video @L.Mills

[thestoriesarereal]

[The video turns on with Lucy smiling and then giving the camera a wave.]

I know it's a bit late, but I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day.

Also, all the Valentine's Day chocolate should be marked down, perfect time to get a lot of chocolate and candy.

[The video feed ends there, but she is a clever girl and thought this would be a better way to address those she left a valentine's day card and various candies for.]

For Emma

For Victor

For Nico

For Jefferson

For Older Loki

For Stan

For Younger Loki

For Laura

[And for Ivar for when he comes back.]

Comments

[thestoriesarereal]

What? You’re twenty? It’s not that much older than being a teenager.

[deathkid]

[ another laugh. ] I'm eighty-seven.

[thestoriesarereal]

[ Wide eyed. ]

Whoa—so, you could be my great-grandparents age! But you look—

It’s cause you’re a demigod, isn’t it?

[deathkid]

[ he tilts his head from side to side. ]

That's a little of it. But mostly because of my father's machinations. Er, the plans he made for me when I was little. It's a long story.

[thestoriesarereal]

Oh? [ Interest is piqued. ] You know, if I’m getting Ivar’s story for generations to enjoy, it’s also important I get your story too—if that’s okay. Or whatever you want to share.

But, uh, you look SUPER young.

It’s a good thing from what I’ve heard. [ Shrug. ]

[deathkid]

[ flashing a smirk. ]

I do, don't I? The gist of it is that I was born during a time during which demigods were warring against each other. Some of my father's other children were fighting the children of Zeus and Poseidon. It was terrible, considering it was, well, have you heard of World War Two? Because that's what it was.

Anyway, Zeus wanted a pact made that the Eldest Three Gods, being him, Poseidon, and Hades, could not have any more children because they always seemed to start wars. He tried to kill me and my sister, even though we were really young then. He ended up killing my mother, but my father protected me and my sister. He then had us hidden in a casino in Las Vegas.

It wasn't any ordinary casino. This particular hotel is run by Lotus Eaters. Basically, time doesn't seem to pass for the people inside while it continues on for the world outside. I spent seventy years or so in that casino until a great prophecy was given and my father wanted either me or my sister to be the demigod of the prophecy.

[ he pauses, reciting from memory: ]

A half-blood of the eldest gods
Shall reach sixteen against all odds
And see the world in endless sleep
The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap
A single choice shall end his days
Olympus to preserve or raze.

In the end, my friend Percy ended up being the half-blood and another demigod named Luke was the hero. That's the first prophecy I was involved in.

[thestoriesarereal]

[ Give Lucy a moment to take all of that in. So she quickly goes for paper once she comes to his senses and writes down as much as she could. She may ask him to repeat that again. So, Ivarthe Biking was pals with a demigod who was part of a prophecy?

This was way better than Harry Potter! Forget the wand and the sorting hat! This was MUCH better. ]

So Zeus tried to kill you and you spent all your time at a casino...and yes, I know of World War 2, Nazis were bad—so those were demigods.

[ All of this will be a jumbled mess that she’ll have to piece together sooner rather than later. ]

And you were involved in more prophecies?! Like ones were the world would end or are you destined to have powerful kids or save a princess?

[deathkid]

[ nico's beginning to think he might as well write down his life story for her. too bad he's got dyslexia. ]

I was involved in... [ he counts on his fingers ] Hm, three prophecies, but they were minor ones compared to the great prophecies like the one I recited and the Prophecy of Seven.

[thestoriesarereal]

That’s three more than I’ve been part of.

[ Don’t worry, she’ll write his story and run everything by him to make sure it’s accurate. ]
While she’s writing everything down, she misheard a few things. ]

The Prophecy of Sven?

[deathkid]

Haha, cute. No, the Prophecy of Seven.

[ and he recites, again by memory. ]

Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,
To storm or fire, the world must fall,
An oath to keep with a final breath,
And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.

[thestoriesarereal]

[ She writes that down quickly, her hand writing is so horrible right now. She’ll have to type all of this up later. ]

That sounds...challenging. But it all worked out in the end. I mean you’re here so.

But, do you know any card tricks?

[deathkid]

It was challenging, but yes, things worked out in the end.

[ and then he lifts a brow, tilting his head. ]

A few. I used to be obsessed with this trading card game called Mythomagic.

[thestoriesarereal]

[ She doesn’t get to see too many card tricks. Easily amused child is easily amused. ]

My hands are too small to shuffle a deck or do any card tricks. I always thought it was pretty neat. What’s Mythomagic about?

[deathkid]

I can still teach you a few for when your hands get bigger. [ a wink. ]

Mythomagic, when I got into it, is about mythological creatures and people, like the gods. That was before I found out I'm a demigod and learned all those creatures and people are real.

[thestoriesarereal]

[ Giggling. ] Like when I’m older? Or when I have a growth spurt?

Oh...so like a card game about your life, sort of. That’s interesting. What about video games? Did you play those too? Or just olay around the casino?

[deathkid]

Sure, whichever comes first. And yeah, I mean, it's my life now, so...

[ shrugging. ] I'm pretty good at Galaga and some of the old Atari games. Ones you might not know since you're so young. I'm pretty good at poker too.

[thestoriesarereal]

...I'll be marking my height now. Just be aware.

I've heard of the old Atari games, but never played. There isn't an Atari system to play on.

Could you teach me to play? Poker or any card games?

[deathkid]

Oh, I'm aware. I'll teach you a few things, but you have to check with your grandma first. I don't want her after me because I taught you how to gamble.

[thestoriesarereal]

Good, I don't want you to forget anything old man. [She says that with the straightest face she can muster that lasts five seconds before she's giggling. That is the LAST time she's calling Nico an 'old man.']

Awww, I'm sure she would be...semi-okay with it. And you should meet her sometime soon, that way she knows it's okay to be around you--not because you're a demigod, but you know, the whole protective parent thing.

[deathkid]

Wow, old man jokes now. I see how it is. [ he clearly doesn't mind because he's smirking. ]

Yeah, I get that. I mean, I just got done telling you how my dad put me in a magical casino for over seventy years to protect me. I get protective parents.

[thestoriesarereal]

I can already picture you telling me to get off your lawn or something.

Yeah, even a magical casino would get boring after a while.

..So maybe, when Emma gets back, you could meet her?

[deathkid]

[ pretends to consider. ]

Sure, I don't see why not.

[thestoriesarereal]

Please?

[She's pouting and pleading. How could he say no to her?]

[deathkid]

[ holds up his hands as if giving up. ]

All right, all right! I will.

[thestoriesarereal]

[Grinning. who can say no to a cute kid?]

Great! Maybe you could meet Victor too, he's sort of from my world. Kind of...either way, he's really nice.