Austin Cooper 1: Son of Athena

I try to figure out what the heck is going on

I sit up with a start then, realizing it was a dream, lay back down. My chest rose up and down rapidly from shock, but that was only a dream.

I sigh audibly. I knew it wasn't just a dream.

The last time I saw Athena was when I was ten. I remember her saying that a big event is coming and I am going to play a role in it. I don't remember much more about the visit, only that it was brisk and she scared the Hades out of me. I was little, and to have the weight of such an important role on my shoulders that young made me bitter towards my mother.

  The prophecy is about Bella.

Of course it is.

I wish it was just a prophecy, but what Bella and I are tied into is much worse than any prophecy. The thought of it alone made a cold shiver run down my back, as if spiders were crawling across my bare shoulder blades down to my pants. I sit up at that thought and turn on my bedside lamp.

An ancient story? Sure, I can think about those nightmares in the dark, but spiders? No. I can't let that silent fear get to me now.

My ADHD brain turns back to the matter at hand. Athena's ancient story was passed down throughout the years, and many demigods tried and failed to be the hero it spoke of.

The story told of a young demigod of the eldest gods who grew untouched by the gods and the monsters that come with them. When he or she (which we now know is a she) comes to Camp Half-Blood the prophecy begins. The touch of the real terrifying world of living Greek mythology will be the trigger that moves everything into action.

Charon will break free and will attempt to destroy the world.

Wonderful story right? I always get all warm and fuzzy when I think about the end of the world... note my sarcasm please.

Charon... who knew it would be him, right?

Charon is the ferryman of the Underworld. You know the guy that rows people back and forth from Hades realm? The guy that Greek heroes always get by just my giving him a coin?

It is prophesied that he will break free from his jail that ties him to the underworld. You would think everyone would be pretty prepared for this to happen right? HAHAHAHA.

Wrong.

When the story was told by the oracle the gods immediately went to Charon (or The Reaper as the demigods like to call him.)

They explained to him what they had learned. "We thought we were chill!" Apollo would exclaim. The guy was all about positive vibes. "Yeah," agreed the other gods in a chorus of mumbles. "It's not like we gave you immortal imprisonment by making you row dead souls back and forth... oh wait we did!" Zeus would remember.

I always thought of their conversation going something like that, and the Reaper swore on the river Styx that he would not escape using the boat.

Now see what he did there? Not escape using the boat. Only the boat. He could use millions of other things to get out, but did the gods care?

No, of course not.

They either knew there was no way of stopping this prophecy or were too caught up with themselves to realize his clever wording. So a week before school started the Reaper got out and the demigod of the eldest god's life was about to get crazy.