The Heroes Gather, Chapter 1

Henry slammed the ground for the 3rd time in a few minutes. "How is that possible" he asked Ian, his best friend, "We're using the same exact spinners but yet I haven't won a battle yet today". Ian smiled knowingly, "I don't know what happens, it's just I feel something in the metal and it's almost like I'm willing my spinner to beat yours. "Uh huh..." Henry said with more than a little bit of doubt. Ian always was more a building kind of guy. He loved digging holes and working with metal, while Henry loved swimming and water. They had slightly strange connections with their elements and their was a lot of trouble surrounding them. Some thought they had magical abilities while others just thought they were talented. Ian and Henry didn't know what to think and they really didn't care, though there was no dismissing strange things happened around them. There had been that time at the school trip to the zoo and the time in Ian's back woods. Ian was just about to beat Henry again at spinners when the window of his basement shattered as two big, lumbering, black dogs burst in. Ian, unafraid of most things, had began pitching spinners at the dogs as they snarled and charged. Henry managed to get his bee-bee gun and shoot the dogs just as they were about to rip out Ian's neck. Oddly the dogs dissappeared into a cloud of golden dust and were gone. Ian stood up, startled and just as he was about to thank Henry, three more jumped through the window and another two smashed through a window on the other side of the room. They stood perfectly still each side looking for an opening on the other side's defense. After a few seconds Henry whispered "1... 2... 3... and.... NOW!" as he and Ian took off up the steps. Henry threw open the door and started running, he turned around not hearing panting behind him and saw Ian still inside tugging the bottle of Bee-Bee ammunition out of the closet as the snarling dogs inched closer to him. Henry, alarmed, started to run back and shot towards the door hoping to scare the dogs. But one bold dog, presumably the leader, jumped towards Ian who held up his arm in self-defense. The dog latched on to arm and began to tear. At that moment, Henry shot reached the house, shot the leader dog and hauled Ian out the door. Ian quickly pulled himself to his feet and him and Henry ran towards the woods that bordered the neighboring houses. They kept running through the forest until they saw an outcropping of rocks. Henry started to climb them but Ian found an old, carved handprint in the side of the rock. "What the heck's this?" he said to Henry. "Does it really matter?" said Henry, "Get up here now". Ian as if in a trance, put his hand in the handprint and said, "Digiir Finrash". He quickly withdrew his hand as the rock swung open, revealing a little cave. "Come on in!" yelled Ian to Henry. "No way... I am NOT going into the creepy, magical rock". "Ok then" Ian replied "Feed the dogs if you want, it's up to you." Moaning, Henry dismounted the rock and dashed into the cave as the dogs were feet away from the entrance. Just as the dogs were about to enter the cave and destroy Henry and Ian, the rock swung shut and a few torches blazed on. It wasn't a big cave, just the size of a small room, but it looked like it had been inhabited before. There was armour, a two swords and a dagger, and a map unrolled on a small table. "How did you... do that?" Henry asked, confused and slightly scared. "I have no idea, once I put my hand into the carving, I just opened my mouth and those words same out. Was it Digger Finslash or something like that?" "I'm pretty sure it was Digiir Finrash" replied Henry. "Who cares what I said?" said Ian, "There's swords and stuff in here!" "Yes" replied Henry "But see those bones? People were in here and couldn't get out." "Yeah yeah, we'll figure that out later... Ooh! A map!" said Ian as he ran over to it. Henry walked over to view the map as well. "This looks like where we are." said Henry "Fisus Forest." "Fisus Forest." whirred an electronic voice that seemed to come from the map "A forest where the Rock of Concealment is stationed. Famous for having packs of Hell-hounds." "Whoa..." said Ian "Are you alive?" "Magical rock and talking map?... I don't like this..." The map looked at Henry with disgust and then returned its gaze to Ian again "No, I am not alive, I was created by the four demi-gods that lived here before you. I am known as Rose" "Uh, what's a demi-god" asked Henry. "Well" replied the map the gods are not good at staying faithful to their wives and they often spot mortal woman that uh... catch their fancy. Their children are half god and half mortal, hence the name demi-god." "EPIC!" yelled Ian. "Wait, you said gods..." Henry asked the map "which ones?" The map looked at Henry like he was an imbosel "The greek gods of course, which one is yet to be seen" "You mean we're demi-gods? Both of us?" questioned Ian. "Why yes, of course. Though this one" the map said pointing to Henry "has strong blood. Probably one of the big three... It's a wonder you're still alive..." "What now" snapped Henry. "I need a rest, or else I'll overheat. Head to Camp Half-Blood." said the map, "Please take me with you once you find your way out of here. You don't want to end up like them". The map glanced over to the pile of bones as it shut down. "Wait, wait!" said Henry "How do we get out?". But it was too late, the map had already shut down. Henry and Ian stood there for a few minutes thinking of solutions to their problem. "Well" Ian finally said, "Time to start trying magic words. Alakazam." Nothing happened. "Bibbity bobbity boop" yelled Henry. Still nothing. "Digiir Finrash" said Henry. Silence. "Ah hah!" said Ian, if Digger Finslash" "Digiir Finrash." Henry corrected. "Yeah that." Ian said "Well if that got us in, then those words, backwords will get us out!" "Obviously" mumbled Henry unconvinced. "Hsarnif Riigid" shouted Ian as the rock swung open again. "We better get some gear" said Henry. So they both suited up in some of the armour, the weapons and then Ian picked up Rose and shoved her in his backpack. They then began they long journey to Camp Half-Blood.