12 Initiation (1/2)

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For the remainder of their time together before inevitably departing to get some lunch, Chion took the chance to grill the newly acquainted demigod about the finer details he had yet to learn about the Camp.

Normally, he would have just looked around himself, taking in the sights in an attempt to get a picture of what the camp was like, but he opted for the quicker approach. He wasn't in any hurry, and he still planned on looking around, but he wanted to garner some information that he just couldn't get by merely watching.

And he learned quite a lot.

As he learned from Luke, this was a place for demigods, a safe haven for those beings of divine descent. As such, this was a camp heavily devoted to the gods and goddesses of Greek mythology, the said parents of these demigods. The cabins that Chion had seen on his way in were each dedicated to a single god or goddess, and the halfbloods were further divided up from each other into the cabins based on who their all-powerful creator was. A good example Annabeth gave him was the Hermes cabin, otherwise known as Cabin 11, which housed the children of the Messenger God Hermes. It also housed those demigods who hadn't been claimed or for new arrivals such as the white-haired youth himself.

"Claimed?" Chion questioned, having heard the term used before. He slipped another oreo out of its package. "So the gods reach out and tell them? Or tell the campers?"

"In a way," Annabeth replied, eyeing the oreos. "Why are you eating sweets before lunch?"

"I'm in a new place that I've never been in before, surrounded by people I don't know." He followed her out of the Big House as they conversed. The table that had housed Chiron and Mister D was empty. "What if I don't like the food?"

"You'll like the food."

"Maybe, but I have backup snacks in case I dont."

Annabeth stopped walking, pausing at the bottom of the Big House steps. Turning around, her intelligent grey eyes locked onto Chions neon blue ones, causing the oreo munching youth to halt in his tracks.

"What?" Chion asked, trying his best not to talk with his mouth full.

"How're you so calm?" Annabeth just came straight out with the question, as if it had been weighing on her mind. "Are you not scared?"

"Of course I am," was the response, illiciting a surprised reaction from the blonde, as if she was expecting a different answer. "I've been nothing but afraid since I woke up yesterday."

"So, then-"

"Emotions should be controlled and ebbed. Fear is no different." Chion closed his packet of cookies. "I don't know why I'm like this, but don't be fooled. I'm plenty afraid. I doubt that will change any time soon. However, regardless of how I feel, time keeps moving and doesn't care if you're ready. Learned that when running from that bull."

"The Colchis Bull."

"Col- what now?"

Annabethe turned and continued her walk. "The Colchis Bull. It's a bull made by Hephaestus or at least coming from one of his forges."

Chion nodded as he slipped what remained of the oreos into his grey backpack. "Hephaestus being?"

"The God of fire, forges, metalworking."

"Okay-"

"If it isn't the fresh meat."

Chion had had enough problems that day, but the world didn't really seem to give a damn as a squad of three made their appearance. Three rough looking individuals garbed in leather armor, the same ones that the warriors from before had donned to help chase off the Hellhounds. Even without the helmet, Chion was able to recognize the girl in the middle based on her eyes and build. It was the one who had given him the Hellhound tooth, well more like shoved into his hand. Sturdily built, stingy pale brown hair, dark eyes, and a sneer that radiated arrogance and overconfidence.

Based on initial impressions, she seemed like trouble.

"Not now, Clarisse."

"Stow it, Owl Head." Clarisse La Rue shot the blonde a glare. "We're already gonna wreck you in Capture The Flag. Unless you wanna go now."

"Chion Pagos. This is Clarisse La Rue," Annabeth ignored the threat and introduced the two of them. "Daughter of Ares."

"And Ares is?"

"God of War."

".....I can see it."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Clarisse protested, her glare shifting over to Chion. "Got a problem?"

"Not at all."

(("Hot tempered. Easily controlled by emotions.")) Chion took note. (("Maybe she has a reason for approaching that isn't violent? But she has an entourage, and Annabeth had to tell her off."))

"Whatever. It's time for your initiation. It's a sort of tradition that we have here." Clarisses sneered, slamming a clenched hand into the palm of her fist, making it clear what she meant. "There's no escaping it."

(("She wants to fight?")) The youth frowned as he took a defensive stance.

Chion had actually never fought anyone before, or rather, he had no recollection of ever doing so. Up until that point, he had only really battled otherworldly beings that could crush him underfoot or rip him to shreds without the slightest bit of difficulty. In terms of actually fighting another person, Chion wasn't even sure he knew how. He could definitely learn to do so, but it was debatable on whether or not he could spar and win against someone like Clarisse, who seemed to know her way around a bare knuckle brawl. In all honesty, if the tradition was to fight, then the youth was gonna take a very hard pass, especially since he had only just been able to fully relax for the first time since regaining consciousness.

"What's the initiation?"

Clarisse smirked and made her way forward. attempting to grab Chion, her other two tag alongs also making a move. However, the moment the daughter of Ares grabbed onto him, clutching his arm, Chion smacked it away with the palm of his other hand before following it up with a swift elbow strike to the nose. Before the other two could snag him or lock the white-haired youth down, the teen immediately turned around and sprinted away, avoiding them entirely.

"You're just gonna run away!!?" Clarisse clutched her nose, anger in her eyes. "Coward!!"

(("Just picking my battles.")) Chion sidestepped a tackle, one of the Ares members trying to stop him by jumping at him. (("Not gonna stay and get beaten down."))

As far as the young man was concerned, he didn't have to engage them or play along with whatever they had going on. To others, it seemed cowardly. To him, it was even more foolish to clash head-on with someone who had the upper hand, especially standing on their home turf. Battling the Ares offspring wasn't a priority and Chion wasn't going to stand there and get his face kicked in after having just arrived.

He had better things to do.

"You aren't getting away." The sound of the two pursuers was extremely close, as if they were only a few feet behind him, breathing down his neck.

(("Tsk. Their faster than me.")) Chion sprinted towards the dueling ring where he had seen two other campers sparing with wooden swords. (("Probably have more stamina than me. Gonna have to engage them."))

Picking up a wooden sword lying against the ground, giving it a spin. He had never held a sword and it felt rather odd in his hands, but he used it anyways. The two stalkers saw this and immediately sneered before picking up their own weapons, a wooden sword, and a wooden spear with a blunted tip. They looked a lot more confident than Chion did.

Things were about to get ugly very fast.

(("A way out. Gotta even up the odds.")) Multiple plans flashed through the youths mind in under a second as he searched for a chink in the current development. (("I can't seem to catch a break huh."))

"Dang. It takes two of you to beat one of me?" Chion took a stance backing up into the dueling area. "I'm flattered."

Pride exploitation. That was the best course of action. He couldn't run, and he couldn't beat them both with a weapon he literally just picked up. A one on one was the best course, and it seemed to be working as the two children of Ares glanced at each other.

"I wonder what dear old daddy Ares would think of his kids." Chion didn't hold back, laying it on thick. "So pathetic that they have to resort teaming up for one guy. I guess even gods can have useless children."

"Shut UP!!"

The tactic had worked a little too well as the one with the spear came charging in, thrusting the nubbed end towards him with deadly speed. Chion barely had time to sidestep the strike and was immediately hit when the Spearman drew back and lashed out once more, attacking with a speed that was hard to follow. Whack! Whack! Whack! Three more strikes rammed into the amnesiac, driving him backward. The difference in skill was apparent within seconds, especially since the user was wielding a lengthy weapon that prevented Chion from closing the distance. If the sword user was just as good as the spear, then the youth might as well prostrate himself on the ground and beg for forgiveness. He wasn't going to but it was probably the most logical option.

Chion had driven himself into the corner. He would have to get himself out one way or another.

It just wasn't going to be with an apology. They had been the ones to start it.

There were now three viable options.

One. Get good with the sword right then and there, and maybe he could push them back enough to rethink their life decisions. Two. He ran and tried to somehow separate them in the process, then eliminate them one at a time.

Three. He even the playing field with magic.

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