Chapter 13

Travis and Katie sat in silence, each nursing a hot chocolate. Lucia and their guests had all gone to bed. Finally, he broke the silence.

"I've never seen a more beat up group of kids. And they said a bunch of karpoi did that to them?"

"I don't understand it any better than you do. Everything about them seems powerful. They just don't know what they're doing at all. There isn't one among them that isn't a glass cannon. I hate to say it, but they need Bri back. At least she understands how our world works."

"Babe, they were completely defeated by a group of karpoi. Karpoi. Those aren't anything besides a nuisance. And they were chosen to save our world? The prophecy they told us was barely more than a warning with the first step in the right direction."

"Travis, all prophecies have been different since Apollo's mortal time."

"You know what I mean."

"I know, I know. I wish we could help them beyond getting them to Oklahoma City. But I'd hate to imagine what the Fates might do to them if we meddle. Gods know they wouldn't hesitate." Katie said. Her words were bitter.

"You can't keep blaming yourself for that, Kit-kat."

"It was my fault."

"It wasn't either of our faults. Alder died a hero. He's in Elysium."

"And Fern?"

"Kit-kat."

Katie put her head in her hands, trying to get it together. She finally looked up, but she was still fighting back the tears. "I don't worry as much about Alder, Travis. But I don't even know what to think might have happened to her when she went before the judges."

"Katie. Fern was good. It doesn't matter how she died as long as she lived a good life. And you can't call the kindness of her soul anything besides good. She took after you."

Katie wiped the tears away. "I know. She was just as brave as any hero who died to a monster. But it doesn't stop me from feeling guilty."

"You don't need to feel that way."

"But I do."

Travis didn't answer. He took the mug out of her hands, and set it on the table before wrapping her in a hug. "We can help them. Apollo himself told Lucia that we needed to. And they said that Hestia told them to go to Oklahoma City. If we can be as good as Fern, we'll see her again. We'll meet her in Elysium, Kit-kat. And she's not there alone, she has her big brother."

3 days later -

"I'm not sure. She said we would get a note, and it would explain everything. Or at least, the thing we needed to know." Ian said.

"We'll drop you off in Hefner Lake and Park." Katie decided. "It's big. Chances are, you could find something or someone with a note. Parks are the closest things there are to hearths in these kinds of cities, anyway. At least, as far as invoking her domain."

Katie and Lucia dropped them off at the chosen location. Travis had stayed home to keep an eye on things and make sure no monsters took advantage of their absence. After they all got out of the minivan with the supplies the Stoll-Gardners had gifted them, Katie and Lucia said good-bye.

Jo had healed. Sort of. Her arm was still in a sling and she wasn't able to do any sort of archery, but she was very much so out of the dead/dying zone. Her godly parent gave her an excellent constitution, and Katie and Lucia were talented healers. But even though she had been dying, she felt bad about holding them up for three days, suggesting they start moving the morning after stab-day. That idea had been thoroughly shot down.

The four of them started wandering around the park, hoping whatever note they were looking for would find its way to them. It came in the form of a goose.

It approached them first, leaving the flock around it and braving an interaction with humans. It clearly had a paper in its beak. But whenever one of them tried to take it, it would back away. About half an hour later. Ian figured out what was going on.

"We need to give it something. An even exchange."

"Sorry, what?" Caleb asked. "It's a goose."

"Which is the symbol of….?"

Jess shook her head, realizing what he meant. "Mom. Of course. It's not her, but she isn't about to just give us anything without a price, regardless of whether she is the goose or she just sent it. What do geese like?"

"I don't know, it's your mom."

"Does anyone have any bird seed?"

"No."

"None."

"Fresh out."

"Great. Two of us need to run to the nearest hardware store or something while the others keep an eye on the goose. Volunteers?"

After a brief discussion, it was decided that Jess should stay with the goose, in the hopes it might like her more, and that Jo would stay with her. The boys set out for the seed, while the girls settled down to keep an eye on the bird.

"You. Are. Kidding. Me." Ian muttered. "Can we not go one place without running into stuff like this?"

"Apparently not. How do you want to play this?"

In the aisle with the bird seed, there were birds. More specifically, half-eagle, half-lion monsters. Even more specifically, gryphons. They thankfully hadn't noticed the demigods yet.

"I suppose we can't hope that they won't notice us?"

"Not likely. I can't freeze them all at once. Is your magic working?"

"Maybe madness. I haven't used it in a while."

"What about that thing Hestia mentioned? Illusions?"

"I haven't tried it."

"Well now." he gestured toward the monsters, "-is your practice round. We don't know what we'll be facing to get Bri back, so you'll have to figure it out here."

Ian closed his eyes, his brow furrowing as he concentrated. Caleb waited, but nothing happened.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing's happening?"

"No. Nothing is going on."

"I'm trying."

"Then try harder."

Ian scowled, but closed his eyes again. Almost subconsciously, his hands started moving as if he were drawing. Sudden realization crossed his features, and his eyes snapped open. "Inimicus!"

"What are you-is that Latin? We're Greek, dude."

"I know, I know. But it worked!"

He pointed, and sure enough, the gryphons were all attacking one of their own. At least, it sometimes shimmered to suggest that. What was easier to see was a humanoid in an orange shirt with their arms full of golden eggs.

"We'd better help them." Caleb suggested.

Ian nodded and the two of them charged in, staff swirling and sword swinging. Together, they felled the panicked monsters.

"That was great. Are you okay?"

Ian nodded. He looked nauseous, but he was grinning like a madman. "Yeah. Perfect!" With that, he promptly fell over.

With a sigh, Caleb strapped the staff to his pack, and hauled Ian up. The son of Dionysus leaned heavily on him as Caleb grabbed some bird seed with his other hand.

"Sorry. That took a lot out of me."

Caleb regarded him. "You know what, you didn't pass out. That's about all I'm going for nowadays."

Author's Note:

Companion chapters for Uncle Rick's characters and their time between HoO/ToA and this fic will be releasing soon. :) Hoping you enjoy them

Have a lovely day!

justapercyjacksonfan