Howling Mad

Our car ride was quiet. Awkwardly quiet. It started when I slipped into my seat of the Camp Half Blood van and was met with a gentleman. With a hundred eyes. I knew it was rude to stare at another, and it made it exceptionally hard that every time I did stare, he stared back.

The way he was driving made me want to recommend seeing Specsavers, but to cover his body in glasses would cost well over a few thousand surely. Plus, fitting them all would be a hassle no one wanted.

Another reason to the awkward silence; Him. The French teen only a year older than myself. How dare he be so good looking, yet so judgemental! Sure, he had experience or so I was told, sure he had maybe been on a couple small quests or outings from camp. That was my guess, at least. He didn't act one bite like how I imagined a son of the Goddess of Love would. One thing he loved to do was fight, apparently. And judge people.

All he had told us in the van was our supplies; a bottle of nectar each, a bag of little cubes called ambrosia, three hundred American and twenty of these small golden coins called drachma. Me and Tetsu had swords of celestial bronze, while Èmile had a dagger and a slingshot, a small bag with it.

Tetsu remained quiet the whole way. Now and then he looked at the man with many eyes, Argus as I had been told, other times the boy played with something in his hands.

Argus had the song Eye Of The Tiger playing over the radio. I found it ironic, but made no comment.

The blond man of many eyes said nothing, I imagined he couldn't say anything. Did he even have a mouth? I didn't ask, even though I had so many questions...but I didn't need to.

"Do you blink all your eyes?" Tetsu asked, leaning forward.

Several of the eyes moved to him, and I felt myself gag in my throat. The few that glanced at Tetsu blinked.

"Can you talk? Or do you not have a mouth?" he continued, and I nearly begged him to stop.

Argus turned his head, with eyes still on the road and opened his mouth. Inside was a tongue...with an eye on it. I visibly turned green and gagged, holding a hand to my mouth.

"Oh! When you throw up, do yo-"

"Oookay!" I burped, patting the boy back in his seat. "Let's not, distract him from driving, okay?"

Tetsu frowned a second, then smiled and nodded. Turning away, I caught what was a remainder of a smirk on Èmile's face, which earned him an elbow in the side.

He glowered, yet said nothing. Better he didn't, I hadn't the energy to bring forth a lashing of insults. But I bet I could have him rethinking ever crossing with me, I thought to myself. I had made heard enough insults in my time. A few could be well suited. And calling him a bug-eyed dolt wouldn't be enough.

The van pulled off the main road to a side street, rolling past parked cars and few pedestrians.

Argus stopped the van, grunting to us. Finally, finally! An awkward drive had come to an end! I stepped out onto the path with the others sidling up beside me. Argus said nothing in farewell, afterwards driving off.

"This way" Èmile urged us on, already stepping off. I caught him by his sleeve, which obviously dazed the older half-blood.

"First off, we have to lay down a few ground rules dude. You with me, there?" I said.

He looked down at me, all high and mighty and handsome.

"First, yeah, we are inexperienced. So you gotta lay off. We're under enough pressure as it is.

Second! Stop with the attitude. This is a team thing, my quest, if anyone is due for some attitude it's me!

And third-"

"Nice braid" he said. I froze...and blushed.

"Oh...u-uh thanks, your sis- wait! No! You don't get to-"

But Èmile was already shaking his head while walking away, muttering to himself. He caught me so off guard...I wanted to call him so many names. But Tetsu was his saving grace.

Speaking of, the younger demigod was watching in awe at my sudden demonstration of courage. It was not something I was used to doing. Half of what I had even listed off or prepared to list off had made no real sense to me. He pat my arm, smiling before moving off to follow Èmile. I grumbled, following close enough.

Aphrodite kids using looks against others sounded on brand from what I knew, anyway. Even still, it caught me off guard. It annoyed me greatly, also.

We moved out into a busier street, searching for a bus stop.

What surprised me the most was how everyone was indifferent to us. A few kids with sharp swords and armor. Maybe they thought we were going to a LARP session? I swallowed my pride to ask.

"Hey...Èmile? Why...why doesn't anyone see us with these?" I asked, trying to be hushed.

"The Mist. They didn't teach you?"

"They didn't teach us much" I answered glaring.

Èmile paused, then pointed to a nearby bench. We each took a seat with Tetsu in the middle.

"The monster you faced. The Telkhine. Did anyone take notice of it?" I shook my head in response. "No, they didn't. The Mist is a magical force that hides myth from mortals eyes. Changes what they see. A man with a dog head may appear as a wrestler. A kid with a sword might look like a kid with a rolled up newspaper."

So...The Mist was an illusion for mortals. That we could see through? I somewhat understood.

"Okay...okay I get you" I replied, nodding. I glanced up at the sign, soon standing up to look at the bus routes.

"So...where are we going?" I asked over to Èmile, tracing a route with a finger.

"Nashville first. The prophecy...I think it was rather direct for where we need to go. Yellowstone."

I recalled the prophecy spoken by the Oracle. It had been spoken indirectly. The rest was still up in the air. Now that I thought about it, I had no realized what Chiron had meant about Tetsu. He was a lucky kid. But that just seemed strange.

"Why can't we fly?" I asked, glancing to the pair. He shook his head.

"Bad idea. A lot of monsters could catch you up there, and there'd be no way to escape, cher."

That made clear sense. Up in the air, where would you go if a monster caught the same flight? Not like we all had parachutes. So the bus it was.

I continued memorising the bus transits, Tetsu continued playing around with whatever it was he had with him and Èmile leaned back on his bench, pondering how next to push us no doubt.

I sighed. Obviously, we hadn't gotten on the best of foots. But I was still in very much unknown territory. The Gods, monsters and half-bloods. I wasn't fully into it yet. Till then, I would have to try my best.

A hiss drew my attention to an arriving bus, having not noticed it while deep in thought. Èmile was in the process of boarding, Tetsu close behind.

"Hey!" I called after them, clutching my pack straps. As I stepped aboard, my eyes caught onto something.

A couple men in burly coats watched from afar. I felt a shiver up my spine. I didn't like how they were facing us, watching us from those trench coats. Or the retreating paw from inside his sleeve.

I shivered again imagining them out there. I felt I should warn the other two but Èmile was...well being himself with that high and mighty look and Tetsu was fast asleep. So I settled in my own seat, waiting for the two men to board.

When they didn't, I felt we were in the clear and let myself drift off. Bad idea.

It must have been to do with being half god, these dreams. They always felt so real. Yet this one appeared far creepier than the last. And being set on fire is hard to top.

I was in a dark cave, a cold breeze sweeping through from elsewhere. A white object glistened in what little light there was. Crackling fire was heard from behind me.

"We should go. I don't like it down here" I heard Tetsu say. Wait, why was Tetsu in my dream?

"Not yet. I...I saw them take her this way" said Èmile from behind me. I tried to move, only to find myself locked in place. My wrists felt cool against...metal? There was an odd warmth down my left arm, and a searing pain in my thigh.

"Wait! I see her!" Rushing footsteps accompanied by panting was heard from behind. Then the pair came into view. They looked worse for wear. But that's not what made me scream myself awake.

No...it was bulking mass that stood behind them. A gaping jaw. And a deep, guttural growl.

I stirred awake, shaking in my seat. An old lady nearby glanced up, only to go back to her book.

My eyes went over the bus occupants. Tetsu was still fast asleep, while Èmile had taken to the window, gazing out. He seemed more relaxed than before. I kept quiet, not wanting to ruin the peace and quiet before he got doing some kind of drill on the bus.

Looking out the window, we were in a forest. Early morning, a low chill air filtered through an open window. No city blocks, no sky lining towers. This was country.

Forest slowly became a town, to a small city. The bus hissed to a stop. Everyone got up and filtered out. I spied Èmile up front, doing a head count before we all made it out, then ushered us aside.

"Got your stuff on you?" He asked, doing an equipment check on his own things. I nodded, as did Tetsu.

Having a good look at him, he was doing a lot better since the New York alleys. His hair was slicked back, and his smile a little brighter. I ruffled his hair a little.

"All right. Let's find a place to settle down, get a meal and then train" he said, already looking.

I glanced at him. Train? Out here? What did he plan for us to do? And during a quest nonetheless...now that it occurred to me, maybe there was no better time to train than in urgency. But even still, I disliked the idea heavily.

I didn't get to voice any concern before he was already crossing the street to an Ihop. I sighed, urging Tetsu along. With the boy tagging along, we caught up as he entered.

Èmile got us a table and immediately took a seat, browsing the menu. And by browsing, I mean using it as a cover to spy on the other customers. He didn't do a really good job at it, though.

"So...train, huh? I get we don't have much in training-"

"I took fencing" Tetsu piped in, reading his menu.

"...Okay, so he took fencing. But I got nothing. I don't even get why Chiron sent me on this quest! It was a stupid idea, and I'm sure he knows it...and you know it to" I said. I tried to search his expression for any amount of sympathy. I got none.

"I was against you being sent at all. Yet here we are. Now get breakfast. We will train with swords first." He got back to ordering and spying. I huffed, tempted to kick him under the table. No, that wasn't enough to hurt his pride.

In the end, I ordered pancakes. Tetsu ordered the same. Èmile settled on coffee with sugar.

We took our time, or tried to without Èmile constantly trying to rush us, telling us to hurry or we won't have time to train. That just made me eat slower, to taunt him. And I know he knew it. That made it feel more enjoyable.

"So...Nashville. Just a stop off on the long road ahead?" I asked with a mouthful. He shot me a disgusted look.

"Yes...just a stop."

"You seem tense. Drink your coffee, seriously" I gestured to his coffee, which was cold by now. He took a sip, glaring.

"Demigods have to be ready. Always. Monsters can disguise themselves as people. If they get close enough, we can't fight. Okay?" I rolled my eyes. He needed to chill a little. We had been fine so far.

...Me and my big mouth.

The child of Aphrodite stared straight ahead. I frowned, half eating a pancake and turned my head as well...the pancake promptly fell to the floor.

"Run. Back door, we'll run through the kitchen" said Èmile, already getting out of his chair. I couldn't believe my eyes.

Those coated men had followed us here. They must have hitchhiked, or caught another bus. And they stared directly at us.

I shook my head in disbelief.

"Helene, run!"

One of them charged the window, holding a large object in both hands. Too late did I realize as a letter box came crashing through, colliding with a table. The second coated man sprinted at the opening, pushing a car on its side.

I pushed my chair over, grabbing my pack then going in a mad sprint, weaving between families. A plate of pancakes sailed past my head, followed by bacon and a chair. Screams echoed around us as we pushed through the kitchen, despite Ihops staff yelling at us madly.

One of the coated men grabbed at me, Èmile holding the door ahead open for Tetsu. I felt a pull, falling back.

Èmile drew his dagger and threw himself at the coated man, slashing back and forth while Tetsu grabbed a nearby fork. He tossed it. I watched as if in slow motion as it bounced off a pan overhead, landing directly on the man's head.

Their hat fell off, revealing a very upset dog face.

"Half-bloods! You won't be getting away, not after what you did to our little brother!"

"For our little brother!" the other echoed.

The telkhine roared, tearing his claws in the air where I had been moments ago. Èmile dragged me out of the way, slashing with his other hand till we were out. The door closed behind us, with Tetsu moving a dumpster against it. The door shook upon impact, followed by another roar.

"Go!"

I didn't need to be told twice.

Èmile took up the rear of our sprint down the back alley, with Tetsu in my grip to keep him caught up at the front. Seriously, twice these monsters got chasing us down in the same week. What were the chances!

A crash drew my attention over my shoulder. Trash flew by, making my stomach curdle at the passing smell. The dumpster lay on its side, rubbish in a heap. They had gotten through and immediately rushed after us.

Èmile got his sling out, readying a smooth bronze ball. He let it loose.

An audible snap was heard, followed by a yelp as one of the telkhine held it's leg, howling. Beside him, his brother rushed ahead snarling and swinging a trash bag to toss it ahead.

A well timed duck avoided becoming a trash panda on the side of the road, the bag splitting out its contents all over someone's car. Poor dude, but no one has time for a quick clean up when they're being chased by a couple of beast-men.

"Left! Go left! Head for the crossing!" Èmile shouted.

I turned a hard left, my sword slapping at my side over and over with every step in its scabbard.

There's no way we can out run these guys! What is Èmile thinking?! I asked myself.

We would have to fight them soon enough. Take them on. Cut them down to size. That's what I expected Èmile to say when suddenly he stopped around the corner.

"Keep running! I'll catch up!"

Now...I did not like the guy. Ever since this quest started, he had been on top of us. He expected that soon we would be training, expect the worst.

But now, now he was about to take them out on his own? Sure we were inexperienced but that felt worse! That we were going to be left...alone.

I wasn't going to let that happen. I appeared next to him, drawing my sword.

It wobbled in my grip as if ready to leave in a second. It weighed my hands down. With what strength I had, I pulled it up. Èmile glared at me, yet made no argument. Tetsu appeared on his opposite side, already in a fencing stance.

Too late to run now as they appeared around the corner. Both telkhine snarled, one gnashing his teeth.

"Given up running, little demigods? Too bad, now we won't be so hungry!"

"The boy! Hand him over!"

Tetsu quivered as their gazes settled upon him. My grip tensed on the hilt.

"Why?" I asked, taking a step forth. "Why do you want him?"

"For Mother Nemesis! She hates his kind!" one growled, gnashing his teeth again. Drool splattered on the concrete, threatening to splash over to hit us.

"Give him, and we might let you go. Especially you" the other said, pointing a clawed hand at me.

I tensed. Why...why did the last telkhine want to avoid killing me? And these two seemed adamant on that as well. No, I wouldn't let them harm Tetsu.

"You want him?" Both their ears perked. "You'll have to go through us." Èmile said nothing. He had been focusing, his eyes glancing over both of the monsters. Scanning them for weaknesses?

Apparently what I said to them sounded more like an invitation as they roared in challenge. They charged.

I fumbled when they moved so fast, for something so bulked. The right one went straight for Tetsu, hunger in his eyes. The left one directed itself towards me, taking up my challenge.

I knew that Èmile had been left in a tough position...so when he leapt to face the right one, leaving me alone, I only partially blamed him...okay I fully blamed him, but I would get over it later.

Surviving had to come first.

I slashed up as I had when Èmile had told me to back at camp, bringing it back down once it went all the way up.

The telkhine backed off suddenly, before lunging for an opening. I stumbled back, swinging wildly now with all the strength I had. Several hits landed, weak cuts through its thick hide. Claws slashed at my chest, I felt a hot burning pain through my armor. I hissed through my teeth, fighting for my life.

I couldn't get a good look at the other two, only catching a glance at Èmile on the other telkhines back while Tetsu stabbed and retreated, quite obviously fearing for his own life. They wanted him. I couldn't let that happen.

A new found resolve flowed through me. A sudden warmth, like the sun was shining on me alone with all the heat of day.

I shouted as I thrust forward. Claws scratched at my back when we both fell back. I felt my sword stab through his chest, pushing further suddenly as it pierced through. I fell to the concrete as it turned to dust, which caught me off guard. But I was too in pain to truly realize.

Rolling over I took a deep breath, staring up at the clear sky.

Tetsu appeared over me, a very worried look. How bad must I have looked? Did I get hurt bad?

Èmile was next to appear, taking my hand and pulling me up despite my pained reluctance. Yet instead of helping me after, he let go. There was frustration crossing all over his face.

"What...were you...thinking?!"

I hadn't the clearest idea what he meant, stunned from having survived my first fight and his sudden yelling.

"I told you to run! Do you know how many have died to monsters because they stood there, thinking they could take it on?!" he continued with his berating, poking my chest. It stung.

"You could have gotten Tetsu killed, or yourself even! We got lucky, but you can't rely on luck!" He paused, looking me in the eye. "Well?! Anything to say for yourself?!"

I shook. Tears threatened to spring to my eyes. I felt like I was being told off by a foster family for making trouble, getting treated like a kid.

And I hated that it was Èmile ridiculing me, most of all.

"Fine. We have to find a place to look that over. Maybe you can put those Apollo gifts to use, you aren't the only one hurt."

I quickly turned my gaze down. Yeah...we got lucky. But I felt I had made a very bad job. I nearly got us killed...and it stuck with me that I didn't fully understand just how bad this all was. How much danger we were really in.

Just how little I understood about this new world I had stepped into. It came crashing in like a broken dam.

How foolish of me, really.