DEMIS (A Clash With Lightning)

6

"You did well today, but you all have a long way to go before you can take on Alexander. Even then, you're going to need extra assistance," Ares said to the group.

"Extra assistance?" Keith asked. "Are we getting another teammate?"

"No. Not only does Alexander have a physical advantage over you, but he also possesses the aegis."

"Wait, what is the aegis?" Josh asked.

Ares shot a stern look at his son for interrupting. "The aegis is the ancient and holy armor of Zeus, crafted by Hephaestus. It contains supernatural powers that enhance his already tremendous abilities," he explained.

"Of course he does," Ban rolled his eyes.

"Do not fret. Hecate and I have been in discussions with Hephaestus about getting each of you your own armor, which belonged to your parents. This will enhance your powers in the same way it did for Alexander," Ares continued. "Unfortunately, the armor you need has been scattered across the Mediterranean Sea."

"Why is it scattered across the sea?" Keith asked in disbelief. "Why do you gods insist on making things so difficult for us?"

"It has been spread across the sea so that Alexander cannot find and destroy it," Hecate snapped. "The gods are not strong enough to guard them properly at the moment. It was not safe to keep in Olympus."

"What does that have to do with us?" Rose asked. "You expect us to go on a wild goose chase around the Mediterranean without any proper training?"

"We will work to unlock a few more aspects of your powers before we send you off; however, we are not given the luxury of time. The most we can give you is three days."

"Three days?" The group exclaimed together. There was simply no way that would be enough time.

"Not only are you severely underprepared, but you have also failed to mention how we are supposed to find the armor in the Mediterranean in the first place!" Jasmine said. "How should we know where to even begin looking?"

"Perhaps if you pathetic, crying bottom feeders would stop interrupting, then you would know," Hecate said, clearly losing her patience. "You will travel the path of Odysseus. Each of your armors is hidden on one of the islands from the famous Odyssey."

"Are you serious?" Jasmine gawked. The path Odysseus was forced to take was brutal and terrifying. Why in the world would they hide the armor there?

"Of course we are," Ares said. "You will need to visit the island of the Cyclops first. That is where you will find Aphrodite's armor. With it, Rose will be able to change her appearance in more ways than one. She can take on the image of anyone within a distance of up to 1,000 miles. She will also be able to change her size—she could shrink to the size of a mouse or even grow to the height of a giant. Of course, we will see how far her abilities can stretch without the armor during your three days of training as well."

"Wow, that sounds amazing," Rose said. Finding out that she could use her powers in a way that wasn't just manipulating others intrigued her. She wanted to be a strong fighter, like Jasmine and Ban.

"Yeah, getting eaten alive by a Cyclops sounds like a great time," Ban scoffed.

Rose shot him a glare. "Obviously, I was talking about the armor."

Ban turned away from her and back towards Ares as she continued to stare at him menacingly.

"Next, you will go to Aeaea, Circe's island," Ares said. "Beware, she is a trickster and enjoys toying with humans. The last time she had human visitors, they were turned into pigs for an entire year. This is where you will find Josh's armor. This will grant him superhuman strength, allowing him to lift 4,000 pounds with ease. It will also give him knowledge of every fighting style in human history."