Hazel didn't know what to feel. Should she be mad? Mad at Leo for going missing? Mad at Jason for being so thoughtless? Mad at herself?

"I shouldn't be mad at all." Hazel decided. Wasting time being angry wasn't going to help Leo. The sooner they found him, the sooner they could leave.

"Leo!" she called out, her hands cupped around her mouth to amplify the sound.

No response.

Her hands clenched into fists of frustration.

"Hazel?" Frank's voice came from behind her. Maybe he decided to check on her. Well, she wasn't going to let him think she was weak and needed his help. She was the daughter of Pluto! She could handle a simple rescue mission.

"What, Frank?" she asked, unmoving as her gaze scanned in front of her, looking for any sign of Leo.

Hazel heard a small chuckle come from Frank. But it sounded off. Creepier somehow. The hairs on the back of her neck seemed to stand straight up as she turned around. Everything seemed to slow down all at once.

It felt like she was tipping sideways and was about to fall over, even though she was standing straight up. A dark shadow crossed over her face as she watched the Cyclops towering over her.

Move! Do something! Her brain seemed to scream.

Her momentary fear passed and Hazel darted to the side, just barely dodging the giant hand that was reaching to snatch her.

The monster was particularly ugly, even by Cyclops standards. It's dull, shadowy eyes had thick veins streaming across it, and its skin was an unappealing shade of pale green. Hazel would've gagged at the sight if she didn't have to run for her life.

"Hazel, where are you going?" the Cyclops asked sweetly in Frank's voice, "I wanted to eat you." At the least few words, the sound distorted into its deep, growly voice.

"No thank you!" Hazel responded, rolling to the side after another attack. There weren't any good rocks or gems underground near enough. As far as she could tell, the whole forest floor was a bunch of tree roots, debris, and dirt. In other words, this was bad.

Hazel, exhausted from running and searching for so long, paused behind a tree, hoping to use it as cover while she caught her breath. However, she was forced to retreat before she could rest as the Cyclops rammed into the thick tree trunk, snapping it in two and knocking it over into another tree. Hazel ducked under the leafy branches, trying to avoid them as they scraped at her arms and back. She shouted, hoping if Jason and Frank were nearby, they would know it meant the Cyclops was here and they could go back and warn Percabeth and Piper. Hazel could handle herself. She just had to toughen up a little.

"Hey you!" she called out, looking back at the Cyclops, "Yeah Ugly, I'm talking to you!"

Waving her arms wildly and doing her best to look like a tasty Cyclops snack, Hazel lured it further into the forest, away from the other demigods. She had to get it out of the way before she could do anything. And even then, what could she do? Wait for Arion to come to her rescue?