The Demigod Legends: Lianna Meraki

Flames

-This story is based on the fictional world created by Rick Riordan. Any characters or places created by him are strictly his-

So I suppose you want to ask me how I have survived for so long. It wasn't easy. When I was younger a lot of bad things happened to me. At the time I thought I just had really bad luck. Now I know that it isn't just bad luck that brings these horrible things into my life.

Maybe I should start from the beginning and introduce myself. My name is Lianna Meraki. I am not a normal teen girl which everyone around me sees. I am a demigod. Being a demigod is dangerous, you'll learn that well enough if you keep reading but just to let you know. If you're reading this and think you might be a demigod too, don't. Put this down and forget you ever read it.

So here we go, let's start from the very beginning when my life took a violent, deadly turn. My mom's name is Ambrosia Meraki. She is the kindest, most hardworking woman ever. We used to live on a small ranch in Texas which my mother took care of mostly by herself. Our house was small but it was functional for the two of us. We had lived in that house for years, Mom didn't like populated areas so living in the middle of nowhere was perfect for her. Together we tended to the fruit and vegetable garden Mom planted before I was born. Mom would tend to the livestock we owned by herself because she didn't want me to get hurt. Growing up, the only people I ever saw were the people who stopped at the store Mom ran and our neighbors who would ride over on their horses to check on us periodically. How the monsters found us, I will never know.

The evening of my fifth birthday was when it happened. Mom was returning from the pasture on her horse with a look on her face I had never seen before. She had grabbed my wrist ushering me inside constantly looking over her shoulder before telling me that we couldn't let dinner get cold. I hadn't noticed her fear or even the quiver in her voice. My birthday was the same every single year. Nothing too big. She'd come back from herding the cattle then we'd have dinner and I'd open my one present. After dinner, I would get some homemade hot chocolate before being sent off to bed. Yet when I went to bed, mom would stay up for hours. She'd lock all the doors and windows in the house then go back around checking everything again. Once she did that she'd sit on the couch reading a book by candlelight. Mom would never relax though, I could always sense tense energy. She was always cautious. Protective. Mom felt like she could never relax because she was worried about me.

I knew something wasn't right when Mom sent me to bed on my fifth birthday without my birthday hot chocolate. It was a constant thing she did every year, and Mom never ever forgot. An hour passed as I laid in bed wide awake unable to sleep. I was confused and worried. Mom always had a rule that once I was put to bed I was not allowed to get out of bed unless I had to use the restroom or there was an emergency so I was quite hesitant to get out of bed. Eventually, I got through the hesitation sliding my feet down to the ground pressing against the cold hardwood floor. Creeping down the hallway, I could hear Mom speaking in the living room. Pulling my blanket closer around myself I pressed against the hallway wall staying as quiet as possible. Peeking around the corner I could see Mom knelt in the middle of the living room with her head down. Her candle was out, her book laid forgotten on the couch. She appeared in front of me with her book and candle in hand as a crash rang out from the kitchen.

"Lianna, go!"

Mom grabbed my shoulder pulling me back down the hallway towards my room. The last thing I saw from a fire blossoming from the kitchen. I swallowed back a scream feeling Mom jerk my shoulder, pulling me into my room locking the door behind us. She set me on my bed before going to the chest at the end of my bed pulling out a blue duffle bag. She started to stuff my belongings into the bag. At that moment, I realized why I was never allowed to own too many things. All of my stuff fit perfectly in the duffle bag leaving room for more.

I covered my mouth hiding my face in my blanket to keep a scream from escaping as there was a pounding on my door. From the other side came a deep voice that seems to growl constantly.

"Ambrosia Meraki, you've hidden the child from us long enough! Your time is up!"

"Lianna, look at me," Mom said, setting her hands on my shoulder to make me look at her. "Just trust me, sweetie. I will not let anyone hurt you."

I always trusted Mom. She was wise beyond her years and had amazing instincts. I nodded quickly holding the duffle bag as Mom set it on my lap. It was open still so I could see all of my stuff along with Mom's book and candle. The pounding on my door got louder making Mom move faster. She ran over the corner of my room tearing up a plank of my wooden floor. From that hole, she took out multiple ziplock bags of money and gold coins. The sheer amount of money she pulled out made my eyes go wide. I had stayed quiet this entire time as I was scared to utter a word but Mom seemed to know what I wanted to say.

"I've been saving up for this day, I knew it would come eventually," Mom whispered, putting the bags in my bag and kissing my forehead gently. I could see her eyes focused on the door which was starting to turn black. She lifted me, setting me on the ground zipping up my bag. The pounding was starting to get worse, sounding as if the door was going to break. Mom picked me after she opened my bedroom window. I buried my face into her shoulder feeling her jumping down from the window ledge to the ground. A roar rang out as Mom ran into the stables setting me down outside a stall giving me a small calm smile, but I could see the anxiety in her eyes.

"Stay here, Lianna," Mom ordered me as she grabbed a saddle I had never seen her use before. Then she stepped into the stall leaving a crack in the door. From the crack in the door, I could see Mom putting the saddle on a horse with a pitch-black coat sprinkled with white spots. Mom led out the horse setting me on top of it pulling my blanket tighter around me. Fear filled my green eyes hearing another roar. Mom setting a hand on my cheek directed my attention from the stable door to her. Her eyes were sad and the small smile on her face was faltering.

"I love you so much, my sweet Lianna," Mom whispered through her strained breaths. "You're going to be safe. I promise. Nothing is going to hurt you, not on my watch."

She started to tear up, setting her hand on my cheek.

"Make Mommy proud, okay?"

Finally, I found my voice. I grabbed the hand that was on my cheek.

"You make it like you aren't coming with me," I said, gripping her hand tighter. "You're coming with me! You have to, Mom!"

Mom shook her head as the tears ran down her face. She pulled her hand away leading the horse to the doors leading out to the pasture.

"This is where Mommy has to leave you," Mom whispered, her voice full of sadness. She looked up at me with a pained look. "Crescent will take care of you. Never forget that I love you and I'll always be with you."

Fire burst through the doors of the stable just as Mom patted Crescent's back making her take off. The thing is that Crescent didn't take off on the ground, she stretched two huge wings sprouting from her sides taking off into the sky.

Glancing back I saw Mom watching me fly away with a sad smile before her body was engulfed in flames. I tried to scream for her but my voice was carried away by the wind. Everything I'd ever loved lay in flames below me. Tears streamed down my face in rivers as I hugged my duffle bag pulling my eyes away from the carnage. Eventually, I leaned against Crescent crying myself to sleep.

From this point on my life has been so different, but I think you deserve to know what happened next.