* * *
"It's in a Terror's nature to grow stronger and larger the longer it exists," Sir Vaelis boomed, overlooking the horde of organized cadets from atop the stage. "Therefore, it is theorized that no limit is present as to how strong or large one is able to become."
They all stood in focused silence, arms respectfully crossed behind their backs as he spoke. Silas stood just to Nyx's side, near to the middle of the crowd. "Nyx-!" He whispered, slightly tilting his body towards him, "What are you going to do!?"
"Ahem." Vaelis coughed out. Instantly did Silas straighten himself, eyes slightly widening as Nyx could only offer a silent shake of the head. The other hundreds of amused cadets glanced towards him, though was quick to peer back once Vaelis resumed his speech.
"Most of what we know about their kind is... tenuous at best. As for why they grow is unknown. Why they hunt, murder and devour us humans is unknown. How they're created and born — unknown. However, one thing, over the past three hundred years of us existing, has been made apparent.
While growing and strengthening is the result, internal heat is what makes that phenomenon happen. The root cause of it remains a mystery, but for whatever reason, the heat inside of a Terror corresponds to the rate and amount at which it evolves. In other words, the hotter the Terror, the higher priority at which it must be killed. If left alive, the situation only becomes worse. With that in mind, upon the sighting of a Terror of exceptional levels of heat..."
* * *
"...We're going for the kill."
Nyx couldn't help but be reminded of that time; nearly exactly one year ago, when they had first become cadets.
'The end of that speech...' he thought to himself, '"prioritize its death at all costs — even your own life." If this Terror has reached the point where its interior has become actual lava...'
Nyx didn't even want to think about it. As they stood, that thing was actively growing. Actively becoming more powerful. By sun-up, it likely would grow to become almost a third more than its current size- not far off from crossing the threshold and entering the next classification.
Of course, they weren't going to just let that happen.
The party, even if they were weaker and smaller than the beast, they had their advantages; They were faster. They were smarter.
Sneaking their way through the hollow city, slowly but surely they crept closer and closer toward the chapel, until, finally, they stood just beneath its colossal arched doors.
Rei passed a glance towards Acher, walking up and gesturing him forward. Both of them stood by their own half, giving a hefty shove as the doors swung open.
Against the polished floors, the noise from their steps was heightened — echoing out and bouncing against the walls of the interior.
The place was huge. Walking down the nave, Nyx couldn't help but drag his eyes upward; The ceiling much higher than the exterior led him to believe — even the vaults appeared colossal in size. With that being said, only one thing managed to catch his eye from within the large building.
Against the back wall and hanging just above the altar was a clock. Not one he had come to expect, something along the lines of a grandfather or small mantel variant. Instead, it appeared to be a pendulum clock, so incredibly huge it was almost hard to believe, taking up most of the back wall aside from a small towering window near to the roof.
While the grandiosity of it all was new to him, what it meant was completely understood. He knew it wasn't for decoration or served any form of practical use to these people — this wasn't a place to worship a living being, but rather a theorized concept.
There was something undeniably eerie about the whole place. A church which was essentially desecrated and nearly destroyed by Terror's, the very thing they were likely worshipping to keep away.
A depressing case of irony, for sure.
But Nyx was quick to put his thoughts to the side — he had more pressing matters to tend to. The group began to prepare.
Of course, against an enemy that was essentially better than them in every single way, they had to get creative. A plan that Rei had come up with, however, all of them felt would work.
Not that they liked their chances- this plan had to work. If not, they feared the worst. When faced with the potential — or in this case, the near-guaranteed outcome of death — people tend to shift their mindset.
As long as their will and determination remained strong enough, they'd lose all forms of doubt from their mind. They had to. It was this or death.
And none of the five quite felt like dying. Not today.