~*~

JULI

The back of my neck was burning. My body felt so heavy. 

I nudged the source of the pain, I let out a small grunt.

"Don't worry," Hwasa said as she walked to the door. "The pain will fade as time goes, you'll be fine after you eat." 

She opened the door and spoke the the guys. 

It was hard to keep my eyes open. It felt like a large portion of my energy had been drained off of me.

The headaches started to come. It's the curse. It's reacting again. 

Hwasa told me her plan, and I think it's very smart. 

Now only I can open the seal and hand it to the Olympians. 

"Can't we go in?" 

I heard Jaehyun's voice.

"Nope." Hwasa said.

"It's okay Hwasa! Let them come if they want to." I managed to say.

Not a second later, I heard a loud thud, like heavy things were falling to the ground. 

Hwasa's grunts caught my attention. She was holding her head and slowly cowering down to her knees.

Did we get ambushed again?

No, please. Not when I'm like this. I am not in a condition to fight right now.

"H-Hwasa?" I stammered but it came out as faint whisper. 

Silence filled the air, and I was too scared to move. Something is not right. Are the guys okay? What's happening outside??

I held my breath, I was too scared to make even the slightest noise. 

The door creaked open slowly. Revealing a black sword with dark purple halo blanketing it. Holding it, was a white haired guy.

"Taeyong!" I cried a relief. "What happened?"

His eyes were dark, and he locked his gaze with me as he walked closer in a slow manner. 

"W—Where's Hendery? A—and Mark— and—" 

Damn it! Why am I stuttering?? And what is going on? Why is Hwasa unconscious on the floor?

"W—what happened to Hwasa? Is she alright?"

"She is," Taeyong said gravely. "I put her to sleep." He said, as he got closer, and closer.

"W—why did you do that?" I panicked. "Stop! You're scaring me! Where is Yuta—"

"Oh I put them all to sleep." He smirked, which lasted only a fraction of seconds, before he stared at me impassively again.

It sent shivers down my spine.

"What?" I gasped. "I don't understand..."

"I didn't hurt anyone," he said. His sword touched the floor and it screeched as he dragged it with him. "And I don't intend to. i just got rid of distractions." He said. "Now, Juli, where is the map?"

I let out a sharp breath.

I can't believe this. Tell me this is not happening. Am I hallucinating?

My head was still stinging in pain. I couldn't tell if this was all real or not. 

I wish it wasn't. It couldn't be.

"Juli," he called me, making me jump slightly in shock. "Where is the map?"

I stared at him, unable to form a single word. My chest hurts. If this is a hallucination, I would like it gone this instant.

He got right in front of me and then bent down on his knee. He cupped my chin to make me look at him in the eye.

His calm and gentle gaze was now cold and dark. Like his touch has always been.

"Don't be scared, Juli." He whispered close to my face. "I'm not going to hurt you, or anyone. You just have to tell me where it is."

My mouth was trembling, but I managed to speak up, "I don't understand..."

He hummed a small chuckle, "the map, Juli. Where is it?"

"Why?"

He sighed and trailed his finger down to my arm, then squeezed my palm. "It must be destroyed. We cannot let the Olympians, nor the dark witch have it."

Then Taeyong's body flew away to the side, carried by a strong burst of wind.

He got up immediately and glared at the person who did it. "How??"

"You can't get inside my head," Yuta said.

Taeyong's jaw tensed and he got up from the floor flexing his Stygian iron sword. He launched at Yuta.

Yuta's wooden airbender staff clashed with Taeyong's sword and it broke into half. Taeyong kept attacking Yuta with his sword and Yuta dodged them with his swift airbending.

I got up from the floor and tried to help Yuta. But once he noticed me he blew me away from their fight.

My back hit the wall quite hard, I winced in pain.

It caught Yuta off guard so Taeyong got to his back and hit the spot where Yuta was struck by Victor's lightning by the hilt of his sword.

Yuta grunted in pain, and the hit was strong enough to sent him to the floor.

"No!!!" I screamed. 

"I'm sorry, Juli." Taeyong glanced at me before getting ready to swing his sword to Yuta's head.

"Stop!! No stop!!" I yelled. "Stop!! I have it. I have the map!!"

It successfully caught his attention and he began to walk over to me. 

"Don't do it, Taeyong." Yuta said. "If you destroy the map, the Olympians would never have the chance to defeat the Titans if they resurface again soon, or any other threads."

"Let them be. Let them fall." Taeyong said quietly. "Now where is the map?" He asked me.

"It's still sealed within me." I said as I pressed hard against the wall behind me as he got closer.

"What?? I thought the Grey Witch got it out of you?"

"Only I can get it out, and with a blessing from Zeus only." I said through my teeth.

"What if I kill you?" 

He brought his shining black sword to my throat. 

A warm tear streamed down my face to my chin.

"Taeyong, no!!!" 

Yuta got up in a weak manner to run at us, and Taeyong swiftly swung