49 PRECISE
"Here he is, Chiron. Heard you'd been asking for him", Jack said when they'd reached the archery range. It was a wide-open field with targets arranged at numerous intervals of varying distances. A large rack filled with bows that came in all manner of sizes and shapes stood to the side. An arrow stand was sent-up next to it, run by a young Lee fletcher - the future Apollo Head counselor. On closer inspection, almost everybody in the archery range was from the Apollo cabin. They were fluid when nocking their bows and precise when they shot. Chiron was next to the line of archers, in leather armour, and holding a long, exquisitely crafted bow.
"There you are Athos! I was hoping you'd come, and Jack, you...", Chiron's grinning mouth twitched when he turned to Jack who began to sweat, his wide smile faltering slightly.
"Finally stopped avoiding me, I see. We'll have to have a nice long talk. Until then...", Chiron grabbed a bow from the rack and threw it to Athos. "Have fun."
Chiron picked up Jack like a sack of potatoes, slung him onto his back and galloped away.
Athos caught the bow and watched Jack get dragged away with mild amusement before examining the sturdy wooden bow in his hands. How long had it been since he'd shot a bow? Two years? Three years? It was one of the very first weapons he'd been taught and one that his father adored greatly. While many thought of his father as a club-wielding, short-tempered brute, which was partly true, he was also one of the best archers to ever grace existence - second to only the twins themselves. His father's guidance, coupled with his talent made him quite formidable with the ranged weapon, but he'd always preferred melee combat and carrying arrows around was a hassle.
He walked over to the stand and Fletcher gave him a weird look before tossing him a quiver of arrows. It was not unusual to have demigods from other cabins try their hand at archery but having Chiron recommend one was rare.
He walked over to the archery line where some Apollo kids were tutoring other campers. An Ares kid fumbled his shot and almost planted an arrow in the Apollo camper's forehead, but said camper instinctively ducked before going back to instructing as though a brush with death was commonplace.
"You know how to handle a bow?", one of the Apollo kids questioned him when he walked up to them.
"A little bit."
"Go on then. Just make sure you don't kill someone on your first day."
"No promises."
Athos grasped the bow with his left hand and placed himself perpendicular to one of the farthest targets which was about a hundred yards away.
"I'd suggest you go for the closer ones. That's way out of your league. You're a beginner", the camper warned, but Athos ignored him.
He nocked his bow, his eyes never leaving the target. His back was upright and his feet shoulder-length apart. His index finger was placed above the arrow and his middle and ring fingers below. It was called the Mediterranean draw which was a little poetic.
"You don't have a sight, so place all three fingers below the arrow. It'll bring the arrow clos- Nevermind, you wouldn't listen anyway", Apollo camper sighed watching Athos let his instructions in one ear and out the other.
He relaxed every muscle in his body before pulling the bow's drawstring back towards his face. His anchor point was farther back than most people and that translated into more power. He held back his strength but the bow slightly trembled nonetheless.
He exhaled and released, sending the arrow screaming through the air only to miss the target by a wide margin.
Apollo camper had a I-told-you-so look on his face, "Your shoulders are too stiff and aim- You aren't going to listen to me are you?"
Athos nocked another arrow, drawing it back and releasing it again. It missed for the second time but it was much closer to the target.
He nocked another and released.
*CRACK*
The arrow pierced the edge of the target with such force that it passed clean through it.
"That was better, but I still think you sho-"
*CRACK*
Yet another arrow pierced the target closer to the centre than its predecessor.
*CRACK*
He shot arrow after arrow, his posture becoming more and more perfect after every shot. The other campers stopped their lesson to turn towards the crazy demigod who was shooting so fast that his arms were a blur.
*CRACK*
Finally, an arrow pierced the bullseye, trembling as if afeared of Athos' draw.
"Please tell me you aren't a beginner", the Apollo camper next to him stuttered.
Athos didn't answer pulling out his last arrow and nocking it. His every movement had purpose, every single muscle moving in harmony. Every twitch, every contraction, every relaxation - giving birth to a near-perfect draw.
*TWANG*
The arrow in the bullseye was pierced in two replaced by the one he just shot and the two halves fell on either side of the target that looked akin to a porcupine's bed.
Athos grinned and cracked his neck. The seven years of hell he'd undergone had paid off. He wasn't going up against the fated one either. It felt nice shooting a bow once again but he still preferred Leviathan.
He turned around to the sound of clapping, finding Chiron staring at him with a big grin with Jack next to him looking as if he'd been given a death sentence.
"You take after your father Athos. I've never seen someone more talented than him and you. Oh! that reminds me - Luke has managed to convince me to send you both earlier and your performance on the climbing wall and wrestling has bolstered my confidence in your success. You shall leave at first light."
"How'd he manage to do that?"
"By showing me the remains of his sword."
"You beat Luke too?!", the Apollo camper next to him mouthed in disbelief looking as though he could faint any moment.
"I cheated", Athos answered before turning back to Chiron.
"What now?"
"Follow me, and Jack, washing dishes with lava next to harpies isn't as bad as it sounds."
Chiron picked Athos up as though he weighed nothing and galloped away, leaving the Apollo cabin one bow and quiver less.
***
"What troubles you?", Chiron said when they reached the strawberry fields.
"What do you mean?", Athos answered, sitting down on a comfy rock, placing the bow and quiver next to him.
"I've trained heroes for aeons Athos. Jason, Achilles, Perseus and even your father. I know a troubled demigod when I see one", he answered, his kind eyes twinkling.
"Just worried about the quest. It's quite daunting", Athos lied through his teeth.
"I see", Chiron said not buying it, but he chose to let it go. "But know this: the Oracle's words often have double meanings. Don't dwell on them too much. The truth is not always clear until events come to pass."
"One shall be struck down by a poisoned claw, Another swallowed by a monster's maw", Athos recited. "What double meaning could that possibly hold? It's clear enough isn't it?"
"It escapes me too but being optimistic doesn't hurt", Chiron said and looked to the side, finding no change in Athos' expression.
"This isn't the best time to bring it up but there is more to Mr D's absence", Chiron sighed and Athos immediately perked up.
"Peace has reigned for too long Athos. The Gods have become complacent and that could be their unbecoming."
Thunder boomed in the sky.
"Will not be their unbecoming", Chiron corrected.
"What's going on?", Athos frowned.
"A better question would be what's not going on. The Great stirring has accelerated. An ancient evil has awoken. One older than even the Gods."
Thunder boomed once again, as though warning Chiron to not speak further.
"Moving on, the quest you're going on is one that has already been done, by your father no less."
Athos nodded with a hint of pride.
"But that makes it no less dangerous", Chiron continued. "I trust you know of the legends - even Herakles failed to slay Ladon and had to resort to trickery. The Holder of the Heavens shall not fall for the same trick twice.:
The centaur sighed. "Well, I've said too much, and it's time you prepare yourself for your journey. Luke is waiting for you in Cabin eleven. Come, I'll give you a ride back."
Athos nodded, processing what Chiron had just told him. Gaea had probably made her move and the Gods were not happy. Even Dionysus, one of the laziest Gods had gotten off his ass to help.
'All the more reason to gain power.'
***
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