Updating today because I'm celebrating passing my classes *fingers crossed for finals* I was listening to King for a Day by Pierce The Veil ft. Kellin Quinn while writing this, so yeah… Awesomeness.

Warning: This chapter is a little violent at the end because it's the first really major battle that we've done. Just be warned.

Disclaimer: We own nothing, 'cept for Chelsea, Reece and Roxy.

Chelsea's POV:

I'm going to be honest here:

It was really hard not to scream when the Cyclopes dropped Reece into the fire. His screams echoed in my ears long after they had stopped, when I did a very brave, very stupid thing.

"HEY!" I yelled, drawing my dagger and stepping out from my hiding place. The Cyclopes, Reece and Roxy all stared at me. "PUT. HIM. DOWN." The Cyclopes released Reece and his rope pulled him out of the fire, where he was covered in soot and ash and looking terrified, but thankfully not too harmed. He stared at me with wide-eyes, as did Roxy, and I realized that I must look terrifying, which might have come in handy.

"So, I see that your friends weren't lying. A pity for you, really," the Cyclopes told me.

"I don't need pity," I said, glaring up into his one eye. Most demigods would've been bothered with it, but I wasn't. I was letting all my fury radiate from me and I could tell that the monster could feel it, because his eye widened in what I recognized as fear disguised. "You're going to let my friends go right now, or I will hang you upside down by your neck," I snarled. "Your choice."

"Foolish demigod… You dare to threaten me?" The Cyclopes then changed voices, into one that I haven't heard in years. "Chels," it said, "don't do this." It was Sebastian's voice.

"Don't you dare try and trick me with his voice! Your kind killed him!" I gripped my dagger tighter in my hand.

"Did we? Or was it your foolishness that lead to his demise?" the voice taunted. I closed my eyes to try and block out the noise but the images filled my mind of him lying on the ground, dying, begging me to run, to save myself.

"SHUT UP!" My eyes snapped open and I charged at the Cyclopes, diving down at the last minute and hitting the floor as he took a swipe at me and missed. I stood and grabbed a rock from the floor of the cave and threw it as hard as I could at the rope holding Roxy up and it sailed right through it, sending her to the ground near the fire. I dodged another hit and saw Roxy free herself from the rope and grab her dagger, then start cutting Reece loose. The Cyclopes let out a roar and started towards them. I ran forward and threw my dagger into his side. He roared again, this time swatting at me and backhanding me into a wall. I crashed into it, feeling really dazed. My dagger was still imbedded in his side, and he should've been dissolving into sand but for some reason he wasn't. I had no weapon, and I braced myself as the Cyclopes turned to me with anger clearly written on his face, but before he got to me, he stopped. I glared, feeling anger build up inside of me again, and grabbed a rope from nearby and threw it at the Cyclopes, who clearly wasn't expecting it. My anger took control of my body and I could barely register what I was doing. I tied a quick knot and made it into a noose, which I jumped up and attached to his neck, tying the other end to a stalactite. After it was secure, I pulled and the Cyclopes was hoisted into the air, struggling to undo the knot, but he couldn't. He could breathe, but that was about it. I tied the other end of the rope to a stalagmite, and now he was stuck there, maybe indefinitely. At least long enough to give us a head start out of there.

"By your neck," I hissed. I should have felt some remorse, or unease, but I felt nothing.

I slumped over against the wall as Reece and Roxy ran over to me, taking the long way around the flailing Cyclopes.

"Are you okay?!" Roxy asked, helping me up. I put a hand to the back of my head and felt a bit of blood there, but all our ambrosia was back at our campsite so I didn't mention it.

"I'm fine," I said. I turned to Reece, who was covered in soot and looked kinda like he had a sunburn. "You okay?"

"I'm fine… Thanks for that," he replied.

"Let's get outta here," Roxy said, and neither of us argued. Ignoring the Cyclops's cries we gathered our weapons and walked back through the cave the way we came, and back to the campsite. I nibbled on a piece of ambrosia as we packed up. It was obviously too dangerous to stay here.

"Do you want to talk about….what happened?" Reece asked me when we'd finished packing.

I shook my head. "No. What I really want is to forget."

They made it out alive! Huzzah! Knowing the gods, this won't be their last challenge, but if they can survive a Cyclopes, anything else should be a piece of cake, right? Let's hope…