Chapter 18: The Incident's Resolution

“5 more minutes…”

I rolled on a soft comforter that puffed up against my face. It was a refreshing difference compared to the usual mattress that I slept on in Shan’s room… Speaking of which…

“If you don’t get up, I am tossing you into Silian’s office on count of harassment. I am giving you three seconds to get out of bed.”

The loud chirps of crickets can be still heard outside and yet this overtly serious woman already loomed overhead. Her steely voice still echoed around the corners of my mind as I struggled to get on my feet.

Damned comforters and your provided comfort.

“Three…”

The bat girl began her devilish countdown. In almost an instant, a potent murderous aura that made me sweat in terror surrounded her. She seemed like a different beast compared to last night’s adorable furball…

“Two…”

I pushed my weight against the flooring and without another second wasted, I sprung up. Cora looked at me with her usual black eyes, her mouth forming a grim line like it usually did.

“Now, you wouldn’t mind leaving my room, do you Pyre…?”

She placed her hands on her hips, acting as if she were some bossy brat from some old manga. If only I would be safe from her wrath if I teased her, but that was not the case, was it? I raised my hands inn the air as a response, like a surrendering soldier.

“Nope, nada… I don’t want to kick the bucket just yet, Cora.”

The lady, instead of giving a retort, calmly pushed me closer to her doorway before shoving me out of her room…

“Good, I can at least see you value your life.”

The bat girl replied once I was out of her room, looking at me with a wide smile before slamming the door shut. Realizing that I had nowhere to go, I decided to head on over to my room, in hopes that Shan would be there…

If only I didn’t forget my keys, but oh well whose idiocy were to blame? Certainly not Cora’s, that was for sure.

Letting out one last yawn as I raised my hand in the air for a stretch, I began my walk home…

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I slammed my door against the room, hoping to stir the sleepy fox.

“Hey! Get up! Are you even there!”

No reply, no answer… who would have thought that I would be inconvenienced by a key this badly? Had I not lost it or left it somewhere, who knows how well my night would have ended…

Memories of Cora’s blushing face last night still echoed in my mind… Who would have thought that I would sleep at another girl’s room out of misfortune, much less her room…? I let out an exhale as I tried knocking on the door once more in an attempt to forget that embarrassing experience.

Still no reply…

I carried on until my wrists shuddered and my fist turned red… still nothing. What was wrong with her? Did she fall flat asleep after school? She didn’t even head home last night either… at least before I left the room…

What gives? Why would she not return home…

Then it clicked…

It has to be Geon!

I turned tail, slamming my foot down the hallway as I ran in a breakneck sprint. My footsteps grew louder and louder as I sped up, hell, some rooms even opened up when I passed by them… but this was not the time to be casually playing around or to wait for their return. This was something demanding immediate action…

I ran up the flight of stairs, hurrying to the second floor as my lungs pained for more air. My mouth gulped in what felt like a liter of oxygen but to no avail, I was still tiring out… Perhaps the lack of physical training and the panic I felt lead to this, but I wasn’t willing to stop here.

Letting out some sharp breaths, I carried my sprint up to the Silian’s door, and with no hesitation, I slammed the door with my fist.

“Open up! Please!”

I let out an exhale before feeling my eyes heat up like a frenzy. Soon I found myself slamming against the door, brimming with sweat and with tears rolling down my cheek…

Why…

Why should she be in trouble…?

I carried on, slamming the door in hopes that it would open until…

“P-Pyre?”

That voice! I immediately turned to see who it was and true to my guess, the bespectacled class president had arrived, her face still brimming with sweat for some reason…

“S-Silian Ah-I…”

“Listen”

I was cut off by the President who had a chilling air around her. Her voice sounded heavier and drearier than it used to be and even the manner she fixed her glasses felt different. Almost cold even…

“Shan, Geon, and the others have been found brutally injured in the forest this morning. They weren’t dead… but by dear lord were they hanging by a string when we found them…”

My throat felt like it had been jammed. I wanted to scream, shout… but my lungs were dry, parched. It was as if every word I uttered dragged against my windpipe, preventing me from saying anything…

I was left there with an open mouth, stunned and unable to say anything

“If you want to visit them… they are in the infirmary and might be soon sent out to a hospital… Good day.”

Silian didn’t even bat an eye when she passed by. The only noise that could be heard were her own footsteps that clicked against the tiles to the rhythm of the heartbeats that rang loudly in my ear…

With a simple creak of the door, I was left there alone… still processing what had happened…

It seems like the only thing I was good at were breaking promises… And keeping Shan safe was one of them…

The monotonous beeps of the ECG affixed to the fox girl drowned out my thoughts. Had it not been for the maddening silence and the fleece white room, which calmed me down a bit, I would’ve screamed and cried out. Possibly tearing out every single apparatus in search of the culprit.

Currently, Shan lay in front of me, motionless, wounded, but mostly unharmed, she seemed to be okay for the most part, with that Geon taking most, if not all the damage. I took a short trip to his area earlier, only to find him in bandages and all that jazz. He still hasn’t woken up and while he had been soothed by Adria’s voice, there was nothing that the institution can do. After all, regenerating someone was still impossible.

“Aw, come on Pyre. Things will be better for her soon, cheer up, okay?”

A slightly high-pitched voice came from behind me followed by a pat to the back… I immediately turned to see who it was, only to find yet another familiar face.

“Ah… so it was you Adria, been some time since I last saw you…”

She giggled softly, tapping me lightly on the shoulders

“If you think three days was long then you must be getting really old.”

She pulled a chair close to me and sat beside me, her face looking a bit pale than it usually did.

“Perhaps…”

I just smiled wryly, still avoiding eye contact with her. I was not in the mood to talk, let alone hang out…

“Aww, why the long face? She’s the one who was the least harmed, you know?”

I growled at the thought of her getting hurt, unable to protect her just to even return the sentiments of her kindness. Clenching my fist, I imagined the culprit’s head being bashed open and… Gah! I need to calm down…

A soft soothing voice entered my ears, akin to that lullaby I heard when I first got here…

My eyelids fell a bit heavy, and my hands loosened up, relaxing fully….

Calm down dear Pyre~ Things will look up soon~

I let out a long sigh, looking down at the floor as a few tears dropped down to the floor… It sucks, why can’t I be good enough…? Why couldn’t I be there for her…?

Relax and please think straight~ Justice won’t be late~

My rage which made it hard for me to breathe slowly subsided into nothing… soon enough, I was just sad, with tears streaming down my face as I tried to speak…

“J-Just… why… I wanted to help her… from Geon… Now someone else hurt her! How can I be this useless…”

I felt someone rubbing my back and soon enough, a soft whisper echoed in my ear…

“Breathe…”

I inhaled a bit of air, still slightly choking on my tears…

“Now exhale…”

I did as the voice had told me. This went on for a few moments until I felt relaxed, level-headed even…

“Adria…”

I turned to the lady who sat beside me, still wearing that rainbow hoodie despite being on duty… She looked at me and cocked her head to the side, as if waiting for my continuation…

“Thanks…”

My cheeks lifted into a smile as the latter returned the sentiments. She gave me a pat on the head before the two of us continued to observe Shan.

“She should be back in two days’ time. Geon on the other hand… depending on the healing properties of other Epico. This might be an issue for your operation in the following days…”

Her voice was a bit weak, almost as if she were terrified. I took the initiative to pat her on the head as well.

“Looks like it’s your turn to calm down. I am sure that Xion would find a way to remedy this. After all, we are not the only Epico around. I am certain that there are many more candidates for this team of ours so rest easy, okay?”

I gave her the same smile she handed me earlier, the one meant to ease my worries.

“Yeah… I guess so. I’m just worried about you and Cora, is all… I do not want to see either of you in a bed like this after that excursion…”

“Oh, trust me, I will be as alive as a toddler sticking a fork inside a socket!”

My smile turned into a grin of pride as I slammed my fist into my chest. Proof that I will do my best to remain safe during those days…

Our conversation was then interrupted by the sound of a door creaking open, revealing a man who wore a brown trench coat over a green long sleeve. He eyed me with his usual jade-colored eyes before giving us a small smile of his own.

“Fancy seeing you two here… Especially you Pyre.”

Xion said, smiling as he fixed the white tie that accented his collar.

“Good Morning Sir Xion, how have you been faring with the news?”

Upon hearing my question, his smile immediately turned into a frown… He approached Shan and combed her white hair to the side of her face…

“Not well, who could have thought that someone would have the gall to hurt an ally of theirs…”

Adria piped in, her eyes wide and her tone higher than usual.

“Ally? It wasn’t Wyzen’s men?”

Xion shook his head, leaving both me and Adria slack jawed, unable to process the fact.

“The barrier laid outside our school and any of the red banded patrollers have detected nothing… no signs of a forceful entry nor attack. The only plausible explanation for this was that someone had acted out from the inside.”

He continued, pulling yet another chair beside me and Adria as we observed the sleeping fox girl.

“Not to mention Cora’s late-night call… I heard you lounged at her room instead of my regular room assignment for you, is that correct?”

Sweat beaded on my forehead as I gave the Principal a nod of confirmation… however, instead of shouting or getting angry, he merely nodded.

“I see, that was wise of you… You were lucky to have misplaced your keys…”

W-What? What was up?! I looked at him, wide-eyed. My brows raised as my throat started feeling drier than it had usually been.

“Judging by your expression, you haven’t found out about what happened to your room… Very well.”

He cleared his throat and looked at me with a serious expression.

“Yesterday… your room was ransacked, destroyed…”

My mouth dropped in shock, not expecting his answer…

Just what exactly happened last night?!