[Third Person Pov]
As Apollo rode his gleaming golden chariot across the sky, pulling the morning sun behind him like a radiant banner, he leaned so far back in his seat he nearly toppled out. His booming laughter echoed across the heavens as he clutched his stomach, tears forming at the corners of his shining eyes.
"Hahaha! That's—by the gods—that's hilarious! Who even thinks to do something like that?" he wheezed, still laughing as he continued to watch Lucian's performance unfold below with unrestrained amusement.
Down on the ground, Lucian slowly lowered his arms, every single person in the clearing was staring at him as though was the biggest idiot they've ever seen. Yet he showed no signs of stopping. If anything, the attention only fueled him.
(Music Time stamp: 1:35)
He marched over to the nearby barstool with theatrical flair, scooped Jefferson up, slung the mouse across his shoulder, then grabbed the microphone with his free hand. Without missing a beat, the two began singing in perfect unison:
"Dragonfly out in the sun, you know what I mean, don't you know… Butterflies all havin' fun, you know what I mean~"
Lucian's voice blended surprisingly well with Jefferson's, the harmonies smooth and bright, almost professional. "Sleep in peace when day is done… that's what I mean~"
Lucian strutted across the area with grandiose showmanship, moving the microphone from side to side like he was standing on a Broadway stage. "And this old world, is a new world, and a bold world… for me~"
He threw his arms toward the sky, basking in the warm rays of Apollo's morning sunlight.
"Fooooor Meeeeee~!"
As the soft jazz melody filled the air, Lucian swayed, spun, and outright frolicked through the flower bed he had conjured moments earlier. With every twirl he sent petals floating up like confetti.
Annabeth had collapsed to her knees, shoulders shaking silently as she wiped tears from her eyes, her whole body trembling with near-silent laughter. Thalia hid behind her hand, shaking her head, little bursts of laughter escaping her despite her best effort to stay composed. Nico simply sat cross-legged, fists propped under his jaw, staring with a mixture of awe, confusion, and resignation.
Lucian continued with radiant enthusiasm:
"Stars when you shine… you know how I feel~" His smile flashed bright enough to be almost blinding. "Scent of the pine… you know how I feel. Oh, freedom is mine… and I know how I feel…"
Then came the crescendo as he kicked up flowers in rhythm with the beat:
"It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life…"
Kick.
"It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life…"
Kick.
"It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life… a new liiife… for me~"
He dipped dramatically, microphone in hand.
"And I'm feeling good~… I'm feeling goooood… I feel so good… I feel so good~"
At last he released a long, content sigh, dropping his arms open wide to the group.
"It really is good to be back."
Percy snorted. "You were barely dead for ten minutes, you clown."
Before Lucian could retort, a chorus of wails erupted behind him. "Father!!"
The spirits sprinted in a rush, tears pouring down their ethereal faces as they tackled him in a chaotic blur of arms, limbs, and emotional shrieking. Several of them spoke at once, producing a frantic, incomprehensible babble.
Lucian laughed warmly, a glow emanating from him that felt like stepping into a sun-warmed blanket. "Hahaha, one at a time—one at a time! I can barely understand you all…"
That only made them cry harder. They clung to him like they would never let go, their tiny forms shaking with relief.
---
Meanwhile, back at Camp Half-Blood, as groggy demigods stretched, yawned, and began their morning chores, a lone figure sat quietly beside the central campfire.
Hestia's small form was hunched forward, shoulders trembling faintly. Her head was bowed, her lips pressed together as she tried—and failed—to keep them from quivering. Tears shimmered in her soft eyes as she let out a delicate, broken sniffle.
That fire—the ever-present ember that represented her connection to Lucian—had gone cold earlier. The absence had been a hollow, aching void inside her.
But then, without warning, like a match striking dry tinder, a spark flared in that emptiness.
Then another.
And another.
Until the void blossomed into a newly-born flame, bright and alive.
Hestia gasped sharply, her eyes snapping open as fresh tears welled. She reached out toward the flame, her hand trembling. She could feel him—Lucian—clearer and stronger than ever before. His warmth brushed against her like a familiar embrace.
She extended her hand into the campfire. A wisp of flame rose to meet her, then curled lovingly into her palm. It crackled with life, pulsing with his presence which was more prominent than ever. She brought the swirling flame to her chest, cradling it as though it were something precious.
A wet, shaky laugh escaped her.
"Haha… so you really weren't lying…"
Her tears rolled freely down her cheeks. "You kept your word… you kept your promise."
She closed her eyes, clutching the flame to her heart. "You're coming back."
…
Annabeth and Thalia exchanged a single look—one full of mischief, relief, and of silent agreement.
Then, without warning, they both sprinted forward.
"Lucian—!"
"Wait—!"
Too late.
Both girls launched themselves at him in perfect synchrony, tackling him with enough force to flatten a Minotaur.
"WAAAH!!" Lucian yelped as he toppled backward, crashing into the soft flower bed he had created earlier. Petals puffed up around them like a pastel explosion.
He lay there laughing breathlessly. "Oh, to be loved—what a wonderful feeling~!"
But as he looked at their faces, his laughter faltered. The corners of their smiles trembled—faint, shaky—and before he could comment, both Annabeth and Thalia ducked their heads into the crook of his neck. Their arms wrapped around him like vices, holding him with a fierceness that bordered on desperation.
"Argh—girls—choking—me—" Lucian wheezed, voice strained. "I was just revived—please spare me…"
But the moment he felt the faint quiver of their bodies, the trembling they tried so hard to hide, his playful tone dropped away. He let out a soft sigh and gently placed a hand on each of their backs.
"I'm sorry for putting you both through something like that," he whispered, his voice meant only for them. "Please forgive me."
He felt them both nod against him—small, shaky motions that spoke more than words ever could.
Thalia was the first to break the silence, her voice unexpectedly soft. "Just… don't do it again," she muttered. Vulnerable. Unsteady. A side of her Lucian rarely sees, showing just how much what happened had affected her.
Annabeth lifted her face next, her eyes shimmering with tears she stubbornly refused to let fall. "You're lucky I love you," she said, kissing his cheek with tender affection, "or I would have murdered you for pulling a stunt like that." She sniffed, wiping her eye. "Even if it was pure genius."
Lucian chuckled as he slowly sat up, pulling the two girls with him. "I'll take that as high praise."
Something on the ground caught his attention. He turned, humming curiously as he noticed a makeshift marker sticking out of the grass—the temporary headstone they'd set above his "grave."
He called it to his hand with a lazy gesture, amused—until he saw the inscription.
"'Here lies Lucian Blackheart, rotten to the core even in death.'"
His eyes narrowed. "Alright. Whose big idea was this?"
Without hesitation—and with perfect synchronicity—both Nico and Markus pointed at Bianca.
"Bianca."
She spun toward them in outrage. "Wha—you bunch of snakes!"
Lucian shook his head as laughter rippled through the group. with a wave of his hand, he purified the swirling traces of Miasma that clung to everyone from their earlier… encounter with his corpse
Then with a faint shimmer, his Brightheart form dissolved, returning him to his usual black hair and ruby-eyed appearance. He handed the headboard back to its creators with a resigned sigh and stretched, arms lifting high above his head like he was waking from a pleasant nap.
"Now that all of this is over," Lucian declared, clapping his hands together, "we have a Satyr to save."
Everyone froze.
Absolutely motionless.
A shared realization swept through them like a cold gust of wind.
"…"
"WE FORGOT ABOUT GROVER!!"
---
Deep in the cavern's shadows, Grover stood alone, clutching the hem of his elegant, flowing dress like it was a lifeline. He trembled in the corner as faint echoes rumbled through the cave walls.
In the smallest, most pitiful whisper, he whimpered:
"Guys… please get here soon…"
A/N: I'm back bitches! Did ya miss meh!
********************************************
+10 advance Chapters and my other patron exclusive content on: patreon.com/Shadow_D_Monarch3