The Sunlit Stars

Chapter 11: In The Labyrinth

# Chapter 11: In The Labyrinth

Author's Note -:

Salve Readers !

 Another Apology for publishing almost after 2 months ( My exams were there , then assignment and stuff).  

I present you the next chapter. Nico and Will navigate through the Labyrinth while the Prophecy's " CHOICE"  would be made in this chapter. So, keep your eyes open , we're journeying through a treacherous labyrinth.

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

Nico's POV -:

Nico felt the chill of the Labyrinth wrap around him, pressing down on his shoulders like an unseen weight. The stone walls loomed in jagged patterns, ancient and foreboding, absorbing even the faintest echo of their footsteps. 

He realized that  something about the Labyrinth felt... alive, as if watching them, anticipating every breath.

Nico glanced over his shoulder at Will, his blue eyes scanning the entrance . Nico almost wanted to turn around, to tell Will to go back, but he'd already tried—and failed.

"You're still sure about this ?" he whispered, his voice low but firm, "This place... it's not forgiving".  

Will looked at him with a small smile, his blue eyes still flickering. "Positive. You're not getting rid of me that easily, death boy."

A faint smirk pulled at Nico's mouth. "If I had a drachma for every time I heard that..."Will chuckled softly. "Then we'd have quite the collection by now, wouldn't we? Anyways, I was just stating facts, Solace."

Will stepped closer, "Well, here's a fact for you," Will said, his tone gentle yet teasing. "Wherever you go, I'm going too. That's non-negotiable."

Nico sighed, shaking his head, but couldn't quite hide the flicker of relief in his dark eyes. "Stubborn idiot " he thought.

Nico nodded, feeling a warmth he didn't dare examine too closely. They walked in silence for a while, each step drawing them further into the shadows. 

They stepped into the Labyrinth together, the air shifting immediately into a heavy chill that seemed to cling to Nico's skin. He instinctively drew his Stygian iron sword, the familiar weight grounding him.

"Why does it feel like we're being... watched?" Will murmured, his hand brushing the wall. His fingers recoiled. "And why is this slimy? Is this wall... breathing?"

Nico glanced at him, amused despite himself. "It's the Labyrinth. It adapts to your worst fears."

"Oh, great. I'll keep an eye out for... sentient walls, I guess," Will said, his voice laced with mock enthusiasm.

Nico smirked, his voice softer than usual. "Just don't let it get in your head, Solace."

"Was that concern I just heard?" Will grinned, nudging Nico's shoulder lightly.

"Don't push your luck," Nico muttered, though the faintest ghost of a smile played on his lips.

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

Will's POV -:

As they continued, Will felt the ground beneath his feet shift and tremble a bit, a subtle vibration at first that slowly intensified. 

Will kept his gaze on the ground, noticing a shimmer that seemed to ripple beneath the surface.

"Uh, Nico ? " he called. "Is the floor supposed to be... doing that?"

Nico turned, his sharp gaze following Will's finger as the ground gave an almost imperceptible tremble. 

"The ground's moving," he called to Nico, who turned to him, his gaze sharper, focused."We'll have to move fast," Nico replied, his voice echoing softly in the tight space. "The Labyrinth doesn't like dawdlers."

"Great advice," Will muttered under his breath. "Because running across unstable, death-trap flooring has always been my strong suit. You know, that would've been good to mention earlier."

"Would you have still come?" Nico countered, raising an eyebrow. 

 Will didn't hesitate. "Yeah. But I'd have worn better shoes."

Will noticed Nico's mouth twitch as if he were holding back a retort, but the Labyrinth didn't give them time for banter. The ground shifted sharply, jerking upward in uneven slabs. 

Nico stumbled, his arms flailing as he tried to steady himself as he was about to fall in the endless void of nothingness.  "Nico!" Will's voice cut through the chaos, his hand darting out to grab Nico's wrist. An electric shock went through him and he noticed Nico feel it as his hand trembled though only slightly.

"I'm fine ! " Nico gasped. He didn't let go of Will's hand, though, he felt the electric shock. 

Will found Nico's beautiful dark brown eyes gazing directly into his.

He tightened his grip on Nico's hand for just a moment longer than necessary, drawing strength from the cool steadiness of Nico's touch. "I'm fine," he repeated, softer this time.

Nico's eyes searched his face for a beat before he nodded curtly. "Stay close. No heroic stunts."

Will's lips twitched. "Heroic stunts? That's your department."

Nico rolled his eyes, though the faint flush on his cheeks betrayed his usual stoicism. "Just keep up,  Solace."

As they pressed forward, the ground shifted more violently, the Labyrinth's walls groaning with the movement. 

Will's focus narrowed to Nico's steady footsteps, the sound of his heartbeat thundering in his ears. Each time he stumbled, Nico's hand darted out, their fingers brushing in a fleeting connection that sent sparks of reassurance—and something else—through him.

When they finally reached stable ground, Will leaned against the wall, catching his breath. "So... that was fun," he quipped, though his grin was shaky.

Nico shot him a deadpan look. "If that's your idea of fun, I'm genuinely  worried about you."

"Hey," Will said, grinning wider now. "At least you're talking to me."

 Nico's gaze softened just slightly, and for a moment, the shadows around them felt less daunting.

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

Nico's POV -:

The path opened suddenly into a massive, dimly lit hall lined with mirrors, each reflecting distorted images that twisted Nico's stomach.

The first mirror showed him as he was: hollow eyes, weary lines, and that persistent look of quiet distance.

But as he moved from one mirror to the next, his reflection grew darker, the shadows in his eyes deepening, his face contorted with cold cruelty and loneliness.Each reflection stung, whispering back to him the fears he kept hidden.

In one, he looked like a stranger, dark and foreboding, isolated in an unbreakable shroud of silence. In another, he appeared barely human, more shadow than boy.

"Nico," Will's voice broke through, soft and certain, pulling Nico out of his spiral. "Don't let these lies get to you. This isn't who you are."

Nico took a breath, grounding himself in the familiar warmth of Will's presence. Glancing back, he stepped forward to the final mirror, and his breath caught. Here, his reflection was bathed in soft light, his face gentle and at peace. He looked almost... happy.

A flicker of disbelief twisted inside him as he stared, the possibility of this future feeling both close and painfully foreign.

Che vita sarebbe questa? he wondered. Una vita senza ombre? (What kind of life would this be? A life without shadows?) .

He blinked, forcing himself to move forward. They had to keep going.

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

Chapter continued in next part.