Chapter Text
“There are twelve Olympian Gods. The Big Three were brothers: Zeus, father of the heavens and skies, Poseidon, ruler of the seas, and Hades, lord of the Underworld. While Zeus commanded the thunder and Poseidon controlled the oceans, Hades ruled the realm beneath—a vast, shadowy domain where souls passed through.”
Mr. Vander's voice trailed off, but Vi barely noticed. Her gaze swept across the room—pillars adorned every corner, each supporting intricately hand-carved sculptures that told the stories of the gods and the major beings who once walked this realm.
Greek mythology had always captivated Vi, from doomscrolling through articles online to falling deep into rabbit holes late at night. It wasn’t just the gods and goddesses that intrigued her, but the stories of warriors, battles, and the heroes who fought with relentless determination. It made sense that her fascination with the mythos overlapped with her growing love for boxing—both worlds fueled by strength, strategy, and survival. She admired the heroes who overcame impossible odds, much like the fighters she watched, and it was always about outlasting the opponent, just as she learned in the ring.
So, when this class field trip to the museum popped up, Vi wasn’t about to pass on the chance to learn more about the ancient world she had spent hours reading about. It wasn’t the same as stepping into the arena, but there was something almost sacred about being in a room filled with relics that told the stories of gods and heroes alike.
As Vi scanned the art, her eyes were drawn to one of the statues on the far wall. It depicted Ares, but something about it felt different—off. His face, typically fierce and proud, looked strangely... unsettled. The armor he wore seemed to shimmer, almost as though it were moving, and the steel of his sword seemed darker than it should be, as though something were twisting within it.
Violet’s head tilted as she stepped closer, her heart picking up pace. The face of Ares shifted before her eyes, almost like it was alive, its expression hardening into a grimace, losing its stoic and proud demeanor. The plaque below read, Ares: The God of War... but the words blurred, as if the marble itself were rejecting the inscription.
“Um, are you coming?” Powder jabbed her ribs, “We’re going into the other room already.”
Vi blinked, momentarily disoriented. "Oh, right. Just got distracted there for a sec."
As they moved on, Vi couldn’t help but glance back at the statue. It looked normal again. No distortion, no shifting. She shook her head blaming it on the lack of sleep from the night before.
As Powder and Vi walked through the museum's corridors, their footsteps echoed on the cool marble floors. Powder's eyes were wide with excitement, bouncing from one display to the next, while Vi lagged behind, her mind still lingering on the strange statue of Ares.
"Can you believe this stuff, Vi?" Powder said, her voice high-pitched with enthusiasm. "All these ancient artifacts... I could totally get lost in here." She spun in place, taking in the towering statues and intricate paintings surrounding them.
Ever since being adopted together when they were younger, her and Powder always got along. As Powder was a few years younger than Vi, she felt the need to protect her little sister, making them grow close as they bonded over shared interests such as Greek mythology.
“Yea, it’s amazing, not sure how they made all these from just chisels though.”
Powder just hummed in response. Still taking everything in.
As they moved through the museum staying behind the other students, Vander’s voice explained the intricate stories of the Gods, but Vi’s mind was preoccupied. Her thoughts kept flicking back to the statue of Ares, the strange flicker of its shifting expression still stuck in her head. She shook it off, trying to focus on the next display ahead.
“Pow? Where did everyone go?” Entering a room of paintings and now noticing that they’ve lost the group and the museum grew eerily quiet.
That’s when she noticed something—something that didn’t quite belong. A shadow seemed to ripple across the walls, stretching unnaturally in the corner of her vision. She stopped mid-step, scanning the room, heart racing. At first, she thought it was just her imagination, but then... it shifted again. The shadow grew larger, distorting as if the very fabric of the museum had torn open.
“Uh, did you see that?” Vi whispered, her eyes darting around.
Powder didn’t hesitate, her body already shifting into a ready stance. “Yeah, I saw it,” she said, her voice steady but urgent. “Get ready, Vi. We’re not alone here.”
“Powder what?” Why wasn’t she as confused as Violet was.
Powder ignored her when a low growl echoed from the corner of the room. The shadows in that spot seemed to writhe, and from the depths of the darkness, something emerged—massive and hulking, with glowing red eyes and claws that scraped across the stone floor.
"What the—" Vi barely had time to react before the creature lunged at her. The air seemed to shift as she instinctively dodged, her body moving on autopilot as she shoved Powder out of the way.
The creature’s growl echoed through the room, its form shifting between the shadow and physical space, almost as though it were from another world entirely. It was unlike anything Vi had ever seen, some kind of demon or dark creature that didn’t belong in the museum.
Violet’s heart pounded. She backed up instinctively, glancing around for something—anything—that could help. That’s when she spotted Vander, who had appeared out of nowhere, a stern expression on his face. In his hand, he held a pen, which he immediately tossed in her direction.
“Catch!” Vander’s voice was low and commanding.
Vi snatched the pen out of midair, confused. “What is this?!” she shouted.
“It's not just a pen,” Vander answered, quickly moving toward her. “You need to fight, Vi. This is a demonic manifestation. I can’t explain much, but it’s after you.”
Vi’s mind raced. This creature, the pen, literally what is going on.
The creature charged again, and without thinking, she flicked her wrist, clicking the pen. As she did, it began to transform in her hand, lengthening and shifting into a sleek, heavy metal gauntlet.
Violet’s heart skipped a beat, the weight of the weapon settling into her grip. There was no time to question what was happening. The creature lunged at her, but she raised her fist just in time, the metal cutting through the air with an unexpected ease. The monster screeched as it took the blow, form flickering and distorting like a hologram before it crumbled into shadow, vanishing into nothingness.
For a long moment, Vi stood there, panting, her mind struggling to catch up. She looked at her hand—still a little unsure of what had just happened. It felt real, it felt... powerful.
“Vi, this is only the beginning,” Vander said, his voice steady but filled with urgency. “This came on sooner than expected. Please follow me.”
Vi blinked at him, her brain scrambling to process the information as they walked rapidly towards the exit. “What do you mean? This can’t be real. And that—what the hell was that thing?”
Vander’s expression grew more serious. “I’ll explain later. But for now, you need to understand that your life just changed. Everything you’ve been obsessing over and reading about. It’s real, and you’re a part of it. And you’re not alone in this fight. You’re in danger now, Vi. They’ll be coming for you.”
Violet glanced at Powder. Nodding at Vander’s explanation.
“You know what’s going on? Why the fuck am I the only one confused.” Violet started to grow hot from rage and confusion.
“I’ve been with you to protect and keep an eye on you Vi. We’re demi gods, you’re calling was years later than mine.”
“She’s right. They’re testing the waters with you, seeing how you live up to the expectations. You’re the daughter of Ares. Now both of you go home. Violet pack, only take the essentials. Powder will escort you two to camp. Your training has begun.”
Violet swallows, eyes bigger than ever as she takes in the information. Her sister, her teacher, or she thought that’s who they were.
They take the subway home, Violet still quiet trying to absorb the information in. “This... this doesn’t make sense.”
Vi’s mind was still spinning as Powder zipped up her suitcase. The weight of everything she’d just learned felt suffocating. “So, all this time... you knew? You’re younger than me, and this whole time you let me think I was just... normal?”
Powder paused, her fingers lingering on the zipper, and then looked up at Vi with a mixture of empathy and regret. “My calling was a couple years after we got adopted together. Everyone has different experiences. Our foster parents... they were part of the plan to protect us. They knew we were different, but they didn’t know exactly how. They raised us thinking we were just regular kids.”
Vi’s frustration boiled over. “So, what, we just keep pretending to be normal? What do we do about them? They’ll freak out when they realize we’re gone. What if they—”
Powder placed a hand on Vi’s shoulder, her expression soft but resolute. “They’ll be fine. We’ve already been taken care of. They’ve been part of the system that keeps us hidden. Our real lives... this world... they’re just part of the cover.”
Vi’s stomach dropped. “You mean... they’re in on it?”
Powder shook her head. “Not exactly. They’re not involved in the world we belong to—they were just given enough to make sure we were protected and kept safe. When we’re at camp, we won’t be able to contact them directly. They’ll think we’ve run away or gone on some adventure... but they’ll be okay.”
Violet swallowed hard, still trying to absorb it all. “And you knew... but you never told me?”
“I couldn’t. I wasn’t allowed to.”
Vi's frustration simmered beneath her breath. She wanted to yell, to scream, but she couldn't. She just wanted answers. “How do we even get there?”
Powder stepped forward, a smirk tugging at her lips. “We don’t take the normal way, Vi. Just follow me.”
Without waiting for a response, she turned, her posture relaxed but ready for anything. Vi followed, her mind still reeling as she tried to process everything. Powder led them to a small, secluded alley outside their apartment, away from the bustle of the city.
"Hold on tight," Powder warned, glancing back. "This might feel a little... weird."
Before Vi could ask what she meant, Powder reached into her bag and pulled out a small, worn-looking coin. She flipped it in the air, and it shimmered with a strange, golden light. The world around them seemed to warp for a moment, the sounds of the city fading away, replaced by a sudden, deafening silence.
Vi’s heart raced as the alley around them shifted. The pavement cracked open, revealing a glowing portal beneath their feet, swirling with ancient symbols and an ethereal energy. Powder glanced at Vi, her expression firm but reassuring. She blinked, and her surroundings transformed. The concrete and steel of the city melted away, replaced by a dense, earthy scent. The ground beneath her feet softened into cool, uneven dirt, and towering trees surrounded them—thick, ancient pines and oaks whose roots seemed to weave through the earth like an intricate web.
The air was heavy with the scent of moss and damp leaves, a sharp contrast to the city’s concrete and exhaust fumes. Sunlight filtered through the thick canopy above, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow on the forest floor. The trees were alive with whispers, their leaves rustling with an almost sentient rhythm, as though the forest itself were watching them.
Vi’s eyes darted around, taking in the strange, mystical atmosphere. The sounds of the outside world—cars, voices, the bustle of the city—faded away completely, replaced by the peaceful hum of nature. Birds with vibrant feathers flitted from branch to branch, their songs adding to the sense of ancient magic in the air. Even the wind felt different here, like it carried secrets older than time itself.
Powder gave her a reassuring nod, her voice calm but edged with urgency. “Welcome to Camp Half-Blood.”