Why a year? Demigods have so many advantages, I need a reasonable amount of time to give my oc a fighting chance... even the weakest demigod starts off super strong, faster, durable and they all heal faster. Some more so than others, I needed a realistic time to develop.
I am sorry for the change, but the last story sucked bad. All tell and no show...
Everything about this story is superior...
They were the first heroes to return alive to Half-Blood Hill since Luke, so of course everybody treated the, as if they'd won some reality-TV contest. According to camp tradition, they wore laurel wreaths to a big feast prepared in their honor. Then they were led in a procession down to the bonfire, where they got to burn the burial shrouds their cabins had made for them in their absence.
Annabeth's shroud was so beautiful-gray silk with embroidered owl, it radiated the power of Athena, a sign of appreciation and love from the cold goddess.
Being the son of Poseidon, Percy didn't have any cabin mates, so the Ares cabin had volunteered to make his shroud. They'd taken an old bedsheet and painted smiley faces with X'ed-out eyes around the border, and the word LOSER painted really big in the middle.
Rowan's shroud was made my Castor and Charlie, a delicate black shroud with keys all over it, the symbol of Hecate. Rowan almost started to cry, no one had ever really shown him that kind of care. He enjoyed burning the shroud, his heart melting as he did so.
As Apollo's cabin led the sing-along and passed out s'mores. Percy was surrounded by his old Hermes cabin mates, Annabeth's friends from Athena, Rowan by Charlie and Castor and Pollux, and Grover's satyr buddies, who were admiring the brand new searcher's license he'd received from the Council of Cloven Elders. The council had called Grover's performance on the quest "Brave to the point of indigestion. Horns-and-whiskers above anything we have seen in the past."... which weird since Rowan really did the most on the quest, Grover did basically nothing. Then again, if Rowan hadn't been there, there would have been so much conflict, his quest mates were not that bright and would have been forced into a lot of fights. Medusa was just one of them... same with Echidna from before.
The only ones not in a party mood were Clarisse and her cabin mates, whose poisonous looks told Rowan they'd never forgive Percy for disgracing their dad. Which was stupid, Ares was the traitor not Percy...
Even Dionysus's welcome-home speech didn't phase everyone. "Yes, yes, so the little brat didn't get himself killed and now he'll have an even bigger head. Well, huzzah for that. In other announcements, there will be no canoe races this Saturday..."
That being said, there was still a cloud on the celebration, and that was Luke's betrayal. No one could have accounted for it and it left a scar on it all. People were scared, hesitant and nervous, but they hid it well. According to Charlie, the Demigods started building weapons in mass, all to prepare for the conflicts to come. Conflicts that the idiotic Zeus refused to even allow discussions on...
The fool.
Still, Rowan vowed to train, to get stronger and prepare for the day Kronos rose, even if Zeus would was too stupid to do so.
"""
The last night of the summer session came all too quickly. Rowan trained hard, mastering his basic spells, strengthening his body and reading but not practicing his new grimoire. He wanted to be prepared for the testing of the new magics. He could not afford to mess up casting Underworld magic, so he had to be the most prepared he had ever been. Charlie helped him exercise, and the Twins helped him with his herbal skills and combat. He was getting better and better, but not where he needed to be.
The campers had one last meal together. They burned part of our dinner for the gods. At the bonfire, the senior counselors awarded the end-of-summer beads.
Percy and Rowan got their own leather necklaces. The design was pitch black, with a sea-green tri-dent shimmering in the center.
"The choice was unanimous," Charlie announced. "This bead commemorates the first Son of the Sea God at this camp, and the quest he undertook into the darkest part of the Underworld to stop a war!"
The entire camp got to their feet and cheered. Even Ares's cabin felt obliged to stand. Athena's cabin steered Annabeth to the front so she could share in the applause.
While most ignored Rowan, Charlie and Dionysius' sons did not. They pulled him into a hug and said. "We were going to add a key, to symbolize you, but it was voted down. They didn't want a mortal getting too much credit, even if Percy admitted you did most of the work. They would have been badly screwed with a diplomatic approach, forced to just fight."
That made him smile.
:::
Digging a ditch with Charlie and the Twin's help, and Dionysius's permission, Rowan was ready to cast his first Underworld casting. It was not easy work, he had to cast a ring of salt and herbs around the damn pit, to ensure no souls got to the sacrifice and were empowered by it. It was day time as well, making it harder for the souls to get to the sacrifice. Rowan was ready for the casting in ten minutes.
"Are you sure about this?" Pollux asked, nervous.
"I am, I need to summon a guide, to help me navigate not only Underworld magics but magic in general. I need to be prepared, powerful and skilled. I only have so many advantages as a pure mortal, nothing compared to you lot as Demigods. This is my best chance, my best option. Now, for the sacrifice." They poured in a bunch of lemonade and some brisket, made especially for this. Then, when they finished, he opened his Dark Grimoire and uttered the summoning spell.
"Crescunt tenebrae, hanc oblationem o manes et damnatos. Id trahe et vivifica, tantum ut meam vocationem audias! Me duce ad maiorem ens!"
Rowan swayed as energy fled him, the shadows expanded and the offering bubbled into a frothy mess. From the shadows, silvery blue spirits drifted into existence. They meandered to the offering, but none could touch it without his express permission. "Only an experienced sorcerer can get through, only a sorcerer can be called forth!"
There was a sliver of laughter and one moved past his barrier, drinking deep of the frothy mixture. It was a woman, dressed in a set of dark robes that solidified as she drank of the offering. She was tall and well muscled, with black hair and grey eyes. "I am Agnes, priestess of Hecate and I will be your teacher, young Rowan. In all magical arts that I knew in life, so long as you call me forth and allow me to tap continue staying on this plane."
"Do you swear to not abuse your powers, to harm me and mine, to obey the laws of Hades?"
The woman smirked. "I do."
"We have an accord then, finish the offering and let us go to my first lesson."
She laughed more. "You are a clever boy to have me make that offering, so many spirits would abuse their powers, we dead draw power from the living... Now, to your first lesson, I know what you have been up to, a part of the magic we share by binding your powers to my afterlife. We will work on expanding your knowledge, perhaps some more offensive magic and some potion work. You need to also work on your wards and telepathic powers... yes, there is much to work on. Oh and your healing knowledge, that is vital..."
His friends, his living friends, looked extremely nervous, but wisely said nothing. "I hope you are sure, Rowan..."
"I am... kind of."
Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.
This was a fun chapter.
Love, your Ninja Overlord,
Mika.