Levi had spent weeks carefully blending into Hawkins Middle School, playing the role of an ordinary student while secretly refining his experiments in magic and science. His success in fusing spectral energy with scientific containment methods had pushed him closer to something groundbreaking—something that could reshape what was possible.
But for now, he remained patient.
During the day, he sat through mundane classes, feigning interest in algebra and history while subtly analyzing his classmates. Dustin, Lucas, Will, and Mike were sharp, and Max had an edge to her that set her apart. They weren't just kids obsessed with Dungeons & Dragons. They were survivors. They had seen things—things Levi recognized from his own encounters with the unknown.
He was intrigued, but he kept his distance.
At least, that was his intention.
One afternoon, as he walked out of school, he noticed Dustin and Steve Harrington talking near the parking lot. Dustin waved him over.
"Levi! Hey, you need a ride?"
He hesitated. Spending time with them meant a greater chance of exposure, but it also meant getting closer to whatever they were dealing with.
Levi forced a casual shrug. "Sure."
Steve narrowed his eyes. "I don't think I've seen you around before. New?"
"Yeah, just moved here." Levi got in the car, glancing at the baseball bat with nails in the backseat. Interesting choice of weaponry.
As they drove, Dustin animatedly talked about some new radio device he was working on, but Levi's focus was elsewhere. He could feel something, an unnatural presence lingering in the air, subtle but unmistakable.
Something dark.
Something watching.
The Warehouse Incident
Later that night, Levi stood at the edge of an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town. He had followed the faint traces of dark energy to this spot, sensing a disturbance in the balance of power.
Inside, the air was thick with something wrong. A figure loomed in the darkness, its shape shifting unnaturally. It was not human.
Levi pulled his wand from his sleeve, whispering an incantation. "Lumos Maxima."
A bright sphere of light erupted from the tip, illuminating the space.
The creature hissed. It was part of the Mind Flayer's influence, a twisted, corrupted entity that had been lurking unseen. Unlike the Demogorgons he had read about in Hawkins Lab's restricted files, this was something new—something evolving.
Levi didn't hesitate. He moved swiftly, flicking his wand.
"Expulso!"
A burst of concussive force struck the creature, sending it flying into a rusted metal beam. It screeched in agony. Levi did not stop.
"Incendio!"
Flames roared to life, engulfing the being, but it did not burn the way he expected. Instead, the fire twisted, dark tendrils reaching out toward him.
He barely had time to react before a force slammed into him, knocking him back. The entity lunged, its grotesque form warping, attempting to pull him into its mass.
Levi gritted his teeth.
"Protego!"
A shimmering barrier encased him, forcing the creature back. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small, enchanted vial—one containing liquid silver infused with exorcism spells.
With a swift motion, he shattered the vial against the creature's core.
A deafening screech filled the air as the dark presence was torn apart, unraveling into nothingness. The shadows receded, leaving only silence.
Levi took a deep breath.
This was not over.
The Mind Flayer's influence was spreading.
A Warning
The next day at school, he sat across from Mike, Will, and the others at lunch. He listened carefully as they spoke in hushed voices about something being off in town.
"…I swear, I saw something moving in the woods last night," Will murmured. "Like…a shadow."
Levi didn't react outwardly, but he knew exactly what Will was talking about.
Mike frowned. "It's happening again."
Dustin adjusted his cap. "We need a plan."
Levi leaned back. "Maybe we should start with what we do know."
The group turned to him, surprised.
"You believe us?" Lucas asked skeptically.
Levi smirked. "Let's just say…I have a thing for monsters."
For the first time, Mike and the others looked at him differently.
Like he was one of them.
And as much as he had planned to stay in the shadows, Levi knew one thing for certain—
The real battle was only just beginning.