Cabin 13

63| Leap of Faith

They had arrived at the gates. He could feel them. Perseus Jackson did not disappoint, his power like a beacon in the darkness. And it drew closer. 

Erebus had instructed his monsters specifically: separate Perseus from the rest of the demigods and lead him straight to them. This would be done simply. No tricks, just a trade. 

The girl spasmed, her attempts at loosening his hold absolutely pitiful. She'd lost most of her color, ignoring the bruising, and seemingly her shape. Looking like the starved animal she was. Yet the blonde continued mustering the small strength she had left to thrash a moment before, yet again, falling limp in his grasp.

He looked down at her coldly, sitting on his throne, his hand clenched around the back of her neck. Annabeth's shoes barely grazed the ground. With a hollow face like hers, he couldn't imagine what the hero saw in her.

The double doors of the room boomed, dull pounding coming from the other side. Metal clashed and nondescript yelling was heard, muted from the other side. With one final crack, the doors exploded as a body was thrown against them. The person, a boy, slid on his back with a groan. 

Percy, sword in one hand, pushed himself up, immediately readying to continue the battle. Realizing his opponents had vanished, he panted, hands falling to his knees.

Annabeth, making an attempt at speech, whimpered a disturbing gurgle. 

He whipped around, again raising his weapon. "Shit."

The room was impossibly dark, like most of the Netherlands thus far and he was out of matches. 

With a sharp snap, low purple flames burned in a circle around the perimeter of the room. Percy glanced back towards the now blocked exit. The light illuminated only what looked like more shadows. A prominent figure was seated, holding a much smaller silhouette like a rag doll. 

"You took longer than I expected. The rumors of your strength must be exaggerated."

Percy rolled his eyes, hunching over again to catch his breath. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. I'm assuming you're the big boss. Are we going to fight now?"

Erebus's brow pinched. "Perhaps all of the rumors were incorrect."

"It's been a rough week."

"Then let me make your situation clear." 

The fire flickered, rising higher. The girl's blonde hair and orange shirt were recognizable in the new light, though the god still remained in the dark.

"Oh, perfect, we're looking for a blonde. Must be her." Percy stretched. "Alright, now are we going to fight?"

Erebus clenched down on the girl's neck, letting her cry out. "Silence. I have not brought you here for a simple show of brawn. I care not for the strength of your sword." He stood, raising Annabeth off the ground with him. Her feet kicked, weakly dangling in the air. "In exchange for the life of your lover, you will free me."

Percy frowned. "Or, I'll defeat you with this sword and take the girl."

The god laughed. The sound booming like imminent nightmares. "Hero, either you will release me from my prison, or I shall kill your princess." He dropped her to the ground, a ring of purple flames surrounding her. 

He grumbled, "I've come a long way for that girl." Percy pushed the tip of his sword into the ground. "Fine. You make it sound easy enough. How?"

Smiling, Erebus flourished his hand. "You need only speak the words aloud."

"No!" Appearing at the entrance in a sudden mist, Hazel yelled. With a wave of her arm, the mist vanished. "Percy we can't. He's the primordial deity of darkness—!" She yelped, stepping back as a wave of flames rose, blocking her path into the room. 

Suddenly the god materialized much closer, uttering, "You only need speak the words and it shall be done. You and the girl will be free. Safe." He pulled Annabeth up by her jaw. "I'm told she is quite valuable to you."

Suddenly, the ground began to shake. The stone walls erupted as what appeared to be undead bodies crawled into the room. Erebus growled as they passed through the fire, seeming unbothered. Nico exited the tunnel last with his obsidian sword pointing at the deity. "Now!" he yelled. The undead swarmed the god, pushing past Percy. 

With another growl-like sound from the god, the flames extinguished and the room, again, fell into complete darkness. Raising his hand, Percy couldn't see it two inches from his face. He heard the scraping of skeleton bones on stone and cries. The girl. Almost silently, she whispered his name. Her voice was choked and grating, but amidst the chaos, he felt his way on the ground toward the sound. Finally, after much fumbling, his fingertips found cold skin. 

"Percy," she muttered. 

"Yeah, I'm right here." Carefully as he could manage, he lifted her into his arms. His body groaned in exhaustion. He carried her primarily in one arm, leaning her against his shoulder, trying to feel for the wall with his outstretched sword. Multiple times he, as well as Riptide, was thrown back and knocked into by the undead.

He grunted, attempting to keep his footing. There was too much going on. He could hear weapons clashing and the voices of Nico and Hazel, but the echo made it impossible to determine their whereabouts. Were they fighting the god?

"Percy!" 

He froze, whipping around towards the sound of Hazel's scream.

"Jump! Jump now!"

The flames returned, higher than ever with a sharp snap and a cold laugh. "Not so fast."

In the light, Percy found the room littered with fallen skeletons. Behind him, the god held Nico's own blade to his neck and Hazel stood to his left, looking at Percy in desperation. She had opened another mist portal just in front of him. 

"Take Annabeth, go!"

Erebus shook his head. "You wouldn't just leave all your friends here, would you?" Pushing the sword further into Nico's skin, he chuckled. "Most of them won't make it out alive."

Percy glanced at the mist. It seemed like the favorable option. He shrugged, "Usually they can take care of themselves." He jumped.