The War of the Gods (Book 1)

A Call Home

John
After the poisons classes John went to make a iris message to camp Yggdrasil, it was uncommon for the Norse camp to receive messages in such a foreign way but the person he trusted most found it much easier than by a traditional messenger squirrel. He played with the drachmas in his pocket as he walked to a secluded fountain in New Rome. As he stood in front of the fountain he double checked to make sure no one else was around. When he felt no unwanted eyes were watching he dropped a drachma in the water. "Oh iris, goddess of the Rainbow, please accept my offering and contact Mia Winter of camp Yggdrasil. In the mist of the fountain the image of a girl's dimly lit surprised face was shown. She blinked and her eyes widened into a smile "Oh hey John what brings the sudden call?" She asked. John stared at her for a couple seconds "Are you hiding from everyone so you can take a nap instead of doing camp activities?" He asked with a slight sigh in his voice. Her smile grew bigger "You know your sister really well." She replied. "You're not my sister just because your mom is Hel and my dad is Loki. On top of that everyone there knows you're lazy, I'm pretty sure even the exchange kids know you're lazy as shit." John said face palming. "You're the closest thing I have to call a friend or family though." Mia said staring at him almost blankly as he looked back at the mist, but he knew that was her way of hiding her sadness. He felt a wave of guilt hit him like the cold winds that often woke him up early in the mornings at camp Yggdrasil. He sighed softly "You know I didn't mean it like that, I'm sorry if it came off like that." He said. Mia lowered her head so her bottom lip and lower was buried in a pillow she was sleeping on before "I know things have been kind of awkward here without you around and I've just been getting a bit sad from it. People are trying to be friendly to me but they're obviously scared to spend 'too much time' with me." She said muffled partially from the pillow. "Better than everyone being afraid to even be seen with you or your brothers and sisters." He thought to himself. "Anyway though you called because of the attack at the Brazil conference right?" She asked with some of her happier side showing again. "Ya, how has Ratatoskr and Ullr taken the news?" He asked cautiously. Her eyes trailed off in the distance "You remember when you're dad came by that first time without them knowing until he was gone?" She asked. "Ya ... they were so afraid of what he did they locked down the camp and stopped any quests that were happening in the next month. On top of that kept all children of Loki and Hel under close supervision until they felt nothing detrimental went on." He said shuttering at the memory. Her eyes trained on him with a look of dread "Well now that looks like we were just kids in a time out because we stole." She sighed.
John paused at a thought "So you're being watched now?" He asked looking around the misty image of the dark room she was in. "Yup it's just by Austin that new Tyr child, I guess I'm not seen as that much of a threat. Oh well at least I'm not like the others being followed into the shower." She said with disgust. He gave a sympathetic, yet understanding smile "Just children of the gods of ragnorok as usual huh?" He chuckled. She smiled back "Ya just as usual." She replied. "Keep everyone under control Mia, I'll call again soon." John said. "Will do, just keep yourself safe with the Romans please?" She asked. He nodded as she waved her hand in front of her, the image of Mia dissipated and John was left staring at a normal fountain again. He let out a sigh of relief and turned to leave before anyone found out where he was. He was not very surprised to see Tai leaning against a deserted pastry stand with his normal stupid grin he got when he thought he knew everything. They stared at each other waiting for one of them to make a move. After a patient minute John was done. "If you're going to try to use this to try to have some dirt on me, please by all means he my guest and try." He said as he put his hands in his jacket and started to walk past him. Tai opened his mouth to speak, but before he could John grabbed him by the collar if his shirt and pulled him within whispering distance. "Before you even say 'I'm going to tell Reyna' you already know she's getting real sick of hearing the same accusations of me. We've been here long enough for us both to know she gets angry when people don't believe her judgement, do you want to be on her bad side? On top of that do you want to be on mine? A son of Loki? You see me as such a threat then why don't you do something instead of trying to have Reyna do it for you." John said with disgust as he threw Tai away from him falling on his back. John walked away putting his hands back into his pockets. Outside of the city border he saw Christian talking with the Border god Terminus. "Ah yes I do understand controlling your father's teleportation ability is quite draining for demigods, especially those who aren't that well accustomed to it. However it's good Reyna lets you practice by helping find other demigods and bringing them here!" He heard the limbless statue god say before he noticed John leaving the city limits. "Ah finished with your personal business Jonathon?" Asked the statue with a very obvious wink. John couldn't of kept his messages to his home camp a secret from terminus, apart from the Roman police he was suppose to know everything going on inside the city. John raised an eyebrow "I told you to call me John and you don't need to hide that secret from Christian, she actually believes unlike the other 99% of this camp." He said passing the city line and standing by Christian. Terminus nodded and called for his small assistant Julia. She came quickly from around a corner with John's daggers and pocket knife on her silver plater that held all weapons of those who entered the city. "John is done with his visit Julia. Would you be a dear and give him his armaments back?" Terminus asked. She nodded furiously out of happiness. She handed the daggers and pocket knife to him without the jitters making her bounce like a rubber ball. "Thank you very much Julia." John said with a smile as he put his blades back in there proper pockets. "That's very kind of you Julia, keep up the good work." Christian said enthusiastically as she turned to head to the pavilion with John. "Sooo who'd you call?" Christian asked in her helplessly obvious nosey tone. "The only one I really trust back at my home camp." He answered. "Don't you got all the other children of Loki and Hel though?" Asked Christian looking off in the distant to floating platforms over the fields of mars where the builders were creating the aerial battleground. "You'd think wouldn't you?" John replied. "Oh ya I'd think you'd all just create your own cult of ragnarok children or something." She answered sarcastically. "Honestly that'd probably be much better than what it's really like. It's like we're our own islands of different ideals, we're divided from everyone else at camp and we divided ourselves even more on our own." John said gritting his teeth in anger. Christian turn to face him "Hey hey calm it down there. If it's going to make you pissed then I won't ask." She said with a blank unamused face. "I'll tell you when I'm cooled off, too much going through my head right now." He said. "I understand just keep your anger controlled, you remember what happened last time you just left it unchecked." She said looking toward the pavilion where only a handful of kids had arrived so far. John solemnly nodded. "Anyway can you answer something for me?" He asked as they took a seat at the sixth Cohort table. "Lay it on me John my boy." She said with a little too much excitement. "Her and Mia might just be best friend if they were to meet..." John thought to himself. "Why does Reyna seem to treat Trystan like a best friend, I mean he just got here?" He asked. Christian looked like she was having trouble finding her words. "... hmm well I think you should ask him yourself on the full details, but I can say he's a child of bellona like her so he's her brother so ya I guess you can say family bond is taking over." She said with a awkward shrug. "From children of a war god?" He asked with a chuckle. She gave a smug grin "John fighting in a war doesn't mean you need to give up your humanity just to be a good soldier, they still have emotions like anyone else and right now Trystan is probably feeling the same way we all did when we learned we were in this mythological world with gods as parents. Scared, unsure, and shocked." She said. "Yes yes I see your point just poking fun at the Roman stereotype." He admitted with a smile. "I mean your not entirely wrong, but still." She laughed. Before they could continue a lare came to ask what they'd be having for lunch. They ordered and continued their normal banter until Frank announced that there were fifteen minutes until everyone had to be done and report to the field of Mars for today's war games.