Arrival

We kept walking for what felt like hours, we walked in science, our minds on whatever comes ahead of us. I heard some rumbling from the bushes nearby, and I froze. I couldn't tell what it was but I could tell it was otherworldly, and strong. I clicked my pen and motioned for Emma, she nodded and we went closer together. I could feel something coming, we waited until a beast emerged from the bushes, it was a lion in the forepart, a goat in the middle, and a dragon behind. I instantly recognized it from the books I read in history class. It was the chimera.

"Get back!" I barked, "It breathes-" I was cut off as a blast of fire cut the air near my head, I had narrowly avoided the blast.

Everyone was some space away from the beast, all three of the beast's heads were turned towards me, as if they wanted me and only me.

"I can just cut this one up correctly, I don't have to worry about anything?" I asked Emma.

"Yeah, the fire only comes from the lion head, I don't know if the dragon head at the back has any special abilities so just be careful." Emma said.

"Noted, i want to try this beast alone, so don't interfere unless i say so, ok?" I said.

"Are you certain?" Emma asked, "I don't feel comfortable with this."

"I'll be fine, I want to try something out anyway." I replied.

"Have it your way, but if you lose at any point I'm stepping in." She said,

"Fine with me." I replied.

I walked up closer to the monster and clenched my fists, once I did I felt a new found power arise. I clenched my sword with both my hands and waited for the beast to make a move, I could feel the power continue to rise, in the moments before he attacked my sword burst into a deep black and red flame. The beast jumped at me, I slashed from upwards to the dirt and sliced off the lion head before it could burn me, the flames ripping easily through the beast's hide. I was shocked that I had such strength but I remained focused on the task at hand. I watched as the beast wobbled from losing his main head, but just as fast as he did he was back in the action, swiping at me with his front paws, his claws just inches away from me each time. I took a step back and slashed forward in a straight line from right to left, severing the goat head on the shoulder of the body.

I tried to quickly finish it off while it was stunned but the dragon head was a little too quick, dodged my sword strike and latched her fangs into my arm. I could feel something seeping into my body, by the slick feeling of it I could tell it was poison. I collapsed and rolled over, my mind suddenly weak and sleepy.

"Josh!" Emma's voice barked, it was weak and sounded far away.

Then images flashed in my brain of all the things that just happened at the school and how I was about to be foolish again and leave them to fend for themselves. Somehow I was back on my feet and standing in between everyone and the Chimera, my mind clear and ready to fight back.

"Twin swords of darkness: Slashing summer Wind!" I screamed into the sky, as if calling to something that was far away.

When I looked back at the chimera the beast was in shreds, and it began to disintegrate like it was being burned away with fire. I began to slip into unconsciousness, but I knew everyone was safe, at least for the time being. I collapsed in the dirt and fell into unconsciousness, my mind drawing blank, unsure if I would wake up or where I would wake up.

When i Awoke

As I opened my eyes I was staring at bright lights, as if I was in a hospital. I looked around and saw I was in an infirmary, I could see medical supplies around me and tubes coming from my left and right arms. I saw Emma standing nearby, facing a doorway, talking to a man with black hair and beard.

"Umm What happened?" I asked.

Emma whipped around and saw that i was awake, she walked over and patted my head,

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"I feel fine, I just have no idea where I am.." I asked.

"Camp Demi-God, home of the descendants of the Greek gods and goddesses." The man spoke from the doorway.

"At least we made it here safe, but who are you?" I asked.

"You can call me Mr B." He replied, "I'm the camp director."

"Oh, it's nice to meet you, im-" I began to talk but he cut me off.

"Oh I know who you are, Josh, Son of Erebus." He said.

I clenched my fists, "Son of who?" I asked.

"Your father, I know it's a sore subject, but I have to tell you about your father." He said, he began to walk closer.

I finally got a good look at him, he was a tall man with a thin but extremely defined build. I could see his experience in his eyes, they glowed a deep silver.

"Your father is the primordial deity of darkness, Erebus." He said, his voice calm and low.

"He left you in our care, so you will be here and train until I deem you are strong enough to travel back in the outside world." He finished.

"Mr. B, maybe we should let him rest a while?" Emma said, her voice low.

I stood up on the floor, my blood boiling.

"Who do you think you are? Giving me orders is for people who have a death wish!" I snapped.

"Meet me in the arena then, boy. I'll show you who has the right to give you orders."

"Take me there!" I snapped.

He turned and walked out the door, I followed him. Eventually we left a large building, I guess was the main building in this camp. I looked where we were going, and I saw a large colosseum-like building. There was a large barbed wire cage around the top with seats around the edges. I assumed that was the arena.

"Welcome to camp, boy." He replied, his voice sly.

"Take me there already." I retorted.

We walked to the door and he opened it, letting me in first, he followed in after me.

"Pick a weapon." He said, grabbing a small silver dagger.

I grabbed my pen that was in my pocket and clicked it, revealing my sword.

"Let's get this on." I said.

We walked into the center of the arena, our footsteps echoing in the desolate area.

"I'll give you one last chance to back out, I don't think any less of you, son of darkness." He said as he turned around to face me.

Instead of answering I lunged forward, slashing at his midsection. He backed up, my sword cutting air, he kicked it out of my hand and took me to the ground, his forearm placed against my neck, his knee into my chest.

"You lose." He said, slowly rising to his feet.

"Tsk, if you call that a loss." I spat back.

"Now you have to listen to me." He said.

I gave a slight nod, he handed me back my sword.

"Attack me with all you have, including your darkness." He said, helping me to my feet.

I clutched my sword in both hands, swinging it over my right shoulder like a baseball bat, it burst into flames.

"Interesting, your darkness reacts to the imperial gold's effect on your body, it's burning.. Now I want you to channel it into your muscles in your body, can you do that?" He asked, completely interested in my powers.

"Yeah.." I said, my body aching already.

I channeled my power onto my left leg, I pressed it against the stone of the arena, then the stone cracked under the power of my leg. I released my darkness and looked at the ground, I couldn't believe my eyes. I really had this much hidden power, I was in shock.

"This is good, you've already progressed faster than i originally thought, you must have had a lot of experience in fights huh?" He asked.

"Yeah.." My mind began to flash back to all of the times I've beaten down kids who pissed me off.

"Well that's good then, now this might be a bit complex for you but it's something I want to instill early, are you ready?" He asked.

I nodded.

"Good, now I want you to make an exact copy of your sword, using your darkness." He said.

"I can do that?" I asked.

"Yeah, the trick to mastering your abilities is they rely on your brain power alone, they rely on creativity and your reflexes, they also rely on your combat IQ. Since they came from you, they can be considered an extension of yourself, so the faster your body responds the faster your darkness will respond to it." He said, sounding very sure of himself.

"Interesting.. So what you are saying is, the faster I train my body, the faster my dark powers will respond?" I asked.

He nodded, "Now make that sword." He said.

I looked at my sword, the curved edge and the hilt, I closed my eyes and imagined it in my brain. Within moments I felt something form in my hand, I opened my eyes and saw a poor copy sitting in my other palm, the edges looked flimsy and the blade was dull and not at all like my original.

"Interesting, I find it fascinating that you were able to even make something that even remotely resembles the original." Mr. B said, his voice shocked.

"I am too, I didn't even know I could use my power for this." I said.

"My suggestion for you is to come up with your own style, make certain moves that will kill your enemies or do certain things for you. And I'd use your sword skills to be your main form of attack. Enhanced by your darkness, obviously." Mr B said, his voice firm.

"I agree, If i can master this power i can become stronger." I said.

"Yeah, but if I were you I'd master channeling your darkness into your physical body first before you try and master the creation of things." Mr. B replied.

"That was my plan." I said.

"Good, now follow me, you can take the rest of the day off today. Your training starts tomorrow." He said, leaving the arena.

I followed him and we went up into a black cabin, it was built out of some black stone.

"This is the Erebus cabin, since you're the only child of Erebus this is where you'll be staying until I deem you've mastered your powers." He said.

"What happens when I do that?" I asked.

"You'll be put on a three man team and be sent out to slay monsters." He replied.

"So I'll essentially be slaying monsters and gaining fame for no reason?" I asked.

That made him freeze, I could tell he was hiding something from me.

"I'll be level with you, there are monsters who are gaining a following to overthrow the gods… We think that there is one man who is gaining a small following to try and attack Olympus." He said quietly.

"Who knows about this?" I asked.

"You, me, and Emma. That is it." He replied.

"Good, what do you plan to do about this?" I asked.

"I plan to assemble a five person squad to send into the heart of the enemy territory and stop this at its source.." He said.

"If i agree to be the first member of this team will you help me with my training?" I asked.

He nodded, "Why do you want to be a part of this? You only just got here."

"This is now my home, no one tries anything against my home and gets away with it, once I'm strong enough I'm going to destroy any monster who stands in my way.." I said.