Two Paths That Cross

The man carried the unconscious Theos and began searching for where he lived. Soon, some villagers gathered around him, thanking him for slaying the creature. In the distance, Helena spotted the man holding her son and rushed toward him, terrified as she realized Theos was unconscious in his arms.

— What happened? — Helena asked, worried.

— He must have gotten hurt when the minotaur threw him against the wall. He was trying to protect a child… It was a courageous act, — the man explained.

Helena thanked him for what he had done. The man simply nodded, suggesting she take Theos to a doctor, but Helena insisted he would be fine. She thanked him once again and turned to leave. As he watched them go, the man noticed something unusual about both Theos and Helena… but chose to ignore it.

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The next morning, Theos woke up in his room, still a little dizzy, and realized he was home. He got up, went downstairs, and called for his mother. Helena, who was in the kitchen, quickly went to him.

— Are you alright? — she asked.

— Just a little dizzy… but I’m fine, — Theos replied.

— And that hooded man? And the boy I saved, is he okay? — Theos asked, anxious.

Helena reassured him, saying that no one had died in the attack. As for the man, she didn’t know where he had gone.

Determined, Theos went out to search for him. Helena tried to stop him but failed. He asked everyone in the village, but no one had seen anything. Disappointed, Theos went to his usual spot by the sea. As he felt the wind blow, he heard a sound beside him. To his surprise, the man was there.

Theos ran toward him, overjoyed.

— You recovered quickly, kid, — the man said.

— How did you do that? The sword, appearing out of nowhere… and defeating the monster with a single strike! It was amazing!

— It’s a long story, — the man replied, avoiding the question. — But I’m glad to see you’re alright. Now, you can go.

— But how? And why didn’t you use that big sword instead?

— I already told you. It’s a long story.

— Come on, tell me!

The man sighed and finally answered:

— I’m a demigod. That’s why I could create the sword out of nothing. But doing that causes some strain… nothing unusual for me. Satisfied now?

— Whoa! You’re a demigod! Just like Sophia and Icarus! And… which god is your father?

— That doesn’t matter, kid.

— Oh, come on, just tell me!

— No.

Theos insisted so much that the man eventually gave in.

— Ares. I’m the son of Ares. And my name is Kael. Satisfied now?

Theos’s eyes sparkled.

— Son of the god of war?! That explains everything! My friend Sophia is the daughter of the goddess Athena!

— Good for her.

— Yeah… but she’s not here anymore. She went to her mother’s city. As for Icarus… I don’t know.

Suddenly, Theos had an idea.

— You could train me!

Kael’s eyes widened.

— What?!

— Yes! You’re the son of the god of war, you must have fought in many battles! You have so much experience!

Kael stared at the boy’s excitement and finally said:

— Are you an idiot? The answer is no! I won’t train anyone.

But Theos kept insisting, even telling him about the promise he had made to his friends.

— Your promise is none of my concern, — Kael retorted. — Next time, don’t make promises you can’t keep. And even if I agreed… I won’t stay here for long. Just a few more days to make sure there are no more attacks. After that, I’m gone.

Still, Theos didn’t give up. Day after day, he kept insisting, until Kael finally snapped:

— ALRIGHT, THAT’S ENOUGH! You never give up, do you, kid?! Fine! If you want me to train you that badly, I’ll do it. But be warned: I won’t hold back. The training will be brutal, you’ll want to give up, maybe even die. It will be hell, and I won’t go easy on you. So tell me… do you still want this?

Theos, beaming with joy, answered:

— That’s awesome! When do we start? Now?

— …Tomorrow. At dawn. As soon as the sun rises, you better be here. Not a second later. If you don’t show up, I’m leaving. Got it?

— Got it! I’ll be here bright and early! See you tomorrow, teacher!

Overjoyed, Theos ran back home, dreaming of the day he would reunite with Sophia and Icarus.

Kael stood still, muttering to himself:

— Teacher? This kid must be crazy… What have I gotten myself into? But… he’s different. Could it be…? No. I’ll only find out during training… if he even shows up tomorrow.

Kael then sat down, gazing at the sea as the sun set over Kryphos, reflecting on his past and on what awaited him in training with Theos.