Aaron gets a new title here... one I have been thinking about for a while... one that fits really well...
Also, what do you think of Werewolves? What powers do they have besides shapeshifting and immunity to metals?
"Hey Sorcerers, can I introduce you to Aaron Mathews!" Alex hoped like a deranged bunny into an aclove where the other sorcerers were training. They were in a temple to Hecate and Trivia on the Hill, which radiated intense mystical power. Shadows and Darkness oozed from the place, as did intense magic and Mist. The actual temple was small, maybe the size of a two story cottage, tucked not far from Pluto's temple, in it's literal shadow in fact.
Walking into the temple sent a zing through Aaron's magic, allowing it to rise and grow within him. He let his hands trail against the sides of the pitch black bricks, where he felt the image of keys and mystical runes dance across the rough service, magic ingrained into the very bricks. The undercurrent of power felt like alchohol evaporating on his skin, leaving it cool and exposed. However, to his shock, the magic felt old, lingering and unconnected to Hecate... like she had been unplugged from it's power for her treachery.
"Hello?" He said, looking into a particularly dense piece of Mist that he blew aside with a thought, exposing five scared looking witches. "Your all there is?"
They huffed and approached, one shaking pretty hard. "I'm Lenore, great granddaughter of Trivia...Half of these guys are legacies of Hecate, two are the legacies of Nymphs and you are somehow stronger then all of us, combined. How is that even possible?" Her tone was richer, and almost seemed to echo with the voices of those behind her.
"I don't rely on blood as my mode of magic, I use my soul which is stronger and more conductive then my mere blood. It can adapt better, allowing me access to more power." He frowned, and then sighed as he sensed something pretty recognizable in their words, no matter how faint. "You don't have to use charmspeech, I'll answer your questions regardless." He waved aside their magic and approached them, summoning a seat from the table next to them. "Try that again though, and I'll really show off my power. I won't be abused, by anyone."
Alex laughed as Lenora shuddered, approaching Aaron's seat and plopping next to him. "Your not strong enough for charmspeech to affect Aaron, his raw aura would just wash it aside."
"I'm getting that." Lenore said. "Where did you learn your craft?"
"On my own, but also with a Son of Hecate. Hecate gave me access to magic through a talisman, then I developed it after a quest about a year and a half ago."
Each of the Witches gaped." You got this strong on your own? In less then two years?"
"Challenged, my soul had to break or develop power. It adapted and grew and so did I. I held the Sky itself up. and that was the biggest burst of strength but the first and most important came from challenging the hold a group of souls had on my spirit. I reclaimed the power they took from me, and that declaration of might altered my spirit, allowing me access to magic."
The girl nodded again, clearly being the leader. Reaching towards her with a thread of magic, Aaron realized she wasn't all that powerful, None of them were, by any means. It was kind of sad really, and strange.
Lenore finally sat down. "Roman magic is all about teamwork, like our fighting style. It uses the group essence to establish a narrative. Our magic is more quick draw, reflexive like a demigods power set. That way we can be less ritualistic and use it in battle."
"Ooh, so I'll finally get a hold of some battle magic, that'll be good. I can help you lot get stronger too, that way we all get something out of the deal. Where do we start?"
The girl reached out, her essence linking to her friends at once, and used that power to bind him to his chair. " No raw power, outsmart us."
Frowning, Aaron focused on each of the essences within... " This is going to be a challenge... more like picking a lock then ramming the door down. Fair, I started with almost no power, I can do this." Reaching out on his own, he grappled with the first essence, that of the weakest of the witches. Unnamed and pitiful, they had not much more power then he had when he first started. He guessed that the Greeks were more obsessed with raw power then the skill this would take.
Moving like he was peeling the power off like an errant toddlers grimy fingers, he managed to easily disolodge the fingers of magic freeing him slightly. Moving from person to person, he did the same with each but to his shock it seemed to take more focus with each, not less as it should be. Then he realized, with each individual dethroned their power went to aid Lenore's magic, making each thread of magic stronger overall.
It took about five minutes but he managed to free himself and get covered in sweat doing it.
Lenore all but collasped, looking at him with annoyance. "We work twice as hard to be half as good and your mortal. How can you do this?"
"Honestly, I think I have a talent for magic. I struggle with a lot of things, getting good enough with a blade or bow but magic... magic is the one area where I seem to excel despite my shortcomings as a mortal. It is the one place I feel powerful...if that makes any sense."
The girl sighed. "It does... but doesn't mean I like it." She held her head in her hands. " The most powerful of us are gone, they joined the Titans. Trivia and Hecate are both... incredible allies to their children and legacies, but I am sure you know that already."
"Of course I do, she even aided me by allowing me access to magic in the first place. Those that taught me, for a short time, were her children and I saw how good she was for them. I am certian she is the same here, with this temple being your base of opporations... but I also know you are beginers, new to the craft. Am I right?"
They all nodded, with their Leader Lenore sighing. "We all are from older families, and had more to lose. It is the sad truth that our fellow mages abandoned camp so easily, but that is the truth."
"And I am sure a large part is the disrespect towards Pluto and the Underworld?" he leaned in, getting a nod from Lenore. "It was the same where I was before. No one respected Pluto til I made it normal, til I created a shrine towards him and Prosperpina and Ceres that allowed a greater connection."
Lenora gasped. " That's why you are so powerful,your a priest!"
"Huh?"
"Your ability to read the Augury is not tied to prophetic power, it's tied to your power as a priest. You are a general priest, to all of the Gods, so you naturally are tied to them. Instead of drawing on one god, like The Hunters of Diana or the Followers of Circe, you draw on the collective for guidance. Only a Priest can make shrines that actually connect to a god." She and the other stood, then bowed low. "It would be an honor to work along side you, Priest Aaron!"
Stunned, he shared a look with Alex, who beamed and nodded. "All the Lares know you are a Priest, we can see it. It's a title that you earn, usually through being lucky and tied to a god through chance or blood, but in your case it is due to your hard service of the Gods. Think of it like Octavian being a Augur through his blood. Your service allows you to tap into the Gods' collective essence and bind them to temples and to interpret their will. I sensed this and was waiting for you to declare yourself but I realized you never knew..."
"""
Alex, the physcially youngest Lares, laughed at Aaron's stunned face. For someone so smart, he had been duped by the tricks and lack of conversation between the gods and their mortal caretakers. It was funny really, entertaining in a way that the young Spirit could barely express. He hadn't had this much fun in so long.
"When was I declared a priest?"
Alex frowned and focused on his energy. "When you made your first Shrine, to Pluto and Proserpina and Ceres. The other Temples and Shrines you made solidified your purpose. The gods allowed the connection, but Lenore you are quite wrong. His was chosen for priesthood for his power and dedication, not the otherway around. He is not empowered by that connection but he can channel them if they allow it. He is a general priest, to all of the Gods, which means he can channel all of their powers freely... well within limits but still."
Frowning, Aaron looked up. "I am a Priest and they never told me... I guess I always did wonder the difference between a witch and a priest... which is?"
"Oh that's easy. A priest is one who is tied to a god or spirit, they channel their will and power into the world and act as a care taker for their sacred places and offer power to the god via prayers etc. A Witch is someone who channels extra dimensional energy for spells. You can be both, but one requires the gods to accept the connection and it can be revoked. It is about understanding, respect and empathy. It is something you earn, typically, though like all things Nepotism often comes into being.
Think of how Apollo freaked out during the Trojan war, demanding the saving of his High Priest's Daughter. The gods can act more freely through a Priest, more then they would for their kids. It is a powerful bond, and a rare one in the modern day."
Aaron blinked. "Wow... I will keep that in mind, maybe replace that tool Octavian."
"I think that's why you are here, you have the means to read the Auguries and you are able to tap into the Gods' will... that might be a reason you are here, besides well... you know. "Alex leaned in and whispered softly. "I know you seek to read the Roman Greek Switch, your being a priest makes that easier."
Wide eyed, his mortal buddy nodded. "You were informed."
"Juno told me, said she knew I could keep a secret from the other Lares." Shrugging, the young Lar sighed. "I know you have a divine duty, serving as Priest will help you. You cannot be taught anything from these guys, they are all novices and you are dozens of times stronger...but you can invoke the dead and you can open the sealed books and scrolls sealed away and left behind by those that left to serve the Titans." He gestured behind him making the spells masking the supplies shimmer, showing a portal to a massive library hidden in the Mist. Thousands of books and scrolls all lined up in a massive library, all beyond a portal of Mist. The temple, due to the Mist, was vastly larger inside then out. "When Hecate fled the Gods, those that served here bound the Books and Scrolls to make sure all advantage was gone. Hecate allowed it as her last act here, you can break the spell with the power of another god... Maybe Pluto?"
"Please." Lenore piped up with. "Lead us, help us learn... we cannot serve as we are, we are more hinderance then anything else... help us help everyone."
Alex knew that her pleas would work, Aaron was a softy by heart and he understood the urge to save and serve better then most.
"Fine... " The Mortal witch said. "I will do what I can, but to break these spells... I will need to invoke a powerful god, Pluto would be a good fit... tonight, together. That way you can aid me, and you can check my work. I am new, you shouldn't trust me implicitly yet."
Alex just smiled. "I trust you, but I know your past fully... you are a great guy, Aaron, and you are going to help us so much... you will make Rome better then ever."
:::
To say Aaron was stunned and shocked was... an understatment. Learning he was a priest, like Octavian, through his serving of the Gods... learning that Alex knew his past... learning that he had the means to save these weak acolytes and that they wanted him to lead them... it was a lot. He never expected any such thing to occur here. Still, it was a perfect oppurtunity, and it made him question why he was really sent here... to learn sure, but is was clear Juno wanted him to help the Romans as he had helped the Greeks... his ability to not be swayed by ancient grudges and his modern mindset allowed him a great skill the others lacked. Adaptability and the means to make change...
Standing, he moved to the library's entrance, and sensed a powerful spell. It was comparable to the magic he used to make Zoe a living diety once more, stronger even. He would need to channel intense magic to shatter it, and he would need an object to channel to take the brunt of the damage. He would need a new talisman..
And so he told this to the Acolytes, who nodded. Lenore, their leader, stepped forward. "We have access to the forges, we can make you a wonderful talisman!"
"It would have to be able to channel Pluto's magic, so we should invoke him and see if he can supply us with that stuff needed to make a suitable talisman... and then we need to use that as a way to declare my priest status. It can't come from me, but you all... so that less people will doubt it."
" I can spread that among the living." Alex said, looking smug. " I am good at that, I can get the other Lares to treat you as a Priest. You deserve to be recognized..." He leaned in again. "Priest or not, you have no connections with anyone other then Juno right now... you need to establish repore for all of the gods, or at least more... before you can truly and fully call yourself a priest."
Aaron nodded. " We, all of us, will prepare something to give to Pluto... a gift for him, Darkness is needed for magic to work. He rules that Darkness, among the gods anyway, so we will need his help... show me what you know then we can make something incredible."
Lenore beamed a smile, as did her fellow acolytes. "There isn't much to show, but we will do all we are able to. I leave us in your capable hands."
"""
Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.
This was fun, powerful and great to write.
Love, your Ninja Overlord,
Mika.