Getting Sorted

Chapter - 11

After the introduction session wrapped up, Athena straightened up and addressed the class once again. "Now, we will split you into three groups," she announced. "One group will go with Ares for combat training, one with Hecate for magical instruction, and the remaining group will stay here with me."

She began dividing the students with the precision expected from a teacher. A group of sixty students was assigned to Ares, all of them marching out of the room with barely contained excitement. They were probably itching to prove their strength, eager to test their mettle under the direct supervision of the god of war. Another sixty students were sent to Hecate, heading off in the direction of the magic halls with a sense of purpose. 

I glanced around at those of us who were left. A quick headcount told me that there were only 48 of us. And, surprise, surprise, we were stuck with Athena. But that wasn't the real kicker. Oh no, the universe had a great sense of humor, because when I looked closer, I realized who was in my group: Tiberius, Marcia, Jennifer, Sabina, and Cassia—all the main characters from the story. 

'Seriously?' I thought, my disbelief growing. 'How does this make any sense?' I was literally the lowest-ranked student in the class, and they paired me with the top-tier geniuses. If this was some cosmic joke, it wasn't a funny one. Was it the being that brought me into this world who was screwing with my life? Or maybe the system had its own hand in nudging my fate in a certain direction. Then again, weren't there the Fates in Greek mythology, those three goddesses that controlled the threads of destiny? Maybe they were having a laugh at my expense. 

Sure, I knew the general plot of the novel, a great boon to have, but that didn't make me any more powerful, nor did it give me the raw talent they had. I was the underdog in a story designed to glorify someone else's greatness.

"Each day, your group will have only one class, but it will run for three hours. Group C, the one you're in, will have strategy and tactics lessons with me on Mondays. Tuesdays, you'll be with Hecate for Iridium and magic studies, and Wednesdays will be combat training with Ares."

Athena continued, oblivious to my internal freak-out. "The rest of the week," she continued, "is your own time to train and study. However, be warned, the academy monitors your growth closely. There will be frequent aptitude tests, and failure to meet the academy's standards will result in immediate expulsion."

Her words hung in the air like a grim prophecy. I already knew this, of course. I'd read the novel and knew that in the second and final year classes, the class strength consisted of barely fifty instead of the nearly two hundred in the first year. It was survival of the fittest.

The next three hours were, well, painful. It felt like being back in university, reliving those dull lectures, only with more magical terminology thrown in. Athena spoke with passion, her voice rich and resonant as she explained away. Her words flowed seamlessly, her teaching style masterful, and judging by the intense concentration of the students around me, I could tell they were eating up every word. Tiberius, of course, looked utterly enraptured, as if each sentence she spoke unlocked another level of his brilliance. The others—Marcia, Jennifer, Sabina, and Cassia—were just as focused, their heads nodding in understanding as they jotted down notes on their magically summoned scrolls.

At one point, Athena waved her hand, and a stack of books materialized in front of each of us. I stared at the cover of mine. "The Art of War" it read. Of course, it was probably written by Athena herself. The goddess seemed practically glowing with enthusiasm as she began teaching directly from the book, her eyes alight with wisdom and excitement. 

'Great,' I thought. 'Not only is she brilliant, but she actually likes teaching.'

The next couple of hours were a blur of discussions on battlefield formations, psychological warfare, and how to read your opponent's intent before they even made a move. Athena delved into the importance of analyzing weaknesses, turning your enemies' strengths into liabilities, and outmaneuvering them on and off the battlefield. Her examples were drawn from both mythological wars and historical conflicts, and each story was told with such vivid detail that the room seemed to hold its breath, hanging on her every word.

Me? Not so much. It was like trying to follow an advanced calculus lecture after skipping the entire course. I caught snippets of her lecture here and there, words like "deception," "foresight," and "resource management" making sense, but much of the deeper strategic stuff was way beyond me. I wasn't a warrior, nor was I, a tactician. I was just an average guy trying to survive. 

The rest of the class, though, seemed completely absorbed. Tiberius, especially, kept asking questions, deep and thoughtful ones that made Athena smile with approval. The rest of the top students nodded along as if it all made perfect sense.

Eventually, Athena wrapped up the lecture, her voice still full of energy despite the long hours. "Remember," she said, her eyes sweeping over us, "strength is not just about physical power or magic. It is about the ability to think, to anticipate, and to outsmart your opponent. In the battles ahead, those who are not prepared to use their minds as much as their strength will fall behind. Be vigilant. Be smart."

As the class began to file out, I couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Day one at the Olympian Academy, and it already felt like my soul had been sucked out. And if this was just the start, it was going to be a hell of a long year.