𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐗𝐈𝐑, 𝐏𝐉

𝟎𝟎𝟒.𝟒

𝟎𝟎𝟒.𝟒

"Juliet, wake up, Juli!"

"Huh?" Juliet's eyes slowly peeled open, eye connecting those with same as hers, Lee was shaking her awake in his full armour with his bow strung behind his back. It immediately put her body in alert mode. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Her hand reached to turn on the lamp by her bedside, casting them in a golden hue as she reached for her mobile, checking the time on it.

2:45 am.

"Aethiopian drakon, spotted at the borders of camp. We need to go hunting." Lee admitted tiredly, none of them wanted to do this but apparently they didn't have much of a choice.

Juliet sighed before nodding, "Give me 5 minutes."

"We are waiting outside," He spoke before trudging out of the cabin, Juliet reluctantly dragged herself to her wardrobe, slipping on appropriate clothing before wearing her armour. Her body revolted at the thought of work but she couldn't really back off now considering even the little ones were coming.

She thumped the back of Will's head while joining the group of her siblings. "Isn't it past your bedtime, midget?"

Will scowled at that nickname rubbing the back of his head while glaring at her, "Isn't it time you died?"

"Woah, man, calm down!" Austin gasped patting Will on his shoulder as he shrugged him off, "don't tell me what to do!"

"He's cranky when he doesn't get to sleep," Michael replied while greeting Juliet with a slap to her back, nearly making her face plant.

"Dude, that hurt," she turned to him, giving him an irritated look as he grinned back, "It was meant to,"

Lee sighed in exasperation, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Guys, let's get serious."

All of them collectively snorted and laughed.

"I will ban music from the cabin if yall don't stop," Lee's country accent slipped through and they all knew he was being serious. Lee's mom was from Dallas and whenever he lost his patience he started talking in a country accent.

"Okay, the plan is, me and Michael on the left, Julie and Austin on the right. Will's here for medical help. We kill the dragon and then go back to bed. Cool?"

"Cool." All of them echoed back their agreement as they broke into their duo and trudged onwards into the forest. The forest was dark but the glow emitting from their hands was acting like a torch.

Juliet and Austin trudged down together in silence before they heard the distant screech of the drakon making them ho on alert.

"It's nearby." Austin whispered while Juliet nodded, stepping carefully so as to not make much sound.

The night air was thick with tension as they moved stealthily through the darkened woods, the sounds of leaves crunching beneath their feet. The eerie calls of the Aethiopian drakon echoed through the trees.

Juliet exchanged a glance with Austin, their silent communication speaking volumes. They moved with a synchronicity, As they approached the location of the drakon, Juliet's hushed voice carried through the night, "Get ready. We're closing in."

The siblings tightened their grips on their weapons, The glow of their hands illuminated the path ahead, revealing glimpses of the creature.

Suddenly, the drakon emerged from the shadows, its serpentine form undulating as it sensed the demigods' presence. Lee and Michael moved to engage from the left, while Juliet and Austin took positions on the right, weapons at the ready.

The Aethiopian drakon, with its dark scales and malicious eyes, roared in challenge. Austin sent a volley of arrows flying, attempting to distract the drakon, while Juliet swiftly nocked an arrow, her eyes fixed on the creature's vulnerable points.

Lee and Michael attacked from the other side, arrows flying and celestial bronze blades slicing through the air. The drakon thrashed and retaliated, its enormous wings creating gusts of wind. The forest echoed with the sounds of metal hitting chinks.

"Austin!" Juliet yelled when one wing of the drakon knocked him aside, she tried to move forward but before she could a wing came knocking on her back with such force she felt as if her vertebrae nearly smashed and sent her flying through the forest before she landed on a hard ground the noises of her siblings becoming a sudden blur before getting silent.

Juliet groaned lying on her back in the forest for a moment with her eyes closed. When she opened them, she hoped that she had still kept them closed.

Because she couldn't see any sky above her. Her palm illuminated, and she came face to face with a narrow corridor.

The Labyrinth.

She was in the labyrinth. That's all she'd been researching for the past six months, she knew there was a secret entrance and apparently she had found it but just her fucking luck, she couldn't see the delta sigh anywhere and the roof had closed in.

"Fuck, fuck!" She yelled, her voice echoing as she scrambled toward the walls searching for any sign. None, as if somebody had hidden it from her.

She was trapped and she needed a way out. What if she couldn't go out? What if she was stuck here and might loose her mind just like Chris? What if by the time she got out months had passed? What if she died down there? What if-

Crunch

Her body froze.

Somebody was coming her way, her hand tightened on her crossbow as her breath staggered. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, she could do this.

Swiftly she turned around, thrusting her hand forward and notching her crossbow on her shoulder aiming and trying to find what monster it was only to see- "Nico?"

There in the middle of the darkened corridor of the Labyrinth stood Nico Di Angelo with a happy meal in his arm and fries stuck in his mouth, his eyes widened as he stared at Juliet with shock.