Aaron is kind of similar to Rock Lee and I am basing his fights with Rock Lee vs Gaara, how his biggest worry and enemy was himself as he hurt himself more then Gaara hurt him. The limits of power...

It wasn't until Aaron was on the train that he realized his prayers to Hades was answered. He had made a sacrifice as they were on their way to Denver, hiding in the bathroom to create a small fire in the sink and offer Lord Hades a sacrifice of some nice chocolate. Once they had burned away he went back to his seat with Meggy and passed straight out, taking the time to get some well deserved sleep before they had to possibly hitch hike all the way to Las Vegas.

Someone pressing against his shoulder, saying. "Sir, Honey... " He slowly woke up to see the familiar face of the attendant that had lead them to their seat earlier. She was holding a card, a debit card. "Was this yours? I found it near the restroom."

"Um, It's my name but I..." A sharp thrum power emanated from the card, reminiscent ever so slightly of Hades' magic, made him realize right away this was his gift. The answer to his literal prayers. " Sure, thank you." He grabbed the card and looked at it, seeing that it was pitch black with his name in pure silver. Skulls decorated the front of the card, the security code on the back was six six six. "Huh, thanks Hades... I wonder how much money is on here."

"What's that?" Meggy, who had been snoozing right along side him, pipped up when she saw the card.

"A debit card from our current benefactor. I have no idea how much is on here though, I imagine it will be at least enough to get to where we need to go and back. Very, very generous. We are going to have to prepare a heavier sacrifice later... but for now let's just enjoy the ride."

:::

"The kid hasn't said a word about who their gathering." Chris Rodriguez said, looking from his seat to where their target was sitting. "And he's traveling with a cyclops, this could get dicey."

Alabaster nodded. "Yes, it could. We have no idea how much Aaron had progressed with magic or anything else. That's why they sent me to go with you two. I should be able to undo any magic he manages to cast, even if he is channeling the Dead Spirits of Asphodel." He turned to Elain Woodard, a daughter of Aphrodite. "Are you ready for this? The Cyclops is your sister."

Tall and beautiful and built not unlike a rugby player, Elain was not someone you wanted to piss off. She was the daughter of the Warlike aspect of Aphrodite that Sparta had worshipped, and she showed it in every aspect of her being. "I got this, we are here for a purpose and we can't fail."

Alabaster nodded, trying to mask his nerves or the pain in his chest at the notion of fighting his old student. He hated the idea of it, he actually liked Aaron and had no desire to seem him suffer, even if he was serving that worthless camp. He knew the boy well enough to know his loyalty was not based in love, but in appreciation and a debt owed. The idea that Aaron would have to suffer for it was... painful.

"Are you ready for it?" He turned, facing Elain, who squinted at him with her brilliant blue eyes. " I can feel your appreciation for the boy, will you be able to fight him knowing you care for him on some level?"

Alabaster sighed. "Yes, I can. I won't like it but I can do it."

"Good, we cannot fail him. Luke will not like it and our Master will punish us for failure, this is not something we can withstand."

"I know that, better then most of you. I have actually met our master, I helped my mother craft the Sarcophagus that is holding his essence. It needed a mortal anchor and that was my part in it." He shivered, thinking of the dark vile magic needed to craft that damn thing. "I will not fail him, nor will I hold back."

"Good. We strike when drop off in Las Vegas."

"Of course."

"""

It took a few days for them to reach Las Vegas, their last stop. Hades, as it turned out, gave Aaron a very, very large sum of money. Somewhere around ten grand according to the banker when he called. Only Aaron and Hades has access to the money, and his sort of master could rescind it at any time. So, naturally, Aaron was very good with the money. He bought food for him and Meggy, bought their tickets to Las Vegas and behaved himself through every single stop and lay over they had. All seemed to be going well really...

They were on their last stop, walking out of the crowded train statio when Meggy leaned in to him. "I smell demigods."

He froze, turning to her with a warm smile. "Where?" He whispered.

"I am not sure, I have smelt them for a while, I thought they might just be random strangers or something but they have been following us for some time. Their auras are strong, they are children of powerful gods. One smells like you though, the stink of magic lingers."

Aaron froze, and looked around the area, searching for a familiar face, freezing in horror when he locked eyes with an all too familiar set of green eyes. "Alabaster... we need to run, to a safe place. He is a dangerous Witch like me, far stronger though and a great swordsmen. We stand no chance against him, let alone whomever he brought with him. Nothing I could cast would hold against him, no invisiblity spell or sleep spell or pain spell... nothing. He is far too powerful, wrapped in magical armor that protects him from anything I could cast."

Meggy sighed. "I understand. Meggy doesn't want to fight them either. One is my sister, I can smell it. It makes Meggy sad."

"I know... we can't endanger these mortals either though, we need to get out of here. Somewhere we can have the advantage. Damn it, how did they know we were..." Aaron's eyes widened. "There must be a spy, more then one even...we have to report this, before we fight. I can only hope we survive."

The thick heat of the Las Vegas air slammed into Aaron as he exited the building with Meggy at his side. Almost immediately he ran, with Meggy following close behind, blasting out as fast as he could down the street, dodging people and whatnot until he reached an alleyway. He turned around, drawing his bow and knocking an arrow. Meggy grabbed her bronze knuckles, sliding them onto her fingers with a growl.

They were as ready as they were allowed to be.

Waiting for his targets to come, Aaron reached out with his mind to Agnes, drawing on her well of power. "Comminuet autem, et scream!" The cold magic wrapped around the arrow like waves of cold heat, allowing for a particularly unique spell. One he and Meggy had theorized about while planning on making spelled arrows. This one, based on a gift Apollo occasionally gave his children, would be his best bet in this small skirmish. He had never cast it before, but in his moment of desperation he had to try it.

The moment he saw Alabaster and his crew of two demigods pop into the alley, Aaron released his arrow, feeling a considerable drain of his borrowed power. It screamed, literally, as it flew at them. Alabaster threw his hands out, screaming "Scutum nostrum!" Causing a swirling of air to expand in front of his crew.

The arrow slammed into the shield, exploding with a loud screech the sent everyone, even Meggy, stumbling back while holding their ears. Aaron recovered quicker, having been prepared. He nocked another arrow and let it loose, pegging a tall girl in the chink of her armor, making her stumble back as a tiny spurt of blood shot out. She didn't scream but the pain was evident on her face.

"Leave or we will be forced to kill you." Aaron commanded, his tone ten times more confident then he felt.

Alabaster stepped forward, his hands up. "We are just here for the Demigods you are searching for. They will serve Lord Kronos honorably, that's more then can be said for serving the Olympians. You know that. I know you well enough, Aaron, your Loyalty is not easily bought. The foundation was born from the fact that you were given a chance to shine in our world but despite that I know you hold no loyalty to the Gods as a whole. Why fight for them, at all? Why force even more kids to fight for them? Why subjugate them to a merciless divine mafia?"

It was hard not to sigh at that. " And do what? Allow you to subjugate them at the hands of the uncaring Titans who are frankly no better then the Olympians? No, these kids have been requested by their parent, whom I owe a great deal. I will do as they asked and bring them to safety. If they choose to join your group later, that is up to them but for now they will go as their parent has commanded."

"I was hoping you would say something different." Alabaster twisted his hand, summoning a golden blade from the Mist. "You were never a great swordsmen, and from what I know you haven't gotten much better in my absence."

"Let us test that theory." Stepping to the side, Aaron felt more then saw Meggy charge forward. The girl moved quickly, reaching them before Alabaster could even pull his sword back, earning him a hard punch to the chest, sending him flying despite his mystical armor. Meggy wasn't done though and backhanded the other boy, breaking his nose with a loud crack.

It was then that the other girl slammed into her like rugby player, hitting Meggy with enough force and skill that she was actually knocked back a few feet. The two girls both separated, falling low into their stances. Meggy armed with her bronze knuckles, the other Daughter of Aphrodite armed with a spear she summoned from seemingly no where. It was not at even fight, but Meggy held the advantage in the narrow Alleyway.

Knowing he was better suited at this moment with his bow, he nocked it again and took aim, pegging the boy with the broken nose in the chest. He had no armor on, none of them did for some reason, and the would could have been fatal. Aaron was okay with that, if he was being honest with himself.

They had chosen their fates.

Knocking the bow once more, he aimed at Alabaster as the boy walked into the ally, his hands moving as a chant fell from his lips. Aaron did not hesitate, sending an arrow at his old friend and mentor. The arrow, aimed at his chest, slammed home and knocked back the boy but did not stop his chant. The Mist started to gather, warmth evaporating from the air leaving them seeing their breathe.

Aaron panicked as Agnes called out. "Stop him, that spell will be fatal! Repeat this spell, now!"

Without question, Aaron did as she asked, chanting the spell as power flooded his body. 'Offensione permotos reditus, channel calor et vita. Unweave huius magicae, hoc est semet ipsum relinquere viam, nisi sumptus."

The toll was beyond powerful, Aaron fell to his knees as his spell countered Alabaster's. Just in time too, as ice crystals started to form on his skin leaving painful tears in his skin. The magic of the dead countered Alabaster's magic, sending the boy to his knees as well, making him gasp as a rush of Las Vegas heat overwhelmed him and his spell. That didn't matter for Aaron, who's vision started to go black.

" Meggy, we need to go."

His sister nodded, grabbing her attacker's spear and yanking it so hard the other girl stumbled forward. She then kicked her sister in the chest harshly, sending her back onto her back ,her head slamming into the ground with a loud crack.

Turning around, Meggy charged him, grabbing him up and carrying him out of the other end of the Alley way, shooting across the streets faster and faster until Aaron's vision finally, finally, faded away.

"""

"He's gotten better." Alabaster panted. his magic spent by the boy's powerful spell. "If it wasn't for the dead, he wouldn't have been able to cast that spell let alone manage to counter my spell entirely." Standing, he shook off his exhaustion as his divine blood started to regenerate his magic. He wasn't at empty, like he knew Aaron was, but he was lower then what was safe for combat.

"Ugh... that hurt." Elain stood up, shaking off her probable concussion. " Should we follow?"

"No, I can't feel their essences at all and I am too worn to counter any more spells. The dead must have taught him that spell, it was terribly advanced. It forced head into the alley, breaking my cold imprisonment spell."

"Why that spell? It took longer then your normal magic, you usually don't wait more then a few seconds to cast spells."

Alabaster turned and groaned a little as he saw a very, possibly dead Chris. "Cyclopes are resistant to most spells, their bodies are too powerful for my short hand magic. We need to get Chris back to get healed, if he's alive..."

Elain slammed her hand against the Alley wall. " Damn it... I thought you said he wasn't a great warrior, they kicked our ass."

"They were smart, they came to an alley, forcing out greater numbers and experience to mean nothing. It's a clever tactic, one we fell for... this mission was a failure, but maybe not entirely. That spell was incredibly advanced, it might have killed Aaron or damaged his soul."

"That's something at least."

Guilt trickled into Alabaster, he really didn't want that fate for his friend, but he chose his fate serving the gods...

"Let's check on Chris and pray he survives this, Aaron is a much better shot then he used to be."

Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.

This was fun.

Love, your Ninja Overlord,

Mika.

Shatter and Scream

Shield us

Reverse, return, channel heat and life. Unweave this magic, unwind it's path but leave him the cost.