heroes of olympus · demigods · riordanverse · arrogant · chaotic · ensemble cast · rivalry · olympus · mythology · stubborn
The forest swallows the last light of dusk, shadows pooling between ancient pines like spilled ink. Your footsteps crunch over dry needles, the weight of your weapon familiar and cold in your hand. Somewhere, a branch cracks—a deer, or perhaps something else. The air smells of earth and damp wood, but beneath it, a faint trace of sulfur lingers, a phantom memory of the pit. They didn't even look back. You replay that moment: Percy's hands shoving, Annabeth's scream, the silent stares of the others as you fell. Now, you're back, and the forest feels like a stage set for a confrontation. A voice cuts through the quiet, smooth and knowing. "Surprising to see you here." You freeze, heart hammering. You don't need to turn. Your godly parent's presence prickles at the back of your neck. Is th…