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Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano is a soldier.
She was born into a family of warriors, raised in a culture of militarism, and participated in one of the biggest wars of her time.
Her blood runs with her mother’s inchor, bloodlust and battle-frenzy mingling with the red.
But…well, for her, at least, it’s a little bit off.
Her family has been in favour of Bellona for generations; blessings have been lavished on her bloodline since time immemorial, churning along and turning her lifeblood to a shade of copper that was just close enough to red to be ignored unless you were observing it really closely.
So, naturally, she has a much larger capacity for divinity than most, if not all of her peers.
Her blood sings with power, and those around her notice it. They follow it.
She runs into battle like the warrior she was born to be, her brand with her mother’s symbol glowing against her skin, her lips pulled back in an approximation of a smile.
It comes out more as a snarl, and she sees how her subordinates flinch back slightly at the way her eyes glow red like her mother’s.
Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano is a Praetor of Rome.
The 12th legion Fulminata follow her into battle, trusting her counsel and strength with all they have.
She shares her strength between them, even knowing that sometimes she dips into a power that, by all means, she should not be able to access.
They know this. They don’t mention it.
They wouldn’t dare.
Not when they see the sharp looks she gives those who stir dissent in the legion, piercing as her spear and twice as intimidating, somehow.
Not when they know Lupa has taught her more than the rest of them, simply due to the greater capability she has for greatness.
Not when they feel the crushing pressure that builds up behind their eyes as she glares at them.
Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano is used to suffering.
She doesn’t complain as her life is ripped apart again and again and again.
She doesn’t complain as friends are torn away, as she is forced through hardship after hardship.
She endures it, comes out stronger than before, crushes her competition and lives.
Reyna knows life isn’t guaranteed to demigods, especially not demigods like herself, and thus lives with all she can.
She knows that if she dies on a quest, she’ll make sure she doesn’t regret it.
Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano is fully willing to lay her life down for her legion.
When fighting Orion, she flings herself onto an explosive arrow with no hesitation, fully expecting her own demise.
But she doesn’t.
The statue she’d been travelling with across the world starts to glow with power, and a voice rings out in her head, divine and ancient.
“Rise.”
And she does. Somehow, she pushes away her writhing pain and confusion, and shakily gets to her feet, looking at her somehow unharmed body.
“Accept my Aegis, Reyna Ramirez-Arellano.” It intoned, voice both commanding and somehow comforting, “For today, you’ve proven yourself a hero of Olympus.”
Her cloak shimmers with power, invincibility flawlessly threaded through it.
Athena’s Aegis isn’t just her shield, the term is also used to refer to her cloak.
In some legends, it was said that she cut off pieces of it to protect her chosen champions.
Those legends are apparently true.
But Athena hates romans, so why, why help her?
“Don’t linger on foolish thoughts.” The goddess chastises, redirecting her to the threat in front of her.
Her resolve sharpened into a spear akin to the one her mother uses, to the one Athena uses.
After the battle, she never expects to interact with the goddess again, after all, her blessing was only bestowed on Reyna in the midst of battle to prevent the Parthenos’s destruction.
And yet, here she is.
Reyna kneels before her, head bowed down. “Lady Athena. I am honoured to be graced with your presence.”
Athena’s lips curl upwards in something close to a smile.
“Hm.” She appraises the roman warrior with cutting grey eyes that seem to delve into Reyna’s very soul.
“You know, I’m sure, of my distaste for Romans.” The goddess states evenly, gauging her for a reaction.
“Yes, my lady, I am aware of it. If I may speak freely, it is completely rational, given the circumstances.” Reyna doesn’t look up, doesn’t dare to meet the silvery gaze of the goddess of wisdom.
She lets out what sounds like an amused hoot. “You are correct. It is completely rational. I hold no love for Rome, but you, you interest me, Praetor Ramirez-Arellano.” Athena rolls the demigod’s name on her tongue with pure, unfiltered fascination. “I have no doubt that if you were born to the better side, you’d have been one of mine.”
Reyna doesn’t know how to respond to that. So she doesn’t, hoping the Goddess doesn’t take her silence as an insult.
“I’ll be watching over you, Reyna. Try to stay alive. Your future holds far more glory than you know, if you could only make it there.”
With that ominous warning, the goddess of wisdom and warfare disappeared.
Reyna didn’t know what she meant back then.
But now, as the coppery blood in her veins is replaced with divine Inchor, turning gold as it was always meant to be, she does.
Athena greets her with a pleased smile when the process is complete. She'd predicted this would happen years ago.
One doesn't simply have that much divinity in their bloodline, constantly fight and gain glory, and remain human.
It simply doesn't happen.
Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano is a goddess now, and as she feels the- Her divinity thrum under unbreaking skin, she smiles back, inclining her head slightly at the other goddess.
Future glory indeed.