A Dark Cloud Over the Future Ch 5

Chapter 5: The Workshop
Rachel ran down the winding paths with Annabeth and Nico following close behind with Thalia grasping the bones of the horse trying to hang on. Eventually they stopped to catch their breath after the sounds of the Titan army faded into the distance.

“Why did you lead us through that death trap?” Annabeth asked Rachel.

“It was the way you need to go,” Rachel replied before pointing down a dark hallway “And so it this.”

While Annabeth and Thalia were a bit untrusting after what they had just been through, they had no choice but to listen to her direction. Thalia jumped down from the horse, but stumbled before falling to her knees. Nico ran over and picked her up allowing her to grab the skeletal horse for support.

“Thanks, how did you find us?” Thalia asked looking back at Nico.

“When you were stabbed,” he started taking in another breath. “I could feel your soul leaving your body. I’m a child of Hades so I can tell when those close to me are about to die. I followed the feeling and it lead me to the arena; when I saw what was going on, I had to help.”

“What about Tyson and Grover?” Annabeth asked.

“Monsters are harder to sense as they don’t have mortal souls, I’m sorry,” Nico replied, lowering his head as if he was completely powerless.

“Don’t worry,” Thalia said. “I’m sure we’ll run across them eventually. We should get some rest; after that display of power, I’m sure Zombie Boy over here is tired; I’ll take first watch.”

The group didn’t want to stop as they felt they were close to the heart of the labyrinth, but they would need their energy if they ran across something else; a very likely possibility for a demigod. After a few hours, the room that the group had set up camp in started to rumble and Thalia called to the others.

“Wake up everyone, earthquake!” she shouted. The other three got to their feet and quickly got their things together. Rachel pointed down a hall and they all ran ahead of several stalactites falling from the roof. As they continued to run down the hall, electric lighting filled the room and Annabeth took a quick look around, wondering if they were going the right way.

“This isn’t right, the workshop should be in the oldest part of the maze,” she yelled up front. She fell silent however when they came across a metal door marked with a Greek delta. The cave was still rumbling so Thalia ran forward and placed her hand on the door, causing it to open. The group piled inside and after taking a look around, they were amazed by the designs and inventions that lined the walls and work benches. Annabeth in particular started walking around the room examining everything.

“This has to be the place,” Thalia said pointing to several sets of metal wings hanging on the wall. Rachel walked over to one of the windows and took a look at the endless garden on the mountain top.

“But where is this place?” Rachel asked.

“Colorado Springs, the Garden of the Gods,” came a voice from behind the group. The figure walked into the light and it was Quintus, the missing sword teacher of the camp. He stood tall with a sword in his hand looking at the group who had found their way to the workshop.

“You, what have you done with Daedalus!” Annabeth yelled taking out her knife and pointing it at him.

“Trust me, you don’t want to meet him,” was his replay as he took a few steps toward the group.

“Listen,” Annabeth shouted back. “I didn’t fight a dragon lady, a snake woman, and lost my best friend to fail at this quest now. Now where is he?!”

Thalia managed to sneak around one of the work tables and tossed a small throwing knife at his shoulder, hoping to at least wound him enough to maybe force in into questioning. Quintus however backed up just in time as the knife ripped away part of his shirt revealing a cursed mark on his neck.

“That mark,” Annabeth looked amazed and horrified. “That is the murderer’s brand. That can only mean you are a child of Athena; you’re Daedalus!”

“Yes, it is as you say,” he said not keeping his identify secret anymore. “My body may change, but I am still the same person.”

“We need your help to save the camp,” Athena said. “Luke’s army will destroy the camp without your help. We need Ariadne's String so that Luke can’t use it.”

“Yes, I know. I went to your camp after Luke approached me with a deal to see if what he said was the truth,” he started but turned his back to the demigods. “I am afraid your little camp does not stand a chance. I have already given Luke the string and he will be within your borders in a matter of hours. It is too lat. Kronos has promised me power over the Underworld, Minas will be cast into the darkest corners of Tartarus and I will no longer have to hide from death.”

Annabeth after hearing this was filled with rage and the words of Clarisse came back to her. ''Don’t trust him, don’t ask him for help. Just kill him. ''Annabeth lunged at him with her knife out front. He blocked her first strike easy enough, but she came at him with a flurry of quick strikes making it hard for him to block with his sword. However, he managed to lock the hilt of his sword against Annabeth’s knife and the two were at a standstill until a silver arrow hit him in the leg, causing sparks to appear and the sound of grinding metal could be heard.

“You’re an automaton?” Annabeth asked jumping back as Daedalus fell to his knee.

“The fifth automaton body actually, that is why I called myself Quintus, meaning the fifth,” he replied, slowing getting back to his feet. With his leg broken, he was in no shape to keep up with Annabeth’s movements if they continued and he was outnumbered by thanks to Nico and Thalia. All of a sudden the doors flung open and a small army of monsters appeared being lead by the empousi Kelly and the ghost of Minas.

“There you are my old friend,” said Minas as he drifted into the room. More monsters followed in behind him and before long they were completely surrounded.

Darkcloud1111 ~Fastest Hero Alive  08:17, July 21, 2011 (UTC)