Nero's Tower

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I wasn't sure how much time had passed. We were underground so we only had Rachel's watch to go by. She checked it basically every ten minutes. We tried to help the trogs with the tunnels but they took over and we were unable to do anything to help. So all we really did was just walk through the tunnels. 

Then came the trogs' least favourite part. Going up. You could tell that the trogs didn't like going upwards, towards the light but they did it anyway.

The trogs left ledges and footholes for us to climb up. They were thin and hard to grip but we made our way up. 

"Just like the climbing wall, right?" Will asked beneath me. 

I chuckled. "That's what I'm trying to keep in mind, Solace." 

"Almost there, guys," Nico said from above us. 

"Great," Rachel panted from below Will. "Gods Solace, move your dam foot." 

We kept climbing. At one point I thought that I would collapse when Screech-Bling called, "We have reached the vats." 

I heard Will let out a breath of relief. I kept going, following Nico's handholds. The tunnel ended suddenly, I reached up for the next one to be met with open air. A hand grabbed my arm and pulled me up. I sat on the ground and took a breath. I turned back and looked as Will pushed himself up. Me and Nico helped him up, then turned back for Rachel. She laid back against the rock floor, her pith helmet tilted against her red hair as she panted. 

"You okay?" I asked her. 

She nodded and sat upright. "Apollo... he's... Nymphs...he's in trouble." 

"Then let's get to him," Nico declared. 

I looked around and felt my jaw drop. 

We were in a giant cavern the size of a basketball court. Half a dozen giant canisters were around the room, pipes connected to the ceiling that escaped into smaller tunnels around the edges of the cavern. The canisters were the size of the Big House back at camp. They were all filled with Greek fire. 

I felt myself pale at the sight of them all. "How... how do we disable them?" I asked. I could hear my voice shake as I stared at the vats. 

"Me and my shareholders will take care of that," Screech-Bling told us. "If you wish to stop Nero, this would be the time. I suggest you contact that camp Nico di Angelo mentioned." 

I nodded and looked around. There was an elevator built into the wall on the other side of the cavern with an emergency phone beside it. I nudged Rachel and motioned over to the phone. She nodded and stood up. She was the only one of us that could safely use the phone without it sending up a monster alert. 

My hand moved down to Terrorem as I surveyed the canisters. It felt like my first year again, somehow. Going up against an enemy with unlimited resources, impossible odds... I felt like I was about to puke. 

"Liz?" Will asked. "You okay?" 

I shook my head. "Feels like the Titan War for some reason." 

Will put a hand on my shoulder. "It won't be like the Titan War. We have so many more allies, so many more ways we can win because we will." 

I nodded. "I know... I just-I can't do it again, Will." 

He didn't say anything. Just squeezed my shoulder. 

Rachel came back over, her face as red as her hair. "I contacted camp. They're on their way but Nico, Liz... you guys need to get to Apollo." 

"Of course," Nico said. 

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