《Elysian Academy- The Queen's Champion》


 A Tired Call Heard

    It was the absence of pain that drew Aaron to waking, luring him on waves of warmth and peace. ''This has to be a dream. My lumpy, worn bed smells of sweat, my room of piss and fear, It is always too warm or too cold, I am always hungry or hurting. This has to be a dream.''All of this came into his mind, drifting on the cold ache of fear.


    And then he opened his eyes, looking about. The room he was in was nice, a mix between a hippie''s house and a nurse''s office. He could see a scale, six beds to his left and soft, soothing, warm daylight oozing from the window just above him. Far as he knew, there was no one there, and yet the all too familiar sensation of eyes on his person filled him with dread.


    However, before he could fixate on that, memories exploded in his heart. Disjointed, distant but still painful.


    "Dad, slamming my head into the table... after choking me. I was so tired, so hungry, I remember... kind of just letting go." Absently, his fingers moved to his throat, the memory of fading oxygen and focus hitting him hard. "How am I alive? I felt my skull cracking..."


    "That is a good question, dearest."Jumping, he turned only to see a lovely lady looking at him as she walked in through the door on the far end of the room. She had a pink pixie cut, and looked maybe thirty. Her general air made her seem kind. "Sorry to startle you, I am Lilac, the School nurse."


    He froze. " School... wait, where am I?"


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    "Elysian Academy, in the Nurse''s Office."


    "Wait, Elysian Academy... the elite boarding school, just outside of Rochester? That''s almost two hours from where I was when... how am I even alive? My Father almost killed me, I am pretty sure he DID kill me."


    The Nurse sighed. Then, to his utter shock, she held out her hand and an orb of red light appeared. "This place, is not like anything you have ever known. It is a school of magic and divinity. To come here, you must be the legacy of a deity, or be of magical blood."


    "There is no way I am magical anything or tied to any Deity."


    "You are now." He frowned, so she continued. "Someone, we do not know whom yet, saved you. A god of great power. You appeared in a swirl of white light, near death. Covered in dirt and blood, someone had buried you alive. That someone, they kept you alive. I am not sure how, be it a spell, a blessing or something else. Then, you appeared in our system, as a student, marked by this deity. You do not have magic, but it can be learned and since you are now... essentially the ward of a deity, you are to taught magic, and accepted into our school. A school designed to honor and empower the gods in this modern world."


    All he could do was nod, looking at her in shock. "I feel... happier, healthier. Whatever you or they did, it healed years of aches. I am better, in a way I never saw possible. So thanks." He smiled at her. "Lilac, can my father ever get ahold of me again?"


    Her eyes went cold. "Never, your documentation says that you were fully emancipated from your family, they will never see you again. Not unless it''s your choice."


    And then, he cried. Fully and without hesitation, sobbing freely. "Free,... I am finally, free."


    The Nurse grabbed his hand, squeezing tight. "Yes, you are... now... I will be summoning a student to take you to your dorm room. Your roommate, actually. He is a very nice young man, Aubrey VanBuren. You are just going to love him."

 Aubrey VanBuren

    When Aubrey opened the door, it was impossible for Aaron to not flush all the way to his toes. The boy was beautiful, with warm brown eyes, strong looking forearms and a slightly receding hairline. He had a sort of blank expression on his face, until he looked at Aaron and then he smiled. Moving from Beautiful, to stunning.


    "Hello." He started, his voice a bit nasally and much deeper than Aaron''s. "Where is Miss Lilac?"


    The woman popped out from her office. "Here, dear. This is Aaron," She said, gesturing to the still flushed boy. "He is our newest student, and he has been through a lot. Please, be gentle as you give him a tour. He is to be your new roommate."


    That made Aubrey''s smile deepen, showing warm creases around his nose, making him all the more adorable. "Nice to meet you, Aaron. Are you ready to go?"


    Aaron stood, walking over with strong strides, pretending to be infinitely more confident than he really was. "I hope so." And they exited the Nurse''s office, exiting out of one building and into the cool, crisp, autumn air. "This place, it''s beautiful."


    Set toward the top of a hill, he could see a vasty lake in the distance crowed by birds. There was a building, two of them, to his right, and many more to the left. Around the Nurse''s office was a set of lush gardens, complete with marigolds and roses and other lovely things. In the distance, he saw other gardens wrapping around the various buildings, fountains of Pegasus, Unicorns and other mythical beasts.


    What made is magical, though, was the actual magic of the white werelights dancing around like fireflies, casting reflections and the sensation of peace. That, and when he looked up he could see the barrier of rainbow sigils and signs casting a powerful protection over the campus. It was the strangest thing, but by looking at those words he actually felt safer, stronger, more assured.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Mentioning this to Aubrey, the boy gaped at him. "I can''t even see that barrier, only powerful witches and certain bloodlines can. You shouldn''t be able to notice it, not at all."


    He shrugged. "Maybe that''s a clue, to whoever saved me.."


    "I guess so. Um, what happened, if you don''t me asking?" The boy asked, his warm olive skin paling.


    "Oh, my dad beat me to near death and someone, a deity saved me."


    The boy nodded, before actually sniffing at him. When he noticed Aaron''s raised brow, he muttered with a blush. "I''m a legacy of Lycaon, the first Werewolf on my Dad''s side. Not all of us have the Wolf gene, so to speak, but I do. My sister might, we aren''t sure as of yet." He shook his head, much like a puppy. "Anyway, I ugh... I can sort of smell you''re aura. I''m still learning what the smells mean but you sort of smell like My grandma. Not old but... maternal, if that makes sense. That Mom smell, warm and soft and strong. It''s a metaphysical smell, not a literal one."


    Aaron nodded, considering. "What gods are real, or here I mean?" He had an idea of his protector, he just need more information.


    "Well mostly the Greeco Roman gods. They are the most well remembered, and gods sort of feed on memory, worship and bloodlines. Because Rome ate Greece, and both spread pretty far, and they recorded damn near everything... they have enough of an anchor to survive. The Norse Gods were really only remembered after they died out,and it used distant resources that were heavily Christianized. There are some other gods around, but honestly few are as well remembered as the Greeks."


    He frowned, looking skyward. "I think I know who saved me, but it makes no sense, given what I know. I''ve been obsessed with Greek Mythology for almost five years. It''s what I know. There is only one being that would have or could have saved me, I just don''t know why." Shaking his head, he turned to Aubrey. "Let''s go onward, I wanna see where the food is, I am actually starving."

 A Mothers Blessing

    Aubrey couldn''t help it, Aaron scared him. The boy''s aura, it left him feeling shaken, unnerved. Not the magical part, which felt like another''s essence had overshadowed it. No, he smelt a catastrophic temper. Like Lighting in his soul, boiling in the shadows. Aaron may have been all smiles, and he spoke like a book, but there was something inside of him that left him startling dangerous. Aubrey wanted to be his friend if no other reason than to stay on his good side.


    To that end, after they crossed the gardens and moved toward the dorms, he took the other boy to the Dinning Hall. "You hungry?"


    Aaron may have been mortal, but his stomach roared like an angry Fury. "A bit."


    Chuckling it off, he led him into the building, warmed and protected by Hestia''s Sacred Hearth, the place was widely considered a safe space for just about everyone. It was hard to be angry or upset or hurt when the air felt like a literal hug. Turning to Aaron, he was about to explain just that to him, when he saw the boy was rubbing his arms nervously.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "It was like walking through cobwebs, walking through those doors. The air, the heat, it feels like someone is watching me." Aaron looked around, eyes wide, fearful. "What is happening to me?"


    Aubrey had no words for a solid minute, before his mind caught up. "I''ve been here for three months, we''ve learned a lot about wards. They are pretty important to us, since they keep this place safe from outsiders. From those that would kill us for being the legacies of the Pagan past, like the Crusaders. But, to be honest, I''ve never heard of someone sense or feeling the wards. Especially not a Goddess ward." he gestured to the Hearth Fire. "That is a blessing from Hestia, it shields us from harm, hate, and sickness. She is always watching, since that is her domain. That you can feel that, it''s a bit odd. You sure you''re a mortal, not even a sorcerer yet?"


    He nodded slowly. "I know both my parents, and their parents. Or well, I knew of them. The only person that MIGHT have been a witch, is my paternal grandmother. She got me into writing, into magic and myths. But she''s been dead since I was five. I barely knew her though, so I can''t confirm anything."


    Aubrey nodded, unsure. "Let''s get you some food. It''s Taco night. Oh and make sure you wait before eating."


    The boy nodded, confused. Soon though they had their food and moved toward the Hearth. "Hestia gets the first and last sacrifices, of every meal. The Hearth is the Sacrificial Flame, it connects us to the Gods." He put in an entire taco. "To Lord Zeus, for sparring my family the madness of most Werewolves."


    Aaron tossed in a steak burrito. "To whoever saved me, I rather like being alive. So thanks for that... but, ugh.... I''d kinda like to know who you are."


    There was a shimmer in the room, the flames shifting to burn marble white for just a moment. In that moment, Aubrey smelled it. "The Flames smell like you, like whoever saved you."


    "I hope they are watching me..."


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    And then people started to all but flood into the Dinning Hall. Like a host of hungry piranha, ready to consume all they touched. Aubrey hurried away. "Let''s get to a place to sit down." As they ate, Aubrey''s nose and ears ached from the various traces of divinity, and teenage sweat. It was gross, but he endured it. Aaron on the other hand started to hold his head, going paler than his alabaster form usually was. "You okay?"


    "My head, it''s like... being squeezed and things are trying to drill in, like a million tiny woodpeckers." He groaned out.


    It was here that the most annoying girl walked into the room. Edith Rose, her eyes fixating on them immediately. She walked over, a dancer and warrior all at once. She was short, but with powerful muscles mixed with girl curves. However, most distinctive was her powerful aura, which eclipsed most of the room, silencing the sounds and smells of the others.


    Which made sense, she was Zeus'' daughter after all.


    "Who is this?" Edith sneered, looking with disgust at Aaron. "I heard a mortal was here, but he''s so ugly."


    The boy cringed, and Aubrey''s heart broke from the raw pain in his eyes. Aaron was not the prettiest but he was really cute. He was tall, and exceptionally pale with a thick frame. His face was round, his eyes a soft blue that was highlighted by hit thick curly black hair. He looked like Santa''s great grandson.


    Turning to the girl, he sneered. "Not all of us can be special, Edith."


    "Quiet Dog, I wasn''t talking to you." She bit out at him.


    "Don''t." They both turned to Aaron, who''s pale face burned with cold fury.


    Edith leaned in. "Don''t what?"


    "Call him a dog and treat him like that." The air actually seemed heavy with the boy''s rage, his aura shifting, growing. And for the first time, Aubrey could taste the divinity in it. Though it was very subtle.


    She sneered back. "A weak, worthless mortal doesn''t get to tell me shit." The boy actually started to glow that same marble white as the flames before, but he was unaware of it. Edith was though, and backed up in fear. "No... she didn''t, wouldn''t... she would never have a demigod..."


    "Yes, I would." The air rippled, the floor trembling with power. Divine power, true and purposeful. They all turned, every students, and saw a woman form out of what looked like a ripple of heat. "He is my son, Edith Rose... my first and only Demigod." The woman was dressed in a marble white pantsuit, her strong frame visible. She had warm brown eyes, and soft curly black hair that fell in elegant waves.


    Aaron gaped at her. " Are you the one that saved me?"


    She nodded, walking over to him and kneeling. "Yes, dear one. I am. I saved you." She brushed his hair aside with her hand, smiling with the love of all mothers. Made Aubrey tear up, so moved by the simple expression. "Your father was a fool, not just a monster. He buried you in a garden planted by my sister. I was visiting her, when we found you... you were too hurt to survive a hospital. I was unable to not read your mind, see into your soul.


    Such a mind, such a strong intelligence, a good heart, and a drive to be loyal. You despise disloyalty, and you have the heart of a survivor. I knew I had to save you, so I allowed my powers to bleed into you. I claimed you as my kin, and with my powers entering you, you started to heal. It took much of my power to restore you. With us connected, and your body restored, I sent you here.


    However, for the bond to be complete, for you to inherit my power fully and become a Demigod in full, you need to claim me in return. As your Mother. Do so and I-IGH!"


    Everyone gasped as Aaron threw himself into her arms. "Thank you, thank you, thank you. No one has ever, ever cared for me. Of course you can be my MOM!"


    She laughed, leaning back. "Then I, Hera, Queen of Olympus, Goddess of Motherhood, Marriage, Women and the Starry Skies of Heavens... herby accept you as my son. Always and forever."


    There was a rush of power, Aaron seemed to drink it in, his skin gaining warmth, light and power.


    And everyone started to kneel, finally over their shock of the Queen of the Gods being present and adopting a human boy. Something that had never happened in the history of forever.

 Welcome Home

    It took Aaron a solid moment to pull back from his new mother''s arms, the impulse to embrace his savior a bit muted. "Wait, I thought you hated heroes,  or people born out of wedlock. I was."


    She sighed, petting his hair. "Much has changed over the eons, my perspective being one of them. Time and circumstances allow for the greatest of development, even for gods. To maintain my existence, I had to learn. To grow. I rather appreciate the person that I am now."


    As she stood, he could not help but ask. "Are you why I can see the barrier over the campus?"


    "Yes, actually I am. I have sway over territory and the earth, you can see the boundaries of this territory, marked by the barrier. And the migraine you were getting earlier, it was from one of the other powers you can inherit as my son. I am the Goddess of Marriage, bonds and emotions are under my sway and now under yours. To be honest, though, I am not sure of your other powers. I''ve never had a demigod before, you are going to have to discover what you inherited on your own." She kissed his brow once. "I will see you later, my son,.. never think you are alone for I am always with you. Welcome Home. "


    And then she was gone, vanishing in a swirl of white light.


    The Legacies of the Pagan past, all looked at him with shock for a long moment, before they started to mill about nervously. Except for Edith Rose, who glared at him with something beyond hate. Something his own father would have run away from, the air filling with ozone and wrath.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "You will never find your peace here, that I will make sure of. Your Mother Ruined the lives of so many of my kin. Heracles, Dionysius, Lamia and her children! All your mother has ever done is make the ancient world a hellscape. I cannot punish her for that, but I can and will punish you. I give my oath on that." Her words, literally, thundered, creating an oath that he could actually feel weave itself into reality.


    ''How could someone hate me so much without knowing me/?'' Aaron shuddered, feeling genuine fear at her hateful eyes.


    Aubrey hissed at her. "What are you doing, you can''t undo and oath like that! Your father is the God of Justice, you are bound to your words."


    She turned. "I know, Freak." She got right in Aubrey''s face, looking ready to lash out.


    And that just pissed Aaron off, without thinking about it, shoved her away. Only, she literally flew away, dozens of feet until she slammed into the wall behind her. Everyone went quiet, but Aaron was not done. "Try me again. I am done with bullies and abusers. It''s beyond time I fight back." He turned to Aubrey. "Let''s go, I''ve lost my appetite."


    The two boys hurried off, toward the dorms, not looking back, even as the air filled with greater wrath and hate and the stench of ozone.


    Aubrey could not help but ask. "How''d you throw her like that?"


    "Mom''s milk gave Heracles super strength, so I guess her blessing did that for me. I have no idea... anyway, I need to learn to control that power, and magic Fast. I appreciate Mom saving me, but I need to protect myself, Edith was right. Mom made a ton of enemies, and I refuse to give into any of them."


    "Well, you have me in your corner, so there''s that."


    Aaron smiled at him, warm as the summer sun. "Thank you... now... where do we sleep, I am feeling a nap coming on."