CHANCE | luke castellan

THE AWAKENING OF SLEEPING BEAUTY

If you think I've been dead for the last two years, you're sorely mistaken. But you must be wondering how I survived. Well, let's start from the beginning, that is, from the moment I died.

I woke up in the canyon. I was looking straight at the sky, which was beautiful.

I thought I might even be in heaven. But I was pulled out of my thoughts by a dry cough.

-It took you a long time to wake up.; said a familiar voice.
- I literally fell off a cliff, what do you expect?; I asked still lying down.
- You were unconscious for four hours.; He said.
- It is important that I am alive.; I said.
-Thanking me.

I got up slowly. He was sitting on a stone.
- I thought the gods had better things to do than sitting on a rock and waiting for someone to wake up.; I said.
-I couldn't let you die after saving you.; he replied.
- Why did you save me?
- My son asked me to.
- And you listened to him?
-Of course I did. Luke means more to me than anything. And you mean more to him than anything.
- Thank you, I guess, for saving me.
- I don't think you should have started either. You have a quest ahead of you to complete.; Hermes said pointing to the shield.

I took the shield and attached it to my back. I checked the rock and it didn't look like it was going to fall apart.
-Do you think it is possible to climb?; I asked Hermes, but I didn't get an answer. I turned around, but there was no one behind me. Only there was a small message on the stone he was sitting on.
"Good luck! I believe you will be able to get the shield back."
That's what was written on the message he left.
- Thanks for the moral support!; I screamed at the sky. I can't believe that bastard just left me like that. He saved me only to leave me here to die. The first thing that went through my head was that the vultures were going to eat me.

I started climbing. I watched my every step. It was very difficult to climb. That heavy shield on my back didn't help at all.

I can't believe I have to go through this alone. I wonder where Luke is now. He's probably back at Camp Half-Blood. I can't wait to get back to camp too, but first I have to return this stupid shield to my father.

After climbing, I felt extremely hungry and decided to go get something to eat.

I found a cute little restaurant not far from the Grand Canyon. It was a bit awkward for me to walk in with the huge shield on my back, but I realized that ordinary people can't see Ares' shield.

I was eating my sandwiches until some strange old man spoke to me.
- That shield you have there is nice.; He said. That really surprised me. How could he see the shield?
- You see the shield?; I asked.
- Of course I can see the shield. Ares' shield, one of his most precious and cherished possessions.; the old man replied.
- Then you're probably not an ordinary person. How do you recognize the shield?
- Well, of course I'm not an ordinary person. And how do I recognize the shield? Well, that's easy to answer, I made that shield. It was a gift for my brother from me.; he explained. So he was also a god. If he made my father's shield then he could be the god of blacksmiths and fire. Hephaestes or something if memory serves me right.

- I'm sorry I didn't recognize you right away. It is a great honor to be in your presence.; I apologized.
- Everything is fine, but why do you have Ares' shield?; Hephaestus asked.
-I'm on a quest, I have to return the shield to Ares.; I answered.
- Well, this is your lucky day. I'm on my way to Olympus, I can take the shield and return it to Ares.; He said. I honestly didn't really want to give him a shield, but it would save me a lot of time. The sooner I get rid of the shield the sooner I can get back to camp.

- Well, when you're already offering. Thank you very much for returning the shield.; I thanked him and gave him the shield.
- You are from Camp Half-Blood. Who is your parent?; he asked.
- Ares is my father.; I answered.
-Seriously? I would never say. Your father is very impetuous and always angry. You don't seem like that to me.; He said.
- I guess my father and I don't have many things in common.
- Don't worry about that, many children do not have common characteristics with their parents, and I myself am like that.; he said and looked at his watch. I have never seen such a strange watch in my life. It was a whole mechanism, some engine and many things that revolve around the engine.
- Look at the time, I have to go slowly, and you take care child of Ares.; he said and headed for the exit.

To be honest, the gods are really strange, at least the ones I have met. Dionysus, Hermes and Hephaestus none of them is completely normal. I wonder if all gods are like that. I'm really interested in what my father is like. Everyone describes him as an angry, nasty person, but maybe he's not like that. And maybe that's just how he is, maybe I'll hate him when I meet him. Maybe I'll never even meet him, although I believe I will, when the time is right.

After I ate I went to buy a bus ticket. I couldn't wait to get back to camp. The bus left in an hour.

The journey will be long, but it will pass quickly and I will soon be back at camp.