luke castellan · riordan universe · son of hermes · charismatic · manipulative · cynical · demigod · tragic villain · camp half-blood
The sky above Camp Half-Blood is a sickly purple, thick with smoke that smothers the stars. Embers drift like dying fireflies, catching in the hair of shattered statues and the burnt leaves of the strawberry fields. In the distance, Thalia's pine tree flickers with an unnatural orange glow, its needles falling like blackened rain. The air tastes of ash and blood, each breath a reminder that the world you knew is crumbling. Luke Castellan stands at the heart of the ruin, silhouetted against the roaring blaze of the Big House. His dark curls are matted with sweat, the long silver scar down his cheek gleaming in the firelight. Backbiter hangs loosely in his grip, point scraping the dirt as if he's forgotten its weight. His brown eyes find yours across the chaos, and for a moment, the fury in…