It was a crisp autumn day in New York City, the kind of day when the sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the bustling streets. The air smelled of freshly fallen leaves, and the hum of traffic blended with the murmur of the crowd. People hurried along, their footsteps muffled by the distant rumbles of subway trains, unaware of the danger that had been lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Angel stood at the edge of the city's skyline; his dark brown hair ruffled by the breeze. His piercing blue eyes scanned the horizon, taking in the sprawling concrete jungle before him. He didn't belong here—this city was a far cry from the kind of world he had been born into. He should have been in the skies, among the gods, learning the ways of his father, Zeus. Instead, he was stuck here, trying to piece together the fragments of his past, trying to understand what had happened to his mother.
His siblings, Jason and Monique, stood beside him, their expressions just as serious. Jason, the taller of the two, his dark hair and sharp features giving him an air of intensity, was staring down at the city, his eyes narrowed as though he could see through the buildings. Monique, with her long, flowing dark hair and striking green eyes, looked as if she was studying the air itself, waiting for something to shift. The three of them were bound by more than just blood—they were bound by a mystery that had haunted them since the day their mother had disappeared.
Their mother, the one who had raised them in the shadows, the one who had told them stories of the gods, the one who had always promised they would one day return to Olympus, had vanished without a trace.
It had been a year since that fateful day.
The day Kronos, the Titan who had once ruled the cosmos, had broken free from his prison and brought his newborn daughter, the goddess of destruction, into the world.
The day their mother had vanished.
.
.
.
One Year Ago...
The city of Manhattan had been just as vibrant and chaotic as it was now. But that day, there had been a strange stillness in the air—a sense of dread that no one could quite place. It was the kind of feeling you got just before a storm, when the winds calmed, and the skies darkened in eerie silence.
Angel had been playing with his siblings in the park near their apartment building when it happened. Jason had been bragging about his ability to summon fire, while Monique had been teasing him about his lack of control. They had been laughing when their mother had called them inside, her voice filled with urgency.
"What is it, Mom?" Angel had asked, noticing the fear in her eyes. She had always been calm, always been the one to reassure them. To see her like that had unsettled him deeply.
"We need to go now," she had said, her tone more serious than Angel had ever heard before. "Get your things. We're leaving."
They hadn't questioned her. They never had. Their mother had always been there for them, had always protected them. But that day, as they packed their bags and followed her out of the apartment, they hadn't known that their world was about to change forever.
They had barely stepped out of the building when the ground shook beneath their feet. The sky darkened, turning an unnatural shade of purple. A booming voice echoed through the streets, one that made their blood run cold.
"Zeus! Poseidon! Hades! Your time is up!"
It was Kronos.
And he had come to take his revenge.
The world had cracked open that day, as the Titans freed themselves from their prisons, bringing with them destruction and chaos. Monsters had poured into the streets, tearing through buildings and attacking everything in their path. But it wasn't just the Titans that had risen. The gods had been awakened as well. It was a battle between two forces, a battle that Angel, Jason, and Monique had no way of understanding.
Their mother had tried to protect them, but the moment Kronos had set his eyes on them, everything had fallen apart.
"I'm sorry," their mother had whispered, her eyes filled with pain. "I couldn't keep you safe any longer."
And then, in a blinding flash of light, she had disappeared.
Present Day
Angel's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of wings beating the air. He turned his gaze upward, spotting the gryphons gliding down from the clouds. The majestic creatures, half lion and half eagle, were carrying the trio's new protector—Athena, the goddess of wisdom.
She landed gracefully, her armor gleaming in the sunlight, her dark eyes watching them with a mixture of sorrow and determination. She was tall, regal, and exuded an air of power that made Angel's chest tighten.
"You're here," Monique said, her voice filled with a mix of relief and concern. "Did you find anything?"
Athena shook her head. "No, but we will. We are doing everything we can."
Jason's lips curled into a slight frown. "I thought you were going to give us answers, not more uncertainty."
"I know this is difficult," Athena said, her voice soft yet firm, "but the truth is we cannot rush things. The gods have many enemies, and we are at war. Kronos and his daughter have plans, and your mother… she was caught in the middle of it. All we can do is keep you safe."
Monique crossed her arms, clearly frustrated. "Safe? You're taking us to a school. Is that supposed to make us feel better?"
Athena's gaze softened. "Olympian High is not just any school, Monique. It's a place for demigods like you. A place where you will learn to control your powers, to defend yourselves. The gods are not the only ones watching you, and the Titans will not stop until they have their revenge."
Angel stepped forward; his voice calm yet resolute. "If we're going to fight, we need to know what's going on. We need to understand why Mom was taken."
Athena hesitated before speaking, her eyes distant. "I wish I could tell you everything. But some things must remain hidden, for your own safety."
The gryphons landed, and Athena nodded toward the creatures. "We need to leave now. It's not safe here anymore."
The triplets climbed onto the gryphons' backs, each one taking hold of the reins as they prepared for their journey. As the creatures took flight, soaring higher and higher into the sky, Angel felt a sense of wonder and dread both. The city of New York faded beneath them, the buildings becoming tiny specks in the distance as they ascended into the clouds.
"What is Olympian High like?" Monique asked, her voice carrying in the wind.
"It is a place where you will be trained," Athena replied. "Where you will learn the ways of the gods and find your own path."
"And what if we don't want to be gods?" Jason asked, his tone skeptical. "What if we just want answers?"
Athena glanced at them; her expression unreadable. "You will have answers in time. But first, you must survive the trials ahead. The world is changing, and you will need to be ready for what's to come."
As they flew through the clouds, Angel couldn't help but feel the weight of the situation pressing down on him. He had always known that his life was different, but he had never imagined that it would lead him here flying through the sky on the back of a Gryphon, heading to a school in the clouds to learn how to fight gods and Titans. But as the city disappeared from view and the vast expanse of the heavens opened up before them, one thought lingered in his mind.
He had to find his mother.
And no matter what it took, he would.
The clouds parted before them, revealing a majestic school perched at the top of a floating island. Olympian High was unlike anything Angel had ever seen—its marble columns glowed in the sunlight, and statues of gods and mythical creatures lined the paths. The buildings themselves seemed to shimmer, as if they were alive, their golden accents gleaming against the sky.
"This is it," Athena said, guiding them toward the main building. "Your new home."
They landed softly in front of the grand entrance, and Athena led them inside. The interior was just as breathtaking, with high ceilings and walls adorned with murals depicting the great battles of the gods. In the distance, they could hear the faint sounds of laughter and conversation, a sign that the school was in full swing.
"You'll be staying at the top of the dorms," Athena said, gesturing toward the stairway that led to the upper floors. "The highest rooms are reserved for the most powerful demigods. And you three… you will need all the power you can get."
Angel looked up at the grand staircase before him, his heart pounding in his chest. This was only the beginning of their journey. The journey to find the truth. To find their mother.