I loved loved all the suggestions that was given to me and I got some ideas on what to do, but it seemed that one idea was requested over all the others so I decided to do that first since I got the most ideas for that. So anyway sit back and enjoy and I'm still taking suggestions on what to do with the other Olympians for their tournament, thank you everyone so much for the support in this fanfic!
When the arrow of the wheel slowed down and came to a stop everyone was staring at the result.
"Oh boy..."
"This...isn't going to be pretty..."
"Well...at least we get the toughest one done first...right?"
"That's debatable..."
Both teams were feeling the pressure, it didn't help that when they heard the said god chuckling evilly didn't make it any easier.
"Oh I am going to have fun with the kiddies..." Ares chuckled.
"Ares...remember nothing too life threatening..." Zeus said.
"yeah yeah I know..." the god of war said.
Suddenly Aphrodite seemed to get an idea and leaned over to whisper something in the god's ear. At first the god of war didn't seem too keen on the idea but the more Aphrodite whispered he took on this interesting look.
"You sure it'll work?" Ares asked.
"Trust me it'll be a nice little twist to your first competition," the goddess of love assured.
"Alright alright I'll go explain to the brats," Ares said waving the goddess away before he headed down and was on the stage with Percy before the half-blood went back to his team.
"Now as obvious as it may seem MY competition will be a series of battle tournaments. But the twist is that there are going to be different areas for the battles to take place," Ares announced, "that's where all the fun is so get ready kiddies for a REAL challenge now scram! We have few hours to put it all together!"
With that the said the half bloods quickly left the arena to rest up and start strategizing as much as they could.
"I don't know about you guys but I am TIRED," Ethan yawned, "I'm going to hit the hay for whatever time I can get fill me up on anything I missed."
"Same here please?" Malcolm said, as Noah was already fast asleep since Josh was carrying him back to his cabin.
"Sure, you guys deserve a break," Percy said smiling at the others.
"Thanks rrghh I swear to tartarus if I have to fight first thing..." Ethan growled walking off to his cabin as Josh said he'd take Noah to the Demeter cabin.
"Soooo this should be fun huh?" Percy said as he, Nico, Nyssa, Zoe and Zach headed to the lake.
"Please tell me that's sarcasm, I really don't want to know what the god of war has planned in his battle tournament." Nyssa said grimly, "especially if Aphrodite is giving him ideas and he agrees.
"Oh come on mom isn't THAT bad..." Zach said laughing.
"The goddess of beauty isn't one to be trifled with she is cunning behind those looks of hers," Zoe said seriously.
"Well we just have to be prepared for the worse I guess..." Nico sighed as he played with a gem in his hand trying to distract himself, "we're only a point behind so its not like its a total loss."
"Yeah! We're doing good if we just keep up with our pace." Percy nodded agreeing.
"Sweetie how are you doing!" Amelia called out making Percy's face turn red.
"M-mom!" Percy sputtered as Amelia came up to them and hugged the half-blood making the others grin back at him, "I'm fine! The others are taking a break till we get the notice that Ares is ready!"
"I guess but you better keep safe, that goes for all of you." Amelia said.
"My lady we will take heed to your warnings and be at our best." Zoe assured.
"I'm glad they have a good mentor like you Zoe, I know gods and all with their looks can be deceiving but you're older than you look correct?" Amelia replied.
"Yes," Zoe replied, "though even I am wary of what the god of war is thinking up."
"It's going to be big and violent that's for sure." Nico said dryly.
Even the campers who weren't competing were wondering what exactly that god of war had in mind since Ares wasn't exactly known for his easy challenges...
A few hours later...
"Has anyone seen Josh?" Zach asked worriedly when they looked around the stadium having yet to see the Apollo boy.
"I thought he was with Noah?" Percy asked.
"But he left as soon as he put Noah in bed! I asked the others!" Eli replied just as concerned.
"Aright and we are back!" Hermes shouted landing in the center.
"Hey looks like they're missing someone..." Bianca whispered to Thalia.
"Somehow I really doubt he'd be gone willingly," Annabeth said warily looking up at Hermes.
"Annnnndd as you all recall our challenge today will be the one issued by Ares!" Hermes said as he stepped off and Ares stomped up onto the stage.
"Alright you brats as I said before there will be a different set of 'areas' that'll be your place of battles and its not going to be all guys and glory...as much as I would love it to be..." Ares grumbled glowering at Zeus, "so this will be a battle fight but it'll be against the area and your opponents."
A display screen courtesy of Hephaestus and they saw an old looking, but dark castle. The towers were high, some of the bridges were broken down, it didn't help it looked something out of horror book.
"A person from each team will go into this location and fight not only each other but the components inside," Ares said.
"Uh wait we'll missing someone!" Percy shouted, "we're team member short!"
"No you're not, yer missing person is the goal for the castle." Ares said easily pointing to the image behind him.
"WHAT!?" Percy's team shouted.
"Now who'll step ?" Ares said and blinked when there was a puff of smoke next to him and a determined looking Zach appeared, "shoulda seen that coming."
Ares sent Aphrodite a look while the goddess just giggled.
"I'll go this is something I'm ready for," Luke said as he walked up to the stage while Zach was glaring angrily at the screen that showed where Josh was.
"Your goal is to get through the castle, locate the missing half-blood and bring him back to the starting point." Ares said, "Now as big as it is there is no time limit just don't go unconscious or that's an automatically disqualification."
"Alright lets get going," Apollo said but he couldn't help but sweat a bit at the dark look the usual happy magician had as he urged to two to get into his car. 'Oh boy I really hope Ares knows what he's doing using Josh as the goal.'
oOo
Apollo dropped the two off at the castle and the two walked into the entrance, it was tense between the two. Apollo shot off a spark, as a sign to start making Zach sprint ahead and Luke would've followed...if it weren't for the fact somehow his leg was stopped by a rope attached to a rock.
"Dammit Zach!" Luke growled and brought out his sword slicing through the rope, he was thankful the magician didn't use shackles on him to really hinder his movement and ran inside the castle as well.
As soon as he stepped in all the statues and broken suits of armor came to life and after him, using all that he learned from Chiron and his own training managed to break apart the armors as he ran down a corridor searching for the missing Apollo child.
"Wish he'd give us a general idea where he was," Luke cursed as he searched through each room, half the time the rooms were empty other times he had to duck as bats flew over his head and had to fight against some stone gargoyles that came to life from the columns holding up the upper floors of the castle.
Meanwhile with Zach, he was tearing through, literally anything that came after him like an expert, he nimbly dodged several obstacles that were thrown at him, the floor was littered with broken pieces of armor, granite chunks from gargoyles and several goops of liquid on the ground that stuck several pieces of armor and gargoyles.
All the magician was doing didn't go past the people watching back at the camp, many of them were shocked how skilled an Aphrodite child was doing wrecking through the castle, several mouths were dropped to the floor gawking at all the damage that Zach was doing, it paid that he was a magician as he could unlock doors rather quickly taking a glance in to see if Josh was inside.
"Josh where are you," Zach frowned checking another room and growled when there wasn't a sign of the brunette, which was really starting to agitate him.
Suddenly there was movement in the corner of Zach's eyes and he grabbed a sword that a suit of armor had been wielding just in time to block a sword coming straight at him. No wonder he couldn't see the person he was in a complete black suit of armor that blended in with the room. The opponent was strong as he pushed him out of the room and against the balcony railing. Zach tried reaching inside his tricks and throw down one of his tricks but the guy seemed to know and dodged it before he kicked Zach down over the edge.
"Not going out that fast!" the magician said as he got out his whip and grabbed onto a chandelier and swinging over to the other side just as it crashed to the floor below. When Zach looked up once more the figure was missing.
"Guess we know where the challenge is," Zach said disappearing into the main hallway.
With Luke he had just finished off a few more gargoyles and was breathing heavily, he had used the castle to his advantage by using the doors to stun the gargoyles or suits of armor that chased after him. He was walking through another corridor as he saw a flight of stairs.
"...I am so not going to be impressed if Josh is up in a tower..." Luke muttered as he started heading up and was about half way there before he heard the clanging of more armor and got ready for another empty shell of armor but his eyes widened when he saw another figure in black coming down the stairs he was on. He only got to stare for a few seconds before the two started to clash.
The opponent was good with a sword, Luke would admit that as he tried to get through the figure but the other was relentless. There were sparks coming off of the metal from the swords as they exchanged blows, the child of Hermes's child lost his breath a bit when the armored figure lashed out and kicked him in the chest making him lighten his grip a bit before he managed to readjust himself and managed to get a hit on his chest sending the figure back a few feet.
"Guess this was one of the challenges by Ares," Luke grunted as he ducked a blow with the blunt side of the sword. The opponent had yet to say anything, it was just robotic as it swung its sword again and Luke grabbed a head of suit of armor throwing it at the figure creating some distance between the two. With the opportunity with him he managed to slip by the figure and running up the stairs to check the tower for Josh.
Slamming the door with his shoulder he stumbled into an empty room and cursed to Hades that Josh wasn't here.
"This castle is too huge to find just one person," Luke scowled, "Damn and the guy just won't give up!"
Looking around he grabbed the sheet and stood by the side of the door waiting for him to come up. He didn't have to wait long when the clanging from the armor alerted him and as soon as the other guy stepped into the room he blinded him by throwing the bed sheet over him and leapt down skipping several steps at once to get away from him as fast as possible.
It took a few seconds for the guy to get through the blanket before he ripped through it and stared down the stairway.
A little bit later...
Luke was breathing heavily as he leaned against one of the pillars.
"What...the...Hades...I swear I've scoured the whole castle and nothing!" Luke grimaced.
Out of the shadows he heard something being thrown and ducked in time for a pair of bolos to wrap around the column nearly trapping him.
"And this is NOT helping!" Luke growled as he took out his sword and went back to fight the armored figure. Using his rage and frustration to fuel him more to take care of the black armored figure in hopes of stopping them so he could concentrate on the challenge, he fought back fiercely even getting in a few blows though he got his own fair share of marks and nicks.
Luke got a lucky break when the figure moved backwards but slipped on some broken debris that allowed Luke to swing his sword and literally knock the helmet off of the figure as he regained his balance.
When Luke saw whom it was his eyes widen, "No way..."
Zach slammed another door shut cursing as well, he had gone through several of the towers and they were all the same, empty, lifeless, empty and full of cobwebs. Making his way downstairs he caught sight of Luke fighting the same figure he had been fighting earlier and was about to walk away when he heard Luke give out a loud shout and a large clang rang throughout the empty main hall and the sound of a helmet hit the floor.
Curiosity getting the better of him he looked over the balcony and stared at the figure underneath the mask.
"JOSHY!?"
It was the missing Apollo's child they were suppose to find, except his normal green eyes were blanked out with a serious expression etched on his face. It was as if he didn't hear Zach and moved forward to continue to fight with Luke.
"Oh this explains why we couldn't find him!" the magician said as he ran as fast as he could down to the main hall where he brought up his own sword and fought against Luke and Josh.
"What the heck is wrong with him!?" Luke growled as he now had two opponents to deal with as Zach jumped over Josh and tried to get him from behind with his tricks but since it was Josh he knew several of the magician's tricks and dodged it before it hit him.
Zach got a closer look at Josh and saw some blurriness in his eyes making him realize something.
"He's under charm speak! They have that glazed blurriness in their eyes!" Zach exclaimed.
"What!? But he's fighting seriously and acts as if he can't hear us! Its more like he's being mind controlled!" Luke growled trying to swing at Josh but the Apollo boy blocked it and punched him hard which Luke barely scraped by.
"That's advance charm speak!" Zach grimaced, 'but the only one who has that much power in their charm speak to brainwash is...mother...'
Growling angrily the magician threw something at Luke that exploded on contact and making him yelp and he suddenly found himself glued to a few rocks making him struggle trying to get free but he couldn't move at all, which was what Zach wanted leaving him to deal with Josh.
"Joshua wake up!" Zach shouted trying to get the attention of the controlled Apollo boy but it was like talking to a wall. All that was in Josh's head was to just attack.
Since the Apollo boy knew the magician well his body seemed to automatically react and dodge when Zach tried tackling him down or using his tricks to slow him down, which wasn't good for the magician since it was leaving spots open for him to get attacked.
"Wanted to save this for later but no choice now," Zach grimaced as he took some mini pellets and loaded up the shooter he had on his wrist. He took aim not at Josh but near the Apollo boy's feet where there were blasts of smoke, Zach made sure he didn't breath any of it in. Josh did and he dropped his sword, tottering around disorientated, which allowed Zach to tackle him out of the smoke and down to the ground.
"Dammit Joshy wake up! Its me Zach!" The magician said but Josh wasn't responding "dammit what's mom's usual bit...she's the goddess of love so...oh Hades dammit! it had to be that didn't it!?"
Zach grimaces at the shear cliché of it but then again it was his mom, he should've known she had something like this planned since she was the one who did this to Josh.
"This is really not fun..." Zach grumbled and looked like the stuff was starting to wear on Josh the magician pulled Josh's face to his and kissed him on the lips.
"...You know I should be happy I don't have to bring Josh back," Luke muttered as he gave up on trying to escape one of the magician's bag of tricks but that didn't mean he wasn't as frustrated for not at least figuring out that Josh had been the one attacking them and they had to subdue him rather than just rescuing him.
Zach pulled back a few seconds later and was relieved when he saw Josh's eyes going back to normal.
"Joshy you're back!" Zach said hugging the dazed Apollo boy.
"Huh what? the hell am I?" Josh groaned rubbing his head and wondering why his body felt heavy he saw that he was wearing armor, "the heck!?"
"Uh...lets just say my mom decided to add a bit of a twist in this challenge." Zach chuckled as he helped Zach up, "she charmed spoke to you but since its well...my mom her charm speak can pretty much brainwash you."
"URgh that explains the fogginess in my head, I can't remember a thing. Wait how did you get me out of it did you charm speak to me to break hers?" Josh asked as Zach helped him to the entrance. The challenge WAS to rescue Josh and bring him to the front of the castle, he was sure Apollo would free Luke once he was at the front of the castle.
"Uh not exactly my charm speak can't break a goddess's didn't help that she put a spell on you as well," Zach coughed as he saw the large archway that was the entrance. At a mention of a spell Josh narrowed his eyes at Zach who was avoiding the subject.
"Zacharias..."
"I...kindasorathadtokissyouinfrontofthewholecamp!"
"You had to WHAT!?"
"I kinda had to kiss you...in front of the whole entire camp?"
"...Just get me out of here NOW..."
Josh was grumbling the whole time with Apollo looking relieved he was found but was chuckling at the dark look his son was sending him. The God of music disappeared into the castle to free Luke leaving the two alone.
"Can't believe you kissed me AGAIN...in front of the entire camp...AGAIN." The boy grumbled.
"I was worried about you too ya know!" Zach whined, "besides at least it broke the spell mom put on you! there was no other way!"
"And what kind of spell was it? a true lover's spell?"
"Uh...yeah? She is the goddess of love."
"Doesn't that have to work if it's both parties?"
"Uh huh even if I kissed you and you didn't like me than you would've remained brainwashed!..." Zach said before he and Josh realized what was just admitted," Joshy..."
"D-don't get ideas! I'm tolerating you Zach!" the Apollo boy sputtered.
"You really DO share the same feelings for me! otherwise the spell wouldn't worked!" Zach said brightening up and hugged Josh happily, "I knew it I knew it!"
"Stop it! we're still being watched dammit!"
This was the scene Luke and Apollo walked back to with Luke rubbing his arm where it was slightly bruised and looked at the god next to him.
"Can we get going?" Luke asked.
"Oh let them have their moment," Apollo chuckled, "Ares still has to prep the next area for the next contestants besides this was coming anyway."
Luke just rolled his eyes and sighed.