Mr Fire hazard (Leo Valdez x reader)

15. Level 1: Poison

Nico led the way. At the top of the hill, they climbed over an old retaining wall and down into an excavated trench. Finally they arrived at a stone doorway leading straight into the side of the hill. The death storm seemed to originate right above their heads. Looking up at the swirling tentacles of darkness, I felt as if we were under an octopus . That reminded me of Percy and Annabeth also bummed me out a bit.

Nico faced the group. "From here, it gets tough."

"Sweet," Leo said. "'Cause so far I've totally been pulling my punches." I lightly kicked his leg. He didn't fall but glared at me.

Nico glared at him for glaring at me.(my little bro always supports me) "We'll see how long you keep your sense of humor. Remember, this is where pilgrims came to commune with dead ancestors. Underground, you may see things that are hard to look at, or hear voices trying to lead you astray in the tunnels. Frank, do you have the barley cakes?"

"What?" Frank looked like he was drowned in his thoughts. I just realised that ever since Leo had come back Ares and Mars have gone quiet. Maybe a coincidence who knows.

"I've got the cakes," Hazel said.

"Eat up," Nico advised. Not going to lie I like vegetarian food but this ain't it dude. I felt as if I was eating cotton but dust version. I would've vomited it out but it's this or poison.

"Yum," Piper said. Even the daughter of Aphrodite couldn't avoid making a face.

"Okay." Nico choked down the last of his barley. "That should protect us from the poison."

"Poison?" Leo asked. "Did I miss the poison? 'Cause I love poison."

"Soon enough," Nico promised. "Just stick close together, and maybe we can avoid getting lost or going insane."

On that happy note, Nico led them underground. The territory of everyone's favourite enemy the brown sludge.

Nico was at Front. The tunnel spiraled gently downward, the ceiling supported by white stone arches. It looked like rib cage. I would never tell Nico this but this is exactly how I imagine the Realm of Hades to be minus the tunnel.

Hazel ran her hands along the masonry. "This wasn't part of a temple," she whispered. "This was...the basement for a manor house, built in later Greek times."

"A manor house?" Frank asked. "Please don't tell me we're in the wrong place."

"The House of Hades is below us," Nico assured him. "But Hazel's right, these upper levels are much newer. When the archaeologists first excavated this site, they thought they'd found the Necromanteion. Then they realized the ruins were too recent, so they decided it was the wrong spot. They were right the first time. They just didn't dig deep enough."

They turned a corner and stopped. In front of them, the tunnel ended in a huge block of stone.

"A cave-in?" Jason asked.

"A test," Nico said. "Hazel, would you do the honors?"

Hazel stepped forward. She placed her hand on the rock, and the entire boulder crumbled to dust.

The tunnel shuddered. Cracks spread across the ceiling. For a terrifying moment I thought the tunnel would collapse. I just held Leo's hand, I was that terrified.

A set of stairs curved deeper into the earth, the barreled ceiling held up by more repeating arches, closer together and carved from polished black stone. I didn't leave Leo's hand. I didn't want him to stray from me. And this tunnel was making me nauseous.

"I really don't like cows," Piper muttered.

"Agreed," Frank said.

"Cows are adorable. Shut up." I said because it's true. That's also why I only eat egg and never meat.