If I gave Aaron the power of Teleportation, how should it work? Uniquely, through the Mist alone, or through Shadows?
Should he be able to teleport at all? I have so many ideas... he might be able to do short teleportations soon enough on his own, like Nightcrawler for an example...
I hope you enjoy this, I so very much do.
Aaron was not dumb, he knew that he was being used by Lorane and her fellow mages. He could see the greed in their eyes, taste their desire for power and knowledge. They were offering him power, not because he was best suited for it, but because he was the best suited to use it. The only one of them that had the means, skill and knowledge to make real with what they were offering him. He was their only option to have access to the Library, sealed away by divine power...
He didn't mind though, he knew enough about Rome to figure that the Romans would be politcal and cunning, it was what filled the pages of their history. He would accept it entirely, but keep an eye out so he was not fully manipulated. For that matter he would do the same to D'Anthony, who was too eager for him to be within the camp, and Octavian and even Jason...
Lydia herself seemed to realize this too. "It's obvious they are trying to control you. I can smell their flattery, they fear you more then they respect you."
He sighed, leaning down to brush her fur. "I figured as much. We must be careful though, we cannot afford any more enemies." He whispered softly, just loud enough for his Familar to hear him. He was not alone, the other Mages were gathering their supplies to help him craft the perfect talisman. So far he wasn't impressed... Standing, he gestured to the growing pile of stuff. "We need something straight from the Earth... and we will need a sacrifice, something potent. Amber would be a good artifact, so would Smoky Quartz. It is associated with protection and the channeling of Psychic energy, which is the key to Magic... Hmm... hold on."
Ignoring the wandering eyes of the various mages and he sat down just outside of the temple.
Closing his eyes, he decided to be a priest and not just a witch.
"Lord Pluto... I offered to you my Talisman, expertly made by a son of Vulcan and a Daughter of Venus. It may have lost it's magic thanks to the Tiber, but it was still a potent artifact. I ask that you return the favor, so I may open this library. I need a talisman and a sacrifice to break this spell... I will need your aid for at least one of those things. The Talisman needs to be potent and powerful, something to channel the might of the Mind and a Dark Sacrifice... So I beseech you, aid me in this task and provide me what I need to craft the talisman needed to undo this spell."
Pricking his finger with the knife he kept on his person at all times, he allowed a drop of his blood to fall onto the earth, binding his prayer with a sacrifice.
Then, the moment his blood touched the earth, he felt a tiny vibration and watched as slowly a piece of Smoky Quartz appeared out of the earth, popping up like a daisy. Along with it? A few shards of bone and some silver coins.
Everything Aaron needed to make a powerful talisman, one crafted with Greek and Roman magic, uniquely tied to him. A permanent addition to his power...
Or, at least, that was the goal...
"""
"HE'S WHAT!" Octavian screamed, hate and rage in his heart. His everything shook with it all, boiling miserably into a stew within him. " A priest, that mortal scum is a priest? Accepted fully by the gods and everything?"
Michael Kahale, son of Venus and Octavian's personal lackey, shivered at his rage. "That is what the Lares are telling everyone. Apparently his service from his life before made him a priest, except the Gods never informed him so he only is just coming into the truth. It is why he can read the Auguries better then you can, or so they say."
Octavian could barely contain himself, he turned to the statue of Apollo before him and scowled. "You promised me the Augur position, and yet you allowed this mortal upstart to come here and take it from m-ARGH!"
Golden light exploded into searing existence and Apollo appeared, Handsomely cruel, the normally laidback god looked utterly enraged and disgusted. Michael and Octavian both kneeled immediately.
"I allow nothing, Octavian. I may not be entirely fond of the boy, but he has earned the respect of the Gods over and over again. He saved my sister from the Titans, he held up the Sky for us, he built several shrines to the Gods in his homeland. What have you done, besides cling pathetically to your weak divine blood?" He leaned down, grabbing Octavian's weak chin and pulled him up. "You make your demands and promises... Lord Apollo, I will make you beloved, more important then even Mars... and how have you gotten started? What have you done that has put glory to your bloodline, to my name? I gave you this position, I arranged for you to have it... and yet you still disrespect me. Foolish, that is what you are."
As he was tossed aside, Octavian barely managed to collect himself enough to retort. "I have served you, for years. I am this close to becoming Praetor, and with that power I could fulfill all of my promises."
Apollo sneered. "You are nowhere close to becoming Praetor, your power is based solely in fear. Not love or loyalty, just fear. I foresee most things, if you continue this path you will never become Praetor. Aaron has a better chance of that."
It took everything for Octavian not to scream. "He is but a mortal-"
" A mortal who has more power then most demigods, who in a year and a half mastered more magic then most can manage with a decade of training... all without being naturally attuned to magic or mystical anything. A mortal more martially talented then most demigods. An archer comparable to any of my legacies? No, you must not underestimate him. Ever, or you will fail Octavian. Now, get up and make something of yourself. Observe the boy, see what he does, and draw from that. Only then can you gain the power to make me the greatest God here." His power shot through Octavain, like molten gold. "Never forget, all I have done for you, child... now, do you duty and fulfill your promises."
Then, with that last threat, the God of the Sun vanished into nothing, as if he had never been there in the first place.
Through his shaking flesh, Octavian barely managed to stand. "Say nothing about what you've seen here today, Michael."
The other boy nodded, his natural tendency towards obedience a tool Octavian dearly appreciated. "Of course not."
"I must think deeply about what Lord Apollo said... if I am to fulfill my promises, then I must look into how Aaron creates his connections to the Gods and mimic it... I loathe to follow a mortal's path, but that is the wishes of my Lord." He hid his own disgust, having no love or loyalty to the Gods, They were a means to an end like everyone else was. Like D'Anthony and the countless members of the legion. They all served their purpose...
And one day would lift him up to godhood as he deserved.
'""
"Neque alliges, per sanguinem et caligo, hoc fragmen terra permittit coniungere me ad magica, et egredientes." Aaron's magic, mixing and melding with the Roman Mages, flowed through the new necklace crafted by the Forgers within Camp Jupiter. He had never cast a spell with so many people, it felt odd linking with them. Their emotions flooded into the spell, allowing him to confirm that they were using him pretty easily... Lydia's magic also pooled into the spell, through their connection, adding a wild essence to the talisman.
Triangular and outlined by silver, the piece of Smoky Quartz radiated power as it sought to connect to the Spiritual energy around it. Aaron dipped it in blood, at the heart of Pluto's temple. The other Mages offered their magic, muttering the spells as he taught them. It was pitiful what they could manage, but it was helpful regardless. He remembered being that weak... it felt like so long ago.
Gathering as one, the magic surged as he dipped it into the bowl of blood he had offered in Pluto's name just moments before. The moment the talisman touched the blood, it went from opaque to a deep blood red. The pieces of bone in the pool turned to ash, absorbing into the stone until finally it looked like a triangle shape piece of bone with red veins through it. It pulsed with dark power.
Pulling it up, he breathed in it's power.
"It is done."
Lenore approached, delicately reaching out to touch the talisman, only to recoil as it burned her skin. With wide eyes, she turned to him. " Why?"
"It's my magic in there, mostly, and I cast the limiting spell. It recognizes me as it's master... but worry not, we will craft you all Talismans once we get into that library, ones unique to each of your unique bloodlines, magics and identities."
She nodded, slowly. "This is no normal artifact... I can sense incredible power on this."
"It magnifies my power for deeper spells... and should penetrate the earth enough to tap into Not only Pluto's power, but the dead, allowing me access to necromatic magic once more. That way I can summon the dead to guide us, to teach us and to allow us the proper paths for our magic. I for one think it would make our time studying magic far more productive, don't you?"
"Normally I'd say no, but I trust you... lead us, please, to victory and beyond."
"That's the idea..." Closing his eyes, he barely masked his exhaustion as he placed the Talisman over his neck. Crafting this had been exhausting, not just from the raw power it needed but from tapping into the feelings of these weaker witches. He had never done that before, linking up with anyone other then Meggy and that was for tiny moments. It was clear this was something unique the Romans...
He wasn't sure he liked it, but he was willing to learn so long as it was useful...
Channeling his power through his new tailsman, which pulsed like a tiny heart on his chest, he reached through the Earth and into the Underworld. To the Shadowy world he was so familar with. That he was already surronded by Pluto's temple and power helped immesurably, normally this task would have taken hours instead of moments. Reaching into Hades, he called out mentally, and instantly felt a familar soul latch onto him once more...
"Hello, Aaron... it has been some time."
"Hello... Agnes. I think it is time you tell me all you know of Rome."
Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.
This was fun, powerful and fun.
Bind, through blood and mist, allow this piece of earth to connect me to the magic within and without.
Love, your Ninja Overlord,
Mika.