The empousa lunged and you dodged, swinging your sword. The world seemed to slow down and you could see all the possible moves the empousa could make, and your glasses started pointing out all the weaknesses of the empousa.

The empousa swung her sword and then, everything blurred into a flurry of parries, strikes, and dodges. You kept seeing opportunities to end it, but something held you back.

You faintly heard the giant asking for entertainment, knowing that you couldn't leave unless you played his game, you decided to put on a show for the crowd. When the empousa struck again, you let her hit graze your shoulder and you dropped to the ground, rolling. The empousa smirked, thinking she'd get an easy kill.

"I lost one of my sisters to Percy Jackson, so I will now kill something important to him." She moved in for the kill.

As the empousa leered over you, you smiled. "And that's where you're wrong, I'm not important to him."

Your swords, which you had let skid away, reappeared in your hands, piercing the empousa as she held the sword above your neck. Her face morphed into one of shock as she burst into flames. The crowd booed, for they thought you had died in the inferno. You just calmly stood up and walked out of the flames.

"Well, was that satisfactory enough to be granted safe passage?"

The giant laughed, "Yes, you have safe passage. That was the best show I'd seen in a long time!"

You gave a bow to the crowd and the demigod guards by the door on the opposite side that you had entered through. Luke glared at you, mouthing Stay. You just smirked and waved, walking through the door.

You skirted around traps as you continued following the green lines. Reaching into your food pouch, you sat down and had an apple. You summoned a knife and started to cut the apple. Then you heard a small chirping, growling noise. Pointing your knife at the dark corridor to your right, you slowly stood up and lowered your centre of gravity.

Your glasses adjusted to night vision and you sighed in relief. It was just an adorable, hungry-looking baby gryphon. "Aww, you poor hungry baby." you crooned, offering one of your apple pieces to the baby gryphon in the shadows. "Come here, I won't hurt you." The baby gryphon inched into the light and you placed the apple piece on the ground. The gryphon darted forward and gobbled the apple piece up.

You held the rest of your apple out to the gryphon, and it inched closer and nibbled at the apple. Once it figured that you weren't going to hurt it, it started gobbling the apple up. You reached your other hand out to pet the gryphon's head. The baby gryphon froze and then nuzzled into your hand. Then it yawned and crawled into your lap. Deciding to rest for the night, you started to make camp. Holding the surprising light baby gryphon, you set up camp and laid down next to the gryphon and let your eyes close.

You had another demigod dream. You were watching from above as Annabeth disappeared and Percy leapt towards some weird dog-looking creatures. They blasted him, but apparently, his "father's nature" was saving him. You want to see my father's nature? Percy raised his hands and water crashed down, destroying the bridge he and the dog creatures were on. Then, you woke up.

Percy, nope, nope. Get him out of your head. You can't continue pining after someone you could never have.

You groaned and leaned your head back. Between everything else happening, a crush was not what you needed right now.

Sitting up, you saw that the baby gryphon had curled up next to you. It yawned and stretched, looking up at you with bug eyes. "Aww, come here, little one." You pulled another apple out of your food sack and held it out to the gryphon, it started eating and you grabbed one for yourself.

Once finished, you packed up and continued following the green lines. The baby gryphon followed, obviously with nowhere else to go. You smiled softly and then continued with your silent partner.

*time skip*

It must have been a week, or maybe it was two, you couldn't tell, but the green lines seemed to be stronger than ever. You were exhausted, but you had to talk to Daedalus. Pushing over the door with the baby gryphon, who you had named Amethyst. You stepped inside and gasped in awe. Daedalus's workshop was amazing. Just then, a black thing bounded up to you.

"Mrs, O'Leary? What are you doing here?" You started petting her as you tried to think through everything.

"Hello, Y/N, what a surprise to see you here."

You turned around, "Quintus? Quintus, five, automatons. You're Daedalus! You found a way to transfer your soul to a machine..." You trailed off, thinking about how unnatural that was.

"Hm, you are quite smart."

"Listen, all of the weird automatons aside, you can not help Luke! He will destroy Camp Half-blood, then help Kronos destroy the world as we know it!"

"I came to your camp to see if you were worth saving, and I find little reason to."

"Why, give me a good reason to not help Camp Half-blood!" You were mad, this man was one of your idols. Now, he wouldn't even bother saving the only place you've ever felt at home.

"Kronos's army has promised me revenge on the gods." Quintus- Daedalus- shrugged.

"Revenge? You would sign the death warrant of children for revenge against the gods? Listen, I know just as well as you that the gods only help when they feel like it. I know that they don't seem to help when you need it and I know that you want to resent the gods for leaving you to suffer, but revenge is not the way to do it. You are letting your pride get in the way of what is right. Yes, the gods leave us to fight through this world alone, but we have to show that even though they ignore us and leave us to go through the worst pain imaginable we can be better than them. That we are strong, that we can survive even when they give up on us. We can't give up on each other. My godly father left me to an abusive stepfather and mother, but I have to show that I can be better than that. I have to show that I won't leave others who are in pain or hurting. You have to help, to show the gods that no matter what they do to you, you can still do the right thing!" You were crying, tears running down your cheeks. Mrs O'Leary and Amethyst nuzzled you. You wiped your tears away and shakily looked up at Daedalus.

"If I told you I'd think about it, would that be ok? And maybe you could help make some of my inventions?" He looked at you hopefully and you laughed shakily.

"Yeah, sure, but you had better think long and hard about what I said." But you smiled nonetheless. Getting to work with one of your idols? Oh yeah, you were not going to pass this chance up.

*time skip*

You had no idea how long you worked with Daedalus, but it was amazing. You were sitting in a window seat, Mrs O'Leary next to you and Amethyst curled on your lap and you had one of Daedalus' notebooks open. The door you had come in earlier slammed open and Percy, Annabeth, and that red-haired girl from Goode- Rachel, you think. You jumped up and grabbed your belt pouch that was on the table. Strapping it on, you attempted to hide behind a bookshelf, but Annabeth spotted you.

"You, again?" She glared at you, but Percy just looked at you as if just making a connection.

"You have clear vision like Rachel."

"Yeah, that's how I got here before you."

"Yes, and she's been here for a while, helping me." You turned to see Quintus walking down the stairs. Then he looked at you, "Now, I have come to my decision. Luke has offered a lot for your capture." He looked at you as your mouth opened in shock and hurt, but then you saw the look in his eyes. Composing yourself, you played your part.

"I thought you had changed your mind! I thought you would save Camp Half-blood!"

"Well plans change, as Daedalus has told me." You turned to see Luke walking towards you. He darted forward and grabbed your wrists, manhandling you against him. You gritted your teeth as he leaned forward. "You're now mine."