This chamber wasn't styled like the last, it seemed plain in design. Rocky walls with flattened earth as flooring gave the appearance of a room carved into a mountain. The space was filled with many pedestals holding items, but what drew attention was a statue in the center of the chamber, and a few feet behind it was a wooden door. Though already guessing it wouldn't open, Annabeth tried the handle, and she was right, it was locked.
Annabeth turned, figuring the statue was the most likely to hold a clue to open the door.
The statue was one of a marble angel, towering over Annabeth even though it was crouching down toward her. Its wings were folded in behind the angel, draped across his shoulders like a cloak, while a blindfold covered its eyes.
What was worthy of note was its actions; it was extending its arms and cupping a bowl in its hands, almost like it was asking for charity.
At the base, half-buried under dust and time, was a Latin phrase carved into the pedestal. She knelt, brushing her fingers across the script, murmuring it under her breath.
"Qui vitam offerunt, transitum merebuntur"
Annabeth quickly translated the words in her mind.
'They who offer life shall earn passage'
She rose slowly, eyes flicking to the rest of the chamber. Objects stood on pedestals arranged around the chamber, each one different.
A heart carved from red-veined marble.
A skull made of translucent quartz.
A sapling, carved from regular stone.
A Silver ouroboros, a snake looped into infinity.
A conch shell crafted from sandstone.
A bronze mirror.
An Olive Branch carved from basalt.
An apple carved from gold.
An egg made from white crystal.
Nine different items.
Judging from the phrase on the statue and the bowl asking for charity, Annabeth figured she needed to select the correct item and place it in the bowl, but there lies the problem. There was no more information.
What if she selected the wrong one? Did she have more than one chance to guess, or could she only choose once? What was the punishment for failing? Was there a timer? Had it already started?
Her thoughts raced, countless questions ran through her mind. But she soon stopped spiraling; she couldn't just stand here thinking forever. She needed to act and select at least one item. If she was right, that was great. If she were wrong, she might gather more information that might help answer some of her questions.
With that in mind, Annabeth studied the nine items, pondering which ones best fit the nature of the test and their connections with life.
The olive branch was the first choice. The symbolism of her mother was fitting for a test of Athena, especially since the branch represented peace and life; both the meaning and sacredness of the item made it highly likely to be the right one, so Annabeth picked it up and carried it to the statue, placing it in its bowl and waited for a response.
The reaction was immediate. A low groan echoed from beneath the floor. Stone trembled. Cracks spiderwebbed out across, causing Annabeth to stumble, holding onto the statue for balance. Some ground around the chamber fell, leaving potholes in the ground. Recovering her balance after the rumbling stopped, Annabeth shuffled to look down the hole to see what was below.
Wind rose from below, stale and hungry, blasting her backwards, but she glimpsed what lay below: a pit of churning darkness.
Whatever was down there, it seemed like a long fall; she most likely wouldn't survive. But at least she could estimate how long the floor could last, judging from what was now missing; Annabeth judged she could only answer incorrectly one more time, for the third failed answer would most likely take any remaining ground, sending her into the pit below.
She didn't move for a moment. Then forced herself upright. She pushed back her fear and once again began looking over the items, choosing the next one.
A heart carved from red-veined marble.
A symbol of life, vitality, and emotion.
Annabeth returned to the statue, removing the branch and tossing it aside, replacing it with the heart of marble.
The rumble returned, this time sharper. The shaking had become more violent, more of the floor vanished, dropping into the darkness. While the remaining floor was enough to move around on, it wasn't much, a single misstep and she could fall into the pit even without failing the puzzle a third time.
This time, it was much harder to fight her fear, especially the growing despair that seemed to be growing ever since the pit was opened. Whatever was below seemed to fuel her fear, causing it to rise in her mind and cloud her thoughts.
Would she be able to leave here?
That thought kept circling her mind.
Annabeth resolutely took a step towards her next item. Having survived with Lucas, Thalia, and Luke on the streets, she had encountered her share of terrifying situations, but she always managed to survive. Determined to do the same now, she fought her fear and reached for her last choice.
The sapling made from stone.
A representation of life: growth, roots, nourishment.
When she reached for the sapling, her finger was pricked on one of its many branches, drawing blood. The sharp pain shocked Annabeth, causing her to withdraw her hand and check on the wound. It wasn't deep, but blood was welling up, leaving a thin line to drip down her finger and drop onto the floor.
She stared.
All her thoughts. All the theories. She threw them out of her mind as a more powerful idea took form.
While all the items seemed to symbolise life, they were all made of rock.
Rock didn't signify life. It was dead, cold, hollow. So the items were merely there to mislead her.
Looking at the warm blood dripping from her finger, Annabeth believed this was what truly symbolized life.
Her eyes lifted to the angel.
It may have been her imagination, but now she felt the angel was smiling. Or maybe it was just because she was smiling, confident in her decision.
She stepped back toward the statue, removed the heart, and then drew her dagger.
The dagger she received from her new family.
With that thought in mind, Annabeth held her arm over the bowl and sliced a shallow wound on her arm, not deep enough to be dangerous or debilitate her arm, but enough to draw blood. As the blood dripped into the bowl, Annabeth didn't look away from the angel's face, hope and determination blazed in her eyes.
After a few agonizing seconds of silence, a sound was heard.
A lock opening.
Annabeth stepped back, immediately going to the little satchel she carried on her back that contained emergency supplies. Some medicine, bandages, nectar, and spare money. She looked through the satchel and found some bandages, wrapping her wound to stop the possibility of infection, before looking towards the door.
It was time to continue.
With a slight tug to fasten the bandage comfortably on her arm, Annabeth strolled to the door, trying the handle and indeed finding it unlocked. With one last look at the angel, Annabeth turned and opened the door.