༉‧₊˚⋆˚( ᵖᵉʳᶠᵉᶜᵗ ʷᵒʳˡᵈ )˚⁺✧₊˚.*♡

🍦— 015. when two lovers fight.

HOW WOULD YOU REACT AFTER jumping out a window five hundred feet above ground? Would you be like Rachel Elizabeth Dare who kept screaming on top of her lungs? Would you be cursing your life away like Nico di Angelo? Would you be having fun and shouting in delight like Percy Jackson? Would you be yelling at those shouts of delight like Vivienne Wu? Or would you be surrounded by angry silence while she tried to figure out how to save their lives like Annabeth Chase?

Annabeth yelled, "Spread your arms! Keep them extended."

Vivi did as she was told and her arms responded. As soon as she spread them out, the wings stiffened, caught the wind, and her descent slowed. Her headache was going away slowing, but she could still feel the sharp pain in the side of her head. She needed some ambrosia.

"Land!" Annabeth yelled. "These wings won't last forever."

"How long?" Rachel cried.

"I don't want to find out!"

They swooped down toward the Garden of the Gods. The five of them soared across the valley, over a road, and landed on the terrace of the visitor center. It was late afternoon and the place looked pretty empty, but they ripped off our wings as quickly as they could. Looking at them, Vivi could see Annabeth was right. The self-adhesive seals that bound the wings to their backs were already melting, and were shedding bronze feathers. It seemed a shame, but they couldn't fix them, and couldn't leave them around for the mortals, so the group stuffed the wings in the trash bin outside the cafeteria.

Percy used the tourist binocular camera to look up at the hill where Daedalus's workshop had been, but it had vanished. No more smoke. No broken windows. Just the side of a hill. Vivi, in that time, took some ambrosia from her backpack and took a bit of it. It tasted like mochi ─ a snack she used to get with her mother.

Son of Poseidon looked at her; a square of ambrosia in her hand as she nibbled on it. "You okay?"

Vivi looked at him, "Yeah, the headache is gone."

"You sure? Do you need nectar? I have it in my bag. . . let me just ─ " the boy took of his backpack and started going though it.

The girl laughed, "Perc, hey, it's okay, don't worry," she said and put her hand over the one that was roaming though the backpack, "I'm fine. I just get these after I use it too much. I drains my energy."

"But ─ "

"No need to worry," Vivi assured him, "At least I didn't pass out like the first time. . ."

"What!" the look of concern written on his face.

"Annabeth said I didn't wake up for two days. . ."

"Sorry, what!"

Vivi looked up at him and couldn't help but laugh. Percy's mortified expression melted away and was replaced by that troublous smile Vivi grew to love.

"I'm kidding," the girl said, "but am I. . ."

She walked over to where Annabeth stood, looking at a fire from Daedalus's workshop used to be.

Percy paled, "You're kidding, I know you are. . . you're kidding, right?. . . right, Bibi?"

"The workshop moved," Annabeth said. "There's no telling where."

"So what do we do now?" Percy asked. "How do we get back in the maze?"

Annabeth gazed at the summit of Pikes Peak in the distance. "Maybe we can't. If Daedalus died. . . he said his life force was tied to the Labyrinth. The whole thing might've been destroyed. Maybe that will stop Luke's invasion."

Vivi thought about Grover and Tyson, still down there somewhere. And Daedalus. . . even though he'd done some terrible things and put people Vivi cared about at risk, it still seemed like a pretty horrible way to die.

"No," Nico said. "He isn't dead."

"How can you be sure?"

"I know when people die. It's this feeling I get, like a buzzing in my ears."

"What about Tyson and Grover, then?"

Nico shook his head. "That's harder. They're not humans or half-bloods. They don't have mortal souls."

"We have to get into town," Annabeth decided. "Our chances will be better of finding an entrance to the Labyrinth. We have to make it back to camp before Luke and his army."

"We could just take a plane," Rachel said.

Percy shuddered. "I don't fly."

"But you just did."

"That was low flying," Percy said, "and even that's risky. Flying up really high ─ that's Zeus's territory. I can't do it. Besides, we don't even have time for a flight. The Labyrinth is the quickest way back."

"So we need a car to take us into the city," Annabeth said.

Rachel looked down into the parking lot. She grimaced, as if she were about to do something she regretted. "I'll take care of it."

"How?" Annabeth asked.

"Just trust me."

Annabeth raised an eyebrow, but she nodded. "Okay, I'm going to buy a prism in the gift shop, try to make a rainbow, and send an Iris-message to camp."

"I'll go with you," Nico said. "I'm hungry."

"I'll stick with Rachel, then," Percy said. "Meet you guys in the parking lot."

Vivi pounded on wheatear she should stay with Rachel and Percy or go with Annabeth and Nico. It was not that she didn't trust Percy to stay with the redhead girl, but she didn't want him to be alone with her. No matter that the girl was right about everything now, Vivi didn't want to admit that.

"I'll stay." she decided.

Annabeth nodded, but sent her a look that could be translated as Don't murder the mortal. Vivi pursed her lips and rolled her eyes as if to say I'll try my best, but don't expect a lot.

The girl followed Rachel and Percy down to the parking lot. The redhead headed toward a big black car parked at the edge of the lot. It was a chauffeured Lexus, like the kind Vivi always saw driving around Manhattan. The driver was out front, reading a newspaper. He wore a dark suit and tie.

"Are we stealing?" Vivi said excitedly ( remember, daughter of god of thieves ).

"No!" Percy said.

Vivi pouted, "You're no fun."

"We're not doing illegal things!"

"Oh, please, he wouldn't even notice."

"It's a car your wanting to steal. . . of course he would notice!" Percy pinched the bridge of his nose, "What are you going to do?" Percy asked Rachel.

"Just wait here," she said miserably. "Please."

Rachel marched straight up to the driver and talked to him. Vivi frowned. Rachel said something else. He turned pale and hastily folded up his magazine. He nodded and fumbled for his cell phone. After a brief call, he opened the back door of the car for Rachel to get in. She pointed back in pair's direction, and the driver bobbed his head some more, like Yes, ma'am. Whatever you want. The girl couldn't figure out why the driver was acting so flustered. Rachel came back to get them just as Nico and Annabeth appeared from the gift shop.

"Good, you didn't murder anyone," Annabeth said.

Vivi stuck her tongue at the blonde.

Annabeth rolled her eyes at her best friend's childish behavior, "I talked to Chiron. They're doing their best to prepare for battle, but he still wants us back. They're going to need every hero they can get. Did we find a ride?"

"The driver's ready when we are," Rachel said.

The chauffeur was now talking to another guy in khakis and a polo shirt, probably his client who'd rented the car. The client was complaining, but Vivi could hear the driver saying, "I'm sorry, sir. Emergency. I've ordered another car for you."

"Come on," Rachel said.

She led them to the car and got in without even looking at the flustered guy who'd rented it. A minute later they were cruising down the road. The seats were leather. There was plenty of legroom. The backseat had flat-panel TVs built into the headrests and a mini-fridge stocked with bottled water, sodas, and snacks.

"Where to, Miss Dare?" the driver asked.

"I'm not sure yet, Robert," she said. "We just need to drive through town and, uh, look around."

"Whatever you say, miss."

Percy looked at Rachel. "Do you know this guy?"

"No."

"But he dropped everything to help you. Why?"

"Just keep your eyes peeled," she said. "Help me look."

The group drove through Colorado Springs for about half an hour and saw nothing that Rachel considered a possible Labyrinth entrance. After about an hour they decided to head north toward Denver, thinking that maybe a bigger city would be more likely to have a Labyrinth entrance, but they were all getting nervous. Time was running.

Then, right as they were leaving Colorado Springs, Rachel sat bolt upright. "Get off the highway!"

The driver glanced back. "Miss?"

"I saw something, I think. Get off here."

The driver swerved across traffic and took the exit.

"What did you see?" Percy asked, because they were pretty much out of the city now.

There wasn't anything around except hills, grassland, and some scattered farm buildings. Rachel had the driver turn down this unpromising dirt road. They drove by a sign too fast for Vivi to read it, but Rachel said, "Western Museum of Mining & Industry."

For a museum, it didn't look like much ─ a little house like an old fashioned railroad station, some drills and pumps and old steam shovels on display outside. "There." Rachel pointed to a hole in the side of a nearby hill ─ a tunnel that was boarded up and chained. "An old mine entrance."

"A door to the Labyrinth?" Annabeth asked. "How can you be sure?"

"Well, look at it!" Rachel said. "I mean. . . I can see it, okay?"

She thanked the driver and they all got out. He didn't ask for money or anything. "Are you sure you'll be all right, Miss Dare? I'd be happy to call your ─ "

"No!" Rachel said. "No, really. Thanks, Robert. But we're fine."

The museum seemed to be closed, so nobody bothered them as they climbed the hill to the mine shaft. When the five of them got to the entrance, Vivi saw the mark of Daedalus engraved on the padlock, though how Rachel had seen something so tiny all the way from the highway, she had no idea.

Percy touched the padlock and the chains fell away. They kicked down a few boards and walked inside. For better or worse, they were back in the Labyrinth. The dirt tunnels turned to stone. They wound around and split off and basically tried to confuse them, but Rachel had no trouble guiding.

Annabeth told her they needed to get back to New York, and she hardly even paused when the tunnels offered a choice. It looked like Annabeth had gone over her hatred over the red haired girl as the two started up a conversation as they walked. Annabeth asked her more about her background, but Rachel was evasive, so they started talking about architecture. It turned out that Rachel knew something about it from studying art. They talked about different facades on buildings around New York ─ "Have you seen this one," and a lot more things Vivi didn't understand, so she hung back and walked next to Percy and Nico in uncomfortable silence.

"Thanks for coming after us," Percy  said to the boy.

Nico's eyes narrowed. He didn't seem as angry as he used to ─ just suspicious, careful. "I owed you for the ranch, Percy. Plus. . . I wanted to see Daedalus for myself. Minos was right, in a way. Daedalus should die. Nobody should be able to avoid death that long. It's not natural."

"That's what you were after all along," Percy said. "Trading Daedalus's soul for your sister's."

Nico walked for another fifty yards before answering. "It hasn't been easy, you know. Having only the dead for company. Knowing that I'll never be accepted by the living. Only the dead respect me, and they only do that out of fear."

"You could be accepted," Percy said. "You could have friends at camp."

He stared at Percy. "Do you really believe that, Percy?"

"Why not?" Vivi said, "Sure, you are like a small, emo teenage boy, but why shouldn't people accept you."

Nico stared at the older girl with confusion and thankfulness in his eyes, "I ─ um. . . thank you, I guess. . ."

Vivi smiled and before she could say something else, she ran into Rachel, who'd stopped in front of her. They'd come to a crossroads. The tunnel continued straight ahead, but a side tunnel T'd off to the right ─ a circular shaft carved from black volcanic rock.

"What is it?" Percy asked.

Rachel stared down the dark tunnel. In the dim flashlight beam, her face looked like one of Nico's specters.

"Is that the way?" Annabeth asked.

"No," Rachel said nervously. "Not at all."

"Why are we stopping then?"

"Listen," Nico said.

Vivi heard wind coming down the tunnel, as if the exit were close. 

"Eucalyptus trees." Percy said, "Like in California."

"Huh?"

"There's something evil down that tunnel," Rachel said. "Something very powerful."

"And the smell of death," Nico added.

Annabeth and Percy exchanged glances.

"Luke's entrance," the blonde guessed. "The one to Mount Othrys ─ the Titans' palace."

"I have to check it out," Percy said.

"Percy, no."

"Luke could be right there," he said. "Or. . . or Kronos. I have to find out what's going on."

"Oh hell no you won't." Vivi said, "Who knows what's down there."

Annabeth nodded at what Vivi said. "If you go, we all go."

"No," Percy said. "It's too dangerous. If they got hold of Nico, or Rachel for that matter, Kronos could use them. You stay here and guard them."

"Percy, don't," Rachel said. "Don't go up there alone."

"Yeah, I agree with the mortal, that would be dumb idea, and you got yourself blown." Vivi hissed.

"You're still mad at that?" sighed Percy.

"Of course I am!" Vivi said, "And you're not going alone, I'll go."

Percy looked taken back, but quickly stopped her as she wanted to march down the tunnel. He put his hands on her shoulders to stop her, "No, you won't. I can't have you risk your life and the headache might come back. You don't know what could happen."

"And neither do you," Vivi said back, "I took ambrosia, I'm fine."

"I'm going alone, end of the story."

"I can't let you get almost killed! I once went through your funeral, I can't go the second time!" Vivi said, her vision filling with tears. She's not gonna cry. She's not letting Percy, nor Nico, nor Rachel see her cry and be in vulnerable state. 

Percy's mad look changed to one of guilt, "I won't die ─ "

"You don't know that!"

"I won't die, I promise." Percy said and held up his pinky to her. Vivi laughed; they used to do the pinky promises back in elementary school. She linked hers with his, "I'm not leaving you."

"You better not," Vivi said.

"I'll be quick," he promised. "I won't do anything stupid."

Annabeth took her Yankees cap out of her pocket. "At least take this. And be careful."

"Thanks." he put it on. "Here goes nothing."

And Percy sneaked invisibly down the darkstone tunnel with Vivi bitting her nails and trying to ignore the growt of butterflies in her stomach.

The building rumbled. A wisp of blue light rose from the floor at Ethan Nakamura's feet. It drifted toward the coffin and began to shimmer, like a cloud of pure energy. Then it descended into the sarcophagus.

Luke sat bolt upright. His eyes opened, and they were no longer blue. They were golden, the same color as the coffin. The hole in his chest wasgone. He was complete. He leaped out of the coffin with ease, and where his feet touched the floor, the marble froze like craters of ice. He looked at Ethan and the telekhines with those horrible golden eyes, as if he was a newborn baby, not sure what he was seeing. Then he looked at Percy, and a smile of recognition crept across his mouth.

"This body has been well prepared."

His voice was like a razor blade running over Percy's skin. It was Luke's, but not Luke's. Underneath his voice was another, more horrible sound ─ an ancient, cold sound like metal scraping against rock.

"Don't you think so, Percy Jackson?"

Percy couldn't move. He couldn't answer. Kronos threw back his head and laughed. The scar on his face rippled.

"Luke feared you," the Titan's voice said. "His jealousy and hatred have been powerful tools. It has kept him obedient. For that I thank you."

Ethan collapsed in terror. The telekhines trembled, holding up the scythe. Finally Percy found his nerve. He lunged at the thing that used to be Luke, thrusting Riptide straight at his chest, but his skin deflected the blow like he was made of pure steel. He looked at the boy with amusement. Then he flicked his hand, and Percy flew across the room. He slammed against a pillar.

Percy struggled to his feet, blinking the stars out of eyes, but Kronos had already grasped the handle of his scythe.

"Ah . . . much better," he said. "Backbiter, Luke called it. An appropriate name. Now that it is re-forged completely, it shall indeed bite back."

"What have you done to Luke?" Percy groaned.

Kronos raised his scythe. "He serves me with his whole being, as I require. The difference is, he feared you, Percy Jackson. I do not."

That's when Percy ran. There wasn't even any thought to it. No debate in his mind about ─ gee, should he stand up to him and try to fight again? Nope. Percy simply ran. But his feet felt like lead. Time slowed down around him. Percy'd had this feeling once before, and he knew it was the power of Kronos. His presence was so strong it could bend time itself.

"Run, little hero," he laughed. "Run!"

Percy glanced back and saw Kronos approaching leisurely, swinging his scythe as if he were enjoying the feel of having it in his hands again. No weapon in the world could stop him. No amount of celestial bronze. He was ten feet away when the boy heard, "PERCY!"

Rachel's voice. Something flew past him, and a blue plastic hairbrush hit Kronos in the eye.

"Ow!" he yelled. 

For a moment it was only Luke's voice, full of surprise and pain. Percy's limbs were freed and he ran straight into Vivi, Rachel, Nico, and Annabeth, who were standing in the entry hall, their eyes wide with dismay.

"Luke?" Annabeth called. "What ─ "

Percy grabbed her by the shirt and hauled her after him. They all ran as fast as they've ever run, straight out of the fortress. They were almost back to the Labyrinth entrance when he heard the loudest bellow in the world ─ the voice of Kronos, coming back into control. "AFTER THEM!"

"No!" Nico yelled.

He clapped his hands together, and a jagged spire of rock the size of an eighteen-wheeler erupted from the ground right in front of the fortress. The tremor it caused was so powerful the front columns of the building came crashing down. Percy heard muffled screams from the telekhines inside. Dust billowed everywhere.

They plunged into the Labyrinth and kept running, the howl of the Titan lord shaking the entire world behind them.

niki speaks!

sorry for late update, but here is
chapter. . . fifteen!!
we're almost finished with this act and
i'm so excited and sad at the same time.

my stomach is killing with cuz of cramps
and i just wanna curl into a ball and
sleep, but i can't

have a good day/night!
bye!