It began with a thunderclap.
Kael Vaelthorn stood on the eastern balcony of the Dorm Tower, facing the endless horizon. His black cloak billowed behind him in the wind, a cup of steaming tea in one hand and a page titled "Villain Behavior Checklist – Week Two" in the other.
Step #4 on the list glared at him in dramatic handwriting:
4. MASTER YOUR EVIL LAUGH.
He wasn't thrilled.
He'd already practiced the stare. He'd tried monologues (badly). He was still recovering from the poetry duel disaster. And now, according to Cedric's "Official Villain Progress Plan," it was laugh-time.
Kael took a sip of his mint tea, sighed, and looked up at the grey clouds building overhead.
"Let's get this over with."
He raised one eyebrow, tilted his head, and attempted his first villain laugh.
"…Heh."
A sparrow looked at him and fell off the railing.
Kael frowned. "Too soft."
Attempt two: "Mwahaha."
It echoed off the wall and got eaten by the wind. A few leaves rustled. A cat in the courtyard hissed and ran off.
Kael adjusted his posture, added more bass to his voice, and gave it a real go:
"MwahahahAHA—COUGH—AHAHA—"
He choked halfway through, doubled over, and dropped his tea.
From the courtyard below, a group of passing second-years froze in horror.
"Did you hear that?" one of them whispered.
"That's the sound of a final boss awakening," said another.
Kael wheezed. "This is so stupid…"
---
Inside the Headmistress's Tower
Headmistress Virela paused her reading.
"...He's trying to laugh again," she said, sipping her wine.
Her familiar, a tiny dragon curled on her windowsill, groaned. "Should we intervene?"
"No. Let the boy embarrass himself. Builds character."
---
The Next Day
Rumors exploded.
> "Did you hear that? He laughs and the sky turns grey!"
> "Kael Vaelthorn cursed a tea cup and it started raining blood. It was mint tea."
> "I heard he summoned a storm by whispering poetry."
Kael heard all of this while trying to buy bread in the cafeteria. The lunch lady refused to make eye contact and offered him two extra buns "as tribute."
He was too tired to argue.
"Thanks," he muttered, walking away as nobles knelt behind him.
---
Meanwhile, Cedric's Minion Report
> Codename: Spoon Lord
Minion Level: S++
Status: Inspired
Recent Discoveries:
Evil Laugh = Weather Control (possibly?)
Mint Tea = Weapon of Doom
Kael = Unstoppable Stormbringer
Cedric read his notes and added a glitter sticker shaped like a skull.
"This is going better than planned."
---
Elira's Perspective
Elira sat by the window in her private reading nook, watching Kael pace below in the garden. His black cloak trailed after him, and he was muttering something about "not being built for cackling."
She had to admit… he was trying very hard.
Trying to be scary.
Trying to be distant.
Trying to not care.
But she saw through it.
Kael wasn't evil. He was just... weird. And tired. And trying to survive this chaos like the rest of them.
She closed her book and sighed. "If he actually summons a storm again, I'm moving my study spot to the west wing."
---
Later That Night
Kael climbed the same balcony again, now under a sky clear and filled with stars. The storm had passed, and the moon was full.
He breathed in the cool air and muttered, "Forget the laugh. I'll just be the 'quiet threat' type."
He turned to go—then paused.
Cedric was standing behind a bush with a scroll and a wand made of licorice.
"Practicing again?" Kael asked flatly.
Cedric whispered dramatically, "I am recording history in real-time. Do it again. The laugh."
Kael gave him a look. "You're twelve. Go do your homework."
Cedric pointed. "Says the man who wore a fog machine to class."
Kael threw his hands up. "That was ONE TIME—!"
Suddenly, thunder cracked again.
Kael froze.
Cedric gasped. "You did it again."
Kael stared at the sky, mouth half open.
"…That wasn't me," he muttered.
But it didn't matter.
To the students below, to the teachers who heard the tale, and to the masked figures who watched from the shadows...
Kael Vaelthorn had laughed—
…and summoned a storm.
---
End of Chapter 27