Fire and Snow

I fell asleep

Today I was working on a perfect gift for Capsylo, and then a loud knock interrupted my thoughts. I knew it was not Capsylo, since she was cooking dinner. I took a 2 kg hammer from my tool belt and went to the door.

'Who's there?' I called out, my voice steady but edged with caution. 'I have a 2 kg hammer in my hands—if I find you lying, I may as well kill you.'

A familiar voice responded, 'It's Hermes. Jeez, kid, calm down.' He added, 'I h...Hermes stepped inside, his winged sandals barely making a sound against the floor. His presence seemed to bring a gust of wind with him, and I had to squint to avoid the sudden swirl of dust. Behind him stood Percy Jackson, his sea-green eyes as sharp as ever, and Annabeth Chase, her stormy gray gaze boring into me.

'Wait, what are you guys doing here?' I asked, my grip on the hammer tightening.

'Why do you think we're here, tech brain?' Annabeth replied, her arms crossed and her expression unyielding. 'It took us years to find out where you were hiding.'

I rolled my eyes. 'Well, if you had just called—'

'Enough,' Hermes interrupted, a rare seriousness to his tone. 'Hephaestus needs your help, Leo. And it's not just about crafting a fancy gift this time.'

The room fell silent. Even the sizzle of whatever Capsylo was cooking seemed to dim in the weight of his words.

'Tell me everything,' I said, setting the hammer down but keeping it within arm's reach. Something told me I might still need it.

Hermes sighed and exchanged a look with Percy and Annabeth. 'Aphrodite has betrayed Olympus,' he said. 'She's sided with Ares in a plot that could bring down Hephaestus—and possibly more. The forge of Hephaestus has gone cold, and without it, the weapons of the gods will crumble.'

Percy added, 'The monsters are already stirring. The barriers around Camp Half-Blood are weakening. We need you, Leo.'

Annabeth's expression softened just a bit. 'Hephaestus asked for you by name. He believes you're the only one who can reignite his forge.'

My mind raced. 'But why would Aphrodite do this? What's she after?'

'A new era,' Hermes said grimly. 'One where love and war are the only forces that matter. If they succeed, chaos will reign, and the balance will be lost.'

I stood up, the hammer back in my hand, feeling its weight. 'Then what are we waiting for? Let's go save Olympus.'

As we turned toward the door, Capsylo appeared, holding a spatula, her face a mix of confusion and worry. 'Leo? What's going on?'

I managed a smile. 'Just a little quest, no big deal. Save the world, all that.'

Her expression turned serious, and she nodded. 'Then I'm coming too.'

And like that our quest began to save the world.