ROTBTD: demigods

Chapter 21: Shut up

Ω Jack's POV Ω

I did not want to be here, I had no satisfactory in being in this very location either. I'd much rather be a misfit at Camp Halfblood. And that's a compliment, for I feel like I'm worse than a oddball here, at my old Orphanage.

And to make things way more horrible than what they might actually be, the very building seemed to loom over us like a shadow, enveloping us in its darkness. The very thought of going inside seemed like suicide and I'm sure none of us were looking forward to entering through it's colossal wooden doors.

"Ah..." I started nervously, feeling a bead of sweat trickle down my right temple. "It' was a lot less scary when I was younger but when I say a lot, I mean, like... 'Not to much.'"

Nobody said anything, but I saw Rapunzel and Hiccup gulp.

Merida, however, gave a large grin and started marching up towards the 'forbidden doors of guaranteed depression' fearlessly, opening them up with one, swift swing of her arms, "C'MON YOU WEENIES!!"

Again, nobody said anything.

Thankfully, Rapunzel broke the silence, taking a couple steps before clearing her throat with the most worried expression I had ever seen her put on, "Y-yeah! It's abandoned. I bet there's only a... friendly... God or Goddess, who's is just eager to get their empowered item back, right?"

"Punz, sometimes you can be either too optimistic or too pessimistic and that can confuse me sometimes," Hiccup said with a long breath and walked forward, next to Merida (who looked way too excited about descending into a dark hallway that was literally rotting away).

As we all started down the old orphanage, I had another chill, just like the one before when that girl with the white hair with the braid had called. I was actually praying to whoever the god of dreams or visions was to not let her give me any more bad news. If I were to store anymore of this information, I'd most likely explode. All this stuff about being the son of one of the most hated goddesses, the death poem that comes to life (the prophecy), a weird girl talking in my head, someone taken captive by the enemy (whoever that was), hell hounds breaking loose, only three heroes in a quest can return...and... frozen eyes? No way I'm living right now!

I felt so ashamed that I was able to navigate the place better than everyone else. I mean, Merida would give me pointers from her dream but that's it. It was all up to me and I was not proud of that.

And what if I was going to see my mom? That's something I was never prepared for. And something I never thought to prepare for since I thought she was dead. And the fact that she was horrible to Leo? And Jason and that girl, Piper? That made me think that the test I was given by the Guardians was false, what if I was evil? Hera erased my memories once... What if she did it again?

I gripped onto my pendent and shook my head. No, I thought, you're good right now... you're on the good side.

"Jack..." Merida hissed and pushed me back before I could continue walking down the hall. "There's a light, down a side corridor."

I returned a nod and cautiously made my way towards the specified room, staying close to the wall to risk being not seen until I was sure that the light was coming from something somewhat "friendly".

Inside the room, stood a rather big man. He was handsome in a kind of... manly Lumberjack way. But he was scary. The god wore sunglasses, completely blocking his eyes, but there would be a flicker from time to time like someone set a lighter in his eye sockets.

"Dad." Merida spoke up and stepped in front of me and into the room. I was about to stop her but I knew here was no use.

"Aha Merida. Didn't expect to see 'ya here." The god, I was now guessing was Ares, said. "Didn't expect to see a princess walking around in this spoiled Hell house."