Chapter 14: Nah I’d Mist
{Zeus Pile, 22nd of August 1998}
"Uhmm Dad I think you should stop playing now." I said with a slight amount of nervousness in my voice at the quickly approaching masses of giant ants.
The skidding sounds of their feet, and my father's tune creating an eerie symphony of noise all around me. As my father heard my words he finally stopped playing and said in a calm manner "Odysseus if you wanna survive you better start trying to control the mist instead of looking at me like that."
I looked at my father my mouth somewhat agape at his words "Okay, let's do this." I said in a resolute voice while slapping my cheeks with my hands to concentrate.
I closed my eyelids which honestly didn't change anything but it did help me concentrate subconsciously, I didn't think about how many ants there were or how quickly they were approaching rather I tried to feel out the Mist.
I reached out to it with my own intent, the Mist quickly amassing itself over me as I enforced my will onto it something that came naturally easy to do. After I had enough of a hold over the Mist I then started implanting first a vision of what I wanted the ants to see which was absolutely nothing, I wanted to become invisible to them by camouflaging myself to the environment from their point of view.
Then as soon as I had a clear enough vision of what I wanted to implant on to the ants I started placing the Mist from which I had a hold on around the quickly approaching horde of ants, as I kept on concentrating on putting my will of the Mist on each individual ant, my father quickly made a sword appear in his hand and cut down the middle one of the ants that had gotten too close to our location.
The rest seemed to pass right over us as I had placed a strong enough intent on all of them, so they couldn't see me and they couldn't see my dad since he probably manipulated the Mist in the same manner.
"Good job for your first try. But you took too much time when gathering the Mist and placing your intent on it on the other hand, you placed your will on the golden ants at an exceptionally fast rate for your first try." My dad said a small smile forming on his shadow like face.
"Well then I guess we should try again." My dad said his smile getting wider once again and a flute again magically appearing in his hand.
After his tune began playing once again more ants started approaching our location once again, I then implanted my will on the Mist and then the Mist on the ants themselves. This cycle continued for the rest of the day slowly I grew better taking less time to implant my will and making my visions more powerful.
Chiron POV
As the sun dipped down below the horizon, I couldn't help but feel proud at seeing my son improving each time he manipulated the mist. His sweating face and ragged breath a sign of all his effort, "Odysseus that is enough for today." I said in a soothing voice as I put my hand on his head. "Huh, no dad I can still go on." He replied, but even the worst Ares kid would be able to see that he needed to rest.
"No come on it is time to eat dinner with the rest of the campers." I said once again in a soothing manner something which came naturally to me. "Okay dad." He replied in a tired voice but as soon as he took his first step he closed his eyelids and fell asleep.
Just before he fell I caught him with my arms and started carrying him back to the Big House.
As I walked back I couldn't help but contemplate on Odysseus and my relationship, while some campers thought that I treated Odysseus too harshly which was somewhat true or that I gave him preferential treatment which was also somewhat true, I truly thought that I was doing what was best for him, especially given his last two years and the abilities that he seemed to have developed.
MC POV
I woke up once again in my bed at the Big House, "Huh I guess I passed out yesterday." I said aloud.
I then prepared myself for the next classes and left for breakfast at the Hestia hearth with the rest of the campers. As I left the house a grumpy raspy voice said "Looks like you were sleepy yesterday huh, Oliver Seuss." "Oh shut up Mr D." I replied back quickly almost subconsciously as I descended the deck stairs quickly leaving for my first class.
As I approached the location for my first class today, the combat arena I couldn't help but think about if I should use the Mist on my opponents today or if that would be cheating. Before I could finish my decision wether to handicap myself my three loyal crows flew at me once again and yelled in enthusiastic voices "Good morning Master, ready for your first lesson."
"Yes, I am." I replied back a small smile forming on my face as each crow perched themselves on their designated spots Corvus on my right shoulder, Skia on my left shoulder and Randy (I know weird name for a crow to have) perched on my head.
I entered the Combat Arena, an amphitheater like structure where campers trained their fighting skills, loads of racks with weapons were located at the arena's side and straw fighting dolls wearing Greek armour littered it as well.
"Huh, looks like little Snowhite finally arrived." A voice I recognized too well not because I knew her or anything but rather because she was a 'friend' of Kevin's, Cecilia an Ares kid.
Instead of answering her provocation I just looked at her with the kindest smile I could and said "Wanna spar?" "Huh, no thanks dude." She said as she quickly left me alone once again.
After the little 'talk' with Cecilia I went to one of the weapon racks and picked up a spear. Then as more campers started coming into the arena I grabbed my two somewhat usual partners for this class, Hugh a kid from Athena and obviously Kevin.
We three came together and gathered at one of the amphitheater less populated places. Kevin unsheathed his sword and raised his shield, Hugh raised his spear and raised mine as well. "Good luck Master." My three crows squawked from their positions as they started flying above me so I could actually fight.
"So same rules as always?" Hugh asked, "Yeah 2v1 against me, same as always." I said with a small smirk.