1930
Bianca Di Angelo found herself on the brink of something significant.
The air hung heavy with an impending sense of change, akin to the quiet before a storm. That night would etch itself into her memory, marked by thunderous echoes and the unfolding of a profound tragedy.
Her mother, Maria di Angelo, displayed a knowing sorrow in her eyes, as if she sensed the gathering storm. The sky, once serene, cracked open with bolts of lightning, and rain began to pour down. Yet, it wasn't just a typical storm; there was an otherworldly intensity to it.
The rain poured and poured until Bianca could barely see a few feet in front of her.
A deafening CRACK echoed through the air.
As the lightning struck, Bianca could only stand witness to her mother's sudden collapse. The sharp scent of burnt air mixed with her tears, blending the tangible and emotional aftermath of the celestial event.
Nico, her younger brother, cried out in confusion, his distress mirroring the turmoil within.
Clutching onto Nico, Bianca felt a profound emptiness, like a part of her had been snuffed out with the departure of her guiding light.
The rain continued to fall, washing away the remnants of the tempest. Unbeknownst to Bianca, a demigod in the making, she cradled her mother's lifeless body and whispered a solemn vow into the night. A vow to shield her brother, navigate the unpredictable currents of life, and defy the predetermined fate she believed to be mere chance.
Bianca shouldered the responsibility that fate had thrust upon her young shoulders. The storm, having exacted its toll, retreated into the night, leaving behind two children forever changed by the unpredictable dance of both mortals and the whims of the gods.
Nico looked up at his older sister. "Bianca…"
The young girl looked at her brother and slowly wiped his tears. The rain continued to fall, a gentle rhythm that seemed to echo the promises made under the tumultuous night sky. Clutching Nico close, Bianca whispered words of assurance amidst the sound of droplets tapping against the leaves.
"I'll protect you, Nico."
"Always?"
"Always."
Bianca vowed to shield her brother from the storms that life might hurl their way, no matter the cost.
2005
Percy Jackson scowled as he once again found himself stuck defending Grover in his friends never-ending bullying by Nancy and her gang.
He couldn't help but wonder why Grover, the self-proclaimed nature warrior, seemed to lose his voice and backbone in the face of Nancy's relentless teasing. Percy couldn't figure out why someone who'd tackle dudes twice his size for tossing a candy wrapper couldn't muster the courage to face down a junior-sized bully with firetruck red hair.
It felt a whole lot like a twisted version of déjà vu of what he dealt with back home.
The whole scene hit Percy in the gut, triggering memories of his own household drama. Here he was, ready to take on anyone who dared to touch his friend, yet powerless to stand up to Gabe, his abusive stepfather.
As Percy stood there, watching Grover endure another round of verbal slingshots, it hit him hard. They were both stuck in a loop of fear and helplessness, facing battles that felt like déjà vu in different worlds.
So Percy would stop the cycle.
Percy Jackson would run away.
Percy stepped into his home, a place that felt more like a sad trap than anything else. Gabe, the smelly guy who made everything miserable, just grunted in response.
"Get me a beer, boy," Gabe barked.
Percy sighed but did what he was told. The sound of bottle caps and Gabe's rough demands filled the small space. Gabe drank a bunch of beers, getting louder and meaner with every sip.
After a few cases, the giant lump of a man was out cold on the couch, snoring like a bear. Percy tiptoed around, trying not to disturb the beast. In the quiet, he felt a momentary escape from the chaos of his home.
With nothing but the clothes on his back, Percy tip-toed through the house.
In the quiet of the night, Percy's heart thumped like a drumbeat as he slinked through the dim halls of his so-called home. This place which was meant to be his home, had turned into a prison of taunts and torment.
The floor groaned beneath Percy's careful steps, each creak echoing the weight of a decision that crackled in the stillness - an escape from Gabe, his stepdad, whose idea of parenting involved a twisted cocktail of insults and cruelty.
Percy had endured Gabe's cruelty for far too long - endless insults, the sting of unwarranted punishment, and the constant fear that hung heavy in the air.
Gabe's favourite pastime was finding new ways to belittle Percy, a punching bag for all his frustrations. The bruises, both physical and emotional, served as a cruel testament to the toxic environment Percy was desperate to escape.
Enduring Gabe's endless barrage of verbal and physical blows had carved scars, both seen and unseen, into Percy's young soul. The room next door housed the source of his nightmares—Gabe, the snoring ogre, blissfully unaware of the life-altering choice brewing in Percy's heart.
Percy's escape unfolded with a series of calculated moves. Every breath felt like a victory against the years of torment.
He had no destination in mind - just an innate instinct to flee the darkness that clung to Gabe's presence.
He creaked open the door, and he saw a shadow. His breath hitched and he ran. Away from Gabe, from the teachers who thought he was nothing but trouble, from the streets where his mom had died. Away from the life he would no longer live.
Percy turned corner after corner as he bolted through the streets.
In the cloak of night, Percy's footsteps echoed through the empty streets as he fled the specter that lurked behind the door. The city, with its dimly lit alleys and silent corners, became both his refuge and accomplice. With each stride, Percy felt the weight of his past slipping away, replaced by the heartbeat of newfound freedom.
He felt the cool air and sighed.
Percy wandered through the big, busy streets of Manhattan. Tall buildings surrounded him, like a concrete jungle. He sneaked around, blending in with the crowd, feeling like a tiny fish in a giant sea of people.
He hopped on crowded trains, with the clackity-clack of the tracks covering the sounds of his footsteps. The city noises, like honking cars and chattering folks, became his shield, hiding him as he moved.
As Percy reached Times Square, he marvelled at the bright lights and huge billboards. It felt like a whole different world, a place where he could disappear. The hustle and bustle of the city made him feel alive, like he was part of something big.
He strolled through Central Park, where trees stood like guardians. The shadows there hid his secrets as he continued his journey. The city's energy surged through him, promising a new chapter.
While wandering the bustling streets of Manhattan, Percy Jackson stumbled upon a peculiar place tucked between the towering building - a hotel. The neon sign flickered above a mysterious entrance, inviting him into an oasis of unknown wonders.
Curiosity gripped Percy as he approached the entrance, the allure of the hotel pulling at the edges of his wearied mind. The promise of respite and escape lingered in the air, and for a moment, he hesitated on the threshold.
As Percy stood at the precipice of a decision, the hotel's secrets beckoning to him like a siren's call, the bustling city noises faded into the background. The door loomed before him, concealing mysteries that begged to be unraveled.
With a hesitant breath, Percy contemplated whether to cross the threshold into the unknown depths. The city's noise hummed around him, but within the hotel's enigmatic confines, time seemed to stand still.
The choice lay in Percy's hands, the promise of the dangling like a tempting fruit. The air was thick with anticipation, and the moment hung suspended, leaving Percy—and those who followed his tale—on the edge of a cliffhanger, poised for the unraveling of secrets and the continuation of his extraordinary journey.
He didn't know it yet, but Percy Jackson was in the Lotus Hotel.
Grover sighed. Goode High School buzzed with chatter and laughter, but for Grover Underwood, the air felt heavy with the absence of his friend, Percy Jackson. As he weaved through the crowded hallways, the memories of their adventures lingered like distant echoes.
The taunts of Nancy and her gang faded into the background as Grover's mind replayed the events leading to Percy's sudden disappearance. He couldn't understand why Percy, his best friend , had vanished without a trace. The weight of worry settled heavily on Grover's shoulders.
As he faced the bullies, Grover's thoughts were consumed by Percy's absence. The halls of Goode High, once filled with laughter and camaraderie, now seemed emptier without his friend by his side.
Grover remembered the countless times Percy had stood up for him, the unspoken bond between them stronger than any words could convey. He longed for the return of his friend, a constant presence in a world filled with uncertainty.
He had lost his father, his Uncle Ferdinand, and even Thalia. He couldn't lose Percy too.
Unfortunately for Grover, he already had.