cymophobia | percy jackson

𝑥𝑥𝑥

Chiron had many people to rush over to him, but Nico had nobody, so while Annabeth and Percy went straight to their mentor, Ash went straight for the son of Hades. He was on the ground, smoke curling off his black clothes and fingers clenched in grass that had turned yellow and died around him. Ash pulled him up to lean against her as best she could with her bow and quiver slung across her back, putting a hand over his heart. "Could somebody get some nectar, please?" She called desperately.

Sherman Yang from Ares hobbled over to hand her a canteen. Tyson came to hover at her side, and, trembling, she asked him to go get Percy for her. She didn't know where the moment of weakness came from, Nico would be fine, but something about seeing him lying there with death rolling off of him in waves had really shaken her.

She was trickling the godly drink into Nico's mouth when Percy came jogging over, looking worried. The younger boy coughed and spluttered, eyelids fluttering open slowly. Ash breathed a sigh of relief.

"Nico, what happened?" Percy asked, kneeling next to them. "Can you talk?"

Nico nodded weakly. "Never t-tried to summon so many wi-without you before." He looked at Ash, who furrowed her brows in confusion. "Haven't you noticed?" He continued. "We're stronger together."

Ash's eyes widened in shock for a moment, recalling moments from training and the previous battle where she'd fought with his skeletal soldiers like extensions of her own body. The way their fathers had worked together to maintain the Underworld's balance for millennia. She smiled down at the boy and gave him some more nectar. He was blinking firmly as if trying to keep himself awake, so when his onyx eyes clearly focused on someone behind them, Ash immediately turned to look.

"Daedalus," she said, her voice measured.

"Yes, my dear," the inventor said. "I made a very bad mistake. I came to correct it."

Daedalus had a few scratches oozing gold but otherwise looked better than most of them. Mrs. O'Leary loomed behind him, licking the wounds on her master's head so Daedalus sported a sick spiked 'do. Briares stood to the side, surrounded by fans asking for autographs.

"I found the Hundred-Handed One as I came through the maze," Daedalus explained. "It seems he had the same idea to come help but was lost. And so we both came to make amends."

"Yay!" Tyson jumped up and down, clapping his hands. "Briares! I knew you would come!"

"I did not know," Briares admitted. "But you reminded me who I am, Cyclops. You are the hero."

Percy patted him on the back. "I knew that a long time ago." He grinned at his brother proudly before sighing. "But, Daedalus... the Titan army is still down there. Even without the string, they'll be back. They'll find a way sooner or later, next time with Kronos leading."

Daedalus sheathed his sword, Ash watching his every move. "You are right. As long as the Labyrinth is here, your enemies can use it. Which is why the maze cannot continue."

Annabeth, who had come to stand by Percy earlier, stared in horror. "But you said the Labyrinth is tied to your life force! If–"

"Yes, my young architect," Daedalus agreed. "When I die, the Labyrinth will die as well. And so I have a present for you."

He slung a leather satchel off his back, unzipped it, and produced a sleek silver laptop, one of the ones from his workshop. "My work is here," he said. "It's all I managed to save from the fire. Unfinished projects, notes, some of my favorite designs. Things I couldn't develop over the millennia. Perhaps you will find it interesting."

Ash smiled at the sparkle in her friend's eyes as she accepted the computer reverently. "You're giving me this? But this... this is priceless!"

Daedalus smiled fondly. "Small compensation for the way I have acted. You were right, Annabeth, about children of Athena. We should be wise, and I was not. Someday you will be a greater architect than I ever was. Take my ideas and improve them. And for my young swordswoman..." He turned to Ash, who rose to her feet, absolutely flabbergasted. Daedalus had something for her? The dark-haired girl was pretty sure she made it abundantly clear she'd see his soul sent straight to the Underworld if she had her way.