The Arrogance of Man Personified

by SimplyMk

Aiden is a demigod who has seen many things, having lived in an orphanage his whole life had left him exposed to the dark side of the world. One day on his way to his usual spot of solitude, he witnesses a battle between people just like him and a beast he's only ever heard of. Read how Aiden ventures throughout this unknown yet known territory of demigods, gods and monsters.

9. The Calculated Ruthlessness of Survival

trigger warning: Violence/gore, and mental distress

"In the heat of battle, the mind is as deadly as the sword."

"Victory is not always won through strength alone, but through the ability to see through the cracks of your enemy's armor"

"So Aiden, what do you think?" A familiar voice reached my ears. Her voice brought me comfort, relaxing the rapidly beating heart within my chest to a soft thump. I didn't dare glance back—no, she had taught me more than once that even when the enemy seemed unaware, it was stupid to show your back to them.

"I have a plan sister Griselda." I kept my response short, keeping my gaze on the group of monsters that stood before the orphanage. Their forms morphed haphazardly, revealing beasts of old that mankind remained blissfully unaware of. The silver orb floating in the sky remained a silent witness to the happenings below, as its eerie light was slowly covered by the surrounding clouds.

I felt a soft hand caress my back as Sister Griselda knelt by my side, her gaze also fixed on the monsters below. I paid little to no mind to her actions. After all, she wasn't a threat to me and I had better things to focus on.

The monsters below, which I recognized from a children's book on Greek mythology, were Cyclopes—towering brutes that loomed over the surrounding trees. Their hulking forms were grotesque, each towering around the height of a two- or three-story building, with arms as thick as tree trunks and muscles rippling beneath rough, leathery skin.

The mouths, filled with jagged, disfigured, teeth, gnashed together with a sickening crunch, producing an eerie, bone-chilling sound. At the center of each monstrous face was a single, unblinking eye—large, bloodshot, and unnervingly quick as it darted back and forth, scanning the area with a predatory intent. The sight of them alone was enough to send a shiver down my spine.

If the sound of crunching bones wasn't enough of an indicator, then the fresh, crimson blood that stained their teeth and painted their lips was a clear indication that they had just eaten dinner and were now looking for dessert.

That dessert being me.

My hiding position was merely at the very top of the Orphanage, behind the massive chimney that stretched from its rooftop. It provided adequate cover since the building was about 5 stories high, taller than the Cyclops that had come to eat one of its inhabitants. This elevated position and cover allowed me to remain hidden in the shadows, despite the moonlight that covered the entire land.

Now, I actually wasn't sure what drew the beasts here. Sister Griselda theorized that they could sense people like me. But what was I? That, she wouldn't tell me. But, I was aware that I wasn't normal.

And neither was she.

But I refrained from asking. After all, she was a good teacher and I wasn't sure whether questioning her would make her stop teaching me or not, so I held my tongue. Despite this, I remained vigilant.

As Sister Griselda and I stood hidden in the darkness of the rooftop, the cyclops suddenly separated into three different directions, an act that caused me to narrow my eyes. The three directions they were each headed to were areas where I had left my clothes.

To test sister Griselda's theory, I had done this. Sure enough, she had been proven right.

"Hmm? Where are they going?" Sister Griselda questioned softly, her voice tinged with curiosity and hidden wisdom. I was certain she was testing me, but I wasn't sure why.

"My clothes, I put them in those three areas to see if the next monsters that came for me would go to them. It'd allow me to test the theory of my scent and attempt to create magic that could mask that scent." I explained seamlessly. There was nothing complicated about the plan, none at all. The sole problem now, was taking on each of these not-so gentle giants without alerting the others. I had to be sneaky, I had to be decisive.

I had to be deadly.

"May I know what plan you have in mind, Aiden?" Sister Griselda questioned, her head turning towards me as she awaited my answer.

"I'm not certain to be able to take them on all at once. This is my third time encountering a group of cyclops, and I barely survived the first, and second encounters. Just because I'm ready for the each encounter doesn't mean I won't be killed if I'm careless. So, I'm limiting myself to one at a time until I fully get used to these beasts. Divide and conquer, that's my strategy." I explained to her.

"Divide and conquer", a strategy that had a long and storied history, one that stretched back so far back to the ancient times. It was first recorded in the annals of war and politics, a tactic used by some of the greatest minds to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds.

In ancient Rome, it was famously employed by Julius Caesar during his conquest of Gaul. Faced with tribes that vastly outnumbered his forces, Caesar understood that unity among his enemies would spell his doom. So, he sowed discord among the tribes, pitting them against one another, and then picked them off one by one, a tactic that allowed him to emerge victorious against overwhelming odds.

As time passed, this strategy was adapted to several things outside of combat, such as politics. Rulers have long understood that a united populace can be dangerous, so they encourage divisions—ethic, religious, social—anything to keep the masses from banding together against them.

This was a strategy that withstood the test of time, and I firmly believed it would serve me well here. By tackling the cyclops one by one, I could focus my strength and minimize the risk. It's not about being reckless and charging into battle blindly; it was about being smart, patient and methodical. It was about surviving.

"I see. A beautiful strategy indeed. You've been reading the books I give you." Sister Griselda ruffled my hair, like a mother congratulating her child for making them proud. I felt a warm feeling in my chest, yet I remained focused on the mission before me.

"I assume you placed your clothes far apart, yes? And do tell how come they haven't found you who is so close to them." Sister Griselda questioned. Her eyes must've been shimmering with curiosity, she sure had a lot of questions.

Not that I minded.

"Yes, I placed the clothes far apart. As for why they haven't found me, wind magic." I explained as I kept my gaze on the nearest cyclops that approached where one of my clothes remained hidden.

"Wind?" Sister Griselda muttered. From the sound I heard after, she must've placed what I assumed to be her index finger into her mouth in order to feel the direction of the wind using her wet finger. After a while, I heard her hum in satisfaction.

"Using wind magic to blow wind away from the cyclops, towards your back. Smart. Wind carries your scent, so as long as a minimal amount of it reaches them, then they won't be able to smell you effectively. Not bad, Aiden." Sister Griselda said.

I would love to continue listening to her praise, but it was nearly time for me to intercept the first cyclops.

"I will be on my way." I stood up, preparing too leave. A hand suddenly grabbed mine, stopping me in place.

"I understand that you've taken the road with the least amount of risk with the highest reward Aiden. A good idea for a master strategist. But, one day you will be faced with a situation where there is a high risk everywhere, even in the option to escape. At that very moment, what will you do? Will you freeze? Will you panic? Or will you cower in fear and confusion? Once you are down with the Cyclops, think about it." Sister Griselda said before her soft fingers detached themselves from mine. Her words, they continued to play inside of my young mind, but I promptly shoved them to the very back of my mind, allowing my current strategy and more important thoughts to take its place.

I had no time for distractions, and she was aware of this. At this very moment, I was but a 10 year old thrusted into a world I still couldn't properly wrap my head around. I had no idea why Greek monster continued to come after me, but I had no choice but to continue fighting and killing them for my survival.

As the eerie light of the moon illuminated my person, I jumped off the rooftop into the shadows of the orphanage, using the wind to silence my steps as I reached my first enemy for the night.

Sister Griselda's question…. Was one I would answer when such a situation would come about.

For now, I had better things to focus on.

Here it was, I was finally faced with a situation where the risks were high all around. I still had time to make a choice, to retreat and return to the presence of my companions who had journeyed with me this far. It's not like I was unaware of where they were, I was fully aware and could go to them at any time before I jumped into the fray.

I felt the frost that bit at my fingers begin to wane, my body temperature slowly rising back to its normal state as my magical energy circulated rapidly, desperately producing heat for my body to return to its optimal state. Despite being fine internally, the museum itself was coated in a blanket of cold. Any mortal who was subjected to such would surely be struck with frostbite before they could blink.

As a demigod, I was lucky that I had an increased resistance to such things, else I would've surely fallen to the ground after freezing the enemies who were chasing Percy. Nevertheless, back to my initial thoughts.

What should I do?

Despite disagreeing with Percy's presence, I agreed with his words somewhat. What exactly was worth it for me to do something as suicidal as confronting a group of monsters, Luke, the General and Dr. Thorn?

The answer was simple, survival.

It was the driving wish that carried me throughout my daily life. A wish that I carried with me ever since the very first day I was attacked by a monster and nearly lost my life. But, if I wanted to survive, then why was I undertaking such a risky mission such as this one?

The answer was also simple in this case.

The alternatives weren't great, not in the slightest.

The fact that the general was here, hinted that Grover's divine tracking can be tampered with. This was something I initially suspected as even normal animal tracks could be tampered with and tracks could be placed. Yet, I hoped that with it being supernatural, that there would be limits on how much tampering could be done and its overall effects.

Despite this, I remained cautious.

Regardless, I was currently faced with a situation where the risks remained high no matter what I direction I chose. If I retreated, there was a chance that this so-called playmate was a distraction. There was a chance that even though tampered, Grover's divine tracking had indeed led us to something substantial that we could use, and this playmate was something to distract us from getting it.

In order to confirm my suspicion, I needed to confront the enemies themselves.

But, it was risky.

Maybe I was just being paranoid, but I wanted to get as far away from losing, as far away from dying as much as possible. I found an opportunity and I would not want to regret later on for missing it.

To retreat or to not retreat?

On the surface level, it was as simple as this, but believe me, it was not. As Zoe Nightshade had initially deduced, I had a hidden agenda, a plan that I had kept hidden deep within the confines of my mind that only I was privy too.

Back when I noticed the black sedan following us, I had hoped that I would be able to make use of this plan of mind, to counter a potential ambush and make it into a positive situation for us on the opposite side.

But the risk was truly high.

So, what would I do? Would I cower in fear? Would I freeze in confusion? Would I panic? How do I feel at this very moment? My body was moving towards the room Percy spoke of, but my mind was elsewhere, calculating and calculating and calculating.

There was a lot of uncertainty that came with the understanding of the risk involved.

But I believed that my answer was clear.

There was nothing I hated more than not being in control. The prospect of losing, of dying when one didn't want to, it meant that you weren't in control. I was fully aware that I couldn't control everything, but I wanted to control whatever I could to at least ensure that I was able to see tomorrow.

Fully intact if possible.

And here, right here and now, an opportunity had presented itself to me that I could use to control something no one had ever attempted.

So, what shall you do, Aiden?

I stopped my walk as I reached the door with a big sign in front of it, reading "RESERVED FOR PRIVATE EVEN". I narrowed my eyes once again, my Dyslexia sure wasn't making things easy for me.

Luckily for me, I didn't need to read in the midst of battle, so there was no downside in such a circumstance. Although, regardless of whether I needed to or not, I was certain that my mind would be able to reason out the word properly for me in little to no time.

I exhaled, noting that my body's temperature had returned to normal. I clenched and unclenched my fists, ensuring that I could properly feel my fingers as the cold had already nearly fully dissipated.

Once again, the question rang in my mind.

What shall you do, Aiden?

I placed my hand on the door and placed my ear on it soon after. I could hear it, the sounds of shuffling, hushed and annoyed voices, and a thundering boom that sent shivers down my spine.

The door itself trembled under the might of the person who had stomped on the ground. The certainty of death increased with every passing second, yet at the same time the certainty of long term survival increased as well.

It was an interesting paradox, the higher the chance of death, the higher the chance of life. It made no sense on the surface level, but this was merely a high risk, high reward plan and I wasn't omniscient.

I had no idea what the future entailed.

But, that was exactly why I stood before this door, why I was preparing myself to conduct the plan I had in mind.

Regardless of the risks involved, I had to move forward.

And that was my response.

I wouldn't cower, I wouldn't freeze, and I certainly wouldn't panic.

I would move forward, I would win, and I would survive.

I took a deep breath.

Let's do this.

I felt the blood in my veins circulate a tad faster than usual, my heart beating so loudly that for a moment it was the only thing I could hear. My body temperature rose, slowly but surely as I felt the magical energy within me circulate at a rapid pace. Tiny purple particles, each bubbling with excitement of what was to come converged around my palms as I placed my hand on the door. I had no idea how big this room was or how it looked like.

The first step of this plan was to know exactly what I was dealing with, and where.

So, the moment my magical energy was ready, I pushed the door open with all my strength and released the largest dust cloud possible.

"Huh?!" A familiar voice screamed in confusion. My mind registered their voice, quickly placing a picture of the person who I believed the voice belonged to, Thorn. He was the only person at the bottom floor and the very first thing I sensed through my dust cloud.

There's no way, I'd only release an empty dust cloud.

"What is this?!" An unfamiliar voice followed, as other confused wails filled the room that was quickly engulfed by the cloud of dust. My senses were capturing every single detail I felt through the little particles of magical energy I left unconverted within the dust cloud. At the top of the balcony were several humanoid figures, most I assumed to be mortals, easy to beat in the case they couldn't find me. Two, based on their body shapes were monsters. From what I read, they were definitely snake like, Scythian Dracaenae. Between them, was another humanoid figure but he wielded a weapon, a sword.

If I were to go by Percy's words on the enemies present in this room, this person most definitely was Luke Castellan. Behind him, though, was a tall, muscular figure who remained calm and unfazed from what I could tell. I quickly used magic to subtly erase my presence and mitigating the sound I'd produce, but as I moved towards Thorn, I heard his voice.

"Calm yourselves! It is a mere ambush! Percy Jackson must have brought his friends." The man's voice send chills down my spine, and I felt as if the ground beneath me trembled with every word that escaped his mouth. The moment he spoke, I felt all of my opponents slowly calm down, their heads which were looking around frantically now moving slowly from side to side as their bodies took readied stances.

This was within my calculations.

I heard the sound of sniffing and felt the Scythian Dracaenae moving their heads from side to side, the slight tilts telling me that they were trying to sense my presence. It was unfortunate, but I had also picked the dust cloud for this reason.

But Thorn was also trying to smell me and since he was the closest then I could assume he would get me soon. Unless I did something about it. I threw the doorknob I broke right to the ground by his side, causing Thorn's head to snap towards, his body slowly turning into that of his Manticore form. Luckily for me, Thorn still lacked the limb I cut off, which could only mean one thing.

I conjured magic at my finger tips, creating silent but deadly icicles that I gripped with all my strength. I felt the cold bite into my palms but I readily ignored it, my mind focused solely on the goal before me. The moment I calculated the proper distance, 10m, I used the magic I learnt from my 2nd greatest hater.

My vision blurred, and I felt my body move at high speeds as I shot myself towards Thorn. I could neither feel the wind, nor could I breathe, I felt as if I was being carried from one point in space to another yet was still confined to the physical world I was in. I couldn't see, but I didn't need to see. I just needed to feel, to calculate, to react. And I didn't fail to in the slightest. As I appeared behind Thorn, my hands moved, piercing his ears with the icicles.

"AAAAAARRRRGHHHHHH!" Thorn's roar of pain filled the room causing those above to shift uncomfortably. I didn't have time, and my goal was certainly not to kill Dr. Thorn, yet.

The Dr flayed around in pain, reaching his sole arm out to his right side but I had already let go of the icicles, conjuring more at my fingertips as I circled around him and quickly stabbed them into his nose.

That would suffice.

Thorn's screams intensified as he cursed, his arm flailing around to catch me. Unfortunately, he could neither see, nor hear, nor smell me.

He was useless to his allies, but useful to me.

"ARGH! DAMNIT! YOU DEMIGOD!" Thorn roared in frustration as he continued to reach around. I felt the mortals begin to shiver, their bodies trembling as sweat began to form on their faces. Thorn's screams served to unnerve them. The little confidence they had acquired after the man who I could assume was the leader had spoken to them was completely gone, replaced by an emotion that all humans could relate to.

Fear.

They weren't superpowered beings, they weren't even equipped with guns. The most from what I could tell, were batons. Meaning that these were normal guards from the museum and not mercenaries or police officers who were somehow convinced by my enemies to work with them. Nevertheless, I had to continue to the next step.

Wails of pain were effective to induce the first step of fear and paranoia. But, if there was one thing that magnified it to dangerous extents—

Was the sudden stoppage of those wails.

I focused on the magic I had punctured Thorn with, and with the muffled snap of my fingers, I willed my magic to instantly combust inside of his head. Suddenly, the horrifying wails of pain and despair were cut off, leaving the entire area in silence. The tension was palpable and was so dense and thick you could almost taste it in the air. Thorn's body fell with a loud, deafening thud before his body began to turn into dust, as all monsters do when they die.

The brain was such a weakness no matter the body, especially if they were mortal. Humans, monsters, whatever being you may be that isn't immortal, may survive for a few moments after the heart stops, but the brain activity is what mainly matters. Freezing the brain might as well be forcefully inducing a brain dead state.

There was no way Thorn was going to survive.

It was regretful, but I saw no other way to move forward as quickly as possible. There were about 16 mortals from what I identified, about 13 should be clear to anyone who just entered the room and spent little to no time checking their complete surroundings, while the others were certainly hidden in the shadows of the balcony.

"Damnit where are they?! I can't even hear them!" Luke Castellane exclaimed, his head turning from side to side in frustration while the Scythian Dracaenae slithered beside him protectively. I had already assumed they were his guards.

Meaning that he was no mere lapdog for Kronos.

He was important.

Using my magical energy, I focused, using some of the amount I had left in my mind to increase my thinking capacity, increasing the blood flow in my brain as a result. I had a lot of magical energy, of course this was because I spent years cultivating it.

I clenched my fists and focused, drawing on the particles beside the mortals I sought to take out. I willed the dust cloud I created, using a few of the particles to create enough wind right beside the mortal's faces to shove large amounts of dust through their nostrils. Regardless of whether their mouths were covered or not, they were still breathing air.

Although the dust may be blocked if it moved at normal speeds, if forced, it will penetrate and enter their nostrils.

"Argh! What the hell?!"

"My nose!"

"Damnit! What is this?!"

The screams of the mortals followed by harsh coughs filled the room. Percy, Thalia, Grover, Bianca, and Zoe would never approve of this method, but not only was that the reason why I took it upon myself to come alone—

But it was also the reason why their opinions meant nothing to me.

The moment enough of my magical energy had entered them, I quickly converted them into a magic of my choosing. There were multiple elements I could've picked, or effects I could've attempted to go for. But I wanted them out, for good.

There was no reason to leave possible future trouble to have the chance to cause that trouble.

"AAAAAAARRRRHHHHH!" The mortals screamed as a potent electric shock went through their entire bodies, courtesy of the magic I had just conjured. The dust in their system did nothing to help them, instead making it worse as dust was a known conductor of electricity. I felt and heard the gruesome sound of blood gushing out of their noses, mouths and eyes. I could hear their pleas, their cries, their wails and their pain.

But I remained unfazed.

The mortals fell onto the ground, falling like flies, their bodies twitching painfully as some chocked on the blood in their mouths.

There were only three opponents left.

"No, this is not the work of the demigods. At the very least not the ones I know." The man who stood behind Luke Castellan and his guards spoke confidently, exuding a demeanor that said nothing would change his stance on his conclusion. He had spent the entire time analyzing the situation despite the carnage going on around him. No matter who screamed, who fell or who died, this man remained unfazed and focused. He was the exact type of person I would rather not face.

Someone who was just like me.

Yet, that did not mean I wasn't ready.

"Yeah, that's true. Those mortals… Percy would never do such a thing." Luke Castellan's voice followed. His guards remained quiet, standing guard beside him as they continued to look around and attempt to sniff the enemy. I would've preferred to take them out the same way I did the mortals, but I preferred not to waste any more of the magical energy in the air, and I wasn't certain that the same amount of electricity would affect them the same way.

"Who are you, child?" The man spoke, his head not moving a single inch as he kept his gaze forward. He hadn't seen me, I was certain, but at the same time, I couldn't attack. Not now, not yet.

"Boy, stand beside me. You two, go down there and fish the enemy out. The moment you get something, attack." The man said. The Scythian Dracaenae and Luke Castellan turned to him, certainly confused as they had not outright agreed or followed his orders.

"But General, we cannot—"

"Go down there." The man cut her off, his demanding voice causing the monsters to shiver, nodding their heads slowly as they gripped their halberds tightly. Luke Castellan remained silent, most definitely due to having some degree of trust in the man known as the General. This meant, that this was the man who defeated Artemis, this was the man Thorn was talking about, this was the man that Zoe knew about.

I focused my magical energy to get a good read of his facial features, of course while keeping myself aware of the Dracaenae that had slithered down the stairs, onto the lower floor where I resided. There were two things I could do, I could either take them out, or I could go straight for Luke Castellan. Retreat was not an option.

But there had to have been a reason why the General had sent those two down here, but what? What was he planning? Regardless, I didn't have time to think, but I also didn't need to waste anymore magical energy than I'd intended to.

I'll sneak past them.

"Go that way." One of them said.

"Yesss sssister." The other responded. I noticed that she seemed to drag her 's' quite a lot, was that because they were part snake or something? Regardless, they were moving in opposite directions, giving me ample space in the middle to slip through. Although it may look like a trap, there was no benefit to them staying together and with this strategy they could cover more ground.

As long as I remained calm and careful, I would slip through with little to no issue.

I took a step forward, and then another, and another. There was no sound from my steps, and my presence had been erased, there was in a literal and straightforward sense, no possible way for me to be caught in this situation.

But I was certain thinking in such a manner would backfire, so I convinced myself to stop.

The monsters opened up a path for me, and I quietly but quickly slipped through, passing in between them with ease.

Or so I thought.

I felt time slow down, my mind quickly registering an unexpected movement from my right. So quick I had barely registered and so swift that it sliced through the dust cloud with utmost certainty, aiming for my neck.

I quickly bent my head, faster than I would've liked to under normal circumstances, but it had allowed me to dodge the halberd aimed for my head. I heard a hiss from my side and quickly lifted my leg, kicking off the staff of the halberd that was aimed at my abdomen.

I flipped and landed on the ground, my mind racing with questions and conclusions. But the main thing that stuck—

Was how?

"I ssseee why the General sent usss here." One of them giggled excitedly, their gazes fixated on me as if they could see me. Slowly but surely my dust cloud was waning, but it shouldn't be visible enough for them to see me, no? So how?

There had to have been a way for them to sense me. But it was clear that they weren't all that smart, else they wouldn't have been confused by the general's order in the first place. This meant that it wasn't a conscious ability of theirs and that they were unsure of whether they would even be able to smell me using their scent to catch demigods.

This meant that it was something they did unconsciously but at the same time it wasn't something they were readily used to doing. But what could it be? If not their abilities then maybe their characteristics?

Was that it?

"Kill him." The General's deep voice reverberated across the entire room, causing my focus to shift entirely to the opponents before me. Regardless of how they caught me, they were opponents I needed to take care of with as soon as possible.

Preferably without magic.

And quick as well.

"Underssstood General!" Both monsters said before they slithered towards me with surprising speed. I exhaled and dashed towards the two of them as well, my mind quickly formulating a plan that would use the least magical energy or magic possible. I bent over and overhead swing from one of the halberd's before I quickly flipped over the next and reached one of the Dracaenae's sides. I wasted no time, striking the area between her shoulder and arm before giving her a jab to the face.

It hurt. Their bodies though human shaped were covered in a few scales so hitting them with my bare hands wasn't really doing much damage to them but hurting me all the more. Perhaps this was why demigods usually had bladed weapons instead of blunt ones. Regardless, that wasn't my main goal.

As my opponent winced in pain, her sister came slithering towards me and swung, careful not to hit her sister. A considerate move but a foolish one since she wouldn't permanently die, but I would. I was able to easily dodge her careful swipe and kick her in the face. I quickly moved closer.

"Trash."

Then, I spat on her face.

"AAARGH! You little!" The anger in her voice was palpable. I could feel the venom exuding from her very body as fury consumed her. There was no greater disrespect from a combatant that one could get that was greater than getting spat on. Although some people would argue that getting slapped in a fist fight was even worse.

Regardless, I had gotten her to follow me as I ran away from her and her sister.

"After him!" The one I spat on screamed at her sister who quickly followed after her. I kept a proper distance away from them, but close enough that they could swing their halberd's at me. I didn't need to do this, but on a flat surface my legs provided me with more speed and agility than their snake like bodies did—

Oh….

So that was it.

My opponents each began to swing at me, forcing me to dodge each time while moving towards my destination. The constant whizz of their weapons cutting through the air around me, their aim to either decapitate or fatally injure the person in their sights. Certainly, if I got hit then it would be extremely detrimental for me. So, I couldn't be distracted.

I dodged another swing, rolling onto a pedestal as I slipped under the mastodon skeleton. I hear a loud, sharp and echoing sound of a metal being hit and quickly looked up as one of the Dracaenae had hit the Mastodon's right hind leg.

"What isss thisss?" She questioned, momentarily confused due to being unable to see as per the remaining dust cloud. This further confirmed how they were able to find me. Nevertheless, I quickly moved towards her and spat in her face causing her to recoil in disgust. Wasting no time, I grabbed her halberd and kicked her in the face, properly positioning myself at the proper angle as I kicked off her and slid right under the mastodon display.

"Sssister!" The other one roared as she turned to her, her eyes were certainly glazed with fury. She slithered after me, moving onto the display as well while her sister who quickly recovered screamed in rage as she did same.

Perfect.

I turned around and swung, hitting the Mastodon's left front leg, severing it to ensure a baseline integrity before I swung at its right severing it as well. I was forced to then block a halberd swing from the closest Dracaenae, putting no force into my block which allowed me to be pushed away from underneath the mastodon.

Why thank you.

A loud snap filled the room, causing my opponents to pause as the bones above them began to rattle. As I crashed into the ground, the bones of the mastodon were completely destabilized and immediately fell onto the unfortunate enemies of mine below it crushing them under its weight and causing a portion of my dust cloud to be dissipated.

Not that it mattered anymore.

I was still acutely aware of the duo who stood at the balcony, waiting for the result of the scene below. Regardless, the play was already over, but it was time for the main characters to interact.

I heard the sound of coughing, two to be exact, and I could tell that my opponents were still alive. I sighed, displeased by the turn of events, but otherwise understanding of it. They weren't human after all, and I wasn't even certain that such an event would definitely lead to the death of a human.

Nevertheless, this was within expectations, and I merely had to continue with what I was given. Increasing my grip on the halberd, I walked towards the Dracaenae sisters who were pinned beneath the bones. Their heads sticking out at opposite ends of the Mastodon's middle section. Sure enough, had either of their heads been under the skull then they would at the very least be knocked out.

Regardless, they were immobile.

I lifted up the halberd.

"Sssisssterr, are you fi—"

A loud thud cut her words off, engulfing the room in a deafening and displeasing silence. Her head was severed from her body in one move, and her body exploded into dust. I climbed onto the scattered bones, making my way towards the other Dracaenae. Once I reached her, my eyes locked onto hers.

Fear.

Even monsters, beings who hunted others for a living weren't privy to the emotion known as fear. Akin to a predator chasing prey, only to suddenly become the prey before the eyes of a predator. That was the fear I could see within the eyes of the being before me. Her lips quivered, and so did her body, her eyes glistening with tears as she opened her mouth to speak yet nothing came out.

Whether she was still processing the loss of her sister right beside her, in an event that was supposed to be an exciting one for them, or she was merely scared of the prospect of death, I did not know.

What I did know, was that she was going to die right here, and right now.

I lifted up the halberd.

Her eyes widened and her breath hitched, a tear now flowed down her face, and the answer to my question had been given to me without my consent. Her mouth began to open and close at an accelerated rate, and she began to wiggle and scratch at the ground. Her nails dug onto the floor, leaving bloodied trails as her eyes darter around in search of an escape that didn't exist.

If she was so desperate for an escape, then an escape I would provide.

I swung the halberd. Her head fell, severed from her body. Her body exploded into dust, a sign that her time in the world had been put to a stop. She was gone, reunited with her sister in Tartarus.

I would've kept the weapon to use later, but it was quite heavy so I quickly discarded it.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of clapping from above and quickly turned towards the balcony from where it came from. Not only were the claps so loud they echoed across the room, but I could feel short burst of wind from each and every one of them. The General, I was aware of who he was.

I wouldn't want to face him.

At this point, my dust cloud had already dissipated well enough for my opponents and I to see ourselves as clear as they. I noticed on the balcony that a few windows were open, which would explain why the cloud had dissipated so quickly. Nevertheless, I didn't need it anyways.

It had served its purpose.

As it did so though, Luke Castellan looked horrified. His eyes darting from left to right as he took in the bodies of the fallen mortals I had electrocuted. They needed to be taken to the hospital immediately after electrocution to ensure their survival, but no one did so, allowing them to continue suffering and chocking on their own fluids as life slowly drained from their eyes.

It was a sad and pitiful death, leaving the world behind with little to no acknowledgement while being fully aware that around you were people, was someone, who if they actually gave a speck of importance to your life would've offered you the help needed.

Yet, they died helpless and unsupported.

Leaving the world with a harrowing feeling of insignificance.

"What a fine display, demigod. In all my time, I have never ever seen one of your stature." The General praised me as he looked down at me with his stone gray eyes. Admittedly, I took a step back, my instincts telling me to run the other way as quickly as I could. This was unlike any other being I had ever faced. The tension that seeped through my very bones acknowledged that the man before me was far more dangerous than Artemis or even Apollo when he was annoyed or displeased with me.

A bead of sweat ran down my forehead, and yet my heart continued to beat calmly.

Yes, despite the situation, despite the feeling that coursed through my very being, I remained calm.

Because panicking would do nothing to help me.

"You do not cower in fear of the great General either. I cannot tell whether to be pleased or displeased." The General said, his eyes narrowing as he calmly folded his large, muscular arms. He was tall, just as tall as I had presumed him to be through my analysis using my magical energy. He wore an expensive brown suit that did nothing to hide his toned, muscular figure. His hair was black and his skin was brown… a very familiar brown.

And that expression of his, I had seen it before, multiple times even, in someone I was quite familiar with.

Zoe Nightshade.

Ah….

So I was right.

They truly were related.

"This….. this is…." Luke Castellan struggled to speak as he looked at the death around him. I was a bit taken aback by his shock, was he stupid? Did he think the world of demigods and monsters were all sunshine and rainbows?

He was planning a rebellion, did he think people wouldn't die?

"Calm yourself boy. Have I not told you before that this is war? Get used to the sight." The General looked at Luke with disdain as he spoke, before returning his focus to me.

"I find it hard to believe that Chiron would raise a demigod as deadly and lethal as yourself. It seems you haven't been at camp half blood for long and yet you were still sent on a quest from the looks of it. Has that centaurs decision making skills waned with age? Or perhaps the camp is lacking adequate forces." The General spoke. I could see the gears turning in his head as he began to analyze the situation at camp with deadly accuracy. Certainly, I was right to be absolutely wary of him beyond his status as a Titan. After all, he wasn't Kronos' second in command for nothing.

This man was smart.

"If you haven't been at camp for so long and are the type to do such acts—" He spread his arms around him. "Then perhaps you will make a great addition to the army. After all, I can tell with certainty that your allegiance to camp is not solid. After all, they would never approve of such methods." The General smirked.

It seemed he was the type to have a good understanding of human nature. Despite having spent what I would assume to be most of his time stuck under an unimaginably heavy mass, he still showed an acute understanding of beings I was almost certain he had little to no time to interact with. Nevertheless, he was right, I had spent too little time in camp in be fully alleged with them, and my actions went against what anyone in camp would do.

I was an outlier hidden among the inliers.

"And so what?" I responded, my voice monotone and uncaring of his words. Regardless of what he deduced I wouldn't be shaken. I would never cower as the Dracaenae did, nor would I be stuck in shock and realization as Luke Castellan currently was.

"And so what, hmmm…. Well I shall test you to see just how well you shall fit in my ranks." The General said before he turned to Luke who although was still clearly shook, was now much calmer than he was before. I could tell that while he had expected his rebellion to cause a few deaths, he certainly wasn't actually ready for it.

There was a distinct difference between expected deaths and actual deaths. Right now as I spoke, someone across the planet could be getting tortured. It was a thought anyone could have, but not many would stress or think much of it. On the other hand, if someone was tortured or killed right before you, and you were the one to witness the light in their eyes vanish as they left the world behind, then it was understandable to take a moment to pause.

After all, under different circumstances, that could've been you.

"Hmpf, it seems you have calmed yourself. Before we leave, quickly defeat the demigod below. This will be perfect to test whether he deserves to work under Lord Kronos and it will also allow you to comprehend the impact of death. The sight of seeing you fazed by a few insects dying is nothing but pitiful and unbecoming of a soldier." The General said to Luke who slowly nodded his head, unsheathing the blade that was strapped at his side.

There was a flicker of doubt in his eyes, but he took a deep breath and masked it as best as he could. I took notice of his weapon which seemed to glint with different materials. It was clear that although it was a sword, it was much different than any sword I had seen. It had been made with two different metals, connected at the middle of the overall blade. I had no idea what the other metal was, but it seemed relatively normal compared to the other which I could infer was celestial bronze.

Thank you Beckendorf.

The other metal didn't necessarily matter to me, but if I had to take a guess I'd assume it was just that, metal. Meaning he had tailored his blade to be able to hurt mortals, demigods and immortals alike. Why he would need to hurt mortals was something I didn't care about. But his weapon type and his reaction to actual death were telling.

This guy was nothing but a clown.

"I have never tried this before, but I am curious. Unfortunately you are still shaken but that is to be expected with your feeble mortal mind. You shall become my champion Luke Castellan. Accept the gift of the strongest Titan." The General said as he placed a hand on Luke who did nothing to resist. A soft glow began to take over the room, momentarily blinding me and forcing me to cover my eyes. I wasn't sure of what was happening, but there was nothing I could do to stop it.

My opponent was a Titan after all.

As the glow died down, my gaze quickly fixated on Luke to see if there was any difference. Without a shadow of a doubt, he had just been blessed, but with what?

Luke slowly opened his eyes, and his blue eyes were now glazed with a powerful otherworldly glow. The General, who was behind him, smiled with satisfaction as he relaxed his posture, once again folding his arms.

"Go on, show me what you can do." The General said as Luke Castellan who now seemed sure and determined as opposed to shaken and uncertain nodded firmly, his grip on his weapon tightening as he jumped off the balcony.

He landed on the ground with a loud thud, causing the floor beneath him to cave in and crack. A shockwave rippled through the ground, reaching my feet. Unless he was naturally heavy, I could assume that whatever the General had given him had increased his mass and yet retained his appearance.

Suffice to say, his physical abilities were most definitely enhanced.

Luke Castellan grinned as he slowly stood up, twirling his sword in his hand as he took his first step towards me.

"This feeling… I feel more powerful than I ever could've been. It's intoxicating." He said, his voice brimming with confidence and ecstasy as he approached. I sighed, touching the bracelet wrapped around my wrist causing it to glow softly as my Nunchuks formed in the air before me.

I caught them and quickly took a stance.

Luke Castellan did not seem surprised by my weapon of choice, in fact he didn't seem to care at all about it. He bent his body forward, and exhaled, his eyes narrowing with focus before he shot himself towards me like a bullet. I barely lifted up my weapon to block his first trike.

Before I knew it, my feet weren't even touching the ground anymore.

I narrowed my eyes and focused as Luke jumped towards me while I was in the air. I noted his body language and moved my body, accordingly, allowing his blade to swing at the air beside my head before I quickly struck his side with my weapon.

No reaction, in fact, he laughed and quickly kicked me to the ground. I crashed harshly and rolled for a bit before jumping away as he crashed into my previous position.

"HAHAHAHAHA! Yes boy! Show him what I have given you!" The General laughed as he watched the battle with a gleeful expression. It wasn't hard to deduce that was not only psychopathic but extremely sadistic. He didn't care much for Luke's well-being and I was certain that if he wasn't important to Kronos then Luke would've been long since dead or reduced to a mere foot soldier.

I swung at Luke who easily deflected my strike, and countered, cutting my side. A shallow wound, but painful, nonetheless. I ignored it and deflected his next swing. The force caused my arms to shake more than I would like to admit.

"What's wrong? Troubled?!" Luke Castellan roared as he continued to attack me with sharp, precise attacks. He was an excellent swordsman, better than any of the campers I'd seen use a sword. I struggled, dodging, deflecting and countering were key. In a head to head I would lose, that much was certain.

I leaned back to dodge a swing aimed for my neck and like a snake I swung at Luke's face only for him to move his head and counter with a sharp thrust to my chest. I moved my arm, deflecting his sword aside at the cost of a bleeding cut before I headbutted his nose. Luke didn't even flinch at my attack and quickly followed with a headbutt of his own but I had quickly moved back to avoid it.

Blood trickled down his nose, but he quickly wiped it off and went straight back to battling.

His endurance was off the charts.

But his durability was unchanged.

That jump, it must've bruised his legs but I couldn't tell due to the pants he wore. I continued my clash with Luke, an intricate dance of death where one opponent was crazed and hungry for blood while the other remained calm and composed. Certainly the General's blessing was helping him to endure and had increased his strength, but it had also made him a lot more volatile.

A weakness I could use.

Luke Castellan's speed slowly began to increase with every strike, his swings becoming deadlier by the second while I struggled to ensure I wasn't killed him a single blow. I made sure to avoid vitals, garnering bleeding cuts on my cheek, arms, and sides. They burned with pain but I remained firm as I defended myself against the humanoid weapon before me.

"You seem excited Luke." I said to him as I flipped over a swing from his sword and swung at his back to which he easily switched his grip and blocked before he turned to me with his sickening grin still on his face.

"Does daddy's approval make you happy?"

Luke froze for a moment.

"What?" He muttered as his body began to tremble with absolute fury. I knew little of Luke Castellan's past, but his little rebellion revealed a lot more of who he was than others would think. A rebellion against the gods because of neglected demigods children? It was rather clear that he was neglected by his godly parent and had planned this rebellion due to it.

Had he not been a leader then this wouldn't have been a decent assumption as foot soldiers could join the cause for anything, even something like guilt or a desire to help their friends for a cause only their friends could even relate with.

"What are you doing, boy? Do not let him into your head! Kill him!" The General who was quick to pick up on my words spoke to Luke Castellan, warning him of my actions. It was a sound tactic, but it was exactly what I wanted.

Luke shook his head, listening to the General's orders as he quickly took a stance and prepared to dash towards me once again. I continued to speak, while my mind was focused elsewhere.

"Yeah, listen to your daddy, Luke. I mean dad number one failed but there's no way dad number two would am I right? The world can't be that cruel could it?" I said, attempting to make my voice as sarcastic as possible as I spoke to Luke Castellan as a vein popped on his forehead.

"You're being used so easily it's actually embarrassing to watch. You think you're the leader in this rebellion? The General is literally using you to test me. There's no difference between you and a wooden hammer being used to strike at the foundation of the Olympians' rule. I'm a bit shocked even honestly. Don't parents usually teach their kids on who to trust and how to act? Oh but I guess you wouldn't relate to that, would you?" I pressed on. Luke's eyes widened as he took in my words. His lips quivered as the grip on his sword trembled with a mix of shock and rage.

"What the hell would you know….. WHAT THE HELL WOULD YOU OF ALL PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT PARENTS?! Luke screamed at me as he dashed towards me, the ground cracking under his feet. I used magic and moved quickly moved ten meters away from him, but in the blink of an eye Luke Castellan was already in front of me.

I barely ducked as his sword cut through the air and wall above me, leaving a large gash as he cut through it as if it wasn't even there. I flipped and gathered my bearings just as Luke continued his onslaught. His entire body moved like a blur, his blade turning into a flash of silver as it sliced the air apart. I was able to deflect his follow-up, and yet not only were my Nunchuks nearly knocked out of my hands, but he was still able to leave a cut right above my eye, causing blood to flow into my left eye.

What a relentless puppet.

"Damn you! Just die! No one would even care!" Luke roared as he swung at me once again, sending me flying back as I blocked it.

"And who told you that? Don't project your insecurities onto me. That only applies to idiots like you." I countered as flipped and slid across the ground to a stop. Luke's body trembled. He was clearly unsure of how to feel. My words were hitting home, targeting the very core of his being. He was both extremely shocked and angry at the same time, his mind struggling to juggle the sheer intensity of these emotions that swirled within him.

All thanks to the General's blessing.

Though this implied, that the General was perhaps the very same way.

"What are you doing, boy?! Defeat him!" The General, tired of Luke's weakness roared as he stood up from his throne in anger. The best option here would be to speak to Luke calmly, but I was certain he couldn't do so even if he was aware it would be the best choice. The reason why was very simple.

Pride.

It was clear that he believed his heritage as a Titan trumped all, a rather obvious deduction based on his manner of speech. It was for this very same reason why he would never cuddle up something as insignificant as a human.

"Woah, Luke. Don't let me stop you from listening to daddy. I mean you've finally gotten a father figure who although is using you, is actually giving you attention. That's what you wanted right? Attention." I said to him, rubbing salt in a wound that was deep within his soul.

Luke faltered, the words clouding his mind and I quickly took the chance and dashed towards him. I used magic on my Nunchuks, having spent most of the fight filling them with magical energy for this very moment to ensure they didn't weaken like in yesterday's battle.

Luke flinched and quickly moved to counter me, but I wasn't going to let him.

Since he enjoyed being the General's champion, I might as well make their relationship more intimate and relatable.

I focused on the magical energy that remained in the air, the ones left even though the dust cloud had dissipated. It was hard to focus on all of them that were in the room, but I was able to control most of them while I taunted Luke, giving me ample time for this strategy.

I extended my hand towards him and quickly swung it downwards. Luke raised a confused eyebrow for a moment, before a massive weight slammed into him from above immediately forcing him down on his knees as the ground cracked under his feet.

"ARGH!" Luke cursed under his breath as he struggled against the sudden immense weight, stabbing his blade into the ground as he struggled to straighten his posture.

Air wasn't heavy. Above us humans were countless particles of air and yet we only ever felt their weight in the form of air resistance when moving.

But what would happen if bundles of air were suddenly forced together and then slammed onto a person? There would be a large increase in the pressure and force exerted onto them, acting as a form of weight that would weigh down on them.

Magical energy worked similarly. By forcing enough particles to cluster and come together, I could create a weight that would weigh down on Luke and hold him in position. Strength? Speed? Endurance? Skill? Power? They meant nothing if one couldn't even move to use them.

And I had already confirmed that his durability was unchanged.

I slammed my fist into his face, damaging his nose once again the moment I reached him. Luke didn't wince, but he continued to glare at me with a gaze that promised nothing but pain. His anger was warranted, after all I had said cruel things to him. Unfortunately, he couldn't move because of the pressure from above.

"Is that it? I didn't even feel it." He spat. His words meant nothing to me.

Nevertheless, I noticed blood drip from his nose once again and immediately set the magical energy in my Nunchuks ablaze.

Increased endurance or not, there was no way he'd be able to remain unfazed at what was to come. He would perhaps not wince or even register the pain, but the effects on the body wouldn't be easy to ignore.

The magical energy converged at the baton of my Nunchuks furthest from me, and a blue, dangerous glow began to coat it as lightning began to cackle around the baton. The air hummed with power, and I could feel the energy vibrating into my hands. I took a step back, having calculated my distance perfectly and reared my arm back for a perfect swing. Luke's eyes widened, having noticed my plan but unfortunately was unable to stop it.

How sad.

I swung as hard as I could, striking his nose once again and releasing a blast of lightning that was conducted through his blood and into his body. Demigods were most definitely resistant to magic, I knew I was for sure, therefore externally my lightning probably wouldn't have damaged him severely.

Internally on the other hand…

"Ack! AAAAAAAARRRRGHHHH!" Luke screamed in pain and agony as his muscles spasmed uncontrollably. Blood flowed from his nose, mouth and eyes as the lightning reached his brain. His mouth foamed as his spasm began to wane, his body falling flat onto the ground while trembling slightly at different intervals.

Luke Castellan was a skilled warrior, that much was undeniable. But it was also clear that he was more used to fighting monsters who could kill him, and demigods who wouldn't. There was no doubt that the he had faced his own set of demigods with dangerous abilities that could indeed kill if used for such. But it seems he's never had to face someone like me, a demigod who uses his power unshackled by conventional morality.

Naïve.

Extremely so.

I lifted my Nunchuks and prepared to hammer his head down into paste. There was no reason to let Luke Castellan live. None at all. I held no emotional bond to him, and he was useful not to me but to the enemy.

To me, he was nothing but useless.

"I will have to stop you there." A voice from behind me immediately garnered my attention and I barely turned before I was smacked away with the force of a speeding truck and crashed violently into the wall, caving it in and leaving large cracks in it. I nearly passed out as I slowly slid to the ground, the familiar taste of iron filling my mouth as blood gushed out of my mouth and seeped into my clothes.

I couldn't breathe. Every breath I attempted to take was followed by a wave of overwhelming pain. I definitely without a shadow of a doubt had more than a few broken bones. I couldn't feel my arms, but despite my blurry sight I could see them, alongside my weapon which was still in my palm but I couldn't muster the strength to grab onto it.

Every breath I took was a short gasp, my blurry sight slowly refocusing on the scene before me. The person who had hit me was the General, and I had neither sensed it nor seen it coming. He moved so quickly that I couldn't follow and struck so harshly I couldn't defend.

He did all of this with seemingly little effort.

Titan's truly were powerful.

"I could've never expected this, honestly. You've surprised me even more demigod." The General said as he turned towards me, his eyes which were cold and unforgiving now glazed with fury and disdain as he looked at me.

It didn't take a genius to understand what his issue with me was.

If I could infer his personality through his champion's demeanor, then it was clear that he wasn't angry because I had harmed Luke. He was mad that I had reminded him of his prison. There was no response I could give, after all, I was far to busy ensuring I didn't choke on my own blood.

"You're far too dangerous. It would benefit me greatly to kill you." He stated as he turned towards me and began to walk. He was quite far away from me, and yet I could feel every single step he took as the ground trembled under his might. Behind him, I noticed Luke Castellan still breathing albeit barely.

He was on the brink.

I took in as much of a breath as I could and swallowed all the blood in my mouth.

"Are you sure you want to leave his side? My magical energy is still around him. If I turn it into fire… your precious pawn is gone." I said to the General, my voice hoarse but nonetheless firm as I made him aware of my stance in this situation.

He could kill me, but would it be faster than I could blow up the barely alive Luke Castellan? Was he willing to test this out? Only his next actions will tell.

The General stopped moving, and a sneer formed on his face.

He hated it, being spoken to by a human as if he couldn't just squash me like a bug and move on with his life. But the current circumstances weren't necessarily on his side. He needed Luke Castellan, and that was an undeniable fact.

I wasn't Percy, or Thalia or any of those other heroes he knew. If they spoke about killing Luke he would've continued moving forward. But the Titan was aware, that I was with utmost certainty going to murder Luke Castellan.

"Count yourself lucky, demigod. I will never forget this humiliation." The General said as he turned away from me and began to walk back towards Luke Castellan. The moment he turned around, a few figures finally reached the area of battle, their faces riddled with shock and in one, fear.

"AIDEN!" The first person to see me, was Bianca who screamed my name and ran towards me as fast as she could. Her eyes were glazed with worry, and she was clearly about to cry.

For a moment, I may have felt bad for what I was about to do.

But I would do it anyways.

The General ignored Bianca as she ran past him towards me, his gaze fixated on Grover, Percy, Thalia, and Zoe Nightshade.

"L-Luke?" Thalia muttered, her voice riddled with shock, confusion and sorrow as she saw the bloodied and beaten figure of a person she once knew quite well in the past. Grover was unsure of what to say and was struggling to even remain standing at the gruesome and bloodied sight of Luke Castellan.

Percy although still wielding his sword cautiously was also taken aback by the scene, and Zoe on the other hand was having an intense stare-off with the General.

"I didn't think you'd come here, knowing fully well that I was around. But I guess that's my fearlessness shining through, isn't it?" The General smirked as he spoke to Zoe who glared at him, her grip on her bow tightening.

"Shut up! You know nothing of me." She spat, her anger towards him palpable and venomous but all he did was laugh in response.

On my side, Bianca was feeding me ambrosia. I bit into the healing agent, noting how it tasted like milk chocolate in my mouth. I savored it, ignoring how the blood in my mouth sullied its taste as I felt my body begin to slowly heal from the damage it had received.

"What were you thinking, you idiot? Why didn't you come back with Percy?!" Bianca scolded as she fed me, ensuring I didn't eat too much to avoid combustion. I turned my head and glanced at her as I swallowed the ambrosia in my mouth.

"Plan, will explain later. But, I apologize in advance." I said to her.

Bianca raised a confused eyebrow.

"What do you—"

"Stay close." I cut her off as I focused. My mind locking onto the clusters of magical energy that remained around Luke. Finally, with a single snap of my fingers, I conjured my last and final magic.

An explosive act to end this current play.

The energy exploded, fire and wind converging together as the room shook violently. The force tore through the air, carrying a deafening roar as a glow covered the entire room. A large shockwave rippled through my very bones as I felt Bianca and I float into the air.

And the entire room collapsed onto itself.

---

What's up everyone? Hope y'all been doing good. Got a stroke of inspiration and wrote this chapter down so I hope you enjoy it. I can't promise the next one will be soon since I'm currently going through midterm season. Still, if there are any questions or findings about stuff in the chapter that don't make sense or hard to understand then let me know and I'll fix it. Regardless, hope y'all enjoy and have a great day!