Simon Keagan was special, and he had always known it. From childhood, he had been smarter than his peers. Complex theories, difficult formulas, and intricate concepts that puzzled others came easily to him.
He was consistently at the top of his class, receiving all sorts of scholarships, and life had generally been great for him. However, there was more to his uniqueness.
Along with his intelligence, he possessed a keen understanding of the cold logic behind conflict—why people fought, the reasons wars were started, and so much more. Everything was laid bare before him.
As Simon grew older, he began to feel a connection with the Greek goddess Athena, the goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare. Initially, he found this idea hard to believe, but with the increase in strange sightings of supernatural creatures resembling those from Greek mythology, he became increasingly convinced.
He believed there must be others like him, but how could he find them across the globe? He reached out through various platforms—using anonymous accounts, of course—asking if anyone else had noticed anything unusual about themselves that mirrored the traits of the gods from Greek myths, but he had no success.
Then, he noticed a pattern: more creatures appeared around Paris, the city where he lived. That couldn't be a coincidence, could it? While browsing various blog posts, Simon tracked down additional strange sightings in Alberta, Canada.
He made up an excuse to his parents about needing a break after school, then booked a flight to Canada in hopes of uncovering the mystery.
At Joe's Café, the brass bell above the door chimed, announcing a new arrival. The air, thick and warm, was infused with the rich aroma of roasted coffee and sweet cinnamon.
Golden sunlight spilled through the wide windows, illuminating the polished wooden tables. Customers walked in and out with steaming cups of coffee and paper bags filled with pastries.
Ethan, working at the café, felt dissatisfied when he noticed a customer leave without tipping. With his meager pay, every bit of change counted.
He sat at the counter, listening to the gentle hiss of the espresso machine, as ceramic and glass cups of various sizes lined the surface. To pass the time, he busied himself on his phone, scrolling through TikTok until someone approached him.
"Excuse me, I'd like to order a cappuccino," the stranger said. Ethan looked up, momentarily taken aback by the steel-gray eyes behind the man's framed glasses. Shaking off his daze, Ethan nodded and got to work. A few minutes later, he placed a steaming hot cup of coffee in front of the customer, the rich aroma wafting toward Ethan's nose.
The stranger took a sip, relishing the taste. He nudged his glasses, which had fogged up from the steam, up his nose. "Nice café you've got here," he said, trying to make conversation.
"Thanks," Ethan replied, his expression stoic. "It's nice to see a semblance of sanity despite all the weirdness going on," the stranger said, tapping his hands on the table. He looked young, as if he had just finished college—not that Ethan would know, as he had never attended.
"What do you mean?" Ethan asked, confused.
"Oh! You haven't heard? There are rumors of strange sightings everywhere. People are seeing things straight from legends," the stranger replied.
"I don't believe in fairy tales," Ethan said, his face hardening. The stranger's eyes lit up at that response, as if he had been waiting to hear it.
He stretched out his hand in introduction. "Simon Keagan." Ethan took it cautiously. "Ethan," he replied.
"What do you believe in then?" Simon asked, taking another sip of his coffee. Ethan scrutinized him, sensing that there was more to Simon than met the eye.
"Nothing," he replied, trying to end the conversation. He pulled out his phone, hoping Simon would leave him alone.
"Not even in people possessing supernatural powers?" Simon's casual remark sent chills down Ethan's spine. Forcing himself to appear unfazed, he glanced up at Simon, searching his face.
"What kind of powers?" he probed. There was no way this young man knew his secret; Ethan had always been cautious, rarely using his powers.
"Oh, you know… stuff like superhuman strength, unnatural affinities for war, or maybe even poetry. Who knows?" Simon flashed a grin. With each word, Ethan felt his expression harden, though he quickly returned to a neutral demeanor.
"Aren't those just talents?" Ethan asked as he picked up a napkin and began to wipe the counter, hoping Simon would take the hint and leave.
"You and I both know those aren't just talents." Ethan paused, studying Simon's face before continuing. Undaunted, Simon pressed on. "You should be familiar with the Olympians. For example, being freakishly strong like Ares, a cold-blooded killing machine, or having a green thumb like Demeter."
As Simon stood to leave, he said, "Thanks for the coffee anyway," paying for his drink and leaving a tip. The bell above the door rang as he stepped outside, and Ethan watched his back for a few moments.
Ethan watched his back for a few seconds before grabbing the money. Underneath the paper bills, there was a card, with the name Simon Keagan and his phone number. He stared at it for a long time.
After his shift, Ethan made his way back to his apartment—the home he had built for himself since the accident. When he turned eighteen, he left the orphanage and scraped together as much money as he could to secure this place.
Initially, he felt a sense of pride in being able to live on his own, but that feeling quickly faded the moment he saw the apartment.
It was a tiny living space, with an even smaller bedroom and a kitchen that could barely be considered functional. He had no other options, though; he couldn't afford anything else.
Ethan locked the door behind him and made his way to his threadbare couch, collapsing onto it. He was barely surviving.
Due to his poor grades in school and not having attended college, he couldn't land any decent jobs, and his pay from working at the café barely covered the rent. To make ends meet, he took on some online jobs, but things weren't looking too good for him.
He sighed deeply, his mind drifting to the man he had met that afternoon. The man spoke as if he understood Ethan's secrets—like he might be like him too. Yes, Simon was right; there were people with strange powers, and Ethan was one of them. Maybe Simon was too.
He pulled out the card and stared at the number. Looking around his apartment, he steeled his resolve, then took out his phone and dialed the number..