Chapter 8: Riddles in the Dark
The Labyrinth Arc II
The air grew heavier with every step, the flickering light of Riptide casting long, distorted shadows along the jagged stone walls. It was as if the very air itself was pushing down on them, thickening with something unseen but ominously present. Percy's grip on Riptide tightened, while Thalia's eyes scanned their surroundings, her senses on high alert.
The tunnel opened suddenly, widening into a vast chamber. The jagged stone walls stretched upward, disappearing into darkness as the ceiling loomed high above them. The flickering light of Riptide barely reached the edges of the space, casting long, dancing shadows across the uneven floor. It was eerily quiet, the dark atmosphere amplifying the hollow echo of their footsteps.
The walls were torn apart by deep, jagged claw marks, carved into the stone with terrifying force. They stretched in chaotic patterns, some fresh enough that the edges still crumbled, as though the stone had been recently gouged.
Thalia's breath hitched as she traced the marks with her eyes. "These aren't from random fights," she muttered, her voice tight with dread. "It's all from..."
As if on cue, a low, predatory growl reverberated through the chamber. The sound seemed to crawl along the walls, rattling the stones themselves, and sent a chill skittering down their spines.
Percy's hand tightened around Thalia's, and she squeezed back instinctively. Neither of them spoke, but the silent exchange made it clear—they both felt the danger closing in.
From the shadows, a figure slowly emerged, first a pair of glowing, cold eyes, followed by the long, sleek form of a beast. Her body moved with an unsettling grace, muscles rippling beneath a coat of golden fur. Massive wings unfurled behind her, their dark feathers rustling as they scraped the stone floor.
Her claws—sharp and polished like onyx—clicked with every step. The air around her seemed to tighten, her presence a manifestation of menace and intellect.
It wasn't until she fully stepped into the dim light, her head held high, half-lion and half-woman, that the realization sank in.
"The Sphinx," Thalia whispered, her voice barely audible, but the creature's sharp ears twitched, catching every sound. Her cold, golden eyes locked onto Thalia.
A slow, chilling smile crept across her lips, but her form began to fade, melting back into the shadows.
"I see you know of me," her voice echoed from the darkness, smooth and sharp like a knife's edge. "But knowledge is not enough to survive here."
Thalia's eyes darted around the chamber, trying to track where the voice would come from next. "We didn't come for games."
"Games?" The voice seemed to surround them now, disembodied, impossible to place. "You entered the Labyrinth... did you really think you wouldn't have to play?"
Suddenly, she appeared—directly behind Thalia, wings spread wide. Thalia spun around, but the Sphinx was gone again, her laugh a low, haunting echo that filled the chamber.
Percy's heartbeat quickened, his instincts screaming at him to stay alert, to move, but the darkness itself seemed to close in, suffocating. "Where are you?" he muttered, his voice betraying the tension creeping into his bones.
"You will answer my riddles," the Sphinx's voice whispered close to Percy's ear, ignoring his question. He whipped around, Riptide raised, but she wasn't there. The chamber swallowed her whole, the shadows now alive with menace.
A bone-chilling pause, then she emerged from the gloom, now across the room, eyes locked onto them. Her claws scraped against the stone, deliberate and slow. "And should you fail... you will join those whose bones line the floor."
Thalia glanced down at the scattered remains, her breath shallow. The weight of the room felt heavier now, like the shadows themselves were pressing against her skin. "Do we have a choice?" Percy asked, his voice quieter, laced with unease.
The Sphinx vanished once more, her figure melting into the darkness. Her voice echoed from all around, wrapping itself around them. "No," she whispered. "But that's what makes this fun."
"Let's begin."
The room seemed to close in on them, the jagged stone walls amplifying her words as if the Labyrinth itself was hanging on her every syllable.
"I am the thread that binds the stars,
The force that pulls, no matter how far.
Heroes rise, yet cannot flee,
For I decide what is to be. What am I?"
Thalia's brow furrowed as the weight of the riddle settled over them. The answer lingered on her tongue, but for a moment, the silence stretched, thick with dread.
In the darkness, a pair of glowing eyes slowly appeared, locking onto them with predatory hunger. The Sphinx was watching—waiting for the kill.
Thalia's heart pounded, but she took a breath, steeling herself. "Fate," she said, her voice steady.
The eyes blinked out of existence, and the large room grew still once more.
"Correct," the Sphinx purred, her tone unreadable. "But we are far from finished."
They could feel the Sphinx's presence shift in the darkness, her voice curling through the chamber like smoke. She seemed to be one with the shadows, her form blending with the darkness.
"Let us see how you fare with this one," she whispered, her tone colder, sharper. The air thickened, and the sense of being watched returned, prickling at their skin.
"I am the weight that burdens the heart,
The hollow ache when loved ones part.
I linger long after the tears have dried,
What remains when hope has died. What am I?"
The silence that followed was suffocating. Percy's breath hitched, the words digging deep into a wound he rarely acknowledged. For a moment, he couldn't answer. The memory of Annabeth's choice—to join the Hunt, to leave him behind—seemed to pulse in the air between them.
Thalia, sensing his struggle, squeezed his hand tightly. It was a silent gesture, but it spoke volumes. She could feel the tension in his fingers, the weight of everything he was holding back. Her grip anchored him, offering a strength he wasn't sure he had in that moment.
As the seconds stretched, those glowing eyes appeared again, closer this time, burning with anticipation. The Sphinx's claws scraped against the stone, the sound like nails on a chalkboard.
Thalia's gaze flicked toward Percy, her voice low and urgent. "Percy?"
He swallowed hard, the word heavy in his throat. "Loss," he answered finally, his voice barely more than a whisper.
The eyes blinked out again, the threat momentarily passing.
For a long, heavy moment, there was only silence. Thalia could feel it, the way the Sphinx's gaze seemed to pierce through the shadows, reading her doubts, sensing her hesitation. Thalia knew the next riddle wouldn't just be a question. It would be aimed at her, at the very core of what she'd been wrestling with for so long.
The Sphinx's voice, soft yet cutting, broke the stillness.
Thalia's pulse quickened. She wasn't ready. Not for this.
"What once was held with hands of gold,
Now crumbles, cracks, and turns to cold.
An unearned trust, now seen as lies,
A promise broken, ignored from high.
What am I?"
Her brow furrowed, the meaning not immediately clear. It was a riddle, but it felt more like a reflection—something deeper, more personal, lurking just beneath the surface. She knew there was an answer, but it eluded her like a shadow slipping out of reach. What could it mean? What promise had been broken? What trust hadn't been earned?
The Sphinx's glowing eyes flickered in the darkness, growing brighter as the silence stretched. Her claws tapped rhythmically against the stone, each sound echoing like a countdown.
She felt Percy's hand tighten around hers, his grip firm but uncertain. When she glanced at him, his face reflected her own confusion, but there was something else too—a supportive look that told her he was there, even if he didn't know the answer. His grip, solid and warm, gave her just enough to hold on to, helping her think through the panic rising inside.
Thalia's mind raced. The gods? Could it be them? Her mind kept circling back to that idea, but she pushed it away. No. It couldn't be.
Her breathing became shallow as she tried to focus, but the riddle gnawed at her. The trust wasn't just about someone else—it felt too close, too real. Slowly, the cracks began to show.
Luke. He had once believed too. And then... the gods had done nothing, left him to spiral, to betray them all. The thought chilled her. She tried to push it aside, but it only made the answer harder to find. The gods had promised to protect their children, to defend what was good, right? But how many times had they failed?
Her throat tightened. The riddle twisted in her mind, unraveling something deeper—her own doubts.
The Sphinx's glowing eyes suddenly sharpened, her voice a hiss from the shadows. "The answer, daughter of Zeus."
Thalia blinked, panic welling up inside her. "I... I need more time."
The Sphinx's eyes narrowed, glowing with dangerous intensity. For a brief, agonizing moment, it seemed like she might refuse. "Very well." the Sphinx hissed, her voice dripping with venom. "The gods would grant you nothing, not even a second thought. Yet here I am, offering you more mercy than they ever will."
Her presence lingered, her glowing eyes still locked onto Thalia, giving her no space to breathe. The pressure mounted, suffocating. Thalia closed her eyes, trying to force herself to think.
The gods… they hadn't failed just Luke, but her too, hadn't they? When she made her final stand, sacrificing herself for her friends. She was all alone when she needed them the most. And they had abandoned her.
Her pulse pounded in her ears. The unearned trust in the riddle, the broken promise… It wasn't just about Luke. It was about her, her own belief in the gods. Her loyalty. The more she thought about it, the more she knew her faith was crumbling.
The gods had promised so much, and yet, time and time again, they had done nothing. Slowly, painfully, the pieces fell into place, each one cutting deeper than the last. The answer had been there all along, buried beneath layers of denial.
The Sphinx's eyes gleamed, sensing Thalia's growing doubt.
Her voice trembled when she finally spoke. "Loyalty," she whispered, the word slipping from her lips like a confession she didn't want to make.
The Sphinx's eyes flashed with satisfaction. "Correct," she purred. "But the time you needed speaks volumes, doesn't it?"
Thalia's heart sank, the weight of the realization pressing heavily on her. The gods she had fought for… was that loyalty even there anymore?
The Sphinx's eyes gleamed with dark anticipation as she paced slowly, circling them like a predator ready to strike. "And now, for your final test," she whispered, her voice smooth but laced with danger.
Her gaze flicked to Thalia's wrist, where the delicate, shimmering thread of the bracelet seemed to glow faintly in the dim light. The air thickened, the weight of the riddle pressing in before the words even left the Sphinx's mouth.
"A single thread, spun tight and thin,
The key to fate that lies within.
Yet cut it once, the thread unspools,
a future lost, to fate's cruel rule.
What am I?"
Thalia's fingers instinctively brushed the bracelet on her wrist, feeling the delicate thread woven around it. The weight of the riddle settled over her like a shroud, heavier than any of the others. This was different—she knew the answer was tied to her, to the thread that the Fates themselves had given her. But the meaning slipped away from her, just out of reach.
She stared at the bracelet, her mind racing. The Fates had warned her, hadn't they? That this thread would guide her through time, that her choices were bound to it. But this riddle hinted at something darker, something she hadn't considered. Cut it once, the threads unspool. The words felt dangerous, like a truth she wasn't ready to face. What did the Sphinx mean by that? What could happen if this thread was severed?
The Sphinx's glowing eyes narrowed as Thalia's silence stretched on. Her claws continued to tap against the stone floor.
Thalia's heart raced. The Fates had given her the thread for a reason—something about her fate, her role in the prophecy. She knew it was important, that it held power. But to cut it? To sever the thread? What did that even mean?
She glanced at Percy, his eyes full of concern but no answers. He couldn't help her this time.
The Sphinx leaned forward slightly, her eyes gleaming. "The thread you hold is more fragile than you think, demigod," she hissed, her voice slithering through the air. "It binds your fate, but it can break just as easily."
Thalia's grip tightened on Percy's hand, her thoughts spinning. The thread held the key to her future—a future lost, to fate's cruel rule. Could it mean… could it mean she was destined to fail?
But the answer—she didn't know the answer. She couldn't piece it together, not in time. The Sphinx's words kept twisting in her mind, but no matter how she tried to unravel them, the truth stayed hidden.
Her voice faltered as she looked back at the Sphinx. "I… I don't know, bracelet?" she tried, the weight of her own helplessness sinking in.
"Wrong." She Sphinx gleamed.
The moment Thalia admitted defeat, the Sphinx lunged forward with terrifying speed. Her wings spread wide, casting massive shadows that swallowed the chamber in darkness as she struck, claws aimed directly at them, her golden eyes burning with predatory intent.
Percy reacted on instinct and yanked Thalia behind him. The Sphinx's first swipe came fast, her claws slicing through the air with a deadly precision. Percy blocked it with Riptide, but the force of the blow reverberated up his arm, sending him staggering back. The sheer strength of the Sphinx was overwhelming, and his mind raced as he tried to regain his balance.
Thalia recovered quickly, planting her feet firmly as she summoned a bolt of lightning from her spear. The crack of thunder split the air, the chamber briefly illuminated in a blinding flash. She hurled the lightning straight at the Sphinx. It struck the creature's wing, the force of it reverberating through the stone walls.
But the Sphinx merely growled in annoyance, shaking off the attack as though it were nothing more than an inconvenience. Her eyes glowed brighter, her claws digging into the stone floor, preparing for her next move.
Then, with a flick of her wings, the Sphinx disappeared into the shadows, her form melting into the darkness as if she had never been there at all. The silence that followed was suffocating. Percy and Thalia stood back to back, scanning the chamber, their eyes darting across the dark corners, waiting for her next strike.
Without warning, the Sphinx reappeared, her form materializing, her claws slashing toward Percy. He barely had time to react. He turned, raising Riptide to block the blow, but the force sent him crashing into the stone wall, the impact knocking the wind out of him.
Thalia was left standing alone, her heart racing. The Sphinx's eyes locked onto her, cold and calculating, as if she were toying with her prey. Thalia gripped her spear, sparks of electricity crackling at the tip, and lashed out with everything she had.
The Sphinx dodged easily, her form slipping into the shadows once again, reappearing behind Thalia with predatory grace. Each time the Sphinx attacked, she disappeared just as quickly, her claws grazing Thalia as she barely had enough time to dive out of the way. The game she played was psychological as much as physical, her unpredictability only heightening the fear and tension.
Thalia's heart raced as the Sphinx circled her, disappearing into the shadows and reappearing with a cruel gleam in her eyes. The creature was playing with her, testing her limits. Out of desperation, Thalia darted toward where Percy had been thrown, her pulse pounding in her ears.
Thalia reached Percy just as he staggered to his feet, his breath labored, Riptide nowhere to be seen. The Sphinx was circling them again, its glowing eyes watching with cold calculation, ready to strike at any moment.
Before she could summon another bolt of lightning, a sudden, urgent voice sliced through the air.
"This way!" The voice was sharp, commanding.
Thalia spun around, startled, and saw him—Theseus. His ghostly form glowed faintly, casting just enough light to illuminate a narrow passage hidden between the jagged stone walls. His entire figure flickered, but the glow around him was steady, urgent.
"Now!" Theseus barked, pointing to the passage, the glow highlighting its edges.
The Sphinx let out a snarl of frustration, sensing their chance to escape. But Thalia sent another bolt of lightning that hit the Sphinx in her chest, momentarily stunning her. Percy grabbed Thalia's hand, and without a word, they sprinted toward the glowing figure of Theseus and the exit beyond him.
The Sphinx quickly recovered and lunged, her claws whistling through the air, inches from catching Percy as they reached the exit. The light around Theseus flickered, but it stayed strong, guiding them as they ducked into the tight opening.
Thalia glanced back just in time to see the Sphinx's massive form clawing at the walls, her enraged growl echoing through the chamber. She was too large to fit through, her eyes blazing with fury as she realized they were slipping away.
The passage was narrow, barely wide enough for them to slip through, the rough stone scraping against their arms as they forced their way inside. Percy's heart pounded in his ears, every breath sharp and ragged. Thalia's hand gripped his tightly as he led the way, the faint glow of Theseus lighting their path through the twisting passage.
Behind them, the Sphinx's furious roars echoed, her claws raking against the stone in a futile attempt to follow. The narrow gap had sealed their escape, but the sound of her frustration reverberated.
As they continued to follow the glow of Theseus, their only guide through the darkness the sound of the Sphinx faded into memory. But suddenly, just as quickly as it had appeared, the glow began to flicker, then fade. Thalia's eyes widened as the light grew dimmer, the figure of Theseus dissolving into the shadows.
"Wait—" Percy muttered, but it was too late. The glow of Theseus flickered one last time before vanishing completely, plunging them into darkness. Thalia stopped abruptly, her hand still gripping Percy's tightly. The sudden quiet felt heavy, broken only by the sound of their rapid breathing.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The closeness between them was almost palpable in the pitch-black passage, and the weight of everything that had just happened seemed to hang in the air. Percy could feel the warmth of Thalia's hand, her fingers still locked with his, grounding him in the darkness.
"Thalia?" he whispered, his voice low, unsure of what to say. He couldn't see her, but he could feel her presence—steady, right beside him.
"Yeah," she breathed, her voice barely audible, as if anything louder would shatter the fragile moment. Her thumb brushed lightly against his hand, a small gesture of reassurance, but it sent a warmth through him that cut through the cold of the Labyrinth.
For a brief second, the chaos of the fight melted away. All that mattered was that they were both here, alive, together.
"We're okay," she said softly, though it sounded more like she was reminding herself.
Percy gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Yeah. We're okay."
The moment lingered, quiet and still, until finally, Percy shifted. "We need light," he murmured, almost reluctantly. He released her hand and reached for Riptide, the familiar glow of the sword flickering to life, chasing away the darkness.
It took me a loooooong time to come up with those riddles holy crap. I'm curious if any of you tried solving them yourselves before reading and finding out the answer! Does anyone think Thalia would have gotten the last question right if she had more time? What could the answer have been? My goal of this chapter was to force some inner reflection on Thalia and Percy in a high-stakes, intense situation while at the same time reinforcing the reoccurring themes that are developing in this fic.
I think the Labyrinth arc is going to be about 7 parts so we are moving right along. There are a lot of exciting things planned so stay tuned!
Thank you for all of your support in getting this story over 100 follows! I really appreciate it!
Review Responses:
Rexus Draconoid: I'm happy that you're so happy for an update! I think Percy and Thalia needed a gentle push to get them to bring down their walls that they had up ;) Glad it worked out good!
godric777: Thank you for loving it! With Perlia fics, I think there are three solid ways you can go about it. One is having it take place before Thalia becomes a huntress in TTC. The second is if you establish a premise so that Thalia either leaves the hunt or wants to leave the hunt (for whatever reason) and have Percy play a big role in that decision. Or third is just an AU where for whatever reason Thalia never got the chance to be a hunter (ie this fic). Their dynamic is fun to write because I view it as both explosive but also intimate in a way just because the two are so loyal, and once they become super loyal to each other, like what is happening here, that is where the fun really begins ;) Good luck with your fic, whatever it is, it'll be awesome and I will definitely read it!
SD2901: Glad you picked up on her pride! And boy you are in no way going to be disappointed with the horror aspect of the maze, the Sphinx gives such an opportunity to create psychologically intense and scary environment. There is also some pretty spooky stuff coming up the next few chapters...
ImHellaUgly: I love reading your long reviews and the depth and thought you put into it. I definitely see what you're saying about Percy's strength. I think it's super important for Thalia that he is strong for her, kinda like what we saw in this chapter where he reassured her with a hand squeeze that helped her answer one of the riddles. I like your idea with about their dynamic with how powerful they are, I'll be sure to pepper that in throughout the fic, thank you for your review!
Altemar Gaviao: Welcome to the fic! I sent you a pm on how to copy and paste the story into Word so you should be good to go!
GrayValkyrie: Thanks a ton! There is definitely going to be more cuteness in this fic even though the world is coming to an end!
merendinoemiliano: Thank you for reading! Hope you liked this update.
JoJo: You got some pretty good intuition on where the story is going! Gotta keep on reading to see where it goes ;)
Guest: Thank you Guest!
Guest: The fun thing about the prophecy is that it doesn't necessarily say that the events of the prophecy will happen right when Thalia turns 16, it just says that a demigod who turns 16 will be what the prophecy is about! I've been playing with that idea here, but don't worry! If you stay with me till the end, all of it will make sense!
A Plump Hutt: *thumbs up!*
Khatchmaster2: It is really tempting just to make them kiss and essentially be boyfriend/girlfriend, but you are so right! I've even felt some suspense writing this wondering when they are finally going to get together haha. The longer the buildup the better it'll be when it happens, right?
Vini666: That is a really good point that I hadn't really considered before. That's a lot on one plate for mentally being just 13 years old, poor Thalia!
magocrat777: Thanks for the review! Glad you're enjoying it, I'm doing my best to make it worth reading haha