Annabeth POV-
    Percy and I stepped out of the elevator and into the maelstrom. The extreme cold was a slap in the face after the oppressive heat of Tartarus. Then, with a loud snap, the doors disappeared, heading for who knows where. Well, even if we won't be leaving the way we came, at least Gaea's legions of monsters can't use the doors anymore, I thought, trying to be optimistic about our circumstances.

    I hugged myself and rubbed my arms. I turned towards Percy "We n-need to f-f-find some sort of s-shelter." I stated, my teeth chattering from the freezing weather.

    "N-no kidding." Percy said, his teeth chattering as well.

    "We need t-t-to keep moving so that w-we d-don't get f-frostbite or h-hypothermia." I was already starting to lose the feeling in my fingers and toes, and I suspected that Percy probably was too.

    We began to slowly stagger forward, even though we weren't quite sure what direction forward was. We clung to one another as we moved, not only for support, but so that we wouldn't lose each other in the snowstorm. Percy and I had promised that we wouldn't be separated again, and we meant every word of it.

    As we walked, the air around us seemed to grow sharper, colder, more menacing. There was something behind us, a presence of some sort, and it did not seem friendly. We tried to walk faster, but the storm was against us. An extra strong gust of wind pushed us into what I thought was a solid wall of rock covered with snow and ice. The minute we fell into the supposed wall, it gave way to a dark cave. Percy pulled me far back into the cave and the menacing thing seemed to keep moving past us.

    The cave shook, and snow and ice fell over the opening, sealing us in, but at least it was warmer inside the cave than out. Once my eyes began to adjust to the cave's dim light, I realized it wasn't as dark as it should have been inside of a sealed of cave. There was a slight glow coming from somewhere deeper within. I nudged Percy, and heard the familiar and comforting shink of Riptide. Percy and the glow of his celestial bronze sword cautiously led the way.

    We tread ever so lightly, our footfalls barely making a sound, as to not alert anyone to their presence. If they don't already know that we're here, I thought bitterly.

    Eventually, Percy and I spotted the source of the dim glow that we had seen earlier. There was a small campfire burning warmly and invitingly, using a pile of cloth and twigs as kindling. There was a figure hunched over the flames, tending to the fire.

    All of a sudden, the figure stood up and turned around, revealing only the fact that the figure looked humanoid. But humanoid most definitely did not mean human. Their face was shrouded by the hood of a heavy coat.

    "Okay, who are you, and what are you doing here?!" An angry female voice shouted, "My mission was already complicated without me having to watch over two random mortals!"

    Whoever they are, I thought, my mind still sluggish from the extreme cold, they must have some sort of connection or knowledge to the gods, otherwise they wouldn't have called us mortals.

    The figure then pushed up their hood, revealing a girl who appeared to be about our age, with dark eyes that somehow glinted with seriousness and mischievousness at the same time. She looked like she would sit me down for a nice talk then run away yelling "Sike!" The girl was also was wearing a dark green hijab to cover her hair. For a moment, all three of us just stood there, no one quite sure what to do.

    Naturally, that when the situation completely spiraled out of control.