[Third Person Pov]

“Here, I brought you a souvenir,” Lucian said casually as he reached into his shadow, the darkness rippling unnaturally before parting to reveal a familiar cardboard box. He pulled out a box of monster donuts and extended it toward Hestia with a small, satisfied grin. Despite the sun sitting high in the sky and noon not even having arrived yet, everyone had gathered comfortably around the campfire, lounging casually.

Hestia accepted the box with a warm laugh, carefully resting it over her lap as she opened the lid and peeked inside. “You really didn’t have to,” she said fondly, though her tone suggested she was genuinely pleased.

Lucian, meanwhile, barely paused before continuing his animated retelling of their adventure, slipping easily into the role of storyteller.

As he spoke, the campers leaned in closer, hanging onto every word. Lucian reclined casually in his seat, one arm draped over the back while the other gestured freely. Shadows pooled in his palms, shaping themselves into tiny, detailed illusions—miniature scenes no bigger than a handspan.

One showed Thalia locked in fierce combat with Luke, weapons clashing in a frozen moment of sparks and fury. Another depicted Annabeth standing triumphant over the Hydra, its many heads recoiling as her clever strategy played out. Finally, a darker illusion formed: Lucian himself standing against Scylla, the monstrous figure looming over him as the sea churned beneath their feet.

“Hahaha! I still have the picture of Lucian covered in vomit!! It was hilarious!” Annabeth suddenly burst out, her laughter cutting straight through the tension of the story. She quickly pulled out her phone, swiping through her gallery before holding it out toward Hestia like a prized artifact.

Hestia barely had time to brace herself before she saw it. She nearly choked on her donut as laughter exploded from her, her feet lifting off the ground as she leaned back, clutching her stomach. “Oh my—gods above, Lucian!” she cackled, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

Lucian could only stare at her, his expression utterly flat, unamused, and deeply resigned.

Around him, the campers erupted into chuckles and teasing remarks, nudging one another and pointing in his direction.

In the end, Lucian simply shook his head, letting out a quiet huff. Despite himself, a faint grin tugged at the corner of his lips as the laughter carried on, and he allowed the moment to pass without protest.

…

Later that day, Lucian found himself seated along the basement floor of his cabin, surrounded by Thalia, Annabeth, his siblings, and Markus. The rest of the camp was scattered elsewhere—Percy, Tyson, Clarisse, and Grover had taken it upon themselves to show Scylla around Camp Half-Blood, much to the curiosity and unease of passing campers upon learning who she was.

“Well then…” Lucian said, rubbing his hands together eagerly as his lips curled into a mischievous smile. “Time to count my spoils of war from this quest.” He let out an enthusiastic cackle, his eyes practically glowing with anticipation.

With a flick of his wrist, shadows stretched and peeled themselves from the walls and floor, rising into defined shapes. “First thing’s first,” Lucian continued proudly, “my shadow soldiers. They’ve grown considerably. Honestly, I’m going to need a whole naming system at this rate.”

One by one, the shadowy figures took form around the room—silent, imposing, and varied in shape. Markus examined them closely, circling one with clear admiration before muttering under his breath, “I really can’t get over how cool that power is…”

Lucian glanced toward two warrior shadows standing side by side, both bearing massive bear-fur heads. “Alright,” he said thoughtfully, pointing at them. “The youngest between all of you, raise your hand.” One shadow obeyed instantly. Lucian nodded. “Okay, then. You’ll be Minor. And you—” he gestured to the other “—Major.”

“Like Ursa Minor and Ursa Major?” Annabeth asked, raising a brow.

Lucian nodded, and Annabeth chuckled softly. “Not bad names, actually. Simple, but fitting.”

“Oooh! Can we help you name the others?” Nico asked, practically bouncing with excitement.

Lucian shrugged, already turning back to reorganize the shadows. “Sure. I’m not naming all of them though. Some of these I’m going to try merging together.” He gestured vaguely toward a cluster of darker shapes. “You guys can start thinking of names for Charybdis while I get these guys sorted.”

Lucian began carefully counting the shadow soldiers he had gained during their time aboard the cruise ship, his gaze sharpening as the figures shifted and lined up at his silent command. One by one, he tallied them off, mentally categorizing each by shape and presence.

“Let’s see…” he muttered thoughtfully. “Seventeen Scythian Dracaenae, twelve Laistrygonian giants, the two twin bears, and one Drakon.”

The shadows loomed obediently as he finished his count, their forms flickering faintly against the stone walls. Lucian leaned back with a satisfied hum. “That makes thirty-two shadows gained just from the cruise ship alone.” A pleased grin tugged at his lips. “Honestly? Not a bad haul at all.”

He snapped his fingers suddenly, eyes lighting up as another memory resurfaced. “After that, thanks to Annabeth’s battle with the Hydra, I gained Oh Captain, My Captain.” He gestured theatrically, clearly enjoying the name. “Which also reminded me of the ingredients we collected along the way—so that’s a bonus on top of everything else.

Lucian then turned his attention toward Nico, folding his arms. “Now then, did you manage to come up with a name for Charybdis?”

Nico nodded enthusiastically, barely containing himself. “Yep! I got one!”

Lucian raised an eyebrow. “Let’s hear it.”

“Name her Lady Whirlpool!” Nico declared proudly, standing a little taller.

The room fell silent.

Lucian stared at him—completely, utterly blank. No reaction. No blinking. Just a long, unbroken, soul-piercing stare. The longer it went on, the more Nico’s confidence visibly wilted, his shoulders slowly sinking as color crept into his cheeks.

Around them, the others began to giggle, clearly entertained by Lucian’s deadpan expression. A few seconds passed… then a few more. Finally, Lucian sighed.

“…Fine,” he said flatly. “Lady Whirlpool it is.”

Nico brightened instantly.

Lucian continued before anyone could comment further. “After that—unexpectedly—I gained two demons from my battle with Aunt Circe.” He spread his arms slightly, clearly pleased. “Which is honestly all kinds of awesome.” He paused, tapping his chin in thought. “Now… what do I name them?”

He glanced around the room. “Anyone want to help?”

Nico’s hand shot up immediately.

“No,” Lucian replied without even looking.

Nico deflated, crossing his arms and pouting dramatically. Markus, after a moment of hesitation, cautiously raised his own hand. “Why don’t you name them Duke and Baron?” he suggested. “Demons tend to have nobility titles like that, right? And they actually sound like proper names.”

Lucian considered it—then nodded slowly. “Not bad. I like it.” He snapped his fingers decisively. “Duke and Baron. Honestly? Really good picks.”

Annabeth tilted her head and looked at Markus strangely. “You… know about demons?”

Markus shrugged nonchalantly. “I know my fair share. At one point, I genuinely thought I might be a fallen angel because of my wings.” He glanced away briefly. “So I researched angels and demons a lot, trying to figure out who—or what—my father could be.”

“Oh,” Annabeth said softly, understanding dawning on her face. Bianca stepped closer and gave Markus’s shoulder a gentle, sympathetic pat.

Thalia leaned back, arms crossed, a wide grin spreading across her face. “Wait a second. Let me get this straight.” She counted on her fingers. “You now have shadow soldiers named Captain, Major, Minor, Duke, and Baron…” Her grin widened. “I can’t help but notice a theme here.”

“Moving on,” Lucian said quickly, rolling his eyes. “After that came my unfortunate death, followed by my glamorous and grandiose revival—” he waved a hand dismissively “—and then I gained Polyphemus’s shadow.”

“Name him Grover’s Husband,” Annabeth teased immediately, bursting into laughter.

The rest of the room followed suit.

“Haha, I think I’ll name him The Groom, in memory of that… event.” Lucian said, shaking his head and letting out a snort.

He straightened, finishing his mental tally. “So, in total, that brings me to thirty-seven shadow soldiers.” His tone was proud but measured. “Not bad for one quest.”

Lucian’s smile slowly turned sharper. “And that’s not even counting the other benefits I gained—like a new member for my Coven, my Devil Trigger transformation, a new perspective on magic, my curse reversal, the Golden Fleece…” He exhaled, satisfied. “Not to mention my advancement.”

He leaned back, shadows stirring eagerly around him. “I honestly came out winning here.”

“Speaking of which,” Thalia said, leaning back with her elbows on a table, “you never actually told us what you gained from the potions. What kind of abilities did you end up getting?”

At once, the attention in the room shifted. Conversations died down, and several pairs of eyes turned toward Lucian, curiosity and expectation written plainly across their faces.

“Let’s see here…” Lucian muttered, closing his eyes briefly as if scrolling through an invisible list. “Alright. My first ability is called Heavy Burden.” He opened his eyes and explained, “It allows me to manipulate my own weight—meaning I can become as heavy as a mountain, or as light as a grain of sand.”

Thalia let out a low, impressed whistle. “That’s… terrifyingly useful.”

Lucian nodded before continuing, “Next is Guardian of the Wild. It gives me a natural affinity with nature and allows me to communicate with and understand the fauna of the wild.”

Annabeth’s eyes lit up in recognition. “So that’s what Grover meant when he said you were attuned with the wild.” She snapped her fingers. “That explains why the man-eating sheep ignored you and focused on the rest of us instead.”

Lucian smirked, clearly enjoying that reaction. “You guys want to hear the next one?”

He didn’t wait for an answer.

“Then there’s an ability called Persephone’s Child.”

“WHAT?!” everyone shouted at once, disbelief rippling through the room. Nico and Bianca were easily the loudest, both of them staring at Lucian in total surprise and astonishment.

Lucian burst out laughing. “Relax, relax. It’s not what you’re thinking.” He waved his hands defensively before continuing. “It allows me to influence the flora around me—boosting plant growth, strengthening vegetation, and assisting nature in general.”

“That’s still insane,” Nico muttered, clearly impressed.

Lucian scratched the back of his head as he moved on. “After that comes an ability called Terra’s Instrument.” He paused, frowning slightly. “Hmm… how do I explain this one without turning it into a lecture?”

He sighed. “Basically, since I’m the Sentinel of Earth, you could say I’m also the Sentinel of Terra. This ability allows me to manipulate the earth itself as a tool—something I can wield to fulfill my duty as a guardian.” He grimaced. “It’s all very symbolic, layered with deep meaning and nonsense. Long story short—” he shrugged “—I can manipulate the earth.”

Lucian let out an annoyed grunt before finishing, “And finally, the last ability is called Seismic Disruptor. It allows me to generate vibrations comparable to full-on earthquakes.”

The room went quiet for a moment.

“There’s something I don’t understand…” Bianca said hesitantly, breaking the silence.

Lucian turned toward her and motioned with his chin for her to continue.

“What does you being an Earth Sentinel have to do with you eventually becoming a paradox?” she asked, shaking her head. “I don’t see the connection.”

“Hm? Oh, that’s easy,” Lucian replied with a faint, knowing grin. “All of my sequence pathways are built on contradictions. I have to fully understand one concept in order to learn its complete opposite.”

He leaned back slightly. “In this case, by becoming an Earth Sentinel, I need to understand the importance of life so I can eventually understand the importance of death.” His eyes gleamed thoughtfully. “I can already guess the next steps too. With Mist-Shaper, I’d need to understand illusions in order to grasp reality. Magic to understand logic and common sense. That sort of thing.”

“Oh…” Bianca said softly, nodding as comprehension settled in. “I get it now.”

“Wait,” Thalia said slowly, narrowing her eyes, “so the Stuntman sequence…?”

“To learn about safety and precaution,” Lucian answered without hesitation.

“Ha!” Thalia scoffed loudly. “Then it seems to me you need to go back and retake that lesson—because you clearly haven’t learned shit.”

The room erupted in laughter. Even Lucian chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck as he conceded the point—because, unfortunately for him, she wasn’t wrong at all.

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