I woke up to the sound of a soft humming.
Looking around, I found myself in the medical tent back in the village where I had trained for the last three and a half years. Kanan sat quietly in the corner of the room.
"What happened?" I asked.
Kanan smiled.
"I want to be the first to say congratulations. You passed your final test. You have become a true Son of Hades."
I let out a relieved sigh.
"I couldn't be prouder of you," he continued. "Unfortunately, this is where our paths separate for a while."
I sat up in bed.
"As you know, my duty is to find and protect new demigods. There are always more out there who need guidance. I have been assigned to another one."
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
"It was good getting to know you, my friend."
I smiled.
"Thank you for everything. For teaching me. For keeping me alive. For helping me become stronger."
Kanan nodded.
"I know you won't let me down."
We shook hands one final time.
"Don't worry," he said. "We'll meet again someday."
"You can count on it."
Kanan turned toward the exit before suddenly stopping.
"Oh, and I left a gift for you outside."
Then he walked away.
Almost immediately, fire burst from a nearby table.
I jumped backward.
When the flames disappeared, a single letter remained.
Written across the front were the words:
FROM HADES
I opened it.
Congratulations on passing your test.
You have become a fine warrior.
I apologize for not being there personally. Olympus is currently in turmoil. Numerous issues have demanded the attention of every major god, including myself.
I am writing because I have a quest for you.
A group known as the Broken Gods has stolen an artifact of great importance from me: the Claw of Hades.
Recovering this artifact is your highest priority.
Additionally, the group has kidnapped several demigods, including the daughter of Zeus, the daughter of Aphrodite, and the sons of Athena and Apollo. There may be more captives that we have yet to discover.
The leader of this organization is believed to be the son of Phoebe, the Titan of the Moon. His name and abilities remain unknown.
Our only lead is a fortress known as Void Keep.
Everyone we have sent there has died.
That is why I have chosen you.
If you succeed, you may earn the respect of the other gods.
Personally, I do not care about that.
Bring me the Claw.
The artifact comes first.
Only after it is safely returned should you concern yourself with anything else.
Good luck.
The moment I finished reading, the letter burst into flames and vanished.
I stared at the ashes.
For years I had trained.
For years I had wondered about my father.
And now, the first time he ever spoke to me, it was because he wanted something.
A part of me wanted to flip him off and walk away.
Another part wanted answers.
Instead, I thought about the kidnapped demigods.
I sighed.
"Fine."
I gathered my equipment.
My Blades of Hell.
Infinity Staff.
Shadow Armor.
My Bag of Infinite Holding.
I filled it with food, medical supplies, potions from the village alchemist, explosives, and enough energy drinks to concern several doctors.
Ten cases.
Maybe more.
I also packed a bottle of aviation gin for when the mission was finally over.
Assuming I survived.
Before leaving, I thanked my trainers, the nurses, and the younger students.
Finally, I visited the village sensei.
Without saying much, he led me into an underground tunnel beneath the village.
At the end was a small chamber.
Resting on a stone pedestal were two sword handles.
No blades.
Just handles.
They appeared capable of connecting together.
Curious, I picked them up.
They were light as feathers.
The sensei's eyes widened.
"Interesting."
"What?"
"The only person who has ever wielded those weapons was Hades himself."
I stared at the handles.
"Seriously?"
He nodded.
"Every Son of Hades before you died attempting to touch them."
I looked down.
They felt completely normal.
"What do they do?"
The old sensei didn't answer.
Instead, he bowed.
Confused, I bowed back out of respect.
When I raised my head, he was gone.
Vanished without a trace.
I stepped outside the mountain.
That was when I saw Kanan's gift.
Waiting for me was Sobak.
The dragon from the maze.
He lowered his massive head respectfully.
"Where shall we go, Master?"
I smiled and handed him the location of Void Keep.
The dragon spread his wings.
I climbed onto his back and took hold of the reins.
A powerful gust of wind exploded around us.
Then we launched into the sky.
Toward our next adventure