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Chapter 133

  In the Magisterium, Titian staggered, clutching his chest as his breath came in ragged gasps. His face contorted with pain, and a violent cough wracked his body. Silver rushed to his side, his eyes wide with concern.

  “Titian?! What’s wrong?!” Silver asked, his voice filled with panic.

  Before Titian could respond, he vomited, his body trembling with the effort.

  “V-Varziel… the imprisoned Elderborn…” Titian managed to rasp, his voice shaky as he leaned heavily on Silver. “He… and Melanthius Shadowbane… they’re right next to each other!” His hand flew to his chest, his grip tightening as though trying to hold himself together.

  The other members of the Magisterium stared in horror, their faces pale as the weight of the revelation settled over them. Fear gripped them all—fear unlike any they had ever felt before. Titian, the ever-composed leader, was visibly shaken. It was a rare sight, one that unnerved everyone in the room.

  “Forget the Seven Deadly Kingdoms! Forget Althara! Forget everything else!” Titian shouted, his voice sharp and filled with urgency. “We have to stop that maniac from meeting his brother! All of us!” His words were like a command, an order that left no room for hesitation.

  Without a second thought, the Magisterium members grabbed their wands, their faces hardening with resolve. They knew what had to be done. The stakes were too high to ignore.

  In the Lightning Cabin, Mel stood in front of a group of royals—princes and princesses alike—each dressed in pristine, polished attire. The tension in the room was palpable, but Mel wasn’t fazed. He set down the clipboard with the attendance and bag checks, glancing around the room.

  “Alright,” Mel said, cracking his neck. “I’ve done the boring stuff—attendance, checked the bags. Now, it’s time for the fun part: icebreakers.”

  He grabbed a slab of ice from a bucket he’d borrowed from the kitchen and casually smashed it over his head with a force that would have made most wince. But Mel didn’t flinch, his expression unchanging as the ice shattered. It was an old Caldara Bastille tradition—one of those things that either broke you or made you stronger.

  “You probably know me as King Melanthius Shadowbane,” Mel continued, tossing the broken ice aside with a grin. “But while we’re here, call me Fox. I’m sixteen, and I’m here to get to know you all. So here’s the deal: take a slab, break it over your head, and introduce yourselves. Don’t worry, it’s soft ice—won’t hurt a bit.”

  The room fell silent for a beat, the royals staring at him in stunned silence. Some recoiled, their faces twisted in shock and disgust, while others exchanged hesitant glances. But despite their initial hesitation, a few of them were clearly intrigued by the challenge.

  “Johnathon Maximus,” a tall, confident prince said, stepping forward. “I’m fourteen, and I’m feeling excited to get to know everyone.” With that, he grabbed a slab of ice and broke it effortlessly over his head, shrugging as though it were nothing.

  “I’m not doing that,” a girl in the corner huffed, folding her arms. Her expression was a mixture of disdain and defiance as she stomped on the ice in a display of impatience. “I’m Maxine Stewart,” she added, rolling her eyes. “I’m feeling... alright.”

  A couple of the other campers, mostly those who seemed intrigued by Mel’s unconventional approach, began stepping up, reluctantly taking slabs of ice and smashing them over their heads, though their faces betrayed the discomfort they felt. But Mel just stood there, watching with a grin, clearly enjoying how his unconventional leadership was shaking up the traditional royal atmosphere.

  Meanwhile, in the Sun Cabin, Rue was unpacking her things and adjusting her bunk when the familiar sound of obnoxious gum popping made her pause. She sighed, already knowing who it was before she even turned around.

  “Gasp! Is that the handicapped?!” a mocking voice sneered.

  Rue clenched her jaw but didn’t bother looking up. “What do you want, Courtney?” she asked flatly, continuing to adjust her bedding.

  Courtney smirked, twirling a strand of golden hair around her finger as she lazily chewed her gum. “Oh, I just wanted to check on my old cabin buddy,” she cooed sweetly, her voice dripping with insincerity.

  Rue finally turned, narrowing her emerald eyes. She had no patience for Courtney’s games.

  “How’s the eye?” Rue asked coolly. “I know it was bad when I accidentally shot a rubber-tipped arrow at it.” Her lips curled into a sharp smile.

  Courtney’s smirk faltered, her eye twitching as she instinctively covered it with her hand.

  The tension hung between them for a moment before Courtney scoffed, recovering her composure. “I was just coming to say hi,” she said, flipping her hair. “I did see you earlier—with King Melanthius. Finally moved on from Kyle, huh?”

  Rue rolled her eyes. “First of all, he goes by Bimoth now. Second of all, me and him were never a thing.”

  Courtney hummed, clearly enjoying the irritation in Rue’s voice. “Sure, sure,” she said airily, popping another bubble. “But you do have a thing for kings, huh?”

  Rue exhaled sharply, shaking her head as she turned back to her bunk. “Go find someone else to be obsessed with, Courtney.”

  But Courtney just smirked, clearly satisfied that she’d gotten under Rue’s skin. “Oh, don’t worry, princess—I always do.” With a wink, she sauntered off, leaving Rue gripping the fabric of her pillow a little too tightly.

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  The next morning, a sharp, piercing whistle echoed through the campgrounds.

  “Rise and shine! It’s a brand-new day!” Mel’s voice rang out as he marched ahead of his campers, blowing his whistle with boundless energy. Unlike the groggy, half-asleep nobles trudging behind him, he looked as if he’d been awake for hours.

  “Come on, guys! The sun is up, the birds are singing, and we’ve got a full day ahead of us!” Mel spun around, walking backward as he grinned at them. Most of the campers groaned, rubbing their tired eyes.

  “Why is he so excited?” one prince muttered, dragging his feet.

  “I bet he didn’t even sleep,” another whispered.

  Mel clapped his hands. “Alright, lightning cabin, let’s move! First stop—the dining hall. You’ll need the energy for today’s activities.”

  As they made their way through the camp, Mel waved to different groups of campers emerging from their cabins. The Sun Cabin, where Rue stayed, was already bustling, its campers stretching and fixing their hair. Rue, brushing her fingers through her short hair, glanced at Mel and shook her head with an amused smirk.

  “You’re really going all out, huh?” she called.

  “It’s my first camp experience, Rue! I have to!” Mel grinned and pointed at her. “Yeah, yeah,” Rue sighed, picking up her bag.

  Moving on, Mel led his group toward the central campfire pit, where the CITs (Counselors in Training) and senior counselors were gathered. A few of them were sipping their morning tea, looking far less enthusiastic than him.

  One counselor, a broad-shouldered guy with a buzz cut, yawned and crossed his arms. “You’re too loud, newbie.”

  “I prefer ‘enthusiastic,’” Mel replied smoothly. “Gotta keep the energy up.”

  A girl with braided hair, chewing gum lazily, eyed him. “Fox, right?”

  Mel nodded. “Yep.”

  “Well, Fox, your energy’s cute, but it won’t last. Let’s see if you’re still this chipper after handling kids all day.” She smirked, blowing a bubble.

  Mel just grinned. “Oh, don’t worry. I handled Caldara Bastille. I can handle a bunch of princes and princesses.”

  Some of the counselors chuckled, but one raised an eyebrow. “Did you say Caldara Bastille? The prison?”

  Mel shrugged. “Yup.”

  The group went silent for a moment. Then the buzz-cut counselor muttered, “Damn. Good luck.”

  Ignoring the stares, Mel glanced at his clipboard. “Alright, we’re all meeting at the amphitheater for announcements, then it’s breakfast. Get hyped!” He turned back to his group and grinned. “This is gonna be the best camp experience ever.”

  Beneath the campsite, in the dim underground caverns, Varziel knelt with his hands pressed against the cold earth. His breath was slow, measured, yet laced with an ancient longing. His fingers twitched as he exhaled.

  "I can feel your youth, brother. We must speak." His voice was barely a whisper, yet it resonated through the stone.

  A small bird fluttered nearby, tilting its head curiously. Varziel’s sharp eyes locked onto it. With fluid precision, he caught the tiny creature in his palm. It didn’t struggle, as if lulled into submission by an unseen force.

  Plucking a strand of his own silvery hair, he gently fed it to the bird. As it swallowed, a transformation began—its feathers shimmered, dark symbols slithering across them like living ink. The creature’s eyes flickered with an eerie light, reflecting the same ancient power that marked Varziel’s skin.

  "Be my voice."

  With that, he released it, watching as the enchanted bird shot upward, breaking through the cracks in the cavern ceiling, rising toward the surface—toward Melanthius.

  Back on the surface, Mel sat among his campers at the breakfast table, humming contentedly as he layered whipped cream, syrup, and fresh strawberries onto a warm waffle. He folded it in half like a taco, holding it up for everyone to see.

  "Now this, my campers, is what you call a waffle taco," he declared with a grin before taking a massive bite.

  Some of the younger kids giggled, while others looked on with a mix of curiosity and disbelief.

  Just as Mel was about to take another bite, a figure dropped onto the bench beside him with a loud thud. The air shifted as the Lightning Cabin counselor—a stern-faced young man—crossed his arms, commanding immediate attention.

  "My name’s Koala. C.I.T.," he announced, his sharp gaze sweeping over the campers. Then, his eyes landed on Mel, brimming with disapproval.

  "You’re setting a bad example for the kids. They’re royalty—they need to be pristine." He suddenly slammed his hands on the table. "SIT UP STRAIGHT!"

  The campers jolted in their seats, immediately fixing their posture like soldiers at attention. Even those who had been relaxed a moment ago now sat stiff as statues, afraid to make the wrong move.

  Mel nearly dropped his waffle taco but quickly straightened up, flashing an easy grin. "I think a little fun is alright, don’t you?" he asked casually.

  Koala, still eating, shook his head firmly. "No. Princes and princesses must be disciplined at all times, always prepared—like I am." He smirked confidently.

  But just as he turned his head, his expression froze. His jaw nearly hit the table as he saw Mel effortlessly balancing two kids—one on each arm—like they weighed nothing.

  "W-W-WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, FOX?!" Koala sputtered, nearly choking on his food.

  Mel set the kids down gently, giving them a playful pat on the back. "As royalty, you need balance," he said with an innocent cackle.

  Koala clenched his fists, his face twitching in irritation.

  —

  Meanwhile, over at the Sun Cabin table, Rue sat with her chin resting on her hand, her emerald cybernetic eye focused on Mel. She didn't even realize how long she’d been watching him until a sly voice whispered in her ear.

  "If you take a picture, it’ll last longer."

  Rue flinched, turning to see Courtney smirking beside her.

  "Was I staring?!" Rue asked, her voice a little too high.

  Courtney chuckled, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "Like a deer in headlights."

  Rue groaned, rubbing her temples. "We’ve been through a lot, okay? He’s amazing. And yet, he doesn’t want to be with anyone. Who am I kidding? I called him a homeless perv when we first met! Now I’m sitting here watching him from across the camp like some—" She buried her face in her hands. "Do you know I once begged him to hold me? Actually begged?!"

  Courtney let out a low whistle. "Yeahhh, I mean, you’re not the nicest person I’ve met. But I can’t lie—you’re pretty. And fine as hell."

  Rue lifted her head slightly, raising an eyebrow. "Thanks?"

  Courtney winked. "Don’t mention it."

  "What do I do?” Rue murmured, tapping her fingers against the table. "Me and him—we're finally away from all the craziness at school. This is the perfect chance for us to actually hang out."

  Courtney shrugged, popping her bubblegum. "Then do it." With that, she turned on her heel and walked off, leaving Rue to stew in her own thoughts.

  Rue exhaled sharply, drumming her fingers against the table as she stole another glance at Mel.

  "Easier said than done," she muttered under her breath.

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