AGAINST ALL GODS, a 'teens from olympus' side novel.

[0] prologue

I grunt as I throw my heavy Jansport bag onto my bed. I quickly plop beside it, breathing heavily as I try to go over the events that happened before I left school. Did Leo mean it? Or did he do it on a dare? Tears threatened to escape my eyes and I immediately willed myself not to cry; it would only bother my foster family if I show up at dinner with blood-shot eyes.

I've been alive for almost 17 years and no one has ever told me that they were fond of me. Who would anyway? I was the odd kid; the quiet girl with ridiculously high grades that never mattered due to her lack of extra-curriculars. On the other hand, Leo seemed like he could be a Kennedy. He was charming, handsome, funny and a born leader. He didn't wear a leisure suit like his stupid friends 'cause I somehow know that he knows leisure suits were dumb. Leo Wesley, the guy every girl at school was crushing on ever since ninth grade, told me that he likes me.

He likes me!

My train of thought was disturbed when a tapping on my bedside window startled me. What surprised me more was what caused the tapping - an owl. It was looking straight at me, tapping on the window as if ordering me to go open it. Obediently and admittedly stupid, I walk towards the window and opened it, expecting the bird to fly into my room; it didn't. Instead, its head gazed down to its talons which were clutching a rolled-up piece of red paper. Cautiously, I take the paper from the owl before it flew away.

Someone sent me a letter via owl. Great?

Dearest Kira,
Do not be alarmed of the information I am about to relay. All I ask is for you to believe everything and not doubt our culture.

I am Athena, the goddess of wisdom, reason, intelligent activity, arts, crafts, literature and strategic war. I am the patron goddess of heroic endeavour and patroness of Athens.

I am writing to educate you about your true heritage - my heritage. Kira, dear, I once had a brief affair with a professor named Edison Warner and that affair led to your birth. I am your mother, Kira, and all I wish is for you to believe and honor me.

To honor me, the Olympians are hosting a tournament to determine which demigod is most worthy of immortality. I have chosen you to represent me and everything I stand for.

I have watched you closely all these years, Kira. I am confident you will not disappoint me.

I was shaking the moment I finished the letter. I read it again to make sure I hadn't misread anything. Then, I read it again to admire the gold ink she used to write. And then I read it again and again and again until it seemed like a dream. Isn't it? Isn't this just a dream? This can't be possible. Gods don't exist!

I look out my window and realized that the owl had come back. It was now perched on the apple tree next to my bedroom window; it was still staring at me. I run to close the blinds, uncomfortable at the way it was looking at me. Fine, maybe I can tolerate your existence, mom.