✔ | [1] 𝒞𝒶𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓇𝓉𝒾𝒸 | ᴘᴇʀᴄʏ ᴊᴀᴄᴋꜱᴏɴ

𝓋𝒾𝒾. The ground shakes and with it so does courage

❈ Helena thought she knew fear. 

The voices that have plagued her since she stepped foot in the labyrinth were ancient and cold, promising her eternal glory and triumph, but as she watched the door to the Labyrinth start to slide close while Kampê ran after her, she knew this was true fear.

The complete and utter dread that overtook her caused her to falter. Perhaps if she hadn't faltered, she could have made it. Maybe if she hadn't shot that last arrow, she could have made it.

No, she didn't regret that. She had helped buy Tyson time to make it through, and she made sure he would be okay. Helena heard Percy yell for her and take a step forward. She watched as Annabeth yanked him back. She watched as the door to the Labyrinth slid closed, cutting off Percy's yells for her.

Helena didn't stop running. The door would open once she touched it. That's how it worked, wasn't it?

Kampê threw her sword like a spear towards Helena. She heard her roar as the sword stopped mid-air. Helena sent a silent thank you up to her dad for helping her learn to use her powers.

She finally reached the door and placed her hand on it. She didn't wait for it to open all the way before she slid her body in and watched as Kampê ran towards her. The door slid back and clicked just in time.

Helena let out a breath of relief. She was safe...for now. She turned, expecting to see the rest of the group, but was met with darkness.

"Jamie?"

Don't let yourself be alone in there. As long as you are with Jackson and Chase, you will be fine. Always be with someone. Helena tensed as she remembered her brother's words, and her grip on Ruby tightened.

"Annabeth?" She said, Fuck. They came through the same door, and surely they would be here somewhere.

"Grover? Tyson!" Fuck, anyone?

Helena lifted her hand, summoning a ball of fire before willing it to float in front of her. If she could see, she could defend herself. She took a singular step forward before she froze.

Daughter of War, alone at last. The lower voice spoke.

They left you behind. The woman said. They left you, betrayed you.

Helena gulped as a cold wind blew by her. No, no, no. She was fine. They didn't leave her. They were somewhere in here, and she would find them.

She would find them. She would.

You could join me; join us. You would be the trophy of my collection. The daughter of war, blessed by the spirit of the battlefield himself. Even the gods themselves would fear you.

The gods don't care for you. Your father stopped visiting as soon as you came of age, and now the boy you love has left you to die.

"That's not true," Helena said. "It's not. Jamie wouldn't leave me. He wouldn't. He is waiting for me somewhere here. He is."

Helena hoped he hadn't left her. Hoped he waited for her. Hoped he noticed how tense she was the moment they entered the labyrinth. Surely he noticed. He always noticed. Didn't he?

Hope was a fickle thing. It was cruel and unforgiving, yet Helena couldn't help but cling to it. Percy had to be here.

But he isn't, is he? The voice said amusement laced in its tone. He is never there when you truly need him. How much do you really know about the boy? Hmm. How much has he told you compared to others?

Nothing. And that was the truth. It wasn't something the voices were trying to get her to believe.

Percy held things from her. She knew that. Everyone around her seemed to know her love better than she did. They knew Hades used Sally as a bargaining chip during Percy's first quest. Helena didn't know that. Mark had told her.

They knew that Percy held up the sky last summer for Annabeth. Helena didn't know that Silena had told her after she was claimed.

Beckendorf had told her about how he nearly died his first summer because Luke had poisoned him using a scorpion from Tartarus. Helena didn't know that either.

Everything Helena knew about Percy was through others. He never told her anything, not even after she reached camp.

She took a deep breath, trying to regain her courage. She closed her eyes and willed herself to calm down. It was working until it wasn't.

Helena's eyes flew open as the ground started shaking. Dust dropped from the ceiling. Shit. The labyrinth was shifting.

Helena looked behind her and felt dread run through her. The floor was cracking below the ground, a light emitting from within. She was so screwed.

Helena started running, but it seemed the cracks were following her.

She jumped over newly formed sinkholes in the ground and over gaping pits. She ran and ran and ran, not stopping once. She kept running as the shaking stopped. She kept running even after entering a room with multiple hallways. She took sharp turns and jumped over cracks.

She ran, crawled, and jumped until her legs physically gave up beneath her, and then she crumpled to the ground.

She was alone in the maze. She was going to go insane. The voices would make sure of that. The truth was, Helena wasn't as strong as others thought she was.

Give her a sword and tell her to fight an army. Sure. But leaving her alone with her thoughts for company. That was torture.

Helena sat there as the reality of her situation came crashing into her. And for the first time in years, Helena allowed herself to cry, to weep, to mourn. The voices in her head laughed.

The daughter of the god of war had lost all herself the moment she found herself alone. She had allowed herself to lose, to fail. She cried as she realised she had failed herself and her friends. She cried as she realised she had failed the quest.

She hated herself for it. Of course, she did. Failure was one of her biggest fears.

Oh, the irony of the fates.

The daughter of courage had no courage, and that would be her downfall.

•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•

❈ sooooo,

How are we feeling? Helena's alone, and she's spiralling. How do we think it's going to play out???

What's gonna happen?

Thoughts? Opinions? Queries?

❈ Yor <3