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Chapter Text

Normally, becoming fifteen was a huge celebration to Avalorians.  Unfortunately, Mateo De Alva's whole fifteenth year passed and nothing special had happened.  Except for Esteban sneaking him a cupcake for a birthday cake on his Quinceañera.  Now, as he opened his eyes in the early morning darkness, he knew he was now sixteen years of age.

Sighing, he rolled out of bed, not daring to test how long he could procrastinate.  He had long ago started rising before the sun and didn't go to bed until long after it sank behind the horizon.   Not the most ideal sleep schedule for a growing boy, but he wasn't about to vocalize his discomforts.  Perfect way to only get more work on his plate that he already had.

After preparing for the day, he left the room and went to the kitchens.  "Morning Mateo."  A girl, Antonia, tossed him croissant with cheese in it.

He caught it.  "Thanks, Toni." Grabbing a small bottle with water already set by the door for him, he made his way to his destination.  Eating on the way was something he started doing years ago to save time.  He'd rather be early than late.

Mateo's face brightened up as he saw Esteban.  "Morning, Esteban!"

"Morning, Mateo."  He passed by, but not before the teen caught the small smile playing across the man's lips.

The newly turned sixteen year old scurried to Delgado Fiero's Magic Lab in the towers.  From stories he heard from Esteban, it was once Princess Isabel's science lab.  She had been the younger princess the previous royal family before Shuriki took over.  He saw her painting in the throne room behind a tapestry once.

The robed man was already hovering some potion.  Glancing at the clock, Mateo made sure he wasn't late.  Fortunately, he was five minutes early.  That was a good start.

"Good morning, Master Fiero." He gave a quick, respectful bow.

"The broom is over there.  Some idiot set the new bottles on the counter by the edge and some rattled off and broke."

"Yes, Master Fiero."  Once he swept up all the broken glass and tossed it into the waste ben.  "Done, Master."

"Good.  Follow me."

"Of course... Master?" Confused, Mateo follow the Delgado into the room with the big white clock.

Fiero picked up the dying plant and set it on the table.  "Do you know the spell to make this plant bloom?"

"No, it's dead.  That's more advanced magic-"

"It's still mediocre," Fiero retorted.  "However, you're old enough to start getting serious with your magical training."

"Really?" Mateo's eyes lit up.

"Yes, now, before I change my mind, do the spell."  The Delgado set the book in front of Mateo and pointed to the spell.

Not wanting to ruin it, Mateo took in a deep breath to steady himself.  This was an important moment.  This was his time to shine, to prove himself to Fiero.  Prove that he was more than just a vessel for his soul.  He was Mateo De Alva and it would be a name that everyone would know.  At least, he hoped.

He said the spell in strong voice and hit his hand on the tamborita that Fiero had handed him.  However, as he was saying the spell, he saw Shuriki come in from the reflection fo the mirror.  His concentration had split for that fraction of a moment and he accidentally hit the mirror instead of the wilted flower.  It bounced off almost hitting the queen.

Shit!  Mateo cursed inwardly.  He probably just earned a few curse words for the inevitable fate he was about to face.  "I'm so sorry, your highness!  You startled me-"

"Say nothing of it," the woman retorted.  "Fiero, keep the boy's spells in check."

"My apologies, it won't happen again." The old Delgado bowed.

"Yes, I know it won't," Shuriki retorted before walking off.

Fiero immediately turned to the boy.  Mateo had shrank into himself, biting his lower lip.  He was nervously spinning the handle of the tamborita in his hands as an old nervous habit of his.  The elder snatched the magical drum from the boy's hands, making the younger flinch.

"You fool!"

"I'm sorry, it was an accident.  She distracted me when she-"

"If you want to do magic, nothing must break your concentration! Ever!"  He hit the teen on the back of the head.

Mateo bowed his head, defeated.  "Sorry... it won't happen again, Master."

"It better not!  I report for your stupid mistakes, and I never make mistakes!  The only one I made was agreeing to let you be my student.  Aren't you suppose to be the magical golden child?"

The boy didn't answer, merely wringing his hands behind his back.

"Vetzi!"

Mateo felt the sting of the spell that knocked him off his feet.  His back fell into the big white clock.  He grabbed his side, clenching his teeth.

"When you're ready to be responsible, return to my lab," the man growled, taking the book off the table.  He stormed off.

The boy sat there hugging his knees, trying to escape his pain.  He noticed that the impact with the clock caused a hidden drawer to open.  Curious, he peaked in and found a key. "Huh.  Odd."  He tucked it into his pocket and closed the drawer.  He would have to study it later.  For now, he had to get back to Fiero before he got punished for slacking off.

Chapter Text

After all his work was completed, Mateo went into the library.  Typically, he went straight to bed, but there was a book with spells he wanted to read.  He noticed Carla standing in front of the painting, tilting her head at it.

Mateo grabbed the book he was looking for and walked over to her.  "What are you doing?"

"Oh, hey, Mateo." Her face brightened up.  She was training to become a wizard herself, so her and Mateo tended to sympathize with the other's struggles.  "Happy birthday.  I would have said so earlier, but apparently you've been busy all day."

"Oh, thank you."  He grinned.  "I didn't think you'd remember.  I told you when we were kids."

"You never forget mine, so I wrote it down," she admitted.  He merely laughed.

"So, what are you doing?"

"I'm not sure.  Well, I was looking at this painting.  That's about it.  I wonder why they chose to have a painting of something they could literally see out their windows."

Mateo shrugged.  "Maybe one of the old royals painted it."

"Maybe..."  she shook her head.  "What am I doing?  I have more important things to worry about.  Like, how do I get the new spell my father taught me today right."

"Hard time getting it right?"  Mateo inquired.

"Tch... yeah.  I heard about what happened with Shuriki.  You ok?"

"Yeah.  I got the spell right, unfortunately, but I got destacted by her walking in..."

"Well, at least you got it right," Carla offered.

"True."

"Well, I gotta go now."  She gave him a quick hug.  "See you tomorrow, hermano."

"Right..."

She scurried off.

Mateo sighed and ran his hand across the painting.  He stopped when he felt a hole in the painting.  Curious, he looked closer to find a key hole in it.

"Huh... that's weird..."

The keyhole made him think about the stray key in his pocket.  Pulling it out, he put it through the hole and turned the key.  Biting his lower lip, all he could do was pray for it to work.  To his surprise, there was a clicking sound and the wall suddenly moved.  Shocked, he stared into the dark, hidden room.

Slowly, he walked in and torches lit on it's own, startling him.  His eyes widened as he looked around the room. Mateo's sight rested on a large book and a necklace in the center of the room.  He walked over and lifted the necklace, inspecting it.  Gasping as it let off a small glow, he was suddenly slammed with realization.  "The amulet of Avalor..."

His Mamí use to talk about Princess Elena of Avalor used to wear the necklace he was holding.  Unfortunately, Shuirki zapped her with a spell.  However, according to his grandfather, the princess was alive inside the amulet.  Sadly the amulet had been lost when his grandfather died by Shuirki's wand.

That meant this was his grandfather's secret magic lab.  The book was green and he found it to be a spell book that was written by Alakazar himself.

Immediately, Mateo became scared someone would notice the entrance.  He stuffed the book and the amulet in his robe and briskly walked out.  He took out the key, and the entrance closed.  The sixteen year old looked around the room nervously.  Upon seeing no one, he rushed to his bedroom.

Mateo hid the book inside his mattress since it was a lot more coverage than his pillow.  No one ever came in his room, but he was not about to take the risk of someone finding it.

He stared at the amulet.  "I wonder if you can hear me..."

As if in response, the amulet sparkled again.  He almost threw it from being startled, but he caught himself.  "So... you can hear me?"

As he suspected.  It glowed again.  He let out a nervous chuckle.  "You're really in there, aren't you... It is true... But that means... you can be freed, right?  Who am I kidding... you can understand me, but I don't know what you're trying to say... this sucks... not that you probably knew if you can be freed...  I bet Alakazar knew..."

Then it hit him.  The book.  His grandfather left the amulet on the book.  What if the book had the answer he was looking for?  He quickly took it back out of his mattress to begin researching.  After two hours, he found only one spell.  Except for a riddle in the back of the book.

"Not very helpful..." he muttered with disappointment.