[Third Person's PoV]
Lucian glanced around the empty hallway, his sharp eyes scanning every corner for signs of surveillance. Ensuring they hadn't been spotted, he subtly activated his powers over the Mist, weaving illusions to mask their presence from any prying eyes or security cameras. The corridor fell under a subtle haze, making them invisible to the mundane world.
Once he was absolutely certain they were safe, Lucian turned to face the large door in front of him. He raised his hand and began knocking in a deliberate, coded rhythm. After completing the specific sequence, he spoke clearly: "Duality, Contradiction, Paradox."
From beneath the doorframe, a thin red light glowed briefly—like a scanner verifying their entry. With a quiet click, the lock disengaged. Lucian twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open.
But instead of the ordinary classroom that should have greeted them, the space beyond revealed something entirely different.
A lavish, dimly lit interior stretched out before them—an elegant living space adorned with glossy black tiles and sleek furniture. The color scheme, though dominated by deep blacks, was accented tastefully with crimson highlights. It was refined, mysterious, and far too sophisticated to belong to any school building.
Without hesitation, Lucian stepped inside, followed closely by his group. The door shut behind them with a soft thud, sealing them into this hidden world.
"Hello?" Lucian called out into the space.
Behind him, the others looked around with wide eyes, drinking in every detail of the surreal space.
"In the dining hall!" a familiar voice responded, echoing warmly through the corridors.
"So this is Castle Blackheart," Chloe said with an impressed grin, spinning slowly on the spot to take in the ornate architecture. "Very fancy~"
"The Midnight Castle," Lucian corrected with a serious expression. He began walking down the main hallway. "I renamed it. It felt more... fitting."
Annabeth, trailing behind, folded her arms. "Why are they even here?" she asked with a sigh. "Is it really wise to bring them into a place like this?"
Lucian shrugged casually. "First of all, I'm a thousand percent sure they already knew about the castle. Didn't you hear her call it by its old name? And second..." He looked over his shoulder. "If they really wanted in, we probably couldn't have stopped them. Better to let them in than have them find a way on their own."
Sors lifted a hand gently. "We can leave if our presence is unwelcome. We'd understand, truly. The last thing we want is to impose."
Lucian waved it off. "No need. I don't mind that much. Besides, we're just here for lunch. We'll be gone before long."
As they entered the grand dining hall, the aroma of freshly cooked food greeted them. At the far end of the room stood Medusa, carefully carrying a large pot in her hands, gripping it with thick rags to protect herself from the heat. She wore a cozy black wool sweater and snug blue jeans, with a pair of glasses perched on her head. Though she no longer needed them, they were a cherished gift from Medea—and it felt wrong to discard them.
Medusa moved gracefully to the rectangular table to set the pot down beside several other dishes she had prepared for the group's lunch break. Seated at the table already were Thalia and Nico, positioned on opposite sides.
The three froze mid-conversation, eyes narrowing at the unexpected newcomers who followed Lucian in. A mix of confusion and suspicion painted their faces.
"Lucian," Thalia asked slowly, her gaze darting to the school uniforms worn by the visitors, "who the hell are they?"
Lucian gestured toward Medusa. "You might want to set that down before I answer."
Medusa obliged, placing the pot gently on the table between all the food which was letting off a wave of steam. The others went and followed suit, settling into their chairs.
"They're the Three Fates," Lucian said plainly as Annabeth and Bianca took seats across from Thalia and Nico.
"Hello!" Chloe greeted with a cheerful wave, while the other two gave subtler, more subdued nods.
Medusa and Thalia sat with their mouths slightly agape, stunned into silence. Nico, meanwhile, tilted his head, clearly puzzled.
Lucian motioned to the girls. "Go ahead. Take a seat."
"Thank you!" they said in unison as they joined the table.
Nico hesitantly raised a hand. Lucian turned to him.
"Yes, Nico?"
Nico looked at the trio of young girls, his brow furrowed. "I thought the three fates were supposed to be, y'know... old grannies?"
Lucian cracked the faintest smile. "They're goddesses," he replied simply.
Nico blinked, then shrugged. "Fair enough."
"Lucian!" Medusa hissed sharply, her voice hushed but laced with urgency.
Lucian blinked in confusion and tilted his head slightly. Her tone was off. His eyes locked with hers, immediately catching the fear trembling behind them.
"What?" he asked cautiously, watching the slight quake in her voice and the way her hand gripped the edge of the table.
Medusa leaned in, her voice trembling despite her effort to stay composed. "Why. Are. They. Here?" she asked through clenched teeth, barely daring to glance at the trio now seated casually at her dining table. "They're dangerous, Lucian."
Lucian, ever the master of deadpan delivery, looked at her evenly and said, "They sexualized me and want to live out their fantasy kink through me. They've kind of forced this life onto me."
"Don't say it like that!!" Chloe burst out, her cheeks flushing a deep red as she waved her hands in flustered protest.
Lasis scratched her cheek awkwardly and murmured, "He… isn't entirely wrong."
"I have no comment," Sors said with practiced neutrality, her expression unreadable.
Annabeth pinched the bridge of her nose. "We don't really have time for the full story—our lunch break is pretty short—so here's the condensed version."
With that, she activated her ability: [Psychic Link].
A shimmer of mental energy connected her to Medusa and Nico. Since Thalia already knew the full situation, Annabeth spared her from the info-dump. In a matter of seconds, she transferred the memories and essential knowledge into their minds.
Medusa blinked rapidly, gripping the edge of the table as her breath caught.
"Wait… I'm gonna need a minute to digest all of that," she muttered, slowly lowering herself to the far end of the table, her expression dazed.
Lucian leaned slightly forward. "So… can we eat while you process?"
"Huh? Oh—yeah, yeah, go ahead," Medusa replied, waving him on absentmindedly.
That was all the invitation they needed. The table came to life as utensils clinked and chatter resumed. Between bites, Medusa gradually began asking questions, which Lucian or the sisters answered one at a time with varying levels of honesty and sass.
Lucian eventually fell into silence, watching the scene unfold. The long table, once empty and quiet, was now full—laughter, conversation, and the clatter of plates filling the room with warmth.
He found himself staring—not at anyone in particular, but at the energy of it all. He imagined even more people joining: the rest of their strange circle, more voices and chaos, more noise and energy. The table would grow wilder, more crowded… more alive.
A faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He picked up his fork again and resumed eating, content in that small moment of imagined peace.
---
Later That Day…
After lunch, the group returned to finish their first day of school together, moving through the remaining classes and meeting their new teachers. The hours passed in a blur of lectures, introductions, and curious stares from classmates.
Eventually, the final bell rang, echoing down the halls and signaling the end of the school day.
But unlike most schools, this one had a twist: being a boarding school, the students were now expected to head to their respective dormitories.
As the group exited the main building, Annabeth leaned in closer to Lucian and whispered, "So… dorms? Or are we heading back to the castle?"
"Obviously the Cast—" Lucian paused, mid-word, his eyes narrowing sharply.
"What is it?" Annabeth asked, stopping beside him.
Lucian exhaled slowly. "My intuition just kicked in... and it's telling me I should go to the dormitory."
Annabeth raised a brow. "Seriously? What could you possibly find in a dormitory?"
"How should I know?" Lucian muttered. "But my instincts haven't failed me yet. If I'm getting this feeling, then I'd rather not ignore it."
She rolled her eyes but nodded. "Alright, I'll go to mines too then. Could be interesting to see who my roommates would've been."
They exchanged a quick wave goodbye and split off toward different dormitory wings.
---
After checking in and receiving his key, Lucian made his way through the maze of halls. Eventually, he reached a door marked 285A.
He inserted the key, unlocked the door, and stepped inside.
The room was modest, furnished with four beds—two bunk beds on opposite walls. That meant three roommates.
One of them was already there.
A boy, close to Lucian's age, lay casually on a bottom bunk, a thick book in his hands. His skin was deep brown, and his hair was tied into neat dreads that brushed the back of his neck. His posture was relaxed but focused.
Lucian noticed immediately that his own luggage had been placed on the top bunk above him.
"Sup," the boy greeted with a nod, eyes flicking up from the page. "Looks like we're roommates."
"And bunkmates, from the looks of it," Lucian replied, slinging his bag up onto his bed.
The boy sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. "Call me Markus," he said, extending a hand.
"Lucian," he responded, gripping the offered hand—only to pause mid-shake.
His brows furrowed.
Markus noticed instantly. "What? Something wrong?" he asked, his voice cautious as he felt Lucian's grip tighten slightly.
Lucian didn't answer at first. He stared at Markus, blinking slowly, studying something off about his aura.
"You… you're not human," Lucian said finally, voice low. "Well… not entirely."
Markus froze. His eyes widened a fraction, all the casual friendliness vanishing from his face in an instant.
"…You can tell?" he asked quietly.
Lucian nodded. "I don't know what you are for sure, it's familiar… but yeah. I can tell."
Markus leaned back slightly, eyes scanning Lucian with renewed wariness.
"Well," he muttered, "guess this year's gonna be interesting."
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