"The long, you're telling me you made your 3rd circle with the spirit formula of a fucking dragon. Sure, as if that was possible. Dimitris, they are extinct."
I wasn't sure of why Merlin was so adamant of the situation, but I honestly couldn't care less.
After all I had been through I just wanted to bathe and sleep on a soft bed.
I removed my golden sweater and just showed my new circle, a green serpentine dragon with waves following him was on my chest.
Merlin's eyes shook, and I dressed up again.
I really need rest, fuck.
I made my way between my men only to be stopped by Eurylochus and co.
"SECOND COMMANDER PLEASE! PLEASE FORGIVE US!"
I held up my hand.
"I'm… sorr-coff coff."
Fuck.
I gave them a fire message saying that I was sorry as well, but I really needed a bath and rest and that we'd talk when I woke up.
They immediately made way for me and I didn't glance back even once when entering Odysseus' cabin.
Of course I had already forgiven him, after my eye had finally opened to what the Damocles household exactly was, I could see the reason behind his actions. But he still needed to understand that consent was mandatory.
I filled the bathtub with water and warmed it up with my flames.
Status
[congratulations on forming your 3rd circle, circle of nature - the Long]
[all magic efficiency improves with the spirit of a long lost dragon.]
[variable stats:
Strength - 35.6
Constitution - 35.9
Agility - 38
Dexterity - 37.2
Intelligence - 39
Archana - 40
General rank - D]
Damn for three months it really is a big jump in strength, I did need 2 other months to get used to my strength, but it was well worth it.
I also had enough time to clear my head and heart. And for that, I was extremely grateful.
Coming out of the bath, I noticed how Odysseus was standing outside of the cabin in front of the door.
Isn't he going to come in?
I hope we the door and there he stood, crying, with dark bags under his eye. A shell of the Odysseus I knew.
Is this enough for what he have done?
I stood still waiting for him to make a move, unsure of how to act.
He didn't take long.
He fell on his knees.
"Dimitris… please… please forgive me. I- I spoke out of place, I shouldn't have done it, but please… I can't, I don't want to lose you."
He continued crying, his eyes bloodshot, yet searching for me.
This is too much, I don't want to become a monster like them.
I lowered myself to his height.
Garden of illusory flowers.
My body, together with Odysseus healed almost immediately.
"This is enough self-inflicted pain."
My captain looked up shocked to find me on my knees as well and healing him.
"Dim…"
"Odysseus, I think it's time to change nickname. I really don't like how it sounds."
He stayed silent, and I proceeded.
"I acted immaturely, I should have just sat you down and discussed things calmly, but I exploded. This however, doesn't take away the fact that you something you should have never done."
"I know, I'm sorry… please."
"Odysseus, stop. I don't need promises. Act on it."
"What should I do?"
"Well, first of all, really change my nickname. After that I'm not sure. Trust is not built in a day, yet it's broken in a moment."
"…"
"Let's get to sleep, there's no need to make a scene anymore."
"You mean…"
"Well, I'm not going to repeat myself, you're free to do whatever you want."
I put on a chiton to sleep and went to bed.
Maybe afraid I'd change my mind, Odysseus was one step behind my every move and laying down near me he didn't even try to move.
This is exhausting. I can't believe I missed my human sheet and he's not even trying to touch me.
"Odysseus. You have 3 seconds to get your shit together and perform as the human sheet you're supposed to be or I'll really throw you out."
As my sentence finished, Odysseus' toned body was all over me, his face deep in my neck, inhaling my scent like he was tasting oxygen for the first time in his life, my body heat exchanging with his. I hugged him tightly.
For the first time in months, I slept peacefully.
_________________________
Refreshed from the peaceful sleep, the morning after, I went to meet Merlin before anything else.
As he opened the door, a little tremble surfaced in his eyes, but he let me in nonetheless.
Sitting at the table and waiting for tea, it was Merlin the first to break conversation.
"So, what happened?"
I looked at him for sometime. Before even answering to anything, I wanted explanations.
"What are you cooking Merlin? There's no way you are trying to emulate King Arthur just for the fun of it."
"…"
"Merlin, if you really are doing it just for fun, I will intervene."
"It's nothing like that! I swear!"
"Then explain."
Exhaling heavily, Merlin started thinking, but when thunder started to rumble he promptly jumped in place.
"Fuck, you and your mother! I know I shouldn't keep secrets and the thing, but I can't exactly tell you everything either!"
I just waited. If he didn't want to talk he should just accept the consequences.
"Fine, I'll tell you something, be satisfied with it. It's Excalibur, it wants to be wielded by him!"
"That's why you've been training him like that?"
"Yes ok?! To hold and to wield are different things! He can't use it with his body that's why I've been giving him special attentions!"
"Merlin, I don't care about special attentions. Never had and never will. I just want the truth. After my training with the Long, I realised I've been living in an intricate web of lies. Now don't get me wrong, I still believe some of my former family values were correct, but I'm aware their methods were… questionable."
"Questionable? Dimitris you've been on the brink of death more times than I could count for training, that's not questionable, it's absolutely despicable!"
"Regardless of what you think, I will recover House Damocles, just… in a correct way."
After some time pondering, Merlin finally asked.
"What do you need from me then?"
"To do your job. Stop teaching me elementary level elemental control. I need real spells. I need the strength to protect my family, even against gods."
"Dimitris, offensive spells from the nature path of magic are dangerous, that's why I'm insisting on elemental control, you saw how your fire lilies are incomparably stronger then elements per se."
He was right, elemental manipulation was nothing but pretty tricks compared to actual spells, but I still needed him to teach me.
"Why don't we start with fire? It's clear my mastery on it is good no?"
The conversation went on for sometime, Merlin wanted me to master the five elements of nature before actually teaching me and for me to focus on my spear while proceeding little at a time, but we compromised on one spell for every element I mastered and only after that he'd begin to properly teach me all his secrets.
I, of course, agreed. That afternoon I would finally be taught an offensive spell, but now it was time to meet my men at the training ground.
____________________
"Let me start with apologising again for my rude behaviour, I shouldn't have thrown any of you out of the ship."
"No Second Commander! We were out of place! Forgive us!"
Confused by my men's behaviour, I decided to run with their antics and asked what they had done wrong.
"We should have never felt pity! After all you've been through, we should have only showed respect!"
Fuck, they know me so well.
"You could teach Odysseus a thing or two. Well, since there are no hard feelings between us, let's start right away!"
That day, my men experienced a beating like never before, my new style and strength confused them all.
It was time for House Damocles to be reborn.
________________________
-Olympian nebula-
In the throne room of the temple, 12 gigantic thrones were disposed in a U shape.
The room, filled with energy, claimed reverence and fear. Then the doors opened and one at a time, the 12 main constellation of the Olympian nebula started to take place.
The room once already filled with energy was now completely trembling under the pressure of the 12 deities, but as soon as the doors were closed once again, all energy dissipated.
A voice downed on everyone.
[object of discussion: annual tournament.]
[please chose:
• 1 champion to joint the tournament along your children,
• the categories they will enter.]
[the tournament will take place in a week.]
[remember: nobody above the rank D is allowed to enter the tournament.]
[category:
•combat
•crafting
•speciality]
"Finally something interesting!"
Ares' voice boomed through the room and everyone rolled their eye.
"Indeed, it will be interesting to watch your pigs loose again in every category." Athena quickly took a jab at him, resulting in a follow up of seemingly unending bickering.
"I think we should focus on what really matters, choosing the categories everyone will participate in." Hera calmly stopped the escalation and brought back everyone on page.
"And since Athena has lost authority over one of her children I will make the decision in her stead."
Everyone nodded, to go against the queen of Olympus was pure madness and absolutely not worth it.
Ares boldly declared that all his children would join the combat and specialty categories, leaving everyone else to start making their calls.
Aphrodite set hers up for crafting and specialty, so did Hephaestus, Dionysus and Demeter.
Joining Ares in his choice were Apollo, Artemis, Hermes, Athena, Poseidon and Zeus.
When all decision were made, all eyes fixated upon Hera, that with a knowing smile started to meet each and everyone of their eyes.
"Hahaha, it seems I'm the center of attention for once, this is refreshing."
She continued to giggle for a second and then declared:
"Odysseus will of course join the combat and craft categories."
"I think they want to know about Our son my dear?"
"Oh?"
The smile on Hera widened slightly, but she didn't answer yet.
"I'm curious, are you perhaps afraid of my child? Whatever might have my sweet Dimitris even done to you?"
The air inside the room grew cold, but not everyone showed an offended reaction, far from it.
Most of the constellations in Olympus either didn't care for him or even liked him.
All the malice was coming from Athena, but she kept her mouth shut.
After a few more moments, her decision was made.
"With the authority granted by my husband to create a Demi-god from his ichor, I sign Dimitris Damocles, the defiant, for combat and specialty."
_____________________
-Dimitris' POV-
A few days had passed since my return and things were going splendidly.
The training everyone attended increased in difficulty to a level my men didn't think I could possibly achieve in a few days of absence (for them).
Merlin was teaching me real magic, my relationship with Odysseus was amicable, but he still had to regain my full trust and I had no intention of forgetting it.
On another bright note, my relationship with Hali changed drastically, she realised what she was feeling was admiration more than infatuation and from that point on, our friendship developed quicker than even I could imagine.
Hali and I were having dinner on the new garden at the bow of the ship, a little moment of respite and relax after the exhausting day. When we first started this small tradition, Odysseus was on high alert, but when he noticed our friendly banter and how we basically only about magic and the likes, he quickly calmed down and let us have our moments.
"Hali you should really think about getting a mana breathing technique and start studying magic for good."
"You keep repeating this, but until we fucking reach Delos, there's not much I can do right?"
"Can't you ask your father for a breathing technique at least?"
Hali's mouth hung low.
"Dimitris, those are not things you can just ask, you either receive them from a quest or a master teaches you…"
"Oh, fair enough."
[!attention! In 7 days you'll participate in the Olympian tournament. Your categories are: combat and specialty.]
"The fuck is this?"
"Oh it's already time?"
I stared at Hali with a questioning look.
"Right, every year all demigods of the Olympian nebula compete in a tournament along with some champions, for honour and bullshit."
"Why the fuck should I partake in this foolishness then? I want to get to Delos quickly."
"For honour and bullshit alike, didn't I just tell you?"
"Hali I will beat your ass."
"You wish."
Lightning started to crackle around me and Hali's aura started flowing like water around her. We would have really gone for it if Odysseus didn't interrupt us.
"Have you guys received the news?"
Hali looked at me confused, I just shrugged.
"Are you actually stupid? Every demi-god below Rank D received it."
"I know you would, I just wanted to check if Dimitris did, I can't get a read at his strength."
"…"
Both of them looked at me expecting some kind of explanation.
"Yup, D rank."
"Bastard."
"As expected."