The morning after Odysseus' awakening I sent him straight to Merlin for his training with Archana and whatnot, he tried to protest saying he wanted to mediate things with Eurylochus and the others, but I refused him.
"It's not our place to convince them, they are their own person and need to pass judgment without being influenced."
I appreciated his determination,but trust built on influence was not trust at all and could be fatal.
I proceeded with my routine.
The morning workout was extremely silent, but I wasn't bothered, at least they showed up.
While paralysis was in effect, my training had become more and more vicious.
Now carrying weights while walking I started to inflict deep wounds on my body to train my muscles on blocking blood loss. I knew this training was virtually useless given my healing spells, but I needed my body to be able to function in any and all situations. It also double as a mean to be able to control 100% of my own body willingly.
Blood was running out of my body like water, but I didn't give in. Slowly but surely, my muscles were adapting and flexing to block my wounds.
Upon reaching my desired results, I stopped to heal myself and start again.
The training ground was completely covered in my blood by the end of my training.
Hali had both a disgusted and terrified look on her face. Eurylochus and the others thoughts however, were still unknown to me.
I left to eat and came back to an empty training ground.
It seemed nobody wanted to fight with me so I just sat in a lotus position and started cultivating my Archana.
[The Lightning Bringer bestows on you the promised spear.]
"Thank you father."
Checking my internal space, I found a beautiful bident, a 6ft long shaft with a beautiful jade bident on one end. An intricate decoration depicting flowers and lightning run across the shaft, a clear sign to indicate who the owner of this spear was.
I started to circulate my Archana to check the actual strength of my new weapon and was pleasantly surprised. It felt like the spear had been created for my Archana. Lightning started cracking along my weapon, happiness invaded me and I started training like crazy. This was the first gift I had received from my father after being acknowledged for my hard work and nothing could distrupt my glee.
Lightning was running free, with my every move beautiful arcs of destruction were rampant blending with the petals from my [flowery disperse] spell creating and intricate web of annihilation.
I was laughing like a kid on Christmas.
When the training grounds were minutes away from total demolition, the doors sprung open.
I interrupted my dance and looked towards the door where my men were standing out of breath.
"SECOND COMMANDER WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO DESTROY THE SHIP?"
"What are you talking about? I was just testing the full power of my new spear… why are you all out of breath?"
"We were eating breakfast when we heard thunder rumbling and sound or destruction… we run as soon as those started!"
"You weren't trying to avoid me?"
Eurylochus and the others were dumbfounded.
"Why would we? You're our Second Commander."
Was all this a misunderstanding?
"So you want to train together?"
"OF COURSE!"
The sheer decisiveness of my men was almost moving, my smile widened and I put away my spear.
"Well then get your asses in line!"
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Days passed without much trouble, Odysseus was finally able to create his Archana and we started training together under Merlin. Of course he was much more knowledgeable than me when it came to magic, but I was happy with that, it just came to show that he was that talented.
My men hadn't given me a clear answer, but their actions spoke volumes. They trained even harder then before, to the point that during my workout I needed to heal them multiple times.
Days turned into weeks, Odysseus had received a cultivation method from Merlin and was finally entering his journey to understand Archana. The name of his cultivation was strangely familiar to me and when I asked Merlin he just shut me up telling me it was none of my business.
Is he trying to create a King Arthur?
Leaving Merlin's experiments aside, Odysseus had started to join our morning training to get used to the aura aspect of Archana, that's when our men finally realised everything that happened beforehand was because he was awakening his divine blood.
That night we threw a party to celebrate him, food, wine and music were invading the ship and I discovered how Polites was actually extremely talented with the harp.
After a few of his ballads I asked for the instrument, I wanted to also sing a song for Odysseus.
"Are you sure second commander? I've never seen you play?"
"Yes yes! I will sing my favourite song for our captain!"
Maybe It was because I was a little bit dizzy by the alcohol I didn't notice the look of shock on anyone, so I just started to play the tune.
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-Odysseus' POV-
As the celebrations for my awakening took place, my men and Dimitris started to let loose, drinking dancing and singing, we knew Polites was a great musician, but nothing could prepare us for Dimitris performance.
"Coff coff! I will now perform for our captain! I'm sorry you won't be able to understand the song! Just vibe with it!"
What is he planning?
"Merlin can you translate it?"
"Yes. Just… don't cry too much."
The tune began.
At first it felt extremely sad, but then it started to gain tempo, like a rebellion…
"Laaa la la laa"
A sense of urgency starter to creep on me.
As the tune continued he sung of a forbidden love, a story of complete destruction, and although his voice was singing with a nostalgic feeling everyone was feeling oppressed by this unknown song.
They could feel it wasn't something happy, something to celebrate, but his voice was hypnotic and nobody made a sound.
When we all thought the direction of the song was clear, he made a rapid crescendo and broke all his restraints.
"La la laaa la laaaaa!"
Tears started to flow out. When I thought there was no chance for this love story to exist he destroyed that thought again announcing to the world that he was ready to make the impossible possible.
That nothing could stand in his way.
The song ended, Dimitris was laughing happily saying something about how regrettable it is that he can't listen to them anymore and continued to play a few more songs.
Their sound festive, his voice jubilant but the words of those song… were nails straight to the heart. I was glad Merlin was translating only for me.
Time continued to flow and Dimitris finally fell asleep with rosy cheeks and an unshakable smile on his face.
"I'll take him to your room. You need to talk to your men."
Surely looking at Dimitris being carried by someone else was unnerving, but I did need to take care of this situation.
"Everyone. Dimitris told me something some weeks ago, about a question he received. Now, I'm not here to impose my beliefs on you, but I hope you-"
"Captain wait!"
Eurylochus stopped me from continuing, I would normally be angry about such disrespect, but sensing the urgency in his voice I stopped.
"We don't care! Whatever the truth is, whatever has happened we don't care!"
"What do you mean?"
"As I've told the Second Commander before, his answer meant nothing to us, we just wanted to know…"
Then Polites chimed in.
"Even if he is someone completely different, the change came after we won the Trojan war right? In that case, he's someone even more special! Remember in the Arena?!"
And Menelaus finished.
"If our Dimitris is infact Klaus Damocles, that means he shared with all of us training and secrets from his family with all of us, asking nothing in return."
He then looked around to confirm his thoughts.
"You all heard how proud he is when he teaches us the ways of the Damocles, for someone who loves his family so much, to teach complete strangers… it's impossible to not want to follow that man to the end of the world and back if necessary."
I was a little jealous. Everything I knew from his family was something told by Merlin or Zeus, only recently had he said something voluntarily, so I couldn't help but ask.
"What exactly did he say about his family? You seem a little too happy to be talking about the same thing I'm thinking."
They all started talking about diligent training, always strive to be better, killing arrogance but always be prideful, these were all good things, but were merely the tip of the iceberg.
I sat everyone down. That night men who knew no fear, trembled.
Those who didn't know sadness cried and those who didn't know disgust started to feel the need to puke begging me to stop.
But I couldn't. They needed to know what had made Dimitris the man he was today. They needed to know why all his songs had a beautiful mask hiding a thunderstorm of emotions.
That night everyone but Dimitris went to sleep with a heavy heart.
I was well aware it was not my place to tell his story. But maybe, just maybe, with the help of everyone he'd realise he deserved so much more than that facade of a family.
Surely I wasn't expecting to find a spear inches away from my throat.
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-Dimitris' POV-
Fuck I'm not drinking for the rest of my fucking life.
My ears were banging so much I thought someone was willingly clapping metal disks in my face.
Whoever wrote alcohol and whatnot doesn't affect the body of someone using mana and the likes of it, needs punishment.
Already angry for not being able to remember anything about the night just passed, I woke up to an Odysseus suspiciously quiet.
"Why are you quiet? Did you force yourself on me and now you regret it?"
"WHAT?! No! I wouldn't dare…"
"Then why are you so quiet?"
"No reason… I… never mind, let's go work out…"
Things clearly didn't add up. Against my better judgment, I let it slide this once since I was in no mood to fight so early in the morning.
Upon reaching the train ground I was welcomed by a show I'd never expect.
My training maniacs, were all sitting on the ground, with sullen faces and red eye.
"What the fuck is going on here? If you don't feel like training because you drank too much, just get the fuck out and don't waste space."
Everyone was silent but I could feel it. I was used to it. Once again someone was sarring at me with an emotion I didn't want anything to do with.
Pity.
I snapped my finger, a wall of fire erupted from the ground encircling those traitors and connecting them to the exit.
"Everyone but Odysseus, leave immediately. Whatever you hear from outside, don't you dare peak. I will kill whoever tries to spy."
Those bastards didn't wait a second and started running out of the training ground as if their life depended on it, which it did.
Once everyone was out I put out the flames.
My Archana already running at full speed covering my entire body with lightning. Fire was swirling at my feet threatening to explode at every given minute and thorny vines started to sprout from the ground.
"Choose your next word very carefully Odysseus of Itaca. Because I am sure I did fucking nothing to be looked at with pity."
Odysseus started to tell what conversation he had with my men the night before, but when he said my family didn't love me at all and didn't deserve me, something deep within me snapped. I blinked right before his face and punched with all my might sending him flying across the room.
I then blinked again just above him, pressed my foot on his chest and took out my spear already crackling with energy pointing it at his throat.
"Who are you to pass judgment on something you can't understand? Who are you to tell things even I didn't tell you?"
Odysseus stayed silent. He was completely shocked at my reaction.
"I was starting to trust you."
I removed my spear and started to get out, but Odysseus tried again to stop me.
"Don't you dare Captain. I'm not outright killing you because my fate has been bound to yours and I don't know what consequences that action could have."
"Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, be it god, human, devil or angel can speak ill of my family."
"You think you are so high and mighty, that your feelings and intentions can fix everything. Well, you aren't."
"I was really starting to trust you, but you've crossed the line."
Outside of the training grounds Odysseus' crew was waiting at a safe distance. When I came out I looked at them with pure hatred.
"I gave you all the way of the Damocles, yet you are ready to pass judgment. You forgot your hubris."