Chapter 26: I Bungee Jump in a Library

Percy fingered Riptide nervously as Carter's voice echoed around the small room. It reminded him of a high school locker room, invoking memories of when he and Tyson had teamed up to beat the Laistrygonian Giants in a dodgeball game. The stakes were slightly higher here, instead of just death it was death and the collapse of the Kane dynasty. He tuned back in as the Pharaoh was finishing up his spiel.

"...hostages are a priority, as are the lower sections of the library. They're under lock and key, but if they get access then there is all sorts of powerful magic and untapped potential for them to exploit down there. Trust each other, trust the gods, and let's show them who they're messing with. Ooh-rah on three. One…two…three…"

"OOH-RAH!" The assembled magicians roared in response, causing Scarlett, whose eyes had slowly but surely slipped closed as the speech had worn on, to shoot back up in a start.

"Kick ass time?" she asked groggily.

"Language," he chided.

"Sorry, kick booty time?"

"Ooh-rah," Percy replied with a smile, glancing up as Carter and Amara made their way over to the three Greek demigods sitting behind them.

"I would like to reiterate," Carter lectured, "That in all likelihood this is a trap, and we are walking straight into it."

"Well," Percy reasoned, looking back at Scarlett, "At least we know we're walking into a trap this time."

Scarlett frowned, "I was just following you. It's not my fault you keep walking into traps."

"It doesn't matter if it's a trap," Axel scolded, "Our friends are in there. We need to get them back."

Percy nodded and looked back at Carter expectantly, "So what's the plan?"

Carter's jaw slackened and he glanced at Amara in disbelief before turning his attention back to Percy, "Did you not listen to anything I just said?"

"You were waffling on a bit," Percy admitted.

Carter sighed, "Don't worry about the plan. My guard will lead the way. Once we're inside, just focus on getting your friends back."

"That's all I needed to hear," Percy replied with a grin, "What about the crocodiles?"

"I appreciate you bringing them here," Carter admitted, "But the library is too tight to bring them without causing some serious damage. They are going to stay here with Khufu and help protect Zia."

"I thought the Chief Lector is supposed to be the most powerful magician," Axel said, frowning, "Why isn't she coming with us?"

Carter's eyes darkened, "Because this civil war was brought about as a result of long-standing hatred for Zia and her past. They hate her far more than they hate me, and she will be the target of any assassination attempts."

"You aren't worried for your safety?" Percy inquired.

Carter's face lightened and he cracked a small smile, "That's what I have you for right. Every Greek I've ever met talks about you in the same breath as Heracles."

Percy scowled, "That's unfortunate."

Carter frowned and looked like he was about to press more but before he could one of the guards stepped forward to interrupt.

"Your majesty, forces are in position. We await your command."

"Then it is time," Carter stated defiantly, his eyes flashing, "Time to win back our city. Inch by inch if we have to."

The Greek demigods followed Carter and Amara as they exited the small room to find the palace guard rolling out a set of Egyptian style chariots, being led by white horses.

"I thought you said the library was too narrow for the crocs?" Percy questioned, "These aren't going to fit either."

"These are just to break through the outer defences," Carter replied, "Which you would know if you had been paying attention."

Percy pouted and turned to Amara, "Is he always this mean?"

Amara giggled, "Um…no…normally he is quite nice."

"Ah," Percy mused, "He must be jealous of my ravishingly good looks I guess."

Now Amara blushed, "Um…yeah…that must be it."

As Carter went to take his place in the lead chariot, Amara led the three demigods to one of the rear ones. As they approached Percy stepped up and rubbed the horse's mane.

"And how are you doing today?" he asked the horse, whose eyes widened in shock as it processed that it could fully understand what Percy was saying.

"You can speak to me?" It asked.

"I am a son of Poseidon, part of the job description," Percy explained, and took a step back in surprise when the horse lowered itself to the ground, bowing to him.

"It is an honour to be in your service, my lord."

Amara raised an eyebrow, "You talk to horses as well? Is there anything you can't do?"

Percy rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Y'know I've really been meaning to pick up juggling but I just haven't found the time."

"Discover humility," Scarlett called from her position on the chariot, "We keep praying someday he'll stumble into it."

"Unlikely," Axel added, as he took his spot next to the daughter of Hades.

"Well hardy har har," Percy shot back, "Look at you two, comedians all of a sudden."

"If you can talk to horses," Amara interrupted, "I assume you can drive a chariot?"

Percy winked at her, causing her to blush once more, "Like you said, there's nothing I can't do." And with that he swung up onto the chariot, slapping Scarletts hands away from the reins as she pouted.

"I'll see you in the fight," Amara told them, pulling a helmet forged into the shape of a falcon head over her face, "Good luck!"

With that the magician made her way towards the chariot to the right of Carters, and Percy realised that almost all of the soldiers were wearing similar falcon helmets, apart from Carter himself who wore an elaborate crown.

"They big into birds or something?" Percy asked, glancing around at Axel and Scarlett to see if they had any answers while donning his own helmet to complete his ice armour.

Axel shrugged, clearly disinterested, but Scarlett cocked her head to the side, as though she was listening to a voice in her head. Which…y'know she probably was.

"The Pharaoh is the embodiment of the Egyptian god Horus in the mortal realm. He has the head of a falcon, so the Pharaohs guard imitate him and demonstrate their loyalty to the Pharaoh by wearing those helmets." She answered after a moment.

"Which one of the demons told you that?" Percy asked.

"Lucifer."

"Yeah well tell Lucifer he's a nerd," And with a firm flick of the reins the chariot roared into action, hot on the trail of the other chariots as Carter raised the war cry. The ten or so chariots locked into a neat formation, with Carter at the front and Percy pulling up the rear. His first experience with chariot racing hadn't been the best, mainly because Tantalus had been camp director at the time, but since he had explored his connection with horses more he had noticed that it was a lot of enjoyable. They responded much faster to his commands, and perhaps as a result of that he felt as though he had much greater control over the chariot as a whole.

Axel unsheathed his daggers, using the blunt side of one to sharpen the edge of the other, "Where do you think Jett is?"

Percy frowned, "I don't know, but it's concerning that he isn't with them."

"After we get Alice and Thalia back," he warned, "I'm not gonna stop looking for him."

Percy turned and met his eyes, icy blue squaring off against brown, "You told me back in Brooklyn that even if we weren't friends, we were still family. Jett might piss me off, but he's still family. However deep down the rabbit hole we need to go, I'm by your side."

Axel's face was unreadable for a moment, his eyes searching Percys for any sign that the son of Poseidon was just pandering to him. When he found nothing but truth his face softened, "Who are you bro?" he asked with a laugh, "Jett goaded you into a fight yesterday, tried to embarrass you in front of camp, and you're already willing to risk your life to get him back."

Percy shrugged, "We're all demigods, we're all messed up in some way. Especially kids of the Big Three," his gaze flicked to Scarlett, "There's a burden that comes with that parentage that weighs on you. I might think Jetts an asshole, but I understand what made him an asshole, y'know?"

Axel's eyes lowered, and he mindlessly began sharpening his blades again. "I'm worried about him," he finally admitted, "This is his first quest, his first chance to prove himself. I'm worried about what he might do or have done to try and make a name for himself."

Percy tensed, "What do you mean?"

Axel's fingers drummed against the flat of his blade, "If he tried to be the hero…tried to break out. What if he's not there because they killed him?"

Percy reached out and put his hand on Axel's shoulder, "Jett might be annoying, but he's not an idiot. If he is as strong a demigod as you believe he is, then have a little trust."

Axel sighed but nodded, and sent an appreciative glance Percy's way.

"So," Scarlett said, "What kinda juicy gossip are we gonna get from the library?"

"Hopefully some answers to lingering questions. I've gotten a lot of information about the Annunaki from a lot of different sources, I'm hoping that there will be information in there that helps straighten out part of the story."

"What do you know so far?" Axel asked.

Percy wondered how much he should share with the son of Ares, but everything Axel had done since they had worked together in the trash compactor had given Percy no reason not to trust him. If he was about to fight alongside him, back to back, he had to be willing to have a little faith in him.

"Enlil is king," he explained, "And when the Protegnoi overthrew the Anunnaki Enlil was imprisoned offworld. But someone else was supposedly king before him, Marduk. Marduk had fallen in love with a mortal, and when Enlil wiped out the First Men, he wiped out Marduk's wife and child. Marduk and Enlil fought, Marduk lost, but Enlil was weakened enough that he had to leave. Once he left his ability to return was cut off, and the other Annunaki were sealed away in prisons around the Earth. This cult seems determined to bring Enlil back, and make him king of the Earth once more, but in order to do that they need to wake up the Annunaki currently imprisoned. They plan to start in Antarctica, and use Alice to do it."

"So when Enlil beat Marduk he became king?" Axel asked.

"No, I think Enlil was already king."

"So how did he become king if Marduk was still alive?"

"That's question one I'm hoping to get answered."

"How are they gonna bring him back?"

"That's question two."

"How strong is this Enlil guy?"

Percy glanced back at the son of Ares, "Terrifying."

Axel's eyebrows shot up, "How do you know?"

"A Primordial told me…and I witnessed it in a dream."

"I'd tell you a dream is just a dream…" Axel muttered, "But I'm a demigod so I know better. You met a Primordial."

Percy nodded, "Chronos, embodiment of time. In my dream he was a servant to the Annunaki, and pledged himself to their service after they saved his life."

"Did he tell you how to beat them?"

Percy laughed, "He told me we were doomed. And that any effort to fight them would be done in vain."

Axel paled, "A Primordial told you that…and you're still trying to fight?"

Percy shrugged, "You rather I sit back and watch the world go up in flames?"

"Haven't you been through enough shit?" Axel questioned, "Aren't you ready to just retire and call it quits?"

Percy went silent for a moment as he pondered the question. He lived through two wars, being at the centre of two potentially world ending prophecies. If anyone had the right to sit one out it was him. But a nagging feeling in his gut told him that just wasn't possible. "My fatal flaw," he finally answered, "My sense of loyalty won't let me sit by while my friends and family need my help."

"Holy shit," Axel muttered, "You're better than the stories, and the stories are crazy."

"What do you mean?"

Axel let out a chuckle, "When I was young at camp they would tell us stories. Your stories. Of a demigod who arrived at camp by killing the Minotaur, and at twelve years old took on a quest to get back Zeus' Master Bolt and free his mother from the Underworld. A guy who fought the God of War as a kid, and won. You sailed through the Sea of Monsters, navigated the labyrinth, united the two camps. You fought so many titans, giants and monsters that it started to feel repetitive. You went into Tartarus, a place that even gods fear, and you fought your way out. And when old campers would tell the stories of you, like Clarisse, they just said what a great guy you were. What a great friend you were. 'He was the greatest demigod who ever lived,' they would say, 'and he was the best friend someone could ask for'. I mean I thought that was so cringe. It felt so fake, like the only reason they were saying it was because you were dead, and it's rude to speak ill of the dead. But then I actually meet you and you're just this straight up solid dude. You come back after twenty years, someone at camp said you were locked in ice or something, and you're just straight back to the grind, taking everything in stride. I was always a little jealous of you but now I know you and…I don't know…I'm not jealous anymore I guess. What you've been through…what you've accomplished…what you've lost. I just wish you had the chance to sit back and enjoy the world you fought so hard to protect."

Percy was speechless for a moment. He was mostly stunned that Clarisse had called him the best friend someone could ask for, but aside from that it was so strange seeing how the demigods of this generation viewed him. Everyone wants to leave some sort of legacy, and for his legacy to be so positive overwhelmed him. He took a deep breath and smiled at Axel.

"What can I say…jobs not finished."

Axel laughed, but Scarlett then stepped forward and starting speaking, "I anticipate with pleasing expectation that retreat in which I promise myself to realise, without alloy, the sweet enjoyment of partaking, in the midst of my fellow-citizens, the benign influence of good laws under a free government, the ever-favourite object of my heart, and the happy reward, as I trust, of our mutual cares, labours, and dangers."

Percy and Axel both whirled in her direction, confusion written all over their faces.

She shrugged, "Lucifer said that was George Washington's farewell address, and that you're like the George Washington of demigods. You deserve to retire and enjoy what you helped build."

Percy smiled, "Well tell Lucifer that he is very kind, but this is definitely not helping him shake the whole being a nerd thing." To which Axel nodded in fervent agreement.

Scarlett cocked her head to the side before laughing, "Lucifer says you guys are just upset that combined you have a third-grade reading level."

"I have dyslexia," Percy snapped, but was interrupted from arguing any further when the sound of an explosion ahead caught their attention. One of the chariots had been sent sprawling as an onslaught of spells arched toward the formation. "Evasive manoeuvres," Percy yelled, yanking the reins and sending them barreling off to the side. Axel and Scarlett gripped the rails in order to remain steady as Percy swerved between the larger attacks, before sending them charging into the ranks of the magicians lined up in front of a large and elaborate building.

"I'm guessing this is the library." Axel yelled.

Percy handed the reins to Scarlett, "Follow Carter, leave the fighting to us."

Scarlett frowned, "I want to help. I want to fight."

"If you want to help, don't crash," Percy ordered, sending her a stern glare as he grabbed his shield and leapt from the side of the chariot, diving into the magician's ranks and uncapping Riptide as he did so.

The first magician swung at him with a curved sword, which Percy batted away with ease. He slammed the magician's face with his shield and they staggered backwards, clutching their bloody nose. He rolled away from the fireball of another before coming face to face with an enormous bear. It stood at at least twice his height, and its claws were as long as daggers.

"What's up Winnie the Pooh? Any chance you speak horse?"

The bear growled and swung at him with one of its enormous paws, forcing Percy to roll away to avoid the blow.

"I guess not. Unfortunately I'm fresh out of honey, any chance we could do like an IOU kinda thing?"

The bear leapt on top of him, knocking him to the ground and sending Riptide spinning one way and his shield another. The bear attempted to bite his head but Percy grabbed its lower jaw and redirected it into the concrete to the left of his face. Folding his legs underneath him Percy kicked up with as force as he could muster, rolling as he did so, and sent the bear flying over his head and into the ranks of the magicians behind him.

"Bears these days are so impatient for their honey," Percy groaned, and he staggered to his feet, "Bears in my day knew the value of an IOU. Your word was your bond."

The bear, significantly angrier now than it had been a moment before, charged him like a bull. As the bear bore down on him it stood up and swung one of its massive arms towards Percy like a punch. Percy ducked under the swing, feeling the claw's glance of his helmet, and responded with a right hook of his own, hitting the bear square in the belly and sending it staggering back.

"Oh you wanna go for a few rounds Baloo? I've fought shits bigger than you."

He rolled away from the next punch and drove his arm into the bear's side, causing it to howl in pain and swing blindly. The blow caught Percy unaware and knocked him off his feet, causing him to clear a good ten feet before he smacked back into the ground.

"Those shits smelled better too," Percy groaned as he got to his feet, spitting out some blood.

The bear roared in defiance, but approached Percy slower this time, eyeing him up.

"Oh so you're a smart bear now? What are you upset about the nicknames? How about Smokey Bear? That way you can fuck off to the mountains and I never have to see you again."

The bear swung with his right, and Percy went to duck it before coming face to face with the bear's left paw as he realised too late it had been a feint. The blow knocked Percy's helmet clean off and forced Percy to stagger back. Just as his eyesight stopped vibrating from the blow he saw the next one flying towards his face and dove to the ground, rolling away to try and create some space between them. But now the bear sensed its advantage, and charged him once more. It raised its paw in a fist and brought it slamming down on Percy's head. Unable to escape, Percy brought his hand up and grabbed it, relying on pure strength to keep the bear from caving his head in. The bear tried with its other paw and all of a sudden Percy was in a wrestling contest with a bear twice his size. As they were wrestling though the bear opened one of its paws, and scraped it across Percy's cheek as he struggled to push it back. He felt the skin tear and blood begin dribbling down the side of his face.

"Of course you're a magic bear," he grimaced, "Why wouldn't you be a magic bear."

The bear growled and tried snapping at Percy's face, but Percy snapped his head to the side and headbutted the creature in response. The bear seemed surprised by this and loosened the force of its punches, allowing Percy to drive towards the bear and land an uppercut to its chin, sending it staggering.

"Float like a butterfly…" Percy yelled as he dodged between the flailing arms and felt the familiar feeling of a ballpoint pen in his pocket.

He fished the pen out of his pocket and uncapped it, rolling between the bear's legs and impaling it from behind with the full length of the celestial bronze blade. "...sting like a bee."

The bear let out a primal scream before shattering into clay pieces, surprising Percy as he had expected the typical golden dust like he got from most monsters.

"Huh, must be an Egyptian thing," he muttered to himself, before remembering he was in the middle of a fight and was surrounded by enemy forces. That is, until he looked around and found that the last of the enemy forces were retreating into the library from the onslaught of the palace guard, and most importantly Carter, who had summoned a glowing blue twenty-feet-tall hawk-headed warrior with a blade of energy. "Holy shit, I gotta get me one of those."

He headed over to the Pharaoh, stopping quickly to pick up his shield, whose avatar faded as the library doors were sealed shut by the retreating forces. "So is that like your hulk? He only comes out when you're angry?"

Carter rolled his eyes. "That was too easy," he warned, "I feel more and more certain about this being a trap."

"Well come on my fearless mouse, spring it for me."

Carter motioned towards the door and a few of the palace guards moved forward to try and open it. They struggled for a moment but suddenly it vibrated gently, with the vibration emanating from the centre of the doors throughout the building. "They're sealing it with magic," Carter cried, running up to the door and gliding his hand across the entrance, "It's spreading across the building. If we don't hurry we'll be locked out. Open it at once!"

The guards continued to pull at the doors while others began whispering counter spells, only causing the doors to vibrate further as what had been a live and active battlefield dissolved into who spoke more convincingly to the inanimate door. Percy was growing frustrated with the spectacle, and was about to step forward to help, when Scarlett appeared at his side and grabbed his hand.

"Trust me," she told him, and Percy didn't think twice as she began running straight towards one of the walls. It was only a couple feet out that Percy began to really question the decision, but held tight to Scarlett's hand as she dove headfirst into a shadow. Percy hadn't shadow travelled in a while, and the speed at which the shadows ripped past him, tugging at his face so hard he was worried it was going to peel off, was both exhilarating and terrifying, but as soon as it began it was over.

He was thrown out of a new set of shadows and crashed into a bookcase, groaning as a row of heavy, encyclopaedic looking volumes came tumbling down on his head. This was almost immediately followed by the sounds of shouting and footsteps hurrying over to him. He sighed, "Can't I just catch a break for like 5 minutes?"

He uncapped Riptide and shot to his feet, meeting the curved blade of one of the magicians and shoving them back into the oncoming crowd. He glanced back to the shadow he had exited from, looking for Scarlett, but the daughter of Hades had vanished.

"Typical," he laughed, turning back and letting his reflexes take over as he was swarmed by a mix of magicians and Annunaki cult fighters. He didn't have to beat them, he just had to get to the doors. Using his shield as a battering ram he charged into one of the Annunaki fighters, keenly aware that any blows from them would likely bounce off his armour or skin. The force of his charge carried them towards two massive ornate doors, mirrors of the doors they had been looking at from the outside. Magicians, just as they had been on the outside, were whispering spells and drawing hieroglyphics, trying to seduce the incredibly sexy door as well as they could. When Percy appeared though their concentration broke, and just as they turned to focus their attention on the son of Poseidon the doors shot open and the forces of the Pharaoh charged inside.

That had clearly not been part of the plan for the Annunaki and the rebels, as the scene in the library devolved into chaos. Percy had to stay his blade a couple times before he accidentally lopped one of the palace guards' heads off. He was carried by the mass of bodies, all of them screaming curses or swinging blades at one another, towards a railing. Before he could stop himself a particularly large cult member was pushed into him, and Percy found himself in free fall for a moment over the edge before his hand shot out and caught hold of the railing. He hung, suspended by the grip of his one arm, and took in the incredible view that lay beneath him.

The library was an architectural marvel, spiralling down into the bowels of the earth, revealing level upon level of shelves and alcoves. Each step descended into a world of forgotten texts, hidden scrolls, and the accumulated knowledge of generations. The shelves were adorned with artefacts of every conceivable size and shape, from delicate papyrus scrolls to massive, leather-bound grimoires. A soft, ethereal lighting bathed the library, casting a warm glow on Percy's face despite the harsh sounds of battle occurring above him. When he looked up, he found himself face to face with a magnificent domed ceiling that unfolded above him like a celestial canvas. The domed expanse portrayed the gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt. Ra, the sun god, stretched across the zenith, his radiant rays casting a golden glow across the library. Horus, the falcon-headed deity that Scarlett had mentioned earlier, soared majestically. There were plenty of others, but Percy's knowledge of Egyptian mythos ended there, and he quickly shook himself from his stupor and began pulling himself back towards the safety of the balcony he found himself hanging from.

The rebel forces were in full retreat now, escaping to the lower depths of the library where Percy assumed they had set up sterner defences. The chaos began to clear up and Carter and Amara appeared in front of him. "Our forces are going to follow us and set up a perimeter, as well as clear out the levels we pass through for any stragglers," Carter told him, "The information you're looking for will be in the lowest levels, if I were a betting man then I'd guess that's where the people you're looking for are."

"They will probably have traps!" Amara warned, "It could take a while."

Percy frowned. He wanted to get there as fast as possible, and the sooner he knew what floor they were on the better. He looked over Carter's shoulder at the soldiers and saw Axel approaching but no sign of a certain daughter of Hades. "Anyone know where Scarlett is?" he asked, only to be tapped on his shoulder and jump in fright, letting out a very manly and impressive shriek. He turned and saw Scarlett beaming at him.

"See," she exclaimed, "I told you I could be useful."

Percy scowled, "You abandoned me!"

"I thought you said you didn't want me to fight? I was just following orders."

Percy sighed, "Okay, I was wrong. Now put those skills to use and use your shadow travelling to find out where Alice and Thalia are."

Scarlett nodded before melting into a nearby shadow. Percy turned back to the others and noticed Carter was giving him a strange look.

"What?"

Carter shrugged, "She's a powerful demigod. You shouldn't coddle her."

"I'm not coddling her, I'm just keeping her out of the most danger."

"That sounds an awful lot like coddling," Axel noted.

"She's only ten!" Percy argued, not understanding why they were so keen to put Scarletts life on the line.

"She's also a daughter of Hades," Axel said, looking at the spot where she disappeared, "And she's already been through things that most adult demigods haven't had to deal with. Plus…with those demons she's got in her head she's not exactly defenceless."

Percy sighed, rubbing his forehead in frustration, "I just don't want her to get hurt."

"She's on this quest for a reason Percy," Carter told him, locking eyes with him, "You have to trust that she can handle herself. If they're good enough…they're old enough."

Percy gazed at the spot where Scarlett had disappeared. After losing Thalia he wasn't keen to lose another one of his quest mates, but maybe Carter had a point. Maybe he was limiting her potential by constantly holding her back. After all, they wouldn't be in the library if it hadn't been for her quick thinking. He didn't answer Carter's statement, but nodded in acknowledgement that he had heard what the Pharaoh had said and was taking it onboard.

Moments later Scarlett re-emerged from the shadow, her face sweaty and etched with worry. "I found them," she panted, "But that's not all I found."

Carter motioned for her to continue.

She sighed, removing a hair stuck to her forehead by sweat and tucking it behind her ear, "Thalia and Alice are near the bottom. Heavy magic down there, took a lot to shadow travel that close to whatever is down there. But guys…there's a whole bunch of other hostages in here."

Carter's eyebrow shot up, "Other hostages?" He turned to Amara, "How did we not hear about this?"

Amaras face mirrored the same shock as Carters, "I don't know your majesty. We haven't had any reports of them taking hostages from amongst the First Nome citizens."

Carter's face darkened, "Perhaps they are from another Nome, one that they took over before launching their assault."

"The Baghdad one," Percy offered, "Everyone there went missing there."

"How do you know that?" Carter asked with a frown.

Percy shrugged, "I like to keep up on current events. Plus Rich told me."

Carter's face softened, "You know Rich?"

Percy grinned, "Yeah, we're besties for the resties. We helped each other break out of a mental asylum full of succubi."

Carter chuckled, "Well I'm glad he's okay. He has been a friend for a long time. His wife will be happy to have him back."

"He stayed behind to take charge of the Twenty-First Nome," Percy told him, "He said it would always be a bastion of support for the House of Kane."

"He's as good a friend as I could ask for," Carter sighed, "He so often kept the peace between Sadie and I."

Percy had been wondering what the split between them had been, but figured now was not the best time to ask. "So what's the plan?"

"Hey that's my line," Axel pouted.

"I told you your priority was to rescue your friends," Carter said, his eyes flashing defiantly, "That prerogative hasn't changed. I will rescue the other hostages. They are my subjects, and I have been a very poor king."

Percy turned to Scarlett, "Can you shadow travel us down there?"

The daughter of Hades staggered to her feet, wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead. "Duh," she answered, but the exhaustion was evident in her voice.

"I have another option," Amara spoke up, putting a reassuring hand on Scarlett's shoulder, "But it is incredibly dangerous."

"I laugh in the face of danger!" Percy grinned.

"Okay Simba, calm down," Axel snorted, rolling his eyes.

Amara seemed to reach into thin air, and from it she pulled out a massive length of rope.

"Woah," Percy exclaimed, "Where did that come from?"

"The Duat," Carter explained, "It's like a magical locker you can access at any time. Handy for storing just about anything in it."

"I gotta get me one of those," Percy muttered, suddenly keenly aware of how much cool stuff the Egyptians had access to that he would love to get his hands on. Personal magical locker and floating god avatar at the top of the list.

Amara heaved the rope over the side of the balcony, watching as it disappeared into the abyss below. She then grabbed the other end of the rope and drew a hieroglyphic in the air around it. Suddenly a large block of ice appeared around the end of the rope, encasing it within.

"Okay," she said with a grin, "Now all we have to do is jump."

"Did you say 'jump'?" Axel asked, raising his eyebrows in a mix of awe and fear.

"Wait until I tell your dad what a bitch you are," Percy told him with a grin before throwing his shield over the edge. "See you at the bottom!" He called back as he sprinted towards the edge of the balcony and leapt out into the abyss, plummeting towards the bottom.

The rush of free falling overcame him as he let the weightlessness take over. He saw his shield hurtling down beneath him and narrowed his body so he would fall faster towards it. Levels after levels flew by him, and he heard the distant cries of people calling out that someone was falling towards the bottom, but that wasn't his problem. His problem was to make sure he didn't fall faster than the rope, so after he grabbed the shield he spread out in order to slow himself down.

The library began to change around him as he descended, morphing from the impressive architecture and warm, cosy feelings, to dark stone and a significant drop in the temperature. As he saw the bottom of the rope approach he grabbed onto it, swinging towards the nearest level and using his shield as a sled, sliding to a stop against one of the forlorn stone walls. It hadn't been as clean a landing as he had hoped it would be, but at least he had no injuries. He moved to get to his feet only to find a long narrow blade pointed at his chest. The tip of the blade was covered in green liquid, and from it droplets fell to the ground, sizzling as they connected with the floor.

Looking up, his eyes came face to face with Vesper's purple ones. She cocked her head to the side, "Well this is a surprise. I wasn't aware I would have the pleasure of killing you so early. Goodbye Percy Jackson."

She drove her sword towards his face but before she could connect she was hit from behind and sent sprawling against the wall. Axel staggered to his feet and patted himself down, "Huh, you know that landing really wasn't as bad as I expected."

Vesper sprang to her feet with a hiss, leaping towards Axel, her blade flashing. Before Axel could react, a clash of steel sent sparks flying as Riptide blocked the attack.

"This one's mine," Percy growled, driving forwards against Vesper, pushing her back against the wall. She rolled away from him and swung her blade defensively, a trail of green liquid being sent flying as it arched through the air. Percy was on her again though, driving her back as she tried to defend herself from his onslaught. Some of the droplets landed on his armour and the ice began to melt away, but with a tug in his gut he willed the poison off and sent it flying towards Vesper. She gasped in surprise and dove away, suddenly turning on her heel and sprinting away.

Percy's heavy footsteps echoed across the room as he followed her, diving between decrepit bookshelves and half-destroyed statues. She was fast, but Percy was faster. He leapt up and smashed through one of the bookcases, suddenly above her as he swung Riptide down at her. She rolled away once more before the clashing of steel resumed. She was skilled with her sword, but she was a tier or two below Percy, whose relentless onslaught caused her movements to slow as he wore down her defences. He tried an old move that he had relied on time and time again since Luke had first taught him it, using the flat of his blade to twist Vespers until she was forced to release. The clang of the sword as it fell to the ground reverberated around the room.

He pressed Riptide against her throat. "Where's Thalia?" he growled.

Vesper broke out into a smile, "Behind you."

Percy's vision flicked behind him just in time to see a sword fly towards him and context with the side of his neck. The force of the blow sent him staggering, but luckily the blade wasn't magical, and bounced off leaving the skin unharmed.

"Invulnerable. Achilles?" A gruff voice spoke behind him, and Percy turned to see another member of the Annunaki cult standing holding a broadsword. Percy could tell he was a cult member by the intricate tattoos across his bald scalp.

"Nah, name's Percy," Percy spat, raising Riptide defensively.

The man chuckled, "I know that boy. I was talking about the curse." Before Percy could answer the man lunged at him, swinging what at first looked to be wildly, but soon became clear to Percy that the attacks were concise and calculated. There was considerably more strength behind the swings than Vesper had mustered, but Percy still met him blow for blow with ease. It was when Vesper rejoined the fray that he began to be pushed back. Fighting against both of them, as well as avoiding the spray of Vesper's poisoned sword, caused him to lose his step, and for a moment he staggered. The man launched forward and launched a fist to the side of Percy's head. His ears rang and felt himself hit the ground, but he had enough wherewithal to roll away from Vesper's stab downwards. He wasn't about to find out whether Vesper's sword was magical or not.

He tried to scurry to his feet but the man was relentless, bringing his sword down on top of Percy and knocking him back on his ass. Vesper's sword swung into vision and Percy tried to duck, but he was too slow. Just before the sword could connect with his neck though the blade was knocked from Vesper's hand. An arrow clattered to the floor next to him, and Percy had just enough time to glance from the direction it had come from. A hooded figure with a bow stood on the other side of the library, but as Percy was forced to peel his eyes away from his saviour as the man swung again. This time Percy kicked off from one of the bookcases to give himself some space, jumping up to his feet and meeting the man's next swing head on. Sparks flew as the steel connected, but the man was alone for a moment, and Percy seized the advantage. He drove inside the man's defences, knocking aside the blade with his free hand, and sunk Riptide deep into his chest.

The man stiffened, a low moan of pain escaping his lips, and fell backwards against one of the bookcases. "For Enlil…" he gasped with his final breath, and as far as last words went Percy was unimpressed. He pulled Riptide free but noticed the man didn't dissolve into either clay or olden dust. If Riptide was able to hurt him, maybe he was a demigod. He didn't have time to dwell on the subject though, as he heard the clapping of footsteps and saw Vesper running back to where they had come from. Before he chased after her he looked back to where the hooded figure had been, but they had vanished. When he looked for the arrow that had saved him it had disappeared as well. Shrugging it off he sprinted after Vesper.

As he burst through a line of bookcases blocking his view he saw her racing full speed towards where a group of cult members were waiting for her. He saw Thalia and Alice with them, both of them tied up with cuffs around their wrists. Alice was unconscious but Thalia was still coherent. Her eyes widened as she saw Percy hurtling towards her.

"Now!" Vesper screeched, and suddenly two of the cult members clasped hands. When they separated a purple portal emerged in their wake. They hurried through it, dragging first Alice, and then a kicking and screaming Thalia through it with them. "Goodbye Jackson," Vesper hissed over her shoulder, "It's a shame you won't get the opportunity to see the glorious new world we plan to create."

She dove through the portal, and as Percy bore down he could feel a cold wind blowing through it. Before he could get there though the two remaining cult members clasped hands once more, closing it. They swiftly drew their swords and turned to face him.

Percy let out a guttural scream of frustration, and before he could stop himself Riptide whistled through the air, meeting virtually no resistance as he cut both men down. They fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes, and just like that Percy was alone again.

Author's Note: Hello all, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I originally didn't plan to end it here, but it felt like a good place to end considering how important the next two chapters are going to be. I'm excited for Chapter 27 but I am sooooo excited for Chapter 28. Not a lot else to say other than that I kept my promise to get a chapter up by New Years. Keeping that promise should really be rewarded y'know…like maybe…idk…REVIEWS!

Think of reviews like cookie clickers. You're still gonna passively gain cookies (I continue to write regardless) but the more you click (REVIEW) the more cookies you gain (I WILL WRITE LIKE THE FATE OF THE WORLD HANGS IN THE BALANCE). If I get enough reviews I wouldn't be surprised for there to be ANOTHER chapter before New Years.

Also, episode 3 just came out of the PJO series and personally I am loving it so far. Had me grinning like a little kid!