Temple of Fear

"This place isn't just a shrine to Ares. It's a temple of fear."

- Piper McLean to Annabeth Chase

The Temple of Fear was an ancient Spartan temple dedicated to the war god Ares, as well as his sons Phobos and Deimos. It housed a statue of Ares containing makhai. The Spartans used to prepare for battle and face their fears in the temple.

Description


The Temple of Fear is accessed through three stone-lined pits, that at random intervals, emit a column of fire. Similar to the campfire at Camp Half-Blood, the color and intensity of the flames differ, inducing emotions such as fear and panic, but also a strong desire to get closer to the flames. Therefore, using logic to predict the timing of the flames is virtually impossible, as the fire pits are attuned to emotion.

The source of the flames are three bronze dragon statues located in a chamber at the bottom of each pit, all of which were decapitated by Piper to disable the flaming pits. The chamber itself is round, about the size of a helicopter pad, with Greek inscriptions etched on its walls. Like the flame pits, the chamber heightens fear, but to a much higher degree. The ceiling is roughly thirty feet high, just enough for a giant as tall as Mimas to fit.

At the far end of the chamber, the statue of Ares stood on a stone dais, with two doorways about ten feet high on either side. Over the archway of each doorway was the carved stone faces of Phobos and Deimos respectively. One of the doorways lead into a dark tunnel that ultimately circles back to the main chamber. The other doorway was used by Piper and Annabeth to return to exit the temple and return to the surface.

The Blood of Olympus
Seeking the "chained god's heartbeat" for the physician's cure, Piper McLean and Annabeth Chase arrive in Sparta where they discover three fire pits that serve as the entrance to the Temple of Fear. Realizing the pits are tuned to emotions, Piper jumps down one and finds herself in a chamber holding a statue of Ares, calling out to Annabeth that it's safe to come down.

They encounter Mimas, the giant born to oppose Hephaestus, awaiting them in the temple. As a plan of action wouldn't work against him, Piper instructs Annabeth to fight Mimas with her emotions instead of reason. Using this strategy, Piper concludes that the temple wasn't meant to keep the chained makhai in Sparta, but rather prevent their terrible power from being unleashed.

While charging at Mimas with Katoptris, Piper causes the giant to stumble backwards against the wall, causing fissures to spread and destabilizing the temple as a result. During Annabeth's fight with Mimas, Piper manages to cut off the giant's ear. This infuriates him even more, and he threatens to bring down the entire chamber to crush the girls.

Telling Annabeth to keep Mimas occupied, Piper prays to Phobos and Deimos, offering up her cornucopia as a sacrifice and using it to release the makhai from Ares' statue. Annabeth and Piper stab Mimas in the thigh and gut respectively, with the falling stone face of Deimos finishing the giant off. Suddenly, the temple starts collapsing and the girls escape through a doorway that leads back to the surface.