Percy Jackson: Son of Hades - Prince of the Underworld

[Third Person's PoV] 

Bianca felt an instinctual fear of lightning and thunder, a lingering unease tied to a past she didn't fully understand, While Nico, who couldn't feel fear, he felt cautious and danger from it. Their eyes were fixed on the cloudless, yet ominously thundering skies, unable to shake off the worry.

Lucian approached them first, casually twirling his shadow blade—his red bident—in a lazy manner. Behind him, Chiron and the rest of the cabin members rose from their kneeling positions.

With a flick of his wrist, Lucian dissipated the bident and gently tapped both of their heads in reassurance. "Don't worry about a thing. Father is handling it," he whispered with a calm, confident smile.

Bianca and Nico nodded warily, their eyes still glued to the sky. Seeing their continued unease, Lucian's smile widened. In one smooth motion, he swooped down and, with unsurprising ease, lifted both of them into his arms.

"Ahhh!" Bianca shrieked, startled, while Nico let out a surprised yell.

Effortlessly supporting them, Lucian laughed heartily before shouting, "LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR MY BROTHER AND SISTER WHO WON US THIS ROUND! NOW, HOW ABOUT A GREEK-STYLE PARTY TO CELEBRATE? WHO'S WITH ME?!"

A roar of agreement echoed from Lucian's army, eager for the celebration. Thalia's team, however, wore expressions of frustration, annoyed by yet another loss. Still, a party was a party, and they couldn't resist joining in.

As the camp erupted into celebration, with Lucian leading the charge and bellowing out cheerful grunts, Bianca and Nico chuckled in his arms. Nico even joined in, his earlier anxiety forgotten.

"Lucian's just a caring big brother," Annabeth remarked with a smile, standing back with Thalia and Percy.

Percy tilted his head in confusion. "Why do you say that?"

"He shifted their focus," Thalia replied, her faint smile betraying her affection. "Instead of worrying about my father, they're caught up in the celebration." But as the words left her mouth, her smile faded, and she grumbled, remembering she was supposed to be mad at Lucian.

---

Later that night, as the party raged on, Lucian, Thalia, and Annabeth sat quietly around a campfire with Hestia. The warmth of the flames flickered across their faces, offering a calm contrast to the lively festivities around them.

Lucian sat beside Thalia, carefully braiding her black hair streaked with blue highlights, which had grown longer over time. He worked with practiced ease, creating a single braid that fell neatly over the side of her head. Annabeth, nearby, had a large sketchbook open on her lap, her pencil moving swiftly complete cutting off evertyping around her.

"Where are your siblings?" Hestia asked Lucian, amusement dancing in her eyes as she watched him focus intently on Thalia's braid.

"They're actually getting along pretty well with the Apollo cabin," Lucian replied, holding a rubber band between his teeth as he spoke. "Bianca's really into their archery and healing techniques. And the Apollo kids… they don't seem to mind the aura Nico gives off. They're more comfortable around him than most others."

Thalia's hair was only long enough for the braid to brush past her chin, but Lucian decided it was perfect. He held the end of the braid with one finger, grabbed the rubber band, and tied it off neatly.

"You're surprisingly good at that," Hestia complimented.

"Yeah, it's a miracle I even let him touch my hair, let alone be anywhere near me," Thalia scoffed, though a faint blush crept up her cheeks. Annabeth, without being asked, pulled out a mirror and handed it to Lucian.

Thalia glanced at her reflection, taking in the single side braid. She scoffed again, though she secretly liked it. "You're lucky it looks good."

"Yes, yes, just one of my many steps to get back in your good graces," Lucian replied with an exaggerated bow.

"You'll need to do more than braid my hair to get back in my good graces," Thalia said coldly.

"Oh? Are you suggesting I need to ask you out on a date?" Lucian smirked, his tone teasing. "Fine then. Once our schedules clear and align, I'll take you out. Just the two of us. You can boss me around however you like—if that'll help you forgive me."

Thalia clicked her tongue at his smug expression, the pink flush deepening on her face. But she didn't decline.

"It's a date then~" he winked before turning around, sliding off the log, and looked towards Hestia tapping in front of him.

"Eh?" she blinked, pointing to herself.

Lucian nodded with a smile. "Yeah, you seem curious, so I don't mind braiding your hair too. And it's not that surprising I'm good at it—I used to have long hair myself…" His ears turned pink as he admitted, "My mom and I used to style each other's hair when I was little."

"Pfft," Thalia chuckled, covering her mouth. "Sissy."

"Shut up!" Lucian muttered, blushing even more, which only made Thalia laugh harder, her previous grievances slowly fading as she found new material to tease him with.

Hestia chuckled softly as she plopped down between Lucian's legs. "So, what styles do you want? A braided bun? Two side braid buns? A single long braid?" Lucian asked. 

Hestia rested her hand on her chin, considering. "Whatever you think is best. I trust the judgment of my stylist," she said confidently.

"As you wish, my lady~ I shall make you the prettiest maiden in all the Celestial Kingdom!" Lucian declared in a noble, overly dramatic tone.

Thalia rolled her eyes, while Hestia chuckled, holding her head high with playful anticipation. Annabeth, meanwhile, remained focused on what she was working on, barely reacting to their antics.

"What are you working on?" Lucian asked after a while, glancing over at Annabeth while still deftly weaving Hestia's hair.

Annabeth didn't respond with words. Instead, she slid her notebook toward him, revealing detailed drawings of automaton cores alongside sketches of doll-like figures.

Lucian raised an eyebrow, impressed by his her work, he used his ability to multitask as he studied her work while braiding. Annabeth was planning to use a mix of alchemy and engineering to construct a set of homunculi—four, to be precise. She intended to transform the automaton cores into elemental cores, each infused with a specific element, serving as the heart of her creations.

'It's like creating artificial elemental spirits…' Lucian thought, genuinely impressed.

Then his eyes caught a note in the margin: "Astral Projection = Unlocking Spiritual Energy? Needs testing."

Lucian's mind raced, instantly piecing together Annabeth's intention. 'She's planning to infuse her own spiritual energy into the cores,' he realized. 'That way, the homunculi will be capable of growth, critical thinking, and even developing human-like emotions. And because they'll be born from her spiritual essence, they'll be fully loyal to her—an extension of her will. She'd basically be their god, just like how my shadow soldiers see me.'

Annabeth smiled slightly, noticing the awe on Lucian's face. She chuckled quietly before pulling her notebook back and scribbling something else. Then she pushed it toward him again.

Lucian read the new note, "I may have overlooked something I didn't fully realize or understood. My abilities have long since unlocked, or rather, my body has grown accustomed to Magic. But I've been unfamiliar with how to properly use this energy. I need your help practicing, if it's not too much trouble."

Lucian's brows furrowed in thought. 'Her abilities… What were they again? He mentally ticked through the list. Material enhancement, Arcane Warding, Mystic Insight… Wait a second. Has she been capable of using magic this whole time?' 

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