Chapter 15 — Part 6: Kael vs. Princess Chocolate

Sometimes, war is just an excusen, a playground, a dance where the weapons are flavors,
and victory… a smile shared under the stars.

Hope Kingdom – Royal Square of a Thousand Flavors a golden light bathed the square the morning smelled of warm vanilla, candied strawberries, and crunchy sugar the slimes bustled like joyful children, building at lightning speed a soft arena made of giant brioche, surrounded by bleacher seats made of still-warm cookies banners of icing sugar floated in the gentle breeze, shiny pom-poms swirled in the gelatinous hands of cheerleader-slimes, and in the center, between two pillars of caramelized almonds, stood the stage: the sacred circle of combat… glazed with golden honey the crowd was there familiar faces Saphira, seated calmly on her personal cloud Hope, bouncing in place, cheeks full of cotton candy Diva, standing on the back of a bench, already applauding Destiny, arms crossed, focused Iris, silent, but eyes gleaming Pink, notebook in hand even Dante, sitting with a cup of tea on a flan cushion Élya, of course, floated in a pink sugar cloud, handing out popcorn nonstop then Hope's voice rang out, amplified by a whipped cream megaphone.

— “Today, ladies and gents of eternal sweetness... we welcome a duel like no other!”

Kael entered first, he didn’t walk he cut through the air his golden-striped cape floated like a noble flame, and in his hands, his double blade shone with that unique light the light of restrained thunder, of perfectly mastered power, he didn’t smile not yet.

— “The prince of thunder, master of precision, breaker of shadows and slicer of cakes too tough!”

Then she appeared Princess Melba, queen of dark chocolate she descended slowly down a staircase of sugar pearls, her long gown sculpted from firm ganache, every step leaving behind her a trail of black chocolate shavings her gaze was deep intense sweet, but merciless and facing him, a guest from the kingdom of nocturnal sweets the mistress of bitterness, queen of deadly fondants they greeted each other without touch.

Kael, respectful:
— “I saw you sink a ship with one flick of your tongue. Impressive.”

Melba, amused:
— “I’ve been watching you, prince of lightning you strike fast, but I melt faster.”

The silence shattered with the first clash, Cling, clang, Zap! Kael lunged the lightning sliced the air the crowd gasped but Melba dodged with a sidestep, a sigh, an icy grace her fine blade traced a dark arabesque through the air she countered her molten sword left sticky trails behind, slowing the arena in a soft drag Kael leapt, rolled, slid.

— “Trying to slow me down? Bad bet.”

The terrain became a weapon Melba played with temperature at each step, she melted the floor the brioche turned to caramel the icing stuck the arena transformed into a moving pastry trap Kael, caught in the syrup, summoned spiraling lightning he launched into the sky, blade raised but his sword got stuck, lodged in a block of elastic caramel Melba watched him.

— “You strike like a god, Kael but this is my palace.”

Kael closed his eyes for a second then a golden breath enveloped him ge electrified from within his feet lifted off the ground he soared, twisted, dove his blade vibrated with pure, divine light and with one strike he sliced the air a strand of Melba’s dress crumbled she laughed.

— “Alright you’re fast strong but I… And she hurled her sword.

Kael parried the clash exploded in a thousand sparks a rain of cocoa and lightning filled the arena both collapsed, out of breath, covered in melted chocolate and golden sparks Hope jumped into the center, wand raised.

— “DRAW!!”

The slimes screamed the crowd roared with joy Melba extended her hand.

— “Rematch next full moon?”

Kael laughed.

— “Only if you make dessert.”

They laughed together the sun dipped, and the stands slowly softened in the heat on her marshmallow bench, Saphira whispered to Élya.

— “I think… he really had fun.”

And in Kael’s eyes, for once, there was no tension, no strategy just a gleam, soft as a bitter truffle you keep under your tongue for a long, long time.

End of Chapter 15 — Part 6: Duel in Sweetness.