Rising Heroes Book Four: The Sands of Ouroboros

Chapter Eight: The Unknown

Disclaimer: I don't own HOO or VE

Chapter Eight: The Unknown

Darkness.

Waverly had been in tough situations before. She had been captured by the U.S. army, held as a hostage and kept barely alive after being shot. She had fought- a lot- and she had a twin brother, which some might argue was the biggest hurtle of all.

But she had been able to fight her way through, and she had never been alone. Now, she was.

She had spent a week wandering the labyrinth, dehydrated, tired, and hungry, when Luke had found her. At first she thought she was hallucinating, but when she had been captured by two cyclops and told to kneel to Kronos she snapped out of it. This wasn't a joke, or a fluke- she had been sent back in time, and she was at the mercy of one of her parents' worst enemies.

Now Waverly was wandering the Labyrinth, marking off her progress on a crude map, an endlessly long and unbreakable iron chain extending from her ankle. It was her job to search the maze, and to come back with as much information as possible.

She could see torches up ahead, and she moved towards them eagerly. She knew that Percy, Annabeth, Tyson, and Grover were exploring the maze, and she had been hoping to find them for awhile. But when she turned the corner, she didn't recognize the three teenagers sitting in the dirt, a torch planted in the ground as they drew a makeshift map.

"We're here," a girl with mousy brown hair and pale, pale brown eyes said, gesturing to a spot on the ground. "So we have to-"

"No, we're here," the boy said. He had dark hair and caramel eyes, and his accent vaguely reminded Waverly of Europe. But even stranger, both of them were wearing some sort of metal wristbands and had daggers strapped to their waists.

The third boy came into the light. She looked so familiar to Waverly, with darkish skin and dark brown curls and eyes. "We're here," he said, pointing to a completely different spot.

Then Waverly recognized him, strange as it was. She rushed forward, stopping just short of the people. "Byron?" she asked.

Byron, who was supposed to be a child, looked up at her with recognition. His eyes widened. "Waverly!" he said.

The other two people turned around. Waverly backed up, but Byron grabbed her elbow. "Hold on," he said. "You can trust them. Maverick is here, too. He'll be so excited-"

Suddenly there was a yank on Waverly's chain, and she fell to the ground. "They're calling me back," Waverly said with a gasp.

"Who?" the girl asked, swinging her dagger at the chain, but Waverly was moved again and she missed.

"Luke," Waverly said. She was pulled further back, and Byron fell to the ground to grab her hands. The girl grabbed his ankles, and the other boy grabbed her waist. But the pull on Waverly was relentless, and she continued to be tugged back towards Luke.

"Hold on!" the girl said, but with one massive tug, they were all pulled backwards. Waverly expected to stop, to be informed she must walk back, but instead they were faced with the thick legs and stinking body of a giant Cyclops standing above them.

"What have we here!" the Cyclops said. "More demigods for the master!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Luke wasn't stupid, but Waverly thanked the gods that he was oblivious to the existence of Grigori.

As they were marched back, Byron spoke in hushed whispers that he, Beth, and Seb, Grigori friends of Lily, had time travelled along with Maverick, Carmen, and Evan to try and rescue and find them. But Byron had come from a different time period; the future, one where, apparently, none of the demigods were friends anymore.

"You stopped Rhea, and then you all stopped talking to each other," Byron said. "It was so weird. But me and my friends- I mean, we all kinda stayed friends- found these weird stones in a cave and poof! I'm here."

"Interesting," Waverly said. So they had found all of the stones- but why hadn't they been friends?

"Where are the others?" Waverly asked Seb and Beth.

Beth shrugged. "They were with Percy, Rachel, and Annabeth. We got separated- been trying to find our way back ever since."

"They got Rachel already?" Waverly shook her head. "So Luke has the string. But why is he sending me to scout?"

"Because the string only shows a vague route," a voice said in front of them. "There are many obscure branches we must send... expendibles on."

In front of the stood Luke, looking tired but his eyes still gleaming. "More demigods?" he asked the Cyclops.

The Cyclops nodded. "Swear your allegiance to Kronos," Luke told them. "We're building a better world."

Byron grit his teeth. Beth and Seb glared, even though Waverly doubt they knew who Kronos was.

"Fine," Luke said. "So we'll do this the hard way, then."

He marched them forward, taking a set of stairs while the Cyclops pushed them towards a dirt-packed arena. "Any volunteers?" he asked.

The group glanced at each other. "I'll go," Seb said, looking protectively at Beth.

But Beth was studying the arena; the weapons in the middle, the hooks hanging from the ceiling. "No," she said. "I'm a better fighter, and you know it."

Seb grabbed Beth's waist and pulled her to him, kissing her firmly on the mouth. A slight glow transferred between them, and Beth gasped when she pulled away.

"What did you do?" Waverly asked.

"I can copy anyone's powers," Beth said. "Seb is letting me borrow his for a bit." She gave him a strange look, then shook her head, focus clouding her eyes. "Wish me luck," she said.

She marched into the arena just as Byron grabbed Waverly's wrist. "Wait," he said. "Didn't Uncle Percy- I mean, didn't he fight in this arena?"

"You're right," Waverly said, dread filling her stomach. She tried to run after Beth, but the Cyclops grabbed her. And it was too late, because emerging from the tunnel was none other than Percy Jackson.