The impact of the water felt like Abby just slammed into a concrete. Her body was numb under the water of the lake. The water was cold and the instant Abby hit the surface she knew the exact location she was. Utah, in the Great Salt Lake. She sighed a bit, sending bubbles to the surface of the water before swimming up to the top. Once Abby had reached the surface, she gasped for air, her body was still numb from the impact of the water. A cold autumn breeze blew in and whipped against Abby, making her shiver. She puffed out a cloud of breath before she saw her friends above her. From what she could tell, it still looked around night fall, which was around the same time she fell asleep.
Her teeth chattered together as her Maddie and Nathan were a few feet away on top of their Pegasus'. "What the heck? Abby how did you even fall." Maddie questioned. Eron flew down, his legs and part of his body in the water.
Get up before you catch a cold. Eron said in her head and Abby nodded and climbed onto his back. She held on tight s he flew up and out of the water. She looked at Nathan and Maddie.
"Yeah, Maddie is right. You fell asleep, and the next thing we knew you were free falling." Nathan said, concern in his voice.
"We screamed your name and tried to get you, but you were dead asleep and falling too fast." Maddie said, her hands gripped to the Pegasus' mane.
"Okay. Don't worry though because I'm fine." Abby said and tapped the heels of her sneakers to Eron's sides and he flew up, the others followed and off they went.
This time Abby refused to fall asleep again, no matter how tired she was. Her grip tightened a bit on Eron's mane as they followed Route 80 through the rest of Utah and Nevada. By the time they were on California, and only a few miles from Camp Jupiter, the stars start to fade a bit. Abby roughly guessed that it was around five o'clock in the morning. She looked behind her to see that Maddie had fallen asleep, but her Pegasus was careful to make sure she didn't drop. Nathan had flown next to Maddie to keep watch.
Just as Camp Jupiter was in sight, the travel had started to take a turn for the worst. Through the air, there was a terrible screeching noise. There was also the sounds of giant flapping wings, then a few eagle calls. Abby feared that there was Gryphons and she was horrified when she found that she was right. They normally stayed more up North, but somehow a had found their way toward Abby and her friends.
There was three Gryphons, one attacked each demigod. Maddie had awaken to the screeches and found herself face to face with one. She had taken her dagger out and braced her self for any attacks. Nathan's hand was ablaze and he waved it in front of the Gryphon that was attacking him, Abby concluded that he was a fire wielder. As for Abby though, she had the biggest Gryphon out of the three. It slashed its massive claws at her and Eron and tried to make contact with its beak. Eron was displeased as he dodged each slash, Can we have one trip were I'm not slashed at, Abby? Just one! Eron screamed in her head. Abby sighed and uncapped Maelstrom, keeping the cap gripped tightly in her left palm.
"Sorry Eron. I promise I'll you a handful of sugar cubes!" Abby said in response as she jabbed her sword at the Gryphon. The Gryphon squawked as if to sneer at her and flew up. Abby's eyes trailed off to her friends. Her eyes widened and she cursed under her breath, "Veer to your right!" Abby yelled back at Maddie and she nodded. With lightning reflexes, Maddie steered her Pegasus to the right. "Nathan, drop down ward!" Nathan hesitated and looked at her. "Trust me and do it!" Nathan nodded and him and his Pegasus free fell. The two Gryphons missed their attacks and shot straight into each other and tumbled down in the sky, "Pull up!" Nathan nodded and pulled back up without any hesitation. All that was left was the big Gryphon. She looked up and it was there, waiting to attack.
"You are so going down..." Nathan said under his breath, but Eron flew over to him and Abby stuck her hand out to block him.
"No. Don't do anything risky." Abby said and Maddie nodded, flying over to them.
"So what are we going to do?" Maddie said. "Attack or not?" Nathan looked at Abby and Maddie did as well. They were expecting an answer from their quest's leader. Abby sensed that her eyes had glitched to their golden color.
"Just wait it out. I have a feeling that this is a delivery straight from Mercury himself." Abby concluded and watched the Gryphon as it stared down at them. The trials, it had to be part of them. The Gryphon spread its massive wings and shot down, its claws out and pointed straight at Abby.