Not a friendly start-off
I packed my things and looked at the Hermes cabin one more time and sighs, I look at Xavier as he packed his stuff as well, he looks more sad than me, I have to deal with my enemy siblings
while he lives alone in a house that no one has lived in since Percy Jackson, I heard that around the camp. I sighed, "I'll see you around." Xavier looks at me and nods "I'll do the same." I walk to the dirt path and walked to the Ares cabin.
a poorly red painted building, I looked around making sure that the landmine is a while away. I see the coast the clear and I walk to the door which has a boar head with a spear head going out of it's mouth. I opened the door and enters, Weapons were everywhere, they had it on racks, in chest, almost all organized which is surprising for me since Ares represents the brute force of war. Some of the Ares cabin looks at me and I waved a hello I'm so screwed, maybe I'll win their affections. A girl walks up to me, she had dark brown hair and blue eyes, she had a piggish nose, a little taller than me and examines me. I stayed silent until she spoke, "Mario, son of Ares, I'm not sure to believe someone like you would be my sibling! you look almost completely different than all of us!" She complained and pointed at me and at the rest of our siblings. The rest of the cabin surrounds me. I gulped, "Where's Devon?" I asked, "He's too traumatized from your victories. Twice in a row, Pride is what Ares make warriors of." A tall boy, this one has piggish hazel eyes with blond hair. "since he's not in charge now, I'm his second in command." he continued to speak. I asked, "what are your names?" "Karen" the piggish nosed girl, "Walker" the tall guy answered, "Evan." A kid with a black buzz cut hair, he's between my height and Walker's. "Angelica." a dark tanned girl swirled a bit and smiles but turns serious in a second. I felt afraid of her a bit. "Dawn." a battle hardy girl with scars over her. "Emma." I looked at her, she looks like a shy girl but I bet that's a act in a fight.
That was all of the girls and 2 guys. 4 more guys to state their name. "Taylor." A tanned kid who has a scar on his forehead. I faced a kid with brown hair and he spoke "Jay." I look at a kid that seems to be scared of me "my name? Gavin" he has a hand over the pommel of his sword as it would comfort him, he seems pretty pale. I point at the one who didn't surround me at his bunk. "Gale" the guy respond, he look like he had a lot of experience of fighting due his body is full of battle injuries, more than regular campers. The ones surrounding me walks in a circle.
Walker spoke "Karen is right, you barely look like us but you have the similar powers and blessings." "how am I that different?" I fired back a question, Walker smiles, "you look more like a wolf than us boars." Karen answered my question. I looked around, "so where do I sleep?" I asked, everyone moved out of the way and points at a empty bed near a window. I walked over there and put my stuff down, I looked at them. "so? what do you guys do here?" I asked again, Walker spoke, "Not much, we usually train to be the best warrior and before you become a actual camper in this cabin. You have to do a test." I looked puzzled, Everyone smiles deviously. "Since you defeated Devon, we want to see how you do out of all of us." Gale added on and Angelica finishes it, "it's going to be you versus all of us at once!" "WHAT!" I looked at them outraged, they must be mad, I couldn't fight all of them at once! I look at them and sighed, "Alright, I'll do it." Everyone's faces lit up again. I look around, familiarizing myself with the cabin, it was roomier than the Hermes but the feeling is hostile. "what time will our fight happen?" I asked, "At noon, during lunch." Dawn answered it, "Devon isn't going to fight me?" I asked again, Why am I so damn nervous! My eyes keep looking around. "No." Emma spoke this time, she has a french accent. I sighed, "alright, but don't be crying when I kick all of your asses." I laughed and they all look serious at me, "want to die now?" Karen treated me with hostility. I glared at her with the same amount, these guys still hate me. I piped my mom and the Ares cabin left me alone. I look at my necklace, it shone for three seconds and the light faded. "Where's your weapon?" I heard Gavin's voice, it was me and him left in the cabin. "my weapon?" I asked myself, He nodded and takes out a spear, "this is mine, where is yours?" I chuckled and looked at him "do you hate me? are you trying to find my weakness?" I fired a question at him, he shook his head. "I'm terrified to fight you!" I looked at him and smiles, "don't be afraid of me or anyone else. how will you be a better fighter?" I advised him, he seems a little puzzled but I understood what he might be thinking. I usually ask myself that question throughout my life. He stood up and pointed his spear at me. "can you teach me to become a better warrior?" I looked at him shocked, "are you joking me?" I asked him, "this is my 3rd day in this camp and I barely have any training." I told him, he shook his head, "how did you defeat Devon, how did you get the flag with our team being destroyed, the Athenians could never done that." Gavin answered my question. I assumed the Athena cabin are the Athenians. I sighed and nodded, alright, I'll do it but you have to teach me about all the things you learned here since you have been here longer than I have." His face turns more happier, I laughed and smiled. "well, what are we waiting for?" I stood up and he puts his spear down. "sorry?" he asked, I open the door and my sword appears in my hand. He looked at me in awe and follows me. We walked to the training fields where everyone was fighting. Xavier was practicing against Brian, I smiled and walked to the open space. "are you ready to fight Gavin?" I asked him, he nodded and takes out his spear from his back. I hold my sword ready, he starts with a thrust and I slash my sword at his pole and knock it to the side. "why are you using a spear for offense? a sword is better because of your combinations with it." I advised him as he drew his sword out. I smiled and get back into being ready. I start the fight with a slash to the side but he parried me. I bounced back again at his head. He moves out of the way and strikes me at my ribcage with the blunt side of his sword. "gah, alright, that's good." I smiled and we get back to our places. I start it again with a stab, he put his sword in my way. I spun around his sword and hit his neck with the butt of my sword. He falls on the ground. "get back up and fight, don't admit defeat." Gavin gets back up and ready to fight again. I smiled and did the same thing and he blocked both blows. we practiced more and more and everyone slowly stops to watch us. We kept getting faster and stronger with every attack and every second we take. We stopped fighting soon before noon, I drop my sword and sat down. I was scratched up a bit, not as much as Gavin. he fell on the ground exhausted and I chuckled. "nice practicing, remember, keep fighting, keep trying and honor with glory will come to you. Keep it up and you will have Nike against your opponents." I stood up and picked Gavin up. Xavier with Brian walked over. "damn it Mario, everytime I train, you get better!" Xavier exclaimed, I laughed and we walked to the mess hall for lunch. Xavier sat alone in the Poseidon table. Brian went to his Hermes and Gavin and I trotted to the Ares table. Everyone in my table look at us. I waved a hi and Gavin sat down, I sat next to him. "gods, you two look like a mess" Karen exclaimed, I laughed and put my hand over my chest so I could feel my necklace appearing on my neck. Gavin laughed as well. "you better get ready to fight again, unless you want to lose against us." Gale spoke, I nodded and chuckled, "I'll be ready, after I eat though." I replied and begins to eat. Karen had been looking at me from time to time, so have Dawn and Emma, Angelica doesn't seem to care and half of the guys look at me wondering something about me. I ignored them and finished my meal, all of the food here in my plate. I ate like crazy due to my weary state. Walker stood up and proclaimed "all cabins, if you want to see the best welcoming of our cabin, come to the fields!" All of us got up and the Ares cabin went to the armory. We got in our armor and we stepped out to the familiar grassland and Devon looks at me in the crowd with hatred, looks like someone brought him to us. All of the Ares cabin walked around me. We're all beasts in our armor, Walker put his sword in the air. "all of us are offsprings of Ares, the God of war. Since Mario has defeated our cabin leader Devon, his challenge will be all of us vs. himself. Unless someone joins his side of our cabin, it'll be like this. All of Ares!" Walker puts down his sword, "raise your weapon and shield if you want to join Mario!" It was silent for a while, until Gavin rose his shield and sword. "Gavin? are you sure to join Mario's side to fight?" Walker questioned him, he nodded and walked to my side. Walker sighed and spoke "anyone else?" no one else joined me and Gavin. The rest of the Ares cabin made a formation and Walker shouted "countdown in 10 seconds!" The audience starts counting down, I looked at Gavin, "remember what I taught you earlier." I reminded him, he nodded and gets in a ready stance. I did as well, our shields in front of us and our weapons prickling out making a two-man phalanx.
When everyone screamed "0" the Ares cabin charged at us. I went up and slash Evan down and blocked a strike from Taylor. Gavin slashed Gale from under his legs and hit his chest with the pommel of his sword while in midair. Walker smashed his shield against Gavin's and Gavin fell back. I looked at him and nodded, Taylor tried to stab me again with his sword. I parried his attack and disarmed him. his sword flew 20 feet away and I knocked him out with my shield. Evan tried to attack Gavin but thankfully Gavin learned to get his feet back up fast enough. Gavin put his shield under Evan's and threw him over him. I parried a strike from Karen and blocked Dawn's spear but got hit by Emma's dagger at my calf and Angelica's cut at my shield arm. I stepped back and staggered. I bashed my shield against Emma's making her fall back and I broke Dawn's spear and knocked her out. Angelica and Karen had their shields pointing at me. I rolled myself next to Gavin and stabbed Walker's left leg and Gavin bashed his head away. All left now is Karen and Angelica. "get Angel! I have Karen!" I issued the order as we charged at them. I staggered Karen with a strike that cut through her shield. Her wrist got scratched and I kick her down. I held my sword at her throat and she laid there. I looked at Gavin's fight with Angelica, wasn't going too good. Gavin was getting tired but he continued to fight. his sword seems to be more slow and his movement became slower. I shouted "Angelica! watch out for the Pegasus!" surely enough it got her attention as she look behind her and Gavin kicked her back and did the same thing I did. Walker wakes up and proclaimed us as winners and everyone cheered again. Gavin looks at me more happier than before. the day went on, most of the Ares cabin became absent because of us. everyone left and the remaining people who didn't get too messed up came with me and Gavin. he's scratched up, his arms hurts a lot when he told me, I laugh, I had the same feeling. Karen, Dawn, Taylor, and Evan were the ones who didn't have to go to the infirmary for a while, Gavin bashed his shield too hard on Angelica. he seemed pretty embarrassed about it. I told him it was nothing but she will bitch when she comes back.
I took off my armor and walked to Xavier. "hey X" I said, he shook his head and sighed "Mario, stop being in the spotlight." he said to me, I laughed, "can't help it sometimes Xavier." I responded and looked at him. He looks extremely odd for something, maybe harboring something that shouldn't be public. I looked at him and asked, "something wrong?" he looked at me started for a minute and whispered "meet me at the creek in the forest." I looked at him and nodded, "alright, I'll see you there." at that moment, Alexis came in through the crowd. "Yay! Mario! you're amazing!" he praised me and I chuckled "calm down Alexis." Xavier said for me, a couple of Aphrodite girls walked past us doing a small flirt. I looked at Alexis as he watched them, "you like them?" I asked, Alexis looks at me and blushes. "sorry, they're so hot like the nymphs." I chuckled and agreed with him. I bid farewell to Xavier and Alexis and went back to the Ares cabin. I rested in my bunk for a hour till Devon woke me up with a yell "Get out of this cabin!" I woke up in a shock and looked at him. "I'm your sibling, I defeated you, why are you still in denial?" I retorted, "you destroyed my honor and reputation! you made a fool of this cabin before you came in and now! you bring shame to our dad's name!" he fired back his reasons.
I sighed, "your honor and pride was your fault, I did my welcoming task. they made it like that." Devon fumes with such anger that he cursed me "may your weapon fail in your next use!" he pulled out a sword and my necklace turns really bright that his blade turned to dust. The dust starts forming into a facial figure. all of the cabin looks at it. "Devon! you're a insult to me if you keep denying your brother, who is real and that you will stop your anger and hatred. If you do, I'll make you the worst fighter in all of history, so bad that a Aphrodite child can kick your ass!" Ares spoke with a very loud general like voice. Devon was about to retort but he knew better than to defy a god, especially one that is your dad. Devon mutters a couple of curses and went to his bunk on the opposite end. Dawn and Karen looked at each other and said hi to Ares. Gavin and Evan said hello as well. Ares looks at me and spoke to me, "Mario, you are not just the son of me, you're also the son of my counterpart, Mars. you're in a major prophecy and you will go with the one of the seas, one of the sun, two from the roads, one with the book, three from warriors, and one that make the skies bow to him. Darkest wrath has come out with it's greatest army yet. When lighting, ocean, and the dead meets with be the point of all doom." the words rings in my head ever since and so it'll turn into something so great.