Chapter 20: "The Binder Unbound (And Loud About It)"
I held the binder. The prophecy binder. The one covered in glitter, fate, and biting commentary.
> "Okay," I muttered, bracing myself. "Let's open you gently—AAAH!"
It bit me. Like, hard.
> "OW! Why do you even have teeth?!"
Before anyone could answer, it floated. Not just floated—levitated with smug purpose.
Then it zoomed.
Straight up the archives.
Past the sarcastic slide. Up the magical elevators. Back through the enchanted staircases.
And it screamed the whole way.
> "THE CHICKEN SHALL INHERIT THE THRONE!"
> "A TEA SPOON SHALL END AN ERA!"
> "BEWARE THE VEGETABLE UPRISING OF TUESDAY!"
We chased after it, naturally.
> "WHY is it yelling spoilers?!" Arcanos shouted, dodging a rain of confetti notes.
> "It knows too much," Lyria gasped.
> "Kevin, intercept the binder!" I yelled.
Kevin dove. The binder dodged. Sir Clucksworth squawked a battle cry and leapt off a bookshelf.
> "DESTINY WILL BE FILED UNDER 'CHAOS'," the binder shrieked.
We burst out of the archive into Mortax's waiting room. The binder was now circling the chandelier like a caffeinated oracle.
Mortax blinked. Slowly removed his reading glasses.
> "You let it escape?"
> "It bit me and yelled about soup-based destiny!" I argued.
> "Sounds accurate," Petunia said.
Mortax sighed and reached for a very, very large net.
> "Everyone back. The binder has entered Phase Four."
> "What's Phase Four?" Grubnuk asked.
> "Prophecy karaoke," Mortax replied.
As the binder began a chorus about the End of All Things being caused by a sneeze, we prepared for containment.
Because fate? Fate was loud. And I? I was dumbfounded at all this.
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End of Chapter 20 (The binder has spoken. And screamed. And floated. Destiny refuses to sit still.)