DEMIS (A Clash With Lightning)

7

"You are too weak," Ares complained.

Josh rolled his eyes at his father's unsolicited input. He had literally just tossed a 200-pound boulder clear over a tree. In what universe was that considered weak? Ares had been breathing down Josh's neck the entire training day, and Josh could feel his patience wearing thin with each passing moment.

"With all due respect, Ares, for having only just started using my powers yesterday, I'd say that was pretty impressive," Josh replied through gritted teeth.

"Hardly," Ares scoffed, crossing his arms. Today, he'd bothered to come down in person rather than watch from his magic circle. Things must have gotten worse. "Your main strength is your power, and yet Alexander is more than ten times as strong as you."

"Maybe you should go help someone else with their training," Josh suggested. "Your constant nagging isn't helping."

"I'm here to push your limits," Ares said, his arms still crossed. "Perhaps you're just lazy."

"Lazy?" Josh scoffed. "I've always worked hard."

"And yet you have nothing to show for it," Ares said, a mocking smile crossing his normally stoic face.

"I have plenty to show! I was top of my class—"

"I care nothing for that human trivial nonsense," Ares interrupted with a dismissive wave. "You have nothing to show for the part of you that truly matters."

Suddenly, Ares was sent flying across the jungle, crashing into the side of the cave where the demigods had been sheltering. Blinking in surprise, he tried to assess what had just happened. Once his vision cleared, he saw Josh charging at him, fury etched on his face. Ares smiled, pleased to have finally provoked his son after hours of needling him.

Ares dodged Josh's next attack, leaping into the safety of a tall tree. "Don't blame me for your shortcomings, son," he taunted.

"Get down here and say that to my face, old man!" Josh shouted from below.

"No, I think I'll stay right here," Ares called back. "Why don't you come up here and prove yourself?"

Before he'd even finished the sentence, Josh was upon him. Ares barely had time to dodge the next flurry of punches before he found himself pinned to the ground. He tried to throw Josh off, but with his powers weakened, Ares realized in shock that his own son was stronger than him.

"Josh!" Rose shouted as she grabbed his arm, trying to pull him off. "He isn't worth it!"

Josh ignored her, lightly pushing her away. Rose groaned and called to the others. "Can I get a little help over here?"

Keith and Jasmine wasted no time scaling the cave wall, helping Rose pull Josh off his father. Rose stared in surprise at Ares' face—bleeding and swollen from Josh's blows.

"Brother..." Rose began, unsure of what to say.

"He had it coming," Josh muttered as Jasmine and Keith held him back. Rose could see the mixture of anger and pain on his face.

"You're right," Ares said, coughing with a smile. "I underestimated you—just like Olympus continues to underestimate all of you. Use your anger against your parents as a weapon when facing Alexander. I feel confident that the world is in good hands with your group."

The others stared, stunned by Ares' unexpected praise, especially Josh. Attacking his father might not have been the best choice, but after enduring a day's worth of insults, he'd reached his limit. And here was his father—praising him for it. The gods truly were a different breed.