I jolted awake at the sound of a loud noise. Looking around, I saw it was dawn; rays of sunlight filtered through the glass, illuminating me. I'd slept well—I felt energized. I noticed a few pigeons on the wall looking at me strangely. I sighed in relief. Pushing the crate aside, I stepped out of the greenhouse and looked around. Immediately, I noticed that the small tree and the surrounding vegetation looked more alive. I glanced at the sky; it was early, probably 6:00 or 7:00 AM. I didn't waste any time; I went over to the small tree and sat beside it. After all, I am a son of Demeter.
Better start feeling out what I can do and create beyond the skills I already have. First, let's try to connect with nature. I adjusted my posture, placed my hand on the earth, and closed my eyes. Instantly, I could feel the plants here; it felt like they liked me, but I already knew that. I wanted to feel something different. I wanted to feel my power.
I began to control my breathing, letting my body relax. I stayed like that for a few minutes until I felt something warm spreading through my entire body. It made me calmer, more relaxed... I was at peace. I could hear everything: the wind, the birds, the leaves, even insects. But this energy felt wild—it wouldn't stay still in my body.
My first test: I tried to channel just a little bit of it into the ground. The wild movement stopped; the energy became still. Then, I forced it into the earth, but as I did, my energy began to gush out. It was as if a dam had broken and everything started pouring out. I pulled my hand back so hard I fell backward. It felt like I'd been punched in the gut. I was winded. When I realized what was happening, my breath was shallow and sweat was dripping from my body; it felt like I'd just stepped out of a shower.
When I lifted my head, I was surprised. The tree and the surrounding area were vibrant and green. Where there had once some only dead plants and dirt, everything was now lush and filled with flowers. I looked at the tree—it looked brand new. The grass had grown about 20 centimeters. I tried to stand up and realized I was shaking.
"My God, That was fucking awesome....but I almost died... hahahaha!"
[SYSTEM: CRITICAL STAMINA WARNING. RECOMMENDATION: REST OR EAT. NEW ATTRIBUTE UNLOCKED]
I reached for my bag, breathing heavily. "System, show my status."
[STATUS PANEL]
NAME: Caleb Thorne
AGE: 11 years old
HP: 100/100
STAMINA: 05/50 (Critical)
DIVINE PARENT: Demeter (Undetermined)
CURRENT RANK: F – Newly discovered Demigod
[CORE ATTRIBUTES]
PHYSICAL STRENGTH: (F-4/10)
SPEED/REFLEXES: (F-6/10)
RESISTANCE: (F-3/10)
INTELLIGENCE/PERCEPTION: (F-7/10)
DIVINE POWER: (F-8/10)
Primary Cost: Stamina. Risk: Total physical collapse.
"Holy shit, I'd better forget about powers for now and just train my body, resistance, and strength. Some exercise would do me good."
I grabbed a cereal bar and started eating. As soon as I finished, the system beeped:
[SYSTEM: STAMINA +10]
I grabbed a bottle of water and drank. I tucked the wrapper back into my bag.
[SYSTEM: STAMINA +05]
I looked at the garden I'd created. I knew every type of plant there, but none of them bore fruit. Better figure out where I am and how to get to camp. I started walking, passed through the rusty gate, and closed it behind me. In the alleyway, I could already see people passing by: men in suits, women in hats... how strange. The sound of engines after so much silence was bizarre.
I started walking. I looked like a beggar in these wet clothes and, worse, I stank. I adjusted my bag and kept going. The place was busy, which irritated me because every person who passed either covered their nose or looked at me like I was vermin. A group of women walked by; I didn't hear much over the traffic, but I caught: "Look at that, he stinks." A couple passed: "Must be an addict, my God." And an old lady with a kid walked by and said loudly: "See? You'd better study, or you'll end up a hobo just like him." The brat even yelled: "Gross, Grandma, he smells!"
I could swear a vein was popping in my forehead. They're lucky I can't afford to waste stamina. I kept walking, but the street signs didn't help much. I'd been wandering for minutes trying to figure out where I was, but every person I stopped told me to go away or backed off like I was a plague. I even tried to enter a store, but when I tried to speak, the woman shooed me out, thinking I was a beggar and threatening to call the police. I got stressed, called her a bitch, and walked away. The look of shock on her face was a small relief.
Stopping at a corner and watching the cars go by, I sighed, looking at these people who didn't give a damn about me. What kind of world of sons-of-bitches is this? I stood there grumbling until I felt a sensation on the back of my neck. Suddenly, I felt a chill so intense I paralyzed. My instinct told me that if I moved, I would die. So I stood still until I heard footsteps: tak, tak, tak. It sounded like a woman's shoes, but boots didn't make that sound. The person stopped beside me, and a foul stench hit my nose—the worst smell I'd ever encountered. Then, I heard a sweet voice:
"Oh, poor boy, are you lost?"
I moved my head slowly, thinking: "Please don't be a monster, my God, I'm still a noob." But when I looked at her face, my brain short-circuited. In front of me was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. Blonde, perfect skin, pale and flawless. Lips with dark red lipstick and blue eyes. Perfect. She was wearing a red skirt. Without realizing it, my mouth hung open.
She looked at me: "Child, are you lost? Where is your family?"
Her voice was beautiful. I realized I'd said that out loud and got embarrassed. "No, I'm an orphan. Do you know the name of this city?"
I spoke too fast. She flashed a smile: "Ah yes, I know it. My house is nearby; do you want to come? I can help you, you can even take a shower and have a warm meal."
As she spoke, her smile grew wider and her teeth began to show: they were sharp, and there were too many of them. That sent a shiver down my spine. She tilted her head to the side, and drool leaked from her mouth. My instincts kicked in. I took a few steps back. "Look, lady, no need. You look busy... anyway, nice smile, hehe... but I'm heading out."
She replied with a distorted voice: "Ah, your smell t is wonderful... so delicious..."
Her eyes glowed red and gold. The smell of rotting meat grew strong, making me gag. Her teeth were long and jagged. I looked around and people were walking by normally. What the hell! I turned and started running; I wasn't going to wait around like an idiot.
In the movies, they're monsters; how is this bitch so hot? A voice cut through my thoughts: "Where are you going, little snack?"
My instinct screamed, and I ducked at the last second. A claw sliced through strands of my hair. I rolled to the side, and a car nearly hit me. The driver cursed at me, but I only focused on the creature: the woman now had flaming hair, glowing red eyes, one leg that looked like bronze, and the other like a donkey's.
A screen appeared in front of me.
[SYSTEM: MISSION – SURVIVE]
[AN EMPOUSA IS HUNTING YOU. SURVIVE AND ESCAPE ALIVE.]
REWARD: ONE WEAPON + 05 ATTRIBUTE POINTS.
"Just that, you piece of shit system? This monster got this close and you didn't warn me sooner, dammit?"
[SYSTEM: GOOD LUCK. A HINT: run]
I looked at the creature smiling at me, and only one thing came to mind: "Sons of bitches."