The Big House
Chiron's POV
I sat down by the meeting table, pondering about our newest resident at Camp. He should be coming soon. I suppose he must be talking to his new siblings, though I doubt any of them were too shocked that Gilgamesh was the son of Apollo. Anyone who has ever seen the Sun God could tell that Gilgamesh was a spitting image of him. It was a frightening resemblance. Frankly, I don't think I've ever seen anyone who ever looked so much like Apollo.
Gilgamesh was… strange. Even stranger than the usual thing I see. An eight-year-old who acted more mature than half the gods, including his own father, and had an unnatural intelligence that befitted a child of Athena. He wore and held equipment that most of the campers would die for. I'm sure that from the way the Hephaestus children were talking, they were more than ready to kill for it.
But Gilgamesh's strangest attribute was that he knew things that he most definitely shouldn't. The fact that he knew that other pantheons existed was troubling enough, though he wasn't the first to come to the camp with such knowledge, but the fact that he possibly knew the Great Prophecy was very, very worrying. Not only because he might tell others of it, but also because it implied that he could see the future. A gift I would not wish upon any of Apollo's children.
I still remember little Halcyon. The poor boy did not deserve such a fate. As horrible as it is to say, I hope he has passed away, for death is a better option than his punishment.
A knock on the door snaps me out of my thoughts. Oh, it must be Gilgamesh. I walk up to the door, and open it. "Ah, Gilgamesh! It's good to see you remembered. Please, take a seat." It is still very odd to see what was essentially a younger version of Apollo come into the room. I almost feel the urge to bow.
As Gilgamesh walks in, he rubs the back of his head, "Sorry if I'm late, Chiron" He apologises, "Jamie held me back to talk about my schedule tomorrow, and he introduced me to some of my… new siblings." It seems that he's still getting used to the idea of having siblings. It's understandable of course. I too was surprised when I first met Zeus and the other gods. My younger self was quite jealous that they were so much more powerful despite sharing my father.
"It is no problem Gilgamesh" I chuckled, as Gilgamesh took a seat. As I close the door, I lift my index and middle finger, and said "Sigḗ" An ancient spell to make sure no sound escapes a room. Not even Zeus could listen through the spell, though it'd be best if he didn't find out.
I walk back to my seat opposite of Gilgamesh, and take a good quick look at him. Whilst he may have put his armour and bow away, he still had his sword by his side, and an elegant contraption by his wrist. I suppose being on the run from monsters for so long must've put him on edge, once again, something very common amongst new demigods, as much as I wish it wasn't so.
I put on a serious look onto my face, one I usually left for the Stoll twin's antics, "Now Gilgamesh, can you tell me how you know a prophecy that has not been uttered since 1945?" World War 2… It was truly an unfortunate time. Despite the Gods having been in America since 1860, the Big Three still felt the need to have children outside of the US. The children of Hades followed and assisted Hitler and his allies, having powerful positions in his government, whilst the children of Zeus were in charge of America. I remember the conversations I had with Roosevelt. A little part of me was happy he came to me for advice. To know I still had a place in these children's hearts when they left camp.
I had met one of the children of Hades that had joined Hitler. They were a former scientist that had been hired by the US Government after the war ended. He told me that the true reason he joined the Axis was because of Hitler himself. That the mortal man gave him an aura of death that rivalled the demigod's father. That this aura is what attracted the demigod to the Nazi leader. I suppose I had hoped that there was something more to it. I was hoping for these demigods to have some good in them… but I hoped wrong.
"Uh… Chiron, is something the matter?" I am once again snapped from my thoughts by Gilgamesh once more.
"Ah, sorry Gilgamesh. My mind wanders often, a side effect of my old age" My mind was not that of a god's. I had so many memories and knowledge from over the centuries, and a mere centaur's mind struggled to process so much. Others of my kind did not notice such effects because most of their days were full of booze and partying. Perhaps… It might soon be time to retire. At the very least sometime during this century.
"Well as I was saying," Gilgamesh started, "I have well… visions, vague ones, of the future. But, it's not exactly our future. It's some sort of alternate timeline where I never existed." That sounds beyond outlandish, yet I suppose I've seen weirder. But could it truly be possible? I remember one of the children of Athena talking about something like this. I believe they called it the 'Multiverse Theory', but could it be more than a theory?
"Gilgamesh, if what you are saying is true… then-"
"Then that means I can change the future without the intervention of the Fates" Gilgamesh interrupted me, confirming my suspicions. For him to have an ability like this would completely topple the entire Pantheon, and even other pantheons, were he to use it for evil. But the fact that he was telling me what I assume was his deepest secret, well I guess he'll be using his gift for the good of many.
"Are you willing to tell me what you saw, Gilgamesh?" I won't force the boy to tell me. No matter what path we take, the next decade will be full of horrible moments that these children will have to suffer through.
Gilgamesh looks away, almost unable to meet my eyes, "No… Not because I don't trust you or anything, but I don't want to risk you changing anything that might irreparably change the course of the future. The more I know, and the less you know, the better." I see the logic behind his reasoning. I may be old, but I can make mistakes just like the next centaur.
"Are you certain that you can carry such a burden on your back, child?" I ask. I remember how such burdens can hurt these children. Achilles, Theseus, and worst of all, Heracles. Their lives were full of torment because of the heavy weight they carried upon their soldiers.
The look that Gilgamesh gave me in return to my question almost shocked me. His eyes were full of determination and confidence to the levels I had never seen before in a demigod. "I am more than ready to carry this burden, Chiron."
A small smile comes to my face. "Very well. I will trust you, Gilgamesh." As I should in return for him trusting me with his secret. "Now, it's getting quite late, and I think your cabin members would love to talk with you more." I'm sure they'd be perplexed by the young child, at the very least.
The son of Apollo gets up from his seat and heads to the door, "Well… See you later Chiron." As soon as he leaves the room, I walk to the corner of the room and reach down to a very loose floor board, where lies a very old wine bottle. It was arguably the second oldest wine bottle on the planet in the possession of a non-godly entity. I say second oldest, as I also had what I believe is the oldest as well. I'm sure Mr D knew about it, yet did not bother taking it from me. After all, he of all people knows the power of sentimentality that wine can grant.
You see, when the Romans invaded Greece, and the Greek Gods changed, I had no place to go. No one to teach, nor anyone to guide. So I succumbed to the vice that my other brothers relished in. Alcohol. I drank my days away, waiting for when the Gods of Greece came back. One day, I managed to get two bottles of wine, created by Bacchus, the Roman version of Diyonysus. I downed the first, and when I finished it, I realised what I had become. No more was I the Teacher of Heroes. Instead I was a drunkard.
That day, I quit drinking, though I kept the unopened second bottle. I changed my life, for the better I hope. I journeyed north of Rome, sailing to another land, now known as Scotland, where I met my first student after aeons. A child known as Boudica. She became a fine leader when she matured, and I doubt I'd be the same man that I am today without her. After that, I took on many more students, Odoacer, Alaric, and even Spartacus before the poor boy was captured by the Romans.
After the fall of Rome, the Gods moved to France, where they asked me to teach their children once more. Though surprised by their new split personality, I readily agreed. I finally had my life's purpose back, and it was all thanks to a bottle of wine.
I poured the crimson liquid into a wine glass, and uttered a small prayer to Diyonysus. Whilst it may have been made by his alter ego, he could still appreciate good wine. I put the glass to my lips, and felt the burst of flavour that could only come from a wine made by a god.
When I drank that first bottle all those centuries ago, it marked a great change to my entire life.
But this bottle would mark the change that would soon come to the whole world.
5 Minutes Later…
The Cabins
Gill's POV
I walk through the Cabin area, still taking in my surroundings. Even despite recent events, it was hard to believe I was in a fiction world. And it was even harder to get the smile off my face. God damn, I felt like a kid again.
My mind was still aimed at Chiron. Was there something wrong with him? He never seemed so… absent minded in the books. Well, I suppose my 'gift' was a lot to process. I did feel bad for lying to the old centaur, but I highly doubt he'd believe me if I told him the truth.
My eyes drew to the large campfire that was at the centre of the cabin area. And then to the Goddess that was tending to the flames. Should I talk with her? I mean what would I even ask her? No, I should save the conversation for another time. However before I could walk away, a voice stopped me in tracks.
"Come sit by the flames, young demigod" I turned around, and saw the goddess look straight at me. Her crimson cloak's hood had come down, revealing her hidden face. Her hair was unnaturally red, and went down to her shoulders. Her eyes resembled the flames next to her, warm with kindness. But what struck me most about the Goddess of the Hearth was her smile. As a god, she could change her entire appearance, but something about her smile told me that it was something unchanging. It seemingly welcomed me, and made me feel at home. I don't think I've realised just how homesick I was. Yes, my flat in my previous life was a garbage dump of my own doing, but it was still home. Yet Hestia's smile washed that unfortunate feeling away in an instant.
Not wanting to disobey one of the few nice gods, I walk to the campfire and take a seat on a carved out log. The Goddess of the Hearth hands me a stick, with a slightly melted marshmallow on it. I graciously take the stick from her, and put the marshmallow into my mouth. And holy shit, it tasted fucking amazing. No words from the heavens to the earth could describe the pure ecstasy contained in this fluffy goodness. It was like clouds on my mouth, as if pure joy had been made edible. And most of all, it reminded me of home. All of my homes. My childhood home, the flat I moved to, and my family. My family and I may not have had the best relationship, but they were still my family. I missed them. All of them, so, so much.
Suddenly, I felt a certain wetness running down my face. Tears. "I… Why am I crying?" I ask myself. Fucking hell, am I seriously crying in front of a goddess? I blame these goddamn amazing marshmallows.
"Here, Gill." Hestia warmly says, with a hand holding a… handkerchief? I take the handkerchief, and wipe away my tears with it. "Don't worry about crying. It happens often. Many of your fellow demigods have all gone through a lot as well." As I wiped away my tears, I felt a wave of relief and melancholy wash over me. I made my way to give back the piece of cloth, but Hestia waved her hand in refusal. "Keep it." I put the handkerchief into my pocket, but I noticed that it was oddly dry.
"Uhm, Lady Hestia, not to be rude or anything, but why did you ask me to sit with you?" I ask the goddess, relaxing by the flames. The fire was odd to be next to. Despite the clear heat that it gave off, I knew that if I were to jump into it, I wouldn't be hurt at all. Frankly, I was tempted to do so.
"Simple, you looked like you needed a break, Gill." She answers simply. Did I? I guess my small marshmallow-induced breakdown showed that I did. I feel like a large weight has been lifted off my shoulders. As I told Chiron, I could handle the burden of knowing the future, and I was telling the truth. All I had to do was make sure the timeline goes somewhat similar, but with far less suffering and deaths, and happier endings for everyone, including Luke.
But the weight of having my entire life upended? Dying, and entering the Void? I guess it left a mark on me. It wasn't like I could talk to a therapist.
Although, this felt nice. Talking to Hestia, and sitting by the campfire, all felt so relieving. "I think you're right, Lady Hestia. I guess I've been a little… overwhelmed." I smile a little, happy that I could actually talk to someone about how I was feeling. I suppose most people would go insane if they went through everything I did. The only reason I remained sane was because I was already at rock bottom, and on the brink of depression.
"Most demigods feel the same. I even know of a few cabin councillors who need a few conversations a month." That makes sense. Some councillors get the role as young as 13. Of course they're going to have a lot of pressure on them. The life of a demigod is hard, even in the safety of camp.
"So, why do you do it? I know it's part of your domains, but most gods don't even put such effort into their own children, let alone other children." It was a harsh truth, but a truth nonetheless. To my surprise, Hestia winces, after all, the Ancient Law that created the barrier between parent and child directly clashed against her very nature.
But the wince disappeared faster than a flicker of fire, as a large smile spread upon her face, "It's the duty of any aunt to look after her nieces and nephews. Isn't that right, Gill?" I never knew anyone could be so genuinely kind, yet that smile… It was so genuine.
"Y-Yeah, you're right." I answered, a little shocked by Hestia's kind response. A small grin comes to my face, as I continue with, "And it's the duty of a cousin to watch their backs." It was a cheesy line, but as Hestia gives out a surprisingly hearty laugh, I suppose the internal cringe was worth it.
"Indeed, Gill. Just make sure that you don't put your own needs beneath others" She warns, though I doubt I'd ever be able to follow such advice. I think if it came down to it, I'd sacrifice my own life in exchange for the life of an innocent or an ally.
"Lady Hestia," I start, getting her attention, "If I may ask, how are the undetermined demigods, and children of minor gods in the camp doing. Mentally, I mean." If she answered, then it would help me make a good start in saving a lot of lives.
Hestia ponders for a small bit, staring at the flames, before responding, "The hidden abuse that the undetermined face is one of Olympus's darkest truths. It is something that is not spoken amongst the Olympians, and the gods whose children are affected, lack the power or influence to bring it up to the Olympians." I look at Hestia's face and feel a little angered at the sad look on her face. Not to her of course, but anger towards the gods, including Apollo. "And though I am the eldest god, my siblings treat me as if I'm the youngest. They would not listen to my advice, and I lack the ability to politically manoeuvre to get more support, after all, I abdicated my seat to Diyonysus."
"And the children know this. The demigods know that nothing can be done, at least for now. They are despondent and have no hope. So are their parents, who feel as if there is little point in claiming them, or building a stronger relationship with their children. Though the children manage to hide it from their friends, they are suffering." Fuck. No wonder so many joined Kronos. Especially considering how the Hermes cabin reacts when they get another undetermined. The moment these kids spend a day at camp, they're immediately screwed over.
"I… I have no words." I solemnly say. "Do you think there's any way to fix this?" There had to be a solution. Even if I had to spend years, I had to do something before Kronos began to recruit.
"The only idea that comes to mind would be if an Olympian directly pleaded to Zeus, but none of them truly cared enough. Even though the issue does affect Hades, he has no children, nor will he for a long time, so I doubt it would matter much to him. My little brother has always been an unfortunate outcast. Unfortunately, I have never been much of an ideas woman like my niece, Athena."
I put my fingers to my chin. There was no solution I could enact right now to solve such a large issue. However, I could perhaps ease the problem. "Lady Hestia, if the undetermined demigods were to learn who their parents are, could that perhaps make them… feel better?"
"Yes, I suppose it would. I'd have done it long ago were it not for the fact that there are several different Ancient Laws that prohibit me from doing so." Fucking Ancient Laws. All they do is cause suffering and annoyance for everyone. Regardless, her answer did give me a little relief that all was not lost.
I put down the stick, and get up from the log, ready to take my leave. "Thanks for the advice, Lady Hestia, but I should head back to my new cabin. It's quite late."
"Ah, I suppose it is. Let us talk another time then, Gill" I say my goodbyes, and walk away, however Hestia said one last thing, "And you can call me Aunt Hestia." Something about that last sentence put a smile on my face.
Midnight…
Apollo Cabin
I am awoken by an odd sound. As if a rush of wind had blown through the cabin, leaving behind the scent of death. I got down from my top bunk, which I had been lucky enough to get. It seems that one of my brothers had an acute fear of heights that was so bad that he couldn't stand even being a few feet off the ground. To be fair, he is only 9. Nonetheless, that allowed me to get the top bunk, which made me feel superior.
I walked to the cabin's door, a little surprised that it was open, though that explained the wind. I took a step outside and looked around. Nobody. A slight chill went up my spine as a cold night wind blew. Unfortunately I was wearing the somewhat thin pyjamas that I had bought from the Camp Store for a nice 5 Drachma. I'm pretty sure that in my old world, people would kill for these.
I took a step forward, but let out a light yelp as the sole of my foot felt a prick. I look down and see a somewhat small ring. I lift it from the ground and towards my face for closer inspection. The ring was silver in colour, with Ancient Greek engraved. A rough translation of it was "Behold Death, Watch its Infinite Glory" which was a little morbid, but if it's from who I think it is, it'd make sense. The head of the ring was adorned with a black gem, though obviously it had some sort of magic attached to it, considering the slight black aura surrounding it.
Before I used Observe on the ring, I noticed that there was a tiny scroll of paper tied to the bottom. Naturally, I took it off and unfurled it. A single word was written on it, which I said aloud, "Aeírō".
Suddenly, the grass around me began to move wildly as a large gust of wind swept the area. The gem of the ring shone a brilliant emerald green, and from the light of the gem an ethereal figure appeared from thin air. Though translucent, I could easily make out what he looked like. Long messy hair tied back into a loose ponytail, scars upon his rugged unshaved face, his clothes which were a Japanese haori and hakama, showed signs of wear and tear, as if he journeyed on the road for a long time. On his waist was a long katana, inside a simple yet elegant scabbard. And if it wasn't clear, he was of East Asian ethnicity.
"Good evening," The spirit greets, a grin on his face, "My name is Sasaki Kojiro, and I believe I am to be your sensei." I was stunned into silence, my mind sort of melted. "I believe you call it 'Teacher' in these lands?" Oh, he must've mistaken my silence for confusion. I mean, I was confused, but not about the meaning of 'sensei'.
"I… What do you mean, that you are going to be my teacher?" I ask, rubbing my temples. Fucking hell, it's not even been a week in this camp and I already have a damn headache.
"Oh, you weren't told?" The swordsman asks rhetorically, "Well, Lady Melinoe apparently owes you one, so she used me as a way to repay you, though with the way she worded it as if she was doing you the favour." Ah, right. Melinoe did say she would give me a boon once I rescued Yurei. I guess a teacher was my reward. Not bad I suppose.
I took the moment to use Observe on the ghost.
Name: Sasaki Kojiro (Ghost)
Age: 37 (Mentally: 426)
Title: Humanity's Strongest Swordsman
HP: 7340/7340
MP: 0/0
Stats
Strength: 1030
Agility: 1186
Endurance: 1185
Charisma: 1310
Intelligence: 1298
Willpower: 1385
Description: Sasaki Kojiro, a swordsman from Japan, renowned as Musashi's strongest rival. One may think that he is a demigod child of the Japanese pantheon, but no, in life, Sasaki was truly a mortal man, albeit one who knew and could see the living mythology around him. He reached the point that he could beat all demigods apart from one.
He is very fascinated with you, wondering how you managed to gain Melinoe's interest. He's also excited to have a student once more.
This- THIS GUY'S STATS ARE THROUGH FUCKING ROOF! I don't think I've seen anyone with stats this high! Sure, Artemis and Hestia's stats are higher, but I couldn't actually see them. I mean, Sasaki's stats were higher than even Zoe's! And he wasn't even a demigod! He was a clear-sighted mortal, though I don't know if the Japanese pantheon uses Mist, or has it under another name.
"Wait, so you're going to teach sword fighting?" If this was true, then I could genuinely become a master swordsman. Honestly, the main reason I've been using a sword was because it made me feel cool, since I was planning on a mage build in the long run. However, with Sasaki, I could probably use the sword in combination with magic without it hindering me. Frankly, the prospect of being a swordsman excited me.
Sasaki Kojiro let out a chuckle, "Well, I'm afraid I've never been good at the scholarly arts, so the blade will have to do." His face then turned serious, "Now, may I see your sword?" Not seeing the problem with the request, I take out Athanatos and hand it to me. "Ah, a wakizashi. Not bad, though I wish you a kodachi instead. Far easier to train with, in my experience. Does it have a name?"
"Oh, it's Athanatos, it means-"
"Undying." The swordsman interrupted, giving the sword a swing, "A good name, though I would've saved it for a real sword." He hands me back Athanatos, with a surprising amount of care. Well, I guess a swordsman is obviously gonna treat swords well, regardless of quality.
As I put Athanatos away, a question comes to my mind, "If I may ask, why exactly are you willing to teach me? How did you get affiliated with a Greek Goddess? Why aren't you in the Shinto afterlife?" To be honest, the questions were pretty invasive, but I was so damn curious.
Sasaki let out a chuckle, "So many questions, and lucky for you, more than enough time to answer. How about we take a seat? I'm sure your legs are getting tired." I feel like there was an insult hidden in that observation, but frankly, I might be too dumb to figure it out.
We walked to a bench that was a small walk away from the cabins, and hopefully from prying eyes. The moon was out, though it was no longer full. It still did give a beautiful white gleam to the grass though.
Sasaki took a seat opposite of me, and gazed wistfully at the moon. "I suppose I should start with how I got into this situation. Well, much of what mortal society knows of me is… somewhat false" That caused my eyebrows to raise. I wasn't too familiar with Japanese history, but it was odd that someone as well known as Sasaki Kojiro had a false history or something. "Whilst the historians got my beginnings correct, they did miss my many adventures and interactions with the Shinto Pantheon. It may surprise you, but I am not a demigod, but a clear sighted mortal."
Well, I wasn't actually surprised, since Observe told me, but it was still fascinating to hear it come from the man's mouth. "When I first interacted with this new world, it was when I met a group of demigods who were on some mission to defeat a monster. It was also when I first met Musashi." When he said Musashi's name, a small smile came to his face.
"Wait, you're saying that Miyamoto Musashi was a-"
"A demigod? Yes. He was the son of Takemikazuchi, the God of Thunder, Swords, and Sea Travel. Of course, he took after his father's sword domain, and he truly excelled in it. He was by far the best swordsman in the history of Japan, second only to me." He boasted with a grin.
And that gave me some confusion, "Didn't he kill you?" Yeah, judging by the way his face darkened, I could have worded it better.
"That… is a story for another time. I try to not spill all of my life story in the first meeting" Sasaki responds before his slight frown reverts to that grin which suited his face, "Now, where was I… Ah, when I met Musashi and his friends, they had assumed that I was a demigod like them. And little Sasaki was too confused to decline their offer to join. I journeyed with them, and when I met my first monster, or yokai as we call them in Japan, I almost pissed myself!" He let out a laugh, and muttered, "Oh, how I wish I had some sake right now."
"You said you were mortal. But how were you able to be as strong as a demigod?" With the way that how a demigod's childs stats were so much greater than an average mortals, how the fuck did a very young Sasaki Kojiro survive against monsters.
"Well, you might not be aware, but when the gods are actively worshipped by most of a country, then in return, their worshippers, even if they're not demigods, become more powerful. Maybe not as strong as a demigod, but some have the potential to. And I was one who had potential. At least, that's what that travelling monk told me."
That's fascinating. It could also explain how Jason, a completely mortal dude, managed to lead a crew of demigods through Greek seas, with monsters all about. I wonder if it has caused any other famous figures in history.
"And not only that," He continued, "but just as you Greeks have those little hand signal magic that exist for everyone to be able to use, we in Japan also have a certain magic that anyone, regardless of birth can use. However ours is far more combat oriented, and naturally, is focused on the sword. Though hard to use, if you put enough effort, one can be as strong as a child of Amaterasu. The leader of our pantheon." He clarified unnecessarily. I may not be well versed with Shintoism, but I still had some basic knowledge. "So being the intrepid young man I was, and always looking for new ways to wield a sword, I went into the Shinto version of Camp Halfblood under the guise of being a demigod, and learnt their way of the sword. I put years of my life into it, along with blood, sweat, and tears, and became the most proficient at that camp. Hell, I was the envy of everyone, even dear old Musashi, though we were always friends rather than enemies."
"But what changed?" From what it seemed, no one had realised Sasaki's lie, and frankly it was pretty funny. Seriously? Not a single person noticed that Sasaki wasn't a demigod? Imagine if that happened in Camp Halfblood. Would definitely be some funny material for one of Rick's books.
A grim smile was on Sasaki's face, "Hachiman happened. The demigods at that camp told me that gods rarely came by. Usually only once every 10 years. And it was just my luck to meet the Japanese God of War during the last year of my tenure at camp. If I remember correctly, he was looking for potential recruits to become samurai. It was one of the few ways for a person not born into a samurai family to join the samurai. Now, the moment it all got screwed was when Hachiman laid his eyes upon me. In a single second, he became enraged as he realised that I was a mere mortal. And further enraged when he learned that I was considered the best warrior amongst the demigods. And when the Camp found out, well angry was an understatement. But what hurt the most was… the utter look of betrayal that Musashi had on his face. It was later that I learned that he was more angry that I had lied to him, rather than me being mortal."
Fucking hell. This poor dude. Imagine having to go through that all in one day. Imagine having to
"Anyways, I barely managed to escape the camp with my life. I was lucky that Hachiman hadn't decided to come after me personally. As punishment for my transgression against the gods, Amaterasu herself cursed me to never find a home, to remain walking on the beaten path for the rest of my life. Shoguns would deny my entry, samurai would hunt me down under the orders of the imperial family, and demigods would be honour-bound to kill me. But between you and me, I didn't mind too much. I probably would've done the same even without Amaterasu's curse" He let out a light chuckle.
"I spent years travelling the road, finding new opponents to fight, and new styles to learn… And then I died." He let out a laugh at the expression on my face caused by his abruptness, "That was how I learned that Amaterasu's curse also prevented me from passing onto the Shinto afterlife. And for centuries upon centuries, I continued to journey, albeit as a ghost, and watched as the world around me warped and changed. I realised just how small my world had been in Japan. The Earth has so many secrets just waiting to be revealed. Anyway, I met Lady Melinoe a few decades ago. I was in Washington DC, with my hand going through the President's forehead. She came up to me and gave me the chance to enter Elysium, as long as I taught one of her children. Considering you don't look like the child of a ghost goddess, then you must've done her one hell of a favour. And well, that is all. That is my story. At least, the parts that you need to know."
Wow. That's pretty crazy. Frankly it could be a book. "I… I don't know what to say. I mean, thanks for telling me, even though you didn't have to."
"Ha! It's alright kid. Even if I didn't tell you now, you probably would've learned it from me anyway. After all, I'll be teaching you for the next couple of years!"
"Wait! Years?" I thought it'd be a single year at most! I hope it's worth it, "How long is this going to take exactly?"
"Kid, if I'm going to teach you everything I know, it's going to take at least 5 years, even if you're a prodigy" He shouts, patting my back, though his hand sunk right through my body. Freaky. "It took my last student an entire decade!"
Fuck. I really hope the System can shorten that time by a lot. Like a shit ton. Because to train that long might drive me insane, even if swords are cool as hell. "I know what you're thinking kid. Is spending so long to learn sword-fight even worth it?" Shit. That's exactly what I was thinking. I suppose with an Intelligence stat like that, he'd probably be great at deduction. "Well, how about I show you?"
Sasaki Kojiro stood up from the bench, his ghostly figure emanating a soft green glow. From his waist, he draws out his blade from its scabbard. The actual blade was nearly 3 feet long, though Sasaki easily held it with one hand. He turned towards where the camp's beach was, the deep blue sea faced him, watching his every move. "This technique is called the 'Devastating Catfish'. Trust me, I didn't name it." It was kind of a silly name, but how can I talk? My name is Gilgamesh. Plus his technique probably sounded better in Japanese.
He spreads his legs out in a stance, and raises his sword in the air, with the end of the sword facing the sea. He moves the sword backwards by a small margin, and in a single swift movement, he thrusts the sword forward. Perhaps I was imagining things but I swear I saw the silhouette of a catfish.
There was a moment of silence, and it was like nothing had happened. "Uh, Sasa-" However, I was interrupted by the sound of an explosion. My head spun around to the sea, and my eyes widened at the sight of a giant geyser in the sea. Of course, it seemed to be some sort of explosion caused by the sea. How the hell could a mortal have done this? He doesn't even have MP for god's sake! This was pure swordsmanship.
"Haha! It's always funny to see how kids like you react to it." Sasaki laughed, putting his sword away, "It's not even that strong! Or even flashy. I've got way prettier moves than that." Shit dude. I'm excited as all hell.
"How are you able to use an attack?" I ask, curious, "Aren't you a ghost?" Pretty tactless, but considering the guy told me most of his life story, I feel like we had sort of skipped the point of etiquette.
"Ah, Lady Melin-" However, just like I was earlier, he too was interrupted by the sounds of footsteps, "Hmm… How unfortunate. It seems our first meeting will have to be cut short. Ah well, anyway kid, just summon me again in about a week. Should be enough time for you to get used to camp." He begins to fade, as wisps of him fly into my new ring, "And trust me kid, you're gonna want to enjoy your last week of freedom before my little training hell starts" I instinctively gulp as he disappears. Ah well, no pain no gain.
When nothing was left where Sasaki stood, I walked away from the bench where we had our conversation, and then bumped into one of the few people in the camp that was shorter than me. A six year old Will Solace gets up from the ground, rubbing his forehead which he hit me with. I was shocked to learn that he was at Camp Halfblood so early in his life, but from what some of the other kids had told me, he was just here for the Summer, and would return back to his mum for the rest of the year. The only reason he was here was because the camp was free baby-sitting, and to be honest, I can't blame the woman. She's also a pretty popular singer, so I doubt she'd be able to give her son the proper attention during the most busy season.
"Oowie!" My new (adorable) younger brother says, "Watch where you're going Gilly!" Oh yeah, and the kid also calls me Gilly. At least it isn't Gilgamesh, though it'd be cute as fuck to see a kid try and say it. It really surprised me how young he was, since I always sort of imagined him as being Percy's age, even if the books say otherwise, but I suppose my brain was caught off guard by the fact that Will was 13 during the Battle of Manhattan! And he was the Apollo Cabin's councillor, which was depressing because he only got it as he was the oldest left alive. But he won't have to go through that this time.
"Sorry Will" I chuckle at his cuteness as I help him up, "Why are you up so late? It's your bedtime." In his hand, I see him holding a yellow teddy bear, which he called 'Mr Sun'. Adorable. Apparently he got it as a gift from Apollo himself.
"I heard voices." He answers innocently, "Were you talking to someone?" In his eyes I see pure childlike curiosity. A curiosity I could not satisfy.
I rub his hair and chuckle, "You must've imagined things Will. Come on, let's get you to bed." I do my best to ignore the barrage of System notifications from last night that I still hadn't opened yet. Ah, but it can wait until tomorrow morning. Sleep was way cooler.
As I drag Will off back to the cabin, I notice behind me something odd. Every single blade of grass, from where Sasaki Kojiro stood, all the way to the ocean, had been perfectly cut. With a perfectly straight edge.
So cool.
Author's Notes: FUUUUUUCK ME! Crap I'm so tired. It's like 4am here! Anyway, here's the chapter, sorry for the late upload, but there was a shit ton of researching I had to do! To anyone proficient in Japanese mythology, please correct me if I made any mistakes. I know Shintoism doesn't actually have demigods, but let's just deal with it.
And trust me, I did not pick Sasaki Kojiro as a teacher, because I'm a weeb. I had him on a list with other swordsman throughout history, such as King Arthur, Charlemagne, even the actual Gilgamesh, but Sasaki was the one that won the randomised wheel spinner.
Also sorry for all the lore drop I did, but felt it pretty necessary.
I also got some people asking why Zoe is older than Artemis. Well Zoe was born before the War against the titans, before Zeus was king, whilst Artemis was born after Zeus became king. Simple as.
I hope you like Sasaki Kojiro! I based his personality off of Sasaki Kojiro from Records of Ragnarok, whereas his looks are based off of Sasaki Kojiro from the Vagabond manga.
I also hope you like the Chiron POV! I know it's probably not canon at all, but I felt like it suited his character, and gave him more layers. Like an onion! And who doesn't love onions (don't answer that)!
Anyway here are Gil's Player Profile:
Name: Gilgamesh Ashford
Age: 8
Level: 24
Title: Child of Apollo
HP: 3120/3120
MP: 3650/3650
Stats
Strength: 39
Agility: 72
Endurance: 56
Charisma: 63
Intelligence: 66
Willpower: 33
Luck: 35
Stat Points: 0