The next morning dawned with the sky streaked in shades of pink and orange. Cordelia was the first to rise, packing up the last of her cooking supplies and ensuring they had everything they needed for the day ahead. Luke, Annabeth, and Grover soon stirred, stretching out the stiffness of a night spent on the ground.
After a quick breakfast, they began their journey once more, trekking through the thick forest as the sun steadily climbed higher in the sky. Their destination was still far off, but the sense of adventure spurred them forward.
"Do you think we'll run into anything... dangerous today?" Annabeth asked, adjusting her sword at her hip.
"We might," Luke replied thoughtfully, keeping his eyes on the path ahead. "We're outside the camp's protective boundaries now. Monsters are more likely to show up."
Cordelia nodded, her grip tightening on the pendent her mother had given her. The trident that it transformed into felt natural in her hands during practice, but she was still wary of facing real danger.
As if on cue, Grover's ears twitched, his head snapping to the side. "Wait… something's coming," he muttered, lowering his voice.
Before anyone could ask what, a low growl echoed from the bushes. The trees rustled violently, and from the shadows, two large figures emerged. One was a Nemean lion, its golden fur glinting under the sunlight, and the other, a dracaena—a serpent woman with sharp claws and a menacing glare. Both creatures were staring directly at the group.
Luke unsheathed his sword immediately, his eyes narrowing. "Get ready."
Cordelia's heart raced, her hand automatically reaching for her pendent. With a flick of her wrist, it transformed into her trident, the cool metal gleaming in the light. She felt the familiar surge of power rush through her veins as she stepped forward.
"I guess this is where I practice," she muttered under her breath.
The dracaena hissed and lunged first, her claws swiping at Grover. He barely dodged in time, leaping out of the way and brandishing his reed pipes defensively.
Cordelia didn't hesitate. She swung her trident, parrying the dracaena's next attack and shoving her back with a powerful thrust. Meanwhile, Luke and Annabeth worked together to fend off the Nemean lion, whose hide was almost impossible to penetrate.
As the battle raged, Cordelia found herself slipping into a rhythm. Her combat training kicked in, her movements becoming smoother and more precise with each strike. She spun the trident expertly, using it to block and jab while staying on her toes. The dracaena hissed in frustration, unable to land a hit.
Behind her, Luke and Annabeth were struggling to find an opening against the lion's tough hide.
"Cordelia!" Annabeth shouted, dodging a swipe from the lion's massive paw. "It's invulnerable except for the mouth! We need to distract it!"
Cordelia nodded, quickly formulating a plan. She charged at the dracaena with a sudden burst of speed, catching the creature off guard and knocking her off balance. Before the monster could recover, Cordelia whipped her trident through the air, disorienting the dracaena long enough for her to spin around and join Luke and Annabeth.
"Keep it busy," she told them, positioning herself behind the lion.
Luke and Annabeth nodded, flanking the creature on either side and attacking its legs to keep it off balance. The lion growled and snapped at them, exposing its mouth for just a brief moment.
That was all Cordelia needed.
With a swift motion, she lunged forward, thrusting her trident directly into the lion's open mouth. The monster let out a deafening roar before disintegrating into a pile of golden dust.
Panting, Cordelia turned just in time to see Grover use his pipes to enchant the dracaena, causing vines to sprout from the ground and trap the creature's legs. With a final swipe of her trident, Cordelia finished off the dracaena, watching as it too dissolved into dust.
"Nice work," Luke said, sheathing his sword as the dust settled around them.
Cordelia smiled, catching her breath. "Thanks. I guess all that training paid off."
Annabeth wiped sweat from her brow and nodded in agreement. "That was impressive. You've definitely got skills."
Grover, still a bit shaken from the dracaena's initial attack, gave her a thumbs-up. "Remind me never to get on your bad side."
They all shared a laugh, but the moment of levity was short-lived. As they gathered their bearings and prepared to move on, Luke noticed something glinting in the dirt where the dracaena had been standing.
"Hey, what's this?" he asked, kneeling down to pick up a small, metallic object. It was a medallion, tarnished with age but still recognizable. The symbol on it was unmistakable—a three-pronged fork, the mark of Hades.
Annabeth's eyes widened. "That's… a clue. It must belong to one of Hades' children."
Cordelia frowned, studying the medallion. "So we're on the right track."
Grover glanced around nervously. "Which means there's probably more monsters waiting for us."
Luke pocketed the medallion and straightened up. "We'll handle whatever comes. But this confirms it—we're getting closer."
With renewed determination, the group pressed onward, the weight of the quest growing heavier with each step. The medallion was the first clue, but they knew there were more answers—and more dangers—waiting for them ahead.
As they continued, Cordelia couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning.