"Alright, children we're here, Fort Victorie. This remote facility is used to let our elite soldiers go all out without causing any disturbances with the civilians." Minerva had them taken to a special facility where her top guards could test the young heroes. "Today will be simple, a group match between all of you and my six."
"This is a little unfair isn't it?" Ilpyo said looking at his opponents.
"We have the best medical technology and magic in the world here, rest assured none of you will die," Minerva said calmly.
"He meant for your fighters!" Hercules bellowed. "We have the advantage of numbers!"
"My fighters will be ok. The cultural assets isn't a title for show. These six were chosen because their legendary strength alone has made them important powers of this country. Do not take them lightly because you have arrogant seniors." The six guards in black suits walked onto the battlefield.
First was a tall muscular man with long grey hair and a menacing scowl. His cold grey eyes and the scar on his right cheek running down to his jaw made him look very intimidating. "Muzuka, the lord of werewolves."
The second was a much shorter man with an incredibly fair complexion, his piercing red eyes made all of the girls hearts flutter as his short dark hair blew effortlessly in the wind. "Raizel, the Noblesse."
Third, A man who wore a white hood over his suit, and long silver hair in a ponytail. He had a friendly smile as he greeted everyone. "Merlin the vagrant of paradise."
The fourth was a lean young man with spiky green hair. He gave off a divine feeling most similar to Hercules as he stood casually with his arms crossed. "Achilles the swift hero."
Fifth was a young man who paid them little regard, watching the clouds with his hands behind his back. His hair was cut off and he had thick eyebrows that sagged over his eyes. "Ji Nah, inheritor of the Nabong needle ryu."
Lastly, a man with slicked-back hair and glasses smoked a cigarette while shuffling a deck of cards. "Q the joker."
Q was the first of them to speak. "So the faster we win the bigger check we get right?"
"Yes. But give them a chance to try at least" Minerva answered casually as she walked away.
"Merlin let's go with that, I want to get out of here as soon as possible" Q said as he put his cigarette out.
"I was hoping to test their mettle a little" Merlin responded playfully.
"If they survive, we'll know if they're worth anything," Achilles said cracking his knuckles.
"Lizzie, you move to the back, I don't want you to get in anyone's way," Gil said pulling his mask up.
"Huh? Me get in the way!? Are you touched in the head?"
"You may be OK at magic but this is basically a life or death fight, you're going to be dead weight here." Gil didn't sugarcoat anything
"FINE! It's six to eight now, I'm sitting this out" the insulted Lizzie went and sat next to Minerva and Noraa.
Before they could come up with a plan Josie pointed out that Hercules had already charged his opponents. Met by Achilles the two fought with a similar fighting style, but Achilles' version was much more refined. He was able to easily evade all of Hercules's attacks and break the younger demigod down, before sending him back to the team with a strong kick.
"Dumbass Herc…" Gil said "Hmm? Everyone look out!" An entire deck of cards rained down around the group.
"Fortis esse" Merlin said gently as all of Q's cards started to glow vibrantly giving off extreme magic power.
"It's over." Q turned his back as a group of powered-up Jokers wielding scythes quickly cut the Salvatore students down.
"Looks like you missed a couple, lame." Muzuka chuckled.
"DON'T LOOK DOWN ON US!" Gil and Ilpyo both dodged the assault of blades and lunged at Q with mighty kicks.
"Why not?" Q didn't turn around but used his own scythe to block them. Gil left no opening striking with sword in hand to keep the scythe at bay, devastating kicks were mixed in every now and then to throw Q off. Ilpyo on the other hand kept using flashy and overpowered kicks. Though his attacks showed great athleticism, power, and skill most of them missed because he failed to eliminate his signs.
"You left yourself wide open boy." Ji Nah said watching Ilpyo fall down after hitting several of his pressure points. Being alone in the middle of enemies Gil watched for the slightest of openings. Summoned swords blocked the joker's attacks and kept the others at bay.
"(Damn it Ilpyo! You got knocked out trying to be cool again!)"
"Swordplay? Interesting." Merlin drew a sword and engaged Gil quickly overwhelming him. Just before he went for the finishing blow a tree flew at Merlin and a fireball spell lit it ablaze, everyone was forced to back away from Gil as it crashed down in front of him.
"It looks like you missed quite a few" Raizel looked over to see a cut up Herc passing out next to Josie with a smoking palm outstretched. She had far fewer and more shallow cuts since Herc shielded her with his body. She didn't get a chance to do anything else as Raizel knocked her out with a swift chop to the back of her neck.
Hope had a few deep cuts on her but she still moved to back Gil up before Muzuka appeared in front of her.
"You know guys don't like clingy chicks." She attacked without a word but Muzuka dodged effortlessly. He leaned his face while making a stupid face and Hope kicked at him, barely grazing his cheek. "Not bad…my turn" He pulled back a heavy punch of his own and Hope barely dodged it herself, the force of the punch knocked her off her feet and shredded the ground behind her. Muzuka's next punch would have finished her for sure but Gil appeared next to her with his Mangekyo activated. The torso of a silver titan formed around Gil protecting his friends.
"Susanoo"
"That works too." Q shrugged under Gil's foot he didn't notice there was a hidden card left near Hope specifically. A reaper appeared inside the Susanoo' with it's blade around Gil's neck. "I guess we can call this checkmate. I knew you'd go to her."
"I could take you with me if I wanted. Amaterasu!"
"You little shit!" Q quickly threw his coat off as it burned black and the reaper hit Gil upside the head. "I should've slit his fucking throat…"
"No way…that was crazy…" Lizzie watched astonished that they were all defeated so soundly. All six of them didn't even need to act in truth, they just wanted to finish faster for a bigger check. But at the same time, she realized Gil could've fought at least one or two of them if not for the 'dead weight'. It stung but she saw its truth for herself.
"Better start training Liz…" Noraa said.
"Shut up I know."
After seeing to everyone's wounds the group were given a few more individual lessons before being sent home. Gil left them with these words "in one year's time, this 'dead weight' will be strong enough to make you six grovel." The sound of their laughter as they left would not be soon forgotten.
Two weeks after meeting President Minerva, the group sat around in the common room of the human house. They were having a deep discussion over the new rules set up at school for the protection of the students, such as a buddy system, nine o'clock curfew, and such. Alaric put them in place after finding out about the coming dangers Minerva told them of.
"I hate this nine o'clock curfew the most. You guys just use it as an excuse to stay here at my house. Not that I mind Hope staying, but the rest of you can kick rocks" states Gil as he sits on his personal couch modified around the windowsill. He has been forced to deal with all of them even more since they left the White house.
"Aww cool it Gil, you know you love us. But what about those six huh? My grandpa mentioned they were strong before, but woooh boy! Strong is an understatement!" says Ilpyo as he sits on the stairs, his mood had improved a lot since he came. So much so he's almost like a different person.
"All this shit just gets keeps getting crazier and crazier, that Muzuka guy was not like any wolf I've ever seen. I know I'm new to this stuff, but I've never heard of werewolves being that strong!" Raf says as he was obviously still shaken up but also excited because of something Muzuka told him. Maybe he wouldn't be the 'normal' one for long.
"Yeah, Raziel awoke a part of my vampire blood but kept me alive so basically I got a free extra life," says Hope with a big grin as she shared Gil's window couch with him. She laid her head on his shoulder while facing the group. "Ouch!" Gil smacked her on the top of her head with his chin.
"Don't go raising death flags for yourself" he said seriously.
"Gil omg there's no such thing as death flags, can you be normal for once?" Lizzie snapped, she was still mad about what Gil told her at Fort Victorie. "(He actually had the nerve to say Josie had more use than me in a battle. Well, she is slightly, ever so slightly stronger, but ME? Useless? He is too arrogant! Alright, see if I'm there next time you need a shoulder to cry on.)"
"I agree with Gil no need to raise any flags," says Landon from another coach flipping through channels on the TV.
"Of course you would nerd," Lizzie retorts angrily
"Sis-sis stop all that. I get it if you're mad at me but don't take it out on the world". Gil felt bad, but it was true, The Lizzie as of now is dead weight, but he hates seeing his sister so sad so he adds "Don't worry as my sis-sis, I'll make sure that you being weak is only temporary".
"Who says I want your help stupid Gil" Lizzie says half joking, half pouting.
"Oh, so you don't want my help? Okay never mind." Gil says embracing Hope and looking back out the window.
"UGH! You're so petty. You know I want it! Someone gets a girlfriend and forgets his family…" Lizzie says in a sassy whisper.
"Okay, I didn't come to hear my siblings bicker. Can we get back on topic, like how we are going to fight Tartarus or who really are the six? Or you could explain why you didn't tell me until after we got there the president was a goddess?! Brother, I want to know what you've been hiding from us", says Josie in a rare outburst at Gil. Gil, Hope, and Lizzie weren't shocked by the outburst but by the fact she called Gil 'brother'. It should be noted she hadn't actually called him 'brother' since before the incident all those years ago. She realizes too and begins to explain herself but is cut off by Gil's smile.
"Since baby sis asked, I shall speak on the matters." Gil beamed causing Josie to look down and smile feeling they got a step closer to each other like old times.
"Well, are you gonna explain or hug each other?" Lizzie ruined the moment.
"I can taste the salt…" Kelly said before getting back on topic. "How are they expecting us to deal with Tartarus if they can't?"
"They did say we'd have a lot of help…" Landon tried to sound positive.
"The answer to our dilemma is simple, we ourselves shall become stronger than all of them. Our predecessors, the six, and the denizens of Tartarus." Hercules said from his couch. "It does not require a lot of thought."
"You say it like it will be easy," Hope said.
"What worth having ever is?"
"The oaf's got a point, we gotta surpass them all" Ilpyo agreed. "But that's going to be a tall mountain to climb especially after seeing them in action. I know Noraa turned them down but I still gotta put some respect on their names."
"You better the way they schooled you guys." Lizzie had something to laugh about. "I couldn't tell who was the most dead weight."
"How about the one who didn't fight?" Kelly said.
"What was that?!"