Son of Hades (1)

The bright and vibrant orange-yellow flames had turned into an abyssal void of darkness. The flames, now a swirling maelstrom of pitch-black hues reached towering heights of 20 meters into the air. The familiar warmth that had once embraced me was replaced by an icy chill that seeped into my bones. However, I wasn't afraid of the dark flames, from which, instead, I sensed a kinship, a connection that transcended the boundaries of comprehension.

Following the transformation of flames, the ground beneath us began to tremble with violent intensity.

*Rumble... Rumble... Crackle...*

*Crackle... Rumble...*

As the ground split open in jagged cracks of varying sizes, the terrified screams of the demigods filled the air. For what felt like an eternity, the earth convulsed beneath our feet, threatening to swallow us whole in its tumultuous fury. Yet, as abruptly as it had begun, the earthquake ceased and the black flames turned back to their original color, leaving behind a stunned silence in its wake. 

The campfire site was left in ruins, the ground scarred by deep cracks, yet miraculously, no one was physically harmed. However, the earthquake and the eerie transformation of the flames left a lingering sense of apprehension.

As the chaos subdued, all eyes fell on one demigod, who seemed to be responsible for the commotion.

I blankly glanced at my surroundings as I realized the only place that wasn't affected by the earthquake was the podium I was standing on.

'Fuck!'

Chiron was the first one to come back to his senses as he announced my godparent. His voice didn't carry any passion or excitement. Instead, his voice held signs of reluctance and hesitance.

"W-Welcome to Camp Twilight, Son of H-Hades!"

'It is understandable that they don't look that happy to see a son of Hades in the camp. After all, the last time a child of Hades was in the camp, it didn't end well.'

To take control of the situation, Chiron spoke.

"Attention! Tonight's campfire gathering has ended. Everyone, go to your cabins!"

Hearing Chiron's commands, everyone slowly departed for their cabins. The crowd gradually diminished and after a while, the only ones left were me, Adriel, Amelia, Grace, and Chiron.

"Grace, take Amelia to Athena's cabin and explain the cabin system."

Nodding, Grace left the area with Amelia after giving me a suspicious glance.

Once everyone was gone, Chiron waved for me and Adriel to come after him. We were heading towards the cabins of the Big Three: Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades.

On the way to the cabins, Chiron didn't talk once. He was probably trying to make sense of what just happened. Not two but three children from the Big Three. It was hard to come to terms with this revelation.

After walking through stone paths that led us to the cabin area of the camp, we stood before three cabins that stood next to one another. They were bigger than the rest of the cabins which extended to the right and left of the big three cabins. The cabins were organized into a ∩ shape.

"Each god has its own cabin in the camp for their children to stay in. For example, only children of Athena can stay in Athena's cabin."

"For you two guys, you are going to stay in these two cabins. Since there are currently no other children of the Big Three in the camp, you can freely use the cabin as you wish."

Chiron pointed towards two of the three big cabins.

"We will talk again tomorrow but for now, just sleep and replenish your energy. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."

After that, Chiron left the cabin area, and Adriel and I were left alone in the dark stone path, which was only dimly lit by some street lambs.

"Thanks for the help against the monster today."

So he had seen me fight before losing consciousness.

"Don't mention it."

As Adriel made his way into Zeus' cabin, I remained outside, taking in the imposing sight of the grand cabins before me. Nestled in the middle, Zeus' cabin lived up to honor Zeus' standing as the king of the gods. Crafted from gleaming white marble, its pristine facade exuded an aura of authority. Fluted tall columns rose to support the lofty structure. At the entrance of the cabin, there stood the symbol of Zeus, a mighty lightning bolt sculpted from marble.

Right to Zeus' cabin stood the Poseidon's, crafted from a harmonious blend of blue and green stones interspersed with accents of wood. Unlike the grandeur of Zeus' marble cabin, Poseidon's dwelling bore the rugged charm of the sea, its organic materials echoing the natural elements of the ocean. A tranquil water fountain adorned the entrance. Above the wooden entrance door, the symbol of Poseidon, a trident intricately carved into the wood, stood as a proud emblem of the sea god's dominion.

To the left of Zeus' cabin loomed the dark and foreboding cabin of Hades, where I would be residing from now on. It was crafted from black marble and brooding dark wood. Unlike the pristine whiteness of Zeus' residence or the maritime charm of Poseidon's, Hades' cabin exuded an aura of ominous dread, as if warning all who approached to tread carefully in its presence. Standing on the left and right of the entrance, the symbol of Hades, two statues of Cerberus, the fearsome three-headed hellhound, cast a menacing pall over the threshold.

Each of the three of them was as big as a mansion on its own. A demonstration of the superiority of the Three Big.

With a firm push, I swung open the doors to Hades' cabin and stepped inside, greeted by the sight of a well-appointed interior. Dominating the space, a grand fireplace cast its warmth and light throughout the living room.

'I guess that fire is fueled by divine energy.'

Surrounding the fire, plush couches, nearby desks, and other living room essentials dotted the space, their presence adding a touch of practicality to the empty cabin. Beneath my feet, a cushy black carpet spread across the floor, muffling the sound of my footsteps.

Despite the intimidating outer appearance of Hades' cabin, its interior exuded a sense of familiarity, inviting me to make myself comfortable.

Ascending the staircase to the second floor of Hades' cabin, I found myself surrounded by a series of bedrooms. I selected one of the rooms and stepped inside.

The bedroom was a haven of comfort and luxury, with its own private bathroom, a sumptuous king-size bed, a spacious wardrobe stocked with new clothes, and a wide desk. It was an ideal bedroom with all a sixteen-year-old could ever want.

With a contented sigh, I collapsed onto the plush bed, the softness of the mattress enveloping me like a warm embrace. As exhaustion washed over me, I surrendered to the overwhelming desire to sleep.

***

"Isn't he that kid claimed by Hades..."

"Look at him... Eating like he didn't just destroy half of the camp yesterday..."

"Isn't it dangerous for him to stay in the camp..?"

"Right..? What if he ends up just like the last one..?"

I tried to eat my food peacefully, but I was subjected to the whispers of the demigods around me. They were all looking at me as if I were a massive threat to the existence of the camp itself, which was not that wrong, to be honest.

'Out of all the gods, how come I turn out to be the supposed-to-be-death son of Hades?'

The reason I was treated like a looming threat didn't arise from the chaos of the previous night (though it didn't help my situation). I was because of my status as a child of Hades. And to say the least, Camp Twilight didn't have adequate relationships with the children of Hades

For as long as Camp Twilight existed, which was first established in ancient times, Camp Twilight had weathered its fair share of trials and tribulations. Among the most enduring challenges was the recurring turmoil instigated by the children of Hades, whose actions often led to serious upheaval and unrest within the camp's walls.

This history of trouble left a lasting mark on the camp, resulting in a collective trauma in the minds of the camp inhabitants, which was reflected through intolerance and discrimination against Hades' children.

The last time a child of Hades had come to the camp was around 100 years ago. She was the daughter of Hades. She betrayed the camp by collaborating with the enemy and putting the lives of many demigods, along with the existence of Camp Twilight, in danger. After her, demigods were never able to trust the children of Hades.

However, the origin of this discrimination and hatred was actually a result of a dispute between the gods themselves—the Big Three, to be exact. After defeating Kronos; Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades drew lots to decide who would control which domain. Zeus received the authority over the sky, Poseidon received the authority over the seas, and Hades received the authority over the underworld.

However, Hades, after drawing, quote on quote, the worst domain to control, wasn't pleased but didn't deny his duty either. He spent his time in his grand black castle, away from other gods deep in the underworld.

As the only one who wasn't allowed to enter Olympus except on one day, the winter solstice, he felt locked in the underworld, feeling banished, even though he helped Zeus and Poseidon defeat Kronos. Over millions of years, this remote feeling of betrayal gradually turned into bitterness.

He couldn't confront Olympus head-on, as this would only benefit their shared enemies. Plus, he wouldn't go as far as to fetch a war against his brothers. But this didn't prevent his bitter resentment from passing onto his children. That's why the children of Hades bore a grudge against the other demigods. And the fact that they were discriminated against in the camp only fueled this hatred more.

'However, I am technically not a child of Hades. That should be why I don't actually feel any inherent resentment towards the other demigods. Though It didn't change the fact that I still felt like a stranger here, just like every other place.'

*Sigh...*

Anyway, I needed to go to the training ground. Chiron had told me to come to the training ground around this time of the day.

'He probably will team me up with the main cast.'

Camp Twilight was both a safe place and an academy for demigods. The demigods would be grouped into 5 or 6 people. Once you get into a group, you will be training and going on quests with them during your stay here. And I was probably going to be added to the main cast group.

Why?

The teacher of the main cast group was Chiron himself, as he wanted to keep an eye on the two children of the Big Three: Adriel and Eleanor. Since I was the child of one of the Big Three, he would likely want to keep an eye on me too. The fact that I was Hades' son didn't help either, as it gave all the more reason to be cautious of me.

I got up and departed for the training ground.