Chapter 5. The Real Story Begins.

SHEER PANIC shot Christopher to the face of consciousness. Light assaulted, and he teared. The clean scent of the sea swilled his brain. He gulped a refreshing breath of the place, trying to forget the pictures he had just seen in his nightmare.

"Where was he..."

Reaching to rub his eyes, he realized he was on a single bed, staring face at a girl beside him. She sat across on the other bed, her tough brown eyes refusing to conceal the relief she felt.

"I'm glad you're awake." She admitted. "You seemed like you weren't gonna make it."

"Where am I?" He suddenly cringed in fear, afraid he was eventually captured after the long run. "Who are you?!"

"I'd ask the same question myself." Remi had a questionable look on her face. "Considering you're a demigod without a birthmark."

"I'm a what now?"

"A demigod. If you didn't know then how did you find this place?"

Remi's question felt like a sword plunged to the hilt, right in the center of Christopher's throat. "My mom told me to follow the Forstellar star the very night she was attacked. That was her very last words."

Remi's expression confounded compassion. "I'm sorry about that." She apologized rather for dredging up his bitter memory. "But she never told you about your dad?"

Christopher nodded. "Not even a clue. She'd always change the topic each time I asked."

"And how long have you been following the Forstellar?"

"About a week? By the way, what's this place?"

"The Demigods Recruit Academy. It's an establishment created by the gods to keep their mortal children safe and train them to be heroes."

Christopher had only taken up interest in learning about myths and historical records about gods nine-some years ago. But he couldn't believe he was staring face at a girl who could instantly tell he was a demigod, something he himself hadn't figured out all fifteen years of his life.

"How do you know I'm a demigod?" He asked.

"Humans can't find this academy apparently. So our alternative guess was that you're a monster hiding under the Mist. But Rhoecus can see through the Mist, and he was able to tell that you're one of us." Remi explained.

"Wait. You mean Rhoecus, the centaur? Half man, half horse?"

Remi pulled in closer to his ear. "You might not wanna use the term "half man, half horse" when you're around him. Or he'd get cranky." She pulled away, and for a second there, Christopher flinched.

"... anyways, besides seeing through the Mist , he's our assisting director, and our combats trainer. They say he was strong enough to take on a Roman empire on his own. I only intend to surpass that strength." There was a determined look in her eyes.

"Sounds like you still have a grudge on me." A deep gentle voice interrupted the conversation.

Christopher heard hooves cluttering, and looking to his right he was met by a centaur, a creature with an upper human body and lower horse back with four fine, polished horse Hooves instead of legs. Christopher wanted to wake up from his sudden slumber.

"Always. Until I best you at swordsmanship and become Apollo's partner." Remi replied him.

"That hasn't been in ages, but I'll like to see you try." Rhoecus turned to face Christopher. "And you must be the demigod without a birthmark."

Christopher tried hard to composed, but out his mouth still came a stutter. "Y..yeah, I am. But what's a birthmark though?"

"It's a symbol that all demigods have to show that they've been claimed by their god-parent. Most demigods are usually born with it, it's always on the left shoulder."

Remi rolled up the left sleeve of her t-shirt. And on her shoulder was a symbol of a bow and arrow. It was more like a tattoo, with blue and green gradient. It was too pretty for a birthmark.

"The symbol of Artemis. The goddess of the hunt."

"Whoa!" Christopher checked his own shoulder, but all there was was an infant growing skin. He was disappointed, but at the same time he had high hopes that he was a son of Poseidon, the god of the sea. As he likewise enjoyed being at the sea-side very much.

He had even once dared to try to breath in the water to confirm if he was a fish- bit it hadn't ended well that day.

"Demigods with birthmarks often inherit the character and mannerism of their god-parent." Rhoecus explained. "And even sometimes, their quirks."

"Quirks?"

"Yeah, those are the gifts that distinguishes gods from mortals. Artemis for an instance was born with a tremendous arching skill. I must confess that Remi here is an excellent archer herself. But she'd rather wield a sword."

"I already told you Rhoecus, being an archer isn't convenient for every quest." Remi argued. "Unless it's a snipes'"

"So... Can I still be given a birthmark?" Christopher butt in.

"Usually, demigods that aren't given marks at birth have to earn the attention of their god parent." Remi explained. "And the only way to do that is by going on quests."

"Like— dangerous missions?"

"Not necessarily. Quests are tasks designed to assist the gods. Most of them can be very dangerous, and others are just menial tasks limited from the gods' interference."

"So, let's assume I don't die in these quests, would that be enough for me to know who my god-parent is?"

Rhoecus chuckled slightly, his hooves cluttering against the polished hard floors. "You can't be sent on a quest that's stronger than your ability level. And yes if you're able to complete these quests, you're bound to be noticed by the gods. Even better, you could be proclaimed a hero. Heroes have seldom opportunities to meet the gods."

"Really?!" Christopher's gasp was a surprised tone. "Whoa I guess I have so much to learn."

"If you're willing to stay here that is."

Christopher's eyes suddenly sobered up. He sunk down his head in sadness, yet again reminiscent of his mother's death. "I don't know why my mom sent me here. But she told me to run, like something was coming determinedly for me, and that I'll only be safe once I got here. And if doing these quests would help me get to my father, then I won't hesitate."

If his father truly was a god, then he had some explaining to do about why his mother had died under his omnipresence.

"Good, then we'll commence your training."  Rhoecus finalized. "Welcome to the Demigods Recruit Academy....– uhh.."

"My name is Christopher, " he said, "Delune Christopher."