1. CAIN
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'…And for you, the boy from between the stars. Learn to live. If not for yourself, then for others.' - Chapter 9, verse 16 of 'Tales from beyond the world'.
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CAIN, the Central Academy In Northland, one of the four major academia in the world of Limbus. Today was the result day of the various mocks the students undertook, and the day before the winterfest in celebration of the academy's 125th anniversary.
Today, the snowfall was particularly significant. A boy in black was sat upon one of the higher ledges of the castle-like building; his fingertips stained red from raspberries he was eating.
"So messy…" The young man scoffed and set the bowl of raspberries aside and took in the sight. The snow blanketed rooftops, the mildly frozen canals and the sun in the sky, useless and shining but not warming, at least not yet.
"Seventeen! Se-ven-teen! Nameless SevenGoddamnTeen!" An irritated voice yelled from behind.
"Aye?" The boy's messy black-brown hair was pushed aside by the wind as he moved his head to face the voice. "Oh, it's you."
"It's me." A fairly pretty and young woman approached him, huddling quite a burly cat in her arms like a teddy bear. "Morning class is going to start soon, are you going to skip again? You know, Mrs Moreta is already pissed-"
"Miss Moreta can blow me dry." The young man sputters and pushes himself off the ledge, landing beside the girl. "She's always bitching, isn't she?" He said in a babyish tone, pulling the cat from her arms into his. "C'mere, little fattie."
She scoffed and leaned against the brick wall behind her, crossing her arms over her chest. She looked up in his dark, dark brown eyes. "You're doing this to yourself."
"So what, Eva? You wanna do me instead?" He mutters under his breath, snickering a little.
"What was that?" She moved her earmuffs and raised an eyebrow.
"Nothing. Anyway, why aren't you in class?" He didn't care, really, he just needed to change the topic before she caught on.
Elanie rolls her eyes and pushes her brunette hair behind her ear, snatching her cat back, cradling it. "The headmaster sent me to find you. He wants to talk to you, again."
Seventeen sighed and put his hands together as he walked backwards towards the entrance back inside. "Get my casket ready." He said sarcastically.
"I'll get a real nice one, ugly." She smirked. Her eyes moved to peer at the fingerless gloves he was wearing, always wearing. "Hey, Sev?"
"Huh? Yeah?"
"How exactly… did you manage to get freshly grown raspberries in the middle of December?"
He didn't answer for a moment. "Bought them. Duh. See you later." He flashed a smile and headed inside.
The heat on the inside made the abundance of rogue snowflakes on his body melt, dampening his hair and leaving a trail of wet footprints from his black leather boots behind on the large stairwells. As he ascended to the top, he was greeted by dozens of paintings, awards and portraits of the previous headmasters on either side of the hallway. As he approached the door, he read the words engraved on a steel plate: 'Headmaster So.' He knocked thrice before opening it, stepping in.
"Evangeline said you wanted me, sir?"
An elderly and bearded dark skinned man stood to his full height behind the desk, draped in dark brown and golden robes. He was tall, to say the least, almost the same height as the bookshelves against the walls. Although quite intimidating, his golden eyes had a gently gaze. "Good morning, kiddo."
"Morning." The young man nodded and stepped closer.
"I won't chastise you or waste your time. But I have a question."
"Yeah?"
The headmaster raised his hand and chanted a quiet word:
"…Phantasos."
A slit around arms length formed before the elder, opening up. It oozed in a dark bluish-purple mist, which has no particular smell but still had a distinctive fragrance. The elder dunk his hand into the slit.
"Forgive me, kiddo, I should've been more prepared. I had a dream about you last night, you see."
It took a few seconds for Seventeen to respond, as he was fixated on what he was seeing. A little smile played on his lips before responding. "You did?"
"Indeed." The headmaster retreated his arm, pulling out a piece of paper as the slit closed, vanishing. Before his eyes ran over the paper, he looked down at the young man. "Is something wrong?"
He straightened his back to match the headmasters gaze. "Er… no. Just curious. You said you had a dream, then you pulled that thing out of… that."
Headmaster So raised an eyebrow. "And?"
"You can retrieve things from your dreams? Is that your 'blessing', sir?"
The elder grinned a little. "Very good. Yes, it is."
"…You dreamt about a piece of paper?"
"Mmm. Not quite. It's a transcript of what I was told in my dream. Sit, kiddo." He ordered as he sat back in his chair behind the desk.
Seventeen lowered himself onto the chair opposing the desk, waiting for the headmaster to speak.
"Excuse my recitation, it seems to be some kind of… poem."
"Poem?" The young man looked a little dumbfounded.
"Yes, let me read it to you…"
After a deep breath, the elder cleared his throat and began reciting:
"Utak varaha,
Utak lafrakk,
Utak burkalah,
Bisr vale heirlok,
Kio untel uneph anak."
Seventeen stared at headmaster So. His eyebrows furrowed. "Is that Ancient Caelith?"
A proud glint apprised in the headmasters already shining eyes. "So you know what it translates to, also?"
"No, I haven't got a grasp on all of it, just parts."
"Let me translate it for you fully, then:
He knows,
He understands,
He breathes,
Fooling us all,
The boy has secrets."
After reciting, the headmaster kept his eyes steady on the young man, waiting for a response.
"…I don't understand, sir." He finally says.
"What do you not understand?"
"That could be any male student… why do you think it's me?"
The elders smiled a little. "Because I don't know any other student that would hide something so apparently important from me. Tell me, son…"
The air in the room became a little heavier, the wind blowing a little colder. Headmaster So leaned forward over his desk. His eyes darting at the young man, almost accusingly. His voice turned from mellow, to low and gruff.
"…What are you hiding from the world? From your peers? From me?"
Seventeen's dim, fatigued eyes stared back. He couldn't lose composure. Instead, he had to keep his ground. Whatever the headmaster thinks he's doing, he isn't. "I'm reslly not sure, sir."
"…Mm." The headmaster leaned back into his chair and let out a heavy breath. "I'm surprised, though."
"Of what?"
"That someone like you would know Ancient Caelith. It's a dead language now. Especially with your grades and work ethic… I'm impressed, kiddo. Where did you learn?"
"Oh… I see." He twiddled his thumbs a little, staying silent for several seconds. "Can I have a copy? Of the paper?"
"Haha! Take this one, boy. Besides… I won't forget about it anytime soon." The elderly man handed over the sheet of paper, before it was folded and stored into Seventeen's pocket.
"Thank you. Should I get going to class now?"
"Yes, I suppose you should, kiddo. Here." Headmaster So passes him a note.
Seventeen took the note and left the Headmasters office, making his way to class. Upon arrival, he didn't even have to say a word before getting an earful.
"Nameless Seventeen! Will you ever come on time?" The middle aged blonde woman at the front of the class snarked, the whole class looking back at Nineteen standing in the doorway.
"Someday, Mrs Moreta, someday. But I have an excuse this time." He passed over the note from the headteacher, receiving a knowing nod from Mrs Moreta.
"Very well, sit down." She sighed.
He walked over to the joint desk at the side of the class, in the middle row. He sat beside Evangeline, who was eyeing him up like a rat. "What's up, ugly? What did the Headmaster wanna tell you?"
"Nothing much." He mutters under his breath, making sure the other students couldn't listen. He ripped out a few pieces of paper from Eva's notebook and took one of her pens from her pencil case.
Eva looked up up and down with her dark grey eyes, uncaring that he's taking her resources, he always was unprepared. "Don't lie to me."
"You can tell?"
"I've known you for over a decade."
"…Well-"
"Pay attention, you two!" The teacher snapped, causing the two to jump. Some snickers fluttering about in the classroom.
"Sorry miss."
"Yeah, sorry."
Mrs Moreta grumbles, before turning her attention back to the class.
"Now that you'll all be turning 18 this year, we're going to turn up the burners on your training so the likelihood of you developing a Blessing will be increased. Does anyone know how exactly one gains their Blessing?"
A dozen students lift their arms, a random one being picked.
"Lucid initiation."
"Very good! Lucid initiation, yes. Lucid initiation is a state that the awakened go through in order to gain their blessing from God."
"What happens in the lucid initiation?" A student chimes in.
"Good question. Anything can happen. It all depends on what blessing God has decided to bestow upon you. For example, if your Blessing is to… control sharks, then your Lucid Initiation will contain things relating to sharks. Like the ocean, water, or maybe outright sharks themselves."
"How long does it last?"
"That… also depends. Anywhere from a minute to an hour. It'll be repeated over and over until you realise what it is, then you'll wake up."
The class remained silent, no more questions. Until another hand raises.
"Yes, Seventeen?"
"Has there ever been a case where someone hasn't woken up? Like… they just stayed in the unconscious state because they couldn't guess what their Blessing is?"
The teachers lips curled in amusement. "Very interesting. I can't say I'm sure, but perhaps somewhere. Although I've never seen a case like it, usually the dreams are quite obvious. Actually, most are hereditary, so majority have Blessings that are similar to their parents'."
Seventeen sat in thought for a second. "Can I ask another question?"
"Of course."
"Has anyone awakened a Blessing another way? Other than the Lucid Initiation?"
This question got the attention of the class, several eyes on him.
"…What are you trying to insinuate, Seventeen? Have you read about that happening anywhere?"
"Not at all."
"Then there's your answer." The teacher wasted no time to resume the class.
The young man sat in his seat, a little annoyed that she'd disregard his question so easily. He felt his arm suddenly get nudged by another, to which he looks over at Evangeline.
"What's the big deal?" She said, now a tad hostile.
"What do you mean?"
"Why'd a dummy like you ask such a dumb question like that, dumbass?"
He smiled a little, keeping eye contact with her. "I can't ask my own teacher questions now?"
She rolls her eyes and pushes his arm. "Not that. You never ask questions. What gives?"
"Just got curious."
"Sure you are…" She muttered sarcastically. "When are you gonna stop lying to me, huh?"
He sighed and shuffled his chair closer to hers. "I'm not lying to you. Jeez, lady."
"You just fucking did it again!"
"I'm a free man."
Evangeline snorted and laughed mockingly. "A man? You? Don't make me laugh."
He grinned also. She smiled the exact same way since when they were kids. A total smug and arrogant grin. Strangely, her canines seemed to have gotten sharper with age as well as her wit. She knew how to read him, and it always made things harder.
"Someday I'll tell you everything." His tone turned mellow as he poked her cheek.
Evangeline's voice was laced with false bitterness as she smiled and swatted his hand away. "Fuck off, ugly."
"I love you too."
"Say that again when you actually mean it."
"Hah. Deal."
Out of Seventeen's peripheral vision, he could see Mrs Moreta glaring at the two of them from the front of the classroom, and he didn't even need his peripheral to sense the numerous set of eyes burning at the back of his head, especially from other guys who seethed with jealously, even though none of them paid much attention to Evangeline before that point. They just didn't like to see another win.
"Sorry, miss." He turned back to face the class, clearing his throat, trying to cut the awkward tension as he paid attention again.
"Well… carrying on. Does anyone know how the power of Blessings are ranked?"
The class is silent.
"Gosh, okay. There are 7 rankings. From weakest to strongest: Meteorite, Bolide, Meteor, Meteoroid, Asteroid, Comet and Gas Giant. Gas Giant are the highest known rating, so if someone were to ever surpass that rank… a whole new one would be made."
"Does every awakened start at Meteorite level?"
"Not at all. Some may start at Bolide or Meteor. Of course, the number of people decrease the higher you go. The higher ranks are usually born from the nobility. I digress. When, well… if any of you go through Sleep Initiation and gain your Blessing, then you will be moved to the Awakened side of the Academy."
Seventeen went limp in his seat, nibbling on his bottom lip out of boredom. He turned his head towards Evangeline when he caught her smirking at him.
"What?"
"You look like a gas giant."
"Cheers, It's the muscles."
"Sure, lanky."
"You're built like the whole ass solar system, bitch."
"I got planets in all the right places." She nudged his arm, proudly.
Seventeen looked down at her, his mouth agape and grimacing like she just committed the worst sin in mankind, but he laughed a little. "Whatever you say, bud."
After several minutes of talking, Mrs Moreta handed out the mock results for this term. The class began chattering, "what grade did you get?" Evangeline analysed her own results, before glancing at the deadpan expression on her desk neighbours face.
"Pfft. Fail?"
Sev showed her his results paper:
- Life skills: Ungraded.
- World Theory: D.
- Combat Class: A+
- English Language/Literature: C.
- Physics: D+
- Chemistry: E.
- Biology: E.
- Mathematics: F.
Evangeline burst into a fit of mocking laughter, slamming her desk a few times, her dark grey eyes watering. "You stupid bastard! Oh my God!"
Sev scowled and pushed her head gently. "What about you?"
Evangeline lifted her paper:
- Life skills: A.
- World Theory: B+
- Combat Class: A.
- English Language/Literature: B.
- Physics: A.
- Chemistry: A.
- Biology: A.
- Mathematics: B-
Sev raised an eyebrow. "You… dropped in Combat Class?"
"Ahh, shut up. I missed a few lessons."
"Huh, okay. Have you got another class after this?"
"Nope. I'm going back to the dorms. What about you?"
"I got an hour break, but I have an assignment due later so I'm gonna go to the library."
Evangeline sighs and rests her face in her palm. "Always doing work last minute."
The rest of the lesson dragged out painfully slow, until the afternoon bell rang and students flooded the hallways, leaving their classes. Everyone but Seventeen, who stayed behind alone with Mrs Moreta.
"Miss?"
Mrs Moreta was gathering her things from her desk, not looking up at him but still responding. "Yes, Seventeen?"
"How do we know that Blessings are given by God?"
Mrs Moreta lifted her bag up and rose from her chair, looking up at the young man. "Do you know any other being capable of handing out these powers?"
"…No, ma'am. Can I discuss my World Theory grade with you, then?"
"What about it?"
"I'm sure my essay wasn't that bad."
Mrs Moreta inhaled deeply, walking to the exist. "It wasn't necessarily bad, however… there's things you wrote that I've never seen before." She said before leaving the class, leaving Sev alone in a state of confusion.
"Wait, please!" He paced to her. "Can I know what you're talking abo-"
Mrs Moreta halted and turned to look back upwards at Sev.
"I think you and I both know, boy."
"Huh?"
"Your theory about… an inner world. Agartha, was it?"
Sev's dark eyes drooped a little as he stared at his feet. He felt like a child again, filled with a sense of stupidity. "…Yes, ma'am."
"Don't look so down. It's interesting. Whether it's plausible or not… I'm not so sure. The point still stands, though. Hit the books, Seventeen. You have a good brain on you. It's a shame how much you've fallen off, you used to be such a bright boy."
Sev lowered his head, his gloved hands clasping together behind his back. His voice quietened down a few octaves. "…Yes, ma'am." He repeated.
"Good lad." The teacher gently patted Sev's shoulder before walking down the hallway again. Sev watched the back of his teacher get smaller and smaller in the distance.
Sev stood motionless for a moment. Had his answer gone south? Had he been too warped in his own head?
No, that can't be right. He's read about it, he's heard about it, he's dreamt about it…
…He remembers it.
But how could he prove it? Like Mrs Moreta said, there's no substantial evidence. Could he share this with the Headmaster? No, he's already under suspicion. There has to at least one piece of evidence somewhere.
Seventeen turned his body and began walking throughout the old corridors, towards the library; his long, black cardigan shifting shape in the passing wind.
If he can't prove it to the world, then he can prove it to himself.
Outside, the snow grew heavier than before. The large courtyard was now a plane of pillowy coldness, with footprints trailing through them. Evangeline shuddered as she made her way away from the castle, passing several of the students from the Awakened half of the academy's premise. They sneered at her in arrogance, but she couldn't care less. She buried her hands into the pockets of her plaid coat, her deep brown hair fluttering against her cold, pale skin.
Following the pathway to the dormitories, she passed a field. She turned her head to look into the distance. Dead, dry bushes were rowed, snow coated.
Once she paid attention to detail, her spine ran cold. Her eyes widened, allowing the cold air to dry them out. But she didn't bother blinking.
She scoffed.
"Yeah, bought them my ass."
She reached her slender hand to feel the green leaves and their prickly exterior. Then, she moved her hand down to squeeze something between her fingers, leaving them soaked in red juice.
"What the hell did you do, Sev?" She muttered to herself quietly.
Among all the rows dead bodies of twigs and snow, there was one bush which was as lively as it would be in summer.
The raspberries were ripe