Divine Awakening

Chapter 9 - The Trials of Thunder and Shadow

Piper stood on the edge of a cliff overlooking the swirling clouds beneath Olympus

The sky stretched endlessly, a vast expanse of blue and silver, with lightning flashing distantly

The gods had their home high above the mortal realm, but this place the trial grounds felt even more otherworldly

She had spent the morning preparing herself, both mentally and physically

After meeting Hephaestus, something inside her had changed

She wasn't just reacting to the power within her anymore she was trying to understand it

But today, she would be tested in a way that went far beyond her control

Zeus had called it The Trials of Thunder and Shadow, a rite of passage for those who carried divine blood

It was time to prove herself

The wind tugged at her hair and the bracer on her arm hummed faintly, as if sensing the challenge ahead

Piper clenched her fists, determination settling in her bones

She had survived the chaos of discovering her lineage, and she had met gods who had lived for millennia now she had to survive herself

"Ready?"

The voice startled her

Piper spun around to see Hermes, a familiar mischievous grin on his face, standing just behind her

He had appeared as if from nowhere, as was his way

Unlike the other gods, who often carried an air of seriousness Hermes moved with an ease that made the tension around him dissolve, even if just a little

"As ready as I'll ever be," Piper replied, giving him a nervous smile to follow by "not exactly sure what to expect"

Hermes's eyes twinkled as he said "That's part of the fun because trials are unpredictable for a reason so the gods like to see how we handle the unexpected," He gestured toward the swirling clouds below "You've already met some of your siblings, seen a bit of the divine world but right now here's where you prove you belong"

Piper took a deep breath, the enormity of the moment settling on her shoulders

"And if I don't?"

Hermes raised an eyebrow "Don't what? Belong? Fail?"

He shrugged casually "You're a demigod, Piper and you're already part of this world whether you like it or not and if this makes the nerves go away these trials aren't about passing or failing because they're about surviving to finding your place and proving to yourself that you can face whatever the gods throw at you"

His words hit her harder than she expected

Surviving

That's what she had been doing ever since she learned who her parents were

Surviving

But she couldn't help but wonder, was that enough?

Before she could dwell on the thought, the ground beneath her trembled, and a deep rumbling echoed through the cliffs

Hermes straightened and Piper saw his usual playful expression replaced with something more serious

"Looks like it's starting," he said as he look at Piper "I'll be watching from the sidelines, but remember, Piper your power is yours and no one else's power so own it"

And with that, Hermes vanished, leaving Piper standing alone on the cliff's edge

The sky darkened as thunder rolled across the heavens