Sheen strode up the hill toting two fully loaded backpacks. Tes walked beside him happily enjoying a banana.
"So, what do think we are looking for?" Sheen wondered out loud. Tes just shrugged and continued humming a light tune and devouring the yellow fruit. As they neared the top the of the hill, they saw Thalia's tree and the dragon, who guarded the golden fleece, also Chiron and the rest of the half-bloods chosen.
"Nice of you to join us," Chiron said irritated.
"Blame Tes, she took forever getting dressed," Sheen responded.
"Well, Sheen had to stop and stuff his face," Tes retorted.
"I don't care, all that matters is that your ready to go," Chiron said, "You are ready, right?" Sheen answered with a sloppy salute. "I'll take that as a yes.... Ok children, get in your groups and see me."
The half-bloods gather in their groups, Tes and Sheen, Sid and Brian, and Summer, Sam, and Garrett. Chiron trotted up to each group handing each a leather pouch. Inside each pouch was a scroll, credit card, and a dozen drachmas. As soon as Sheen revealed the plastic card,Tes yanked it from his grasp and placed it in the pocket of her jeans.
"What is this scroll for?" Brian questioned.
"I'm glad you asked, it's a map." Chiron answered.
"A map to what?"
"Your goals, my boy." Everyone unrolled their wrinkled parchment revealing a map of the world.
"Well, this helps." Sheen said with much sarcasm.
"Patience, child," Chrion said. After a moment burn mark appeared on each of the papers.
"Are these what we are looking for?" Sam asked pointing to the scorch.
"Yes, and the closer you get, the closer the map gets to your item."
"Seriously, we have to go to France," Sheen complained.
"Yes, now each of you have a van waiting for you down the hill, good luck and gods speed." All the children said fair well and began their journey down the hill towards the vehicles. As Sheen reached the van, he opened the back doors and threw the bags in. Then he walked along the side, opened the door and hopped into the driver's seat.
"Ready to go?" Sheen asked Tes who was sitting shotgun.
"Yup," Tes answered.
"So how we going to get to France?"
"Well lets head to the airport and figure it out from there."
"Alrighty," Sheen said as he turned the ignition of the old van. The other groups vans drove off with Sam, Garrett, and Summer in the lead.
The caravan started to shrink, first Sheen and Tes turned off the freeway to head for the airport, then Sid and Brian after some aggressive maneuvers were able to get to their exit. Now, Sam sat in the driver's seat driving towards their goal, Colorado, on a crowded roadway. Garrett had fallen asleep and Summer was reading silently. Sam kept her eyes on the road, and soon she became to boredom and as time passed her eyelids began to become heavy. Sam was about to give in to the blackness when Summer grabbed her shoulder.
"WHAT'S THAT!" Summer screamed. Sam snapped awake viewing the seen before her. In the middle of the road was a large humanoid figure, and it held what looked to be a large double bladed ax. Sam jerked the steering wheel to left and slammed on the brakes, which sent the van into a skidding stop that almost tipped it. All of the other cars on the freeway also came to a screeching halt. Sam took a deep breath and opened the door. As she stepped down, she drew the sword attached to her hip, and pressed a small button on her wrist watch, which the transformed into a small buckler. At the same time Summer turned and hit Garrett to wake him, then grabbed a bow and quiver from the backseat and exited the vehicle.
The figure stalked towards the girls, as it neared they were able to make it out. It was minotaur with long silver hair, and a bronze chest plate. Its legs were bare and it had long, spiraled horns.
"Watch yourself Summer, this one is a veteran," Sam advised.
"Yeah, I see that," Summer responded. The beast halted fifteen feet from the girls and snorted. Sam raised her shield to chest level, and positioned her sword in a defensive stance. Summer notched an arrow into her bow and pulled the string back to her cheek. The minotaur stomped and charged, ax poised to strike. Summer released the arrow, which struck the creature in the shoulder, and the girls rolled out of the way of the stampeding monster. The minotaur stopped and spun on its hoof, swinging its ax horizontally at Sam. Sam had to drop flat on her stomach to avoid being chopped down. The minotaur roared with anger as Summer released another arrow, which imbedded its self in the back of the beast's neck.
The monster turned to face her and charged. Summer again evaded with a roll, but the minotaur was too quick. It stopped on a dime and turned with its ax over head for a killing blow. Summer only had time to raise her wooden bow up in defense and closed her eyes. She heard the rush of air, and the sound of metal striking metal. Summer opened her eyes, and she saw Garrett standing in front of her, his large round shield raised over his head. The minotaur's ax was wedged in the shield. The beast roared and yanked the ax away, which tore the shield from Garrett's arm and sent it skidding across the pavement. Summer jumped back and reloaded her bow, while Garrett lunged to the right to avoid another downwards strike. The minotaur then rotated the ax ninety degrees and swung horizontally at Garrett. Who held his sword parallel to his body to block the blow. The strike was harder than Garrett had anticipated, and as the blade made contact it sent Garrett sprawling to the ground.
The beast was about to strike again when an arrow whizzed through the air and impaled its self in the minotaur's eye. The creature cried in pain and then Sam, who had circled around, leaped in and stabbed the monster in the back of calf. The wound caused the minotaur to fall to its knees and steady its self with its hands by placing them on the ground and dropping its ax. Garrett pushed himself off the ground and quickly lunged at the beast, driving his blade through the minotaur's hand pinning it to the road. He then picked the monster's dropped ax and raised the heavy weapon over his head. The ax then dived through air, striking its target between the eyes, which successfully split the beast head before it turned to dust.
The group then collected their weapons, and walked silently to the van, ignoring the panicked on-lookers. Sam ignited the engine and pushed in the gas.