Ch. 14
Percy woke up the next morning on his bed in the Demeter cabin. The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes were two pairs of Onyx colored eyes leaning over him. It took him all of a second to recognize the gaze of his two siblings. Before they could react, he reached forward and snatched the eleven year old boy in one arm and thirteen year old girl in his other. Both let our girlish yelps causing Percy to burst into laughter.
"I wasn't aware I had two little sisters." Percy teased.
Nico's face flushed in embarrassment while Bianca tried and failed to hold in her laughter.
Nico glared at both his siblings making both of their laughter to increase.
"Relax little bro, I'm only teasing you." Percy assured him once he stopped laughing.
Nico continued glaring at Bianca until she managed to stop laughing.
"So what are you two doing in here anyway?" Percy asked once the laughter and glaring had ceased.
"Are you really going back into the Labyrinth today?" Bianca asked with a saddened expression.
Percy sighed, "I don't have a choice guys. I have to go back or we could all get hurt. I promise I will come back though."
Bianca bit her bottom lip nervously, "Percy, you almost died last time. What if... what if this time…." She began but Percy stopped her by pulling her into a hug.
"I'm coming back little sis. I swear it on the Styx." Percy said trying to ease her nerves.
Thunder rumbled outside making both sibling's eyes widen.
Bianca looked shocked before she smiled, "Okay good, now you have to."
Percy nodded, "I will. We all will. I won't let anyone die down in that stupid maze."
Bianca nodded while Nico's face turned mischievous, "Of course you won't. Wouldn't want something bad to happen to your girlfriend Zoe."
Percy's eyes widened and his face turned red before he turned to Nico with a death glare, "You have five seconds to run before you're dead." He said with a dangerous edge to his voice.
Nico's eyes widened before he turned and sprinted out of the Demeter cabin.
Bianca laughed while Percy waited five seconds before he was engulfed by a shadow and reappeared in front of a sprinting Nico in the middle of the cabins area of camp.
Nico ran straight into Percy who snatched him up with an evil smirk, "Now you're dead little brother."
Percy tickled his younger brother a bit causing him to started laughing hysterically.
"Percy… I… I was kidding…" Nico tried to say in between laughs.
"I'm sorry Nico, what was that? I couldn't understand you." Percy said as Nico fell to the ground laughing.
Someone clearing their throat behind him froze Percy instantly. Percy turned around to find the goddess of the hunt looking at him with an amused expression on her face.
Percy bowed to the goddess as Nico got to his feet, looking at the goddess with wide eyes. Percy used his hand and gently pushed it into the back of his little brother's knee, dropping him down into a bow.
"Lady Artemis," Percy said respectfully. "Nico isn't used to being in the presence of an Olympian." He said hoping the goddess was not offended by his little brother's staring.
Artemis waved him off, "Not a problem Perseus. I was looking for you anyway. Would you join me in the dining pavilion? The rest of your quest members are already there."
Percy nodded as he stood and turned to Nico, "Go find Bianca and come to breakfast. I'll make sure to see you guys before we leave again."
Nico nodded and ran off to find his sister while Percy turned back to Artemis.
"I take it you have brought us a clear-sighted mortal hunter?" He asked.
Artemis nodded, "Yes, and I assume you will make sure she returns to me safely?"
Percy nodded, "Of course Lady Artemis."
Artemis nodded before she smirked at him, "You've got Olympus in an uproar Perseus. My father wanted to throw you into Tartarus for awakening Typhon."
Percy frowned, "It's not like I meant to. I was just trying to survive."
Artemis nodded, "I understand. Most of the council opposed the idea of punishing you. Demeter and Poseidon even threatened war with Zeus if he tried to harm you."
Percy's eyes widened, "I guess I really am her favorite grandchild." He said, choosing to ignore the part about Poseidon.
Artemis nodded, "Yes she is rather protective of you. Now let's meet up with the others, you must depart soon."
Percy followed the goddess to the dining pavilion where Katie, Annabeth, Zoe and a huntress were all sitting at the Artemis table, apparently waiting for Percy.
"Nice of you to show up, boy." The hunter hissed at him.
Percy just ignored her while Katie looked ready to smack to immortal preteen.
"Enough Rachel," Artemis said sternly. "I told you Perseus is to be treated with respect. He has done a lot for me as well as Zoe. Disrespect towards him will be like disrespect towards me."
Rachel's eyes widened before she bowed her head, "My apologies my lady."
Artemis nodded, "No worries Rachel but you have nothing to worry about. Just consider Perseus one of the girls." She said, her face shifting into a smirk.
Rachel and the other three girls burst into laughter while Percy just shook his head, "I wasn't aware you were a comedian Lady Artemis. I thought you left the jokes to your older brother Apollo."
Artemis' eyes widened before she scowled, "I see my insufferable twin has already been a bad influence on you."
Percy just gave her a cheeky grin which made Artemis' scowl fade and chuckle a bit, "You're lucky Jackson, very lucky."
Once Percy had eaten a quick breakfast and said his goodbyes to Nico and Bianca, the group set off into the Labyrinth again, this time following the red-headed huntress Rachel. She and Zoe walked in the lead as Percy, Annabeth and Katie trailed behind. Katie and Annabeth explained about their journey into the Labyrinth, their encounter with the Sphinx and there eventual escape through an exit that dropped them off in the basement of Mile High Stadium in Denver.
As they walked, Percy noticed Annabeth brushing against him a lot as they walked. Katie rolled her eyes at Annabeth's feeble attempts to garner his attention while Zoe scowled every time she would see them when she turned around. Percy for his part was slowly catching on to Annabeth's intentions and was suddenly rather uncomfortable with the whole situation. He knew how he felt about Annabeth and while she was a great friend, his heart already belonged to someone else, even if he wouldn't admit it to her.
The group traveled for a few hours before Percy sensed something ahead of them.
"Stop!" He whispered, freezing his four companions in their tracks.
"What?" Rachel asked in an annoyed tone.
Percy just shook head and put a finger to his lips to silence her. A few seconds later, a single demigod walked around a corner appearing in front of them. He looked lost as he made his way through the tunnels. When he was within ten feet of them, he looked up and froze.
"Who are you?" He asked as he pulled out a sword to defend himself.
Percy eyed the boy curiously. He looked Asian and had an eye patch covering one of his eyes. He looked around sixteen years old. Before Percy could say anything, Annabeth spoke up.
"I remember you, Ethan right? You were in Hermes cabin a few years ago but vanished." She said surprised.
Ethan scowled, "Yes Annabeth Chase. I'm surprised you remember me seeing as I was tossed in the Hermes cabin with all the other unclaimed demigods."
Annabeth's eyes widened at his hostility, "Why are you down here?"
"I'm looking for Luke and his army. I'm planning to join them just as my mother has." Ethan sneered.
Annabeth looked at him confused, "Your mother?"
"Yes, Nemesis, Goddess of Balance, Justice, Retribution, and Vengeance. The time for the minor gods and their children being ignored is over." He spat.
Percy's eyes narrowed, "Are you joking or would you like me to get you a tissue?"
Ethan's eye widened at Percy's words before he stepped forward, "Who the Hades are you." He growled.
Percy smirked, "Percy Jackson, son of Hades. You have a problem with that?"
Ethan looked at Percy in shock, "How can you defend those arrogant Olympians? They shun your father despite him being their own brother."
Percy shrugged, "That's easy. I'm not as stupid as you and your mother are. Kronos will be worse than the Olympians could ever be. When the Titan's ruled, mortals were used as nothing more than entertainment. What makes you think it will be different this time you fool?"
Ethan face reddened in anger before he charged at Percy.
Percy just smirked as Ethan brought his sword down. In the blink of an eye, Percy side-stepped and smacked Ethan's sword arm, making the sword clatter to the ground before he grabbed Ethan by the throat and threw him against the tunnel wall.
Before Ethan could get up, Percy pinned him to the ground with his foot, "Now that wasn't very polite Ethan."
Ethan scowled, "Get off me."
Percy shook his head, "You think I'm that stupid? I should kill you right now for wanting to join the Titans."
A low growl from behind Percy caught his attention as he turned and saw his four companions with weapons at their throats being held by a group of demigods and a few monsters.
Percy's eyes widened in shock before his face shifted to angry.
"You harm a hair on their heads and I will rip out your throats with my bare hands." Percy growled.
"Shut up kid. You're coming with us or we'll kill them all." One of the demigods threatened as he stepped forward to grab Percy.
Percy's eye twitched angrily, "What's your name?"
"Bruce, son of Ares." He said smugly.
As the kid made a move to grab him, Percy grabbed a long hunting knife out of his belt drove it through the bottom of the jaw before anyone could react.
The rest of the enemy demigods looked shocked and pressed the weapons tighter to Percy's friend's throats.
Percy put his hands up as the demigod fell to the ground dead, "Wrong. You were Bruce, son of Ares." He spat before turning back to his friend's captors, "Remember what happened to Bruce. I will go with you but you touch them and you'll join Bruce before you know what hit you." He added in a deadly serious tone.
The traitorous demigods all glared at Percy but their faces were pale white from the threat. Ethan tried grabbing Percy but Percy spun and grabbed him by the throat again and threw him into the feet of his friends.
"I said I'd go. I didn't say you could touch me, traitor." Percy growled at a furious Ethan.
Ethan was about to say something when another one of the demigod's spoke first, "Leave him. We can let Luke decide what to do with him."
Ethan looked furious but nodded.
"Wise decision." Percy muttered as he walked up to his friends who were now weaponless.
"What are you doing Percy?" Zoe whispered.
Percy smiled at her, "Do you trust me?"
Zoe looked surprised by the question before she looked him in the eyes and nodded, "I do."
Percy's smile grew "Then just follow my lead. I want a word with the traitor son of Hermes anyway."
Zoe looked at him worriedly but nodded as they were led by two of the demigods while the rest and the monsters trailed behind them with their weapons out.
The group was led through the tunnel until they came to two large bronze doors. They were ten feet tall and emblazoned with two crossed swords. The cheering of a crowd from behind the doors made everyone, including Percy, a little nervous about what they were walking into.
Zoe looked up at Percy a little nervously when she saw the apprehension in his usually fearless eyes. She quickly reached over and grabbed his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze to let him know she was with him no matter what.
Percy looked at her and gave her a small smile and nod before the demigods pushed the doors open, revealing a large circular arena. The floors were dirt and the arena was large, close to the same size as the sword fighting arena at Camp Half Blood. In the center of the arena, a fight was going on between a giant and a centaur. The centaur looked panicked. He was galloping around his enemy, using a sword and shield, while the giant swung a javelin the size of a telephone pole as the crowd cheered. Benches wrapped all the way around the arena, and every seat was full. There were giants, Dracaena, demigods, Telekhines, and stranger things: bat-winged demons and creatures that seemed half human and half you name it-bird, reptile, insect, mammal.
The creepiest things were the skulls. The arena was full of them. They ringed the edge of the railing. Three-foot-high piles of them decorated the steps between the benches. They grinned from pikes at the back of the stands and hung on chains from the ceiling like chandeliers. Some of them looked very old-nothing but bleached-white bone. Others looked a lot fresher. In the middle of all this, proudly displayed on the side of the spectator's wall, was something that made Percy's blood boil-a green banner with the trident of Poseidon in the center.
Percy was pushed forward by one of the demigods while his friends were herded towards a cage in the side of arena. Percy pushed the demigod back hard, sending him toppling to the ground. Percy was about to attack the others when a booming voice from the stands stopped him in his tracks.
Percy turned around to find only the giant remaining along with a pile of golden dust with a sword and shield beside it. Percy's eyes caught sight of an even bigger giant seated in the front row of the stands, his eyes locked on Percy.
"Who do we have here?" The giant boomed.
Percy looked to the giant's left and saw Luke Castellan saying something to the giant that Percy couldn't hear. The giant's eyes widened before he raised his hand for silence. The cheering crowd immediately fell silent and turned to the giant with anticipation.
"It appears we have an honored guest with us today." The giant boomed.
Percy eyed the giant warily, "Who are you?"
The giant grinned, "I am Antaeus, son of Gaia and Poseidon, brother."
Percy bit back at remark, deciding to let the giant believe he was just a son of Poseidon.
"My men have brought your brother Perseus Jackson to entertain you Lord Antaeus. We hope that his death will be enough to grant us passage." Luke said hopefully.
"Stop this Luke! Let us go!" Annabeth yelled from the cage she and the others were imprisoned in.
Luke turned and noticed Annabeth for the first time. For the first time Percy had ever seen, Luke's expression looked pained, like he was actually regretting what he was doing.
"Ah, the woman can fight after my brother has had his turn in the arena. I will decide whether or not to grant you and your army passage based on if they entertain me." Antaeus bellowed.
Luke regained his composure and bowed to Antaeus although he looked irritated about not being assured passage.
"Now for round one, what weapon will you choose Jackson?" Antaeus asked from his seat.
Percy shrugged, "Depends on the opponent." He said in a nonchalant voice.
"Open the gates!" Antaeus bellowed as a Dracaena slithered out into the arena with a trident and a net in hand.
"Now, your weapon Jackson!" Antaeus asked.
Percy simply held up his hands, "Against this opponent, none will be needed."
The monsters and demigods in the stands began laughing until Antaeus silenced them, "Enough! I like your style Jackson, let's see if you can back it up."
Percy just looked at Luke and smiled evilly.
The Dracaena charged towards Percy, jabbing at him with its trident experimentally. Percy dodged the first strike and then sidestepped the second before he grabbed the trident and wrenched it out of the monster's hands before he spun it in his hand and drove it through the Dracaena's throat. The monster let out a gurgled scream before it disintegrated to dust.
""No!" Antaeus bellowed. "Too fast! You must wait for the kill. Only I give that order!"
Percy looked at the giant and smirked, "Oops, my bad."
Antaeus glared at Percy who met the giant's glare fearlessly.
"Round two!" Antaeus yelled. "And slower this time! More entertainment! Wait for my call before killing anybody. OR ELSE!"
The gates opened and Percy grinned. A familiar demigod covered in armor with an eye patch came marching into the arena with a look of apprehension on his face.
"Your weapon Jackson?" Antaeus bellowed.
Percy just shook his head again. This time the stands remained silent as Ethan made his way into the arena. Percy snuck a glance at his friends and saw Zoe staring at him worriedly. He gave her a reassuring smile before turning back to Ethan who was approaching him warily.
"Begin!" Antaeus bellowed.
Ethan tried to catch Percy off guard as he sprinted forward, swinging his sword wildly but Percy was far too quick, side-stepping every strike sent at him. Ethan's frustration grew as he lunged forward, trying to impale Percy but Percy simply spun to the side and threw a hard punch that caught Ethan in the jaw.
Ethan staggered back but Percy didn't give him time to recover, driving another fist into his nose which broke and began bleeding badly.
Percy glanced at Antaeus to find him grinning.
Percy jumped forward as Ethan tried to raise his sword but couldn't quickly enough as Percy grabbed his sword arm before head butting the son of Nemesis and wrenching the sword from his grasp.
Ethan stumbled back as Percy charged with the sword in his hand. Instead of killing him, Percy slammed the hilt of the sword into Ethan's temple which sent him to the floor quickly. Ethan groaned from his place on the ground as Percy stood above him contemplating his next move.
Percy looked up at Antaeus to see his red face was stony with displeasure, but he held up his hand and put it thumbs down.
Percy looked down at Ethan's fear filled face before he turned back to Antaeus and gave him his own one finger salute before he knelt down to grab Ethan and pulled him to his feet before he shoved him towards the gate he had come in from.
"No one dishonors the games!" Antaeus bellowed. "Your heads shall both be tributes to Poseidon!"
Percy took Ethan's sword and threw it like a javelin, impaling one of the monsters in the front row, the crowd at stared at Percy in shock as the monster crumbled to dust.
"Fight me yourself Antaeus. You sit back on your fat ass watching others fight; I'm starting to think you're too cowardly to step into the ring yourself. If I win, my friends and I go free. I lose, you can kill us all. But the terms must be sworn on the Styx; unless that is you're too afraid to fight a lowly little demigod like me." Percy taunted the giant.
Antaeus laughed, "This shouldn't take long. I swear to your terms!"
Antaeus cracked his knuckles and grinned, "Weapons?" he asked.
Percy held out his hand as his Stygian Iron blade shot out of the ground.
Antaeus' eyes widened but he kept his mouth shut, eyeing Percy a little more warily now.
"You?" Percy asked.
Antaeus held up his huge hands and wiggled his fingers. "I don't need anything else. Master Luke, you will referee this one. "
Luke smiled down at Percy, "With pleasure."
Antaeus lunged and Percy rolled under his legs and stabbed him in the back of the thigh.
"Argggh!" Antaeus yelled.
Where blood should've come out, there was a spout of sand, like if Percy had busted the side of an hourglass. The dirt from the arena floor climbed up his leg and covered it like a cast. When it fell back to the ground, the wound was gone.
Percy looked up with wide eyes to see Antaeus with a smug look on his face.
"Now you see why I never lose, demigod!" Antaeus gloated. "Come here and let me crush you. I'll make it quick!"
Percy paled a bit as he realized a son of Gaia wouldn't be able to be killed as long as he was in contact with the earth. Percy looked around wildly as he avoided the charging giant. Just as he was about he be crushed, he was engulfed by a shadow and reappeared behind Antaeus. He drove his blade down to the hilt into the back of the giant's knee before twisting the blade, causing Antaeus to bellow in agony, and wrenching it out before he backed away.
Just as before, the ground came up and healed the wound, although this wound seemed to take long to heal.
Antaeus turned towards Percy with a look of rage, "Come meet your death!"
Percy rolled his eyes, catching sight of the chains that hung with skulls above the arena when he did as a plan started to form in his mind.
Percy sprinted forward, dodging the giant's hand as it came down to crush him and jumped, driving his sword into the giant's stomach before he shadow travelled back several feet.
Antaeus cursed loudly before wrenching the sword out of his gut and tossing it behind him, leaving Percy seemingly weaponless.
Once the wound in his stomach healed, Antaeus turned to Percy with an arrogant smile, "Now you are weaponless. You have fought surprisingly well but now is the time for you to die."
Percy steeled his nerves before he ran forward as Antaeus stooped over and held his hands near the ground, waiting to snatch Percy up. When he was ten feet away, Percy's spear shot out of the ground and into his hand.
Instead of attacking, Percy stabbed his spear into the ground, using it like a pole vault and launching himself straight at the giant's head. Percy landed on his forehead, making Antaeus stand up straight. Percy used it like a springboard and jumped into the rafters where he grabbed the chains and pulled himself up.
Antaeus looked up at Percy in shock before it changed to rage
"Come down here, coward!" Antaeus bellowed.
Antaeus tried to snatch Percy who was just out of his reach.
Percy smirked, "Why don't you come get me you fat bastard. I think I like it up much better."
Percy pulled a hunting knife of his belt and sawed off another one of the chains. He quickly unhooked the skull attached to chain as Antaeus tried to reach up and grab him.
Antaeus growled and made another grab for him, catching a chain and trying to pull himself up.
While he was struggling, Percy lowered his sawed-off chain, hook first, and managed to hook onto Antaeus' loincloth.
"Ahhhh!" Antaeus yelled indignantly.
Quickly Percy slipped the free chain through the fastening link on his own chain, pulled it taut, and secured it the best he could. Antaeus tried to slip back to the ground, but stayed suspended by his loincloth. He had to hold on to the other chains with both hands to avoid getting flipped upside down.
Percy quickly cut a few more chains free and managed to loop them around Antaeus, entangling him further. Percy swung from a chain and hung next to Antaeus, just out of his restrained reach tangled up in the chains.
"Get me down!" Antaeus demanded.
"Free him!" Luke ordered. "He is our host!"
Percy held out his hand as his sword shot out of the earth and into his hand all the way from the ground.
"You got it, Master Luke" Percy said with a grin as he drove his blade through the giant's chest. This time, the earth did not come up to heal him. Antaeus let loosed a pained scream and sand continued to pour from his wound until he disintegrated, leaving only a dirty looking loin cloth hanging from a tangled mess of chains.
"Jackson!" Luke yelled. "I should have killed you long ago!"
Percy dropped from his chain landed on the ground below in a crouch, "You could try Castellan, but it won't end well for you." Percy growled as he stood in front of the son of Hermes.
Luke's eyes narrowed, "You and your friends won't leave this arena alive. Attack!"
Percy wasted no time in driving his sword straight into Luke's stomach.
What he didn't expect was the blade to bounce off like it was made of rubber.
Percy's eyes widened in realization as Luke grinned. Percy composed himself and sent a power kick into Luke's chest, sending him flying a few feet back.
By this time, the monsters and demigods were climbing down from the stands to attack. Percy stepped back and pulled the whistle out of his pocket, knowing this was the only way. He blew the whistle as the enemy army stalked towards him.
Before they could attack, a giant shadow appeared in front of Percy and out stepped a giant three-headed Hellhound with fangs barred.
The enemy froze in their track at the sight of Cerberus making Percy smirk, "Get'em boy."
Cerberus snatched two enemy demigods and a Cyclops in his jaws with a sickening crunch as the rest of the army turned and sprinted out of the exit in the arena behind them. Cerberus managed to kill close to twenty before they could escape. Crushing them under his paws or in snatching them up with one of his three heads.
Cerberus turned back to a grinning Percy and lay down in front of him.
Percy immediately started scratching his heads, two at a time, as the giant Hellhound sat in front of him contentedly. After a minute Percy stepped back, "Go home buddy. Hopefully Dad didn't notice you left. I promise I'll come play later."
Cerberus whimpered a little before barking loudly and bounding off into a shadow.
Percy turned back to his imprisoned friends, two of whom were grinning at him while the other two's jaws were hanging open in shock. Percy slashed away the lock on the cage, finally freeing the four girls.
Zoe stepped forward and drilled Percy in the chest with a hard punch.
"Ow, what was that for?" Percy whined.
Zoe rolled her eyes, "For leaving us locked up while you pet your dog."
Percy smiled sheepishly, "Oh yeah, sorry. He's not the most patient dog in the world and he really likes his head scratched."
Zoe shook her head but smiled at him, "I'll forgive you because you did well out there. That was smart separating Antaeus from the ground."
Percy grinned, "That was pretty awesome wasn't it?"
Zoe glared at him, "Don't get all cocky. I swear I will kill you myself if you turn in every other male in the world."
Percy rolled his eyes, "I was joking, relax. Now, I believe we have a certain son of Athena to find."
Zoe nodded and turned to Rachel who was slowly coming out of her stupor, "Cerberus is your dog?" She asked disbelievingly.
Percy shrugged, "Kind of. He's more like the family dog but I like to think I'm his favorite."
Rachel shook her head, "Well that was one thing I didn't expect to see on this quest." She said before pointing to the exit they came in from.
"That's the way we came from." Annabeth argued.
Zoe shook her head, "It's also the way Luke was trying to gain passage to. Hephaestus said Rachel would be able to see the way, so we follow her lead."
Annabeth narrowed her eyes at Zoe but bit her tongue.
After leaving the arena, Rachel led them for another two hours through the Labyrinth until they came to a pair of doors emblazoned with a delta symbol. Voices could be heard behind the doors making the four girls pull out their weapons.
Percy on the other hand narrowed his eyes. He walked forward and kicked the doors open to find Daedalus being cornered by a half-dozen undead warriors being commanded by a ghostly figure.
"Minos." Percy growled at the ghost.