The party c.o.n
Localized explosion. Teenagers sprawled across the floral-patterned carpet and manicured lawn, a symphony of groans and bewildered murmurs filling the air. The faint scent of ozone tickled their nostrils, an alien aroma mingling with the familiar sweetness of birthday cake and spilled soda.
Disbelief warred with a dawning, terrified understanding in their eyes. They had seen things they couldn't explain, things that belonged in comic books or late-night horror movies.
Phones, clutched in trembling hands, became the primary focus. Shaky videos, capturing glimpses of glowing blue hair, red-eyed figures moving with unnatural speed, and a swirling vortex of light, began their rapid journey through the digital landscape. The initial shock was giving way to a frenzied mix of fear and morbid fascination.
"Did you see their eyes?" a girl whispered, her voice hoarse as she replayed a clip of Lucas's snarling face. "They weren't… normal."
The rumors started like tendrils of smoke, coiling through the stunned groups. "Mutants! I always knew there was something weird about Evans."
"And Zender! The famous model! They're saying on some feeds she's a mutant!" a boy exclaimed, his voice cracking with excitement and fear. "They're saying her blue hair wasn't dyed after all!"
The news, initially reporting a chaotic teen gathering, quickly latched onto the viral videos. Sensational headlines flashed across phone screens: "MUTANT TEENS ABDUCTED AT PARTY?" "VAMPIRE SIGHTINGS IN SUBURBIA?" The grainy footage, endlessly replayed, fueled the growing hysteria. The abduction, the impossible light – it was all too real, too unbelievable. Alicia's birthday party had become ground zero for a global sensation.
(Mr. Xavier's POV )
A Hidden Laboratory)
The hum of the equipment in my lab was a constant, reassuring drone, a counterpoint to the unsettling images flickering on the main screen. Dr. Petrova stood beside me, her usual composed demeanor slightly frayed as she manipulated the holographic controls. My inner circle remained silent sentinels, their weapons concealed but their presence a tangible threat.
The news reports were… intriguing. The chaos at the party, the panicked testimonies, the shaky footage. My focus, however, was laser-sharp on the brief glimpses of the two individuals at the center of it all. The boy, Evans, and the Zender girl.
"Freeze frame that image, Anya," I commanded, pointing to a shot of Ella, her blue hair radiating an unmistakable luminescence. "Enhance the hair."
Dr. Petrova complied, the image zooming in, the individual strands of glowing blue hair becoming starkly clear. A grim satisfaction settled in my gut.
"The pigmentation… it matches the initial Chimera subjects," I murmured, my mind flashing back to the Genesis Labs project. The ambition, the explosion, the rumors of infants born with… anomalies. We had dismissed them as insignificant, loose ends. How wrong we had been.
"The girl, Zender," Anya said, her brow furrowed. "The news reports are focusing on her modeling career. They're claiming her blue hair was a deliberate stylistic choice, a brand. But now…"
"Now the truth, or at least a sliver of it, is emerging," I finished, a cold smile touching my lips. I remembered the reports from my failed retrieval mission years ago, the boy Evans and his unfortunate parents. We had assumed he was an isolated case. But the Zender girl… that was an unexpected, and potentially invaluable, bonus.
"Their abilities… the energy surge was significant," Anya observed, echoing her earlier concerns. "And the uncontrolled nature of it is… worrying."
"Worrying for them, perhaps," I countered, my gaze hardening. "For us, it is an opportunity. Raw, untamed power. Precisely the kind of potential that can be… molded."
The abduction by an unknown entity was a complication, a wrench in my carefully laid plans. But I refused to see it as a setback. It simply meant a new variable to analyze, a new obstacle to overcome.
"Find out who took them, Anya. Every detail. Their methods, their capabilities. And redouble our efforts to locate any other… anomalies that might have surfaced since the Genesis incident in 2003. The world is changing, and I intend to be at the forefront of that change."
My vision expanded, encompassing not just enhanced humans, but beings with naturally occurring powers, beings like Evans and Zender. An army built on such foundations would be unstoppable. The local supernatural squabbles, the ancient bloodlines and their petty territorial disputes – they would all crumble before my ascendance. The world, both mundane and supernatural, would be mine.
Hannah Sterling's POV
The television screen was a cruel mirror, reflecting the horror and dawning understanding in my own eyes. Chris stood beside me, his hand gripping my arm so tightly I could feel the bones protesting. The frantic news reports, the shaky amateur footage – it was all a nightmare unfolding in our living room.
They were calling her a mutant, this beautiful young woman with the same impossible blue hair that our son had been born with. A famous model, they said. We had seen her face in magazines, billboards, never connecting her to the faint whispers we had heard over the years, the rumors of another child with the same… mark.
And then they showed him. Our David. Older, his blue hair dyed black, but the bone structure, the way he moved… it was undeniably him. All these years, he had been so close, attending the local high school, living a life we knew nothing about. A wave of guilt and longing washed over me, so it almost buckled my knees. We had tried to protect him, faking our deaths, believing it was the only way. And in doing so, we had abandoned him.
Then came the blue light, the raw power emanating from both him and the girl. Fear, cold and sharp, pierced through my grief and regret. What had he become? What was happening to him?
The abduction, the swirling portal that swallowed them whole, left me gasping for breath, a raw scream building in my chest. We had found him, after all these years, only to have him snatched away again by something we couldn't even comprehend.
"We have to find him, Chris," I choked out, tears streaming down my face. The carefully constructed walls of our hidden life had crumbled. Our safety, our anonymity – none of it mattered anymore. Our son was out there, in danger.
Chris's grip on my arm tightened. His face, usually so composed, was etched with a fierce determination. "We will find him, Hannah. I promise you. We survived once. We adapted. We will do it again. They took our son. They will learn the meaning of our grief."
The comfortable silence of our secluded estate felt suffocating now, filled with the unspoken promise of action. The hunt had begun. Our son was out there, and we would move heaven and earth to bring him home. Our faked deaths had bought him time, but now, it was our turn to step back into the light, to face whatever darkness had taken him. We wouldn't fail him again.
(David POV)
The door to a room hissed shut, leaving me alone. I finally allowed myself to open my eyes fully. It was a small room, plain but not overtly restrictive. There was another bed across from mine, and someone was already sitting on it. A boy, maybe a year or two older than me, with dark hair and eyes that seemed to glow with a faint violet light. He was looking at me with a curious expression.
"You're awake," the boy said, his voice quiet. "They said you were out cold." He tilted his head, studying me. "I'm Dexter."
"Uh… yeah. David." I sat up, trying to appear groggy. "Where… where are we?"
"Arcane Academy," Dexter replied, as if it explained everything. "It's… well, it's a place for the gifted." He gestured vaguely around the room. "People with… talents."
Talents? The glowing, the red eyes… it was more than just talents. "Talents?" I echoed, trying to sound confused. "I… I don't think I have any talents. Not like… magic or anything."
Dexter's violet eyes narrowed slightly. "They brought you here, didn't they? Everyone here has something. You just might not know what it is yet." He held out his hands, and shimmering images flickered into existence between his fingers – a spinning coin, a miniature butterfly that fluttered around his head. "I can create illusions. Make things look real, even feel real."
He then looked directly at me, his gaze intense. "I can also… get a sense of what people are thinking. Read minds, sort of." He paused, concentrating. A moment passed, and then a look of surprise crossed his face. "That's… strange."
"What is?" I asked, trying to keep my expression neutral.
Dexter frowned, his violet eyes still locked on mine. "It's like… static. I can't… hear you. It's never happened before." He looked genuinely perplexed. "What's your talent, David?"
I hesitated. Should I tell him? Could I trust him? "I… I haven't really figured it out yet," I said, trying to sound uncertain. "Maybe I don't have one."
Dexter looked unconvinced but didn't press. "Everyone here does. You'll find it." He then mentioned, our magister… wants to see you. Once you've settled in."
Magister? After barely waking up in this strange place? This "academy" felt more and more unsettling. I needed to keep my guard up and figure out what was really going on here. And I definitely wasn't about to tell anyone about the wolf just yet.
INT. MAGISTER BLOOM'S OFFICE - DAY
Dexter led me into the office of this Miss Bloom, the Magister of Arcane Academy. The room was something else – tall windows letting in a ton of sunlight, showing off shelves packed with old-looking books and weird, glowing stuff locked up in glass cases. Her desk was huge and made of dark wood, neat as a pin with stacks of papers and a fancy ink thing. Miss Bloom was sitting behind it, and when she looked up, she gave me a smile that felt… warm, but also like she knew something I didn't.
Dexter gave me a little push forward. "Magister Bloom, this is David."
"Welcome, David," she said, her voice soft but with this strong undercurrent. She stood up and held out her hand. Her grip was surprisingly firm when I shook it. "Please, come in. Make yourself comfortable."
I took a step into the room, my eyes darting around. It felt like a library mixed with a wizard's study, something totally new to me. I glanced at Dexter, who just gave me a small, reassuring smile before stepping back a bit.
"Don't worry, David," Miss Bloom said, noticing I was a little lost. "I know this must all feel pretty sudden. But you're safe here, I promise. You're still in New York, though I guess getting here felt… strange?"
I nodded slowly. That whole being sucked through a swirling blue light thing was still messing with my head. Colors and forces I couldn't even begin to understand.
"Our location," she explained, gesturing to the window that looked out on what seemed like a never-ending forest, "is tucked away deep in the woods that go around a big part of the city. But," she paused, a little smile playing on her lips, "it's got this pretty intense magical barrier around it. Makes us… invisible to anyone who isn't supposed to find us."
My eyebrows shot up. A magical barrier? Sounded like some fantasy movie stuff, but here I was, living it. I thought back to that crazy glow at the party, the freaky portal. This Arcane Academy was definitely playing by different rules.
"Here at Arcan Academy," Miss Bloom went on, her voice getting more serious, "our job is to help gifted people like you figure out and grow their unique abilities. We give you a safe place to learn and get stronger."
Her eyes locked on mine, those kind eyes now holding a sharp curiosity. "Dexter told me you said you didn't know about any… powers you might have. That's really interesting, David."
She leaned forward a bit, looking genuinely curious. "My scouts, the ones who were there when we… brought you and your friends here logan and jean, saw something pretty… unusual about you when you arrived. They said your hair, just for a bit, glowed this really bright blue."
I froze. My hand went straight to the back of my head. I dye my naturally blue hair black all the time. "My hair is usually black, ma'am, I…" I started to explain.
But then this weird feeling hit me. I brought my hand back and looked at my fingers. They had this faint blue tint, almost like a shadow. I ran my fingers through my hair, and it felt… different. Thicker, maybe. And when I pulled a strand in front of my eyes, it hit me like a punch. It was blue. Not the dark, fake blue of the dye, but this bright, electric blue.
"But… but it was black this morning," I stammered, my voice all messed up with confusion and a little scared. I looked at Dexter, and even he looked surprised.
Miss Bloom's eyes lit up. "Exactly. That matches what our scouts saw. It looks like whatever your abilities are, they might be… connected to when you're really stressed or around magic."
She smiled, trying to reassure me. "Don't worry, David. That's why you're here. We'll help you figure out these changes and learn to control them."
She walked around her desk and stood right in front of me, her eyes steady. "I want you to know that your friends, Ella and Lucas, are both safe and getting used to things right now. You'll get to see them later in the main hall."
Her voice changed a bit, getting more practical. "Now, about you not having any obvious powers. While the glowing hair is definitely something special, our first checks didn't show any clear powers, not like some of the other kids here."
She paused, thinking. "So, we've decided on a slightly different way to start your training. You'll be working closely with one of the people who brought you here – Logan."
I remembered that big, quiet guy who came out of the blue light with the woman, Jean. He seemed strong and like he knew what he was doing.
"Logan," Miss Bloom continued, "is really good at outreach and combat training. He knows a lot about fighting, like swords and archery. Those are important skills for anyone who might run into trouble out there."
She really stressed "out there," and her face got a little serious. "There are a lot of people and groups who would want to hurt or use people with… unique gifts. Keeping you safe and able to defend yourself is our top priority."
"For now," she added, her voice softening a bit, "Arcane Academy has to stay a secret. Until you and the others have learned to control your abilities and can protect yourselves, we need to stay hidden. This means," she looked right at me, "that you won't be able to see your parents very often. I know it's tough, but for your safety and theirs, visits will only be once a month, and someone from the academy will be there."
A sharp pang hit me. I thought of Clara and Ruth, their smiles, how they always made me feel at home. A month felt like forever. But I also got why they had to do it. If this place was really hidden to keep us safe, then it made sense.
"Do you understand, David?" Miss Bloom asked gently.
I nodded slowly. "Yes, ma'am. I understand."
She smiled again, and it felt more genuine this time. "Good. Now, I know you must be tired and everything feels like a lot. I'm going to have Dexter give you a quick tour of the main parts of the academy before breakfast. It'll help you get your bearings and meet a few of the other students."
She turned to Dexter. "Dexter, if you would be so kind?"
Dexter nodded, looking eager. "Of course, Magister Bloom. Right this way, David."
As Dexter led me towards the door, I glanced back at Miss Bloom. She was watching me, her expression thoughtful, like she was trying to figure something out. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this place, and to me, than she was letting on.
INT. ARCANE ACADEMY - HALLWAYS - CONTINUOUS
The hallways here were nothing like Lincoln High. They were huge, with these tall ceilings and big windows looking out at just trees. The walls had portraits that seemed to… move a little as Dexter and I walked past, their expressions changing subtly. Other students were walking around, some carrying these thick, weird-looking books, others whispering and doing these little flashes of light or making things disappear for a second.
Dexter pointed to different doors as we went. "That's the library," he said, nodding towards these big double doors with carvings all over them. "It's got stuff you won't find anywhere else. And that's the training hall," he said, pointing to another door where I could hear the clang of metal. "That's where they do all the fighting practice."
As we walked, I checked out the other students. There was this girl whose hair seemed to change colors with every step she took, a guy who had a ball of light floating in his hands, and a bunch of others who gave Dexter these knowing looks. They were all… different, in a way that wasn't just about how they acted. There was this weird vibe of something special about all of them.
Some of them looked at me, their eyes lingering. I felt that old familiar feeling of being the new kid, the outsider. I saw a few raised eyebrows, a couple of wide-eyed glances. I was different, and they could feel it, even if they didn't know why my hair suddenly turned blue.
"Don't worry about them," Dexter said, noticing I was getting a little uncomfortable. "Everyone's a bit… unique here. You'll get used to it. And they'll get used to you."
We passed a group of students crowded around a window, all looking out at something. When I glanced, all I saw were trees. Right, the magic barrier.
"So," I started, trying to sound casual, "this… Logan. What's he like?"
Dexter thought for a second. "Logan's… intense. He's really good at what he does, really focused. Doesn't talk much, but he knows his stuff. He's been here a while, one of the first students, I think. He's super good with swords and archery, like Magister Bloom said. He also makes sure no one who shouldn't be here gets through the barrier."
Sounded… intimidating. Swords and arrows weren't exactly my style. My fighting was more up close and personal, that mix of Krav Maga, Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, Kali, and Jeet Kune Do Mark had taught me, all powered by the wolf inside – something I definitely wasn't about to tell anyone here.
"And the 'outreach' part?" I asked.
"Oh, that's more about dealing with the outside world, if we ever have to," Dexter explained. "Negotiations, understanding how normal people think… things like that. Logan's surprisingly good at it, even though he's not the most talkative."
We reached these big doors at the end of the hall. "This is the main hall," Dexter said. "We'll meet Ella and Lucas here later. For now," he pointed to another hallway, "breakfast is this way. You must be starving after… everything."
I realized he was right. My stomach was growling. All the adrenaline from the party and the shock of ending up here had kept me going, but now I was running on empty.
As we headed towards the breakfast hall, my mind was racing. Arcane Academy. Gifted people. Magic barriers. Glowing blue hair. Training with a silent, sword-wielding guy named Logan. And this nagging feeling that my own "gift" was still a secret, a powerful one I had to keep hidden while figuring out this crazy new world. I knew I had to keep the werewolf thing, and the magic immunity Mark had mentioned, under wraps for now. I needed to watch, to learn the rules of this place, before showing anyone the real power I had inside.
Ella pov)
INT. ARCANE ACADEMY - BEDROOM - DAY
My head was throbbing, a dull ache behind my eyes. It felt like I'd been underwater, surfacing slowly into a hazy reality. The last thing I really remembered clearly was the party… and David. He had been fighting those… those things with Lucas. It was brutal. I remember him on the ground, looking hurt, before everything went completely dark. That image… it was stuck in my head.
Now, I was lying in a bed I didn't recognize. The room was simple but comfortable, with soft sunlight filtering through a window overlooking more of those endless trees. My hair felt… strange. Lighter, somehow. As I shifted, a gentle hand began stroking my scalp.
"Easy there," a soft, melodic voice said.
I blinked my eyes open and saw a girl sitting beside me on the edge of the bed. She had bright, almost fiery red hair that seemed to catch the light, and a warm, friendly smile.
"Where… where am I?" I managed, my voice raspy.
"You're safe," the girl reassured me, her smile widening. "You're at Arcane Academy." She continued to gently stroke my hair. "I'm Ruth, by the way. Your new roommate."
Roommate? I tried to sit up, and as I did, I felt a strange lightness. And then I saw it. My reflection in the window. My hair. It wasn't the usual carefully styled blue I presented to the world. This was… different. It glowed. A soft, ethereal blue light seemed to emanate from every strand.
Panic flared in my chest. "What's happening to my hair?"
Ruth's touch was soothing. "Hey, hey, it's alright. It's just… your gift," she said calmly. "It happens sometimes, especially when you're waking up or feeling strong emotions." She grinned. "Pretty cool, huh?"
Cool? It was bizarre. I'd always played off my blue hair as a deliberate choice, a brand. Now it was… glowing. Unnaturally.
"Gift?" I echoed, still trying to process everything.
"Yeah," Ruth said brightly. "Welcome to Arcane Academy, school for the gifted!" She gestured around the room with a flourish. "People with… well, talents. Like mine." She held out her hands, and for a moment, tiny sparks danced between her fingers, like miniature flames. "Fire fairy," she added with a wink.
Fire fairy? This was officially the weirdest morning of my life.
Ruth then mentioned that someone named Magister Bloom wanted to see me.
"Magister Bloom?" I asked, still feeling disoriented. "Who's that?"
"She's the overseer of the whole school," Ruth explained as I finally managed to swing my legs over the side of the bed, my glowing hair cascading around my shoulders. It felt warm, almost alive.
We walked out of the bedroom and into a hallway similar to what I vaguely remembered from the party – wide, with high ceilings. Other students passed by, and I couldn't help but stare. A girl with vines subtly growing around her arms, a boy who seemed to shimmer like heat haze, another who was whispering to a small, floating orb. It was like stepping into a different reality.
Ruth smiled knowingly at my reaction. "Yeah, it takes some getting used to. Everyone here's got something special."
We reached a large, ornate door, and Ruth knocked gently. A voice from inside invited us in.
The office was impressive, filled with old books and strange artifacts. A woman sat behind a large desk, her presence radiating a calm authority. This had to be Magister Bloom.
"Ella, welcome," she said, her voice warm but commanding.
My first thought, the only thing that truly mattered in the swirling confusion in my head, was David. "David… is he alright? What happened at the party? I… I don't really remember much after… after I saw him fighting. He was on the ground… those things… with Lucas…" My voice trailed off, the image of his pained face vivid in my mind.
Magister Bloom's expression softened. "David is fine, Ella. He is also here at the academy. You will have the opportunity to see him later in the main hall."
A wave of relief washed over me, though the memory of him hurt and vulnerable still lingered.
Magister Bloom's gaze then turned more intent. "Ella, you possess a remarkable lineage. You are a descendant of the Goddess Hecate, a bloodline that carries significant magical potential."
My eyebrows shot up. Hecate? Goddess? This was getting more and more unbelievable.
She continued, her eyes focused on my still-glowing hair. "Your connection to David is… intriguing. Your hair reacted in a similar manner during the… incident. Tell me, are you siblings?"
"No," I said, a little surprised by the question. "I've seen him around, at the diner and school, but… not like that." The image of him fighting flashed again.
Magister Bloom's eyes gleamed with understanding. "That is… significant. It suggests a deep, perhaps even resonant connection between your abilities. Ella," she said, her voice filled with a sense of awe, "you have the potential to be an incredibly powerful witch, capable of wielding magic akin to that of Hecate herself."
My mind reeled. Witch? Magic? Me? The model who worried about runway shows and magazine covers? But the way my hair reacted… and that feeling around David… especially seeing him hurt… maybe there was something more to it all.
Magister Bloom then introduced me to a young woman standing quietly to the side. "Ella, this is Jean. She was one of the individuals who… brought you here." I didn't remember her at all; the whole abduction was a blur. "Jean will be guiding your initial training."
Jean offered a small, polite nod. She had a quiet intensity about her, her eyes sharp and observant.
"I suggest," Magister Bloom continued, addressing Jean, "that you give Ella a tour of the academy. Help her become familiar with her surroundings before you both head to the main hall."
Jean nodded in agreement. "Of course, Magister Bloom. Ella, shall we?"
Still feeling a bit like I was in a dream, the last, painful image of David still flickering in my thoughts, I nodded and followed Jean out of the office, leaving Magister Bloom with a thoughtful expression on her face, her gaze lingering on the spot where I had been standing, my blue hair still faintly illuminating the air. The tour began, a whirlwind of strange sights and explanations, each step deeper into this hidden world of the gifted, a world where my blue hair wasn't a brand, but a sign of something far more extraordinary, and potentially far more dangerous, than I could have ever imagined. And the memory of David's fight, his vulnerability, made me wonder if this "gift" could somehow help him, help us both.
"Wait why am i so worried about him not even my parent"
I shouted to me subconscious.
T c b
Guys you are now getting into the main story so Buckle up