The feelings had settled on top of my lungs, leaving me with no breath; this person I became in the present is much more refined and controlled; I would never take a life so carelessly as he would.
What am I really doing here in this world?
If the truth had come out, would people still view me the same, even though the Cyrus Moreno that they know doesn't really exist?
I stumbled my way back to the group where they were all trying to look for me. I raised my hand, wiping away some of the grime.
"I'm sorry for making you all worry about me."
All of them breathed a collective sigh of relief, except Ego. He narrowed his eyes at me, the tension palpable. "Cyrus... what did you do with the servant of Omnixis?"
I shook my head and rubbed the back of my neck, staring at my feet. "I'm tired and exhausted."
I sat and started thinking about this whole situation again; it was giving me a headache. Ego walked by my side and waited for the rest of the students to enter their rooms, but then pulled me aside.
"Cyrus."
Ego stared me dead in the eyes, his black orbs focused on the blue ocean. I sighed softly as I kept trying to avoid making eye contact with him. "Let's just sleep, Ego, please, just this once; I need some time alone."
He gave me a warm smile and a hug.
"I understand, just know you did the right thing."
I had made the mistake of not checking my surroundings and didn't even see the second assassin until they came out. As I stumbled forward, I suddenly fell, having a pain blossom along my face. As I rolled and kicked upwards, catching them off guard. But not before an intense heat flared from the spot where they had just been. The mysterious figure landed and lifted its head to look at me.
"Cyrus, you're truly an interesting case of a human." The man smirked.
Their words had hit the bull's eye, as the last sentence from him had caused a shudder to travel throughout my entire body. How could this person possibly know, let alone guess, I wasn't exactly human?
"Cyrus, get out of here; I'll deal with this punk." I quickly rushed back to the area that held the other teachers.
A giant man towered over the area, his imposing figure looming over all else. The man seemed to have an otherworldly glow to him, almost a holy radiance, that made him stand out even further. "Who the hell are you?"
His grey skin looked to be illuminated under the moonlight, accentuating every inch of his muscular form. His black suit covered every inch of flesh, his eyes completely hollow and inky black as if it could suck in all the light around.
"You can call me the Apostle of Apathy, it's an honour to finally meet you, 'Ego'."
His raspy, baritone voice sounded odd, his accent unknown, and he didn't give off any energy despite being so bulky and physically large. As soon as I caught a glimpse at the newcomer, the fear had crept in once more and spread rapidly throughout the entire area, causing panic among those near us.
"LEAVE, NOW."
"So it appears that my subordinate is dead. I presume you're the culprit for the murder."
Apathy glared at Ego as the cold look sent shivers running up his spine, forcing him to take a few steps back. His presence radiated intimidation and strength, causing the ground to rumble and vibrate. Ego clenched his fists as he looked on with a fierce scowl etched on his face. "Since my servant was slain and the apostles have suffered a loss... I'll let you live today, but tomorrow will be a different story. Farewell. Oh, and one more thing, watch out for Rain Katayama."
Before Ego was even finished discussing the Apostle of Apathy, he exited into the shadows, and once more the students were gathered in a panicked frenzy. All the students began to scramble and were unsure of where to go, except a handful of us who could not move in such a situation. It felt as if the world had stopped around us, the atmosphere completely still; nothing moved except for a faint breeze blowing past. We stood paralyzed as our bodies refused to cooperate.
I looked over at Ego and all I could see was a face full of rage; his pupils were dilated and he was panting heavily. "FUCK! THIS ISN'T GOOD." he yelled aloud, hitting his hand hard against the tree in front of him, splintering the bark.
Throwing the book down beside me, I went and walked up to him. I placed my hand on Ego's shoulder, stopping him as my grip tightened ever so slightly. "Ego, what the hell is going on?" I said in a low, hoarse voice. He turned to glare at me as a low growl emanated from his throat.
"This entire school is in danger. If Rain Katayama finds out where we are located, then it's over." Ego informed me of the situation. My brain tried to register everything in the course of events that transpired within the past few hours, but to no avail.
"Who the hell is Rain Katayama?" I inquired as my confusion deepened, and so did the crease on my brow. Ego's head fell and he stared down at his lap, letting out a frustrated sigh. I have no clue what to do. I'll need to contact Ariel and the headmaster; the safety of the school was compromised.
"Cyrus... are you sure you want to hear this?" His voice wavered as he spoke. I nodded curtly.
"Please, I need to know." My voice trailed off at the end.
I... am useless without her and without Ariel... what happens then? Will the students I grew to care about perish? I took a deep breath and released the tension, then exhaled, trying to remain calm. "Rain Katayama is the father of Sora Katayama, a man who has stepped into the realm of godhood; he is incomprehensibly strong."
My heart sank at hearing those words, and a lump formed in my throat; the feeling of defeat swept through me. That man I had met before had the power to end my life in an instant and I barely stood a chance, let alone the school itself. The odds were too great. If that were the case, then why wasn't the place already destroyed by the apostles? It was all very confusing to process at the moment; the fatigue from earlier was still quite overwhelming. I wasn't used to this type of fighting or traveling around nonstop. "No... how is this possible. I... feel powerless..."