I sat on a smooth, weather-worn stone at the edge of the village, watching as Aeolus demonstrated what he had learned. The morning sun cast golden hues over the landscape, illuminating the determination in his movements. He was precise, focused. He had been training diligently, and it showed. Every gust of wind he commanded danced to his will, bending, shifting, swirling like an extension of his own breath.
"Impressive," I said, stroking my beard—a part of the mortal guise I had adopted. To these people, I was merely a traveler, a wise old man with no claim to divinity. A name borrowed from forgotten history. "You've honed your control well, Aeolus."
He exhaled sharply, lowering his hands. "I still have much to learn."
"That is the nature of power," I mused. "It is a journey, not a destination. Tell me, have you ever considered applying for the throne of Zeus?"
Aeolus blinked, staring at me as if I had suddenly sprouted a second head. "Me?" He let out a laugh, shaking his head. "I tried once but I realized that I have no chance against all the gods that would be better."
I studied him carefully. He was strong, capable, but beyond his physical abilities, he had something that many who sought the throne lacked—wisdom. Aeolus did not hunger for power, which made him a rare candidate indeed.
"And if you did have a chance?" I pressed.
He hesitated. "Then I would still say no. I have no interest, and would rather stay here. This is my home."
Before I could respond, a familiar voice interrupted our discussion. "Aeolus!"
His mother approached, carrying a small basket of fruit. She was a woman of gentle beauty, her presence a steady comfort in this quiet village. Her eyes, however, were sharp. She had the keen gaze of a mother who saw beyond mere words and gestures.
"You've been training hard," she noted, setting the basket down beside us. "I brought you boys some fruit and beads!"
"Thank you mother." Aeolus said as he took one of the apples.
"He has done well," I said. "Trying to convince the boy to try his love for the throne of Zeus. I thought that he would do really well. But the boy thinks he would do better staying here."
Aeolus shot me a betrayed look, but I merely raised a brow, unbothered by his dismay. He turned to his mother, shaking his head. "It's nothing. Just a ridiculous idea. I'm not going."
His mother was silent for a long moment. Then, softly, she said, "You should."
Aeolus stared at her as if she had spoken madness. "What? Mother, I—"
"The villagers have been talking," she continued, her voice unwavering. "They believe in you, Aeolus. They see your strength, your heart. You are the only one that doubts yourself, but they believe that you can do it, I believe that you can do it."
His hands curled into fists at his sides. "I don't care what they believe. I am not leaving."
She reached for his hand, holding it gently between her own. "I know you love this village. I know you do not seek power. But perhaps that is why you must go. Those who crave power often destroy it. Those who wield it reluctantly often wield it best."
Aeolus swallowed hard, uncertainty warring in his eyes. He turned to me as if seeking an escape, but I merely nodded. "She is right. And you will not be alone. I will go with you, vouch for you."
He released a slow breath. "You would do that?"
"Of course."
His mother squeezed his hand. "Then go, my son. Make us proud."
Aeolus was silent for a long moment, then finally, he exhaled and nodded. "Alright. I will go."
His mother smiled, and I placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Then let us prepare. The path ahead will not be easy. But neither is it impossible."
<---------------------------->
We stood in the grand throne room of Olympus, the air thick with the scent of ambrosia and the distant crackle of divine power. Aeolus stood in front of me, his back straight but his fingers twitching at his sides, a sure sign of his nervousness. Before us, my family sat on their thrones looking at us in amusement. Poseidon kept grinning as his eyes darted to look between Aeolus and me..
I silently willed them to play along. My siblings met my gaze and, after a moment, agreed with subtle nods.
Hera was the first to speak, after the long silence. "Why have you come to Olympus?"
Aeolus swallowed before answering. "I wish to prove myself worthy of joining the gods. I had heard that you need someone to take the throne of Zeus and I believe that I have what it takes to become an Olympian."
The gods exchanged glances. Poseidon leaned forward, his sea-green eyes moving to me as he cleared his throat. "And who are you?"
Before Aeolus could answer, I stepped forward, speaking in my mortal guise. "I am Leontios, his mentor. I have been training this young man in how to use his powers."
Poseidon nodded slowly. "Interesting."
"If I may ask, Lord and Ladies. Where is Lord Hades, should he not be here?" Aeolus asked, confused.
Athena took this moment to interject, her keen mind already weaving a narrative. "Lord Hades is currently preoccupied with the affairs of the Underworld. However, he has devised four trials to test your worth. You must complete them alone, with no help. So your mentor will stay here."
Aeolus squared his shoulders. "Hold on, I- actually that is fine, I will do anything that is required."
Athena nodded approvingly before listing the first three trials. "First, you must deal with a herd of storm spirits, about 20 stallions are wreaking havoc in the east. Second, you must retrieve Zeus's missing Thunderbolt. And third, you must learn from the things that you have lost." she paused, letting the weight of the words settle, "should you complete these, return back here and you shall be granted the last one."
Aeolus inhaled sharply but nodded as he bowed. "Very well, thank you Lady Athena."
"Good," Hera said, waving him off. "Then go forth and prove yourself."
Aeolus turned to me, hesitation flickering in his eyes. I met his gaze, giving him a brief nod of encouragement. He bowed his head slightly before stepping away, leaving the throne room to begin his trials.
The moment the doors closed behind him, I shed my mortal guise and stretched, relishing the return to my true form. "At last. That mortal body was insufferably tight."
Poseidon chuckled, his trident tapping against the marble floor. "You know I have to say that it is quite hilarious watching you act like a mortal."
Hera eyed me with thinly veiled curiosity. "You truly think he has a chance to complete those quests? I know you had some fun hiding Zeus's thunderbolt."
I smirked as I took my throne, leaning back comfortably. "If I didn't, I wouldn't have bothered bringing him here."
Athena pursed her lips thoughtfully. "We shall see if he is truly capable."
Raising my hand, I summoned a large mirror-like shadow in front of us, the darkness swirling before solidifying into a clear, moving image of Aeolus as he was wrangling a stallion made of storm clouds.
"Wow, he got there pretty fast," Poseidon muttered as his attention was drawn to the image.
"Well, he can fly faster than any bird, and has been training his flight skills for some time." I couldn't help but praise him.
The storm stallion reared up, its hooves striking bolts of lightning into the ground as Aeolus tightened his grip on its mane. The creature bucked violently, trying to shake him off, but Aeolus held on, his muscles straining against the force of the wind. He dug his heels into the dirt, his jaw set in determination as he struggled to bring the beast under control.
"He's strong," Athena noted, her sharp eyes scanning the scene. "But brute strength alone won't be enough to tame them."
Aeolus shifted his weight, moving with the stallion's wild movements rather than against them. He pulled hard, redirecting the spirit's momentum and sending it into a sharp turn. The storm stallion neighed in frustration, its form flickering like thunderclouds in a raging sky. With a final twist, Aeolus threw his weight forward, forcing the creature down onto its front legs, asserting his dominance. The stallion huffed, sparks of electricity still flickering in its eyes, but its resistance weakened.
"He's figuring it out," I murmured, watching closely. Aeolus wasn't just using strength—he was learning how the spirits moved, understanding their nature.
For hours, he repeated the same grueling process with each storm stallion. He was tossed through the air more than once, rolling across the rocky terrain before getting right back up. His hands and arms were covered in burns from the lightning that sparked off their bodies, but he never hesitated. He gritted his teeth, bracing himself, and went at it again. One by one, the storm spirits fell in line, acknowledging him as their master.
Finally, as the sun dipped below the horizon, the last stallion let out a whinny and bowed its head. Aeolus stepped back, his chest rising and falling with exhaustion. The storm had settled. He had won.
"Not bad at all," Poseidon said, a hint of approval in his voice.
I allowed a smirk to form on my lips. "And that was just the first challenge. Let's see how he handles the next one."
<-------------------------------->
A few months had passed, and now Aeolus stood in the center of the grand arena, his posture tense but determined. The sun hung high above Olympus, casting golden rays over the marble stands, where a few of my siblings had gathered to witness the final trial.
I stood opposite him, dressed in a simple black chiton and sandals, my wooden sword resting lazily on my shoulder. Aeolus, gripping his spear tightly, eyed me warily. He had come far—his stance was more refined, his aura more controlled, and yet, there was still hesitation in his movements.
I smirked. "I knew you'd make it this far," I said, twirling my wooden sword absentmindedly. "I never had any doubts."
Aeolus scoffed. "Really? Because that fourth trial was ridiculous."
I laughed, the sound echoing through the arena. "Oh please, it wasn't that hard. You just had to realize what was in front of you the entire time."
He exhaled sharply and rolled his shoulders, shifting into a battle-ready stance. "And now I just have to draw blood? That's it?"
I grinned, pointing my wooden sword at him. "That's it."
He frowned, glancing at the harmless-looking weapon in my hand. "You're using a wooden sword."
"Observant as ever," I teased, adjusting my grip. "Come on, boy, show me what you've learned."
Aeolus didn't hesitate this time. He lunged, spear flashing as it cut through the air toward me. I sidestepped with ease, deflecting the thrust with a flick of my sword. He spun with the momentum, trying to catch me off guard, but I simply stepped back, watching with amusement as his expression twisted in frustration.
"You're holding back," he accused, sliding back to regain his footing.
I raised an eyebrow. "Am I?"
Snarling, Aeolus gripped his spear with both hands and unleashed a burst of wind, sending a surge of air in my direction. I let it wash over me, my feet firmly planted, my stance unshaken.
"You think a little breeze is going to help?" I chuckled.
He didn't respond. Instead, he darted forward again, his movements quicker now, enhanced by the wind that carried him. His spear struck out in rapid succession—left, right, low, high—yet every attack was met with the dull clap of wood against wood as I parried with ease.
Lightning crackled along his arms, arcing down the shaft of his weapon. He slammed the spear into the ground, sending a shockwave through the earth. The marble beneath us cracked, dust rising in plumes. I danced away, unfazed.
"Better," I admitted. "But still not enough."
Aeolus growled, sweat trickling down his forehead as he circled me. He was trying to analyze my movements, searching for an opening. I decided to give him one.
Lowering my sword slightly, I feigned an exposed side. His eyes flickered with determination, and he lunged, thrusting his spear straight toward my ribs. At the last second, I twisted, catching the shaft under my arm and wrenching it free from his grip.
He barely had time to react before I knocked him onto his back with a sweep of my leg.
"You're thinking too much," I told him as he coughed, pushing himself upright. "You hesitate, you analyze, and that's good—but against me, against the gods, overthinking will get you killed."
Aeolus wiped the sweat from his brow. "So what? I'm just supposed to act without thinking?"
I grinned. "No, you're supposed to trust your instincts. And more importantly—" I lunged suddenly, bringing my wooden sword down in a blur. He barely had time to bring his arm up to block it. The impact sent a sharp sting through his forearm, and when he looked down, he saw a thin trickle of golden ichor seeping from a shallow cut.
His eyes widened. "You—"
I tapped the wooden sword against my shoulder. "Looks like you lost."
Aeolus clenched his jaw, frustration and disbelief warring in his expression. But after a moment, his shoulders slumped, and he let out a breathless laugh. "Damn it."
I offered a hand, pulling him to his feet. "You did well. Better than I expected, actually."
He huffed, rubbing his sore arm. "That's not saying much."
I grinned as I threw the wooden sword aside. "Maybe not, but congratulations, you have passed."
"You're kidding right? I couldn't even land a hit on you or make you bleed." He breathed heavily as he leaned against his spear.
"Trust me, you had no chance to make the king of the gods bleed. Train some more because one day you shall be able to stand at Poseidon's and my side as one of the most powerful gods to exist." I offered him my hand as Aeolus looked at it. "Come, it is time that we make you an Olympian."
"You know, I still can't believe that you and Leontios are the same. You know... you suck at training." He laughed as he took my hand.
"Really? Well maybe I should push you harder now that you are going to become an Olympian." I chuckle as Aeolus pales.
"You know what, I think that I misspoke and you were a fantastic teacher." He corrected himself.
The collection of minor gods and Olympians watching the duel stood and clapped as Aeolus bowed as he thanked them all and then thanked me.
He was a good kid... I couldn't wait to see the type of god that he became.