The rise of Tartarus

Chapter 18

Percy trudged with Jason, Piper, and Annabeth down the thin hallways of the Labyrinth. He could feel the maze alive, and working, he could just feel it. They would sometimes see the occasional marking on the wall, most of the time it was Delta, the mark of Daedalus. But sometimes it would be words, but random words.

"When we get to Mexico, I could really use a taco," Percy's stomach grumbled.

Annabeth laughed but then her face turned serious. 

"Guys, do you hear that?"

Percy listened but couldn't hear anything, "No not really."

Jason frowned, " It just sounds like the usual humming of the Labyrinth."

Annabeth looked at Jason, " Yeah exactly, that means that there shouldn't be any monsters nearby. We can finally get some sleep."

"Sleep sounds good," Piper admitted.

Soon, Jason had passed out and was on the floor, and Piper was too.

Percy looked at Annabeth, and she still looked as beautiful as ever.

"Hey," he said walking over to her.

She was on her laptop, not the old Daedalus laptop, but a normal one, a Dell laptop.

"Can't even get a signal," she groaned.

"Hey, you need to rest," Percy put his arm around her.

"I'm fine."

"No you're not. Come with me and let's get some sleep."

She sighed, then stashed her laptop away in her backpack, "I just can't stop thinking about the prophecy,"

Percy couldn't either.  He remembered his line, "The Architect's mind and the Sea-born's heart, will challenge the shadows, play their part."

He hoped that didn't mean he would have to face Tartarus face-to-face again. But he pushed that thought out of his mind. He looked at Annabeth. He would make sure she would live through all of this. She deserved a better life. All of them did.

He kissed her, for a really long time before Annabeth gently pulled away.

"I love you too Seaweed Brain, now like you said, let's get some sleep."

Percy couldn't help but grin. Even though they were facing imminent death, at least they had each other.

They both sat down. Percy gazed into the darkness.

"I know we may die tomorrow, but at least we're together for now."

Annabeth smiled and kissed him. Soon, with the comfort of being with each other, they both drifted off to sleep.