Erendil was strolling down the hallway when he stopped in front of a classroom. He noticed Evie's unmistakable blue hair. A smile played on his lips as he stood there, blending into the shadows so no one would notice him. His heart sank a little as he saw Evie sitting next to Doug, her eyes fixed longingly on Chad.

Amidst the lab benches cluttered with tubing, clamps, pipettes, and steaming beakers, Chad seemed to glow with his own golden aura. Evie couldn't tear her gaze away from him. Meanwhile, Chad was trying to decipher what his lab partner was jotting down to keep up with their notes. Erendil's mood darkened; jealousy bubbled up inside him. Though he and Evie hadn't really connected yet, she was easily the friendliest of the new VKs and seemed the most open to making new friends.

The chemistry teacher, Mr. Delay, scribbled a formula on the whiteboard.

"Do you think he's in line for the throne?" Evie asked Doug, her eyes still glued to Chad. "How could he even be considered?"

"Chad," Doug replied. "Prince Charming Jr., Cinderella's son."

Evie turned to face Doug, who was also sneaking glances at Chad.

"Chad has a sort of charisma," Doug noted with a hint of skepticism. "But it's not exactly overwhelming, you know what I mean?"

Evie rested her head in her hand. "It seems like there's a serious lack of that charm," she mused.

Mr. Delay then called out to Evie from the front of the room. "This might just be review for you, but can you tell me the average atomic weight of silver?"

Erendil knew he should leave but found himself unable to move. His jaw tightened and slowly opened, revealing fangs that gleamed under the fluorescent lights above him. He shifted his weight slightly as his jaw emitted a low growl that seemed to reverberate through the quiet classroom like distant thunder.

His gaze locked onto Evie and Chad just as they both looked toward Mr. Delay when Evie's name was called.
Evie stared blankly at the teacher for a moment before responding with a playful smile, "Atomic weight? Well, it can't weigh much—it's an atom, after all!" She laughed lightly.

Erendil's jaw tensed again when Chad joined in with laughter, too.

Mr. Delay beckoned her forward.

Evie pocketed her mirror and strutted confidently up to the whiteboard. "Alright, let's see." She took the marker from Mr. Delay, quickly palming her compact mirror and whispering into it, "How do I find the average atomic weight of silver?" With a quick glance at the mirror hidden by her side, she saw the detailed calculation and began copying it onto the board with flair. "That would be 106.905 times 0.5200 plus 108.905 times 0.4800, which, Mr. Delay, gives us 107.9 amu." She finished with a triumphant smile.

Erendil couldn't tear his gaze away from Evie for a single moment; he shook his head slightly while still cloaked in shadows as she returned to her seat with grace. His teeth glinted softly under his lips, eyes glowing faintly green with specks of gold flickering like embers in darkness. His father's cautionary words echoed in his mind: "Do not lose yourself, son; it is not worth it."

But Erendil's mind didn't waver as Evie turned towards Mr. Delay, who mumbled under his breath, "It was a mistake to underestimate..." Erendil knew he wanted to say 'a villain,' but he didn't let him finish. Instead, with a swift motion, he stepped forward from the shadows and tapped a finger on the teacher's neck. In an instant, Mr. Delay vanished in a flicker of light.

Evie gasped, her eyes widening in shock and confusion as she spun around to face him. Her usually confident demeanor faltered as she stammered, "Erendil... what are you doing here?" Her voice trembled with a mix of fear and curiosity.

Erendil's piercing gaze softened slightly as he looked at her, but the intensity remained. "I couldn't stay hidden any longer," he said quietly, his voice carrying an edge of urgency and determination. The room seemed to hold its breath as their eyes locked—Evie's filled with questions and Erendil's glowing faintly green with tiny flecks of gold glinting like embers in the dim light.

The tension hung thick in the air as students whispered among themselves, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Evie took a hesitant step toward him, her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to comprehend the gravity of the situation unfolding before her eyes.

"What... what did you do to Mr. Delay?" shouted Chad, and Erendil turned towards him, the fiery golden flames in his eyes burning brighter than ever. He leaned close to Chad, "Oh, nothing much, little buddy. Just a pesky teacher who bothered me last time, too," he said quietly and whispered into the blonde prince's ear. "Now, stay away from Evie. She's mine."

Then, he vanished in a cloud of black smoke.

Evie stood there stunned, her heart pounding as she tried to process what had just happened. The classroom fell silent for a moment before whispers and murmurs spread among the shocked students. Chad stumbled back, horrified by what had just transpired.

Erendil's warning lingered heavily in the air as Evie struggled to gather her thoughts. Why had he protected her? And what could this mean for their future at Auradon Prep?

◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥

A couple of hours later, Erendil was still outside, wandering among the trees on the school grounds. He didn't want to go back to the classroom or the bustling hallways. His fingers ran through his shoulder-length dark hair as a headache began to creep up from the nape of his neck.

What in the world did I just do? he thought, rubbing his forehead. I almost killed a classmate—a prince just like me. And for what? A girl from the Isle of the Lost? What kind of creature am I becoming?

Erendil sank down at the base of an old oak tree, his emotions swirling like a chaotic storm. He knew he had crossed a line, but something inside him had taken over—something dark and unpredictable.

I need to figure this out, he thought with determination. Before it's too late.

He knew that the path ahead would be more challenging than ever before, but now he had a new goal: to understand and control his own nature before it destroyed everything he cared about.

"Carlos!" called Ben. The young king came running after Carlos and Dude, but he slowed down when he noticed who was holding Carlos back. Erendil gently set Carlos down and took his hand, trying to calm him.

"Look," Erendil said softly, kneeling beside Carlos. The boy whimpered slightly. "Don't touch him! He's a killer! He'll chase me down and tear my throat out! He's a vicious, rabid pack animal!"

Erendil exchanged a glance with Ben before reaching out to pet Dude, who wagged his tail happily as the young dragon shifter scratched behind his ears. "No, he won't. Dude is the school's mascot."

Ben picked up Dude in his arms and looked at Carlos reassuringly. "See? He's harmless."

Carlos hesitantly extended a trembling hand towards the dog, who licked it gently in response. Slowly, a look of relief began to replace the fear in Carlos's eyes.

"It's okay," Ben said soothingly. "Dude just wanted to play."

Carlos finally managed a small smile as he petted Dude more confidently now. "I... I guess I overreacted."

Erendil stood up again and gave Carlos an encouraging pat on the shoulder. "It's alright; we all have fears we need to face."

Ben nodded in agreement before glancing at Erendil with curiosity mixed with concern. "What were you doing out here anyway?"

Erendil sighed deeply before answering, knowing that honesty would be crucial from this point forward if he hoped to regain control over himself and earn their trust back.

"I needed some time alone... after what happened earlier," he admitted.

Ben nodded understandingly while still holding Dude close for comfort—both for himself and for their newly reassured friend—and they slowly started walking back towards Auradon Prep together.

"I guess I... I should apologize, Ben," Erendil said before turning to face the king, his lips pursed. "I... I kind of sent Mr. Delay away."

Ben blinked, his blue eyes intently gazing into Erendil's with a mixture of concern and curiosity. This was his best friend—a worried king—and Erendil took a deep breath.

Carlos had stopped talking, too; his hand still clutched in Erendil's. Dude whimpered a bit in Ben's arms and looked at the dragon shifter's face as he continued to explain.

"He treated Evie badly," Erendil confessed, though he quickly added, "He didn't touch her or anything like that." He reassured them when he noticed Carlos stiffening beside him. "But he was kind of... undermining her."

Ben's expression softened as he listened carefully. He knew how protective their group could be of one another—especially when it came to Evie.

"What exactly do you mean by 'sent him away'?" Ben asked cautiously.

Erendil hesitated before answering, realizing the gravity of what he'd done. "I used my powers to make him disappear temporarily. He's not hurt or anything; he'll come back soon enough."

Ben sighed deeply but nodded understandingly. The young king knew there were complexities to deal with when it came to magic and emotions running high at Auradon Prep.

"I understand why you did it," Ben said finally, looking between Erendil and Carlos reassuringly. "But we need to handle these situations more carefully next time."

Erendil nodded solemnly while Carlos squeezed his hand for support—an acknowledgment that they were all in this together no matter what challenges arose ahead.

"We'll figure this out," Ben said firmly, kindly, and with conviction. He was not just a king but a true friend who believed in their bond, strength, unity, and guiding light. He was their path forward through any darkness and light, their destiny fulfilled together, and their journey.