A Meeting with Hearth
"Aaaargghh"
A scream was heard in the forest of Virginia, echoing through the wood, sending wildlife fleeing from its source, before it was silenced. The screamer, a dracaena, lies dead, its head and body in two different places, already turning to dust.
"Come on, its that all you got!" a young boy, age about 7, yelled to the gathering of monsters, causing the monster to hiss and growl in contempt.
The monsters, when they found the demigod at first, they which to eat it. They even planned to play a game to decide who get the first bite. After all, the demigod is still a young child. That though quickly chased away when they found a huge deterrent and hesitate to take the plunge.
The deterrent in question is the boy himself, who gave them a good reason. The good reason is the 15 disintegrating bodies that littered the small clearing. The monsters hesitate, the demigod prove to be strong, able to slay 15 dracaenas in short period. Fleeing is another option, but one that quickly dismissed as they still outnumbered the child and he only took them by surprise.
The thoughts were solidified when the boy slash with his sword at their direction. They started to laugh when the dracaenas in front fell down, their bodies split into two. The monsters started to shake in fear when the demi – no, the monster smile at them and seem to vanish before reappearing in front of them.
The demigod then punched his fist into the earth. Before the dracaenas could take advantage of the moment, the ground suddenly erupted, sharp jutted rock pointing upward hit 8 other dracaenas, impaling them and turning them into equivalent of skewer.
The remaining dracaenas shake, no, they trembling in fear as they watch the demigod nearly destroy an entire group with ease. They started to back away in fear when the demigod suddenly looked at them in the eyes. The face may have a smile plastered on it, but the eyes are a storm, trapping them as if they inside a boat in the middle of the storm.
They bolted in terror, not realizing the demigod is not chasing after them, nor the orbs that slowly being formed. The demigod struck his palm toward the monsters, nothing seeming to happen when the orbs split into smaller orbs and shot out like a bullet and hit them at the heads, the impact causing the heads to burst into golden dust.
The demigod looked at the battlefi – slaughter field dismissively, as if he knew the result of the massacre, which he most likely knew. He then walked into the woods, leaving the bodies and spoils of war as the only indicator of the fight that happen in the area.
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Percy growled in frustration, as he tried to perform one of the hardest tasks in the entire world. The task that made his earlier fight look easy. He then struck, causing the cursed object to finally sparked, the sparks hitting the gathered woods and leaves and after an hour, finally catch on fire.
"Finally," he nearly screamed but got hold of himself. Starting a fire is always essential while he's outdoor but before he had a lighter, which he forgot to either refuel or buy a new one, leaving him with the only option left, the fire starter. He would have use matches if he had one, the fire starter is to hard to use. He swore that thing is broken.
(He ignored the thought that the fire starter is literally flint and metal and there is no absolute way it can malfunction.)
He created two stands out of earth and place a sturdy stick on it before hanging a pot filled with water, his preparation in making soup for dinner. He then looked at the ingredient he had prepare before starting his next mission near impossible level task: cooking.Percy looked at the pot filled with stuff that is thankfully food. For the probably hundredth time, he thanked Lelantos for teaching him his cooking skill, even though it took a long time for him to learn.
(He banished the memory of the first time he cooked, and the second time, and the third time, and the other time when instead of making something edible, he either made chunk of slime and goo or poison, there is no other way to say it nicely.
The stuff he made can be considered a biohazard, or just hazard, and definitely not fit for human consumption. Lelantos even comment that the substance can contend with some deadly poison and probably send divinities to a coma.)
(Meanwhile, in the cabin, Lelantos tried to supress the horror of the son of Poseidon cooking. Seriously, how on earth did he made a poison that as bad as Chimera's poison will not using any poison!
He banished the memories of the time when in a fit of curiosity, he tasted the boy's cooking (read: biohazard experiment) and nearly died from just putting a spoonful into his mouth. He spat the atrocities toward all living being and burn it with extreme prejudice.)
Percy devoured the soup in a gusto, finishing in mere moment. He looked at the rest of the soup in the pot before deciding to cover the pot, planning to save the soup for breakfast or when he is hungry again.
He leaned at the boulder he placed in his camp, the boulder providing him a place to lean his back, while his back is coated with water of course, he didn't plan to suffer a backache. He created 4 different orbs, each made out of water, earth, wind and lightning.
He rotated the orbs around his outstretched hand, a habit he did in attempt to better his control over his elements. He then let his thought wander, planning for the days to come, in hopes of having clearer goals in his travel.
Unfortunately, he came to the same conclusion he came with days ago, he literally didn't have a goal or destination. He mostly wandered around, seeking monster tribes, or is it clan? before throwing the argument away.
His father told him of Camp Half-blood, a camp for Greek demigods, a safe haven for them while they spent either a summer or all year staying there. His father had prohibited him from coming to the camp in the case of Drama Queen realised his existence and blast him with lightning.
As he thought about it, he decided to continue his travel. His current goal will be to walk in every state in America and slay at least a group of monsters in each state, a rather good and hard to accomplish goal. He knew he just prolonging from thinking about his decision for the future but frankly, he cannot be bothered. He just left it for future Percy to deal with it.
While he wandered about the monsters he might face, he hit by a stray thought, one related to the group of monsters he already faced. He swiped his hand, a motion that turned into a habit when he started vapour travel an item, either transporting it in front of him or putting it in storage.
He looked at the item in front of him, a sack filled with loots and spoils of war from previous battle, before turning it upside down, emptying the sack and causing a mound of stuff forming instead. He created several water tendrils and organize the loots by types.
After finishing the task quickly with the aid of extra 'limbs', he looked at the several small piles. Each pile are respectively normal weapons, Celestial Bronze weapons, armours, food supplies, everyday tools, and other miscellaneous items, some of it came from raiding the camp that were left behind.
He first examined the everyday tools, finding things like spoons, forks, cooking knives and other useful tools. He even found not one, not two, but 5 boxes of match and 2 lighters (By the gods, he is an absolute idiot).
After screaming in his head, he examined the second interesting pile, the Celestial Bronze weapon. While monsters rarely used it as it is lethal to them and they can still kill demigods with normal metal weapon just fine, they still keep it, whether finding them somewhere, having another monster created them or as trophy from slain demigods. The way it came into the monster possession was never a concern, as the weapons are still weapons that can kill monsters.
He examined the food supplies next, while he still had enough to feed him for a week (read: enough to feed a family of 3 for 2 weeks) before he resupplies at nearby town, having the extra food can come in handy later. He split the pile to two, one for short-lived food and another for long lasting ones.
He then looked at the two piles he already labelled useless, the normal weapons and the armour. The normal weapons considered useless as they cannot even harm monsters while the armours can protect him, it just to big to fit him, making it useless for him. However, while the two piles are currently useless for his immediate use, he still can sell them, either to weapon enthusiasts or as scrap metals.
Finally, he looked at the final pile, the one labelled as useless but might not be useless. He scoured through the pile, finding several helpful stuffs such as ropes, tent sheets and solid fuels, the last one definitely helpful for before. There are mainly torn clothes, not much help except as rope replacement, fuel source or bandage substitute.
He looked at the distant forest, his camp in a clearing on a hill, allowing vantage point and elevation in case of night attacks. While bad weather will be troublesome, he can manipulate the rain easily, ensuring he will not suffer being drenched, or more accurate, his stuff will not be drenched. (He is waterproof)
Percy looked at the piles of loot, wandering what to do with them when he thought of something. What if he made a place to store all his spoils of war, instead of lugging it around for no other reason than it might be useful in the future. He could made multiple different storage place instead of just one place. That way, he didn't need to go to just one distant storage, he just went to the nearest one. He can made one place for each state, a harder goal but one that will be helpful in the future.
He then started to think further. He should not just make a storage-area, he should make a base. That way, he can not only have a place to drop his loot, it will also serve him as resting place, where he didn't need to face both weather and monsters in the wild. The later can still attack, but at least he will have a defensible position.
He shook his daydreaming. He will have plenty of time to plan the stuff for the base, now he should look at what need to be done. He looked at the camp. Before, he didn't set up any defence yet as he was busy making fire for lighting and cooking. Now he can set up defence in case monster came for his butt.
He slammed his palm into the earth, the ground shook before several wall-like structure rose, offering protection from arrows and thrown objects. He also created a trench, before condensing water from the water vapour around the camp, gathering a couple of gallons, before dropping it into the trench, making it harder for enemies to pass through.
He twisted his head around, satisfied with the fortification he made. Unless huge monsters like cyclops were to come, the defence can hold them back while he prepared to slaughter them. He walked towards the fire, intending to rest when he sensed a powerful presence slowly forming.
He leaped backwards, summoning Wave Breaker and Riptide, before slowly shifting into a defensive stance. His eyes wandered toward the place he sensed the presence when his eyes fell on a girl, probably 12 years-old, but Percy knew better.
He can sense the divine energy emitted by the being, similar to Poseidon and Lelantos. He didn't know of the goddess intention. For now, he should try to know why the divine came to his camp.
"Hello. Why are you here in my camp?" Percy asked bluntly, which may not be a good decision, but trying to twist his words around will not help in any form so he should go with directly asking.
The goddess looked at him and gave a warm smile, nearly causing Percy to tear up. Her smile was the as similar to his deceased mother. Percy shook his head, now is not the time to reminiscence on old memories. He eyed wearily at the goddess.
"Now, is it the best way to greet your aunt, little one?" she replied, her word causing the son of Poseidon to freeze at the implication before focusing his Celestial energy sensing abilities and the goddess.
During his training period, he learned that different beings have different Celestial energy signature. his father signature was similar to the ocean, with a hint of storm and earth, probably from his other domains. Lelantos' signature was similar to the wind, while he let out a trace of feeling of hunter-like presence, there is no other ways to describe it.
The goddess had a presence of fire, she let out little flames that currently harmless but might change, while she had another signature she let out. The best way to describe it like she is home, a place where you can meet your families and be safe, just homy. Like a hearth.
Percy eyes widened as he soon grasped the identity of the goddess in front of him. The goddess that his father had nothing but praises when her name was mentioned. Someone who is kind, someone who is not swayed by his little brother words. A goddess that will not harm him, not because she didn't see him as a threat, but because she will not harm a family member.
He tried to say something, but his throat seemed stuck. He finally let out a sentence, his words filled with shock "Aunt Hestia?"
The goddess, Hestia, looked at her surprised nephew before she spoke,
"Let sit now Percy. We have much to talk about.