Chapter 37

-Lynrd Skynrd.

Question: what is a way to forbid Kayla Graves of using her powers if they couldn’t use the Styx Ichor Serum anymore?

Physical harm? Correct!

Ofcourse, the lack of lunch meals was already a contributing factor to weakening her.

There were two sides to it: Strengthen Kayla up with exercise and food for Kronos’ fragments to connect faster when she was locked in the room with his Sarcophagus, or weaken her down just incase, so she couldn’t escape if she wanted to. So she didn’t have enough energy.

The latter was much more safe, ofcourse. Luke just loved to play it safe. As fast as he wanted Kronos to be ressurected, he knew that even with Kayla weakened was still faster than not having her around at all.

Lyssa had been ordered to cut her hair off yesterday.

She obliged, ofcourse. She was surprisingly sorry for having to cut off “such precious wavy hair.” As she put it.

No- the hair cut didn’t weaken her energy. Duh. But it did prevent the birds nest that accumulated on her head when she only had one day a week that she had enough time to manage to wash her hair down in the Labyrinth. Even then, it wasn’t easy. Water was transferred using buckets or waterbottles.

Using buckets and waterbottles to try and wash hair that reached down to mid-rib level was not sufficient. And Luke swore to her he saw a flee jumping around her hair the other day.

That was humiliating, yes.

Now, her hair was cut into a pixie cut.

Lyssa had been kind when cutting her hair, atleast. She was glad it was Lyssa who had been ordered to do it. Because Lyssa loved beauty. She wouldn’t dare cut hair and let it be messy and choppy.

Kayla had no mirrors to see how she herself or her hair looked, but it felt soft, and Lyssa told her it suited her as she cried her eyes out while being strapped to a chair by Luke’s ‘recommended order.’

Now, she sat strapped to that same chair while being interviewed by a Dracaena. Her wings were away, thankfully. By interviewed- very harsh conversations that included a lot of manipulation and sadism on the Dracanae’s side. An interrogation of sorts.

“It’s been fifty minutes, wow, you are really putting up a fight this time, aren’t you? All you need to do… is swear on the River Styx that you will help Luke.

“All for this lovely dinner, and a day out of the Sarcophagus room.” The Dracanae spoke sweetly, her smile stretching one ear to the other. On a wooden table besides the wall sat a chicken dinner, piping hot with an aroma that Kayla would die for.

But that wasn’t an option. She would die for it, not do anything for it. There was a difference, alright?

Kayla shook her head with a sniffle, reclining her head in the chair as she fought her own mind. Her own morals. “No.” She stated.

“No? It’s been eight months. Aren’t you tired? Don’t you want a break? Help, or you will die down here.”

Kayla sniffled, her face contorting into a disgusted frown. “Eight months? I thought…”

“Mortal brains never work fully down here. You thought, dear. That’s it.”

“I won’t swear.”

Her face got drenched with a bucket of water. “You will! Swear! that is all you have to do!”

“You have to- have to feed me eventually. You can’t kill me.” She stuttered, shivering.

The Dracanae scowled. Kayla didn’t even know it’s name. She refused to tell her.

“You heard Allison, comply, or you’re eating your breakfast and you’re dinners in the Sarcophagus room until further notice.”

“No! You might- I might die… from hypothermia. Or- i refuse to eat. And then I’m dead.”

The Dracanae scowled, her fangs poking out as a drip of venom oozed from a single one in anger. “Oh, please,” She growled lowly. Softly. “If you die, we’ll just have to wait another year for Kronos’ fragments to be fully healed together. A year is nothing when you think hard about it.”

Kayla swallowed, thinning her lips. She opened her mouth to speak, her voice cracking. Nothing came out. She had to be lying… getting in her head. Why hadn’t they given up with her already? Or was this one of their last straws?

“I can smell your fear, it’s delicious. I haven’t sniffed out something so strong in years,” She grinned, her eyes piercing through Kayla’s own. “Daughter of death does not want to die.”

Silence. Kayla trained her eyes on the wall behind the Dracanae, clenching her firsts. She tried to reel herself in. Calm, shush, just- “Fuck, Dad, I’m sorry,” She burst out in a quivering voice, squeezing her eyes shut. “Don’t let me die, I’m sorry Dad. Don’t let-“

“God’s can’t communicate down into the Labyrinth.” She chuckled at Kayla’s pleading. “Oh, poor girl… how long are you suspecting until I finally get given my orders to kill you. How do you think it’ll be? I hope Luke gives me choice on what to do. I’ll definitely drag it out, make sure all my senses are filled with that gorgeous fear… oh, and that blood. I sure hope Luke doesn’t bleed you dry for Kronos before I get you, he better spare me some of that–”

“Stop!” Kayla yelled, shaking her wrists along with her head. “Stop it! You can’t, you can’t do that!”

The Dracanae yelled back to assert herself and threw the plate of food at her without the blink of an eye. That lovely, warm looking, gravy smothered chicken dinner. What a waste. Kayla flinched. It didn’t hurt- it wasn’t scolding, but it was hot. The Dracanae growled in annoyance, lifting the plate in a clear attempt to smash it over her head. It all happened in the blink of an eye. Kayla yelled out some pleading words, The Dracanae paused mid-way down as she went to smash the plate, while Luke yelled an order at her… all in two seconds flat.

“I swear on the River Styx I’ll help Luke!”

“Kryx!”

The Dracanae paused due to both of those things. Luke rounded the corner fully, confusion on his face. “You did… you did your job. Put the plate down. Alright.”

Ah, Kryx. That was her name. Kryx huffed and pulled the plate away from Kayla’s head abruptly, slithering away from the chair for Luke to take her place. Kayla’s eyes were wide. Scarred. Her breathing was heavy, her posture as straight as a board.

Luke looked disgusted. Whether by Kryx’s actions, or the state of Kayla. Probably the state of her.

“Alright, done,” He hummed calmly. He eyes were curious. Like he was trying to inspect every single thing about her. Her actions, how she might be feeling, her reasons. He pulled out his dagger. Kayla turned her head away quickly. Luke cut through the ropes on her, freeing her ankles and wrists with a grunt of protest at the gravy that had splattered all over her. “You’re helping.” He finished with a nod.

“I- I-“

“I knew you’d understand eventually.” Luke smiled. He had no need to be weary around Kayla anymore. She had complied. She would help him, no matter what, if she wanted to live. “I’ll… go get you a different dinner. Just as good. You, in the meantime, go to the shower room. There’s no one in there at this time. Special access, just for you.” He motioned to the door leading out to the rest of the Labyrinth camp hallways.

Kayla nodded anxiously, looking down at her lap. God, she needed a moment to herself if she wanted to try and stand up after that.

“Kryx,” Luke turned to the Dracanae that now stood off to the corner, a menacing smile stoll on her face as her dark green snake tail flicked in excitement. “I told you no extreme harm. You didn’t listen.”

Kryx’ smile dropped slowly.

“I didn’t extremely harm her, sir, she’s perfectly fine.”

“You almost smashed her head in with a plate.” He stated. “Solitary confinement room. Now. You never listen.”

Kryx slithered off without another word.

“Stupid Dracanae. Never listen, Jesus. Kayla, get up. C’mon,” He pulled her up somewhat gently under the armpits, Waiting for her balance to kick in before letting go. “So just… shower room. Yeah? I’ll get you another meal.” Luke picked up the plate from earlier, his smile dropping as he started to turn and walk away. Kayla looked around. Below her, a full chicken dinner lay on the concrete floor.

She swallowed. This was the most excitement she had felt in… way too long. Food. Right at her feet. Or… on. How wonderful! collapsing to her knees, she started stuffing a mouthful of new potatoes and carrots in her mouth before  standing up with the two chicken wings that had once been placed delicately on the plate, walking off as fast as she could to the shower room after picking up the spare, single other bit of attire she had in that room- another pair of army cargos and the matching thick vest top with black boots.

The shower room was just down this corridor, to her left, then her right. At the very end of the corridor was the usual Laistrygonian Giant that guarded it, as after that, it split off into two separate ways, leading off into the Labyrinth.

She payed no mind as usual, padding off into the showers. She ate her chicken wings as she showered, almost choking several times. It was worth it, very, very worth it. Toiletries in the Labyrinth were often imported in. Thankfully. This room used for showers was for mortals only, no monsters. So thankfully, no soaps had a bite taken out of them, or the toothpaste sucked dry. Kayla was messy with it. She lathered herself in soap, barely giving herself time to let it rinse off before getting changed and filling her mouth with toothpaste like it was squirty creme.

She didn’t spit the toothpaste. No, she swallowed it like it was squirty creme, too. Okay… even if this shower room was for mortals only, there weren’t always toiletries like toothpaste. If there was, it was just that they would never have some weird bite taken out if them or something. So ofcourse Kayla used anything in that shower room like she’d never see it again. Why not?

Kayla came out smelling less like a Thanksgiving meal and more like a simple, soaped up demigod.

She would have loved to have spent more time in the shower, sure. But those showers were scary. It wasn’t like there was any lock on the door. In and out was the best way to get clean in those showers.

When exciting, she looked both ways before making her way back down the corridor.

She was so used to seeing Blake the Laistrygonian Giant that she barely even realised he wasn’t there.

He wasn’t there. The hallway that led to the dangers of the labyrinth and the one hallway that was notorious for closing on whoever walked inside its walls… was not guarded. Where was he? There was never a second when that wall wasn’t guarded.

“Yeah, Derek is on North wall duty after you, then I’ll be back on the same time that I was today.”

Ah, there they were. Blake’s voice boomed around a corner. Kayla swallowed. She turned back to the unguarded hallway, then back to the corridor she was supposed to walk back down.

It was like looking into two different realities at the same times.

One of them that she was ninety percent sure she knew the ending to.

The voice boomed again- this time their large footsteps coming into ear-shot. “It’s quiet, a few of them have been sent out to look for Ethan, and more are being sent out later, so don’t worry about guarding the wall too much, alright Simon?”

Kayla sucked in a breath. She turned on her heels, and ran as fast as she could towards the unguarded Labyrinth wall. Her slow run already had a limp from the rope burns on her ankles, but she pushed through the pain. Now or never.

Did she want to live knowing she was destined to be killed after helping ressurect Kronos… or would she rather die fighting for her life out in the Labyrinth.

Kayla Graves was much too stubborn to let someone else choose her fate.

As she stumbled into the forbidden Labyrinth corridor, it immediately started it’s attempt to squish her.

Kayla let out a quiet cry followed by a curse, speeding up. What was a worse death? Death from squished by Labyrinth walls, or death by… oh, come on, Kayla. You’re not going to die by pushing your wounds a bit. She told herself.

The two walls closing in on her became deafening the closer they got. In just the nick of time- she leapt out if the way as she smashed together, tumbling to the dusty sandstone floor with a grunt.

She was up and running in an instant. Not far enough. Never far enough.

Never far enough until she would stumble upon an exit. Only then would she rest.

Please vote!!

Also, im so curious about some of your headcanons for Clarisse!! Drop them if you will🙂‍↕️

Personally like in my other chapter, I think Clarisse had a knack for dissecting lil bugs because… Ares kids. I also like to think Clarisse’s music taste is 80s and 90s. Guns N’ Roses, Metallica, 90s indie rock songs and albums that she collects on CD hehe. Hence why there’s alot of 90s songs mentioned so far.
I once saw something about a headcanon of her burning really easily, and I think that’s funny and weirdly fits.