The spells are translated in the AN in the bottom.
This story is moving beautifully and in a way I never realized I needed.
Please, some reviews, I want some perspectives people.
Aaron met Chiron at the top of the Hill, by Thalia's Tree. Argus was there with him, as was Charles Beckendorf of all people. They were looking at him expectantly, like they were expecting him to do a flip or something. He just offered a smile, pulling out a map. "Agnes is going help me spell it in the car, so I have an idea of where I am going."
"I wondered how you were going to find your target, be careful though, Agnes was powerful but she was also unstable at the best of times. She was infamous in her time, the screams of her victims rang through the temples of Hecate." Chiron's voice was stern, but almost pleading which really hit home to Aaron just how desperate he was. "Do not ever fully give your trust to her."
"Ahh, Chiron remembers me, how sweet. It is good to be remembered for your deeds, ahh sweet memories... tell him I am too desperate to go crazy on you." Agnes chuckled a bit a the end, making Aaron shiver and repeated what she said.
Chiron sighed. "I will hold her too that, I'd rather not lose you to something like her insanity."
"I can hope... I guess I'm off. I will see you later, once I succeed... if I succeed."
From his back, Chiron handed Aaron some pieces of paper. " These are the tickets I mentioned before, for Hermes' delivery service. I truly hope you find more then just your bones, it would come dearly in handing in these trying times."
"I hope so as well, anything to help the Camp that has so generously taken me in." And he meant what he said, though the Demigods were cruel and treated him poorly...well mostly anyway, this place had become his home and he wanted to protect it. "I might not find anything this outing, beyond the bones I need. I am merely going to an opening to the Underworld to lure out a creature to get bones from. Still, if I find anything, I will get it for you." He sighed, tightening his bookbag. "Well, I guess it's my time to leave."
That was when Charles stepped forward, handing him a parcel of something wrapped in a tube. Aaron opened it just as Charles started to explain what was inside. "A gift, to make your quest easier. I know you can't use divine metals which I usually can use to make trick arrows... so I made you some arrows out of drakon bone. Their sturdy, fly straight and will pierce almost anything. Their poisonous too, to many creatures so don't get cut with them. I figured it was the least I could do to help you."
A sense of warmth washed through Aaron, he wasn't used to such kindness in the slightest. "Thank you, seriously... this... means a lot." Summoning his quiver, he placed the arrows inside. "I hope I get to use them on something." Shaking the boy's hands, he was a little thrown but just how utterly warm his calloused hand was. It was nice to touch, comforting.
"I wish you well, Aaron."
"You too, Charlie."
Chiron cleared his throat, breaking their tiny moment. "You are a good shot, those arrows will be useful of that I have no doubt. You best be on your way, Underworld Creatures are best sought at night. You would be wise to set up a trap, lure them out."
"That was the plan actually, Agnes is an expert Potion maker and her ingredients came from all manner of beastie. Mystical or otherwise." Shaking Chiron's hand, he turned to Argus. " I guess it's time to go."
The man nodded and together they walked to the van, ready to to start his first ever personal mini quest.
""
"Okay Agnes, I am ready... fill me with your power. "Closing his eyes, Aaron ignored the many curious eyes of Argus and reached out through his tattooed arm to the connection he had established to the spirits of the Dead. Agnes, being the Gatekeeper, was the first to speak to him and he felt her power reach him first.
"A sacrifice will be needed to cast this spell, cut your hand."
Aaron shivered, but obeyed, pulling out a pocket knife he used for rituals. In one motion, he cut his palm lightly, hissing at the pain. He let it pool in both hands, not letting a single droplet go to waste. He knew the next words, they had been the last thing Agnes had taught him, the key to this style of magic... like channeling the might of a God, it required a prayer and a promise, a linking force of intent to lock the power and open the channel to the full power he sought.
"I offer this, the sap of my veins, Spirits assisting me. Take this offering and charge me with power and knowledge, aide me in this task."
Cold exploded in the van, frost dancing across the windows as the connection between the Living and the Dead opened, the veil between the realms thinning. Mist, the magical veil between the physical and magical realities, thickened drastically, so much so that Aaron's head ached as he tried to focus on the magical reality. Power flooded his body, not the warmth of the Earth but an everlasting cold of unbeating hearts and eon old grudges.
Knowing he was too weak for the power to not bleed off quickly, he cast his spell.
"Obscurum per Lineae, ad ostium invenire quod in mortuorum incoluisse mansione."
The power flooded the blood, causing to explode into a thick red mist that evaporated into itself, feeding the Spirits and giving them a taste of life. The energy remained and his map, opened on his lap, started to glower as a path of thin frost started to creep over a small area. He looked at it, curious.
"Huh... Argus, how close can you get me to Central Park?"
The man grunted, and turned into the next lane. "Close enough... but you are on your own for the way back."
"Thank you, that will be all I need... I might visit Percy after this. Been a while since I last saw him."
"""
Charles Beckendorf tried to mask the flush he felt at Chiron's gaze. "What?"
"You just happened to make the boy arrows he could use? I am well aware that Monster bone is a rare material, you wouldn't make it for just anyone." The Centaur's knowing eyes made it hard to lie, so Charles decided to go for a half truth.
He sighed, low and slow. "I respect the kid, working from nothing. Not a lot of people can do that and he means well. He works harder then most Demigods here, and that's without divine blood. I was impressed and worried. Besides, we're hemorrhaging Demigods. People don't see it but I do, we've lost three people in the last month alone, not counting the Witches and Luke. If we keep on losing this many people, we won't be able to survive any attacks. If the kid wants to better himself and help us, then why not put him in the best position to do so."
"Ahh, so it's just a matter of making sure the Camp is safe then?"
"Of course, what else would it be?" He tried to mask his irritation, knowing what the Camp's surrogate father was thinking. "Besides, I just met the kid, he's cute but that doesn't mean I am that into him yet." Besides, his heart was held by another...
Silena.
Chiron just grunted, turning to move away. "If you say so, Charles."
"Beckendorf."
"And yet you let him call you Charlie, I wonder why?" Chiron's smirk was all Charles saw before the man trotted off, leaving him more then a little flustered and very annoyed.
He just met the kid, there was nothing there...
Yet.
:::
Argus let Aaron off directly at Central park before blasting off back to Camp, leaving Aaron to ready himself for what he knew was going to be a horrible fight... more then likely. He would probably use other tactics then direct combat to fight whatever he lured there, but there was always a chance it would go wrong and he would be forced to fight his target upfront... that would be bad. He was better then most mortals with a blade but nowhere near a lot of the demigods, so he was at serious risk...he still wasn't sure how much abuse his magical hoodie, a gift from Alabaster, could handle. This was a risky maneuver no matter how you sliced it.
"Sigh... alright, time to get started."
Marching into the park, he opened his map and quickly found the trail that led him to where the spell had discovered a natural entrance into the Underworld. He reached the location pretty quickly, but he wasn't alone, the Park was filled with people, making putting up traps almost impossible. That sucked, but at least he had time to prepare, which is really what mattered.
"I wonder what kind of opening it is." Agnes suddenly piped up, drawing his attention. "There are many types of openings, you see. Natural accidental openings that seal themselves up every so often. Direct openings, which are natural but never close up and move as the Western Flame does. Then there are special openings, those that have been opened by others through magic or intent. Your Camp has a natural opening, on the astral plane at least, which is where you were drawn to it. It was born out of the sheer death connected to that spot through the pyre. Those openings are everywhere death is close and are the cause of most hauntings, where the Dead have more pull then normal but not enough to break through the astral plane to manifest in a more physical way."
Nodding and glad that Agnes was being helpful, he replied. "What do you think it is?"
"The spell found it very, very quickly, so I am assuming it a Direct opening but I could be wrong. Though rare, that has been known to happen."
"So, what do I do now?" He reached the spot where the Frost had formed on the map, but saw precisely nothing but a few people playing with a kite, two girls having a picnic and a lady walking her dog.
There was a moment of painful silence, with Agnes being oddly withdrawn. Then she returned, her energy and presence intense in his mind. "You are connected to the Underworld, you should be able to feel it's power. Our connection will strengthen as the veil between life and death will be naturally thinner there."
Nodding, he reached out with his senses, drawing from his connection to Agnes and her compatriots he expanded his range as far as he could. It took a while, with him moving like a human metal detector. A while passed as he combed through the area, touching each tree, rock and piece of shrubbery he could find. People started to look at him oddly, but he ignored them.
And then it hit him, like a magnetic pull on the magic in his tattoo. His tattoo actually seared cold, the power of Agnes burned within him brighter and colder then ever. He gasped, stumbling back, almost losing his focus. It was only a hiss from Agnes that stopped him.
"Wow, that was... intense." He followed that feeling, until finally he found a large set of rocks, boulders really. Placing his hands on the boulders, he felt a surge of painful cold wash through him, but what really caught him was Agnes' moan that he swore he heard through his ears and not just his mind. "What the hell?"
She shivered, he was certain he could feel it due to the really strong signal between them. "No wonder you found this entrance so easily, it is Orpheus' Entrance. The one he crafted to rescue his wife. It is radiating so much Underworld magic that spell, which searches for Underworld Magic through Ley Lines, must have picked up on it. You are quite lucky, if you cannot lure a creature out, you can go into the Underworld directly and collect your bones that way."
"Lucky me... so how do we open it?"
"You don't right now, too many witnesses, but later you will have to sing to it. Can you do that?"
He shrugged. "I can carry a tune and I can whistle really well."
"Good for more reasons then just that, music is a powerful tool for healing and a variety of other magics. Now, get comfortable, get ready and prepare yourself for some serious fun."
Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.
This was fun to write, I am loving this OG Story.
Through Lines of the Dark, find an opening to the Realm of the Dead
Love, your Ninja Overlord,
Mika.