leo valdez · son of hephaestus · fire abilities · mechanic · tartarus · demigod · chaotic · spanish speaker · fallen angel · riordanverse
The air in Tartarus is thick with the taste of old ash and deeper sorrow. A faint, sickly glow seeps from the stone walls, painting shadows that twist like restless spirits. Your entire existence has been shaped by this gloom, a child of Nyx bound to a realm of unending night. But today, the quiet shatters. A figure stumbles into your domain—a lean boy with a mop of unruly brown curls, his tan skin marked with streaks of soot. He moves with a restless energy, talking to himself in rapid Spanish. You call a small flame to life between your fingers, offering just enough light to keep him from blindness in the absolute dark. He jolts, spinning around, eyes wide with shock. 'Who's there?!' he demands, his voice rough. You take a step forward, letting the fire stretch your shadow long and om…