The absence of pain was Xander's first realization he was alive. 'How the hell am I alive, like at all? I was hit with lightning in a freaking lake!' Stunned, literally by lightning, he could not help but flinch as he heard his mother's deep, dramatic voice.

"BRYCE, my love, you are alive and ... you're going to meet someone so special, my precious boy!"

Sighing, Xander turned, eyes opening to see his parents crowding over his brother in a hospital bed. The same kind of bed Xander was in, only his was smaller and no one was around it. That being said, a man drew Xander's eyes, genuinely sending a thrill of lust and terror through him. The man was almost seven feet tall, rippling with powerful muscles, skin the color of bronze. He had a hooked nose and long ringlets of black hair. He was the epitome of masculine beauty.

Oh and he was glowing a soft gold, the color of the harvest moon, wearing a shimmery white set of robes that also glowed. His aura so intense, that only parts of his image was visible, like looking someone standing behind a spotlight.

"My son." he said, his tone low, soft, rumbling like good earth. "My Bryce. It is a pleasure to finally meet my son, my first child in centuries."

Xander choked. "He's your son?"

His mother actually sneered at him, but the glowing man nodded. "Ah, yes, Xander. Bryce prays for you often, hoping you would find your peace."

Bryce choked this time. "How do you, could you know that?"

"I am Zeus, my son."

Both brothers turned to stare at each other, shock as their eyes met. For a moment they said nothing, Xander's heart breaking as he realized so much.

'NO WONDER I MEAN NOTHING TO MY FAMILY, I AM HUMAN AND HE'S...A DEMIGOD!' he wanted to cry, to rage against the constant bullshit of his life, but before he could, Bryce sat up fully.

"Dad, help Xander then! I mean if you really are my dad, and you're Zeus, then help Xander. He is bright, and smart and so nice. Mom treats him like dirt and I hurt him when I was little by accident... he deserves better."

Xander froze. "What?"

Bryce's face turned soft as their mother recoiled. "I was afraid of hurting you after what happened when we were... were ten." Bryce actually choked here, tears in his eyes. "I am really sorry I never stood up for you, but I just... I was afraid."

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Zeus laughed. "You have the essence of humanity and hospitality your mother has lost ever since I created you... very well, my son." He turned to Xander. "At the moment, you are in the hallowed halls of Elysian Academy. A school for Demigods and legacies to honor their powers, their lines, their divine bonds. Normally, only those tied through fate can stay here. However, my son says you are worthy... and when you thought my blessing, that came in that lighting bolt, was to kill him... you tried to save your brother, despite your issues. I will not ignore that goodness, I cannot. I will allow you to stay here, however you must work for it, to pay your dues so to speak."

Bryce pipped up again. "He loves to read, he could work for the library or something!"

"I can do that." Xander said.

"Very well, young Xander, for your graciousness toward your brother, your willingness to sacrifice for others... it shall be done." He turned his eyes to focus on the mortal boy, and Xander shivered at the raw power he exuded. The same one he felt earlier in his bones, only now up close he felt it in his soul. The weight of the King of the Gods was a heavy thing to bear, even in tangential connection. "You are being given a powerful tool here one that can grant your immense power even for a mortal line... However, ties to such powers as the Olympian gods come at a great cost, especially for blood as thin as yours. You are not even a legacy of Pandora, you have no ties. That will not be something that will make your time here easy...." He gestured and a mirror formed from a fold of what looked like heat. "As this will show you."

Xander froze, his eyes wide. Across his face, from left eye to right side of his jaw, was a series of root like patterns, where Zeus' lightning had likely burned him. He could see them on his collar bone, his upper chest and his right wrist. "Dear gods..."

"Lighting strikes are bad enough but my power touching you, even in fragment, came at a cost. I am sorry child, this is in part why I am helping you stay at this academy. In the name of hospitality, I owe you dearly."

Nodding slowly, knowing he had no recourse, Xander just said. "It's... fine, sir. Nothing we can do about it now."

"No, no power can undo it, I am afraid... now... I must depart soon. Bryce, know that my blessing has awakened your latent powers, learn to use them wisely... Xander, I hear you are a lover of myth and fantasy, may I ask you to serve me in helping Bryce master his skills safely?"

Xander nodded again. "I can do that, he did help me out." He smiled at his brother, tentatively.

Bryce's return smile was radiant, loving and warm in a way he had never seen before. it was only here that Xander realized something sad. 'I don't believe have ever seen him really, truly happy before... and to think I painted him with such a shameful brush before. I will do better, and maybe we can actually be close for once. Maybe I won't be so alone.'

"Thank you, Dad..." Bryce told his father. "For helping make up for the worst thing I ever did."

Zeus smiled, pride in his every facet. "Anything for my only living son." And then he was gone, leaving them all alone, in the wake of the strongest Olympian god of myths.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE NOW, XANDER?"

And there it was, his mother's hateful voice, shattering his joy. What a lovely sound...