Ch. 6 Dinner with a God

Five minutes later, I was back at the table. Food was spread out like an all you can eat Thanksgiving Day feast which only emphasized my recent realization that I had basically skipped both breakfast and lunch. Needless to say, I was beyond famished. Mom still however insisted that we wait for well as she put it, “the ass hunter”. After an additional five to six minutes he finally came down. This time he was wearing a green camouflage A-shirt with black wrangler khaki cargo pants and boots. In addition, he had somehow managed to give himself a perfect hairline and shape up. The front was partially braided while the back remained puffed out held in place by a red hair band. The thick rugged beard was replaced with a clean and crisp goatee revealing his dimples as he smiled, walking towards us. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed my mother’s expression soften as his eyes met hers from across the room. For a split moment her expression even softened to the point that I swear her cheeks became flushed, then she quickly looked away as if something amusing was happening in the corner. He sat down at the opposite end of the table from me, bowed his head and prayed. I guess I had a puzzled look on my face because afterwards he looked up at me and said, “yes, even gods pray to a higher power, sometimes,” and he started to dig in.

No one said anything for a while after that until the man finally said, “Aaron you’re a demi-god.” Imma what now, I replied? “Aaron you’re a demi-god hybrid or as we’ve come to call your kind, crossbreeds.” Sooo, I’m an illegitimate mutt is what you’re saying,” I answer with a frown. “No, I’m saying you are one part

Greek god, and one part Celtic elf.” So you’re saying that I am not even two of the same species, or in other words I’m a mule. The man exhales in a deep sigh as he lowers his head and says, “Lu help me out here.” My mom responds, “Yeah well I didn’t get any help from you for nineteen years so excuse me if I let you sweat for a while. Besides, you’re the one who interrupted me earlier, and insisted we do this now.” I suppose you’re right he says as he places his napkin on his plate and pushes it to the side. Well then why don’t you ask the questions? Ask me what you want to know. I take a second to think this over. With all the old memories resurfacing by the hour the chronology of certain things from long ago are still a little cloudy, especially in regards to the things of my childhood. Despite everything one recollection, no, one nightmare I remember had a very long and lasting impression on me. It was the nightmare I had had the day before my father,

Thomas, had died. So, I ask them, “Who is Zavron?”

The looks on their faces are that of absolute terror as I watch the pupils in their eyes shrink in extreme surprise, and fear. My mom runs around the table and places her hands on my shoulders. “Aaron where did you hear that name, she asks?” I lie and tell them I don’t remember and that the name was just one of the things that had just come back to me. She turns to Apollo, and says that she is sorry, and that she didn’t realize how dire the situation is. She had no idea that he had already made contact and she was completely none the wiser. I don’t think either of us had anticipated things moving this quickly Apollo tells her as he walks over and puts his hand on her shoulder. Indeed she says before they return to the table holding hands.

I could feel the mood in the air change as the two of them seemed to be in agreement for the first time the whole night, or for them, probably years. I don’t know. Anyway, I waited for them to settle in again and stuffed my face some more, because like I said earlier I was hungry with a capital H. Then after a brief discussion of what it was I supposed to call him, which clearly would not be father due to his years of absence. We settled on the name Ace Hunter. Following this, Mr. Ace Hunter, Apollo, started explaining the reasons for their concern and the dangers that were the cause for our hasty departure. I don’t expect you to call me father after all these years, but it is my hope that by telling you the truth you would at least be able and willing to understand my reason for doing so. Your roots Aaron are unfortunately derived from that of many generations of broken families. At least it is on the Greek side, my side. None of the Greek gods have a very good relationship with their children, immortal or otherwise, the most notable of all of them being the three powerhouses, Poseidon, Hades, and my father Zeus. The last of course is the most famous and prime example of infidelity, and ostracization. Despite being married he still slings it around like he’s not, and has fathered more kids than has been recorded in any single text. The change in his voice spoke volumes about his thoughts on the matter as he continues. You see Aaron, the Greek gods possess a secret that has never been written into the mortal archives, and has only ever been told to young immortal Greek gods in secrecy. So it’s an old secret I comment. No he says, it’s an ancient one, predating the age of the Titans, and even the current pantheon. It is thought that even Ouranos, the father of my father’s father knew of this truth and was the reason behind his decision to devour his own offspring. So it goes, they who share of this royal blood and sew of this divine seed shall be stripped of their immortality and be choked by the weed. In lament terms if I had stayed with you to watch you grow up and teach you and raise you I quite literally would have died. Really, I got to say that’s some defense for leaving I say but how is that even possible? Because you were not born an immortal your essence would feed off mine. You would become the New Greek hunting god, sun god, medicine god, god of music, literature, etc. and I would cease to exist. All this would mean that my duties in this world would fall to you in the best case scenario. What about the worst case, I ask. War, he says in response. What do you mean, I reply? Until you could prove that you had already mastered all of the skills that I embody the power, and knowledge you would receive from me would lay dormant making you an ideal target for my counter parts of the other various myths and legends. Any being who believed themselves to be a better candidate for the essence of Apollo would seek you out. If they succeed where you fail then reality would warp itself to fit them into everything that is the essence, the myth, the legend of Apollo you too would disappear. Well if that is the case then why have children at all. I mean as bad as this may sound I am old enough to know that sometimes you just got to get your rocks off. My mom rolls her eyes and shakes her head at this says, “I told you he was your son Apollo.” With that comment a slight smirk appears on his face as his seriousness softens momentarily.

As true as that may be Aaron there is a power and persistence in love that can‘t be contained it refuses to go away and eventually will have its day of reckoning. Regardless of the precautions you take the moment you agree to, how should I say, tango, fifty percent of the possibilities of zero is gone. In that singular way we are no different than humans. Okay so how many times has that or this happened, the syphoning of power slash war thing? Three times. But I can’t tell you the real names of those gods, or goddesses for that matter? Just speaking their pre-godly name would be an instant red flag and immediately alert the others to where we are because that too is forbidden. Fine, but who would Greek gods be going to war with, other gods? Well yes. As you know there are various mythologies folktales and lore in the world, many are false but not all. The Greek, Egyptian, Norse, Medieval, and their gods the most powerful. In the past we each occupied our own territories which made invading and conquering each other difficult. Our conflicts and skirmishes were limited to that of the humans that worshipped us. Even so, remnants of the lost culture always remained, in some capacity. Why couldn’t you just settle it yourselves like, well, adults? The most ancient of laws prohibits us from crossing the boundaries unless else invited into opposing territory like that of a mortal border. Except in our case they are reinforced by magic of the most terrifying strength. The same thing applies to those of the same genre as well. For this reason in the past we have relied on normal, demigods to accomplish necessary tasks that would otherwise result in civil wars. I see sound like government espionage I said. Where do you think they got from he replied with a grin. Hmmm. Okay, so from what you’ve said so far it sounds like everything has gone to shit. I keep hearing things like normal circumstance, normal demigods, necessary rules and skirmishes, territories, war, boundaries, borders prohibitions, invasions.

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Honestly, it sounds like I’ve been dragged into some Chronicles of Narnia, Final

fantasy type stuff, with a dash of GI-Joe. What does any of this have to do with

me? Why am I here? They both look at each other continuing to hold hands and placing their intertwined fingers on the table purposely for me to see. You are the child of two opposing sides born out of love and not hate. The blood that runs through your veins is the likes of which has never walked this earth before. You’ve been born with gifts that normal mortals would, and will kill for. Certain world powers and organizations will also stop at nothing to acquire genes even remotely similar to yours only to dispose of you later deeming you a threat. Unfortunately, they are not alone in this, immortal gods and beasts alike are not fond of mortals wielding such power and for this reason it was outlawed long ago to mingle with other divine beings outside of their own sect.

You, Aaron are truly unique. There has never been a natural born mixed breed before and there may never be again. This is why we have gone through such lengths to shield you from those who would do you harm. Shield me from who and why, why me? “Well, Aaron, the day you were born in spite of what you might think, was the happiest day in all my centuries. However, it was also the worst because it was on this day, the day of my greatest joy that my greatest fear, no, my greatest nightmare was nearly realized. Zaveron, a tale told only to the primary gods of every generation and every sect. in secret was trying to take hold of you so that he could manifest in this world. His symbol, the omega alpha symbol, was shifting on your backside when you were born. We knew it not then, but the reason for choosing you was because of the fact that you are a hybrid and are therefore able to crossover to any major freely and without supervision. A fact only revealed to us as you got older. We believe the reasoning for this was to use you to release his physical body from the Quantum Realm, a realm whom which the patrons of every sect. banished him to. We tried countless spells to dispel it but none took hold until alas we were forced to do the most barbaric of things. We burned the mark from your skin in hopes that branding you with another would save you from the torment. The sorrowful screams from your mother at the site of her new born child lying motionless before her ran deeper than the darkest banshee’s wale. Outside our friends and allies were in a fierce battle keeping the dragons and the dargonites, humanoid dragon foot soldiers, or dragon took warriors, that had been drawn by the mark at bay. It was chaos. Somehow between that and the bickering of those present about whether or not what we were doing was right or wrong I was able to find a single moment of clarity. Without hesitation I cast the most powerful of recovery could muster at the time, the Nazeran Lazeran, and combined with my seal. The seal of Apollo and the very thing that makes me a god was emblazed upon your burnt flesh smeared with the tears of your mother. Alas, the burn disappeared along with the remnants of the Omega Alpha symbol, but not before we heard his voice. The voice of Zaveron, lord of the dragon gods spoke saying,

“Well done young god, well done indeed, but the concert of dragons will proceed.”

I rubbed the scar on my back, thinking back to the first time I had ever inquired about the origin of the mark. Mom had always told me that I had had an allergic reaction to an ointment given to me as a child when I had chicken pox. The results caused my already irritated skin to not heal properly there. It had made sense at the time but I had always felt it more closely resembled a fraternity brand than your average run of the mill chicken pox scar tissue.

Alas, now I can’t help but wonder how many other lies I’ve been told, I mean finding out your adopted is a big deal. Discovering that you were nearly killed as a child, lied to every step of the way, given magical amnesia, and adopted by my already deceased father, is a Mt. Rushmore sized deal. Still, with much difficulty I continued to listen. Long before the war with the titans before the many battles and great deciding events that gave rise to the current god heads and godhead bound deities, there were the dragons. They came in various sizes and colors and dwelt in every climate imaginable. There was not an environment that they had not adapted to, much like the dinosaurs of man’s fascination. They ruled unchallenged by any creature and some even possessed the powers of nature, the elements themselves no different than us gods. However, unlike the rules and rulers of the various realms and religions of today, the dragons were not limited to any one domain, or territory and thus they existed in every realm and all were united under on king. He is the Dragon Lord of Dragon Lords, Zaveron.

I stand up from the table and start pacing back and forth mumbling, like I’m told I do sometimes when I believe I have a really great idea, only this time there is no excitement involved, just mind boggling anxiousness and a gut wrenching feeling that I know what is coming next in his story.

Nineteen years! Nineteen years!! Nineteen years!!! Pop. Tada, I’m here with a side of “Luke, I am your father,” “oh and did I mention we have a little problem so we need you to clean it up for us, you know since you’re a mortal and all. We kind of need you to deal with some dragons that we managed to piss off eons ago. Dragon lords, dragon gods, demi- gods, elves, magic and talking dogs lie in your future.” All these things I am speaking out loud halfway between a comedic routine, and a mental break down.

I continue my ranting brainstorm until my thoughts finally catch up and I realize what it is I just figured out. Wait a minute. Hold the phone. I look up at them puzzled by my own epiphany. You’re not telling me these things because you expect me to go all Beowulf and slay some evil dragon spawns with my bare hands or something are you? I mean because that would be…Yes, mom says. Excuse me what was that, I reply. I said, yes, my mother replies assertively. However, you are wrong on two accounts. For we don’t just want you to do this, we expect you to. Secondly, of course we wouldn’t send you to single handedly defeat a dragon unaided, unassisted and bare handed, that’s just crazy talk.

Look son, if Zaveron breaks through the quantum wall all mortals will die. The gods of every era, genre, every concept, person, place, thing or thought, and emotion, will be enslaved. The Dragons Will, reign supreme.