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Chapter 5 - Chapter Four: Whispers and Shadows

** Drevlin the Fire Master POV**

It had been years since I'd seen anyone take to fire magic like that. The boy had come out of nowhere, stirring up Wizard City with his powers. At first, no one had paid him any mind—a scrawny kid, no older than eleven, wandering around with that strange circlet on his head. But as time passed, we couldn't ignore him anymore.

I remember the first time I saw him duel. It was a quiet afternoon, and the square was practically empty. One of the older wizards—Edvold, I think—decided he'd teach the boy a lesson for being so... *off-putting*. Edvold had always been full of himself, thinking his mastery of ice made him untouchable. But that boy—Nelson—he didn't flinch. He just stood there, waiting.

When Edvold struck, sending a torrent of frost across the square, the boy's response was immediate. Flames roared from his hands, not wild or uncontrolled, but precise. He didn't just melt the ice—he vaporized it in seconds. Edvold never saw it coming. By the time it was over, the square was scorched black, and the boy stood alone, not a single burn mark on him.

It wasn't just the power that impressed me—it was the control. He wasn't just a kid throwing fire around for fun. He knew what he was doing. He had potential. But there was something else, too... something that made the other wizards uncomfortable.

He wasn't *one of us*.

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** Lila, Apprentice Wizard POV**

I've seen him around a lot. Everyone has. But nobody really talks to him. Nelson, I think that's his name. He's strange—he doesn't fit in here, and not just because of the way he acts. I heard some of the older wizards call him *Unacceptable*. I don't know what they mean by that, but it feels... true. Whenever he walks into a room, the air gets heavier. People glance at him, then quickly look away.

I remember one time in the market, I was buying some supplies for my potion class, and I saw him talking to one of the stall owners. I didn't hear everything, but I could tell the conversation was tense. The stall owner—Gremick, I think—looked nervous, almost scared. Nelson didn't look angry, but there was something intense about the way he was asking questions. Something unsettling.

And then... he screamed.

I'm not even sure what happened. It was like the air itself shook. Gremick crumpled to the ground, unconscious, and Nelson just walked away. Like nothing had happened.

Everyone was talking about it for weeks after. "The boy with the shriek," they called him. I heard a few people say it was **Power Shriek**, a type of magic nobody uses anymore because it's... well, it's shameful. It's not a spell you brag about.

But Nelson doesn't seem to care. He's powerful—more powerful than most of the students here, maybe even some of the teachers. But it's like... he doesn't care what anyone thinks. He's just... different. And it scares people.

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**Bricon the Wanderer POV**

I've been traveling through Wizard City for years now, and I've seen all kinds of strange things. But this boy... he's something else entirely. They call him the *Fire Kid*—the one who summons flames like they're an extension of his own body.

I saw him once, outside the city gates, practicing. I didn't get too close, but I could see the flames from a distance. They weren't like normal fire—his flames were alive, almost sentient. He was shaping them, bending them to his will, creating fire elementals that danced around him like obedient pets.

It was... mesmerizing. I couldn't look away.

But there was something eerie about it, too. The way he moved, the way the flames obeyed him—it wasn't natural. It felt like he was tapping into something deeper, something more dangerous than he realized.

I don't know where he came from, or what his story is, but I do know one thing: that boy is going to change things. He's too powerful to be ignored. Whether he becomes a hero or a villain, though... well, that remains to be seen.

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**4. Gremick the Potion Seller POV**

I've never been a fan of kids. They're loud, they're messy, and they're always sticking their noses where they don't belong. But that Nelson boy... he's different. He's not like the other kids who come through here. There's something about him—something off.

He came to my stall once, asking about pudding. Pudding, of all things! I told him we don't sell that kind of stuff here, but he wouldn't let it go. Kept pressing, kept asking. The more he asked, the more I felt this... *pressure*. Like his words were pushing into my mind, twisting things around.

Then it happened. He screamed. I don't know how to explain it—it wasn't just a sound. It was like the air itself was attacking me. One second I was standing there, the next, I was out cold.

When I woke up, he was gone, and I knew I'd been cursed. Not by magic, but by whatever strange energy that kid carries around with him. The others don't talk about it, but they feel it too. He's not just a wizard—there's something else at play. Something dangerous.

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**5. Abracadaniel POV**

I don't like him.

I mean, he's not mean or anything... but he's just... too powerful! And it's not fair! He's so young, but he's already got so much magic. I saw him practicing once with his fire elementals. I mean, fire elementals! I've been trying to summon those for *years*, and I've barely gotten a spark. And there he is, making them dance around like it's no big deal.

It's intimidating. I'm supposed to be the one who's good with magic, but every time I see him, it's like a reminder that I'm... well, not. And it's not just the fire. People say he's an **Archimage** in the making, like he's going to be one of the greats. It makes me feel... small.

He doesn't talk to me much. Actually, he doesn't talk to anyone much. I guess that's part of why I don't like him. He's always so distant, so... serious. Like he's carrying some big secret that nobody else knows.

But I've heard rumors. Some of the older wizards say he's connected to Magic Man. That makes sense. Only someone like Magic Man would take an interest in someone like Nelson.

I just hope he doesn't end up like him.

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*Princess Bubblegum POV** (Outside Wizard City)

"I've been keeping an eye on Wizard City for some time now. The wizards there are... unpredictable, at best. Their magic can be dangerous if left unchecked, and the boy they call Nelson is no exception.

Reports from the city suggest that he's powerful—remarkably so. Fire magic, archmage potential, and an apparent immunity to mind control thanks to that circlet he wears. But there's something else about him, something that concerns me.

He's been tied to some strange events lately—disappearances, odd magical disturbances, and, most recently, whispers of the **Lich**. The Lich's influence has been dormant for centuries, but there are rumors that it's beginning to stir again. If that boy is involved... we need to keep a close watch.

I'll have to send Finn and Jake to investigate soon. We can't afford to ignore this. Ooo is in a delicate balance, and if this boy is as powerful as they say, we need to know if he's a threat—or an ally