Traveler

"I can't take any of you with me kids. It's dangerous at sea."

A couple of weeks had already gone by. Hali was able to take care of basically all that had to be taken care of and announced her departure.

I honestly thought it to be a little unreasonable and unreasonable to leave her island with a new and type of government without supervising, but at the same time, I was happy she'd come with us.

The problem laid with these kids.

Most of them had complied with the temple and begun creating their paths on their own under the guidance of the adults that volunteered to teach their trade, but…

Little princess Astrea and Apollo's son Xander were hell bent on following me.

"WE DO NOT CARE."

"I can't protect you."

"We will learn! Uncle Eurylochus is already teaching us how to train!"

I turned my head to a running Eurylochus. The bastard was teaching kids the ways of a Damocles without my consent. When I inquired the first time, he just said the kids wanted to work out and my training was the best possible.

I shouldn't have let it slide.

"That is beside the point. You will not be able to awaken mana of Aura until you're 16. It's too dangerous."

"Da- Dimitris… how old do you think we are?"

Was Apollo's son about to call me dad?

"What the… aren't you like 10 years old?"

Xander and Astrea burst out laughing at my answer. It was clear I was far off, but these feeble kids couldn't possibly be much older no?

While the kids were laughing like I was a clown juggling, Odysseus approached me and whispered.

"Astrea will awaken in a few weeks… Xander is not far off, maybe a couple of months."

"What the fuck?"

Curses flew off like the most natural thing possible from my mouth and it was. I was aware, but now I was pissed off.

"Why the fuck do you keep acting cute in front of me if you're basically adults?! Hell, you shouldn't even be asking me!"

"…"

My outburst had an effect, but not one I wanted. It didn't even give me any answer. They just blushed a little, turned to Odysseus with pleading eyes and the traitor didn't even bat an eye.

"You can come with us, but Dimitris sleeps with me."

"Not even once in a while…?"

"No. He's mine."

What the fuck is going on here? Am I being treat like bedding?

"You know what? I'm not even going to question this… arrangement. Just know, once in that ship, you are not my problem."

I turned and left. This entire situation was now beyond my grasp and I just wanted to get ready and sail as soon as possible.

Sure I hadn't been slaking on my training and for the matter, on firm ground, I was able to make better progress than usual. Even sparring felt more satisfying.

However the kids seemed to follow me at any given moment and I couldn't let them see the more "dangerous" side of my training.

If they died trying to imitate me…

Just the thought sent shivers of horror down my spine.

Either way, since my physical training was reduced to sparring and weapon arts, my magical training was the all highlight.

I reached perfect mastery of wood, water and earth element, finally getting on par with my fire prowess and Merling approved of my level teaching me a few new spells. My grimoire was finally looking like a real spells book.

[Rain of ashen bloom - 4th circle of fire/ 5th circle of nature:

Create a rain of petals on a selected area, the petals will burn and transform every they touch into ashes.]

[Trapper Lotus - 4th circle of water/ 5th circle of nature:

A lotus made entirely of thrashing waters grasps your target limiting their movement, ever so slightly disturbing their flow of mana or aura.]

[Shattering vines - 4th circle of wood/ 5th circle of nature:

Rampaging vines grow under your decree relentlessly attacking everything in their path. The vines grow inward thorns to amplify their lacerating power.]

[Ruby rouge rose - 4th circle of crystal/ 5th circle of earth of nature:

Set ruby roses filled with energy on your or your target's chest, these roses will release mana and aura to instantly refill energy reserves. (Capacity: two circles of one core stage)]

Normally I shouldn't be able to use any of these spells since I didn't have the necessary circles, but being filled with only spirit formulas had somewhat strengthened my Archana to be able to support those spells, however the cost was still impressive, that's why I was most grateful for [Ruby rouge rose]

In all my fights, I noticed that I tend to use a lot of spells or none at all. Of course I could find a middle ground, but that was an habit to break and not something I could willingly stop.

There simply was something enthralling about casting spells, feeling the runes bend the will of the world and bring your magic to reality, for someone like me, who lived their entire life as a puppet or in an hospital room, it felt like real life.

I begun humming happily running on the shore.

I didn't put much attention to it beforehand, especially since the moment we landed on any kind of island we were basically thrown into battle. But after resolving the situation here in Delos, I was able to wind down, let a little loose and truly enjoy the beauty of nature.

It also made me realise how fucked up my world is.

No murky waters could be seen anywhere, the night sky was bright with stars and not skyscrapers lights, the air didn't have any impurities, even if that might as well have been an effect of mana. Either way, the state of the world was enchanting and I couldn't, for the love of god, think of a reason someone would put it in danger.

Why were people trying to bring back the king of titans was beyond my comprehension.

"Hello there traveler! Care to listen to my song?"

A young man with golden locks and red blood eyes approached me with his harp.

Is this really… you know what? Let's just feign ignorance.

"I don't have money to pay you wondering bard."

"I accept various ways of payment!"

He winked at me with a sly smile and was ready to begin his song when I interrupted once again.

"I'm not fucking you."

Apollo froze for a moment, but his crystalline laughter echoed soon after.

"Hahahahahaha! I was never rejected without even trying to hit on someone!"

"I'm pretty sure that's not true, but I'm not fucking you either way."

He didn't wait any longer and begun his singing.

It was honestly lucklaster.

You'd think the constellation of music and whatnot would be a divine singer.

The bastard was so out of tune the Odysseus snoring was a way more pleasant melody. I let him do his job either way.

"You're thinking something extremely rude, traveler."

"Well, I'm truly surprised, it's not everyday you meet someone so in love with music they decide to express it regardless of their talent."

I think I'm safe with that, a good way to say he's fucking terrible.

"Wow, I didn't know you had that in you Dimitris."

I guess no more pretenses.

"What do you want more step-brother? I saved your son, you helped me with my fate thingy. We're even and I'd like it to stay that way."

"Well… we can't exactly interfere with the lives of our children until they succeed their quest to demigodhood. He also had a particularly bad childhood, his mortal father run away when…"

I held up my hand.

"You know damn well, Apollo, that your son is yours to bear. And that woman's as well, although I guess she's dead by now."

"Look at you speaking like mother! If I didn't know better I'd say you're truly hers."

My frown was unmasked. This bastard was pushing his luck. Sure I couldn't deny that Xander was growing on me, the boy was a sunshine and listening to what he had gone through wasn't exactly easy on me.

But if he thought making fun of mother was a smart move he was sorely mistaken.

"I'm leaving."

"Dimitris, wait."

"For what? For you to make silly jokes about mother? Or to flaunt about your escapades with married women? Or better again, trying to guilt me into taking care of your son for you?"

He shut up and closed his eyes. It was clear that I hit the nail.

Who said gods were perfect?

Who said gods were the definition of righteousness and whatnot?

These constellations were definitely none of that.

"You're blinded by your power as much as your sister was blinded by prejudice. Might may make right, but whiteout someone to express your might to, what are you?"

I waited for a response, any kind of response, but it was clear none would come.

Gods too have emotions.

They understand what they are doing, they just decide not to care.

In their immortality, what is a lifetime if not a speck of dust?

But for us, that speck of dust is everything we get.

"Apollo. Just say whatever the fuck you came to say. Odysseus has already approved of your son to come with us."

"You don't understand Dimitris, that boy…"

He paused again, we were going nowhere.

But I didn't speak up, if he didn't want to tell, it was his problem, not mine.

I took out my spear and begun my training waiting for Apollo to make up his mind. Whatever he was thinking about seemed serious and for once, I was seeing a constellation humble himself enough to actually think of consequence their actions created.

Only after a couple of hours he decided to finally speak up.

And the conversation was anything but pleasant.

I went back to the ship and into my cabin where Odysseus was studying some engineering books I had bought for him.

"Odysseus. We are departing at dawn."

"Ehi… sure…"

I went ahead and hugged him. I needed to recharge.

The discussion with Apollo had drained me of everything. Only being able to inhale his scent was calming me down.

"Dimitris… what's wrong?"

"We need to reach Itaca as soon as yesterday and… we need to depart immediately after that."

He did ask me anything, he just hugged me tightly and let me stay in his arms for as long as I needed.

After some time I was finally able to clear my mind.

To think just this morning I was thinking of how beautiful this world was.

"Odysseus, after we reach Itaca… we need to go to my home."

"Your home?"

"Yes, my home but in this timeline. It's on the other side of the world."

What Apollo told me was sad beyond belief.

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No more words were exchanged between us after that and that's how I ended up in Odysseus arms thinking of how to prepare a kid to that place.

I just hope Aaron can help somehow…