A/N Hey everyone! Happy National Novel Writer's Month! And to celebrate the occasion, I'm gonna write this fic during the entirety of the month! (Meaning 30 chapters long!)

It was a regular day in The Loud House. Lincoln sat on the worn leather couch in the living room, surrounded by a pile of comic books. The noise of his chaotic household swirled around him, but he was used to it by now. His ten sisters were always up to something—Lori arguing with Bobby on the phone, Leni designing a new fashion disaster, Luna blasting her guitar, and the twins, Lana and Lola, bickering over something like they usually did. It was just another day in the Loud house.

Lincoln adjusted his position, trying to ignore the ruckus as he delved into the latest issue of his favorite comic series, Ace Savvy: The Dark Reckoning. The plot had just hit a thrilling point when his phone buzzed loudly on the coffee table. Glancing down, he saw the name "Angus" flash across the screen, and his heart skipped a beat. Angus, the Duke of Loch Loud and his good friend from Scotland, never called without reason, especially at odd hours like this.

Lincoln hit the answer button, and before he could even greet him, Angus's thick Scottish accent boomed through the phone. "Lincoln! I need yer help. It's an emergency!"

Lincoln sat up straight, immediately alert. "Angus? What's going on? Are you okay?"

There was a brief pause on the other end, the sound of wind rustling through the phone. "Nae time to explain, lad! Just trust me. I need ye here in Loch Loud as soon as ye can make it. It's really important."

Lincoln's brows furrowed, confused. Angus was normally calm and composed, so this sudden panic was unlike him. "Okay... I'll be there. I just need to—"

Angus interrupted him. "No time for chattin'! Get here fast, Lincoln. I'll be waitin' for ye at the castle." And with that, the line went dead.

Lincoln blinked at his phone, still processing the conversation. What could be so urgent? Angus wasn't one to panic easily, and the last time Lincoln had visited Loch Loud, things had seemed peaceful. He had no idea what awaited him in Scotland, but there was no way he was leaving his friend hanging.

Before he could think about packing or planning, the shrill voices of his twin sisters, Lana and Lola, broke through his thoughts. They had been nearby and, of course, overheard the conversation.

"Loch Loud?!" Lola exclaimed, her blue eyes sparkling with excitement. "You're going to Scotland? No way are you leaving without us!"

"Yeah!" Lana chimed in, covered in a mix of mud and oil from her latest project with her pet lizard, Hops. "I've been wanting to see Angus again! And I bet there's some awesome old machinery over there I can tinker with. You need us to come!"

Lincoln sighed. He should've known they'd want to tag along. "Guys, it might be dangerous. Angus didn't say what's going on, and—"

Lola put her hands on her hips, cutting him off. "We're coming, Lincoln. We love Loch Loud! Besides, you'll need us. I've got charm and diplomacy," she tossed her blonde curls over her shoulder, "and Lana can fix anything that breaks."

Lana nodded eagerly. "And I can keep the boat running if something goes wrong! Plus, who knows what kind of cool stuff we'll find?"

Lincoln knew there was no point in arguing when it came to the twins. Once they set their minds on something, it was game over. And, in truth, having them along might not be such a bad idea. Despite their constant squabbling, Lana and Lola were both resourceful in their own ways.

"Fine," Lincoln relented, standing up and pocketing his phone. "But this might be more serious than we think, so be prepared for anything. Let's go tell Mom and Dad we'll be gone for a while."

With that, the three Loud siblings made their way to the kitchen, where their parents were preparing dinner. Rita and Lynn Sr. looked up when they saw the kids enter, immediately sensing something unusual.

"Everything okay, Lincoln?" his mom asked, wiping her hands on a dish towel.

Lincoln gave them a reassuring smile, though there was still a sense of urgency nagging at him. "Yeah, everything's fine. It's just… Angus called. He needs my help with something important in Loch Loud. The twins want to come with me, and we're thinking of heading out for a short trip."

Lynn Sr. raised an eyebrow. "Scotland again? What's going on over there?"

"Honestly, I don't know. Angus sounded really stressed, but he didn't give me any details. We're just going to check it out, make sure everything's okay. We'll be back in a week, tops."

Rita looked concerned but nodded, trusting her son's judgment. "Just be careful, Lincoln. And make sure you check in with us once you're there, okay?"

"Of course, Mom," Lincoln replied, giving them both a quick hug.

With their parents' blessing, Lincoln, Lana, and Lola rushed to pack their things. Lana's suitcase was filled with tools, spare parts, and various gadgets, while Lola's was bursting with designer clothes and makeup. Lincoln kept it simple, packing only what he needed, including a few comic books for the trip.

Within a few hours, they found themselves standing at the dock, boarding a sailboat that would take them across the Atlantic to Scotland. It was a small boat, but reliable, and Lana had made sure it was in top condition. Lincoln stood at the helm, adjusting the sails as the wind picked up, while his sisters busied themselves below deck.

"Scotland, here we come!" Lola cheered, her high-pitched voice carrying over the sound of the waves.

Lincoln couldn't help but smile at their enthusiasm. Even though the situation was serious, the thought of returning to Loch Loud brought back good memories. The last time they were there, they had discovered they were the descendants of a royal family, and he was a duke for a whole month before making Angus the new duke after realizing he isn't fit to be one.

Finally, after several hours of sailing, they saw the rugged coastline of Scotland emerge on the horizon. The misty hills and ancient stone structures filled the landscape, a sight both familiar and awe-inspiring. As they drew closer, the silhouette of Loch Loud Castle came into view, perched high on a cliff overlooking the vast loch. Its towering stone walls and gothic architecture seemed almost foreboding against the gray skies.

"We're here!" Lana shouted, jumping up and down excitedly.

Lincoln steered the boat toward the small dock at the base of the castle's cliff, carefully navigating through the narrow inlet. They secured the boat and gathered their belongings, eager to reunite with Angus and find out what was happening.

As the three Loud siblings climbed the winding path toward the castle, the wind picked up, blowing their hair wildly as they trudged uphill. The atmosphere felt tense, almost eerie, as if something dark was looming over Loch Loud. Even Lola, who was usually obsessed with her appearance, had stopped fussing over her hair and makeup, her face now set in determination.

When they reached the massive gates of the castle, Lincoln paused for a moment, glancing at his sisters. "Are you guys ready for this?"

Lana grinned and gave him a thumbs-up. "Born ready, bug bro!"

Lola nodded confidently, despite the chill in the air. "Let's do this."

With a deep breath, Lincoln pushed open the heavy wooden doors, and the three of them stepped into the grand entrance hall of Loch Loud Castle. The familiar smell of old stone and wood filled their senses as they looked around.

The castle was as majestic as ever, but there was something different this time—a palpable tension in the air, a sense of urgency that hung over the place like a dark cloud.

At the far end of the hall, Angus appeared, his face serious and lined with worry. He hurried toward them, his steps echoing against the stone floor.

"Thank goodness ye made it," Angus said, his voice heavy with relief but tinged with something else—worry, maybe even fear. He hurried across the grand entrance hall, his thick boots echoing on the stone floor as he approached Lincoln, Lana, and Lola.

"Angus," Lincoln greeted, his expression mirroring Angus's concern. "What's going on? What's this emergency?"

Angus ran a hand through his brown hair, eyes darting toward the large, ancient paintings that adorned the castle walls. The same paintings that had always been part of Loch Loud Castle's mystique now seemed almost alive, pulsating with a strange, magical energy that Lincoln hadn't noticed before.

"I dinnae know how to begin explainin' this, lad," Angus said, his Scottish accent thick with distress. "But I fear I've made a grave mistake bringin' ye here. It's about Morag… she's taken over the castle."

Lincoln's face went pale at the name. Morag—the bitter, vengeful woman who had once tried to take over Loch Loud and nearly succeeded if not for Lincoln and his family's intervention.

"Morag?" Lincoln repeated, swallowing hard. "How? I thought she only work here as a groundskeeper."

Angus shook his head. "Aye, we all thought so. But she's more cunning than we gave her credit for. She found the star engine room and decided to tampered with the castle's ancient magic, the very source of its power."

"Magic?" Lola piped up, her curiosity piqued. "This castle run on magic?"

Angus nodded solemnly. "Aye. This castle has always had ancient magic runnin' through its stone and walls—old, powerful magic that only the royal family of Loch Loud are meant to control. But it's powered by something special… something called 'power stars.'"

Lincoln blinked in confusion. "Power stars? I've never heard of those before."

"Ye wouldn't have," Angus explained. "The stars have been hidden for centuries, meant to be a secret from everyone but your ancestors. They fuel the magic of the castle, keepin' its defenses strong, protectin' its history. But Morag… she's found a way to meddle with them. She's taken control of the stars and redistributed them across the castle, hiding them in enchanted paintings."

Lana stepped forward, intrigued. "So these paintings now have stars inside of them?"

"Precisely," Angus confirmed grimly. "She's tampered with the magic of the stars, lad. She's used them to create gateways, changing' the paintings into portals that lead to worlds.

Lincoln rubbed his temples, trying to wrap his head around it. "But how can that happen? How can stars turn paintings into portals?"

Angus sighed, his eyes drifting to the large, ancient painting of the stormy sea where Lincoln had disappeared. "It's somethin' I learned recently, after findin' an old journal in the castle's library. The journal belonged to Lanasha and Lolanda, two adventurers from centuries ago. They're yer ancestors, Lana and Lola."

The twins exchanged glances, surprise and curiosity lighting up their faces. "Our ancestors?" Lana asked, her voice filled with awe.

"Aye," Angus continued. "Lanasha and Lolanda were legendary explorers, known throughout the land. They discovered the power stars during their travels, far beyond the borders of Scotland. The stars were a source of immense magical power, more powerful than anythin' they'd seen. They brought all of them back home to Loch Loud, hopin' to protect them from fallin' into the wrong hands."

"So that's how the castle ended up with the stars," Lincoln said, his voice thoughtful. "But what about the paintings? How do they fit into all this?"

Angus nodded. "When the stars were brought back to the castle, Lanasha and Lolanda had a vision—a way to control and protect the magic. They had the castle's artisans create these paintings as waypoints, places where the power could be safely channeled. Ye see, the paintings are more than just decoration—they were built to serve as links to different dimensions, but only if a power star is sent into them. Once a star activates the painting, it becomes a portal, a gateway to other worlds. This was how Lanasha and Lolanda ensured the stars would be protected—by scatterin' the magic across different realms, beyond reach."

Lana's eyes widened, the admiration in her voice clear. "Wow. Our ancestors were adventurers and magical protectors? That's so cool."

Lola, who had been quiet, finally spoke up, a look of pride flashing in her eyes. "Yeah, I didn't know we had such awesome ancestors."

"They were," Angus said. "The power stars kept the castle safe for centuries, and the magic remained hidden from those who would misuse it. But then Morag found the star engine room and manipulated the stars and turned the paintings back into portals."

"But why didn't she take all the stars with her?" Lincoln asked, still piecing everything together. "What the point of scattering them instead of keeping them for herself?"

Angus shook his head, frustration evident on his face. "That's the part I don't understand. Morag's plan is… unclear. She only sent the stars to different paintings, creatin' these portals. I've no idea what she plans to do next, or why she hasn't taken them all. Maybe she thinks it's more of a game to watch us scramble to find the stars. Or perhaps she needs more time to fully control the magic."

Lincoln frowned, still trying to make sense of the situation. "So, she's turning the castle into a maze of magical portals?"

"Aye," Angus said. "That's exactly it. Each portal leads to another place, another challenge, and now ye know why I needed your help, I couldn't face this alone.

A cold shiver ran down Lincoln's spine, but before he could respond, a sudden force swept through the air. It was as if the castle itself had come alive. The ancient paintings that lined the walls began to glow with an eerie light, the images within them shimmering like the surface of a disturbed pond.

Lana's eyes widened, and she pointed toward one of the paintings near them—a vast landscape of a stormy sea. "Lincoln, look!"

But Lincoln didn't have time to look. Instantly, he felt something strange—a tug, almost like an invisible hand grabbing him. His feet were yanked off the ground, and before he knew it, he was being pulled toward the stormy sea painting.

"Whoa—what the—!" Lincoln cried out, flailing as the force dragged him closer to the glowing canvas.

"Lincoln!" Lana screamed, running forward and grabbing his arm.

Lola rushed to his other side, gripping his hand tightly. "We've got you, big brother! Hold on!"

But it was no use. The pull of the painting was too strong. Lincoln's body began to sink into the canvas, his legs disappearing first, then his torso. Lana and Lola strained with all their strength, but they couldn't pull him back. He was being swallowed whole by the painting.

"Don't let go!" Lana shouted, her face twisted with determination as she pulled with everything she had. But even she knew it was futile.

Lincoln's face was the last to vanish into the swirling, enchanted vortex. His wide, terrified eyes locked with Lana's and Lola's one final time before he was gone.

"No!" Lola screamed, falling backward as the force finally released its hold on them. The twins tumbled to the floor, gasping in shock.

When they scrambled to their feet, the painting had changed. Where there had once been a blank image, there was now a portrait of Lincoln himself—trapped within the frame, staring out with a frozen look of fear on his face.

A/N I hope you enjoyed!

Anyways, NaNoWriMo works to encourage new people to become writers- after all, the prospect of having to write a full-length seems like a daunting task! And so, every year this organization holds an entire month dedicated to writing novels. The challenge is simple: You have 30 days to write a 50k novel (Meaning ~1667 words a day). Get to writing!

For all of you who read fics, but are unsure of whether or not you can write a good story, I highly encourage you to at least try. No good writer started without making a few mistakes and getting to it. Also, for those who are reading this just for the sake of having fun, I encourage you to point out any and all flaws you find within this work, after all- no one gets better alone. I will admit, this story will be impulse-written (as is encouraged by one of the tips: "When in doubt, ninjas!") and it would help me immensely if you point out things that I don't notice so that I may improve upon them in the future! Thanks!