The bonfire crackled, sending embers spiraling into the night sky. Alessandro sat with his back to the flames, his storm-gray eyes fixed on the horizon beyond the towering pines. His fingers idly traced the handle of his celestial bronze dagger, the familiar weight grounding him. Across from him, Nico and Bianca di Angelo shared a quiet conversation, their voices carrying a warmth Alessandro hadn't felt in years.
It was the first time he'd spoken to anyone since escaping Chronoa Salvàta—the first time he wasn't alone. Yet, the firelight couldn't chase away the shadows lingering in his heart.
Bianca noticed his silence and leaned closer. "Alessandro? Are you alright?" she asked, her voice soft but probing.
Alessandro's gaze shifted to her, the embers reflected in his eyes. For a moment, he hesitated. Could he trust them with the truth? Could he bear to speak it aloud?
"I hate him," Alessandro said finally, his voice low and cold.
Nico glanced up, his brow furrowed. "Who?"
"My father," Alessandro spat, the words bitter on his tongue. "Kronos. The Titan who ruined everything."
The siblings exchanged a glance, the weight of Alessandro's declaration sinking in. Bianca shifted uncomfortably, her curiosity tempered by caution. "Why? What did he do?"
Alessandro's fingers tightened around the dagger. He stared into the fire, the memories clawing their way to the surface. "He left her. My mother. She wasn't some goddess or immortal. Just... a mortal woman. A kind one. She didn't deserve what happened to her."
Bianca's expression softened. "What happened?"
He took a deep breath, the words threatening to choke him. "Zeus wasn't the first to come after me. When I was younger, monsters came for us. All the time. My mother… she…" His voice cracked, and he clenched his jaw, forcing himself to continue. "She protected me. Every time. She gave up everything for me, and he—Kronos—did nothing. He abandoned us. She begged him for help, and he didn't come."
The fire crackled in the silence that followed. Alessandro's shoulders shook, but he refused to let the tears fall. "One night, the monsters broke through. She told me to run, to hide. I didn't want to leave her, but she made me. By the time I came back... she was gone."
Bianca reached out, placing a comforting hand on his arm. "I'm so sorry, Alessandro."
Nico's face was pale, his hands balled into fists. "That's not fair. She shouldn't have had to fight alone."
Alessandro's eyes met his, filled with a storm of anger and pain. "No, she shouldn't have. But that's what happens when you're tied to him. Kronos… he's a coward. A selfish, manipulative coward who uses people and throws them away. He didn't even care enough to protect his own son."
Bianca's grip on his arm tightened. "You're not like him, Alessandro. You're brave. You've survived so much on your own. That means something."
He shook his head. "I'm not brave. I just didn't have a choice. I had to fight. To hide. To survive. If I stop, if I slip even for a moment, he wins. And I can't let that happen."
The three of them fell silent, the crackling fire filling the void. Alessandro's words resonated deeply with the di Angelo siblings, stirring memories they had tried to bury. Their own mother's death, their father's absence, the constant feeling of being hunted—it all echoed Alessandro's story.
Nico finally broke the silence. "We're all tied to gods who don't care about us. My dad… Hades… he's powerful, but he didn't save our mom either. It's like they're always too busy or too proud to help."
Bianca nodded, her expression grim. "But we're here now. Together. Maybe we can do better than they did."
Alessandro glanced between them, their earnest faces illuminated by the firelight. A flicker of hope sparked within him, fragile but undeniable. For the first time in years, he felt the faintest glimmer of something beyond survival.
"Maybe," he said quietly, the word carrying more weight than he intended.
The three sat together long into the night, sharing their stories and fears. The fire burned low, but its warmth lingered, a beacon against the darkness. For Alessandro, it was a small step toward healing—a chance to find strength not just in himself, but in the bonds he was beginning to form.
As the first light of dawn filtered through the trees, Alessandro made a silent vow. He would not let Kronos's shadow define him. He would forge his own path, protect those he cared about, and ensure that no one else suffered as his mother had. For the first time, he felt the stirrings of purpose—not just to survive, but to fight for something greater.
And with Nico and Bianca at his side, he believed he just might succeed.