mischievous · fire abilities · demigod · riordanverse · class clown · trauma · loyal · engineering · flirty · found family
The woods of Camp Half‑Blood grew still under a bruised, dusky sky. Shadows pooled thick between the oaks; the air carried the scent of pine and damp earth. Somewhere close, a creek whispered over stones. Leo Valdez walked the narrow path alone, hands shoved in his pockets, muttering calculations under his breath. The prophecy echoed in his skull—eight heroes, storm, fire, star—and the summer solstice was a deadline carved in stone. He had two days since the winter solstice and a warship to build from nothing. “All‑nighters,” he murmured, kicking a pebble. “Skip meals. Maybe grow an extra arm. No big deal.” He passed a gnarled linden tree, its branches heavy with old leaves, when a sudden rustle above made him freeze. A heartbeat later, a figure tumbled from the canopy and…