Stolen Night || L. Castellan

One

The sun was a brazen spotlight against the vivid blue canvas of the sky, casting its rays over Camp Half-Blood like an invitation to adventure. Amongst the flurry of activity and the buzz of excited chatter, Luke Castellan stood out, not just for his height, which allowed him a clear view over most heads, but for the way he seemed to take up space with his presence. His physique was all lean muscle, a testament to years of training and battles faced—a demigod forged in fire and tempered with resilience. His hair, short and perpetually tousled as if he'd just rolled out of bed after wrestling with his dreams, seemed to match the untamed nature of the camp itself. But it was his eyes, those piercing blue eyes that held the summer sky within them, that truly captured attention; they sparkled with an energy that hinted at mischief and secrets yet to be told.

"Hey, watch where you're putting that!" Luke's voice cut through the noise, tinged with humor rather than irritation as a younger camper nearly tripped over a duffel bag. His tone had the warm familiarity of an older brother, one that immediately put the younger ones at ease.

"Sorry, Luke!" the camper called back, steadying the load in his arms. "I swear this stuff has a mind of its own!"

"Everything here does," Luke retorted with a grin, ruffling the boy's hair as he passed by. Laughter followed his light-hearted jab, echoing around the cabins.

Today was move-in day at Camp Half-Blood, the start of another summer session that promised endless possibilities and the kind of adventures that could only happen when you were part god. The air was alive with the scent of pine and sea salt, mingling with the excitement that fizzed electric amongst the returning heroes.

Luke moved with purpose through the throng, offering a hand here, a word of advice there. As he lifted a suitcase onto a bunk, he considered how different this summer needed to be. There was a niggling feeling in the back of his mind, a whisper of past failures that clung to him like a shadow. But he pushed it aside, focusing on the faces around him—the next generation of demigods who looked up to him.

"Alright, team," Luke began, addressing a group of Hermes' children as they huddled inside their overcrowded cabin. "Let's make this place feel like home. Remember, a well-organized cabin is a happy cabin."

He issued orders with a smile, somehow managing to make the task of unpacking seem like the first trial in a quest of epic proportions. Each camper jumped to action, eager to prove themselves under Luke's guidance. It wasn't just his natural leadership that spurred them on—it was the sense that he truly believed in each and every one of them.

As the morning waned into afternoon laughter and chatter from the cabin began to fill the air. Luke glanced over at the cabin that was now overflowing with campers elbow-to-elbow. Even in the midst of the joyful chaos, Luke couldn't help but feel a pang of responsibility for all these kids. He knew the dangers that lay ahead—that they all would face. But tonight, he'd let them enjoy the peace of being among friends, unaware of the storm that might be brewing on the horizon.

"Here's to another summer," Luke murmured to himself, lifting an imaginary glass. "May we all find what we're looking for."

The Big House loomed like a benign sentinel over Camp Half-Blood, its weathered walls holding countless secrets of the demigods who had passed through. On the porch, among the bustle of move-in day, Nova Night leaned against a pillar, her long auburn waves spilling over her shoulders like a waterfall.

"Nova, earth to Nova!" called Connor Stoll, his arms laden with an assortment of practical jokes and personal items that somehow managed to escape being confinscated by his mother. Beside him, Travis mirrored his brother's mischievous grin.

"Sorry, just... taking it all in," Nova replied, pushing away from the wood, the grains of which held imprints of a thousand before her. She flashed them a smile that didn't quite reach her warm brown eyes—a facade she'd mastered over summers of goodbyes and hellos.