Howdy. I think this is one of my favorite chapters of the fic so far. Had a good time writing it. Hope you all enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters (except the OC's) Percy Jackson & The Olympians, Heroes Of Olympus, or Trials of Apollo. All of that belongs to Rick Riordan.

3. I Begin The Ultimate Training Regiment

Matt

So shocker to absolutely no one, Zeus wasted zero time.

He didn't transport us to the lobby of the Empire, or the entrance to Olympus, he went straight to the palace.

We landed in the throne room, and I'll say it again, it has every right to be this massive. I can't even say it should be bigger, because just looking up at the cathedral like ceiling, it seems to stretch the longer you gaze at it.

"Never gets old..." I whispered.

"Lord Zeus." A voice called, and my head turned to see Hera standing below the throne chairs, at normal height.

She looked good. Like the kind of woman that if she had a daughter, you might just mistake her for being the older sister. If she were mortal, she might've looked in her forties, early forties. Her hair was slightly curled, raven black, long, and her skin was flawless, complemented by the white toga she wore.

"Hera." Zeus greeted, which sounded suspiciously formal for them being husband and wife. But when you know the history between them, you'd wonder why they haven't broke it off yet. Formal greetings are a miracle.

"Matt." Hera said, "You're...well. That's good."

I smiled neutrally, "I can sense your emotions, ma'am. You don't approve of this, do you?"

Hera's posture straightened, apparently not in on the memo that I have such an intrusive ability. "I approve of Ouranos being defeated, I do not necessarily like my husband leaving his duties altogether for five days."

Zeus sighed, "We've been over this already. The others are on double duty, I've made the assurances that nothing will fall apart, everything is going to be fine. Must I repeat it again?"

She looked like she wanted to argue, but didn't, and her stiffness eased. "Fine. Just don't kill the boy, we might need him."

Well, that didn't exactly make my anxiety any better. Kill the boy? Crap.

"Come, Matt." Zeus said, and tapped me on the shoulder to get me going. As we started walking, I felt another hand rest on my arm.

"Matt." Hera said, and I faced her.

"Yes ma'am?"

She had an odd look on her face, it resembled sadness, and was definitely sympathetic, but it still seemed like a tiny part of her didn't want to say what she was about to.

"I never got to tell you, so I will now. I'm...sorry for what happened. Truly. No child should have to watch his father die." She nodded, "Despite my history with him, I can recognize when someone is trying to change."

For the first millisecond, I felt angry at her. She was the reason for so many of the bad things in my dad's life. She was jealous and heartbroken, yeah, but that wasn't his fault. She didn't have to do those things.

And maybe part of me would always be mad. But right now, I could recognize that she meant what she said, and she hoped I would accept her apology.

I would. "Thank you. That means a lot, ma'am."

Her hand left my arm and she nodded, giving me a small smile. I returned it, and even waved at her, like a stupid dork, but she only chuckled at it.

Zeus nudged me scoldingly, "Pay attention, Matt. Come."

"Okay, okay." I grumbled.

I followed him down the long hallway, just like last time, when he showed me this place and offered to train me. Well now here we were, at the beginning.

I felt pretty nervous, I'll be honest. I had no idea what to expect. What would he even teach me? Would he just make me stronger in all the places I'm good at? Change my fighting style entirely? I could only guess.

But the tickling in my gut doesn't make it any less exciting. This is Zeus we're talking about. King of the gods, the most powerful one of the pantheon, and probably top five in existence. He's training me. It blows my mind.

And he's been in a lot of fights. A lot. Millions and millions of years worth. He's got an insane amount of experience, so that begs the question; How's he gonna pass all of it down to me in just five days?

When we reached the end of the hallway, we found the small door. Zeus placed his hand on it, and stopped.

"Once this door opens, it all begins. We are scarce on time, so you will need to be focused the entire duration. Not a single thought wasted, not a moment of distraction. Are you ready?"

Him constantly asking if I was ready, and if I was sure I wanted to do this only made me more nervous. What the hell were we about to do?

I nodded, "I'm ready. Let's get started."

He turned the knob and pushed open the door. Once his giant frame ducked under and passed through, I slipped in behind him. Once I was able to look past him, I saw the enormous size of the white universe.

And it was just that. I say universe, because something like room or even world doesn't begin to cover it. If you could take all of Olympus outside and shove it in here, it probably wouldn't even take up one percent of the space. Hell, if I blasted a Red Beam Cannon here, it could probably go on forever.

"Don't forget the door." Zeus said, and I realized I left it open.

"Oh, sorry." I leaned over and pushed it shut.

Silence fell, and I nervously tucked my hands in my pockets, shuffling over to follow Zeus, who kept lumbering forward and looking around. Was he going to start out with a surprise attack or something? Turn around and try to hit me?

Thankfully, he didn't. He stopped walking, "Alright, Matt. It all starts now." He turned around and looked down at me, "First, this white is quite boring, eh? Do you prefer a certain training location?"

"Wait…you can change the appearance?"

He nodded.

"To anything?"

"To anything. The backdrop of the galaxy, the heart of the sun, the Malaysian mountains, Peru, Paris, whatever you desire. It's all simulation, with real density."

"So everything is simulation, but has the real weight of…real objects?"

"Yes."

"How does that work?"

"Aura manipulation." He said simply, "Now then, which do you want?"

I thought about it. If I wanted the best, most comfortable environment, I need someplace quiet, someplace calm and vast.

I knew what to pick.

"Dad's island." I confirmed, "That's what I want it to be."

Zeus lifted an eyebrow, "Very well." With a snap of his fingers, the scenery immediately changed. The white blinked into a cloudless blue sky, held up by a horizon of calm blue water that never ended. Feeling an imbalance at the soles of my shoes, I looked down and twisted them around in the sand, forming tiny craters.

Everything was identical. The trees were even placed in the exact same pattern. It's…kind of odd that I remember that, to be honest.

"It's perfect." I smiled.

"Now, let's go over some things." He said, "You will do what I say, when I say it. All of this is going to help you in some way, and I want you to trust that. If it's uncomfortable, painful, or even unbearable, just remember that this is for your benefit. You will see the fruits of this process blossom by the end. You'll go through a massive change from just this day alone."

I nodded.

"I've never trained anyone before. Even my children. They were naturally gifted when they were born, so there was no need. This is new to me, and what I'm going to do won't be structured like a workout, it won't be in some strict box that needs to be checked. I'm going to impart to you some of my techniques, my ideas, my strategies, and my style. I'm not trying to change the way you think. Every true warrior has their own style, their own way of life. I'm simply going to add on to what you already have."

"Okay."

"Before we begin, I'm going to make the offer that I already know you'll most likely refuse." He held a moment's silence before saying it, "godhood."

I shook my head, "No. No way."

"Listen, Matt. Before you disagree completely, I just want to let you know what you're disagreeing to. To make a mortal a god, you first need the vote of the other Olympians, which I've already received. The process is quite simple. If you were to accept, it would make this training far easier. You would have increased statistics in all of your categories. Immortality, your only weakness would be Heavenly Diamond, and you would never tire." He shrugged, "As you are now, if you proceed with the training, it will be extremely difficult, but not impossible. Are you sure you want to decline?"

I didn't hesitate, "I'm sure. I can do this as I am."

He didn't argue. "Alright then. The first thing I'm going to teach you is a combination of two things. Overcoming fear, and increasing strength. One mental, one physical."

"Overcoming fear?"

"Tell me what you're afraid of." He ordered. "What terrifies you the most?"

Didn't have to think too hard on that one. "Losing my friends." I remembered my counterpart, his world, and the life he's been forced to live. It makes me sick. I'd rather die than live like that.

"And what is at the root of that fear?"

I raised an eyebrow, "The root?"

"Where does it all lead back to?"

Like it had been shoved in my mind, I saw the image of him, for a blinking moment. "Ouranos." I said.

"That's right. Are you afraid of him?"

"Sometimes." I lied.

He shook his head, disappointed. "Wrong."

I didn't like this. "Okay, fine. All the time."

"And are you afraid of Tartarus?"

"I was." A lie again.

Zeus saw right through it, "Wrong again."

I was getting frustrated. What did this have to do with making me stronger?

"What kind of answer do you want?!"

"The truth!" He shouted, making me flinch. "Overcoming your fears is the very first step in becoming powerful! It's okay to have fear, but it should be pushed so far down in your mind that you barely recognize it! Push them down, elevate yourself!"

I was silent, just staring at him, wide eyed.

"Now admit the truth! Admit it now!"

"OKAY!" I screamed. "Okay! I'm afraid of them! I'm afraid of both of them! I'm scared of losing my friends to them! I'm scared that one day I'll fail them, just like I failed my mom and dad!"

There, it was out in the open. I shouted it with all my might, and Zeus heard. I thought I would feel embarrassed, but oddly enough, I felt like a weight had been lifted.

Zeus's tone eased. "Good. Now that you've admitted it, it's time to overcome it. All of it."

"How the hell do you overcome something like that?" I asked, incredulous. "That won't just go away overnight."

"When I say overcome, I don't mean leave behind completely. I mean bury. It will exist, but it will barely even be a factor."

"Well, what are you afraid of?"

I knew I shouldn't have said it. I just knew he was going to change his mind about all of this and smite me. That was uncalled for, to be honest. I should just listen and do as he says without saying anything, but I'm stupidly curious.

To my surprise, he answered. "I am afraid of losing my kingdom. Of everything falling apart." He gestured with his hands, "You see, I had to dig that out just to remember it. An easy way to break fear, is to simplify it. I know that to lose my kingdom, someone must take it from me, which leads to a fight. From there, it is a gamble that usually goes well for me."

He stared at me, and I realized he wanted me to do the same. "So, simplify your fear?"

"Simplify it, yes. Break it down."

I nodded, "Alright, well...I'm afraid of losing my friends. I know that the only ways it can happen is if someone kills them, most likely Ouranos, or they never forgive me for something. The latter only happens if I do something unforgivable, and the former only happens if I let it."

"There. Now, the antithesis is also simple. Become strong, assure no possible contingencies, and make good decisions."

"Okay. Yeah, when it's put like that, it sounds kind of stupid."

"It's not stupid, it's simple." He straightened, letting his arms fall to his side, "Another way to overcome fear is through familiarity. When you become familiar with your fear, it's easier to tolerate."

I sighed, "Familiarity. Got it."

"Brace yourself."

"Brace mysel- WHOA!"

I nearly fell back on my butt. Zeus had completely changed his form to Ouranos's. He went from a suit and shoes to a toga and sandals, salt and pepper hair to light stormy gray. Oddly enough, he didn't change size, and lost the beard, leaving his face smooth.

The face was a bit different. It was much younger than Zeus, but much older than the pint sized Ouranos that I knew. He looked like a crazed, unkempt surf instructor.

"Don't look away." He said, "Face me."

Ah! He even sounds like him!

"O-Okay..." I said, forcing myself to look at him. It was harder here, because unlike before, he's much bigger and meaner, with fists that could either punch through my skull, or generate lightning to destroy the multiverse.

"This is his prime form." Ourano- no, Zeus, said. "This is most likely what you'll be fighting, if you must."

"I've never faced him like that before." The words came spilling out, and I sounded like a small child, scared of the monster under his race car bed. "He's always been...possessing someone, or in the form of a kid."

"With his sped up aging process, he will look like this. At his strongest."

"O-Okay, so what am I supposed to do? Stare at you?"

"No. we'll kill two birds with one stone here, since we have little time."

For the next couple of minutes, he began working without saying anything, and I could only watch as he did so. First, in his left hand, he directed his palm towards the sky and morphed a large, metallic cube, hovering for a second before plopping in his hand. As soon as it appeared, I felt an incredible, swirling, destructive aura from within the metal. Squinting, I could see an unrecognizable, dark red sort of color, that had a dangerous presence to it. I can't really describe any other way than...it wanted to eat me.

I know that sounds weird, but that's literally what it felt like. That thing in there, wanted to swallow me hole. I was beginning to wonder how the hell that metal was holding it, until Zeus moved on to the next thing.

He pointed his other palm at the water, away from the palm trees of the island, and out towards the free ocean. He straightened his relaxed index finger, and the ground started to shake.

Then the sea itself started to shake. Water steamed and flew all over the place as if a giant battleship was being excavated from the ocean floor. It wasn't a battleship. A long, snake shaped stretch of rock emerged from the water, and rose to be at least a thousand feet tall at it's peak, far into the distance. From there to here, it descended like a smooth staircase.

A better way to paint the picture would be to imagine a fairy tale, where the big dragon's castle is at the top of a mountain, surrounded by an enormous pit of lava. The pit itself is thousands of feet deep, and it's shaped like a circle around the mountain. So if you jump, you won't be able to make it to the mountain, and you'll plummet to your death in the lava. So how do you get across?

There's a bridge. This is that bridge. The mountain is the peak in the distance, and I am to cross this snake bridge, and not fall into the water, thousands of feet below. Oh, and it ascends little by little the whole time.

Got it? Good, because I don't.

It took a little while for it to slowly come to a rumbling stop. Once it did, everything went quiet again, except the sea, which now wasn't so calm. Waves flapped against the island, and it looked like a storm was brewing in the outskirts.

Zeus lowered his arm to level it with the other, and began playing with the mysterious cube, tossing it back and forth between his hands like a ball. "Use your aura, but not the Master Bolt's, your own."

Red Aura form? Got it. No Master Bolt.

I did as he asked, and accessed the power easily. With a simple strain of my muscles, and a little roar, I saw the red glow easily take over my outline, wisping like fire around me.

Zeus nodded, "Now, take this."

He offered me the cube, and I took it without hesitation. However, if I even began to know how freaking heavy this thing was, I would've taken it as slowly as possible, and ignored his order about not using the Master Bolt's energy.

"AGH!" The shout escaped me and it was the last thing I could muster out of my mouth. The weight hit me immediately, and my hands were sent to the sand, being crushed by the ungodly weight of the cube. It was agonizing. I just knew my bones were being broken.

"L-Lord- AGH!" I shouted again, it seemed to only get heavier. "L-Lord Zeus! Help! Agh, gods, it's crushing me!"

"Plant your feet, lift with your back, and hold it."

I couldn't even concentrate on what he was saying, the pain was so great. If I were normal, I would equate this to getting your hands run over by an eighteen wheeler, and then said eighteen wheeler, stopping right on them to take a breather. It was excruciating. The idea suddenly popped up to cut my hands off at the wrists and be done with it. At least the pain would be over.

"Don't do that!" Zeus ordered, reading my mind. "Did you not hear what I said? Plant your feet, and lift! Lift with your back, and all of the might in your arms. Use your power against it!"

"I CAN'T!" I screamed, "It's too...heavy!"

Zeus leaned down and got in my face, but it wasn't his, it was Ouranos's, scrunched with anger. For some reason that ignited a fire inside of my chest.

He roared, "I don't want to hear can't! Can't does not exist for the King of the gods! And it does not exist for Matt Beckett! If you think you can't, you can quit! I won't waste my time with a weakling!"

The fact that I saw Ouranos screaming the words, made me want to try. I slammed my feet into the sand, closer to my grip, straightened my back, and pulled as hard as I could.

I felt the heat on my cheeks, every muscle had been tightened like a screw. Everything was positioned properly, but I just couldn't do it. I felt the cube come maybe two inches off the ground, and the pain was suddenly lifted, but it came back right away when my posture broke.

"I CAN'T DO IT!" My voice was cracking, it sounded like a weak little kid, and I hated that. But I seriously couldn't lift this thing. Not like this. "Let me use the bolt! Please!"

"Using the bolt won't increase your natural strength!" Zeus boomed, putting little effort into his voice, but to me it sounded like crashing thunder. "You weren't born with the bolt inside of you! Your aura is your own! It's your force, a part of your genetics, a part of your soul! Strengthening it strengthens you!"

"I can't fucking do it!" I was close to tears now from the pressure against my hands, "Don't you understand! It's not going to happen!"

Zeus slammed his fist against the ground, kicking up truckloads of sand and shaking my balance. "You can't because you already thought so before you tried to lift it! You have to be confident in yourself! You cannot for one moment, doubt what you are, or what you can do! If you are going to become what you need to be to stop Ouranos, you must have absolute belief in yourself, in your abilities! There is no one that can stop me! Say it!"

"Ouranos can! Malachi can!" I shouted, having no idea where the words were even coming from, but they were exiting my mouth. "Hell, you can! You're way stronger than me!"

"If you think like that, you've already lost." Zeus argued calmly, "I want you to forget the past! Forget all of the losses! They aren't pointless, because everything that happens before another battle is progress, but they will hinder you in the moment of need! Regret! Self doubt! Leave them, and say it! There is no one that can stop me!"

I hesitated.

"I need you to believe it, Matt! There is no one that can stop me!"

"There is no one that can stop me!" I shouted, trying to lift again in the same position, with all I had. I imagined myself doing it, lifting this cube off the ground and holding it. I could do it. Forget the past, forget the losses, the moments where I failed. Forget it all, and only think about now. About what you need to do.

"There is no one that can stop me!" I said again, without him having to order me.

"No one! Not Ouranos! Not Tartarus! Not even me!" Zeus said, putting his Ouranos face back into my line of sight. I wanted to cringe at it, because it made me extremely uncomfortable every time I looked at it.

"Look at me, Matt." He said, "What do you see?"

"Ouranos."

"No, what do you see? What is Ouranos?"

"He's my enemy." I growled, lifting the cube higher. I had no idea how I was doing it, or how far it was now, but I barely focused on it. I could only glare in hatred at the figure in front of me, even though I know it's an illusion. "He's my enemy!"

Zeus shook his head, "No, he's not your enemy. He is nothing. Ouranos is nothing."

"What?!" My voice came out harsh and loud from the weight of the cube, which came up with my pull at a snail's pace, but I was getting there. "What the hell do you mean?! He is my enemy!"

"No, he's not! Nobody is worthy to be such a thing! There is no being that can reach the level of your enemy! It does not exist! They are merely bugs that need to be squashed! Pesky insects trying to eat at what you've created! All of the crops you've grown! They are locusts!"

"No! He's a threat, grandfather! He's the reason we're doing this entire fucking thing!"

"He is nothing!" Zeus was easily beating my volume. I'd never heard him so loud and passionate before. "He is a maggot that wallows in waste, trying his best to crawl out of the hole he dug! He'll do anything to gain power, anything! He tears away, while you build! He destroys his allies, while you befriend them! You are nothing alike!"

"But-"

"Ouranos isn't your enemy! He is nothing! He is to be looked down upon! An unfortunate creation! A mistake! An insect! Tartarus is the same! They are nothing! None of them! Atlas, Kronos, the Titans, Typhon, the Sons of Thor, Hendricks, the Shinto gods that work with Ouranos! They are all NOTHING!"

I screamed in pain but kept pulling with the same effort I started. Every little inch, every little gain of momentum, I used to the maximum. I was going to lift this cube, even if it killed me. The sudden drive to accomplish this silly goal became my only drive. It was the only thing in the world I wanted to do at the moment.

And it was coming off the ground. I was holding it waist high now, both hands cupped under the bottom, with a little wiggle room to reposition my fingers if need be. I was doing it. I was actually doing it.

"They aren't worthy of the title enemy. You have no such thing, Matt. Your only enemy is hatred. That is the only thing that can make you crumble, because hatred leads to recklessness, which leads to weakness, and you are not weak, are you?!"

"N-No!"

"WITH CONFIDENCE!"

"NO! I'M NOT WEAK!"

"Now I want you to lift that cube and carry it up that mountain! All the way to the top! And I want you to only focus on that task! Think about nothing else! Do you hear me?!"

I didn't even protest at the insane task he'd given me. I was barely holding this thing standing still. There was no way I could carry it across that snake path to the mountain, on an incline no less.

But I didn't dare talk back. "Yes!" Was all I said.

"The cube, Matt! Not Harper, not the others, not Hercules, but the cube! The cube, up the mountain!"

"Okay!"

"Say it! My only enemy is hatred!"

"M-My only enemy is hatred!"

"Louder!"

"My only enemy is hatred!"

"Shout it! Shout it to the heavens! Where fate itself can hear you! Spit at Ananke! Spit at her and scoff! You are more than fate!"

"MY ONLY ENEMY IS HATRED!"

I didn't even know who the hell Ananke was, but it felt so good screaming that as loud as I could. For some reason, the phrase kept flashing in my mind. Thinking of Ouranos as a pathetic worm, as nothing but something to feel pity for...made me feel more powerful than I'd ever been.

"Climb the mountain." Zeus said, "Climb it, and repeat what I said. Repeat it until you get there. My only enemy is hatred."

"My only enemy...is..." With one heave, all I could muster in a gigantic burst, I lifted the cube onto my shoulder, and wrapped the closest arm around it, while supporting the front flat side with my other hand. "...Hatred!"

I began to walk forward, my legs wobbling and close to coming out from under me, but I took big, slow steps. I thought about it one at a time, I didn't dare think of the end goal, of actually making it up that mountain. If I did that, I'd never be able to take another lunge. So I only thought about the next one.

That's your goal, one more step. I would think. And after I did it, I would reset my goal, and then repeat the process.

"My only enemy is...hatred." I croaked, the weight was becoming unreal. With my burst of adrenaline, I had been able to take a few steps, but now that it had passed, I was melting. My energy was being drained by the second, poured out of my body like gasoline. The weight was becoming too much, and I wanted to let it happen. Let my body crumble and fall in the ocean. Damn the cube.

But Zeus's voice was there, "Don't think about that! Think only the cube! The cube!"

"O-Okay!"

"And say it! Don't stop saying it! I want you to remember!"

"My only enemy is hatred!" I shouted, voice all over the place from the searing pain. I took another step, and cried out at the sharpness, like a knife in my shoulder and kidney. "My only enemy...is..."

But before I could finish, I saw something come up from the side of the chasm. A hand had placed itself on the left edge. What? Somebody had crawled up the snake path?

When the person latched on and gained a good position, they pushed themselves up. Gray hair appeared, then a broad set of shoulders, then the rest of their body. The person rolled lazily on the ground and looked up at me.

I felt my voice hitch in my throat. It was Ouranos.

I looked back at Zeus and saw him still standing there, not changing his Ouranos appearance. Was this another illusion? Had he created that.

Zeus continued to say nothing. The new Ouranos clone snarled at me, "Matthias!" He scrambled up like a wild animal and dove at me, hands outstretched.

"Agh!" I shouted, and made to dodge, but the weight of the cube was far too much. I couldn't move in time.

Ouranos's hands fell on to me and the force behind his weight toppled me over. The cube fell out of my grip and I tumbled along the rocks, reaching out for it.

"No!" I desperately slapped the air, hoping it had spun next to me, but it didn't. It was still in the air, about to hit the ground.

The last thing I saw before I plummeted to the water, was Ouranos's smiling, psychotic face.

In the landscape of my consciousness, I had a vision.

I scarcely understood it, but maybe it means something.

I saw a tall, thin man, with ashes for skin, on top of a mountain. He had black, bat-like wings, and big creamy dots for eyes. His shadow stretched across the entire Earth it seemed, covering the forest, the water, and even the sky itself with black. He laughed, but I couldn't hear the sound.

Behind him, curling around the mountain, sat a giant, red dragon, with horns and a mouth as wide as the island Zeus and I stood on. Fire erupted from it, but somehow it never illuminated the darkness created by the winged man.

Then my vision shifted to the same mountain, but instead of a broader picture, I had been brought closer, up front and personal with the entrance to a cave, shrouded in golden light. In front of that cave, stood Talon, his back facing me.

I tried to call out to him, but he never answered. Finally, in between shouts, he turned around. He didn't have his sunglasses on, instead, his eyes were glowing the same gold.

After that, I woke up.

It felt like seconds, but I would guess more time had passed since my fall, because I awoke to something hard against my back, and the wind blowing in my face. Blinking my eyes open, I saw nothing but blue. I must be facing the sky.

"Matt, you're awake."

I tried to sit up, but I instantly winced and laid back down, feeling horrible soreness all over. My arms felt like jelly, and my shoulder...gods, my shoulder had to be shattered.

"Oh...that hurts. Do you have some ambrosia?"

"Taking any defeats the purpose." Zeus said, "You've been out for about ten minutes. Are you ready to go again?"

I reared my head back, feeling that my neck was sore too. "You can't be serious. After all of that crap? I need at least an hour's rest!"

Zeus's face hardened, "You must be forgetting that you don't have an hour, or even a minute to spare. We only have five days, Matt. Five days to transform you into a vessel of power. Into the one that will kill Ouranos, should I fail."

"Yeah, I'm the backup." I mumbled.

"What was that?"

"I said I'm the backup. I'm the afterthought. None of it matters unless you're not good enough, right? Which won't happen." I tried to lift my arms up, but they wouldn't budge. "Why do we even need to bother?! You'll defeat Ouranos, and everything will be fine! I don't even need to do this crap!" I managed to shakily stand up without faceplanting. "I don't need to carry some stupid cube up a mountain and scream 'my only enemy is hatred' like a lunatic!"

"Matt-"

"That had to look so stupid from where you're standing." I said, "I probably looked like an idiot. Guy kills my father and he's not my enemy? What kind of crap is that? He's your son! And that bastard's not your enemy?!" I scoffed, "He is my fucking enemy! All of them are! I'm not gonna go into battle like some lame pacifist spouting this no enemies crap! I have enemies and I hate them! I hate them all!" I felt my eyes sting. "He took my dad away from me! He took all that time away! I want to kill him for me! Not for the world!"

I breathed heavily after my little tantrum, immediately regretting it. What...was that? All the bitterness? It had to be, because deep down I know that isn't true. I want to kill him, yeah, but for me? Not for the world? That's insane.

Am I really that selfish?

Maybe I am. Maybe all this time I was lying to myself, and hiding the truth deep below. I am...selfish. I'm a little kid still sad about his dead father. I want to kill the man that killed him because it'll make me feel better. I don't care that the man wants to destroy humanity, or the world. As long as I avenge my dad, I don't care.

Is that what I really think?

It can't be. I can't be that selfish, or that stupid.

But I said what I said. So it...must be true.

The disappointment on Zeus's face was enough to make my heart sink. He looked more let down than I'd ever seen him, and he shook his head, sighing, "You're only proving my point, Matt. What you just said, was out of hatred. And from my perspective...you've never looked weaker than that little temper tantrum you just threw. That was pathetic."

My gut told me he was right, that I should agree with him and keep training, but my stupid mouth betrayed me. "I don't care. If I go to Japan right now and help my friends, we can stop him together. I don't need to listen to you or get stronger. You won't even have to lift a finger, as usual."

"You sound like a whiny child. A screaming, crying, foolish child."

"I am a child!" I shouted, "I'm a kid that should be playing video games right now! I should be in school, or going to the mall, or watching movies! Anything but this!"

"Well, tough!" He argued, "You're not normal, and that's the reality that you need to accept! Like it or not, but you were born into this life, and this is the situation you're in. Accept it, be a man, and move on! Make your mind strong, and then your body! Overcome fear, and overcome this foolish idea of revenge!"

"I'm not you." I said, my voice breaking, "I'm not a god. I'm barely a warrior." I shrugged helplessly, "I just want to kill him and be done with it."

"You know you don't mean that. You want to help people." His tone was urging, trying his best to convince me. "As long as there is evil in the world, you want to fight against it. To protect those that can't protect themselves, even if they don't know it! Right? It was never about credit or glory. You said those words."

"Yeah..." I shook my head, ashamed. "That was a better me."

"Matt!" He called, but I ignored him, found the door, and walked out of the training room.

He offered his hand out to the girl. They were about the same size, and probably the same age too. The boy was just thirteen.

"Hey, it's okay." He said, smiling at her, the small scar on his jaw stretched with it. "Just look into my eyes, okay? You're safe now."

The girl was shaking, terrified. She hadn't even seen the monster until it was already beside them, it's jaws wide open to gather her father in its mouth. She couldn't make out what it was, but she knew it was big and scary.

The boy however saw clearly for what it was. A young, hungry sphinx. Had he not gotten there in time, the father, the mother, and the daughter would all be dead.

She had seen a flash of red come from the sky and slam down into the giant creature, crushing its head into the concrete with extreme force. At first, she'd thought a missile might have intercepted it and saved them, but when a handsome young boy with a giant shark tooth for a spear jumped from the dust, she was more than surprised.

The sphinx had been still alive, barely. The boy turned around quick to finish the job, slicing it's head off with his spear, and letting it fall to the ground. That was when the girl screamed. To her, it looked like he'd just cut off the head of a lion that escaped the zoo. She wasn't sure who to be terrified of more.

Her family had fallen from the force and left her alone with the boy. As the lion faded to dust, which only freaked her out more, the boy noticed her and walked over.

She had started to scream again, but could only shake with fear, her auburn hair falling loose from its ponytail and tumbling into her face. She wanted to laugh; it was a bad time thinking about bad hair when she was about to die.

But to her shock, the boy just smiled reassuringly and held out his hand.

He had said something, but the ringing in her ears only stopped when he repeated it.

"You're safe now."

His voice was soothing, and his smile brought warmth to her body. It exuded safety, and she knew just by the shine in his eyes that she could trust him with her life. She'd never believed in superheroes, but right now...she could swear she was looking at a young one.

She burst into tears and threw herself in his arms, which wrapped around her immediately.

"Th-Thank you! I-I don't know what would've happened if-"

"Shh." He said, "Everything's going to be okay. It's gone. You're alive. So's your family."

She pulled herself from him, eyes trying to absorb as much as they could. "W-Who are you?"

"I'm Matt." He said.

"Matt...thank you so mu-"

"Oh, you don't have to. It's just part of what I have to do, you know?" His smile grew, "It's no trouble."

"Hey, get away from her!"

Matt turned and his smile fell, the girl's father was coughing from the dust, but still pointing at him to back off.

"Dad, he saved us!"

He rushed forward and pulled her away, "Let's go. Now."

The mother was up now too, protectively blocking her daughter from the boy, Matt.

"He didn't do anything wrong!"

It was quiet, but Matt heard them say, "He's dangerous, sweetie. We need to go."

And he watched them go, unable to see another smiling face from the people he saved. It rarely happened. That girl was a rare sight.

He didn't need it, but he enjoyed it when it happened.

Matt sighed, and turned his spear back into a necklace, walking home.

I remember that like it was yesterday.

I flew back to Camp, and the entire time, I thought about that. There were others, but for some reason, I kept picturing that little girl, and how grateful she was. How close that family was to death. They had been minding their business, doing nothing wrong, and then...a monster shows up.

If I hadn't been there, they would've died. They would've died without even knowing it.

You're a hero. Don't be a fool, embrace it.

I'm a fool. I saved people, but that was before Ouranos. He changed me. He made me a selfish killer.

You saved Harper. She told you.

No. She saved herself. She was the one to forgive Levi and spare Atlas. Not me.

You helped save Malachi and Sera.

I wasn't alone.

I'm done trying to convince myself. I shut up the inner voice, and kept flying home.

When I landed at Camp, I was greeted by confused campers. Asking why I was there instead of Japan, or instead of training. I gave them vague answers, not wanting to talk about it.

I made a beeline towards my cabin. Kyros lay next to it, curled up and half-asleep. I gave him a little wave, "Hey buddy."

He snorted in greeting, and sat his head back down on the ground. When I walked into my cabin, finally, there was silence.

Eerie silence. Even the sound of a clock ticking would be welcome. But here, there was nothing. Like the corner of an empty store without music, you can only hear your thoughts. It doesn't even feel like someone is watching you. It's just empty.

Empty. That's how I feel right now. I was so hyped up earlier. Filled with this new fire I hadn't felt before, screaming at the top of my lungs, carrying some cube that probably weighed more than anything I'd ever lifted combined. I felt like I could crush Ouranos, but then at the moment of failure...I crumbled and cried like a bitch.

A bitch. Me. That's me. I can't even be a man for five days? I can't just go with the process and train?

Why do I struggle so much with that idea of looking down on scum like him? Why can't I accept that he's not even on that level, that he's nothing. Just another power hungry psycho that needs to be stopped.

My only enemy is hatred. Hatred leads to weakness. I don't want to be weak. I want to be the pillar that people can look up to if they need it, like that little girl.

But then I remember what happened. What he did to dad, and I feel that boiling hatred build up inside me, and it takes over. I think about all of the years that moment took away from us. The time it took away from him and mom. I can't let that go.

How can my only enemy be hatred, when hatred is what fuels me?

But that doesn't fuel me! It's innocent people like that girl! Think about it. Where is she now? She's probably about to graduate high school, with a bright future ahead of her. You did that. You saved those memories. You stopped a situation like yours from happening.

That's what I was born to do. Not play video games or be normal. I was born to protect and save, and fail and crumble, but keep moving forward. I struggle, because I'm half human. But humans can also bounce back and not give up.

I pressed my hands to my temples and fell down on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. Two sides of me were clashing together nonstop, and I just wished it would go away. I wanted to go back now, back to train, but it was too late. I'd ruined it.

"I'm weak." I said, out loud. As soon as it was said, I started laughing.

"I'm...weak." It came out again, and I started laughing harder, at first, out of some sick sense of joy, but then it devolved into a sort of crying. If anybody saw this, they would think I'm the most pathetic, stupid person on Earth. I look like I could compete as a collegiate athlete. I look like I've got everything going for me.

But if you saw what I truly am, you'd see a kid. A bitter kid that can't get over his stupid anger.

Take it out.

I shot up and stormed over to the side of the cabin, tears threatening to fall out of my eyes. My fist was reared back, and ready to release all of my power against the wood. It would burst open and a shockwave would shoot across the landscape, maybe even into the city.

But I stopped myself just before I could punch, and my fist shook. That's weakness right there. Taking your anger out like a child yet again, are we? You gonna punch your super nice cabin? The one that Leo worked on for you? You gonna destroy it because you're having a little moment?

Zeus is one hundred percent right. I'm acting pathetic. I'm not acting like someone that can defeat Ouranos and assure the safety of not only my friends, but the innocent lives out there.

If the masses saw me like this, they'd turn me away. They wouldn't want me, and I wouldn't blame them.

I feel hopeless. I need to talk to somebody, and I can't think of a better person than him.

I left the cabin and went to the Big House, closing the distance in less than a minute. I passed Nico on the way, who oddly was in absence of Aiden. "Matt?"

"I know, I'll explain later, I just need to get to the attic."

He didn't say anything or try to stop me, which I appreciated. That's Nico, you know. He gets it. He can just read my tone and understand the situation, however weird it is.

I blitzed right through the hallway and up the stairs, towards the attic. Pushing open the door, I saw it right away.

Hanging on an old dresser, was the cape that Sigurd gave me. Long and brown, I hadn't worn it in a while. It...got in the way of fighting, and wasn't really all that good of a look to be honest. But I knew it's ability, and never forgot.

It's supposed to allow you to speak to the dead. Your choice of the dead, and for about fifteen minutes. That's what I was told.

I held off from this moment for so long because I wasn't ready to face him again. I never thought I would be, but now I have to. He's the only one that can get me out of this.

And like Zeus said, to get over your fear, you have to get to the root of it. Well, my dad is at the root of most of it.

It's time to overcome all of it, and become what I'm supposed to be. What I was always meant to be.

My footsteps creaked on the wood and I carefully reached over, as slow as if I would be killed for making the slightest noise. I didn't know why, but I started to worry it wouldn't work. Sigurd himself said he'd never used it, so who's to know?

Getting my hopes up, ever since I got it. That one day I would see him again, be able to talk to him again. Even if only once. It might not even happen.

I sure hope not. Because I need him the most right now. This is a different kind of hole, a different kind of doubt. Harper's reassurance probably wouldn't be enough to fix it.

I need the root. Destroy the fear with every word.

I grabbed it suddenly, and clutched it hard. As hard as I could, like I'd wielded it my whole life.

"Alright Dad...I'm ready."

I never asked Sigurd how it worked, but I figured I would just know in the moment. And it felt right. This was perfect.

I closed my eyes, and though all the windows to the attic were closed, I felt a small gust of air hit my face, the scent of my father touched my nostrils. I recognized it from when I sat behind him on Kyros. As weird as it sounds, it was the best thing I'd smelled in a long time.

Not daring to peek, in fear that he wouldn't be there, I just kept my eyes shut, holding my breath. I don't think I'm ready. What am I going to say? I haven't seen him in so long.

But then his voice met my ears, "Hey, son."

I had to open them then. I stared at him, wide eyed. He hadn't changed a bit.

He looked just like he did when he died, only without the gaping wound. He wore the original copy of the armor I always wore, with camo fatigues and a lion's pelt around his waist. A neatly trimmed beard and short, clean cut hair to mix, he was a sight for very sore eyes.

It was him. He was actually here, before me. Standing before me.

I couldn't believe it had worked. I reached out, "Dad..." Touching his arm, I expected for it to slide right through, like a ghost. But to my extreme surprise, his flesh was solid. I could feel his skin and warmth.

As soon as the sensation was felt, I gasped, and he smiled. "It's me, Matt. About time you called."

I smiled wider than probably any other smile I'd ever had. "Dad!" I shouted, the tears already coming down well before the words. I threw myself at him, and we embraced. It was so tight that I could barely breathe, and I'm sure the same went for him, but we hardly cared. We were together again, and I could feel him. It was a dream come true.

We held on somewhere between a few minutes and a few hours, but it didn't feel long enough at all. The only thing that interrupted us was the sound of a bird cawing and going crazy downstairs. Before long, the entirety of the Big House shook like an earthquake had just hit, and seconds later, Kyros slammed his head through the attic door.

He cawed happily and loudly at the sight of his old friend.

Dad and I pulled away, he laughed. "Kyros! How ya been buddy?"

Now let me tell you a quick thing about Kyros. He hates to transform into his smaller, natural eagle sized form, because it makes him uncomfortable. It's like being claustrophobic, and then sticking yourself in a tiny closet. Kyros only does it if the situation requires it, and when we tell him to. But this was the first time I'd ever seen him do it willingly to fit his large frame through the small attic door.

He immediately transformed into his smaller form, flew up, then transformed back and landed on the wooden floor, which was old to begin with. I'm surprised it didn't break from Kyros's weight.

The bird tackled Dad to the ground and nuzzled his face with his own, eyes closed, cawing with joy. I laughed and wiped tears from my eyes, forgetting that we were on a time limit here. I hardly cared. Kyros knew him longer than even I did. The two were like best friends. You'd better believe that poor animal deserves a right to spend time with him as well.

"Buddy! I missed you too!" Dad said, petting and rubbing Kyros's feathers as fast as he could. "Matt been treating you well? Giving you lots of treats?"

Kyros made a low noise, and Dad chuckled, turning to me with a raised eyebrow. "Says he likes Harper better. Got anything to say about that, son?"

"He's lying." I protested, but never stopped smiling. "I give him more treats than her all day. He just likes her because she doesn't bother him as much."

Kyros let dad sit up, cross legged on the floor, and he laid down next to him, putting his large head in Dad's lap, like old times.

I shook my head, "I can't...I mean, holy shit. I can't believe it actually worked." I was close to crying again, "You're here."

He nodded, "That I am. I couldn't be prouder, Matt. Look at you, you've really grown up."

I shrugged, "Nah, it's only been a little over a year. I haven't done all that much."

"Well to me, it looks like a completely different boy- no, man. That's what I meant."

"I knew you'd call if you needed me." He patted the spot in front of him, "So what's going on?"

I sat down, but I didn't want to talk about all of that just yet. I still had so much to tell him, "Before all that, I want to know more about what's going on with you. Zeus said you were in Elysium. Is that true?"

He nodded, "That's right. It's pretty awesome. All the other heroes are here. I've been swapping stories with Theseus, Perseus, all of them. Kinda quiet, but that's what I needed, you know? A little time to think. There aren't any monsters to fight here, but that doesn't really bother me anymore. I think I'm at the point where I don't need all of that. I'm just content with the way it is."

My smile finally fell when I remembered mom. "I'm sure you'd rather be with mom right now. Gods, I totally forgot. I should've done this at her apartment! You could've saw her!"

He waved a dismissive hand, "It's alright, son. Don't worry about any of that. Word travels fast in Elysium. You sort of have a little gateway to the goings on of the world, and your loved ones' lives. I know she's better now, which...is just amazing. She deserves to have a normal life, free of that stupid burden placed on her by the fates."

"You know Zeus healed her?" I was going to tell him myself.

"Yeah. You should've seen me, damn, I probably looked like a bitch. Glad the others didn't see." He chuckled, then got serious. "But seriously, I'm so happy for her, and you. I hope she can stay that way for the rest of her life." He paused, and looked at the ground, almost like he didn't want to say the next words. "I hope she can learn to love again."

I found it surprising that he'd say that. "You want her to...move on?"

"Yeah." He said, "I love her. I always will. But she's got a lot of life left to live, and I don't know where she'll end up, or how that even works. I pray I'll see her again one day when it's all over, but if not, then I don't want her to be alone. She should love again, somebody that treats her right." He smirked, "Hell, even if it is a mortal."

"I doubt it'll happen, Dad." I said, "She'll only ever love you."

"Who knows, son. A woman's heart is a mystery only they understand. If she wants to, she'll move on and find another, and I'll be happy for her. I'm content with the way we left off. We had a good parting."

I nodded, not sure how to feel about it. I could tell he meant it, but I still felt horrible for not doing this with mom. She should've seen him. But maybe this cape works twice. Or maybe one of the rules was that you can only speak to one soul a single time. I've already forgot.

Dad nudged my shoulder, "So, speaking of love, how's the girl?"

"Harper?" I beamed, "Oh, she's good. We're good. Her brother...died, when we fought Atlas. Don't know if you heard about that."

He shook his head, "I did. It's a damn shame."

"It is. But...you know her, she's tougher than I'll ever be. They managed to make up towards the end, and she left behind the whole revenge thing. She's like a different person now. In a good way, obviously."

"Of course."

"We uh..." I didn't know if I should be talking about this. It sure did make me uncomfortable, but it was Dad, I mean, if I can talk about it to anybody...

"...Almost did the...thing, Dad."

"The thing?" His face scrunched, "The hell you talking about?"

I blushed. Was I really going to have to spell it out to the literal ex-god? The guy that had multiple wives over the course of his life? "We almost did stuff together. Stuff that...you know..." Spit it out, Matt. Not all that complicated. "...in the bedroom..."

Dad watched on as I struggled, and his face started to slowly light up, a smile growing wide. "Damn, that was brutal!"

I deadpanned, "You knew what I meant from the start, huh?"

"Oh yeah."

"Asshole."

"You know it." He laughed, and shrugged, "Hey, as long as you're being responsible, all good with me. Don't want you to be a dad before eighteen."

"Dad!"

"What?! Just telling it like it is. That shit would ruin your life."

"Well, it doesn't even matter, because we didn't. Aiden interrupted us before we got the chance. I honestly don't even know if I would've gone through with it. I mean, I think she wanted to, but I just...wasn't sure."

"You love her?"

"Of course." I said without hesitation. "Of course I do. I mean, I can't see myself ever being with anyone else. And I know that's a hell of a thing to say for just two years, but I really feel a connection with her, Dad. I have ever since we met. If I were to do...that with anyone, well, it would be her. It's just so new to me, I don't really know how to tell if it's the right moment."

"Don't overthink it, Matt. You'll know when the time's right. And hey, even from the little time that I saw of you two, I can tell you have good communication with each other. If you don't want to, or feel it's not the right time, then just tell her. She's a smart girl, she'll understand. I'm sure it would go the same way if it were her."

"Oh yeah." I agreed. "One hundred percent. I'd never do anything she didn't feel comfortable with."

"Well there you go." He said, patting me on the shoulder. "And the others? They doing okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine." I had to backtrack, "Well, I think it is. See, we're in another mess now. This girl from the Shinto pantheon showed up and said she knows where Talon's father is. Said that he sent her to retrieve him or something." Before he could comment, I kept going, "Oh, and to top it off, she said that Ouranos is over there too. It's where he's been hiding, gaining power. He probably plans to destroy the entire pantheon for all we know."

Dad was taken back, "Damn, you guys have really been busy."

"It's one thing after the other. We keep saying 'this will be the time we stop him' but it never works out that way. He always escapes, or always has some kind of backup plan. I'm never strong enough or smart enough to make sure he doesn't get his way."

"You can't beat yourself up. It's not your fault."

I sighed, not saying anything. I felt like a deflated balloon. A husk of Matt.

"Matt, why did you call me? It's been great seeing you and catching up again, but you look like something's really bothering you. What's up?"

I smiled. That's Dad. We didn't know each other for very long, yet he can read me like a book. He knows when something's up.

"Zeus offered to train me."

At that, his eyes widened. Huh, guess Elysium TV didn't broadcast that one. "That's...a hell of an offer. He's never done that for anybody."

"Well, he says it's in case he can't defeat Ouranos. I'll have to come in and finish the job. He wants to make sure that I'll be strong enough."

"How's it been going?"

"Not good. We started today, after my friends left for Japan. You know, to find Talon's dad. That's where he is apparently." Dad nodded and motioned for me to get on with it. "Anyway, we started, and he's immediately hitting me with all of this intense stuff, like this crazy strength training where I have to carry this really heavy cube along a snake path towards a mountain. Which, I don't really mind, that sort of stuff is in my ballpark. It's just the other lessons he's trying to get across that confuse me."

"What are they?"

I took in a deep breath, "Well, it's all of this stuff about overcoming fear, and this mindset about having no enemy but hatred, because apparently hatred leads to weakness. He turned himself into Ouranos to get me 'familiar' with my source of fear, which I understood, that makes sense. I don't mind that. It's just the other stuff that confuses me. How can I ignore hatred when that's all I feel towards Ouranos? How can I not view him as an enemy? Zeus wants me to view him as something to feel sorry for. Like he's a worthless, beaten down man not even worthy to call himself my enemy. That my only real enemy is an emotion." I shook my head, rubbing my hands through my hair. "I just don't get it."

Even Dad was scratching his chin, "Huh, that doesn't really sound like Zeus. But then again, he's probably changed since all of this mess started."

"Can you explain it to me?" I wanted to be completely honest here, so I didn't hold anything back, no matter how blunt it sounded. This may be my only chance. "The main reason I hate him is because he killed you. I mean, that's obvious. Not to mention he's killed innocent people, he's caused so much pain in my friend's lives, literally every one of them. How can I begin to let that go?"

"Well..." He started, "And this is just my input, Matt, so take it with a grain of salt. But I don't really think it means to let it go."

"But how can I not see Ouranos as an enemy without letting it go?"

"I don't think Zeus is trying to get you to forgive him. I think he's just trying to make you stronger." He began to gesture with his hands, "Look at it this way. How do you act when Ouranos is around?"

"When I see him...I get so angry. I can hardly control myself. It's like my mind screams at me to just charge him and fight. If he says something annoying or malicious...I nearly lose it."

Dad raised a finger, "That's it right there. Ouranos does that intentionally to get under your skin. When you expose your feelings around him, and act that way...he's basically your master. I hate to put it that way, but it makes sense. Acting out of hatred, and letting that take over means that he owns you. He's gotten to you on such a level that he indirectly controls the way you act and think."

I never thought of it like that. Come to think of it, it was hard to keep my head level whenever we confronted him. It was like my instincts and nerves were all misguided. Zeus was...right. Acting out of hatred does lead to weakness. I can make mistakes that way.

"So he's not telling me to leave all those feelings behind and forgive him, but to control my emotions?"

"I think so." Dad shrugged, "But I'm not sure. If that helps you understand it better, then great."

"I think I do now." I nodded, "I need to be completely in control of the way I act. I have to bury all of that hate, because it's only going to hinder me. It'll only put me on his level."

"And think about it. Ouranos is someone to feel sorry for. Look at the guy. Clawing and doing whatever it takes to gain just a sliver of power. He was willing to possess his son and become a disgusting fetus looking thing just to become a little stronger." I could tell he wanted to spit on the ground, but thankfully refrained from doing so. "He's a parasite. He isn't worthy of being called your enemy."

I nodded, understanding now, in my own way. Maybe that wasn't the message Zeus was trying to get across, but I felt better about it now. I felt like I could go into the training again and listen to instruction. If he would take me back.

"I did act like an idiot earlier." I admitted, "He might've changed his mind."

"Nah, I doubt it." Dad said, "He's probably sitting there, waiting on you. He knew you'd think on it."

I smiled at him, and he smiled back. For a moment, we sat there, in comfortable silence. I missed this. I felt like I could talk to him all day about anything.

Kyros cawed and sat up from his position, noticing something. Dad and I both looked down at his hand, which was fading away slowly, becoming translucent.

"Guess time's about up."

I wanted to protest, but I knew there was nothing that would do. It wouldn't change anything. I had my time, and it was good. No need to complain.

So I sighed, and we stood up. "Well then, I guess you're off to Elysium again. Must be nice, getting to be lazy all day."

He chuckled at the joke, "It is pretty nice. It's like a permanent vacation."

As I looked at him, my eyes trailed down to his chest. Perfectly normal, but I couldn't help picturing the gaping wound it had when he was alive, in his final moments. Dying, in pain, in my arms.

My lip quivered, and I reached forward to hug him again. "I'm so sorry for what happened to you." I sniffed, there were no tears left. "If I were as strong then as I am now-"

"You gotta stop with that." He said, "Stop blaming yourself. I did what I did, I made my choice, and it was the right one. I chose to protect you, and I would do it again in a heartbeat." He pulled away and patted me on the back, "You've got a good life ahead of you, son. Don't waste it regretting what's already passed. Look forward, and think about the future. That'll give you hope."

"I know. Thank you."

His body faded faster now, already taking nearly half of him away, and rapidly closing in on the other. Kyros cawed and laid his large head on his shoulder, to which dad wrapped an arm around the bird's neck, stroking his feathers.

"You be good, buddy. And take care of this one here like you did me."

Kyros cawed again in agreement.

Before his head was gone, I said to him, "I love you."

"I love you too, son. I'm proud of you."

And that was it. Within the next few seconds, I drank in his vision as much as I could, before it was gone.

And we were left in that attic, alone again. Yet this time, I didn't feel empty. I felt full. I got the closure I had always wanted, and it felt better than I could've imagined.

I understand now.

Instead of flying back to Olympus, I took Kyros with me this time.

He morphed into his smaller form at my request, and rode on my shoulder up the elevator, ascending the Empire State Building.

When we got to the top, we were greeted with Olympus, the full city this time. But I didn't marvel or stare at it, I just walked ahead with purpose.

Kyros morphed back and stayed close to me, taking Dad's order very seriously. As if he hadn't already. He's been doing a great job ever since he died, but now I guess he would do a really great job.

I entered the empty palace and found the hallway by memory. It was shorter than last time, and far less daunting. I didn't make an expression, I just stared ahead and walked.

When I reached the end, I wasted no time in opening the door.

It was like I hadn't left at all. Zeus was standing on the island still, right in the same spot, holding the heavy cube in his hand.

He didn't even mention Kyros's presence, only stared neutrally at me. "You're back."

After both of us were in, I closed the door. Kyros took in the scenery around him, while I locked eyes with Zeus. "I am."

"And are you ready to resume your training?"

"I am." I said, "Give me the cube."

He tossed it to me, and I caught it. This time, my hands weren't sent straight to the sand. It was still monstrously heavy, but I was able to keep it waist high. I looked up the snake path and at the mountain, where I was to carry the cube. I would do it, no matter how many tries it took.

I heaved and walked towards the path, not making a noise. Just like before, my muscles were tight. Everything felt like it was going to explode.

But it didn't matter. I'm not going into it this time thinking I can't. It I think like that, I've already failed. Just like he said.

Once I made it to Zeus's side, he stopped me with a question.

"Tell me. Did you learn anything while you were away?"

I looked up at him, and smirked.

"Yeah, I sure did."

"What?"

"That my only enemy is hatred."

(000)

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Until Next Time.