1743 words

It was the same hell every night.

The nocturnal torture had begun the night Artemis had left to hunt monsters on the orders of Zeus. She'd departed five days after the Winter Solstice, ordering Thalia and I to recruit more Hunters and destroy the largest swathes of monsters in her absence. I'd asked her not to leave. (Of course, I hadn't told Artemis I didn't want her to go because I was petrified of my dream of Kronos and the warning from the River Styx, and her presence made me feel safe.) If I'd told her any of that, she'd have viewed me as weak. And I couldn't have afforded that to happen.

So, I'd asked: Mother, do you have to leave? Can't I-we come with you? It might be easier.

You know you cannot accompany me, Ainsley, the goddess had answered. You and Thalia must lead the Hunters, while Apollo and I hunt the monsters on Zeus's orders.

But I just held the sky for four days! I'd protested desperately. I can help you! I can handle it! I-

She'd laid a hand on my shoulder. I am not saying that you cannot handle it, Ainsley. I am saying that you are more needed here.

I'd gulped and searched for another argument, but I knew it wasn't worth the effort. The finality in her tone told me the conversation was over.

Good luck, Mother, I'd said, resentment beginning to boil in my stomach.

The goddess had nodded. Thank you, child. I know you will lead well.

Then she'd vanished in a flash of silver light. That evening, when I was preparing to climb into my sleeping bag with my bear skin blanket, the world had begun to whirl. A terror deeper and icier than the Mariana Trench had seized me, and I'd collapsed. The following nightmare was identical to the one I was experiencing now.

I was in a burning forest. Golden flames blazed around me, boiling the air and consuming the trees and bushes. The sky was as black as the charred wood of the trees, and despite the extreme heat, the chill of evil permeated the air. In the center of it all, encircled by a ring of fire, the Hunters battled for their lives.

Flames, in the form of Greek monsters, charged at my family and swallowed them. Zoë vanished into a hellhound's mouth, leaving only her scorched bow behind. I screamed. Watching her disappear was fresh agony and like losing her all over again. I raced forward, trying to help, but tendrils of darkness materialized from behind. They snaked around me, binding my arms to my sides and silencing my screams of rage, and the iciness of evil spread throughout my body.

One by one, the Hunters were all consumed by the inferno until only a trio remained: Dad, Raiden, and Thalia. The fiery monsters became fiery tendrils that snatched up the remaining trio and bound them.

This was your fault, the icy voice of Kronos hissed, so petrifying that it froze my limbs. I stopped struggling against the shadowy tendrils and gazed frightfully at Dad. The voice was exiting from my father's mouth even as he slowly stopped grappling with the fiery tendrils. The effort of speaking through this icy voice was draining him of life. All of this.

I wanted to scream: No, it wasn't! But in my heart, I knew it was. If I hadn't been so stupid, she'd still be alive. 

Yes, Kronos agreed, as though he could read my thoughts. And you could have prevented it had you joined me. Alas, little huntress, you did not. So, you will suffer.

The tendrils of flames tightened around Dad, Raiden, and Thalia. They ceased grappling and turned blue.

Choose. Kronos's voice exited from my mouth this time, and I quaked. Or I will.

No, I thought. I can't.

Then they all perish, Kronos hissed. Kill them.

The fiery tendrils whizzed inside the trio's mouths. Their eyes rolled back into their head, and the inferno blazed radiantly and devoured my family.

I screamed, blinded by the firestorm. The shadows restraining me hurtled inside me. I tried to breathe, but ice filled my lungs. I was drowning, being consumed by the whirlpool of terror and shadows.

The voice of Kronos whispered in my head: This is what is coming, little huntress. It is and will be your fault.

I squeezed my eyes shut, caged by my torment.

"Ah, Ainsley Theron." A different voice spoke—melodious, male, and...familiar? "Have you come here to witness my amazhang rendition of It's A Small World?"

I opened my eyes, my legs still quaking. I stood in another forest, this one illuminated by soft beams of moonlight. Owls hooted softly in the trees. Before me, in the center of a clearing, was a campsite. Two tents—one silver, one gold—were erected at opposite ends of a campfire. In front of the fire, settled upon a stump, was a blonde seventeen-year-old guy holding a golden lyre.

"Apollo?" My voice shook. Then I inwardly cursed myself for allowing my fear to show. I shoved down the lump of terror in my throat and composed myself. "Hello, Uncle."

"'Sup?" The sun god winked. "Now, how about that rendition?"

"No thanks."

"A haiku, then!"

"No thanks."

Apollo rolled his eyes. "You're just like my sister. She never appreciates my poetry!"

"Where's Artemis, anyway?" I looked around. "Also, where are we?"

The sun god waved his hand impatiently. "Somewhere in Maine. I don't really know the details."

"So, I'm in a dream, then?"

"Yes, yes. Now, be amazed by my haiku!" He opened his mouth.

"Really, brother?" a new voice asked from behind me, and I jumped, my eyes darting to the shadows by the trees. "No one wishes to listen to your haikus."

Apollo rolled his eyes. "Sister, everyone wants to listen to my haikus. I'm Apollo, the awesome god of poetry!" He cleared his throat. "My niece comes to—"

"Thank you, brother." Artemis emerged from the trees, grasping her elegant white bow. She had a quiver across her back. "Go retrieve more firewood, please"

"But—"

"Now."

Apollo huffed and stood up. He grumbled something about being the elder twin and then vanished into the forests, still holding his lyre.

"So, what's exactly going on, Mother?" I asked, my voice steady. "Why am I here?"

"I need to speak with you," the goddess answered, gesturing me over to the stumps surrounding the campfire. I settled down on one next to her and watched Artemis apprehensively.

"What exactly do to discuss?"

"The recent, uh, situation at Camp Half-Blood."

My heart skipped a beat. I tensed the muscles in my legs to stop them from shaking but remained composed. "What?"

"Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase discovered an entrance to the Labyrinth in Camp Half-Blood's forest during a game of Capture the Flag."

I raised an eyebrow. "The Labyrinth? The original one?"

"Yes."

"I thought it was destroyed."

"That was indeed originally thought, yes. However, there were rumors that Daedalus and the maze survived."

"That shouldn't be impossible. He can't have survived after two thousand years."

The goddess sighed. "I do not know, Ainsley. Many strange things are stirring, as you know. It is possible that Daedalus discovered a way to evade death."

"Okay, but what does the entrance mean for—oh." I suddenly understood, and my heart plummeted. "An invasion."

"Correct. The forces of Kronos intend to use the maze to avoid the magical boundaries of Camp Half-Blood and destroy the camp. Annabeth Chase is going to lead a quest into the Labyrinth to try and stop the threat."

"And what does this have to do with me?" I knew what the answer would be, and I clenched my fists to stop my hands from trembling.

"You must go accompany Annabeth Chase and Percy Jackson on this quest."

I stared at the shadows of the trees and tried not to gulp. "I'm supposed to go underground into a maze where it's dark and twists and turns?"

"I suppose that is what the quest entails, yes."

"No."

The goddess arched an eyebrow. "No?"

"I'm not going in there, Mother." Despite my best efforts, my voice shook again. "I'm not leaving my Hunters. I am not going into a maze where the darkness is everywhere. I'm not going somewhere the shadows can get me."

For once, Artemis looked surprised. "The shadows? What are you referring to, child?"

"Nothing," I said quickly, forcing my voice to steady. "Just...just a nightmare, Mother."

"What did you experience?"

"Nothing important, Mother." I forced a reassuring smile onto my face.

"Ainsley, I can tell that you are lying. What did you see in your dream?"

"It's not important." I tapped my fingers on the stump. "Do I have to go on this quest, Mother? My Hunters need me."

"Yes, Ainsley," the goddess said, still looking concerned. "Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase will need you now. You are a powerful half-blood."

"I know that Mother, but I can't go into the maze." My voice cracked, and my legs trembled. "I can't leave my family. Not again."  I wanted to add: Or let the shadows get me.

"You are needed elsewhere, my daughter. You must go on this quest. Raiden will be going as well, so you will not be alone."

"I'm not going, Mother."

The goddess raised her hand. "That is enough, Ainsley. I am sorry, child, but I must send you on this quest." She reached into her pocket and extracted four red flowers. "I have a gift for you. You know what these are, do you not?"

I nodded, my voice steady again but slightly resentful. "Amaranths. One of your sacred flowers."

"Yes. These particular ones, however, will return you to the Hunt when crushed." She placed the flowers into my hand. "Use them wisely."

The dream began to fade.

"Good luck, Ainsley," Artemis said. "Be strong. This quest will not be easy."

I awoke back in my tent. I was drenched in sweat and shivering slightly. I reached into my pocket, extracted the Amaranths, and glared at them.

"Why, Mother?" I muttered bitterly. "Why are you making me go on this quest?"

Huh? Agro raised her head. What's going on, Chief?

"We have another quest to go on." I gritted my teeth. "It's time to go say goodbye to the Hunters."