The Trials of Madness
Disclaimer: We do not own Percy Jackson or any of the characters in the story (other than the main three). All rights belong to Rick Riordan
Chapter One
Thomas
It was a casual summer day in Camp Half-Blood, the sun shone in the sky and the birds were twittering. Personally, I don't really enjoy it all the time, but I like it at times. Oh right, my name is Thomas Wolfe. I'm what most people call goth, and what those informed call a son of Hades. Not really a big difference really.
Also, Greek gods and goddess and the like? Yeah, hate to blow some minds, but they're real. All of them. And they generally have kids with mortals, though it was only recently that most of us demigods got claimed. Really have to thank Percy Jackson for all that, considering what he did for us. Granted I was late being found, but it didn't really matter once I got to camp. Dear old Dad claimed me, and boom I'm in the Hades cabin with a technically younger brother that disappears randomly.
Anyway, I was sitting near the forest, waiting on what, I don't really know. Never really bothered to second guess a feeling, but Fenrir, my Hellhound, needed to be taken out anyway so it was just a bonus. My cane was on the ground next to me, and my leather jacket sat on top of it.
A booming bark shattered the calm I was experiencing and I reached for my cane, but before I could, a black dog the size of a greyhound shot through the bushes and slammed into me, pinning me to the ground and licking my face. Yeah, Hellhounds get kinda big.
"Alright, I get it, you found me," I said, chuckling as I shoved Fenrir off of me. He barked happily and I threw my coat on, scratching my black hair. I flipped my cane into my hand and walked back into camp, passing satyrs using nature magic to help the strawberry's grow. I frowned slightly.
Something was still bugging me, scratching at the very end of my mind, and I was so focused on it I ended up bumping against a girl who was walking with some of the Athena cabin members.
"Ow...watch where you're going," the girl said, staring me down. "Sorry about that," I responded, nodding slightly. The girl walked away, her dirty blonde hair flashing slightly in the sun and I grumbled, "Whatever happened to being nice to the cripple?" Another important thing to mention, and I may be doing this for a bit, my leg is slightly damaged. Not enough that it affects my fighting, but I still need a cane most of the time when just walking around. Eases tension and all that.
Fenrir looked up at me, as if asking to chase the girl down and I shook my head. "You're here with me because you're one of the few calm Hellhounds. You're not going to hurt anybody in camp, you should know this by now," I said as we started off again, no real destination in mind, just thoughts on the recent happenings.
Nothing big had happened since the Titan War, other then the prediction Rachel gave right after it. The camp was at an all time high for demigods appearing, my year being just the start of all this. I smiled slightly at my single camp bead on my necklace, a cane that symbolized the second child of Hades appearing at camp.
My feet carried me to the arena where Mrs. O'Leary sat next to a teenager everybody in camp knew. "Percy!" I called with a grin. Percy look over as I walked into the arena, Fenrir following along with a happy look. Fenrir barked and Mrs. O'Leary barked back, twice as loud. "How's everything going?" I asked calmly, leaning on my cane.
"Pretty good. Just a lot more work around her is all, considering how many more campers are showing up each day. Everything alright with you?" he asked. I nodded, knowing what he was talking about. My relationship with my family was strained, considering that my mother and step-father never really want me back home. At times, it can be really stressful, because if I decide to say screw them and stay at camp year-round, I end up getting an angry message from them, delivered by Chiron, the trainer. If I go home, they just complain how I'm not as good as their younger, normal son.
"Fine. I'm tempted to stay all this year, but I don't want to stress Chiron out with all the angry messages Mom is going to send him," I answered. Percy nodded thoughtfully. I sighed and sat down on one of the bottom tiers. "Never know though, I may go home and have them ignore me most of the year," I said with a devious grin.
Percy chuckled and patted me on the shoulder. "I've gotta be heading down to the Big House for a little bit. Chiron wanted to meet with me for something," he said. I nodded slightly and gave a wave as he left the arena, leaving me to care for the two Hellhounds that could easily rip out my throat.
The gate clicked open and I shook my head slightly. A blonde man wearing glasses walked in, a tattered leather coat over on broad, muscular shoulder. "Sup Thomas," the man asked, setting up a few training dummies without thinking. Thomas stood up and popped his neck. The Hellhounds looked at the scene curiously.
"Nothing much Mark. Was thinking of doing a little training," Thomas said. Mark grinned and flipped a hand-axe out. "Good. I need a sparring partner," he said, moving the dummies. I nodded and threw my sleek black cane up, catching the middle of it and swinging it out, a spear head appearing as the cane lengthened.
"It'll be my pleasure," I said, slapping my wrist. A shield popped out of my skeleton arm band and in the span of a few seconds, I stood with a Stygian iron lance and a bronze shield. Mark pulled off his ring and it quickly turned into a shield that he stuck on his left arm.
"The weaker gets the first move," he said, nodding to me. I frowned in annoyance, knowing he was baiting me. "Then why aren't you moving?" I countered, muscles tensing slightly. Mark's eyebrow twitched and he ran forward with a yell, swinging his ax down onto me.
My arm knew exactly how to move, and my shield blocked his ax, the metal clang resounding all around loudly. Damn, he could hit hard. I pushed him back off me and stabbed at him experimentally with my spear. He knocked it away with his shield and I quickly thrust my own forward, forcing him to step back.
Mark grunted, knowing how I fought, but not being able to react well as I forced him further back, near the center of the arena. I pretended to push him again and he stepped back right as I swung at his legs with the spear pole. The weapon tripped him, and as he fell, my lance was at his throat.
Mark laughed as my cane and armband returned, his ring returning as well. "You always were too clever for your own good, Son of Hades" he said, slapping my arm. I grinned and elbowed him slightly. "And you're almost always a charging beast, Child of Ares," I said, looking up at the beautiful blue sky.
"I'm gonna head back to my cabin for a bit. I need to think a little," I said. Mark nodded. He knew pretty much everything about my life, and understood that I almost always needed time to consider decisions involving family. "Good luck bro," he said, and then he walked off towards the Ares cabin.
After what seemed like an hour of pointless consideration of everything, the hunting horn sounded and it was time for dinner. I stood up and grabbed my cane, walking out of the cabin I normally had to myself, and walked down the lawn towards the pavilion, Fenrir tailing behind me.
As I approached the Greek dining pavilion, I smiled as I saw a kid a couple years younger then I was in a black bomber jacket sitting at the Hades table. I sat down across from him and he smiled. "Brother! I didn't know you were coming back today," I said, returning his smile. Nico D'Angelo was technically my little brother, but he was born way back during World War 2, only stuck in a casino in Las Vegas for years, never aging. Never mattered to either of us, we just sort of dealt with it
He shrugged. "I wasn't expecting to be back so soon, but apparently I'm here. How's Fenrir doing?" he asked, scratching the Hellhound behind the ears. "Fairly well. He's been really great company over the past year," I said as Fenrir barked. Before either of us could speak again, the rest of the cabins finished filling in. Percy waved from the Poseidon table and Nico waved back as Chiron went to the head table. Fun fact, Chiron is a centaur, meaning he has a human torso, but were the legs started, a horse body was in place of that.
Something looked wrong though. I glanced around and frowned as Chiron made announcements, then allowed dinner to begin. I asked my cup for Mountain Dew and stood up, scooping part of my meal into the bronze fire for the gods. As I sat back down, Nico looked at the head table with a similar look of concentration I had.
"You see it too?" I asked. He nodded and turned back. "Where's Mr. D?" we both whispered. I looked at the other tables and instantly knew we weren't the only ones who noticed. "Maybe we'll figure out soon," I said, taking a sip of the greenish yellow drink. Nico fed Fenrir a strip of brisket from his plate and I rubbed the back of his neck.
Dinner ended and everybody gathered around a massive bonfire for a sing-a-long led by Apollo cabin. I sat next to Mark with Nico on my other side and Fenrir laying at my feet. The bonfire was enchanted so that the louder we sang, the bigger and more colorful the flames were. Tonight, it was a bright, cheery color and the flames were massive.
Chiron stepped up near the end of the night and began speaking. "Campers, it has been a wonderful night, but I'm afraid we must retire to our beds and sleep. Goodnight to you all, and sleep well," he said, smiling. I glanced at Nico, who shook his head. Now wasn't the time, obviously.
I woke up the next morning and saw a note sitting on my bedside table. It was from Nico, and he said that he was leaving today and wasn't going to be back for a while. I yawned and slipped into my clothes, Fenrir still sleeping nearby. I patted him awake and opened the door to the obsidian cabin and left for a morning walk.
Fenrir quickly left me behind and dove into the woods, but I wasn't heading there. I started towards the rock wall and popped my neck, setting my cane and coat nearby and smirked. Nobody was on the wall yet, and the lava was still fresh, so I started climbing. The lava rose as I did, but I was faster and made it to the end without burning myself.
A shout from down below made me look down, and I saw Mark standing near my stuff. Weird, he's never up this early. I made made my way down and walked over to him, limping only slightly. "What's up?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. Mark nodded towards the Big House.
"Chiron called for a meeting. Cabin leaders need to head over now," he said as I pulled my coat on. With a nod, I walked towards the Big House, a four story, blue farmhouse that was normally where Chiron met with the cabin counselors. With Nico always gone, I was default head of Hades cabin, so I had to be there.
When I got to the game room, Most everybody was there, Percy sitting next to his girlfriend, the Athena head, Annabeth Chase, the Stoll brothers for Hermes, Clarisse for Ares, and plenty of others who I didn't remember. I'm not good with names. Rachel Dare, our Oracle stood near the head of the ping-pong table.
I took the other seat beside Percy as Chiron trotted in. No pun intended. "Is everybody here?" he asked. Most everybody nodded. "Good. Now, I believe we all noticed that Mr. D wasn't at dinner yesterday, or the bonfire. Those two incidents were accounted for, because he told me he was being called back to Olympus for some reason. Apparently, he never arrived," Chiron said.
I raised an eyebrow. "So, was he kidnapped or just missing?" I asked curiously. "We are unsure of that at the moment," Chiron answered. "What are we going to do about it? Mr. D is a god, he can handle himself," Clarisse said. "Gods have been kidnapped before though haven't they? Granted something powerful had to have done it, but it's possible," Annabeth said.
Chiron nodded. "Which is why I suggest a quest to find our camp director," he said. A collective groan came from the table. Few people enjoyed Mr. D's company at the camp. Chiron frowned, but before he could speak, I raised a hand. "If you want a quest, I can do it." Everybody looked over at me. I didn't look at anybody but Chiron, the brave look on my face hiding the fact that I was freaking out.
"Why should you get the quest?" Clarisse asked, staring me down with an evil look. I shrugged. "No reason. Just doesn't seem like anybody else is going to volunteer to fight something that can keep a god captured, correct?" I said, finally looking over at her. She looked almost ready to kill me, but that was common considering one of the first days at camp I beat her senseless in the arena.
Chiron spoke up. "I agree with Thomas. He seems like the only volunteer for this quest. All in favor?" he asked, looking over the table. Percy, Annabeth, the Stolls, and most of the table raised their hands in agreement. Clarisse kept glaring at me, but eventually raised her hand as well, making the vote unanimous.
"So I guess I'll be needing a prophecy," I said, looking to Rachel. I hadn't even finished my sentence before she closed her eyes and swooned. Annabeth and a girl from the Demeter cabin were closest and they jumped up and caught her, sitting her down on one of the free chairs.
The quest begins with
The God of the Vine
War, Death, and Wisdom
Shall have their time.
The Trials of Madness
All must withstand
Or else they shall soon
See their end.
And the Child of Death
Shall end their fears,
Or else he loses
That he finds dear.
Rachel then slumped over in the seat, now fast asleep. Everybody looked over at me. "That was probably one of the most straight-forward prophecy's I've ever heard," Travis Stoll said. Conversation filled the room, everybody trying to figure out my prophecy. "War, death, and wisdom...you're obviously death, so that means that somebody from Athena cabin, and Ares cabin are going to go with you," Annabeth said.
I nodded. "I'll need Mark Tempest as one of my companions then," I said without hesitation. Mark was my friend, and like hell I was leaving my bro behind. "Who are you taking from Athena cabin then?" Percy asked. I started to speak, then stopped. I knew nobody from Athena cabin personally.
Annabeth answered for me. "You could take Mercedes. She's a newer camper, but she's a good archer and just as smart as anybody," she said. I nodded. "Mercedes it is then. If somebody could find her for me, I'll meet with her and Mark in the arena, and we'll leave as soon as we can," I said. I stood up and walked away, now worrying about what the Trials of Madness were.
About twenty minutes later, I was in the arena with Fenrir sitting beside me. Mark opened the gate, followed by a girl with dirty blonde hair. At first, I didn't recognize her, then I chuckled as she glared at my direction. "So you're Mercedes! That's funny," I said, standing up. Both of them had backpacks slung over their shoulders.
"Why are you bringing me on this quest?" she asked, staring me down. Her eyes were a stormy grey, like most Athena cabin members. "You came recommended by your cabin head," I said. She said nothing, just sat down on one of the lower tiers next to Mark. "Alright, I take it you've both heard the prophecy by now?" Both nodded. "Good, one thing I don't have to explain. Come on, let's head to the forest. We're leaving from their," I said, starting towards the woods. Fenrir barked and followed me, while the other two stood up and tailed along.
I cleared my head for a second, breathing in the summer air, before explaining how we were leaving. "Mark knows I can do this, but Mercedes, you don't so just listen. We're leaving by way of Shadow Travel, it's a thing Nico taught me how to do. Basically, if I have a shadow, I can take one other person through it with me and we'll land were I send us. We're going to where Mr. D sent his last Iris message and looking around that area for some clues. It hasn't been long, so we should find something," I said quickly.
Mercedes looked at me like I was crazy, but Mark looked slightly worried. "Didn't you already try to take somebody with you when shadow traveling?" he asked. I nodded, knowing what he was about to say. "I've practiced, don't worry. Fenrir can do it too, so one of you will ride with him, the other with me. The message was sent from central park at night to who, I can't remember," I said.
Mark nodded slightly, and he grabbed my arm as we got to the woods. Mercedes wrapped her hands around Fenrir's collar and I told him where to go. "See you there," I told Mercedes with a smirk as Fenrir ran and disappearing into the tree's shadow. Mark took a deep breath and held on to my coat as I sprinted towards the tree, disappearing and taking him with me.