"Life, especially as a god, is not about what's fair. Sometimes, it's about doing what's right for the betterment of those around you," Poseidon took a deep breath. I knew whatever he was going to tell me next was big. "Around this time, the Oracle of Delphi gave a prophecy: A half-blood of the eldest gods shall reach sixteen against all odds. And see the world in endless sleep. The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap. A single choice shall end his days, Olympus to preserve or raze…"
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Quest Alert!
{The Cursed Hero!}
[Quest Prompt]: Fate waits for no man.
[Total Possible Rewards]:
- [?]
Please select: [YES/NO]
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The [NO] was grayed out. I tried in vain to click it a few times, only for the quest to automatically accept itself after a few moments. My blood ran cold. I looked up to meet my dad's eyes, only to find him looking away. "Me."
"You," Poseidon repeated, almost mournfully. "A few years ago, we might've thought it to be Thalia, your cousin."
"Yeah, and now she's a tree," I tried to joke, but it fell horribly flat. In my defense, demigod standup is hard. Most of our jokes end up defaulting to death, "Basically, I have to decide to save or destroy Olympus, and die in the process? Does this have to do with earlier this summer, when we talked about your dear old dad?"
Poseidon paused for a moment. "Prophecies can be interpreted in many different ways."
"So, yes."
"Maybe."
I cracked a smile. "So that's why you want to train me. You think I'm going to have to fight him."
"Well, sort of," Poseidon admitted. "You've proven yourself to be capable of growing and learning at a fast pace. I'd like to nurture that growth."
"Okay," I said, stretching. "When do we start?"
"Now," Poseidon said, still standing. The trident flew back into his outstretched palm. "I will personally be overseeing a lot of your training, but a decent portion of it will also be carried out by my commanders."
"The battle experience portion," I guessed, to which he nodded. "Atlantis has five different quadrants, each pertaining to a different aspect of the army," Poseidon explained, holding up his hand. One of his fingers went down. "First up, the first quadrant—sóma érevnas. We call them the firsts, for short. These are usually among the most elite soldiers. They are tasked with attempting to reclaim territory that has been lost to the Titans."
"The Titans?" I repeated. A sudden apprehension formed in my body, accompanied by an odd sense of excitement.
Poseidon nodded grimly. "Oceanus and I have been at war for an incomprehensible amount of time, and we've both constantly been taking land from each other. These are the men I send out to carry my will."
"Second, the second quadrant. eirineftés—the peacekeepers. They're the ones in charge of keeping order inside of Atlantis and protecting the ruling monarch—me. I don't need much protecting, mind you, but it never hurts to have it," My dad said seriously. "I don't allow just anyone to join, either. The last few times there has been an attempt made on my life, it has been from a vengeful deity or two. Keeping this in mind, only the top ten trainees from a graduating class are permitted to join them. Out of those ten, only one or two actually make the cut—they're the guards in the castle."
"Fair enough."
"Third, the frourá. These are the men who patrol the streets of Atlantis, helping out the citizens and maintaining the integrity of our borders. They'd be the equivalent of your police." Poseidon took a seat next to me. "Next up, kataskopeí—our espionage division. Basically, it's what it sounds like. I'm, er, not exactly allowed to say much more."
"Delta runs it," I remembered from earlier. I enjoyed watching my dad's face lose its color.
"I—er, well, lastly, we have the training corps," Poseidon said lamely. "It's what it sounds like. That's where the bulk of our army is, training and staying in shape. Basically, son, I wanted to give you the option. Who will you join?"
The whispers came first, faint and fragmented, like voices carried on a breeze that didn't exist. They filtered into the room, slipping through cracks I couldn't see, and with every word, my body froze. Completely. My breath hitched, and I felt a sudden, overwhelming stillness, like the world itself had been put on pause. Panic gripped me.
I turned my gaze to Poseidon, desperate for some kind of reassurance, but he wasn't moving either. He stood there, frozen mid-sentence, his mouth half-open, one hand gesturing in midair. It was like someone had hit the pause button on reality, leaving me as the only one still aware.
Then, from the top of the room, a single droplet of inky black liquid fell, splattering against the floor with a sound far too loud for something so small. I watched, wide-eyed, as more drops followed, pattering steadily, their rhythm hypnotic and unnatural. The liquid didn't just pool—it moved. It oozed together, forming a viscous blob that quivered and pulsed, almost like it was alive.
The blob began to bounce, stretching and contorting as though testing the limits of its shape. My heart pounded in my chest as it suddenly exploded, sending splatters of black ichor across the floor. But it didn't stop there. The dark liquid pulled itself back together, reforming into sharp, angular shapes.
Letters.
Words.
They hovered above the ground, suspended in the air, their jagged edges shimmering faintly. The words didn't just exist—they devoured. The light from the room seemed to bend and warp, drawn toward the ink like it was being consumed. Shadows lengthened and stretched, and everything else around me dimmed, leaving those ominous, inky words as the undeniable focal point.
I could move again. I turned to face my dad, but he was still frozen in place. Oh well. Let's see what the game wants.
— - — ~
Welcome! You have reached a [Pivotal Decision].
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Pivotal decision? While I can sort of put two and two together, I'm going to need a little bit more than that, game. The inky words swirled, jumbling back together and stretching into two crisscrossing lines, forming four spaces. Each space took on color. The top left was red, then the top right was blue. The bottom left took on a green shine and the last space was white. What in Zeus' name was going on? The world seemed to bend for a moment. The light rays around the top left twisted and my vision zoomed in.
— - — ~
[Pivotal Decisions] are accompanied by {Evolutionary Perks}. Unlike standard perks that offer fixed benefit paths, {Evolutionary Perks} grow or adapt alongside your progress. They might gain new effects when you complete certain objectives, face key story events, or reach higher levels. Essentially, each critical decision you make shapes how these perks develop—giving you a dynamic edge that reflects the path you've chosen.
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