Chapter 50 - Chapter 50

[Third Person's PoV]

It's been a week since Lucian left camp. He was spotted in the library, donning his enchanted glasses, surrounded by a multitude of books and articles.

After perusing several articles, he finally unearthed the information he sought. "My God, that took a while; even the librarian didn't know what I was talking about," he muttered.

"Okay, so it says here, E.V Blackman gave Miami the moniker 'The Magic City,' or 'The City of Magic'—same thing. This was due to its rapid growth, noticed by winter visitors who remarked that the city expanded so much from one year to the next that it was like magic."

'Okay, that's nice and everything, but what does that have to do with Hecate?' Lucian thought to himself.

Before Lucian could delve deeper into his thoughts, the librarian came next to him. "I'm sorry, little boy, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"What? Why?" Lucian asked in confusion.

The librarian then pointed outside, making Lucian notice that it was getting dark. "It's closing time," the librarian said, giving Lucian an awkward smile.

Lucian sighed, nodded his head, and just as he was about to put away the books, the librarian stopped him. She told him to leave it to her, as it might take a while, so it's better if she does it.

Lucian then nodded and exited the library. As he left, the shadows transported him to his paid luxury hotel.

'It's better if I start making the trip tomorrow,' Lucian thought as he shadow-equipped something to sleep on and threw himself on the bed.

As Lucian laid there, feeling tired from the hours of research, his eyes started getting heavier and heavier.

'This would have been so much easier if Google was more developed and we were allowed to use electronics,' he thought as he drifted to sleep.

...

"I see you finally found the place you needed to get to," Hecate said with a smile.

Lucian realized that he was summoned once again by Hecate. "You really could have just told me where it is," Lucian said with an eye roll.

"Nowhere would the fun be in that. Well, anyways, it sure took you a while to find it, huh?"

"I literally had nothing to go by, except for the name City of Magic; give me a break."

"What about that lady friend of yours? She seems to have found something, but you just left without acquiring it."

Lucian sighed at that, remembering Annabeth's sleepy face from staying up all night studying.

"I didn't think you would have appreciated it if I just got my answer that easily and with help. After all, this is something for me to do, right?" Hecate just smiled and nodded her head.

"Anyways, what does Miami have anything to do with you? I don't think the answer to that is something I can just find somewhere."

"Tell me, do you know what mystical ley lines are?"

To which Lucian just made a 'kinda' motion with his hands.

Hecate nodded and then went on to explain, "Picture these invisible threads weaving through the city, carrying the very essence of magic.

These ley lines create nodes, sacred intersections where the magical pulse is amplified.

This is where the veil between the mystical and mundane is thinnest, allowing enchantment to seep through and infuse every corner of the city with its ethereal presence."

Hecate created a 3D model of Miami using the mist and added golden lines right underneath it as she explained.

"Miami is a place where most rituals and magic happen due to this, as it amplifies the use of magic. That is the reason I want you to go there.

In there, you will be attuned to your magic and have an easier time gaining control of it. But be warned, there will be other practitioners of magic who wouldn't be too friendly with demigods or anything divine," Hecate warned him of any potential dangers he may encounter.

"We will discuss what you will do there when you arrive," she said as she snapped her fingers, causing Lucian to snap his eyes open.

He looked out and realized that the sun was already rising, and it was already morning the next day.

After getting himself ready, he took out the map he previously bought and looked at the journey he would have to make from Long Island to Florida, Miami.

'I would have to literally retrace my steps if I want to go there… I guess I'll visit home since it's been a while and it's on the way,' Lucian thought as he studied the map.

'If I shadow-travel, it shouldn't take me that long to get there, but it'll still be pretty tiring due to the journey, and I would have to take breaks once in a while.'

Lucian summoned a shadow hellhound from his shadow after putting everything away and planning his journey.

He moved through the shadows, traveling from Long Island to Queens, then from Queens to Brooklyn, which caused him to stop and catch a break.

He laid down by the side of his hellhound on top of a building. He conjured a ball of black-colored flames and started playing with it casually, trying to figure out what he could do with it and what other special powers it might have.

'I should ask her the next time I see her,' Lucian thought to himself, studying his flames.

He started to change its shape, he changed it from a ball to an arrow, then into a cube before turning it into a triangle.

'Luckily I already have practice controlling my magic so this much is simple' He thought to himself before changing it into a bird.

He started twirling his fingers around causing the bird to start going around his finger in circles.

He waved his hand, causing the fire to disperse, he closed his eyes and decided to take a nap.

A few days later…

Lucian was seen standing in front of the entrance to the warded house he used to live in with his mother.

He took a deep breath and walked right in. "Home, sweet home" he said to himself as he noticed that everything was exactly the same as when he last left.