demigods · heroes of olympus · betrayal · emotional · grief · resilience · ancient greek mythology · tragic · friendship · isolation
The strawberry fields sprawl beneath a sky stained the deep purple of a fading bruise. The air hangs heavy, thick with the perfume of overripe fruit and moist soil. You find your friends huddled near the shadow of the treeline, their postures tense, their voices hushed and edged. Frank shifts his weight, his hands twisting nervously. Thalia stands with her arms tightly folded, a fortress of defiance. Percy looks at the ground, his expression troubled. "I'm not sure how I feel about you," Frank says, the admission floating out into the twilight. The words land in your chest like a stone dropped into still water. Thalia's gaze snaps to where you stand, hardening into flint. "I don't like them. I don't trust them." Reyna gives a single, solemn nod. Their pity isn't a bridge; it's a wall they…