6- Fish Brain Arrives

Aster's training had stretched through spring, the days only just now beginning to heat up. Though the temperature didn't affect him in the slightest.

What did was the thought that his baby sister was out there, most likely being chased by some random pack of hellhounds and he had yet to get permission to retrieve her. Not even the satyrs brought her to camp.

'I guess they just watch and protect most of the time anyway.' He consoled himself, turning his thoughts to another matter. 'Percy should be arriving today, or at least soon by the looks of those storm clouds. And there's the fact that there's no lightning... so unsettling.'

Today was Wednesday, so there was no activity after dinner, meaning that Aster could wait for Percy to arrive and watch his fight with the minotaur.

Finishing the rest of his food, Aster stood from table 4 and walked over to the bonfire. "Where ya going Frosty? Don't wanna hang out with your dear brother Pete today?" A boy said as he walked away.

Aster smirked and flipped him the bird, not saying a word. As he neared the bonfire, Pete said one more thing before turning away. "Now that's just hurtful lil bro." He said in mock pain.

Shaking his head at his brother's antics, Aster threw the rest of his grilled ribs into the fire, muttering a prayer. "Thanks again, cousin. Hope you like it."

Now I'm sure you must be confused as to why he was still thanking Hermes after all these months. See because he knew he wouldn't be able to go to the Roman camp anytime soon, Aster used up one of his free deliveries to send his brother Boris the curved longsword Demeter had made for him. He had sent it along with a small attached notecard, taking the idea from the gods themselves.

-Hey Boris, attached to this note is an Imperial Steel curved longsword that has gone unnamed thus far. It's a gift from our mother. It's a bit complicated, but I'm in another camp far from you so I'm not allowed to make the trip. Oh, and I don't know if you know who Mom is yet, but as a hint: The weapon is one of her symbols.-

-P.S. You better ask Mercury to send me a letter back!-

-Aster Alba.

Returning his plate, Aster went back to the cabin for a change of clothes. He had just completed a long day of practice and was sweaty. Even if the temperature itself doesn't affect him, swinging Frostbite around for hours will still make him work.

Anyway, it didn't take long before he walked out with a fresh camp shirt and black shorts and walked towards the pine tree towering over the camp.

'Percy, Grover, and Sally should be riding over now. Probably still on the road. Might climb Thalia for a bit, keep her company.' Aster thought to himself.

Entering the woods, he approached the massive tree and looked up at its branches, looking for a particularly thick one. Finding one quite easily, he crouched down for a jump.

Just before he did, a pillar of ice sprouted from under his feet, pushing him up just as he jumped, shooting him right up to the branch he was aiming for. Pulling himself up, Aster sat down against the tree's trunk as he dismissed the ice.

He watched from above as the ice faded into mist and drifted away in the wind. "Always cool."

Deciding to take a nap, Aster leaned into the tree to get comfortable before closing his eyes and drifting into a light nap.

'Hopefully, after this, I can go and bring Zoe back here.' He thought, just before he fell asleep.

---

-RUMBLE-

Later that night, the rain had finally begun to fall, drenching the forest below. What was strange was that although one could hear the sound of thunder off in the distance, there were no flashes of light that usually came before them.

-TAP, TAP, TAP-

"Huff, Huff, Come on Percy! Keep running! We're almost safe!" The sounds of a woman yelling woke Aster from his nap in his rain-free perch in the tree.

Looking below him, he saw two people running through the dark forest. 'Percy and Sally... Should I intervene?' He contemplated as he played with Frostbite in his hands.

Aster continued to watch from above as Sally tried to make Percy run for help, only for him to refuse to leave her behind. She didn't get to argue with him as the minotaur appeared from the gloom and snatched her up in the air.

'Should be fine, she's not going to die anyway.' He thought as he saw the minotaur 'crush' her body. Percy, seemingly seeing his mother die in front of his very eyes, rushed the monster to get his revenge.

Seeing this, the beast charged for him at full speed. Luckily, it seemed that Percy had kept his wits about him as he dove to the side.

'I should help him. There's no harm in stepping in right here.' Astsr decided, clicking his pen and jumping down from his perch.

Landing between Percy and the minotaur as it turned to him, Aster flourished Frostbite, crouching into a ready position. "Run kid. Run and don't stop until you see someone." He said, pointing towards camp. Aster didn't pay Percy any more attention, or rather couldn't, as the minotaur charged him.

Aster waited until it was right in front of him before dodging, twirling to his right, and slashing Frostbite behind him. The attack was aimed to take the beast's ankle, but only left a slash in its spot.

"Seems like you've got some thick hide buddy. Why don't we spice this up a bit?" Aster said in a playful tone as the temperature dropped.

In seconds a blizzard had sprouted around him and the beast, coating its hide in ice. Rushing in for another attack, Aster slid just by the minotaur, cleaving its hand off.

The beast was infuriated by the turn of events and charged at Aster again. Trying to pierce him with its horns. Again sliding to the side as if on ice skates, Frostbite flashed through the night sky.

Head stuck in a tree, the minotaur didn't move from his position, seemingly frozen in time. This lasted a few moments before its muscles relaxed and the body fell to the ground, head still stuck in the tree.

Seconds later it started to fade away in golden dust, leaving behind a single horn in its place. Seeing this, Aster sighed before pressing a button on Frostbite's shaft, returning it to pen form.

"It is too easy with a weapon..." he muttered before grabbing the horn. Walking back towards camp, Aster dismissed the blizzard he summoned as well so as not to damage Thalia's tree.

As he neared the camp, he was soon met with an entourage of campers in leather armor. Obviously ready for battle.

Smiling, Aster tossed the horn up in the air and breezed by them, speaking in a relaxed tone. "Took care of it already, how's the kid?"

Sighing, an Ares kid stepped forward, already knowing about his fight and training with Clarisse. "Kid passed out after begging for help. What happened out here?"

Aster sighed before he started walking back to camp, speaking along the way. "Kid and his mom had a run-in with the minotaur. Mom disappeared right when I got there and fought the thing." He said, tossing the horn up again. "Got this horn as a trophy."

"Well come on, I need to talk to Chiron," Aster said, waving them back to camp. "It's time I take a trip to Ohio."