COBALT: The Sovereign's Stratagem (Book Two)

Chapter 5: Cursimian Roulette (Part 1/5)

          "Káel Aeric emerged victorious." Stella spoke, her voice ringing right in Káel's ear as he squinted at the volume. 

          "Of course he did, Káel can-do-anything-he-puts-his-mind-to Aeric is going straight to the finals, right after he actually picks up a paddle blade and plays some Obliteration Ball with his team. Right?" Sora pressed, unpleased by the half-hearted nod and giving Káel a thumb between the ribs to jolt some more life into him. "Right?"

          "Yes, your highness."

          "Careful on that one. Can't imagine what kind of response you'd get out of Vera with that reply." Sora retorted, sharing a wincing laugh with Káel as they both imagined their own horrific outcomes. "Did you know she used to hang out with Nomad dragons? Just walk on over to their territory and have tea parties with them?"

          Káel scoffed with disbelief. "Must've been some big cups. Thought she hated Nomads."

          Sora hummed. "Did she tell you that?"

          "Implied." Káel shrugged as Sora popped an eyebrow. Vera hadn't rolled out the welcome mat when she first met Puff, so it was easy to assume her jabs at being eaten by one stemmed from some sort of hatred. Káel peeked through his train of thought for a moment when he heard more crunching steps, his smile faltering at the pack of students coming towards them.

          There was no name attached to the face at the front, but the unflattering length of their hair gave Káel an easy nickname to remember them by. Bucket Head. One of the more vocal students about Káel's trial, and clearly on the opposite side of everything he stood for. Káel made eye contact for a fleeting second but made sure he could visibly see the heavy sigh he'd forced out. And then the student slowed, jerking his chin over his shoulder to whisper something at the three yellow house students tailing him.

          Watch this. If Káel had to hazard a guess. From the way Bucket Head broke from his group to approach Káel, it was right on the money - and he knew exactly what was coming.

          He felt the student drive his shoulder in, taming a smirk as he didn't falter, bouncing his opponent back to leave him picking up his pride with a tiny stumble. Taking a shoulder without throwing his balance in the slightest was a skill he didn't think he'd ever need in his life. But he'd definitely picked it up when he got Puff, and mastered it after freeing Phantom.

          The student tried to disguise the stumble as a weird walk, the jeers of his friends stealing his chances of appearing to have the last laugh. So he pressed his lips to cut the air with a sharp whisper. "Murderer."

          Káel kept walking, hoping he could grate at the student's nerves more by pretending he was less than a whispering breeze. But the shadow to the other side of him parted, Sora's heels scraping as she flipped around and cranked her voice up enough for half the trail to hear.

          "Hey skatlicker."

          She'd gotten the student's attention with ease, and stranger still, took it upon herself to close the bubble of a comfortable talking distance by a foot. Outright confrontation wasn't something he'd seen on her. She was the one that usually dragged him from arguments at school, and preached the merits of a high road. 

          And he'd been called a lot worse than a murderer in Iridis. 

          But there stood the new Sora, chin up and arms folded as she mistook her squint for something intimidating. "Care to share it with the group?"