He dodged out of the way of a sudden swipe of a spear, Edwards grinning face mischievously looking up at him.
Aerion snorted as he parried another sudden thrust, Edward flew forward with incredible speed for his age as his spear stabbed towards Aerions stomach.
Aerion rolled his eyes and closed the distance between the fourteen year old boy and gently pushed the teenager onto the floor.
Edward let out an oomf as he hit the floor below, George laughing uproariously in the background. Edward huffed and stood as he raised his spear, ready to fight again.
"Edward, no more for today" Aerion said as he dissipated the spear and leaned back against a courtyard wall, the sun shining brightly against his face.
"Uncle Aerion I can-" Edward protested but was interrupted by his father.
"Edward, you're not going to beat Aerion like that" he said bluntly as he stared at the boy, the teenager's jaw clenching in response. "You need to try and trick him, lead him into traps, you won't win on might alone" George said with a grin.
George was right, no matter the skill Aerions strength was too beyond the boy to really make a difference, trapping him was his only chance to get a single strike.
Edward was skilled far beyond even his father when he was his age, the boy was a prodigy among prodigy's. But that also gave the teenager quite the streak of arrogance.
It's not all too hard for him to beat his sparring partners even if they're soldiers, the teenager had even beaten George once or twice.
So when Aerion showed up and showed him the difference between them, the teenager was of course not always in the greatest moods.
That explained why the teenager huffed and left in a mood.
George snorted as he eyed the leaving teenager "Kids" he said as he looked back down to the letter in his hands.
Aerion was about to speak but was interrupted by the sudden appearance of Huginn, his fathers black raven.
The bird flew down in a blur, before speaking in its weirdly cocky voice "AllFather wants to see you" he said almost teasingly.
God he hated that bird, Muginn was just as accursedly bad.
"Why?" Aerion grounded out, George watching in slight fascination.
"You've got your first royal order" Huginn said as it snapped its beak in an odd mimicry of laughter.
Aerion blinked, royal order?
The bird flew away quickly, blurring out of view.
God he wanted to kick the bird, just once or twice but Father was more likely to banish him for even looking at it funny.
He's pretty sure his Father loved those birds more than the whole of Asgard itself.
George looked at him, too used to absorbing shocking information. "Right, you're off then?" He asked casually.
Aerion nodded "James, if you would grab Edward" Said George to one of the passing servants of the castle who nodded.
Not long later the boy came down with furrowed brows "What now?" He asked.
"Aerions going back to Asgard, say goodbye" he said casually as he went back to reading the letter in his left hand.
Edward sighed in disappointment "Already?" He asked the God who nodded, the boy's shoulders dropped in disappointment. "Bye Uncle Aerion" he said as he crossed his arms awkwardly.
Aerion couldn't help but feel a stab of disappointment himself, he was enjoying it here.
Aerion smiled "Watch this" he said as he walked into the centre of the courtyard, this'll help cheer the boy or just scare him into oblivion.
"Heimdall, if you would?" He said politely to the sky.
Edwards' eyes narrowed, he had heard of Heimdall in his uncle's stories before. George's eyes however widened in excitement, he hadn't seen this in a while.
The clouds above parted and down struck a bolt of rainbow energy with a roar, the beam completely submerging Aerion hiding him from view.
Edwards eyes widened as he stepped back, winds brutally blowing across the courtyard, the earth seemed to shake as the rainbow lit up the courtyard in a kaleidoscope of vivid colours.
Then silence.
The beam disappeared, Aerion gone with it.
A large rune array burned into the ground below with smoke lightly rising from the array.
Edwards eyes were wide in awe, fear, shock, surprise and every other emotion he could think of.
"Huh?"
—-
He walked towards his Father throne room, lazily dawdling through the castle as he appreciated its golden beauty.
Eventually he did get there, only to see his Father was not on his throne and instead stood, staring up at a large painting on the wall.
A familiar painting, Thor, Loki and Aerion all in their armour, Thors and Loki's helmet were shining whereas his lack of a helmet showcased his platinum hair.
"Was quite the long day" Aerion said to his father, the man smiling at his words.
"Aye, getting Thor and Loki to stop bickering took quite the amount of time, did it not." Odin said as he eyed the painting fondly.
Aerion snorted "Loki kept casting that illusion over Thor's breastplate" he said as he eyed that part of the canvas, the painter had even almost painted the bright green illusioned breastplate during the long process.
"I am proud of you, of all of you" Odin said suddenly causing Aerion to blink, he had to admit that wasn't something you heard out of his fathers mouth all too often.
"Thank you father," Aerion said softly, cautiously.
He coughed as he changed the subject "What was this royal order I heard about?" He asked.
"Royal Duties" Odin said simply as he turned to him, his one eye a bright sky blue. "A dragon has been terrorising the planet Kylo"
Aerion nodded, he didn't know where Kylo was nor even knew it existed "I assume I kill the dragon?" He asked.
Odin nodded "Aye, can't have it escaping into space"
Aerion nodded "It will be done" he said simply with a hint of excitement peeking through, turning around and walking out of the throne room with a pep in his step.
He hasn't had an actual fight in years.