Chaeyoung was reading her book of spells when the boy beside her groaned in frustration for the third time. Closing her little book loudly, enough for her companion to flinch a little, she shot him a glare. "Just what are you groaning about, Hoseok?"
"I'm bored." Hoseok pouted. "You've been reading that book for almost an hour now, Chaeng!"
"So?" Chaeyoung asked sarcastically. "I'm just trying to prepare myself before we face a monster!"
"Our whole group knows you're the best daughter of Hecate in your cabin. So come on, talk to me before I start talking to myself."
She rolled her eyes at him before she placed her book of spells, her only weapon inside the labyrinth, inside her sling bag. "Fine, say whatever's in your mind then."
"Finally!" Hoseok exclaimed but frowned before saying his question, "You think my sister's okay?"
"You saw your best friend pull her back before she's become one with the walls, right?" Chaeyoung asked him, "Yoongi won't let anything bad happen to your sister, don't worry."
"But Jisoo's a little.. unpredictable sometimes. She's like - I hate to say this but - she's like Taehyung, but I guess in just a mild way."
"They're funny in their own way, I know. That's why those two get along well with each other." Chaeyoung smiled.
"Now what do you think about Taehyung?"
Chaeyoung scrunched her nose, though she expected that Hoseok will segue their conversation with that topic. "What about him?"
"You see him flirting with my sister, don't you?"
"Yes. And?" she asked, not sure where their conversation was going.
"Do you think he's changed? Like, for the better."
"Of course, he's changed." Chaeyoung said, "Not sure if it's for the better though. He still pranked some of Mr. D's children last summer though."
"What happened?" asked Hoseok
"You know Jackson Wang, right?" Hoseok nodded. "After his party of the year last week, Taehyung pranked him into making him invite his own dad. You know how Mr. D loves parties but hates his own children partying inside the camp without asking permission from him and Chiron first. Plus the fact that even when he's the god of wine, he's not allowed to drink that because of Zeus punishing him and all."
"How did he get Jackson to invite Mr. D without him knowing?"
"Taehyung told him that he'll invite someone who's pretty famous at parties, and called him the Life of the Party every time he's in one. He asked Jackson if he could give him a written invitation for that specific person, the party boy got so stoked that he followed Taehyung without questioning him."
"He gave the invitation to Mr. D?!"
"Yeah, in person!" Chaeyoung answered, still finding it hard to believe what Jimin told her about his friend's prank. "Mr. D got so mad, he thought his children were mocking him for being unable to drink wine and party more often. So that's why Taehyung got stuck by grape vines during Capture the Flag. Taehyung got so mad at Jackson for making their own team lose but he really can't do anything about it cause it's his fault."
"What did the others do that time?" asked Hoseok
"What do you think?" Hoseok couldn't think of an answer. "The were laughing at Taehyung. They're counting only on Jisoo to be the one to get him out of that pole but your sister didn't even bat an eyelash on him. I'd like to assume that because of how Jisoo treated him that time, that was Taehyung's last major prank."
Hoseok shook his head in disbelief. "I don't think Tae-"
"Taehyung's changed, Hoseok. Stop hating him for your sister. You saw how he apologized to her right away after raising his voice at her before this, right?" Chaeyoung asked the boy, who nodded again at her question. "He never apologized whole heartedly to anyone, not even to those who he pranked, you know that."
Hoseok pursed his lips, reevaluating the son of Hermes. "Alright, you win. I'll give Taehyung a chance."
"Besides, you can't so no to Jisoo when it's her saying that she likes Taehyung back too." Chaeyoung chuckled, knowing Jisoo is always firm of her decisions.
"Yeah. I kind of thought of that too." Hoseok sighed. "I'm just worried, that's all."
"She's just as strong as you are, mentally and physically. No need to worry."
Chaeyoung smiled at Hoseok, making him blush a little. The pair never really had had a conversation like this before. They never talked to each other when they're not gathered around with their group of friends, but the labyrinth made them stick together to find the rest of their friends.
Hoseok never thought that he'd be with Chaeyoung. He never thought that the girl would help him about his dilemma yet she did; she was more observant than him as well, one thing that also surprised Hoseok.
The two demigods, who have already broken the awkward atmosphere between them, talked about their experiences outside camp. They talked about Chaeyoung attending her all girls school in Australia, Hoseok visiting his mother every summer (sometimes, with Jisoo too; her mom loves her like she's also her daughter.)
"You ssssee that demigod fighting the Chimera? Sssshe'sss going to die." They heard someone talking just before they turn right.
Hoseok pulled Chaeyoung back to hide just in time before the one talking revealed themselves.
"Yeah, sssshe only hassss a dagger and sssspear. Pathetic." another one replied.
Hoseok and Chaeyoung looked at each other, aa they both mouthed, "Dracaenae".
The Scythian dracanae are described as humanoid females with twin serpent trunks instead of legs.
Hoseok and Chaeyoung looked at each other, thinking of who among their friends these two monsters were talking about.
It could be Jisoo and her dagger, Solar, which she only uses when she's out of arrows.
Then there's Lisa and her own dagger, Nirvana.
"But Jisoo has Jin and Yoongi with her. I'm sure those boys won't leave my sister behind," Hoseok furrowed his eyebrows, "Cause I'll curse them if they do that."
"Then it must be Lisa!" Chaeyoung held Hoseok's hand, "Come on! Let's help her!"
They turned on their first left corner and saw the two dracaenae. The two monsters jumped in surprise but hissed as they charged for Hoseok and Chaeyoung.
The two demigods separated; with Hoseok running away to make a distance between him and the dracaena. At one pull of his bow though, one dracaena died and turned to ashes. He then checked on Chaeyoung, who was chanting one of her spells to the dracaena. Hoseok wanted to help but he knew that the girl can handle the monster.
"Don't even try on helping me, Hoseok." Chaeyoung yelled at him, making sure that she's stable enough to fight one monster without any of his help.
Hoseok grinned, "I wasn't even planning to, Chaeng. By all means, go do your own thing."
Chaeyoung bit back her smile before saying her spell in Greek, "Καταστρέφω". The dracaena was instantly thrown to a wall, disappearing into ashes.
The boy watching her doing her incantation clapped his hands while walking slowly to where she stood. Chaeyoung smirked, "That was easy. Now let's get this over with and just use my spell to find Lisa real quick."
Hoseok's mouth fell in disbelief. "You have a tracking spell all this time?"
"Yeah. But I was saving it until we're sure we're near someone we know. I can't just use it for too long, I might drain without us even rescuing one of our friends."
"Okay, point taken." Hoseok bowed and gestured something like a prince would do, "Lead the way, Miss Park."
"Gladly, Mr. Jung." Chaeyoung chanted her tracking spell, "Persequor Vestigium".
Suddenly, Chaeyoung's book of spells glowed, followed by her entire body, like she literally radiates her magic around her. Without her will, she found herself walking towards where the dracaenae came from and then turning right and left, Hoseok following her suite.
"Hang tight, Lis. We'll meet you there." Chaeyoung said as she and her partner anticipate what's next to their journey inside the labyrinth.
---
The pair found the daughter of Tyche fighting a Chimera indeed. Chaeyoung saw how her friend's face lit up when she saw them, as if she's not having trouble with the Chimera about to attack her.
"Guys! I have a plan!"
Hoseok instantly distracted the Chimera as he and Chaeyoung tried to approach their friend. Once side by side, Lisa told them of her plan.
"Let's get it!" Hoseok yelled then noticed what Lisa was wearing, "Nice cape, Lis."
"Thanks" Lisa said, mentally taking note that Soobin's waiting for her.
With a spear on her right hand, Lisa stood still as Chaeyoung casted a spell on her. "Αιωρούμαι εις τον αέρα", she continuously chanted, her pointer finger directed at Lisa. When the Chimera lunged at them, Hoseok shot the monster's foot without hesitation, protecting both his friends from it temporarily.
"Hoseok, shoot it again!" Lisa yelled from above, now levitating, thanks to Chaeyoung's magic. "Aim for his neck!"
He nodded, and readied his bow and arrow. Running towards where Lisa was levitating, Hoseok shot his arrow to the Chimera's neck, making it growl in pain.
Just as the Chimera shot its head up and growled, with fire coming out of its mouth, Lisa threw her spear. With the Chimera's fire breath, the lead from Lisa's spear finally melted, poising the monster in the process.
The three of them watched as the Chimera's body turned into ashes - to which Lisa felt satisfied for finally killing a monster like the Chimera even with some help from her friends.
Once its ashes were gone, Chaeyoung hugged Lisa. "Thank the gods you're safe!"
Lisa smiled, "Thanks the gods, you're both safe too."
"Jisoo's looking for you too." Hoseok added. "But we all got separated from the group."
"Who is she with?" Lisa asked
"Jin and Yoongi." Hoseok answered, "It's probably night already. I hope they found another camper by this time though."
With the mention of the words 'another camper', Lisa remembered someone she's supposed to protect a while ago.
"Soobin!" Lisa exclaimed in realization, running back to where she left the boy.
"You found him?" Chaeyoung asked while following her friend
"Yes. I left him inside a room."
Behind Lisa, Chaeyoung and Hoseok looked at each other with a frown. They knew there's a fat chance that the boy was still inside that room or even if he was still in there, the maze has already moved and they may not find the same room Lisa left him in.
Lisa stopped running, looking at her surroundings. "There's no room here. I know I wasn't that far from him when I tried to lure the Chimera away."
"Lisa, I think the maze moved." Hoseok finally broke the news to her.
"What?" she asked in confusion, "What do you mean?"
"Soobin's gone." Chaeyoung explained with a frown, "The maze moved the room he was in."
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A/N: I had to delete the previous chapter 17 cause i forgot to add another part of the chapter from my drafts :((( i'm sorry. i hope you guys will still comment and vote :<