Chapter 1: "A New Beginning"
The Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted was nestled in the heart of Mystic Falls, a sanctuary for the supernatural. Its towering spires and sprawling grounds seemed to whisper secrets that only the night could truly hear. For Landon Kirby, however, it was just another stop in a long journey of uncertainty and self-discovery—a journey he didn't even know he was on.
As he approached the gates of the school, flanked by his best friend Rafael Waithe, Landon felt a strange pull. It wasn't the picturesque landscape or the imposing Gothic architecture that captured his attention—it was something deeper, something he couldn't name. The sensation was fleeting, but it left a chill running down his spine.
"Pretty fancy, huh?" Rafael said, nudging him with a grin. Rafael had always been the confident one, his werewolf nature giving him an air of easy charisma. Landon, on the other hand, often felt like an outsider, even among the supernatural.
"Yeah, fancy," Landon mumbled, adjusting the strap of his bag. His fingers brushed against his chest, where an old, worn medallion rested beneath his shirt—a keepsake from his mother, the only thing he had left of her. It was cold to the touch, as always, but comforting in its familiarity.
The school's headmistress, Alaric Saltzman, greeted them at the entrance, his demeanor warm yet commanding. "Welcome to the Salvatore School," he said. "This is a place where people like you can find a home—a place where you'll be safe."
Safe. The word lingered in Landon's mind. He had been running for so long, from homes that never felt like home, from questions about his past that no one could answer. Could this really be the place where he belonged?
---
Settling In
The first few days at the school passed in a blur. Landon found himself both awed and overwhelmed by the sheer variety of supernatural beings around him—witches, werewolves, vampires. He felt like an observer in a world he couldn't fully understand. But then there was Hope Mikaelson.
The first time he saw her, she was standing by the lake, her auburn hair catching the sunlight in a way that made her look almost otherworldly. She was beautiful, yes, but there was something else about her—an intensity, a sadness—that drew him in.
"Landon Kirby, right?" she said, her voice tinged with curiosity.
He nodded, suddenly feeling self-conscious. "Yeah. And you're...?"
"Hope Mikaelson," she replied, offering a small smile. "You're not supernatural, are you?"
Landon hesitated. "No. At least...I don't think so."
Hope tilted her head, studying him. "You've got this look about you. Like you're searching for something."
"Maybe I am," he admitted. He wasn't sure why he said it—he barely knew her—but there was something about Hope that made him feel like he could be honest. She seemed to understand what it was like to carry a burden you couldn't explain.
---
A Strange Incident
It was during a sparring session that things first began to unravel. Alaric insisted that all students, supernatural or not, learn basic self-defense. Landon had been reluctant at first, but Rafael had talked him into it, claiming it would be "good for him."
The session started off uneventfully. Landon was paired with a vampire named Kaleb, who clearly didn't take him seriously. "Come on, man," Kaleb said with a smirk. "You really think you can keep up with me?"
Landon braced himself, expecting to be knocked down immediately. But when Kaleb lunged at him, something unexpected happened. Time seemed to slow, and Landon's body moved on instinct. He sidestepped Kaleb's attack with a fluidity that surprised even him, then delivered a blow that sent the vampire staggering backward.
The entire room fell silent.
Kaleb recovered quickly, his eyes narrowing. "Lucky shot," he muttered, but there was a flicker of uncertainty in his expression.
Alaric stepped forward, his brow furrowed. "Landon, have you ever trained in hand-to-hand combat before?"
"No," Landon said, his voice barely above a whisper. His heart was racing, not just from the fight but from the strange sensation that had coursed through him. It was as if something inside him had awakened, something he didn't understand.
Hope, who had been watching from the sidelines, exchanged a glance with Alaric. "That wasn't normal," she said softly.
---
The Malivore Connection
Later that evening, Landon found himself in the library, drawn to the shelves of ancient books and artifacts. He had always been curious about the supernatural world, and now that he was surrounded by it, he couldn't help but feel like there was something he was missing—something about himself.
His fingers brushed against a dusty tome, and he pulled it from the shelf. The book was bound in black leather, its title written in a language he didn't recognize. As he opened it, a strange symbol caught his eye—a swirling vortex surrounded by runes. It was eerily similar to the design etched into the medallion he wore around his neck.
"What are you doing?" Hope's voice startled him, and he quickly closed the book.
"Nothing," he said, though he knew it sounded unconvincing.
Hope raised an eyebrow but didn't press the issue. Instead, she glanced at the medallion peeking out from beneath his shirt. "That's an interesting piece. Where'd you get it?"
"It was my mom's," Landon said, his voice soft. "I don't know much about it, though."
Hope frowned, her gaze lingering on the medallion. "It looks...familiar. I've seen symbols like that before, but I can't remember where."
Before Landon could respond, a sharp pain shot through his chest. He staggered, clutching his medallion as it burned against his skin. Images flashed through his mind—flames, shadows, and something else, something monstrous. His knees buckled, and he would have fallen if Hope hadn't caught him.
"Landon! Are you okay?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.
The pain subsided as quickly as it had come, leaving him shaken. "I don't know what just happened," he said, his breathing ragged.
Hope helped him to a nearby chair, her expression troubled. "We need to figure out what's going on with you."
---
Foreshadowing
That night, Landon lay awake in his dorm room, staring at the ceiling. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, that the pain he had felt was more than just a random occurrence. The medallion felt heavier than usual, as if it was trying to tell him something.
In the shadows of the room, a faint glow flickered—a tiny flame, no larger than a candlelight. It hovered near his hand, and for a moment, he thought he was imagining it. But as he reached out, the flame grew brighter, its heat tangible.
"What the hell..." he whispered, pulling his hand back. The flame disappeared, leaving him in darkness once more.
Landon didn't know what he was, but he was beginning to realize one thing: he wasn't normal. And whatever was inside him, it was only just beginning to surface.