From a Small Beginning

[Apollo]

My father always said, "From small beginnings come great things." I never knew what he meant. That was until it applied to me. This is my story, the story of someone who knew greatness and had it thrust upon them. . .
"Time I told you boys. . . Pair!" Jack laid down his cards, two fives stared up at all of us.
"Well Jack I am afraid to tell you. . .Straight." and Adam laid down his.
"Guy lemme beat you to the punch. . .Royal flush." Moon sighed. Jack, Rain, Moon, Malek and I groaned upon seeing the spades lined in a perfect row. I dropped my head to the table and the rest threw their cards on me, laughing I let them.
"You count cards, you know that right?" Someone said, I think it was Malek.
"I do not!" Rain answered, taking a huge breath. "I can't even count that high."
I couldn't help but laugh at that, Rain was blind and he was cracking jokes about it all the time.
"Rain I'm glad we have you over."
"Wait. . .this isn't my house? was I kidnapped?" He grabbed the arms of his chair. "O my god!" He sat down smiling so we laughed some more.

[Apollo]

Moon left with Malek first. They were off after a new mission for I don't know what. Moon was always ready for a fight and Malek had found the good in that vampire. Malek himself was considered one of the best K.S.O. members.(The Knights of the Silent Order.)
Next was Rain, Jack helped him home. Rain was just amazing. He had come back from the dead, though Blind he survived so much, the loss of his only love and then finding her again. Jack had the resistance to get back to with his cousin Seph, against a demon. Snicket was a warzone, and I was told to stay out of it.
"Guys. . ."
"No buts man. . .you know that you can't be invovled. . .you can't protect yourself. If not then we'd ask you to help sometimes." they would say to me. I'd just sigh and go back in my house.

[Apollo]

Adam was always the last to leave and always had a kind word. He was the best werewolf tracker I knew. . .well the only. . .but I was told great things. . .and that his girlfriend, soon to be fiance if he got the guts to propose to her, was a vampire. "Don't worry about it Oreo." He patted me on the back calling me the nick name I didn't like much.
"Adam. . .it's Orion. . ."
"Yeah I know." He grinned and left, tearing off skin at the door, watching a half man and half wolf thing run off my steps.
"The people I know. . . geez" I mumbled to myself shutting the door quietly.
"it's ok honey, you'll get a great destiny of your own. . remember what I said your father alwasy said. . ."
"From small beginnings come great things." We said together. She kissed my forehead and I went to bed early.

[Apollo]

That night I felt as if I was out of my body, but not only that but. . . Among the stars, looking at one specificly. . .Orion, the great warrior. It was me and my mother's favorite constellation. I was told thats why I had my name. Then it got weird. . .
"Son. . ." it said. then it took form.
"W. . .what?"
"It's time your destiny was given to you to follow."
"I. . .I get a destiny?"
"Yes every one does. . ."
"O. . .so I'm not special." I crossed my arms.
"Yes you are jus. . . Let me talk boy!" I stayed quiet then.

[Apollo]

I was told the tale, that Orion's myth was real. That it was almost all true. .. Orion was one of the best hunters, Artemis herself praised his skill. That she fell in love. Their child was forbidden though so Orion was cast into the stars and Artemis a human body.
"You mean. . ."
"Yes I'm your father and your mother is bound to the body she is in now. It's time you take my place."
"Here? In the stars?" I wasn't to happy about that.
"No. . .I wasn't just a hunter, the goddess gave me creatures that were hurting people that needed to be taken care of. . .that is your destiny."
"Yes!" I yelled, throwing my arms in the air. . .having woken up too. "Awww man. . ." I fell back on my bed and laid there. "Mom. . .You got some explaining to do!"

[Apollo]

She told me her name was Artemis, that her only love was Orion. That her brother, Apollo (wow, my uncle is the god of the sun!) found it inappropriate that she loved a human. "He hated it so much he sent him to the top of the stars. . .but there are good things."
"Really mom? sounds like I ruined your secret love."
"No. . . you are our love in an actual form." I had to get up from my seat and hug her then.
"Thanks mom."
"No problem hun."

[Apollo]

I gave her a look. . .the most pleading one I had. "What?" She laughed.
"Soooo. . ." I said with a smile now.
"What?"
"Do I have any powers too!" I started jumping up and down, my mother had to hold on to me to keep me from going crazy.
"I don't know. . .I never saw any. . .but I'm sure you inherited both our skills with the bow. . .plus since your part god, you can always ask for favors to get weap. . . uh I mean. . . things. . ."
"weapons! O this is so. . ."
"No you don't you can wait to get those. . .I shouldn't have said that." My smile was still there. . . but an even better idea seeped into my head.
"What about asking favors to get Dad back?"
"Now there's an idea that sounds like my Oreo. . ."
"Mom" I groaned, she hugged me and I swear I felt something wet hit my forehead from her. That's what I'll do first. . .Get my Dad. . .

[Apollo]

I did research of the Greek gods, though I knew them and their stories, I need to learn how to find them, the summoning spells and how to pray to them like the older Greeks did. Huh. . .wonder how many modern day Greeks are in the United States, I thought to myself, stopping on a particular piece that was interesting. Hmm. . . I should try that. . .

[Apollo]

For the next couple of days I found out as much as I could about the rituals for summoning a god for help in battle, for asking favors. What to give them as a sacrifice and such things. By the end of the week I had the basic idea.
So the next day I told my mom I had decided to try and do what she asked, and possibly recieve gifts from her side of the family. I set out for the edge of town where there was a mountain. Mom had said the closer I was to the heavens the more likely they would hear me.
It took me half the day and five times I almost fell off the face of some of the cliffs. But I finally made it. . . But I wasn't alone. "Hahaaaa! Ya made it kid welcome to th' club."
"Who. . .the heck. . .are you?" I asked trying to breath.
"Name's Hermes kid."

[Apollo]

"Hermes. . .Messenger god?" He crossed his arms and sighed.
"I am so taken for granted. I have many roles besides messenger! Jeez" He started walking around me, counting on his fingers. "I'm also the patron of boundaries 'n' of the travelers who cross them, of shepherds 'n' cowherds, of thieves 'n' road travelers, of orators 'n' wit, of literature 'n' poets, of athletics, of weights 'n' measures, of invention, of general commerce, 'n' of the cunning of liars." He let his breath but didn't stop there. "I'm the one "of many shifts, blandly cunning, a robber, a cattle driver, a bringer of dreams, a watcher by night, a thief at the gates, one who was soon to show forth wonderful deeds among the deathless gods." He was breathing heavily now and finally stopped, by this time my jaw was on the ground and I couldn't stop staring at him.
"Well I....I'm sorry?" I said.
He nodded once and crossed his arms again. "Ya should be." he gave a little 'hmmf' and turned his head away from me.