Chapter 4:The Journey begins

Chapter 4: The Journey begins

Jason POV 

"So it's time?" asked Cepheus, his voice while calm, dripped with anticipation, I look back at him and flash a smile.

"Yea, It is!" I said, my voice laced with excitement as I couldn't help but be giddy at the sight. It was finally time to set sail. Sail across ancient Greece and find ancient secrets.

"Oi JASON!" Atalanta screeched from the distance as she threw me a sac of apples for the trip.

"Hurry up and start keeping them! I wanna get that golden Ram fur as fast as I can, hehe!" she said with a laugh as I chuckled at her

"It's a fleece but alright" I said as she groaned at me correcting her grammar, leading me to laugh further at her 

I look around as I see that the whole crew was quite happy, they were excited. Exhilarated even for the quest.

Orpheus was playing music for ladies by the docks, most likely still healing from…. What happened with his wife.

Tiphys was already on the ship, going across it and touching it as sensually as if it was his wedding night with it. Gross.

Idmon was looking toward me with a sullen expression which turnt jolly due to him noticing me….

Idmon….. I will do anything I can to save you from the prophecy.

Euphemus and Erginus chatted as they took in the salty sea breeze. Ah these two are just iconic brothers

Atalanta was jumping around, hauling in luggage from the carts that we were oh so graciously provided by the king himself, hehe. Just the sight makes me want to laugh

Flashback

"My Dear Uncle, as you are aware. I am heading to the Island of Colchis to attain the golden fleece. Shall I inquire you to allow me supplies for the trip?" I asked with my overly polite tone as he looked at me with his as always narrowed eyes

"Well of course….. How much money would you need?" he asked me flatly, his voice dripping with suspicion 

"Of Course…. A small sum of 1000 gold coins would suffice!" I said with a smile as he flinched from the sum's amount

"A-are you sure? Would it not be cumbersome to have a quest?" He asked as I shook my head

"Not at all! It will be exactly as much money I need for this quest!" I said with a large smile as he slumped back a little

It wasn't that much money in retrospect. A ship cost around 6000 drachmas which was silver, while gold pieces were 100 silvers each. So while it was a lot for normal people, for a king it was only a sizable chunk.

He looked at me as his face contorted in anger while I simply stared at him with a smile, as we continued to debate for an hour longer.

Flashback End

I got my 1000 gold pieces just as I had asked, they were loaded in bags on the ship as Food and other such necessities were loaded. I had even bought a new sword, it was a long sword like my previous one but it seemed much more durable at least.

The crew was ready as Idmon, Heracles and Hylas arrived having finished with their business as we were ready to set sail.

I board the ship, it's beautiful Oak under my feet as I run my hand across its edge. The boat was truly a work of art and hardwork. Argus and Athena truly outdid themselves.

The whole crew has boarded as I look toward Lolcus, the city that Aeson….. Jason't father once ruled. 

"ALLLLL ABOARDDDD!" Tiphys yelled out dramatically as the ship was lowered into the water by Argus.

Wait…. Did we forget something? I don't remember sacrificing to any gods before the voyage. Wait let me confirm. 

"Guys, did we sacrifice to Lord Poseidon?" I ask as they all look at me and ask

"No, why?" they asked me as I looked at them with a deadpan, I blinked as I looked at them doing a double take.

"Get the hell off, we need to make a sacrifice before we even TOUCH the water" I said as flatly as I could manage without bursting in panic, we were on the verge of possible DISASTER

"What? Why?" Idas asked as I look at him in the eye

"Did I fucking stutter Idas? Think about it hard and then ask me again why i am sacrificing to the god of the SEA when travelling over SEA" I said, looking at him in the eye as he nodded slowly, bringing his hands up in defensive manner 

"Alright alright! I am sorry! Geez….. I just asked a question" Idas mumbles the last part as I couldn't care less. I don't care if Athena and Hera have my back. I want to… no need to be on the good side of poseidon

If I even accidentally piss him off half as much as Odysseus did. Geez, I don't even want to imagine...

We get off the ship as I quickly make a fire a distance away and sacrifice food in Poseidon's name as I am PRAYING that it's enough for him to like us enough to help our travels.

"Alright, I am done. Let's get going" I said with a monotone expression as the whole crew looked at me with a deadpan as we got onboard again

"So? Are we ready to sail now Cap?" Erginus asked me as I nodded

"Yes. Praying to your dad is important, you know? We could be pulled into a vortex if he doesn't like us" I said flatly as he looks at me confusion

I prepare the sails as the boat finally leaves the port, our adventure beginning as the conversation continues

"My dad?" he asked me in a confused voice as I look at him

"Yea, your dad. Poseidon. God of the Seas? Earthshaker?" I say flatly as It dawned on me, does he not know his dad? 

Wait, does he not know that he and Euphemeus as BROTHERS!?

"M-my father is a GOD!?" Erginus said dramatically, yelling at the revelation

"H-have you never rode a horse?" I asked him, confused at his sheer surprise

"Y-yea?" Erginus said in confusion, not understanding where I was going with this

"Can you TALK to horses?" I ask him as he freezes.

"Y-YES! H-how did you know!? I never told anyone!" he said as his world was flipped upside down

"Dude. Poseidon is also the god of Horses." I said with a deadpan, surprised at how uninformed they were of their own parentage

"H-he is?" Erginus asked as I nod

"Euphemus…. Please tell me that you knew that your father is poseidon" I look at Euphemus, praying that he has a clue

"Well… yea, my mom told me. How do you know this?" Euphemeus asked in his cool and mellow tone as I shrug

"I know more than I should, hey atleast we reunited two brothers" I said as Erginus and Euphemus looked at eachother

"Brother…. Yea. Thanks for that Jason" Erginus said with a smile as Heracles laughed and looked at me

"Well I suppose it makes sense! Do you know of my parents?" he asked as I nodded

"Hm, I don't doubt it. You truly have a gift Jason….." He trailed off in a suspicious manner

Hey, Hey I don't like that look of Heracles. 

Tiphys holds his head in pain as he asked

"T-two people here are son's of a GOD! T-that's insane! Can you all control water and make earthquakes!?" Tiphys asked as Euphemus nodded, while Erginus shrugged

"Well yea, they aren't that big but I can use my abilities in battle" he said as Erginus awkwardly rubbed the back of his head

"I… I don't know, I never tried" he said as I nodded, understanding that he hadn't known of heritage and thus never had the want or need to try

"Still….. It's insane that we have 2 people who are children of gods here…." Cepeheus said as I just look at him

"Literally more than HALF of us are related to a god directly either by blood or influence" I said as they all look at me in confusion

"We are a crew right? So this information shouldn't be too much to share…" I said as they looked a little uneasy, how much did they think I know?

"Erginus and Euphemus are sons of Poseidon, Heracles is the son of Zeus, Orpheus and Idmon are the sons of Apollo." I listed off the names as the whole crew looked at eachother, shocked at the variety of parentage

"Yea, am I right? We also have Atalanta but it isn't exactly parentage" I said as she looks at me confusingly

"What do you mean? I don't think I have a connection to a god" she asked in confusion as I shrugged

"You kinda do, you were saved at birth by a bear who was sent by Artemis. So a small connection is definitely there" I said as she looked at me with widened eyes

"A-are you speaking the truth?" she asked me in confusion as I tilt my head to the side

"Well, I don't have a reason to lie." I said as she looks at the others, confirming that what I had said about them was the truth, she looked down and she looked back up at me and smiled

"Thanks for that one Jason….. I've wanted to know that for a long time" Atalanta said with a soft smile, something I hadn't seen on her face as I shrugged, moving to the prow of the ship as I stared at the sea

"It's the beginning of a long and great adventure you all…. We have so much to do and so much to look forward to. Let's get our glory and plaster ourselves in history!" I exclaim with excitement as the crew regains their vigour and look towards the sea in the same excitement as I did.

'GASP' a large gasp came from a barrel as a man came out of it.... A certain cowardly man

Everyone surrounded him as he backed away to the mast of the ship as I looked him in the eye and simply asked

"Hella Asterion, what brings you here?" I said with a dark tone with my eyes closed. He releases a small noise as I could've been certain he wanted to shed tears their on the spot

"J-just hangin…." he said as his face's colour drained as I pulled him up by the collar

"Yes….. that will be the case for your death if you don't explain why. You. are. Here."Atalanta said in a dark tone, frightening him as his eyes began to well up with tears

Why did a coward like him even choose to come here? He will die if he stays on board

He remained silent as I inwardly sigh, I let him stand on his two feet as I look him into his eyes 

"Look, I know of how this adventure is going to be, I am not doing this because I hate you or have something against you. This adventure isn't something anyone can come on for a reason" I try to explain to him as he looked down like a child whose hand was caught in the cookie jar

"I… I need to prove myself…." He said with a sullen voice as I sigh

"There are many ways to do that my friend, not all of them are meant for you. Sometimes you have to change the path for your own wellbeing" I explained to him, my eyes growing soft, an image from the past coming back all well

'I want to be a doctor!' a young girl said with a bright smile

'I'll be happy as a Dancer!' she said with a forced smile

I shake my thoughts as I look back at him, he was gritting his teeth

"No…. I need to prove myself this way…. This is the only way!" Asterion said as his eyes filled and voice grew louder, Euphemus unsheathed his sword as he brought it to his neck

"You came on board onto our ship without our permission. If the captain wanted, he could've killed you when he found you, yet he didn't. Don't take his mercy for granted and disrespect him" Euphemus said flatly in a dark tone.

Asterion looked at the sword, afraid yet he accepted his fate. He looked at me with resolve as I couldn't help but sigh at the sight

"Fine. Asterion. Welcome onboard as the 11th Argonaut." I said, as he looked at me with wide eyes as the rest of the crew looked me a little questioningly as Euphemeus sheathed his sword

"Is It wise to have him aboard?" Heracles of all people asked me as I look at him and nodded

We both stared at each other as he nodded back

"Alright then, I trust you word then" he said as he turnt back away, staring toward into the distance as I made my way into the cabin to start charting the path

I was stopped on the way by Atalanta, she looked at me seriously as she began the conversation 

"Is it really okay? He is faint of heart…. White livered even. Would he really survive?" Atalanta asked, he chose this path, I can't help but need to give him a chance. Atalanta didn't wish to see needless death like this either it seems. Even if it is seemingly different from the same her who killed her possible suitors in mythology

"He is a warrior, he chose this life and he stands by it. If he ends up dying, it'll be at his own terms." I said flatly as she looked at me and nodded slowly, understanding the weight of his decision and needing to respect his resolve

"I also wanted to ask, how do you know all that you do? It's like you can read us like a book" she said as I chuckled a little at how accurate that was

"I know of things even I can't fathom completely, I simply use the knowledge for the best I think….. Or my own benefit even." I said as she let out a little huff of a laugh as she nodded

"Well yeah, it'd be dumb to not use knowledge like that to your advantage" she said as I nodded, fully knowing the power of such knowledge

"Hey Jason, you are extremely mysterious, you have powers like a demigod, you know of things you shouldn't. Ladies will pounce on a man like ya!" Atalanta said with a laugh as she slapped my back as she walked away while laughing

"T-that was random" I couldn't help but mutter at the scene as I made my way inside the captain's cabin as I took out a map and began charting, a clear path that I wished to follow, almost the same as the myth. The wind's are on my side, let's see where they guide me.

Our first destination? Lemnos and the husband killers.... Well that will be fun....