The celebration didn’t die down for a long while.

  South House freshmen crowded around them in waves—loud, excited, talking over each other as if the noise itself might preserve the moment. Someone shoved a drink into Eddie’s hand that he didn’t remember asking for. Someone else congratulated him like he’d personally piloted the bike.

  Chippy soaked it all in.

  She stood tall, gold medal catching the light every time she moved, basking shamelessly in the praise. She laughed loudly, corrected people mid-sentence, and retold the final stretch like she’d already done it a hundred times—each version slightly more dramatic than the last.

  “Did you see his face?” she crowed. “I swear Drenco looked like his soul left his body! We South Housers rule!!!”

  Alvie, meanwhile, looked like he wanted to disappear.

  He stood half a step behind Eddie, shoulders hunched, medal clutched awkwardly in both hands as if it might fall off if he let go. Every time someone congratulated him directly, he flinched like they’d shouted.

  Eddie noticed immediately.

  He shifted closer without making a show of it, planting himself just enough in Alvie’s space to block the crowd.

  “Hey,” he murmured. “You did good.”

  Alvie blinked up at him. “…I almost messed it up.”

  “But you didn’t,” Eddie replied flatly. “Which is the important part.”

  Alvie swallowed, nodded, and relaxed just a fraction.

  Eddie turned back to the chaos, then glanced at Alvie once more.

  “If it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t have won this whole Grand Prix.”

  Alvie scratched the back of his head, blushing slightly. “Y-Yeah… I’m… trying not to think about that…”

  “Dude! I’m serious!” Eddie laughed, pressing a palm lightly against Alvie’s chest. “I get it—it was a simple maneuver, but you must’ve battled demons nerves all in a fraction of a second to pull that stunt off.”

  And Eddie was right.

  Only Alvie knew what had really happened in that moment. But right now, his thoughts were a complete blur. He couldn’t remember anything that came after shifting into third gear.

  More congratulations. More noise. More hands on shoulders.

  Eddie let himself enjoy it—just for a moment.

  They’d earned this.

  Then—

  Something tugged at the back of his mind.

  Eddie glanced toward the hallway again. Where Benneth stood.

  Eddie replayed the moment anyway. Quietly. Carefully.

  Rin had waved.

  Benneth had laughed.

  He’d gestured for her to follow.

  And then—

  Nothing.

  No Rin bursting back into the crowd.

  No excited retelling.

  No messages lighting up his communicator.

  Eddie frowned, just slightly.

  He shook the thought away as another student tried to pull Chippy into a group photo.

  Probably nothing.

  Still—

  Eddie’s gaze lingered on the hallway a second longer than necessary.

  “Eddie!” Chippy cried, gesturing for him to come over. “Come on! Let’s get this photo taken and have us permanently embedded into the Kormadyne history books!”

  “I-I think we should wait for Rin for that. She was our coach, after all.”

  “Pfft! Come on! We can wait for that loser later! She’s probably hugging and crying with her uncle anyway!” Chippy argued.

  “R-right…” Eddie said, squinting at her. He turned back toward the hallway, trying to focus on it. No shadows moving. No footsteps approaching. Nothing.

  “Eddieeee!” Chippy groaned, rushing over and punching his shoulder. “What are you doing?! Come on!”

  Eddie rubbed his shoulder, eyes still fixed down the hallway.

  “Something’s… not right…”

  Chippy blinked, then flattened her expression. “Are you serious? We just won gold and not right?”

  “…Have you seen Drenco after the race?” Eddie asked quietly.

  “No?”

  “…Alright then…” Eddie shrugged lightly. “I-I’m gonna go get Rin back. Then we can keep celebrating and whatever. Maybe even look for Drenco and rub this into his face.”

  Chippy’s face lit up instantly. “Rub this… in his face?”

  Her grin sharpened.

  “Let’s do it.”

  Eddie walked down the hallway. As expected, they weren’t there.

  If Benneth needed a private word, he always took the proper measures to make sure it stayed private.

  Eddie continued until he reached an intersection.

  Forward.

  Left.

  Right.

  They could’ve gone anywhere.

  He ran a hand through his scruffy hair and sighed.

  “Well… no idea where they went. Guess we’ll just have to wait for them.”

  “Oh well,” Chippy replied with a shrug.

  Then—

  

  The sound echoed from the right corridor.

  Eddie and Chippy exchanged a look and headed toward it.

  Halfway down the hall, Eddie suddenly stopped.

  He closed his eyes.

  A rush of cool air hit his face—followed immediately by warmth.

  He turned to his right.

  A large vent sat open in the wall, its grate bent outward. Conflicting air currents poured from it—cold first, then warm.

  “Huh…?” Eddie muttered.

  “What?” Chippy asked.

  “It’s just… why would they be running an air conditioner a heater at the same time?”

  “Dude,” Chippy said flatly. “It’s Kormadyne. And it’s May in Seoul. Weather’s unpredictable.”

  “Still…” Eddie replied, eyes lingering on the vent.

  “It feels off.”

  Eddie crouched beside the vent and reached a hand inside.

  This time, there was no air current at all.

  “Hm… there’s no air coming out of it…”

  “See?” Chippy said, crossing her arms. “You’re just imagining things. Can we go now?”

  Eddie sighed. “Fine, fine. Let’s go.”

  He stood up and turned—

  —and nearly ran straight into Alvie.

  “Heya, guys!” Alvie said cheerfully. “Whatcha doing?”

  “Huh? Oh—uh, we were gonna grab Rin real quick,” Eddie said. “But she’s not around.”

  “What? She’s not?” Alvie frowned. “But these hallways all lead to control rooms and faculty-only areas. The only path back to the coliseum is straight down that way.” He hooked a thumb over his shoulder toward the main corridor.

  “Well… it does make sense Director Benneth would take Rin somewhere private to talk,” Eddie reasoned.

  Alvie rubbed his chin. “Director Benneth? What’s he doing with Rin?”

  “It’s complicated,” Chippy said flatly, already done with the conversation.

  “What she said,” Eddie added quickly. “No time to explain. Let’s just head back and—”

  

  The sound echoed again.

  From the vent.

  All three of them snapped their heads toward it.

  “…I think I can fit down there,” Eddie muttered.

  “Huh?!” Chippy exclaimed.

  Eddie was already lowering himself into the opening, wriggling his lower half through first.

  “Dude! What are you doing?!” Alvie shouted as he and Chippy rushed over.

  “Finding out what that noise is!”

  “Are you serious?!” Chippy barked.

  “Yes!” Eddie replied, sliding farther in. “If I knock—pull me back up!”

  With that, he scooted forward and disappeared down the shaft.

  #

  “…I’ll always regret the day I met you. Right to my grave, Rin…” The words echoed through her head pounding in her skull until it became a headache. Rin subtly, then jerkily shook her head.

  “…Please… no…” She whimpered.

  Drenco just stared. He closed his eyes then opened them again.

  “Yes. I need this.” Then he pulled his wand back and thrusted it toward Rin.

  Rin yelped looking away closing her eyes but his spell never fired. A soft gust of wind touched Rin causing her to immediately look in front of her. Drenco was sent tumbling down the tunnel. She whipped her head back towards where she first landed and saw a small figure in the distance. A boy. The tip of his wand glowing green.

  “The heck?! Rin!?!” He called out.

  Rin jumped to her feet immediately recognizing it. “E-Eddie?!” She shouted back.

  “It’s me! Eddie!” He replied.

  Rin started to sob. Her tears flowing down her face as she rushed over to him. “Oh my gods! You-you saved me!”

  “Huh? Was that Drenco I hit? I thought that was you!”

  “What?! Why were you trying to hit me!” Rin said immediately pouting up.

  “I-I thought it would be funny! Where’s Director Benneth?!”

  “T-There was no Uncle Remmy! Drenco made himself look like him!”

  “Wait. What?!” Eddie replied.

  “…Some… nerve!” Drenco shouted back already on his feet at the end of the tunnel. He was slouched. His wand gripped tightly in his hand. Eddie clicked his tongue stepping in front of Rin holding his other arm out to shield her.

  “This guy! He never gives up!” Eddie muttered to himself.

  “E-Eddie! Wait! He—”

  “No! I’m not waiting! Don’t you remember what he did to us the other day? I still have to get him back for that! I swear, I’ll make him pay!”

  “Eddie, wait! Please don’t—you need to listen—!”

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  But Eddie didn’t listen.

  He thrust his wand forward, firing a condensed green bolt that ricocheted wildly through the narrow tunnel, shooting straight toward Drenco.

  Drenco flicked his wand.

  The spell popped like a bubble.

  Then he .

  Straight at them.

  “So annoying!” Eddie muttered. “Hey, listen! Just because you lose a Grand Prix doesn’t mean you get to run around taking your anger out on people! How about you grow up and lose all by your—”

  He casted a fire wave mid-rant.

  “—SELF!”

  Drenco ducked cleanly beneath it.

  Eddie’s eyes widened.

  “W-What the—”

  “EDDIE!” Rin screamed. “HE’S GROWN STRONGER NOW!”

  She lunged forward, snapping her wand up and summoning a massive ice shard that wedged itself into the tunnel floor, blocking their path. Before Eddie could protest, she grabbed his hand and yanked him backward and ran.

  As soon as they gained distance, Rin spun and cast again.

  Another ice wall.

  Then another.

  Then more.

  All over again.

  Thick. Dense. Layered.

  “R-Rin!” Eddie shouted between breaths. “Don’t you think you’re going a little overboard?!”

  “Trust me!” Rin yelled back. “This ”

  Then—

  Her eyes widened.

  The hiss.

  She knew that sound.

  The air sharpened into a high-pitched grinding scream.

  “EDDIE! DUCK!”

  She seized his head and slammed them both down as she fell with him, curling over his skull protectively.

  A razor-thin jet of fire tore through the tunnel.

  Every single ice barrier Rin had created was annihilated in an instant—reduced to steam and debris as the beam screamed overhead and detonated against the far wall.

  Silence.

  Then—

  “H-Holy crap…” Eddie breathed, staring behind them.

  “W-Was that a ?!”

  “Yup…” Rin coughed. “That’s what he said last time…”

  “Yeah! He has to!” Eddie said, scrambling back to his feet and helping Rin up. “It’s a multi-step spell!”

  “Okay—change of plans,” Eddie said quickly, leveling his wand at Drenco. “You keep making those ice spears and throw them at him. I’ll keep him distracted with barriers and whatever spells I can manage.”

  “S-Sure…” Rin replied, raising her wand.

  She flicked it sharply. Ice formed instantly—thinner, longer, refined into a spear just like Eddie had asked.

  Drenco stood at the far end of the tunnel, wand still outstretched, posture loose and confident.

  Eddie clicked his tongue. “This little doofus… okay—NOW!”

  He fired a single yellow orb.

  Mid-flight, it split into a volley of smaller ones.

  Rin hurled the ice spear forward.

  Drenco cracked his neck and burst into a sprint.

  A barrier flared in front of him, absorbing the yellow orbs—but the spear was already there.

  He dropped to his knees, sliding beneath it as the ice blade screamed overhead.

  Rin gasped.

  Eddie immediately started another spell—

  —but it was too late.

  Drenco was already on them.

  His foot swept out, knocking Eddie hard to the ground. Without breaking stride, he twisted and swung his fist toward Rin’s face.

  The same move.

  The one from weeks ago.

  Rin squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for impact—

  —but it never came.

  Drenco was launched backward, tumbling violently down the tunnel.

  “What the heck was that jerk thinking?!” Chippy’s voice rang out.

  A powerful air gust ripped through the space—the same kind Eddie had used earlier.

  “Chippy!” Rin and Eddie cried out in relief.

  They looked up—

  —and saw Alvie standing just behind her.

  “Chippy! Y-You saved us!” Rin cried.

  “Saved you?” Chippy replied flatly. “I thought I hit Eddie.”

  “What?! No! That was Drenco!” Eddie snapped.

  “Huuuhh???” Chippy tilted her head, genuinely baffled.

  “WAIT A MINUTE—why were you trying to hit ?!” Eddie shouted.

  “Because I thought it’d be funny!” Chippy shot back. “Plus, you made Alvie and me wait forever, so I wanted payback. Wait—” She squinted. “What’s Drenco doing here?!”

  “H-He disguised himself as Uncle Remmy and tried to—”

  “—kill Rin,” Eddie finished sharply.

  “What?!” Alvie and Chippy exclaimed in unison.

  They turned forward.

  Drenco was already standing again, brushing himself off as if nothing had happened.

  “…Seriously,” he muttered coldly, eyes flicking between them, “how is there of you down here now?!”

  Eddie squared his shoulders and pointed his wand back at Drenco. Right beside him, Rin, Alvie, and Chippy did the same—right hands raised, grips firm, ready to win a duel. All four narrowed their eyes on Drenco.

  “Eddie?” Chippy whispered. “Wanna say something smart? You usually do that in fights.”

  “What? So do you,” Eddie whispered back.

  “Yeah, but I’m not in the right mood right now…” Chippy’s eyes hardened. “I just want to see his blood.”

  “What?!” Eddie exclaimed.

  Without waiting another second, Chippy fired a pink spell. It burst midair into smaller shards—every single one missing Drenco completely.

  “Aw, dang it!” Chippy shouted.

  Drenco scoffed and responded instantly, firing a volley of fire bolts straight at them.

  “Crapbaskets!” Eddie yelled, throwing up a barrier of wind. The fire bolts slammed into it violently—but the barrier held.

  “Eddie! Lower your barrier!” Alvie shouted. “I think I can do something here!”

  Eddie dropped it immediately.

  Alvie fired a pure surge of lightning.

  Drenco winced as it struck him, forcing him backward.

  “Yes! Way to go, Alvie!” Eddie cheered.

  “Th-Thanks!” Alvie replied, blushing.

  By now, Rin had crafted three ice spears and hurled them forward—intentionally aiming for the ground around Drenco. But he sprang back to his feet and dodged them effortlessly.

  “Rin! Is that all you know?!” Chippy shouted, already tracing a glowing circle of pink light in the air.

  “W-What?!” Rin snapped, glancing at Chippy mid-cast.

  The circle completed—and a storm of pink and purple petals erupted outward, blasting toward Drenco. They were harmless flower petals, designed purely to confuse and distract.

  Eddie blinked at Chippy. “Seriously? How are you yelling at Rin when you literally tried to kill him with cuteness?”

  “Shut up!”

  “Chippy! Keep that up!” Alvie shouted as he lifted his wand and snapped it downward. A pulse of red magic fired forward—but Drenco flicked it aside and continued charging straight through the petal storm.

  “Oh no! He’s getting closer!” Chippy yelled.

  “Rin! Quickly!” Eddie shouted. “Let’s fire consecutive fire bolts!”

  Eddie fired first.

  Rin followed instantly.

  Fire bolt after fire bolt streaked toward Drenco as he closed the distance.

  Drenco responded instantly—throwing up a barrier of pure water. Not cast in front of him. Not anchored to the space around him.

  Instead, he wrapped it around him.

  “Holy heck…” Eddie muttered, freezing for half a second. “T-That technique is insane… a mobile barrier?!”

  “Eddie!” Rin shouted as she fired again.

  Each fire bolt slammed into the water barrier and evaporated into hissing steam. Smoke filled the tunnel—but through it, Rin noticed something important.

  The barrier was shrinking.

  “If we keep firing, it’ll thin out!” Rin yelled.

  “R-Right!” Eddie snapped back into motion, unleashing fire bolt after fire bolt.

  Drenco kept running.

  “Oh, not so fast!” Chippy shouted. She dismissed her petal storm and fired a focused wind gust straight at him.

  Despite the water barrier protecting him, the force shoved Drenco backward across the tunnel floor. No damage—but they needed distance.

  Rin didn’t hesitate.

  She sprinted forward, wand leveled straight at the swirling barrier.

  “Take this!” she cried, snapping her wrist.

  The water encasing Drenco flash-froze.

  Ice raced across the surface in an instant, sealing him inside a solid prison of white and blue. With a heavy thud, Drenco crashed backward onto the tunnel floor—completely frozen.

  “Whoa—Rin!” Eddie exclaimed. “That was— That was genius! How did you—how did you even know you could do that?!”

  Rin turned toward him, laughing breathlessly—not from humor, but from sheer relief.

  “I-I don’t know…” she admitted. “I just… saw water—and tried.”

  “Yeah!!! Rin!” Chippy cheered, sprinting over to her. “Woohoo!!!”

  Alvie and Eddie joined them, the four of them turning as one to stare at Drenco—still frozen solid on the floor, encased in thick ice.

  “Well…” Eddie said cautiously, rubbing the back of his neck. “I guess we should get a professor down here and explain what happened.”

  “Yeah—and hopefully that jerkwad gets expelled!” Chippy added.

  “Hopefully…” Eddie replied with a shrug.

  As they turned their backs to Drenco, a sharp echoed through the tunnel.

  All four of them stiffened.

  “…Seriously,” Eddie hissed under his breath as he slowly turned around. The others followed. “It’s said that a sorcerer can’t win a duel when they’re outnumbered, so—”

  They froze.

  The ice surrounding Drenco was burning.

  Not melting.

  Deep purple flames crawled over the frozen surface, swallowing it whole.

  “…So how does he keep getting up?!” Eddie finished weakly.

  The ice exploded outward in a blast of steam and shattered frost.

  Drenco stood.

  Purple fire clung to his racing suit, licking across the fabric—but he didn’t flinch. He didn’t even seem to notice. His eyes were wide, unblinking, and filled with something murderous.

  The four kids snapped their wands back up, ready to fight again—but Eddie was shaking now.

  “Dang it…” he muttered. “He’s using accursed flames!”

  “A-Accursed flames?” Alvie asked, panic creeping into his voice. “What is that?!”

  “He’s combining pure cursed elements with fire magic,” Eddie explained, voice tight. “It creates an entirely new element. Water spells won’t counter it—and divine magic barely works!”

  “That was a clever move, Rin…”

  Drenco’s voice was calm. Measured.

  “But it was a big mistake.”

  The kids blinked.

  And in that same instant, Drenco vanished.

  He reappeared behind them—too fast.

  His foot slammed into Alvie’s ribs with a brutal , sending him flying down the tunnel. Rin barely had time to gasp before her wrist was seized mid-cast. Her fingers locked around her wand as Drenco wrenched her arm upward, his own wand jabbing into her stomach.

  A red pulse fired.

  Rin was hurled backward, tumbling helplessly down the stone corridor.

  “RIN!”

  Eddie and Chippy reacted at the same time—but they were too slow.

  Drenco swept Eddie’s legs out from under him again, then twisted, driving his fist straight toward Chippy’s face.

  She braced.

  The impact never came.

  Instead, Drenco’s punch collided with a purple barrier, detonating with a shockwave so violent it sent both Eddie and Chippy skidding backward across the floor.

  “What the heck?! He’s thrown me onto the floor four times by now, Chippy! Four I tell you!!! And-and what the heck was that?!” Eddie shouted, staring at the ground—then at Chippy.

  “I–I don’t know!” she yelled back. “I didn’t do that!”

  They both looked up.

  Drenco stood perfectly still.

  Calm.

  Poised.

  Burning.

  Purple flames trailed behind every step as he advanced.

  Eddie’s fingers trembled. His right hand clutching his wand tightly but his left slowly moved to his second wand.

  “Pst! Eddie! Don’t!” Chippy hissed at him.

  “B-But—”

  “You told us, didn’t you? You said you didn’t want anyone finding out! And you definitely can’t let find out!!!”

  Then—

  A purple portal snapped open beside Chippy’s right foot.

  Eddie lay frozen on the ground to her left.

  A skeletal hand clawed its way out of the portal and slammed into the floor.

  Eddie couldn’t breathe.

  Oh no.

  If that’s Ra… if Ra fully emerges—

  “D–Drenco, stop!” Eddie shouted. “Please! Don’t do this!”

  Drenco scoffed, walking closer, fire curling around his boots.

  “Begging now, Eddie? Honestly—it suits you.”

  “No! This isn’t about my life—it’s about ” Eddie screamed. “If you don’t stop, that thing coming out of the ground will kill you!”

  Drenco laughed.

  “Heh. Nice try. Trying to scare me now? After I’ve already beaten all four of you?”

  He spread his arms slightly, flames flaring brighter.

  “Can’t you see how strong I am? This is proof. I a Starweaver!”

  Eddie’s head snapped back toward the portal.

  A second skeletal hand had emerged.

  The top of a skull followed.

  Ra is going to kill him.

  Then—

  The hands hesitated.

  Slowly… impossibly… they withdrew.

  The skull vanished.

  The portal sealed shut.

  Eddie blinked.

  “What…?”

  Chippy stared at the floor. “…Did Ra just retreat?”

  They looked at each other—confused, shaken.

  “Hey,” Drenco snapped, irritation bleeding through his voice. “Eyes on me.”

  A purple orb pooled at the tip of his wand—white-hot at its core. It hissed. Condensed. Then came the grinding scream of mana tearing itself apart.

  “Watch me when I kill you.”

  Chippy raised her wand.

  Eddie shoved his wand forward, summoning a divine barrier—praying it would be enough.

  “Piercing—”

  “That’s enough!”

  The deep voice cracked through the tunnel like thunder.

  From the far end—where they had first fallen in—someone stepped forward.

  Eddie, Chippy, and Drenco all turned toward the voice.

  A boy with black hair and circular glasses was approaching them. His left hand held an open book, his right a wand. He raised it and fired.

  A gust of high-pressure air slammed into Drenco, launching him into the far wall.

  Before Chippy or Eddie could even react, they were yanked forward—wisps of powdery golden light wrapping around them and carrying them across the tunnel. They landed with a collective , Rin’s and Alvie’s bodies hitting the ground beside them just as abruptly.

  “I was wondering what all this commotion was about,” the boy said calmly, eyes narrowed and locked onto Drenco as he struggled back to his feet.

  “…And seeing you nearly kill these guys?” He tilted his head slightly. “Yeah. Not on my watch.”

  Eddie looked up at him, still catching his breath. “Who are you?”

  “Me?” The boy blinked, then glanced down at himself. “Oh. Uh… I’m Rin’s friend.”

  Eddie’s eyes widened. “What?!”

  Rin groaned as consciousness returned. She pushed herself up onto her knees, rubbing her head. “W-What happened…? Eddie? Alvie!!” Her head snapped around frantically—then froze.

  The boy stood there in a Kormadyne uniform, black robes draped over it. Circular glasses. A book in his hand.

  She recognized him instantly.

  “…R-Rick?”

  “Yup!” he said brightly. “It’s your pal, Rick!”

  Drenco clicked his tongue, irritation dripping from his voice. “Seriously? Another joker in this stupid circus?”

  “Hey!” Rick snapped back, baring his teeth. “I’m practically your

  here. Show your upperclassmen some respect!” His grip tightened on his wand. “You think your little accursed flames scare me, tough guy?”

  “They should,” Drenco shot back. “I’m the next Starweaver!”

  “Starweaver?” Rick scoffed. “What, you a Vandergrift or something?!”

  Drenco shook his head, scoffing. “Yeah. I am! Now bow before me, brat!”

  “I literally just—did you not hear that I’m your ?” Rick snapped. “Seriously… if you’re the next Starweaver, why don’t you show me a single Celestial spell?”

  Drenco froze mid-cast.

  He blinked.

  “W-What…?”

  “That’s right, dumbass,” Rick grinned. “Use Celestial class spell. Right here. Right now.”

  Drenco blinked again. “I… I—”

  “You can’t. Can you?” Rick’s smile widened. “Observe.”

  He flicked his wand upward, then sharply down, before pointing it straight at Drenco.

  The tip of Rick’s wand flashed.

  A steady beam of light—fading pink and lavender—shot forward and slammed directly into Drenco’s chest.

  “AAGH—!” Drenco yelped, crashing to the floor. He groaned, writhing, before pushing himself upright—

  Only to find himself enclosed.

  A birdcage of glowing pink-lavender energy surrounded him completely, the same beam Rick had fired now forming its bars.

  “That’s called a ,” Rick said casually, strolling toward it. “Doesn’t really do much until I add the next part.”

  Drenco slammed his fists into the cage.

  It didn’t even .

  “H-How did—?!”

  Rick tilted his head. “See that? If I can cast a Dream Cage and you can’t… doesn’t that mean I’m closer to being a Starweaver than you?”

  “SHUT UP!” Drenco screeched.

  Rick chuckled. “Nah.”

  He raised his wand again. “Anyway, .”

  A wispy trail of deep, powdered blue light seeped from the tip of his wand, curling around Drenco like smoke.

  In the next instant—

  Drenco collapsed.

  Snoring.

  Deep. Heavy. Unconscious.

  The Dream Cage pulsed red.

  Drenco began to whimper in his sleep, twitching, his face twisting in silent terror.

  “Yeah,” Rick said, adjusting his glasses. “That sucker’s gonna have one

  nightmare.”

  Behind him, Rin, Eddie, and Chippy.

  Wide-eyed.

  Was it really over?

  #

  Alvie’s head rested in Rin’s lap. She couldn’t help but continuously run her fingers through his hair as she waited for him to regain consciousness.

  Eddie had injured himself from the falls—a sprained ankle. Rick had simply formed an ice shard, perfectly wrapping it around Eddie’s ankle. He had instructed him to wait for it to melt. By the time it did, he’d feel better.

  Rick himself had crafted a sort of throne out of stone and sat upon it, lost in the book he held—as if the earlier encounter with Drenco hadn’t even happened. Well, not really a showdown. More like complete domination.

  “S-So… you’re a fifth year?” Eddie asked, looking up at Rick from the floor as he sat beside the stone chair.

  “Mhm,” Rick replied simply, flipping a page.

  “…S-so… how do you know Rin?” Eddie asked.

  “Oh. Rin?” Rick said. “I met her in a desert.”

  “D-Desert?!” Eddie sputtered. He turned toward Rin, who was also listening, and she nodded.

  “He saved me.”

  “S-Saved?! From what?! You lost your memories—fine, I get that—but how did you end up in a freaking desert in the first place?”

  “Actually…” Rick said, pausing. “…I don’t know the answer to that myself. Some bad guys were already there, and I just… stepped in.”

  Rin nodded in agreement.

  Eddie’s right eye twitched, unable to fathom just how ridiculous the story sounded. But oddly, neither of them were lying. Definitely not Rin—and Rick’s expression carried the same sincerity.

  “Well… okay then.” Eddie crossed his arms. “So after the desert thing, Rin started at Kormadyne, right? What about you, mister—”

  “Please! Call me Rick!” he laughed. “I might be your upperclassman, but any friend of Rin is a friend of mine!”

  “Speaking of!” Rin cut in. “Where have you been all year?!”

  “I have a perfectly good explanation for that,” Rick began, chuckling nervously. “I really, tried to meet you all year. I was hoping I’d get to share some snacks—and maybe even get a little audience with Mister Vix, if you know what I mean.”

  “Uh-huh,” Rin replied flatly, heavy with sass.

  “Wait—you also know the Commander?!” Eddie asked.

  “Well yeah. He also helped save Rin in the desert.”

  Eddie’s mind spun.

  “Rin, you really need to fill your friends in more,” Rick said, rubbing his chin as he looked off into the distance. “Well… never mind. They already seem to know quite a lot, judging by all the questions they’ve been asking…”

  “Well, never mind ” Rin cut in. “Why are you wearing glasses?”

  “Oh, these?” Rick said, taking the glasses off. “They’re… hehe… I just think they look cool. They do nothing.”

  Eddie facepalmed.

  “Hey, Rick?” Chippy called out, continuously creating small glowing circles above Drenco’s writhing, nightmare-induced form inside the birdcage. Each circle dumped a cascade of differently colored petals onto his face. “How long is this jerk gonna stay sleepy? I’m really enjoying this.”

  Another dump of petals followed as she giggled deviously. “Hehehehe…”

  Rick laughed. “Wow. She’s highly spirited.”

  Rin gasped as she felt Alvie’s head stir in her lap.

  He slid a hand up under his glasses, rubbing his eyes before looking up and meeting Rin’s blushing face.

  “R-Rin…? Uh… hi…” he said softly, his voice fragile as embarrassment crept in.