A short but fun chapter.
"What are we doing here?" Clarisse barked out at Aaron, who turned and gave her a look that calmed her irritation entirely.
"Use your head." he said, gesturing to the fountain behind him. "This fountain is dedicated to the Spirits and Gods of the Sea. If you are going on a journey across the waves it would be smart to make an offering to these beings." Aaron pulled out from his bag a handful of coins and a vase of fresh roses cut from his garden. "To the Beings it concerns, I offer these roses, infused with my magic and the magic of Asphodel and Dionysius and these coins and beseech your aid. Watch over these three as they journey across the seas to the Sea of Monsters. Do not let them falter, guide them, protect them, act as a parental hand and lead them to victory. A victory that will bring great honor and saftey to this camp." Tossing in the coins, Aaron reached into the water and splashed Aaron, Bryce, Percy and Annabeth. They gaped at him for a moment before a thin blue light shimmered around them all. Even Annabeth seemed shocked. "See, I do have a point."
Pouting but not snarling, Clarisse nodded. "Fine, thanks. Anything else or are you going to splash me with more water?"
Aaron rolled his eyes and then brought the girl in for a hug, to her shock. They were about the same size, with Clarisse being a tad bigger, so it wasn't hard to pull her into a warm hug. "Be safe, all of you." He hugged them all, even Annabeth who looked ready to vomit. "I made you these potions with Will, they will heal wounds, sooth pain, ease burns and just generally make sure you are well." He handed them a bag, filled to the brim with the potions he made. "I hope you don't need them but they will come in handy, I feel... now go, Bryce got you a ship."
They turned to the waters, where a large Greek Ship was sitting in the water. Percy, confused, turned to Bryce. "How'd you do that?"
"The souls of the dead owe tribute to the Gods of War. Well the losing side of a war, and since my Dad is the god of the Navy he has the same thing but it is specified to the navial deaths. Clarisse told me about this power, so I thought I'd try it out since we'd be more gaurteneed to get a shop that fits the type of waters we will be in. Not all ships are made for Deep water."
Clarisse nodded. " My dad was going to give us a Confederate Ship that was made for Rivers and shallow areas, I showed it to Bryce and he knew it was a bad idea. He just knew, one of his powers. Let's go. "
They all moved to the ship, getting on it with a finality that left Aaron sort of sad. Within minutes the ship left the harbor and Aaron sighed sadly. " I pray you all are safe..."
"They will be." Dionysius' voice made him jump, the god appearing right next to him. "I cannot fully envision their path, the Sea of Monsters is too muffled for that, but I can foresee that if they do as they should, they will all make it back. You did right, getting that blessing. It will help."
Smiling at the god, Aaron nodded to the sea. "I hope so... so. what next? I mean besides maintaining border patrol what is there to do?"
"Practice, get better, and master what you. You have more power now, and can control the Mist now that you can generate it however that also puts you at greater risk. You are now affected by Divine metals, that makes you considerably more vunerable and that is not a good thing. You need to master your powers so you are not at risk."
Aaron sighed. "That sounds delightful... now how do we deal with the jerkwad currently abusing the Campers? Even you dislike him."
Mr. D nodded. "I do, however there is little I can do without a replacment. Entertaining and powerful as you have become, you are too young and not strong enough to control this camp. Not that the campers would listen to you, there is too much bias against mortals."
"Sadly, your right... sigh."
"""
Dionysius couldn't help but smile at his current favorite mortal as he sat, eating his breakfast with the rest of the campers. He radiated power now, it wasn't massive but it was there and it reminded all to not overlook him. Earning magic was no easy feat, it required one to change the very fabric of their souls. Most naturally magical people were the reincarnations of Demigods or inherited it through their blood as either the legacies of gods and spirts or other witches. Aaron was a rare exception, one who had earned it. However, to his sadness, the boy's powers had come at a great cost, one he knew Aaron was unaware of.
And what was that cost? It was more then perpetually white hair, it was a loss of lifeforce. Aaron had become a fully dead soul for some time. The magic of the Underworld had permantly sapped at least a full decade from his lifeforce. He would be lucky to live to sixty... a true loss to the world. The boy would shine bright for such a short time...
Unless...
Unless he managed to make himself immortal, as often happened with the most skilled Sorcerers. The boy was smart enough for that, of that there was no doubt. But was he willing to do what was needed to make himself immortal, to go through the trials needed to remake himself once more?
Only time would tell...
"""
"AIM!" Fletcher called out, aiming at the small drakon that approached the camp. "And Fire!" He and his brothers, and Aaron, all unleashed their arrows at the small chinks in the beasts armor. The bolts lodged into the beast, making it shriek in agony and writhe. It steamed and hissed, curling up into itself before dust crumbled out of the cracks forming around it's armor. Within a minute it was dead and all that was left was it's skin. "Retrieve it!"
As one, they all marched over to the remains and gathered it, pulled the armor in the camp proper. Meggy, who was waiting in the distance, grabbed the armor and lifted it skyward and marched down to the Hepheastus cabin.
"We get credit and use of the armor, we killed it!" Fletcher screamed, Meggy just nodded.
"I hear you!" She said.
"Such bravery, surely you want to relax?" Tantalus' voice drifted up the Hill, walking in a large loop around Meggy. The skinny man smiled in his creepy, distorted way. "It seems foolish to waste so much time and energy on this border patrol. We are here to have fun, aren't we?"
Aaron rolled over and turned to face the man. " Are you serious? We just killed a Drakon and you still think we ought to not fight back? You either want this camp to fall or you are just daft. Which is it?"
Tantalus turned beet red. "Listen here, child, you have no idea who you are dealing with. "
"Neither do you? Do you have any clue how I gained magic? I banished five souls back into the afterlife, Five very powerful soul. One was Agnes, previous Witch in Service to Minos himself. Do you really think you scare me, even slightly? I will banish your soul back to the afterlife and enjoy your screams on the way down."
The man stomped heavily. "There is no way a pure mortal has that kind of power, you have to be bluffing!"
"Ligatis!" Aaron called out, channeling almost half of his power as he reached out. The ignorant man froze, eyes filled with panic as Aaron's binding magic over took him. He had no idea that Aaron was barely mantaining the spell, one he made up on the spot by just chanting some random Latin, exerting power and believing it would work. It was the most basic of basics but it took a lot of power as Tantalus was still a child of Zeus and was still very powerful by nature. "I am this close to tossing you back into The Fields of Punishment... you ever been boiled alive? Or been so cold that your body treats is like fire? Imagine going back to your lake, only the water is so cold it burns your skins, the air like ice in your lungs freezing every cell, every nerve... that is what might await you if you don't shut up and go away."
Releasing the magic, Aaron shoved the man back, watching him tumble down the hill joyfully. He bounced back and growled at Aaron for a moment before stomping away like an errant child.
"How do you do that?" Aaron turned around and saw the children of Apollo looking at him with fear and shock. "How are you able to stand up to him? He's the director, he could kick you out?"
"Two things, I hate bullies and fools, and Mr. D has given me his blessing. He won't let him kick me out. That being said I really could banish him, I think. It would take a lot of power and exhaust me but I am sure I could do it."
Fletcher's eyes shimmered with something that left Aaron a little unsure. "You're a strange person... and brave but not always bright. I hope you don't end up biting your own tail off."
"I can't say that I have any interest in doing that."
'''
"Separate et transfert animabus nostris, nos, et fugere in ventos spiritus et opus est illi, et ad salutaria nobis." Aaron waved his hands over the salt circle, drawing on the magic, the new power, oozing from his soul and the magic of the Earth pooling into his body. The two powers latched onto each others and before he knew it, his spirit detached from it's fleshy prision and flew into the astral dream scape.
Through a blurr of colors he flew, in and out of countless dreams until finally all settled and he was standing on a hill during the Full moon. Bianca and Nico were waiting for him, both looking dour and worried.
"We felt your death. I... I saw you in Asphodel." Bianca said, her tone aching.
Nico nodded. " It was like a buzzing in our ears, we felt you pass judgement and the nothing consume you."
Aaron kneeled down. "Yes, I was... I will explain everything... please, forgive me, I never intented to worry you. You my adorable students. There was much too thing, a great deal to this."
Bianca frowned. "Our Father is Ha-" Aaron put a hand on her mouth.
"They can hear you if you say their name, as can others. I cannot confirm or deny anything but I must beg you to be calm and quiet until it is time."
Her frown deepened. "Fine but one day..."
"One day you will know everything... but for now let us train. Now, let's see what self study can do." He stopped. " What got you to guess?"
"Our powers and some self study... Nico's Mythomagic game helped."
"Ahh. that would do it..."
Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.
This was fun, powerful and interesting.
Love, your Ninja Overlord,
Mika.
Bind him
Separate and transport our souls, let us fly on the spirit winds and guide us to those that need us.