Demi-God

"Tell me," Linus leaned forward. "Do you know the story of how the gods defeated the titans?"

Lucian furrowed his brow, caught off guard by the sudden change in topic. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Humor me," Linus said with a smile.

"Fine," he said. "It's not exactly a secret. Zeus and his siblings overthrew their father, Cronus, and the other titans. They fought a war that lasted ten years. The gods won by using Cronus's own weapon against him - a sickle that could harm immortals. They imprisoned the titans in Tartarus and divided the world among themselves."

Linus clapped his hands together. "Very good! You know your mythology well."

"Yeah, great. But how the hell is this connected to my past? You said you knew things about me, so out with it already."

"Oh, I do know things, my young friend. But I think I'd rather show you than tell you."

He stood up, brushing off his clothes. "Come, follow me into the forest. There's something you need to see."

Lucian glanced back at Drakon's sleeping form. "I can't just leave. I promised I'd guard the camp."

"Don't worry about your friend," Linus said, waving a hand. "He'll be fine. This won't take long, and it's important."

With a resigned sigh, he nodded and got to his feet. "Alright, lead the way. But this better be worth it."

"I promise you it will."

Linus grinned and set off into the darkness, Lucian following close behind. As they left the warmth of the campfire, the forest seemed to close in around them. The moonlight filtered through the leaves.

"Where exactly are we going?"

"Patience, young one," Linus called back over his shoulder. "All will be revealed in due time."

They walked in silence for several minutes, the only sounds heard was their footsteps on the forest floor and the occasional hoot of an owl followed by a howl of a wolf.

Just as Lucian was about to demand they turn back, Linus came to an abrupt halt. They had reached a small clearing. In the center stood a large, black wolf. Its fur was as dark as midnight, and its golden eyes gleamed with an intelligence that seemed almost supernatural. The beast's large paws were planted firmly on the ground.

"Ok, that’s a big wolf."

"I know," Linus dropped to one knee, his fingers brushing through the beast's fur. "Don’t worry, he won’t bite."

"I doubt that."

"What I'm about to show you may be... difficult to accept. Are you prepared for that?"

"I've come this far, haven't I? Whatever it is, just show me."

"Alright," Linus stood up. "I want you to touch the wolf."

Lucian's gaze flickered between the wolf and Linus, his fingers curling against his chest. "You’re kidding right?"

"No, I’m not kidding. Put your hand on its head."

"What if it bites me?"

"Don’t worry, it won’t."

"What if it does?"

"I thought you wanted to know something about yourself?"

"Yeah, but…I thought you meant that you’re going to introduce me to someone."

"Don’t be ridiculous. Now, are you going to touch the wolf or not?"

"Ok. Fine," Lucian sighed and approached the creature. He extended his hand, forcing himself to make contact, until the beast's fur prickled against his fingertips. "There. I did it. Now, what?"

"Now this," Linus seized the boy’s hand, immediately, his eyes igniting with a yellow luminescence.

Lucian's vision blanched, a brilliant white consuming his sight before his consciousness was wrenched into another realm.

He stirred. Something felt... different. He opened his eyes, and the world around him exploded into sharp focus. The darkness of the forest was no longer an impenetrable veil but a tapestry of grays and silvers, every detail crystal clear.

Lucian blinked, disoriented. This wasn't right. He shouldn't be able to see like this. And why did everything seem... lower to the ground?

"Where am I?" he muttered, but the sound that came out was a low growl.

"You're in the wolf," a familiar voice replied, seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.

Lucian's ears pricked up, swiveling to catch the sound. "Linus?" he tried to say, but again, only a series of rumbling noises emerged.

"Yes, it's me," the voice confirmed. "Don't try to speak with your human voice. Just think the words, and I'll hear you."

Lucian's mind reeled. This had to be a dream, some bizarre hallucination brought on by exhaustion or maybe something he ate. And yet... it felt real. Too real.

He took a tentative step forward, feeling the soft earth beneath his paws - paws! - and the way his new body move. Without conscious thought, he began to lope through the forest, reveling in the strength and speed of his wolf form.

"How is this possible?"

The voice in his head chuckled. "It's because of your true race, my friend."

Lucian nearly stumbled, caught off guard by the statement. He regained his footing quickly, continuing to move through the moonlit woods. "Race? What race?"

"You're a god. Or at least, part god."

This time he did stop, his wolf body going still as his mind grappled with the impossible statement. "That's... that's crazy. I can't be a god. I was born a slave, a helot. My whole life-"

"Your whole life has been a lie," Linus interrupted. "Or at least, not the whole truth. Have you ever asked yourself about your mother's past? How did she come to Sparta?"

"No, I... I never thought about it," he started moving again, his four legs carrying him through the undergrowth. "Who is my mother?"

There was a pause, and Lucian could almost feel Linus weighing his words carefully. "Tell me. Which god has the power to tame and control animals? Who can shoot an arrow with pinpoint accuracy?"

He slowed to a trot, considering the question. "Artemis," he answered. "The goddess of the hunt."

"Exactly. And that, my young friend, is your mother."

"No," he thought, shaking his head. "No, that's not possible. My mother was just a normal woman, a helot."

"Was she?" Linus pressed. "Think back. What do you really remember about her?"

Fragments of memory flashed through Lucian's mind - his mother moving through the forest, the way animals seemed drawn to her, the strange, silvery light he sometimes thought he saw in her eyes. But it couldn't be true. Could it?

"I... I don't know what to believe."

"I know it's a lot to take in," Linus said. "But it's the truth. You are the son of Artemis, hidden among mortals for your own protection."

Lucian's wolf form began to pace, his agitation manifesting in restless movement. "But why? Why hide me? And why tell me now?"

"We’ll get to that subject when we cross that bridge."

"But—"

"Not right now, Lucian. You’re starting to tap on to your powers. I promise you everything will be revealed."

"I just don’t understand why not now?"

"You need to learn your god side first."

"How do I change back?" Lucian asked, the words coming out as a low growl.

"You need to return to your body."

"And how the hell am I supposed to do that? I'm lost in the middle of the forest!"

"Use the wolf's nose," Linus suggested. "Your scent will lead you back to your human form."

"Great. Just great," Lucian huffed and lowered his muzzle to the ground, feeling ridiculous.

At first, the barrage of scents overwhelmed him – earth, leaves, small creatures scurrying through the underbrush. But then, he caught something familiar. His own scent.

"This is so weird," he muttered to himself as he began to follow the trail.

He loped through the trees, marveling at how easy this new body moved. The forest seemed alive in ways he'd never noticed before, teeming with sounds and smells that his human senses would have missed entirely.

After an hour, Lucian spotted a clearing ahead. As he approached, he saw his own body lying motionless on the ground. The sight was unsettling, to say the least.

"Okay, I'm here. Now what?"

"Press your paw against your body," Linus instructed.

Lucian hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward. He raised a paw and gently placed it on his human chest. Instantly, a blinding light filled his vision. His consciousness seemed to spin, and then everything went dark.

When he opened his eyes again, he was staring up at the night sky. Linus's face swam into view above him.

"Are you alright?" the blond-haired man asked, extending a hand to help him up.

Lucian groaned, his head spinning as he struggled to sit up. "I feel like I've been trampled by a herd of horses."

"That's to be expected," Linus chuckled. "This is the first time you've used your god powers. It'll take some getting used to."

As Lucian steadied himself, his gaze fell on the black wolf still standing at the edge of the clearing. The beast's golden eyes met his, and Lucian felt a shiver run down his spine.

"Can I do this with any animal?" he asked, not taking his eyes off the wolf.

"In theory, yes," Linus nodded. "But for now, you'll be limited in how long you can maintain the transformation. Your powers are still new to you."

"How do you know all this? Who are you, really?"

Linus sighed and looked at him. "I know all this because I'm Apollo, Artemis's twin brother. Your uncle."

Lucian staggered back, his legs nearly giving out beneath him. "You're... what? No, that's impossible. You can't be..."

"I assure you, it's the truth," Linus – or Apollo – said. "I know this is a lot to take in. But everything I've told you is real."

Lucian shook his head. "So you're saying that not only am I part god, but I've been talking to the actual Apollo for the past few hours? And you didn't think to mention this earlier?"

"Would you have believed me if I had?"

"No. I still don't know if I believe it now. This is... it's insane."

"I understand. But think about it. The way you can throw a spear with impossible accuracy, your affinity for the forest and animals. These aren't just coincidences or natural talents."

Lucian sank to the ground, his head in his hands. "If what you're saying is true... why? Why was I hidden among mortals? Why tell me now?"

Apollo sat down beside him. "Those are complicated questions. The world of the gods is... messy. Dangerous, even for demi-gods like yourself. Your mother wanted to protect you."

"From whom?" Lucian asked, looking up at his supposed uncle.

Apollo's expression grew grim. "From someone who is far more dangerous than your old friend. There are challenges coming that will require you to use your powers, to protect your family. But we'll get to that. For now, you need rest. We can talk more in the coming days."

Lucian nodded, too exhausted and overwhelmed to argue. As they made their way back to the camp, he couldn't help but glance over his shoulder. The wolf was gone, melted back into the shadows of the forest.

The familiar sight of Drakon's sleeping form by the dying embers of their fire should have been comforting, but instead, it only emphasized how drastically his world had changed in just a few short hours.

He sank down onto his bedroll, staring blankly into the darkness. Part of him wanted to wake the old man, to pour out everything that had happened - the wolf, the transformation, the impossible truths about his parentage. But as he opened his mouth, the words died in his throat.

"No," Lucian muttered to himself, shaking his head. "It's too dangerous. Too unbelievable."

He glanced at his sleeping teacher, a pang of guilt twisting in his gut. They had always shared everything, faced every challenge together. But this... this was different. This secret could put Drakon in danger, could make him a target. And if Lucian was honest with himself, he wasn't even sure he fully believed it yet.

As the first hints of dawn began to lighten the sky, Lucian made a decision. He would keep his newfound powers to himself, at least for now. There would be time to tell Drakon the truth later, when he understood more about what it meant to be a demigod

With a heavy sigh, Lucian’s mind raced with questions about his mother, about the challenges his uncle had mentioned, and about the incredible power he now knew lay dormant within him.