𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐍 𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 , pjo

♛ Test #1A

"If you kids use our company again, for the love of God, don't get on my bus," the old man cried, closing the bus doors as fast as he could behind the three teenagers.

It was noon the next day when Lin and her two friends finally made it to Toledo. For a Wednesday the roads seemed a bit busy, their fast pace causing perfectly green leaves to fall from the reaching branches.

"Holy Toledo," Grover shouted, for a reason unknown to Lin. She could only guess it was because he was relieved to get off of the bus. Maybe he didn't have good experiences on them. The grouchy and exhausted driver had plopped them off a block away from a place called Greenwood Park, which the only satyr in the group requested they travel through.

Something about revitalizing his energy.

The small trek to the park was delayed by a few minutes due to Romá, who stopped by a Marco's Pizza to order a simple Coca Cola. The drink only cost two dollars, but the cocky demigod pulled a ten dollar bill out of the coin pouch and informed the cashier the extra was a tip ("Marco's Pizza Menu").

When the small group made it to the park with the assistance of Grover's complaints to Romá, they were stopped so abruptly that Romá dropped her drink.

"What the heck?" The daughter of Hermes screeched with absolute fury.

"It was all gone anyways," Lin mumbled, raising an eyebrow. The triad hadn't even crossed the entrance to the park when the man jumped in front of them, a wide grin on his face.

"Demigods!" he shouted with malice. The man had a long, brown beard which was singed at the ends. "And a satyr, perfect!"

"Uh, who're you?" Romá questioned, not even denying the fact that they weren't technically mortals.

"Amphitryon, of course!" he cried as if the answer was obvious. "And I am the protector of these borders!"

"This is a park," Grover corrected him. Passersby paid no attention to them, as if the shouting was a reoccurring thing.

"By the gods," Amphitryon said sarcastically, "I had no idea. Of course I did!"

"Why are you protecting the forest?" Lin questioned, slyly exchanging the coin pouch with Romá. Maybe the thing could pull out a dagger, or something to protect them.

"Protecting? Oh no, this is a trap! I grew the woods myself, in order to lure weary demigods of all spectrums."

"You realize you just revealed your whole plan to us, right?" Romá sighed, bored with the encounter already. "If you're gonna try to kill us get on with it."

"Kill you? Why in Hades' name would I do that? No I simply do this to ask travelers a favor," he informed. "See, I used to have this dog. Beautiful creature she was, Laelaps, blessed by the gods to capture whatever prey she sought after. Unfortunately, I was requested to kill this fox, the Teumessian I believe they called it. Dionysus, the god of wine, made it so this fox could never be hunted down. Zeus couldn't make up his petty mind about who would win, and decided to scatter both in the stars. Zeus then punished me with eternal life for putting him in the dilemma" (Megas).

"Oh, you're Amphitryon," Lin hummed.

"Oh my- have you not been listening to me this whole time?" Amphitryon cried.

"Well, yeah, but you're the Amphitryon. From the stories."

"Who else was I supposed to be?"

"I dunno."

"Guys, Percy's life is kind of on the line," Grover spoke up, jabbing the unclaimed demigod in the side with his crutch. "Just ask the man what he wants with us."

"I want you to set Laelaps free!"

"No," Romá immediately denied with a straight face.

"Then I won't let you pass!"

"We don't have to go through Greenwood Park, y'know. We could just walk around."
Amphitryon tried his best to jump back from the claim, but tripped and stumbled over his words. Lin watched him closely with sympathy burning on her skin, and finally butt into their argument, Grover shooting her a grateful look.

"You said Laelaps kills whatever she hunts?" she questioned.

"Why, of course!"

"I'll make you deal." Grover's gratefulness immediately faded.

"Deals are kind of serious, Lin, I don't know about this."

"No! I'll do anything to get Laelaps back!" Amphitryon cried, suddenly dropping to his knees.

"We get your hound back for you, and you help us defeat someone," Lin offered.

"Who?"

"Uh, that's the catch, we don't exactly know."

Silence settled over the group, dread creating a final layer on top. Fortunately, the old Greek man gave himself up.

"Fine, I'll help."

"Swear it on the River Styx," Lin commanded. Binding a promise on the mentioned river was one of the most serious things to do, bringing a tragic fate to one if they were to break the seal.

"I swear on the River Styx."