Prologue
Brian (main character POV)
"AAAH!" I yelled, while running around in a circle. A flaming hammer had just appeared over my head, and I was afraid that my hair would light on fire. After I calmed down, Jack, a satyr, bowed and said, "You've been claimed by Hephaestus, the god of fire and metalworking. This is a good sign." Jack got up and ran to the tree where my backpack was.
I heard a roar, and he ran to me, grabbed my hand, and started running. "I've got to get you past the property line!" he said. As I ran, I contemplated what had happened in my life lately. I was being escorted to a camp, by a freakin' goatman, and I was supposedly "claimed" by Hephaestus, a Greek god, who isn't supposed to be real. Do they really expect me to believe this bull? Another roar jarred me to my senses.
"When you were claimed, the monster saw you, and it moved in for the attack. The safe haven is just up the hill!" Jack yelled. The monster caught up to me. It caught my leg, and pulled me closer. It was about to bite my head off, when I took the closest stick and jabbed him in the eye. The monster howled in pain, while I limped up the hill. Jack yelled at me, "Run, he's almost here! You have to get past the tree, so that you'll be safe!" I got past the boundary line and people in Greek armor that were holding swords ran to Jack. They quickly killed the manticore, and I collapsed, from the amount of blood flowing from my injured leg.
