Chapter 20:
"Keep at it, brat!" Ryūjin shouted, overseeing Markus' progress at using the water. The god and demigod were in the Shinano River in Honshu, around the Japanese Alps. The reason why both of them were in Japan in the first place was because Ryūjin resided here, and Markus contacted him using the dragon pendant the god had given him. Markus asked him for help in water control, and Ryūjin was more than happy to help. The reason why he even agreed to help him was because Ryūjin wanted to prove something to himself. Something about 'the son of a Greek sea whelp needs a Shinto god's help', or something like that.
Ever since his encounter with Khione, Markus trained with the use of his new ice powers. It was hard, because he was so used to using water that when he turned it to ice he instinctively changed it back to water. But he was getting better at using the new element. Once he got the hang of it, it became surprisingly easy to change the ice into different shapes. It was the same kind of control he had with water, only different structures...
Curious about any more powers that he might have, he contacted Ryūjin for guidance. Getting help from a sea god about using water seemed pretty smart. For the next couple of weeks, he had been getting tips from the dragon god on how to manipulate water. Thankfully, Hecate hadn't contacted him for any new quests since his retrieval of the Holding of Shadows. He wouldn't know how to explain to the magic goddess about where he went.
A small fist of water to the face interrupted Markus' train of thought, as he stumbled, a little surprised. "Keep your focus, whelp," Ryūjin commented, a smirk on his face. The dragon god was wearing pretty much the same outfit he had when Markus had first met him, a T-shirt and shorts. The only difference was that he didn't have the straw hat he wore. His reddish-orange hair went past his shoulders and reached the top of his spine.
Markus scowled. "You didn't have to hit me with water, you scaly old man." He promptly ducked to avoid a jet of pressurised water that would've hit his head. It wouldn't hurt, being a son of Poseidon. But the force would send him flying far from the river. It had happened to him before, and he did not want to deal with that again.
Ryūjin scowled, his draconic features adding to his expression and making him look like a snake that ate a mouse too big for it. Markus didn't dare say that aloud though. "You disrespectful little shit," he growled. "I should kick your ass off these mountains for your cheek."
"Yeah, but if you did that, then you couldn't go with your objective of training a son of Poseidon to be good so it would reflect on you," Markus countered. "Plus, it's not wrong." Markus had to jump to avoid a giant fist of water aimed for him. While in mid-air, he used the water from the river to form a small platform to stand on. This was one of the first tricks Ryūjin had taught him with water. He said that it was good for concentration and skill. Plus it was cool for parlour tricks as well.
As Markus stood on his water platform, he felt it shift rapidly, as if struggling to stay together. He knew that Ryūjin was overpowering his control on using the water. And was quickly winning.
As the water platform fell apart, Markus quickly constructed it to form a small slide. He then turned it to ice to make it more solid. He slid down the slide, enjoying the small ride that he had made. His joy was short-lived as several ice spikes jutted up from the slide. Thinking quickly, he made a small bump that was curved enough to form a mini slide on the bigger one. He used that to slide off the slide, narrowly avoiding the incoming ice spikes. As he was approaching the water, a small whirlpool formed underneath him, trying to trap him.
Knowing that he couldn't wrestle the water out of the dragon god's control, instead Markus used the water from the river to form a water sphere around himself, protecting him from the worst of the whirlpool. He still went swirling around left, right and centre. He dropped to the the river, his water sphere breaking because there was no point in holding it once he reached the water. As he broke the surface, Markus was quickly enveloped by a cocoon of water. Markus struggled, trying to escape by trying to control the water surrounding him, but Ryūjin's control of water surpassed his. He couldn't get out.
The dragon god came up to him, smirking. "Still all talk and no action, brat," he said mockingly, making Markus growl. Without any gesture, Markus was released form his water cocoon, making him drop into the river. He came up from the river, glaring at the god, who was still smirking.
"Don't blame me for your loss," Ryūjin said. "Instead, get stronger. Get smarter. Isn't that the reason you came to me?"
Markus scowled. "You're a god. A sea god to be exact. How the hell am I supposed to beat you at your element?"
Ryūjin rolled his eyes. "Isn't that the same thought process you had against Ares? Against Khione? Stop whining about your opponent being stronger than you. It's not going to get you anywhere. And as for beating me at my element: so what? You're a son of a sea god. A pathetic one, sure. But it still counts. You could use the river to aid you in so many different ways."
"Like what?" Markus asked curiously. How else was he supposed to manipulate the water?
"Well, for one thing, you could turn the water in the river into steam, so you could take away my vision," the god explained. "It wouldn't do much good against me, but it would still be something. You could also try to manipulate the water in blood, for example."
"Blood?" Markus queried. How was he supposed to manipulate blood? He was a son of the sea god. How was he supposed to... Oh.
"I see that you get it," Ryūjin said upon seeing Markus' expression. "70% of the human body is made up of water. Some of that attributes to blood. Imagine if you could control all that. All that power at your fingertips. You wouldn't even have to attack your enemies. Just a small gesture and they become your puppets."
Markus had to admit, he was a bit tempted when he heard Ryūjin's explanation. One of his fatal flaws was acting up, and he was hooked. Imagine the power...
Then Markus had a curious expression on his face. "Wait. If it's possible for me to achieve that kind of control, then why haven't previous children of Poseidon discovered it? I kind of doubt that I or Percy would be any different from the rest."
Ryūjin shrugged. "I don't know. I don't follow your pantheon's track record with their children. But I guess it's because they never figured it out before. Guess your lucky that you had me to help you realize this, huh?"
Markus scoffed. "Yeah, I guess so. Lucky me." And with that, he was freed from the water cocoon, dropping into the river and quickly reaching the surface.
Ryūjin's expression turned from joking to serious. "Enough talk, brat. You want to get stronger, then you have to work for it."
And with that, the demigod's torture/training continued.
XXX
Markus was walking down the streets of Manhattan, just near Long Island. He had just finished visiting Percy and Sally, who seemed to be fine since Gabe had left. Apparently Percy had applied to Meriwether Prep, a school Markus didn't know about nor cared about. But he was happy that his brother was doing well in school. Well, not well, since he did have some trouble with his dyslexia and ADHD, and not to mention the bullies that he faced. But other than that, Percy seemed to be doing fine. And Markus was happy about that.
When he went to Percy's apartment, he found Sally at home. She was the one who told Markus how Percy was doing and what school he attended. She even asked how Markus was since she had last seen him, and Markus had told her that he was doing fine on his own. He didn't mention his encounter with Khione, his quest from Hecate nor his occasional meetings with Ryūjin. He didn't really want Sally to worry about another kid. Though her worry brought a warm feeling to Markus' chest whenever she asked about how he was doing.
Markus also learned that Sally was inspiring to become an author. She hadn't released any books yet, but she was busy drafting ideas for her first book. Markus offered him her support and luck as well. He wanted to offer her some money that he received from an ATM with the help of his LotusCash card to help her endeavours, but she refused. When asked why, she just said that while the offer was appealing, she wanted to make do on her on, rather than rely on someone else for help. Markus insisted, but she kept refusing. Markus could admire that about her. Now Markus knew where Percy got his stubborn streak from.
Thinking about Percy going to school made Markus wonder about his own situation with school. Or lack there of. He'd never even been to school. To some, that might have been a blessing, but to him it was just sad. He couldn't even get a shred of normality. As much as it did suck to be homeless and losing his mother, not going to school was probably one of the things that Markus yearned for. Yes, there was the normal school drama that he would have to deal with. And he would also have to deal with homework, bullies, teachers and all of that. But having normality wasn't a bad thing. Even with all the magic and the monsters and gods that he faced and knew about, he also wanted a piece of normality for himself. But he guessed that was too much to ask for. Besides, even if he did go to school, he would probably be behind most of the students. And his dyslexia wouldn't help him at all.
As he continued walking the streets, he saw a group of homeless people, lying in dirty blankets and holding out baskets for loose change. Several pedestrians passed them without even sparing them a glance. Seeing this, Markus felt slightly nostalgic. A couple of months ago, he was the same as them, all dirty and homeless and poor. Now he had more money than he could want, a fancy apartment, and all new kinds of stuff. And all it took was being attack by a monster on the street.
But these people didn't have that luxury. As lucky as they were to not have deal with monsters and gods, they still had to deal with poverty. It was kind of unfair, how his situation was changed and theirs wasn't. Deciding to change that, Markus walked up to the homeless men and put several hundred dollar notes in their baskets, surprising them and passing pedestrians. Ignoring their shocked faces, Markus nodded to them, a smile on his face. "Good luck." And with that he walked off, using the Mist to make the passing pedestrians blink and suddenly forget about what had transpired.
Markus did this because he didn't want anyone to bother him just because he had a large sum of money. He did feel sympathy for the homeless people, because he could relate with them, but he wasn't about to deal with muggers and robbers.
As he walked down the street, he passed a sign for martial art classes. Markus stopped and looked closely, seeing that it was for taekwondo. Markus had never really seen martial arts in action before, so he was curious. It got him thinking: what if he learnt martial arts? He never bothered with hand-to-hand combat, as he wasn't interested in it before. Besides, it wasn't like he was going to fight monsters with his fists. But then he realised that it would be useful. If he lost his sword, what then? Sure he had magic and his demigod powers, but what if the enemy was faster than him? How was he going to defend himself? Maybe martial arts might not help against some monsters, but that didn't mean all monsters. Besides, it was better that if he was unarmed, he could at least know how to hold his own. It would also be helpful as training.
Smiling, Markus walked into the store to enquire about the taekwondo classes.
XXX
Markus watched in glee as he watched the taekwondo teacher show different stances.
Two days ago, he had enquired about the taekwondo classes. He was able to get into contact with the instructor, a nineteen year old girl named Amy. She was holding taekwondo classes as a college project. She earned money while also teaching young people about taekwondo.
When Markus had asked, she was skeptical, since he didn't have any parent to go and ask for him. Thankfully, Markus was able to say that he was an orphan living with his aunt. When Amy asked for a phone number, he gave her the flat's reception number. Probably wasn't ideal, but it was something. Thankfully, she didn't ask too many questions. All she said was that she needed the money and for him to be in the next day with a fighting gi that could be bought in a shop. He paid her, and came in the next day, uniform ready.
When he first came here, he saw students of different ages: some the same age as him, some seventeen or a little older, and some around ten. It seems Amy took on people of different ages.
The first lesson Amy taught was basically her showing the class how to perform punches and kicks. A little simple but she said that sometimes the basics helped. She also said that starting off early with complicated techniques wouldn't help anyone. Markus could attest to that, remembering his magical lessons with Alabaster and how he acted at first.
Now on the second lesson, she was showing off punches and kicks, but also teaching the classes about different stances, like the 'Four-Directional Punches'. This was a stance where she basically turned around in four directions and did the same pose (A.N. - I took taekwondo classes, and this was what I was taught).
As Markus copied the stances, he felt stupid. He knew that he had to be patient so could learn more, but it was sooo boring! He almost felt like he was going to fall asleep! Amy showed off some more punches and kicks, but by that time, Markus was already feeling bored.
At the end of the lesson, when the rest of the students were leaving, Markus stayed back. He knew what he was about to do was a little arrogant, be he wanted to learn as quickly as possible. He couldn't be practising stances on monsters and other enemies. While he wasn't eager to be a black belt, he did want to be proficient in hand-to-hand combat. So he wanted to learn as quickly as possible. A little plan formed in his mind and he started to put it into play.
As every student but him left, Amy looked towards him, confused. "Oh, did you need something, Markus?" she asked. Markus looked up at her, getting a good look at her features. She had long black hair that she tied into a ponytail during classes. She was wearing a fighting gi that had several badges on it. On her waist was a black belt, signifying her skill at taekwondo. Her feet were bare, and surprisingly small for a girl her age. She wore glasses on her face that she sometimes hung on her front, giving her a slightly nerdy look that Markus found cute. Discretely looking at her body, he blushed slightly. He was still a young boy experiencing puberty, but he still wasn't used to looking at girls in that way. But even he could admit that Amy was pretty hot.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he looked towards the instructor, who looked confused. Deciding to go with his plan, he asked, "Uh, Amy. Do you... uh, mind if I... uh, skip ahead on the lessons, since I kind of know how to fight a little?"
Amy blinked, then frowned. "Markus, I know you're new, but that doesn't mean that you can just demand to skip ahead. There are people older than you who have problems with these lessons. What makes you think I'm going to excuse you?"
"I know, I know," Markus said, raising his hands to placate her. "I'm not saying to teach me advanced stuff. Just, you know, a few tricks. Like disarming a person or something."
Amy's frown lessened but still remained. "Even still, that kind of stuff would take you weeks, if not months to learn properly. Using them efficiently is a whole different thing altogether."
"I'm a quick learner," Markus insisted. "Besides, I have a little wager for you."
"Oh?" Amy's eyebrows raised in curiosity. "And what is it?"
"We have a small spar, no restrictions," Markus explained. "Well, maybe for you, since you're older and more experienced than me, but still come on strong. If I win, you agree to teach me a little more than what's normally taught. If you win, I'll continue as I am, and I won't ask about this again. Deal?"
"And why should I agree to this?" Amy questioned, hands on her hips. "I still don't think you're ready for that kind of stuff."
"It won't matter if I lose," Markus said, shrugging. "Besides, you're way more experienced than me in fighting. What do you have to lose?"
Amy sighed in reluctance. "Fine. If it'll help pop your fat head." With that, she followed him onto the sparring mat. Both of them stood at the end of the mat, getting into position. Amy didn't bother with a fighting stance, clearly dismissing this as unimpressive.
That was about to change.
As Markus got ready, he mentally went over several spars that he had. In terms of pure fighting speed and skill, images of fights with Luke and Ares flashed into his mind, though he did it with great reluctance, since he hated both of them for different reasons.
Luke was very good with a sword, so speed was a necessity as a sword user. He was older, stronger and faster than Markus currently was. But this wasn't a sword battle. So he had to make due with what he was able to recall.
With Ares it was different. He had Percy to back him up, as well as the aid of his water boost. Something he didn't have at the moment. And he doubted Amy would allow him a quick dash to the water dispenser. So he had to improvise.
He also had his battle-reflexes as a demigod to rely on, which was a huge help in previous battles.
As he studied his opponent, he could see the tensing of Amy's muscles. He could see her feet angling slightly, indicating where she was going to go, and how she was going to react. Her posture was relaxed, however. She clearly underestimated him. Well, he was going to change that.
Amy decided to make the first move. She slightly dashed towards Markus, arms raised, muscles tensing slightly. She was fast, but compared to Luke or even one of the Ares campers, she was slightly slow. Which he was thankful for. Markus rolled, ducking under her legs and rolling coming into a crouch. Running forward, he tried to sweep Amy's feet from under her. But she moved backwards quickly, avoiding his sweep. She lashed out with a kick, not too much power contained in it. Markus dodged slightly, seeing the move and evading it. He was really thankful for his demigod reflexes. They had saved his ass multiple times.
He grabbed the outstretched leg, holding onto it and not letting go. Amy, surprised by his strength, tried to go for a punch, but Markus twisted, still holding onto the leg and making Amy adjust her footing. He punched her leg hard, making her slightly wince. Then he dropped the leg and reached out quickly, taking advantage of Amy's small lapse in attention. Instead of going for a punch, he quickly swiped her glasses off her face.
Amy yelled out, in surprise or anger, Markus wasn't sure, and brought her hands forwards, trying to reach and grab her glasses back, but Markus moved backwards slightly. Dropping her glasses at the edge of the mat, he lashed out with a jab to her sides. Amy winced, disoriented by her loss of her glasses and the attack. She lowered her knees slightly, but didn't drop to her knees. Markus took advantage of that by lashing out with a side turning kick to her temple.
Amy's head snapped to the side, then her body followed afterwards. She landed on the mat, not gravely injured but still reeling in shock and pain. Markus reached out, grabbing her hand and twisting it slightly, getting her to yelp in pain. He planted his foot on the top of her shoulder blades, pinning her slightl to the ground but not with too much force.
"Yield?" Markus asked. Amy was twisting and turning, and Markus was struggling slightly to hold onto her. She was older and stronger than him, after all. But after a while, she stopped and sighed heavily. "Fine. I can't really do much without my glasses anyway. You win. Now get the hell off of me!"
Markus quickly got off of her, disengaging his hold on her and letting her get up. She grabbed for air and Markus realised that she was searching for her glasses. He reached the edge of the mat and picked them up, putting them into her hands.
She put them on, then promptly glared at Markus. "You cheated," she said with a large scowl on her face.
Markus shook his head. "No, I used your weakness to my advantage," he countered, pointing to her glasses. "Besides, it was your fault for underestimating me."
Amy kept on scowling heavily to Markus, but after a moment she sighed, dropping her glare. "Fine. I admit, that was clever."
"So you'll let me skip ahead a little?" Markus asked eagerly. Amy didn't look like she agreed, but she sighed. "Yeah, yeah. I'll teach you only a few advanced techniques. But remember, if you misuse them, I won't teach you anything. Understand?"
Markus nodded. Amy then smiled sweetly, getting him to shudder slightly. "Your first technique: the speed of dodging." And from then on, Markus experienced physical torture.
XXX
Markus groaned as he entered his apartment dropped his schoolbag onto the floor.
He scowled. He just had to agree with himself to go to school. It'd be fun, he told himself. He could experience normality he'd said. If he could go back in time, he'd kick himself a thousand times for his stupidity.
Just why did he haveb to agree to go to school? It was torture! Markus had never went to school, so he didn't know the hell that he had unleashed on himself. He could have stayed blissfully ignorant of the trials that came with school and just enjoy his new freedom. But no. He had to grow a need to be normal. He just had to agree with himself to go to school to enjoy his childhood.
Markus was regretting that decision with every fibre of his being.
His school was called Abbeyville International School, which was a ten minute walk from his apartment. So that was convenient.
It wasn't a bad school. Markus just didn't enjoy going to school.
First, he had to deal with his dyslexia acting up in class whenever he was asked a question. When he tried to explain the situation, the teacher would just scold him while the other students laughed at him. He became pissed, but decided to suck it up and try to deal with it. Thankfully, he managed to practice reading different kinds of texts to get his dyslexia under control only slightly. It still didn't help, however.
Seeing this, several boys who thought they were hot shit tried to bully him because of his dyslexia, which didn't work out so well for them. They tried insulting him, so he insulted them back twice as hard. They tried to attack him, so Markus defended himself, leaving the bullies beaten black and blue. Some teachers tried to raise a fuss about it, but Markus claimed that it was all in self defence, and that he had several witnesses.
Whenever he got a question wrong because of his dyslexia, the teachers would usually mock him slightly in front of the class. So Markus retaliated by pranking the hell out of them. All it took was several bags of feathers, super glue, itching powder and duct tape. The result was that some of them ran around the school frantically, covered in feathers and scratching themselves endlessly. It got so bad that some of them had to be sent to the hospital for the trauma experienced by this. The Hermes cabin would be proud.
At some points, he had to deal with detention, which completely sucked. And he couldn't use the Mist, because someone decided that using the Mist on mortals to his advantage was irresponsible. Stupid magic goddess.
And then there was the homework! Seriously, coursework was bad enough. Now he had to deal with the same thing at home! In his sanctum! Truly, the evils of school knew no bounds.
And then he had to deal with taekwondo classes as well as additional classes after school. Amy kept true to her promise, and showed Markus several practice and advanced moves after each lesson. Though she was eager to test each one out on him. Which resulted in him lying on the mat each time the technique was performed, writhing in pain. Guess she was a little bitter about being beat by a thirteen year old boy. Thank the gods that he could heal with water afterwards.
Amy commented that Markus was a quick learner, which he was glad about. The normal lessons progressed slowly, but the after lessons advanced pretty quickly. He wasn't advancing onto a new belt soon, but he was learning quickly. He learned how to disarm a person easily and keep them in a choke hold, as well as deflect any attack sent by them away from him. Markus wondered if he could mix in the attacks with his earthquake powers, and he salivated at the thought. Imagine the destructive power!
While he was being taught taekwondo, he learned that they also taught kendo lessons at the dojo as well. When Markus asked Amy about it, she said that another teacher taught kendo for beginners. Once she explained how it went and what went on inside the class, Markus was eager to join. It would be a good chance to keep his sword skills sharp. Plus it'd be cool to learn something other than Greek sword styles. He could probably mix the two arts together in combat for devastating effect.
When he asked Amy about it, she said he could join, but that it was extremely taxing. Markus remained confident, saying that he knew his way around a sword. Amy was worried, but still asked on his behalf.
When he joined the kendo class, he was introduced to his new instructor who was called Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto (A.N. - No relation to Yamamoto from Bleach. I just thought the guy was so cool that I just had to add him).
Apparently, he wasn't as easygoing as Amy was. He was strict and demanding. His lessons included him fighting against the students themselves, attacking them and calling out mistakes that were made and how they could be improved.
He said that when they were in the dojo, they should refer to him as Yamamoto-sensei. Markus could see that the guy was old and experienced. He had a long, flowing white beard, with a bald head and an old wizened face. He had a few battle scars around his face. For kendo, the students wore a similar fighting gi that was used in taekwondo, only longer and in black.
From the few times that he had sparred with the old man, he could tell that he was very skilled with a blade. His wrists still hurt from previous clashes. Markus knew his way around a sword (or a kendo stick, in this case). It was smaller and lighter than Wavebreaker, but that didn't bother him. Learning a completely new different style for swordplay was another thing.
Instead of holding his sword with one hand, with a kendo stick he was meant to hold it with both hands. Only a kendo master could use one hand. Instead of swinging his sword and stabbing, Markus was meant to use swift strikes that clashed against the opposing blade, as well as using complex disarming methods to disarm his opponent.
It was tough and demanding, but Markus managed to grasp what he was being taught rather quickly. Yamamoto even complimented him and said that he was one of the few students he had that grasped the subject quickly. Markus beamed with pride at that... right before Yamamoto humbled him with an ass-kicking.
The training from kendo as well as from taekwondo kept Markus' skills in good shape. His sword skills were improving in addition to his new kendo skills, and his practice with taekwondo kept his build lean and fit.
Occasionally he had to deal with several monsters who were attracted to his scent. It wasn't anything big, just some cyclopes, dracanae, hellhounds, etc. It was great practice for his kendo skills. He didn't get too much loot from them, just the occasional leather pelts from the cyclopes, which he had no idea what to do with.
And on top of all that, he had to deal with learning magic. Markus loved learning new magic, but it became so much of a hassle that it overworked him at times. He didn't even get the chance to play his game consoles or read his manga at certain times!
Markus quickly jumped onto his couch, eager to just lay down and relax. Just one tiny nap. Maybe with an ice-cream sund-
"Hello, Markus."
... God fucking damn it! He just had to be interrupted the moment he was about to relax! Why could he never catch a break here?!
Markus turned to look at Hecate, who was standing in the kitchen of his apartment. Seriously, does this goddess ever knock?!
"Do you ever knock?" Markus asked tiredly, repeating his thoughts. He was sick of meeting gods already during his break from camp. First Hecate and now Khione? Couldn't he just deal with monsters? It'd be so much more simple.
Hecate raised an eyebrow. Instead of wearing modern clothing, she now wore robes and had her hair done Ancient Greek style. On her feet there were sandals. She even had a staff in her hand. Was it magical? Or merely for fashion purposes. "It is good to see you too, Markus Henderson."
"Likewise," Markus muttered sarcastically. "So, what's with the get up? Going for role playing somewhere?"
Hecate's expression didn't change. She didn't look angry or happy. Markus wondered whether she was secretly pissed at him. He wouldn't blame her.
When she spoke, her voice was even. "And to think that I came for your benefit. If you simply do not wish me to be here then maybe-"
Markus sighed. "No, no. There's no need for that." While all he wanted to do was to send the goddess away and relax, if she came for his benefit then it had to be for something good. He wasn't going to miss this chance. Suddenly the sound of sleep went away from his mind.
Hecate smiled seeing this. "I see I have caught your attention. That is good. I have an offer for you."
Markus raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "And what is this 'offer'?"
Hecate didn't say anything for a minute. Markus was going to ask again when she spoke. "As you know, I am the goddess of magic, the Mist. But I am also the goddess of crossroads. Decisions made by people, the choices that they decide. That is my domain. This, however, doesn't relate to just internal matters. Places where people meet, to get together, to converse at a certain junction, where they meet at one point. That also fall under my domain."
Markus didn't interrupt the goddess. She wouldn't explain something that he already knew if it wasn't for a point.
Hecate continued. "Gatherings that involves magical beings, or disciples and champions of different gods like you and your mother, are also part of my domain. Many of these beings use these gatherings as celebrations and meetings for important figures."
Markus thought about it for a moment, then spoke. "So, basically, festivals with magical and supernatural beings take place, and you have a hand in it."
Hecate nodded. "A bit crude, but yes."
Markus thought about it, but something was still nagging at him. "And you want me to go because..."
Hecate rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Markus Henderson. Are you so simple-minded that you can't see the opportunities laid before you?" Before Markus could retort, the goddess continued speaking. "You can use this chance to converse with others like yourself. Learn more magic. Gain more experience and knowledge. Learning new spells is well and fine, but it is better to converse about it with masters of the magical arts who have more knowledge and power than you do."
Markus blinked. That was a good idea. A very good idea. Learning from people stronger and more knowledgeable than him sounded very good. Plus, he could use this as a chance for a vacation. He didn't really mind missing a day of school. In fact he welcomed it. But one thing caught his attention. "Wait, didn't you warn me about-"
"Your fatal flaw, greed?" Hecate interrupted, a knowing look in her face. "I know I did. But at the same time, you can turn your weakness into your strength. Wanting to gain power isn't a bad thing, but only if it's in moderation. Remember, Markus: power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts completely."
Markus nodded, taking the goddess' words in. If her words were going to save him from his fatal flaw, then he was going listen.
"Besides," Hecate said. "You are my disciple. While not the same as my champion, you represent me. It would not be good for one taught by me to be weak, in mind or in power."
Of course, Markus thought sarcastically. That's probably the only reason you care for my progress. Even if you actually didn't teach me. But he didn't say that out loud.
The demigod sighed. "So when do I go?"
Hecate shrugged. "The offer is open to you any time. But do not dawdle. While you are in no danger, it is best to remain cautious. Going into an unknown area without suspicion is foolhardy."
Of course it's always danger, Markus thought bitterly. Then he brightened. On the plus side, I get a vacaction!
XXX
Markus was happily walking down the grounds of the large campsite that Hecate directed him towards. Well, he said campsite, but it was actually the size of two large football stadiums packed together.
He was in an area that was far from Long Island. Markus didn't know exactly where the area was, since the magical fields and shields protected the place, as well as a large illusion was placed over the place. Markus didn't know if it was using the Mist, or some other type of sunstance.
Wherever he looked, he could see pitched tents, open bars and even different carnival games set up. Though instead of ring toss or strength tests, there was contests for troll wrestling, goblin-sniping, and even stands for foods that looked totally different from normal foods. Markus even swore that there was an eyeball swimming somewhere in the soup.
Markus overheard a conversation from two robed men. Apparently they were thinking of doing trade in Spellhaven. He assumed that was the name of the place that he was in.
As Markus walked down the campgrounds, he could see beings of different sizes and races: trolls, elves, normal looking humans. Though they were probably sorcerers and sorceresses. It was a surreal experience for Markus, like something out of a fantasy novel. Even with the idea of mythology being real, with the Greek and newly revealed Shinto pantheons that he dealt with, here it made all of that seem pale in comparison to this place. This was something like in Dungeons and Dragons. Or maybe Game of Thrones.
Markus was looking like a kid in a candy store. He could feel the ambient magic in the air around the place. It was like the entire area was covered in magic, which it actually was. He got so distracted and so fascinated that he accidentally bumped into someone. Markus snapped out of his daze as he looked at the person that he bumped into, which was actually a monster. Not the monsters from Greek mythology, but a different kind of... creature. It had green skin, with large tusks and a large bulk. He made cyclopes look like babies in comparison. It wore a white tunic that barely held its physique, as well as a loincloth. It was barefoot, with its giant feet looking like oversized flippers. It had tiny bat wings on its back that were too small for its body. Markus wondered how it could manage to fly. The creature also had small eyes that narrowed as it looked down on the demigod.
He wasn't a monster, just... something. He didn't look like anything Markus had seen before. And Markus was slightly scared. He would've drawn Wavebreaker if a fight broke out, except he wasn't sure a fight was allowed in Spellhaven. And it was kind of his fault. "Uh, sorry," Markus got out, snapping out of his inspection of the creature.
The creature grunted, looking more annoyed than angry. Instead of saying or doing anything agressive, it just walked past Markus, its tiny wings flapping uselessly.
"Huh," Markus said after a moment, looking back at the creature. "Weird."
Markus turned back to his general direction, looking at different stores. He eventually settled down at a particular bar, displaying a menu stand. It was written in a language that Markus didn't know. It definitely wasn't Greek or Latin. Hell, it probably wasn't even in any language Markus knew of.
As he entered the bar, he could see several creatures like trolls and, presumably, goblins. Markus guessed this because of their long ears, sharp teeth and light green skin. As Markus sat down at a table, he looked at a menu that seemed to be in the same language as the menu bar outside. He sighed and dropped the menu, making to leave the bar. He ignored the brawl between several goblins and trolls as they destroyed tables, stools, and included several other creatures.
The demigod continued to look at several different stores, wanting to find a magical store. He encountered quite a few, some were selling different talismans. Others sold several magic tomes that had unique magic in them, only it was about stuff like necromancy and soul magic, something he was hesitant to dwell on. Other stores had different charms available. Markus was interested in them, but only bought a few because the seller kept trying to rip him off.
All in all, he was enjoying his experience here. It was a bit rough, but he quite liked Spellhaven. At least the stuff here was worthy of buying.
As Markus continued to wander about, he spotted a large tent where he could rest for a minute and get something to eat. As he entered, he saw different kind of creatures and people: trolls, goblins, sorcerers, elves (Markus guessed they were elves), and other mythical creatures that he couldn't see. But he didn't care about that at the moment. He walked deep inside the bar, ignoring the reason why the tent was bigger on the inside than on the outside (magic, duh!). He managed to find a seat at the table, next to a tall man.
The man was handsome, with blond hair, broad shoulders and massive arms, like he spent his whole life lifting weights. He was wearing what looked like a robe, though it looked worn out and dirty. Markus wandered why a man with looks like his was wearing a cloth like that.
Seeing no other place to sit, Markus sat down next to the man, waiting for the waiter to come so he could order food. He listened to the roar of the crowd surrounding him when the man suddenly spoke up. "So, what's a kid like you doing in a place like this?"
His voice was rich and smooth, like velvet. He sounded amused, as if a kid coming to a bar was a kind of joke. Markus turned to address the man when he noticed that his eyes were gold. Like, 24-carat gold. Markus immediately knew that this wasn't an ordinary man.
He decided to answer the man's question. "Just wanted to come out for a break." A waiter came to their table. He looked human, but Markus guessed he was a possible sorcerer. Or something else. When he pulled out a notepad and asked for orders, Markus replied, "Just water." The man didn't say anything. The waiter just nodded his head and walked to get the order.
The man chuckled. Even that had a cultured tone to it, as if he practised trying to laugh smoothly. "Nobody just comes here for a break. Spellhaven's usually for people interested in something. And I can tell that you're interested in something."
Instead of responding to his sentence, Markus decided to talk about something else. "You know, it's kind of awkward talking to someone I don't know. Can I get a name?"
The man smiled, though there was no humour behind it. "Names have power, kid. I thought a demigod like you would know that."
Markus didn't react to the man's words. He already knew that he wasn't normal, so it was no surprise when he already knew he was a demigod. Markus just wandered as to who, or what, this man was.
"Although," the mysterious man continued. "I do wonder why a Greek whelp like yourself found yourself here. I thought that your kind occupied that crappy camp in Long Island."
While he wasn't surprised about him knowing that he was a Greek demigod, he did show surprise that he knew where Camp Half-Blood was. "How did-"
"-I know where your little camp was?" the man, no, being, finished for him. "It's not like it's hidden very well. That pesky Mist of yours has no effect on beings like me."
"Are you a god?" Markus asked straight away. Then he asked again. "Which pantheon are you alligned with?" He knew that he was a god, it just was a matter of which pantheon he was from. Markus was slowly getting used to meeting other gods that weren't Greek.
"Oh?" the now revealed god raised an eyebrow. "Guess you aren't so slow after all. Thank Aditi that I'm not dealing with a clueless godling."
Markus had no idea who Aditi was, as it didn't give any clue as to which god he was. He just waited for the god to explain himself. It was usually for gods to brag or monologue about themselves or about how they were so much better than you, regardless of which pantheon they were from.
The god straightened. "I am Savitr, Hindu god of motion. It's nice to meet you, Markus Henderson."
Markus had no idea about what the Hindu gods were like, since he had never read or met them before. However, he had to be cautious. Unlike Ryūjin, who gave off a lazy vibe even when he first met him, this god seemed the type to get offended easily. He had a dignified air around him, as if he were royalty.
Markus bowed his head slightly. "Lord Savitr," he said loudly, though with the roar of the crowd he wasn't sure his voice was heard. While he was never respectful to most gods that he met, this was a different god. He wasn't from the Greek pantheon, meaning he didn't know anything about him. So now was the time to be respectful or else he was going to get smote.
Savitr laughed lightly. "While it is good to see a respectful Greek, there's no need for titles. I'm not picky about these things. Unless you piss me off, I'm not going to strike you down or anything. Though, I do welcome any praise given."
Markus nodded, though that didn't mean he was any less tense. "So... why is a god out here in a magical community?"
Savitr shrugged. "I got bored. Plus, these gatherings of you magical folk are so entertaining. Fighting, gambling, trading. It's like Nandana, only more fragile and less hectic."
The waiter came with Markus' glass of water. He took it, muttering, "Thanks." He was just about to come up with an excuse to not having any money when Savitr waved his hand, causing the waiter to be blank-faced. He stood stiff, like a statue, then turned around and walked away.
"Do all gods do that?" Markus asked, mentally going over his encounters with other gods who controlled mortals before.
Savitr shrugged. "It's really a matter of if we want to do it or not. But that's not important. Tell me kid, you ever read Hindu mythology?"
"Uh, no?"
"Well, you should, considering that we are more important than your Olympians. I say this because of that fact that we have more devout worshippers than your measly gods have."
"You really don't like the Greeks, do you?" Markus asked. Ryūjin was the same. Then again, he just hated Poseidon, he never commented about the other Greek gods.
Savitr sighed, then looked at Markus. "No, I don't. In fact, many pantheons don't like the Olympians. Mainly because of their arrogance. Although I can't speak for all Greeks, Zeus is really the only one who's displayed such arrogance, thinking that he is more superior than us just because Olympus is centered in New York and considers that an advantage over the rest of us."
Markus nodded in agreement to that. After meeting Zeus, the asshole, he could see why Savitr, and other gods, thought that.
"But I'm not here to talk about my problems with your gods," Savitr said. "I'm more interested in you."
"And why would you be interested in me?" Markus asked. "I'm just a demigod."
"Sure you are, but that's the thing. You're a Greek demigod, out of his gods' territory. That's not only something odd, that's something to take advantage of."
And suddenly, Markus feared for his well being. He wasn't planning on playing to the strings of others.
Savitr rolled his eyes. "Oh, stop being so tense. I just said that it can be used to my advantage, but I didn't say anything about me taking advantage of you."
"That doesn't reassure me," Markus muttered, making the god laugh loudly.
"That's good, boy. That's good. Being cautious makes you live longer. But on an unrelated note, I just want to ask you something."
"And what's that?"
Savitr grinned, and suddenly Markus' tension came back. "How would you like a deal made with a god, boy? You dabble in magic, right? So you know about rituals and the sort."
Markus' mouth felt suddenly dry. He knew that Savitr had a hidden motive. He knew that there was another reason for Savitr to talk to him. He wanted to ignore it, to walk away and look for another shop. But there were some factors to consider. First. walking out on a god was probably not a good idea. They might take offence and smite the person or do some other horrible act that Markus definitely didn't want to deal with. And second, a voice in his head. A small, barely noticeable voice in his head that was egging him on, goading him into accepting the deal. The prize being more power, more strength. Markus knew that voice. It was his greed speaking, his want and lust for more power. It started out as a voice in his head.
And then it became a hunger, a desire. He wasn't just curious, he wanted to hear the deal Savitr had for him, to know whether it could grant him power or not. The truth was, while he was happy he was growing stronger in terms of his demigod, magical and physical capabilities, he wanted more. He wanted more power for himself. He hungered for it. His greed wasn't just a thought in his head, it was an obsession now. It was a shout, a roar of defiance to his logical side. Markus knew that listening to and accepting the god's deal would be more trouble than good. He was reminding himself about the words Hecate told him about his fatal flaw.
But his desire became too great, and he ignored his logical side of thinking. He turned to the god. "What is it that you want?"
Savitr's smile turned into a grin. "Now you're talking, kid. It's nothing harmful. Just me giving you my blessing."
"And what would your blessing entitle?" Markus asked, not even bothering to make it sound convincing or humble. If Savitr noticed, he didn't care.
"Well, since I am the god of motion, you would be able to use and control kinetic energy, the energy allowing objects and people to move. Using this, you could do a numver of things, such as move at faster speeds than you currently can. I would tell you more , but I'm sure that you could figure it out yourself. Of course, your control over kinetic energy would be limited. It wouldn't be as strong as mine, obviously, or someone with a stronger connection to me than you, but it would still be damn useful."
Markus was thinking about what he was told. While he didn't cover energy in science lessons in school, he knew that control over kinetic energy would be advantageous. He could think of a number of ways in which he could use it to his advantage, such as increasing his movement in combat and in swordplay. But as much as Markus' greed consumed him, a small rational part of his mind stayed. That rational part was telling him to ask for more information. "What's the catch?"
"No catch, kid," Savitr said, shrugging. "All I'm giving you is my blessing. I'm not trying to take or give anything else to you. If I was, you'd know."
"And why do you want to give me your blessing?"
"Because it spices things up. Come on, a Greek kid using a blessing from a Hindu god. Where have you seen that before? I'm honestly bored. I haven't had anything to do. Being the lord of all that is mobile and stationary is so dull. Things have been so... stationary, you know? I prefer things that are moving in mobility. You can give me that, brat. This can be some sort of test run."
Markus looked at him with a deadpan look. "... Your humour is just awful," he said, causing Savitr to pout like a child. Then the demigod sighed. "Okay. I'll agree. But first, I want to ask. What's the most important vow in Hindu mythology?"
"Uh, swearing on the Hindu Trimurti, I guess. Why?"
"Markus didn't know what the Trimurti was, nor did he care. But he had what he needed. "I want you to swear on the Trimurti that if I gain your blessing, you will not take advantage of me in anyway, unless you have something for me that will benefit me, and I must know about it."
As soon as he made his declaration, Savitr lost his smile and good humour. His golden eyes narrowed against Markus' defiant sea green eyes. "Kid, are you sure you know what you are asking me? You're asking me to swear on the Trimurti, the three strongest gods of the Hindu pantheon. Do you understand the seriousness of this vow?"
Markus nodded. "I do. It's just to make sure that you understand that, while I'm eager to receive your power, I'm not going to just blindly accept your blessing without going over the repercussions of this decision."
Sharp golden eyes continued to stare down sea green eyes. The stare down between god and demigod continued for a moment, until Savitr broke it by shrugging nonchalantly. "Well, at least you have a brain on you. Fine, you paranoid brat. I swear on the Trimurti that I do not plan to take advantage of you in anyway, unless it benefits you. I will also let you know about it firsthand."
As soon as he finished his vow, there was thunder in the sky. But this wasn't normal thunder. It wasn't Zeus' thunder, nor the thunder ususally made when an oath on the Styx was sworn. This thunder was louder, and more ominous. Suddenly Markus wondered if making the god swear on the Trimurti was a good idea.
Savitr looked indifferent, as if what just happened wouldn't worry him. "There. I've made the vow. Now take my blessing, ungrateful little shit."
With that, the god put his hand on the demigod's shoulder, and suddenly Markus felt a rush of power enter him. He could now feel something different. His senses went haywire, as if they increased so much. He could somehow feel the movement of different objects, like sonar for underwater hunting. It was hard to explain, but Markus was trying to get the grasp of his new powers.
"There," Savitr said. "See? No harm done. You won't regret it, brat."
"Hopefully, I won't," Markus said, agreeing with the god.
And that's a wrap! Good God, that was a long ass chapter to write. Finally done!
So in this one, we saw Markus go to taekwondo classes, get lessons from Ryūjin in using water (as well as tips on powers that he'll gain later on), school life, kendo and a meeting with Savitr, the Hindu god of motion.
The reason I used Savitr for the godly meeting is because since he was the god of motion, kinetic energy could be used in a numerous amount of ways. Plus, I kind of got inspired by watching The Flash TV show. ... What? Don't judge me. Oh, and just a reminder. There will be uses and references of the Flash, both from the TV show and the comics. Why? I love the Flash, sue me.
So Markus has gained a new power that will eventually lead to super speed later on. The reason I didn't simply make Hermes make Markus his champion or something to gain this power is because I wanted to try and use something different, rather than rely on the Greek pantheon. I wanted to widen my range of pantheons in the story. Not too many, just a couple.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter as well as the story. And thank you for those who favourited, followed, revi- you know what? Screw it. There's no point writing the same thing in almost every chapter. You guys already know what I'm going to say. So I'm just going to say thank you.
Next chapter will be the start of the Sea of Monsters book. Wish me luck, as it's not my favourite book and I might change it quite a bit. Oh well.
Read and Review!