different Landon

Chapter 1

The bus rumbled along the highway, its engine groaning with each mile as it cut through the Virginia countryside. Landon Kirby sat slouched in a seat near the back, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his worn jacket. He stared out the window, watching trees blur into streaks of green and brown. His stomach churned—not from the bumps in the road, but from nerves.

"Almost there," Rafael said from the seat next to him. His voice was steady, calming.

Landon glanced at his best friend. Rafael had always been the confident one, the anchor that kept Landon from floating away into his own doubts. "Yeah," Landon muttered, though he wasn't sure he believed it. "Almost there."

Ahead lay the Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted, a sanctuary for people like Rafael—supernaturals who didn't fit into the regular world. People like Rafael had a place. People like Landon… he wasn't so sure.

---

The gates of the Salvatore School loomed before them, iron wrought into intricate patterns that whispered of old magic. As the bus pulled to a stop, a knot tightened in Landon's chest. Students milled about the courtyard, their laughter and chatter filling the air. Some glanced at the newcomers, curious and wary.

"This is it," Rafael said, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

Landon hesitated before following. His sneakers crunched on the gravel path as they approached the front steps. A girl with striking auburn hair and piercing eyes stood waiting for them. Hope Mikaelson.

"You must be Rafael," she said, her gaze flicking to Landon. "And… you're human?"

The question stung more than it should have. Landon forced a smile. "Last I checked."

Hope's eyes lingered on him for a moment, as if she were looking for something beneath the surface. Then she turned to Rafael, gesturing for them to follow her inside.

---

The tour was brief, Hope's words clipped but not unkind. Landon could feel the weight of her curiosity, though she didn't voice it. The school was everything Landon had never known: warm, bustling with energy, and alive with the hum of magic. But it also felt like a place where he didn't belong.

"You'll be bunking with the wolves," Hope said to Rafael, then turned to Landon. "And you…"

"I can find the local Motel 6," Landon joked, though his laugh fell flat.

Hope frowned. "You'll stay here. We don't turn people away, even humans."

Her words were meant to be reassuring, but Landon caught the hesitation in her voice. She didn't trust him, and he couldn't blame her. He didn't trust himself either.

---

That night, the nightmares came.

Landon woke in a cold sweat, his heart racing. Flames flickered in the corners of his vision, and for a moment, he could swear he smelled smoke. He sat up, clutching his chest.

"You okay?" Rafael's voice broke through the haze.

"Yeah," Landon lied. "Just a bad dream."

But it wasn't just a dream. It was always the same: fire, ash, and a shadowy figure standing in the center of it all. He didn't know what it meant, but it had haunted him for years.

---

The next morning, Landon tried to blend into the background as the school buzzed with activity. He was content to keep his head down, but the universe had other plans.

During a sparring session in the training yard, Landon found himself on the sidelines, watching as students showed off their abilities. Witches conjured flames and gusts of wind, vampires moved with blinding speed, and werewolves sparred with feral intensity.

"Want to give it a try?" Hope's voice startled him.

Landon shook his head. "I'm good. Pretty sure my superpower is mediocre karaoke."

Hope smirked. "Suit yourself."

As she turned back to the training circle, Landon felt a pang of frustration. He hated feeling useless, like a tagalong in a world that didn't need him.

---

Later that day, the peaceful façade of the school shattered.

The alarm bells rang out, echoing through the halls. Students and staff scrambled into action, and Landon found himself swept along in the chaos.

"What's happening?" he asked Rafael as they joined a crowd gathering in the courtyard.

"Trouble," Rafael said grimly.

A massive, horned creature emerged from the treeline, its eyes glowing with malice. It roared, shaking the ground beneath their feet.

"Malivore monster," Hope said, stepping forward with a determined look. "Stay back."

But the creature's gaze locked onto Landon, and in an instant, it charged.

---

Panic surged through Landon as the creature closed in. He stumbled back, tripping over a fallen branch. Time seemed to slow as the beast loomed over him, its claws raised to strike.

Then something inside him snapped.

Heat erupted from his chest, spreading through his limbs like wildfire. The air around him shimmered, and suddenly, the creature froze, its roar turning into a howl of pain. Flames engulfed its body, burning with an intensity that didn't seem natural.

Landon stared in shock as the creature disintegrated, leaving only ashes behind.

The courtyard fell silent.

"What the hell was that?" Rafael asked, his voice a mix of awe and fear.

Landon looked down at his hands, which still glowed faintly with residual heat. "I… I don't know."

Hope stepped forward, her expression unreadable. "We need to talk," she said, her voice firm.

Landon nodded, too stunned to argue. Whatever was happening to him, it was just the beginning.