Luke started to read.

Chapter 14: Return to the Labyrinth

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.

Everyone except Nico and Bianca laughed

"I wasn't aware I had two little sisters." Percy teased.

Bianca burst into laughter too.

Nico's face flushed in embarrassment while Bianca tried and failed to hold in her laughter.

Nico glared at his siblings who just laughed more.

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.

"Teasing my ass," Nico mumbled.

"Language, Nicky!" Percy scolded.

"Language?!" Nico looked at him confused. "Says you."

"Sorry, it slipped out," He smiled sheepishly.

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.

Bianca smiled knowing that now he would have to unless he wanted it to be his first broken promise.

Thunder rumbled outside making both sibling's eyes widen.

Bianca looked shocked before she smiled, "Okay good, now you have to."

Bianca smiled widely at her brother who smiled back. Artemis was approving him more and more even though he did take her lieutenant from her.

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."

Zoe smirked. "Bad move, di Angelo," she muttered.

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.

Everyone except Nico, Dionysus, and Ares fell on the floor laughing at that. Nico glared at them all, which only caused them to laugh more. Five minutes later when everyone calmed, Luke continued to read.

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 grumbled something under his breath about it not being fair.

Nico ran straight into Percy who snatched him up with an evil smirk, "Now you're dead little brother."

"Percy, it's not nice to kill your brother!" Persephone scolded.

"Says the woman who keeps turning him into a dandelion," Percy mumbled.

"Touché," she said.

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.

Artemis currently shared the same expression as her future self.

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.

Nico smiled sheepishly at the goddess who just had a look of amusement.

"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.

"Oh, she wouldn't hurt Nico because then she would upset you, and then upset her beloved most favorited huntress ever, and she wouldn't want that," Annabeth said.

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?"

"Of course, he's too loyal not to keep anyone safe," Zoe said.

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."

"He wouldn't dare," Hades, Persephone, Sally, and few other said glaring at the said god.

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."

"And I would join them," everyone said including Ares at the same time.

Everyone turned to Ares. "What? It's war, of course I would, plus I know a losing side when I see one," Ares said.

Everyone just shrugged it off and turned back to the story.

Percy's eyes widened, "I guess I really am her favorite grandchild." He said, choosing to ignore the part about Poseidon.

Poseidon looked off into the distance, but then remembered what Percy had told him and turned back to the story.

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.

"Nice to see you too," Percy mumbled.

Percy just ignored her while Katie looked ready to smack to immortal preteen.

"Do it, do it, do it!" Ares chanted excitedly, only to be stopped when five silver arrows hit directly below his area.

He looked to see Artemis, Zoe, Diana, Thalia, and Bianca glaring at him.

"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.

Everyone except Percy, Ares, and Dionysus laughed at that.

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."

"See, Percy agrees that I am older," Apollo said.

Apollo found five flaming silver arrows, three landed above his head, and two landed just below his area, all of which were fired by Artemis. Apollo wisely shut up.

Artemis' eyes widened before she scowled, "I see my insufferable twin has already been a bad influence on you."

"Hey! I'm not a bad influence, I'm a great influence," Apollo protested.

"Note that he didn't even mention the insufferable part," Percy whispered to Zoe.

"It's because it's something that he can't deny," Zoe said.

Percy just gave her a cheeky grin which made Artemis' scowl fade and chuckle a bit, "You're lucky Jackson, very lucky."

"I wouldn't say lucky, luck isn't exactly in my favor. In fact I think Fortuna hates me because I have probably the worst luck," Percy said.

"Yeah, you do have the worst luck," Zoe said. "Perce, did you ever break a mirror, see a black cat, open an umbrella inside, found a penny tail side up, or anything like that."

"You know, I did accidentally break a mirror once by dropping it, I owned a black cat, um the ceiling was leaking so I opened an umbrella indoors, and I did find a penny with its tails side up," Percy said.

"Well that explains a whole lot of things," Zoe mumbled.

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.

"Jealous much?" Aphrodite asked.

Zoe blushed. "Perhaps a bit. I did have a crush on him."

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.

Zoe smiled and leaned against Percy.

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 is it?" Poseidon asked nobody answered as it would come up soon.

"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.

"Uh oh," Poseidon said.

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.

"Another unclaimed?" Poseidon asked.

"Oh, he was claimed, there just wasn't a cabin for his parent," Percy said. "He's a child of Nemesis."

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."

"You guys really should claim your kids more often," Percy said. "That's what caused the whole thing in the first place. You weren't claiming your children so they felt unloved, unwanted, and they rebelled."

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.

Luke cringed at the sound of "his army".

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.

"You see, if the minor gods were just treated properly and not be neglected, the war could have been avoided, and Kronos wouldn't have been so powerful. It's not too much to ask to have cabins for their kids and allow them to be recognized at Camp," Percy commented.

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.

"Why?!" Hades compained. "Why must EVERY curse be said with my name?! Why not Poseidon's or Zeus's?!"

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."

Hades looked at the other Olympians and simply said, "I forgive you."

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.

"That's not a good idea," Zoe mumbled.

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.

"Told you," Zoe mumbled.

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.

Artemis glared and said. "If that little bastard harms a hair on their heads, I will rip out their throats and make them wish they were never born!"

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.

Artemis smiled sheepishly at the similarities between her and Percy's reactions.

"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.

Ares looked up as he heard his name. He recognized Bruce's name as well.

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.

Ares shook his head saying, "What a disgrace."

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.

"Good thing he's dead, otherwise I would have to deal with him," Ares mumbled although nobody heard him.

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."

Yet again, Luke read the words as he regretted the events that he had led.

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?"

"Of course I trust you. You're one of the few men that I actually can trust with my life," Zoe said as Percy kissed her.

Zoe looked surprised by the question before she looked him in the eyes and nodded, "I do."

"You may now, kiss the bride," Luke read, "And they lived happily ever after."

Percy and Zoe both shoved him, playfully as the others laughed.

Percy's smile grew "Then just follow my lead. I want a word with the traitor son of Hermes anyway."

Luke grimaced at the words of "traitor son".

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.

He smiled at Zoe, grateful that they made it out of there alive.

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.

Luke never really liked any of them. They were too creepy and reminded him of the monsters that had hunted Thalia, Annabeth, and him down. He was grateful that he no longer had to deal with them.

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.

Poseidon looked down, ashamed that he had a son that was so horrible. Then again, Zeus and Hades also had pretty bad children, hence the Big Three Pact.

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.

Athena went through her brain to figure out who it was.

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?"

"Antaeus," Athena concluded.

The giant grinned, "I am Antaeus, son of Gaia and Poseidon, brother."

Poseidon cringed at his name. Antaeus wasn't one of his finest works that was for sure.

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.

Luke paused a little bit, still ashamed that he had done what he had done, but after a few moments, he resumed reading.

"Stop this Luke! Let us go!" Annabeth yelled from the cage she and the others were imprisoned in.

Luke cringed at the words. He hated hurting Annabeth. He regretted it deeply. Annabeth approached Luke and whispered a few words to him that made him feel a bit better, but he still felt guilty.

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 paused as he was then reassured by Annabeth that everything was in the past and forgiven.

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.

"Depends on the opponent," he said

"Percy stop repeating yourself," Luke teased.

Percy shrugged, "Depends on the opponent." He said in a nonchalant voice.

Percy just shrugged.

"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."

Ares looked up at the sound of a fight.

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.

Ares nodded in approval, but was disappointed that it didn't last longer.

"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.

"I don't need a weapon for him," Percy stated.

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.

Ares was excited for another fight and was actually listening for a change.

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.

"Amateur," Ares mumbled.

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!"

Poseidon cringed at the words of Antaeus.

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.

"But Percy, if he dies and no one else is left that is bound to the oath, then the oath is lifted," Athena said.

"I forgot about that minor setback m," Percy mumbled.

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.

Percy played with the Stygian blade. He had grown a huge liking towards the blade.

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."

Normally, people would fill with pride, being called "Master", but not Luke. He would have rather have just been a slave than have to betray his friends like that.

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.

"The earth heals him," Athena said. "He's also a son of Gaia."

"I realized that," Percy replied.

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.

Poseidon leaned forward in anticipation.

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."

"Weaponless and dead are not the same thing," Zoe said.

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.

Ares enjoyed the sound of violence for once.

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."

Athena had to give Percy some props for using such great strategies, as she realized what he was trying to do.

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.

The men cringed at the sound of that.

"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.

The room cheered at Percy's victory.

"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!"

Luke frowned a little at his past self.

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!"

Luke was disappointed in his past self. He regretted harming his friends and family.

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.

"The River Styx," Athena concluded.

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 room cheered for Cerberus.

The enemy froze in their track at the sight of Cerberus making Percy smirk, "Get'em boy."

Percy smiled at the memory of Cerberus plowing through the room.

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.

The girls cooed at Cerberus's cuteness.

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.

Percy rubbed the spot where he was punched. He remembered the sudden thud on his chest quite well.

"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."

"I think that's just every dog," Annabeth said. "I mean, have you ever met a dog that doesn't like getting their head scratched?"

"That's true," Percy agreed.

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 smiled and said, "I would never, and I don't think you would ever. Maybe severely maim, but not kill me."

"Don't test me," she said in response.

"But if I'm gone who will..." Percy trailed off innocently, as Zoe gave him the death glare.

Luke just chuckled and continued to read.

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."

"He is not!" Bianca argued.

"I'm his favorite!" Nico argued.

"You know what. I just summon him. Whoever he goes to is his favorite," Percy said.

Suddenly a big black three headed dog appeared in the middle of the throne room. He looked around a bit confused as to why he was suddenly in a big marble white room. Finally he registered what was happening and snuggled up next to Percy. After several minutes of playing with Cerberus, the room settled down, and Luke resumed reading.

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."

As Luke continued to read each word, his guilt grew even more.

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.

Artemis narrowed her eyes. "That can't be good at all," she mumbled.

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

"Not him," Hades groaned.

"Afraid so," Percy said with sympathy towards his father.

"That's it," Luke said.

"We should take a break," Artemis said.

Everyone nodded in agreement.