Shadow Travel is considered regular magic, so I think any sorcerer can use it since all magic is tied to the Underworld...
Also, I am basing Aaron's growth off of Willow from Buffy. She starts out weak but in a few months can do some cool things on her own. By Three years she is a goddess level witch... and could not only hurt an actual Goddess, but could later ressurect Buffy...
In a year and a half, he is demigod level... how strong will he be in three years?
Does this make sense?
I am also basing his growth and power on Setne, who is a god level mage...
Aaron has gaps in his knowledge from being self taught...
Agnes, as it turned out, had all the juicy gossip about Rome and Roman magic. She had been summoned first and foremost, by someone who had found records of her from the remains of Minos' old country, and had contacted her specifically to master Greek and Roman magic. She had demanded to learn Roman magic, and learned a lot before her old host died from pissing off Dionysius. She knew of the Greek Roman split, as a spirit she had the power to see the past and future, and so knew enough to be quiet when the gods needed her to be. Which was why she told him nothing about it before, wisely keeping quiet even as she planned to use him to gain a foothold among the leaving.
To his shock, she fully and willingly gave this information. Probably as by helping she still had the chance to retest herself to one day enter Elysium... or because she was now aware he could fully banish her, binding her to remain the Underworld sans any connection to the living or life in general. At least for the length of his lifetime at any rate...
He learned a lot in the few minutes they spoke. Mainly that Roman magic was weaker overall, due to weaker lines like Legacies vs Demigods and more mortals in general, but more about active powers and group tactics. Small acts of telekenesis, luck enchantments, tracking spells.. these were the sort of thing that Romans excelled at. Their powers reflected their militaristic and commerce heavy, linked society. They were expert charmspeakers, not out of passion like the Greek mages tended to be but out of a sheer taught preoccupation with manipulation and politics. That and many were legacies, however distant, of Venus herself. Their brand of Charmspeech was often referred to as Silkspeech,a and Agnes told him that he was actually an expert at this already due to his drive to change others thoughts and natural passion. Apparently he had been using Silkspeech passively for a while, which she said was a part of why he was so successful with the Gods, it was such a subtle form of magic that most people never noticed it.
"I see you have a familar now and your soooo much stronger, closer to how strong I was when I was alive." To his annoyance she changed the subject after a long moment of silence as he digested all she told him. It was a lot, to be hit with all at once.
So, naturally he was a bit distracted and replied. "A gift from Artemis and holding up the sky does that for you."
"Soul evolution, pain and triumph allowed your soul to evolve more then it already had. A rare feat, most cannot adapt enough to develop their own magic let alone magnify their strength. I admit, I am impressed... so pray tell, why would you summon my presence once more? It can't be to just tell you what I know about Roman magic."
Aaron sighed. "I no longer have any divine allies, I need to channel your power once more, to protect myself in times of need. A backup, one that will benfit you so long as you swear on Styx to not betray me or anyone tied to me."
She sighed, and then to his shock said. "I swear to Styx to obey your terms. You've proven what happens when you are trifled with. I refuse to fall to that once more."
"Thank you." He said as the sky rumbled, signaling her honesty. "Now... your still more advanced then I am, so I would like for you to test my powers, see how far I've come then help me train in Roman magic."
"I can do that."
"But first, time to break open the Library."
"Oh, did you know that by breaking open this portal, you should start being able to teleport short distances with the Mist? I mean I already saw you use the Mist to travel through tapping into Atlas' blood, but with this little experiment the ability should be fully unlocked. Actually you are offically strong enough to control the Mist to the Max a mortal can manipulate it without tapping into divine sources. Welcome to the Big Leagues, kid! Oh and guess what, you like all Mages that generate their own power are capable of Shadow Travel. A little known fact, but you do have this power since all Magic is tied to Darkness. Being a necromancer naturally ties you the Underworld more then your typical mage, making your connection far stronger to Darkness, which will help massively. Fun, right? All you need to start that power is permission from an Underworld god. That's it, some god tied to Darkness has to allow you access but once that happens you have free access.
I tell you this as both skills are needed, drawing on the Mist and Darkness, will be needed to break this spell down. You'll be able to feel Darkness for what it is, allowing you to sense Dark pathways, the key to travel. Asking Pluto for that permission, to tap into the Dark is needed for the Spell but also to travel fully. Together this will make you a vastly more powerful being... I figured you'd like to know."
"""
"You want to what?" D'Anthony was stunned, shocked and a little afraid of Aaron's request. "Let me see if I get this. You want to channel the power of Pluto, break open a god level spell cast by Hecate and Trivia through their kids and legacies and open up the portal masking the library?"
Aaron smiled at him. "Yes, that is basically it."
The Praetor rubbed his temples. "How is it that you are already causing me issues?"
"Solving one really, I can turn your meager witches into a powerful force quite quickly or at least make them more useful. I also wanted to ask you if I could practice healing with your Medics. I have medical training, I am quite good but I have a feeling there is a lot for me to learn from your healers, mystically but also in practice."
Sighing long and hard, the older boy leaned towards Aaron and gave him a solid stare. "Are you sure this is safe? This is Pluto we are talking about?"
"A noble god that has no interest in more death, the Underworld is overflowing and he can barely keep up. Trust me, he will never do anything extreme that would add to his work."
"Then fine... I will allow it... just be careful and make sure no living beings besides your sacrifice is there. Speaking of, what is your sacrifice."
Aaron raises his palm. "All of us will offer some of our blood, an amazing catalyst for magic. With their combined divine blood and the potent magic coursing through my blood, we have enough to cast a tremendously powerful spell and channel Pluto's magic safely." He stopped for a second. "Well, rather powerful, their blood is not particularly strong... sigh... still it should be enough, combined with my Talisman, to open the gate and allow us access to the knowledge sealed away."
"Fine... just do it. No deaths though!"
"No deaths, thank you D'Anthony... you will really appreciate this."
The boy sighed once more. "And you can learn from our healers, so long as this goes right..."
"Yeah, thank you!"
"Just don't make me regret this..."
"""
Agnes rarely saw this level of growth in anyone, to go from acolyte to as powerful as a child of the Big Three in a year in a half. Pasiphae, who she had actually studied with many years ago was one such person. Medea was another, as was Circe apparently. Both reaching Goddess level in a short time, never more then five years. In her opinion, the boy would reach that level on another two or three years. By ten years he'd be fully immortal, his powers healing him on cellular level making him fully immortal.
Yes, the boy was that good. She knew it... not everyone could adapt to channel the power of the soul and have the soul grow stronger as a result. That he could overcome her and her old posse of Spirits while still an acolyte was a sign in and of itself. It took a powerful will to master magic, a great intelligence and a passion that allowed access to emotional based magics. The boy had all three in spades and that made him very dangerous...
She knew he had no idea of his raw potential, he was still humbled by humanity. A good trait, but one day it may be the Flaw that flares up taking his life. He needed to learn his true self before it was too late...
Of course that wasn't his only weakness, due to be self trained he had major gaps in his knowledge that put him in danger. She would correct that and hope to ride his coattails enough to get into Elysium...
That was her best bet as far as things went...
If she wanted any peace or freedom from the numbness of Asphodel... then this was her only option. Turn Aaron into a rare god level magic using mortal and help him fulfill the destiny the Fates commanded him to fulfill. Whatever the hell that was...
:::
"De Levis, et sanguis: te magni Plutonem rogamus autem ... accipere hoc munus, et sic per dona nobis et Levis Levis umbra opus est retexi atque arcis obsessio est umbra." Aaron uttered, his fellow mages offering their own spells behind him. In an instant the Mist portal, hard even for his power to see fully, raged into what looked like a miniature storm of pure White Magical Mist complete with threads of thunder and lightning coursing through the magic. Shadows crept up around him and he knew his aura was one of pure Shadow and Mist. The power of Pluto coursing through him, easily answered and conjured through their offering of blood.
Speaking off, the bowl of their blood boiled and turned into sheer mist before being consumed by the aura of Shadow and Mist around him. He felt the catalystic magic surge through him straight to Pluto in an instant. His talisman, which he held between his hands. sparked with divine power. The Might of one of The King of the Underworld surged through him, through the Talisman.
"Aperta liberalitate eodemque intus fauces componere fas est pulcerrima et vapor utiq denuo scientiam!"
Streaks of Shadow and Mist blended like black lightning and blasted into the raging storm of Mist. Within seconds the Mist spiraled inward over and over until it seemed to cave in on itself... and revealed the Library once more. Collumns of Mist and Shadow held up the portal, to the room crafted of pure magic and Mist. Aaron collasped, and felt a rush of intense cold, the magic of Darkness wash through him... then he felt the magic of Mist, cold and ever adaptable...
And with that, he knew how to travel with them. At least in theory... however it wasn't from the feeling that he learned. As he stood, he realized something epic.
"Lord Pluto just gave me the knowledge of how to Travel with the Mist and Shadows... so I can learn and then teach you lot as well." he turned to the other mages and smiled. "Mist travel for short distances, where you can see or sense. Shadow travel for long distances, where you can only see with your minds eye. I knew these skills existed but never that I'd have the means to do them... I have to remember to offer a huge sacrifice to Pluto... we all do." he shuddered as more knowledge washed through him, clicking. "We have to be careful about Shadow Travel though, we lack a connection of Blood to Darkness so there is less resistance beyond what my magical provides me.
Also... he says that my ability to shapeshift was born from my now possesing a magical aura of great enough intensity that it is visible to divine beings. Which was needed to teleport as well, to handle the strain for both Mist and Shadow Travel... which you all have on some level from your divine blood... you need to harness your aura like a shield so you can handle the strain of certain things... I never knew that... I was self taught, there are more holes in my knowledge then I realized I guess... Cool. I need to put this in my Grimoire..."
Lenore approached, pale with weakness and magical exhaustion. "You have earned your place as our leader, this just proves it... please, teach us to be great!"
She and everyone else bowed, leaving him to sigh and turn to a laughing Lydia. "They think you are that guliable... the lot of them, crazy I tell you."
Sighing more, he turned to Lenore and lifted her to standing fully. " I would be honored... as long as you teach me as well and learn besides me, as equals... "
To his shock, he almost felt her doubt, fear and shock at his words. As if she never expected to hear them... " Not very Roman of you, to offer to share power... but I like it. Thank you."
"We are all students of magic here... we are all equals... now, since we are all too pooped to use our magic, let's start studying shall we?"
With great excitment, not unlike kids in a candy store, they bombared the Library and walked through the cold portal... eager to finally get their hands on the advanced arts...
Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.
"Of Mist and Blood, great Pluto I beseech the... accept this offering, and through it grant us the Mist and Shadow needed to unweave this blockade of Mist and Shadow."
"Open and unleash the bounty within, settle the Mist and Shadow and allow us entrance to this vault of knowledge once more!"
Love, your Ninja Overlord,
Mika.