Elves and Demigods

Chapter 22 - Biana

"An ability?" Annabeth asked. "For what?"

"Well-" Councillor Oralie started but Councillor Emery cut her off.

"Because, from what we have heard, you are the only one among your demigod friends without an ability". 

"Excuse me", Percy said. "But Annabeth's wisdom makes her the most capable demigod among us".

"I don't mean to boast", Annabeth said. "But Percy's right. I don't need an ability to fight".

"Yeah, she's scary as it is", Leo remarked.

Annabeth glared at him.

"Yikes! Sorry".

"Our concern", Councillor Darek said. "Is that to prepare for the war that is going to come, we need to have as much power as possible".

"Uh, we already have a lot of help from elves and demigods from two camps. What more could you want?" Biana asked.

"Our enemies are just as strong", Councillor Alina eaid. "We need to be stronger than them".

Biana was about to say something when Annabeth asked, "Which ability?" 

"We were planning on making you a charger".

"You want her to be able to turn our phones' batteries up?" Percy asked

"What does that mean?" Councillor Bronte asked with his usual frown. 

"What does a charger do?" Annabeth asked.

"You will be able to sense and manipulate electricity and- with practise- control magnetic fields".

"Jason can already control lightning", Leo said. "That's basically the same thing".

"If isn't, really", Annabeth said. "And, how can you make me get an ability? I'm not an elf".

"About that", Councillor Terek said. "We- uh, received this message today. Councillor Emery, if you will".

Councillor Emery nodded at  Councillor Liora, who conjured an imparter and handed it to him. On it was a recorded message. Councillor Emery played it.

The image of an athletic, middle-aged man with sandy hair appeared and Percy and Annabeth gasped with recognition.

"Dad", Annabeth whispered. The man did look like her, but his eyes were brown.

"Annabeth, I hope you receive this message thought the elvin council-"

How does he know about that?

"This message is going to reveal a truth I have been hiding my entire life. No one knows about it, not the council, not my human wife and not even Athena", he took a deep, long breath. "My mother was elf. I'm- only half human". 

Biana felt like her windpipe was being clogged with every word he spoke. 

"I'm sorry I never told you. But yes, Annabeth. You are half-elf too. Half elf and half god. I lived with my mother in the lost cities at Eternalia till before I was a teenager and then we had to move to the human world, because my mother wanted to live with my father. She didn't want to live in the lost cities anymore, because the ability she owned- Pyrokinesis- had been banned and she was furious about it. Hence I spent my life with the humans after that. I never told you about any of this because my mother always told me to keep my distance from the unjust elves, especially since I was only half-elf and would never manifest. But when I heard about you newest quest in the lost cities- I do keep touch on what goes on there- I knew I had to inform you about this as soon as possible. But there one more secret you need to know". Another deep, painful breath. "Athena and I- you were our second child. Before you, we had a son. Somehow, he ended up manifesting in Pyrokinetics like your grandmother and returning to the lost cities. His name was Ryan. But I heard he changed it once he lived with the elves".

"He called himself Brant". 

The screen turned off. 

No one spoke for an eternity. Percy's hand was on Annabeth's shoulder and her eyes looked teary".

"What do I need to do to manifest?" She asked firmly.