Thia's POV

"This is it guys," Leah breathed. The three of us had walked only a mile or two but not one of us had said a word. "The quest is in our hands now."

"Yeah but we have to figure out where the hell we're supposed to go," Andy sighed, dodging someone on the sidewalk.

"We need to find Order. If we find Order we can stop Chaos but there isn't a lot of time." My heart seemed to have been beating at a rapid pace since the moment we stepped outside of Camp's borders. My senses seemed to be on extremely high alert. I couldn't risk letting my guard down not even the slightest amount.

"Do you have any idea where we can find Order?" Andy asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Let me think, okay?" I was trying to run through every ounce of information I could. My brain was picking through numerous facts I'd learned in school back in New Rome. There had to be something. I just needed to think of it first.

"Make it quick. The last thing we need is to be going in the wrong direction." Andy stepped closer to my side as a grown man pushed past the three of us with a flower plastered to his face.

"Andy I'm saying this only once. Shut up. I haven't done this before and I'm trying to think I don't need anymore pressure," I frowned. Leah shot Andy a sideways glance and rested a hand on my shoulder.

"He didn't mean to be rude, come on." Leah pulled me along a few steps allowing Andy to file in behind the two of us. Silence stretched on once again.

"Order in Greek is Seirá and in Latin it's just Ordo. But there aren't gods or goddesses with those names. The only thing I can think of is the goddess Eunomia who was the goddes of Law and Justice. There's a temple of Virtue dedicated to Eunomia and her sisters. Maybe we can find her there." It had taken some time but I'd managed to piece the information together from scraps of memory.

"Great. Where is it?" Leah smiled, gaining a pep to her step.

"In Regio Rome," I replied, to which Andy let out a loud grunt of disproval.

"How do you expect us to get their?" He asked, a slight edge to his tone of voice. Swallowing hard I felt a sinking feeling in my gut. Had I already screwed up so much?

"I-I don't know I didn't think...maybe we could go back." It was an innocent statement but it was clear that wasn't an option. Andy sighed and pushed between Leah and I.

"We can't go back. It's a waste of time. Follow me, I'll figure something out." His long legs made the pace increase to a brisk stride.

"Andy, it's not your quest," Leah argued.

"No it's okay. He can lead." Shrugging, I tucked in behind Leah as the three of us continued on down the crowded sidewalks.

Andy managed to lead us to a bike shop where we could rent them for an hour or so. It was rather expensive and already dwindled what small amount of cash we actually had.

"We're giving these back right?" I asked, as he shoved a helmet into my hands. The question earned me an amused look from Leah and an exasperated expression from Andy.

"No, we're keeping them. We can use these to get to a place where we can get further help. Maybe steal a car." He placed the bike helmet on his head and didn't bother clipping the chin strap together.

"We can't just steal. This guy is working so he can make money! It'll be expensive to buy three new bikes," I protested. Andy rolled his eyes and slung a leg over his bike seat adjusting his backpack. "Andy."

"Look, I can guarantee you that your parents or your other family members have stolen plenty of things for quests." This was a fact that I knew was true but I didn't like the idea of falling into the same category.

"Right. Yeah, okay." Nodding I settled the helmet on my head and adjusted the strap so the protective hardware wouldn't fall off.

"We can ride until we get to some open country and hop on a train," Leah suggested, straddling her bike.

"Good idea. Now let's go. Keep up guys." Andy pedaled out into the rode and began to weave between the cars that crowded the streets. Leah smiled lightly at me before following. Pushing off the ground and resting my feet on the pedals I followed closely behind.

Cars honked and people yelled at us but at least I didn't have to talk to either of them. I wouldn't have minded having a conversation with Leah so much but Andy made me uncomfortable. I couldn't understand him. One moment he was nice and vulnerable. The next it was like he didn't know me. Like I hadn't saved his life back in the woods.

It wasn't hard to keep up with them. If anything, I was having an easier time than they were. Andy breathed heavily, his legs spinning in a blur. I guess I was lucky when it came to genetics. I'd inherited my parents' superb physical abilities.

"Try to keep up." I wasn't quiet sure where the sarcasm came from but suddenly I was in front passing Andy by with a smug smile. His eyes flashed with irritation but Leah simply laughed and stood up pushing harder on the pedals until the two of us were racing along next to one another.

"Nice work Speedy," she smiled, darting to the right of a car while I took the left.

"Thanks!" I laughed as the city began to disappear behind us.

"This reminds me of that one shot in the movie ET," Leah grinned, sitting back on her seat and managing to steer the bike without hands.

"What's that?" My breath was finally starting to shorten from effort.

Leah gave me an incredulous look. "You've never seen that movie?"

"Nah." Shaking my head Leah gave me the widest smile I think I d ever seen.

"We totally have to watch it together. When this shit is all over you and me baby. We're watching that movie." It didn't seem like such a bad offer.

"You guys ever watched The Breakfast Club?" Andy asked, finally speaking up after a moment. "Totally a classic."

"You're telling me the punk master has watched that sappy coming of age movie?" Leah gave Andy a mocking expression. I didn't have to look to know that Andy was rolling his eyes.

"It's a good movie and I'm not a punk master. That's not even a real thing," he mumbled, falling silent after a moment.

At last the world around us began to dissolve into the country side which was perfectly timed as we were all feeling complete exhaustion. The sun was beginning to set on the horizon and the stars were starting to emerge.

"My favorite time of day." I smiled as the wheels of my bike skidded in the dirt on the path.

"Hey, don't stop! There should be tracks not far from here." Andy said, a dust cloud erupting from his bike as he slammed down on the breaks. Leah had a more graceful stop. "We can't miss the train."

I always liked watching the sun kiss the world goodbye and the moon shyly appear. The different patterns blinking into existence in the dark. It was peaceful, surreal, and you felt like the universe was being designed just for you.

"Thia come on!" Andy urged, and at last I tore my eyes away from the scene. Without saying a word I began to pedal again, slower this time so I could feel the wind in my face.

Andy was right, the train tracks weren't too far off. We found them perhaps a minute or two before the sun officially disappeared. The ground rumbled in warning and the headlights of the train shown in the dark. It was like a knife tearing open the world.

The three of us stashed the bikes out of sight and stood waiting for the train to race along in front of us. We would have to time it perfectly or someone would get mushed up. That would be a rather embarrassing way to die.

"Get ready," Leah warned, starting at a slow jog before picking up speed. Andy went next and once again I brought up the rear. Soon we were all sprinting alongside the train that was now racing against us. Leah grabbed onto the side handle and swung up and into an open cart. Offering her hand she tugged Andy up inside with her.

She reached down to aid me but I didn't take her hand. Instead I closed my eyes and kept running, just a moment longer. I wanted m another moment of freedom.

"Thia come on!" Her urgent tone brought me back to reality and soon I swung up and into the side cart with them.

I couldn't contain the large smile that spread across my face. I knew my hair must have looked wild and untamed but I didn't care that much. Andy lay on his back attempting to catch his breath. Leah tilted her head giving me a questioning expression.

"You've never had this much freedom before have you?" She asked.

"No. Home and CHB is where I stay. That's where it's safe," I breathed, feeling my adrenaline begin to fade.

Leah smiled softly, her eyes reflecting gently in the moonlight. Andy sat up at last and I was surprised that he too wore such a vulnerable expression. With the smallest of smiles he turned to look outside at the landscape racing by. "Welcome to the real world, kid."

Leah followed his gaze as did I and I was surprised to see how gorgeous everything looked. The floor of the train sent small vibrations through my feet almost like a song. Sighing, I approached the open door of the train and couldn't help but gape in awe.

The moon seemed to paint all of the dark in a silver aura like the world was radiating the very essence of the moon. The trees looked how one would imagine silver tinsel. The ground seemed to be a liquid pool of silver and the rocks were gems settled at the bottom of a lake. The breeze smelled sweet and the air held a promise of freedom and adventure.

"Guys. Come look at this." There was the sound of shuffling before Andy stood behind me his chest resting against my back as he looked outside jaw practically hitting the floor. Leah leaned into my side her eyes darting across the landscape.

"It's beautiful," she smiled, but I could see a sad look in her eyes as Andy let out a melancholy sigh. Resting my head on the side of the opening the three of us stood there for a very long time just admiring the landscape.

I think we were all thinking the same thing. Perhaps two of us were going to die on this quest, but who wouldn't want to see something like this? Who wouldn't want to see the world like it had never been seen before. It was almost like a last gift to us from the universe.

"You know something guys?" I asked.

"What?" Andy replied, his voice surprisingly soft.

"Maybe this isn't so bad." Sighting, I leaned back against Andy. Leah smiled and laced her fingers with mine.

"Maybe you're right," he admitted. "What do you say about staying like this for awhile?"

"I don't think we need anyone in charge to say it would be stupid not to," Leah smiled, her hair getting ruffled by the breeze.

"Glad we all agree." Laughing we spent a large portion of the first night on our quest standing there listening to the train rumble along the tracks and watching the world dance at night. If the rest of the quest was like this, then maybe things wouldn't be so bad.