Pjo x Fam(Ily)

We go to home sweet home

Sun POV:

Arriving at Camp Trishul was a much-needed break after everything that had gone down. Don't get me wrong—I wasn't here for relaxation. With Kiwi, Melon, Piper, and now Frank and Hazel on the wrong side, things were heating up fast (literally, if the trial of fire was any clue).

Camp Trishul was the home base for Hindu demigods, and while I'd been here a bunch of times before, it never got old. The stone statues of gods and goddesses carved into the surrounding cliffs, the sparkling lakes, and the sound of chanting always made it feel like a place where we could actually win for once. But today, the calm felt more like the silence before a storm.

Sparkle and Moon looked completely at ease, having grown up attending the camp with me, but there was tension behind their smiles. We weren't here for campfire stories—we needed help.

As we entered the central square, Mango—the camp's leader—was already waiting for us. With her flowing hair and golden armor, she looked like she could lead an army one minute and chill by the lake the next.

"Sun," Mango greeted me with a nod, then looked at Sparkle and Moon. "You three have the worst timing, don't you? Show up right when the universe is about to fall apart."

"You know how it goes," Sparkle said with a grin, though even her voice couldn't smooth out the tension we all felt. "Wouldn't be a demigod's life without a prophecy."

Mango rolled her eyes but smiled. "What brings you to the edge of disaster this time?"

I pulled out the scroll with the prophecy we'd gotten earlier. "We've got a prophecy to stop Hiranyakashipu, and we need to get the Sudarshana Chakra before Kiwi, Melon, and their crew can reach it. They're targeting the trial of fire first."

Mango's face tightened when she heard Kiwi and Melon's names. "Of course they are." She motioned for us to sit at one of the nearby stone tables. "You've got a lot to cover, and not much time to do it."

Moon POV:

I sat down next to Sun, who already looked like she was calculating three different plans in her head. As for me, I was trying to ignore the part where we were about to go up against Kiwi and Melon in some sort of fiery death challenge. But, hey, just another Tuesday, right?

Mango leaned forward, tapping the scroll. "Tell me exactly what you know so far."

Sun explained the prophecy, how it mentioned three paths and how we had to split up to retrieve the Sudarshana Chakra. Sparkle threw in the bit about Kiwi and Melon targeting the trial of fire, and I added a little about how we didn't have time for more riddles and vague metaphors.

Mango studied the scroll. "The Sudarshana Chakra is the most powerful weapon of Vishnu. Its connection to fire makes sense for the first trial—it was forged in divine flame. But if Kiwi and Melon reach it first, you know what that means."

"They'll have the power to tip the balance of the universe," Sun said, her voice grim.

"Exactly."

"Awesome," I muttered. "No pressure."

Sparkle POV:

As usual, Sun was handling this. It didn't hurt that she had the ability to control every element, but fire was her thing. If anyone could handle the trial of fire, it was her. But I couldn't shake the feeling that things were about to get a whole lot messier.

"You three have been to Camp Trishul enough times," Mango said, her expression serious now. "You know the trials aren't just about power. They test your heart, your instincts. You've got the power, but you'll need to rely on more than that to win."

"Good thing we've got Sun," I said, smiling at her. "Fire's practically her best friend."

Sun raised an eyebrow. "Right, but we can't underestimate Kiwi and Melon. They've been two steps ahead this whole time."

Mango nodded. "You'll need to move fast. The trial of fire is hidden deep in the mountains, through the caves of Agni. It's no walk in the park."

Moon groaned. "Of course it's in a cave. It's always a cave."

Sun POV:

Just when I thought we were finally getting somewhere, my communication device—Leo's Frankenstein-esque wristwatch—started buzzing. I glanced down and tapped it, knowing it could only be one person.

Sure enough, Strawberry's face flickered onto the screen. The reception was worse than ever, and the image was so fuzzy I could barely make out her expression.

"...Sun... Strawberry... info for..."

The static was making her words almost unintelligible, but I caught something about Kiwi and Melon. "Strawberry, can you hear me? What info?"

"...they're going after... trial of fire... soon... need to move fast..."

I smacked the device, hoping to clear up the signal. "What was that? They're going after the trial of fire? How soon?"

"...hurry... or they'll... ahead of you..."

And then the screen went black, cutting off any further explanation.

"Great," I muttered, turning to Mango. "Kiwi and Melon are already on their way. We need to leave—now."

Mango POV:

Sun wasn't just the most powerful demigod I'd ever met, but she had the heart to match it. Still, this wasn't going to be easy. The trial of fire wasn't just about being strong—it would test her in ways that went beyond flames.

"You three need to move fast," I said, standing up. "If you wait too long, Kiwi and Melon will have the upper hand. I'd help you, but..."

Sun shook her head. "I know. This is our quest."

Sparkle smiled. "We'll figure it out. We always do, right?"

Moon shot me a thumbs-up, already looking ready to leave. "Let's get this over with before I lose all my arrows to some fire-breathing monster."

"Good luck," I said, giving them a nod. "You'll need it."

Sun POV:

As we prepared to leave Camp Trishul, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were heading into something bigger than any of us had anticipated. But I wasn't worried. I had Sparkle and Moon with me, and we knew how to handle ourselves. Plus, we had the heads-up from Strawberry, so at least we weren't completely flying blind.

"We're going to beat them," Moon said, pulling her bow over her shoulder. "We always do."

I smiled, gripping my trident tightly. "Yeah. We've got this."

With one last glance at Camp Trishul, we set off toward the trial of fire, knowing that Kiwi, Melon, and a whole lot of danger were waiting for us.