[Third Person Pov]
Lucian and Annabeth walked together toward the very center of the camp, the place where they had initially buried the core of the camp's magical defenses. It was an unassuming patch of earth to anyone who didn't know its importance—just soil and grass like anywhere else—but both of them could feel the quiet hum of power beneath their feet.
Lucian knelt down and brushed the soil aside with deliberate care, exposing the exact spot he was looking for. From his pocket, he produced a small seed he had gone out of his way to acquire from Demeter's cabin.
Closing his eyes, Lucian reached inward and called upon his newly awakened Sentinel abilities. Power flowed from him and into the earth, subtle but undeniable. The soil trembled as the seedling responded. At first, a tiny sprout broke through the surface, fragile and thin—but only for a heartbeat.
Roots plunged downward with purpose, burrowing deep into the ground and intertwining with the magic buried below. The sprout thickened rapidly, swelling into a sapling that cracked the earth as it rose. It climbed past Lucian's ankles, his knees, his waist, then up his torso. By the time it reached his shoulders and overtook his head, the tree was no longer small by any definition.
Around them, conversations slowly died off as campers noticed what was happening. Training halted. Laughter faded. One demigod finally pointed and shouted, loud enough for half the camp to hear, "Lucian is doing something weird again!"
That announcement alone drew even more attention.
Annabeth covered her mouth, silently chuckling, while Lucian merely rolled his eyes and maintained his focus. The tree continued to grow, forcing everyone nearby to tilt their heads back as it reached a staggering height. Its expanding canopy cast a wide shadow over the camp, leaves unfurling with a soft rustling sound. The demigods—especially those from Demeter's cabin—couldn't help but notice the rich, earthy sweetness that filled the air, like warm soil and ripe fruit after a long summer day.
Buds appeared along the branches, quickly blooming into flowers before closing in on themselves. The blossoms swelled, shifting into small green spheres that darkened and ripened until they became plump.
"A… peach tree?" Annabeth murmured, staring up in disbelief.
Lucian stepped forward, wrapped his arms around the trunk, and with his herculean strength gave it a violent shake. The leaves rustled furiously, branches whipping back and forth, and then peaches began to rain down.
"Ow!"
"Hey!"
"My head!"
Someone else yelled, "You think if I tilt my head back far enough, I can catch one in my mouth?!"
Annabeth caught a peach and turned it over in her hands, examining the fuzzy skin before taking a bite. Juice immediately dribbled down her chin. Her eyes widened. "Whoa… it's really sweet."
Lucian slipped an arm around her waist and dipped her dramatically. "But nowhere near as sweet as you~"
The surrounding campers watched with deadpan, deeply unimpressed expressions. Annabeth giggled, hiding her face behind the half-eaten fruit before shoving it forward into his mouth. "Shut up, doofus," she said playfully, her cheeks flushed.
Lucian laughed, setting her upright before taking a bite himself. Moments later, he summoned the Golden Fleece over his shoulders and leapt upward, landing lightly among the branches. He carefully draped the fleece over a thick limb before hopping back down and dusting off his hands as if the whole thing were routine.
Soon after, Lucian and Annabeth walked away from the scene, Lucian carrying a basket full of peaches in his arms while the rest of the camp remained behind, still examining the towering tree in awe.
"I'm guessing you made that tree as a decoy?" Annabeth asked through their telepathic link, glancing over her shoulder as they put some distance between themselves and the crowd.
"Yes and no," Lucian replied, hugging the basket closer to his chest. "It does function as a decoy—everyone will assume the tree itself is the core of the barrier. But it also acts as a conduit, linking the core to the Fleece and enhancing both its properties and its magic."
"I see," Annabeth said thoughtfully. "Also, I've been meaning to ask—you never mentioned which abilities were upgraded after your advancement."
Lucian simply smiled, mysterious and entirely too pleased with himself. "That, my dear, is for you to not know… and for me to reveal in a suitably epic fashion later."
Annabeth snorted and rolled her eyes. "Let's just go get Scylla so we can introduce her to Medusa, you pompous asshat."
Lucian laughed and replied in an overly sweet tone, "Yes, dear."
…
"I don't think I've ever actually been inside your House of Midnight, as you call it," Percy remarked, standing before what looked like a perfectly ordinary door set into the side of Lucian's home. He eyed it with open skepticism. "The entrance doesn't look that impressive, is it supposed to trick people or something?"
"It really does have a kind of ominous name," Tyson muttered, shifting his weight uneasily. "I hope it's not really midnight inside all the time. I'm… not very fond of the dark."
Lucian snorted softly and gave Tyson an easy grin. "Relax, big guy. It's bright in there. Plenty of light, very cozy vibes." He stepped closer to the door and began knocking in a very specific sequence, his knuckles rapping against the wood in a practiced rhythm while he murmured the activation words under his breath. "Besides, I honestly doubt Medusa would tolerate living somewhere gloomy and ominous all the time, so you can trust that it's nice inside."
As the final word left his lips, the door rippled like disturbed water. Its plain surface darkened, transforming into polished obsidian streaked with faint veins of crimson light. A dull red glow leaked from beneath it, pulsing slowly, as if the house itself were breathing.
Percy blinked. "Okay, I take it back. That's… actually kind of awesome."
Lucian pushed the door open with dramatic flair. "Yo! Aunty Em! We came bearing souvenirs!"
The group followed him inside.
Medusa sat beside the fireplace in a plush, well-worn armchair, comfortably bundled in a black wool turtleneck sweater and fitted jeans. She wore her familiar glasses low on her nose. A book rested in one hand, a glass of wine in the other. The fire cast a warm glow across the room, illuminating shelves of books, tasteful decorations, and an atmosphere that felt far more like a cozy living room than anything remotely sinister.
At the sound of Lucian's voice—and the chorus of footsteps behind him—Medusa smiled. She calmly set the book and wine down on a small side table beside her, one fitted with a softly glowing lamp, before rising to her feet.
Lucian strolled into the room like he owned the place, because he did, holding a basket of peaches tucked under one arm and a box of monster donuts under the other. "Hope we're not disturbing you~"
"Oh, nonsense," Medusa said warmly, waving him off as she accepted the gifts. "Besides, shouldn't it be the other way around? I should be the one giving you presents." She tilted her head thoughtfully. "After all, today is your birthday."
"…."
Silence dropped over the room like a guillotine.
Lucian froze mid-step.
Slowly, dramatically, he turned away from the group and crossed his arms. "I knew you guys forgot," he said, his voice thick with exaggerated betrayal. He huffed and kicked at the air petulantly. "I'm surrounded by nothing but a bunch of fakes."
"WE'RE SO SORRY!" everyone shouted at once, immediately piling onto him in a chaotic group hug.
"Nope. Too late," Lucian said firmly, still pouting. "I don't forgive you."
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY—"
"Don't want to hear it. Hmph!"
Watching the spectacle unfold, Medusa laughed, clearly amused. Her gaze drifted to the basket of peaches in her hands, and her eyes lit up. "Oh! I know," she said suddenly. "How about, for your birthday, I make you a peach cobbler?"
Lucian instantly perked up. He spun around with a bright smile. "That would be lovely," he said sweetly. "Thank you for caring and actually remembering my birthday—unlike some people." He shot the rest of the group a pointed look before clearing his throat. "Anyway, there's one more souvenir we brought back from our quest for you."
"Hm?" Medusa hummed, curiosity piqued.
Lucian reached into the tangled cluster of demigods and hauled someone forward by the shoulders, presenting her with a flourish. "Ta-da! It's your sister!"
"…Huh?" Medusa blinked. "My sister?"
"Yup! This right here is Scylla!"
Medusa's eyes widened. "WHAT?! As in that Scylla?!"
"H-Haha… hello," Scylla said awkwardly, giving a small, uncertain wave.
Medusa simply stared, utterly frozen, disbelief written across her face. She looked seconds away from dropping everything she was holding as the realization finally began to sink in.
********************************************
+10 advance Chapters and my other patron exclusive content on: patreon.com/Shadow_D_Monarch3