章 917: 25
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Percy POV
After convincing Briares to stick with them, Percy rested for several hours and the best part was that no one had to keep watch as their new companion had fifty faces to spare. He left more than a dozen faces awake to be on the lookout while the rest of them got to shut eyes. Something about successfully forcing a large dragon lady into a sleep spell made it a bit easier to relax. Plus, Tyson was absolutely over the moon that they got Briares on their side, so Percy thought that the whole situation was an absolute win. It wasn't often they rode emotional highs post monster-encounters.
He fell asleep on the cold, hard marble floor with a faint smile on his face. It had been an eventful first day in the Labyrinth, but things seemed to be looking up.
It was some time in the middle of their rest when Percy briefly stirred in his slumber. He heard low murmuring voices, unintentionally eavesdropping on the quiet conversation.
"It must be a burdensome duty, young one." That was Briares' voice. He sounded more depressing than usual.
Who was Briares talking with?
There was a long sigh. "Mm, the nightmares are the hardest part right now. It's why I can't sleep."
Percy's groggy brain detected that the other voice was Jade, but what were they talking about?
"Tartarus is cruel, but its pull will be advantageous in your efforts. The lure of darkness makes you a better vessel."
"That's good to hear," Jade said with a dry laugh.
Percy struggled to stay awake to keep listening, but sleep overtook him.
And when everyone woke up, the overheard conversation completely escaped Percy's mind. It had seemed like a dream that was hard to understand with the words blurring together. Percy decided it'd be better to concentrate on the quest at hand rather than dwelling on it.
The group did a bit of stretching before drinking water and unpacking their bags for something to eat. It was during that time that Jade began talking. Percy couldn't help but notice a hint of shadows hanging underneath her eyes, wondering if she didn't get adequate rest. Her father's blessing from before might be wearing off.
"We need to talk about this Labyrinth," Jade announced as she comfortably squatted with her elbows resting on her knees, granola bar in hand. "Annabeth, what's your observation of this place?"
Though the question didn't prod, it was direct and Percy saw that it rubbed Annabeth the wrong way. The daughter of Athena stiffened as the spotlight swivelled on her.
Before their sleep, Annabeth had confided in Percy that she didn't have a clue of where they were going, which was a big deal considering how Annabeth had pride in knowing everything. The butterfly gift from Hypnos was her only saving grace, but that meant nothing she'd done so far contributed to the success of the quest. Of course she was grateful, however Annabeth couldn't help but feel like everything she's planned and read was for nothing.
Overall, Percy could tell that it sucked for Annabeth to feel that way and Jade unknowingly rubbed salt in the wound by asking about the Labyrinth. Or rather, maybe Jade knew that she was hitting a sensitive spot and asked anyway. Judging by her indifferent attitude, Percy surmised that it didn't matter whether or not Jade cared about hurting Annabeth's feelings; Jade pointed out facts regardless, which was something Annabeth appreciated in the end even at the cost of pride. Too often, Percy found himself sugar-coating things for Annabeth because he wanted to look at the bright side.
Annabeth hesitated in her answer. "Well… the maze isn't logical, but I think we're on the right track since these walls are Greek."
Jade arranged little twigs on the stone floor into a shape resembling a maze. While doing so, she cast a questioning look at everyone else and chewed on her granola bar.
"Any other thoughts?"
Having no theories, Grover and Tyson shook their heads. Percy also couldn't think of anything useful, and so he kept quiet and stuffed his mouth with dried mangoes.
Jade hummed thoughtfully, poking at her little Labyrinth diorama. "I agree with Annabeth that this place isn't logical, obviously, but I don't think that Greek walls are proof we're getting close to the 'older' parts of the Labyrinth."
"What do you mean?" Percy asked. When Annabeth said so before, it seemed to make sense, but why did Jade disagree?
"I'm saying that the Labyrinth has absolutely nothing to do with geography, coordinates, or maps. You can't apply physical, concrete rules of time or space when navigating this place," she explained. "So my theory, which is a complete shot in the dark, is that the Labyrinth is a living thing that confronts its travelers with personal matters relating to the quest."
Grover scratched his head. "I'm not following."
"You are correct, demigod," Briares spoke up. "The Labyrinth does not operate according to the rules of human science." Percy nearly flinched when the Hundred-Handed man suddenly entered the conversation because Briares had been silent all this time. For a man with bizarre anatomy, it was strangely easy to overlook his presence.
Jade's foot kicked the twigs, scattering their shape. "Even with my dad's GPS butterfly, the Labyrinth is going to try and trip us. It doesn't matter what the walls look like because this place wants us to lose our path."
"And die," Tyson added innocently. Jade nodded at that while Grover made an unpleasant face, not appreciating the morbid comment.
Annabeth bit her lip. "So, what's the point you're trying to make? We have your dad's gift, we don't have to worry about finding Hephaestus."
Jade finished the last of the bar and took a swig from her water bottle. "I'm not worried about finding Hephaestus. I'm worried about what we're going to see next along the way to him and then Daedalus."
Now even Percy was getting impatient because Jade had this expectant gaze for everyone to understand, but none of them were getting it.
Jade picked up a twig and jabbed it towards Annabeth. "Think about it, this quest involves one of your greatest role models, Daedalus, who hasn't been heard of in thousands of years, and the prophecy mentions the 'lost one' which could be alluding to Pan, the beloved figure among satyrs who's also been missing for thousands of years. We haven't found either yet, but Tyson just met Briares, every Cyclopes' childhood hero, a being that's thought to have faded a long time ago."
Percy's eyes widened. With Jade angling the quest like this, the Labyrinth seemed to make a bit more sense. He just didn't quite understand the lesson behind it.
"There's a theme happening here," Jade finished, twirling the twig between her fingers. "You see what I mean?"
Something akin to a lightbulb lit up in Annabeth's grey eyes. "I do. And we have to be careful."
"Yup," Jade leaned backwards, satisfied that someone finally got her point.
Feeling left behind, Percy sighed. "Care to explain?"
"Jade's saying that the Labyrinth is potentially using our childhood heroes as distractions, like Briares. It's great that Tyson got to meet Briares, but we got caught in a dilemma because freeing him meant that we'd have to face Kampê," Annabeth explained hurriedly. "The Labyrinth is trying to trap us."
"So that means…"
"It means, let's not risk our safety next time, okay?" Jade said. "I'm not singing to another ancient monster again. We stay focused on the quest."
Percy met Jade's flinty eyes, fighting the sleepy lull. He got the unspoken message: she wasn't going to be as willing to save the next unfortunate soul they cross paths with. It seemed a little coldhearted of Jade to be like that even though Percy already knew that she had a bit of a hard edge. She had such a different mentality when it came to quests compared to Percy. Helping other people should be the natural thing to do, especially if you could help it, but Jade didn't think the same way. Percy felt like this was a point of contention that would continue throughout the quest should they stumble upon another situation like Briares-Kampê. He was hoping that this sort of situation wouldn't show up again because he'd rather not have to argue with Jade. He wasn't sure how heated disagreement with her could resolve nicely.
"No offense, Briares," Jade added.
Briares nodded, unbothered by how Jade dismissed him before. "It is understandable, demigod. Kampê is fearsome, though you must be cautious of what sleeps below far more than the jailer."
"Tartarus?" Percy guessed. The unending black pit from yesterday was still fresh in his memory.
"Yes. It slowly wakes from its slumber. Its existence foreshadows great catastrophe," Briares said. It was scary how his voice held such certainty like he believed in an impending apocalypse.
"Great, so now we have to worry about the black hole of monsters on top of the titans," Grover muttered.
After that delightful little discussion, they all dusted themselves off and continued their trek down the barren hallway. The blue butterfly fluttered ahead of them, the walls morphing from roughly cut stone to smooth marble.
As they kept a brisk pace, Percy's thoughts wandered. In a way, Jade's theory gave them a sense of hope because if Tyson and Briares met, then Annabeth and Grover should have the same success, right? Percy found himself wondering if he'd also meet his own childhood hero, but he wasn't even sure if that'd happen as he didn't really have one. Zoë Nightshade had assumed it was Heracles, yet that wasn't true as Percy found nothing admirable about a flirty demigod despite his legendary strength and feats. He only liked Heracles because he always defeated monsters and came out on top, but Zoë had shown that there were other sides of a famed legend that people didn't know. Heracles had his own issues too, ones that Percy didn't want to imitate. Even his namesake, the ancient demigod Perseus, didn't exactly fit Percy's idea of a 'role model'.
If he were completely honest, the first thing that came to mind for 'role model' was when Percy was twelve years old and joined camp. Alone and with no friends, Percy relied on one person in particular who showed him the ropes of being a demigod.
Cool and confident, patient and instructive, unrivalled swordplay compared to anyone else he knew, besides Quintus.
Luke.
Percy wasn't watching where he stepped and nearly fell into an abyss. Tyson grabbed him by the collar, hauling him back before he could fall. Percy gave a thumbs up to his half-brother in thanks to which Tyson happily returned.
"Nico would've been useful," Jade mused aloud. "He's got a way with moving the earth."
Percy frowned at the remark. He didn't like how casually Jade brought up the son of Hades since it was another instance of Jade withholding information. Sure, Percy doubted that Annabeth would've picked Nico anyway, but it would have been nice to know about Nico's ability with the Labyrinth. It seemed like Jade constantly held back details that could help them if she told them earlier. It was just like last winter, when she already knew the secret of Zoë's family background and didn't tell them, then she disappeared with Nico and then reappeared with the new camper, Clovis.
Okay, it didn't make sense for Jade to tell him about the new camper, but Percy just thought they were close enough friends for her to update him on stuff in her life. Jade already gave good advice even though they tended to be more like vague words, but they were always relevant as if she seemed to know about everything in his life. On the other hand, she'd never opened up to him. She seemed to know so much about him, but Percy knew almost nothing specific about her life other than her dad being Hypnos.
It was because of the distance that made Percy still debate whether or not it's a good idea to ask Jade about her rant at the lake.
They passed the abyss by swinging on the thick iron monkey bars hanging above. Annabeth took the initiative, adeptly moving from bar to bar without worry of falling to her death. Grover followed, then Percy and Jade. Tyson managed it in three big swings while piggyback carrying Grover, but the last iron bar ripped free under his weight. Everyone momentarily worried about how Briares would make it since they weren't sure if the metal bars could handle the weight of a hundred arms, but the guy figured out a solution with ease. Separating his one hundred arms into two bunches, Briares leapt. The arms interlocked with each other to form two strange, demented wings and with one strong stroke, a powerful gust of air propelled Briares across the abyss and he landed gracefully next to Tyson.
It was definitely one of the strangest yet coolest things Percy had ever seen, which was saying a lot considering his days of demigod life. They kept trekking on, keeping a sharp eye on the sparkling blue butterfly down the hallway.
"If there was a source of water around here, you probably could shake the ground too. Have you ever tried?" Jade asked.
It took Percy a second to realize that Jade was speaking to him. "Huh? Move the ground?"
Jade gestured to the ground. "You can make earthquakes."
"I thought earthquakes were Nico's thing?"
"Your dad is called Earthshaker because of tsunamis, it's in the title, Percy-boy." As always with the insufferable nickname, Jade's tone was a little patronizing as it was her style of teasing that Percy didn't appreciate.
"I have the short-term memory of a goldfish," he retorted. "Y'know, side effects of having seaweed for brains."
Jade barked in laughter at that. The echoing sound made Percy grin as it always felt like an accomplishment to make her laugh.
"'Seaweed Brain' is a mouthful, I think I'll stick with 'Percy-boy'."
"I'm an idiot, so 'Seaweed Brain' works better," Percy jokingly argued.
Jade smirked, "Dude, self-deprecation isn't cute. You're far from an idiot, Percy."
Percy nearly tripped. That was the closest to a compliment he'd ever gotten from Jade. His chest felt a little warm knowing that Jade didn't think of him as dumb. He was so used to struggling with school, having the hardest time with the most basic reading and math skills, but one sentence from Jade seemed to counteract all of that.
The image of Jade's teasing grin, as she said, "Self-deprecation isn't cute" stuck with him.
He couldn't help but wonder at how good it felt. His ears felt a little hot. He pressed the back of his hand against a cheek, hoping to suppress the warm feeling before anyone noticed.
The first sign of another monster down the road was a full skeleton spread on the ground. The butterfly didn't slow down even as we passed by a few more scattered human bones. A crunch under my shoes revealed hundreds of broken pencils on the floor, giving a trail to a large room shining with blazing light.
I squinted, wincing at the brightness, and once my eyes adjusted, the stench of something foul hit my nose. There were dozens of skeletons littering the floor around us, some old and bleached white, but others more recent and on the last stages of decomposing. Grover actually gagged.
The blue butterfly floated across the room, leading our view to the monster on the opposite side. Tyson shuffled closer to Percy once we noticed a tall Sphinx sitting on a glittery dais like a throne. With the body of a huge lion and head of a woman, the Sphinx's hair was pulled back in a tight bun and makeup caked her face. A blue ribbon badge hung from her chest that spelled out something in gold thread. The blue butterfly fluttered past the Sphinx whose attention was entirely focused on us.
"Welcome, lucky contestants," she announced in a loud, cheerful voice. "Get ready to play, ANSWER THAT RIDDLE!"
Canned applause blasted from the ceiling as bars came down on the tunnel exit behind us. Spotlights swept across the room and reflected off the dais, throwing disco sparkles over the bones and rotting corpses.
"We have a fabulous prize!" the Sphinx said. "Pass the test, and you may advance! Fail, and I eat you! Who will be your representing contestant?"
Annabeth was already on the move when I grabbed her arm.
"Let me just sing to her," I murmured. "A sphinx is nothing compared to a dragon lady."
"Don't worry, I know exactly what she's going to ask," she whispered back confidently. "There's no need to waste your energy."
I shook my head. "Don't assume anything-"
Brushing away my hand, Annabeth stepped onto the contestant's podium and pushed aside the skeleton in a school uniform hunched over it.
"Welcome, Annabeth Chase!" the monster greeted with a creepy smile. "Are you ready for your test?"
"Yes," she said. "Ask your riddle."
The Sphinx gleefully said, "Twenty riddles, actually!"
"What? But-"
Here it goes, I internally sighed and exchanged worried glances with Percy. Annabeth nervously looked over to us, widening her eyes at the unexpected change. While Percy was probably worried that Annabeth would have a hard time, I was more concerned that she wasn't going to answer the dang questions since things weren't going her way.
Without wasting time, the Sphinx fired question after question as Annabeth shot back answers with ease, but the frustration on Annabeth's face grew with each one. It got until the fifth question when Annabeth slammed down her number 2 pencil instead of bubbling in her fourth answer on the test sheet.
"Hold up!" she shouted. "These aren't riddles."
"Of course they are," the sphinx snapped "This test material is specifically designed to-"
"It's just a bunch of dumb, random facts, these questions aren't riddles," Annabeth insisted. "Riddles are supposed to make you think."
"Think? How am I supposed to test whether you can think? That's ridiculous! Now, how much force is required-"
"No! This is a stupid test," Annabeth argued. "I'm a child of Athena, and this is an-"
Annabeth stopped mid-rant, her grey eyes widening as if a realization struck her.
Taking a deep breath, she said slowly, "I request a time out."
"Excuse me?" the Sphinx frowned. It was probably the first time a victim had ever shamelessly requested a time out in front of the monster.
Annabeth locked eyes with me and jerked her head over to the Sphinx. I smiled wide, very happy that she caught herself before making the situation worse. Stepping up the podium and ignoring the Sphinx's protests of there being two contestants playing, I gestured for everyone to cover their ears. Annabeth, Percy, Grover, Briares, and Tyson obediently covered their ears, getting used to the drill.
Letting out a deep breath, I started humming a tune.
As I suspected, forcing a Sphinx to sleep was much easier than an angry dragon lady. Compared to the clash with Kampê, the Sphinx fell into a deep slumber without major trouble and we passed her with no problems, exiting the large room at the other side. Leaving the bright lights behind, we entered the dark tunnels once more and kept a sharp eye on the blue butterfly. Annabeth was the one most irked by the encounter because there was no opportunity to practice her god-given gifts of cleverness. She punched me on the shoulder when I commented how she was starting to gain the 'wisdom' part of her mother's famed virtues.
As we walked, I cracked open a double shot espresso canned drink and sipped it slowly. A weight was beginning to build upon my eyelids, tempting me to sleep, which meant I needed to rest. My dad's blessing must be expiring because I could now feel the consequences of the curse of Achilles burning me out.
I rubbed my eyes, wishing for the darkness to stay away. Just hold on for a little longer. You can't drop snoring yet.
We made a few turns in the dark tunnel, relying on Grover, Tyson, and Briares' sharp eyesight to spot the faint sparkle of the butterfly. Eventually, a metal door came into view in the shadows.
The door looked like an old-fashioned submarine hatch, oval with metal rivets around the edges and a wheel for a doorknob. Instead of the key portal, an inscribed Greek Êta glowed in the middle.
"Ready to meet Hephaestus?" Grover said nervously.
"No," Percy admitted.
"Yes!" Tyson said gleefully as he turned the wheel. Briares stood with a quiet smile behind the Cyclops, affected by the younger one's contagious excitement.
As soon as the door opened, the blue butterfly slipped through with Tyson following right behind it. We followed at a slower pace, taking in the sight of the enormous room.
It looked exactly like a mechanic's garage but on steroids. There were several hydraulic lifts on one side with cars, a multitude of metal transportation contraptions, and ancient Greek styled magical vehicles like war chariots, carriages, and more. Smaller projects cluttered the dozens of worktables throughout the room. Tools hung on the walls in an organized mess.
The blue butterfly fluttered towards a pair of legs stuck underneath the nearest hydraulic lift holding a black Toyota Corolla.
Seeing something so ordinary in a god's workshop made me nearly huff in amused disbelief.
"Well, well," a deep voice boomed from under the Corolla. "Haven't seen one of these in a long time."
The mechanic pushed out on a back trolley and sat up.
I'd never seen Hephaestus before so I didn't know what to expect, but the god reminded me of the most stereotypical hardass car mechanic anyone could have the displeasure of meeting. With an oil and grime smeared jumpsuit and permanent scowl, Hephaestus looked like one of those car mechanics who charged outrageously high prices that no one could ever argue against because he did perfect work and could fix anything. Always gruff and straight to the point, not wasting time on small talk when he could be tinkering. The only thing that detracted from him appearing like a mortal was the small wildfire erupting and dying out on his black beard, as if he was going to combust in flames any moment.
The blue butterfly charmingly flapped around the god's large, calloused hands several times before fading. It's purpose had been fulfilled as it was a one-time use GPS.
"Hypnos," Hephaestus grunted. "Always up to tricks."
The god glowered up at us, but his hard expression relaxed exceptionally when his eyes landed on Tyson and Briares.
"A Cyclops, very good," Hephaestus said approvingly. "And what a sight for sore eyes you are, Briares! What are you two doing with this lot?"
Briares cracked a shy smile. "These demigods saved me, the young Cyclops gave me courage to flee from Kampê."
The god hummed thoughtfully, giving us demigods a second glance. Percy, Annabeth, and I instinctively straightened our backs as he levelled us a new look of regard. He got up from the back trolley and limped over to a worktable, sitting on a metal stool.
"So, three demigods, a satyr, a Cyclops, and a Hundred Handed One," Hephaestus listed. "How interesting, there'd better be a good reason you're disturbing me."
"Sir," Annabeth said hesitantly. "It's about Daedalus-"
"Daedalus?!" the god roared. "What about that old scoundrel? You dare seek him out!"
His beard burst into flames and his black eyes glowed.
"Uh yes, sir, please," Annabeth said nervously.
Hephaestus grunted in irritation. "You're wasting your time," he said while fiddling with a lump of springs and metal plates on his worktable. In just a few seconds, he held a bronze and silver falcon. It spread its metal wings, blinking obsidian eyes, and flew around the room. Tyson laughed and clapped his hands, giggling when the bird landed on his shoulder and affectionately nipped his ear. Then the metal bird hopped onto one of Briares' outstretched hands, where it pecked at the various hands hovering its head.
Hephaestus regarded the Hundred Handed One. "Briares, how long do you intend to stay with these demigods? Surely you'd rather work in the smithies, I can even make a place of your own myself."
Briares returned the metal falcon to the worktable and shook his head at the generous offer. "That is thoughtful of you, Hephaestus, but I owe the young Cyclops a debt. I wish to return it before I pledge service to another," Briares said softly.
The polite refusal brought down Hephaestus' mood though he seemed to accept it. I caught disappointment reflected in his eyes as he looked at the only other individual he liked in the room.
"And I don't suppose you will accept my offer?" he gruffly asked Tyson who regretfully had to reject it as well.
WIth a scowl, Hephaestus turned to Grover. "I've no use of satyrs, but I can sense you wish to ask me something."
Grover gulped hard. "I wanted to a-ask you about Lord Pan, if you know anything about his whereabouts."
At that, Hephaestus sounded wary. "The ultimate mission of satyrs, you search for the Lord of the Wild. I've pitied your kinds' fruitless endeavors all these centuries, and I'm afraid to say that the future still remains bleak. The Wild is no longer what it once was and the chances of finding Pan become slimmer with each decade. He is a being of old, satyr, like Briares and his brethren, the Hundred Handed Ones. Briares is the only one left of his kind, the others faded. It wouldn't be a surprise to guess the same occurred to Pan."
There was nothing encouraging about the god's answer, but it didn't deter Grover.
"Pan isn't gone," he said quietly. His voice shook, but there was hope too. "I felt his presence in New Mexico last year and I heard his voice. He said that he awaits me."
Hephaestus narrowed his eyes at Grover, as if digging through his mind to see if he was lying. "Is that so," the god murmured. "Then I suppose you might have some luck after all. Very well, I shall tell you this: us gods draw power from the essence of our beings. I naturally draw near to sleeping volcanoes, busy car mechanic shops, and human smithies in the midst of forging metals. These places call to me and give me strength; the same goes for Pan. Very few spots remain on the surface of Earth that express the true nature of the Wild. I suspect that he has gone underground, a place that is able to comfort Pan in his natural element. You must seek the Wild, satyr, even if you must take a risk."
Grover's eyes widened at the piece of advice. I wondered if that was the second biggest lead that any satyr's gotten on finding Pan, the first being hearing Pan's voice in New Mexico.
Having helped Grover, Hephaestus addressed the next person in our group. "So, you are the one Hypnos claimed. It caused quite a stir amongst the gods, minor and major, you should know. What would you like to ask of me?"
It took a second to realize who he was talking to.
I blinked. Oh, he means me.
Did I have something I'd like to ask him? Nothing quite came to mind which was a shame since it wasn't often that a god let you ask a question without a cost. I was going to just ask about Daedalus when Hypnos' words came back to me.
You have the queen's permission.
"What does it mean to have the queen's permission?"
Everyone gave me curious glances at my question because none of them knew that Hypnos had imparted the words to me.
Hephaestus cleared his throat and spat into a bronze spittoon. "To speak of the queen means to speak of Hera. None of you have met my mother, have you?"
We all shook our heads and Hephaestus snorted. "Good, she'll smile to your face and talk about the importance of family, but that didn't stop her from pitching me off Mount Olympus when she saw my ugly face."
"But I thought Zeus did that to you?" Percy asked.
"Mother likes telling that version of the story," the god grumbled. "Makes her seem more likeable, blaming it all on my dad. Truth is, my mother likes a certain kind of family. Perfect families. I don't fit that image, do I? She took one look at me and hurled me down the mountain."
I tilted my head. "And what does that have to do with having her 'permission'?"
Hephaestus grimaced. "My mother will do anything to maintain a perfect family. It means she'll let humans do whatever it takes to keep a 'happy family', even if it requires you tossing a baby down a cliff, if you get my meaning."
I got the meaning, but I wasn't sure why Hera had given me her 'permission' out of all people. It was so random and out of the ordinary; it seemed like she was expecting me to do something to another demigod, but I didn't have an idea of what it'd be. And Hephaestus implied that the action would involve breaking some moral codes. Still, Hephaestus at least had explained what the cryptic words meant. It's just a matter of exactly what it'd be.
"Thank you for explaining," I said.
"Lastly, you," Hephaestus pointed out Percy. "What would you ask of me, little demigod?"
Percy repeated Annabeth's request to find Daedalus. It took some weaseling and digging for Hephaestus to be open to the idea of helping us, but it was done. He laughed when Annabeth readily agreed to pay for the request with a favor. His laughs bellowed loudly and it wasn't a comforting sound.
"You heroes always make rash promises," he said with an amused chuckle. "So refreshing!"
Hephaestus then laid out the contents of the favor. Pressing a button on his workbench, the metal shutters opened along the wall, showing a grey mountain ringed in forests. Smoke rose from its crest, indicating it to be a volcano. It was his favorite forge, Mount St. Helens, until strange things happened there. It's supposed to be empty, but Hephaestus could tell someone or something was invading his territory and doing sinister acts. He told us how the monster Typhon was trapped underneath there after being moved from Mount Etna when the gods moved to America. The current bad news was that Typhon grew restless with the Titan rebellion. He wanted us to find out who the intruders are and if they intend to free Typhon.
Hephaestus clapped his hands. From the worktable, the metal falcon perked up and flew to Annabeth's shoulder.
"My creation will show you the way," the god said. "The mountain is not far through the Labyrinth. And try to stay alive, will you? Humans are much more fragile than automans."
We turned to leave the workshop, but Hephaestus held me back for just a second.
"You best get rested soon, demigod," he said to me. "Your body will collapse under the burden of the curse."
I nodded, Hephaestus' concern confirmed that Hypnos' blessing had worn off. I now had to make sure that I'd get enough sleep from now, which was going to be difficult since I had to fight off Tartarus each time I closed my eyes.
I was going to leave, but Hephaestus wasn't done. "Many gods have taken interest in you, young demigod. Be sure not to show your true nature and purpose to the untrustworthy." His black eyes bore down on me, his gaze drilling holes into my consciousness. His words sounded like a warning as if he was trying to watch out for me.
Well, at this rate, everything sounds like a warning.
I let out a huff of shallow mirth. "By 'true nature', I'm guessing you mean being a heretic?"
"The Greek world will not treat you kindly," Hephaestus said simply. "It's in your best interest to keep it hidden."
A sharp smile covered my face as I thanked him once more and left the workshop, following the group back into the Labyrinth. Once I entered the dark shadows of the tunnels, the smile immediately slid off my face.
I was pissed.
I didn't need to hear a Greek god, a major one at that, telling me that this world would reject me even if I gave up everything for its sake.
My teeth grinded against each other.
It's a good thing I don't hold faith to any of these gods.
Our group split up when we hit the tree roots.
We came across a tunnel off to the side that was dug from raw earth and wrapped in thick roots. Grover stopped dead in his tracks in front of it, screeching us to a halt. The metal falcon would've flown ahead of us if it didn't circle back and perch itself on Annabeth.
"What is it?" Percy asked.
Grover stared open mouthed into the dark tunnel. His curly hair rustled in the breeze. The eerie part was that the 'wind' only brushed against Grover, no one else could feel the change in air.
"Come on!" Annabeth pressed impatiently. "We have to keep moving."
"It's the Wild," Grover murmured in awe. "This is what Hephaestus meant. This is the way to Pan."
Tyson sniffed around. "I smell dirt and plants."
Briares squinted at the earthy tunnel, a dozen hands reverently touching the tree roots. "Yes, satyr, this is what the Lord of the Wild felt like."
Encouraged by these observations, Grover turned to Annabeth. "This is the way, I'm sure of it."
"We'll come back," Annabeth promised. "On our way back to Hephaestus."
"The tunnel will be gone by then," Grover said. "I have to follow it, a door like this won't stay open!"
"Grover is right," I cut in. "He has to take this chance."
"We split up," Percy said.
"No!" Annabeth exclaimed. "That's way too dangerous, we won't find each other if we split up, and how could Grover go alone?"
Tyson put his hand on Grover's shoulder. "I-I will go with him."
Briares also placed hands on Grover's other shoulder. The satyr was so focused on Pan that he didn't flinch at the weird sensation.
"Yes, we will keep the satyr safe," the Hundred Handed One promised.
"Percy, we still have the empathy link, we can find each other again," Grover promised. "I have to go."
Percy looked deeply worried. "I hope you're right."
"I know I am."
Grover wasn't the type to be so confident about anything, so it was very reassuring to see him self-assured. Percy exchanged tight hugs with his best friend and half-brother. Annabeth, Percy and I watched the group of three disappear through the dark tunnel of tree roots.
We took off on our own, the bird flying ahead of us.
"Tyson and Briares can take care of Grover," I said to Annabeth.
She grimaced. "Splitting up is never a good idea. It could be the Labyrinth tricking us."
"Grover sensed the Wild, he's not being tricked by the smell," I countered.
"We'll see them again," Percy tried to sound optimistic. "Let's complete the mission in the meantime."
It got really, really hot in the Labyrinth.
It felt like we were walking through an oven. As the tunnel sloped down, we could hear a loud roar, like a river of metal.
The metal bird flew without hesitation into the ominous passageway with us three running right behind it. After a half mile or so, we entered a cavern the size of a Super Bowl stadium. The falcon landed on a tall ledge, like it was waiting for us to finish our business. I guessed that once we were done checking out the forge, it'd lead us back to Hephaestus' workshop in the Labyrinth.
We stood at the rock ridge circling the cavern where a network of metal bridges boarded it and intercrossed to create a pathway to the huge platform at the center. Below us, a literal river of lava bubbled and hissed. All sorts of machines, cauldrons, forges, and a huge anvil were assorted on the platform. Creatures moved around the platform, several strange, dark shapes, but they were too far away to make out details.
Even though I couldn't see them, I could sense a familiar foul energy radiating from the platform. Telekhines. Usually, I wouldn't be able to sense anything from this distance, but they were working on something that required dark magic. The remnants of their smithing sorcery could be felt from afar and it didn't feel good. I could understand why Hephaestus was bothered by the dark magic residue tainting his forge.
Annabeth reached for her blue Yankees cap, but I held out a hand.
"Hold it," I stopped her. "I know what's messing with the forge."
"You do? How?" Percy asked.
"Telekhines," I told Annabeth. "I can feel their magic all the way from here, which means they're working on something bad."
Annabeth's grey eyes widened at my answer.
Percy looked between us. "What's a telekhine?"
"They're sea demons who used to forge weapons for the gods," Annabeth explained. "But they practiced dark magic, betraying the gods, and got banished to Tartarus. They're probably here to work for Kronos. We need to find out what they're up to. Wait here."
Before Percy or I could get another word in, she pulled on her cap and turned invisible.
"I hate it when she does that," Percy sighed.
"And just a while ago, she was saying, 'Splitting up is never a good idea!'" I mimicked Annabeth's tone jokingly.
Percy didn't laugh at my impersonation. He looked at the platform, probably thinking of Annabeth sneaking in all alone. It was obvious what he was thinking of doing.
"She said to wait here," I reminded him.
"But we can't just stay put!" Percy said. He looked sick with worry.
I tried a different angle to deter him. "You don't trust Annabeth?"
"What?"
"You don't trust her," I repeated. "She told you to wait here, but you're thinking of going anyway. Doesn't that mean you don't trust that she'll come back?"
Conflicted at my implication, Percy pressed his lips together. "That's not it, I'm just worried-"
"I'm worried too, but do you think Annabeth can't handle it by herself? Let's say we left this spot, we go in, but we don't find her and in the meantime, she comes back here expecting us, but we're not here. What do you think of that?"
Percy made a sound of frustration. "Fine," he ground out and stayed put.
As it turns out, an antsy Percy is just as bad as an impulsive Percy. Impulsive Percy at least got to do something and act on his ADHD, but antsy Percy meant that he couldn't stop fidgeting. His eyes kept darting around, scanning the platform for any sudden movements, and his hand kept twitching towards the pen in his pocket every time a particularly loud clang resounded throughout the cavern. We sat behind a large column of rock, taking surveillance from the sides. I mean, I could sympathize with his impatience because I was reacting every little thing the same way, but I forced myself to sit still. Patience wasn't a strong suit of ADHD/ADD teenagers.
In the meantime, I was contemplating on when to rejoin Luke and Kronos' Army.
I have to get back before Luke gets pressured into becoming a host. I already told him to hold off dipping in the River Styx, but Kronos might possess him even without the curse.
There were two issues with this. First, I was in the middle of a quest and couldn't abandon Ananbeth and Percy. I was pretty sure that there were greatly severe punishments for those who deserted quests by obscure rules set by the Fates. Second, I had no way of rejoining Luke because he wasn't expecting me until I finished this quest; he wanted me to keep an eye on Annabeth and her progress with tracking down Daedalus, but then I wouldn't be help Luke escape in time before my 'oath' for Kronos.
Kronos' Army was gearing for an invasion upon Camp Half-Blood and Kronos wanted to settle into a human body by then. He only needed one last pledge of loyalty to give him just a drop more of power to possess a demigod in order to have a physical body.
Internally groaning at the complicated situation, I closed my eyes. I have to be there beforehand to make sure that Luke won't be the victim. If I stay with Annabeth and Percy until the end of this quest, I won't have enough time to help Luke.
A sound of metal screeching ripped through the air and Percy jumped to his feet. I squinted across the hazy heat, but it was just the telekhines doing their smithing. No sign of Annabeth being in trouble.
"Sit down," I intoned. "She's got it under control."
Percy reluctantly sat down when he suddenly asked, "Why did you ask Hephaestus about Hera? Do you have the 'queen's permission'? If you do, then why?"
I didn't take my tired eyes off the platform as I opened a second can of double shot espresso coffee. "So curious as always, Percy-boy."
"Jade."
I sighed. "It's something my dad told me and I don't even know what it's about, but I hope I don't get involved with Hera. That's just asking for trouble."
Percy seemed unsatisfied with my simple, yet truthful answer. Like he expected more.
Something about the situation just hit a funny spot in my brain. Here I was in the Labyrinth, in the middle of a quest I never imagined I'd be a part of and hanging out with Percy, the main character of a book series in my past life. We're sitting at a rocky edge inside a volcano, me chugging down coffee to keep awake from the tiring effects of a curse that granted invulnerability. And Percy was digging into my personal affairs. The Percy who I told myself I wouldn't get close to, but now, we were technically 'friends' even if I didn't want to be. If present me told past me what I'd be up to, I would've laughed hysterically and then said "that's not funny". I wasn't going to tell Percy any of these thoughts that ran through my mind, but I did let loose a cackle.
Percy leaned away at my abrupt laughter. "What's so funny?" he asked warily.
I looked at him with a smile as I drank the coffee. "Nothing, why're you so interested in my business?"
He fiddled with the edge of his shirt. "I ask because you don't talk about yourself. I don't know much about what goes on in your life."
"Not even Annabeth, or Travis and Conner, know everything," I said. "It's fine."
"You just seem sort of suspicious sometimes," he admitted. "And I don't want to suspect you."
A mix of guilt and gratitude hit me hard. Percy had every right to be suspicious of me, but it warmed my heart that he chose to trust me. Misplaced trust was just as dangerous as misplaced suspicions, however his loyalty and high regard for his friends were admirable. Of course, it was his hubris too.
"I see," I said quietly. "I don't blame you for that."
"Woah, I mean I trust you, Jade," Percy tried to reassure me. "It's just sometimes there are moments when, y'know, I just wish I knew more."
"You don't have to know everything, don't push yourself."
"But, I want to know." Percy sounded self-conscious. "I sort of…"
My brows furrowed as I stared down Percy. He blushed under my scrutiny and his fidgeting grew erratic.
A pink face. Maybe the heat of the volcano was causing the blush, but the redness reached Percy's ears. His shy green eyes averted from mine but they still tried to maintain eye contact.
The realization struck me like lightning.
Oh God.
I finished the can and threw it over the edge, falling into the lava pit.
There was no way. I had to ask to be sure.
"Percy. Do you like me?" I asked in a short tone.
Percy looked like a deer caught in headlights.
He let out an embarrassed squeak. "Uh, well-"
That reaction told me what I needed to know.
I do not want to think about this right now.
I held up a hand and cut him off, "Stop. Don't answer that, it was a dumb question."
"But-"
As much as I would've enjoyed having this conversation and then have a mental breakdown soon after, something else caught my attention.
"No, look." I pointed across the ridge to where Annabeth ran out of the forge, cradling an injured arm. At a distance, a crowd of telekhines were chasing her.
This wasn't good.
Casting aside our conversation earlier, Percy and I sprinted to the metal bridge. Up close, Annabeth was in worse shape than I thought she'd be. Her arm had a bad burn spattered across her hand and forearm. The outer skin was a bloody mess and peeling in places. It looked extremely painful. Her face was drenched in sweat and she looked like she was burning with a fever. Even though sea demons were gaining ground behind her, I decided that Annabeth needed to be treated before her injuries got worse.
Performing very crude first aid, I grabbed nectar out of my bag and carefully poured the entire bottle over the burns. Then I wrapped her arm with a gauze so that the burns would soak in the godly drink in order to heal like a balm. It was the best we could do before the telekhines could reach us.
"They threw lava at me," she said in a tight voice. "But I found out what they're doing here. They're making weapons for Kronos and his army. We need to get out-"
We heard the growls of the sea demons getting closer. Annabeth tried to move, but her knees buckled.
"Annabeth!" Percy yelped. He caught her from hitting the ground, but now he was carrying her weight.
I think the pain was getting to her. I placed a hand on her forehead and compared her heat with mine. Even though we were inside a volcano, she was definitely burning hotter than I was. She wasn't taking the injury so well, which was completely understandable since who the hell could withstand lava? Annabeth was breathing heavily, her eyes squeezed shut out of pain.
This is my fault, I blamed myself. I said we should wait here instead of going to find her.
With shaky hands, I took out a water bottle and ibuprofen pills and helped Annabeth swallow them down with water. The pills wouldn't be able to relieve the pains from her pain, but it should at least help reduce fever and fight the inflammation from the burns. With ambrosia and plenty of rest, Annabeth would be okay, but we needed to get out of here. Our biggest issue was that we couldn't outrun the telekhines with Percy half-carrying Annabeth.
Blood pounded in my ears.
In less than a second, I contemplated the situation. Telekhines were a common sight on the Princess Andromeda, so I knew about their physical abilities. They weren't exactly the combat type of monsters, but they were smithies, so they were physically strong in addition to their fanged jaws. Also, they were sly and bloodthirsty which was a dangerous combination when in packs. Percy would have his hands full supporting Annabeth and there was no way I could defend the two of them safely without exposing my Curse of Achilles. I didn't want to take the risk. We all had a better chance of surviving if I confronted the telekhines myself.
Plus, worse case scenario was that the telekhines take us prisoner and bring us to Kronos' Army. Annabeth would be handed over to Luke. Percy would most likely be killed. I wouldn't be able to help Luke, Annabeth, and Percy all at the same time without causing major confusion and getting attacked by the Army. I didn't know if I could prevent that from happening if it came down to that even with the curse of invulnerability.
If anything, this was my chance to split off from Percy and Annabeth.
Seems like I'll be separating from them earlier than I thought.
"Percy, the telekhines will catch up unless one of us distracts them, so you take Annabeth and go," I hurriedly instructed him. "Go back to Hephaestus with the bird, I'll hold them off and rejoin you guys."
"No!" Percy yelled. "We're not leaving you-"
"I'll just sing them to sleep," I told him. "Annabeth is the one who made the agreement with Hephaestus, so she has to see him. I've survived the Labyrinth on my own before, Percy, I'm the best choice."
"Jade," Annabeth weakly said. "Don't go-"
The sea demons were halfway across the metal bridge and they didn't sound pretty. They were screeching about how they were hungry and hadn't eaten demigods in a while.
"You need to take Annabeth to a safe place before her fever gets worse." I firmly nudged Percy towards the Labyrinth tunnel.
Percy tried arguing with me, but I wouldn't hear any of it. He was extremely stubborn, insisting that we all stick together, or that I take Annabeth and he stay behind. I couldn't have that, so I pushed back.
"Percy Jackson, I will stab you right now if you don't take Annabeth out of here," I threatened, irritation seeping into my voice. His hubris was getting in the way and it was beginning to piss me off. I think Percy caught my apparent anger, because he grit his teeth and readjusted Annabeth's weight in his arms.
"You better come back," he shouted over his shoulder. "We're not done talking!"
Sorry, Percy, but we definitely are-
"Go!" I shouted and turned around to face the sea demons. I pulled out my twin katanas out of the Void and then slashed when one got close. It yelped, turning into dust which deterred the other ones from getting closer.
One big telekhine lunged for my arm, but its fangs cracked under my skin. With another swing of my silver-white blade, the sea demon dissolved.
Taking a quick glance behind me, I saw that Percy and Annabeth had reached the outer wall of the cavern and gone back into the Labyrinth.
"If our teeth cannot penetrate your skin, then we shall burn you alive," a tall telekhine snarled. It towered over me standing at six feet, the tallest sea demon I'd ever seen.
Assuming that it led the pack, I maintained eye contact with it and slowly pulled out my necklace underneath my shirt. The telekhines muttered amongst themselves in confusion when they saw the silver scythe dangling from the chain.
"You bear the sigil of Kronos," the leader hissed. "Why?"
Taking this as a good sign, I let out a shaky breath. "I serve Kronos as his spy on Camp Half-Blood. To prove my loyalty, you can contact Luke and the empousa Kelli, let them know that I'm here. They'll vouch for me."
The tall telekhine growled in deep thought before visibly relaxing. "Very well. If you are lying, then we will eat you," it stated.
My shoulders sagged in relief.
"That's fair."
It's enough as long as Percy and Annabeth got to safety, but I wasn't so much worried about them as I was for myself.
It's time to meet Kronos.
x
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