Divine Awakening

Chapter 25 - The Strategist and the Warrior

Olympus, for all its divine splendor, never truly rested

The gods were always in motion, always caught in the eternal interplay of power, pride and purposes

High atop the mountain, in the gleaming halls of the gods the whispers of what had happened to Piper spread like wildfire

News of Piper's battle against Hades's monstrous creation, her near-fatal injury and her narrow escape with the help of Hephaestus had not gone unnoticed

And it wasn't long before Athena and Ares, the goddess of wisdom and the god of war two of her most powerful half-siblings found out

Athena was the first to approach

Her steps were measured, her posture regal as she made her way toward the courtyard where Piper had been resting under the shade of ancient olive trees

A quiet breeze rustled the leaves, casting patterns of sunlight over Piper as she sat, deep in thought

She was still recovering from her wounds, her body aching but her mind sharper than ever

"Piper" came Athena's calm, commanding voice as she appeared in the garden and her armor gleaming under the sunlight

Her grey eyes were focused, yet there was an unmistakable hint of concern beneath her composed exterior

Piper looked up, surprised to see the goddess of wisdom there

She hadn't expected visitors, let alone Athena herself

"Athena," Piper greeted, standing slowly to show her respect "I wasn't expecting you"

Athena nodded slightly before replying "I imagine not but I've heard what happened to you"

Piper's face tightened a bit

She wasn't exactly eager to relive the ordeal, especially not with someone like Athena, who had a reputation for being so controlled and strategic

She didn't want to come across as weak

"News travels fast" Piper said as she is trying to keep her voice steady

"It does especially when it concerns family," Athena replied, her tone gentler than Piper had expected and she stepped closer, studying Piper carefully. "I heard you fought well and even though you were outmatched, you survived and that says something about your resilience"

Piper shrugged, still not entirely sure how to feel about everything before saying"I got lucky because Hephaestus was there but if he hadn't shown up when he did I don't think I would've made it"

Athena tilted her head, her eyes narrowing slightly in thought before saying "Luck may have played a part but survival is not merely a matter of chance and it's a matter of preparation, of skill and of knowing when to fight and when to retreat and you made the right decisions, Piper so don't diminish that"

Piper appreciated the reassurance, but before she could respond, the courtyard grew colder, a familiar tension filling the air

The sound of heavy boots echoed from behind them and a powerful voice interrupted the moment

"Luck? That's not what I heard," came the voice of Ares, booming and unapologetic as he approached

Ares, the god of war, strode into the courtyard, his armor glinting with the same fierceness that always seemed to surround him

His eyes were sharp, gleaming with intensity as they locked onto Piper

He was a god who lived for battle and to him, the idea of surviving an encounter with death was not something to be downplayed

"You didn't survive that because of luck," Ares said, coming to a stop beside Athena and look at Piper "you survived because you're a fighter and you faced down a creature of the Underworld and lived to tell the tale and that's not luck because that's strength"

Piper blinked, taken aback by his sudden appearance and the force of his words and she look at Ares "I I don't know if I'd call it strength," she said slowly as her gaze shifted between the two gods "I was scared and I got hurt so I wasn't exactly winning"

Ares's laugh was harsh, almost like the clash of metal on metal before saying "Everyone gets scared, Piper because fear is just part of the fight and it's what you do with that fear that counts and from what I've heard, you fought because you stood your ground and you didn't let that thing kill you"

Athena crossed her arms, her eyes flicking to Ares with a mixture of irritation and reluctant agreement

"Ares is right, in his own way," she said "Fear is a tool but it's also a guide and you didn't let it paralyze you and you used it and that's a mark of someone who is learning how to survive and how to strategize"

Piper frowned slightly, feeling the weight of their words

She had been thinking of her encounter with the monster as a near-failure, a situation she barely scraped through

But here, with Athena and Ares, it was being framed as something different like a test of her endurance her instincts and her strength.

"I didn't feel strong," Piper admitted after a moment "I felt desperate."

Ares smirked, folding his arms over his chest before saying "Desperation's just another form of strength because it's what keeps you alive when nothing else will"

Athena glanced at Ares, her expression briefly irritated before she turned back to Piper before saying "What Ares means is that in moments like those you find out what you're truly capable of and desperation can reveal your strengths and it pushes you beyond your limits and that's when you start to understand what you can truly do"

Piper looked between the two of them, feeling a strange sense of comfort in their words, even if they came from completely different perspectives

Athena's wisdom was careful, deliberate, always focused on strategy whereas Ares, on the other hand, spoke in the language of war and of survival through combat through sheer will

"Thanks," Piper said quietly as her hands were clenching and unclenching by her sides as she processed it all "It's just hard to know what's coming next and I've faced one monster, but I know there are more challenges ahead and I don't know if I'm ready"

Ares snorted and said "You'll never feel ready and that's the point because you just have to go in swinging and trust that you'll come out on top"

Athena gave him a sharp look but then turned back to Piper, her expression softening before saying "You'll be ready, Piper and you're not alone in this because you have Hephaestus, and you have us whether you realize it or not and you'll face more battles but you'll have support"

Piper looked up at them, realizing for the first time that she wasn't as alone as she had felt

For all their differences, her half-siblings were here standing by her

It wasn't the kind of familial support she had imagined growing up but it was something

And in Olympus, where power and conflict were constant, having allies even among gods was invaluable.

"Thanks," Piper said again, this time with more conviction "I'll keep training and I won't let what happened stop me"

Ares grinned, the warrior in him clearly pleased before saying "That's the spirit"

Athena nodded, her calm gaze steady before added "If you ever need guidance you know where to find me and remember, Piper, it's not just about fighting because it's about knowing when and how to use your power and wisdom is as important as strength"

Piper smiled, feeling a flicker of warmth before saying "I'll remember that"

With that, Athena gave a final nod, and Ares after a lingering glance of approval turned to leave the courtyard

As the two gods disappeared into the halls of Olympus, Piper stood there, the weight of her encounter with the Underworld creature no longer pressing on her chest as heavily as before

She was still healing, still figuring out who she was and what she was capable of

But now, with the wisdom of Athena and the fire of Ares behind her, she felt a little more prepared for what was to come