Marvel: Sin Lord

The Massachusetts Academy loomed before Inarius, its elegant architecture starkly contrasting with the dilapidated places he had called home. The pristine grounds and manicured gardens felt alien, almost suffocating in their perfection. Emma Frost strode confidently ahead, her heels clicking against the stone path, while Inarius followed, his duffel bag slung over his shoulder.

"Try to make a good first impression," Emma said without looking back. "Your teammates can be... opinionated."

"I'll manage," Inarius replied, his voice steady.

They entered the main building, and Inarius couldn't help but glance around. The Academy was a blend of modern luxury and old-world charm, with gleaming marble floors and towering wooden staircases. Students moved about in groups, their chatter echoing through the halls. A few glanced his way, their expressions curious, but no one stopped to greet him.

Emma led him to a large room with a glass wall overlooking the academy's expansive training grounds. A group of teenagers stood gathered there, their conversation halting as the two entered.

"Everyone," Emma announced, her voice commanding the room's attention, "this is Inarius Morningstar. He'll be joining the Hellions."

The group turned to look at him, their expressions a mix of curiosity, skepticism, and, in one case, amusement.

"Another stray?" a blond boy drawled, his smirk sharp and condescending. "How quaint."

"That's enough, Empath," Emma said sharply, silencing him with a single glance. She turned back to Inarius. "Meet your teammates."

Catseye

A girl with lavender fur and cat-like features stepped forward, her movements fluid and graceful. Her large, inquisitive eyes studied him with open curiosity.

"I'm Catseye," she said, her voice light and melodic. "You smell... different. Like fear and anger and sadness, all mixed up."

Inarius blinked, unsure how to respond. "Uh, thanks?"

She purred softly. "You'll get used to us. We're family now."

Tarot

Next was a dark-haired girl holding a deck of cards. She stepped forward with an enigmatic smile, her eyes studying him as if she could see through his very soul.

"I'm Tarot," she said, holding up a card. It depicted a figure standing at a crossroads, a sword in one hand and a scale in the other. "Justice. You carry a heavy burden, don't you?"

Inarius tensed, her words striking closer to home than he liked. "Yeah, you could say that."

Jetstream

A tall boy with a cocky grin and a confident swagger stepped up next. "Jetstream," he said, extending a hand. "Fastest one here. Don't slow us down, newbie."

Inarius shook his hand, though Jetstream's smug attitude grated on him.

Empath

The blond boy who had spoken earlier didn't bother stepping forward, instead leaning against the wall with a smug expression.

"You already know who I am," Empath said, his tone dripping with disdain. "Just don't get in my way, and we won't have a problem."

Inarius met his gaze, unflinching. "Don't give me a reason to."

Roulette

Finally, a girl with short black hair and an edgy look sauntered over. She held up a small device and spun its dial, smirking as it landed on a red marker.

"Roulette," she said. "I like to keep things interesting. Let's see if you can keep up."

Emma clapped her hands, drawing their attention back to her. "Now that introductions are out of the way, I'll leave you to get settled. Inarius, your room is on the second floor, third door on the left. Training begins tomorrow at dawn."

With that, she swept out of the room, leaving him alone with his new teammates. As Inarius unpacked in his room, he couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. The Hellions had been polite enough—well, most of them—but he wasn't naive. He knew trust wouldn't come easily.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. He opened it to find Catseye standing there, her tail swishing behind her.

"Dinner's soon," she said, tilting her head. "You should come."

Inarius hesitated, then nodded. "Thanks. I'll be there."

As she padded away, he glanced at his father's ring on his finger, the only thing he had left of his old life.

"This is your chance," he muttered to himself. "Don't screw it up."

He closed the door, steeling himself for the challenges ahead. The Hellions were his new team, for better or worse, and he'd have to prove he belonged.