Max

  The woods were quieter than I expected. And that creeps me out. I hear nothing but the rustling of trees and bushes, the sprinkle of rain and the occasional thunder. The smell of wet dirt and maple wafts through the air like there is something giant car freshener hiding somewhere in the woods.

  Walk straight into the woods the man had said. I am starting to doubt the conversation we had even happened, but at the same time it is too crazy for me or anyone I know to think of. 

  I trudge through the mud on the forest floor thinking about everything. The Gods, my father, demigods and the Wolf House. Like what's in the Wolf House? a million ideas flow through my head as I emptily meander forward.

   every now and then I swear I hear a rustle in the bushes next to me.  I push it away for now and keep walking.

   A few minutes later there is a rustling in the bush next to me. I look at the bush,  looking for any movement.

  And then I book it. Mud splatters beneath my shoes and branches bat at my face and arms. I put my arms up to protect my face. I look behind me and see what is chasing me. I know something is.

  And at that moment I slip. My face pounds into the mud. I get right back up to see that I am in a meadow.

  And I'm surrounded. Wolves prowl the perimeter and study me. The growl and howl, as I spin around studying their pack. There are about twelve of them.

  This was in my dream. The dream I had, this moment can't be coincidence, it can't this is the same meadow the same wolves the same everything. This is supposed to happen.

  So I just roll with what's happening.

  One of them approach me, but without a snarl or growl.

  Come, Son of Zeus. A voice seeps in my head, caring and womanly. I jump, startled by the voice.

  Then I realize it came from the wolf.

  My name is Lupa, the mother wolf and leader of the pack, The Caregiver. the wolf says in my head again. And you must follow me. It turns around and starts walking in the forest, and I follow.

                          》》》

  We're here. Lupa says. we stop in front of about a two story building-er, it's more like a cabin that sort of leans as if it's trying to get a new view of everything. There is no light inside and no movement to at all, well, no visible movement. The eerie sound of creaks and wooden groans fill the air anyways. 

  And there's another sound, this one pretty hard to explain. It's like an energy hum mixed with like a gust of wind.

  Welcome to to the Wolf House.

  "So what do we do?" I ask.  The Cabin seems to stare at me, judging and studying me.

  We start training. Lupa uses her weird mind voice again. Go inside, and you will find your weapon, When you come out we will explain your first lesson.

  I step forward, closer and closer to the Wolf House. I approach the door, and then stop at the door, the house seems to try and push me away, as if it it has its own magnetism field and is repelling me.

  I resist, ipen the door and step in. The house is empty, except for a wooden table in the middle of the room. On the wooden table is a sword. I walk over and as I pick it up, thunder rumbles in the air. 

  As I walk out I notice the wolves are gone. I look around but they're nowhere to be seen.

  "Hey guys!" I yell " Where are you?"

  Silence. Even the rain and wind stopped. Complete silence. And then I hear a very faint patting. My grip on the sword tightens. My senses exploded and I whip around just to see a wolf jump me.  My sword whips across its body and slices it in half. The same grey dust from the minotaur spills pit of the wolf and spreads until the wolf is just a pile of dust.

  Three other wolves charge me. I run behind the wolf house, but in a split second they have gained on me. I wait behind the corner and as they zip by I swing my sword and send one of them sprawling in the mud, whimpering and dissolving. The other two jump back in surprise.

  It hurts me to do that and then hear that sound, bit I press on and charge the other two.  One of the wolves snaps out of dumbfoundedness and charges me back as the other does the same. I hack down at the wolf but it jumps to the side and bites my leg. I wail in pain and hack down again, this time hitting the wolf and splitting it into dust.

  The other wolf stays back and growls.four more wolves back it up. I step back wondering what to do with five of the wolves against me and my injured leg. I can't run, not the best idea to fight, but it's my only idea.

  I watch each wolf carefully but also watch them as a whole. I look for ones who go stray which I can take out. I look for any advantage I can take.

  And then I see it. One of the wolves is getting slowly closer to me. I bolt toward it and swipe it. I miss so I keep swiping until I hit the wolf. I turn to the other wolves who growl and howl in hatred. They charge at me a I repeatedly swipe back and forth to fend off the wolves. They back away hesitantly, annoyed.

  I hack at them, trying to scare them away. It doesn't work and they charge me again, this time without stop. I swipe and kill one wolf, and hack on another. I put my hand against another and stab it, and by then a wolf had jumped on me.           I drop my sword and fall to the ground, trying to hold the wolf's vicious jaws from biting my face. I punch it, but it barely does anything, so I punch it repeatedly. The  wolf snaps at me and I try to for my sword. The other wolf was already snapping me too. I hold my arms up and they bite my arms. I scream and try to cover my face more.

  Then I stop. Nothing is attacking me anymore but I still lay on the ground with my arms up. My leg is fine and so are my arms. My sword lies next to me. I grab it and get up.

  The wolves surround me again. They are calm and stand still as if they just watched a movie or something.

  "What just happened?" I question. "Why were you attacking me why did it just stop?"

  Well done Max, Lupa speaks to me. You have passed your first test.

  "What?" I ask.

  We believe that the best way to teach someone is to put them into a situation where they have to learn it themselves. Lupa explained. And we just taught you how to defend yourself.

  "but I just killed like six of you!" I'm confused "and then you about killed me what's up with that?" I look at each one of them. Still twelve of them, and one non-injured me.

  That never happened. Lupa said. It was just an illusion.

  "So you're just gonna manipulate mind all the time?" I ask a little angrily, because that sounds sucky if that's gonna happen all the time.

  Yes, but, if we don't do what we do  we won't be able to train you as well and you will remain an easily subdued mortal. Lupa says. And you are destined to be more than that Max. Now shall we continue?

  I sit in the rain, thinking about this. Rain drips down from my hair onto my nose and lips. My pants are drenched and muddy and so is my jacket.

   "Yes" I accept. I always thought about my destiny,  always wondered what it was. I don't want to be weak like they say I am. I want to follow my destiny.

                 To be continued