ｔｈｅ ｂａｔｔｌｅ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｌａｂｙｒｉｎｔｈ

LUCIA SHIVERED IN THE CONFINES OF THE FOUR WALLS.

Once her friends made their escape: they stripped her from her weapons, gagged her with a cloth, blindfolded her, and moved her to what she swore felt like a freezer.

"Hello Lucia," The deep, harsh voice spoke. Hands took off her blindfold and ungagged her. She blinked, if she wasn't a child of the sun she would have had to adjust to the harsh lighting of the room. Instead, Lucia welcomed it with open arms.

She then realized she wasn't in a freezer. she was somewhere worse.

"is this.. a morgue" Lucia looked around in shock. The room was a large walk-in cooler. It was sterile, filled with metal furnishings and trimmings. She was grateful to see there were no dead bodies around. But Lucia did notice Kronos's sarcophagus sitting a few feet away from her. He had her chained in the corner of the room.

"The coldest room on the ship." Kronos gave her a wicked grin. There were no hints of Luke despite it being his body being in front of her. "I know all about your specialties Apollonione"

Lucia scrunched her nose up at that name. "Ship? We're on Princess Andromeda..."

"Indeed" He smiled a sickly smile, bile threatened to rise up in her throat

"We're out of the labyrinth...."

"The labyrinth is gone." Kronos revealed Backbiter, Lucia watched the blade. The two-metre-long Scythe was forged of two metals: tempered steel and Celestial Bronze. Meaning it could wound or kill mortals, demigods, and immortals alike and sever their souls. Lucia didnt know what it felt like to have a severed soul but she didn't imagine it would feel too good.

"Gone?-"

"Your friends are quite alright," He said in an attempt of reassurance, but it did nothing to calm Lucia's nerves. Every time the titan spoke Lucia felt pricks run up her spine. "They've managed to protect their precious camp... for now."

"What do you want from me"

"Well isn't it obvious."  his voice sounded like someone was scraping metal against metal or digging their nails against a blackboard. It caused Lucia to wince. "I want you to join me in this war."

"No." She spat "I'd rather get killed."

Kronos clicked his tongue, he walked closer. Backbiter dragged across the floor causing sparks to fly. Lucia held a straight face, she looked at the titan king in the eye despite the way her stomach twisted.

"Why would I kill you dearie" His hand found a strand of her hair, and Lucia turned her head in defiance. Kronos grabbed her by the jaw squishing her cheeks together with force. His golden eyes now blazed with something sinister. "You're much more useful to me with a beating heart."

"I won't join you," Lucia repeated

"You're quite close to Percy Jackson aren't you Lucia?."

Lucia's face fell, and Kronos's twisted in satisfaction.

"Ethan has told me quite a lot about you dearie. A Jealous one he is" Kronos let go of her and walked around the room "This boy, he would do anything for you no?"

Lucia opened her mouth.

"if only you could have watched him in battle" Kronos continued, "He fought with no remorse. like a demon. Like a man in strife. A man who's had love taken from him."

"He-"

"He kept asking for you." Kronos snickered, he was now looking down at Lucia "He was willing to run back into the labyrinth to find you."

"Stop-"

"He would do anything to get you back no? Even bring Olympus to destruction, all for a single girl."

"No. You're wrong" Lucia interrupted "He would never do that."

"It's his birthday today." Kronos smiled "And he's miserable.."

"That's not-"

"Possible?" Kronos taunted "Tell me, how long do you think you've been here?."

"I-" Lucia stopped, the last thing she remembered was being moved from the labyrinth. But when she looked down she noticed her broken and aching leg was now completely healed and out of its splint. That would have taken at least 4 days if fed with ambrosia. She looked down at her hands, the tips of them were purple and numb, she gasped.

Kronos snickered once again. The vibrations of his booming voice caused Lucia to shrink back into the wall.

"All you have to do is join me." Kronos tilted his head "Your powers. they're remarkable. you Lucia, haven't even unlocked your fullest potential. With me-"

"I want nothing from you." Lucia barked "Kill me."

Kronos clicked his tongue again. The forbidding look flickered back into his eyes. "Careful, before I carve your tongue out. that would be a shame. that beautiful voice of yours would be missed, as is your father's ."

Lucia felt her chest constrict in pain

"What name did he use as an alias again? Carlos Verano?"

"Hyacinthus." Lucia whispered, "How is he-"

"ah ah ah" Kronos bent down in front of her, his hand patted her head. "Now dearie dont be selfish. if you want answers, you must pledge your loyalty to me."

Lucia didnt budge.

"Ethan told me you'd be hard to crack" Kronos whispered "Even love couldn't convince you."

Lucia frowned. "He was using me, wasn't he? To help you, to join..."

"He was promised a place if he brought you in, yes. He's a determined child." Kronos continued "But unfortunately, he is a subject to the power of Aphrodite as all weak mortals are."

Lucia frowned, she stared at the ground.

"I know now it is not him that has the power to bring you to me. It is Percy."

Lucia looked up, her eyebrows knitted together

"He holds you back dearie." His hands fell on her cheeks. "The key isn't having you love Ethan. It's having you hate Percy. If you cut that tether to him you'll be free. You'll see the truth, with your fathers, with everything and everyone. You've been harmed, mistreated, lied to. with me, you'll only get the truth." His right hand found itself in her hair, his thumb caressing her forehead. "That itch will never be present with me."

"Why are you telling me this." she whispered, the tremble in her voice apparent. "it's no use...I'd never hate him. You're wasting your time."

"you fail to see how valuable you are dearest Apollonione," he emphasized, Lucia felt her heart race to the point she felt her chest could explode. her palms got clammier and clammier. " You can not only grant me great power in battle but great power over my enemy. Perseus Jackson would be struck with immense grief if I killed you, yes. but, having you in my grasps, having the one person he would shake the earth for despising him and on the opposing line. That. that would simply kill the boy.."

"I already told you!." Lucia cried the entire room began to tremble. Kronos watched in amusement, which only enraged her more.

She thought about Percy, It was his birthday and she wasn't there. She couldn't give him the seashell necklace she'd made him a month ago. She couldn't watch him blow out the candles of his blue cake. She couldn't get forced to sing the Spanish version of the birthday song so he could hear her voice for longer. She couldn't be with him.

They left off on not-so-great terms and now she didn't know when she would see him or anyone else she cared about again. She wondered if Grover and Tyson were okay. If Annabeth was happy for succeeding in her quest. She wondered if Percy truly did feel her absence.

She wanted to crawl up in a ball and cry. Everything she felt reminded her of her time at Westover hall. That emptiness in her heart had returned.

and it was all because of this motherfucker!

"I won't ever hate him! or join you! I-I love him."

Kronos' grin didnt falter "I had no doubts that you would utter those words. that makes this that much more exciting."

Lucia watched in confusion as he stepped in front of the door of the room.

Someone emerged.

"We will have to do this another way."

It was a woman, she was beautiful, but deathly pale with black eyes.

Her blond hair was set in an Ancient Greek style high-set ponytail. Her dark, sleeveless gown seemed to ripple as if the cloth was ink spilling off. She carried two old-fashioned reed torches.

"Lucia Verano, Meet Hecate."

A/N:

Can I be honest I have no idea how accurate Apollonione is? I did some research on greek etymology and tried it out but still have no idea how accurate it is lolol. But basically it's supposed to mean daughter of apollo!

anywayssss that's the end of the battle of the labyrinth !! I hope you enjoyed it and I can't wait to start the last olympian. let's just say things get a little... heated. Tell me your thoughts and theories please and anything you'd like to see come next! hope you all are doing alright!

-V