Chapter 5

I quickly leave my cabin and head to my usual training spot. I do my exercise regime and don't immediately seek out this child of Hecate, since it is so early. Afterwards, I head to the archery field and then the sword fighting arena to continue training.

With that done, I decided to finally seek out Iliana. Dammit Hecate, why couldn't you have given me a description that works far better? I don't know everyone in the Hermes cabin since they are the most because the house accounts for every god/titan who isn't an Olympian. There was even a god of breeding, my brother, who has ten children in the cabin.

The place was cramped and I could honestly see why the people would join Gaea or Kronos' side. There are a lot of gods, it isn't really touched upon in the books but the gods didn't just have children with mortals, I wouldn't be surprised if a new god is born every year. I already dislike the fact that there are people more powerful than me but new ones being born yearly is a matter of great worry.

I left my morose thoughts, not only would I reach the level of the gods, hopefully, I will surpass it. It would be nice if they could die though. Now I just have to make sure I don't die. Going to the Hermes cabin, I asked around for someone named Iliana.

"You're looking for me?" A young child asked me curiously. She looked like a younger and shorter version of Yennefer from the Witcher game with her purple eyes and dark curly hair.

'You have got to be kidding me. I am supposed to go on a quest with a child younger than even me.' I let none of my thoughts show on my face. "I hear you were looking to go on a quest?" I asked to make sure I got the right person.

"Yeah, want to join?" She asked hopefully. I had to stop myself from grimacing. Trusting your life to a child can end up badly.

"Sure. I have been preparing to go on a quest for years now." I said and I could see how she beamed. "So do you want to discuss this at a more private spot?"

"Why?" She asked.

'Because I am a little bit paranoid.' "I don't know, I feel like quests are supposed to be a secret between only the guys who do the quests." I don't believe you can keep secrets here but it is still better to do these things in secret.

"Oh that makes sense, I guess. I will follow you then." I proceed to lead her behind the stables. It wasn't the best spot but there was no one around.

"Okay, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ezra, son of Aphrodite."

"I am Iliana but you already knew that I guess." She says with a sheepish expression. She was kind of cute acting like that. She had nothing on my siblings though so I wasn't worried about her influencing me without the use of magic. "My mom is also Hecate, the greatest witch in the world."

I just nod. "Do we have a third member yet?"

"No, I just got the prophecy yesterday. No one has accepted my invitation yet."

"Okay, what are your strengths and weaknesses, so that I can make sure that the third member compensates for our weaknesses," I said immediately, taking the role of the leader from her. It is a dick move but I am not entrusting a child with a leadership position.

"I am good at magic, I am not that great of a physical fighter, but I am at least proficient in using a knife."

"What type of magic, are you good at healing magic?"

"I can heal a few scratches but nothing beyond. I am good at using the mist and manipulating the earth. I am not very good at manipulating the other elements yet." Healing magic could have been nice but I still have ambrosia but sometimes having a person who could heal would be better.

"I have a friend who is good at healing," I suggested. I wanted the third member to play the role of a front line fighter but I will feel safer with a healer on our team. I want to take the role of the rogue but I can't since we need a tank. I almost facepalm for ignoring the obvious solution. "We could take on a fourth member, preferable from the Ares cabin."

"Are you sure? Isn't it cursed to have more than three members on a quest?" She asked, unsurely.

'Probably...okay, most likely. Some of us may die, but as long as that someone isn't me or you, I can afford to make that sacrifice.' I thought. There is a chance we will die anyway, it is better to have more fodder to make sure the one dying isn't me.

"Of course not. Having an extra member watching our back will help keep us alive. Don't believe silly things such as that. Jason led 50 people on his quest to retrieve the golden fleece. If anything we don't have enough people." I said placating the girl.

"That makes sense. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you the prophecy.

'Journey west in search of the mother of monsters and her brood.

Eliminate the one who caused the deaths of dozens of your family members .

Be wary for the one you are searching for is never far from his mother.

And though he is unassuming at first glance he is far mightier than what you would expect.'" Iliana said to my disbelief.

"The mother of monsters, you don't mean the wife of Typhon right… The same guy that Zeus fears." I asked. I am probably one of the few people who sacrifice shit to Tyche, so why is my luck so shit.

"Yeah." She said while taking a gulp. "Luckily I don't believe that we should fight her and only one of her children."

"Ah yes. Her children, maybe it is the Ladon, her dragon child with a hundred heads or the Chimera, Nemean Lion or something else."I said bitterly. "Nevermind Ladon is guarding the golden apples for Hera, so that is at least nice to know." I hope to indefinitely borrow a few of the golden apples in a few years to make myself immortal so I know a bit about that.

"Why do you even want to do this quest? Couldn't you have waited a few years?"

"I could but I want to show the camp that the children of Hecate are reliable and make my mother proud." She said with fervour.

'Oh great, a momma's girl.' I thought. "Let me guess your fatal flaw is loyalty or maybe ambition."

"My mother said it was loyalty but I am not sure, I don't have a lot of friends." She said the last part awkwardly and I had to stop myself from letting out an evil cackle. People with the fatal flaw of loyalty are the perfect pawns or as I like to call them 'friends'. My fatal flaw is either greed or envy, so I honestly don't know why a goddess would put her child in my path.

"That's nice I guess, I don't know mine yet," I said acting casual. "I should probably recruit the other members, I will be back in a bit."

~~~

"But I don't want to go on a quest." George tries to deny my request to join the quest.

"Come on it will be fun. Imagine all the girls you will impress and your dad." I tempt the boy. He was a bit of a coward but he was also a simp. Let's see which nature wins out in the end.

After a while of deliberation, he nods his head and says with false bravado. "Fine but just because I have to make sure you don't die."

"Yeah, your healing will be essential."

"Yes, and my sword fighting." This is what I get for trying to praise people.

Wasn't he sad about his combat kills just a day ago and please, mate, I could knock you out with just my voice. Not that I will tell you, my charmspeak I will keep a secret unless in a life or death situation.

It isn't too rare with one of my older siblings being able to charmspeak too but he is a fool to announce that he can hypnotise people if people expect that you can charmspeak it will become weaker and they will watch for signs when they are with you.

"Sure whatever." I dismissed and travelled in search of an Ares camper.

It didn't take me long to find a lone one in the sword training area. Her name was Amelia if I remember correctly. I could recruit a male one, but it is honestly easier controlling females with my powers than males unless they were gay, especially on such short notice.

Amokinesis, the ability to manipulate love and desire was powerful after all and even more so in tandem with charmspeak. Most of my siblings could manipulate love to some extent and they weren't shy about it either.

Do you think most gods care about when their children have been mentally manipulated? If your answer is all of them, then you are wrong. Those that care are in the minority, so that is why I am less afraid but I will still make sure not to make it obvious.

I am not trying it on Illiana since it is clear that Hecate somewhat cares about her and if anyone could sense mental manipulation it would be her. I ignored my musings and focused on my hopeful quest mate.

"Hello there. I was wondering if you could help me with something." I said as I laced my voice with charmspeak.

"What do you need?" She asks curiously. She was around 14 years old, was well-muscled and had red hair.

From an objective point of view, she was good looking, like most children of Ares. I honestly don't know what went wrong with Clarisse because Ares is good looking and I am sure he only sleeps with other good looking people.

"I am going on a quest with two of my friends and I would like it if you were to join," I said as I continued to use just a bit of my charmspeak, I didn't want her to be suspicious if she immediately accepted.

"I am not sure?"

"Come on think about it. My mother would be happy if I didn't die and that means your father would be happy since my mother isn't in a mood. Wouldn't you want to make your father happy?" I said with another subtle dose of charmspeak.

The daughters of Ares fear their father somewhat and usually go out of their way to make him proud. It was contemptuous but it wouldn't stop me from taking advantage of it.

After another bit of hesitation, she accepts. "Fine but I want most of the loot."

"Deal," I said while lying. I put forth my hand for a handshake and as soon as she touched my hand, I used my Amokinesis. With a flex of my will, I sprouted some familial love for me inside her, it will start weak but will gradually increase. We demigods couldn't manipulate love without touch, so it made it more difficult.

We talked for a bit, me informing her about the quest etc. She was more excited by who we were hunting than I was, so I at least didn't have to worry about her being too afraid. I intentionally didn't tell George about the details yet since I know he will pussy out.

~~~

After my night workout session, I returned to the cabin to have my final night of sleep before we left for the quest tomorrow. Just as I was about to enter my bed, I spotted someone sitting on it.

Before I could scold the person I figured to be a sibling, she shapeshifted into the image I first saw in and I instantly recognized her as my mother. "Mother, what a pleasant surprise."

"Sit next to me." She said this and I saw no reason to not, so I sat next to her.

"I see you chose not to charmspeak me again, mother," I said and she only smiled.

"Well, you were much younger and confused last time. Plus I hope you will see that you should have no qualms about using charmspeak my child, it will keep you alive." She said the last part much more seriously. "That is why I have come, I heard you are going on a quest and can't allow you to go with less than adequate equipment."

She said as she took out a bracelet and handed it to me. It was a beautiful silver thing with greek runes carved over it.

"Wow."

"Try it on." She requested and I did. It fit me perfectly. "I may have taken it from my husband's workshop without his permission but I am sure he won't mind."

Wow she stole, I can see how we are related. "Thank you. So I don't have to worry about him smiting me, I feel like I am too young to die."

"No, plus he would hardly remember it from the countless toys he has." She said as I activated the bracelet and a celestial bronze bident game out. It was silver and smaller than I imagined, it was the perfect length for me.

"It will grow with your body size, can change into a wrist bow at a command and will return to your arm in the form of the bracelet if it gets lost." She said and I smiled. Putting myself in her shoes, I easily figured out what she could want in return at this moment. With that, I decided to hug her, one that she returned with more vigour.

"Make sure you make it back alive, Ezra. I will be watching over you." She said as she disappeared.

Foregoing sleep for the moment, I switched to the wrist bow. It had the same aesthetic as the bident but I was disappointed to see that it didn't come with its own arrows, so I would have to carry some with me anyways which was unfortunate since a quiver could only handle a limited amount of arrows. You win some, you lose some I guess.

My mood wasn't ruined though so I immediately went to bed. Looking towards my sleeping siblings, I saw none noticed our mother appearing which I just contributed to godly powers.

A/N: You can read ahead on patreon/DickMcJones. I certainly won't mind the extra money.