The Academy was a behemoth of a structure built into three mountains located in the middle of a forest. The peaks stood close together, leaving a narrow valley that ran through the gap between them. Within that valley, a series of smaller buildings stretched along the path, connected by wide stone roads and reinforced bridges. These structures served various purposes, classrooms, student housing, supply depots, and testing grounds. Most of them were made of reinforced alloy and stone, designed to withstand both time and attack.
The heart of the Academy lay on the eastern mountain. A large complex had been embedded into the mountain's side, expanding upward and inward with a layered arrangement of structures. Each level was directly built into the rock, with thick, uniform walls and narrow, controlled entry points. The windows were few and positioned for utility rather than view. Lights lined the corridors and exterior ledges, casting a sterile white glow even during daylight hours.
Elevator shafts were carved into the mountainside, enclosed in armored housing and monitored by surveillance units. Transport platforms moved on scheduled cycles, bringing students and instructors from the lower valley up into the core facility. The area was tightly secured. Motion detectors and defense systems were stationed at every major junction, and scanning towers kept watch over the perimeter.
The air was colder at this elevation, and the wind moving through the mountain pass carried the ever-present hum of power generators and automated systems. Activity never stopped. Personnel moved in rotations, students followed strict schedules, and the facility's operations ran with precise coordination.
There were no unnecessary decorations. No statues, no plaques, no symbols beyond the emblem of the Academy itself, which was marked clearly at the entrance of the main compound. Everything served a role. Everything had been constructed with clear intention.
The Academy for Demigods, which was called such because the world leaders had terrible naming sense, was one of many academies dedicated to training and preparing Demigods, people who have been blessed by gods, to be able to fight against the looming war against the monsters and Titans.
It was established fifty years ago and was the very first of it's kind.
In front of the small mountain range which the Academy was built into, there was a tall wall which fenced round the perimeter with a gate in the middle.
Selena and Lucius got out of the car and stared at the Academy. Lucius sucked in some air as he stared at the structure in front of him. It looked like buildings that he would only see in animated movies.
"Looks cool, doesn't it?" Selena said when she noticed him staring at it for too long.
"Yeah, I guess". Lucius shrugged.
"I know you don't have an ability but you've been verified as a Demigod so as long as you've been given an invitation, you're in already. Everything else is just a formality". Selena said. "Just... be careful". She added after a brief hesitation.
"Thanks". Lucius smiled. Of his three cousins, it was quite obvious who his favorite was. Unlike her older brother, or brother, who made it his mission to torture him, Selena was actually quite kind to him. Lux, while he didn't treat him badly, didn't acknowledge his presence either, only talking to him when it was absolutely necessary. He treated him like air.
"Alright, I'm leaving you now, good luck". Selena said while giving him a quick hug and entering the academy.
Lucius stared at the gate of the academy for a few seconds after Selena disappeared before slapping his forehead.
'Fuck, where am I supposed to go?'
He stepped into the gate and was momentarily stunned by what he saw. Seeing everything on pictures and from a distance was very different from actually stepping into it.
He looked around for a bit, and spotted a large crowd entering inside one of the smaller structures on the valley and followed the crowd, praying silently that he was going to the right place.
When he entered, he realized that he was in the right place. For one, nobody was wearing the academy uniform, they were all wearing their own clothing.
A small number of the crowd had moved to a corner of the room. They were wearing rich, expensive clothing and had snobbish looks. They were probably from powerful, rich and well to do families, like Lucius. The only difference between them and Lucius was that their families probably cared about them.
The majority of the people who were in the room gathered in the center. Most of them had similar clothing, although some of them wore some expensive outfits. They probably had wealth without power. Some of the people from the center would go to suck up to the rich young masters. Some of them were successful and stuck with them, others would come back with crestfallen expression on the back of a round of laughter from the group.
Lucius smiled. Even if humanity was on the brink of existence, the way of the world remained.
Suddenly, everyone started to behave weirdly, it wasn't noticeable to everyone else, but Lucius was quite observant. They seemed quite tensed.
The source of the change stood in front of Lucius. It was a girl... a pretty one.
She looked to be around his age, with a calm, steady expression that didn't shift under the weight of attention. Her posture was straight, her hands at her sides, completely still. She didn't fidget or glance around. Her eyes, a cold grey, moved with purpose as she took in the space and the people in it.
Her dark hair was tied back in a braid that looked recently done, not for show, but because it got the job done. She wore an outfit that fit cleanly and without decoration, made for movement. Her boots were worn in just enough to show use.
Lucien was quite confused when he saw the girl pause in front of him.
'What's going on?'
'Should I say something?'
'Is this going to be one of those cliché scenes where the female lead falls for the male lead at first sight'
'Though she wouldn't be bad to have as a heroine, that waist looks tempting. I wonder if she knows how to-'
'Say something you idiot!'
While Lucien was having a little bit of an internal monologue, some seconds passed and everyone looked like him like he was a weirdo. Eventually, his lips parted and words came out.
"Nice weather today, sunny innit?" Lucien said with a forced chuckle. The moment those words came out of his mouth, he wanted to strangle himself.
'You fucking idiot!'