Should I redeem Octavian? I asked this on Reddit, but no answers yet...
Very short but for a good reason...
BOOM!
A wave of icy energy blasted the hellhound aside, sending the beast flying against the road. The damned thing whimpered, half of it's body frozen against the road.
"Wow, how'd you do that?" Bryce asked, his voice low and filled with awe.
Aaron smirked, turning back to wink at him only to wince as a wave of pain and blood dripped down his face. The hellhound had, earlier, managed to scratch him from chin to forehead making every movement of his face ache. "Clever spells and a lot of help. Come on, we have to hurry. We aren't far from camp."
Bryce nodded and they rushed off. "Are you going to bleed out?"
"I doubt it, but I will get patched up at Camp. How are you holding up, still filled with stamina?"
"Always."
"Not a shock, if I am right about whom your father is, your not a weak Demigod." Aaron turned to glanced at the boy as they ran towards the top of Halfblood hill. The boy looked a lot like Percy, same green eyes and black hair but where Percy was lean and willowy Bryce was rippling with thick muscles that rivaled a child of Ares, matching the aura of that cabin in many ways. Bryce was a powerful demigod, not Big Three worthy but not weak by any means.
Aaron figured out who his father was, it was pretty obvious. Looks like Poseidon, is super strong, a great fighter without training and is extremely aggressive... definitely Triton's kid. The god of the Navy clearly had a mark on this kid.
The hill was wet and slippery, a recent rain shower having fallen the night before. It was a struggle to not fall on their asses as they struggled to make their way to the Pine Tree. It didn't help that the blood from Aaron's face was making it hard to see, sinking into his eyes and stinging him something awful. Still they hurried, slowly making progress with the rage filled whimpers of the Hellhound echoing from behind them.
'Why does it sounder closer... deeper?'
Aaron froze and turned to Bryce, gathering his powers he grabbed the boy with his mind and threw him up the hill, right past the tree just as sharp teeth sank into Aaron's shoulder. He screamed, agony exploding into his body as a hellhound tossed him back, rolling down the hill. It felt like forever as he fell, rolling further and further from safety but eventually he landed, his head smacking against the hard road.
Everything went black, and his pain faded...
He awoke, not on the Hill, struggling for survival, but at a beach somewhere far away. Standing in the surf was a beautiful man, looking a hell of a lot like Bryce only more mature and haughty. The man oozed arrogance and pride, almost as great as the impressive power Aaron felt wafting off of the man.
" Lord Triton."
The man bowed, mockingly. "The Great Hero... but seriously, you saved my son... and a great many demigods. nearly ten. An impressive feet for a mere mortal." His tone shifted, turning soft and almost kind. "I rarely have demigods, I try to protect them more if I can but so far inland I was unable to save my son. Thank you for you assistance, little brother."
Aaron flushed a little. "Not a problem... um,.. why did you summon my astral self? Not that I mind, but I was about to get eviserated ..."
"Hell hounds only attack beings with a soul, little known fact about them." The God of the Navy stopped, tipping his head to the side. "Well they will attack other monsters but for mortals you need a soul to be of use to them. By taking your soul, I made you utterly unappealing. Underworld deities are funny like that. They serve Lord Hades by chasing errant souls in the Fields of Punishment."
"Oh... then extra thanks. Hopefully someone finds my body, before I die."
Triton smirked, looking arrogant again. "Oh they will, shortly, but you are still pure human so it will take some time to patch you up to the point where you can go on missions. Since you are going to be out, I have a few suggestions for you. If your open."
"Sure, just first... why call me little Brother?"
Triton's beautiful face turned red. "You are Percy's brother, and he is technically my little brother no matter how much I dislike my father's demigods. It only felt right, especially as you are doing more for all of us then Percy is."
Aaron smiled. " Well consider me honored... now what are these suggestions?"
"""
"Clear the room, get all Children of Apollo here now." Will called out, his voice sharp and pained as Chiron carried his beloved friend and student into his cabin. The boy was a mess of blood and flesh, he was missing a big chunk of his shoulder, he his face had a gaping wound, his leg was broken and that was just what will could see without the aide of magic. Who knew what was lying beneath?
Meggy, who saw them rush in with her brother, sobbed loudly. "Meggy will get blood replenishing potions from our room!"
Will turned to her, nodding. " Good, then stay with us. Magic heals him slightly, we will need your magic to keep his lifeforce up."
"Meggy understands!" She all but sprinted away, sobbing loudly.
Uttering a powerful hymn to his father, Will almost gagged and collapsed as his mentally got a full register of the boy's damage. Without turning to Chiron, who slid into his wheelchair to make the healing easier, he started to go over it.
"All of his ribs are broken, he is bleeding in his right leg, he has a terrible concussion and he has a cracked skull. But what worries me most is that his soul is gone, something has taken it. Could it have been the Hellhounds?"
Chiron frowned, wheeling towards him with bandages and all sorts of things. "Normally yes but as powerful as Aaron's soul is, we would have felt it. No, I believe a god has taken it to protect him... we will worry about that later. For now, let us worry about healing him."
""'
"I can't promise a cabin, no matter how much I'd like too... your Uncle is kind of a dick, but what I can do is shrines. The so called Minor gods deserve to be recognized, that includes you. It would be an honor."
Triton smiled, this time more radiantly, to the point it reminded Aaron of Percy's beautiful face. "I'd like that then. I have some idea, I'll let you know through a messenger. Don't forget my mother, she is rarely acknowledged by anyone despite her often being the reason for safe seas and calm winds."
"I wouldn't dare forget her. I cannot promise to make one for every divinity, there is simply not enough room to make them, but what I can do is create a general shrine dedicated to the Ocean gods with some statues for the bigger figures like you and your mother and a few others."
"That would be good." Triton frowned. "I cannot hold your soul here for much longer, your body cannot handle it. What I can do is reduce your pain as much as possible, keep you unconscious so you can heal more quickly over the next few days."
Aaron nodded, just as Triton sent a wave of water crashing against him with a flick of his wrist, sending Aaron into darkness once more.
The last thing Aaron heard, as darkness overtook him, was Triton's subtle voice echoing into his mind.
"The Hellhounds weren't after my son... you might want to figure out what that means."
Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.
This was beyond fun to write, but powerful and interesting.
Love, your Ninja Overlord,
Mika.