The Search for the Lost Mousai
Chapter Six
Sitting at his desk, Aidan stared at the sparkling blue liquid in the flask.
"Essence of a muse, with this my master can finally return to the surface permanently."
Aidan picked up the flask and placed it on his shelf.
"One down, eight to go."
Back at the encampment, Mel explained to Jessica and Percy what happen when she was unconscious.
"Statues of the Gods, heroes and animals trippy," Jessica said.
"Hm, a dimly lit room and torches did anything look new?" Percy asked.
"No, everything looked old, like an abandon history museum." Mel said.
"Clio is the muse of history. I can see why she is being held there," Percy said.
Jessica scratched her chin as she looked down at the ground. Noticing this, Mel and Percy looked in her direction only to see Jessica deep in thought.
"What's up?" Percy asked.
Snapping out of her trance, Jessica looked at both Mel and Percy.
"I need to check something, Jessica said, leaving the room.
Percy looked at Mel, who stood up.
"Come on, let's see what's going on."
Jessica walked through the camp to an entrance that led to a forest. When Percy and Mel got there, Jessica and the guards were already in a deep conversation.
"Any updates?" Jessica asked.
"Last we checked; the scouts found a building in the forest. They went to get a closer look," one guard said.
"I was about to send you the pictures the scouts took," the other guard said, pulling out his phone.
After a few moments, Jessica's cell phone dinged. Opening her cell phone, Jessica looked through the pictures. She stopped and turned around, showing a picture to Percy and Mel.
Mel's eyes widen the moment she spotted the familiar statues.
"That's the place," Mel said.
Jessica chuckled. "I had a feeling this wasn't a coincidence."
"What do you mean?" Percy asked.
"Helen tasked me and the warriors to search this forest because of its unusual activity," Jessica paused. "I've sent scouts on ahead to continue the search, but they haven't returned."
Jessica smiled, which confused Mel and Percy.
"What are you thinking?" Percy asked.
"You need to find Clio; I need to find my scouts, so let's go," Jessica said.
Mel smiled as Jessica walked into the main tent. She emerged a few moments later with a sword strapped to her back and three pouches. She tossed a pouch to both Percy and Mel, who nodded and put them on.
Jessica handed a belt to Mel with two daggers on it along with throwing knifes that circle around the belt.
"Thank you, but…" Mel was about to protest.
"You're welcome." Jessica said, cutting her off. "Like it or not, when the time comes, you will need to defend yourself."
Mel nodded. Putting on the belt, she looked up to see Thalia running to her.
"Leaving so soon?" Thalia asked.
"Yeah, we have to go save Clio," Mel said.
Thalia nodded. She wanted to protest, but she couldn't be selfish.
"Be careful, okay?"
Mel smiled. "I will."
"Okay, we have said our goodbyes. Let's move out," Jessica said.
"Ma'am!" a voice shouted.
Jessica let out a sigh as Thomas run towards her.
"Wouldn't it be best if I went instead?" He asked.
"I have been sitting in this camp for too long. Now I'm going to go stretch my legs and no, I am not taking anyone else with me, is that clear?!" Jessica yelled.
"Yes, Ma'am," Thomas said, regretting his words.
"Okay, now you see to the camp, Percy, Mel, let's go," Jessica said.
Thomas nodded as Mel, Percy, and Jessica headed into the forest.
Looking down at the Golden Sun Camp from a cliff, Josh's eyes narrowed as he looked at the camp through binoculars.
"Sir, three more people have entered the forest," a man said.
"Good. Let the stone wraiths deal with them." Josh said. "How is the flask?"
"Almost ready for harvest," the man replied.
"Good, everything is going according to plan," Josh said as he disappeared.
Meanwhile, walking in the forest, Silence welcomed Percy, Mel, and Jessica. With no birds sailing through the sky singing their usual melodies, along with no other signs of wildlife below, shivers ran up Percy's back. He didn't like this not one bit; it was as if Mother Nature herself was afraid of this place.
With only the rustling sound of their feet reaching their ears, Mel felt uneasy. She looked around every moment she could. But she was determined to save her sister, no matter what.
The three continued walking until they came across a stream and wooden bridge. They expected to hear running water, but when they didn't, they noticed the stream had been turned to stone. The wooden bridge was also turned to stone as well.
Mel looked around at the stone rabbits, deer, foxes and birds, along with other animal life. Jessica sighed as she spotted some of her scouts by the stream. They were stone as well.
"I would say this is Medusa, but I took care of her," Percy said.
"Medusa wouldn't turn water to stone," Jessica said.
The moment Mel moved, she thought she saw something. When she looked again, the stone animals' eyes were looking right at her.
Mel, Percy, and Jessica cautiously headed over the bridge. The stone animals stared at them, followed by the feeling that something else was watching them. Mel swallowed hard as she took a deep breath. Percy felt the same as Jessica narrowed her eyes.
"The stone animals…" Mel said.
"I see it too," Percy said.
From the gray trees and grass, Jessica knew this all too well. The moment the animals looked in their direction, a familiar howl reached her ears.
"Run!" Jessica shouted.
Taking Mel's hand, Percy took off running, with Jessica right behind them. Mel glanced back, seeing skeletal ghouls with gray cloaks chasing after them. The ghoul's eyes glowed as the stone animals were chasing after them, too.
"Don't look back. Run!" Jessica shouted.
Looking forward, Mel's eyes widen as more of the ghouls were in front of them. Percy and Mel slid underneath them while Jessica leaped over.
The three of them kept running when a white and blue building covered in vines came into view. Percy busted through the front doors, pulling Mel behind him as Jessica jumped inside.
Slamming the door shut, the three of them sat down to catch their breath.
"I never seen wraiths like that before," Percy said, catching his breath.
"Their gray wraiths, able to turn anything into stone," Jessica said. "Cassie had a group of us go wraiths hunting and we ran into them instead of the black ones. Let's just say it didn't end well."
"Cassie?" Mel asked.
Jessica sighed. "Yeah, before joining the GSL, I worked for a woman named Cassie, short for Cassandra, the same one who was cursed by Apollo."
"Wow," Mel said.
"Yeah… long story short, I realized how messed up she was and joined the GSL. Together with them and Percy, we saved the world from her sinister plan."
"Where is she now?"
"Locked up in the vault where she belongs."
Mel stood up and looked around the room. From the dimly lit torches on the walls to the dust and cobwebs, it all looked the same. Moving closer to the center of the room, Mel smiled. It was the massive statue of Hercules, the one she saw in her vision.
"We're here," Mel said.
Percy and Jessica stood up. It was almost as the picture described, but instead of Hercules in the center, it was Apollo.
"Okay, lead the way," Jessica said.
Nodding, Mel continued on through the room, with Percy beside her and Jessica following behind.
Silence echoed around them as they walked with only the crackling from the walls keeping them company.
"I heard Janet is still asleep," Percy said.
Jessica sighed, "Yeah, Helen is doing a good job, but she is pushing herself too hard."
"Like spending too much time in the forbidden archives?"
"You saw that, huh?"
"Hard to miss."
"Those archives. "I am not sure why, but that place just rubs me the wrong way."
"Which only means something evil is there," Mel chimed in.
"One of the many secrets of The Golden Sun, I suppose," Jessica said.
Mel stopped as her eyes flickered. Her ears twitched at the sound of Clio's voice.
"A story? I told the one of the creation of the Gods. Along with countless stories of their mingling with mortals. I even told all the hero stories I could remember. Oh no, I am afraid I have no more to offer. No, I don't want to be a statue. Someone please help me."
"Don't worry, help is on the way," Mel said.
"That voice… Mel? oh please let it be true," Clio said.
"It is. We are coming to save you," Mel said.
"I'll be waiting."
Blinking her eyes rapidly, Mel shook her head, her eyes focus back on Jessica and Percy.
"Is Clio close by?" Percy asked.
Mel nodded and pointed to the gigantic statue in front of them.
"We are at the statue of Apollo; I turn here and head down the hall to the right. Clio is that way."
"Okay, let's go," Percy said.
Nodding, Mel headed down the hall, with Percy and Jessica following. Percy and Jessica noticed the statue's eyes following them.
The hall felt like it went on forever but, the moment they reached the end Mel stopped just before entering the next room.
Mel pointed to the center of the room. Percy and Jessica looked to see a circle of animals around a woman tied up. The sun shined down through the window, revealing the woman's crystal brown hair and torn dress.
Looking at the corner of the room, Jessica noticed four familiar heads poking out from behind a large vase. It was the rest of the scouts; Jessica took a step toward them, only for the scouts to shake their head. One of them wrote something down and held up the piece of paper.
"The statues are alive," Jessica said out loud.
"Ah, that explains the wandering eyes," Percy said.
"It's never easy, is it? Jessica asked.
"It never is," Percy said.
Percy looked at Mel, whose eyes were looking up at the ceiling. Percy and Jessica looked up at the dark spot, seeing nothing.
"Something is up there," Mel said.
"I see. For now, let's save your sister," Percy said.
Mel nodded. Percy and Jessica stood in front of Mel as they moved toward the center. The moment they inched closer, the animal statues looked at them.
Clio opened her eyes and raised her head. While she wasn't sure who the two coming toward her were, the moment she spotted Melpomene behind them, a smile spread across her lips.
Looking down at the animal statues, Clio noticed their glowing red eyes. Clio did her best not to show her fear. But that didn't help, for the tiger and lion on either side of her growled.
"Clio, my name is Percy. This is Jessica. We are here with your sister to save you," Percy said, his eyes still on the animal statues.
"It looks like you're in for a fight," Clio said.
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Percy said, followed by a smirk.
Just then, the stone lion and tiger pounced on Percy and Jessica. Leaving the wolf and panther statue circled around Clio.
The scouts nodded as they threw a knife at the wolf, who jumped at them.
Mel glanced around the room. Percy and Jessica were still on the floor, wrestling with the lion and tiger statues. The scouts were shouting at the wolf, which only made it growl as it looked in their direction. Which left only the panther. It growled the moment it looked at Mel as it slowly stalked towards her.
Biting her lip, Mel ran toward the panther as it ran toward her. The moment both of them jumped in the air, Mel's eyes flickered as her foot bounced off the panther's head. Flipping in the air, Mel pulled out two throwing knifes. She threw them at the panther before landing in front of Clio. Glancing behind her, Mel's eyes widen as the knifes hitting the panther shattered it into pieces.
"Wow, you have changed," Clio said.
"Yeah, let's get you out of here," Mel said, pulling out one of her daggers.
Percy threw the lion off him; Jessica did the same with the tiger. Both the tiger and the lion growled and pounced. Jessica and Percy smiled as they ducked, causing both statues to crash into each other, smashing them into pieces. Percy and Jessica gave each other a high five as they ran off to the others.
Mel was cutting on one piece of the rope. She nodded, seeing Percy cutting the other. A thunderous roar rolled through the room the moment the ropes around Clio dropped to the floor.
Jessica threw the statue wolf up in the air as a pair of red eyes emerged from above. A tail smacked the wolf, shattering it.
Mel looked up as the red eyes from her vision came back to haunt her. This time, the whole body emerged from the dark spot. Jessica grinned from ear to ear while Percy, Mel and Clio ducked when a massive stone dragon swooped down, missing them by an inch. Everyone jumped out of the way as the dragon opened its mouth, breathing gray fire.
"Sweet!" Jessica shouted.
Percy shook his head.
"I think we have found our way out of here," Jessica said.
"Why not go back the way we came?" Percy asked.
The room shook again, and Jessica pointed back at the hall.
"Because I don't want to deal with that."
Everyone looked at the hall as the massive statues of Apollo and Athena headed their way.
"You got a point; how do we tame this thing?" Mel asked.
Jessica pulled out a rope from her pouch. Making a wide enough loop, she stood in the dragon's path.
"Leave that to me," Jessica said.
The dragon roared as it turned around. It flew straight for Jessica. Smiling, Jessica flipped over the dragon snout, landing on its back with the loop around its neck. Jessica pulled back hard on the dragon's neck. Shaking at first, the dragon finally stopped moving. Petting the dragon, Jessica smiled.
"All aboard," Jessica said, followed by a smile.
Percy, Mel, Clio and the group of scouts hopped on the dragon. Jessica pulled back on the rope as the dragon took flight. With a blast of gray fire, the window shattered as they flew through the ceiling.
Flying through the sky, Jessica shouted with joy while Percy laughed and joined in, as did the group of scouts. Clio laid her head on Mel's back. It felt nice to feel the wind upon her skin and the warmth of the sun.
"I'm free. Thank you," Clio said.
"You are welcome," Mel said.
A yawn escaped Clio's lips as her eyes grew heavy. She didn't want to close her eyes and let the sandman claim her. What if this is all a dream and when she woke up, she was back in that museum? No, she didn't want to sleep; she needed to stay awake to see this through. Much to her dismay, Clio's eyes closed.
"Please… don't let this all be a dream." Clio mumbled before drifting off to sleep.
The sound of light snores reached Mel's ears. Smiling, Mel glanced back at Clio. It felt good to find another sister, and she hoped she could keep it up. Looking around the sky and smiling at how close the clouds were, she felt a sense of calm. It gave her mind a chance to relax.
Soon, a yawn escaped Mel's lips. She had been running on adrenaline all this time, now it was time for her to get some sleep.
Glancing back at the sleeping muses, Percy smiled.
"Mel did good back there. I didn't know she could fight," Jessica said.
"Same here. She's becoming more confident and powerful day by day," Percy said.
"With some training, I bet all the muses can be as powerful as Mel. "
"I believe it. Do you really think we can save all the muses?"
"Oh yeah, and it's gonna be an adventure we will never forget,"