Chapter Text
For majority of my life, I've lived on a cliff.
Not a desolate abandoned one but one that you'd find in a walk down a beach. The one with sand dunes that once was just sand but now with tall spiky strands of grass that seemed to say, 'one can change from lifeless to full of life'. The one that have bundles of wildflowers in dark blue, lilac and pink with daisies littered in between them. The one with the quaint cottage on top of it the. The cottage that has a bedroom attic with a net hammock and open window letting in the salty summer breeze. The cottage with a winding tower that the village children believed a pretty princess waits for her knight in shining armour to rescue her. The cliff I lived on, full of life, a quaint cottage with wildflowers, a giant Willow tree with a swing attached.
That was my cliff.
And I did love it.
I loved playing in the garden in the in the summer watching my dad and set up that swing where I could pretend I could fly off it plummet into the sea and play with the fish, mermaids, nereids. I loved it in the winter when all the family was scrunched together all close to the old school fireplace watching 'The Polar Express' on Christmas Eve as snow frosts the window and covered the outsider with a thick white blanket. But as we grow up the places around us do to.
The cobbled streets and cosy businesses and the charity shops that once thrived in the community were crushed by multimillionaire companies. They sold the same thing to everyone and destroyed the home-made signs that welcomed us in with a warm embrace, was replaced with bright flashing screens that hypnotised us with the feeling of coldness, darkness and the promise to rob us blind in exchange for the newest shiniest thing. The village had turned into a flash commercial city with a few remanets of the seaside town it had once been but not the cliff. Never the cliff.
It stayed frozen in time, my parents were older but stayed stubborn in keeping their little paradise. I wish I could say that I too stayed stum in protecting my home but as I said before. People grow up places grow up and people almost certainly can change the places they once called home. The weird thing wasn't the fault of any living thing not even the immortal deities fault (but that's for later) I just simply grew up and adapted to my situation. That's just life we have to change. We can hope and pray for an inch of nostalgia from our childhoods, but it can never return. What we can do is look back on it and smile. And take a step forward. And another. And another.
Oh, wait this isn't over.
Ha!
This is not a sweet short story about nostalgia and childhood.
No, no, no, no, no!
This is about how Olympian gods ignore their children and when they finally FINALLY! Make a change they throw the little hissy fit and continue to ruin more and more childhoods.
So, let's start from the beginning shall we.
My name is Nessa or just Ness and I am a demigod, half human half god and no not the Christian God, the Greek gods if you want to know more read a book or something. And if you're reading this, it means you're probably demigod too. It basically means the likelihood of you dying before 16 is about 100%. Because if there are Greek gods there must be Greek heroes and there must be the monsters that they fought.
But luckily for us there is a camp for us to train at to help us kill these monsters if and when they come to kill us. It's called Camp-Half Blood (for obvious reasons) and have been training demigods for millennia. But you're not here for history lesson on the camp are you. You wanna know the gossip. You wanna know why I left that cliff who my godly parent is (me to girl) and how I know Percy Jackson Luke Castellan and everyone else as I put in the tags. And don't lie to me I know you saw that 'angst' tag. I know that's why you clicked on this fic. So, let's get to the good part.
I found out I was a demigod how most people find out.
Almost dying.
My parents were huge geography geeks so during the school year they offered tours of the cliff and caves around our land and naturally (being their daughter) when they were busy, doing gods knows what, they forced heated tours. And look I know there's some kid out there who loves geography, corrosion of cliffs and caves, but most kids don't and certainly not this group. They were etheir staring at the floor, staring back longingly at the pop-up carnival or string straight into my soul hoping that they could kill me with just their eyes. Well, I doubt they'd actually want to kill me.
Oh well maybe someone did but it's beside the point they were starers and when a group doesn't really interact with me I zone out and just yap on.
'Well, if you follow me down this way, yes hold on to that railing we'll be going into the inside of the cliff'.
'Yes, yes turn those flashlights on we're heading in'.
'Well, yes, we've had so many professionals come down and try and decide whether this was corroded over time took out or all just always been here, but they never really known".
We just about finished the tour and got out of the cave when this one kid pulled me aside to ask me question. He looked about 12 years old, cute baby face a beanie and a peculiar limp. Although my social batter was on 3% (kids are difficult) but I was hoping to get a nice tip from the teacher if I answered his question (but let's be real no one can afford to tip a tour guide in this economy). Just out of earshot of the group, I bent down placing my hands on my thighs.
'Anything you want to tell me bud?'
'Help us, please'.
My smile flatters for a second before returning.
'What do you mean little man' I say jokingly 'You're asking me a question right now! Am I not helping you?'. The boy shakes his head. He glanced over his shoulder at the at his teacher, who now stands with his hand squeezing one of the kid's shoulders, the kid squirming under his grip.
'We're in danger. He's trying to kill us all, please help' his expression now of pure terror.
'Okay,' I kneel on the sand and take his hands 'Can you tell me a bit more?'
'Keep smiling.' his voice wavers as tears brim over his eye. My smile quickly returned as a glanced at his teacher, Mr White, who stares menacing down at me.
'So, what can I do to help?'
'Take us to your parents. They'll know what to do'. Adult help was definitely needed in this situation. I didn't fully believe the trembling boy before me, no ten-year-old would make this up and if they did, they would need some help anyway, right now I could only give him some comfort and talk to my parents.
'Alright you put your big boy pants on just for a bit longer buddy' I wipe the tears away and cup his face 'you don't have to be the hero for much longer' he sniffles nods as I stand up and with the little boy trailing behind me, march over to the group 'Alright gang so I have another little adventure for us to go on!' then silence spoke volumes(reminder not to work with teenagers, yes, yes I know I am one but we suck) but some of the smaller ones perked the heads up.
'Well Nessa we have a very tight schedule on the children do only have an hour to hunt out their lunch' Mr. White chuckles.
'Oh no did it not on the booking that lunch is provided?'
'Well, no it didn't- '
'My apologies, my parents don't have a clue about technology! Well, no harm done we've got some sandwiches and crisps and some nice snacks for you lot prepared' I say gesturing to the kids.
'Hey' a kid with a deep voice, steps forward 'You got cotton candy'.
'Of course, why would I not! We actually have a cotton candy machine" I said. That was not a lie, that cotton candy machine was the best thing I had ever received. Suddenly the kids bore massive grins, as the news rippled through the crowd and soon they scrambled back up to the house. The older ones are held back their smiles and made sure none of them fell as well as draging me and Mr White, despite his protests, with them.
Eventually the hurricane of small children slowed down and all of the kids dispersed into their own little groups, lounging around, talking, taking turns playing on the swing and making flower crowns. Just as I was about to call my parents Mr White grabbed my shoulder hard.
'Nessa may reiterate that the children do need to her hunt for their lunch'.
'And as I have told you Mr. White lunch is being provided'.
'And quite frankly we do not want your lunch' he spat at me. I smile right back at him.
'Mr White you seem like a respectable man and if this is a threat you are making then I have every right to believe that you are threat to these children' his grip was strong and began to irate my skin. Rage seemed to boil over his face and into his voice as he spoke.
'Oh no Miss K you seem to be making a terrible mistake'. My customer service now finally dropped as a wave of pain thrashed into my shoulder as I let a scream escape me 'Miss K, you have been given multiple chances over the years you have spent in this town. You are part of this whether you like it or not'. As he spoke the pain had broken the barricades in my body and throbbed all over my brimming over my head and beginning to pass out to the immense pain. I don't remember if the screams were mine, Mr White's, the children's or my parents who just arrived on the gruesome scene. In fact, I don't remember anything from lunch to the next morning. And it had only just occurred to me later that Mr White had only ever referred to me as my first name or Miss K. And it would be a long time until it would be revealed why I was being called Miss K.
There was familiar scent when I woke up. The soft fabric of my blanket surrounded my fingertips, the hustle and bustle of the downstairs kitchen. It was clear.
I was home.
I sat up planting my hands on the duvet and swinging my legs forward with my back on the wall. My legs were still concealed by my blankets mobility slowly returned to me but there seemed to be a stiffness in my limbs, still a throbbing pain almost everywhere but more on my shoulder. There were shuffles behind my bedroom door before the handle twisted down and opened it was my brother,my unaware, diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth, caring brother.
'You okay?'
I nodded groggy and rubbing my eyes with the palms of my hand.
He walked over and crashed down next to me pushing his back against the wall like me. 'You sure?'
I nodded again trying to piece today's events together. We both sat in silence. We never talked to each other unless we really wanted to...
...which was never.
'You saved them kids' he said 'I have no idea how mum and dad fit them all in there but..'
'How..'my voice was a whisper of utter belief. 'How Joe...'
He stumbled on his words, never quite finding the right ones to say most of the time but this was different. He knew what to say he just didn't want to.
'I think it's mum and dad who should really explain this' he paused and repeated his words, fear trembling in his voice.
We slowly stumbled down the hallway the stiffness began to wear off while we descended downstairs.
Joe was right how did my parents managed to pack all these kids in? Blankets and bags and mugs ,kids all snuggled in tightly. Were had all those blankets been? Each kid turned and whispered quietly ,my presence seemed to interrupt all the peace. There heads turn to go look at me I was used to people looking at me this way.I was used to feeling so left out and out of place but.
But not like this.
They were scared of me.
One of them gave me a death while sheilding smaller kids behined her. On my chair. In my home. They were bullying me in my home.
'Thank Olympia ,you're awake your parents are in the kitchen waiting for you.'It was the kid who asked me for help earlier.
'Yeah thank-thank you' I mutterr tumbling over the mess and into the kitchen. My parents were in the kitchen but they weren't exactly acting normal.
My dad was was mindlessly tinkering with something but it was clear his mind was on something else. My mum was pale ,biting her fingernails and arms crossed tightly pacing the floor. There was a thick tension hanging in the room ,it wasn't until my brother entered the room before my parents even noticed I was there.
'Oh my darling' my mum rushed over to to me intrapping me in a hug.
'Hey mum.'I reply sharpley trying to cut the tension with my words
'Hun' my dad said 'We need to talk'
I'd heard that phrase many times in my life ,breaking things, puberty and sex Ed but not like this.
Never like this I sat next to my brother, scooting my chair over to him, his arm stiffly hanging over my shoulder. We never did this though those cringy Wattpad versions of siblings but there were expectations for when he displayed his love in my form, and this was it. Whatever my parents were about to say he knew. And he knew that my reaction would not be good.
My dad spoke first, sat opposite my brother hands planted firmly on the table
'You know how you've always been drawn to Greek mythology, the gods ,the history ,the buildings and even some of the creatures'
I nodded.
'The myths, the myths are real Nessa'
Everyone looked at me. Deathly silence continued on into the living room, I could feel the stairs from the other room, maybe if they stayed long enough, they could kill me.
'Excuse me..' I say bewildered
'The gods' my father choked on his words before there's sobs escape his trembling body, soon after my mother was crying head down on my dad's arms hugging his frail body crying. I looked at my brother for guidance but he too was shaking a lone tear rolling down his face.
'Can somebody tell me what's going on...' by voice came out small despite my efforts of making it commanding. I sounded like a child.
'Please...'
A girl slim with silky chocolate skin, my god she way pretty. Walking over to the door frame.
'Your a demigod,half mortal, half God,one of your parents' she points over to the hunches across the table 'fell in love with one of the Greek gods so much so they had you'.
'Which one?'.
'I don't know kid that's what we want to know'.
I stand up from my chair drastically walking over to the girl.
'You a demigod huh?' I say approaching the girl.
'We all are' she said gesturing to everyone in the living room.
'Why- why are you here?'.
'This is safe house, your parents set it up years ago'.
I looked at my parents but they didn't look like people who had set up safe houses to help. They look like cowards.Who didn't have the guts to tell their daughter the truth.
'How long have you known.'
'It's hard to-'.
'No, not you' my mother looked up ,puffy face and red eyes.
'How long have you known.' I repeated coldly.
'Since birth.'.
A sharp pain entered my shoulder. Just like before.
'We tried telling you but-'.
The pain waved over my entire arm thrashing against my veins and muscles.
'We just got scared-'.
And that's what ticked me over. They. Just. Got. Scared.
How did they think I felt!?!?
Unstable magic rushing through my veins, monsters hounding at the door and a life unseen.Strings of magic slowly poured out my fingertips, twisting and turning around the table leg as my parents spoke words and unheard.The girl beside me gripped my hand encasing my fist and inturn trapping the magic. She spoke to me but I couldn't make out the words .
Suddenly our hands were hot. Scorching hot. I had to stop whatever it was. I had to stop and hit the brakes emergency eject button but I couldn't find it.
I couldn't stop it. I tried pushing the girl's hand away to stop her from hurting, but she wouldn't let go.A hum of energy and iridescent light surrounds us, as my family and the other kids scrambled around us to try and stop it. I don't know she said this or mouthed it to me. But all I seem to remember was her saying 'I won't let you hurt alone'.
I smiled.
And then there was a bang.