After another few months of everyday life going by with a lot of trouble, I announced what I had planned with a family meeting. "I don't think we're safe here anymore. It seems like the mountain itself is trying to destroy our home little by little. Just look at what happened to the restrooms last week." Jeremy grunted, he had to repair the entire plumbing system four times the last month alone. "And Loretta lost her orchard thanks to a mudslide," I continued while the recently turned ten year old drank from her latest Kool Aid container. "But most of all, the slowly shrinking size of the entire house is getting increasingly faster. If we don't move now, the earth itself will end up killing us outright."
"Do we have a place to go?" Skylar asked. I didn't realize having an actual school setting would give the group an better understanding in these situations. My only option wasn't even here since Bill was resting after being caught in a collapse the night before. "I don't know, but there are a few places we can go that won't cause suspicion. I heard a few tourists on our last supply trip talking about Tirana, Berat, and the Ksamil Islands. If those are popular tourist locations, we might be able to blend in. We just need a translator that knows Albanian and won't know we're half bloods." That's when Harry piped up, 'What if we don't need to find a translator? What about me or Larry using our abilities to get where we need to go?"
Thinking on it, it sounded like a good idea. Yet, it gave me an bad feeling in my gut. "I don't know. I think if you use your abilities, any monster can find where we are easily," I began with a heavy sigh. "So, for now, we have to use mortal transportation as a way to hide. Either way, if I heard correctly, it's around 500 Km, and I don't want you guys overexerting yourselves if it comes down to combat. We need all of our strength to stop any monsters, especially now that they're not returning to Tartarus like before." After the cyclops, there were a few small attacks from various other monsters that had the same near invulnerability as them. Even a rogue group of pegasi decided they wanted to fight. Skylar was still dealing with trauma after one of them nearly trampled her before we were able to take it down. So far, I couldn't "erase" anything else, so each fight lasted long enough to drain the group entirely.
"Okay, so we have to get to the nearest tourist spots and find a suitable place for all of us to stay. Something that has protection, but why are they so far?" Again, Skylar has taken to studies a lot better than I thought for a daughter of Aeolus. "To put it simply, to get here, we went as far away from all of those places as possible. At the time it was safest, but now we aren't safe here for very long. It's more likely going to be safer the farther we go from the earth itself. That's why I thought the islands would be a better place to live, we conceal ourselves and don't have to deal with attacks from the Earth Mother."
Just as I finished speaking, Bill walked in the room. Yawning, he turned to get a bowl for his cereal. As he sat down, we all looked at him. As he put the spoon near his mouth, he realized we were waiting on a confirmation. Looking around, he sighed, 'Go back from the top, I'll finish my cereal, and then I answer. I can't think straight the moment I wake up." We told him the full predicament, and once we were done, he finished his bowl. With some flakes in his beard he began, "You're right. The mountain has turned against us, sadly. Korab used to be gentle, but the last few times I went to visit her have been tumultuous at best." Loretta starts mouthing the word "tumultuous", and I realized our entire school was learning more than I thought. "I feel like this won't change soon, and if the Earth Mother is involved, being on the mainland isn't safe at all. You're right, the islands are our best bet. As to our travel methods, I doubt we all can simply enter a tourist city in this nation without identification. But it's our safest bet." After concluding his part, he drank the bowl of milk.
Everyone else simply looked at each other, until Lucy spoke for us. "Safest bet? What about shadow travel or Omoro's own ability to transport at dawn? How do those seem less safe?" Omoro looked down, she had just realized what it meant.
Turning to our armorsmith and resident big sister, "Because on one side will be a weaker force than the other." I pointed out the groups that were most likely to survive. "Most likely Bill needs to still stay near me, meaning you don't have proper protection for Omoro when she arrives. Because you will stay to help get everything together alongside Bill, myself, and one more. When they do arrive, their only option is to take Jeremy and Skylar. Both of which would tire quickly trying to protect Omoro, or just tire from trying to control waters and winds they don't know." I looked at Lucy. "We need a vehicle. That means we get one from the lot at the base of the mountain, stay longer and risk death to make one, or follow and pretend to be tourists. I don't like any of the options, but the last one is the best bet." Skylar stood up quickly and screamed, "I kept a few! Alright! We have pegasi!"
Everyone looked at her, shocked that it took her this long to mention anything. "Are they tamed?" I asked, hesitant for another fight. "I tamed them myself, and they can take at least 6 of us. The other five will take the roads, but 3 pegasi can take up to 6 people far enough as the islands with 5 stops. All I ask is that Jeremy comes with my group flying, since he can speak with them." Jeremy stood up, "I'll do it. I won't talk to any aquatic creatures, but horses are fine." I looked around, "Then it's settled, Skylar and Jeremy will lead the pegasi, and the rest of us will go with Larry to the lot for a vehicle. Everyone, only take what's needed, we don't need a lot of stuff like last time."
With that, we started getting ready. Everyone standing outside the base upon completion, the sun setting behind us, I carved a Latin inscription into the wall. Anyone mortal who saw it wouldn't guess anything, but a half blood would know what I had to say.
"Di immortales et sanguinem familiae abiit ad Ksamil cuiusdam.
Non ingredieris huc
Terra Mater"
And with that we head with our separate groups. Bill, Skylar, Jeremy, Lucy, Billy, and Loretta would take the skies. While Omoro, Larry, Harry, Beverly, and I would take the roads. We were hoping Harry could help convince any officer or official who might stop us with his voice. Plus, Beverly couldn't even get near a pegasus without it getting skittish. We made plans to meet just outside Tirana. As far as getting there, we would have to wing it.