A second chance

The strongest

Jin's eyes fluttered open, finding herself lying on a bench covered in dirt, her clothes damp from the snow. Slowly sitting up, she took in her surroundings—it was modern-day Athens. Families strolled by, engaged in conversation, while the bright sun illuminated the city.

Groaning, she fumbled in her pockets and discovered a roll of cash. Jin wandered around, grabbing a coffee and some breakfast before making her way to a decent hotel.

Upon entering, everyone abruptly paused, their attention fixed on her. "What?" Jin uttered in ancient Greek. Their faces momentarily transformed into skeletons and furies before returning to normal, resuming their activities.

"My apologies, my lady. It's just that we don't get many demigods around here, especially not daughters of our lord," a fury apologized, bowing to Jin. She nodded in understanding. "It's okay. It's my first time here. I'm looking for the mirror that my father sealed Kronos's body parts in. It was in the underworld until it was moved," Jin explained, following the fury to the elevator and up to the top floor.

"We'll do our best to assist you. Just ask, and we'll try to gather the information," the fury offered, handing Jin the key to the upper floor.

As the next day approached, Jin observed life in the town square, watching people go about their business, completely unaware of the extraordinary. Gathering her resolve, Jin prepared for a journey to a place no demigod should venture—the original Mount Olympus.

Sinking into the earth, she was greeted by a glowing figure in the black abyss. "Hello, Jin Hawk." The voice, distinctly female, radiated ancient power. Jin remained silent, sensing the potential danger. "You ruined my plans," the woman accused, pointing a finger from under her cloak. "You sent my son back to Tartarus! I could've risen, but you killed his vessel."

The aura around the woman intensified with anger, only to soften suddenly. "Poor demigod. Forced to live as nothing more than a pawn and a weapon. Jin Hawk, let me ask you something. What makes you strong? Hmm?" The woman coldly smiled as she vanished, leaving Jin alone in the enveloping darkness.
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Jin emerged from a tree's shadow, confronting a colossal gray giant. It peered down at her with enormous, red-gold eyes. Hesitant, Jin summoned her blade, and as the monster's eyes glowed ominously, it uprooted a tree with ease. Undaunted, Jin met its gaze, her smile growing as the giant swung toward her.

Sinking into the ground, Jin evaded the devastating swing, reappearing on the giant's nose. "Damn, you're strong," she remarked, leaping onto its outstretched arm. Coating her blade in power, she slashed upwards, gouging one of its eyes.

Enraged, the giant seized Jin, hurling her into the distance. Airborne, shadows began to ink onto her wrist and neck. Jins' eyes snapped open as she crashed into the earth, the impact causing her to bounce and collide with a tree. She retrieved her sword, assessing her injuries as the giant approached.

Percy observed from a branch as Jin, undeterred, picked up her sword and pulled out a brass knuckle from her shadow. As the giant searched for her in the clearing, Jin ran, circling the tree-line, gradually accelerating. The giant roared, conjuring a beam of arching lightning that surged across the branches.

Jin leaped, narrowly evading the lightning, and collided with the giant's stomach, propelling through to the other side, bathed in a golden glow. Landing on a tree, she leaped at the giant's head, a monstrous grin on her face. In a flash of gold and black, Jin reappeared on the opposite side, just as the giant's head split in two.

Before hitting the ground she sunk into the earth,vanishing, leaving Percy smiling from his tree perch before being drawn away, following Jin. "She really is one of the strongest," he commented.