The Muse Search

Chapter 8
The fights with monsters got harder because I was alone, except for Raion. Most didn’t care if I was the son of Tartarus, they still attacked. Regardless of that, I made my way through the southern tip of Nevada on foot, hitchhiking, and once on bare horse back. (Worst experience ever) After that I made my way through California to Hollywood. I asked for directions to the Kodak Theater and made my way there.

“I guess this is it.” I said. I made my way in to the theater, it being a tourist attraction and all, it wasn’t hard to sneak in. (Plus living in Hermes cabin for a month helped) I saw a man with a sword on his belt heading down to the basement. I guessed that he had something to do with the muses because nobody seemed to notice that he had a sword. So, I followed him down to the basement.

“Welcome, young son of the pit.” A male voice called behind me. I turned around to notice the door slam shut and the guy I saw before in front of it. “Who are you?” I said as I pulled out Omnia. “Now now, calm yourself. My name is Thamyris.” he said. “So are you leftovers from the Gaea incident as well?” I asked. “How dare you call me leftovers. No, Chaos brought me back so that I can have the final laugh over these ladies for stripping me of my singing voice.” Thamyris said while pointing to a cage with nine ladies in it. “These ladies will pay for what they did. I’ve already stripped them of their voices.” he continued.

“Oh, boo hoo, you lost a competition because you were arrogant and wanted to do the muses.” I said. “Silence, I won that competition. They cheated. The judges were biased towards them and said they won.” he said. “Nobody likes a sore loser. Now, let the muses go and go back to the underworld.” I said. “You know what, if you can find anyone or group that I believe is better than me at music, then I’ll let the muses go and go back to the underworld. I swear that on the River Styx.” he said. “Really, all I have to do is play a song that you would find better than yourself? That sounds easy enough. Wait, I don’t have an instrument.” I said. “Don’t worry about that.” he said. He snapped his fingers and spawned almost every kind of instrument, even a sackbut. (It’s an old version of a trombone, look it up)

I pulled out a keyboard. It was the only instrument I knew how to play well and not look like an amateur. I didn’t have that bad of a singing voice either. I decided to play a parody of ‘Let it Go’ from Frozen. (If you didn’t know that, then you have problems) It was one I made up and I called it ‘Let ‘em Die’. I played and sung in minor, with a few mess ups here and there. (The lyrics are in the notes at the bottom) (P.S. if anyone wants to actually sing this version of Let it Go then please do so and put it on YouTube and PM me the link please and thank you.) “Not bad, for a normal human. I did like the minor rendition, but you should have put more soul into it, that and the mess ups here and there, but nice try.” he said. “Screw this,” I said, “let me show you what arts I know.” I said while pulling out Omnia and summoning Raion. “Okay, let’s dance.” Thamyris said as he pulled out his sword. It was a fancy fencing sword.

Before I could move Thamyris was right on top of me. I blocked him in the nick of time. Raion swiped his claws at him. He jumped out of the way. “You are a lot better at fighting than you are at singing.” Thamyris said. “How are you that fast, I thought you were a singer?” I said. “When the muses stole my voice I took up the sword.” he said. While he was saying that Raion sneaked behind him. “It’s not nice to sneak up on people.” he said without even looking towards Raion. Then, in a blink of an eye he slashed me on my back, somehow getting behind me. “That’s not humanly possible to be that fast.” I said in a mixture of amazement and slight pain. “When you have a thousand years to train, you get pretty outstanding results.” he said. Then, he unleashed hell. He barraged me with slashes all over my body. Raion tied to help me but Thamyris just dodged around him like a dancer.

I fell like a rock after about two hundred to two hundred and fifty slashes. (I lost count after twenty) “Aw, you didn’t even entertain me for too long.” Thamyris said with sarcastic disappointment in his voice. Raion tried to help but ended up falling for a trap and fell into a pit. “It looks like this is the end for you.” he said with his sword raised over me. “Stop.” a familiar female voice said from the door. I looked up from where I was laying and saw two people. I couldn’t make out their faces, because my vision was blurry from pain and blood loss. “Joshua, are you alright?” a different, but still familiar voice said to me. “I’ve been better.” I said weakly from the slashes.

The two figures came rushing towards me. They were coming into focus; it was McKenzie and Sakura. “What are you guys doing here? I thought you left me.” I asked. “We did until your dad showed us how much in trouble you were.” McKenzie answered. She had her bow pointed straight at Thamyris. “How did you guys get here so fast?” I asked. “You dad let us through him for a short cut.” Sakura answered feeding me ambrosia and nectar. “Are you guys alright, most people don’t come back from Tartarus the same, if at all?” I asked feeling well enough to stand. “We weren’t there long, about ten seconds.” she answered. When I noticed McKenzie had her bow drawn at Thamyris, I said, “Stop, you won’t be able to hit him. He has inhuman speed.” “Then how do we fight him?” McKenzie asked. “He said if I could show him anyone or any group that he found better than himself, then he would let them go. He even swore that on the River Styx.” I said. “I tried a solo gig, but that failed and I decided to fight him. You can see how that worked.” “Well, we do have a child of Apollo on our side let’s see if we can’t do something, together.” Sakura said. “Yah, let’s do it.” I said.

“You’re going to try the music approach again. This should be entertaining.” Thamyris said. He spawned all the instruments from before. “First we need a moment to think of a song.” I said. We huddled upped and discussed what we were going to do. “I’ve already tried doing my ‘Let it Go’ parody and that didn’t work.” I said. “What kind of music does he like?” Sakura asked. “I don’t know, he never told me, and I doubt he would tell us anyway.” I answered. “I’ve got a song in mind.” she said. “Let’s try ‘Magnet’. We all know how to play all of the parts from listening to it so much.” (If you want to hear the song, here it is www.youtube.com/watch?v=egxSBhfjcTU) “I guess that’ll work, but who’s going to do what?” I asked. “I’ll play the drums.” McKenzie said. “I’ll sing the first part.” Sakura said. “That means I got the second singing part and the keyboard.” I said. Then, my face turned red from thinking of the lyrics and who were singing them. “Are you all right Josh, your face is red again?” Sakura asked. “Oh, uh, yah, I’m fine. Let’s get to playing.”

After we finished the song I saw a tear fall down Thamyris’ face. “That was beautiful. The lyrics were outstanding, the singing itself was amazing, and the instruments were to-die-for.” he said. “Wow, I wasn’t sure that was going to work.” I said. “Here just take the keys.” he said while handing them out to us. “That worked a little too well.” Sakura said. Then, something happened that was totally unexpected. Thamyris stabbed himself in the heart with his own sword. “As I promised, I’ll return to the underworld. This will be my last curtain call.” he said as he hit the ground. “That was a bit drastic.” I said.

I went over to the cage and unlocked the door. All nine muses came rushing out. “Finally, we can talk again.” one said. I believe it was Urania (the muse of astronomy) because she was holding a telescope. “Thank you young demigods.” another one said. I was pretty sure it was Erato (the muse of love poetry) because she was wearing some skimpy clothing. “Really, no thanks are necessary. We were only doing what we were sent to do.” I said. “We are all in your debt.” one with a huge text book with her said to us. That one was probably Clio (the muse of history). “No, really, it was nothing.” McKenzie said. “If there is any way we can repay you, let us know.” one in a church coral dress said. That one was most likely Terpsichore (the muse of choral poetry). “If you can get us back to Camp Half-blood fast that would be nice.” Sakura said. “Wait,” I said, “I think we’re forgetting someone.” “Oh crap, Raion.” I said realizing he was still in the pit. I focused a tear to appear at the bottom of the pit and then open another one right to me. Sorry buddy. I thought to Raion Not cool, you owe me fifty steaks for that. he thought back. Fifty!? Fine I guess you do deserve it. I thought in response. Woot woot. Raion thought.

Notes

Aww, they came back. You probably guessed that. Anyway, I hope you loked it anyway and I hope you like the last chapter that comes out june 2nd.

sorry I forgot to put the lyrics in the description I'll do it when I can get a computer to copy and paste the lyrics in off of a flash drive.