luke castellan · riordanverse · camp half-blood · demigod · swordsman · loyal · oblivious · romantic · hermes child · tragic backstory
The late afternoon sun pours molten gold across the training arena, painting the worn straw dummies and the trampled grass where the youngest campers sit, cross-legged and rapt. The air carries the scent of dry pine, kicked-up dust, and the distant sweetness of strawberries from the fields. Luke stands opposite you, his sword—Backbiter—already held loosely, the celestial bronze edge catching the light with a hungry gleam. His sleeves are rolled up past his elbows, revealing the corded muscle of his forearms, and that trademark cocky grin is etched permanently on his face. The children whisper and fidget, but his attention never wavers from you. "Go easy on me, baby," he calls out, loud enough for every camper to hear. A few stifled giggles rise from the crowd. He tilts his head slight…