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[color=gold][b][sub]C H A P T E R   O N E :    T H E   L O N G   W A Y   H O M E[/sub][/b][/color][b][color=crimson][sup][h1]THE COURAGE OF ACHILLES[/h1][/sup][/color][/b][/center]
[COLOR=deepskyblue][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]W E S T C H E S T E R[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][/COLOR][INDENT][INDENT][sup][color=SILVER]November 13[sup]th[/sup], 2017   |   11:17a.m.   |   The Xavier Institute of Higher Learning[/color][/sup][/INDENT][/INDENT]
The life of a ten year old was not for the faint of heart.

Sammy was facing the sum of all fears. A terror that threatened to overtake them all. Helpless, he and the other students steeled their nerves in hopes of not overcoming, but merely [i]surviving[/i] what was still to come.

It was a lecture by Doctor McCoy. Genoshan history after World War I. 

There was going to be a test later.

Sammy was already positive he would not survive this.

The X-Men had departed to help Calvin with whatever was going on. The students were back in their classrooms in some effort at instilling a sense of normalcy after the attack. But everyone was still on edge after the explosion, so much so that when the door to the classroom was thrown open everyone jumped out of their seats. The sudden interruption drew everyone's eyes to the green-skinned Anole who was framed in the doorway, as he belted out, [color=lime][b]"Ilyanna and Billy are TOTALLY going at it in the back yard!"[/b][/color]

The sound of desks and chairs nearly overturning echoed like thunder amid the sudden stampede. The noise drowned out any attempt by Hank to stop the chaos, and the bombastic Beast soon found himself at the front of the room with his mouth agape and one claw raised as he soon found himself the leader of an empty classroom. For which there seemed very little point in remaining. [color=cornflowerblue]"As Oscar Wilde remarked, I can resist everything except temptation."[/color]

Emerging from out of the classroom, Hank followed the crowd left down the hall and then turned right to gaze over where students were pressed up against the windows. The french doors were open, as students spilled out onto the patio. And there, on the lawn, was a [b]demon[/b].

[sub][color=cornflowerblue]"Oh, my stars and garters..."[/color][/sub]

The Xavier Institute kept a diverse armory for weapon and skills training. Billy would have been happier with a Pompei style gladius, but the closest thing they had was a replica Twelfth Century arming sword. The blade crackled with the energy that flowed across the child's body, blue arcs of static electricity sparking along the length of metal. 

Ilyanna had started to lose herself to the Darkchilde, her horns growing out from her head as the Soulsword and armor began to take on a more demonic appearance. They had both changed into the standard Xavier training uniform for the practice, the yellow-on-black uniforms causing them to stand out against the snowy backdrop of the gardens.

To be certain, Ilyanna was [i]good[/i]. She'd fought hordes of demons and emerged a capable swordsman, if self-taught.

Billy? That was a somewhat more complicated answer. He had the courage of [b]Achilles[/b], the Greek hero who had fought in the Trojan War and bested Hector of Troy in single combat outside the gates of the city. The blade turned easily in his grip, wielded as comfortably as any part of his body. 

They were more like dancers than combatants, the magical energies surrounding them providing a pyrotechnic light show as they wove an intricate [i]danse macabre[/i] round and round and round again.

Then, Ilyanna vanished. Side-stepped into a teleportation disk. She re-appeared, striking at the boy. Who similarly had disappeared from sight. What transpired next could only be heard, as Ilyanna blinked in and out, while Billy's movements defied humanity. 

Sammy's jaw went slack in a mixture of awe and terror. [color=plum]"Did... anyone even see that?"[/color]

Jumping back, Billy spared a glance back toward the mansion. It seemed the sparring session had attracted some attention. And he was starting to cut loose with how Magik was pushing herself. Snapping up his free arm, the Soulsword smacked against the Nega-Band encircling his forearm. [color=crimson]"You win this one,"[/color] the boy conceded, allowing his power levels to drop back to normal.

As the magic stopped flowing into the sword replica, it seemed to break apart and disintegrate. 440 steel wasn't exactly the material used by Hephaestus in forging the weapons of the classical heroes. Dusting off his hands, the boy extended an arm out toward the woman as he offered, [color=crimson]"How 'bout we get some lunch?"[/color]

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[color=plum]"How'd you learn to fight like that?"[/color]

Looking up from his tray, Billy was somewhat surprised when Sammy dropped down across from him at the otherwise empty table. Most people avoided him. A lot of questions and uncertainty. A lot of rumors and a couple who were asking why [i]now[/i] Captain Marvel would show back up. It created a dead zone in the cafeteria, around which people at the surrounding tables were looking at him and whispering.

[color=crimson]"I don't know how to fight at all,"[/color] Billy answered, the cryptic response eliciting a stupefied expression from the aquatic mutant before the boy added, [color=crimson]"I borrow my powers from five immortal legends."[/color]

Taking a sip from the small carton of chocolate milk in front of him, Billy paused a moment before he looked up and said, [color=crimson]"It actually makes me kinda jealous of people like you. You have your own talents and abilities. Me? I doesn't even have the courage of Billy Batson. Instead, I hafta borrow that from Achilles."[/color]

The stupefied expression remained. [color=plum]"Who's..."[/color]

[color=crimson]"Legendary dead guy from Ancient Greece,"[/color] Billy supplied, having anticipated the question. The [i]Iliad[/i] had been intended for an oral tradition. Sitting down and trying to read it would be a little advanced for someone like Sammy. Recalling the story, Billy began, [color=crimson]"He led the Myrmidons in the..."[/color]

The blank expression on Sammy's face told him everything he needed to know before he even started.

[color=crimson]"...nevermind. The sword fighting's from him."[/color]

[color=plum]"Oh,"[/color] Sammy uttered. [color=plum]"That's cool."[/color]