Legend Of Perseus: The Missing Bolt

~Chapter 4~

I burst from the woods, heart pounding, a fierce sense of urgency propelling me forward. Behind me, a monstrous lion gave chase, its hide gleaming like burnished metal. The Nemean lion, a creature of legend feared throughout Greek mythology, bore a furious countenance, its eyes soaked with rage.

As the lion closed in, it let out a deafening roar and lunged, crashing into me with tremendous force. I hit the ground, the impact knocking the wind from my lungs. Instinctively, I kicked the lion off of me "Yeah, I don't think so!" I muttered, adrenaline surging through me.

Swiftly, I sprang to my feet and extended my hand, willing water to respond to my command. A spear of liquid shot forth, poised to strike the lion, but just before impact, the water transformed into chains, ensnaring the beast and pinning it to the ground.

The lion roared in defiance, its powerful muscles straining against the watery restraints. "Ha, gotcha!" I grinned, relishing the thrill of my newfound abilities.

The lion continued to roar, struggling to break free, but my water chains held firm. I focused on the beast, honing in on the rhythm of its blood coursing through its veins. With a clench of my hand, I compelled the blood to spike outward, causing the lion to convulse in pain. Golden dust erupted from its form, leaving behind only its magnificent pelt.

The ability to mimic "Nemean Lion" accquired

Skill "Nigh-Absolute Invulnerability" accquired

Skill "Blood Manipulation" accquired

"Alright, I'm actually surprised it worked," I mused, a triumphant smile gracing my face as I grabbed the lions pelt and threw it over my shoulder as it transformed into a leather jacket. "So with Nigh-Absolute Invulnerabilty my skin has become just as tough as the Nemean Lion, though I could still be injured unlike what the blessing of the Styx gives. Maybe I should go down to the underworld and bath in the river sometime."

Deciding to savor the walk home, I strolled leisurely through the woods. I couldn't resist the temptation to climb a sturdy tree, the thick branch becoming my perch. Sitting there, I basked in the satisfaction of conquering a new height. The view before me was nothing short of breathtaking—the lush green canopy, the bustling life of the forest, and the playful dance of light and shadow.

Birds flitted in and out of the branches, and I inhaled deeply, relishing the earthy scent of the forest. With a grin, I jumped down from the branch, enjoying the satisfying crunch of leaves beneath my feet.

Shouldering my backpack, I broke into a run, dashing up rocks and leaping from tree to tree. Laughter bubbled up as I reveled in the beauty of the fall season and the sensation of the wind against my face. Silence enveloped me as I ran, a tranquil contrast to the energetic rush of my sprint.

As I moved through the forest, my thoughts turned to the events of the past six years. Ever since I was a child, I had trained relentlessly. Each night, I found myself in the same forest where Adias would push me to my limits until I collapsed from exhaustion.

My nightly routine included a rigorous warm-up—100 pushups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 10-kilometer run. Following that, I delved into hours of historical study before practicing with my powers and honing my skills with my sword, spear, and bow. Let me tell you that man pushed me hard. He had one motive to try and kill me through his training and he was close many times.

"I will push you past your limits, boy! I won't go easy on you and will go all out and try and kill you so you better push yourself to survive!" Adias had told me. His words had proven true as he would always start our training with what he called, 'the hunt' where he would try and capture me and kill me.

Over the years, I had pushed myself to the limits, never content with just the basics. I had spent countless hours refining my control, striving for greater speed and power, determined to become as strong as I could. Now I was 10 years old and soon everything was going to begin.

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It was mid-October, and I found myself sitting on a park bench, deep in thought. My mom was going on a date with Paul, alittle manipulation from my side caused them to "per chance" meet up alot earlier than in the books. Like in the series he was a real cool dude. As I was about to leave when a sudden loud squawk broke me from my thinking. I swiftly turned my gaze to the source of the noise and discovered a pitch black bird lying on the grass, its wing bent at an unnatural angle. The bird appeared to be in agony, as it kept trying to get up and was flapping around panicked.

I rose from the bench and approached the wounded creature with cautious steps. As I drew nearer, I realized that the bird looked to be a mix of a raven and a eagle.

"Hold still, little guy," I murmured gently as I reached down to pick up the injured bird.

"Let me go, you stupid human!" the bird squawked, causing me to pause in surprise.

"You can talk?" I asked, my wonder apparent. The bird froze as I carefully placed my hand over its injured wing.

"You can understand me!" the eagle exclaimed with evident excitement.

"Yeah, I guess I can," I replied, still taken aback. I guess I can speak to birds thanks to Zeus. "Now, hold still so I can heal you." With focused intent, I drew the water around me, channeling its power into the eagle's wounded wing. I concentrated on mending the injury, coaxing the bones back into their proper alignment and helping the feathers regrow.

"Mighty winds! My wing is healed!" The eagle squawked with gratitude and amazement as I completed the healing process. I opened my eyes and smiled at the transformed bird.

"Hey, it's no problem at all. I'm glad I could help," I replied, gently placing the bird back on the grass. "Anyway, I've got to go; it's getting late."

"Okay, well, I'm coming with you," the bird declared, taking flight and landing on my shoulder.

"No, you're not. I don't want a pet," I grumbled, my patience waning. "Especially not an eagle. People would go crazy about having the national bird of America as a pet."

"Eagle?" The bird tilted its head, perplexed. "I'm no eagle! I am the son of the mighty Thunder-eagle and the great Raven god!"

"Really, you look like a normal bird to me," I chuckled, intrigued by this unusual encounter. "Regardless, I'm still not keeping you."

"Start walking, Boss!" the bird squawked, ignoring me and pointing a wing toward the city.

"My name is Perseus, not Boss," I retorted.

"Let's go, Boss Perseus!" the bird responded with an air of defiance.

"I said that I'm not keeping you," I protested.

"Yes, you are. You healed me so my life is yours, I now serve you!" the bird declared, his tone unyielding.

"I don't even know your name," I muttered, growing increasingly exasperated.

"Don't have one," the so-called Thunder-raven shrugged, or at least made a motion that resembled a shrug.

"How about Corvus?" I suggested as I began to walk out of the park.

"Hey, you named me, and now we're bonded for life. And by ancient laws or something, naming a magical creature causes them to become your familiar!" Corvus quipped, his tone playful as if he were laughing.

"Yeah, yeah whatever!" I grumbled, not entirely hiding my amusement. As I flicked the birds chest "And can't you just fly? Why are you just sitting on my shoulder?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Boss!" Corvus replied with a mischievous glint in his bright blue eyes. I laughed as I headed home.