The Forgotten Hero

Ch. 14

ONE DAY YOU WILL GROW TO LOVE ME NICO ~~~~ also sorry if I keep changing how the character sees whatever they see I'm just kinda messing around with this stuff rn 😅
Btw I don't think I'm dead

Hazel's POV

When I landed back onto hard ground, my vision was blurry. I could hardly see a thing. What what in that fire of Leo's? And how did he manage to get so powerful? There are simply some questions that cannot be answered I suppose.

When things started to clear up a little more, I was able to recognise my surroundings. I was in a bird-like cage with cold metal bars trapping me inside like a pet. This is why I could never really bring myself to have a pet bird.
They weren't free in cages like these.

I tried to stand up but failed miserably in the process. My legs felt like jelly at that current moment. My main focus was to try and find the others, and see where we were.

It smelt heavily of oil and grease and the room was extremely hot, that was for sure. I also heard lots of clanging and noises such as that, too. Just like a...

"Annabeth! Piper! Can you hear me?" I tried calling their names, but no one replied.
"Guys? Can you hear me!?"
No reply.
"Come on, this isn't funny!"
No reply.
"I need to know where you are!"
Once again, no reply.

I tried to stand again, but no luck. I felt as helpless as an ant (😉). There really was nothing I could do.

"Oh, so you're up, eh?"
That got my attention.

I spun around to meet the empty gaze of Leo, my former buddy and friend.
"What happened to you, Leo?" I questioned myself.
"It seems that the other two are still in a daze. I'll just have to talk to you for a bit then, don't ya think?" Leo told me outside the cage.
"Why are you doing these things, Leo? Remembered when we used to do things as a team? You might not remember it, but I sure as Hades do." I asked the insane boy.
"Give it a second," He replied. Just as he said this, an automaton could be heard approaching the room. Please don't be a killing machine please don't be a killing machine I silently prayed.

I was stunned when I saw the creation enter the room. It was a design of a celestial bronze snake with ruby-red eyes and imperial gold fangs slightly sticking out. Its body was smooth and looked like it had been created very carefully. No doubt was it also dangerous though. That's just how things on Olympus work. The snake was carrying a bag of ambrosia in its mouth, probably delivering the bag to Leo.

The next thing it did surprised Hazel so much.
"Here is your ambrosia, master." The snake had talked!
Hazel was that sure that automatons do not talk. Just about all automatons she had encountered had not been able to speak, apart from the rattling and squeaking sounds Festus the dragon had made. Hazel hoped Festus had returned to camp. Something she had forgotten to tell was that shortly after Leo's disappearance, Festus had become devastated. Usually when everyone was asleep in the middle of night, Festus would whine and cry. He had sounded so sad. Eventually though, he had disappeared, probably wanting to find his master.

"Ah, thanks." Leo had replied, a smirk on his face.
"A pleasure, my lord. Excuse me, who is this?" The snake has hissed in a cold, metallic voice that sent chills dancing along Hazel's spine.
"Oh, this is my former friend, Hazel. Say hi, Hazel!" Leo introduced, still taking things not-so-seriously. "I still haven't come up with a name for my little helper here, though."

Leo suddenly started giggling, a wide grin spread across his face. There was a pang of pain in Hazel's left arm, make her wince. What has Leo done now? She thought.

Hazel felt as though a weight had been set on her shoulders, limiting her to only kneeling on the ground. Things were getting really fuzzy. She was dizzy. Hazel had noticed that while Leo and the automaton were talking, Leo had ever-so-slightly reached for a dart in his pocket. It must've been a dart carrying that weird chemical in it. Hazel had forgotten what it was called, but she knew it was some type of sleeping drug.

"Hush now, Hazel, everything will make sense when you get back up. For now, just enjoy a peaceful or disturbing dream your mind shall come up with! By the way, you're roommates with another girl now. Have fun!!" Leo laughed maniacally.

The last thing Hazel saw before being knocked out was another girl being dumped into the cage, Leo looming in the distance, before everything went black.

DW I'M NOT DEAD YEEEESSSS sue me

Update on chapter: I realise my habit of changing the tense and the POV has kicked in