Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Chapter 15– The Spoils of War
"He's awake I think..."
"...stop talking!..
"...let him rest...
The voices of my friends woke me up, but I didn't wish to see them. I waited until they were all gone before I opened my eyes. Blinking, I absently took in the ceiling above me, immediately recognising the place– The infirmary.
There was no need to clear my brain to recall my most recent memories, the gamer's mind did it all for you. But in that moment, I wished I hadn't remembered. I wished I didn't see her die, wished it wasn't her who died.
Did I blame myself for her death then? No. Well, maybe I did. Atleast at first. But then I spent the next few minutes simply laying there, trying to find someone else to blame. And my mind clamped upon the idea.
The Lamia, and her lady. Hades and Posieden. Gaia. Even the camp, who did nothing to help. There were so many people I could blame, and I gladly took this opportunity to shift the blame. Cause Frankly? I don't think I could've been at peace with myself thinking that my sister died because of me.
My mother wasn't here. She probably wouldn't meet me for years. And now my only other family was dead. A part of me wondered about my father then. Did he see her die too? How would he have reacted? ...did he even care?
Perhaps Luke had a point. The gods really were cruel. And what right did they have to rule? Hades and posieden. What right they did they have to command such power? To kill who they wished, do what they want. I wanted them dead. Hades and posieden. Yes, they will pay. They will all pay. I will make them.
I don't know how long I stared at the ceiling, swearing vengeance upon enemies I knew were beyond me. I came out of my mind only when the door opened once again, and in walked chiron.
"Mikael, how do you feel?" The centaur asked.
I opened my mouth to say I was fine. To say everything was all right. But I couldn't get it out.
I ended up laughing. I laughed until I started coughing, and all the while Chiron stood beside me; silent.
"How do you think I am, Chiron?" I managed to asked him finally, wheezing slightly as all of my bitter amusement drained out.
"You are grieving." He stated. "I understand. You have lost a lot. But I want you to know that you still have friends. Many of whom will gladly give their lives for you."
His hand came to rest on my shoulder then; warm and comforting. "Do not blame yourself, child. Mourn for what you lost, but learn to move on. This is the life of a demigod. You may not be one yourself, but you have lived a life of one. A life of a hero. Just like your sister. And she will want you to move on."
In the camp, many orphans saw Chiron as a second father; he fed them, clothed them, taught them, and kept them safe. I was never one of them. For me, he was simply an immortal teacher doing his job. But now I could understand. He didn't care for the demigods because it was his job, but because he understood them, and loved them like his own. And in this moment, I trusted him more than anyone else save my mother.
"She stayed behind for me." I found myself whispering. I tried to say more but I couldn't. Just remembering those moments were painful. It was still too early to remember. Too raw, too stark.
Chiron squeezed my shoulder lightly.
"I wish I hadn't played the hero." I said instead. "I wish I'd just followed after her as soon as we reached the hill. The Lamia was there for us, I knew this. I should've known better. Acted better...I should've been better."
There was a moment of silence as I squeezed my eyes shut, struggling to contain whirlpool of emotions.
"Forgive my language child, but Men thrice your age would've shat themselves had they been in your position." Chiron replied. "You did better than many a seasoned commanders, Mikael. I have not trained, seen, nor heard of any nine year old, god or demigod, who could've led his soldiers through what you led yours. It is good that you wish to improve, and I'll be glad to train you properly now that the nightmare is over. But do not let a single death make you forget what you did yesterday. You led a group of 90 demigods out of a trap. A planned ambush with monsters as fearsome as the Minotaur, the furies, karkinos, Manticore, Cyclops... even the Lamia. Every single one of these monsters are known for their legends. Had these monsters succeeded in entering the camp?"
Chiron lean down to look me in the eyes. "There would've been no camp half-blood existing today."
I sat there, stunned.
The centaur gave me a last parting pat on the shoulders. "I will leave you to ponder upon that. The healers were very surprised to find you already healed of your injuries so you are free to leave if you wish to. Oh, and you may want to take a look at ...ahh it's better if you find out yourself."
"Chiron." I called, deciding to tell him about my suspicions. "This was a planned attack. The Lamia was controlling the monsters and said it was all for 'The lady'. She was also Gaia's champion, if that means anything to you."
The millenniums old centaur nodded gravely. "I see. I must take this information to the olympus at once then."
The door closed behind the man and I was again alone in the tiny room of the infirmary. I absently clicked on the blinking notifications, hoping they would provide some distraction.
[Legendary Achievement: Beat the unbeatable]
Objective: Complete a task of Legendary difficulty.
Rewards: 20 Levels, All Skills Lvl increased by 1
[Rare Achievement: Monster Slayer]
Objective: Slay a Tier 5 Monster before reaching 16
Reward: 10 Levels, All combat skills Lvl increased by 2
[Angelic Form Leveled Up: 4-Winged Angel]
WHAT! I closed the notifications and shifted sideways to unleash my wings, shock and elation spreading through me.
But I shouldn't have bothered. Because all this time, I was actually sleeping with my wings out. 4 wings in total, all originating from my spine. Two wings jutted upwards, facing the sky, while the other two curved downwards, facing the earth.
This was what Chiron must've been saying at the end.
I closed them around myself, covering me completely from head to toe like a blanket.They were a little different than my first pair, I realised. Just as white, but the shades of darkness now had a sibling. Because just besides the dark lines, there were now shades of stormy blue light, zig-zagging in the form of lightning bolts. They were beautiful. And soft. And fluffy.
Just like Thalia described them whenever she–
I cut the thought short, pushing back the memories. With a sigh, I sat up and leashed back my wings inside me, before continuing to go through the notifications. They were a very good way to distract myself.
[Skill Leveled Up: Divine Lightning Bolt] Lvl 6
[Skill Leveled Up: Lightning Manipulation] Lvl 6
[Skill Leveled Up: Air Manipulation] Lvl 8
[Skill Leveled Up: Lightning Storm] Lvl 3
...
...
...
There were a bunch of those, and I just skipped them. I'll be taking a look at my overall skill level in status window later anyway. Instead, my focus shifted on a different notification.
[Skill Created: Divine Lightning Storm] Lvl 1
I knew I did something before I lost consciousness. I remembered watching the world grow dark, listening to the booms of thunder, and the whole land shaking. But I had no idea what I did exactly. I was a little out of it then, to be honest.
But according to the notification, it seems I created a storm. A lightning storm.
Shaking my head, I looked at the last unique notification.
[You have entered the 5th Tier (Peak Demigod)]
Now that I gotta see. I opened my status with anticipation.
Mikael
Age: 9
Race: God/Angel/Devil Hybrid
Tier: 5
Level: 470
Divine Power: 402,000/402,000
Holy Power: 402,000/402,000
Demonic Power: 402,000/402,000
Stamina: 461,000/461,000
Health: 481,000/481,000
Stats
Strength: 471
Speed: 501
Dexterity: 491
Endurance: 461
Constitution: 481
Mental: 38
Spirit: 402
Points: 121
Skills:
Combat Skills–
Master Spear-wielding (4/10)
Expert Swordsman (8/10)
Expert Archer (1/10)
Godly Skills–
Wind Tornado (Lvl 2)
Divine Lightning Storm (Lvl 2)
Lightning Storm (Lvl 4)
Divine Lightning Bolt (Lvl 7)
Lightning Manipulation (Lvl 7)
Electric Discharge (Lvl 8)
Flying (Lvl 8)
Wind Manipulation (Lvl 9)
Air Manipulation (Lvl 9)
Holy Power Skills–
[Angelic Form]– 4-Winged Angel
Holy Power Manipulation (Lvl 7)
Holy Weapon Creation (Lvl 7)
Demonic Skills–
[Power of Creation] Passive
[Power of Imagination] Passive
Lightning Manipulation (Lvl 4)
Hypnosis Magic (Lvl 5)
Concealment Magic (Lvl 5)
Defensive Magic: Barrier (Lvl 5)
Object Creation (Lvl 6)
Demonic Power Manipulation (Lvl 7)
Magical Skills–
Mist Sense (Lvl 4)
Mystiokinesis Sense (Lvl 4)
Other Skills–
Advanced Hunter (9/10)
Expert Tracker (1/10)
Expert Unarmed Combatant (1/10)
Expert Strategist (2/10)
Resistance:
Lightning Resistance (Max)
Poison Resistance (Lvl 5)
Pain Resistance (Lvl 4)
Mystiokinesis Resistance (Lvl 3)
Magical Affinities:
Divine Lightning: 70/100
Holy Light: 70/100
Lightning: 90/100
Light: 90/100
I closed the window, feeling shocked and stunned. I felt shivers down my arms just by looking at my status. If I fought the manticore now, I was going to fuck it up badly. These were the stats of an entity at the peak of the mortals. I mean, really, can anyone truly challenge me now? Except for the divine beings of course.
But in the mortal world, I was a true monster. I was equal to an ultimate class devil, or an 8-winged angel. Even amongst demigods, I was probably at the level of the strongest heroes like Hercules, Perseus, Theseus etc. I was confident in even facing down that high-level adult water dragon.
Though I felt quite surprised about my rapid level ups. I mean, it took me more than a year of constant fighting to go from Lvl 295 to lvl 360. 65 levels in 1 year was a truly fast pace of leveling, no doubt. But I worked just as hard to achieve it.
And now suddenly in a single day, hell a single hour, I go from 362 to...470? I wasn't complaining of course, but it was definitely a shock. A very very pleasant kind of shock.
I took a deep breath and started going through my notifications.
'So, I got 3 whole levels from killing the tier 4 furies, then another level for killing the Minotaur. Then another from killing the Empousa and Dracaenae. Then...10 freaking levels for killing that tier 5 manticore? Wow, alright. That's generous but I'll take it.'
I scrolled down further, wanting to know the cause of this drastic increment.
'2 levels for killing the karkinos? Why? It was just a tier 4 being...hmm. Maybe cause it was the peak of tier 4? Whatever...then another from killing droves of hellhound and the last batch of levels– 10 more for killing the Lamia. So 28 total levels in a single day.'
It made sense though. I've never killed multiple tier 4 monsters in a single day before, and now I killed half a dozen in a single hour. Plus two tier 5 beings, both way more powerful than that baby water dragon. Now that I think about it, 28 levels was quite low for killing an army of monsters that included Tier 4 and 5 opponents.
But then I got two achievements, and leveled up more times than by killing monsters. 30 freaking levels for free. So, Achievement was the faster way to level up than killing.
'This still just makes 58 levels in total so I should've been around level 420...Oh the wings! They gave me 50 levels the first time I unlocked them, didn't they? So that meant the wings gave 50 levels per pairs. So...300 levels for 6 pairs? Damn, alright. I'll take those free level ups gladly.'
With that done, I looked at my other gains. I finally managed to enter the master Stage of Spear-wielding. Now that was awesome.
I might actually be on mother's level now. Gabriel was a master spear-wielder at the very least, but I wasn't just starting in master's realm. I was already lvl 4! Those achievements really worked out well for me. Even my Swordsmanship, which had been stagnating for the past few weeks, now sat at the peak of expert realm. Another couple of levels and I'd be master class swordsman.
Expert level Archery was another thing worthy of notice.
Moving on to the skills, almost every one of my skills leveled up. That was good.
My new resistance intrigued me for a bit. What would happen when I achieve max resistance in poison or Mystiokinesis? According to my lightning resistance, I'll become immune to damage. Poison was self-explanatory. But Mystiokinesis? I knew now that it meant the magic that Greeks wizards and witches used. Will I become immune to any type of magic or just those directly cast on me? It was probably the latter, but I'll have to see it in action.
My eyes finally rested on the points. I knew they wouldn't have made any significant difference in the fight, especially against a tier 5 being, but I still couldn't help but blame myself for not using them. I needed to make sure that I was at my very best when going into any serious battle. Seriously.
Without ant further ado, I started increasing my stats again, with over 121 Points to spend.
I put 9 points in every physical stat, bringing them to perfect 0s once again. The remaining 76 points, I decided to divide between spirit and intelligence. I was gaining wisdom and will power as I grew old, but my intelligence was the same as it had been the last time I increased it.
Intelligence: 11/30 (Extremely High Intellect)
Wisdom: 10/35 (Peak Mortal Wisdom)
Will: 17/35 (Immortal Will)
So I put 40 points in intelligence, bringing it to 15, while putting all the remaining points in spirit.
Intelligence: 15/30 (Prodigious Intellect)
Wisdom: 10/35 (Peak Mortal Wisdom)
Will: 17/35 (Immortal Will)
The titles intrigued me. What does the system mean by Prodigious? What is the difference between a very high intellect and prodigious intellect? And when exactly will my increased intelligence show effect. Will my personality change? Or will my intelligence remain the same but simply with increased potential?
Maybe I will need to actively do things that challenges my intellect to properly let my brain adjust to its new perimeters. Will I even know the difference between the old me and the new me? And what about wisdom? I now had a peak mortals wisdom. What exactly did that mean? Will I start understanding this world now? Bah! Who cares.
Anything that helps me in my quest for vengeance was a good thing. Hades and Posieden had absolutely no fucking idea what they've done. But I'll make them realise it. Yes, I'll show them.
Spirit
Maximum Potential Spirit: 818
Note: Spirit is not affected by Tier.
My maximum spiritual potential was 818 now. Even above Dionysus in his divine form. I simply needed to survive the coming years and I'd be more powerful than most of the gods.
I checked my new stats one last time.
Mikael
Age: 9
Race: God/Angel/Devil Hybrid
Tier: 5
Level: 470
Divine Power: 438,000/438,000
Holy Power: 438,000/438,000
Demonic Power: 438,000/438,000
Stamina: 470,000/470,000
Health: 490,000/490,000
Stats–
Strength: 480
Speed: 510
Dexterity: 500
Endurance: 470
Constitution: 490
Mental: 42
Spirit: 438
Points: 0
Perfect. With that done, I closed the window and got up. I didn't wish to stay in the cramped infirmary room any longer.
I walked out of the big house, glancing towards the hill with a new outlook. I was surprised to note the presence of a huge pine tree though. Previously I'd wondered what Chiron would do about the tree-less forest, but I felt a little stupid for thinking that. Of course he was going to use satyrs to regrow the forest anew. It felt so obvious now. Though perhaps it might be the effect of my newfound intelligence. Or I was just being dumb back then.
Still, I started my way towards the tree. Something about it just irked me. Why did the satyrs create such a huge shade right above the hill? To give a more clearer sign for the demigods perhaps? Hmm, curious.
But as I got closer and closer, my mind flashed on to other things. Mainly the fact that the tree was built on the exact spot where...where my sister died.
...If this was the camp's idea of honouring my sister's death, then I was not impressed. A part of me was starting to blame the camp for her death.
Why did the Athena, Hephaestus and the Demeter cabin not come out to support us? Especially when we were right outside the magical borders. Had they already given up hope on us? Disgusting wretches.
The more I thought about it, the more angrier I got. The only thing that made sense was that Dionysus forbid them from helping. Yes, I can see the two-bit weakling little god doing something like that. Perhaps I should add him to my godly hit-list.
I shook my head, cutting off that thought. That was foolishness. Arrogance could be my downfall if I kept heading into danger with no regards to my life. I could only hope to challenge the gods if I actually survived to reach their level.
But once I did reach their level... yes. Then, the true hunt will begin.
As I reached the top however, all of my planning and plotting left me, and so did my breath. Cause I made the mistake of observing the thing too closely.
Thalia's Tree
Age: 1 Day
Race: Immortal Tree
Tier: 5 (Sealed)
Level: 170 (Sealed)
Divine Power: 0/200,000 (Sealed)
Stamina: 0/178,000 (Sealed)
Health: 17/173,000 (Sealed)
Tree's Health: 500,000/500,000
I felt my knees grow weak, and I staggered past the stop sign, ripping off the green vines that were made to keep people off. I fell to my knees beside the tree, frantically searching, before finally my eyes rested on her body.
Covered under leaves and bushes lay my sister's body, her eyes closed peacefully, just like when she slept. My hands touched her face, covered under the pine tree's vines. I brushed away the leaves and greenery, taking a good look at her. My mind however, was somewhere else altogether.
I can save her, I realised. The words were resounding around my mind.
I can save her. I can save her.
Yes, my sister was not dead. She was simply sleeping.
And I can save her.
I was Mikael, son of Gabriel, former Archangel, the most powerful woman in heaven, and the son of Zeus, the Father of gods, the king of Olympus. And when I said I can do something, the world better believe I can. For my words contain my Will, and my will powers my soul. And with my will and authority, I so swear.
"I Will Save Her."
[Skill Created: Divine Authority] Lvl 1
"Shut up."
I forgot the passing of time as I sat beside my sister, watching the setting sun in the distance. That was how my three friends found me. Sitting besides my sister, under the shade of her tree, and the power of my words pressing down on the world. I had an idea of what I just did, but it will need some more researching.
"Mikael." Anna's solemn voice reached my ears, sounding uncharacteristically serious.
I wasn't surprised by the show of grimness however. I should've known there was a reason the girl acted so silly around me. Gods, how stupid was I in the past? Stupid and thick headed.
"Anna." I greeted her with a nod. "Come, join me."
I patted the ground next to me.
Luke and Annabeth followed behind her.
"Luke. Anna lite." I nodded at them both, though still taking time to tease the younger girl.
I needed my friends to believe that I was fine. That I didn't need coddling. Which meant acting a little more carefree than I would've liked to right now.
"How are you, Kael?" Anna asked me.
My other two friends weren't too keen to talk, and understandably. Thalia meant much to them too. They were grieving as well, especially Luke. The boy looked as if he hadn't slept in a while, with red and puffy eyes
I turned to Anastasia with a smile. "Don't worry about me too much, Anna. I am fine, or well... I'll be fine after some time."
"You are lying." Annabeth's voice snapped. "She meant a lot to you, there's no logical way for you to act so freely to her death–"
"She isn't dead!" I snarled sharply before I could stop myself. But the damage was done; Annabeth scrambled backwards, scared and frightened. The other two looked cautious.
I needed to run some damage control.
"She isn't dead as long as we don't forget about her. She is right here, with us. As long as this tree stands, I will continue to believe so." I stated with what I hoped was appropriate passion.
I didn't wish to give a speech, but I needed them to believe it came from my heart.
Why exactly was I trying so hard to not let them know my plan? Cause they'll think me mad in grief, and won't believe me. Maybe even try to make me forget. But I cannot waste time on those things. I needed to start researching for ways to bring back my sister. I wouldn't be able to do that if my friends thought I was crazy.
I felt Anna's hand rest around my shoulder as she buried my head in her side, comforting me silently. And I felt a sliver of guilt for manipulating them, but I crushed it instantly. I was doing this for my sister.
Besides, I will immediately tell them of my plans once i got some solid proof that I can bring her back. Plus a reliable method to do so too.
After a few minutes of staying silent, I decided to douse my curiosity. "Why did the other cabins not come to help us? When we reached the hill top."
"Mr. D." Anna spat angrily. "He forbid anyone from leaving after they told him about the ambush. Something about 'picking up our pieces and moving along.'"
I nodded slowly. Yes, this was definitely something that the baby-faced god would do. He was becoming bit of a nuisance.
I took one last glance at my sleeping sister's face and stood up. The sun was low on the horizon, and capture the flag was going to start soon. A good opportunity to test my strength.
"Come." I beckoned to my friends. "I'm feeling a sudden urge to beat the shit out of my fellow demigods."
"Uh oh. We still have an alliance right? Aphrodite will always fo–"
"Mikael." Luke cut off the girl, moving towards the side. "You should see something before leaving."
"Not now luke." Anna harshly snapped, giving a heated glare to the boy. "We can show it la–"
"Tell me." I cut off the girl this time, approaching luke.
Anna gave an exasperated sigh. "Boys."
He didn't need to tell me anything, as I can see it with my own eyes the moment I walked towards him.
On the lower side of the hill, a dozen meters away from Thalia's tree, a deep trench had formed. It way just a couple of meters wide, but it's depth? I couldn't see the end. The ground surrounding the trench was riddled with molten stone and metal. It looked like the aftereffects of a nuclear bomb. Completely annihilated.
"They say the hole is half a mile deep inside the ground." Luke informed me. "The satyrs, that is. They left this part of the destruction alone, as a historic spot."
"...What destruction?" I asked, but I already knew what he was speaking about. The hole had formed just where the Lamia last stood. Just where I'd unleashed my rage.
"Your last attack completely destroyed this part of the half-blood hill." Luke replied grimly, confirming my conclusion. "Satyrs, Demeter and Dionysus cabin, and Hecate's children had been reconstructing the entire land for the whole day yesterday. Growing back land and trees."
"You should've seen the hill, Kael." Anna chimed in as she came to stand beside us. "We all thought lord Zeus has unleashed his wrath upon our camp when we first heard the thunder. We didn't dare leave the camp until the storm calmed down. When we saw the destroyed hill, and you in the middle of it, quite a few demigods actually believed you were a god in disguise."
"Really?" I asked incredulous.
"They are calling it 'Mikael's wrath'." Annabeth chimed in. "And treating this place like some sacred groove. Which is just ridiculous."
"The entire long Island felt the effects you know." Luke continued. "Your lightning strike was on the news. The noise of thunder was so loud that it scared the entire city. The tremors spread across the whole long Island, and some people were starting to investigate it before Chiron went in and used the mist."
"Huh."
This had some amazing potential. If I went with pure destruction, that was already around the level of an ultimate devil. But with my recent upgrades, my power should be even more now.
I'll have to practice the Divine Lightning Storm skill. It was arguably my most powerful attack yet.
"Alright that was good to know. Now come on, we are getting late for capture the flag."
The rest of the day passed as an... irritating experience. The demigods treated me like some celebrity, giving nervous handshakes, and bowing down. I liked the respect, but I didn't like the ass-kissing.
Still, I tolerated it. After an easy victory in capture the flag (I got non of the satisfaction I was hoping for), we left for the dinner. I ate alone and the pain of being alone clawed at my heart but I endured, knowing that it would become normal after a couple of months. Still, halfway through my meal, I gave up. My appetite was just too limited.
It was a hollow experience. My heart wasn't into it anymore. Every little thing seemed to remind me of her, mocking me with her absense. What little hope the tree had given me was slowly but surely driven away by the hard truth.
Thalia will not be with me ever again, until I find a way to heal her. Not the tree, but Thalia herself. All my ideas to heal her would only work on the tree. But Thalia herself? Yeah, I had no way to do that. No matter my promises, the truth was clear. It will be a long time before I devised a reliable way to revive my sister. Not that I was going to give up on her. Not without atleast trying.
After a long and disappointing day, I headed in the direction of the cabins, hungry but not caring. My feets though, kept walking until I reached the hearth in the middle of the empty ground that was surrounded by all the cabins. The comforting warmth of the hearth soothed me, pushing away my worries. It was like recieving a good and relaxing massage after a very tiring day.
I sat alone besides the hearth, not wanting to sleep yet. My friends read my mood and left me alone, which I was grateful for. Will the gamer's mind protect me from nightmares? I didn't know, and I didnt even know if I wanted it to.
The sound of shifting coals aroused my attention. I turned to look and noticed a small girl, around my physical age, slowly poking at the fire. I knew who she saw, but I was still surprised.
The only reason I approached the hearth was because Hestia wasn't present today. I had no grudge against her, but I did not wish to be in the presence of a god today.
"Lady Hestia." I greeted her with a bow and her eyes widened in surprise. But I quickly stood up. "Pardon me, I did not see you. I apologise for disturbing your hearth."
With that I turned around.
"Please stay." Her gentle voice rooted me to the spot. "It was me who startled you. You need not leave on my account."
There was just something about her presence that convinced me to stay in an instant.
Comfort, warmth, home. These were the three things that sprang to mind as long as I stayed around her. Things that I desperately needed right now.
And so with just a touch of hesitation, I turned around again and sat back down.
"Thank you." I responded with a small bow.
If there was one god in the greek Pantheon that I geniunly liked, it would be Hestia.
Hestia
Race: God
Tier: 9 (Elder God)
Current Tier: 8 (True God)
Level: 810 (Divine Form) [Max]
Current Level: 710 (Mortal Form)
Divine Power: 35,000,000/35,000,000
Stamina: 35,500,000/35,500,000
Health: 35,500,000/35,500,000
Stats
Strength: 710 (810)
Speed: 710 (810)
Dexterity: 710 (810)
Endurance: 710 (810)
Constitution: 710 (815)
Mental: 71
Spirit: 700 (800)
She was also the most powerful being I've ever interacted with, and the most smartest. It didn't help that she always appeared in the form of a very cute 8 year old, whose cheeks I would love to squish.
There was silence for a few seconds, where she took her time to observe me before speaking. "Would you like some dinner?"
Without giving me a chance to deny, she extended her hand and wide array of food suddenly appeared in front of me.
My appetite suddenly returned with a roaring need. The comfort of a home blasted in my soul, erasing the depressing thoughts.
"I'm surprised you noticed me, Mikael Gabrielson. No one ever does."
I stiffened at the name slightly before relaxing back. Of course she knew who I was.
"I see you tending to the hearth each day, but you never invite any company." I replied, after inhaling my food at a professional pace. "I had not wished to disturb you."
A sad smile came over her face. "Your presence does not disturb me, Mikael. It never will. You are free to visit the hearth whenever you wish. Everyone deserves the warmth of a home. Especially someone who've never experienced it before."
Again I stiffened.
'Did she not consider the house Azazel gifted us as 'Home'? How did she even know about it though? I spent most of my life around japan. Does her power extend to the whole world?'
Damn.
"Worry not, Nephew. You are safe here. I know what troubles you, and I am here if you ever need someone to talk to."
I hesitated, before realising that this being in front of me was the kindest god in the entire universe, including all the mythological pantheons in this world. She would be the last to have any ill intent towards me.
"Thank you, Lady Hestia." I replied after a few seconds, and my gratitude was much more real this time.
"No need to be so formal. We are family after."
"Alright then...Aunt Hestia?" I stated and asked at the same time.
She laughed softly. "Yes, that will be much appreciated."
This was indeed a good improvement. I didn't like all the lord and lady stuff either but I knew how prickly gods can be at the smallest perceived insult. Even the kindest of them.
Though perhaps not Hestia.
"I hope I don't have to say this again, but remember, you are always welcome here at the hearth. Simply say my name and I will appear, should you ever require my aid."
I nodded, finished with my food. "I'd like to sit here for a little while longer if you don't mind."
"I don't mind." She replied simply, before nodding towards the Zeus cabin. "But I'm not the only god you will meet today, Mikael Gabrielson. I will always be here for you, waiting patiently. My brother will not."
It took be just a second to realise what she was implying. "Oh."
"Go on, child."
I stood up. "Thank you. For everything."
And with a last grateful nod, I turned around.
"And Mikael," I glanced back. "Do forgive your father. He truly has changed from the god he once was. Just be a little... patient with him."
I didn't reply and started walking to the cabin. I liked Hestia, so I would rather not make promises that I can't keep.
When I finally reached my cabin, I wasn't surprised to see someone waiting for me.
He stood in the middle of the cabin, with a dark blue pinstriped suit worn upon a very muscled built. His eyes were stormy electrical blue, similar to mine when they come under light. A smartly shaved beard covered his chin, with flecks of grey and silver marring them. Just like an aura of warmth and comfort surrounded Hestia, an air of extreme authority, command, and power revolved around him.
"Hello, Son." The god said, a grimaced little twitch of a smile forming on his face. "I've been waiting for you."
I simply stared at him, expecting to feel...some sort of emotion. Anger for my sister's death, bitterness at his absense and passivity, perhaps even rage at his stupid little smile. But no, i felt none of these.
All I felt as I stared at this stranger was just a muted sense of... disappointment.
"Lord Zeus." I finally greeted him, my disappointment colouring my tone with bitterness.
Zeus winced visibly.
"Definitely your mother's son. She too had an... interesting way of showing her anger. I don't suppose we could be a little more... casual?"
His voice was rich, a deep baritone present in it; sounding authoritative and commanding even at questioning words.
I snorted. 'Casual. Right.'
What do I even call him? Dad? He was my father after all... Yeah, no. We weren't at that level, and I doubt we ever would be...
"Father." I finally settled reluctantly.
"That's... marginally better." Zeus said, his eyebrows twitching. "Come, take a seat."
I hadn't noticed the table that was placed besides his statue. It was made of white granite, with two chairs with electricity flashing around them.
As we both took our seats, i called out his status.
Zeus
Race: God
Tier: 10 (Supreme God)
Current Tier: 9 (Elder God)
Level: 920 (Divine Form) [Max]
Current Level: 820 (Mortal Form)
Divine Power: 800,000,000/800,000,000
Stamina: 815,000,000/815,000,000
Health: 810,000,000/810,000,000
Stats
Strength: 815 (920)
Speed: 825 (925)
Dexterity: 830 (930)
Endurance: 815 (915)
Constitution: 810 (910)
Mental: 70
Spirit: 800 (900)
Powerful. Very powerful. For all my disappointment in the king of gods, he was definitely worthy of his title.
"You have questions." Zeus stated as food magically seemed to appear in front of us. "You may ask them."
My eyes stayed pinned at him for a long while, feeling absolutely no surrealism like I'd once expected.
The fact that I was indeed sitting with Zeus, the father of gods, one of the most famous gods in mythology, just didn't seem as mind blowing as it once would no doubt have.
A part of me knew I was being stupid. This was still Zeus. A being who could easily crush me should he wish to...it would be sensible to show atleast some semblance of respect.
But I just couldn't care less anymore.
"Why." I finally asked, feeling tired beyond belief and completely drained of emotions, and yet, this simple question brought with it a frustration deeply buried. "Why the hell did you not help? Why are you here now, after everything is over?"
There was a moment of silence as my questions hung between us, before he finally replied.
"Always with the big ones." The King of Gods sighed, absently popping a cube of Ambrosia into his mouth before he answered. "There are... laws. Laws, old and new, that prevent us from interfering with the lives of demigods."
He then removed a small golden book and placed it towards me. "Read it later. Everything you need to know is here. To summarise, there was little that I could do to help you, unless the matter involves a divine being."
I ignored him, my eyes scanning through the book. The title of which was written in Greek, but I was good enough in it to translate the book as 'Basic Laws For Mentally Challenged Gods'.
"Seriously." I asked, shooting my father an unimpressed look.
The God waved it off with a frown. "Athena wrote it for Ares when the fool started initiating fights with mortals, incurring Styx's wrath. The book was recently updated just a mere decades prior."
"Right." I muttered, unsatisfied.
I didn't know what I was expecting from the god. Perhaps some arrogant dismissal on how low my life was worth to him, and thus pushing me upon the glorious path of revenge. Or perhaps an apology for forcing me away from my mother, only to throw me to a bunch of monsters.
What I wasn't expecting was for him to actually explain his side of things calmly.
Still, I wasn't satisfied.
I placed the book in the inventory, having absolutely no care for the raised eyebrow from Zeus, before facing him again, tired and frustrated. "So, was that it? Was that the reason for your absence till now? A bunch of laws?"
The god's lips thinned as he eyed me critically. "I understand your frustrations, Mikael. Make no mistake, I would've done my best to help, had it been possible. I did the little that I could by preserving your sister. But the Laws are absolute, and I can no longer afford to bend them."
I don't know why but the fact that he was the one to save Thalia surprised me. In hindsight, it was pretty obvious now.
The god took a deep breath, and strength visibly seemed to leave him as he deflated with a sigh. "Ever since our children instigated those mortal wars, the other pantheons have been keeping a keen eye on us. None of them friendly, and all waiting for a chance. We Olympians have always prided ourselves to be better than other gods, what with us being the only ones to achieve true immortality. That hubris is now working against us."
Electricity danced around the god's head, reflecting his own grimness. "Difficult times lay ahead of us, my son. War brews closely, and ancient enemies are rising from Tartarus. You already laid witness to Gaea's involvement, something even I missed. Had I known this, I would never have made that pact with your mother. But you are here now, and there is nothing to be done but face the trials."
He leaned closer, his right hand coming to rest on my shoulder.
"I acknowledge your anger. You have every right to it. But do not hold my previous ignorance against me now. I have never been a good father to any of my other children, too lost in my own pride and Hubris as I was. But now that I have this chance, I shall do my absolute best to correct that."
I stayed silent for a while, a little stunned at the expectant posture of the god who was widely regarded for his pride and arrogance.
'How the fuck was I supposed to hold a grudge now?' I raged inside my mind. 'Not only did the guy save Thalia, his plea seems just so geniune.'
I might actually feel like an asshole if I rejected the god's promise. Really, I hadn't expected for my talk to go this way. Whenever I'd imagined my first contact with Zeus, I'd always thought of two massive egos clashing against each other.
Maybe I would've said something that hurts his pride...maybe he'll say something that hurts mine. And we'll eventually end up as bitter enemies, with him being the final boss of my epic quest to hunt down the gods
But this? Never in a thousand years would I have expected this. Zeus, the king of gods, acknowledging his own shortcoming and mistakes...
It seems the King of Olympus has indeed changed.
"I suppose I could give you a chance." I replied at last, feeling quite hesitant in this unfamiliar water.
"A chance is all I need." The god nodded, leaning back again, a small but geniune smile lighting up his features.
Ultimately It would be stupid to hold a grudge against this god. Not only was he one of the strongest beings in existence, he actually wanted to make things right. Having his support would undoubtedly make my life a whole lot easier in this world.
Even with all the restrictions placed on him, I atleast won't have to worry about some random deity smiting me cause he/she was bored.
"Now, Mikael." The god beckoned once again, and the renewed seriousness in his voice made me solemnly look up at him. "I know you wish to save your sister."
"How?" I asked, surprised.
"You declared it to the sky mere hours prior. I can feel your authority in the air even now. This is surprising, for I had not thought you capable of exercising your divine authority. Only a god could do that. And I do not know what to think of you now. But know this, you have my blessings on your quest."
"Thanks." I nodded, but my mind was on the first piece of info.
Authority, a term that was becoming more and more important in this godly business. It was easy enough to connect my new skill to this.
"Now, i believe your mother already told you why you are here?" My father asked.
He then continued on at my nod. "For the next eight years, or seven now, you will stay at my side. Originally, I'd wanted to shelter you in Mount Olympus, so we may...get to know each other, while I taught you the things a new god should know. And I had indeed believed you would be a god."
He frowned then, and the lightning around his chair started spinning as if disturbed.
"But that it not the case. I do not know how, but your soul contains a sliver of a mortal. This is highly irregular. Your mother was an archangel, while not a god nor a true immortal, she is certainly more powerful than any minor god. You are my son, but I know not where your mortality comes from. This makes you an anomaly."
He sighed tiredly then, showing a type of weakness I would never expect the king of Olympus to show. Atleast, before this day.
"Hera, my wife and Queen, has been wroth at you since the day of your birth. Only my presence has kept her from storming the heavens to show her anger. Had you been a god, I would have no need to worry. Had you been a demigod, I would've worried only till you reached the camp. A god cannot harm a mortal unless the mortal instigates the fight, third law in the book by the way. The laws would've protected you, but I fear that is not the case now."
It was a lot to take in, but my brain was already analysing the info given.
So basically what Zeus meant was that a god can directly try to fight me. That could prove to be a huge nuisance. I needed to reach lvl 600 and enter tier 7 at the very least before I went around picking fights with gods.
Damn it.
"Worry not, son. I will not coddle you into weakness. But I will make sure that you are ready to face anything this world throws at you. Until you reach thirteen, no god or goddess of Olympus will ever try to harm you directly. And as an...apology–"
Zeus grimaced a little, uttering the word as if it was something alien.
"–for not delivering upon the promise of safety, I will accept any one request of yours. So ask."
My mind went through multiple plans and ideas, to make use of this chance as best as I could. In the end however, I had a single weakness i can no longer ignore.
My weapon.
Demigods, and even gods, put a lot of faith in their weapons. They personalized it, caring for it like a companion rather than a tool. But from the start, most of my battles were fought with my powerful abilities, and more often than not, I found my weapon...not quite up to the par. It hurt me to think like this, considering that piercer was the only thing I had of my mother. But I could no longer ignore this.
So with a jerk of my hand, I summoned my dented spear from the inventory.
"I'd be happy if you can give me a better weapon than this." I said, waving the bent over spear before placing it back in my inventory.
I didn't need to use the weapon to remember my mother. It can occupy a permanent spot in my inventory, safe and sound in my own dimension.
The king of gods smiled a proud little grin. "I was hoping you'd say that. I've kept a close watch upon you over the year, and while you continue to impress me, the same cannot be said about your weapon. You not possessing a weapon of your stature is a shame upon my name."
I frowned. "It was a gift from mother."
"And she would've agreed with me, I have no doubts about this." He answered easily, before standing up. "Now come, let me introduce you to your half-brother, Hephaestus."
For a second I almost thought he was going to take his divine form to teleport, but fortunately he wasn't as inconsiderate as I'd imagined him to be.
We flew from the camp faster than anyone could notice, and off we were towards the empire building in new york city. The speed with which we travelled was so stupidly high that I was sure any mortal would've bust a vessel by now.
So fast did we go that I had no time to see anything, no time to ask questions, no time to think much either.
In but a single second, we were above Empire State building, travelling from the opposite side of long Island directly to new york city, and going up and up and up until we left the building way out of our sight and clouds greeted our eyes.
I don't know when the mortal world ended and the divine one began but slowly I started to notice the change in air, and the higher we went the stronger it got.
[Skill Leveled Up: Mist Sense] Lvl 5
Wow, just...wow.
Simply flying around increased my skill level? Now that's disgustingly unfair to anyone else practicing mist arts. Me? I was just giddy.
The lands of Olympus was everything I would describe as a home to gods. And in here, it finally hit me that I've just entered the outside world for the first time in more than a year. Sure, I left the camp sometimes to fights the monsters outside, but actually leave that place? Nope, first time. And the first place I was visiting was olympus, the home of gods and immortals.
Zeus didn't stop for me to gaze upon the place's beauty for more than a second, but it was enough to convince me that I was in the most beautiful city I've ever seen in my life.
Too soon though, we zoomed past multiple constructs and structures before finally reaching the huge looming mountain on which 12 mega-palaces were built. The palaces were positioned on the mountainside, from lower level of mountain to the highest level, where the biggest palace stood.
The rest were placed in exactly similar positions to how the cabins were made back in the camp; but there was absolutely no similarity in their structures.
I once thought that the Zeus cabin was beautiful and majestic, but it was nothing compared to even the smallest palace of an Olympian god and I wasn't talking about just their size.
We didn't stop for any viewing unfortunately, and my heart clenched unsatisfactorily, but I didn't say anything because we zoomed directly towards, what I assumed, was Hephaestus palace.
Finally, my father slowed down enough to talk to me. "He usually does not work on Olympus but I had him summoned here especially for this. I wanted you to have a new weapon, one way or another. For this reason, your one wish from me may change to him. You may request anything else save for your weapon. But only one thing, for anything more you will have to convince him yourself."
And then he patted my shoulder before turning back.
"Wait, you are leaving?" I asked, surprised by the suddenness of the event.
The god glanced at me again, a grimace forming on his face. "Hera already knows you are here. I must keep her...ahem, otherwise occupied. Hephaestus already expects you. He hears everything in here."
And with a last nod, he was gone. The hell? I was almost starting to prepare myself for some teary, awkward, or just plain cringe goodbye. This was all too quick, and very much to my liking.
I slowly started to walk down the crystal corridor, and now that I had time to savor the sight I made sure to observe everything.
From the greenish pillars to...colour changing pillars? ...No, I got that wrong.
The pillars weren't changing colours, the whole fucking room was changing right in front of my eyes!
Yeah, fuck no. And with that, I unleashed my wings and flapped back towards the exist, only to find the door I just entered from to be completely gone from my view.
In its place was a red wall, dripping lava from tiny cracks and fissures that spread like a web across the whole wall. I looked around and found the same thing everywhere.
There was only one door in the lava room and I was starting to sweat bullets, which is just ridiculous considering that I actually never sweated before in my life. I'd forgotten how horribly uncomfortable it was. Perhaps I was in my own personal little hell.
Thankfully the worst didn't happen as I started walking deeper into the fiery lair. Instead of the heat increasing to uncomfortable levels, it stayed just the same.
I pushed open the door quite easily and walked down the stairs, past a couple of pillars lit with fire. There, deeper down the room, stood a giant so big and ugly, I almost felt he wasn't the same species.
Red welts like pimples covered his whole face and the shape of his head looked like a rotten onion beginning to wilt.
'Gods, I've got so used to being beautiful to the point where even gods would be jealous, that I'd forgotten how ugly people could look. All that 'Don't judge the book by it's cover' thing? Yeah that'll vanish away if you take a look at this dude and don't start running in the opposite direction.'
Hephaestus
Race: God
Tier: 8 (True God)
Current Tier: 7 (Minor God)
Level: 765 (Divine Form) [Max]
Current Level: 665 (Mortal Form)
Divine Power: 6,100,000/6,100,000
Stamina: 6,780,000/6,780,000
Health: 6,650,000/6,650,000
Stats
Strength: 685 (785)
Speed: 625 (725)
Dexterity: 672 (772)
Endurance: 678 (778)
Constitution: 665 (765)
Mental: 55
Spirit: 610 (710)
This scary god was higher leveled than Dionysus but with lower spiritual power. Who would win between them though?
"If you are done gawking then start walking, boy." The gruff giant growled.
I gulped and started walking. Suddenly all the stories of titans and gods eating their children didn't sound amusing anymore.
"Heard you shook things up." The god grunted in what might have been amusement, though I couldn't be sure. "Good for you. Now you get to be the new godly entertainment, congrats."
Gamer's mind came to the rescue and I soon found myself back in my body, with my soul intact. (i could've sworn looking at this guy injured my spirit somehow.)
The giant went back to work, which was to hammer some kind of metal. Only then did my attention go to the room itself.
It looked...conjusted. Tools everywhere, metals pieces everywhere, thrown weapons on the god, and a huge heap of trash. It did not look comfortable. It did not look like the forge of a god.
I sighed after a few seconds, wanting to get this over with. "So, you going to create a weapon for me?"
The god hmmed. "Now that's the kind of language I like. No need for useless chitchat, let's talk weapons. Tell me, boy, what is the most perfect weapon you can imagine."
I thought long and hard. Was the question some trick? No, I didnt believe so. This guy wasn't known for that. So I decided to be honest.
"The most perfect weapon would be the one that is the most comfortable in the user's hand, the most suitable for the user's style of combat, and the most powerful under the user's grasp."
Hephaestus stopped hammering and started inspecting his new creation, before shooting me an idle glance with narrowed eyes, nodding slowly.
"Hmm, good enough. Glad you didn't blurt out some stupid shit like father's master bolt or uncle's trident. You wouldn't believe how many gods say bullshit like that. The truth is, there is no single perfect weapon in the world, there is only the most suitable. And we are here today to craft you one."
Suddenly he threw the weapon away after an experimental swing, and muttered, "Trash.", before shifting his attention back to me.
"Come here, boy." He waved me towards him. "Grasp my hand and push. I want to know what kind of strength in working with."
I did as he asked, pushing his fist with all my might. Of course, I couldn't move it a single inch. But a surprised look still came on his face.
"Strong. Very strong. Haven't seen strength based sons from his loins for a long time now. This makes things easier. Hmm, a hammer perhaps? Or a club..."
I decided to interrupt him before he can misunderstand further. "I'm not strength based. My speed and dexterity is higher than my strength."
His eyebrows shot up before his eyes narrowed again. "And how would you know that, boy?"
Shit. My brain started storming through responses before I realised I didn't need any excuse. "I've been fighting for more than a year now. I know myself."
Hephaestus nodded again, satisfied but not convinced. "I'll have to see for myself, you understand?"
I was going to ask him how when he clapped his hands and out of the huge pile of garbage came an honest to gods treadmill. Of course.
"Now start running until I say stop. I'm getting an idea for your weapon but I wanna know more."
The next hour passed with me doing various exercises right there in the forge while he absently took note of things, thinking and muttering to himself all the while. He even had me demonstrate my divine powers, Holy powers, and Demonic powers. The last one getting a grimace.
"Ah yes, the Demonic power. I've got no fucking idea where you got that from but you are lucky. It's horrible stuff, but it's got so much potential. Those ignorant, lazy devils don't deserve such power. Give this same to a bunch of mortals and they'd be ruling the whole world right now. The devils instead sit under their thrones, fight amongst themselves, and complain like little shits, content to be the weaklings they are. Disgusting pitiful things."
After an hour, we finally concluded the testing phase.
"Hmm, you can stop now boy." Hephaestus roughly growled at, his eyes going up and down the small slate in his hand. "Let's see. Exceptional physique for your age. Exceptional Power levels. Exceptional skill with spear and sword. Good enough archer."
He took a glance at me, and threw a disgusted snort. "Some men have all the luck. No doubt you'll become the new Adonis and have my wife sniffing around your butt by the next decade."
"Whatever, not like I care." He muttered to himself unconvincingly. "Make sure not to grow a big head and we'll be fine. I've already grown tired of hating everyone my wife has had a tumble with by now."
"Don't worry, I'm not Ares." I replied snarkily, annoyed at the god's unreasonable hostility.
I pitied the god for his fate, but getting insecure by a 9 year old was a little extreme. I'd thought he'll grow even more annoyed at me so I was surprised to hear him throw back his head and laugh.
"True true. That bastard's got the biggest head. And the smallest dick. I'd know, I've seen it."
The god let lose another laugh and it was so sudden, shockingly vulgar, and contagious that I couldn't help but share his amusement.
"Tell you what boy. I'll craft the best weapon I've ever made. In return you bash that bastard's head when he comes to challenge you. And he will, once my wife gets a glimpse of you. He is her personal little bitch you see. What do you say?"
[Quest Recieved: A Godly Deal]–
Objective: Complete the request of Hephaestus by defeating the God of War, Ares.
Reward: 20 Levels, ???
I was so startled that I lost my laughter suddenly. A thousand thoughts ran in my mind under a second. This was an incredible opportunity, and I responded to the divine blacksmith immediately. "How long do I have?"
The god stared at me in surprise before waving a hand. "Now now, boy. I only meant that as a casual favor, not some quest you need to lay your life for."
[Quest Denied]
"No!" I burst out, before taking a deep breath to calm myself and gather my thoughts. "I want this quest, Lord Hephaestus. I dislike Ares too, what he did to you was wrong, and I'd be glad to recieve a quest by you. Forge me the best weapon you can, and I'll humiliate Ares so badly that the entire Olympus would laugh at him for centuries to come."
The god stared at me dumbly before a smile crossed on his face. At any other time, it would've been the most ugliest thing I have ever witnessed. At this moment? It was the most satisfying thing I've ever seen.
"I don't doubt you, lad. Believe me, there is just something different about you." He looked contemplative, scratching his huge beard roughly. "Hmm, tell you what. Humiliate that son of a divine bitch by the end of this decade, and I'll craft you the best armour on top of the weapon I'm going to make now."
[Quest Recieved: A Godly Deal]–
Objective: Humiliate the God of War Ares by the end of this decade.
Rewards: 20 Levels, Unknown Tier Armour, All Divine Skills increased by 1]
"I accept it." I replied before letting lose a positively evil laugh, and the god joined me the next moment.
"You know what, lad? I was wrong about you. You and I are going to get along just fine."
I left the blacksmith god's palace well into the night. We've been talking about smithing for a long time and I learned and gained quite a few things from that.
One of the most important things he said to me was that for a suitable weapon, it was necessary to have something personal to bind the weapon with.
Like Thalia's shield for instance; it was made specially for a child of Zeus. The divine blood of Zeus was what bound that shield to her, which was also the reason she worked so well with the spear and shield combo. For this connection between me and my weapon, he'd requested a bit of my blood.
Another thing was that if the weapon's production included some ingredient owned by its user, then it'll have an even stronger connection.
When I presented the Manticore's sting, Lamia's head, and karkinos shell, Hephaestus had been ecstatic. They were creatures at the level of medusa herself, who was used in the original aegis. Not only could they be used to further my connection, their special properties could also be added to my new weapon. Which made me ecstatic in return.
'This was a fun night. Plus I got my first true quest in this world. What could be better than this? Oh yeah, watching hephaestus work and getting free crafting levels.'
I hadn't entered the olympus like a mortal should, so for a moment I simply stared down from the mountain, towards the land below us.
There was only one way that connected all the palaces to the main city of gods, and soon I found myself walking upon it, passing by naiads, and minor gods who seemed to be lost in their own world; enjoying their own life.
Beautiful half-naked women danced on stage without any shame, and there just as many women as men who were cheering them on. Nymphs arched through the air like Olympic Acrobats, giving a show no mortal would ever see. This was the city of gods; beautiful and carefree. As I got further away from the palaces, the city's state became a little more relatable.
Not mortal like, mind you. But relatable. Vendors and hawker were selling Ambrosia on a stick. There were even some selling the golden fleece on the market.
Golden fleece, that is said to heal almost any injury a living being could possess.
The legendary golden fleece, sold in some market like common item. Don't make me laugh.
...Golden fleece.
Golden fleece?
Golden fleece.
"Golden fleece!" I exclaimed softly, realisation going through my head. "That's it! The answer to Thalia's condition!"
Surely this will work. Cause if that thing couldn't heal Thalia then probably nothing will. I might actually have to transverse through the underworld to get some pheonix tears from the devil's.
My feets walked towards the elevator thing as fast as it can carry me. I needed to get back in camp. Golden fleece, I gotta research that stuff.
But that thing has been lost for a long time now.
That dampened my enthusiasm a little, but all was fine. I'll take my time, there was no hurry. My sister's life-force will stay stuck on that number as long as the tree lives. Yes, I'll research, prepare, and grow. When the time comes, I'll be ready. Zeus himself gave me his blessings, there was no way Chiron or Mr. D could refuse me the quest.
As soon as I was out of the elevator and onto the ground, I cast concealment upon myself and took off in the air.
Now, I had a direction. I simply needed to follow this direction.
AN: Another chapter down! And this one is just huge. Easily over 10k.
After the massive support my last chapter recieved, this was the least I could do.
Like always, Let me know what you think in the reviews. Cya in the next chapter.