Across The Ages (On Hold)

XVIII

Achilles and Rachel led the way through the maze, and she seemed to have no issues figuring out where to go. "Shhh, stop," Perseus suddenly whispered. "All of you, with Achilles, head back the way we came. As soon as I'm gone, continue moving. You must find Daedalus, you cannot stop for anything." With that, he roughly shoved them behind Achilles who grasped Perseus' forearm and they shook arms, old fellowship style. "Chairé old friend," and he turned and soon they disappeared into the inky blackness of the maze.

Perseus turned to face the approaching group. "I told you, I heard something up here. Look, there he is! Who are you?"

Perseus raised an eyebrow as they came into view with a lantern and roughly five demigods. "This is Kronos' vanguard?" he asked, dismissively.

"We are under orders to bring anyone we see back to Luke to pledge their allegiance to Lord Kronos, or kill them if they refuse."

Perseus grinned evilly. "Well, I doubt you'll kill me. Been around the block more times than some kids like you, but luckily for you, I want to meet this Luke kid for myself."

The kid who'd spoken looked unsure of himself, clearly thinking that Perseus would not be an ally from the way he spoke. "Uh–"

"Take me to him or I shall bring you all to him in body bags. Your choice."

The others looked nervous before one finally said, "Just bring him. Luke will deal with it once we are there."

Perseus followed the small group of traitorous demigods for about fifteen minutes before they ended up in front of an enormous set of double doors. Inside was an arena. A centaur and Cyclops were fighting, and the centaur seemed very nervous about his much larger opponent. Around the arena were pikes upon which skulls were driven, some very very old, some a lot newer with flesh still hanging on them. If this was meant to scare his enemies, Perseus seemed to think his brother needed new ideas.

Antaeus stood, "Ah, you have brought more entertainment."

"Cut the shit, Antaeus. I'm not here for you. I'm here for Luke. I want to meet the idiot that thinks he can lead the Titan's army into his own home."

Antaeus fumed at getting disrespected in his own arena. "I'll grind your bones into dust! Who are you?!"

"Why, brother, it hurts you don't know your own flesh and blood. But I know you, Antaeus. I know you very well. I also know how our brother killed you. I've been alive a lot longer than you might think." Perseus turned his head back to the blonde son of Hermes. "You have one chance to come back. I know what you've done. But if you host him, you will die. The gods aren't the best, but they are better than the Titans. The demigods you are trying to save will just become pawns for his entertainment. Don't do this kid."

Luke looked conflicted. "I can't. I'm already in too deep. There is no turning back. The gods need to realize what they've done to us."

"The gods can be persuaded. I hold a lot of influence. But I've seen the outcome of this if you continue. Just stop. You have two other demigods that don't want to see you die. Are you willing to throw all of that out of the window for some petty vendetta that can be solved a different way?"

"I'm too far in! You don't understand! I already belong to Him. There is no going back," Luke sneered. "Kill him. He will only stand in our way."

Perseus rolled his eyes as the monsters that had previously been watching the fights turned on him. He vaulted into the arena to give himself some space to swing his spear. He pulled it and his shield off his back and spun immediately to face a dracanae that had jumped in behind him. His spear pierced her sternum and she crumbled to dust before she could even make a sound. Jumping to his left, he dodged a trident of a telekine, slamming the butt of his weapon into its neck causing to crawl back, clutching its throat before dying and dissolving.

Bringing his shield up, he protected his blind side, his spear and shield both becoming weapons of destruction and protection. Soon, monsters were fleeing instead of attacking, but Perseus was not having it. They were all slaughtered before his merciless bloodlust. Nothing could stand before him. It was over in less than ten minutes. what was once sixty plus monsters, most had been slain, while some of the brighter ones had followed Luke out immediately after the order to attack had been given. Antaeus now the only one in front of him, Perseus scowled. Not at the monster but the earth rising to incase it. "Another time, brother," he sneered as the ground swallowed the son of Gaia and Poseidon. With that, Perseus turned and left the arena through the same doors, fading into a mist. He'd wait for the others at Camp Half-Blood. He was a lot of things, but he was not a navigator of the Labyrinth and he had no intentions of becoming another one of the demigods that did not make it back.