Welcome to Class

Kael adjusted the academy jacket Orion gave him, tugging at the collar. The fabric was stiff, the embroidery too fancy, and the whole thing felt like it belonged to someone else. This didn't feel right to him. It felt too fancy, as if he were still dreaming. Things were moving too fast. Kael didn't know if he could keep up. Not too long ago, he was stealing and sleeping on the streets, making tents out of trash. And now, he had a home, a mother, and a great opportunity to make new friends.

Cyrus, his loyal shadow cat, stretched lazily on his bed, watching him with glowing silver eyes.

"Alright, buddy," Kael said, brushing a hand over his sleek black fur. "You know the drill. Stay in the shadows, keep a low profile."

Cyrus flicked his tail, clearly unimpressed. Then, like mist in the wind, he melted into the darkness. His silver eyes were the last thing Kael saw before disappearing, vanishing like a dying star.

Kael sighed, running a hand through his hair. First day of class. He felt excitement mix with fear.

"Just a school filled with students who are like him. Demi-gods," he mumbled to himself before walking out the door.

The halls of the academy were surprisingly grand, with high ceilings and chandeliers that seemed to float in the air, and the golden banners lined with ancient Olympian runes. Students moved in groups, chatting, their uniforms crisp and perfect. As Kael walked through the hall, the chatter suddenly stopped, and their eyes were all on him. Kael realized something was not right, so he looked toward them and waved, but it made them all back away. They all acted as if Kael was cursed and they might get infected.

With every step he took, the students moved away, giving him space to pass through. He attempted to ask where his class was, but they ran as soon as he got close to them.

Kael, confused, said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," but they were already gone. Loneliness crept up on him. The shadows around him slowly crawled up, like they were trying to say, "We are here, Kael."

Finally, he entered the classroom. The scent of parchment and polished marble filled the air.

The room was structured in five rows, three columns each, with two students per seat. The front row? Completely occupied by students who carried themselves like they owned the place. Their uniforms weren't just worn—they were adjusted, tailored to perfection. Their posture? Perfect. Their entire existence radiated the quiet confidence of people who had never needed to fight for anything in their lives.

The conversations in the room lowered slightly the moment he stepped in. Not enough to be obvious, but enough for him to notice. A few students exchanged glances, their eyes flicking toward him before looking away as if he were something to be ignored entirely.

Kael walked in like he didn't notice.

He caught glimpses of names stitched onto their uniforms.

Caius Aetos – Son of Zeus.

Vander Vex – Son of Poseidon.

Rowan Rho – Son of Ares.

Kael walked toward them, planting the most friendly, oblivious grin he could muster.

"Hey! So, I figured I'd introduce myself—"

Nothing.

Caius didn't even turn his head. Vander didn't blink. Rowan might as well have been made from stone.

Kael waved a little. "Cool, cool. Not talkative. That's fine. I love a challenge."

Caius didn't acknowledge him at all. Vander slowly turned the page of the book he was reading, deliberately ignoring him.

Rowan shifted slightly, adjusting his gauntlets with the casual ease of someone who had already decided Kael wasn't worth acknowledging.

He realized that this was how things were going to be. No matter how he looked on the outside, inside, he was still a boy from—

"Fine. No big deal," he muttered.

Kael let the silence stay a little longer—just long enough to make it awkward—before turning away.

On the left side of the room, his eyes landed on her.

Bright red hair, pulled into a loose braid. Golden eyes that glowed faintly, like embers under the surface of a fire. She sat in the second row, near the window, her posture straight, her expression unreadable.

"Hey," he said, throwing her a grin. "And you are?"

Before she could answer, someone cleared their throat behind him.

"You're in my seat."

Kael turned his head.

Caius Aetos – Son of Zeus. Prodigy. Future heir to something big, probably. He had the whole golden-haired, blue-eyed, "descended-from-the-king-of-gods" thing going on, complete with the posture of someone who had never been told no in his life.

Kael blinked. "Huh. Didn't see your name on it."

A few students exhaled sharply. Not laughter—it was more like the sound people make when they're about to witness a fight.

Caius tilted his head a little, his lips pulling into a smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes. "You must be new, so let me explain. That's my seat. I sit there."

Kael stared at him for a long moment, then sighed dramatically.

"Oh. My deepest apologies, great prodigy of Olympus. If only I had known I was in the presence of such divine royalty—"

He pushed back his chair and dropped to one knee in a full, exaggerated bow.

The room turned completely silent.

Kael threw his arms out. "To think! I was mere seconds away from disrespecting a living legend! A tragedy for the ages!"

Someone actually choked.

He heard a chair scrape against the floor. He turned to see the red-haired girl, judging by the embroidery on her uniform—covering her mouth, her shoulders shaking.

She was laughing.

Not outright, but enough.

Caius's smirk vanished. His face darkened.

Kael could feel the tension rise, the weight of his reputation demanding some kind of response. He didn't want to cause any issues. The last thing he needed was to get beaten up on his first day—especially not in front of a pretty lady.

He stood up and clapped Caius on the shoulder before he could say anything. "Alright, alright. Relax, boss. You can have your seat."

Kael slid out of the chair, raising his hands. "I'll sit somewhere else. No big deal."

He turned and moved to the back row. As he looked at the front of the classroom, Caius moved toward the trash, took his academy jacket off, and tossed it in.

Caius said nothing. But as Kael passed Vander, the son of Poseidon, he muttered just loud enough for him to hear—

"That was a nice jacket."

Rowan snorted. "Yeah, it was."

Kael realized it now. Yes, they feared him because he was the last son of Hades, the cursed child. But they felt disgusted toward him because of where he came from.

At the back of the room, Kael felt what he had felt before coming here. He regretted not staying in the Underworld. Darkness slowly swallowed him. Everything started to become dark. Then, out of nowhere, a flicker of light appeared. Her bright red hair shined through the darkness.

He looked at her. He looked above him. She was different. Not just in the way she looked, but in the way she didn't seem interested in ignoring him like the rest.

The students started to mumble again as Liz Castor spoke to Kael. Caius was about to get off his seat and tried to talk to Liz, but before he could, Professor Callista Ithaca entered the classroom, her silver-streaked hair tied back, her sharp gaze sweeping over the room.

"Alright, class," she said, her voice smooth but commanding. "Let's begin."

She barely glanced at the board before her gaze landed directly on Kael.

"Kael Voss, please introduce yourself to the class."

From the back, Kael shouted, "I'm Kael Voss, son of Hades."

The professor smirked, as if this year was going to be fun for her.