Back on the lively streets of Vrada, the rest of the group, minus Mel, strolled through the vibrant resort town, soaking in the festive atmosphere and music echoing through the cobblestone paths. Renita glanced over at Shenelle, who walked alongside her, sipping hot cocoa. Shenelle’s calm demeanor masked her secret identity as Baba Yaga.
“So, Ms. Upan,” Renita began with a sly smile, her crimson eyes gleaming with curiosity. “What kind of magic do you have that lets you repair two entire schools in an instant? By yourself, no less?” The vampire’s tone was casual, but her pointed question hinted at deeper suspicion as she took a delicate sip of her drink.
Shenelle nearly choked on her hot cocoa, hastily wiping her shirt with her sleeve to cover her flustered reaction. “Uh… well,” she stammered, her voice slightly higher than usual. “I come from a kingdom where we had these, uh… special stones! Yeah, stones that could reset things. It’s really no big deal.” She plastered on a nervous smile, clearly lying through her teeth, her tone too forced to be convincing.
Renita raised an eyebrow, her expression unreadable, but she said nothing further, letting the awkward silence linger as Shenelle awkwardly sipped her cocoa.
As they strolled along, their attention was drawn to a charming little stall adorned with steam motifs and glowing lanterns. A friendly vendor waved at them, offering brightly illustrated pamphlets advertising a nearby hot spring. Jake grabbed one of the pamphlets and nodded. “Anyone up for a hot spring?” He held it up and the group looked at each other and shrugged then nodded.
Meanwhile, Mel remained seated next to Maren on the bed, silent in thought, before finally standing up. “We’re hanging out in Vrada. Want to come with us?” he asked, offering a warm smile.
Maren let out a soft chuckle, lying back and staring at the ceiling. “Nah, I’ve got my own way of atoning for my sins. Just let me do what I can, alright?” A faint, bittersweet smile tugged at his lips.
Mel nodded, his expression understanding. “I get it.” He turned and made his way out of the castle, exiting through the back. As he floated upward, his mind churned with memories.
“Maren... he used to terrorize his own people when he ruled Atlantis,” Mel thought to himself. “He believed my father killed his, so he came for revenge. Typical tragic backstory. We fought, I beat him, and he went into hiding. Then he learned the truth—that it wasn’t my father who killed his—and he decided to help me. Twice now, he’s stepped up when it mattered. But at the core of it, he’s just a kid, like me... a kid trying to make sense of the world while holding power most people can’t even imagine.”
Mel sighed, his gaze fixed on the glowing streets of Vrada below as he landed softly.
Mel spotted his group gathered near a street vendor, their laughter carrying through the crisp, moonlit air. Elowen noticed him first, her face lighting up as she waved. “Come on, Mel!” she called, her voice warm and inviting. “We’re heading to a hot spring.” She gestured toward a cozy wooden structure nestled against the base of a rocky hill.
The building glowed softly in the evening light, lanterns strung along its eaves casting a warm, amber hue on the surrounding snow-dusted landscape. Steam rose in delicate wisps from behind the building, hinting at the soothing waters hidden within. A hand-carved sign near the entrance read Crystal Spring Haven, its letters painted in a serene blue.
Mel took a deep breath, the crisp air filling his lungs as he started toward them. The idea of a hot spring sounded heavenly after everything—relaxation surrounded by nature, the gentle sound of bubbling water, and the company of his friends.
Mel had never been to a hot spring before. As he approached, a small, genuine smile crept onto his face. “This should be fun,” he thought, his steps quickening with anticipation.
A short while later, his initial excitement faded into quiet contemplation. He sat in the steaming water, shoulders submerged, with his mouth just under the surface. Tiny ripples danced around him as he gazed at the water, lost in thought. The warmth of the spring enveloped him, but his mind wandered far from the serene setting.
The boys and girls, of course, were separated by a wooden partition, their laughter and chatter drifting faintly over the barrier. But Mel sat in silence, letting the heat soak into his body while his thoughts turned inward.
"This is a hot spring?" Mel thought, glancing around with a mix of curiosity and unease. On one side of the steaming, stone-lined pool sat the boys from his group, their faces relaxed as they soaked in the warmth. On the opposite side, four unfamiliar boys loitered, their unsettling muttering barely audible over the gentle bubbling of the water. Their sharp, darting glances and hushed tones gave off a strange, eerie vibe, making it hard to fully relax.
Arid let out a long sigh, sinking deeper into the soothing water. “This is way different from the boondocks,” he muttered, breaking the silence. “Back in Horace Groves, we had to fight just to get clean water. Hot springs? That’s a luxury we couldn’t even dream of.”
Jake nodded solemnly, his gaze fixed on the rippling surface of the pool. As another native of Horace Groves, he understood Arid’s sentiment all too well. “Yeah, this kind of stuff never happened back home,” he added quietly, his voice tinged with both nostalgia and relief.
Mel tilted his head, observing the contrast between his friends’ quiet gratitude and the strange, unnerving presence of the others across the water. Something about this place felt both serene and unsettling all at once.
One of the boys across the spring snickered, pushing his glasses up with a smug grin. “I recognize you guys from the news. You’re students at Arcanum Royal Institute, aren’t you?” His tone was laced with a mix of curiosity and arrogance. “We’re from Golden Sierra High—it’s a top school here in Vrada. Ever heard of it?”
Mel, Jake, Arid, Caius, and Lincoln exchanged blank looks, the name ringing no bells. None of them were locals to Auroria Dominion, let alone familiar with its educational institutions, besides the Arcanum Royal Institute.
“Yeah, I’ve heard of it,” Lance said casually, leaning back and running water through his hair. His voice carried a hint of disinterest, but his subtle smirk hinted at the pride he felt in knowing something the others didn’t.
“So, which one of you is the strongest?” one of the Golden Sierra boys asked, leaning back smugly. “There’s no card system at Sierra, and no magic either. We’re just a bunch of idiots who wouldn’t even make white-card level.” Another boy cackled, clearly amused by his own jab.
Mel, Caius, Lincoln, Jake, Arid, and Lance exchanged glances. For a moment, silence hung in the air, but then it happened—the unspoken challenge every teenage boy instinctively reacts to. Questions like this seemed to flip a switch in their brains. Whether intentional or not, it was a call to arms, a primal need to assert dominance. Boys are simple creatures like that: they can't easily concede superiority, especially among friends. “I am,” Mel said firmly. “No, I am,” Arid chimed in, puffing his chest slightly. Jake crossed his arms. “Pretty sure that’s me.”
One of the bigger boys from Golden Sierra suddenly stood up with a loud, obnoxious cackle, his voice echoing across the spring. “I knew you Arcanum kids were full of yourselves. Always so cocky!”
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But the moment he stood, everyone—Arcanum and Sierra boys alike—immediately noticed his business on full display, swinging with zero regard for decency.
The pool went deathly silent for a second before Arid muttered under his breath, “Yeah, buddy, we’re cocky. You’re just unhinged.” The bigger boy stood over Arid. “What was that you twerp?”
“Ugh, it’s all in my face!” Arid groaned, quickly covering his eyes in exaggerated disgust.
The awkward moment was broken by the sound of laughter drifting over from the girls' side of the hot spring. The Sierra boys turned their attention toward it, their grins widening.
“Hm,” one of them sneered, “maybe the Arcanum girls would appreciate us more.” Their cackling erupted louder as they exchanged smug glances.
Suddenly, the Arcanum boys went silent. Even Caius, who had been disinterested until now, straightened up. The tension thickened as Mel slowly stood, his expression calm but his presence commanding.
“Good Gods, it’s huge!” the larger Sierra boy blurted, pointing at Mel with mock surprise.
Mel rubbed the back of his head, his calm demeanor betraying the storm brewing underneath. “Now, now,” he said, his voice steady but carrying an unmistakable edge. “Let’s keep the girls out of this.”
Mel’s words hung in the air, heavy and pointed, his sharp gaze locking on the Sierra boys. “A real man doesn’t drag women into a pissing contest,” he said, his tone cutting through the tension like a blade.
The larger boy sneered, his bravado unwavering. “What’s with the gravitas, kid? You’re trying to sound like some wise old man. Sit down, freshman. We’re sophomores.” He reached out, grabbing Mel’s shoulder, clearly intending to shove him down.
But instead of Mel moving, confusion flashed across the larger boy’s face. “Wait… when did I get in the air?” he mumbled, his feet no longer touching the ground.
It was then he realized Lance had him hoisted a few inches off the ground, holding him effortlessly by his arms.
“It’s not manly to attack my sensei,” Lance said with a low chuckle, his grin sharp enough to rival a predator’s.
The three remaining Sierra boys rose to their feet, forming a tight circle around Lance. One of them growled, “Put him down.”
Before Lance could respond, Caius, Arid, and Lincoln stood as well, casually positioning themselves to surround the Sierra boys. Caius cracked his knuckles, his usual disinterest replaced by a cold smirk. “Or what?” Arid added, his eyes glinting with mischief, while Lincoln simply crossed his arms, exuding quiet confidence.
Faced with the sudden show of solidarity and the unmistakable tension in the air, the Sierra boys hesitated. After a brief, awkward pause, they exchanged glances and decided retreat was the better option. Without another word, they grabbed their friend and slunk off, their bravado shattered, tails firmly between their legs.
A few moments later, the arcanum boys sat in the water conversing until Jake asked something. “Do you guys like any girls?” He asked and the boys went silent.
“Oh yeah, I like a lot of girls—Sera, Lumi, Elowen, Rue, Renita…” Mel started rattling off names, clearly missing the point entirely.
“No, no, no!” Lance interrupted, shaking his head in exasperation. “I mean like like—you know, as in, do you want to date any of them?”
“I don’t really know. I’ve never actually dated anyone before,” Mel admitted, looking down at the water and absentmindedly fiddling with his fingers.
Lance chuckled, wiping his nose with a smug grin. “Well, I already have a girlfriend,” he announced cockily.
The other boys immediately started speculating, curious about who the eighth grader could possibly be dating. Lance, enjoying the attention, pulled out his phone. “Here, I’ll show you. Hey, baby,” he said with a laugh.
To everyone’s confusion, the phone’s AI chirped back, “Hello, Lance.”
An awkward silence fell over the group as they all stared at Lance like he’d just confessed to dating his toaster.
“Yeah, we’re gonna circle back to this another day…” Mel muttered, trailing off as he rubbed the back of his neck.
Breaking the tension, Lincoln suddenly said, “I think Lumi’s cute,” then turned to Caius. “Sorry, man, I know she’s your sister.”
Caius, as always, remained silent, his expression unreadable, though there was a faint twitch in his brow.
“Really? I figured you’d be into Renita,” Arid teased with a chuckle. “Werewolf and vampire? That’s got ‘insanely romantic’ written all over it.”
Lincoln rolled his eyes, unimpressed. “Renita? Please. She’s as cold as her vampiric skin.”
Meanwhile, across the hot spring, the girls were having a strikingly similar conversation—well, all except Shenelle, who was far too grown for such things. Neither group had any clue they were discussing each other.
“Lincoln?” Renita laughed, wrapping a towel securely around her chest. “That boy’s a werewolf, sure, but he’s soft as wool. I bet he’d apologize if he accidentally scared a squirrel.”
Elowen grinned, dipping her toes into the steaming water. “Oh, come on. He’s sweet. Not every guy needs to be all growly and brooding, you know?”
“Easy for you to say,” Renita teased with a sly grin. “You’ve had Melanthius’ fine ass carrying you the entire way back.”
Her comment was met with a ripple of laughter from the girls, some covering their mouths while others leaned into the joke. Elowen rolled her eyes, though a faint flush colored her cheeks.
“Don’t start, Renita,” Elowen said, attempting to sound stern but failing to hide the slight smile tugging at her lips.
“What? I’m just saying what everyone else is thinking,” Renita added, shrugging with mock innocence. “You’re basically living the dream.”
Rue clenched her fists and looked down, her voice trembling with frustration. “M-Me and Mel spent half the break together!” she blurted out, her jealousy evident. The room fell silent as the girls exchanged awkward glances. Shenelle sighed, her expression softening at the sight of Rue’s vulnerability.
Without another word, Rue wrapped her towel tighter around herself and used her robotic pincers to lift herself into her wheelchair. “I’ll be going now,” she muttered, avoiding their gazes.
Just as she turned to leave, Mel’s voice cut through the tense air. “I heard my name,” he said, stepping onto the girls’ side of the hot spring area, a towel slung loosely around his waist. His webs covered his eyes, as if attempting to shield himself from the inevitable chaos his presence would cause.
The girls screamed, instinctively pulling their towels tighter—until they remembered they were wearing swimsuits.
“Mel! What are you doing here?!” Rue shouted, her tone a mix of embarrassment and irritation.
Mel, oblivious to the tension, covered his eyes more dramatically with his webs. “The guys started… uh, measuring their staffs or something,” he said, his voice tinged with confusion. “Then they got embarrassed when I mentioned mine and left for some reason.”
The girls stared at him, their mouths agape, before Lumi burst into laughter. “Oh my gods, Mel, you really are clueless sometimes.”
Rue buried her face in her hands, her earlier jealousy momentarily forgotten. “Mel, you can’t just walk in here like that!”
“But you’re all wearing swimsuits,” Mel replied, tilting his head slightly, his webs still firmly in place. “What’s the problem?”
Renita smirked. “The problem is, you just crashed girl talk with the grace of a wrecking ball.”
“Well,” Shenelle interjected, trying to stifle a laugh, “I think he’s officially proven he’s the most honest guy here.”
Rue sighed, her earlier frustration melting into reluctant amusement as the girls tried to recover from Mel’s unintended interruption.
A few moments later, the group—Mel included—settled into the warm, steaming water. Of course, Mel had gone to buy proper swim trunks first, much to the girls’ relief. As they relaxed, the conversation began to flow naturally, laughter and chatter filling the air.
Renita sighed, her gaze drifting up to the moon. “Ms. Shenelle, have you ever been married?”
Shenelle smirked, swirling her drink lazily. “Nope. Marriage? It’s just a piece of paper.” She chuckled, taking a sip.
Elowen leaned back, a dreamy smile spreading across her face. “Well, when I’m older, I can’t wait to find a king to rule over Camelot with—once I’m queen, of course.”
The girls, except for Lumi, Sera, and Shenelle, nodded in agreement. “Yeah, our parents always say marriage is the best thing,” Rue added with a bright smile.
Mel cleared his throat, drawing their attention. “If I may… I disagree,” he said, standing up and gesturing thoughtfully.
The girls watched him curiously as he continued, “Marriage is a piece of paper, sure. But it’s not about the paper—it’s about who you share your life with. You make a family with someone, hold the most beautiful baby in the world with the most beautiful person by your side. That’s where the meaning is.”
His expression grew more serious as he looked at each of them. “But you don’t want to make the mistake of picking the wrong partner. Boys are—I’m going to use a bad word here—immature as hell,” he said, earning a few chuckles.
Mel’s tone softened but carried weight. “They take, they hurt, they lie, and they cheat. Not just boys, girls do it too. But when you meet someone real—a real man or woman—that’s when you’ll see the value in marriage. It’s not about the ceremony or the title. It’s about trust, love, and partnership. So… be careful, ladies. Choose wisely.”
The group fell silent, Mel’s words sinking in. Rue glanced at him, her cheeks slightly pink, while Shenelle raised her glass with an approving smirk. “Well said, Mel,” she said.
“Yeah,” Elowen added with a smile. “That’s… surprisingly insightful.”
Mel sat back down, shrugging. “Just something I’ve been thinking about.”
Renita’s cheeks turned a deep shade of red as she blushed, quickly shaking her head to collect herself. “Y-yeah, surprisingly insightful,” she muttered with a nervous chuckle.