“This is it. We're going to die, aren't we? By a freaking car crash, so heroic.” Yongsun says as she detaches her bow, the string pops and whirs, a second later the hilts separates and reverts back to her swords. She heaves a shaky breath and clutches the seatbelt as their beat down ’79 Ford pickup truck ran over a road sign.

“Shut up! I'm trying my best okay?!” Irene shrieks as she swerves from one lane to another, narrowly avoiding other vehicles.

Gunshot soon started ringing from their rear. The trio ducked their heads down for cover.

“What are you doing?!” Yongsun cries “Get your head back up! You're going to crash the car!”

“Well I'd rather not have a bullet in my skull actually!”

“They're catching up!” Hower calls from the back. “Irene drive faster!”

“I am driving faster!”

Hower adjusts his position, taking out the revolver from the compartment then leaning over the door and out the window as he takes aim. He aims for the right tire, pulls the trigger and misses. Yongsun watches the scene from the broken rearview mirror. Sweat glistening on her forehead, scratches and bruises littered her body and her arms felt limp from exhaustion. But adrenaline still coursing through her veins.
By Hower's fifth missed shot, he reloads the gun and hands it to Yongsun. 

“You shoot.”

Yongsun grips the gun and feels the weight settle uncomfortably against her hands. She quickly peeks out of the window, a bullet narrowly missing her as it shatters the side mirror. She curses in surprise but reclaims her position and aiming for the tire. She levels the gun with her limb, trying to steady her aim against the constant motion of the car. She shoots, it misses. Frustrated, she aims again, this time the bullet stays true, it hits the tire and the jeep swerves and loses its control. It crashes to the van next to it, but the jeep that was behind it swiftly avoided the obstruction and sped towards them.

“Can't this damned truck get any faster?!” Yongsun screams as bullet rain on them again. 

“This is the fastest it can go!” Irene screams back. 

“Make it faster!” Yongsun slaps the dashboard of the four-seater old pickup as if it would make it faster.

“How much faster do you want it to be?! Do you want to die!?” 

The jeep catches up and roughly bumps the rear of the truck. Irene and Yongsun both lets out an ear popping screech as the truck lurches violently.

“We're going to die!!!”

“Stop shouting!” Hower shouts backs. “Gods darnit! Get your heads together!”

“Oh my gods, oh my gods” Irene chants with shallow breaths. 

The jeep started speeding to their side. Yongsun sees three menacing Karpoi driving the jeep. The karpos that was managing the wheel grinned with their sharp canine teeth, beating their wings excitedly. This particular one looked exactly like the one they encountered in Rochester, with its skin being a shade lighter to the other’s green chlorophyll hue and the red, white and black kernels that was pitted on its face. Also, the flower was a give away. 

“Hey! What did you say this thing was again?” Yongsun quickly asked amidst their disastrous road trip.

“It’s a Karpos! Grain spirit!” Irene yelled back after a quick glance.

"I know that genius! What type of grain?” 

“Quinoa! It’s Quinoa I think.”

“Surrender! Surrender!” The Karpoi chanted as they reached the side of the truck. Yongsun takes a deep breath, closes her eyes and awakens her actress' spirit.

“Ha! Yeah!” Yongsun started laughing, grinning tauntingly towards the Karpoi. “I shall surrender but I will only surrender to a REAL Karpos!”

“What are you doing?!” Irene hisses but Yongsun pays her no mind.

The three Karpoi snarled, their pure green eyes gleaming.

“We are real Karpoi!”

“I will give you cereal!” Screamed the Quinoa.

“Oats! Oats!” Another that was on the pedal.

“No! Corn!” 

“Both of you are real Kapoi! But not that one!” Yongsun points accusingly towards Quinoa. Willing her face in her most betrayed expression. “He’s not a real grain! He’s a fake!”

The two Karpoi gasped in shock. Convinced. Looking at their friend, accusingly. “You’re not a real Karpoi?”

“No! She’s lying!” Cried Quinoa.

“Your reign of deception ends now Quinoa! You will never be a true grain!” Yongsun pointed at the wide eyed Karpos. The two other Karpoi started snarling at their friend. “You may be a popular grain for people wanting to be healthy with your gluten free properties but this charade has gone far too long!” 

“Traitor!” At that the two Karpoi turned into whirlwinds of corn kernels and oats and attacked Quinoa. 

Sadly, as Quinoa got slapped by cereal their jeep lost control and the steering wheel got yanked and it collides with their beat-up Ford. 

"!" Irene curses almost biting her tongue off.

As the jeep ram them again, a honk came in front of them. 

"We're going to crash!" Irene screams. 

Quickly, Yongsun yanks the wheel to the far left and they skidded past the second lane, smashing through road railing and into the small patch of trees. Irene slams the brake just before they hit the trunk of the tree. 
The trio sat there for a few seconds, hearts beating erratically.

“I'm never going to drive again.” Irene breathes.

“W-we have to go...” Yongsun stutters as she fumbles to unlock her door. Her legs wobble and she clutched the side for support. She tries to breathe slowly, calming the erratic breathing of her heart. Once her nerves calmed down, she went and helped Hower exit.

“I'm okay, I'm okay.” Hower assures as he gently rejects Yongsun's support. “It's not deep. I'll survive.”

"What was that Solar?” Irene says, leaning at the side a little, face white as paper. "How did you even know that Quinoa is gluten free? I don’t remember giving you a crash course on grain and nutrition."

“I saw it when I sneaked into Aphrodite’s cabin a year ago. They said it was healthy because it was gluten free.” Yongsun laughs a little as she explains. Taking her time to compose herself.

Hower laughs. “It’s brilliant.” 

“Yes it was, praise me more” 

“Maybe if we didn’t crash the pickup” Irene snorts and pats the side of the truck. For someone who said they will never drive again, she was quite fond of the beat-up Ford.

“Okay. Just...” Yongsun sighs. Taking a moment to gather her thoughts. She looked around and saw their burnt out car, (littered with bullet holes that miraculously didn't hit any of them) the jeep of the Karpoi that crashed with a car from the other lane, to the two helpless beings beside her - as lost as she is. Her eyes then settle to the road ahead.

“There's a gasoline station over there.” She pointed. “It looks close enough. Think the truck can make it?”

Hower moves to the hood and pops it open with a smack, heavy smoke greets his face. He shakes his head. “The engines busted.”

At her side she hears Irene sigh heavily. “We better start walking then. At least those grain spirits won’t be interrupting us anymore.”

The trio then found themselves at a Valley Mart smack in the middle of nowhere. They entered the building, relief flooding their system as the blast of air condition touched their skin. Yongsun moves across the aisle as Hower limps towards the collection of Gatorades. Tufts of fur poked out from Hower's ripped pants, the makeshift bandage semi-soaked in satyr blood.

“Filthy.”

Yongsun's attention snap towards the voice. A man dressed in red plaid shirt and a jumper, his boot-clad feet was swung in front of the store counter arrogantly. He knocked his timberland boots, Yongsun suspected they were dupes. Yongsun narrows her eyes, resting her hands on her blades. 
Irene seem to pick up the change in the atmosphere and immediately shows up on Yongsun's side. Yongsun notes his golden hair that was partially covered by the valley mart cap atop his head, his tanned skin, the reddish freckles on his nose and his unnerving dark green eyes.

“Who are you?” Irene breaks the silence that stretched for long moments.

“Disrespectful as always, you demigods.” The man scoffs, his words laced with an accent.

Yongsun feels a cold hand brush her nape. The cold feeling settling as she looks at the god.

“Forgive us lord! We're only passing by from a quest!” Hower was quick to respond, he walks towards his two companions, carrying bottles of Gatorade and some first aid kit. 

“Filthy Satyr! Your blood is going to stain my tiles! Off with your hooves!” The god exclaims as he points at Hower's injury.

“Stop calling him filthy.” Yongsun snaps.
“Well, unless you volunteer to polish my tiles, then I suggest you shut your mouth, daughter of Apollo.”

Yongsun clenches her jaw in attempt to subdue her anger. Just a few moments of knowing the god and he's already pissing her off. She glares at the god, wishing she'd inherited the ability in incinerate someone with a glare. Irene squeezes her elbow and steps forward. 
The god’s eye snap to Irene, the glint of interest was unmistakable.

“We're just going to restock supply and we'll be out of your hair immediately.” Irene says to appease the god. If anything, they don't need a pissed god hunting them when they have a horde of monsters already doing just that.

The gods eyes bore into hers with surprising intensity. 

“A child of Demeter. The Fates must be really pokin' fun of me.” The god's mouth forms a snarl. In Irene's mind, she was already going through names of gods or goddess that was associated with her mom. Many names pop up but she can't identify this god in front of her. Irene's eyes stray on the gods plaid shirt, an employee pin seemed to wink at her. She squints her eyes a little in attempt to read it, but only came up with a jumble of letters

HI! I'M:
KMYAITSE

Reading two consecutive consonants will always be a pain in the .

“Why Lord, I'm sure the Fates surely must've planned our meeting. You must be important.” Irene offers, holding the grimace when she said lord. 

“Oh yes, indeed!” The god exclaims dramatically, taking his boots down to sit proper as he waves his hand in a flourish. 

The three instantly knew they had the god. Yongsun side-eyes Irene, impressed with her quick improvisation. 

“You know, I used to be a demigod like yourselves! Oh, how I miss the old days!” He sighs as he recalls all of his past glorious days of heroism.

If there's one thing you learn from encountering gods and goddesses, is tha