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OFCOURSE ANDROMEDA COULDN'T GO TWO DAYS WITHOUT A DREAM. this one started in a really dark place, the only source of light was a bornefire.
the light illuminated two figures. one glistened like a sheet of aluminium, and the other was of a boy deathly pale. so much so that he looked like a character from a black-and-white flick.
nico.
nico was there. in the frame, and opposing him was some sort of a ghost, glistening silver, for a moment, andromeda's heart leapt with joy thinking it was bianca. but his face would not be so grim if it was. he would be happy, smiling perhaps. no. this was not bianca. but still, nico had managed to commune with the dead.
"i failed." said nico in a deep voice.
"the method is ancient," said the ghost. "no wonder you could not execute it the first time —"
"do not speak do me that way!" nico scolded. "i have done all that i can."
"and it is not enough." replied the ghost. "you are a child."
"a child of hades!" nico growled. "the lord of the dead! i will speak to her. i will. i will do everything on this checklist if it's the last thing i do."
he looked at a white sheet of paper sitting beside him. the upper four boxes were crossed out. andromeda had written down ten things, and she was surprised nico had done so many of them so shortly.
"those are all futile," the ghost frowned. "they will not bring you success."
andromeda wanted to slap him.
"and yet they are the reason you roam with me." nico fixed his gaze on the ghost. "she has done everything she can and more. her mother is the goddess of necromancy; i will not discard her ideas."
andromeda wanted to smile.
"as you wish," cooed the ghost. "but they will waste your time."
nico scoffed, he threw some paper bags in the flames. "what do you know of time, minos? it is negligible to you."
minos? as in, the king minos? had nico summoned him? why?
"i know time when it is wasted." minos urged. "i am helping you, as you said."
why would nico seek help from the dead king minos? what ancient method did he speak of?
"and look where that has gotten me." nico glowered. "this list; these methods of her's, they have helped me in her absence more than you have."
"you mistake my urges for impertinence," minos insisted. "i only wish to help you as i had through the maze."
andromeda's heart sped up. maze? had nico been in the labyrinth? had be summoned minos for help? had he found another entrance? was he okay?
"what was the chant you recited?" minos asked
nico pulled out a book and held it before him, andromeda recognized it as the book she gave to him about their research. minos surveyed the page. "where did you find this?"
"she did. she wrote it down for me."
"it is ancient," said minos. "very powerful. but it just needs," he smirked. "a few finishing touches."
"what do you mean by that?"
andromeda would never know, because she woke up with a splash of water on her face.
"connor!" she scolded, wiping the liquid off her face.
"you wouldn't wake up," said connor. "chiron's called for a meeting."
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the meeting was in the swordfighting arena. chiron and quintus stood at the front by the weapon racks. mrs. o'leary chewed on her pink squeaky yak. clarisse and annabeth sat next to each other and led the briefing. tyson and grover sat as far away from each other as possible. andromeda sat around the table with evander, juniper, silena, travis and connor, beckendorf, lee fletcher and argus. the hundred-eyed security chief.
"i don't like him being here," she whispered. "he only comes around for serious things."
"well," evander whispered back. "this is serious."
she glared at him. "i know that. i don't like it."
evander looked at annabeth with concern. the girl's hair was matted, her eyes bloodshot and her complexion colourless. she looked tired.
"neither do i," evander frowned.
andromeda knew he was worried for annabeth. she was too.
annabeth spoke. "luke must have known about the labyrinth entrance, he knew everything about camp."
juniper cleared her throat. "that's what i was trying to tell andy last night. the cave entrance has been there a long time. luke used to use it."
silena frowned. "you knew about the labyrinth entrance, and you didn't say anything?"
juniper's face turned green. "i didn't know it was important. just a cave. i don't like yucky old caves."
"she has good taste," grover supported.
"i wouldn't have paid any attention except. . .well, it was luke." she blushed a little greener.
grover huffed. "forget what i said about good taste."
"interesting," quintus polished his sword as he spoke. "and you believe this young man, luke, would dare use the labyrinth as an invasion route?"
"definitely," clarisse said. "if he could get an army of monsters inside camp half-blood, just pop up in the middle of the woods without having to worry about our magical boundaries, we wouldn't stand a chance. he could wipe us out easy. he must've been planning this for months."
"he's been sending scouts into the maze," annabeth said. "we know because. . .because we found one."
"chris rodriguez," chiron said, giving quintus a meaningful look.
"ah," quintus said. "the one in the. . .yes, i understand."
"the one in the what?" percy asked.
clarisse glared at him.
"the point is," andromeda spoke up. "luke has been looking for a way to navigate the maze. he's searching for daedalus's workshop, i think."
"yes," annabeth said. "the greatest architect, the greatest inventor of all time. if the legends are true, his workshop is in the center of the labyrinth. he's the only one who knew how to navigate the maze perfectly. if luke managed to find the workshop and convince daedalus to help him, luke wouldn't have to fumble around searching for paths, or risk losing his army in the maze's traps. he could navigate anywhere he wanted — quickly and safely. first to camp half-blood to wipe us out. then. . .to olympus."
the arena was silent except for mrs. o'leary's toy yak getting disemboweled.
finally, beckendorf put his huge hands on the table. "back up a sec, annabeth, you said 'convince daedalus'? isn't daedalus dead?"
quintus grunted. "i would hope so. he lived, what, three thousand years ago? and even if he were alive, don't the old stories say he fled from the labyrinth?"
chiron clopped restlessly on his hooves. "that's the problem, my dear quintus. no one knows. there are rumors. . .well, there are many disturbing rumors about daedalus, but one is that he disappeared back into the labyrinth toward the end of his life. he might still be there."
"and even if he isn't," andromeda began, walking beside annabeth. "we need to do something about the labyrinth. . .the magic in there it's. . .it's ancient and evil. it's dizzying. we can't afford any other threats besides luke."
"we need to go in," annabeth nodded supportively. andromeda could tell she was relieved to have someone by her side. "we have to find the workshop before luke does. if daedalus is alive, we convince him to help us, not luke. if ariadne's string still exists, we make sure it never falls into luke's hands."
"wait a second," percy said. "if we're worried about an attack, why not just blow up the entrance? seal the tunnel?"
"great idea!" grover voted. "i'll get the dynamite!"
"hero," andromeda began. "this thing is ancient. it's ways are not like things we know. it has poweful magic in it's walls. i have a feeling if we blow it up, it'll just sprout another entrance, maybe further inside the camp."
percy frowned.
"that's what happened in phoenix," clarisse nodded. "we tried sealing it up by demolishing a whole building with a wrecking ball, and the maze entrance just shifted a few feet."
"the best we can do is prevent luke from learning to navigate the labyrinth." annabeth went on.
"we could fight," lee said. "we know where the entrance is now. we can set up a defensive line and wait for them. if an army tries to come through, they'll find us waiting with our bows."
"we will certainly set up defenses," chiron agreed. "but i fear clarisse is right. the magical borders have kept this camp safe for hundreds of years. if luke manages to get a large army of monsters into the center of camp, bypassing our boundaries. . .we may not have the strength to defeat them."
"we can't endanger more campers." andromeda decided.
no one argued.
"we have to get to daedalus's workshop first," annabeth insisted. "find ariadne's string and prevent luke from using it."
"whoa," evander intervened. "you want people to enter it?"
annabeth raised an eyebrow. "how else would we navigate it?"
"if nobody can navigate in there," he said, "what chance do we have?"
"i've been studying architecture for years, i know daedalus's labyrinth better than anybody."
evader pursed his lips. "you've only read about it."
"well, yes."
"that's not enough."
"it has to be!"
"i can't have you putting yourself in danger depending on books, annabeth!" evander yelled.
the two of them were being observed like a tennis match.
"then help me instead of arguing with me!" annabeth insisted.
chiron cleared his throat. "first things first. we need a quest. someone must enter the labyrinth, find the workshop of daedalus, and prevent luke from using the maze to invade this camp."
"we all know who should lead this," clarisse said. "annabeth."
there was a murmur of agreement. annabeth had been waiting for her own quest since she was a little kid, but she looked uncomfortable. andromeda saw a sour look on evander's face. annabeth drew in a breath, andromeda could tell it affected her.
"you've done as much as i have, clarisse," she said. "you should go, too."
clarisse shook her head. "i'm not going back in there."
travis laughed. "don't tell me you're scared. clarisse, chicken?"
clarisse got to her feet, andromeda thought she would punch travis, but she said in a shaky voice: "you don't understand anything, punk. i'm never going in there again. never!"
she stormed out of the arena.
travis looked around sheepishly. "i didn't mean to —"
chiron raised his hand. "the poor girl has had a difficult year. now, do we have agreement that annabeth should lead the quest?"
they all nodded, even evander, though he did so with a frown.
"very well," chiron turned to annabeth. "my dear, it's your time to visit the oracle. assuming you return to us in one piece, we shall discuss what to do next."
andromeda gave annabeth an encouraging smile as her friend went to the big house, but really, her nerves were all over the place. she heard of campers who'd gone insane, or who'd seen visions so real they died of fear. she knew annabeth could stomach anything, but she would like her friend back in sanity.
she marched upto evander. "what is wrong with you! why are you acting like this?"
"what's wrong with me?" evander repeated. "she's gone to ask the oracle about a death sentence! navigate the labyrinth! how would that even work? she's a literal genius, don't get me wrong, but it's not the smartest move."
"what would you have her do?" andromeda put her hands on her hips. "send drones? order around owls? what other option is there, evan? think."
"i don't know." evander put his hands through his hair. "i don't know and i don't like that i don't know. i want to know her. but i can't seem to take a peoper step forward without taking three steps back,"
she understood the complexity of their relationship. both of them loved each other. that much she could see, but other things kept them apart. she, personally, saw it as all the more reason for them to be with each other. in these times, all slivers of love needed to be cherished and preserved. and their's was one of the few she had seen in the strongest forms.
"you mean well," she told evander. "i understand. but annabeth is layered. she's no damsel in distress or princess in need. she's the leader. the brains. she operates the operation. and you need to support that. don't disregard her work, you need to work with her. operate with her. she appreciates a helping hand more than an opposing voice."
evander sat on a chair, his leg bounced up and down, and she could tell he was thinking hard.
"you're great to her." andromeda kneeled in front of him. "i've seen you two. you guys are. . .well, you could make a daughter of aphrodite cry. but you need to understand each other. i'm not just saying this to you. annabeth needs to hear it, too. and i'll say it to her. but please, understand her position and behave. won't you?"
evander sighed. his gaze was fixated on his shoes, he nodded. just once.
"go take a walk, compost," she slapped his knee as she stood up. "i have a feeling you need some fresh air."
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evander went to take a walk.
and andromeda sat by the weapons shack, awaiting any one of her friends' return. what could possibly be taking so long? she was worried annabeth didn't get the prophecy or something. maybe the oracle didn't want this quest as much as them. andromeda wouldn't really be against that. . .
percy sat on her other side, tapping his capped sword on his knee. he was definetly thinking the same thing. she could tell by the way he looked at the big house.
"maybe we should go in there?" he suggested. "check up on her?"
andromeda almost got up and marched into the attic on that suggestion. but she heaved a sigh and reminded herself that annabeth was more than capable.
"no." she said. "she'll be here. she'll be fine."
percy looked at her, then his eyes widened at something behind her shoulder. "um. . .andy?"
she turned to look, and a sword nearly stabbed her in the eye.
the weapons of the shack were now now levitating about. some stabbed the ground, some bended weirdly, some were on their way to the big house.
"what?" andromeda backed away. "i don't know how i'm doing this."
the weapons turned on her. all of them. straight and pointy and lethal.
her breath hitched. "i'm not doing this. i don't know how this is happening i swear —"
the began inching toward her. she backed away, she felt someone's foot behind her.
"hey," percy breathed by her ear. he caught her arms and rubbed them soothingly. "breathe. just breathe."
andromeda tried. she did. but it was kind of hard with about twenty weapons pointed at her and percy's hands on her. the air seemed to leave her lungs.
"andromeda."
he only spoke her name. he turned her to face him, his sea green gaze drowning her in waves of peace. she breathed a broken breath, her body rigid.
"i'm here. you're fine."
she anchored her thoughts by his voice. it grounded her. she felt her brain clear. quiten. her body warmed. she breathed deeply, closed her eyes and let it flow out.
clang!
she breathed a sigh of relief.
"i don't know what that was, i swear." her voice cracked.
"hey," he held her face. she opened her eyes to look into his. "it's okay. you're okay."
she put her face in her palms, dragging them through her hair and back. she stepped back. picked up the weapons by hand, scared to use her magic in suspicion of another accident. she put them all back in a stack.
by the time she was done, annabeth had arrived.
"my dear," chiron said. "you made it."
annabeth looked at evander first. and andromeda saw a flash of emotion wave through her eyes. then she shifted her focus on quintus. "i got the prophecy. i will lead the quest to find daedalus's workshop."
nobody cheered. they all liked annabeth and wanted her to have a quest, but this one seemed insanely dangerous.
chiron scraped a hoof on the dirt floor. "what did the prophecy say exactly, my dear? the wording is important."
annabeth took a deep breath. "i, ah. . .well, it said, you shall delve in the darkness of the endless maze. . ."
they waited.
"the dead, the traitor, and the lost one raise."
grover perked up. "the lost one! that must mean pan! that's great!"
"with the dead and the traitor," percy added. "not so great."
"and?" chiron asked. "what is the rest?"
"you shall rise or fall by the ghost king's hand," annabeth said, "the child of athena's final stand."
andromeda gulped. annabeth was a child of athena. and final stand didn't sound too good.
"hey. . .we shouldn't jump to conclusions," silena said. "annabeth isn't the only child of athena, right?"
"but who's this ghost king?" beckendorf asked.
no one answered. andromeda thought about the dream she'd seen of nico with the ghost king minos. she had a bad feeling the prophecy was connected to that.
"are there more lines?" chiron asked. "the prophecy does not sound complete."
annabeth hesitated. "i don't remember exactly."
chiron raised an eyebrow. annabeth was known for her memory. she never forgot something she heard. she shifted on her bench. "something about. . .destroy with a hero's final breath."
"and?" chiron asked.
she stood. "look, the point is, i have to go in. i'll find the workshop and stop luke. and. . .i need help." she turned to andromeda. "will you come?"
andromeda didn't hesitate. "wherever you lead."
she smiled for the first time in days, and that made it all worthwhile. "grover, you too? the wild god is waiting."
grover seemed to forget how much he hated the underground. the line about the 'lost one' had completely energized him. "i'll pack extra recyclables for snacks!"
"and percy," annabeth said. "i'll need you too. and tyson."
"yay! blow-things-up time!" tyson clapped so hard he woke up mrs. o'leary, who was dozing in the corner.
"wait, annabeth," chiron said. "this goes against the ancient laws. a hero is allowed only two companions."
"i need them all," she insisted. "chiron, it's important."
andromeda didn't know what made her choose that, but she wasn't going to let her down. she would be sticking by her side if it was the last thing she did. she'd survived before and she would do it again.
"annabeth." chiron flicked his tail nervously. "consider well. you would be breaking the ancient laws, and there are always consequences. even as four, you were endangered. last summer, andromeda fled with you, and she was capture. then during winter break, three of you returned. five went on a quest to save artemis. only three came back. think on that. three is a sacred number. there are three fates, three furies, three olympian sons of kronos. it is a good strong number that stands against many dangers. five. . .this is even more risky."
"then we'll make it six," evander spoke up. "i'll go with her."
looks shuffled between the crowd.
chiron frowned. "you will be too many."
"isn't six just two sets of three?" evander insisted. "i have it a feeling it will be better than five. and underground is nature. my mom's specialty. i could help find pan, too."
andromeda could see grover's immediate nod.
"evan," annabeth spoke softly. "i can't ask you to do that."
he shook his head. "you don't have to. i won't hear it. i'm coming with you."
annabeth took a deep breath. "okay. . .thank you."
it was quiet for a few moments.
chiron sighed. "very well. let us adjourn. the members of the quest must prepare themselves. tomorrow at dawn, we send you into the labyrinth."
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i'm late by a whole day i'm so sorry guys but i hope y'all love reading annabeth and evan as much as i love writing them they're so fucking cute