The Nature of a Demigod

The Things that Make

[Percy's POV]

"This way!" Rachel yelled. "Why should we follow you?" Annabeth demanded. "You led us straight into that death trap!"

"It was the way you needed to go," Rachel said. "And so is this. Come on!"

Annabeth didn't look happy about it, but she ran along with the rest of us. Rachel seemed to know exactly where she was going. She whipped around corners and didn't even hesitate at crossroads. Once she said, "Duck!" and we all crouched as a huge ax swung over our heads. Then we kept going as if nothing had happened.

I lost track of how many turns we made. We didn't stop to rest until we came to a room the size of a gymnasium with old marble columns holding up the roof. I stood at the doorway, listening for sounds of pursuit, but I heard nothing. Apparently we'd lost Luke and his minions in the maze.

Then I realized something else: Mrs. O'Leary was gone. I didn't know when she'd disappeared. I didn't know if she'd gotten lost or been overrun by monsters or what. My heart turned to lead. She'd saved our lives, and I hadn't even waited to make sure she was following us.

Ethan collapsed on the floor. "You people are crazy." He pulled off his helmet. His face gleamed with sweat.

"Oh, you have no idea." Y/N huffed, putting his hands on his knees and bending over. Annabeth gasped. "I remember you! You were one of the undetermined kids in the Hermes cabin, years ago."

He glared at her. "Yeah, and you're Annabeth. I remember." his voice sounded malicious.

Y/N stepped in front of her cautiously. "Yeah, so what?" he asked. Ethan rolled his eye as Annabeth peeked over Y/N's shoulder, and asked, "What- what happened to your eye?"

Ethan looked away, and I got the feeling that was one subject he would not discuss. "You must be the half-blood from my dream," I said. "The one Luke's people cornered. It wasn't Nico after all."

"Who's Nico?"

"Doesn't matter," Y/N saved it. "What were you doing trying to get in with Luke?"

Annabeth followed with, "Yeah, why were you trying to join up with the wrong side?" Ethan sneered. "There's no right or wrong side. The gods never cared about us. Why shouldn't I-"

"Sign up with an army that makes you fight to the death for entertainment?" Annabeth said. "Gee, I wonder." Ethan struggled to his feet. "I'm not going to argue with you. Thanks for the help, but I'm out of here."

"We're going after Daedalus," I said. "Come with us. Once we get through, you'd be welcome back at camp."

"You really are crazy if you think Daedalus will help you."

"He has to," Annabeht said. "We'll make him listen." Ethan snorted and turned to wander off into the darkness. "Yeah, well. Good luck with that." Y/N grabbed his arm with an expression I'd never seen him wear.

Genuine terror.

"You can't go in there alone, dude." he said, his eyes panicked and his jaw clenched.

Ethan looked at him with barely controlled anger. "Watch me." and ripped his arm from Y/N's grip. His eye patch was frayed around the edges and the black cloth was faded, like he'd been wearing it a long, long time. "You shouldn't have spared me, Jackson. Mercy has no place in this war."

Then he ran off into the maze, back the way we'd come.

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[Y/N's POV]