Cole was sittin' on the cold cracked ground, back against some old broken wall. He'd been lookin' for a home since he was six years old—now he was thirteen and still nothing. His clothes all ragged and dirty, his face covered in dirt, but his eyes were still burnin' with something. Maybe hope. Maybe just pure tiredness.
He didn't know where his brother was. No clue if Mark was alive or if anyone even cared. Sometimes it felt like the weight of not knowin' was gonna crush him, make him wanna give up. Almost.
Then outta nowhere this black bird flew down and landed right in front of him. It was shiny black, like a shadow or somethin'. In its beak was this thick envelope that kinda glowed under the moonlight. The bird dropped it right in Cole's lap and just stared at him like it was waitin' for somethin'.
Before Cole could even grab it the bird let out this loud caw and then, like magic it started talkin'. "Cole listen up. This letter's for you."
Cole's eyes got huge. The bird kept talkin' like it was readin' the letter out loud:
Duskhollow Academy of Arcane Arts
Dept. of Magical Enrollment
Duskhollow Keep, Realm of Shadows
By order of the Eldritch Council
Dear Cole
You've been accepted into Duskhollow Academy, where people born with magic learn to master it and protect the realms from darkness.
Your journey starts on the night of the next blood moon. You have to come or you'll lose your magic rights and everything that comes with it.
Bring with you:
Any talismans or family stuff you got
This letter to prove you belong
And courage. Lots of it.
Welcome to your destiny, mr everen.
Signed,
Headmaster Elara Veyne
Duskhollow Academy
The bird gave one last loud caw, then flapped up and disappeared into the night like a shadow.
Cole blinked down at the letter in his hands. "But… how am I ever gonna get to the school?" he asked out loud, mostly to himself. He didn't expect an answer.
Then suddenly, the paper started to shimmer—like it was melting but with light. It twisted, curled, and burst into flames right there in his hands. Cole dropped it with a yell, stumbling back.
But the fire didn't burn him. It rose higher and higher until it exploded into golden sparks—and out of the flames stepped a giant bird. A phoenix.
Its wings stretched wide, glowing like the sun was trapped inside them. Its feathers shimmered with red, gold, and a deep orange that looked like embers.
The phoenix looked at Cole with burning eyes. Then, in a deep, powerful voice that echoed like thunder, it said,
"Sit behind my back."
Cole's mouth hung open. "What—?"
The phoenix lowered itself slightly. "Now, Cole Everen. Duskhollow waits."
Still confused, still shaking, Cole grabbed a handful of its feathers and swung one leg over. The bird was warm. Not burning, just… safe. Comforting.
He sat down, hands gripping the feathers tight. "This is insane," he muttered.
Before he could even blink twice, the phoenix leaped into the air.
WHOOSH!
The wind slammed against Cole's face as they shot upward. The buildings below turned into tiny blocks, then disappeared into clouds. The sky roared around them. The stars blurred past like streaks of silver.
Cole held on tighter, heart pounding, hair flying everywhere.
The phoenix let out a loud cry, fire trailing from its wings as it soared higher.
The phoenix flew fast. Like, way faster than Cole expected. The wind hit his face like slaps, and his hair was sticking up in every direction. He could barely keep his eyes open, but somehow he was laughing. It felt weird and scary but also… kinda cool.
They zoomed over trees, rooftops, and rivers. Everything was blurry underneath them. At one point, they flew low over a street and almost hit an old lady crossing with a basket full of apples.
"HEY! LOOK WHERE YOU'RE GOING!" the lady yelled, waving her hand in the air.
Cole shouted back, "SORRY!!" as they whooshed past her, almost knocking her hat off.
They kept flying. For what felt like forever. Over hills, a broken-down city, glowing lakes, and a weird forest where the trees were all white. Cole tried to keep track of where they were going, but it was useless. Everything just moved too fast.
Then… nothing.
Just gray sky.
Empty. Still. Quiet.
Cole leaned forward, squinting. "Huh?"
The phoenix slowed down and flapped its wings in place. Cole looked around. "Wait… where's the school?"
Before the phoenix could answer, something massive appeared out of nowhere.
A wall.
Huge. Taller than anything Cole had ever seen. It looked old, like older-than-time old. Dark stone, cracked edges, weird marks all over it.
And then… the wall started moving.
Mouths opened up. Not one, not two—but like, five mouths. One at the top, one on the side, one in the middle. And they all spoke at the same time, like a creepy chorus:
"WHAT IS THE CODE? WHICH MASTER SENDED YOU HERE?"
Cole's heart jumped. "Wait what??" He looked at the phoenix.
The phoenix didn't even flinch. Its wings folded slightly, and in that same deep voice, it said:
"Sent by Headmaster Elara Veyne of Duskhollow."
The wall was quiet for a second. The mouths twitched, like thinking.
Then one of them asked again, slower:
"WHAT ARE THE FIVE CODES OF THE DOOR YOUR STUDENT IS IN?"
Cole blinked. "The door what now—?"
The phoenix answered again, without hesitation.
"Strength. Hope. Flame. Loyalty. And Faith."
The wall mouths didn't say anything. They moved again, but instead of opening the door, one of them yelled loud this time:
"I WILL ASK AGAIN. WHICH MASTER SENDED YOU HERE?"
The phoenix raised its head higher and repeated, louder this time:
"HEADMASTER ELARA VEYNE."
The wall paused. Then made a low, growling sound—stone grinding against stone. Cole clutched the feathers tighter. His stomach dropped.
Then slowly, the wall split in the middle.
It opened.
Behind it, a long misty path appeared. Glowing slightly purple and gold. The air smelled like rain and fire.
The phoenix looked back at Cole.
"You ready?"
Cole just nodded, his voice caught in his throat.
They flew in.
As soon as they passed through the wall, the air shifted.
Heavy.
Weird.
Like the sky itself was watching them.
The phoenix's voice rumbled. "Cover your head."
Cole didn't ask why. He just did it. He pulled his hoodie up and yanked his jacket over his head too, like a kid hiding from thunder. His hands were shaking. His heart was racing like a drum.
"Stay still," the phoenix whispered. "And silent."
Cole didn't move. Didn't breathe.
Then the phoenix did something.
Something wild.
It raised its wings to the sky, and they started glowing — not regular glow, but like the colors kept changing. Red, gold, deep purple, blue like ice, and black like night. The tips of the wings sparked and crackled, and Cole felt his skin buzz, like a thunderstorm was being born around him.
Then… BOOM — the phoenix slammed its wings together.
A pulse of wind exploded in every direction. Trees bent. The mist shattered like glass. The ground cracked with lines of light, forming a glowing circle under them. Cole looked down and saw runes spinning, actual spinning letters under his feet, but they weren't any language he knew. Some of them floated into the air, becoming tiny, firefly-like lights.
Everything went invisible.
Like, fully.
Cole gasped—but he couldn't hear it. He looked at his hand and saw nothing. His own body had vanished. The phoenix, too. They were cloaked in something big. Bigger than just invisibility. It felt like the whole world couldn't see them because they didn't exist right now.
And then…
The Shadows came.
Things in the sky.
Big. Fast. Black shapes with silver armor. Wings like broken glass. No eyes, but they turned their heads like they were sniffing the air.
Cole felt his throat go dry. He wanted to scream. Run. Do anything. But he stayed frozen.
One of the creatures got close. Real close.
It hovered just above them, flapping its weird jagged wings. It sniffed the air again, opened its mouth, and let out a shriek like metal scraping metal.
Cole clenched his jaw. The phoenix didn't move.
Then… finally… the creature flew off.
One by one, the Shadows disappeared back into the mist, their shapes fading into smoke.
The glowing runes under Cole dimmed.
The spell faded.
He was visible again. He looked down at his hands like, "What the hell just happened?"
The phoenix breathed heavy, smoke curling from its beak. "They guard the entrance. Darkwatchers. If you make a sound or smell like magic, they'll eat your soul before you can blink."
Cole's heart was pounding. His hands were sweaty. He wiped his palms on his pants. "Good to know…"
The phoenix turned its head slowly toward him. Its eyes glowed gold. "We're not safe yet."
Then it leapt into the air again.
The journey continued, but now it felt different.
Cole held on tighter.
The sky was darker now, not from night but from the thick, swirling clouds above. Lightning cracked through the air—but it was blue lightning, and it didn't make a sound. Below them, the landscape changed: floating rocks, glowing rivers, trees with upside-down branches, and statues that turned their heads when you looked away.
They flew through a tunnel made of stone and fire, zipped under a burning bridge, and finally—finally—they reached a giant floating cliff.
And sitting on top of it was Duskhollow Academy.
But it wasn't a normal school.
It looked like a castle made of night and stars. The windows glowed from inside like fire lived in them. The towers reached up and vanished into clouds, and strange birds flew around the top, leaving trails of color behind them. The walls were breathing. Yes, breathing. Like the whole thing was alive.
Cole just stared, jaw open.
The phoenix looked back at him and said, real quiet now:
"Welcome to the place you were never supposed to find."
Cole said, "Hold up. A damn minute. What do you mean never supposed to find?"
The phoenix flapped its wings like it got caught red handed. "Well… I might—or might not—have found a tiny crack in the rules to bring you here."
It looked away like it was innocent.
"You're human," it mumbled, "so you're not allowed here officiallllllyyy…"
Cole blinked hard. "Wait. Aren't—like—everyone here human??"
The phoenix turned around, real serious now. "I just flew you through a whole-ass magic city, and you ask that? You're literally talking to a PHOENIX. You were brought here by a phoenix. A phoenix who can use magic. Like, what the hell were you thinking?"
Cole raised his arms. "I dunno—I thought this was all, like, a setup or something?"
"A setup?!" the phoenix snapped, feathers ruffling.
"Yeah. Like… I dunno. A dream. My imagination maybe?" Cole said, almost laughing.
The phoenix flopped its wings down like it gave up. "AGH. Rude. I am 100% real."
(Yes. Literally 100%.)
Cole squinted. "You sure tho?"
The phoenix glared at him. "Do you want me to burn your eyebrows off? Is that proof?"
Cole backed up. "Nah, nah. You good. We're good."
The phoenix rolled its eyes. "I swear… why are humans like this?"
Then it paused. "Anyway… we're already in trouble. So might as well enjoy the ride before the Headmaster finds out and throws me in the fire pit."
Cole just looked around, still trying to take it all in. Magic city, talking wall, flying bird with flames, and now… this.
"I'm not even supposed to be here?"
The phoenix looked at him. "Nope."
"…Cool," Cole said. "So what now?"
The phoenix grinned. "Now we sneak in. Properly."
They tried to sneak in.
The phoenix had wrapped them both in some kind of invisibility shimmer, which honestly just looked like sparkly dust. It whispered, "Stay low," and they tiptoed through a hallway with floating candles and echoing footsteps that weren't theirs.
They ducked under a floating staircase.
Tiptoed past two weird statues that looked too alive.
Cole almost tripped on a glowing vine.
The phoenix whispered, "Shhh!"
And then—
Boom.
A loud echo.
A thundering voice.
"ELERA VYNE," someone shouted from above.
Oh crap. The Headmaster was already alert.
A tall shadowy woman in dark blue robes appeared from nowhere, her boots hitting the marble floor so hard it almost cracked. Her eyes glowed silver. Her cloak snapped in the wind that wasn't even there.
She pointed right at them.
The phoenix froze. "Oops."
"Oops!?" she growled. "Oops!?!"
"Hi, Miss Elera," the phoenix said, voice suddenly way smaller.
Elera's face went stone cold. "You let a student in. AND you forged my handwriting. AND snuck past four protection seals. AND didn't even file an entry spell. GIVE ME THREE REASONS WHY I SHOULDN'T TURN YOU INTO A FROG RIGHT NOW. I SAID NOW!"
Cole blinked like he wasn't even sure what was happening anymore. The phoenix slowly fluttered to the ground, wings tucked in like he was trying to look smaller.
KOkay okay okay.the phoenix said, panicking, "uhhe's the child of… of… Arien Everen!"
Elera's eyes narrowed into knives.
"Bringing a child here without my permission is one thing," she said, stepping forward, "but LYING to my FACE!?"
"No-no, no no, I swear I'm not lying, Miss!"
She raised her hand. Magic sparked in her palm like a fire about to be born.
The phoenix shouted, "WAIT—look!!"
He reached into thin air (???) and somehow pulled out a scroll. It glowed a little.
He unrolled it in a rush, shaking a bit.
"It's his—his birthday certificate! It says Cole Everen, born of Arien Everen and—uh—Serah Wynelle!"
Elera snatched the scroll. She glared down at it like it had insulted her personally.
Cole held his breath.
Her eyes darted across the paper. Her jaw clenched. Her hand squeezed so tight the paper almost crumpled.
Then she glared at Cole.
Cole stepped back a little.
"Well," Elera said coldly, "you've got a lot of explaining to do. Both of you."
The phoenix gulped.
Cole whispered, "I feel like I'm about to die."
"You might," the phoenix whispered back.
They were both sitting now in the head office. The room was too clean. Too quiet. Cole's leg kept bouncing under the chair. He didn't trust anything in here. Not the floating scrolls. Not the walls that breathed like they were alive.
Elera stood with her back straight like a sword. She looked at the phoenix, narrowing her eyes.
She coughed once. "So… Vaerion," she said, voice sharp. "You say that he is… Alerien's son. Correct? The king who we never have seen again after the incident…"
Vaerionstill in his phoenix formnodded slowly. His feathers dimmed just a little.
Elera's eyes twitched. "It feels stupid talking to you like this."
She lifted both her hands, fast, no wand needed. Magic shimmered in the air like cracked glass.
With a blink of light, Vaerion wasn't a phoenix anymore.
He was a person now. Or at least, something that looked like one. Skin like gold metal, sharp black eyes, wild hair like a storm cloud, and fire flickering under his skin. He didn't sit like a human either. He leaned back like he owned the chair.
Cole blinked. "Wait… you're one of us? You look like you hate humans, but you're one yourself."
Vaerion turned his head slow. "That's an insult."
His voice sounded deeper now, colder. "I'm a Gryven, kid. We might look like you. But we're not. Stronger bones. Fire in our blood. We're born of sky and spell. You? You're soft."
Cole frowned. "Okay chill I was just saying."
"You were just saying nonsense," Vaerion muttered, brushing invisible dust off his sleeve.
Elera walked to them now, her cloak making no sound. "Alerien's son," she said again. "You better be right. Bringing a human—or half-human or whatever—into Duskhollow without a council vote? You're playing with war, Vaerion."
Cole looked between them, confused. "Wait, wait. Half-human?"
Vaerion didn't look at him. "Let's just say… your mom was special. And your dad was Alerien, ruler of a broken kingdom, long gone."
Elera raised an eyebrow. "And yet his blood walks into my school today."
Cole opened his mouth to speak but no words came out.
What did that even mean?
Who the hell was Alerien?
Why did this all feel like some giant setup—and why did it also feel real
Vaerion stood up from the chair. His eyes were glowing a little now, like tiny suns ready to pop.
"Let me explain it very good," he said, looking right at Cole. "You, Cole Everen, are royal blood."
Cole blinked once. Then again.
And then—"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" He almost fell off the chair laughing. "So this was a setup! A whole prank! You guys got me good, wow. Royal blood? Yeah right."
Elera didn't even flinch. Her face stayed cold as ice. "Nobody is laughing, boy."
Cole's laugh slowly faded. "…Wait. So I'm a prince?"
Elera crossed her arms. "If what Vaerion said is true… then yes. But calm your brain down for a second, you're not some glitter prince walking in with a golden sword."
Cole raised his eyebrows. "I mean I could be—"
"Enough," Elera said. "One thing is for sure though. Your… reputation, your name—it might actually be good for this school."
Cole tilted his head. "How so…?"
Elera walked slowly to the window, looking out over the floating towers and glowing clouds outside. "Duskhollow is known for rich students. Powerful magic bloodlines. High status. A king's son being here makes our academy look even better. More… respected. And your father—Alerien—wasn't just a king."
She paused for a second like she was remembering something far away.
"He was the most smartest… brightest… handsomest—"
Vaerion rolled his eyes hard. "Here we go again."
Elera cleared her throat quickly. "King."
Cole blinked. "So you had a crush on my dad?"
Elera looked like she was about to throw a spell at his face.
Vaerion chuckled under his breath.
Cole looked between them, still confused. "So if he was all that… where is he now?"
Everything in the room went quiet. Even the magical wind outside seemed to hush.
Vaerion's voice was low this time. "That… is a whole different story."
Elera cleared her throat and looked at Cole.
"Alright, Cole, you're in Duskhollow now. We've got five houses here. Let me tell you what they're all about."
She started,
"First up is Shadeclaw."
She waved her hand and for a second, a black dragon flickered in the air.
"Black dragon is their symbol. Shadeclaw kids are quiet, smart, and kinda dangerous if you mess with 'em. They're the ones who think a lot and protect others in silence. Their colors are black and bronze."
"Then there's Thornfall."
A quick little fox zipped around.
"Thornfall is wild, funny, brave, and a bit chaotic. They learn fast and love breaking the rules. Their colors? Green and red."
"Next, Brightmoor."
A white swan floated softly nearby.
"Brightmoor kids are smart and elegant, but mysterious too. Calm and clever, but sometimes kinda cold. Blue and grey are their colors."
"Number four is Gravestone."
An owl ghost appeared, silent and eerie.
"This house is deep and emotional. They're powerful in dark magic, super loyal, but carrying a lot of pain. Their colors are red and white."
Cole blinked. "Wait, you said five houses but that's only four?"
Elera laughed softly. "Oh shoot, I forgot the last one. It's Nightfang."
A wolf moon glowed in the air, dark and mysterious.
"Nightfang's the secretive one. Their students have crazy rare powers nobody really understands. They can mess with shadows, time, or even minds, but it comes with a price. They got this power called 'Veilwalk'—it lets them move through shadows and moments like ghosts, but it drains their life energy every time they use it. Their colors are deep gold and midnight black, kinda glowing like embers in the dark."
She looked at Cole seriously.
"People don't really know what Nightfang kids do. We only see a few of them, but there's more hidden away. They keep to themselves, like they're walking secrets."
Cole asked, "So… which house am I gonna be in?"
Elera just shrugged her shoulders like it was obvious. "You'll know when the others know. Now go change into your uniform and get out of my office."
Cole started, "But—"
"Now," Elera cut him off, firm.
Cole and the phoenix ran out.
Cole looked around, "Wait, where are my uniforms?"
The phoenix shrugged right back at him. "You get those after you're assigned to a house."
Cole frowned. But what is the house anyway?
The phoenix shrugged again, like it was a mystery even to him.
They were walking down the hall when Cole noticed a painter using magic to create a huge colorful mural right before his eyes. He was staring, kind of amazed, when—bam—he bumped straight into someone.
"Oops, sorry! You okay?" the guy asked.
"Nah, I'm fine. Thanks for asking," Cole said, rubbing his shoulder.
The guy smiled. "I'm Jason. What's your name?"
"Cole."
Just then, loud music started booming through the halls.
Jason's eyes lit up. "Whoa, we're almost late for the ceremony! Come on!"
Before Cole could say anything, Jason grabbed his hand and they both took off running toward a huge building at the end of the hall.
Elera stood in the middle of a huge magical stadium, looking way too serious for someone holding a glowing mic.
"Alright, everyone, quiet down!" Her voice echoed through the space like thunder.
Professor Lin leaned over to her and muttered, "Why are we doing this in a stadium again?"
Elera sighed. "Because I said so, obviously."
She turned back to the students. "So. Today's the big day—you're getting sorted into your tower. Each tower is its own house, and you'll live and train with the people in it. I decide who goes where. Don't argue."
She raised her hand, and the group standing in the back row suddenly lit up with black and bronze shimmer. A black dragon symbol appeared on their uniforms.
"Shadeclaw." she said.
The crowd clapped. The students looked down at their badges, some excited, some nervous.
Next group—soft blue and gray sparkles danced around them as a white swan symbol appeared.
"Brightmoor."
More clapping. Some parents even stood up to take pictures.
The third group—green and red shimmer. A wild fox badge. Elera paused, her hand hovering.
Cole blinked.
"Thornfall."
"Wait—me?" Cole said, pointing at his chest as his uniform changed right in front of him.
"Yep. Move it, Thornfall," Elera muttered.
The fourth group—glowing red and white, a ghostly owl crest.
"Gravestone."
They all walked a little slower. Quiet, serious vibes.
Then… the last group. Only a few students. Deep gold and black shimmered, almost glowing like embers. A symbol of a wolf under a crescent moon appeared.
Elera's tone softened. "Nightfang."
The stadium went quiet. No one clapped this time. People just… watched.
"Alright," Elera said, brushing her hands off, "everyone's sorted. Go find your tower. Don't get lost. Or cursed. Or eaten. That's it."
She dropped the mic—literally—and walked off.
Cole looked beside him—Jason was there.
"You're in Nightfang!?" Cole said, surprised.
Jason nodded. "Yeah, but my classmates are total creeps."
Cole laughed.
Jason smirked. "I swear, some of them are vampires. There's this one kid who thinks he's the leader… wait, he probably is. Doesn't matter.
But have you seen the food we get? It's literally vampire food."
Cole grinned. "What, you gonna suck my blood next?" Then he did a silly vampire impression.
Jason laughed. "I might, to be fair."
Cole threw his hands up. "Oh no! My one
and only friend's gonna drink my blood!" Then he did a fake death flop.
Jason laughed harder.
3 hours later…
Everyone had gone to their towers. Cole wandered around alone, searching for his. He was getting annoyed, his bag hurting his shoulder.
After what felt like forever, he spotted a familiar face.
"Ey, dude," Jason called out.
Cole let out a breath. "Hey. Wait… you're lost too?"
Jason nodded. "Yep. Been walking in circles for like an hour."
They both looked around at the twisting hallways and glowing floating torches.
Jason suddenly grinned. "Wanna see something cool?"
Cole raised an eyebrow but nodded.
Jason held his hands out and said, "Mapparexio!"
A glowing pair of glasses appeared in his hands.
Cole blinked. "Uh… glasses?"
Jason smirked. "Put them on."
Cole did—and his jaw dropped. Inside the lens, a magical map hovered, showing their locations and little glowing towers labeled with house names.
Jason crossed his arms. "I made it. Hate paper maps. Too much wind, and they always blow away or fold weird."
Cole laughed. "Dude, that's actually genius."
Jason had a pair of the glasses for himself too. He slid his on and tapped the side.
"Tap the left side," he told Cole.
Cole did—and the world around them shifted.
"What the—?" Cole blinked. Suddenly they weren't in the hallway anymore. They were standing in a glowing space that looked part game, part dream. Floating platforms, weird lights, strange trees made of glass.
"JASON," Cole snapped. "You said this was a map!"
Jason gave a sheepish grin. "It is. I just... made it funner?"
Cole was about to reply when a loud metallic clunk echoed in the air.
A robot appeared.
"WHAT DID YOU DO!?" Cole shouted, backing up.
Jason scratched the back of his head. "WELL… okay, okay, listen. The rules are simple."
"Simple!?" Cole said, wide-eyed.
Jason pointed far ahead. "See that crystal?"
A glowing crystal floated above a high platform, pulsing softly.
"If you reach it, it sends you straight to the thing you want most. Like, our tower. But—if we lose..."
"We go back to the hallway?" Cole guessed.
"Yup," Jason said. "No pain. Just, y'know, maybe some embarrassment."
The robot's chest opened. A timer started ticking.
Jason grabbed Cole's arm. "Run!"
Cole ducked as the robot smashed a huge metal arm down, barely missing him.
"What do we even need to do!?" he shouted, dodging behind a floating block.
Jason yelled over the chaos, "Okay—listen! There are levels. The first one is Run and Hide! Just survive!"
"Great!" Cole shouted. "Super helpful!"
The robot roared. A glowing eye locked onto them. It raised its arm again—BOOM! The ground cracked where it hit, sending sparks flying.
"Seriously!?" Jason threw his hand forward, casting a glowing shield that shimmered midair and blocked the impact. The force of it still knocked them both back a bit.
Cole scrambled up, panting. "What's after Run and Hide!?"
Jason replied, "Level two: Don't Get Smashed. Which is basically the same thing, but faster."
"Oh, good," Cole muttered. "So helpful, again."
The robot revved up. Everything around them started shifting—walls moved, platforms floated higher, and the lights flickered to red.
Jason grinned. "This is where it gets fun."
Cole gave him a look. "Your version of 'fun' sucks, man."
Out of nowhere, random magical weapons spawned around them—glowing swords, spiked hammers, even a floating wand made of bone.
Jason reached for... a piece of paper.
Cole burst out laughing. "Dude, why would you take that? It's literally a paper! We're fighting a killer robot!"
Jason rolled his eyes. "Is this your first time in the magic world?"
Cole hesitated. "...Yes."
Jason sighed, then held the paper out. It shimmered and folded itself like origami—twisting, folding, glowing—and turned into a magical fox made entirely out of light and flame.
"Whoa…" Cole whispered.
But before the fox could move, the robot's massive arm swung forward and slammed into Jason's chest. He flew backward, hitting the wall with a sickening crack.
"Jason!!" Cole rushed to him, dropping to his knees as Jason clutched his ribs, coughing hard.
Come on, come on, you're okay,Cole said, trying to keep it together. You're gonna be okay. I'll get help—"
Jason grabbed his shirt weakly. Cole… take the—
Shh, Cole said quickly, voice shaking. I know, I know. I'll get you to the hospital—"
NO! Jason growled through the pain. TAKE THE DAMN VAMPIRE BADGES AND TURN THEM TO THE ROBOT!!"
Cole blinked. Wait, what!?
Jason's hand shook as he pulled out a pouch from his jacket—inside were red-black badges glowing faintly. "It's the only way… do it, now..."
Cole grabbed the badge—but it slipped right out of his hand and hit the ground with a tiny clink. "No no no—!" he dove for it, just as the robot raised its arm again.
He snatched it up and, without thinking, chucked it at the robot.
There was a flash—like someone lit a firecracker inside its chest. The robot let out a weird grinding sound, then started twitching before it completely blew apart and fell into pieces.
Cole didn't even stop to breathe. He took off running, eyes locked on the crystal up ahead. His legs were sore, his lungs burned, but he kept going.
And when he finally got there—he reached out and grabbed it.
Everything around him glitched for a second. Then—boom—he was standing inside a tower. His tower.
What just—?"
The door creaked open and Jason walked in like it was no big deal.
"I told you it would work," he said, acting all proud.
Cole stared at him. DUDE. I thought you were dying!
Jason raised an eyebrow. From that robot? Please.
You were literally coughing and falling over!
Jason held up a crumpled red candy wrapper. Had a berry in my mouth. Looked dramatic, didn't it?
Cole just groaned. You're the worst.
Jason flopped down on a chair, grinning. Still got us to the tower though.