Adrian was in the back rooms, his mind sharp as a blade as he oversaw the resurrection of the dead students. The atmosphere was cold, clinical—like a slaughterhouse, with the smell of flesh lingering in the air. Bodies lay in various stages of disassembly, being recycled for the next round of clones. The freshly revived students stood in dazed lines, eyes wide as they processed the news that they'd died, been cloned, and brought back—fees waived only because of the Pact Games. That "fee waiver" was the real dealmaker, like getting a free pass after catching a bullet on the block.

Adrian smirked. He had to admit, Morwen losing her memory after being smoked in the games was sweet justice. She was raging, all huffing and puffing like she owned the place, but couldn’t even remember how she caught a one-way ticket to hell. That was Adrian’s little secret: no one was allowed to talk about how anyone died. But in the underground world of Pacts, secrets didn’t stay buried. The whispers of betrayal slipped through like venom in the veins, and the drama was hotter than a shootout in the streets.

The Drakonis Pact was on top. Victorious. Adrian made sure of that. Rhea and Aislinn were the only ones who had to get dragged back from death's door, courtesy of Celesse’s basilisk, Mortis, a creature that paralyzed them so hard, their souls probably still had the shakes. But Adrian wasn’t resting. He had his eye on Charm. She got in his way when he was scrapping with Ennuy, and it wasn’t just dumb; it was suicidal. Still, there was something about Charm that made him hesitate. Deep down, he was torn. Did he really want to keep playing this game with her, or was it time to let it all crumble? Besides, he was getting under Payback’s skin, and that kind of tension was his bread and butter. He’d even bought Charm some gifts, just to turn the screws tighter.

Meanwhile, Selene popped back into reality like she’d been thrown out of a moving car. She stumbled, dizzy, and pissed off beyond belief. Xyra had used her domain—the Chains of Fate—on her, snatching her out of the fight like she was some kind of pawn. It burned her up inside, especially knowing it had given Xyra enough time to mindjack Ennuy again. Selene’s hands balled into fists. She had to find Ennuy, and fast, before Xyra dug her claws in too deep.

When she tracked them down, the sight was a slap in the face. Ennuy was kneeling at Xyra’s feet in the theater room—the new throne room for the Drakonis Pact. Xyra sat on the throne, cold and regal, a leash wrapped around Ennuy's neck like he was a damn pet. The Drakonis Pact was busy talking strategy, plotting the next steps for the university’s operations like kings deciding who gets what block in the hood.

Selene swallowed her pride and dropped to her knees, kowtowing before Xyra. “Big sister, please... release Ennuy. Let him come back to Umbrus Pact.”

Xyra scoffed, not even looking at her. “Pathetic,” she said, her voice dripping with disgust. “But fine. I’ve had enough of him for today anyway. Good work cleaning up the trash for me during the games.”

With a lazy flick of her wrist, Xyra let the leash go. Ennuy, looking dazed and doped up from her glamour, unhooked the collar from his neck and walked over to Selene.

“Thank you,” he muttered, his voice quiet but clear.

Selene froze. Most people weren’t even self-aware when Xyra had them wrapped up in her mind games. But Ennuy... he remembered.

In the back corner of the campus, Aether was pacing, venting to Nason about how Adrian had damn near killed him by portalling him into the sky. “Man, it’s like he wanted me dead, like he was waiting to see me splatter on the ground,” Aether grumbled. “I had to burn through all my void magic just to reverse the gravity and slow my fall. The mana cost was insane.”

Nason just laughed, shaking his head. “Bro, you're lucky Xyra didn't get her hands on you. If she did, you’d be buried six feet under. Trust me, Adrian hates your guts now, and it's got everything to do with you dating his little sister, Celesse.”

Aether flushed at that, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “I don’t even know if we’re really dating. Things are just... moving too fast. I think the sisters are in some silent war with each other, and I’m caught in the middle.”

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More chimed in from nearby, her voice blunt and cutting. “If I were you, I'd focus on your Pact. They probably see you as a traitor after the way you led them into that ass-whooping.”

Aether’s mood dropped like a stone. “Yeah... I guess you’re right. Anyway, Celesse wanted to see me in the library, so I better go.”

Aether found Celesse posted up in the back of the library, her feet kicked up on a table like she owned the joint. Dusty old books and scrolls were scattered around her like ancient junk, but the look on her face wasn’t about knowledge—it was frustration. Her usual calm was cracked wide open, and she didn’t bother hiding it this time.

“Yo,” she muttered as he walked in, not even looking up. “I’m stuck, Aether.” Her voice was low, but there was a sharp edge to it, like a blade just waiting to cut. “Xyra’s out here flexin’ her domain like she’s untouchable, Selene’s getting there, and me? I’m sitting here with nothing to show. If we wanna stop her, I gotta unlock mine, no doubt.”

Aether slid into the seat across from her, leaning back like he was trying to play it cool, but the weight of her words hit hard. He knew what time it was. Xyra wasn’t just some problem—they were up against a beast. “Facts,” he said, voice calm but his eyes intense. “Xyra’s moving wild. But we ain’t about to let her run the table. Not like this.” He leaned in, voice dropping. “We figure this out together, or we dead in the water. But trust, we’ll get there. We always do.”

Celesse gave a half-smirk, but the fire in her eyes told a different story. She wasn’t playing games anymore. “You damn right we better,” she said, almost to herself. “I ain’t letting my sister walk over me like that.”

The quiet in the library was thick, the air tense as they both let the weight of the situation sit between them. The doors creaked open, and they both turned to see Charm swaggering in, but her usual confidence was gone. She looked like a mess, eyes darting, steps unsure. She spotted Aether and Celesse and rushed over like she was trying to escape something.

Without a word, Charm grabbed Celesse’s hands, making her blink in surprise. “Yo, I’m shook,” Charm blurted out, her voice shaky. “Your brother... Adrian’s tight with me. Ennuy said he’s been lookin’ for me, and I ain’t tryna face that heat. So, I came here to lay low.”

Celesse’s eyebrow shot up, a crooked grin creeping across her face. “Oh, he mad? No cap, I can see why.” She gave a sly nod behind Charm. “You better turn around, ‘cause he’s about to light you up.”

Charm’s whole body went stiff. She slowly turned, and there was Adrian, storming toward her like a predator about to pounce. But instead of snapping, he just grabbed her up in a hug, catching her off guard. His whole vibe shifted, like he was tryna calm a storm raging inside him.

“I ain’t mad at you, Charm,” he said, voice low but heavy with meaning. “I get it. You was just tryna look out for your boy. I can respect that.” He pulled a small box from his pocket, and the light caught a necklace inside—dripping with sapphires. “Here,” he said, holding it out. “This for you.”

The second he placed the necklace around her neck, Celesse’s whole demeanor flipped. She yanked it off Charm like it was trash and held it up, glaring at Adrian. “Nah, bro,” she spat, venom in her voice. “You ain’t spoiling this chick. Not on my watch. You’re too good for this—she ain’t worth it.”

Charm looked shocked, frozen in place, while Celesse waved the necklace in Adrian’s face like it was evidence in a crime. “And better yet, it’s about time we stop playin’ this game with Xyra. All this beef between us? We need to end it. Now.”

Adrian’s expression darkened, his jaw tight as he spat back, “Hypocrite much? You’re sittin’ here with your new man,” he motioned at Aether, “and you wanna come at me for buyin’ a gift for my girl? Nah, miss me with that.”

Celesse’s laugh was cold, like she was enjoying the chaos. “Yeah, I’m the youngest, bro. I can get away with wildin’ out. But you? You’re the oldest. It’s different for you. You think Father and Grandmother Zelyndra don’t have something lined up for you? I wouldn’t be surprised if they already picked out a fiancée for you, or planning for you to take over the Underdark. You carry more weight than all of us.”

Adrian’s face twisted with frustration. He didn’t have a comeback for that. She had hit him where it hurt, and it showed. “You know what?” he muttered. “I’m out.” With a flick of his wrist, a portal opened up beside him, the blue energy swirling like a tempest. Without another word, he stepped through, vanishing before anyone could respond.

Charm stood there, lost in the whirlwind of drama. Tears welled up in her eyes as she stood there, shaking her head. She glanced at Celesse, then Aether, before bolting out of the library, her sobs echoing through the old walls.

Celesse rolled her eyes, leaning back in her chair as if nothing had happened. “This family’s a wreck,” she muttered, glancing at Aether, who just shook his head, lost in thought. “If Adrian don’t get his head straight, we’re all gonna fall apart. And Xyra? She’s watching us eat each other alive.”

Aether leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “So what’s the play, then?”

Celesse’s eyes narrowed. “Simple. We finish this. Me, you, and Selene—we need to get our domains on lock. No more playin’ nice with Xyra. She wants war? She got it. ‘Cause if we don’t step up, we ain’t just gonna lose. We’re gonna get wiped out.”