Souls, Spells, and Shadows

percy is a jackass. oh and kronos arises. that too.

The children walked for some time, feet growing sore, until Rachel stopped abruptly. Percy promptly walked right into her.

Alys snickered.

There was a side tunnel off to the right, circular and carved from volcanic rock.

"What is it?" Percy asked, nervously fiddling with Riptide.

Rachel said nothing.

"Is it that way?" Annabeth said.

In the pale light, Rachel's face looked clammy and cold. "No. Not at all."

"Why are we stopping then?" I asked.

"Listen," Nico said.

I heard wind coming down the tunnel, as if the exit were close. And I smelled something vaguely familiar—something that brought back bad memories.

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

Alys blinked. "And that's important how?"

Annabeth cleared her throat. "Last winter, we fought Kronos-"

"You did what?"

"Long story, but this smells the same."

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

"And the smell of death." Nico added.

"Oh, that's simply spiffing, that is. And you're going to go running down the Tunnel of Death for what, an adrenaline kick?"

Percy shuffled his feet. "Who said we're gonna go down it?"

Alys gave him a Look.

"Okay, okay. Look, Luke or Kronos could be there. I have to find out what's going on."

Annabeth hesitated. "Then we'll all go." She faced Alys. "Rachel's your only way of getting outta here-remind me, why are you here?"

"I dunno, I just randomly followed you I guess. Anyway, I'm supposed to protect demigods, so if you're going to go fight a dude who's committed neonaticide, patricide, filicide, fratricide, homicide, and probably amicicide, I'm making sure he doesn't commit more homicide."

Percy sighed. "Can we please get back on track? None of you are coming! If they got hold of Nico, or Rachel for that matter, Kronos could use them. Annabeth, you stay here and guard them."

Alys thumped her head on a convenient cave wall. "So this is 'protecting your girlfriend' day? And even better, it also happens to be 'run off alone to who knows what even though you could be the chosen one' day!"

"She's not my girlfriend!"

"That's what you're worried about? Going down there is suicide! You have no idea what's there! How are you alive? Either you're not going or we're all coming, you bloody idiot! I saved demigods for like ninety years for this?"

"I-"

"No. You could be the literal saviour of the world, and you're gonna run down a death tunnel with no idea about what's gonna happen."

Annabeth sighed. "Look, Percy, none of us like this. But-" she gave a cursory glance at Alys, "You have to go. At least take my cap, it'll make you invisible. It's far too dangerous for the rest of us, since only one person can be invi-"

"I HAVE MAGIC. What the fuck is your brain, Hermione-but-there's-no-wood?"

"You read Harry Potter?"