Blaze of Glory - a PJO fanfiction

20. Into the Maze

Empire - Beth Crowley

We'd been here way too long for comfort.

At least the army was getting some energy out, they'd be less obnoxious to babysit on the rest of the way through the maze if they tired themselves out now.

The stands were currently filled with the cheering of monsters and demigods alike as we watched a giant face off against a centaur down in the pit. I stood next to Luke, who was sitting on a chair next to Antaeus' on the dais.

Suddenly, the bronze doors on the other side of the arena opened, and in walked two dracaenae, a giant, Kelli the empousa, and... was that Percy Jackson?

I looked over to Luke, but he was smiling coldly down at Percy, who was accompanied by Annabeth and a redheaded girl I didn't recognize. I nudged Luke with my elbow, and he looked over to me.

"Why is Percy here?" I asked him. He shrugged.

"He was on the quest through the maze," Luke answered. "I assumed he would come through here at one point or another, it's just our luck that he made it now."

I looked back to the arena. The centaur was laying on the ground, one of his legs was twisted at an unnatural angle, and he was pleading for mercy. The crowd looked to Antaeus, many of them screaming 'death'. Antaeus considered for a moment, before giving a thumbs down.

The giant stabbed his javelin down, into the centaur. The horse-man dissolved into dust, leaving behind a single hoof which the giant picked up and held above his head like a trophy as the crowd dissolved into cheers.

The giant in the pit walked out of view through the gate below, and Antaeus held up his hands for silence.

"Good entertainment!" he shouted. "But nothing I haven't seen before. What else do you have, Luke, Son of Hermes?" Luke rose to his feet.

"Lord Antaeus!" Luke announced. "You have been an excellent host! We would be happy to amuse you, to repay the favor of passing through your territory."

Antaeus side-eyed Luke. "I favor I have not yet granted. I want entertainment!"

Luke bowed to the Son of Gaia. "I believe I have something better than centaurs to fight in your arena now. I have a brother of yours," Luke told the giant. My eyes widened.

"Luke don't," I half-whispered to him, reaching for his arm, but I was too late.

Luke pointed at Percy. "Percy Jackson," he said. "Son of Poseidon." My breath caught in my throat as I watched the dracaena shove Percy forwards into the middle of the arena. The crowd began jeering and throwing stones at Percy, and one of them made a good-sized cut on his cheek.

"Hey!" I yelled to the army. "Cut it out!" They stopped throwing stones at Percy, and the Son of Poseidon glanced up at me in thanks.

"A Son of Poseidon?" Antaeus said. "Then he should fight well! Or die well!"

Luke smirked, "If his death pleases you, will you let our armies cross your territory?"

"Perhaps," the Giant said, not taking his attention from the pit below. He turned to Luke, "Luke, Son of Hermes, who is your strongest warrior?"

"Why do you ask, Lord Antaeus?" Luke questioned.

"They will fight the Son of Poseidon," he said. "If he dies well, you may pass. If your warrior dies well, I will not be granting you any favors today."

Luke looked down in thought, before gesturing to me. "My greatest warrior..." he said. "That would have to be Kryseis."

"The golden daughter..." Antaeus said, looking me up and down. "Yes, she will be a worthy opponent of a Son of Poseidon.