At the crack of dawn, Noah yawned, standing in an obscure alleyway of this new city. He hated it. The repugnant scents. The roar of talking between masses of commonfolk. Everything. And that's why he refused to feel guilt about what was to come.
"Rise and shine." He muttered, thumbing through random pages of the Book of Eibon to decide the best tools for the job. The last attack with a dragon had proved too easily vanquished due to its massive size. He needed something small, but equally destructive.
Noah grumbled. It was common sense that nothing in his arsenal could cause as much collateral as quickly as the dragon did. But maybe that wasn't what he needed—rather, numbers.
He ceased the flipping of pages when he found something that suited his plan-of-attack. Clockwork foot soldiers, the very same he'd unleashed upon those ignoramus meister-weapon pair and the janitor not too long ago. One hundred would be enough to cause injury, death, disarray.
"But one thousand..." Noah gently placed a finger to Eibon's old sketch of the wooden soldier, tracing x1,000 on the page. It burned to the text, as though his finger was a charcoal crayon.
He commenced with the ancient tongues. "Solden Woodier...Solden Woodier..."
And then, Noah smirked, awing at the power of the book's magic.
"Another attack?" Marie Mjolnir's desperate hands balled into fists at the conference table. "Don't terrorist attacks usually have some kind of agenda tied to them? I can see why they chose populated cities, but it's just...aimless!"
"That doesn't mean their goal is necessarily to cause random destruction." Azusa Yumi pushed up her glasses, seemingly regarding things from an analytical lens. "If that was the case, wouldn't these attacks seem less lazy, for lack of a better word? As soon as they're met with even mild resistance from weapons and meisters, the monsters disappear, as these two can testify." She gestured over to a pair of older boys sitting on the nearby floor of the Death Room, fresh wounds and clothes tears about them.
Lord Death peered at them with a visible curiosity. "And who might they be?"
Noah recognized the portly student who rose to introduce himself, but Joe sheepishly did the honors for the pair. "Those would be Joaquin Vivas and Cole Bellamy. I dragged them out of class just ten minutes ago. Sorry, about that."
Noah's head turned curiously to the survivors of not one, but two of the assaults on the cities he'd chosen. Of course, to any onlookers, the expression on his face might've resembled one of shock or concern, but truly, the only thing he had remote interest in about them was the physical and psychological wounds his 'test runs' had inflicted on them so far.
Joaquin carried a mild scowl, but he was composed enough to explain in detail what he had witnessed. "I don't think the monsters are disappearing because they have no control over it. They disappear, or they die. It happened both times: when the dragon fell, and when the EAT Class had those robot things down to their last fifty or so. Like a retreat." The last sentence ended on a pant, and Cole steadied his meister's breath with a gentle hand on the shoulder.
The information sunk in at the conference table, everyone processing what they'd heard at different speeds.
"Could it be," Noah put on a stoic face, standing to bolster his own confidence. "That these monsters could be the result of some phenomena, beyond our human understanding? It would explain their sudden entries and exits—perhaps originating from, dare I say, another dimension?" He proposed, relieved to see his lies weren't immediately rebuffed with looks of incredulity. Yes, walking out of this meeting of Death's people unscathed could be easy, with a devil's tongue like his.
From the back, Cole cleared his throat. "Sir Noah, I mean no offense to speak, but don't you think we've yet to exhaust all the more reasonable possibilities?"
In spite of the boy's attempt at a respectful delivery, his remark positively incensed Noah, hiding grinding, gnashing teeth behind a light frown. Now of all times the obedient, lapdog-to-authority student felt the need to speak out against his superior?
Among the deafening silence, the sound of Justin Law's headphones blaring were the most audible thing in the room. His chin rested on his jaw contentedly, staring at Noah and Noah alone a few chairs down. "These're all interesting theories. I especially like yours, Noah, the idea is extravagant." The calm of his voice sent a chill through Noah, a sensation of pure fear that nothing in his life before now could compare to.
Sid's undead finger scratched circles in the table, looking as though his impatience had come to a head. "If we can't come up with any concrete explanations now, then screw it. We need to work on countermeasures. See if we can coordinate with the US military to bolster our defenses in the cities..."
The conversation took a more productive turn, and it felt as though the heat was off Noah. A silent sigh floated out from his chest; he would only have to deal with these lunatics a day longer before they would be groveling at his feet.
Noah smacked the chalk against the board, making echoes in the small classroom he'd relocated to. "...And just like that, you've overcome a witch's natural defense! Any questions?" Caught in a good spirits, he would allow a minute of his class time to be devoted to answering any inquiries, turning his head around the room in search of any raised hands among a sea of blank (awestruck, Noah internally corrected) faces. This new classroom felt nicer, with the windows on the west wall providing a beautiful view of one of the academy's outdoor gardens. There was even a door to the outside, should he feel like teaching a class amid the flora.
For a moment's notice, Noah met eyes with that Julian Leone—that pestering weapon of Cassiel. The blatant loathing in his glare did little to stir Noah's jolly mood, surveying the rest of the class without so much as a bat of an eyelash.
Satisfied, Noah smiled. "No? Open to those packets to where we last left. The next five pages will comprise your homework for the entire weekend. Thank me later." A wave of grumbles graced his ears that he pretended not to hear, leaving his students to their own ends for the last five minutes of class while he took a leisurely seat at his own desk.
In the bottom drawer of his desk, Noah reached for a black, bound journal: a daily planner he'd been using within the past two months or so. With the stress that teaching entailed, being able to remember the important things, personal or work-related, was an absolute necessity.
He looked at the checklist with a pencil in-hand, pen still fresh on the page from early that morning.
-Tests
-Attend meeting
-Move desks
-Feed Shelley
Everything on the list was done except for the last. 'Shelley' was the pseudonym he chose to use in place of Cassiel's name for the time being; if, for some contrived reason, the journal were to end up in some all-curious hands, he could simply dismiss the subject as feeding a pet of his or someone else's.
Monotonous as it was, today, he would finally be able to pluck the low-hanging fruits of his labor once he'd finished his purpose with Cassiel. Micromanaging her was arguably the hardest of it all—starve her completely, and she would die, but keep her within health, and she could easily rebel. Assuming he did his math right, she should be nearly emaciated by now. Today, just one last meal to ensure her survival awhile longer.
The bell rang, thus ending his last class of the day. One-by-one, the room filed out, Noah waiting patiently until every student had left until he could open up the Book of Eibon. Almost every student, Julian Leone being the sole exception.
Noah's eyes narrowed, impatience mounting with that brat wasting his time by the second. "Is there a problem, boy?" He snarled. Julian said nothing sitting at his desk, just glaring. The hands of a wall-mounted clock ticked uncomfortably, the only white noise amidst their silent animosity.
"Well," Noah smirked. "If you're such a glutton for punishment, I'd be happy to fill out your detention slip. Have you met your dean yet, Leone?" He clicked his pen, scribbling the details of the exchange on a little pink slip and flashing it at Julian. No reaction whatsoever.
Noah stood, tearing the paper in half loudly. "Do you have anything to accomplish right now? Anything at all?!"
The door to the garden opened from the outside, and his attention immediately shot to who walked in. 'Dart', his name was, walked in armed with his sword. He made no effort to announce his presence, simply standing in the corner of the room. His face, compared to Julian's, was calmer, but the complete lack of warmth or mercy in it disconcerted Noah. As though he was a hunter on the prowl, and Noah, the prey.
Noah held his ground, asking more evenly, "Is this an attempt at intimidation?" And then, remembering, he laughed. "You don't intend to repeat your battle performance against my monsters, do you? Or do you intend to smite me down with the power of friendship and courage? Go on!"
Dart took a step forward, holding his weapon in a loose, one-handed grip. "Who says we're gonna be fightin' your monsters?"
"What?" Noah's nose scrunched up in irritated confusion.
"You wanna summon 'em here? Right now, Sir Noah?" Julian finally spoke up, a daring edge to his voice. "I don't think Lord Death's gonna be too happy when he sniffs out the traitor in his own school. Or when he finds out that you killed your own old man."
"YOU SHUT YOUR DAMNED MOUTHS!" Noah slammed a fist against his desk, positively enraged. "Like—like I'd hand it over so easily, after everything I've went through!" He clung to the Book of Eibon like Hell itself was clawing at his vest to grab it. "I'll...I'll just run! What will the people think when they see a teacher trying to escape a couple of delinquents?"
Yet another sudden entrance, this time by Victoria Brandt from the door leading to the hallway. Behind her was Gopher, hands bound by rope. "Don't count on it." She yanked him forward, his face wet with tears.
"Lord Noah! I failed! I failed! I failed!"
That much is obvious, Noah thought, looking at the defective product in shock and disgust.
"He's been like this the past hour. You should be more careful—this little servant of yours doesn't have the tightest lips around." Victoria held Gopher by the chin for Noah to see: snot-nosed, teeth chattering, hands shaking.
"I don't...know who that is." Noah denied, averting his eyes from the sight.
"Oh? But he seems intimately acquainted with you." A feeling of dread was further instilled into Noah as Victoria called his bluff, not budging an inch. "You know what we want. Maybe we organize a hostage trade for Cassiel, how 'bout it?"
The joints in Noah's knees wobbled, falling back into his chair slack-jawed. "B-Bastards..." Amazing, simply amazing that he could come so far only to be driven into a corner at the last possible moment.
He saw Alice's eyes appear in the reflection of the sword—the same eyes that had once begged surrender from his forces—looking upon him scornfully. Like she was above him. "Stop this, Noah. We aren't interested in games anymore."
"Games?" Noah rasped out. An idea was coming to mind. A bad one, but an idea still. He planted his palms on the desk, supporting himself to a stand. "You think we've been playing games until now? Oh, I'll show you GAMES!"
Movements jolty and quick, he whipped out the Book of Eibon from within his vest, slamming it on top of the desk.
"What are you—"
"YOU—! "
"Noah, you asshole!"
"We gotta move!"
"L-Lord Noah!"
A wide smile crossed his face as the room descended to full-on chaos. "Oh, come as close as you'd like!"
The book's pages began flapping of their own accord, gradually filling the classroom with bright white light. It felt like an earthquake going off, and Noah stood at the center, calm amidst the storm.
Dart couldn't regard the spectacle directly, eyes only a quarter open. He moved towards the growing light produced by the Book of Eibon, but only a fraction of thought made him realize that it wasn't his own body that compelled it. "I'm gettin' pulled in!" His vision bounced to the door, but Gopher and Victoria were nowhere in sight—whether they escaped in the commotion or consumed by the light, he had no idea. The pull became stronger, and he was knocked flat on his back, slowly approaching the light's epicenter. "V-Victoria?!"
When his fear gripped his heart tightest, Alice grounded him back in reality. "Get some footing! We can outlast this, Dart!"
He forced a gulp down, sobering his senses while nodding. "I got it!" Looking around him, he drove the sword through the cement wall, holding on for dear life while desks and other school supplies were sucked into the light like a vicious whirlpool. His jacket whipped about like a flag in the wind, but as long he clung to the hilt of the sword, he remained semi-stable. Alice was right: Noah couldn't feasibly keep this up forever—either the magic would run out, or someone would arrive to their rescue.
"DART!" A yell rang out, attention shooting to the middle of the room. Julian was trudging away from the light like there was a blizzard in front of him, turning to Dart with fear in his eyes.
Almost thoughtless, he plunged his arm forward to grab Julian's. "JULIAN!" Dart cried, barely succeeding at seizing it. "I've gotcha!"
"Yes, but at what cost?!" Alice mourned; his reaching out had pulled the sword out enough for it to come loose, all three of them losing whatever hold they had. Any noise their screams would've made was swallowed up in the vacuum, their bodies disappearing into the light that now completely engulfed the classroom.