—————

Still kicking~

—————

          "Were you supposed to swallow them all?" Phantom said, shattering the tune Káel had been humming all the way to Zalius' tree.

          He popped a shrug, strangely giddy for his circumstance. "I feel fantastic. This planet has some killer medicine."

           "Yeah... that's the problem," Phantom muttered, watching the excitement grow in Káel's eyes as the light of the spirit tree danced in his irises. Like an unruly child he broke into a sprint, arms outstretched to give its scaly trunk a full embrace.

          "I missed you!" Káel coughed as his raised tone pricked his throat, clearing it to give out a dryer voice. "Zalius! I need your help!" He skimmed the empty clearing, his excitement dipping to confusion as he walked towards the little hovel Zalius had shown him before. "I need a winter tree branch so I can free Phantom tonight!"

          Phantom came up beside Káel as he unstably crunched through the grass. "So were we getting your stuff you left by the pixie pond after this... or...?"

          Káel froze, paying Phantom a dish eyed stare. "Oh yeah!"

          "Yeah... you should go to bed," Phantom replied, sighing as Káel obliviously carved on ahead to jump on the vine laced hatch.

          "Hey vines, it would be great if you moved. I need to talk to Zalius," Káel muttered, crouching to pet some of the thicker stocks, as if they could be bribed like a cat. His smile returned as the plants shuffled away, allowing him to rip open the hatch and slip inside.

          He looked around the cold room, dust refracting in the space like a web of stars as he shone a light around for anything that could help. He was quick to feel the presence behind him, undoubtedly Zalius waiting for the opportune moment to scare him.

          As usual.

          But this time he was prepared.

          He whipped around yelling boo, startling Zalius who flinched upright and away from the surprise.

          Káel broke down into hysterical laughter at the irony of what he'd done. "I scared a ghost!"

          "Spirit," Phantom corrected.

          He looked at Zalius who was cautiously keeping his distance. "Sorry, I'm looking for something to free Phantom, I hope you don't mind."

          Zalius smiled, shaking his head.

          "Got any fresh winter tree branches?"

          Zalius frowned, slowly shaking his head.

          "Ah crap. You know where one is?"

          Káel's eye twitched when the spirit shook his head again. "Some use your spells are when you don't even know where the crap I need for them is."

          "He recorded the ritual, he didn't invent it Káel," Phantom sternly replied, saving the monarch from further scolding as Káel released a heavy sigh.

          "Well, I should get out of here before any unicorns come along," Káel growled, pulling the Ceptrum out of his pocket. "I need to get my necklace back, I feel weird without it."

          Zalius's face suddenly filled with excitement as he grabbed his shoulder, miming for him to wait. He crouched, digging through the items on a shelf until he pulled out a tiny sheathed dagger, holding it up with a huge grin.

          Káel sized up the weapon. "That... is not my necklace."

          Zalius nudged the blade at him until he grabbed it, a smile still pricking his hollowed cheeks. "Present." He watched Káel inspect the strange gift for a couple seconds, sifting through a satchel hidden by his cloak to pull out two more objects. A dragon tooth dangling from a black length of rope, and a small jar lined with glimmering dust.

          Káel quickly snatched them, his mouth agape in awe. "How did you...? It's like magic!"

          "Not going to lie, it probably was," Phantom muttered

          Káel didn't register the sarcasm lacing Phantom's tone, the fear he had around Zalius the first time vanquished by the potency of his medication as he gave the spirit a hug. Zalius took it in neutral silence, waiting for the teen to loosen his grip with a grateful smile.

          "Thank you. I mean, I'm totally screwed come the morning. But thanks."

          Zalius paid him a silent nod, motioning for him to close his eyes.

          "Wait," Káel continued, reaching into his pocket to pull out a thin vial of navy blue liquid. He paired it with the pixie dust, holding the two ingredients out to the spirit. "Can I stash these here until I get the branch?"

          Zalius' violet eyes glittered with mischief, his cold fingers brushing Káel's palm as he took the ingredients and slipped them into his cloak. Before Káel could thank him again he shot his hand out to cover his eyes, the forced blink taking him to the familiar doorless room.

          Where would you like to venture this time master?

          Káel brushed his fingers along the Ceptrum in his pocket. My room.

          A door formed and he quickly opened it, startling Truvius who scooched back with fear into a pocket of air, falling right off his bed. As the flutter of pages settled, he looked over the horison of bedsheets cautiously. "Wh-why were you in the closet? I thought you went to the forest."

          Káel looked back at his closet. "Sorry, I teleported."

          "What's a- there's a teleporter in your closet?"

          "I'll explain later," Káel yawned, dropping the dagger on his pillow as he twirled his necklace on his finger triumphantly. "What's the update on the winter tree branch?"

          "Oh, you were serious about that," Truvius muttered, collecting his notes that had sprawled across the floor to climb back onto his bed. "All the ones that were easy to get were harvested."

          "What about the ones that aren't easy to get?"

          "Oh! You mean the ones in a frigid dessert of ice protected by one of the most violent tribes of nomad dragons north of The Eye? Yup, those ones are still there."

          Káel folded his arms, popping an eyebrow at his roommate until he gave him a sidelong glare.

          "What?"

          He tried to hold in a laugh. He'd never witnessed Truvius trying to be sassy, and the lack of polishing was rusting right through. "Nothing. You've just got a bit of a bite right now."

          "Oh?" Truvius let out a breathless laugh, utterly flabergasted at the words coming out of Káel's mouth. "Maybe I'm just a bit surprised that my friend came up to me to tell me he almost died, and we're probably going to be arrested for harbouring an ancient novan, and oh... what else did he do?" Truvius scratched his chin, staring at the ceiling to sell the spotlight act. "Right! He went right back to the forest he almost died in and then popped out of his closet with a knife to talk like everything is just fine!"

          Káel glanced at the sheathed blade he'd tossed on his pillow, answering Truvius' concern with a careless shrug. "At least it's a cool knife."

          "It's a little more than a knife," Phantom replied, crouching to peek over the horison of pillow at the sheathed weapon. "Living and thinking... this one called itself Cursimian."

          "Ooookay." Káel grabbed the knife, slipping it into the drawer of his nightstand and placing a quick locking enchantment on it. "Did you want to stay up the rest of the night plotting an escape plan or...?"

          Truvius shook his head, defeat still heavy on both their minds. "There's no point."

—————

          Káel rubbed Puff's nose, watching it scrunch as the dragon curled next to his head. Sound asleep to make up for the sleep Káel hadn't gotten.

          He had been awake before Carcinos rose, waiting in stilled silence for something to happen. Something like a violent pounding on his door as Sev screamed at him to get up and go straight to Samanthra's office. Or perhaps the door simply unlocking, a troop of breakers pooling in to cuff and escort him to prison. 

          Káel let out a heavy sigh, knowing that was just his imagination running wild. But he still didn't want to see the mess he'd left himself to clean up.

          "You're awake?"

          Káel cracked his eyes open at the sound of Truvius' voice, twisting onto his back to stare at the ceiling. "Yeah. I'm just hoping Ray will forget if I stay in my room all day."

          Truvius laughed out a scoff. "Not likely."

          "You never know, maybe he hit his golem brain hard enough to scramble a few memories," Phantom chimed, sarcasm rich in his tone with a bite too bitter for the crack of dawn. 

          Káel scrunched his brow, leaning up to rub at his eyes with a yawn. He had a plan to avoid his mess, not deal with it. Sleeping in, faking an illness, running off into the forest never to return. They were all very valid alternatives to getting change and walking into the lobby for anyone with an ear for gossip ready to report him. 

          It wasn't because he was scared of Ray, or what Samanthra would have in store for him. 

          It was because his actions last night wouldn't only reflect on him. Phantom's existence was exposed, and the school's fragile trust towards Puff had banked on the reputation of him and his friends. 

          There was a very good chance he'd let them all down.

          Káel leaned up, sniffing his clothes before dubbing his uniform clean enough to skip any morning rituals. He slipped from his covers, reluctance coaxing him back with every step he took. 

          "We're going out?" Truvius said, Káel's confusion pulling out a saddened smile. "I'd might as well come with you."

          Káel didn't fight the offer. His roommate hardly had the kick to stand up against Ray, but company was company, and friends were friends. Even if he wasn't allowed to step into Samanthra's office while administration tore him a new one, there was the smallest shred of hope that he wouldn't have to take the walk of shame alone.

          The smallest shred of hope that if things turned for the worst, he could leave Puff in his care.

          
          The halls were quiet, a factor of fear playing at Káel's mind as everything down to his soft steps doubled in volume. He had psyched himself up to come at the problem head on. Convinced himself he could handle the situation. Ran lines to back up his actions.

          His brain just didn't seem to register the thought and had rung the bells of anxiety instead.

          He could feel a bit of sweat building when he reached the door to the lobby, a moment of silence paid to pace his pounding heart 

          Káel gripped the door, cracking it an inch.

          He couldn't be in the amount of trouble his heart was ready for.

          He pushed through, stepping into the lobby. The web of silence woven around him by the gazes of his peers. In seconds he saw Vera, sat on one of the few couches with Talli, Mariel standing over them like a prison guard. 

          Káel clenched his teeth, the silent gazes ripping through as he slowly approached his friends.

          Or maybe his heart was on the dot for panic.

          As he stepped into the small circle of couches his senses ticked. Eyes tearing into his side as soon as he'd come into view of them.

          As soon as he'd come into view of the one thing he should have expected. A blonde elite, keeping a single couch to himself from the sharp blanket of hostility he'd splayed around him. The smile that slowly took his cheeks did nothing to soften the atmosphere, Káel's mind racing a mile a minute as every argument and stab at authority melted from memory. 

          Ray kept his grin, even as the venom snapped from his throat to speak. "Nice nap?" 

          Káel blanked, uttering the only word running through his mind. "No."

          "Too bad," Ray chimed, dipping his gaze to something on the couch with a little nod. "Go ahead." 

          Káel focused on the object, a snaking pile of metal rested in the plump red cushion. Shining. Twisting. 

          Locking.

          Handcuffs.

—————

          Truvius was in a world of his own. He'd seized up as soon as Ray clipped the Dalem bracelets on Káel, despite receiving no restrictions himself. Káel was still suppressing the stress of his pounding heart, cursed without the distraction of conversation as everyone walked in silence.

          What had Ray said?

          Where were they taking him?

          Not only him. Káel looked around, Vera and Talli were just behind them, guided by the softer presence of Mariel. 

          Alestra was just ahead, suffering in solitude aside Horus. 

          Káel swallowed, guilt worming past the fear to tip his tongue with words. "Why are they here?" he looked at Ray, brow furling as the elite remained silent. "I'm the only one that knocked you out."

          Silence was worse than an answer, and Ray knew it. Káel could tell by the look on his face that he was relishing every second. Every step up to Samanthra's office was a new leap of euphoria, drunk on the power of having a school in the palm of his hand. 

          Horus bore the brute weight of the doors himself, holding them for Alestra to slip through followed by everyone else. Five black waxed chairs lined in the middle of the room, and Lady Samantha stood in waiting for their arrival. 

          It wasn't hard to guess who the chairs were for. Káel sat himself without even needing to be told, feeling the sticky energy of Truvius' petrified terror as he sat next to him, and the suppressed flames of Vera's hungry rage as she took his other side.

          "Mi'lady, I would like to request some explanation for this meeting," Horus spoke up, his voice surprisingly the first soft sound Káel had heard in what felt like hours. Despite the snide remarks he'd left for Alestra whenever they clashed, nothing in his expression was happy with marching her through the halls.

          "Breakers, thank you. You're excused," Samanthra replied.

          "Very well mi'lady," Horus bowed respectfully,  leaving the room with Mariel.

          As the iron doors closed, the air dipped.

          The silence returned.

          "We received a tip from Raymond Peterson that students had discovered a hidden room," Samanthra started, her slow and heavy walk matching to the levelled chill in her voice. "That is not a crime."

          Káel felt a wash of relief fill his lungs with a sigh, the action cut short as he locked with Samanthra piercing green eyes.

          "The practice of ancient lumience however, is."

          Káel could feel the sweat building, his head rushed with nausea as every choice he'd walked to this very point in time hit him over the head. 

          He'd dragged everyone into this.

          Even Talli, and she still didn't know a thing.

          "I want to hear it from everyone's mouth before I hand out punishments," Samanthra boomed, turning her walk in a different direction.

          She was doing something behind her desk, Káel half expecting the headmaster to have some sort of truth serum or spell stashed for moments like these. But what she pulled into view was even stranger.

          Like the five other ones in the room, she was holding a black waxed chair, dragging it to the line like a grim reaper rounding up the bodies. She took the time to line it right next to Talli, slowly lifting her gaze to meet Ray's, the elite's smile gradually dipping to a crushing realisation.

          "A seat for you."

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Quality Quip #44:

'To err is human, to blame someone else is politics.'

~Hubert H. Humphrey