𝐄́𝐊𝐋𝐄𝐈𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒² || 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐘 𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐒𝐎𝐍

𝐗𝐈

✦ 𝐂𝐘𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐒' 𝐅𝐎𝐎𝐃 ✦

AURORA SHOULD HAVE KNOWN IT WAS A CYCLOPS. MONOCLE MOTORS WITH THE ONE-EYE LOGO. OUT OF EVERYONE— SHE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN. As the face of the Cyclops emerged from the darkness, its grotesque features contorted into a sinister smile, Aurora didn't hesitate.

With swift precision, she released the arrow from her golden bow, the projectile finding its mark and embedding itself into the Cyclops' shoulder. A grunt of pain escaped the creature's lips, but it didn't deter him.

Before Aurora could notch another arrow, the Cyclops reacted with surprising speed. With a powerful swipe of his massive hand, he struck Aurora with enough force to send her tumbling to the ground. The impact was brutal, knocking her unconscious instantly.

The sight of their friend and protector crumpled on the floor sent shockwaves of guilt and terror through Piper, the danger of their situation becoming painfully clear at that moment.

Before Piper knew it, she found herself bound and gagged next to unconscious Aurora and Jason— about to be Cyclopes' food.

Meanwhile, Leo found himself amidst a mess after Festus crash-landed on a row of Porta-Potties.

Navigating through the wreckage, he noticed Festus looked fine on the outside, but upon inspecting the control panel, he discovered the wiring had frozen over and damaged the control disk. Leo was disheartened, realizing he couldn't fix this easily.

While contemplating his next move, Leo reflected on recent events. He felt out of place at Boreas' palace due to his affinity for fire clashing with the winter gods' domain. Leo also struggled with feelings of rejection and loneliness, especially witnessing Jason and Piper's growing closeness. He wished for a fresh start after learning Jason's time at school was an illusion.

In his moment of introspection, a voice emerged, warning Leo of the consequences of opposing her plans. The voice claimed to be his mother, the First Mother and tried to sway him to her side. Remembering the pain of losing his mother and accusing this entity of causing it, Leo vehemently rejected her.

However, when he heard a distressing crash from the direction of the warehouse where Jason, Piper, and Aurora were, Leo's determination solidified.

Despite the warnings and temptations, he chose to confront the impending danger head-on, asking his tool belt for the most potent weapon it could provide. With resolve, Leo armed himself and rushed towards the warehouse, ready to face whatever awaited him.

Leo stopped at the doors and tried to control his breathing. The voice of the earth woman still rang in his ears, reminding him of his mother's death. The last thing he wanted to do was plunge into another dark warehouse.

Suddenly he felt eight years old again, alone and helpless as someone he cared about was trapped and in trouble.

Stop it, he told himself. That's how she wants you to feel.