Acetabela, much like the rest of the Boiling Isles, was still covered in various slimes and pustules that grew all over the structures and beaches, with decaying muscle tendons strung about. Here in the tropical pelvic region however, the people kept the area as clean as possible, and used the grotesque features in decorative ways; from making sure the giant eyeballs that rotated randomly about were hydrated regularly, to the toothy recesses always smelling minty and gargling with cool salt water for those wishing to relax and effortlessly float within. Numerous flowers had been imported from other areas of the island in an effort to disguise the natural odor that permeated the area, and constant magic was used to keep tourists in the resorts in a state of euphoria. Some never left until their snails ran out, and they were forced out of the Inns to vanish in the sands. This wasn't the first time Amity had visited Acetabela. As both a Blight, and the former Grudgby team captain, she had been here both with her family and with Hexside.
Glandus High, unlike Hexside, was built upward with forty two floors above ground and a rumored equal number of floors that reached down to its foundation on the Titan's pelvic bone. The island that Acetabela was founded on was small, forcing its builders to make efficient use of space, and the school was the tallest of all in the city. Amity followed Mr. Pectoralis and the other students into Glandus, clutching the strap of her bag as they entered the massive double doors into the foyer.
The first floor of Glandus High was the largest, able to easily accommodate even Jentil's height, with spiral stairs that literally crawled their way up either side. They were decorated with eyeballs along the banisters that swivelled and tracked each student that walked by, and talons that clawed at the walls to send groups of students up to the next several floors as desired. Unlit sconces lined the walls around the circular room, with a great candelabra that hung from the center of the ceiling that could likely illuminate both the foyer and a fair distance outside through the large decorative windows.
"Okay, you little oozes." Mr. Pectoralis said, turning to the students behind him while looking about for any Glandus staff or students. "There's three floors of dorms that you'll be staying in, starting ten floors up, so you'll be sure to get your warm up before the game tomorrow. This ain't ideal, but no fraternizing with the other team, got it? You're here to win, so keep an eye out for any funny business."
From one side of the foyer, a tall male witch with well trimmed white hair and beard descended down the stairs. He looked young compared to Principal Bump, with stylish rectangular glasses covering his friendly blue eyes, and hardly a wrinkle in his brow. He stepped up beside Mr. Pectoralis with what appeared to be a genuine smile and nodded to the Hexside students. "Welcome, Hexside. I hope your coach hasn't spoken too poorly of us." he chuckled. "I am Dean Samael, and I will be happy to have you here in my school. I've heard about the recent… difficulties that Hexside has had and I hope it hasn't affected your skills on the Grudgby field."
"Right. Well, we're in Dean Samael's house now, so his word goes, got that?" Mr. Pectoralis said, but everyone knew it wasn't a question.
"Ugh. Can't believe we have to room with Glandus trash." Boscha whispered from beside Amity. She had managed to make her way from the front of the group of Hexside students to where Amity was waiting and somehow sneak up beside her.
Amity let out an indignant noise with a quiet, "Yeah." before looking to the side. "I hope you guys win." she offered awkwardly. Their short duel, among all the other events of the last few weeks, had opened a growing rift between them, and Amity wasn't sure if she wanted to close it or rip it wide open, making conversation difficult.
"We will. So long as Glandus doesn't cheat again." Boscha said. "Maybe you should finally teach me that Thorn Vault maneuver though, just in case." she half grinned, just to let Amity know she was still eager.
Amity's use of plant magic had stopped the day that Amelia had gotten hurt from her reckless use of it, and she wasn't sure if she could still conjure up such a vine with being so out of practice. She had studied so hard to cast that spell when she saw such a feat done in the Good Witch Azura movie, and to her knowledge was the only one to have performed it in Grudgby since. "That's probably not a good idea. I haven't done any plant magic since Amelia got hurt." she replied. "Besides, you've got a good team backing you up. Skara, Amelia, Cat… they're all good players."
Boscha sniffed and looked away. "I got hurt in that game too, y'know. We both recovered."
"Right. Sometimes I forget."
"Yeah, nothing keeps me down for long." she smiled, and began moving with the crowd as the Hexside students began to be directed to their rooms. "It sounds like I'm heading for the tenth floor. Let me know when you're settled in, we'll hit the town tonight."
"Sure." Amity replied, a touch of relief that she wouldn't be stuck in the dorm for the evening washing over her. Just maybe they could all just get along for the night.
"While I made sure our players are paired up together, everyone else gets the pleasure of bunking with a Glandus student." Mr. Pectoralis announced. The remainder of the students groaned. "Hey, knock it off! I've gotta stay in the Dean's office, so suck it up!"
"Later, losers!" Boscha waved from the staircase, with the rest of the Hexside Grudgby team as they ascended. The rest of the students groaned again.
Amity was a part of the next group, assigned to the eleventh floor, and she sucked in a breath before climbing the staircase with nine other students. The upper end of the staircase unclasped itself from the tenth floor once Boscha and the team were off of it, scurrying up to the eleventh with its deadly talons. The students made their way quickly up the flight of stairs, assisted by the steps themselves that rippled with muscle, moving them up automatically. It was clear who the Hexside students were from the Glandus students as Amity's group struggled to steady themselves with the sudden movement, whereas everyone else seemed undisturbed by the constant motion.
The climb to the eleventh floor was quick, and Amity was directed to Bria Bradbury's room as the rest of her group were assigned to their shared student dorms as well. She stiffened her stance and straightened her posture, taking a breath to shed all signs of weakness. She was well aware how things worked at Glandus; the strong ruled the weak. She had lived this credence at home, at school, and in Bonesborough her entire life. One night in Glandus High wouldn't be an issue. Finally, she narrowed her eyes and raised her hand to knock on the door.
"Amity!" Bria shouted, swinging the door open before Amity had a chance to rap her knuckles on it. "It's so good to see you again!" The girl was a fair bit stockier than Amity, with the kind of muscle that came with being in the Construction Track. She had short, dark purple hair that she kept pinned back out of her way, and freckles that dotted her pale skinned face. Dark amber eyes seemed to shine playfully as she opened her arms and lifted Amity off of her feet in a hug.
"Ack!" Amity exclaimed in irritation. This wasn't the Bria she had met last year. That Bria was cold, mean, manipulative, and just a general all around…
"Witch, you haven't changed at all!" Bria said, setting Amity back down on the floor like she was inanimate. "Are you not playing in the Grudgby game tomorrow? That's great! We can hang out, I can show you around the city, even take you to the library! The new Weird Warriors book by Jean de Plume just came out, and I've been meaning to pick up a copy!"
Amity was speechless, and took a step back to keep out of Bria's arms' reach. She shook her head, and couldn't help but look Bria up and down suspiciously. "You read Jean de Plume?" she asked, then mentally kicked herself for focusing on the mention of visiting the library here. "I mean, last time we met, you wanted nothing to do with me."
Bria moved fast, putting an arm around Amity's shoulders and ushering her into the room before closing the door behind them. "I know. I was kind of a jerk last time." she began, plopping down on her bed while gesturing for Amity to sit on the other. "This school, it can bring out the worst in someone, you know? This whole 'The strong rule the weak.' gets really tiring after awhile. I'll admit that when I started on the Construction Track, I kinda let everything go to my head. Especially training with the power glyphs, wow! You wouldn't believe how they can affect you."
Amity was in the middle of cautiously sitting on the bed, expecting it to open up and try to devour her as a typical Glandus prank, but it was remarkably comfortable. She could feel herself blushing slightly at Bria's mention of the Construction Power Glyphs, and she scratched her wrist absent mindedly as she frowned. "I can imagine…"
"Anyway, once I learned how to control their effect, I started to realize just how rotten I was. Amity…" she said, looking at her directly in the eyes. "I'm sorry I was a bully to you."
Amity opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Luz was the only one she felt had ever genuinely apologized to her before. Lilith had said the words, but Amity knew the head witch of the Emperor's Coven had little reason to need the reconciliation of a Hexside student, other than to manipulate her into returning as a recruit. Bria's tone felt authentic, but Amity couldn't help remembering how awful their previous encounter had been. But then again, maybe if Bria could escape the trap of feeling like she had to be awful in order to be respected, maybe Amity could too. "Uh, thank you." she finally managed to say. "I have to be honest, when I heard we were going to be dorm mates, I was a little worried."
"Well, when I heard that Hexside was coming for the game, I checked in with a friend to see if you were joining them. I specifically requested that we could share a room. Just so you didn't wind up with some other Glandus jerk." Bria smiled. "So is there anywhere else in town you'd like to see? I know I mentioned the library; but we have plenty of time to check things out."
"Oh, I actually wouldn't mind seeing the Grudgby field some time…"
"Pssh!" Bria laughed, waving away Amity's comment. "You'll have plenty of time to see the field tomorrow during the game! Let's do something fun!" Bria stood, putting her hands on her hips and moving toward the door.
Amity had been expecting to just be able to finish Luz's Azura book, and work on her own story when she was just going to be in a hotel room for the evening. She held her bag in her arms for a moment, looking down at it. She wasn't fond of having her plans changed by someone else, as often as it may happen, but maybe this was something she needed. Maybe Bria had changed, and maybe she could be a better friend than Boscha was. "Y'know what? Why not? I could use some fun."
"That's the spirit!" Bria exclaimed, opening the door again. Amity reluctantly set her bag aside on the bed and stood, marching out the door with a faint smile.
"I don't believe it!" Bria exclaimed.
"I swear it's true." Amity replied, taking another bite of her leviathan wrap and nodding. "The paper folded up and transformed into a light spell." she added after wiping her lips with a napkin. Bria and her were sitting in a local diner that Amity had never been to, let alone heard of on her expensive family vacations with some of the best coastal food she had ever tasted on the Boiling Isles. Two of Bria's friends, Gavin and Angmar, had joined them at Bria's insistence and although she had been annoyed at the extra invites, Amity found herself warming up to their company. Gavin was a skilled abomination student, with issues with a neglectful father that Amity could certainly sympathize with, and Angmar was a shy plant track student with a penchant for becoming easily distracted by new curiosities.
"I didn't know humans could even cast magic!" Gavin said, seemingly entranced by Amity's tale of Luz. He was tall for his age, with short, black curled hair and dark skin that seemed much more prevalent around this part of the Isles than in Bonesborough. He had already finished his spiderburger and was working on the fried legs that came with it.
"She actually can't. Not like us, anyway. But she found a way to do it with just a pencil and parchment."
"So the whole covention thing was just a misunderstanding?" Angmar asked. Although soft spoken, he was a short, heavy set beast demon with orange, feline features and a quaff of blonde hair that always seemed to hang over one of his bright sky-blue eyes. He was currently half way through his fly-trap and butterwort salad when he distractedly raised a clawed hand to summon a waiter for a refill.
"Well, kinda." Amity frowned, recalling her behavior toward both Luz and her little demon… pet… thing. "Let's just say we were having a disagreement and she figured she could challenge me to a witch's duel."
"Oohhh!" the trio called out with a laugh. "You didn't use the Everlasting Oath, did you?" Bria asked, slurping a cup of apple blood.
Amity nodded, taking another bite. "I did, yeah. But it turned out that it was really just a duel between the Emperor's Coven head; Lilith, and her sister. Unfortunately, we were the ones that paid for it, and we both got labelled as cheaters." she said, putting the wrap down.
Bria reached across the table and placed a hand on Amity's. "Hey, don't sweat it. We understand that you got a raw deal there. We don't think you cheated, right guys?" she said, turning to her companions, who nodded their agreement.
"Really?" Amity asked, a foreign smile creeping onto her lips.
"Sure!" Bria replied. "Honestly, I'm amazed you were able to stand, let alone run after that power glyph was taken off. When I used my first one, I slept for a week once it wore off!"
"I would have liked to, but everything's been pretty busy ever since."
"It sure looks like it!" Amity heard from a familiar group of teens that had walked in a moment before. Boscha stood in the entryway of the restaurant with Skara, Amelia, and Cat in tow, glaring at Amity. The group of girls approached their booth with clenched fists, looking ready for a fight. "What the heck, Amity?! We were waiting in the lobby for fifteen minutes before that little brown haired twerp told us you already took off with Glandus."
Amity couldn't help but reflexively shrink away from Boscha's outburst, and she could feel her face flush as all eyes in the restaurant turned to their booth. "Boscha…" she began, but the corner of her peripheral caught sight of Bria climb over Gavin to stand in front her.
"Why don't you back off?" Bria nearly shouted, getting into Boscha's face. She was noticeably shorter than the Hexside Grudgby player, but her stockier build would still be a good match for Boscha's more wiry physique if it came down to it. "Amity's actually having fun with us. Leave her alone."
"I'm actually just gonna go…" Amity said, feeling the confrontation's attention uncomfortable, and she gestured to Angmar to let her out.
"No, Amity. We still need to go to the library…" Bria said, not taking her eyes off of her potential opponent.
Boscha paused, her three eyes moving from Bria, to Amity, and back again a few times. "Whatever. If you'd rather hang out with these losers, then go ahead. We've got a game to win tomorrow, and it looks like you'll be cheering for the wrong team, anyway." she said, forcing herself to turn away before she lost all self control.
"Boscha, wait!" Amity said, growling at Angmar as she stepped over him when he wouldn't move.
"Don't worry about her, Amity." Bria said, clutching Amity's arm as she tried to pass. "It's one evening of fun with new friends. If she can't handle that, then maybe she's not really your friend…"
Amity frowned, looking after Boscha and the rest of the Banshees until they left the restaurant before wrestling her arm out of Bria's grasp. "Just… just give me a minute." she said, running after the group. "Boscha!" she called, and the group of girls stopped.
"What, Amity?!" Boscha called back, her normally pale pink skin red with anger as she turned around. "I thought if anyone was loyal to the Banshees, it would be you!"
"I didn't plan this, alright?" Amity replied. "And I'm still going to be there tomorrow, cheering you on. I just wanted one evening where I wasn't competing for something. One night where I could decide something for myself without having to worry about how my mom is going to find out about it tomorrow! We all go back to Hexside tomorrow after the game. Just give me one night to just forget about everything."
Boscha looked away with closed eyes and held up a hand. "Show up tomorrow or don't. I don't care. Have fun with your new friends." she said with finality, and then left. Amelia and Skara stood there frowning for a few moments more as Cat and Boscha walked back toward Glandus High. They waved at her shyly, but Amity couldn't find anything more to say to them, and they too began to walk away to catch up to their team Captain. She stood there, watching after them as she absently waved at their backs, and sincerely wondered if it had been worth it to make friends at Glandus at the expense of the others when she would be returning to Bonesborough the next day.
She felt a hand touch her shoulder, and she jumped out of surprise as her mind returned to where she was. "Come on, Amity. Let's go check out the library and relax." Bria said, now standing beside her. Amity nodded, and started walking with Bria and her entourage toward the Acetabela Library.
The size of the library wasn't as impressive as Bonesborough's, but certainly had far more funding. The books looked newer, the stacks were clean, and it had an abundance of assistants that were willing to help patrons find what they were looking for. It was ten stories high, with many of the same escalator-like creatures that Glandus had that climbed up and down to the various floors, transporting all manner of readers wherever they decided to go. Even the retiaculum that connected crystal balls and scrolls across the Boiling Isles was faster here than anywhere else; aside from the Emperor's Castle itself. Amity had spent literal years in the Bonesborough library, exploring every corner of it that she could, and she would happily do the same here.
Bria, Gavin, and Angmar were still with her, surprisingly excited to be there. The group separated quickly; Angmar insistent on going to the top floor to the glass domed atrium where a small biosphere was located. It was apparently filled with a variety of beautiful bug demons that were held in check by a barrier that didn't allow them to escape. It was refreshing to see someone so excited about watching new species of demon, rather than trying to crush them.
Gavin had mentioned researching something he had learned about in one of his classes; galderstones, and where they could be found. Apparently they were some form of naturally occurring relic that the Titan had once produced out of its bile millennia ago that could boost magic. While it sounded intriguing, Amity wasn't interested at the moment in any more magic enhancing substances.
Bria was quick to usher Amity along instead, pointing out blueprints from the Construction Coven that interested her before they passed by the Glandus trophy room. "Glandus keeps our trophies with the pro ones here at the library so that they can be displayed for all the tourists that come through." Bria explained. "Admittedly, most of them are from competing against St. Epiderm." she chuckled. "You Hexside kids are tough to beat. Is it true you have a seventy nine to oh win streak?"
Amity smiled shyly, feeling herself blush slightly at the mention of her exploits. "Officially, maybe. I had a good team backing me up that are still playing in the game tomorrow." she said, looking about at the various trophies. The room looked more secure than she imagined the Emperor's Relic Room was, with numerous decorative cups, clasps, amulets, and shining creatures that were used for awards, including a coveted Rusty Smidge that would be taken out for use in the game tomorrow.
"I'm sure you've seen all of these already then. Let's check out that series I promised." Bria said, leading the way to the fiction section, and she guided Amity to Jean de Plume's Weird Warrior series of fantasy novels that had been a raging success lately. Amity had tried to dive into them as much as everyone else, but they had begun to feel rushed and she simply couldn't relate to the male and female protagonists that were constantly being teased as having romantic interests at the end of every volume that were never realized. Instead, her eyes drifted to a Trekking the Stars book she didn't recognize in what was likely an unending series of a group of witches and demons that were magically teleporting themselves through the cosmos on a quest of exploration.
As Amity wandered down the aisle to investigate, she failed to notice Bria back away quietly to leave her alone and disappear around the shelf. Amity took the book from its place. "Hmm… The Wrath of Apollyon." she read, flipping the book over to its back cover. "Prepare yourself for astrological excitement! The cosmo's ultimate future is in the hands of Jegudial Murk, Dr. Glock; the half Human, and their unstoppable crew. The ultimate grimoire is in the hands of the evil Apollyon and his followers. A duel that will shake the universe cannot be avoided… and the ultimate adventure is about to begin." She flipped the book back to inspect the painted cover. "That's a lot of ultimate." she noted. The book was over thirty years old, and was likely a part of the first run of novels in the series.
To Amity's surprise, the book that had been next to it on the shelf shook itself out of place and fell to the floor, and she looked down at it curiously. It wasn't a particularly odd occurrence to see a book throw itself off of a shelf, especially if it was poorly written, but she could feel a strange vibration in the floor just before a loud, thunderous crack ripped through the library. It felt like a Hookworm train was rattling through the building as more books were rattled off their shelves, crystal balls rolled off of their desks, and students cramming for tests were still unfazed. Amity looked up at the sound of an alarm bell screaming, and a large bipedal abomination stomped out of the trophy room, charging for the front door.
Frozen in confusion, Amity simply watched it pass as three of the black spots on its sandy-orange colored torso eyed her specifically. In one of its hands, it carried a small golden scarab that was clutching an emerald in its mandibles. "The Rusty Smidge!" she gasped.
She began to draw a spell circle in an attempt to summon her own abomination to stop it when a familiar voice called out from the floor above. "Look! That Hexside abomination witch is trying to steal the Rusty Smidge!"
"What? I…!" Amity stammered. She looked up at the owner of the voice that was accusing her and could feel her chest tighten. Bria was grinning at her. Amity turned her attention back to the door, but the abomination had already escaped.
"Isn't that the Blight girl that performed the Thorn Vault last year?" called Gavin from a nearby desk.
One of the library assistants rushed out of the trophy room where the abomination had charged out from. "Someone just broke into the trophy case using a thorned vine from the atrium!"
"I'll bet it was that girl there! The cheater from the Bonesborough Covention a few weeks ago!" Bria shouted again.
Again. It was all happening again. She trusted someone, and they were planting a dagger in her heart. Amity couldn't help but hear her parents in her mind, telling her "Anyone trying to be your friend is only trying to get into your pockets dear. It's best not to get attached." and they were right. There would be no use trying to convince anyone she had nothing to do with it; and finding and possessing the Rusty Smidge during a Grudgby game was the win all move. Stealing it was a more serious offence than if someone had poisoned the entire opposing team.
Amity's natural flight instinct took over, and she ran toward the entryway of the library. Instantly blocking her way was a stone wall that erupted from the floor, and Amity looked up at Bria again, who was tracing an orange spell circle from her place up on the second story and still wearing a smug grin. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest out of fear and frustration, and she faced the stone obstacle again, drawing a quick spell circle with each hand. Two gelatinous, purple arms grew out of the stonework at her feet and clenched their thick fists. She could hear multiple gasps as she raised her own fists in a boxing stance and one-two'd the motion toward the wall. The first abomination fist cracked the stone and pulled back as the second punched through, and they matched Amity's movement in tearing the wall to pieces.
She'd jumped through the hole in the wall and escaped through the door, coming out on the road outside the library. She looked to the sky and spotted Glandus High not far away, charging her way toward it. She'd have to find somewhere to hide for the night, and try to convince Mr. Pectoralis of what happened. She hoped that making her case to her own school faculty and fellow students would be easier than it would be to convince the Glandus staff, but considering how her luck was going lately, nothing was certain.