Here's the sixth chapter, which is the longest I have written for this story so far. I just didn't feel like it should be split into two shorter chapters. Please bear with me on it though, I rather like this chapter. So goes, read, enjoy, and please review.
Chapter 6: In Which Our car is Overturned by an Angry Bull
Dinner flew by. Wispy spirits and beings that Croesus informed me were called dryads waited on the campers, delivering a large variety of healthy and lean meal choices. Croesus pulled me to my feet before I could dig in, and directed me to a fiery brazier into which kids were offering sacrifices to a god of their choice.
"Apollo," Croesus said solemnly, pushing a prime slice of steak into the brazier. "Grant me my revenge."
I gave him a questioning look as he passed, but he shook me off, returned to his seat, and began wolfing down his dinner.
"Alale." I whispered, scraping a fresh slice of bread and a clump of grapes into the fire. "Help me stop a war."
I left the fire and walked back over to the main dining area, sliding into a seat next to Croesus. He had explained earlier that campers were usually required to sit at a table with the other members of their cabin, but seeing as I was the first child of Alale in several hundred years, there was no cabin for my mother at camp. He went on to say that although undetermined campers or campers whose godly parent had no cabin typically sat with the Hermes cabin, since it was only for one meal and we needed to plan our quest strategy, Chiron likely wouldn't mind if I ate with Apollo's kids.
Towards the end of the meal, Chiron left the head table where he had been eating alongside Percy and some of the goat-men I had learned were called satyrs, and came over to where Croesus and I were sitting. As he did so, Lydia got up from her cabin's table, Demeter's, I thought Croesus had said, and came over as well.
"Illinois." Chiron said as he trotted over. "Both Lupa and Percy contend that the place they lost contact with Erik was in Illinois. In the area of a small town called Fairfield."
"That's it?" Croesus and I asked at the same time. "They don't know anything else?" he added.
Chiron shook his head. "They don't, but Percy knows of someone who may. On his way east, Erik and his companions stopped in St. Louis, Missouri, where they picked up supplies from a veteran of the twelfth legion. His name is Marcus Varro, and he accompanied the group of demigods east as far as the outskirts of Fairfield before returning to his home in Missouri. That was the last time anyone spoke to or heard from Erik. Find Varro in St. Louis, and see what he knows. After him, the trail is cold. Whoever kidnapped or killed Erik and his friends has a six-month head start on you three, so you need to work fast. We booked a 6:00 A.M. flight from New York City to St. Louis for you tomorrow morning. Croesus, you can take a camp van and drive to the city. After that, you're on your own. Go get some rest."
Almost before he was done speaking, Chiron turned and trotted back to the head table, where he leaned in and began a conversation with Percy, glancing nervously in our direction every so often.
Croesus stood up. "Let's get some sleep Sander." he said. "It's a really early start, and rather than squeeze you into the Hermes cabin and make more work for me coming to find you tomorrow, you're sleeping in my cabin. There's and empty bunk next to mine. Let's go."
Croesus was damn right about one thing. It was a very early start. We got up and packed long before the sun rose, and were on top of Half-Blood Hill and heading out while it was still dark. Percy was there to see us off, and he had some gifts for me.
"Here, Sander." he said, handing me a short, leaf-bladed bronze sword in a leather sheath. "It's a xiphos." he explained. "You'll do well with it. And take this." with that he pulled a steel and bronze bracelet out of his pocket. "I had the Hephaestus kids make both of these yesterday after dinner. They'll serve you well."
"Thanks." I said, eyeing the bracelet with a confused look. "What does the armband do?"
Percy laughed, and showed me that it was engraved with crossed spears. "Tap the engraving," he said, "And you will have your shield." I thanked him, and we set off.
After a long and uneventful drive across Long Island and into New York City, the sun had just started peeking its head above the horizon as we boarded our plane.
"Hey Croesus," I asked as we took our seats, three in one row with Lydia at the window, "Percy said I was only unconscious for two hours or so. How did I get from Boston to Long Island so fast? No way we drove."
Croesus laughed. "Oh we drove." he said, smiling, "The vehicle was just a flying chariot." Lydia chuckled at that, but then leaned against the window and was asleep in seconds. Another question struck me.
"What's going on between you too?" I asked Croesus, "Are you guys, you know...ah, together?"
Croesus gave a short bark of laughter at that, but his eyes were grim and set. "No, no we're not." he said. "Our mortal parents are twins, immigrants from Trukey. Lydia just got lucky and inherited her mother's cmplexion. In terms of blood, our relationship is complicated. My mother was a singer, and an amateur poet. Naturally she attracted Apollo. Lydia's father was an agricultural engineer. Designed irrigation systems and such. So Demeter fell for him. We're cousins on the mortal side as well as the godly. The Olympians took quite an interest in us when we were young. Two half-bloods of the same mortal family, but different godly parents. Just fascinating." he finished bitterly.
"Our parents both knew we were half god, so they kept us together a lot, so we could help and protect each other. Fatal mistake. My father warned them, but they wouldn't listen. With two powerful demigods in one house, monsters couldn't resist. Then one day it wasn't a monster that attacked, but a daemon. The daemons have always been rather uncontrollable, although they serve the gods in name. This particular daemon more than any other. I was five, Lydia was four. There was nothing we could do. Both our parents died trying to protect us. Help managed to arrive in the form of Percy and one of his friends, a son of Hades. But it was too late for my father, and Lydia's mother. They were gone. That was eleven years ago. I've been at camp ever since, training, waiting for when I can have my revenge."
"Who was it?" I asked, "Who was the daemon?"
"I think you know, Sander." Croesus said warily. "No offense, but Lydia and I didn't expect to find you yesterday in that classroom. We weren't sure why he was there, but we certainly didn't think it was because of some half-blood child of a minor goddess. We weren't there for you, Sander. We were tracking him, trying to avenge the deaths of our parents."
The plane landed around 8:00 A.M. local time, after a flight of about three or so hours. We got off the plane in St. Louis, and Croesus used the charm inherent in being almost seven feet tall, as well as a large amount of cash, to convince a shady rental car agency to lend a vehicle to a sixteen-year-old kid and his two friends.
Before we left, Lydia checked in a phone book and found Varro's address. He didn't actually live in the city at all, but in a sparsely populated suburb near the Rockwoods Reservation. We were nearly there, driving along a country lane when there was a massive impact on the driver's side of the car. Croesus slumped unconscious, a lump already forming on his head. I hurriedly tried to get out of the car, but before I could there was another impact, this time even greater. The force was enough to flip the car off the road, and it landed in a ditch on its hood.
"Oh my gods...holy crap." Lydia said as she forced her way out of the vehicle. Croesus was still out cold, and my vision was swimming. I managed to get out though, and saw Lydia struggling to free Croesus from the wreck. There was a snarling, and I turned.
"Uhh...Lydia?" I said, not turning around. "You better check this out."
She straightened slowly, and gazed where I was looking. "Oh gods." she said.
It was a massive bull, razor sharp horns protruding from its head, his haunches corded with muscle and powerful enough to, well, to flip over a good-sized automobile. It snarled again, and Lydia paled.
"Get Croesus out of the car." I said, "I'll hold him off."
Lydia gulped. "Sander that's Taurus."
"What? Like the astrology sign?" I asked, not taking my eyes off the creature.
"Taurus." she said. "It was the name some Greks and Romans gave to the massive and insanely angry bull that ravaged Crete, and the King's daughter, during Minos's reign. Most people just call him the Cretan Bull. Sander...that thing is the father of the Minotaur."
I shrugged. "He doesn't look so tough. Aera!" I shouted. Nothing happened. "Aera!" I yelled, "Eja Alale!" Taurus just pawed the ground furiously and bucked his horns.
"I told you!" Lydia said, "He's the insanely angry bull that ravaged Crete! You think this thing is calm enough to feel fear? You can't scare him, but you have to kill him. Just hold him off long enough for me to revive Croesus. He can handle it."
Right now letting Croesus handle this thing sounded like the best idea in the world. Unfortunately, the giant son of Apollo was unconscious. Praying to my mother that the thing didn't kill me, I tapped the engraving on my wristband. A huge shield spiraled out, nearly three and a half feet in diameter. Plain, but sturdy and virtually indestructible. I reached into the ruined car and pulled out my spear. "Let's have a go, Taurus." I said.
The bull obliged. He charged, horns poised and fury itself leaking from him. I sidestepped at the last second, and thrust my spear towards him. The head bit deep into his thigh, but it only enraged the creature. He turned right as he passed me, pulling the weapon out of my hand, and bucked his head. The beast's head clipped my shield with enough force to send me falling flat on my butt. The enraged Taurus turned again and charged. I tried scrambled to my feet, but slipped and fell back down. I knew there was no way I could defend against this thing.
Fortunately I didn't have to. Just as the bull's horns were going to skewer me, there was a flash of bronze from above my head, and Croesus's huge two-handed broadsword appeared lodged in the bulls throat. A powerful thrust from the recently revived demigod had sent the tip straight through the creature's major arteries. It spasmed, and then dissolved into dust and powder, dead. Croesus helped me to my feet, and then picked up his sword cleaning it of dust and sheathing it. I also retrieved my spear. He handed me my xiphos and motioned for me and Lydia to follow him.
"I have a really bad headache." Croesus said, rubbing his forehead. "Now lets go find this guy Varro. He lives about a block down the road."
Hope you liked it! It was a long chapter, but hopefully it was still good. Let me know what you think! Please review!