Somewhere in the haze || a mythos academy fanfic

Chapter One

I tightened my grip on the edge of my dresser as I stared up at myself in the mirror. My face was considered to be pretty with a heart-shaped face, round eyes, high cheekbones, full lips, and an aquiline nose. I clenched my jaw as I pushed myself away from the wooden dresser. I sometimes didn't recognize myself. It was just yet another thing about me that I couldn't change. Another thing was the fact that when I was around the age of five, I witnessed reapers of chaos brutally kill my parents and a friend's mother and sister.

Logan and I had always blamed ourselves for not doing everything we could to save our loved ones, in our eyes– we were cowards. The sound of knocking broke me out of my thoughts. I let out a breath of air before I opened my door. Alexei Sokolov, A Bogatyr warrior, and a fellow Protectorate-in-training stood outside my dorm room with a tub of chocolate brownie ice cream in one hand and spoons in the other. I flashed him a smile and motioned for him to come inside.

Alexei made his way over to my mattress and sat down on the foot of the bed and I did the same. The Russian warrior handed me a spoon and opened the lid of the ice cream tub. Ice cream always put me in a better mood. Alexei and I both took turns eating the ice cream and chatted, which we always did after we were done with classes.

"So," Alexei began hesitantly, his Russian accent very pronounced. "I met this boy over winter break and I want to have a relationship with him but I'm nervous."

I raised an eye and let out a dramatic gasp, "Alexei Sokolov, the badass Bogatyr warrior and Protectorate-in-training is nervous?"

Alexei let out a snort and rolled his eyes, "I've never had feelings for someone the way I do with this boy, Ellie. It's scary to me. What if I fuck it all up?"

I took in a deep breath and looked at Alexei's hazel eyes, "If this guy doesn't want to be with you then that's on him– not you. You are a great guy and if this individual doesn't see that then I'd be happy to gouge his eyes out with a spoon."

Before Alexei could reply both of our phones started to ding. I stood up and grabbed my phone from my vanity and looked at the screen to see a message from Linus saying that the both of us needed to report to an urgent meeting. Alexei looked up from his phone and looked at me, "I do believe protectorate business is more important than talking about our crushes."

I nodded and grabbed my sword and followed Alexei out of my dorm room and down the stairs and out of Styx hall – which was the dorm I'd been assigned to when I first enrolled here. Alexei led the both of us down to the school gates, where a black SUV was waiting for us. I let out a breath of air, "This feels like something out of a spy movie."

Alexei pressed his lips together and gave me a look. I flashed the bogatyr an innocent grin and slid into the back seat. The Russian warrior followed suit and shut the car door after he buckled his seat belt. Alexei's father, Sergei Sokolov was in the driver's seat and looked at the both of us in the mirror. Sergei looked somewhat like what I imagined an older Alexei would look like.

"You two ready?" Sergei asked, with the same pronounced Russian accent that his son had.

"As ready as we'll ever be," I mumbled and rested my head against the headrest. Sergei nodded and kicked the car into gear and began to drive us to the Protectorate's London mansion. I watched as the buildings along the road become a blur. I closed my eyes and let myself be alone with my thoughts.

After about ten minutes I felt someone prodding my shoulder, I opened my eyes to see Alexei looking at me, "We've arrived." He whispered to me. I nodded and slid out of the car. Sergei led us into the mansion and into the dining room where Linus Quinn, Agrona Quinn, And Inari Sato waited. There was also a girl who sat in a chair with an anxious look on her face. I chewed on my lip as I slid up onto the counter and crossed my legs.

I focused my gaze on the girl, she had long, frizzy auburn hair, almond-shaped amber eyes, a small upturned nose, bow-shaped lips, and a round face. There was no denying that she was pretty. The teenage girl turned her head to face me, she frowned and focused her gaze back on her hands, which were clasped together.

"Miss Holler," Linus began. "Has indeed confirmed that she wasn't the one who freed Loki from his prison. It was another girl and we are going to the North Carolina academy to conduct an investigation and punish the guilty party."

"Where do we come in?" Alexei asked.

"You two are familiar with quite a few individuals there," Sergei began, "It would be beneficial for the both of you to tag along and make sure that the accused doesn't try to escape justice."

Linus looked over at me, "You are most familiar with my son, Logan. Do try to talk some sense into him, Miss McNamara." With that, the head of the Protectorate left the kitchen. I stuck my tongue out at him and rolled my eyes.

Inari fixed his gaze on me, "We leave tonight."

"I guess we should go pack?" I asked Alexei, who nodded.