The ship finally creaked and groaned as it docked, the scent of saltwater and damp wood filling the air.
"Is everyone ready!?" the Captain called out. "We are docking soon."
'It took the rest of the evening and night to get here through the storm, but Amau has yet to wake up,' Sekka thought, his fingers tightening around his notebook.
"Little Amau hasn't woken up yet," Athanase grumbled, his usual teasing tone subdued.
"I wish we had spotted the phantom sooner. At least Mister Lopeh killed it before it killed Amau," Damian sighed, adjusting Ash on his back.
Ash stirred slightly but didn't wake, his small frame still limp from exhaustion.
"The phantoms never killed anyone else, but it certainly tried to kill Amau the moment we spotted it," Sekka stated while writing in his notebook, his eyes glimmering faintly. The siblings noticed but said nothing as the light faded just as quickly as it appeared.
"There should be healers on the island. We are staying in the village for a day, then the heads will come and pick us up to bring us to the campgrounds," Sekka continued, closing his notebook and slipping it into his bag.
"Right! Let's explore the village once Little Amau wakes up," the siblings brightened up, speaking in sync.
A groggy noise came from Ash, but he only curled further into Damian's back. His hands clutched weakly at the fabric of Damian's coat, as if afraid of something unseen.
"Time to disembark the ship!" a crew member shouted.
"And that's—" Damian started.
"Our call to go!" Athanase finished with a smirk as they stepped onto the docks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~15 minutes before~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The docks of Serity Island were nothing grand—wooden planks slightly damp from the sea breeze, torches flickering under the early morning sky. A thick mist curled around the village beyond, barely revealing the silhouette of houses and tall trees swaying in the distance.
Standing at the end of the dock, waiting, were five figures.
Two men walked ahead of the group. One had long red hair reaching his shoulders, his sharp red eyes shining mischievously as he poked at the other man—a tall, dark-haired individual with a permanent scowl on his face.
"Kalego, Kalego, Kale—" the red-haired man began, his voice filled with amusement.
"Shut up, Operal. We are close to the docks," Kalego interrupted, clearly irritated.
Operal smirked. "You really hate being happy, don't you?"
Kalego's frown deepened. "Repeatedly calling my name and poking me will not make me happy, Operal." His tone was flat, unimpressed.
Operal only looked away, flicking his tail lazily. "We have arrived, Augustine~" he sang out.
"I noticed," Kalego muttered, eyeing the ship as students began disembarking.
Behind them, a man with short brown hair and a mustache chuckled. "Oh, Kalego, Operal. It seems the Uruin household genius is coming to the camp."
"Roman, pleasure to meet you again." Operal gave a small bow, though his voice remained playful.
"Many households sent their kids this year, and some rich commoners sent theirs as well. This year will be annoying," Kalego grunted.
A woman with long black hair and sharp green eyes chuckled at his words. "Oh, don't be so sad. You know most of the kids from the academy, so they won't disobey you that much."
"Lily, welcome back. And I am not sad," Kalego stated, though the three around him only laughed.
"The Alice siblings are here as well. This year will be fun!" Lily cheered, clapping her hands.
A new voice, smooth and laced with disdain, cut in. "Xerxes is here. Don't cheer. That brat will make you wish you had the power to kill him."
The woman who spoke had sleek black hair and striking purple eyes. She crossed her arms as she approached, standing beside Kalego with a glare sharp enough to cut through steel.
"Hello, sister Katikan. It seems your hatred for the kid rivals my own," Kalego said, smirking.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The group of teachers stood at the docks, watching as the students poured out from the ship, their chatter filling the salty air.
"Here they come," Lily said with a warm smile, her green eyes scanning the crowd. "They look so nervous."
"Good," Katikan huffed, crossing her arms. "Maybe they'll behave themselves if they stay scared."
Operal's ears twitched as he smirked, his tail flicking behind him. "You say that now, but we both know you'll warm up to at least one of them."
"Hah! As if. The only thing I'll be warming up is my temper when they annoy me," Katikan snapped, but there was a faint smirk on her lips.
"Enough," Kalego muttered, dark eyes narrowing as he spotted a familiar figure in the crowd. "There's Xerxes, already looking like he's plotting something."
"Oh, let the boy have some fun," Operal purred, draping an arm over Kalego's shoulders.
Kalego immediately shoved him off with a scowl. "If you call whatever chaos he causes 'fun,' then I'm leaving him to you."
"Gladly! He's entertaining," Operal grinned, clearly enjoying Kalego's irritation.
Roman chuckled, his calm voice cutting through the banter. "Now, now, you two. We're supposed to be setting an example, not bickering like the students."
Kalego crossed his arms. "Says the man who encouraged Xerxes last year."
Lily giggled softly, stepping between them before Roman could respond. "Let's not bring up old incidents. We're all here to guide them, remember?"
Katikan rolled her eyes but didn't argue. Meanwhile, Operal chuckled. "You're too soft on them, Lily. These kids need discipline."
"Coming from you, Operal? That's rich," Katikan scoffed, shaking her head.
The students began forming lines, some sneaking glances at the teachers. A brave girl stepped forward, her voice shaky but polite.
"Um, excuse me, are you the Heads?"
Roman took a step forward, his presence naturally calming. "Yes, we are. Welcome to Serity Island. My name is Roman, and these are my colleagues: Kalego, Operal, Katikan, and Lily."
Lily waved kindly, while Kalego only gave a curt nod. Katikan raised a brow as if unimpressed, and Operal flashed a toothy grin, his tail curling behind him.
The girl's eyes darted between them before she quickly bowed and scurried back into the group.
"Poor kid," Lily murmured, shaking her head.
"She'll be fine. They all will. Or they won't," Katikan said with a shrug.
"You're so reassuring," Operal teased, earning himself a glare from her.
Roman clapped his hands, his deep voice cutting through the noise. "Let's focus on getting them to the village. There's a long day ahead."
As the Heads turned to lead the students away from the docks, Kalego lingered for a moment, his sharp gaze sweeping over the group.
Roman noticed and spoke quietly. "What is it?"
Kalego frowned slightly. "Just a feeling. Something isn't right."
Operal's ears twitched in amusement. "Oh? Trouble already? This is going to be fun."
"For you, maybe," Kalego muttered, his unease growing.
____________________________________________________________________
As the teachers led the students toward the village, a tense silence hung over the group. The crunch of footsteps on gravel and the cries of distant seagulls filled the air like static.
"Phantoms," Kalego muttered under his breath, brows knotted tight. His sharp eyes darted to the students trailing behind them. "The summoner was on the ship. I felt it."
Without hesitation, Operal slung an arm around his shoulder. "Relax, Augustine," he said with a grin too easy for the situation. "Sullivan probably has it all worked out. Explains why he called us a day early, doesn't it?"
Kalego's glare could've sliced through steel. He shrugged the arm off hard. "One of them nearly died, Operal," he snapped. "The rest are shaken, terrified, some barely able to stand. This—this whole thing—it's a catastrophe."
"It's more than that," Lily murmured, her voice barely above the wind. "It's a tragedy. Tinphi Cra Narain— he is just a child." Her violet eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
Katikan placed a steady hand on her best friend's shoulder. "Lily, breathe," she said firmly, though her own voice was tight. "This is awful, but Sullivan doesn't act without reason. He wouldn't put the children in danger unless—" She paused, her eyes darkening. "Unless it was already too late."
A beat passed, then she added coldly, "Xerxes still deserves to be kicked, though."
Roman, walking just behind them, chuckled under his breath. "Still as ruthless as ever, Kat. You haven't changed a bit."
"Don't start, Albre," she snapped without looking back. "Not now. Focus."
Roman held up his hands in mock surrender. "Of course. But… it's worth noting—" he glanced toward the unconscious student carried by one of the older boys "—that child is carrying traces of Aipotu's aura. Strong ones. That's likely why the phantom was drawn in."
Kalego stiffened. Lily's grip on her sleeve tightened.
Then came a soft sob behind them, broken and raw.
"I think," came a familiar, trembling voice, "Fuiyn has more explaining to do than he let on…"
The group turned to see a woman with wild green hair and tear-streaked cheeks, her bright purple eyes swollen and glistening.
"Ills?" Kalego blinked, momentarily pulled out of his spiral. "What the hell are you doing here?"
Ills tried and failed to compose herself, wiping at her face even as fresh tears spilled over. "Sullivan called me," she said shakily. "Said it was urgent. Said… said I was needed."
Operal arched a brow. "And you cried the whole way here, didn't you?"
"I ran the whole way here," she shot back, voice cracking. "Do you think I like crying like this?"
Operal held his hands up innocently. "Didn't say I blamed you."
Kalego dragged a hand down his face, his breath hissing through clenched teeth. "This is getting worse by the second."
Katikan's jaw was tight. Lily clung to her arm. Roman's usual calm took on a subtle edge.
No one said it, but the truth hovered between them all:
Something had gone very wrong.
And Sullivan had better have answers.
____________________________________________________________
"Keeping us out of the light again, are we, Sullivan?" Roman muttered, voice flat, smile gone. "Very well."
"Very well?!" Katikan's voice shot up, fiery and trembling. "How in all of Mireuk could you think not telling us anything is very well, Roman?!"
"I agree with Katikan," Lily said, her voice sharp, precise. "This isn't acceptable. How could Master Sullivan just—"
"Calm down, both of you," Operal cut in smoothly, slipping into his usual purr as he laid a hand on Katikan's shoulder. "We follow Sullivan's lead, no matter how frustrating it may be. There's no sense in losing your heads now."
"Sob! W-we can never understand what M-Master Sullivan thinks!" Ills wailed, hugging herself tightly. Her tears shimmered and spilled like pearls, her aura of pure grief crawling over everyone's skin. "It's so unfair! So, so unfair!"
Kalego's fists clenched at his sides. "This is absurd," he growled, his tone low and dangerous. "We're not pawns, damn it. He can't just move us around in the dark." His glare turned on Roman like a blade. "And you—you're awfully calm for someone who supposedly cares."
Roman didn't flinch. Just rubbed his temple slowly, like a man who'd seen this play out too many times before. "Because blowing up won't change anything. Master Sullivan's already made his decision. We can only go forward with what we do know."
Katikan stepped forward, voice cracking with restrained rage. "And what do we know, Roman? That there was a summoner on the ship? That a child nearly died? That our students are traumatized before we even started the damn camp?! That's all we know!"
Lily's voice was ice now, trembling beneath its calm. "Master Sullivan was reckless. This never should've happened. He could've warned us. He should've warned us."
Ills let out a hiccupping sob and buried her face in her hands. "And now w-we have to fix it! The poor children! The poor babies!" Her grief-filled aura intensified, settling like fog over their shoulders.
Operal sighed, draping an arm around her to steady her. His tail flicked behind him, irritation barely veiled. "There, there, Ills. We'll fix it. We always do." He then turned to Kalego with a faint smirk. "You, though. You look like a kettle about to boil."
"I'm fine," Kalego said through clenched teeth, his eye twitching furiously.
Roman's gaze lingered on him with amusement. "Are you?"
"Shut it, old man."
Lily sighed, rubbing at her temples. "Regardless of how angry we are… the children come first. They've already been through hell. Arguing won't help them."
Katikan folded her arms and looked away, lips pressed in a tight line. She didn't argue—but her silence spoke volumes.
And then the door creaked open.
Standing there was Sullivan, his expression calm, his smile as bright as if nothing had happened.
"Time to introduce yourselves to the students," he said, chipper.
Kalego's scowl deepened. "Tch. Whatever," he muttered, brushing past him with a sharp flick of his coat.
The others followed, still fuming, still wounded—but duty was duty.
And the children were waiting.
___________________________________________________________________________
The Heads descended the creaking inn stairs, one by one, as the gathered students stood waiting in the main hall—well, all but one.
"The doctor said Little Amau is in a coma…" Damian murmured, hands shaking as he pressed them together. "Ampa Rein Amaryllis… please, please…"
He had knelt on the wooden floor, head bowed low, words hushed as if the gods could only hear whispered desperation. Athanase stood nearby, watching with a soft, unreadable expression. He had seen this before—when panic consumed Damian, he would pray until sleep took him. Their father had been a devout follower of Amaryllis too. It was… in the blood, Athanase supposed.
Sekka remained silent beside them, unreadable as ever. But Athanase noticed how his eyes kept drifting toward the empty spot where Amau should've been. The boy had taken to Sekka fast, clinging to him like a Kokamawi to warm bark. It was cute… and now, painfully quiet.
"Bibtehka Students!"
The sharp voice cracked through the room like thunder. All the children jumped. The grumpy one had spoken—Kalego. His tone carried the weight of iron, and his brows were furrowed in visible irritation. Athanase quickly straightened. This was not a voice to ignore.
"Since we, the Heads, have arrived a day earlier, and your boat trip was… unpleasant," Kalego began, his tone level but firm, "we will begin introductions immediately and assign your cabins. Do you understand?"
Everyone nodded. No one dared not to.
Another figure stepped forward and stood beside Kalego—taller, wrapped in a light shawl with silken black gloves. One by one, the Heads began to introduce themselves.
"I am Professor Augustine Lucius Kalego," he began, voice cutting clean through the space. "You will address me as Sir Kalego. I am Head of Discipline and Combat Arts. My cabin is Haprou. If you are training in physical strength, weaponry, or survival, you will report to me. I will break your bad habits and rebuild you into warriors fit to defend yourselves and others. If you cannot follow rules, then leave."
"I am Lady Katikan Kalego," she said next, her voice colder, but burning with a fire of its own. Her presence, striking and upright, demanded attention. "I am Master of Magical Warfare and Inner Focus. You will call me Lady Katikan. I train mages in the art of controlled power. If you cannot master your emotions, you will not master your magic. My cabin is Gantei."
She bowed her head slightly, then moved to stand next to her brother.
"Miss Lily Medousa," came the next voice, sharp and elegant like shards of glass. "You shall call me Miss Lily. I teach Strategic Magic Theory and Tactical Applications. We do not just cast spells—we place them, layer them, trap and counter with them. You will learn how to win battles before they begin. I also teach in Gantei."
Her eyes scanned the crowd with chilling precision. "And yes—I am watching all of you."
"O-oh! Um, Miss Mariette—Ills Mariette," the next teacher piped up, her voice trembling but sincere. "You may call me Miss Mariette, if that's alright. I teach Magical Ecology and… um, Creature Communication." Her aura shimmered with warmth and sadness all at once. "I live in Ceilnou, and if you love animals, or want to learn to feel what magic truly is… I'll be waiting with open arms."
She sniffled, wiping her eyes. "B-but no hurting the forest, okay? Or I'll cry… a lot…"
"Sebastian Pearl Operal," said the man who followed, his voice a smooth purr, his smile lopsided. "You'll call me Sir Operal, or just Operal, really. I'm not picky. I teach Stealth, Espionage, and Shadow Work. My job is to make sure no one knows you were there in the first place. I live in Haprou, and if you're clever, silent, or just like riddles—" he winked, "—you might enjoy my class."
He took his spot beside the others, tail flicking lazily behind him.
Last was a man who walked more like a shadow than a person. "Roman Freedie," he said simply, voice low and breathy. "You may call me Professor." His gaze held the weight of centuries. "I teach the History of Lost Magic and the ethics of Cursed Arts. If you seek truth… and if you can bear to carry it… come to Ceilnou. But be warned. There is no returning from knowledge."
He gave the students a faint, almost mournful smile. "And I am always watching, too."
The six Heads stood before the students now—powerful, strange, and each unnervingly different. There was no room for doubt.
The summer had officially begun.