Run.

Before she sees you.

That is the only thing on my mind, and has been for a long time.

At least, I think it has been a long time.

My name is Marina Young, and my life is a mess. Why, you might ask? Well, take my current position: I'm running for my life in an ancient labyrinth that was said to be mythical and there's some dragon-serpent-monster-lady called Kampê chasing me, or whatever her name is. 

I can't fight back or anything, for two reasons. Firstly, it's kind of hard to reach a sword that's strapped to your back while running. Secondly, I tried to kill her when I could, but it's practically impossible even to touch her, let alone kill. Apparently, she wants to kill me because she's angry with my dad for making allies with the cyclopes, who she had work as jailer to for many years. 

Oh, and if you haven't noticed: my dad's Posiedon, god of the sea and a few other things. If you ask me, it's just like him to make a load of enemies and expect his children to sort out his beef with those enemies, no matter how stupid it is.

I run thriugh a narrow path and hastily climb over a pile of discarded rocks. Hopefully, they're not some form of monster hiding as an inanimate object (yes, it's happened before). I ignore the pain as I scrape my hands on about a dozen rocks and jump the remaining feet to the ground. I press myself to a rock and scan my surroundings.

I am in a small, ancient room covered in pictured depicting the greek myths. Thankfully, there is no one around, but just to be safe I pull my sword from behind my back and walk to one of the walls, which is covered with a message. My heart catches in my throat when I see it is written in blood.

BEWARE, FOR THEY ARE COMING

WARN THEM, FOR THEY ARE GETING READY FOR BATTLE

A BATTLE THAT WILL SURPASS ALL OTHERS

HE WILL NOT WAIT

PREPARE, WHILE YOU STILL CAN

I gently draw my hand to the words, then bring it back quickly; the blood is still wet. The writing is also slightly rushed, so whoever wrote it must have been here recently and been in a hurry. But there is no trace of anyone here....

 A million thoughts race through my mind. Who are they? Are they even still alive? Why should we prepare? Who's he? I tighten my grip on my sword, a chill running down my spine. If I get out of this place, I would have to warn Chiron and the others- it must be something to do with the new Great Prophecy.

Something catches my eyes briefly- a glinting object in the shadows. My heart thudding, I walk over to it cautiously, and gasp when I see what it is. It is a golden carved horse, about the size of my hand.

But it's not this that catched my attention.

 I have seen it before.

I pick it up and examine its perfect texture, a burst of memories that I thought I had forgotten until now runnig through my mind. I haven't thought about him for ages now... 

It is my older brother's best friend who has once owned this horse. His name was Sebastian Woodcroft, and although he was two years older than me, he had been undoubtedly my favorourite person ever since the day we had met. He was genuinely the best person I ever knew, in a lot of ways.

Was.

Supposedly, he had died in a train crash on his way to visit an old relative. His body had never been found, but he was assumed to be dead along with twelve other people that day. He even has a grave and everything, but with no body to fill it.

But how can he be here? The horse isn't covered with any dust of some sort, so it has to have been dropped three days ago, maximum. But why would he fake his own death, to let us believe he was gone? And the message on the wall.... did he write it? 

I look at the horse, then at the wall. He must know about the whole 'gods are real' thing in order to wrote what he did. But what does he want to warn us about? I shudder. Something about this place is really starting to get unnerving.

Suddenly, there is a sudden flash of light, and a woman appears in front of me. A goddess. She is wearing a cream-coloured gown and there is a crown resting in her hair, which is made into a regal bun on her head. I bow slightly to her, but groan inwardly- here was my least favourite goddess.

I straighten and address her clearly. "Greeting, Queen Hera."