The Search for the Lost Mousai
Chapter Seven
Staring out the window at the dark gray sky, Aidan sighed. He had heard from the gray wraiths that Clio escaped.
When he turned around, Josh was standing by his desk. Smiling, Josh set a flask down filled with sparkling gold liquid. Aidan smiled.
"You're doing well," Aidan said.
"Thank you, sir," Josh said, before bowing.
"You may go, and keep up the good work," Aidan said.
Bowing once more, Josh disappeared.
Aiden stared at the sparkling gold liquid. The moment he reaches out to touch the flask, a whisper reached his ears.
"Why are you collecting the muse's essence?"
Aidan turned around and bowed to a man in a long black cloak that draped on to the floor. But the image seemed to phase in and out of focus.
"Master…" Aidan said, still bowing.
"Answer my question," the robed being said.
"I am collecting the essence for you."
"Go on."
"By collecting the muses' essence, it should be enough to perform the ritual."
"So, all I have to do is devour only one muse."
Aidan nodded.
"I see. Your idea is sound. But remember, you know what will happen if you fail me."
"Yes master," Aidan said.
The image of his master disappeared. Aidan picked up the flask and placed it on the shelf next to the other.
"Two down, seven more to go."
Back at the encampment, Thalia smiled as she looked over at Clio and Mel. It warmed her heart seeing Mel made it back safely with another sister. Thalia gently placed her hand over the two of them.
Looking at the entrance, Thalia nodded to Percy as he entered and stood beside her.
"I never got the chance to thank you," Thalia said.
"You're welcome," "Mel is brave. I never knew she could fight," Percy said.
"Fight?" Thalia said, raising an eyebrow. "I never known her to fight a day in her life."
The two of them turned to the entrance as Jessica entered. She nodded to both of them before looking over at Mel and Clio, who were still sleeping.
"Okay, when they wake up, all of you meet me in the clearing." Jessica said.
"Uh sure, may I ask what for?" Thalia asked.
"Training," Jessica said.
Before Thalia could protest, a guard stood outside the tent. Jessica turned to the entrance, and the guard bowed.
"What is it?" Jessica said.
"It's Helen. She wants to speak with you," the guard said.
Nodding, Jessica left the tent with Percy.
Back at the main tent, Helen's face appeared within the crystal with an annoyed look. Moments later, a loud roar followed by smoke appeared outside the tent. A stone dragon poked its head in the tent. Jessica smiled as she pet the dragon's head. Helen sighed as Percy chuckled.
"Good boy, now go help the others keep the camp safe," Jessica said.
The dragon nodded as he pulled his head out of the tent and walked away.
"A dragon?" Helen asked.
"A stone dragon," Jessica corrected.
"Hell hounds, Chimeras, a pack of demonic wolves and now a stone dragon," Helen said, shaking her head followed with a sigh. "When are you going to stop collecting animals?"
Looking away, Jessica huffed as Percy chuckled again.
"Okay, you two, do you have any information on The Dawning?" Percy asked.
"Yes, it's a ceremony to return The Wraith God back to the plains of the living." Helen said.
"How are the muses involved?" Percy asked.
"Hm, it seems they're needed to complete the process."
The image changed to a picture of eight dots around a large dot in the center.
"The dots around the one in the middle signify the muses." Helen said.
"Where's the ninth muse?" Percy asked.
Helen paused. "In the Wraith Gods stomach."
Both Jessica and Percy's eyes grew wide.
The eldest sister is a conduit for taking in the essence of the other muses.
"Wow… that's a lot to handle," Percy said.
"Correct. While I congratulate you on saving another muse, we need to ramp this up as soon as possible."
Percy nodded. Jessica looked at the entrance of the tent as Thomas walked in.
"I'm come to inform you, the muses are in the clearing," Thomas said.
"Thank you," Jessica said.
Thomas bowed and left the tent.
"Clearing?" Helen asked.
"I am going to teach the muses how to fight," Jessica said.
Helen nodded as Percy stood up.
"I'll head over there now and explain everything to Mel," Percy said, leaving the tent.
Nodding, Jessica stood up and walked over to a chest by the table.
"So, did you find this information...from the archives?" Jessica asked.
"No, I found it on the 16th floor," Helen said. "I felt drawn there."
"Good, I'm glad." Jessica said, pulling out a few weapons. "So, why are ya still here? I know it's not to chitchat."
"I have sent out other librarians to unusual locations hoping to find more muses," Helen said. "Everyone has reported in except one…. Elizabeth.
Jessica balled up her fists the moment she heard that name. She looked back at Helen with an icy stare, one that Helen knew all too well.
"You have muses to protect. I will inform you of any info I find about her." Helen said.
Jessica merely nodded as Helen's image disappeared from the crystal.
Taking a deep breath, Jessica pushed her anger and worry back down in the pit of her stomach. Turning to the entrance of the tent with the weapons in hand, she walked out and headed to the clearing for she had muses to train.
Meanwhile, in the clearing, Mel, Thalia, and Clio looked over the training dummies. Within a moment, Percy had each muse practice punching and kicking on their own dummy.
Percy walked by each of them. Thalia's punches were hard but dead center. Clio was punching with no force and ending up slapping her dummy in frustration. Mel's eyes narrowed as she punched with a lot of force. Her kicks held the same amount of force as well.
Thalia and Clio watched as Mel continued hitting harder and harder. She was tasked with saving her sisters from the clutches of darkness. But the one she wanted to save the most. She couldn't even reach.
Mel needed to get stronger and faster. She had to do this so she can see her sisters' smiling faces and hear their laughter again. This was her responsibility and, like it or not, she would save them all.
Mel's eyes flashed black as she punched the head off the dummy.
"I will protect you all."
Looking back at Thalia and Clio, their eyes widen as they punched and kick at their dummies again. Percy laid a hand on Mel's shoulder. Looking at Percy, she wiped away a few tears.
"I just want to protect and save my sisters."
"You will. Where did you learn hand to hand combat?"
"Euterpe, she made me practice every day." Mel said, helping Percy setup another dummy for her. "I thought I would never have to use it."
"Your sister is wise," a voice said.
Percy and Mel looked at Jessica, who rolled out a set of weapons. Seeing the headless dummy, she looked back at Mel.
"Did you do that?"
"Uh, yeah," Mel said.
Jessica smiled. "Good job. Let's spar."
Mel nodded as she joined Jessica.
Percy continued monitoring Thalia and Clio's moves. While Jessica and Mel sparred.
It amazed Jessica at the level of blows Mel was getting in. But she noticed a hesitation in each punch she got hit with. So, Jessica slipped in, landed a kicked and followed up with a sweep kick that knocked Mel flat on her back.
Jessica laid down beside Mel.
"What's with the hesitation? Jessica asked.
"Percy told us about the ritual, but only told me about Euterpe's fate," Mel said, followed by a sigh. "While I want to get stronger to protect and save my sisters, there is just so much.."
"Pressure," Jessica finished for her.
"Big time."
"I feel it all the time."
Mel looked at Jessica. "How do you deal with it?"
"By doing the best I can. Also, remembering I'm not in this alone," Jessica said, standing up. She extended her hand out to Mel. "Let's do our best."
Mel smiled as she took a hold of Jessica's hand. The moment Mel was on her feet, the two sparred again.
Hours flew by, Jessica decide to take a break. Thalia and Clio were guzzling down water as Mel walked over to the edge of the clearing, looking up at the clear reddish orange sky.
Sunset was upon them as a pleasant breeze trickled by Percy and the others. Guzzling down another water bottle, he took a deep breath.
"They learn fast," Percy said.
"Which is a good thing," Jessica said, looking at Mel. "The pressures of being an older sister."
"Yeah, but I think she can handle it." Percy said.
Jessica nodded, followed with a sigh as she looked up at the sky.
"Something on your mind?" Percy asked.
Jessica sighed. "Yeah, but it can wait. "We got more training to do."
Jessica stood up and walked toward the training dummies, with Percy right behind her.
Mel continued looking out from the clearing as the image of Euterpe appeared beside her.
"Congratulations on finding Clio," I never thought of training all of our sisters to fight, Euterpe said.
Mel's silence caused Euterpe to sigh.
"I am sorry. I pushed you away, but it's not safe where I am."
"In the Wraith God's stomach?" Mel asked.
Euterpe eyes widen. "No, but I figured that's what he wanted me for."
Mel explained to Euterpe about The Dawning. Sighing, Euterpe cleared her throat.
"We must hurry, but please be careful. Visions are taxing on the body."
"I know. I promise I will save you Euterpe."
"I know you will."
Mel nodded. Closing her eyes, Mel snapped them opened as the sound of screaming echoed through her ears. She was no longer in the clearing with the others but in a vast jungle surrounded by nothing but trees and all kinds of plant life.
A woman with dirty honey blond hair ran past her with a woman with short brown hair.
Mel chased after them, but the moment she saw two massive boars behind her, she rolled out of the way. Jumping up, Mel ran after them. Finally catching up to them, the brown haired woman looked very familiar.
"We have to keep running," the blond said.
"We can't." "Please let me keep the beasts at bay while you find a way out," the brown haired woman said.
Before the blond woman could say anymore, the brown hair woman turned around. Her eyes flickered as she swayed her hips and turned in a circle. Her steps harmonized with the sounds of the jungle.
The boars stopped in its tracts. Their eyes were mesmerized by the woman's dancing. Mel's eyes flickered as a word escaped her lips.
"Terpsichore."
A light flashed, and Mel returned to the clearing. Her eyes flickered as a teal light outlined her body and lifted her off the ground. Euterpe looked at Mel floating in the air.
"What's happening?" Mel asked, with a hint of worry in her voice.
"You saw another sister. The link is teleporting you to where she is."
By the time Percy, Jessica, Thalia, and Clio ran to Mel, she was barely visible anymore. Percy tried to pull her down, but his hand went right through her. Jessica tossed Mel her dagger belt, which she caught.
"Mel!" Clio and Thalia yelled.
"I'll be fine. I found Terpsichore; she is in the jungle with another person."
Jessica and Percy nodded as Mel disappeared. Before anyone could say another word, shouting from the encampment caught their attention. They turned around as they watched the stone dragon flying over it, breathing out gray fire.
Pulling out her sword, Jessica stood ready as she narrowed her eyes. Percy stood in front of Clio and Thalia with his sword ready.
Clio and Thalia moved closer together as they looked down at the weapons Jessica brought with her. Thalia picked up a spear while Clio grabbed a sword.
Jessica's eyes remained fixed on the entrance of the clearing. The moment the gray wraiths entered; she took a deep breath.
Okay, everyone looks like we're about to get some weapons training in real time."