Chapter 5: 5. Imaginary Monsters

WARNING: Though this story revolves around my OC Levana Kaer travelling the Earth in a universe where gods exist, I personally am not a well-travelled person. As such, most of the information I have on most countries, religions and cultures is obtained from google. Wikipedia is the most used site of all.

All the places that Levana Kaer travels to can be found on google maps. All gods found in this story may not have the exact personality, origins or descriptions as in real-life religious texts. However, I have taken inspiration from them. All the gods already depicted in the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan will continue to be portrayed as they were, in this fanfic.

Also, I have decided to completely destroy the plot of Percy Jackson. However, I will keep all their relationships the same. I really like the ships as they are.

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It had taken Levana a few days to track her way out of the Dibs Forest, Iraq. It had then taken her yet another two days to make her way to civilization. This whole trip involved eating up most of her food supply, getting wet from crossing the Little Zab river and ultimately getting a cold.

" *Sniff*... *Sigh*... Maybe I shouldn't have left the Mansion of Learning... *Cough* *Cough*..." Currently, poor Levana could be seen sitting on her rucksack holding one of her older and more ragged clothes to her nose. She looked rather depressed. A rather normal condition when one's environment changed from that of luxury to literally sitting at a roadside.

Having already had the experience of crossing a river with a rucksack, Levana rated the experience a solid 5 out of 10 rotten eggs. Meaning that she would prefer eating 5 rotten eggs than having that experience again. 10 rotten eggs being the maximum number that she could stomach before throwing up, coughing and turning into a heaving heap of disgustingness.

Don't ask how she knew what her limit was.

Anyway, she rated it 5/10 rotten eggs on her unpleasantness scale.

There was actually a reason why Levana had not taken the normal route by road or the bridge across the river. There was a giant serpentine monster under that bridge that eats demigods. It was no world serpent like the Jörmungandr. However, it was still long and large enough to destroy the bridge if it really needed to. To fight the serpent one must go on the bridge, but if threatened the serpent will destroy the bridge. This was why it has not been slain yet.

Let's explain monsters. Monsters are beings spawned into existence through human imagination and belief, similar to the gods. The only difference between gods and monsters is their divinity, the existence of divine ichor or golden ichor. Monsters do not have divine ichor. This is the reason why some dragons are "divine" while others are normal "monstrous" dragons. Anything "divine" has golden ichor.

Within this ichor is belief, the fuel from which all supernatural creatures in this world draw their power. Thus, because demigods contain some divine ichor, monsters tend to enjoy eating demigods. The divine ichor strengthens them and anchors them on the right side of reality. Their existence is strengthened with each demigod consumed. Unfortunately, due to belief, though monsters can die, they do not stay dead permanently. At least, not the more well-known ones or the more powerful ones.

Pulling out the necklace that she was wearing from under her shirt, she kissed it. The necklace was a charm made by her friend, a son of Enbilulu, Naht Kallaf. The charm assists its wearer in floating on large bodies of water, though it works best in rivers.

As Levana mentally thanked her friend again, a little girl walked into her view. The moment she saw the little girl approaching, time relative to Levana's perspective slowed. Her eyes glowed with supernatural sunlight as she studied the approaching girl.

As one whose eyes could see through illusions, she immediately dismissed the idea that the girl was a monster in disguise. So, she let the girl walk over to her as she blinked causing her perspective of time to return to normal.

" Is that a sword?!" The girl who looked no older than 9 said with excitement. Immediately, time from Levana's perspective slowed again. In her slowed time, she scanned the smiling girl again. She watched as the girl's eyes seem to flick from her sword to her knife to her right hand to her face to her eyes then back to her sword in seemingly less than 2 seconds.

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" Yes, it is a sword. Have you ever wanted your own?" Levana said with a smile. However, her eyes were still glowing having not blinked a single time since she used her ability.

" Yeah! I want one! Sometimes, sometimes… I swing sticks and pretend that they are swords! Like this and this." The girl said as she swung her arms around in a rather haphazard manner. Unable to stop herself, she blinked causing her to snap out of the slowed time. Internally, Levana grimaced. However, she continued smiling as she watched the girl energetically prance about.

" *Sniffle* What's your name?" Levana asked the girl.

" Oh! My name is Aethra!"

"Can you take me to your parents? I will show you my sword if you do~" Levana said coaxing the girl.

"Sure!" Aethra said with boundless excitement. One could literally see stars in her eyes. Literally.

Looking around, Levana found a small monster. Slowly she got off her rucksack and pointed at the monster.

" Hey, Aethra? Can you see that monster?" She said as she tapped the girl's shoulder.

" Hmm? Ah, the imaginary monsters. You can see them too?" Aethra's tone radiated honesty and innocence that Levana easily picked up.

" I see." Levana then unsheathed her sword and showed it to the girl. As she did so, she made sure to manipulate the Veil to cover them and render them invisible to the regular people walking around them.

The Viel was a supernatural wall or curtain that shielded mortal eyes from the supernatural. According to Hanok, it was also sometimes called the Mist or  Glamour.

" So, what are your parent's names? I don't want to embarrass myself when I meet them." Levana said as she put sheathed her sword. Aethra frowned a little as she watched her put the sword away. However, the girl still answered.

" Mama's name is Evan-... um... Evangeline! And papa's name is Ouranos! Mama's name is always hard to remember..." The girl said as she fidgeted and vibrated on the spot seemingly embarrassed.

" Ah, don't worry about it Aethra. You did well." Levana said, her eyes though not glowing seemed to contain a strange light. Though this light may just be metaphorical.

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