Let me sing to you...

Oh. right. Intro: Hello fellow camper! My name is Diamond and welcome to the incredible universe that is Sapphire's layout (I tweaked it a bit, hope you don't mind Saph). Anyway. Here you'll meet the characters I have shed blood and lost time for. Like many of you out there, the characters I create reflect myself, or the person I want to be, in one way or another. So as you read on, you'll discover glimpses of me, like scattered pieces of a puzzle. What pieces you'll take and how you'll put them together is entirely up to you. I doubt we'll ever meet in real life so the best I can do is let you get to know me through my characters. And hopefully, you'll enjoy every moment of it with me.

*nervous laugh* I’m no good at introductions so, yeaaah, let me just sing you a song of ice and fire.

Diamond

“I was named after my Aunt Celine who accompanied my mother when she had to leave Italy. I like my name. It has a touch of irony in it, given my parentage.”


“You can call me Selene. I don’t have a problem with Shannon, but more often than not people pronounce it wrong.”


“Can we please not talk about my age? It’s depressing.”


“My mother gave birth to me at home, right by the beach. She says that the moon was so big and full the night I was born and it made the Pacific shine silver. That’s why she decided to change the spelling of my name from Aunt Celine’s. It was to honor the goddess of the moon, who my mother believed was watching that night.”


“I had known since I was little that my dad is Apollo, god of poetry, music, healing, etc. Some people call him god of the sun; some people say that’s a misconception. I don’t really care. All I know is I can’t make fireballs or make prophecies but I can sing pretty well.”


“Well, I guess I’m luckier than most demigods out there since I was claimed early.”


“My mom is the nicest person in the world. She’s really lovely and she had many suitors when we got to Hawaii but she never married. She just took care of me. She’s a terrible cook (seriously, the only thing she knows to do using the stove is boiling water) but she’s my greatest ally here on Earth.”


Almost 18 years ago, Artemis had asked her brother to go down to Montalcino, a small but beautiful hill town of Italy, famous for its vast vineyards and the wine that comes after. She was going to bribe persuade Dionysus to tell his crazed followers to stop wreaking havoc partying so hard in her sacred woods and wanted to get her hands on some fine wine to offer to the god. Apollo, being a kind and helpful brother (or so he liked to believe; in truth, he lost a bet to his twin and now this was the price), decided to spare Artemis the trouble and went to Montalcino in her stead.

Montalcino was a quiet, charming town and the people were quite kind to Apollo when he arrived, disguised as a foreign businessman planning to open a winery. He soon found out that who had the monopoly of the best vineyards: the Cruz family. And it was in their hospitality that he decided to stay.

Don Manuel Cruz had five daughters, all of them lovely, but it was the fourth daughter who caught the god’s eye. If we were to be honest actually, Sofia was the least lovely among the five but she was the best musician among them and she had the talent (sort of) for poetry. Of course she caught Apollo’s eye and they had a passionate love affair…and of course it was short-lived. Because the moment the wine was packed and beribboned, the god whisked his way back to Olympus to fulfill his godly duties, which mainly consisted of playing the lyre while a bunch of Muses danced and sang around him (lucky guy).

But back on Earth, his seed (I imagined it was gold – and glowing) had taken root inside of Sofia and slowly developed into her biggest fear: a child out of wedlock. Sure enough, when her family found out, she was instructed to leave Montalcino with her inheritance and accompany her aunt Celine to the US. Aunt Celine’s dream was to move to Florida, and she decided she was going to build her house right on the sand – an alien thing for someone who had lived her entire life in a town surrounded by hills and fields. Long story short, Aunt Celine never lived to see the US. But Sofia did. And there she stayed. Although she decided she liked the sound of Hawaii better than Florida. And it was there that she gave birth to Selene the brand new demigod – although Sofia didn’t know that yet.

Meanwhile, Apollo had forgotten all about Sofia. He couldn’t even remember how many years had passed since Montalcino. There were other more interesting mortals out there. Like in Hawaii! There was a two-year-old who was becoming a fast-rising phenomenon. Her voice was sensational, he heard, and she learned to play the lyre all by herself. He must visit her at once! And congratulate her parents for spawning such a musically talented person into the world!

Oh the shock.

He claimed her instantly. Although the gods won’t admit it, they tend to claim the demigods who show more potential faster (bragging rights you see, if your child ever happened to be the first to cure cancer or be the next Michael Jackson). The god decided it would be best to not meet his daughter so he sent Sofia a dream instead, explaining everything about him and Selene's true nature. Of course, Sofia believed she was going loco for the next five months that the dreams appeared. But in the end, she believed. And as soon as she could say the word “demigod” Selene was taught she was one. Every summer since she was seven, her mom would ship her off to camp for training. She never really took it seriously. Although Apollo had warned them early on about monsters and how they eyed demigods like mortals eyed whole roasted pigs at buffet tables, Selene had never encountered a monster. So she was half-hearted at training and was never considered for quests. Besides, she was only a camper in the summer so she wasn’t as connected to the other kids as they were to each other and thus tended to shy away from attention. Slowly, Selene lost her passion for the lyre and sang only occasionally and always when she was alone. She became quieter, retreating to her books. Recently however she was consumed by a new interest: archery. Her aunt – and yes, I mean Artemis – had left her a bow and a set of arrows for her sixteenth birthday. When her mom (prodded by Apollo) suggested she try one whole year at camp to see how it goes the only thing that convinced her to agree was the promise of excellent archers teaching her how to wield the bow and arrow properly. More than anything she wanted to make Aunt Artemis proud. Someday, she was going to be a hunter.

Oh, and speaking of Artemis, if you were wondering if she succeeded in bribi – persuading Dionysus the answer is yes. But then, when the wine god told his followers to take the partying down a notch he gave them some of the Montalcino wine as some sort of ‘peace offering’. I think you could imagine what happened after that.

Year round
“I used to be a summer camper since I was seven, but the trip from Hawaii to Long Island got tiring and more costly for the last ten years. So my mom decided I should try being a year-rounded in camp. I know she wasn’t pushing me away because she didn’t want me around. I understand she’s always worrying about me getting attacked in the outside world. So I decided that this year, I promised I’d try being a year-rounder.”


“Wow, I’ve been a camper for a decade now? I thought time was supposed to fly when you’re having fun. Sigh. Don’t get me wrong, Camp Half-blood’s okay…It’s just depressing to realize I’ve been coming here for ten summer breaks and I haven’t made many friends.”

Selene is quite different as a teenager than during her childhood. As a child, she was loud and talkative, never hesitating to put on a performance when asked to. When she was growing up however, she gained weight and suffered from acne earlier than her classmates. This caused the other kids to tease and call her names and so she slowly lost her confidence and became quieter and awkward. She stopped playing the lyre and eventually stopped singing too, much to Apollo’s disappointment. The god’s dream visits to Sofia became even fewer after that so Selene grew up with an extremely close relationship with her mom. Sofia became her best friend – the only one for a long time. At around 15, she started swimming and shed off the extra weight. Her mom also allowed her to get facials to remove the acne and she’s been taking care of it ever since. The teasing stopped, but her confidence never really returned. She keeps getting lost in her own words and saying the wrong things. She remained drawn, reading novels and internet fan-fictions as a main hobby. At camp, she was always by herself, opting to stay by the lake at night when everyone else was sleeping. One night, Artemis visited her and the goddess talked her into considering joining the hunters. Selene thought it was an awesome idea and became quite grateful to Artemis for the visit. It gave her a dream, a goal to reach. She’s been a fan of Artemis ever since.

The scars on her leg are from all the times she’s tripped and fell. Coordination isn’t really her strong point. Selene is also a slow-runner and is a little weak, so she’s not really popular during training and capture-the-flag at camp. She feels invisible and she kind of is. But she has a good heart, kind to animals and little children. She has a hard time making friends but when she does have one, her natural charm and loyalty shines through. She’s really nervous about her first full year in camp but she knows that if she wants to be a hunter of Artemis, she’s going to have to tough up.
Like almost every demigod out there, Selene is dyslexic. But curiously isn’t ADHD.


Zero sense of self-worth.

And I mean, zero. For someone who is extremely talented and beautiful, it’s a shame that Selene can’t see her own potential. Never volunteers to go on quests, never steps up to give her opinions…it’s no wonder people at camp never notice her. But more than being friendless, Selene avoids serious training because of her irrational belief that she will be laughed at. She’s always wanted to ask the more experienced fighters of camp to help her in learning defense and combat but she doesn’t have the nerve to do so. She’s convinced that even if she practiced, she could never be a fighter so she doesn’t bother to give her all. If she gets jumped by a monster, she’s dead.


“If I had one weakness, I’d say it’s my mother. I’d give up my life for her.”


“Likes? Hmm, I liked making music, but it’s been so long since I’ve tried making a decent composition. I don’t know, I don’t really feel like doing anything music related lately… Anyways, I really like characters who are excellent archers – like Princess Merida from Brave, Katniss Everdeen, Legolas, and many others. I really enjoy watching their movies over and over and I can’t wait to be just like them. Pixar! Oh, I love Pixar movies!”


“I don’t like flying cockroaches. Cockroaches on the floor, that’s fine but when it starts flying around the room…*shudder* I mean come on! Does it think it’s a butterfly for gods’ sakes?”

Selene took after Sofia in almost every way: dark brown hair, which Selene loves to wear in soft cascading curls (she refuses any notion from her mother about cutting it short), soulful dark eyes rimmed with long black lashes and pale pink lips. Life in Hawaii has never allowed her to have fair skin but that’s just fine since her sun-kissed complexion accentuates her Italian features quite nicely. But she gets acne breakouts easily, so she has to be diligent about keeping her skin clean. As long as the weather permits it, she dons a big and floppy hat. And her legs have lots of scars from her childhood so she’s almost always in jeans.


Selene isn’t fond of baring too much skin, even when walking the beaches of Hawaii. She usually dresses in loose white tops and colored jeans. And she really loves summer hats:

Spoiler:

But when it comes to something a little formal, she loves long flowing gowns in shades of violet:

Spoiler:

Singing – Selene has an enchanting voice and is an excellent player of the lyre. People are just drawn to her voice when she starts to sing and whether it is because her voice has a hint of magic in it or not is unclear.
Healing – A power she had only recently discovered, Selene can heal minor wounds. The drawback is she can only heal herself at the moment. She’s still trying to learn how to channel her healing power to help others.


Needless to say, Selene’s most prized possession is the silver bow and arrow Artemis gifted her with.

Spoiler:

None. But Selene is fond of woodland creatures.


Selene isn’t really allowed to pick favorites, but if she could, it would be Artemis. At least, that's what she'll tell you. Her father never manifested himself in her life - heck, she didn't even know what he looked like. But, really – deep down, she loves her father very much. Archery isn’t just about convincing Artemis that she’s qualified to be a hunter, it’s about making her father proud too. Maybe, just maybe, if she becomes a great archer, Apollo would appear in her dreams.

“Oh, what’s in a name, love? Call a rose by any other name and it will smell just as sweet…and it will still prick your bloody finger if you don’t be careful.”

Lucas St. Pierre

“Well, I used to be called Lucas, but after this kid pointed out it sounded too much like Lucifer, it’s been quite an unpopular name with the ladies. Although I personally reckon "Lucifer" would fit me better, I fancy being called Pierre now.”

Lucas, Pierre…often referred to as the “Devil’s Spawn” by the other campers

“I look a lot more mature for my age.”

Seventeen

“How am I supposed to know? I was still screaming about the injustice of being ripped out from my mother’s womb, wasn’t I? Have you any idea how painful it is to be forced through a hole that small? Nearly ruined my hair…”

Unknown

“With my looks and charm, who else could it be?”

Aphrodite – goddess of love and beauty

“To be honest I don’t really fancy talking about them.”

Pierre’s father is a wealthy cosmetic surgeon in London, Dr. Christian Hubert St. Pierre. He’s also very famous, both for his skills in surgery and his looks. It’s not that hard to imagine why Aphrodite herself fell for the doctor’s ruggedly handsome features and natural wit.

When Pierre turned twelve, his father gave him what he thought was a special gift – a stepmother. Rosaline Digby (now Rosaline Digby - St. Pierre) was very special indeed…especially foul that is. She entered the family not knowing the truth about Pierre’s mother and was, for a while, a tolerable woman. Well, she tolerated Pierre’s existence at least and he did feel his stepmother make an effort to accept him. However, one night, they were attacked by a band of particularly evil kobaloi – ancient sprites fond of tricking and frightening mortals. Dr. St. Pierre was able to fend off the creatures as they destroyed their house (well, what do you know? Scalpels made of celestial bronze do exist!) and their family survived – but not unharmed. Rosaline got hurt and lost the baby no one knew she was carrying. It was nobody’s fault of course but when she finally learned the truth she dumped all the blame on Pierre. The doctor tried to reconcile the two but it was useless: Rosaline declared that Pierre murdered his own baby sibling and was a worthless menace. Pierre, hurt but secretly agreeing to everything Rosaline said, declared he had never wanted Rosaline as a mother anyways and that Dr. St. Pierre loved Aphrodite more than he’ll ever love Rosaline. Rosaline then gave her husband an ultimatum: Her, or Pierre.

He chose Rosaline.

“Of course I’m claimed! Really, love. With this face, wit and natural musk, what god of Olympus wouldn’t want me as a son?”

Pierre is claimed. Bit of a funny story actually. He was working at a stripper club when he suddenly glowed pink for a minute. You can imagine the ladies going mad. He always knew that his mother was Aphrodite but it was the first real sign from her.

“What? What was I doing in a stripper club, you ask? Hold your horses ladies, you’ll hear all about it in a minute.”

“I’ve got nowhere else to go now.”

Year-round

“You mean, how many years has it been since my wonderful father gave me the boot?”

Three years and four months.

“Ah, now you’ll know what I was doing in a stripper club.”

His father didn’t completely abandon him. The doctor left his son in the care of his older sister, Caroline. Too bad Aunt Caroline could see right through the mist. She eventually found out that Pierre was a demigod and she worried for the safety of her own family. Although it broke her heart to do it, she bullied Pierre, made him their servant and abused him so much that within a month, it was Pierre’s own decision to leave. The moment Pierre was out of their care, Aunt Caroline fled out of the country with her family. A few weeks later, Dr. St. Pierre and Rosaline followed suit.

He never heard from his family ever since. Pierre roamed the streets alone until an old matron found him. Even at twelve, Pierre was already extraordinarily handsome and the old matron didn’t fail to notice. She sold the boy to a night club for a hefty sum.

One would think that this was the worst thing that happened to Pierre but if he was asked, he’d say this was the best. The club gave him a roof to stay under, food and water and a job.

“No, sweetheart, I wasn’t a stripper. Sorry to disappoint. I worked as a waiter, you know, serving beer and all that jazz. It was quite a happy time for me. I felt like I belonged somewhere, like I had a family. They accepted me, valued me even…that is, until I glowed pink as a baby’s freshly spanked bottom.”

On the night Aphrodite claimed him, the club kicked Pierre out for fear that he was a freak. For another two months he wondered around until he was discovered by Penn, the satyr. Penn explained to Pierre about Camp Half-Blood, how it was the safest place for demigods from all sorts of monsters and how the longer he stayed in the open, the more he was at risk. Pierre agreed to stay at camp and he’s never left since.

“I’m quite a straightforward chap really. If I think you’re ugly, I’ll tell you you’re ugly. If I think you’re beautiful, I’ll kiss you.”

Pierre can be a jerk. A major one. He’s quite insensitive and tactless, voicing out his opinion with little care if he hurt anybody’s feelings. His temper is also very short so it’s not difficult to make him explode with anger. But the scariest part is you’ll never know when he’s angry. If ever you offend him, he won’t act any differently around you. Then BAM! When you’re least expecting it, he’ll make his move. This guy will get even. Revenge isn’t a choice, it’s a mandatory move. And for Pierre, it’s all one big game on how well he can serve it.
He’s also notorious around camp for being a lady-killer. You’d ask, “If he was such a jerk, then why would any girl want him?” Pierre knows how to work his gifts and he works it well. Life is never complete without a girl to mess around with.

But Pierre isn’t all about revenge and seduction. His talent for vengeance enhanced three qualities in him: intelligence, strategy and discipline – qualities that make him excel in combat as well. He never does anything half-heartedly. Given a task – any task, no matter how mundane – he puts all his efforts in it. He’s organized and prepared. And he’s not the type to launch into anything without giving it thorough thought. Like Selene, he is curiously not an ADHD like the other demigods. Some think this is a disadvantage when fighting comes but for him, this isn’t a drawback at all. It grants him patience. He can stay still (both physically and otherwise) for a long time until he thinks it’s the perfect moment to strike.

“So as you can see, I’m the closest thing you’ve got to perfection. Actually, I think I’ve already perfected the art of perfection. What’s that you ask? “Flaws?” The only “flaws” I know is the kind that dentists are always telling you to do.”

Ever heard of a god-complex? Well, this guy definitely has one. Pierre believes that he is always right in every decision he makes. He won’t take any form of criticism lightly and absolutely detests being told that he is wrong. In his mind, he is the most powerful demigod out there.

“Don’t own one.”
“Di: Of course you do. You just don’t know it yet. Or rather, you know about it but don’t acknowledge it.”

Beneath all that toughness and sharpness, Pierre has soft side too. People hardly see it but it’s there. He misses his dad. He’ll tell you that he doesn’t give a damn about his dad anymore but the truth is he’ll give anything in this world to be a part of their family again. Moreover, there’s not a night that passed by when he didn’t think about his baby sibling, the one that Rosaline miscarried. Deep in his heart, Pierre agrees with his stepmother: it was his fault that his baby sibling never lived to see the world. He is a threat to the safety of his family. Sure, it stung when they abandoned him but they were happier now, weren’t they?

He also has a soft spot for orphan children. And since most of the year-round campers were abandoned by their families (or kicked out, because why else would they stay there?) he feels empathy for them too. Thing is, he doesn’t really like to show this nicer side of him.

“I do enjoy it when people call me Devil’s Spawn behind my back. Makes my life loads more interesting.”

But the top soft spot? Rabbits - the fluffy, snow-white, pink-nosed kind. Pierre goes crazy on the inside when he sees those furry little creatures and had always wanted to own one. Want proof? Shove a rabbit right up to his face and watch his mouth twitch as he fights off a delighted smile!

“Likes? Oh, wow, there’s a tough one. Women. Women. And, err, let me see…women.”

If it isn’t obvious yet, Pierre likes women. Or rather, he likes seducing charming them. It’s his favorite past time. But aside from chasing girls, Pierre spends his time at the arena, practicing sword fighting. He likes wrestling too and taking long naps.

And of course…rabbits!

“I have this strong hatred for I-D-I-O-T-S and the stench of Axe Chocolate cologne.”

What he said. Pierre dislikes stupidity and isn’t known for tolerating mistakes. Remember, this guy is strategic and patient so he doesn’t really like people who jump into anything without careful evaluation of the matter first. Consequently, he won’t extend his help if he thinks you got into trouble because of your own senselessness. He doesn’t think much of cheaters either. In his mind, the only way to win is to win fairly. Which is sort of ironic coming from a guy who loves to manipulate women to get what he wants, don’t you think?

As a son of Aphrodite, Pierre also has an eye for beauty, natural beauty. So he’s not a big fan of make-up or any other product that is designed to give a false sense of loveliness. He’s a resolute disapprover of plastic surgery (which back then was always a hot topic between his dad and him). And there are times when he can’t stand being in cabin 10.

“Ever heard of the phrase “drop-dead gorgeous?” No? Yes? No? Doesn’t matter, darling, because you’re looking at it.”

Pierre isn’t the Prince-Charming sort of handsome or even the Knight-in-Shining-Armor type; he’s more of the Big-Bad-Wolf…who will eat you alive if you don’t tread carefully around him. Tall and with an athletic built, his daily dose of exercise grants him muscular power despite being slim. Ruggedly handsome, with thick wavy brown hair he trims short and a little stubble around his chin. He has lips that seem to be always curved into a mischievous grin, made even more devilish by the wide dimples on either side. But his best asset is his eyes: black as night and sharp enough to render you speechless if he wanted to.

“Naked. I dress best when I’m naked.”

The usual laid-back casual: jeans and loose shirt or a sweatshirt…but with a touch of Pierre attitude:

Spoiler:

It doesn’t hurt to seem him in a tux either!

Spoiler:

“You’ll be surprised just how flexible I can be.”

Aside from making sexual innuendoes? Pierre excels in sword fighting and bare-handed combat. He’s also exceptional in battle strategy although not quite as good as the Athena kids (but he’ll never admit that to you). And of course, what he does best: charming people. He’s not capable of Charmspeak like some of his siblings are but he’s got other gifts and he knows how to use them well. Like his eyes and his smile. Couple that up with his sexy English accent and you’ll easily be smitten!

“I’ve got better weapons than my old man’s scalpels.”

He has a sword made of celestial bronze he calls “Ripper” .

“Ripper’s great, but I’ve got another sword too, much more sharper and –”
(Di: “Keep it PG13 Pierre!”)

“Why waste time with animals when human beings are much more interesting to play with?”

None. But he dreams of rabbits in his sleep.

“Oh, hello there! My full name is Alexandra Vianca Summers.”


“But from now until eternity, you have to call me Lexie. Please don’t call me Alex, I don’t like it.”


“I’m turning sixteen this year.”


“I don’t really know where I was born. Unless there’s a maternity ward in Olympus for expecting goddesses.”


“Eris, Goddess of Discord. So yes, I guarantee you…there won’t be a dull moment when you’re with me.”


“I’m claimed.”


“Family history? Boy, that’s a long and boring topic, isn’t it? Just basic details for now. I live with a gay couple, Benjamin and Franklin, and after sixteen years of sharing the same roof, I still don’t know for sure if those are their real names. But daddy Benj and Frank, they’re great people! They took me in when I was just a baby. Apparently, my real dad didn’t want me. Pfft. As if I care. I don’t give a rat’s ass about him either! And he better not come to me one day when I’m all rich and famous because I might slit his throat and stuff his intestines in it! That’ll show him for making me a dumpster baby! Oh, but daddy Benj told me I shouldn’t call myself a dumpster baby. I love them both! They always bring me nice clothes and do my hair and treat me like a princess. Which I deserve.”


The story of how Lexie was born actually starts with Athena, goddess of wisdom. It was 1997 and leaders around the world converged in Athens, Greece for the annual government summit. Naturally, a gathering of the best political minds of the time was a gathering Athena was bound to attend. One man, a senator, caught her attention. Long story short, they flirted with each other (in a very intellectual way, of course) but the senator’s jealous wife came storming and started a tantrum. Athena left for Olympus in fury and embarrassment and sought out Nemesis to ask for vengeance. But Nemesis was not a goddess who would carry out revenge without righteous reason and so she refused. But Eris overheard their conversation and volunteered eagerly when Nemesis declined. The goddess of strife and discord was bid to create chaos between the senator and his wife. To do this, she went to Aphrodite and borrowed (without permission) the goddess’ girdle – the one famed to make the wearer irresistibly beautiful and went to the senator wearing it. Enchanted by her beauty, it wasn’t that difficult for Lexie’s father to succumb to temptation. The demigod was born soon after.
Eris took the child and presented it to the senator and his wife, claiming to be too poor to care for it. Won’t the senator be an honourable father and take responsibility for his daughter? That was enough for the senator’s wife to go ballistic of course. The couple promptly got a divorce and engaged in one of the messiest custody fights the state of Arizona had ever seen. Eris went back to the world of the gods and hadn’t thought of her daughter until the day she claimed her on her fifteenth birthday.

Year rounder


“I’ve been here for three? Four years? I’m really not good with dates.”

Benjamin and Franklin raised the infant they found well. She grew up to be a fast learner and an excellent dancer and although they weren’t exactly millionaires, she had always got what she wanted and never starved or suffered physically. But Lexie has one major problem: bipolar personality. She’s a good enough kid, studies well and eats her vegetables, fights for equality of all human beings (just one of the things she picked up from living with her gay dads) and honor the gods despite their terrible attitudes sometimes…but that’s when she’s being normal, happy Lexie. It rarely happens but there are moments when the sweet, dress-adoring girl disappears and her mother’s heritage begins to show. Her other personality is much darker, often thinking and talking about murder plots and disturbing fetishes. She also becomes a trickster too, although her pranks cause more damage than harmless laughter. It’s not something Lexie is proud of and she hides that fact for as long as she can from even her closest of friends. Her split personality becomes evident when she starts talking about her father, or if she forgets to take her medication. But with all fairness to Lexie, when she’s not in being her heartless self, she’s pretty much a normal, down-to-earth teenager who just wants to find a boy to fall in love with.


When she becomes her alter ego, Lexie turns into a cruel and merciless being. She has no doubt it will get her killed one day. Her biggest fear is meeting Zeus in her alter ego mode, because she can envision herself badmouthing the god and getting struck by lightning. She gets nightmares about this. Sometimes she meets her mother instead of Zeus.

“I have a soft spot for ice cream, especially mint chocolate chip. My legs just go jelly at the thought of that delicious ice cream melting in my mouth and chewing away the dark chocolate chips that get left behind. ”


“Aside from mint chocolate chip? I do like movies! Especially the ones with sharp-minded, witty-mouthed heroines. I like going to concerts, but in general I don’t like tight, closed spaces. It’s not that I’m claustrophobic, ‘coz I’m not. I just don’t enjoy the thought of other people’s sweat, germs and gods-know-what coming in contact with my skin from all around. Getting crushed in crowds also make it harder to run if monsters are coming for you.”


“I’m not much fan of football or tennis or basketball…I easily get bored watching those. I also don’t like the color orange. And I don’t like my dad. Or his no-good, gold-digging, air-brained ex-wife. Or his useless kids. Or anyone unlucky enough to share his genes. I’d kill all of them, burn them alive and make them drink concentrated hydrochloric acid. Heck, I’d kill myself too! Because just the thought of having the same DNA with a foul, swine of a man like him makes me --- I think I should take my medicine now, excuse me. Please forget what you just heard. ”

Lexie’s quite small, with porcelain fair skin and big but slightly slanted dark eyes that gives her a Korean look (from her father’s side of the family). She has dark, messy hair and a charming smile. Which makes her even scarier when she her alter ego appears because she look so sweet and innocent. Height is average, but she is strong ang lean, making her a surprisingly fast-runner.

“I’m inlove with scarves! Even when it isn’t that cold, I like to wear them. I also like wearing skirts, I’m a very skirt-y person.

Spoiler:

But my favorite dresses are always in white. There’s something just so pure about white dresses. Although, yes, you have to be very careful so it won’t get soiled

Spoiler:

Sword fighting - “I’m can swing a sword. Not too excellently though. I mean, I can’t match Percy’s talents with Riptide or anything, but in a battle, I’m not completely defenseless.”
Influence – When Lexie wants it, she can create trouble. Like, literally, create trouble. She doesn’t even have to do anything concrete: if she wills it, a fight will erupt between anybody she chooses. They’ll either start punching, accusing or badmouthing each other, whatever Lexie wants them to do. She can’t use it often and it doesn’t work as well if there are many involved (it’s strongest if it’s between two persons only) but on the best of days, she can create strife between the closest of friends. The good thing is, Lexie the Good doesn’t even know she has that power. The bad part is, Lexie the Bad does.


Lexie doesn’t have anything special to call her own. She’s not a fan of violence and will only swing a weapon unless absolutely necessary. Her other self isn’t into confronting battles either. She likes to play dirty and backstab people to destroy her enemies, or she just uses her influence to get some other person to do the dirty work for her.


None. Lexie’s not a big fan of animals and she’s allergic to most kinds of fur.


Lexie’s split personality isn’t something one can medically call multiple personality disorder. When a person has multiple personality disorder, his or her personalities are not aware of the existence of the others. In other words, it just surfaces unconsciously. With Lexie, it’s different. When she turns bad, her “good side” is completely aware of what she’s doing, what trouble she’s causing and what the consequences will be. It’s just that she wants to create trouble when she’s in that state and she will, despite knowing all along that when she turns good again, she’ll regret it. It’s her heritage from Eris, this natural urge to stir up trouble that bursts out in irregular intervals. That’s why she considers it a curse rather than a mental disorder.

Hamilton and Globe Law firm, Kansas City, Kansas

January 15, 1998

“I didn’t know you had a daughter, boss.”

Joshua Hamilton looked up from the stack of papers he was buried in. “Kendra,” He greeted his secretary, looking at the mug she was holding in her hands. “You didn’t have to bring me coffee.”

Kendra shrugged, eyeing the table for a clear spot where she could set down the mug. “You were working so damn hard I was starting to feel guilty about getting paid for chatting on the phone you’re paying.”

Joshua laughed, taking the cup from her and sipping it. “Well, at least you’re being honest.”

“Best policy and all that. Anyways, I could have sworn you were single.”

“Am single,” He corrected, turning to the little four-year-old playing at the corner of his office. “Agápi mou éla edó” He called in Greek, bidding his darling to come closer. The little girl dropped her doll and bounded to her father, jumping into his embrace. “Eisagágei ton eaftó sas na chásete Kendra.”

“Sta angliká?” She asked her father, who nodded encouragingly in response. The little girl looked up shyly and introduced herself, a four year old still tripping over her pronunciation. “My name’s Eliana Hamilton. Nice to meet you, Miss Kendra.”

“Aw! What a cutie!” Kendra crooned, leaning in real close to pinch Eliana’s cheeks. But Eliana scrambled away back to her corner, looking terrified.

“Huh.” Kendra huffed out with a frown. “I scared her away.”

“With the amount of eyeliner you put around your eyes, I can’t imagine why.”


Kendra straightened up, choosing to ignore the eyeliner comment. “So, since when were you a father?”

Joshua took a sip of the coffee and licked his lips in relish before he turned his attention back to the official affidavit of his present client. “Hm. Since March 28, 1994”

“Really?” Kendra exclaimed, plopping down on a chair in front of him and nonchalantly twirling a lock of her chestnut hair around her finger. “And to think the whole office was just speculating about you being a thirty-six year old virgin the other night.”

Joshua looked up sharply from his papers. “Excuse me?”



Kendra wasn’t even fazed by the glare she was receiving. “Yeah, at the party last week, when you went home really early without even getting drunk, everyone decided you were either a natural killjoy or you were a celibate homosexual.” She grinned widely, staring her boss right in the eye. “I don’t know what will sadden the single ladies of this office more, the fact that you really are a natural killjoy or that you already got down and dirty with another woman.”

“Kendra!” Joshua hissed, jumping out of his chair, flabbergasted. What kind of conversations were these people having behind his back? “My four year old daughter can hear every word you are saying!”

“So?” She asked innocently. “It’s not like I said se-”

Joshua’s hand automatically grabbed the small orange ball – you know, the ones which you squeeze to relieve your stress – on his desk and flung it in Kendra’s face, effectively cutting her off. “I will fire you.”

That shut her up…for about ten seconds.

“So who’s the mom? Anyone I know?”

Unless you happen to know the Greek gods personally, Joshua thought wistfully as he sat back down again. He was silent for a moment, clearly dodging the question. He tried to focus once more on the documents he needed to run through but it was no use: Athena’s gray eyes were already flooding his mind. And reading all those legal terms only stirred up memories of the past. “Her name’s Athena.” He sighed, half-amazed and half-irritated at his secretary’s uncanny ability of prying out private information.

“Athena? Like the Greek goddess?”

He smiled at the irony of it all. “Yes, like the Greek goddess. She was really Greek. We met in Greece –”

“ – no kidding – ”

“ – while I was still in law school.”

“So she was a geeky Greek too, figures.” Kendra replied, rolling her eyes.

“Figures? What makes you think it should be obvious?”

“Uh, duh, ‘cause she’s named Athena? I mean, how ironic would it be if she was named after the Goddess of knowledge and she turned out to be a moron?”

“Wisdom, not knowledge.” Joshua corrected, grinning at the thought of Athena’s reaction if she heard this conversation.

“Same thing.” Kendra replied with a dismissive wave of her hand.


“Only you would think so.”

“Only you would think it wasn’t.” She retorted, examining her fingernails. “Does she still visit Eliana now or do you have full custody?”

Joshua stared into the remains of his coffee as if it was the as fascinating as liquid gold. This was a tricky subject for him. Because while he knew Athena would eventually forget him, he (foolishly) thought that she’d still manifest herself in their daughter’s life. But it’s been four years now, and the only time Athena ever acknowledged Lia’s existence was the day she claimed her and left a small mark on the back of her hand. The mark was shaped like a tiny owl that glimmered for the first hours that it appeared.


Kendra apparently failed to notice how her question struck a chord. She wasn’t an insensitive person, it just so happened that sometimes she was a little slow on social cues. She grilled on. “So why’d you get divorced?”

“You ask a lot of questions, don’t you?” Joshua sighed, flashing a tired smile, one that caught Kendra by surprise. Damn her boss and his alluring lips. She cleared her throat.

“Well, you’ve already been very cooperative in this little ambush interview,” She pointed out, suddenly finding it difficult to look directly into his aquamarine eyes. “Besides, would you rather have me go back to my desk and increase your phone bill? I mean, just say the word. I have a pen pal in Jamaica I haven’t talked to in a while.”

Joshua nearly choked on the coffee when he burst into laughter. He should really start having more conversations with Kendra. And he should really start putting her under surveillance. All these threats about his phone bill…he was really beginning to dread the next round of bills in the mail. “Why are you so interested in my love life anyway?”

“No reason.” But it was too quick a response. Kendra turned slightly pink, which Joshua pretended not to notice.

“Well, we met in law school, had a baby right after before graduation and decided we simply couldn’t get married. Athena…had a lot of potential.” He said, carefully picking out the words. A rush of memories: late night picnics on the grass, all those thrilling debates by the dock about, well, just about everything…but most of all, the stories Athena told that both scared and enthralled him. All of those came rushing back. “She wasn’t suited for the married life. We both weren’t. I was just about to become a lawyer too. A family would have limited my opportunities back then. So when Eliana was born, I took her and we separated ways. It was inevitable. Plus,” He chuckled, although his eyes were distant and woeful. “Her father didn’t like me.”

“Trouble with the almost –in-laws, huh?” Kendra commented, resting her elbow on the table and cupping her face with her hands, already very absorbed in the story. “Why?”

There was a pause. “He didn’t like my family’s history.”

Although her head was bursting with a million questions, the look on Joshua’s face told Kendra not to push it. “So why’d you take the baby? If you thought a family would limit your opportunities and all that.”

Joshua gazed at his daughter, who was now sitting on the floor with her nose buried in an open book she couldn’t possibly understand yet. “Because, when I first saw her, it was like I was seeing the sun.” He answered in a soft voice. “And I knew, I couldn’t let her go. That’s why I named her Eliana, you know. In Greek, it loosely means daughter of the sun. She was the light I never knew I needed until it came.”

It was the emotion in Joshua’s voice that made Kendra’s heart skip a beat. “Okay! Time to go!” She exclaimed loudly, startling Joshua out of his reverie. She stood up and snatched the now empty mug from Joshua’s hands. “Sorry for interrupting you, boss, and better get those done. I mean, no one’s paying you for working overtime.” And before Joshua could finish his confused stutter, Kendra had already slammed the door. These crazy Greek men and their crazy charms! If she stayed one minute more, she was going to lose control and kiss him.

A bewildered Joshua stared at the door Kendra had just stormed out through. Did I say something? He thought, shaking his head in disbelief. Women.

Eliana had clearly been waiting for Kendra to leave because as soon as she was gone, the little girl trotted over to her father and clambered onto his lap. “Daddy,” she began, with Joshua smoothing her hair back and tucking it behind her ears. “Who was that?”

“With any luck,” He smiled. “You’re future stepmom.”

October 31, 2011

8:00 am

The Hamiltons had outdone themselves this year again. The front yard was littered with different sized Jack-o-lanterns and the giant oak tree was decorated with huge cobwebs and a hanged dummy. By the front door, there was a pair of scarecrows that really looked scary and by the garage there was a trick coffin. Every time someone passed by, it triggered the sensor and the coffin would pop open and a dummy corpse would sit up with a hair-raising screech. Halloween was Kendra’s favorite holiday and every year, their family prepared for it fully.

The three of them – Joshua, Kendra and the seventeen-year-old Eliana – were sitting at the table, eating breakfast. Only Eliana wasn’t exactly eating. She was just poking the food around her plate.

“What’s wrong, Lia?” Kendra asked with concern. “Is something wrong with the pancakes?”

“No, it’s not the pancakes. It’s just hard to swallow food when there’s a bloodied head staring right at you.” She grumbled darkly, viciously stabbing the blueberry sticking out of her pancake.

“It’s just plastic, agapiménos.” Joshua answered, grabbing the centerpiece by the hair and putting it out of sight. Truth was, the thing scared him too and he was glad for an excuse to get rid of it. A life-sized, moulded head of a man with black hair and bloodshot eyes, Kendra had come home two weeks ago with it and announced it was going to be their “lovely centerpiece” for the Halloween season. “Have you decided on your costume for later?”

“Yeah…about that,” Eliana began, sitting up straighter and trying her best to look innocent. “I was actually hoping it’d be all right to let me skip this year…George Herwell is throwing a costume party by the Mansion and – ”

“Halloween dinners is a yearly tradition, Eliana,” Her father interrupted, lines of disapproval already etched on his forehead. “We’ve never missed celebrating it.”

“But everyone’s going dad!” Eliana burst out. “I have to be there!”

“Where you have to be, is with your family. Kendra’s parents are coming all the way from New York – ”

“They’re not my family.”

Her parents froze.

“Eliana – ”

“Joshua,” Kendra cut off, putting down her fork. “It’s okay. Lia’s right. Besides, it must be boring to sit around with grown-ups all night. We should let her have fun with her friends. Do you have a costume?”

Lia looked at her father with wide eyes and gestured with her hand as if to say ‘You see? Even Kendra agrees with me.’ “Yeah, I picked one out a few nights ago. Wait, I’ll let you check it out.” She rose from her seat and ran upstairs.

“You dote on her too much.” Joshua sighed, poking a piece of waffle into his mouth. “She’s going to get spoiled.”

“She can’t get spoiled. She’s a person, not food.” Kendra pointed out, sprinkling powdered sugar on her pancake. “Anyways, she’s a teenager, do you remember what’s it like to be one? If you don’t have a social life, you’re dead. This is healthy for her.”

“Tracy’s daughter was caught doing drugs the other day.” Joshua muttered severely. “And she was at a party.”

“Good thing Eliana’s not Tracy’s daughter then.” Kendra retorted, rolling her eyes. “Seriously, you should lighten up. You never let her go on sleepovers. You don’t allow her to go on fieldtrips. You act like if you let Lia out of your sight she’s going to get attacked by one of your Greek monsters.”

Joshua mashed his mouth together in a hard line. How can he possibly explain to Kendra that she had hit home? Before he could respond, Eliana came into view, driving out his every thought.

“Check it, I’m a scary black cat.”

Her parents’ jaws dropped simultaneously.

She was wearing really short black leather shorts with a matching black top that showed her stomach and black leather boots that reached her knees. On her head, she was wearing a hairband with black triangular cut-outs that could pass for cat ears. Eliana did a turn, beaming with pride. “So? What do you think?” She asked, shaking her hips so the paper mache tail taped to her shorts wiggled.

“There is no way in this world I’m going to let you go out in those shorts.” Her father replied, keeping his voice as calm as possible. “Find something else to wear. Anything else.”

“Like what?” Eliana whined, staring at her parents in annoyance.

“Anything. Else.”

“Go look at your old Halloween costumes, sweety.” Kendra suggested, rubbing her husband’s back soothingly. Joshua’s face was beginning to look red. “I’m sure you’ll find something else.”

Eliana rolled her eyes before stomping away. She had the most conservative parents in the world!

``````````````````
1:01 am

It was already past noon when Eliana finally emerged from her room. She had donned on one of her old costumes, like Kendra had suggested. “What about this?” She called, stepping into the kitchen once more.

Kendra stared at her stepdaughter in horror. She was in a really short – and really tight – nurse uniform, with a plastic silver stethoscope wound around her neck. “What are you wearing?” She demanded, almost dropping the plate she was holding.

“You told me to go find an old costume!” Eliana complained, her eyebrows scrunching in frustration. That little movement made the skirt scrunch up about three inches.

“I didn’t mean one when you were six years old! Find something else!”

“But –!”

“Find something else!”

``````````````````````
7:00 pm

“Okay, you cannot possibly complain about this one,” Eliana began confidently, trotting down the stairs in a short white tube dress with a tight skirt and a white cloth with blue and silver linings slung over her head like a nun’s habit. “I’m Mother Teresa.”

Her father was staring at her from the living room couch, looking aghast. If that was Mother Teresa he was an elephant. Kendra sat unmoving beside him. After a few silent heartbeats, she finally stirred. “Come home before midnight.” She instructed in a voice filled with defeat.

“Yes!” Eliana cried, punching the air in the triumph. She hurriedly snatched her handbag and went to hug Kendra then turned to kiss her father on the cheek. “I’ll be back before twelve, I promise –”

“– not drunk – ”

“– not drunk I promise! Thank you Dad! Thank you Kendra!” She exclaimed happily, running off through the front door; she was already half an hour late for the party.

“If you’re even one minute late coming home, I’ll drive over to the Mansion and pick you up myself!” Kendra called out.

“Deal!” Eliana shouted back, her voice already faint.

Kendra stood up to close the door. When she went back to the living room, Joshua was as white as paper. “Honey, you okay?” She asked, running her fingers through his blond curls. “You look like you saw a ghost.”

“I can’t believe we let her go out in that costume.” He answered, wiping the beads of sweat running down his forehead. Pretty soon, he was already rambling nervously. “We should have made her go change. No, we should call her back and make her stay here. She could get hurt. She can’t go wandering around in the dark with all these people disguised as monsters. What if someone attacked her?”

“Joshua, relax! The Mansion is four blocks away! You have to stop strangling your daughter.” Kendra scolded sharply, just as there was a knock on the door. “That’s probably my parents.” She sighed, getting up. She kissed him quickly on the mouth. “Eliana will be fine.”

As Kendra walked out of the room to let her parents in, Joshua slumped back on the couch with closed eyes. “Elpízo étsi.” He whispered.


```````````````````
October 30 2012

“So I guess Joshua and Kendra aren’t celebrating this year again, huh?” Jesse Ferguson commented sadly, gazing at the house across the street. The Hamilton house had always been a local attraction every year. Now, hardly anyone notices it during Halloween.

“Don’t be insensitive; they’re still having problems about it.” Claire, his wife, whispered in hush tones. “I heard that Joshua kept blaming his wife for the girl's death. And apparently Joshua quit his job and became a drunkard. I mean, their only daughter died, what did you expect?”

“Do you know if they ever caught the rapist?”

“As far as I heard, the police interrogated that Herwell boy and a bunch of others. Apparently some older kids had a stash of Ecstasy and slipped it into the girl’s coke. But from what I know, no one got arrested.” She shook her head sadly. “Poor Mr. Hamilton. He never seemed to recover. What a tragedy. He was one of the best lawyers around.”

Inside the house, Kendra was standing by the door of their bedroom, worriedly watching as her husband continually stuffed clothes into a black duffel bag. “Josh?” She began timidly. She had woken up this morning to find that Joshua wasn't in the living room couch like he always was, surrounded by bottles of beer and baby pictures of Eliana. Panicked, she hurriedly searched for him, only to find him reading his mythology books intently in his study. Kendra tried talking to him for an hour but for all the attention Joshua paid her, it was like she wasn't even there. Then suddenly, he had yelled 'I found it!' then ran to their bedroom and started packing clothes. “What are you doing?”

Joshua looked up with a wide smile that lit up his every being. “I figured it out, Kendra!” He crowed joyously, jumping to his wife and lifting her in a bear hug. For two years he had been wallowing in depression. This was the first day he truly smiled. But his eyes were crazed and there was a maniacal look to them that made the hairs on the back of Kendra's neck crawl. “I figured it out! Have you ever heard of the story of Alcestis?”

“Who?” Kendra choked out, afraid she might cry out of terror. The fear that her husband was never going to recover had gripped her every day for the last year…now his smile made her even more afraid.

“Alcestis.” Joshua repeated impatiently, grabbing a few books from the shelf and stuffing them inside his bag along with the clothes. “She was princess of Iolcos, in Thessaly. When her husband, Admetus, was destined to die, she went in his stead and Admetus got to live. Don’t you see, Kendra? I just have to go to Hades and offer my life instead of Eliana’s. If I died in her place, he’ll bring her back to this world.”

“Joshua!” Kendra screamed, the tears she had withheld for the last few months pouring out uncontrollably. “Please…honey…please, stop it… Honey, you’re scaring me.”

Joshua came up and cupped his wife’s sobbing face in his hands. “Ssshh, it’s okay, Kendra. It’s okay. We’ll get Eliana back; I’ll bring her back to life. I’ll persuade Hades – whatever it takes to please the Lord of the Underworld, I’ll do it.”

“Joshua…Hades isn’t real.” Kendra sobbed in response, gripping his hand tightly. “Please! It's just a story! Come back to your senses!”

“You cannot see through the Mist and it clouds you’re judgement.” Joshua replied soothingly with a trace of pity in his voice. “Don’t worry, one day you’ll know about it. The truth. The glorious magnificent truth. I’ll bring her back, I promise.”

And with that, Joshua grabbed his bag and ran out of the house. And Kendra realized she no longer had the strength to go after him. She broke down and cried for the rest of the afternoon, then took the last flight of the day back to New York, leaving every possession behind. No one in Kansas ever saw the Hamiltons again.

December 25, 2012

The girl with the blonde hair woke up with a start.

She was lying on a bed of tall grass, near a tall pine tree, with a canopy of stars above her. She sat up slowly, surveying her surroundings. It was well deep into the night, and she was on the crest of a hill. On the other side of the hill was a valley, where a big farmhouse lay. As her vision cleared, Eliana tried to makes sense of where she was. But she had no memories of this place. In fact, she couldn’t remember anything but her name.

“You’ve awoken.”

Eliana turned around, stifling a scream. By the pine tree stood a small man wearing simple shepherd clothes. There was nothing extraordinary about the man except that he was beside a beautiful lady who seemed to glow softly in the darkness. “Who are you?” Eliana demanded, clambering to her feet.

“Names hold dangerous power, I will not tell you mine.” The man answered, shaking his head gravely. “I served only to guide you back to this world. I was waiting for you to wake up. I thought that you deserved an explanation – no matter how vague – before we left.”

“Wha – We? Who's we? Explain what?”

As if in response, the beautiful maiden stepped forward and began to sing:


Eliana suddenly realized tears were flowing down her cheeks and touched them in astonishment. The maiden’s voice was so powerfully heart-wrenching. “That was beautiful.” She whispered softly.

“Did you understand it?” The man asked.

Eliana shook her head. “No. But it was talking about a father who loved her daughter very much, right?”

The man gave a half smile. “Then that is enough. We leave you now, Eliana Hamilton.”

“Leave? Leave me where?”

“Here. You will be safe.” The man replied, pointing to the farmhouse. “Make your way down and call for help. Things will make sense eventually. May the gods be merciful. Go, on your way now.”

Eliana wasn’t sure why but she followed the man’s instructions and carefully made her way downhill. Halfway through though, she couldn’t help but glance back. But the man and woman were gone, as if they were just figments of her imagination.

That was Eliana’s first day as a year-rounder in Camp Half-blood, three months ago.

Dear Journal,

Things went a little insane at camp today. There was an accident. This Hephaestus kid accidentally blew up their cabin and left it in pieces. Don’t worry; nobody got hurt. We were all at the mess hall for lunch. The kid had built a robot that turned out to be a minor time bomb and it finally went off. It’s a good thing Hephaestus kids are good builders, ‘cause Chiron said the cabin repairs would be finished in three days. For now though, they were camping out by the lake.

Another flashback happened to me earlier. I remembered a man with curly blonde hair smiling at me. It happened for just about a second, but now I’m convinced that man’s my father and that he’s dead.

Chiron still wouldn’t tell me what happened, and Mr. D was getting tired of my “incessant asking.” Easy for him to say, he didn’t have all his memories wiped out now, did he? Still though, I wonder if he was right. Maybe I should let it go. Maybe the gods had a reason for taking my memories away.

Or maybe they were just being their annoying selves and were punishing me for no apparent reason.

A knock on the door made Eliana look up. One of her sibling had entered the room, inviting her to dinner. She smiled at her. “I’ll be there in a minute.”

“Writing on your journal again?” Her sister asked, sitting down on the bunk besides her. “You sure love writing. What are you writing about?”

“About how the gods suck – OW!”

Her sister had whacked her head with a pillow. “Lia! I told you to be careful with your words!” She hissed, glancing upwards in nervousness, as if waiting for Zeus’s thunderbolt to zap their cabin into oblivion. In the distance, thunder rumbled, draining the color on her sister's face. They waited but the rumbling quickly stopped. “Others have been punished for lesser insults. Do not mock the gods!”

“I’m sorry!” Eliana cried, rubbing her aching head. “Sheesh. I was just kidding.”

“The gods don’t do jokes.”

“They don’t do anything at all.” Eliana muttered under her breath but her sister still heard. She expected another scolding, but instead her sister’s face softened.

“I know you feel…angry because it seemed our mother did not interfere with whatever happened in the past that made you forget your memories. But you know right? She couldn’t. Even if she wanted to.”

“And you’re sure she wanted to?” Eliana shot, her voice dripping with skepticism. “I mean, look at us. How do you know Athena even recognizes all of her kids? Do you think she cares about all of us?”

“Yes, because she is our mother.” Was her sister’s firm reply before she stood up. “Lia, I know you want to blame the gods for this, but you can’t, not until you learn the whole truth. And you have to let go of all that anger and resentment, it’s your fatal flaw. It’ll get you killed one day.”

“Okay, okay, I’m working on it.” Eliana conceded, slowly breaking into a smile. “See you at the mess hall?”

“I’ll save you a seat.” Her sibling grinned back, walking out of the room. Eliana turned back to her journal.

Here at camp I am the bright, bubbly girl, who loves to laugh and make corny jokes. I am the girl famous for taking on Malcolm’s dare and eating a bowl of spaghetti for five people. I’m talkative, plus I like to think of myself as friendly. People tell me I adjust well, and make really good conversations. A little insecure maybe and sometimes I don’t seem to have common sense, but I get by. And I’m happy, to some extent.

But there are moments when I wonder what I’m missing in my life, moments when I just get so miserable and angry at whoever took my past away from me. Who are my family? Who was I before I came to camp? Will I ever find out?

Scared but still deliriously hopeful,

Eliana Hamilton

Eliana closed her journal and shoved it under the pillow. That will have to do for now, she thought, getting up to get a hairbrush. She’ll write later after dinner.

The feel of the soft bristle running through her hair was extremely soothing and she couldn’t help but give a sigh of contentment as she sat in front of the mirror, combing her hair. She loved her blonde locks. They were smooth and soft and they shimmered with every stroke of her brush. But most of all, she loved the golden color of it. She couldn’t understand why but she felt that the fact it reminded her of sunshine was important.

She put down the brush in exasperation. Well, at least one thing about her life was sure: she was Athena’s daughter. It wasn’t just the tiny intricate owl that permanently stamped on her left hand but it was the other little things too – qualities that she shared with the other Athena children. Like her hair and her pale gray eyes for example, how many of the residents in Cabin 6 had the same thunderstorm eyes like hers? And forget about the physical characteristics. She recognized herself in her siblings so much that sometimes it still freaked her out. She’d glimpsed the same mannerisms, the same calculating expression lighting their faces, the same cold, determined look they all get during capture-the-flag. Living with her siblings was, in a way, really fun because they never ran out of things to say to each other. Architecture, books, and politics – they were interested in almost the same things. But she still wasn’t completely used to it. Like sometimes she’d meet someone who had the same eyes, same sharp nose, same pink lips and it’d feel like she was unexpectedly looking in a mirror. It was maddening.

When she looked decent enough, she stood up and went out of the cabin. Demigods were trooping over to the mess hall, in groups of threes and twos. Hephaestus kids were still hard at work fixing their cabin, running around carrying strange looking materials made of metal and bronze. The lake was calm and quietly mirrored the silver full moon and night breeze was cool and relaxing. Camp Half-Blood may not be the home she first hard but it was her home now. And despite everything, she was glad she was here.

She started her way to the Mess Hall, praying to the gods it was spaghetti and meatballs tonight.


Eliana pretty much changed ever since she was brought back from the dead. She wasn’t the whiny, party-loving girl she used to be. But her dressing style didn’t change though. She still loved to wear the same tank top, short shorts and high heels (she’s especially fond of yellow ones):

Spoiler:

Pronoia – it means “Foreseeing” and it is one of Athena’s epithets. Eliana can, to some extent, foresee things. It’s not so much as prophetic abilities. Rather, it is more on logic and wisdom. Given a circumstance, she can calculate (very accurately) what the result or outcome will be. Again, calculate and not predict. Eliana doesn’t consider it a talent really; she thinks it’s just “lucky guesswork”. But it’s incredibly useful in battles and tactics….if she only knew how to use it.

Tactics – Like almost every child of Athena out there, Eliana excels exceptionally in battle strategies. She thoroughly enjoys capture-the-flag and despises losing at it. Her favorite game is Games of the General, which she plays every night before going to bed.

Sword fighting – She has a sword made of Celestial Bronze she calls Alalcomeneis (who repulses the enemy) and just after three months in camp, she is already one of the best swordfighters in the cabin.


Alalcomeneis, a light sword made of Celestial bronze blade and silver encrusted hilt.


Eliana’s roots are actually notable not just for being Pallas Athena’s daughter. Joshua Hamilton is a descendant of Sisyphus – the king condemned to forever roll a boulder uphill in Tartarus. Earlier (in the flashback with Kendra) when he said that Athena’s father “didn’t like his family’s history”, this is what he was talking about. Sisyphus was punished by the gods because he tried – and succeeded in the first try – to cheat death. Which I realize only now is befitting for Eliana and Joshua’s story.