This was so much fun to write. I am making up for not posting for a few days... enjoy.
Love you all!
Lupa was impressed, rarely so with young Aaron. He was more talented a fighter then most Demigods or Legacies, no doubt about that. However he was also clearly trained like a Greek, which would be a serious issue if he was discovered to be a Greek Trained Sorcerer. She knew well enough that some of her children knew of the Greek Demigods, even if only in theory. Reyna would be a particularly big problem, she had trained with Circe and would detect the sorcerery in the boy's voice and presence. Weither he knew it or not, Aaron was constantly using a low level Charmspeech, though his was more born from passion and intelligence then love and beauty. That would make him untrustworthy in the wrong person's eyes, especially ontop of his Greek status...
The Augur in training, Octavian, would be another issue. His greed, his arrogance, his drive would make him see Aaron as a threat and challenge. That Aaron likely possesed a stronger prophetic gift and understanding of divination would not help matters at all. No, there would be conflict born from Aaron's acceptance into Camp Jupiter and New Rome. He was too powerful, too independent and too Greek for his presence not to bring up issues...
Even Jason would have an issue with him, the boy saw no faults with in calling out others for their faults, something the Greeks would allow but would and could be fatal to the Romans. She could not correct that, Aaron had to learn by falling and failing. Life would not be easy for him if he could not learn...
He was in for a rough road ahead of him.
Still, the boy was smart and hopefully would figure out that his natural skill, intelligence and drive would be hinderences so long as it was not tempered by humility and patience. If he could figure that, the he would be immesurably successful and help lift New Rome to even greater hights.
"""
It was amazing what a week with Lupa could bring. Aaron felt stronger, sharper and more... assertive then before. Lupa's mere presence seemed to invoke lasting change and growth. She praised agression and intelligence, she vilified weakness and loss. In just a week he was a better fighter, stronger and faster and more agile. Fighting her wolves for hours a day did wonders for his stamina, at least as much as a week fighting them could do for a mere mortal.
"You've progressed nicely... " Lupa said as he finished fighting her wolves for what felt like the millionth time.
Turning to the Goddess, huffing and puffing but still standing, Aaron nodded. "I try."
"You do and I admire that... " She smiled at him, before lowering her head. "I can teach you little else, you've picked up my tactics in combat, you are already ruthless and understand the value of strength, you are a powerful fighter and can only grow so much more. I release you and allow you to go to Camp Jupiter." With her words, he felt a shudder and a wave of Mist washed away. He had never noticed it before, it was just omnipresent but now... now it was no longer blocking him. He could feel Rome even more potently then ever before. "I have lifted the veil that blocked you from finding New Rome and Camp Jupiter, the veil the Gods placed to hide Rome and Greece from each other. Follow the trail of magic I know you can sense. Find the Camp as the gods have allowed it to be unveiled to your Mystical senses. You must find it, quickly."
Wide eyed, Aaron nodded and bowed low. "I understand, Thank you Lupa, for your... everything, it means the world. Really it does."
She smiled again and turned away. "Be quick, the Romans need you to lift them to greatness... but not forget my lessons. One thing you must learn now is humility. You are great, but among the Romans you will be seen as arrogant, no matter how great you are actually are. Remember you are starting from scratch, they do not know of your accomplishments and you can only share so much... keep that in mind and you may very well survive this. Fail and you may be tossed into the Little Tiber in a sack."
Shuddering, Aaron nodded. "I will try..."
"Be sure you do not fail, little wolf and look after your Lydia, she will be a vital assest to you as you make your way through Rome." With that, Lupa vanished in a burst of speed, her wolves following her leaving Aaron alone with just Lydia.
"Father, it is just you and I... let us depart." Lydia spoke up, adding a cute yelp to her mental message.
Laughing, he looked at his familar, who was now knee high to him. Artemis' magic was really potent stuff for animals it seemed... their connection also helped, which added to his ego if only slightly. "Yes, let us depart... to Rome we go." Drawing on the Earth, he focused his mind on the pull of New Rome. Like with the Wolf House, the pull was intense and earth based. The memories of Rome swirled around the world, like water in a drain, and he knew exactally where to go. "It feels like Lupa, and the Wolf House only more potent and very... blended. Now that the Gods have lifted the veil on the place for me, It is so much more present the before. It's location is practically screaming at me to find it... let's go."
Like the wolves that trained him, Aaron fell into a run, his body more used to that motion from the daily sprints with Lupa. It had been an almost constant thing, even with just a week, everything had been a test. Daily sprints, long runs that lasted for hours on end, constant fights and education. He felt himself getting stronger, his mind expanding with every lesson. Lupa was a far better teacher then Chiron was, that was for sure. It was no shock to him that Rome had legacies and Demigods, if only the Greeks had that too...
Pity they were too individualistic...
The trip to New Rome took several hours and even with the cooler Winter air, Aaron was coated in sweat by the time he reached the Highway just before it. He was near the Caldecott tunnels in Oakhills California and the power of Rome was palpable, almost as much as Olympus was just dimmer and more human. As he and Lydia rushed past the highway, thankfully not too busy, he found a service tunnel with two armed kids wearing armor and purple shirts. One of them radiated weak magic, but the other was a potent demigod. He had more power then one of them did. They were distant legacies, maybe fourth or fifth Generation if he was guessing ( he had never met a legacy, so it was a pure guess)...
He reached the Tunnel in time for them to hold their spears out to him. Not bothering to wait, he slapped his hands towards them, a tiny burst of power poured from his soul knocking their weapons to the side. "Enough of that, I am here thanks to Lupa. I just left her mere hours ageo, is that anyway to treat the next Son of Rome? Hmm? I didn't think so, so let me pass so I can get to what Lady Juno assigned me to do." He growled at them, making them shake in their boots, they were not very stern the two of them. "Wait, your a child of Di-Bacchus, aren't you? I've met your father, your aura's a lot like his." He breathed in the demigod's aura and smiled, he missed Dionysius so it was nice to see on of his kids.
The kid brightened. "Who is your divine parent? I'm Dakota, and yes I am a son of Bachuus. This is Ida, legacy of Luna." He looked down, and Aaron realized that the boy was actually taller then him, one of the few to be so. He had nice blue eyes and curly black hair, with a koolaid stained mouth. His eyes also didn't quite line up, giving him a sort of leaning expression. He was not exactally handsome, but he was freindly and had a strong aura of power that left Aaron comfortable.
The girl on the otherhand was pretty enough with a freckled line around her cheekbones, silvery white hair and black eyes. She was a weak being, in terms of magic, but she seemed kind enough. "Nice to meet you... how did you disarm us though?" Unlike Dakota, she seemed hestiant to trust him, and was hesitantly reaching for her weapon.
"Magic, I am a sorcerer and I am pure human, no divine blood at all. I have extended my lifeforce though, so I guess not pure human technically... anyway, I swear on Styx that I am not a monster nor am I any real threat to New Rome or Camp Jupiter." The slight ripple of thunder confirmed his words, the two Warriors shared a look before nodding.
"Very well... you may pass. I will lead you through." Dakota said, nodding to him. "Ida's the better fighter anyway. Come with me!" He opened the door and led the way for Aaron to follow through. The tunnel, which had electric lights, quickly filled with magic and magically lit reed torches. It was pretty awesome to say the least. The floor changed into pure mosiac tiles, beautiful and ornate and easy on the eyes. Within a few hundred feet, he saw a bright light, with it came a rush of magic from Rome itself. He heard a river rushing, power, intense and beautiful but wild like Lupa's only masculine radiated before him. He knew it was the Little Tiber from what Lupa had taught him. "I forgot to ask, who's the dog?"
Dakota's question was so simple but it shocked Aaron none the less. Lydia barked in annoyance. "Lydia, my familar and a gift from Diana. She can understand you clearly, so if you have to ask her something, ask her directly."
Dakota turned to him with a shocked expression. "Really?"
"Yup...wow!" Aaron muttered as they exited the tunnel and entered a magical world far greater then even Camp Halfblood could ever be.
Spread out at his feet was a bowl-shaped valley several miles wide. The basin floor was rumpled with smaller hills, golden plains and stretches of forest. A small clear river cut a winding course from a lake in the centre and round the perimeter, like a capital G. The geography could've been anywhere in northern California – live oaks and eucalyptus trees, gold hills and blue skies. That big inland mountain, Mount Diablo rose in the distance, right where it should. In the centre of the valley, nestled by the lake, was a small city of white marble buildings with red-tiled roofs. Some had domes and columned porticoes,like national monuments. Others looked like palaces, with golden doors and large gardens. He could see an open plaza with freestanding columns, fountains and statues. A five-storey-tall Roman coliseum gleamed in the sun, next to a long oval arena like a racetrack. Across the lake to the south, another hill was dotted with even more impressive buildings – temples, Percy guessed. Several stone bridges crossed the river as it wound through the valley and, in the north, a long line of brickwork arches stretched from the hills into the town. An Aquaduct he realized.
The strangest part of the valley was right beloew him. About two hundred yards away, just across the river, was some sort of military encampment. It was about a quarter mile square, with earthen ramparts on all four sides, the tops lined with sharpened spikes. Outside the walls ran a dry moat, also studded with spikes. Wooden watchtowers rose at each corner, manned by sentries with oversized mounted crossbows. Purple banners hung from the towers. A wide gateway opened on the far side of camp, leading towards the city. A narrower gate stood closed on the riverbank side. Inside, the fortress bustled with activity: dozens of kids going to and from barracks, carrying weapons, polishing armour. Percy heard the clank of hammers at a forge and smelled meat cooking over a fire.
He felt the power of Hestia... Vesta? Vesta standing proudly over the place, he felt temple magic radiating the power of countless gods. Oddly natural energy seemed weak here, as if the connection Nature was weaker then it was for the Greeks... an odd feeling for Aaron, who had grown used to the feeling.
"Wow... this is impressive. What's next, we walk through the River?" He was hestitant, the magic of the River was incredibly intense... not unlike the Styx in a way.
Dakota nodded. "Yup, let's go."
Taking a deep breathe, he followed Dakota as they approached the River. The instant he touched it's waters, his skull throbbed with the intense emotinal essence of present in the River. To say it was alive was an understatement. "Wow... it's like this river is the masculine essence of Rome, condensed into liquid."
Dakota turned to him. "That is because it is, or at least that's how the Sorcerers here describe it... anyway, we don't have far to go. Come on." They continued through the River, and Aaron felt it burning off any trace of Greek magic on him, even the magic of his hoodie washed away. He felt it's magic get brushed aside without effort, so great was the power of the River.
'God's damn it, I'll have to remake this from scratch... good thing I know how to do that. I'll just have to mix Greek and Roman magic ... sigh.' Groaning a little, he finally made it out of that damn river and onto dry land.
Sentries from various towers approached him, as did a boy cloaked in purple. He looked a lot like Charlie, the same dark skin and general features only he was even broader then his beloved friend with thicker... everything and the prettiest brown eyes.
Aaron opened his mouth to offer some sort of greeting, but before he could the air filled with unbridled power. He turned in time to see a tall, Stately women with brown eyes and black hair appear. She had a lotus staff in her hand, and he knew her as Juno. She was as strong as Hera, with colder more dominate magic. He knew she was not to be triffled with immediately. She reminded him of McGongall from the Harry Potter series.
"Romans, This is Aaron Michael Mathews, he is a dedicated, powerful sorcerer, skilled warrior and remarkable healer from afar. He has served the Gods more nobely then most other beings, he held up the sky and saved Diana not even a month ago. His fate is in your hands, do as you wish but be wise in how you handle him. Do not fail me."She stopped as Lydia barked at her, smiling at the beast. "And this is his Familar Lydia, a noble beast blessed by Diana herself. She is not to be seperated from the boy, ever." She stood taller then tall, and then vanished in a swirl of energy, leaving Aaron in alone standing in a crowd of kneeling beings.
"Wow... she is something else, her power always baffles me..." He whispered, before turning to the man he knew to be in charge. "So... where do I go from here?"
The man in charge smiled. "My name is D'Anthony and I suppose you should be brought to clean yoursel from your long journey first... then you should be brought to me. want to question you at the principia. Then we'll send him to Octavian. We must consult the auguries before we decide what to do with him."
"To Find out if I am a friend or foe, I pressume?" Aaron asked, getting D'Anthony to nod. "Awesome... so, I assume I get to get a Roman bath before you kill me either way, Lupa said they were to die for, might as well get to try that first."
D'Anthony laughed loudly. "I like you... yes, you shall. Dakota, return to your post. Jason, Juno is your patron, you should be the one to guide him."
Aaron choked, and looked at Jason, who looked beautiful with his blonde hair and scarred lip, with tears in his eyes. " Jason Grace?" The boy was far greater then even Thalia was, his aura impossibly strong... comparable to even Percy or Nico or Bianca.
Jason nodded, his eyes susipcious. "How do you know my name?"
"I knew your sister, your full older sister Thalia... before she passed. She's one of the reasons I am here... She wanted me to find you, to see you..." Grabbing his talisman, Aaron focused on Thalia's energy and offered a prayer... even if, to his horror, he realized his talisman had been stripped entirely of power, like his hoodie. "I can commuicate with the dead, we can speak to her, to offer a prayer for her if you'd like..."
Jason's eye's softened. "I ... I didn't know I had a sister... I was so young when I came here..." He gulped and looked around, seeing the questioning eyes of the legion. "If you survive, maybe we can do that... for now, let's get you cleaned up, you smell like a griffin."
Laughing, Aaron followed the boy as they made their way into Camp Jupiter, however even as he did so he reached out to all of his weapons and noticed, to his horror, that they had all bee burned away of their power. Not a trace remained, the Roman magic burned away all that was Greek...
He really was starting from scratch...
'Fuck... at least I have my magic, combat skill and arrows... right? And Lydia of course... great.'
Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.
We never got told the limits of what Tiber burned away, so I am working with it to all forms of Greek magic made by mortals...
Love, your Ninja Overlord,
Mika.