked.

Quintus shook his head. "I didn't. Welcome to one of the many safe places in this labyrinth. Well one of the few that are left that is." The hellhound then got up and sat next to the man staring at her with wide eyes. "Oh don't worry Mrs. O'Leary is friendly."

Oh gods. She fought the urge to cry as she thought of Clarisse and Bianca. Deep down she did not want to admit it but they were possibly gone because of her.

She slowly sat up in the bed her stiff body aching with every move. "I-I have to get back to Camp Half Blood." A bit of determination coursed through her body. "My mother gave me this quest I will see it to the end."

"Your mother? Who is she?" Quintus asked.

She looked down at the beaded necklace that was on the table. "I am Annabeth Chase daughter of Athena."

Quintus stared at her calmly if he was surprised he showed no signs of it. "A child of Athena, it's been a while since I saw the last one." The man turned around and sat back in his chair. "Hubris is a flaw of the children of Athena is it not?"

She frowned. "What do you know?"

The man gave her a knowing smile. "More than you can imagine. Hubris is what makes man think they are better than others to our own detriment."

She felt her left shoulder twinge; instinctively she rubbed her but as she pulled back the shirt she noticed there was no wound. "Why does it hurt so much?"

Quintus tilted his head. "You were injured all over. Did I miss a place?"

"It's nothing." She shook her head. "Who are you anyway?"

"Just a passing stranger?" Quintus' gaze drifted over her body. "I can tell you are a person who is battling their pride and cannot even realize it. Whatever internal struggle you are facing I wish you the best to conquer it. Succumbing to hubris is a sad thing."

"I'm night fighting anything," She muttered. "I just need to finish this quest and who them what I can do." A cold shiver went down her spine as she looked around the area. Her head hurt like crazy and she still felt weak.

"Them? Who might them be?" Quintus asked.

Her gaze drifted to her hands. "A camper named Percy Jackson and those children of Hecate."

"Hecate? Her children have always been delightful people. What quarrel could you possibly have with them?" Quintus asked.

Her left shoulder twinged. "It's just everyone things they are all that but Athena is so much better." She blurted the words out, she didn't understand herself why she was saying it to this stranger.

Quintus chuckled. "I see. You feel like they have attention they don't deserve. Tell do you feel that you deserve the attention they have?"

She frowned. "What's it to you?"

The man sighed and shook his head. "Children of Athena often make the mistake of thinking they are the top of the world. Minor deities of Olympus such as Hecate don't take kindly to rudeness."

For once she didn't have a response. It may have been her situation but looking down at her bandaged body made her think of somethings deeply. "My mother is the best," she said softly.

"That I do not deny," Quintus said. "But offending a goddess no matter how great or small is never a good idea. I heard you mutter damn extras, was that what you called the children of Hecate?"

She glared at the bandages. "So."

Quintus sighed. "Young girl you have a lot to learn. To have such prejudices is never a good thing. Do you know many of Athena's children have been African American yet were treated like dirt in the US? Yet they have invented a great many things that are still used to this day. So why would you look down on others for their background?"

She thought of Quintus' words. As much as her heart didn't want to listen she knew deep down this had to end. "No one can compare to my mother," she said softly.

"Of course," Quintus said. "But does not give you a right to look on the mothers of other people, especially if they are gods." The man stood up, "If you wish to succeed on this quest I highly recommend you fix whatever drama you have with Hecate. Getting on her bad side is a good way to end up unalive."

Quintius' words weighed on her heart as she rested in bed. The strange man brought her some mortal food but left her alone as she rested on the metal surface.

Mother I want to complete this quest more than anything if I have disappointed you please forgive me. Yet her heart raced in her chest as she thought of Nemesis and Hecate and the idea that maybe she shouldn't have repeatedly said those thing about their children grew larger. If I need help now's the time. She had no where else to go and no one else to turn to. As much as she hated to admit it, she needed to apologize.

Swallowing her pride a shiver went down her spine as she slowly got up. "Do you need something?" Quintus asked.

She avoided his gaze. "I want to offer a sacrifice."

The man looked at her and nodded before going over to the table and hitting a few buttons. A flame emerged on the table. "There you go."

Her heart raced as she thought of what she could sacrifice but the her eyes drifted to her bag and she saw her baseball cap. Her body ached as she stood up and walked towards it, her legs and arms shook as she took the hat from her bag.

A part of her resisted but she knew gods would answer more to those that gave up something important to them.

Tears formed in her eyes as she approached the fire and held her baseball cap in her hands. Taking a deep breath she looked at the flames. "Lady Hecate Lady Nemesis forgive my insolence." She swallowed a lump of sorrow as tears formed in her eyes. "Please forgive me looking down on you both and your children. Please help me save the camp." With that she threw her hat into the flames.

A cold wind brushed through the night as Percy walked along the beach of the camp. We've done everything to the best of our ability. Taking a deep breath he looked out at the sea, the dark waters seemed to be calling out to him. Father please help us. If there is another battle on this front we'll your help.

"I've done all I kind," he said softly. "We'll do all we can to win."

"Shouldn't you be heading to bed?"

He turned around to see Medea her cloak fluttered in the wind along with her dark hair. "I know. I just wanted to calm my nerves a bit."

The two stared at the waves sharing a calm moment as they watched the water moving up and down the sand. "Thanks for your help," he said softly. "You and Circe have done a lot to help us."

"I know most would not trust us and frankly I wouldn't blame them," Medea said calmly. "I am a selfish person but I will always help my family."

He stared down at the waters. "Do you still think of them? The kids you had with Jason?"

Medea tensed up. "I do." She paused and looked at the waves. "I still hear their screams every so often and every time I see Jason's face and hear all the sweet words he said." She took a deep breath. "But Lady Hecate has shown me a new future. I'm a part of her family now and will do all I can to protect it."

He looked at her dark eyes and could see a mixture of sorrow and hope in them. "Well if it's any consolation I think Jason is a douche, you deserved better than him."

Medea laughed and smiled. "Thank you Percy Jackson." She sighed and looked out at the sea. "But I still have much to learn, my anger comes up occasionally and I cannot stand that name even to this day."

"Well I hope you can one day make peace with your past," he said calmly. "You've helped Hecate raise many of her children. I know you were a great mom."

Medea looked at him and smiled, he swore he could see her eyes beginning to water. "Thank you. Your mother raised a good son, not many heroes have as much empathy as you."

"It's nothing," he muttered as he looked out to the water.

That night he dreamed of that stadium again. Nico di Angelo was fighting a large red giant with long curly hair. The boy landed a few hits but the giant seemed unphased by them.

"You'll have to do better than that!" The giant laughed.

Nico di Angelo's body shook as he glared at the ground. Something was off about him, he seemed angry very angry. He slammed his sword into the ground causing it to shake. The red giant charged at Nico only to have various skeletal warriors emerge from the ground and lifted the giant up.

Nico then charged with his sword in hand and jumped at the giant. He landed his blade right in the monster's heart before removing his sword and repeatedly stabbing him. The red monster roared in pain as he turned into golden dust.

"Ghost King!"

"Ghost King!"

"Ghost King!"

The crowd shouted it over and over as Nico raised his sword in the sky. "For Kronos!" Nico's gaze was cold and steely just as he remembered from Hades.