Best Internship Ever.
Five years. Five long, wonderful, painful, astoundingly mind blowing years later I knew I made the right decision. It was hard at first, reading English is hard enough, but trying to read Ancient Medieval charms was something else entirely. But with time I managed to learn it as well.
I easily read through the Ancient Greek books though, it was almost scary how fast I learned those tomes. But I still had so much more to learn...and I loved it!
I must sound like complete nerd right now but trust me, when you love what you do it's not that hard to get excited about it.
Now before you ask, no I don't use a wand. Not its true like in the movies, you can't just say a magic spell and or charm and anything you want will actually happen. You have to know what the effect will be beforehand for one, otherwise nothing will happen, you also need to pour the right amount of power into it.
Too little and it'll fizz out or just not even be cast. Too much and it could blow up in your face. And I'm talking from experience, first time shooting a bolt of energy I roasted my eyebrows off. Thankfully they've grown back, but after that I made sure to put just enough to every spell, charm, summon, and enchantment.
As for casting the spell? Well I have to move my hands and fingers into certain positions. I'll have to admit that Strange makes it look easy, and this is from a a guy who has nerve damage in his hands.
See, before he was the sorcerer supreme, he was actually a neurosurgeon. But after s car accident without him wearing his seatbelt, his hands were so damaged he'd never be able to pick up a scalpel again. It was honestly a little heartbreaking, but when Stephan explained how much of a jerk he was, how he only took rich clients for fame? I could see that in the long run it was for the better.
So your probably wondering what I do? Well you see, I'm not exactly ready enough to tag along with doc on some of his more extravagant adventures. On more than one occasion he's disappeared for weeks and returned dripping with ectoplasm. And that was one of the less weird things he's been covered in.
So I usually do the day to day stuff, like a Intern. So what does that entail?
Well...
{¥£€}
"Ok. Did not expect to find this." I said, looking around. The ground beneath my feet was covered with purple grass, stretching onwards towards the green sunrise. I looked down at myself, making sure I was still wearing what I was when I came here. I had in a pair of grey sneakers, light brown cargo pants, and a blue zip up hoodie with the black shirt underneath.
I stepped forward, glancing down towards the ground to see the grass move out of the way of my foot. "Ok, so where are you?" I muttered to myself before I heard a tiger roar behind me. I turned around to see a giant ten foot tiger, instead of being covered with fur, it was overdid by brown leaves and the stripes being branches and the eyes pulsating with apples.
...yeah I should remind you that my life has gotten Very, VERY, wired since I ledge camp. Looking back? Camp half blood must have been the most normal part of my life...wow thinking that really puts my life in perspective.
I brushed those thoughts aside as the wood towered lowered itself closer to the ground and circled around me. "Ok kitty cat, I know you shouldn't be here, you probably do to, so just leave and-" I started calmly before it pounds forward. "Oh crap!"
I dived out of the way as it's nails cut into the ground, making brown fizzy water erupt from the ground into the creature's, making it bat else at at it's face with it's paws, the thorns for it's nails retracting back into it's paws.
Ok think, cat made out of leaves, thorns and wood. How do I scare him off? I thought as I held out my hand, purple mist swirled around my hand until it became solid metal. "Look just because I don't want to hurt you doesn't mean I won't defend myself." I warned as leather wrapped around the metal. In my hand was now a battle ax.
It was a dual bladed weapon, it was about the size of a normal fire axe but the blades were three times bigger. "Leave or I will start chopping." I threatened.
The beast growled, popping it's claws once again before inning forward on all fours. If didn't pounce this time, I reeled the axe back as it raised it's paw. As the thorns came down I swing, cutting right through the paw, it's claws cutting the ground on either side of me.
I quickly slicked through the wrist of the cat, making it feel back in pain as it hobbled away on its tree legs. I could only watch however as roots grew from the stump and reformed a paw with no leaves covering it. I groaned, "Well isn't that peachy?" I asked.
I needed to come up with a plan, but I couldn't do that with the cat on my butt. I glanced down at the ground, as i closed in again, I cut into the ground with my axe, causing a Geyser of brown soda to spray right into the cat, making it recoil back. Every time it got close I repeated the action. I couldn't keep this up though, I felt the ground starting to deflate.
Ok ok think, axe can't cut down the tree so how do you...of course! Fire!
I put my palm up against the blade, "By the Hot Flames of Horth...Horthmul!" I stuttered out, making sure I said the right name, the blade gaining glyphs across the body up to the blades where they were ignited in flames. As the cat came at me again, I stepped back out of the way, grazing it's leg.
The Flames ignited a few leaves, the cat panicked, it rolled around trying to put out the flames. As it was distracted, I used my empty hand, holding down my thumb and pinky, I drew a circle in the air, behind the cat a tear in the air opened, "Go on! Back!" I shouted, swinging the axe menacingly, making it back into the portal after it doused the flames.
When it was all the way in, I closed the portal. I let out a breath of relief as the axe disappeared. "Ok. That it...looks like." I said with a shrug before shutting my eyes. As my form faded from the field when I felt normal once again I opened them. Looking around my new surroundings I smiled, the kid was gonna be fine.
Now you must be confused, I don't blame you.
See, hundreds of people deal with magic every day without really realizing it. Most of the time it's nothing that you notice, sometimes it can actually be good for you, but other times it can be bad. Usually it can be something minor, a headache for no reason, being tired all day, stuff like that.
Usually they move on and head to another after a while. In fact most of these things can be felt with by Mexicans if you can believe it. But every once in a while one will stay and fester, let's just say that can lead to problems.
Doc must have a dozen or so of these a year. That was until I had the idea to set up a website to contact us for when normal doctors couldn't help. Now we had double that number and we're saving just as many people. This a simple memory parasite, they take the form of something the host finds familiar and takes that form.
What I want to know is where on earth a cat tree came from.
In the bed in front of me was a small six year old girl, she had fallen into a coma after having dizzy fits, headaches, and then the doctors finding nothing wrong with her brain, they contacted Doc to take a look. After finding what was wrong he sent me to treat her.
As the door opened, I saw the parents peek inside, I could feel them checking in on me since o arrived. I completely understand of course, I even offered them them to stay if they felt more comfortable with that but they declined.
"I just finished. She should be fine." I said, standing up from the floor I looked over as the girl stirred from her slumber. I caught sight of her stuffed animal. A small tiger plush doll with marker coloring over the stripes and fur.
Oooooh, that explains it. I thought as the little girl woke up. Her mother and father brushed past me with looks of joy on their faces. I smiled fondly at the happy family. The mother looked at me, "Is she going to be ok?"
I nodded, "She'll be perfectly fine. These things happen more often than you'd think. She'll be fine, she may develop a slight headache but that's perfectly natural. It should fade after a while." I said. I wasn't as good as Strange when it came to the medical side of the job, 'after a while' could mean anywhere between a week or two to a few months but there wasn't any permanent damage.
"How much do we owe Doctor Strange?" the father asked, reaching for what must have been his checkbook.
I shook my head, "Not a penny. We're a non profit practice." I explained. Public wise we were a alternative medical practice. And since we didn't exactly have a need for money, we were a kind of charity as well.
"There has to be something." The mother offered before their daughter held out a bag, reading the label I saw it was a bag of sunflower seeds.
The girl gave me a smile before I took them, "Perfect. I was in the mood for a snack." I said happily as I put the bag in my pocket. As I walked out of the room, I took one last look back and smiled.
A few minutes later I was out the sidewalk, when they first contacted us we were a little surprised to find just how close the family was to us. It was just three blocks away from the Sanctum Santorum.
The Sanctum was more than just a really nice looking house, it was also the center for all magic in the north western hemisphere. Why you ask? Well before the house stood there, it was part of a satanic ritual site, before that it was a church that burned down, and before that it was an Indian burial ground, and before that...well I'm not sure exactly but you get the idea.
It's also over a fault line, one of the most powerful mystic hotspots you can be at.
Walking across the street, I passed the wall separating the Santorum and the rest of the world. In more sense than one. Taking the key out of my pants pocket, I unlocked the gate and opened it. I felt the familiar feeling of magic wash over me, I smiled at the feeling.
"Man it's good to be home." I said, walking up the porch to the door, I made a pulling motion with my hand, making the door open in towards the house. Entering the foyer, I went around the staircase towards the kitchen, "Wong? We're are you?" I called out as I passed through a few doors.
The sanctum was a lot more large inside than outside, there were about twelve guest rooms aside from mine, Strange's, and Wong's rooms on the second floor. The first floor had the living room, dining room, kitchen, and drawing room.
The third floor was where all the weird stuff happened. There was Strange's study, the Library, the meditation chamber, and the artifact room with all the mystic items Strange has collected from around the world. Then there was also the Window of the Worlds, the large glass that you could see from the purpose with the mark of the Vishanti on it.
See, the Vishanti are some of the first to use magic. They weren't gods of course, but they were more than normal human beings...well they still are. It's confusing, they're still around but they only appear when they're needed.
Entering the kitchen, I found Wong storing a pot of stew, "Hey Wong, how's it going?" I asked him as he turned to look at me, giving me a friendly smile. I'll admit that I found it strange that the Sorcerer Supreme needed a servant, but by now I understood why.
Honestly Strange and I were so busy that of Wong wasn't around, we would be wearing week old clothes and order takeout every night we were home.
"Vincent, good to see you back home. How was the patient?" he asked as he dabbed some spice into the soup.
I pulled out the bag of sunflower seeds and took a handful put before eating them. "Pretty simple, so where's doc at?" I asked, swallowing the snack. Wong took out the ladle he was housing and held it out to me fore a taste test, taking a sip of the stew I let the taste settle. "Maybe a little salt?" I suggested.
Wong added the salt, "The Doctor is up in his study, he asked me to tell you he needs to see you." he said, I stuffed the bag back in my pocket and thanked him before making my way back into the foyer and walking up the stairs. Walking around the second level, I entered the third floor stairwell.
Entering the third floor, I looked out to the window on my left, shining out to the city on my right was a routines of doors that led into different rooms within the circle. On the left however were a few doors leading to some more...weird places. One of them was a door to Olympus, the door had thunderbolts on it to signify that, and another led to Atlantis. That one looked like a bank vault.
Like I said, weird.
Finding the door to Strange's study own, I entered to see the Sorcerer Supreme sitting behind his desk reading from a book. Unlike from when I first met him, Strange had on a long sleeve shirt with a white symbol on the front of it, with black pants and the cloak of levitation around his shoulders and the collar over his head.
"Hey Doc. You wanted to see me?" I asked, walking over and taking a seat in front of the desk as he lowers the book onto the desk.
"Vincent, I assume that purging the girl was a success?" He asked, I nodded, making him smile. "Good, your eighth time on your own with a case like that, I must be doing something right." he said, making me roll my eyes. Doctor Strange was a good teacher, he also had the patience of a fricking Saint to deal with me.
I wanted to know everything at first, but no matter how hard I pressed or pleaded he kept me learning at a pace. By now, I only knew a fraction of what he did, and couldn't wait to learn it as well.
"So why did you want to see me?" I asked curiously.
The doctor closed the book and skid it aside. "I received a Iris Message from Camp Half-Blood today, Charion sends his best." he said making me smile. Charion had checked in on me every once in a while, he said that I always had a place at camp. Luke even messaged me once to see how I was doing, but Annabeth...she must be super pissed off at me.
Luke said that she was mad when I left but she would get over it. But if she was mad at me? I completely understood why, I left a month or so after Thalia was taken...she lost two of us in such a short time. But I belonged here at the sanctum, I knew that, and maybe one day she'd understand that as well.
"He asked me to retrieve a sword for him, he wouldn't say why but something tells me he has a good reason for wanting it." he said. I nodded in understanding, some artifacts were a tad too powerful and dangerous to be left out in the world. We store some of them here but a good amount of them go to the attic at the big house at camp.
I still remember when I had to get a old typewriter that Athena used to own...lets just say that you can't exactly tell people why you need into their private storage rooms in my like if work. I still don't think I can go to the Times Magazine office. Specially after what I did to that one janitor...
"Unfortunately he doesn't know where the sword is. Only the name, Anaklusmos." He said.
"Doesn't that mean Riptide?" I asked, recognizing the Greek pronunciation.
"Yes. And that's all we know. As far as my research has showed, there's been no mention of it in any Greek myths." he explained. "It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack." he added, rubbing his eyes with his fingers. "And worse yet...there's something that needs my attention."
I raised a eye at that, he took it as his cue to continue, "Hades sent for me." Said. The god's name alone made my blood boil, he was the one who sent monster after monster after Thalia and the rest of us. It wasn't until later I found out, and when I did I think I used every swear word I know to curse at him. Either he didn't hear me, he just didn't care, or he was used to it. Or maybe all three.
Either way, I disliked him to say the least. "And what does he want?" I asked, not hiding the anger in my voice.
Strange have me a look of concern, "Someone had penetrated the underworld a few days ago. Uninvited, and without his knowledge." he said, making my eyes widen, see when people tell you to go to hell, it's not exactly simple as that. Dying is the easy part, but there are literally thousands of beings guarding it so you can't sneak in, the underworld is where they decide WHERE you go. And some people just have trouble waiting in line.
"So he wants you to find the guy who broke in?" I guessed. See, Doctor Strange was...I he's still a doctor, just not medically speaking. He helps each of them out but they also heed his words, I don't know it's because he's earned their respect, or if he's actually just as, if not more, powerful than them.
I'm really hoping it's the former because in my stay here, I have on occasion pissed him off...like the time I tried to fly the Cloak and ended up trashing the second floor.
"No. He says he knows who it is. But he wants me to find out how it was stolen." he explained, making me nod my head in understanding, he would rather make sure this not happen again and then find who was responsible. "So while I attend to Hades, I need you to track down the sword." he explained.
I was a little surprised to say the least, I usually did the small stuff around the house. But this? This was like a quest. "O-ok...so how do I find this thing?" I asked.
Strange face a wary smile, "The same way we find everything else. Research."
...Vincent, Intern Supreme. Yep, that's my title everyone.
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I didn't hate doing research, yes dyslexia makes it hard to get through the books but it's it horrible. I could get halfway through a textbook sized book of if I wanted to. But it just gets tedious after a while.
I picked up every book in the Library on Greek myths and legends, I headed for my room. My room was a decent sized doom, it had a queen sized bed on the right wall eith the head against a small corner of the room beside the door. I was used to cramped spaces from traveling with Thalia and them, so it was a smear perfect fit for me.
On the other wall opposite of where my pillows of the bed was a Tv, standing atop my desk where I was currently sitting at, on the other side of the room was a closet containing all my belongings, magical walk in closest a were awesome I might add. And in the corner were the Windows.
See these windows were like the ones on the corner of house so you could walk up to and open, execpt these three windows opened up to three different places. One opened up to a snowy forest, another to a grassy field, and one to a tropical beach.
They weren't simply Windows neither, one step out and I was there. I'd sometimes go out and walk on the beach or something if the weather in New York was bad.
But instead of being on a sunny beach, I was in my room. Looking through the books word for word to find any mention of the sword, but so far nothing. At this point, I was torn between throwing the book aside and taking a minute or just powering through it.
Tossing it aside was sounding pretty good. But I wasn't sure if any of these books wouldn't try to eat me in my sleep.
I awoke to find one trying to swallow my foot once, long story.
As I turned the page, I saw a picture of a muscular man fighting a dragon with multiple heads. Hercules, he was one of my favorite heroes, he went through his twelve labors and didn't complain once, even if he knew it wasn't fair that he was forced to do them. Despite what you may think, he didn't really use a sword, he used a club to beat his enemies to death.
Elegant right? But the strange thing about the picture was that he was fighting with a sword, "Hmm..." I reached for the drawer of my desk and reached in, pulling out a magnifying glass before peering on the sword, his was bronze by the looks of it, and was double edged.
It could be the sword, but it just as easily may not be.
But it's not named. Not mentioned, in fact this is one of the only times I've seen him portrayed with a sword. Either way, it's kind of the only lead I have at the moment, and it's better than nothing.
The knock at the door drew my attention, Wong stepped in with a plate of food. "Your picking up the master's eating habits." he said with a small smile as he handed me the food.
I smiled gratefully at him, "Thanks Wong. Your a saint you know that?" I asked as I took a bite of the food.
The servant smiled knowingly, "So how goes your search?" he inquired. I lifted the book over my shoulder to him, he looked at the picture before nodding, "It could be."
"Yeah but it also may not be. Unless I ask the guy himself I don't think I'll know for sure." I said, leaning back in my chair. It was possible to commune with people who already passed on, but you have to know where they went afterwords. It's kinda like area code, if your looking for someone in the under world, it's not the same for looking for someone in the great beyond.
Plus Hercules may even still be around, "Well what do you do when you face something you don't understand?" Wong asked.
I shrugged, "I ask Strange for help, but even if he were here I'm not sure he could confirm it." I explained.
Wong smirked, "Who said anything about the Doctor?" he asked. I was confused of course, unless I talked to someone who was there and saw it there wasn't a way to confirm it. I could ask one of the gods for help, but me asking out of the blue? I can't see that working in my favor.
Plus I'm not exactly fond of the idea of being in their debt.
"Unless I can walk up to an immortal I don't see-" I stopped when I realized what he was getting at. "Aw crap."
The Hunter's of Artemis. It's possible one of them may be that old, but off chance, Artemis herself may know. And if I was going to be in any God or goddess debt? She would certainly not bd the worst. "I hate this. I don't want to talk to them, but I have to, so I will." I said as o got up from my desk and walked out the door with my food. "I'm going to eat first though."
{¥£€}
After filling up and getting my satchel, I fallowed Wong to the room of artifacts. It was here where we kept the Mystic artifacts that the Sorcerer Supreme has collected through the years. Past the glass display cases we stopped in front of a pen sitting on a pedestal.
The orb of Agamato was, for lack of a better term, a crystal ball. It allowed one to find almost anyone they wanted, unless they were being protected by magic. It was powerful because it could see into other dimensions as well, but any form or protection magic could block it's view.
"How's it go again?" I asked myself, "Umm...Orb of Agamatto, by the will of the Vishanti, I ask to see what I seek. I seek the Hunters of Artemis." I asked, the thing about magic objects, is you need to be nice and respectful. Otherwise they can...get agitated.
The crystal ball glowed before an image appeared of the earth, it zoomed in on the United States, then to the Midwest. Then to..."Ohio? Well I guess it makes sense. It's farmland there." I said with a shrug.
"Get back soon, and if your not back by tomorrow, be sure to call." Wong said, I couldn't help but smile and roll my eyes. The man was as much a mother hen as he was a servant.
"Ok Wong." I said before putting my left hand on the orb and holding let other out. I felt a wave of energy was through me as light came out my right palm and created a circular portal. Walking through it, I was no longer in the Sanctum, but in a heavily brushed forest.
As the portal closed behind me, I looked around, teleporting wasn't as easy as tv and movies make it look. It's never accurate and it takes a lot out of you. I could teleport maybe twice in a single day, any more and I'd probably pass out.
Thankfully the orb was what I used so this one was free. Unfortunately I was literally in the middle of nowhere, at least I thought that until I heard the sound of a car. Waking a few feet towards the sound, I pushed through a bush, I found that I wasn't as in the middle of nowhere as I thought.
There was a biker restaurant on the side of the road. Walking up the porch, I noticed a number of bikes lined up in front of the building. Please don't let anything happen to knock them all over and get the Hell's Angel's mad at me or something. Pushing the door open, I spotted the Hunters right out of the gate, they were the only group made up of all girls taking up six tables.
That and the deadly weapons on the table, for a second they looked like bunch of softball equipment, aluminum bats and softballs, it was a little weird. No one seemed to bat a eye at it either way.
Ok so how do I do this? Last time they kinda shot a arrow at me...maybe they won't recognize me? Please, please don't recognize me.
After a quick prayer to the Vishanti, I approached the group of girls. I felt over a dozen eyes locked onto me the moment I stepped forward. "Um...hi." I greeted, giving my best smile.
A few of them grabbed their bows, "I'm here to see if any of you know about Hercules' sword!" I sputtered out quickly. Now I didn't really have much to fear from them. I have a magic barrier protecting me, it's something I put on every day, but it's not very strong, plus starting a fight in a place like this just seems like a dumb move.
Unfortunately my outburst seemed to draw a few patrons glance but didn't pay any real mind to it. One of them looked at me with a particular look of disinterest, "Wait outside." she ordered.
It was either do what she said, or walk away with nothing. So I walked outside and waited outside, minutes passed as I waited. A few bikers came out and started up their bikes, as they rode away the girl who told me to wait, came out.
It took me a minute but I finally recognized her. Zoë Nightshade, the one who tried to recruit Thalia and Annabeth when we were all together. "...so are you going to stab me or talk to me?" I asked.
"Silence boy." Zoë stated bitterly. She stared at me, sizing me up. As she did, I waved my fingers around, casting a detection spell. It's nothing harmful, it just helps me read how someone feels towards me. Anger smells like something burning leaves, so it smelled like I was near a tree on fire. Her eyes widened, "Magic."
"Sorcery." I corrected. "I'm training with the Sorcerer Supreme. He sent me to find a sword called Anaklusmos. I figured since the Hunters have loved for hundreds of years, one of you may know where I can find it." I explained. As soon as I said the sword's name, her eyes widened and instead of burning leaves, I smelled a crisp whiff of salt. Fear.
"Why would I tell you?" she asked. I was more than tempted to rebuff her rudeness with some of my own. But I couldn't, for one as much as she deserved it Strange thought me to be a gentleman, and that would end this conversation here and now.
"Because I'm hoping you'll be willing to help me. Not because I'm a guy, or a demigod even. But because I'm another person." I explained, hoping that i could convince her.
She did look convinced. At all, "If I tell you were it is you'll get yourself killed."
...ok. I tried, I tried to be nice, "I won't." I said simply. She scoffed, "Look, you think I can't do it because I'm a guy? Fine, but I've spent the past five years learning from the goddamn Sorcerer Supreme, I live in a house that has nearly eaten me! Several times!" I proclaimed.
She raised a eye at that, "Really." she asked blankly.
"Yes. Really. So what? You send me there and I die? Fine. One less problem for you. I live? I get to live." I stated, crossing my arms over my chest. I may be a gentleman, but if Thalia taught me anything, it's to stand up for myself.
Zoë stared me down and I stared right back. I wasn't giving her one damn inch."Fine. Base of Mount Tamaplais, it's guarded by Landon. Fairwell. Boy." she answered as she went back inside to eat.
As I walked off, I couldn't help but think about Thalia. The pain was still there, I was useless then, now? I'd put up one hell of a fight with her...it makes me wonder if she had joined the hunt, would she still be alive? I shook my head, no, simply no. She saved our lives that day, the whole camp even.
Ok stop thinking of the past and focuse on the present Vincent. Now, teleporting to San Francisco is a bit tricky, even getting here I was off a little. I got two trips in me, hopefully I don't overshoot myself and end up on the side of the mountain.
Carving a portal out of the air, I stepped through.
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Ok, I may need a refresher in teleporting when I get back home. I wound up a whole mile away from the mountain. So after walking the beaten path for the past hour. As I began to reach the top of the hill, I slowed my walking, Landon may be a dragon but that doesn't mean they can't sneak up and kill you.
When the garden came into sight, I found Landon, sleeping at the base of a large tree. And a few feet away from the hundred headed dragon, a sword was stabbed into the ground with weeds growing up the blade.
I gulped...that dragon was much bigger than I thought.
Walking towards the blade, I kept my eyes on the dragon, careful to make sure I didn't accidentally wake the beast. I didn't know if Dragons had superior senses or not, but better to be safer than sorry. I was only a few feet away, reaching towards the hilt, I suddenly smelt something acidic. Turning around, I found myself face to about with one of his heads.
Landon hissed at me, green slime dripping from his fangs. As one of his heads reeled back, I raised my forearm up as a glyph of orange light spiraled out forming a shield to protect me from it's powerful jaws. I fell into my back and tucked my legs close, the shield growing until it covered me, Landon tried to break through the orange translucent should, but it was no use.
The Shield of Seraphim, one of the first spells Strange taught me for my defense. Through the shield o saw a dozen heads stare down at me in irritation. I fallowed them back to the base of the tree before realizing someone.
What I thought to be a large hill of dirt around the dirt wasn't soil. It was the rest of Landon's body...ok Zoë was right I am so gonna die!
As his feet stomped towards me, I went into overdrive mode. There has to be a way out of this! His heads were going into a rapid fire mode, hitting the shield every chance it got hoping to crack it open. The ground around me shook from it's feet walking towards me. At this rate the thing could just squish me with my own shield if he stomped on it!
I felt something slip out of my pocket, looking down I saw the bag of sunflower seeds I was given from my patient earlier today...wait that's it!
Grabbing a few seeds, I tossed them into my mouth, "I call upon the Violent Vines of Violmil." I said before dropping my seeds.
The dragon opened his mouth, acid dropping onto the ground, a drop singing my hair.
Then, I spat into it's mouth.
The beast blokes in surprise, not expecting a demigod to do something so stupid, so me her, so...gross. But just as it's mouth opened again, vines spewed out out from it's mouth, spreading over it's teeth and quickly over it's head.
Enchantment. I love you. As the heads were thrown into frenzy, I scrambled onto my feet, reached over and grabbed the sword, ripping it out of the ground I swung it around on a full circle, slicing one of the jugular...jugulars. Plural.
I took off like a bar out of hell down the hill, the dragon crying as the vines climbed over it's neck and spread out to the other heads. The vines weren't deadly, they just grew like crazy. Commonly they're used to ensnare something, but adding more magic to it can cause them to grow out of control and suffocate their victims.
When I was down at the base of the hill, I cast a portal and dove through.
I landed on wooden floor, looking around. I let out a groan, "Oh thank the Vhishanti! I'm back! Wow. Never thought of say that about this place." I said, glad to be back in the Artifacts Room. I looked over in my hand to see the sword was still being held in my grip. "Heh. Five years and I still got it." I said as I sat upright, laying the sword across my lap.
Camp may have been a mixed bag, but I still practiced swordsmanship I learned there, it was invaluable.
After getting out of the room, I turned around to find Wong. Patently standing with a smile. "I'm glad you've returned Vincent." he said sincerely. I held out the sword, but he shook his head, "Master Strange informed me that you must return the blade yourself."
My smile instantly dropped. I had to give Charion the sword!?
It took a few seconds, but I realized something. "...Strange planned this from the start didn't he? And your in on it too. Aren't you?" I asked. The man servant simply smiles innocently. "...if I didn't know you could kick my ass Wong I'd take a shot at you. But I'm too tired...ill do it tomorrow." I said as I walked past him, heading towards my room.
I did drag the tip of the blade against the floor. Leaving a nice long scratch for him.