CHAPTER 70: STRANGER THINGS

[The Camp— Euphoria]

The campfire crackled beneath the fading amber sky, its light dancing across the gathered faces.

It wasn’t fully dark yet— streaks of gold and lavender still lingered above, painting the horizon as day slowly gave way to night. The air hung heavy, not with exhaustion, but with the quiet tension that comes after survival. Everyone had made it back. Bruised. Burned and Changed.

Principal Carmela stood at the center, her long golden coat catching the faint breeze that swept through the camp. Darren stood beside her, arms crossed as always, eyes sharp and unreadable.

The relic table— a stone slab etched with runes— stood between them, its surface now bearing the faint glow of returned artifacts.

Camila’s voice sliced through the hum of whispers. "You’ve all faced the wilds of Euphoria and returned." She paused, her gaze sweeping the semicircle of tired faces. "Now we see who among you understands not just power... but unity."

Silence lingered for a heartbeat before she continued. "Jasmine. Punch. Step forward."

The pair exchanged a quick look. Jasmine brushed dust from her sleeves, her expression half-pride, half-defiance, while Punch, calm as ever, followed beside her. They stepped into the center, and the campfire’s glow sharpened their outlines— one fierce, one stoic.

Carmela’s eyes softened as she studied the relic in Punch’s hands— the orb still faintly pulsing with energy. "You were the first to return," she said. "Tell us about your journey."

Punch glanced at Jasmine. She smirked and shrugged, leaving the talking to him.

"We were ambushed," Punch began, his voice low and steady. "Zombies. They caught us off-guard, tied us up. For a while, I thought we were done. But Jasmine... she noticed the relic hanging from one of the trees nearby."

Camila nodded slowly, eyes narrowing with interest. "And how did you escape?"

Jasmine cut in before he could finish, "He turned his middle finger into a blade and cut us loose..."

Other students gasp. "Hraah"

"He did what?"

"Punch could do that?"

Rosé whispered to Mona. But she kept mute, listening to what Jasmine has to say.

"...Creative, right?" She continued, her tone was dry, but there was a faint glint of amusement behind it.

Punch sighed. "We fought our way through. All of them. I shifted into an eagle, used the height to clear them out. Jasmine handled the rest."

Camila’s lips curved slightly. "Teamwork. Adaptability. The two of you worked as one, even when cornered."

Jasmine chuckled under her breath. "Well, we didn’t exactly have a choice."

Darren stepped forward, his gravelly voice cutting in. "Still. You survived together. That’s what matters. Good job kids"

The Principal nodded once. "Congratulations. You’re the first to complete your task. Apparently that makes both of you the winners of this challenge."

Applause broke out from a few corners— Suki, Rain, May and even Mona clapped, though tiredly. Jasmine gave a smug half-bow, while Punch simply exhaled, his expression unreadable.

While Mona clapped her hands enthusiastically, Stephanie, standing beside her, shot her a sharp side-eye— the kind that screamed "you’re clapping for an op."

"Uh... sorry,"Mona muttered quickly, lowering her hands and straightening up. The cheerful expression vanished from her face, replaced by that practiced, fake smirk— the trademark look of someone trying to fit in with the bullies.

Camila gestured for them to step back. "Next group. Soda and Stephanie."

The moment the names were called, the air shifted. Heads turned. The tension that had been mild before now crackled like electricity.

"They didn’t even return together..."

A student murmured from the crowd.

Soda stepped forward first, her boots grinding into the dirt. Stephanie followed with an exaggerated sigh, her smirk already prepared and looking calculated, as though she already knew what to say, And she does.

Camila’s eyes moved between them. "The both of you did not return together...you found the relic or not?"

"Yes," Soda said, pulling it from her pocket and setting it on the stone. Her tone was clipped and controlled— but her trembling fingers betrayed her temper.

Camila waited, expectant. "Ok then...report."

Soda snapped. "Humm..." she chuckled "...Report? Sure. I’ll report." She turned sharply to Stephanie. "You wanna tell her how you ditched me in the middle of the forest? How you just walked off because your ego couldn’t handle being a team player?"

Stephanie rolled her eyes, her arms folded. "Oh, here we go again."

Soda ignored her, continuing, voice rising with every word. "She left me there. Alone. In a forest full of traps and whatever the hell those creatures were. And I still found the relic. Alone. Whoever brought the opinion of making both of us teamates should be questioned..."

Gasps rippled through the crowd. Even Jasmine and Punch exchanged weird glances.

"Watch your tone young lady..." Camila imposed.

Stephanie scoffed, her smirk widening. "You make it sound so dramatic. I figured someone as angelic as you could handle a walk in the woods. Are you that soft? You were acting all tough and shittt..."

"Language Stephenie..."Camila cuts in, only to be followed up by Angry Soda.

"Handle...? Soft?..." Soda’s voice cracked with fury. "You’re a terrible excuse for a teammate, Stephanie. You think everything’s a joke, but you’re reckless, selfish, and you don’t care who you hurt! Didn’t expect nothing more from a pathetic devil"

"Oh my gosh Soda..." Camila said, her voice sharp and surprised.

Stephanie pretended to gag. "Aw, is this the part where I’m supposed to apologize? Or Maybe cry?"

That did it. Soda lunged a step forward, wings twitching as if ready to flare open.

"You piece of shi..."

Camila’s voice cut through like a whip.

"Enough!"

The entire camp went silent. Even the fire seemed to dim at her tone.

Camila’s eyes burned into Stephanie. "You will meet me in my quarters at dawn."

Stephanie’s smirk faltered— just slightly. "Principal Camila, i can expla..."

"Do not speak." Carmela’s tone held no room for argument. "Your conduct has been reckless. This academy trains protectors, not children who sabotage their allies."

Stephanie’s jaw tightened, but she said nothing more. Soda crossed her arms, muttering under her breath, "Should’ve done that sooner."

Camila shot her a look. "You too, Miss Soda. Control your temper before it controls you. Join her and meet me in my qauters after this..."

Soda bowed her head slightly. "Yes, Principal Camila"

"Good. Now step back."

As they returned to their place among the others, murmurs rippled quietly through the crowd. Lily leaned toward Rain, whispering, "That could’ve gone worse. Soda was not having it"

"Could it?" Rain muttered back.

"They were one sentence away from a full-blown fight." Rain said.

Camila raised her voice once more. "Next—Valkyrie and Bulb."

The two stepped forward— Valkyrie composed, though her eyes flickered with unease. Bulb trailing slightly behind, his wings folded neatly, hands tucked into his pockets.

Carmela’s gaze softened as she studied the faint glow of the relic in Valkyrie’s hand. "Excellent."

She placed it on the table beside the others. "Tell us about your journey."

Bulb hesitated, glancing at Valkyrie. "Well... there was this tunnel we found. It collapsed after we..."

Valkyrie subtly hit his stomach. Once and Sharp. As though alerting him to keep shut.

The hit caught him off guard, a choked "ugh" escaping his parted lips. He paused, and looked at her.

Camila noticed instantly. "Something you’d like to add, Bulb?"

Valkyrie forced a smile, stepping slightly in front of him. "No, Principal. Just... old ruins. Dust and rocks. Nothing worth mentioning."

Camila’s eyes narrowed. "Are you certain?"

Valkyrie’s throat tightened. "Yes, ma’am."

The Principal studied her for a moment too long, then finally nodded. "Very well. Good work, both of you. You’ve done well."

They stepped back, but Valkyrie could feel eyes on her— Soda’s, Jasmine’s, Lily’s. Her friends exchanged glances that said everything they didn’t voice. Something’s off.

Camila turned to address the group once more. "You’ve all brought back the relics. Your results will be reviewed, and by dawn, rankings will be announced. For now— rest. Eat and heal. You’ve earned it. SODA. STEPHANIE. NOW!"

The group broke into murmurs and quiet movement as the Principal and Darren retreated toward their tent. The campfire crackled again, the tension easing only slightly.

Tekna crossed her arms, glaring at Mona, who gave her a smug smirk and walked away. Jasmine threw her arms behind her head. "Well," she said, "that was dramatic."

Meanwhile, Valkyrie sat at the edge of the campfire, her satchel clutched close to her, she had put the mysterious necklace she found in the tunnel there. The faint hum of the necklace pulsed through the leather— steady, low and dark.

Lily approached quietly, kneeling beside her. "You okay?"

Valkyrie forced a smile. "Yeah. Just...tired."

Rain joined them, her tone soft but wary. "You sure? You looked... weird when Bulb was talking."

Valkyrie’s fingers brushed the edge of her satchel. She could still feel the warmth of the relic, but beneath it was something else. Cold? Whispers? Darkness? She couldn’t tell.

"I’m fine," she said, her voice distant.

Lily and Rain exchanged a glance. They didn’t push further.

As the camp slowly settled into the quiet hum of night— laughter began to fade, fires dimming. Valkyrie looked toward the forest edge, her expression shadowed. The mark on her lower hip burned faintly, glowing for just a heartbeat before fading again beneath the fabric of her uniform.

Whatever she had taken from that tunnel... wasn’t done with her.