Disclaimer: This is a fan written work based on the works of J.K. Rowling and Rick Riordan. It might possibly also have some elements of a number of other works, like the anime Hellsing. There is no money being made from this, it is merely a work meant for the entertainment of myself and the masses. This is merely for fun, and no profit. I repeat: I am not making any money out of writing this.
Warning: OCs OOCs Sues, and some crack. You have been warned.
Note 1: AU.
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Torchlight
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chapter ten
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Morning of the next day, the three heroes woke up bright and early and freshened up, and went down for breakfast, already wearing their armor and bringing their weapons. Stuart had a shield to his name, given to him by his mother as a birthday present, it wasn't anything special, it masqueraded around as a bracelet, it was indestructible. Megan had a pair of sunglasses that allowed her to see heat signatures, not really much of a thing for battle, but her mother was a bit of a perv.
Loki only had the standard issue equipment, he didn't really mind as he had his pranking supplies in his backpack, ready for anything, he was quite the trickster like his namesake, though not as malicious. They sat around the same table as the day and night before, and waited for Aen to serve their early morning meal.
They knew what they needed to find, a map, and what better place to hide a map, then at a school, so the castle was where they would go. They knew that it wasn't going to be easy, while at the same time they knew that it was only the first part of their quest.
"How was your night's rest?" Aen asked them cheerfully as if Camp Half-Blood was not about to lose its protective barriers, "Ready to go exploring and potentially get killed?"
"Why so negative so early in the morning," Loki said, "Its a bright and sunny day...or at least it is in my world."
"Loki, its dark and gloomy outside," Stuart grumbled, "I swear its as if it got even gloomier than when we arrived."
"It did actually," Aen said, "Since we arrived the monsters of the place, the protections, have woken from hibernation and are actively hunting and guarding. So, where do you plan on starting your search?"
"Why are you so interested?" Stuart inquired.
"Someone's got to know what you are doing," Aen said, "In case you don't survive, I plan on being your bard, isn't that great?"
"Not at all," Megan said, "I plan on seeing through to the end, I'm going to prove that I am not as fragile as we are perceived as being."
"We're planning on scouting out the castle," Stuart said, "We came to the conclusion that there is no way that what we are looking for is in the village. Its a special map, you said, so therefore the best place for it is within the castle."
"The most likely place is the library," Loki said, "I'm assuming that everything in there is just as preserved as the things in here."
"How should I know," Aen shrugged, of course he knew that everything was still in good condition, they were all based on his father's memories.
After they were done with breakfast, Loki requested some food be packed for them, as they might need the food during their mini-adventure. Aen complied, and gave them enough for two meals each, when they left the inn, he transformed into his raven form and flew off in search of his three younger companions.
They found the path that lead up to the castle, but they also found that the path was covered in some sort of plant, a large vine like plant that covered the ground, in fact Megan said that they were the path.
"Anyone know what that thing is?" Loki asked, looking at the brainiac of the group.
"...I...impossible," Stuart said after thinking for a minute, "It can't be real."
"Gods and monsters are real," Loki argued, "So whatever it is, is real. What is it, and how do we get past it?"
"It's called Devil's Snare, anything that gets caught in its tendrils is sure to die," Stuart said, "I read it somewhere, can't remember where exactly. Its only weakness is light, something which we don't have, and since Megan said that it is the path, killing it is out of the question."
"Looks like we'll be climbing trees," Loki said, and pulled out some rope and hooks, he then climbed up the nearest tree and hurled one rope and hook as far as he could, and when it caught, he checked to see that it was stable, he repeated the process five times.
"What do you expect us to do?" Megan asked.
"We're going to cross the sides of the path via the ropes," Loki said, "There are six lines, two for each of us. Its like a deadly obstacle course. I've measured the rope to be the length that should get us to the gate safely."
"You first," Megan said.
"Okay," he said, and after pulling his companions into the tree, he slid his way to the end using the two ropes. The two others had no other choice than to follow him, it was a rather frightening experience since the had to cross over parts of the plant whose tendrils shot up on occasion to check if there was any food nearby.
"We'll have to do that to get back out, won't we," Stuart stated the obvious, hoping that he wasn't right.
"Yup," Loki said, "Isn't it exciting."
"So what now?" Megan said, "I can't see any heat signatures aside from ours, and surprisingly really, that big plant."
"There are species of grass that are said to branch out and go on for miles," Stuart said as he looked past the gate, with the help of the ropes they managed to climb over the walls, "I think it would be possible that the grass, aside from being alive, could possibly one of the protections of this place."
"Its possible I guess," Loki said, "So...I guess, its time to see what would happen if we were to step on it."
After rummaging through his backpack, he pulled out a rubber ball, and threw it in the direction of the castle. As soon as it landed, all of the blades of grass leaned in its direction, the three thought that that was all that would happen, until they started to see movement coming from the treeline, snakes were falling from the trees and slithered their way to the ball. Upon reaching the ball they for lack of a better term dog-piled it then blew up in a spectacular fireworks display of yellow, red, green, and blue.
"Well...now we know what the grass does," Loki said, "So...Stuart, how fast would you say they were traveling, and do you think we could run across the ground without getting injured?"
"We could try," Stuart said, "But what I'd first like to know is what would happen if we were to attack one of the creatures."
"Let's find out then," Loki said then pulled out another ball and handed it over to Stuart. He then got out a mini-crossbow, and loaded it. Stuart threw the ball once he saw that Loki was ready, as he knew the prankster was good with a bow. Once the ball hit the ground, and the snakes were at a certain distance between the gate and the ball, Loki fired his bolt. When it struck, the snake simply disintegrated, the bolt remained where the snake had previously been, and some of the snakes rushed in its direction as more snakes fell from the trees of the treeline.
"At least now we know," Loki said, "So, you guys ready to jump?"
"There is no time like the present," Stuart said, "Do you have anymore balls?"
"Why?" Loki asked, "Planning on playing a prank on those things."
"Yeah," Stuart said, "While the more balls means more snakes, our chances of survival also increase by the number of stationary decoys. There is also the fact that we will be moving at a speed just a little faster than the snakes."
"I'm not all that good at running, you guys," Megan said, "Remember my cabin?"
"I'll carry you," Loki stated, and jumped down on the grass-less ground beyond the gate, it looked to have been conveniently placed there in order for trespassers to think that they had a chance. The other two jumped down as well. Loki then handed Stuart some balls, then without telling her, lifted up Megan bridal style and made a mad dash toward the open door that led into the castle, Stuart following soon after while throwing the balls in random directions away from them.
Stuart was fast, but he and Megan didn't know just how fast Loki could actually run. He had reached the stone steps that led into the castle in record time, while Stuart was still slashing his way to the steps. The young descendant of the twins pulled out once again his crossbow and helped his comrade a little with his plight, it wouldn't do to lose a friend on the first leg of the journey.
"Shit man," Stuart said, "I didn't know you could run so fast, and with a girl in your arms too."
"That was fun," said girl said, "It was like flying...sort of."
"Hehe," Loki said rubbing the back of his head, "I didn't know I could run that fast either, but I've always known that I was fast."
"In any case," Stuart said looking up at the castle, "We're almost in, you gonna check to see if there are any traps?"
"Yeah," Loki said, he then pulled out another rubber ball and threw it through the doorway, and when it landed nothing happened, "Looks like the coast is clear."
"Let's go in then," Megan said, walking in first, only to fall to her knees, "Gah!"
"What's wrong?" Stuart asked rushing to her side and pulling her out, unaffected by whatever it was.
"I d-don't know," she said, "I was just suddenly pushed down."
"I'll go in then," Loki said and strode forward, a sword in hand, he cautiously walked in, then suddenly rolled to the side, "That was close..." he then walked forward, letting his senses guide him, until he reached the ball. He picked it up and threw it further into the castle, to the fork in the path where the single corridor became three.
"Stuart!" Loki called out from the end of the hall, "Did you see where I passed?"
"Yeah!" Stuart said, and picked up Megan, and ran all the way to Loki, following the path he had walked safely on.
"Why do I keep getting carried through obstacles?" Megan asked when she was finally let down.
"Cause its faster to carry you," Loki said.
"We obviously can't just walk around and explore," Stuart said, "So what's the plan, prankster man?"
"We explore," Loki said, "Armed."
They wandered the halls of Hogwarts not knowing where the library was. They had found the many classrooms, officers, and even the Great Hall, but they were simply unable to find the library, it was as if they were blocked off from it.
The longer they stayed within the walls of the castle, the weirder things got. For example, every few feet they would hear voices of people that were not there. They would catch glimpses of robed people walking around corners, and saw portraits moving their occupants moving from frame to frame. It was quite intriguing and distracting. It was distracting to the point that when they entered a door at the end of the third floor corridor they only managed to escape the three jaws of death when Megan's cellphone rang one of the latest pop tunes.
"That was close," Loki said after exiting and locking the door of the room, "So who called you?"
"No one," Megan said, puzzled, "There isn't any signal in this place, yet it rang."
"I think its a sign that that room is not the way to go," Stuart said, "Scared the dickens outta me."
"Me too," Loki said, "We've checked almost every place in this whole damn castle...where could the library be."
"Maybe we should try asking one of those apparitions?" Megan suggested, "I mean, what have we got to lose?"
"Let's give it a go then," Loki said.
They wandered around a bit, and didn't see or hear anything after barely escaping the cerberus. They tried not to give up their search. But in the end had to, since even the gods whom they prayed to didn't seem to hear their pleas of guidance. In the end, they decided that maybe they needed some more information about the place, and their only source for the moment was their driver Magnus, but they also realized something. They were inexplicably lost, in their wanderings the castle had turned into something akin to the labyrinth.
"We're lost," Stuart noted.
"We know," Megan said.
"You think the paintings could help us?" Loki wondered aloud, as if hearing someone mention the possibility in his subconscious mind, "I wonder if they're alive...or are ghosts..."
"Why don't you try asking one," Megan said.
"Excuse me," Loki said walking up to a portrait, one that didn't look like it could move, "Could you tell or show us where the library is please?"
"INTRUDERS IN THE CASTLE!" the painting screeched instead of replying, the corridor was suddenly filled with more solid apparitions, which forced the three heroes to run in the direction that there were no apparent obstacles with the apparitions on their heels, every painting they passed screeched out the same words. They ran until the only safe place they could find that didn't have any apparent hostiles was a room. Upon entering they closed the doors, and barred it with the help of tables and chairs which they found. When they finally relaxed, Loki audibly groaned, they were in the library, and there was a giant book with teeth that was looking at them hungrily.
"Well," Megan said, "We found the library."
"That's one big book," Stuart noted.
"Run," Loki said, and so they did just that, and as they ran in separate directions around the library, the floating toothed book stayed in placed as if trying to decide which morsel to go after. The three met up at one corner of the library.
When they got their breathing and heartbeat back to normal they heard a chuckling sound, and looked up to find another painting, this time it did not screech or scream, it simply chuckled. The portrait was of a messy black haired man with chestnut eyes.
"What are you laughing at?" Loki asked irritably.
"When lost, most men refuse to ask for directions out of pride," the painting said, "But you did not, good for you. Do you have any questions? I feel that I might be of some help, since fate guided you to me."
"Uh...you're not gonna call us intruders are you?" Megan asked.
"Why should I?" the painting said, "Back when I was alive I was notorious for breaking the rules. My own son even more. He broke so many rules that when he moved on he made some of his own."
"But aren't you in alive now?" Megan asked.
"No, I am but a shadow of my former self," the painting said, "I am naught but a memory, designed after one that lived a long long time ago."
"Alright then," Loki said, "When you say that you broke the rules, why exactly or what were the circumstances of the rule breaking?"
"I was a member of a group of pranksters," the painting said, "We had a map that helped us in our pranks, it usually helped us get out of a bind. But we lost in during our final year of schooling. We also had a cloak that hid us from all that would look for us."
"I'm a prankster myself," Loki said, "Its good to meet another one."
"Likewise," the painting said cheerfully, "Any other questions? Cause I noticed you had a certain hopeful look when I mentioned my map."
"We are looking for a map," Stuart said, "Loki heard a prophecy about a map guiding the way."
"There are a few maps in this library," the painting said, "But he one that I think you are searching for would not be in here."
"Oh...well...now what do we do," Loki said, "Where else would a map be stashed other than in a library."
"Well, you could try the headmaster's office," the painting suggested, "The more dangerous things are kept there."
"Thanks for the suggestion Mr Painting," Megan said.
"Your welcome miss," the painting said, "But I'm not Mr Painting, another goes by that name."
"Then what name do you go by?" Stuart asked, "I'm Stuart by the way."
"Interesting," the painting said, "Since you have given your own name, I shall tell you mine. When I was alive I went by two names, the first was James, the second was Prongs."
"So," Loki said, "I'm Loki, nice to meet you, but something is bothering me, and I think you might be able to help me."
"Alright," Prongs said, "Let's hear this problem."
"How did you keep your map a secret?" Loki asked, "I'm sure that the map was quite special when it came to pranking, it must have shown locations of people and the like. How did you keep others from seeing your secrets?"
"While I would love to say that we kept it in a secret chamber," Prongs said, "We were more ingenious, to activate the map and to deactivate it, we set passwords, ones that only pranksters would know."
"Thanks for the tip," Loki said, "I think I know the password you are talking about."
"Well you do claim to be a prankster," Prongs said, "So I guess it would be possible for you to know."
"I'm Megan," Megan introduced herself, "I have a question of my own."
"Alright," Prongs said, "I'm all ears."
"There's a giant floating book with teeth in this library," she said, "Do you know what we could do about it?"
"Giant book huh," Prongs said, "I fear that I hadn't encountered such a thing when I was alive. With teeth, you are thinking that it wants to make a snack out of you?"
"Yes," she said, "I'm thinking exactly that."
"Then I guess you'll have to destroy it," Prongs said, "That's what I would do. I think I've done similar, but I can't recall what my opponent was."
"Thanks for the help Prongs," Loki said.
"Your very much welcome, it was a welcome change meeting you here," Prongs said, "I'd say see you next time, but I have a feeling that we won't."
"Why do you say that?" Loki asked, "We know where this place is now, and we could come and visit."
"You do not know where it is," Prongs said, "There is a barrier around the land that protects it from being found, the only way you could have come here, is if you were in some way invited. I believe you were, since you are searching for something from within her walls."
"Err, if you say so," Loki said, "Well, we've got a map to find, but first a book to...destroy."
They went off in search of the book, Stuart thinking of a way to get passed the thing, as well as the apparitions that were surely waiting for them outside.
"Do you have anything wet in that backpack of yours?" Stuart asked Loki, "And how can it keep so much stuff in it?"
"I have some, what do you need it for?" Loki replied, "I got the backpack from my grandmother, she sad it was my mother's, so I don't really know where my mother got an obviously magical bag."
"Thanks for the info," Stuart said, "Is your wet thing flammable?"
"Well, aside from the water Magnus gave us, I've got some oil," Loki said, pulling out a bottle, "What do you have planned?"
"I plan on burning a book," Stuart said, "You got a lighter?"
"Yeah," Loki said and pulled one out as well, and handed both items to Stuart.
"Great," Stuart said, then explained what plan he had come up with to help them escape from the library, "Megan you're acting as bait," he said, "Loki you're in charge of keeping her safe, while I attack from behind with the oil and the lighter."
"I've got a better idea," Loki said, "You douse the thing, Megan will be the bait, and I'll make sure that the lighter forces the thing to burn, its safer for all those involved."
"Alright," Stuart said, "We'll go with that plan."
"Why do I have to be the bait?" Megan asked.
"Well, you're perfect as a damsel in distress, not only are you beautiful, but you're also the perfect for the job," Stuart said, "I'm also sure you would have problems with the other two parts of the plan."
"Fine," she said agreeing to the plan.
She made her way to the door, and made sure that the book saw her approach the doors of the library. Upon seeing her the book began to slowly float closer and closer to her. It seemed to be a bit cautious, as if expecting some form of trick to be pulled, or its spine to be rubbed or something. It was the most frightening seconds of Megan's life. She was literally helpless standing there and wishing that the boys would hurry it up.
The bottle that contain the oil was luckily made out of glass, which was why Megan dove behind the librarian's counter when she heard glass breaking. A moment later she swore she could hear roaring coming from the book, and after that she could feel an intense heat come from near by.
"Open the door!" Stuart shouted, and she saw from out of the corner of her eye Loki run up to the doors and open them, and felt him dive for her position, as the book floated past their position and into the hall.
"It's clear!" Stuart shouted, once the book was out the doors, it sped away as its pages and cover burned.
"That was intense," Loki said.
"I'm never doing that again," Megan said, and punched both boys in the gut, which not surprisingly hurt.
"At least it worked," Stuart said, "And at least there's nothing outside either, we didn't really think that plan thoroughly."
"Well, it still worked out," Loki said, "Now all we've got to do is find the headmaster's office."
"You think we could ask Prongs?" Megan said.
"I doubt it," Stuart said, "I have a feeling our meeting was only meant to be that one time."
"You'd think a place as big as this would have a map or something, with all the important places marked on it," Megan said as they were about to walk out the door, only for her to catch a glimpse of what looked like a small map, she picked it up and examined it. It looked like some kind of brochure or guide or something, but the map she found was marked, "I think I found a map..."
"Good job," Stuart and Loki said, "So...where's the entrance and the office from here? How do we get there?"
"Come on," she said, walking out of the library, her eyes glued to the map as she led the way to their destination, she noticed that the library shifted positions on the map once they left it. She also noticed that as she walked, the corridor they were in looked like they had passed in two times in the past, the third time must have been when they were being chased by those apparitions.
When they finally reached the entrance, they found themselves standing face to face with a gargoyle, it looked to be waiting for something.
"So...does that thing tell us what we've got to do first?" Loki asked Megan, who was still looking at the map.
"Well, it says we've got two choices," she said, "We either give it the password, or we fight it...for the password we've got an infinite number of tries."
"Is there a clue on that thing?" Stuart asked, "Cause if there isn't one, we may never get in with the password method."
"No clue," she said, "It says that the headmaster sets the password."
"Does it say how we can challenge it?" Loki asked, pulling something from out of his bag, they were explosives.
"Why in the world do you have that?" Stuart asked.
"Never know when something will come in handy," Loki said, "Like the time I blew up the outhouse."
"Remind me to kill him later for that," Megan told Stuart, "I got hit by the mess that time."
"OK, I'll desecrate his corpse afterward," Stuart said as he too had gotten some of the gunk on him.
"It doesn't say anything about how to challenge the thing," Megan stated, "So what are you going to do?"
"I'm going to blow it up," Loki said, and approached the thing.
Stuart then grabbed him all of a sudden and began to run, Megan ran as well, as the two of them noticed that the eyes of the thing began to glow red, as if it had heard Loki's intention. It did, which was why it began to run after them, intent on ending their existences before they managed to end its own.
"Not again! Never again! Die humans!" the gargoyle bellowed as he chased after the three.
"Next time you do not mention what you plan on doing to something you intend to destroy," Stuart scolded Loki as they ran.
"Let's push it out a window!" Loki said, "If the fall doesn't kill it, at least it'll buy us enough time to get into the office again."
"There!" Megan said, while pointing at a big enough window along a wall. They stopped just in front of it and waited for the monster to charge them.
"Remember to jump to the side at the last possible moment," Loki said.
When they did, they watched as the thing flew out the window, and hurtled to the ground like a rock that had been thrown out of a window. Loki didn't bother waiting to see what happened to the thing, and simply ran back the way they had come from, Megan right behind him, and Stuart taking up the rear and was making sure that nothing was following them.
Upon reaching the entrance to the office, they found a spiral staircase, and without hesitating, went up the stairs, and into the room once they were confronted by a door. Inside they found what should or would have been a typical office, there was a large mahogany desk, with a comfortable leather chair behind it, some seats and couches in some other parts of the room. It was quite a big room, that looked to be able to hold a large number of people at a single time, probably faculty and staff meetings. There were countless books lining the shelves, as well as some silver trinkets on some shelves.
Looking out one of the windows of the room, the three teens noticed that the rest of the day had vanished as if they had been running hither and tither throughout the whole day. It was even darker outside than it had been the other night, and since they had finally let most of their guard down, they finally felt the fatigue that all the running had build up, as well as the hunger of forgetting to eat the food that they had brought, luckily the things were still edible even though they had been a cooked meal.
"Looks like we'll be spending the night here, huh," Loki said, looking through the desk drawers, "Dibs on the leather chair."
"Whatever," Stuart said, "I'll take a couch, looks comfy enough."
"I'll take another couch then," Megan said, "Though I wish there were a bed.
"If I find one in one of these drawers, you can have it," Loki said as he moved on to the cabinet behind the desk, where all the silver things were found.
As he searched through the drawers and cabinets, he stumbled upon a cabinet that was actually locked, the others had been open and some of them even had a lock mechanism which were not used. Loki believed that the map might have been in the locked cabinet, and so pulled out his lock pick tools and began to see about unlocking the thing. His meticulous and focus being on the task at hand, Megan noticed what he was doing and so stirred Stuart back into wakefulness so that he could see what Loki was so busy about.
Instead of asking him what he was doing, they watched as he managed to unlock the cabinet doors and open then only to reveal some kind of silver bowl with a bunch of designs etched on its mouth. Loki brought the relatively light bowl to the desk, and after placing it on top, he peered inside having not really looked into it as he took it out of its cabinet.
"So, what's in it?" Megan asked as she and Stuart approached the table.
Instead of answering, Loki was drawn inward, and dipped his head into the thing. To him what seemed like minutes passed him by as he watched events unfold before his very eyes. It was like being in virtual reality only that one could not interact with the world that one was in, only view them as they progressed.
They were memories he noted, but the strange thing was that he could not tell whose memories they were. It was like watching those flashbacks on TV or in the movies. Where the edges were either cloudy or slightly blurred out or misty even.
Most of the memories he viewed were of events that had happened long before the world was born, in another time and place, but Loki didn't know that. He thought that the images were of the time when the place that he and his companions were in was filled with life and not the gloom that pervaded over their surroundings as it was in this day and age.
There were a number of memories, it was as if he watched another man's eyes through his own, but he couldn't tell which of the people he saw was the one that the memories belonged to. The images flashed before his eye in quick succession, they were so many that he thought that he wouldn't be able to remember them all. He also realized that the bowl with the silvery liquid was important, since it wouldn't have been left there, had it not been important, it would not have been so tempting had it not been of use.
The last thing he remembered before being ejected from the memories was the memory of a bathroom with wet floors, a sink rising up, a tunnel forming, and chamber. As well as what looked to have been a moving image on paper or parchment.
"Dude," Stuart said after pulling Loki up for some air, "What were you trying to do? Drown yourself?"
I know where the map is," Loki stated as he regained his bearings.
"Seriously?" Stuart said, "Just from attempting to drown yourself?"
"I wasn't attempting to drown myself," Loki said, "By the way, how long was I in there?"
"Not that long," Stuart said, "But your face was really in there, you didn't respond to your name so I pulled you back."
"I wasn't drowning," Loki said, "I was viewing memories, the silvery liquid are memories, I don't know whose, but the last memory I viewed was of a chamber. I think it might have been Prongs' memories, or someone related to him, since there was this kid in them that looked so much like him."
"So what does that have to do with the location of the map?" Megan asked.
"I think I caught a glimpse of the map before I was pulled out," Loki said.
"Well then, why don't we go looking for that map now?" Stuart asked.
"Can't we go looking for it after getting some rest?" Megan asked, "I want my beauty sleep."
"We'll rest for some hours, get back our strength," Loki said, "I'll take first watch."
"Good, I'm going back to sleep then," Stuart said, then as he walked back to his couch, he accidentally knocked over one of the silver things, as it fell it revealed a button, a red button.
"What does this button do?" Loki wondered aloud and pressed the button.
Curiosity killed cat or so the saying goes, good thing that Loki wasn't a cat. Once pressed the button vanished as did all the chairs in the room. Stuart groaned, Megan looked like she wanted to kill him, and Loki watched as one of the book cases moved aside to reveal a room with quite a large bed in it.
"Well, I guess I'll be sleeping on the floor," Loki said, "Meg, you can have the bed, so..." he got down on his knees as if to pray, "Please don't kill me."
"Bed? What bed?" Meg asked him.
"Behind you," Loki said, and pointed at the now revealed bed.
She looked at where he pointed and made her way to the bed, it really was big enough to fit around five people.
"Well, I guess you guys could share it with me," she said, "But no funny business, got it?"
"Yes ma'am," Loki said, saluting even.
"Crystal!" Stuart said, "Dibs on the right side!"
"I'll take the left," Meg said, "I don't plan on being sandwiched between two boys."
"Guess, I'm in the middle," Loki said.
"Which means if I feel anything or see things that are not supposed to be in certain places when I wake up, I know who to brutally murder," Meg said grinning evilly.
"*"
When they woke the next morning, Loki was on the floor, his head was on his backpack, while his two companions were tangled up in the sheets of the bed, Meg holding Stuart in a headlock of some sort, while the latter didn't seem to mind.
"I seem to remember you saying something about things being in certain places," Stuart said before forcibly disengaging himself from Meg's grasp.
"I'm sorry," she said, getting out of bed as well, she then tripped on Loki, and landed on him.
"Please get off," Loki said, but his words were a little muffled as he was under her.
After she got off him, she pushed the two males away from the secret chamber within the headmaster's office so that she could change out of her sleep clothes and back into her work gear, which was what armor she had along with regular everyday clothes. The two boys followed her example and got changed as well.
Once they were ready to depart from the office, Megan stopped and look at the window, sitting on the sill was a raven, Aen had decided that perhaps for the next task Loki could use some new tools as well as his two comrades. Rose had sent something for her other granddaughter, and Eris had sent something for the son of Athena as well.
"A raven," she said, and her two companions turned to look in the direction she was looking at.
"One would think that you would be on your guards especially considering that you are in unfamiliar territory," Aen said in whisper, the kind of whisper that they could still hear, it was as if his words traveled on the winds, even when there was no actual wind, "But I guess I thought too highly of you demigods. But I digress, higher powers than the three of you have decided that in order for you to continue your task, a task which they are unable to perform, you shall need better equipment than the simple standards that that camp has been able to provide. On the headmaster's desk are three things, one for each of you, gifts."
"What are you?...more importantly...Who are you?" Loki questioned, as Stuart walked over to the desk to inspect what had been placed there.
"I am Huginn and Muninn," Aen introduced himself, "I whisper into the ears of Odin everything I see and hear that he may know all in the world. I am as Hermes, a messenger. Time is ticking little heroes, turn back the hands, lest all be for naught," he then flew off, leaving them alone in the room with his gifts.
"For some reason, I don't think that raven really was the two of Norse myth," Stuart said, "Plus, he left us gifts. A pocket knife, a jacket, and a dark red belt."
"Whose is whose?" Loki wondered, "Stu?"
"I'll take the jacket, a pocket knife doesn't go with a shield," he said and picked up the jacket and wore it, as he zipped it up he found that there was something sticking out of a pocket, 'Protection from all physical harm directed at the torso...does not have an alternate form.'
"So what does the paper say?" Meg asked him.
"Protection, like the curse of Achilles, except only for the torso," Stu said, "What're you gonna pick?"
"The belt," she said, picked it up and wore it around her waist, it then morphed into a mythril bodysuit that covered every inch of her skin, "Whoa, this thing feels great."
"Do you know what it does?" Loki asked picking up the knife and examined it.
"I don't know," she said, then heard a voice whisper into her mind, so she said what she had learned, "I heard a whisper in my mind...its has two abilities, the first is protection, I'm not invulnerable, but it allows me to move faster as if I were in water or dancing or something like that...I'm more flexible, and my reflexes are heightened. The other thing that it allows me to do is that it amplifies my inner power."
"Like what that one sister of yours did after Percy joined camp?" Stu asked.
"I would guess so," she said, "Though I don't really see how the second ability should help, and I also know for a fact that I didn't get this gift from my mother. So Loki, what does your thing do?"
'Loki Charleson, I know you can hear me, this voice that speaks to your very soul' Thanos spoke to him telepathically, 'My son has chosen you as the hero who shall bring about a kind of change, one that the gods of Mount Olympus has failed to perform. They have forgotten their roots, and through your quest, a cascade of events shall take place to rectify their ignorance of their own origins.'
"Huh? Who..?" Loki said, then noticed that his friends were stock still, he felt as if he stood right outside of time, "What is going on..." he wondered in a whisper.
'By now you have noticed that you have been pulled out of the time stream, this has been done in order for you not to perish in the manner than mortals are fond to do when in the presence of a higher power's truer form,' Thanos explained, 'In your hands you hold the tools to survive and fulfill a destiny of your choosing as you swim through the paths laid out before you. Each task set before you heroes each has a purpose, not for just for the good of Olympus, but for he good of the world.'
"You still haven't answered, who are you?" Loki asked.
'I am the salvation of this reality, had I not come nothing would have happened, it would have fallen far deeper into despair and withered away into nothingness,' Thanos said, 'There are much secrets that the gods are each keeping. Smiles and frowns, are merely tools to hide these secrets. The Olympus Lord keeping the most, the others keep them due to the ignorance and forgetfulness of their leader, as well as his failings.'
"What does all that have to do with me? Mr D wouldn't have sent me on this quest, unless it was the will of the gods," Loki argued.
'Bacchus sent you on this quest...no...this journey as even he wishes for change. He knows a fraction of the secret, of that which has been forgotten by the primary family,' Thanos said, 'Retrieve the key of the forgotten past, he that calls himself Huginn and Muninn will rewind the hands.'
"My knife, what does it do?" Loki asked.
'With but a thought it can change,' Thanos explained what Aen could not lest he compromise his position, 'Two weapons, a dagger whose length can reach up to the length of a short sword, and a bow with the sheath as its quiver. Arrows unlimited with strength and weaknesses for any occasion. Use them well. Good luck on your hunt, young son of silver and gold.'
"Wait!" Loki said, but he was thrust back into time, where his friends looked at him as if he were crazy for shouting that word for no apparent, to them, reason.
"We're just waiting for you to tell us what you're gift does," Stu said, "We're not leaving without you anyway."
"Damn him," Loki said frustrated, "I wasn't telling you to wait, it was the voice."
"What voice?" Meg asked.
"The one who explained to me what my knife does," he said, "He explained a bunch of stuff about the quest too."
"What about the quest, who was it?" Stu asked.
"He claimed to have been the salvation of reality or something to that effect," Loki said, "That which we seek is the key to change, as well as to what has been forgotten and hidden away. The lies of Olympus shall be revealed, and the truth brought to light.." he then had an idea, "Stu, gather the liquid from the bowl there are empty vials you can put them in, they are not ours to take, but the bowl might come in handy."
"Alright," Stu said and proceeded with his task, "Where do I put the bowl?"
"In my bag," Loki said, "It's like those inventories in those video games, unlimited space for an unlimited number of items."
"Got it," Stu said.
"My knife has two capabilities," Loki said, "It allows for close range and long range combat, with its ability to turn into a dagger or short sword to a bow whose quiver is the sheath."
"Weapons of a hunter," Meg noted, "But your godly parent is your father, so you can't be a kid of Artemis."
"The gifts aren't from any of the Olympians," Loki said, "The voice said as much, it can only have come from a titan or whatever the ones before them were called."
"Not even I know what that is," Stu said having packed the bowl into Loki's pack, "So where do we go from here, Loki?"
"To...a girl's bathroom," Loki said.