[Third Person Pov]
"Woah…" Annabeth muttered under her breath as Lucian opened their psychic link, carefully sharing the memory of what he had just witnessed. The sensation washed over her like a living echo—half-forgotten battlefields, the weight of history pressing against her thoughts all at once.
"Crazy, right?" Lucian said, his voice tinged with barely contained excitement as he pulled back slightly, flashing her a wide grin. "And I just realized something new I can do because of that little vision." He gestured animatedly as he spoke. "Even if I'm only touching a fragment of a weapon or artifact, I can trace its past—then project the completed version of it I saw as it once was."
Annabeth blinked, clearly impressed as she processed that. "That's… honestly really clever," she said after a moment, her lips curving into a thoughtful smile. "And a surprisingly efficient use of your abilities." She paused, then started laughing when she noticed how energized he looked. "Hahaha—wow. You seem way more excited about this museum trip than I am."
Lucian smirked, folding his arms with mock pride. "I might be," he admitted. "All of this is giving me ideas. Big ones. I'm thinking some kind of large-scale spell that combines tracing and projection together."
Annabeth turned and motioned behind her with her thumb. "Back there, we passed a spearhead that's supposedly a fragment of Achilles' spear. It was in one of the earlier displays."
Lucian's eyes lit up instantly. "Then what are we waiting for?!"
Before she could respond, he gently grabbed her hand and started pulling her along. Annabeth laughed, letting herself be dragged as they hurried back through the exhibit, her footsteps light and unresisting.
"Spear, got!" Lucian exclaimed triumphantly moments later as he slammed the butt of a newly projected weapon against the floor. Towering before them was a tall golden spear, its surface gleaming softly beneath the museum lights. A crimson ribbon fluttered just beneath the spearhead, as if caught in a wind that didn't exist.
The weapon radiated power. It carried the enchantment of unyielding momentum—each successful strike increasing its speed and force exponentially. Once thrown, it could not be stopped, always veering toward a vital weakness, whether physical or spiritual, as though the spear itself understood how to end a battle.
Lucian stared at it with awe before dispersing the construct. "Alright," he said eagerly, turning back to Annabeth. "What's next?"
Annabeth pulled out the museum map, scanning it closely. "There should be a fragment of my mother's shield somewhere in this wing," she said, tapping a specific section.
A few minutes later—
"Call me Captain America!" Lucian shouted, raising a massive shield high above his head after repeating the process.
Annabeth stared at him flatly. "First of all, we're both Greek," she said. "Second, we're very clearly in Britain."
Lucian let out a long, exaggerated sigh as he dispersed the shield and ruffled his own hair. "Annabeth, I love you, but you are so uncultured that it physically pains me."
She pouted slightly, crossing her arms. "It's not my fault all your references are weird and wildly out of place."
Lucian just shook his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips, and continued what he jokingly referred to as "window shopping" for ancient artifacts. Still, despite his growing list of magical ideas and experiments, he never forgot the real purpose of the outing. He stayed close to Annabeth, listening attentively whenever she spoke, making sure most of his focus remained on her—something she noticed and quietly appreciated.
Annabeth took dozens of pictures: of statues, of ancient vases, of herself and Lucian together, and of detailed placards describing myths and historical events. As she did, she enthusiastically shared the stories behind them, explaining the significance of each piece and the culture it came from, while Lucian listened with genuine interest.
Once they finished exploring the Greek exhibit, they moved on toward the Roman side of the museum. This section opened into a wide gallery lined with massive tapestries depicting the rise and expansion of the Roman Empire. The displays showcased everything from durable bronze statues, tools, and coins to intricate pottery, mosaics, and famous glassworks like the Portland Vase.
Lucian traced and projected several Roman weapons and tools along the way. Not all of them carried mystical enchantments—many were simply the standard equipment of soldiers, generals, or gladiators. Still, they didn't need magic to be dangerous. In the right hands—and especially in Lucian's—they were more than formidable.
After Annabeth finished admiring a series of sculptures depicting Roman emperors, she started toward the next exhibit. Instead, Lucian gently guided her in another direction.
"Hey," he said casually, nodding ahead.
She followed his gaze and smiled when she realized where they were heading.
The gift shop.
Lucian casually placed a cap over his head, tugging the brim low before turning toward Annabeth with a playful tilt of his head. "So," he asked lightly, "what do you think? Am I invisible yet?"
Annabeth gave him a long, flat look. "Are you making fun of me?"
"…No," Lucian replied a beat too late. He immediately looked away, coughed, and removed the cap, running a hand through his hair as if that might somehow undo the moment.
Annabeth scoffed, shaking her head as they continued browsing through the gift shop together.
"Oh, I'm definitely buying this," Lucian said suddenly, lifting a small, finely crafted statue of Anubis from one of the shelves. He turned it in his hands, clearly fascinated by the detailing.
"Of course you are," Annabeth replied dryly, glancing at the statue before looking back at him. "Why am I not surprised that you'd be drawn to Anubis of all gods?"
Lucian laughed softly, still studying the figurine as he answered, his tone thoughtful rather than joking. "Honestly? I kind of hope there comes a day when I actually get to meet him." He paused, then added with genuine curiosity, "I wonder if we'd get along. Maybe even be friends."
Annabeth blinked once. Then twice. She stared at him for a moment before chuckling and shaking her head in disbelief. "Why is it actually… kind of endearing that you want to be friends with Anubis?"
The two of them fell into easy banter after that, joking and teasing each other as they picked up different items from the shop—mocking the more dramatic souvenirs, inventing ridiculous backstories for others, and occasionally pretending certain trinkets were cursed. Once they'd paid for everything they found interesting—or deemed worthy souvenirs—they exited the shop together and headed toward the nearest exhibit hall.
Annabeth stopped to study the museum map, her eyes scanning it carefully before she made a decision. "Since we were just talking about Anubis," she said, tapping a section of the map, "and the exhibit's nearby, let's check out the Egyptian exhibit. I want to see the Rosetta Stone."
Lucian nodded, content to let her lead the way.
They entered the Egyptian exhibit and were immediately greeted by the looming presence of a massive sarcophagus positioned near the entrance, its carved features watching silently as visitors passed by.
Lucian glanced between it and the rest of the hall. "So," he asked casually, "should our first stop be the Rosetta Stone, or do we just wander through and take everything in?"
"The Rosetta Stone," Annabeth said without hesitation. Her voice was certain, guided by instinct more than logic. "Something's telling me we'll find something important there. I can feel it—it has to be magical somehow."
Weaving through clusters of visitors, Annabeth and Lucian made their way deeper into the exhibit until they reached the Rosetta Stone. A small group of people stood nearby, quietly observing the tablet and murmuring among themselves.
Lucian leaned in slightly and whispered, his voice threaded with subtle charmspeak, "Lose interest…"
Almost immediately, the atmosphere shifted.
Around them, people's eyes grew half-lidded, their expressions dulling as curiosity drained away.
"This is just a stone," one person muttered. "What's the point of staring at it?"
"It's not even interesting," another said with a yawn. "How boring."
"Is a slab of rock really supposed to impress us?"
Within moments, the crowd dispersed, wandering off toward other exhibits with bored expressions.
Annabeth glanced over her shoulder at the retreating visitors before smirking at Lucian. "Was that really necessary?"
"A crowd would've just been annoying," Lucian replied with a shrug. He then gestured toward the stone tablet, its surface carved with the same decree written in three different scripts—the key that had once unlocked the meaning of hieroglyphs. "So," he asked quietly, "what do you see?"
Annabeth didn't hesitate. She activated her Mystic Insight—and instantly froze.
Her eyes widened in horror as she staggered backward, colliding with Lucian.
"Gods…" she whispered, both to herself and to him, disbelief thick in her voice. Her hands trembled as she pointed toward the Rosetta Stone. "Inside it… there are gods trapped in there. I count five of them. They're imprisoned inside the stone."
Lucian's eyes lit up with a dangerous spark of curiosity. "Should I touch it?"
Annabeth whipped around to face him. "Are you insane?" She immediately shook her head, cutting herself off with a sharp breath. "Actually—forget I asked. I already know the answer. They were imprisoned for a reason. You have no idea what kind of disaster you could cause just by laying a hand on it." Her voice lowered, fear bleeding through her composure. "And that's not even mentioning what could happen to you if you accidentally released them."
Lucian stared at her for a long moment. He understood why she was reacting this way—he knew the source of her fear, even if she didn't say it out loud. He didn't argue. Didn't tease. He simply nodded.
"Okay," he said calmly. "If you say so."
He placed his hands gently on her shoulders, giving them a reassuring squeeze.
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