Setting foot into the greenhouse would always bring a huge sense of fulfilment to me, this time was no different. As I saw the different plants growing everywhere I started casting my spells on a large scale.
Minor blessing of growth.
Mana swirled around me forming the necessary circles on every piece of land I instructed bringing to life my spell. The elements of nature were rejoicing and I with them could feel the happiness all around us. While tending to my garden nothing else mattered, not Hali spellbound by my natural affinity, not Merlin looking at me like a proud uncle nor Odysseus starring daggers at Hali.
Fruits, vegetables and flowers of all kinds were responding to my will, growing stronger, healthier. It was exhilarating.
It felt like I was able to really understand these little creatures of nature and started laughing uncontrollably.
With every step I took, spell I casted and laughter I sang, nature was dancing with me.
______________________
-Merlin's POV-
Seeing my disciple interact with nature like a long lost friend and for nature to respond to him so lovingly filled me with pride.
He really is loved by the world, and for him to love it back so easily… marvellous.
"Is he always like this?"
Odysseus voice woke me up from my daydreaming.
"Yes, whenever he's tending to the garden he is able to let go of everything and… he really is happy here."
"When we're back on Itaca I'll build a forest for him."
"That would be lovely."
Then, while still tending to the garden, Dimitris let out a laughter so pure, so genuine it almost moved my heart. Its sound similar to an angelic choir, and even if very subtle, mana and aura were dancing to his tune. Nature itself was exploding with happiness. They were meant to be.
Odysseus, teary, looked at me.
"I've never heard him laugh like that before…"
"Odysseus, answer me this: who is the person who can feel happiness the most?"
"That who has experienced the most suffering…"
"Yes, now leave, that woman wants to create a magic circle and Dimitris needs his master. If you stay he'll be distracted."
"Yes, master. When will we begin?"
"Mhhh you are indeed more respectful than that bastard, but I don't like it, be honest with your feeling. We'll start tomorrow."
"Ok."
"Remember Ody, there's no coming back."
"I know."
_______________________
Once Dimitris had finished his duties with the garden I called him and a barely conscious Hali, still hypnotised by my disciples action.
Can't blame her.
"Flower maniac and sorry excuse of a Demi-goddess come here."
"You know what, I'll take the flower maniac."
"Of course you would, you crazy bastard."
I brought them to the laboratory attached to the room I forced Odysseus to built and make them sit. I told them I would help the girl create her 1st circle, but then she was to leave. My teachings were for Dimitris and Dimitris only.
Focusing on the qualities of her mana to analyse her affinities I was left a little underwhelmed. She had a lot of affinities, basically all of them, but no strong resonance with any of them.
"So, here's the deal, you have affinity to basically anything, but not a strong resonance. What to you wish to create?"
She blushed a little trying to sneak a look at Dimitris who was now experimenting with an astrolabe he said he received from the time fissure and whispering asked.
"What about nature?"
Of course she'd try that.
"I'd advise against it. While nature has great versatility you will be stuck with extremely low level magic."
"But Dimitris… he's so strong…"
"My disciple is somewhat of a special case, he also has affinity ONLY for nature."
"Oh… I want to ask him anyway."
She went and did her thing, but Dimitris dumbly looked my way.
"Why are you even asking? Shouldn't you obviously chose something related to water? There's plenty of water related elements! Make you dad proud no?"
How can he be so blunt, right and uncaring at the same time?
"Oh you're right? But what should I chose?"
At that point Dimitris didn't even try to hide his exasperation. He wanted to play with his new toy and it was written all over his face.
"For fuck sake Hali. Water is more of a defensive element related to healing and stuff, ice is more offensive for what I know and fog, well you said stealth is for the weak so fuck fog up no? Make your own choice, I don't want such responsibility."
"Oh? You offended my disciple's specialty? No surprise he's so rude with you."
"I ALREADY SAID I'M SORRY, IT'S BECAUSE OF MY UPBRINGING!"
"…"
"…"
I couldn't take it anymore, I needed this girl gone to talk with Dimitris so I just chose for her.
"Let's go with water, you'll be able to create ice spells with derivative magic if you find a good master."
"Ok… can't you teach me?"
"Girl don't push it. I'm not flat out refusing you only because your home island is a place Dimitris and I needed to reach anyway."
At that, Dimitris' ears perked up.
"What's the island?"
"Delos."
"Ohhh, thank goodness."
I then proceeded to help the little girl create her circle and sent her straight away.
Signing to my rude ass disciple to sit I snatched away his new toy and told him to focus.
"Wait! That astrolabe is draconic!"
Then he took out a chain and a set of potions.
"Can you also appraise this when you're free?"
"For fuck sake Dimitris. Focus, this is important."
"Yes master."
Good.
"Now, as you know, since you became a Demi-god you will be able to use both aura and mana. That is if you don't have someone extremely skilled like me to teach you."
Before he could comment or anything I proceeded to explain.
"Something nobody teaches mortals is that if you create both a circle and a core, you will reach a plateau just above the mortal realm making it impossible for you to grow stronger. That would be the S rank. Now since I know the right ways you won't need to care about such difficulties."
Reading his mind on to why I didn't tell anything to Hali I proceeded.
"She is not my disciple, plus regular kin of the gods have other ways around this, but you don't. You were not created with sperm of ovaries of a god, you quite literally absorbed ichor from the heart of the GodKing. The path Demi-gods use are closed for you. Thankfully."
"Okay, so… since I absorbed Father's blood, what am I to do?"
Father?
"Dimitris… did you call Zeus father?"
He lowered his eye and slowly muttered.
"It's just… do you know what my biological father looks like?"
"No, why does it matter?"
"Merlin… they are identical, I'm not just talking about appearances, I'm talking about their essence. Father IS the patriarch of House Damocles. If not it doesn't make sense."
"Mhhh, let's leave it at that for now. Thankfully your father is the perfect example for you. He is a spearman and a great mage."
"What? Astrape is a spear?"
"Of course it is, what did you think?"
"I was honestly convinced it was pure lightning."
Laughing a little at my disciple's innocence I was about to make fun of him when his father interrupted my fun.
[stop mumbling and teach him Archana. I need to know if he can support it before giving him my cultivation method.]
[yes yes, be patient.]
"Now, where were we… ah yes, to avoid the plateau. Have you already tried to train your aura and use it on you weapon?"
"…"
"Dimitris?"
"I honestly don't like it, aura feels sticky and violent, I use mana to coat my spear in combat, it's difficult, extremely so, but it feels right."
Thunder echoed everywhere. I was also speechless. He was already aware of the consistency of aura and unconsciously prepared for the use of Archana.
[I KNEW MY SON WAS TALENTED, BUT THIS IS COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED.]
I didn't know how to answer, I was truthfully gobsmacked.
"Have I done something wrong master?"
"No, quite the contrary. Mana and Aura are to extremely different energies, that's why mortals can't tolerate both in their body, but you were already using mana as if it was aura before unlocking it, that was a great preparation."
"So if not a core what should I do? Link somehow my aura to my mana?"
This man is a genius.
"Almost. You will keep proceeding with your circle creation, but we'll now make you an Archana user."
Dimitris simply waited in silence.
"Archana is the perfect amalgamation between aura and mana, it holds the strength of aura yet the gentleness of mana. The apex of energy, but since your mana is already used to act as aura, this will become exponentially easier. You should also be thankful to Avalon. The seven flowers prepared you."
"Thank you."
I then explained the procedure to mix his aura to his mana and finally create Archana.
Dimitris sat in a lotus position and started meditating. Mana was circling through him at unprecedented speed air crackling with tension. The atmosphere full of electricity.
His divine blood was reacting to his will as if it had always belonged to him.
Is Zeus his real father? Maybe in that dimension without mana and the likes of it… could he be his rightful heir?
[he'a doing it, but… had he always been my real son?]
[that body certainly is not… but maybe his soul…]
[Merlin, you know we don't have authority in that dimension.]
[I know, but then why did he recognise you as his patriarch so easily?]
Silence fell between Zeus and I, we barely watched as Dimitris started to mix his aura into his mana. At first the rebound was strong, he coughed out blood, his aura didn't want to be bound to anything, but his will was stronger.
Slowly electricity condensed around him hitting wherever his aura didn't want to move, but after a few attempts he completely changed approach. Lightning dispersed like it never existed and immediately a strong scent of flowers started to emit from him.
He…
[he gave up on dominating his aura… what is he trying to do?]
As if wanting to answer our questions white chrysanthemums started to bloom all around Dimitris, Nature itself was responding to him. It felt like his own existence was the will of nature itself.
Soon enough, his aura started to calm and accept its fate. His mana always gleeful embraced his aura, they blended and started circling through his body, nurturing it and readying it for his future challenges.
Thunder erupted again. It was a clear sign of approval.
Dimitris stayed put meditating, once his now Archana settled down, the chrysanthemums disappeared from existence and he opened his eyes, eyes that from hazel had a new tinge of green in them.
_______________________
-Dimitris' POV-
A new sensation enveloped me, my mana that always seemed so gentle and submissive to my will had finally blended with my just now formed aura that was giving off a strong sense of violence. I was now an Archana user. This energy. This energy felt right. It was gentle yet prideful. Strong, but docile.
It was mine.
[congratulation of forming Archana. Your mana and aura stats have been added to each other.]
I stood up and the world seemed to be slower then before, was this an effect of having Archana in my body?
"I did it master."
"You sure did. I'm proud of you."
[The Lightning Bringer and The ONLY housewife announce they are proud of their child.]
Seeing my master, my Mother and Father expressing their pride for me, shocked me to the core. I started trembling unable to understand how it was possible.
Is this what it feels like to be accepted by your family?
[The Lightning Bringer imprints your soul with the Archana cultivation: Blood of the GodKing.]
What?
"Yes, Archana can't be cultivated like mana, your breath of life cannot help you now. That is Zeus' personal cultivation method. All his sons receive it when creating Archana. It's up to you how much you develop it."
"What will happen to my spell? What about coating my spear?"
"Nothing much will change with your spells, your circles dictate your spells, but they will be a little stronger, barely noticeable. When coating you weapon however, now that's interesting, if you use the blood of the GodKing correctly, when using Archana on weapons, it'll have a strong lightning attribute."
"Astrape…"
"You finally understand."
"Well, now what?"
"Nothing really, let's take a look at your loot."
Merlin started appraising what I brought out before and explained to me things one at a time. All the potions were basic mana replenishment and attribute strengthening potions, I didn't need any of those so I just took the mana potions for Odysseus and said he could do whatever he wanted with the rest. Then came the chain I stole, a mana based artefact, it was possible to engrave spells up to the 3rd circle on each ring of the chain and simply supplying mana would activate it, sadly it didn't work with Archana, so I also took that for Odysseus.
It was finally time for the Draconic astrolabe, the one I was most curious about. I tried to use mana on it before, but nothing happened.
"This actually works with Archana. And interestingly enough, it will give a skill once you fill it with Archana, what skill I don't know."
"Ohhh gimme gimme, let's find out."
I took the astrolabe back and immediately started to pour my Archana into it. I continued for a long time, I was almost depleted when it finally turned into light and entered me.
[congratulation, skill acquired: draconic astrolabe (B, passive)]
[if you can see the stars you can see the way. Upon acquisition, you will always know the direction. This skill will automatically guide you to draconic remains once near enough.]
"So?"
Looking at Merlin I felt the need to joke around and fake an ultra strong skill, but then again, it was useless at this point. The incubus always knew if I was lying.
"It's a fancy compass that only works at night, also if there are draconic remains near it'll guide me there."
"WHAT THE FUCK?!"
That was not the reaction I thought I'd see.