I Learn About the Prophecy

Yes, i am indeed a half blood, and I was encouraged by some author to write a book about my experiences, with a promised payment of a college scholarship, in which i agreed to do so. So bear with me, cool? Cool.

Now, i'm pretty sure that a family friend of my grandfather has done stories or novels the same way i am making one right now. In all honesty, i don't like writing at all, i mean come on! It's the year 2103! I should be taking my pilot's test, or maybe trying to figure out what i want to be when i'm in my 30's or something similar like that.

But, i guess if you're a half blood, a normal life would be desperately fighting for your life everytime you encounter a monster, with it's only motive is to kill you on sight. Sounds fun doesn't it?! That is, if you didn't know you were a half blood until you're like nearly a young adult. So, unlike every demigod, i didn't know i was a half blood until i was nearly seventeen. How i survived? It was all thanks to my grandfather, Leo Valdez.

From what i've been told, he made a liquid that hides the scent of demigods from monsters, making lives easier for kids like me. Sure enough, it's harmless on the skin, except for the brief freezing sensation you get from applying it on the skin. So when i was two-years old, my mother applied it on me.

It lasts for about fifteen years, but unfortunately for me, i was turning seventeen this month, and there wasn't a bottle of the special liquid anywhere available. You get the idea. Anyways, moving on.

Now, normally i would start this off with a "my-mother/father-told-me-stories-about-this-yada-yada-yada". No. I will start this off by saying, Hi, my name is Luna Valdez, and i am Leo Valdez' granddaughter.

Yes, he is still alive (102 years old) I don't know how, but long ago he told a story about how he died and came back, at least, that's what he told me. Anyways, i didn't believe that my grandfather came back like Jesus would've. But he did. Like i said, i don't know how it happened, it just did.

I was in my room doing homework one day, minding my own business when i was called down for dinner. My mother was on a business trip in Tokyo, while dad...well, i haven't seen him since fourth grade. Mom said he went on a trip overseas and got lost. His ship was never recovered.

Part of me wanted to be angry, while the other makes me want to curl up and cry because i lost my father. I moved on eventually, after a couple of months, covering the grief with my school work, and weekend visits to my grand parents. But this year, since my mother is on a business trip, i have to stay for a few months with them.

Impressively, for a 102 year old man, my grand father looked sixty, which was surprising considering his actual age. Grand mother looked like she was fifty, and has a youthful personality, same with grand father. What makes them cool is that, they didn't like being called 'grandpa' or 'grandma'. They say that it makes them feel old and useless, so i just call them by their proper names: Leo and Calypso. Simple.

With their garage business doing great for over seventy-five years, the garage has expanded and improved. From the automatons my grand father, Leo built, to help with the mechanic work, the amazing cooking and gardens my grand mother, Calypso makes, it was amazing what they can do for their age. While me, well...i take care of Festus, our dragon.

Yep! Believe it or not, we have a bronze molten plasma-breathing dragon named Festus. His job was to entertain the children that comes over with their parents to have their vehicles fixed. I was there to entertain them with Festus to do tricks and rides around the neighbourhood. Since it's covered by the Mist, the people just think that it's a rollercoaster of some kind, pretty cool, huh?

Anyways, getting off topic here. I was called down to dinner. As we sat and ate, Leo asked, "So, how was school today kiddo?"

I simply said, "It was the same, grandad, i go to school, i learn, do work, and go home."

"Is that sarcasm, young lady?" He asked suspiciously, "I also told you to stop calling me that, kiddo," he added.

"Just not feeling good today, sorry," i quickly apologized.

Calypso looked at me worriedly, the type of look that shows so much empathy and sadness, it made me a little uneasy, so i just spat out the truth.

"I met a boy today," i sighed, "he asked me out on a date."

Immediately, they both asked a million questions. What's his name? Where does he live? Where is he taking you out? Tell us, what's his favourite colour? Does he know anyone we know? It gave me a headache. Luckily, they noticed and they took turns and waited for an answer.

"Ok, kiddo. What's his name?" Leo asked.

I responded with, "his name's Joseph. Joseph Chase Jackson."

I saw them look at each other for a moment, Leo's mouth open in awe. It confused me, maybe because they actually know that name. Wow, thanks captain obvious.

"Jackson?! A boy named Jackson asked you out?!" Leo asked amazed. "Where does he live? Is he down the street? Does he live close?"

"He goes to the same school i do, and yeah, i guess he lives close. By Clove Avenue i think," i said, "why do you ask? Why's the name Jackson familiar to you?"

Leo looked at me. I knew that look. It's his 'time-for-an-old-epic-story-time the look that is common with elderly people which will trigger a flashback. Sorry, got a little too dramatic there. But you get the point.

"Get comfy kiddo, we're going to be here for a while," he said as Calypso gather up the dishes to the cleaning automatons.

"Don't know if your mother ever told you this, or your father but, i'll tell you about the prophecy of the Seven. Ya see, i was one of the seven demigods that saved the world by defeating the earth goddess-"

"Earth goddess? You mean Gae-"

"Shh, shh, shush. Don't say her name out loud, kid! It's calling the attention of trouble!" Leo said panicky, "don't you ever say out the name of any ancient monsters, nether the less 'mother earth'. If they hear their name, they will come and attack! So keep it low, yeah?"

He scared me because of that, so i just nodded and kept quiet as he continues his story.

"Yes, the earth goddess herself. I was a child of the god of god of fire, Hephaestus. She gathered all the monsters from...uh...let's just call it the 'Hellhole', and sent them to attack a camp made for demigods. Which is Camp Half Blood. She wanted to take us all out so she can rule the world with her ugly-looking monsters for children. Meanwhile, some hard-skull of a Roman ruler wanted to rule the camp as well.

They were about to battle when a friend of ours, the praetor of the Roman camp, revealed the Athena Parthenos. Both of the camps stopped when they saw it, and didn't fight at all." He paused. "Now, unfortunately, the goddess woke up, and arrived at the camp with her army of monsters.

Both camps defended Camp Half Blood, with the Seven mainly focused on fighting the goddess. I fought with Festus by my side as he shoots fireballs at her dirt for a face. We fought for a while, Festus continuing to shoot fireballs at her ugly face, demigods fighting off monsters, but she cannot be defeated without a sacrifice. Which was me. So i wasn't gonna go down without a fight and not having to test out what Festus can do."

Another pause. "Now, what happened was that the leader of the Roman army tried to help. Sure, he did, but it killed ME in process. He fired a catapult aimed at the goddess. Unfortunately for him, and me, he didn't see his cape caught in the catapult. So when he fired it, HE was fired with it. What I heard before dying was the whistle of the flaming ammunition heading straight for me. I don't know what happened next but i guess i crashed into ol' dirtface, killing her."

"Luckily, i was revived by the help of Festus, injecting me with the Physician's Cure. The same medicine that Artemis gave to one of her hunters. Which was surprisingly a guy. How the dude befriended the goddess, i don't know. He must've been like a Mr. Nice Guy to her. He was a hunter for Artemis, which, i thought was strictly females only. I don't know. But yes, i was resurrected by the Physician's Cure with the help of Festus to inject it in me."

Hearing his name several times, Festus peaked his bronze head through an open window by the book shelves, Creeak?

"Nothing buddy, just telling a story," Leo said as he pats Festus' head, which in response, leaked a bluish liquid on his head. He retreated from the window and flew back on the roof with a thud.

"Welp, i'm going to go and finish my homework. Thanks for that amazing story granddad-"

"I told YOU stop calling me that!" He grimaced as he wiped off the liquid off his head with a napkin.

Calypso and I laughed. We said our good nights, and i left the old couple by themselves downstairs.

• • •

Sure enough, the couple went to bed early. Checking the steampunk-style clock Leo made out of scrap bronze, it showed that it was 8:37:32PM, along with the date 4/12/03. I became bored, because i wasn't sleepy, so, knowing that Festus is still awake, considering that i don't hear a low humming, i looked up from my opened window and whispered his name.

"Festus! Hey bud, come'ere!"

Hearing his name, the dragon peaked his head through the window and nuzzled his snout on my face, breathing smoke from his nostrils.

"Hey, Festus. Listen buddy, i'm a little bored, wanna go for a ride?" I asked softly.

His head tilted as he heard the word 'ride'. Immediately after, he tugged on my shirt excitedly, meaning that he's up for it. So i got my dark sweater on and headed for the waiting dragon. He pulled me up from the window and i slid down his long neck, onto his warm back.

"Hold on, just gotta get the seatbelts fastened," i said quickly. After fastening and doing safety checks so that the lightbelts were properly working, I grabbed the reigns and tugged.

The bronze dragon flapped his large metal wings and flew into the night sky, the wind blowing my black hair back. I had to wear old-fashioned aviator goggles, and a white bandana over my mouth and nose, just in case i get too cold, which were not really my style but Calypso made it for me, didn't wanna upset the sweet woman, it hurts me even more when i see her sad expressions.

I needed some time off from everything. So why not ride a dragon in the middle of the night? The streets were filled with cars and people on their devices, the sea on both sides of the megacity, not knowing the bronze dragon soaring over them. As i laid back and stare at the night sky on Festus, i thought about the prophecy of the Seven.

I wonder where they are now? Are they still alive like Leo? Or is he the only one left? If they ARE alive, do they have grand children? Where are those grand children now? We flew for ten minutes before my thoughts were interrupted by the distant sound of thunder, coming from a storm on the other side of the city.

Creeeeak!

"Huh? What is it bud? What do you see?" I asked.

Creeeeeak! He said again. His head was pointing at the storm a few kilometres away.

"It's just a storm, bud. Nothing to worry about. It's just the city about to get some rain," i said empathetically. The storm didn't bother me, but apparently, it bothered Festus. So we hang a right, until the dark clouds were behind us.