Cassandra's Curse

{21} Never-Ending Staircase

Hullo comment and such and I'd say vote but I have no idea what that does????

Anyway, we're nearly at the end YEAAAH bud, I'm excited. I think I have maybe three to five more chapters up my sleeve? I had a brainwave for the last chapter so GET PSYCHED IT'S NEARLY OVER. 

I READ BLOOD OF OLYMPUS AND I'VE DECIDED THAT NICO IS MY BABY I LOVE HIM OKAY HE DESERVES TO BE HAPPY AND I SHIP HIM AND WILL AND NO ONE CAN TELL ME OTHERWISE. 

ALSO -HAPPY CHRISTMAS YOU WITTLE HALF BLOODS I LOVE YOU ALL AND THIS CHAPER IS YO PRESENT OKAY???

Read on

***

 "HELLO?!"

"Um ... Leo?"

"ANYONE HERE?!"

"Dude-"

"LEO IS IN THE HOUSE!"

"Leo listen for a second-"

"What?" Leo finally whipped around to face us, who were standing behind him in a straight line with our arms crossed, expecting him to eventually figure out that there was probably heaps of monsters or there could be other things hanging around. 

He glanced around at us, finally silent.

A small laugh escaped my throat when I finally took pity on him. I stepped forward, "Leo, we don't know what's out there, be it monsters or gods -either of which hate my guts- I think maybe you should pipe down?" 

He scratches the back of his head, "well this is my dad's forge, I don't think he would attack me or anyone with me, however I will shut up then," He mimed zipping his mouth shut. 

We walked around the volcano for about ten minutes before finding our first sign of life. It was a Cyclops working at some sort of boiler or something, with some tongs and putting something in there. I didn't really know much about forges, so sorry if I don't know what the lingo is. 

The Cyclops didn't say anything to us; he just paused, narrowed his eye and then continued with whatever he was doing. 

"Gods, it's a ghost-town in here," Zianna takes a big gulp from her water bottle, stepping closer to my side.

"No it doesn't." Nico replies, not even looking her way, "trust me." 

His tone left no room for argument, so we kept walking and looking around. Spying the occasional Cyclops who does the exact same thing as the first one; turns, eyes us and then gets back to work. Not so intimidating, and kind of disappointing in terms of reputation. 

"Well... this is anticlimactic," Leo whistled under his breath, reaching for my hand. 

My brow furrowed, this can't be right. We were sent here for a reason, and it can't have been just for Nico. Why send us all the way to Hawaii just for one guy? It didn't make any sense.

We continued walking around the forge for a while; the place was seemingly empty excepting the Cyclops. But they weren't looking at us, or even acknowledging our presence. 

"Hmm..." We might have to change that. 

"What're you doing?" Leo looked at me as I let go of his hand and made my way up the slight hill, dodging little reservoirs of smoke and what I hoped wasn't lava, on my way to talk to the Cyclops, "Cassie?"

"Calm down, I'm just talking to this guy," I grinned over my shoulder then faced the Cyclops. 

I looked up at him, "Hello."