Howdy, Folks. Sorry this has taken a while to get to, as I had a lot of things happening at once. And I am going on vacation for a while to California. But I made a point of getting another chapter in before I left, and so here is chapter 14.
Leon stood in the entryway, literally to shocked to move. In front of him sat the Gods of Olympus, Gods that he was just made aware of weeks ago. His Mother, the Goddess Artemis, sat next to the one open seat at the head of the table, with Lord Zeus occupying the seat across the table facing him from the opposite direction.
Artemis waited for him a moment longer, then finally waved him a second time to sit in the open seat next to her. In front of her, on the seat's left side sat what looked like a seventeen year boy, though he was radiating light like the sun. He was almost hard to look at, and Leon had to squint slightly to get a good visual of him. But he had a friendly smile on his face as Leon approached the table. He very slowly approached, but approach he did, even if it was a terrifying method o which he moved.
Leon slowly sank into the open seat and was met by the gaze of twelve Gods. Twelve forces of varying nature looked at him. Several had smiles on their faces and looked quite pleased to meet him. Others did not look so happy. Several, a breathtaking woman in a revealing gown, and another woman sitting next to lord Zeus were glaring at hi as if they expected fire to burst from their eyes and fry the frightened youngster. And with them being Gods, Leon had no doubt that was possible.
Seeing his expression, the God to his left smiled and patted his shoulder.
"Come on, little nephew. We don't bite...well most of us don't."
"Sure we don't," a huge, mountain of muscles sitting a few seats back said.
"I am Apollo. God of the sun, music, medicine, and archery. And pretty much all around, mind-blowing awesomeness," the God said on his left, still holding Leon's shoulder.
Zeus cleared his throat. The Gods stopped muttering amongst themselves and faced him. Zeus in turn stood up in his seat and faced Leon square in the eye.
"Do you know who I am?"
"You are...Lord Zeus, sir."
Zeus gave a satisfied nod.
"Do you know why this meeting has been called here at this camp, and you especially have been selected to attend?"
Leon nodded.
Zeus sat down, then made an anouncment to anyone who wished to speak to say their piece.
"I have something to say!"
The woman sitting next to him stood up. She was a brunette with exepctional beauty about her, and looked like she was a very educated woman. Or at least, God.
"Who is that?" Leon whispered to his mother.
"Hera. Goddess of Marriage and Family. She has had it in for me, and I am afraid my son, that my revealing you has just made it worse."
"Why?"
He did not get a chance to get a reply, as Hera began to speak to the Gods around her.
"Artemis has claimed this boy as her son. That much I am convinced. However, I feel that by the method of his conception, without the intervention of a man, tat she has violated the sacred bond of family. Therefore, I declare that this child is a mistake that must be corrected. I vote to destroy him immediately."
Leon flinched. What! They were voting on what to do to him . It was not his fault that his mother gave birth to him from means other than the norm! Is this what Hera had against him? His mother?
Both Artemis and his uncle Apollo tensed in their seats. He always felt comfortable with Artemis near him, at least on the few occasions she had been. And now he felt the same waves of affection coming off of this "Apollo". But the force that Hera was generating was generating was astounding, and Leon was overwhelmed with dread. His mother put her hand on his shoulder and sent soothing waves through his body. He managed to calm down physically, but he was mentally screaming.
Hera sat down and smiled as she watched his reaction, as if she was satisfied that he was sweating and fearful in his seat. Simply put, she was being a bitch...
Then another girl stood up. She was even more beautiful than Hera, and had a flawless arua about her that made the other Gods look pitiful by comparison. But Leon was getting waves of anger strong enough to make the Terminator realize that it does indeed know fear. She glared at Leon like he was a thief who had just stolen her favorite toy or fashion item. As she spoke, she was quaking with angber.
"I, Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, Beauty, and sexuality, declare this boy to be a disgrace to Love. He resisted my daughters attempts to introduce him to love, and even was abke to resist them when they attempted to talk some sense into him-"
"Talk sense into him! They tried to outright kill him!" His mother screeched. "Your daughters were trying to make him feel emotions that are not part of his genetics. And then they tried to kill him when they found out they had o power over him. Your lucky Chiron found out about it and stopped the fight early, for if he did not, then my hunters would have utterly annihilated your beloved children!"
"You think your little hunters would have stood a chance against the power of love? HA! You are just like the twelve year old you choose to impersonate, little Artemis."
His mother's bow formed in her hand, and she was reaching for an arrow when Zeus yelled at the two to stop and Aphrodite to finish her original train of speech. Aphrodite smirked at Artemis, then continued.
"As I was about to say before the toddler here interrupted, this boy was created without the natural order of things. As Lady Hera said, there was no man involved, and so no family. And I to feel like there was something missing, as Artemis should have found a man to love and have him give her her child. Because she skipped an important part of that process, the child is null and void and must be immediately cast into Hades like the garbage that he is!"
Zeus nodded and allowed Artemis to stand. His mother seemed so small in her twelve year old body, compared to the mature looking Gods and even Leon. But when she spoke, Leon did not thin of anything more beautiful in his life than the voice of his Olympian mother.
"Who are you to say what I must or mustn't do. I have not disobeyed any laws. The violations of the natural order of things is of your own personal opinions. I have not lain with a man, nor will I ever do so. I swore on the River Styx that this would not come to pass. And I have kept my promise. But where does that not say that I can not have the joy of children of my own. Children to watch over and give my love as a mother should, as you each do for your own children in your own ways. I did not violate any laws of favoritism. I have only done what each of you does every day, with your own children. Why you bicker if he is my child is not is unnecessary. I have accepted him as my child by blood, and that should be enough for any of you. I have watched over him from afar and kept him safe when I must. As I said, that is nothing that you have not done for your own children. It is bluntly hypocritical to say my child must die, when your children thrive. Purely hypocritical. That is all I have to say, and I will not reply to anything you say in return."
Artemis sat down again and reached under the table. She squeezed the hand of Leon, and he squeezed hers back. Something in the way she held him reminded him of a mother holding the hand of her young one when doing something that frightens him, telling him that she will be right there all the time. He looked over at her and met her eyes. Those moon-like eyes, and the light of them washed over him. She smiled at him and he could not help but to smile back.
Apollo stood up and his speech was much shorter, but it was blunt.
"I support my sister's words completely. And I will defend my cousin like he is my own child. He is kinda of my blood as well when you think about it."
Apollo sat down and gave a small grin to Leon.
Then the woman sitting next to Zeus, across from Hera stood up. She was in a flowing gown and was beautiful like the other goddesses around. But there was a power from her that was unlike even that of Hera. And when she looked at Leon, he instantly knew who she was. Athena, Goddess of wisdom and battle strategy. She examined each God in turn,and even Artemis shuddered slightly under her gaze. But Leon received a jolt through his system, not unpleasant, but not comfortable.
"I have reviewed the evidence among your talks and sayings. I have reached what I feel might be a credible solution to our current dilemma. Leon has shown skill somewhat compatible with the Goddess Artemis in his slaying of the rouge minotaur. I therefore propose that we offer him, not wuite a quest of sorts, but a kind of test."
"Test?" Leon asked out loud. Athena turned and fixed her gaze upon him.
"Yes young one, a test. Artemis is the goddess of the hunt and the moon. Therefore, in order to prove yourself a child of her blood and worthy of remaining alive, given the circumstances, you must prove your worth. I suggest that he be sent on a test of his hunting abilities. We send him on a hunt for the most dangerous creatures of our world. He may take several companions, but the actual act of hunting and fighting each monster must be of his own prowess. If he successfully slays these monsters, then we shall pronounce him worthy of his mother and allow him to remain unmolested by us any further. And if he should fail...then we hope his soul reaches Elysium."
There was a silence so deafening, that Leon thought he had truly lost his hearing. All he could hear was the silent beating of his heart, and the breathing of the Gods around him. If they needed to breathe or not did not even enter his curious mind, given the possible task that the Goddess of wisdom had just lay before him.
Finally Zeus stood up and addressed the gathered deities.
"I have debated this within my mind, and I believe that it is sufficient. However, I shall hold this to a vote. All in favor of allowing this boy to attempt this test of skill and ability, raise your hand.
To Leon's utter gratefulness, Most of the Gods raised their hands. Aphrodite and Hera simply glared further, only now they seemed to be volcanoes ready to burst, and lighting cackled above them.
"Then I declare this meeting adjourned. Leon, you may go now and prepare for your test. Gather your weapons and pick your companions. You leave in two days time, from tomorrow."
Leon slowly trudged out of his seat and walked to the door, his mother directly behind him, while the other Gods continued to ramble amongst themselves. Aphrodite was not finished.
"Artemis, if your hunters ever hurt any of my daughters again, then I swear that they will not survive to see the moon again!"
Artemis whirled.
"If your children ever endanger my son or any of my hunters again, then my hunters will render your children to pieces...while I personally deal with you..."
She did not wait for a reply. She immediately guided Leon out of the room and into the hallway. She sighed and leaned against the wall when the door closed behind them.
"I am very glad we received as much support as we did. I was afraid I was going to have to hide you if they voted against us."
"Yeah...mom. I'm glad too."
"Leon, do not worry yourself over this test. You are a child of my blood. The hunt is alive within you. There is no mortal on Earth who can have as much skill as yourself when it comes to hunting of creatures and wild beasts. I doubt even my finest hunter can match you."
Leon nodded and smiled, but he was not exactly returning the confidence that his mother was showing. If anything, her small, twelve year old body was towering over him.
She smiled one last time at him, and then she was gone in a wisp of smoke. Chiron came around the corner and trotted up to Leon, giving him an encouraging smile.
"You are still alive, I see. That alone is cause for celebration. I would like to know if there are any details I should know about."
Leon told him of the test and the preparations Zeus encouraged him to do.
Chiron nodded his understanding and guided him back toward his cabin. Thalia was waiting inside, reading a book, and several hunters were out at the range, still practicing. He was encouraged to see the hunters he had managed to get a little cozy with, especially his new friend Julia, greet him with smiles instead of scowls.
"So, how did it go? I see your not vaporized," Thalia asked.
"So I have heard."
Leon told her the same thing he had told Chiron. She grinned from ear to ear as she heard it.
"So you need some companions, eh?" she asked.
Leon nodded.
"Well then, If you don't mind...I would like to volunteer."
And so the meeting has come and passed. Leon has been given his challenge and now must prepare to embark on his journey to hunt. Will he be able to prove his worth to the Gods, or is he simply a fluke? We shall see...
This is going to be the only chapter for a while, due to a vacation I am taking to California. I hope you all enjoyed it, and I promise that I will make updating this my first priority when I return. Until then, happy hunting!