The school was indeed a magical place, minus the magic. Hercules was pretty sure the only thing magical about the school at the moment was the dream it was founded on. That was something the god of willpower and strength believed firmly. Cohabitation between all, humans, mystics and mutants. Even if they only just discovered mystics, those who channeled magic energy it seemed some of the mutants here had a sour taste in their mouth after previous and recent encounters.

Sam of the Frost seemed particularly upset with them according to his conversations with Elizabeth. Something the prince of power hoped to rectify when his master William comes to the school to ‘visit’ lately his master has seemed less involved with his school and refuses to talk about it. Something that the god didn’t understand. You have a problem, you face it head on. His young master however had become more and more closed off to him. Which was why he thought the mansion would be a nice change of scenery for the boy.

It wasn’t Hercules call however, it was William’s and the fact that they didn’t teach magic here was another issue. William wanted to learn more, more than the god could offer. Hercules knew the principles of magic, a sacrifice, a way to channel and the intent. Most of what you needed for spells however in practice he could not help him. His tattoo’s inked across his body that moved and glowed prevented him from doing that.

So without an instructor in magic he was forced to teach himself. For some though he knew it could be a daunting task however William didn’t seem to need any help. The boy was gifted at understanding his limits.

Strutting in the large hallway Hercules continued to admire the school thinking more and more it would be a good fit for William, the boy could be himself here. Even if he wasn’t a mutant. That again was William’s call not the god’s.

Hercules slowed his pace as something stood out, in the floor of the living room some paper was unfolded and he recognized a magic circle, one of the earth. A summoning circle. Some of the glyphs and sigils were backwards. The intent was clear. Something Hercules could see from across the room.

”Oh ho! What do we have here?” he asked ducking under the door frame and walking into the room. ”I was under the impression that there weren’t anyone capable of magic in this school. Maybe Elizabeth was wrong.” he doubted it. She was usually right.

The living room wasn't the ideal place for this, but Kalos had tried first in her room and the paper wouldn't lie flat. The wall and the bed were too close for the paper circle. She'd had to cut open and tape together 9 or 10 brown paper bags. She'd drawn it in pencil first, unsure of her copying technique since she was having to replicate what she saw on the screen after an internet search.

And it still wasn't working.

"Maybe it needs to be in marker. Or blood?" Blood would be gross, but history books sure loved blood. Did someone sell blood markers, maybe?

Kalos was flopped on her belly next to the edge of the circle and pulled down her oversized witch's hat while she contemplated where she might get enough blood to draw with. Oh, but wouldn't a lot of blood bring all the animal shifters in the house down on her head?

A certain someone ducked through the doorway and started talking to her. Like, he just started talking. As if that was just always allowed.

She peeked up from under the brim of her hat and decided the floor was not the right place to be for this conversation. The dude was large-- extra super sized to the point where he looked able to easily crush tiny human girl skulls. Kalos stood and brushed off the front of her dungarees.

"I can do magic." She insisted, "But it isn't working."

Wait. Waitwaitwait. It wasn't like she looked magical except for the hat. Kalos looked at Big Man with renewed interest. "You recognize this magic?"

But wasn't it, like, super old? The pictures of the papers on the internet had been crumbly and made of papyrus or something.

Folding his arms and exposing the tattoo’s that crawled along his forearms the prince of power raised an eyebrow, ”Recognize it?” Hercules boomed with laughter practically shaking the mansion. ”But of course! Why shouldn’t I recognize it?” Hercules pointed to a spot on his forearm where one of the sigils was almost exact replica to one of hers on the sheet of paper danced across his flesh. He even started glowing to show it off.

”I see it almost everyday!” for centuries, if it wasn’t for the curse preventing him from understanding all the tattoos on his body he’d be able to draw them all and where they usually resided on a sheet of paper. As it was however he was only able to understand a few of them, and never in a particular order.

”What are you trying to summon child? A creature of the earth?” asked the Hero of legend curiously. Again he couldn’t summon or channel magic the way mortals could. Truly gifted. All of them. He adored humanity. They all had so much potential, even if they had remarkably short lives.

”I should expect someone with your talents knows when a sigil is backwards, correct?” the muscular behemoth chuckled then tapped the top of his head where he had no hat. ”The hat is a nice touch.” he gave the young girl a massive thumbs up as his glow faded.

Loud. He was so, so loud. Kalos balled her fists and worked to get to her feet. She couldn't have a conversation with someone this loud and dangerous while she was laying down.

If he hurts me, they'll kill him. Maybe the Mansion residents wouldn't actually do a murder, but the thought did help calm her fraying nerves. Only safe people were allowed in here, as safe as anyone ever was at the Mansion.

Kalos' eyes widened at the glowing sigil. That was totally like one of the ones she'd drawn.

"How does-? Can I see-?" Kalos was tripping over herself to talk. She didn't want to engage with him too closely, but had also almost asked him to strip down so she could get a more complete inspection of his runes? Kalos shook her head to stop her from being over-eager and started again. "My mum draws runes now. We're mostly trying to find old references and... that kind of stuff."

So what was she trying to summon? Kalos realized she had stepped on the edge of her circle and took a step back to see it clearly again.

"I wanted uh- a protector." She shouldn't have to be embarrassed about that, right? Plenty of people couldn't or wouldn't fight. "I thought an animal might be... nice. It could fly, though. It doesn't have to be 'of the earth'. I guess."

> ”I should expect someone with your talents knows when a sigil is backwards, correct?”

Kalos pulled her hat down to cover her embarrassment and then got a compliment about the hat as well. Double whammy embarrassment. Though, she felt as if she'd misjudged the big guy.

"I've no clue what's backwards or not. I can't actually read any of this and it doesn't actually come with instructions." But. He did.

"Could you... do you have this one?" Kalos tapped the backwards rune. She could get a new paper and patch the circle, right? Perhaps all this work wouldn't be lost. "Or... do you have instructions, maybe? A book?"

That kind of stuff... like the runes on his body? Or magic in general? One was far more believable. Very few could match the skills of the one who chained him to humanity. So much so he gave up hoping all together but rather embraced his curse by continuing on with who he was. A god!

Hercules didn’t think anything of it and honored her request to see. His shirt for once wasn’t torn off but rather stretched as one hand pulled it up over his head revealing much more of his tattoos all of them moving and flowing across his ‘tapestry of perfection’. ”Oh ho!?! A protector?” She truly did not realize who she was talking to. Mortals.

An animal protector? It would no doubt be short of his standards. Hercules flexed and started to glow as he eyed her summoning layout. It was pretty accurate for not having anyone to teach her. So much so the backwards rune in question was found instantly.

”But of course! I’m sure you’ll recognize many with your experience!” Looking down he flexed an arm and pointed to his side as the same rune in question linked with another few overlapped with another tattoo then went along it’s way towards his back.

”A book? On summoning? Well I could ask the young master when I return home. While he is gifted in summoning he prefers to research healing magic.” The reasoning behind it started to bring tears to the giants eyes. His poor master.

”Why do you need a protector child?” he questioned while walking closer to the girl and her summoning circle to study it more. Trying to understand he continued, ”Are you not safe behind these walls? I have heard from Elizabeth this school is well guarded!” bragging the banished prince of Olympus added, ”I have even bested Sam of the Frost in combat! He seems competent at least!” Hercules boomed as he started to roar with laughter recalling how he walked through the frozen one’s lackluster assault. It was too short a fight to be considered a good one. Maybe a rematch was needed to test him. ”Or have I been misinformed?” did this mansion need to be protected by the glowing one? An honor he’d be more than willing to carry out!