Divine Awakening

Chapter 2 - Sparks and Shadows

The night air was cold as Piper leaned against the edge of her apartment's tiny balcony, staring up at the sky

Clouds churned, slow and heavy, veiling the stars she'd always found so much comfort in

She took a deep breath, trying to push the strange events of the day out of her mind, but it lingered there-the image of the glowing book, the haunting voices, the weight of something immense hovering just beyond her understanding

"What the hell is happening to me?" she muttered, the words barely escaping her lips before the wind picked up, swirling around her like it had heard her plea

She shook her head pulling her jacket tighter

Just as she was about to retreat back inside, a sharp, electric jolt zipped through her spine

It was quick, almost like static electricity, but stronger

Much stronger

Piper froze, her heart thudding against her chest

The wind howled again, more violent this time, as if something was out there waiting

And then she saw it

A shadow, darker than the night itself, peeled away from the corner of her building

At first, she thought it was a trick of the light, but the shadow moved against the wind, twisting toward her

Her breath caught in her throat

It wasn't human

It wasn't even a person

Suddenly, the shadow solidified into a tall, humanoid figure with eyes that gleamed faintly in the darkness

"Piper" the figure rasped, its voice like the wind scraping against stone

Every muscle in her body tensed

"How do you know my name?" Her voice trembled

The shadow didn't answer

Instead, it stepped forward, and with each movement, the space around it seemed to darken, like it was sucking the light from the world

Piper's heart pounded in her ears

Something deep within her stirred, a force she didn't understand but it surged up as if it had been waiting for this moment

Her fingers tingled, the electricity from before returning with a vengeance

The air around her crackled with energy

The shadow paused, tilting its head as if sensing the change in her

"You don't know, do you?" it whispered, almost amused

"Know what?" Piper asked, her voice sharp despite the terror gripping her

Without warning, it lunged at her, its form shifting into a whirlwind of shadows

Instinct took over before Piper could even think

Her hand shot out, palm facing the figure, and a blinding flash of light erupted from her fingertips

A bolt of lightning real lightning cracked through the air, striking the shadow with a force that shook the building

The figure shrieked, its form scattering into smoke, dissipating into the night sky

Piper gasped, stumbling backward

Her hand was still crackling with residual energy, and the air smelled faintly of ozone

Her mind spun, struggling to process what had just happened

She looked down at her hand, still tingling with the leftover electricity and the reality of it slammed into her chest

"I just-what the-?"

She didn't have time to finish the thought

A low voice, rich and commanding, echoed from behind her

"Impressive for someone who doesn't know what she's doing"

Piper whirled around, her heart lurching in her chest

Standing at the doorway to her balcony was a man tall, broad-shouldered, with dark, stormy eyes that seemed to hold the sky itself

He wore a cloak that shimmered with an ethereal quality, and his presence felt larger than life, as if the very air bent around him

"Who-who are you?" Piper demanded, her voice shaking

The man took a step forward, his gaze steady and unflinching

You've met one of Nyx's creatures," he said, his voice rumbling like distant thunder

"But your real question isn't who I am but it's who you are"

Piper swallowed hard, her mind flashing back to the book in the shop, the visions, the name that had echoed in her dreams

"You already know, don't you?" the man continued, his eyes narrowing slightly

"You've felt it. The power inside you. You've seen things you can't explain. You've heard whispers of a world you don't belong to... but that you were always meant to inherit"

Piper shook her head, backing up "No, I don't know anything because I'm just... I'm just me"

The man gave a soft, almost pitying smile

"Piper, you are far from ordinary because you're the daughter of Zeus and Nyx and whether you like it or not, your powers are waking up"

The words hit her like a physical blow

"No," she whispered, shaking her head, her pulse racing "That's insane I can't be-"

But the lightning that had sparked from her fingertips, the shadowy figure that had called her by name, the strange dreams it all rushed back in a flood of overwhelming realization

The man's expression hardened, the storm in his eyes intensifying

"You've only scratched the surface of what you are because the creatures of the night are already hunting you, sensing the shift in your power but you need to learn how to defend yourself, how to control what's inside you before it controls you"

Piper's head spun.

"This isn't real this can't be real," she muttered, but even as she said it, deep down, something told her it was

Every odd thing she'd ever experienced, every strange pull or unexplained phenomenon-it all pointed to this moment

The man sighed, his tone softening

"It's real, Piper. And it's just beginning"

She took a shaky breath, staring at her still-tingling hands then back at the man "Who are you?"

He stepped closer, his presence suddenly overwhelming

"I am Hermes," he said, "your half-brother and I'm here to take you to Olympus"

The word hung in the air like an electric charge, leaving Piper breathless

This wasn't just about her

This was bigger far bigger than she could have ever imagined

And somehow, deep down, she knew there was no going back