Her chest tightened as she shook her head violently. “I didn’t mean for this to happen! Please, Mel, believe me!” Arid scoffed, raising his staff again. “Believe you? He won’t even get the chance.” Anita’s breath caught in her throat as she desperately searched for a way to protect Mel, knowing she was running out of time.
“Gotcha!” both Mel and Arid shouted in unison, their laughter echoing across the docks.
Anita blinked, completely frozen as her heart tried to catch up with her brain. “W-what?” she
stammered, looking between the two of them in utter disbelief.
Mel, still kneeling, winced as he plucked the thorn out of his shoulder, tossing it to the side. “Man, Arid, you really had to go for the shoulder? That hurt more than I thought it would.”
“Hey, you told me to make it look convincing,” Arid shot back, twirling his staff with a smug grin.
“What the hell is going on?!” Anita demanded, standing with clenched fists, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and confusion.
Mel chuckled softly, his hand glowing faintly as he used a cooling spell on his shoulder wound. “Well,” he began, “when Arid told me you claimed to be my best friend, I was... confused. I didn’t even know who you were. That’s when Arid came up with the idea to trick you into thinking I was some kind of drug lord or whatever. Honestly, I thought you were trying to use my name for special privileges or something.”
Anita’s jaw dropped as Mel continued, his tone softening. “But then, I spent some time with you, and you know what? I realized you weren’t so bad. I mean, I can spot a bullied kid from a mile away. You lied about being my best friend because someone was picking on you, right?”
She froze, unable to respond, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
Mel smiled warmly, reaching out to gently pat her head. “Well, if it makes you feel better, we can be best friends for real. How about that?”
Anita blinked up at him, rubbing her head in confusion. “But... aren’t you a drug lord? You sell... stuff!” Her voice wavered as she spiraled into her thoughts.
Mel burst out laughing, and Arid joined him, stepping forward with an amused smirk. “Here,” Arid said, dipping a finger into the small bag of powder and holding it out. “Stick this between your gums.”
“What? No!” Anita recoiled, but Arid was persistent.
“Just try it,” he insisted, smirking.
Reluctantly, Anita let him dab a bit of the powder onto her gums. She jolted at first, her face scrunching up, but then her eyes widened in surprise. “Whoa! This is... amazing! What is this?!”
Mel grinned, closing the small bag with a satisfied snap. “It’s a special dry batter—good for cake. It’s made from an ingredient that only grows in Atlantis. My people sell it, but I never take their money for it. It’s more about spreading a little happiness.”
“I want more!” Anita exclaimed, her face lighting up with excitement. Arid snorted and shook his head. “Yeah, it’s addictive, but not a drug. Calm down.”
“Not a drug?! You sure?” Anita asked skeptically, licking her lips for any lingering taste of the powder.
Mel chuckled, and Arid smirked as he pocketed the bag. “Relax. It’s just for my birthday. You’re invited, of course,” Mel said with a grin, giving her a playful nudge.
Anita blinked in surprise. “Wait... your birthday?”
“Yeah, Friday. Don’t forget,” Mel added as he glanced at his phone. Suddenly, his eyes widened. “Whoa, Arid! It’s already 10:00! We can’t be tired for orientation tomorrow!”
“Ah, crap. You’re right,” Arid replied, stretching and rolling his shoulders. He turned and waved at Anita as they started heading off. “See you Friday, Anita! Don’t be late!”
Anita stood frozen for a moment, watching them disappear down the street toward their dorms. The second they were out of sight, she exhaled a deep sigh of relief and let herself collapse onto the ground.
“Well, that was a disaster,” she muttered, staring up at the night sky. “On the bright side, I guess I won’t be bullied anymore. But now, I might’ve just landed myself in way more trouble.”
She turned onto her side, resting her cheek against her arm, the cool pavement grounding her racing thoughts. “Guess I’m part of his friend group now—or something. There’s no way I’m not, after all that.”
Her expression shifted, a flicker of unease crossing her face. “I don’t even know who I am anymore. Anita Liu, lost daughter of Andhraka Liu, King of the Napia Empire... starting freshman year like this? It’s ridiculous.”
She sat up, brushing herself off and muttering under her breath, “Guess I better stick to my fake name, Anita Peak. Because the last thing I need is someone finding out the truth about me.”
As she trudged back to her dorm, a small smile tugged at her lips despite herself. “Still... maybe being part of Mel’s crew won’t be so bad.”
The next morning, Mel and Arid knocked on Elowen’s door with an upbeat, rhythmic pattern that could only mean trouble. A groggy Elowen swung the door open, her glare as sharp as a blade.
“It’s five in the morning. Orientation doesn’t start until six. What. Do. You. Want?!” she growled, her voice laced with irritation.
Her appearance was striking despite the early hour. Golden threads now wove through her hair, catching the dim light like threads of sunlight. Her mismatched golden and blue eyes shimmered with an ethereal glow, making her annoyance all the more piercing. A sleek Camelot ring adorned her finger, and a delicate but intricate Camelot tattoo traced the curve of her neck, peeking out like a subtle warning of her newfound strength.
“We figured we’d grab some breakfast,” Arid said with a chuckle, leaning against the wall. “After all, we’ve spent the last seven months training. A little downtime wouldn’t kill us.”
Elowen sighed, rubbing her temples. “Fine, wait here. Let me grab my things.” She closed the door with a soft click.
As soon as she was gone, Arid began shadowboxing against the wall. “Man, those seven months flew by. All that training just to recover from that humiliating defeat against Dorian, Bimoth, and that girl.”
Mel crossed his arms and leaned back, smirking just a little too confidently. “Well, I held my own against Dorian and Bimoth, but, you know… to each their own.”
Arid shot him a flat look and sighed, cracking his knuckles. “You’ve really got a way with words, Shadowbane.”
The air grew a little heavier as Arid continued, his tone more serious. “We’ve got to figure out what to do about Dorian. The guy’s been uniting more kingdoms under his banner—by force. He’s making them pay these insane protection fees, even his own people. It’s getting out of hand. He’s already got the Horace Groves under his thumb.”
Mel’s playful smirk faded as Arid’s words sank in.
“I’ve gotta get my dad and siblings out of there before things get any worse,” Arid said, his voice cracking slightly. He exhaled sharply and rolled his shoulders as if trying to shake off the weight of the conversation. Mel sighed, clenching his fist tightly. “Don’t worry. We’ll stop him.”
Arid nodded but then furrowed his brow as a thought struck him. “Did you find out anything about the masked girl—the one who gets stronger based on her opponent’s lineage?” Mel shook his head. “Nope. I asked King Aldara, but without a better description, the mask made it impossible to identify her.”
Elowen opened the door, now wearing her golden iron gauntlets that complemented her Camelot armor, along with her uniform and bag slung over her shoulder. "Let’s go," she said, striding past them with determination.
Mel crossed his arms, the polished black iron gauntlets he wore catching the light as they gleamed.
Arid groaned, spinning his staff in frustration before transforming it into a compact stick and tucking it behind his ear like a pencil. "Must be nice to have those fancy iron gauntlets. I don’t get anything cool like that," he grumbled as they followed Elowen.
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"I only wear them to match Elowen," Mel said with a chuckle, quickening his pace to catch up to her. He gently placed his hands on her shoulders from behind, his voice softening. "Are you okay?"
Elowen's expression was sharp, her jaw clenched in quiet frustration. But at Mel's touch, her shoulders relaxed slightly, and her hardened face softened. She leaned into the comfort, her voice quieter. "Just thinking about Dorian. How could he turn like that?”
Mel sighed, shaking his head. “I have no idea, but one thing’s for sure—if we meet again, a fight is unavoidable. As for King Bimoth, he’s an enigma. I can’t tell if he hates me or if he’s planning to ally with Dorian. Rue officially cut ties with him, and King Aldara issued a kill-on-sight order if Bimoth ever sets foot here.”
“Is he really that strong?” she asked, her tone a mix of disbelief and curiosity.
Mel let out a weary sigh. “Yeah, he is. And the worst part? To beat him, you’ve got to drop all your physical strength and rely purely on magic. It’s so frustrating.”
As they entered the restaurant, they spotted Rue, Jake, Renita, and Lincoln already seated in a booth. Without hesitation, they joined them.
“Ready for orientation? The black and red tests are going to be brutal,” Rue groaned, scooting over to make room as Mel slid in beside her.
Mel grabbed his glass of orange juice, taking a sip before replying, “Lance said thanks for the recommendation, by the way.”
Arid slumped into his seat with a dramatic sigh. “I’ll crush the practical test, no problem, but the written exam is going to destroy me. I don’t want to get stuck in tier-one black card status.”
The others laughed, but Rue’s attention drifted to Mel’s arm, where faint lightning scars etched across his skin caught her eye. Her gaze lingered, curiosity and concern flickering across her face.
Noticing her stare, Mel quickly tugged his sleeve down, concealing the marks without a word.
“I thought you said you’d stop using your black lightning,” Rue said, frowning as her gaze fixed on Mel. Without waiting for permission, she reached out, tugged off his gauntlet, and revealed the intricate lightning scars engraved across his hand and wrist. Gently tracing one of the marks, she felt him flinch under her touch.
“I was training yesterday,” Mel muttered, pulling his hand away. “My enforcers were too strong. It’s no big deal.”
Rue’s eyes narrowed, her voice dropping to a quiet but firm scold. “If it’s no big deal, then why did you say you’d stop using it when it hurts so much?”
Her tone was sharp enough to pierce his usual nonchalance, though the others, engrossed in their chatter about school, didn’t notice the tension between them.
“Stop making your enforcers so strong that you have to rely on something that hurts you,” Rue said softly, her thumb gently tracing the lightning scars on his hand.
Mel winced, and before he could stop himself, his fist slammed against the table with a dull thud, a sharp jolt of pain shooting through him. He sucked in a breath, his voice strained. “I’m fine. Just stop.”
He pulled his hand away, quickly slipping the gauntlet back on as if it could shield him from more than just physical harm. With a heavy sigh, he leaned back, avoiding her gaze.
Rue watches Mel with an uncharacteristic stillness, her cybernetic eye dimming as she looks at him. Her voice is quiet, almost breaking.
“You know, Mel… that black lightning of yours—it’s not just power, is it? It’s pain. Every time you use it, it eats at you, piece by piece. I see it in your eyes. Someday… you’re gonna have to make a choice, and it’ll hurt. Not just you, but everyone who cares about you. Just promise me… when that day comes, don’t forget who you are. Don’t let it take all of you.” She whispered to him and put her hand on top of her gauntlet, rubbing it with her thumb.
Mel nodded and smiled. “Promise.”
“Do you have everything ready for your test?” Rue asked with a warm smile.
Mel nodded and placed his bag on his lap. “Yep. And I even went through the flashcards you gave me. Thanks for those.”
“Guys, I seriously don’t know how I’m going to pass this test,” Lincoln groaned, slumping in his seat. “We all know I’m not exactly winning in the physical department… and mentally, well, let’s just say I’m no genius either. Sometimes I wish I was a white card like Jake. They don’t have to deal with all this pressure.”
Renita rolled her eyes and sighed. “Stop whining, Lincoln. At least you won’t have the vampires tearing into you. The only thing I’ll probably excel at is the speed challenge, and that’s just because I was part of the Vampire Crypt Runner’s Clan. But the sparring? Forget it—they’ll eat me alive out there.” She groaned and crossed her arms. “Honestly, why didn’t we train with Arid, Mel, and Elowen? We might’ve stood a chance.”
“Where are Lumi, Caius, and Sera?” Renita asked, glancing around.
Mel chuckled. “At home.”
Meanwhile, back at Baba Yaga’s House, Sera, Lumi, and Caius stood in a neat line, dressed in their crisp school uniforms. Shenelle buzzed with excitement, her phone flashing as she snapped picture after picture. “My babies are going to school!” she squealed, practically bouncing with joy.
Sera groaned, adjusting her tie with an annoyed sigh. “Mom, it’s really not that big of a deal.”
“It is a big deal!” Shenelle said, snapping another photo. “Now stand still—Caius, smile! Lumi, stop slouching!”
Shenelle snapped a flurry of photos, beaming with pride. “Alright, you’ve got your black cards. Remember: no fighting, be polite, and don’t forget the manners I’ve drilled into you this past month. But,” she added, her eyes gleaming mischievously, “if someone does start a fight—knock the HELL out of them!” She kissed each of their foreheads with a grin. “Now go on, have an amazing day at school.”
The siblings bowed respectfully, and Lumi stepped forward, her voice steady but heartfelt. “We’re sorry for running away. We didn’t realize how much we needed you until now. You’re our mom—not because of biology, but because of everything you’ve done for us. We love you, Mom.”
Shenelle’s eyes glistened, but she quickly brushed it off with a chuckle. “Get out of here, you latchkey kids,” she said with mock sternness, waving them off as they left.
Once the door closed, her tough façade cracked. “Damn it, Baba Yaga doesn’t cry,” she muttered, sniffing. She let herself fall backward dramatically, as if onto nothing, but Klaus—the living, creaking wood of her moving house—groaned and slid a small mattress beneath her just in time.
“I miss my kids!” she wailed, rolling back and forth on the bed like a petulant child.
Klaus let out another long groan, as though judging her. Shenelle punched the floorboards lightly, glaring at the sentient house. “I don’t care if I’m almost 200 and acting like a child! I don’t even look a day over 50!” she snapped, her tone a mix of defiance and self-pity, before flopping onto her side with a dramatic huff.
Shenelle rolled over with a dramatic huff before springing to her feet. “I don’t need kids! I’m a strong, independent woman,” she declared, hands on her hips. “Klaus, let’s watch a movie together!”
Klaus groaned in response, the sound low and unimpressed.
Shenelle gasped, clutching her chest like he’d delivered a mortal insult. “Better things to do?! Oh, don’t even start with that! That apartment complex didn’t even like you! You were too scared to talk to it!”
Klaus groaned again, louder this time, and shifted a lamp toward her in what could only be described as an accusatory gesture.
Shenelle’s reflexes were instant. She drew a dagger from seemingly nowhere and sliced the lamp into pieces mid-swing. “Sorry, her—you were too scared to talk to her!” she corrected with a smirk, tossing the broken pieces aside triumphantly.