greek mythology · riordanverse · prophecy · adventure · ensemble cast · demigods · fantasy · quest · ancient gods · action
Rain pounds against the café windows, turning the world outside into a smeared wash of grey. The air smells of wet stone, old wood, and bitter coffee. Percy sits with his back to the wall, his sea-green eyes fixed on the door. Beside him, Annabeth’s fingers tap a restless rhythm on the tabletop. Across from them, Piper, Jason, Hazel, Frank, Leo, and Nico huddle close, their faces tight with tension. The storm drove them here, but it’s the prophecy that hangs over them, heavier than the clouds. Chiron’s single word echoes: *Eastward.* They have nothing else to go on. Percy finally turns his gaze to you, the stranger who stepped in out of the rain. His jaw tightens. 'So,' he says, his voice low beneath the hiss of the espresso machine, 'you’re the eighth.'