Antaeus looked disgusted and growled at me, "kill him"

"I said no" I spoke, sheathing my blades

"Just do it they'll kill us both" the guy said

I ignored him and offered him a hand up. Which he reluctantly took.

"You shall not dishonor the games" Antaeus yelled frustrated "No one gets to dishonor my games"

"When you get your chance run. You don't have to work for them" I said before turning to Antaeus.

"WELL WHY DONT YOU COME DOWN HERE AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT ME DISRESPECTING YOUR GAMES" I challenged.

I know this may not be the best of ideas as if I win. Well Luke gets his passage. And if I loose well I die. So yeah. Not the best choice but we need to get by as well.

The good news though, the monsters were mumbling about the challenge and that leaves Antaeus no choice but to fight.

"I'm the greatest" Antaeus started

"Yeah yeah yeah you're the greatest I don't give a crap. You're just like any other average boy. Just three times wider and five times dumber" I sassed.

Antaeus wasn't to happy about the insult. But Ehh what is he going to do about it, attempt to kill me. He was already going to do that.

"You dare" Antaeus bellows

"Yes I dare" I responded. " terms are if I win my friends and I go free and continue our journey, you win. You continue your games in which we all likely eventually die. Swear it upon the Styx for all who are here"

"I swear to your terms, arrogant child" he said

I smirked internally as now Luke is bound to said oath as well.

"Would you like any weapons" I asked

"I'll stick to my fist" Antaeus answered, "Luke shall ref"

Luke stood up and started the fight.

Antaeus immediately lunged at me to which I twisted and drew Blackbeard's cutlass, leaving a deep cut in Antaeus's side in the process.

When I turned, I expected him to be holding his side. But the problem was he wasn't. And the dirt...oh that's right he's also Gaea kid. Just another reason to hate Poseidon. He had reproductive relations with his own grandmother.

I sighed and needed to think of a strategy to remove him from the ground and I think I found one. I dodge his next attempted attack, and used him a launch board to get up to chains suspended from the ceiling that were also holding up banners.

"Get down here and fight"

"Why don't you come up here" I taunted, "or are you to scared to leave your mommy"

Some of the monster were having a hard time not laughing and if Antaeus wasn't already red I'm sure he would be from embarrassment.

Antaeus rather reluctantly started climbing up. I took that time to cut on chain and swing down and under him, paying hard attention to not be looking up when I was underneath him.

I tied up the chain I just swung on and swung down on another. Before I tied that one up too.

I kept doing this until I knew Antaeus was very well suspended in the air. "Aww look you were able to leave your mommy" I said, "I'm sure she's so proud that you finally left the nest" I finished, as I draw and fire three arrows at him.

One ended up in his head another in the chest and the last one where my mother wants to shoot Apollo usually.

"I should have killed you when I had the chance" Luke said

Wow talk about out of left field. Like ok he knocked me out once, then he targeted someone else with the pit scorpion, then there's the hole I blew in his ship, oh and then the carrying the sky. I give him an D minus on trying to kill me. What would you give him?

"Well I can't say you tried" I responded, "but we had a sworn agreement with Antaeus. My friends and I can continue our journey through the labyrinth freely"

"Antaeus is dead his oath died with him" Luke replied

"But that's where you are wrong as Antaeus was the lord of this place at the time of the oath. He swore on behalf of all that are here. And thus you also swore. So we are free to go"

Luke grumbled as he was reminded of my terms and thus had to let us go.

Rachel quickly lead us past them and we took off running. Not really trusting them to hold to their word. Though the kid I fought earlier was no where to be seen. I just hope he took my advice and left.

I don't know how long we were running but it felt like hours. And Nico was starting to complain.

"We can't stop now" Rachel said. "We are so close"

I don't know how but Nico kept up. Not complaining as heavily after that.

And after I want to say about a half mile, we arrived at probably the most modern high class area of the maze. With a large double bronze door that looks like a smaller version of the throne room doors, but with the Delta symbol on the door and no visible handle.

"So much for ancient architecture" Nico remarked

I wanted to say the same but was smart enough to not to comment on it with Annabeth here.

Annabeth though turned and glared at Nico, before walking up and touching the delta symbol.

The doors opened revealing what I imagine is a modern art studio. I never seen one but it looks like Apollo's art room but better. There were numerous laptops up and running along one side. A few art works that were partially completed scattered around. A blueprint spread out on the main work table, other scrolls all around. And lastly another robotic...I knew something was off about Quintus. There was this other robot label sextus and another labeled septimus. As well as a couple of destroyed and old one all labeled with latin numbers.

"Uhh why do these look like Quintus" Rachel asked

"Because he cheated death. I knew there was something off about him" Nico grumbled looking more angry at himself than at Quintus. "I bet he's the one causing father trouble"

"Daedalus is causing your father trouble but not from escaping his realm. He's causing it by never having entered it" Annabeth replied. I'm not surprised she thinks Quintus is Daedalus. I mean if anyone would escape death without the gods it would likely be him as he's the only one smart and dumb enough to do so. That's before even mentioning a motive.

I, of course during all their talking, stealthily stole a couple laptops and chargers for them. Will he know if a couple are missing. Most probably. But it's worth trying to break into. Especially if it holds his ideas and blue prints.

But after bagging the two I moved quickly to my friends just in case he returns or makes himself present, as I developed a gut feeling.

We took notice of the other inventions around the room. Like the wings neatly laid up along the wall.

Though as Annabeth made her way over to laptops and started exploring them Quintus came down stairs

"You're Daedalus" I guessed

And he nodded

"Prove it" Annabeth demanded

He pulled down the shirt collar revealing the mark of a murderer. The mark that Athena gave him for killing his nephew Perdix.

"I assure you my dear it is me, Daedalus. Our mother makes certain I never forget" he responded

"The mark of a murderer's brand" she stated, but didn't contradict him

"Who did he murder" Nico asked

"His nephew Perdix"

"This is not natural he should be long dead" Nico said

Quintus looked down ashamed. As if he knew Nico was right but couldn't bring himself to do it

"Why did you go to the camp" Rachel asked, like she cared. Maybe she...no hades cursed the Oracle...but maybe...I mean it could happen but...let's just say you and I thought it to be a possibility.

"To see if the camp was worth saving" Quintus answered "Luke gave me one side. I prefer making well informed decisions"

"I can't imagine why after you pushed Perdix" I mumbled

"I didn't push him"

"Fine didn't save him. Made him lose his balance. Force him to work in a non osha approved workplace" I suggested

"I made mistakes alright" Quintus mumbled looking around. I know he noticed the missing computers, but he didn't mention, only looked at me curiously as I was the only one with a bag where it wouldn't be noticeable.

"I see you like my laptops, Annabeth"

"Well they are interesting" she defended

Quintus went over to the one next to the ones I took and unplugged it, and the charger, "here. I have plenty as you can see" he said handing it to her, "has all my blueprints and plans"

I had a feeling that he knew his time left was short. "Maybe you can use it for a better purpose than what I did" he said, "all the passwords to get into them are the same by the way" he finished slipping her a paper, presumably with the login info.

He looked at Nico, "you can destroy them" he said, "let your father know I'm done building my tricks to hide from him"

Nico went over and destroyed the extra automaton bodies. Cut them all to small bits

He looked at Rachel, "take the paints if you want. There's not much I can offer you besides that"

Rachel's face lit up as she started collecting paints and throwing them at me to carry in my 'unlimited' space bag.

All the sudden though it sounded like an earthquake was coming and a hellhound burst through the door and greeted us.

It greeted me with a slobber lick and then moved its attention to Daedalus. "What is it girl"

She let out a short bark and Daedalus, told us we had to leave now.

"Not without the string" Annabeth said

Daedalus looked guilty, "I don't have it anymore"

I immediately knew then that he gave it to Luke. But Annabeth and him argued over the matter.

"Leave now while you still can please" he asked

But it was too late the Emposuai that captured us and a ghost appeared in the entry way, along with some Lastrygonians.

"There you are my old friend" the ghost said with an evil grin