Prologue
A tense, persistent air lingered over Baelz Hakos as she walked through the halls of the Occidental College. Cognitive dissonance planted doubts of all shapes and sizes in her mind and made her head spin. Ever since she got off that bus, she felt like her world had been turned upside down somehow. She felt like she was being dragged about in multiple different directions.
Bae nursed a mild headache that never fully went away because of it.
Something was wrong, but she couldn't figure out exactly what.
And yet, walking together with Irys calmed her down. The Nephilim's presence blew away the tense air and gave Bae peace.
"You feeling alright, Bae?" Irys asked.
"Yeah." Bae answered, managing a small smile.
Barely. But I am now.
Thanks to this peace, Bae gathered her thoughts and got her bearings and station in life in this strange place.
She and Irys were second-year students at the Occidental College. They haven't declared their majors yet and were still figuring out what it was they wanted to do in life, just like their many peers. Neither of them were in clubs or organizations - not yet, at least - and their social standing was average in every sense of the word.
They were just two more faces in a sea of many, sitting comfortably on the proverbial fence.
From the way that Irys spoke to Bae and called her, the two of them were childhood friends - but Bae couldn't quite figure out how it was they met. Any time she tried to rack her brains for that fact, her headache threatened to resurge. The further back in time she tried to recall, the stronger Bae's headache got.
All she knew was that when they met, Bae was upside down for some reason.
What the heck was I doing back then?
Bae just furrowed her brow and kept walking.
She followed Irys to the grand lecture hall for their First Period classes. On their way there, they passed by the two other passengers of the odd bus: the tall girl with long, dark-blue hair and the shorter one with pretty brown hair and an R-shaped hairpin. Those two ladies had a large entourage following them around, orbiting them like the Telstar and Sputnik satellites.
The two of them strutted around like they owned the place, kitted with the latest fashion of London's most popular High Streets - differentiating themselves from their orbiters. Their powerful personalities and sharp clothing - pushing the school's dress code to the limit - made the crowd of students following them almost seem to blur together.
It made her wonder how two highbrow individuals could stomach slumming it with the plebs in public transport.
Bae watched the two prominent ladies closely. The two of them seemed familiar, but their names proved elusive. Irys saw Bae stealing glances at them and smiled.
"You've taken an interest in them too?" Irys prodded curiously, "I can see you looking their way a lot."
"Oh, I'm just…" Bae started, trying to weasel her way out. However, Irys' gaze on her persisted - until she ultimately admitted, "Yeah, I was."
Irys' smile widened. She folded her arms and hummed proudly.
"That owl girl with the hairpin's Mumei Nanashi. The one hanging around her all the time's Kronii Ouro. We're in the same class as them for First Period." Irys joined her hands together and revealed, "They look young, but they're third-years and transfer students! Can you believe it?"
"Third-year transfer students?" Bae tilted her head.
"Yup." Irys confirmed happily, "I saw them hanging around during the Winter semester before they joined. I heard that they're on their third tour of…"
Suddenly, Irys paused.
"Tour?" Bae asked, "Tour of what? Westminster?"
Irys scratched the back of her head and laughed, apologizing.
"Sorry about that. I must have gotten my wires crossed." The Nephilim stuck out her tongue, "Maybe we should have a chat with them some time, yeah? Clear the air and all."
"I'd rather not deal with popular types like them." Bae frowned, "I just want to lead a peaceful life - not a dramatic one."
"You say that, but you put up with me." Irys elbowed the rat-girl.
"You're the kind of drama that I know, at least!" Bae elbowed Irys back.
The two of them laughed. Then, the school bells rang.
With that, Irys and Bae hurried to the lecture hall. Mumei and Kronii followed suit, albeit at an unhurried pace.
On their way to the lecture hall, though, Bae couldn't help but feel a sharp gaze on her back. It was almost like someone - or something - was watching her.
Any time Bae dared to look over her shoulder, however, she couldn't find anyone there. Whatever it was had already melted away into the crowds.
Puzzled, Bae carried on to the lecture hall with Irys.
It must have been my imagination.
Little did Bae know that her thoughts were much closer to the truth than she realized.
Eleven
Gravity
Eighty-Ninth Scene - Within A Rock And A Hard Place
First Period flew quickly for Baelz Hakos at the Occidental College that morning. The class lecture barely registered on Bae's mind, blurred by her apathy and the professor's droning and painfully monotone rhythm. In contrast, her seatmate Irys listened attentively, raised her hand often and went up to the chalkboard to demonstrate something about the topic - whatever it was.
To stave off her boredom, Bae let her eyes wander instead to the front of the room. There, she saw that Mumei and Kronii paid neither the active Irys nor the uninspiring professor any attention whatsoever. They had their heavy textbooks out, but Bae could tell that the two popular kids were using them as shields - disguises to hide whatever it was they were truly reading from the eyes of their professor.
Kronii thumbed through a fashion magazine and the catalog of a high-end department store. She seemed to be comparing her own wardrobe to that of the models in the magazine.
Typical self-absorbed fashionista.
Mumei, on the other hand, was engrossed in the pages of an automotive magazine - or rather a particular page with a glossy colored photograph.
Ford 1966 Thunderbird?
Despite Mumei's peculiar taste, Bae lost interest in the popular kids and just closed her eyes while pretending to read. That brief moment of shut-eye lulled Bae and she drifted away into slumber.
However, Bae's brief slumber unsettled her.
…
In the eye of her mind, there were no dreams or figments of her imagination - only silence and darkness that Bae floated through. It was almost like she was underwater in a dark sea without light. She could hardly tell where she herself ended and where the 'water' began.
All of a sudden, sharp noises broke the silence and reverberated in the dark sea. It sounded like a pickaxe or a chisel breaking away at rock, but Bae couldn't figure out where the noise came from - almost as if the chipping happened everywhere around her at once!
What the heck is that!?
Then, after a short while, faint wisps of maroon light illuminated the darkness, followed by Irys' voice. The light and the voice guided her back from the hollow abyss. Bae opened her eyes and found herself back at the lecture hall.
…
Irys had been shaking Bae, rousing her from her unsettling thirty-nine winks of sleep.
"Tuckered out already, Bae?" Irys chuckled, "You've got drool on your lips."
Bae panicked.
She wiped the drool from her lips and fought a losing war to try and save face from Irys. She whirled around, wondering if anyone was looking her way. However, most of the students had already left the lecture hall. Even Mumei and Kronii were nowhere to be seen.
"Don't worry. No one saw you." Irys smiled, "I kept the professor and the other students busy."
"Is that so?" Bae grumbled, her face beet red.
"Yep." Irys' smile widened.
Once again, Irys' voice and presence soothed her. It was like she was listening to the sweetest of music meant just for her - but Baelz Hakos would be the last person in the world to openly admit it.
All she could do in the midst of that smiling Nephilim was snort and feign disinterest. Irys, of course, read Bae like a book.
She stood up from her seat, joined her hands behind her back and gave Bae a sidelong glance. Her two-colored eyes shimmered with delight.
"Now, you owe me lunch!" Irys now insisted.
"Lunch?" Bae hummed, "Like, at the cafeteria?"
"No, silly!" Irys jabbed Bae's shoulder, "Let's go to the usual place." The Nephilim paused and turned away, "There's something I'd like to talk with you about, you see."
Usual place…?
Bae drew blanks at first. She couldn't remember where this 'usual place' was. However, the sudden silence of Irys spurred Bae to give her answer.
"I'd be happy to." Bae spoke firmly, "You'll have to take me there, though."
Irys turned Bae's way once more. Her smile was back on her lips.
"Alright, miss Forgetti." Irys stuck out her tongue, but her spirits were sky high.
That was enough for Bae. For now.
Ninetieth Scene - Age of Aquarius
Irys took Bae by the hand and brought her out of the campus grounds. The two of them made a beeline for a nearby hole-in-the-wall joint: The English Maiden Cafe. For a moment, the gaps in Bae's memory were filled. She definitely remembered the English Maiden Cafe - the pieces of the puzzle fit in her mind.
However, those pieces didn't jive with the rest of the mental picture perfectly. Rather than a camera's snapshot, her mental picture more closely resembled a cracked, stained glass window. The mild headache that Bae felt returned too, fueled by the resurgence of her doubts.
"Bae…?" Irys snatched her attention, "You've been shifty ever since this morning. Are you sure that you're alright?"
"Yeah, I am." Bae insisted, scrambling for a response, "I'm probably just hungry." She smirked, "And I'm dreading the bill I'm gonna have to foot at the restaurant."
Irys snickered, "I won't bleed your wallet dry - too much."
Bae's eyes narrowed, but Irys managed to make her smile and quiet her restless heart and mind yet again.
The two ladies entered the English Maiden Cafe. They ordered special lunch sets, reasonably priced meals paired with beverages of their choice. The both of them, on the same wavelength, ordered brewed coffee.
Once their orders arrived and Bae got to fill her starving stomach, Irys finally broke the news to the rat-girl.
"Okay, here goes." Irys started with a giddy whisper, fidgeting with her utensils. She set down her coffee cup and asked, "Remember that letter from the major record label I got?"
Bae didn't, but she just nodded, smiled and pretended that she did.
"I got another letter this morning, Bae. They're willing to take me in!" Irys announced, barely able to contain herself, "It's happening! Oh gosh, it's finally happening!"
"Whoa, really!?" Bae's jaw dropped. She nearly spilled her coffee. Irys' infectious joy rubbed off on her and she cheered with enthusiasm, "That's great, Irys!" Her eyes, however, saw the lukewarm expression forming on Irys' face, "But… what's the catch? You seem like you're not a hundred percent on this."
"Hmm, I wonder." Irys pouted, glancing around the English Maiden Cafe with longing eyes, "I always felt like I was someone passed over - just another face in the crowd."
"Irys…"
"I wanted to reach out and sing for the world - let them hear my voice." Irys continued, "With this contract, I'll get everything I've ever wanted. Cash. Promotion. Travel. The record label's prepared to give it all." Her hands idly played with her locks of long, maroon hair and her lips twisted into a frown, "But this deal is incredibly restrictive. The price I have to pay is pretty steep."
"What do you mean by that?" Bae asked.
"It's on the contract." Irys explained, "I'll be tied indefinitely to the record label for the foreseeable future. I get to travel and record music, but on their terms. They'll afford me certain liberties - like performing for the Founding Festival of the Occidental College, for example. But I might be asked to take breaks from school or whatnot - if my records go global. Or in their words, 'interdimensional'." She twirled her locks of hair and hummed, "They say that my songs will bring in a new age. But all in all, I almost feel like I'm selling my voice, almost!
Irys laughed uncomfortably. She turned away from Bae.
"Just kidding." Irys whispered.
However, Irys couldn't fool the rat with the shoddy lie.
"Did you sign it yet?" Bae asked sternly, "The contract, that is."
Irys shook her head.
"I have until the end of the week."
Bae's eyes wandered to the calendar on the cafe walls.
"It's Wednesday." Bae reminded her.
Irys laughed uncomfortably once more,
"Between school and the coming Founder's Festival, the thought of signing that contract has been weighing down on me." Irys looked at her own reflection in her coffee cup and sighed, "I wanted to know what you think about this, Bae."
"Me…?" Bae sat upright.
"Yeah." Irys managed a small but cautious smile, "You've always been there for me, through thick and thin. You've seen me at my worst, so please be honest with me." Her two-colored eyes turned towards Bae. Then, her hand reached across the table and settled on Bae's, "Do you think I can handle this?"
Bae lowered her head. She, too, was just as lost as Irys.
All she could do was hold Irys' hand in hers and give it a small, tender squeeze.
"I… don't know." Bae tried to give a firmer answer but retreated with displeasure, "I'm still wrapping my head around a lot of things too, Irys."
"Bae…" Irys frowned.
"But I believe in you, Irys." Bae looked into Irys' eyes now and reassured, "You're a great singer with a wonderful heart. Your song will move the world - I'm sure of it! I trust that you will make the right decision." She forced herself to smile, "We've got a few days to decide, right?"
Irys exhaled.
"I guess you're right." The Nephilim gathered her composure, "I'll cross the bridge when I get there. The record label executives are coming to the campus on Friday afternoon." She pieced together a fragile smile and asked "Will you be there with me when I make my decision?"
"I wouldn't miss it for the world." Bae answered without hesitation.
Irys' smile grew. Bae could tell that there were still a number of things lingering in Irys' mind, but she couldn't dare to pry. All she wanted to do was enjoy her lunch with the Nephilim - before it could become a rare, fleeting luxury.
Unfortunately for her, that luxury would be taken away from her.
…
A loud, rambunctious figure barged into the English Maiden Cafe - a student with long, white hair fashioned into drills and sharp blue eyes. Once again, the name of the figure eluded Bae, but she knew that it was someone who wasn't on the bus earlier that morning.
That figure marched over to Irys' and Bae's table and put her hands on her hips before she declared firmly.
"Miss Irys, Principal Sparrowhawk wants to meet with you about the Founding Festival Performance." She folded her arms impatiently and started tapping her feet, "She's in her office now - and she does not want to be kept waiting!"
"Oh right. I almost forgot." Irys blinked and shook her head. She turned towards Bae and apologized, "I'm sorry Bae, but I have to get going. I'll make it up to you next time."
Bae could hardly say a word before Irys stood up and followed the figure out of the cafe. Before they could make it out of the threshold, however, Bae stood up too and called out to them.
"Excuse me." Bae addressed the figure, "Who exactly are you?"
The figure stopped in her tracks and turned around in the threshold. She faced Bae with a furrowed brow and pointed to the armband pinned to her black winter uniform.
"Clover Gosling. Head of the Disciplinary Committee." Her sky blue eyes bore into Bae's and she hissed, "You'd best know your place and remember my name when you address me, Baelz Hakos. Because I remember yours. I remember you - and I don't forget."
With that, Clover dragged Irys out of the Cafe and slammed the door behind her.
That left Bae at the cafe table alone and hollow.
Ninety-First Scene - Sidelined
Bae paid for her lunch with Irys and left the English Maiden Cafe disheartened. She buried her hands in her pockets and dragged her feet back towards the campus. However, without a guide, retracing her steps back proved to be incredibly difficult. It didn't take her long to get lost in the labyrinthine alleys of London.
Just my luck…
Before Bae lost all hope, however, she saw the peculiar fabric of the Occidental College's winter uniform in the alley. She jogged over to the student to ask for directions, but stopped halfway through.
When Bae got close enough, she figured out who this student was.
"Kronii Ouro…" Bae frowned.
Kronii turned around and glared at Bae.
"You're the rat who was ogling Mumei in the hallway earlier." Kronii taunted.
What's that got to do with anything!?
Bae snorted. She was in a bad mood, so she shot back.
"That's strange. I'm not used to seeing you not being a lapdog for the owl-girl." Bae growled.
"And I don't think I've ever seen you without your Nephilim's leash." Kronii answered.
Bae didn't reply. Kronii heaved a sigh.
"You're not even gonna deny it, huh?" Kronii grumbled.
Bae wanted to raise her voice, but she saw something in Kronii that caught her attention.
A tinge of loneliness lingered in Kronii's deep blue eyes. That was the last thing Bae wanted to see in the haughty fashionista rich girl. She didn't want to sympathize with her, but her circumstances landed too close to home for Bae.
Bae hated the thought of it, but Kronii could be a kindred spirit.
"Don't tell me Clover Gosling took the owl away from you." Bae tested.
"H-how did you know!?" Kronii was startled, "Clover just came by and said Mumei had business with Principal Sparrowhawk. Something about joining the Disciplinary Committee. The 'Birds of Prey', they called it."
Bae scratched her cheek nervously.
Damn it.
"Lucky guess." Bae started coyly. Then, she admitted, "Clover Gosling took Irys - the Nephilim - away from me just now too. That bitch interrupted our lunch."
"Is that so…" Kronii frowned.
Bruh! The rich kid isa kindred spirit. Could my day get any worse?
Kronii watched Bae coldly. Apparently, the feeling was mutual - on all counts.
Bae swallowed her pride and faced Kronii as a person and not as a comic strip caricature.
"Alright, I'll cut to the chase." Bae revealed, "I sort of lost my way going to the cafe. Do you know the way back to Campus?"
Kronii turned away from Bae and just walked forward without saying a word. That was the rich kid's quiet invitation to follow her, so Bae did. All the while, both ladies stewed in displeasure over their unfavorable situations.
Neither of them said a word, but this was exactly what the two of them wanted.
Words are silver, but silence is golden.
Just like that, the two ladies made it back to the Occidental College campus. They parted ways at the gate, hoping to never see or speak with each other ever again.
However, this wasn't meant to be.
Bae and Kronii were ambushed by two other students armed with paper fliers.
The first student, a kindly girl with lush, green hair and branch-like kirin horns that sprouted flowers pestered Kronii and offered her a flier.
"Hi there. Are you interested in making a change in your life, miss?"
Bae tried to sidestep and leave Kronii to the wolves, but the second student intercepted her. This one was tall and tan and had long, blond hair in low twintails and a bright smile. This girl, like Bae, spoke with an Australian accent.
"Don't you want to grab life by the horns and take a stand, mate?"
Bae and Kronii shuddered. They both felt the golden eyes of the two ladies boring holes through their souls.
Normally, Bae would have gone off on the flier-peddlers, but these two people seemed familiar. They, too, weren't on the bus that morning. And yet, Bae somehow recognized their faces, but not their names.
After everything that's happened, she was in an especially curious mood. Moreover, she thought that she might be able to snag the haughty rich girl Kronii into some more menial work with plebs like herself. One glance at Kronii trying to escape the green-haired girl told Bae everything she needed to know.
Bae faced her fellow Australian and wore a veiled smile.
"So, what exactly are you gals standing up against?" Bae asked.
Kronii's face went pale. She understood what Bae was trying to do and gestured vehemently to get Bae to stop - but it was too late. The green-haired girl and the tan, Australian blonde beamed with joy and spoke at the same time.
"Would you two be interested in joining the Student Council?"
"Student… council?" Bae raised an eyebrow.
At the mention of a Council, Bae's lingering headache resurfaced. She closed her eyes and tried her best to soothe the pain.
Suddenly, the two flier-peddlers introduced themselves.
"Sana Tsukumo." The Australian blonde revealed happily, "Alumni. Class of '66."
"Fauna Ceres." The green-haired girl chimed in next, "Alumni. Also from Class of '66."
When Bae heard their names, she opened her eyes.
Her headache waned on its own. The stained-glass image in her mind suddenly became much clearer. It was still clouded, but it was still more cohesive now than before. Kronii, too, looked like she had a revelation of her own and looked at Bae with a much softer expression than before. It was as if Kronii finally recognized her.
With this, Bae turned to Sana and Fauna and asked with conviction.
"Are we supposed to… know you?"
Sana and Fauna smiled warmly and nodded.
"It's a long story." Fauna answered, "Could you two come with us for a sec?"
Ninety-Second Scene - Council-In-Exile
Bae and Kronii were dragged into the main building of the campus. All the while, Sana and Fauna gave their spiel - their vague story of them and the fliers they were handing out.
Sana and Fauna avoided the crowds of students and found a quiet stairwell overlooking the school's 'Old Quadrangle' and its iconic willow tree. There, away from prying eyes and curious ears, Bae and Kronii spoke candidly with the two 'students' that brought them there.
"So let me get this straight." Kronii folded her arms thoughtfully, "Two alumni from '66 are recruiting members of the Student Council for the year '70."
"That's right." Sana confirmed cheerfully.
"And you're saying that the top positions are vacant right now - as in the Council President and Vice President." Bae confirmed, "If I understand correctly, you want us to run for those roles because you know us… and that we're supposed to know you two."
"Basically, yeah." Fauna nodded, "First member of the council and the second." She laid her hand on her chest and smiled, "Technically, I'm the third member."
"And I'm the fourth!" Sana raised up her hand happily.
"That's ridiculous. It doesn't make sense." Kronii grumbled.
"A lot of things in this world don't make sense, Kronii." Fauna insisted, speaking casually with the rich girl, "Even you've had trouble putting two and two together here, haven't you?" She tilted her head, "Like - do you remember boarding the bus to campus this morning?"
Beads of sweat formed on Kronii's brow. Bae, too, shuddered.
I've been thinking the same thing, actually…
"Do you remember what you had for breakfast?" Sana chimed in next, "Or where it is you're staying here in London?" She looked out the window to the sky and added, "And haven't you wondered why the sky is ever so slightly reddish?"
Reddish?
Bae and Kronii looked out the window as well. Just like Sana said, the supposedly blue January skies had a faint, reddish hue. The subtle discoloration wasn't easy to spot, but now that the two ladies couldn't unsee it.
Kronii's lips twisted, but she couldn't outright retort Sana's or Fauna's claims. She glanced at Bae, but the rat-girl just shrugged.
So, I'm not the only one who thought things were strange, huh?
"Be that as it may…" Kronii tried to stay calm, "How the heck are we supposed to know you two?" She turned towards Sana and Fauna and demanded, "Why don't you just tell us outright instead of going around in circles like this."
Sana and Fauna turned to each other. Then, Fauna stepped forward to explain herself.
"Sana and I are still investigating what's going on in this world, Kronii." Fauna revealed, "We don't know the full story here - or what the extent of the distortions are, so we have to take things one step at a time." She looked straight into Kronii's eyes and continued, "I have reason to believe that this world is hanging by a thread. There's a delicate balance and order of things that we have to work around."
"What we do know is this." Sana concluded. Her cheerful expression gave way for a firm, serious tone, "Miss Irys must not sign her deal with the record label - and Mumei Nanashi must not join the Disciplinary Committee."
Fauna's golden eyes shimmered, "I'm sure that means we're on the same team here, yes?"
Neither Bae nor Kronii could say a word. All they could manage were nods of approval.
"Good." Sana's smile returned to her lips, "Our investigation will be done soon." She pointed to the willow tree of the Old Quadrangle, "Meet me and FauFau there later after school. We'll have a comprehensive plan prepared for us by then."
"Be careful until then." Fauna raised up her pointer finger and urged, "Don't rock the boat in any way, shape or form - keep things on the downlow. The less attention we draw to ourselves, the better."
While Fauna spoke, the sound of footsteps echoed in the stairwell. It drew closer and closer, drawing the attention of the four ladies.
"See you two later." Fauna waved goodbye. Sana followed suit.
The footsteps drew closer, coming from above. Kronii and Bae looked up and saw Clover Gosling descending.
"What are you doing here?" Clover asked.
Bae and Kronii froze. They nervously looked around the stairwell. To their surprise, though, Sana and Fauna were nowhere to be found.
Clover glared at the two ladies sharply. Thankfully, the school bell rang.
"Run along now." Clover urged.
Bae and Kronii did as they were told. They split up and went to their respective afternoon classes. On their way there, they stole glances of the willow tree of the Old Quadrangle.
What in the world is going on?
Ninety-Third Scene - Fever Dream
For the rest of the day, Bae was on edge. She attended her classes like she was supposed to, but her mind was somewhere else entirely. On her notepad, she wrote down the series of mind-boggling events of her unusually eventful day at school. Her meetings with Irys, Kronii, Fauna and Sana swirled together like a primordial soup.
Bae would have loved to write it off as just bad luck. However, any time she looked out the window, she saw that faint, reddish hue in the sky.
What is this? Some sort of bad dream?
The more Bae looked up to the sky, the more distinct that hue became. Rather than cherry pie red, the color turned out to be maroon.
A color that resonated with Bae and stirred her on a deep, spiritual level.
Bae finished her notes and put away her notepad. Once the school bell rang at the end of Bae's last class, she took a deep breath and marched out of the classroom.
She needed answers, and she was going to get them.
On her way to the Old Quadrangle, Bae crossed paths with Irys in the hallway.
"Oh, hey Bae." Irys greeted with a smile, albeit one smaller than usual, "I'm sorry about earlier. Principal Sparrowhawk urged me to sign the contract soon, you see."
"Did you?" Bae asked. Her tone cut through the air sharply.
"N-no… I didn't." Irys answered nervously, "You're going to be there when I do, right? You'll be there with me on Friday afternoon, right?"
Bae's stomach twisted.
"I will…" Bae answered without looking Irys in the face, "I just need to do a bit more digging."
"Digging?" Irys asked.
"Studying, I mean." Bae spoke, halfheartedly covering up her slip, "That said, go home without me today Irys. I need to stay on campus a little while longer."
"Is that so?"
"Sorry." Bae apologized. Then, she started walking away.
"Bae…" Irys tried to call her, but the rat-girl turned a corner and disappeared into the crowds of homebound students.
Ninety-Fourth Scene - Clarity of Mind
Bae went against the flow and marched towards the Old Quadrangle. The closer she got to the quad, the sea of students thinned down until it was nothing more than a measly stream. By the time she stepped into the quadrangle gardens, there was not a soul in sight. Moreover, an ominous air hung over the area.
The rat-girl sat down on a bench beneath the willow tree. She looked up to the reddish, maroon sky once more.
Looking at it now, the peculiar hue reminded Bae of Irys: her hair, her right eye…
Her magic.
Bae paused, startled by her own thoughts.
Magic…?
Before Bae could untangle her mind, she heard footsteps in the quadrangle. A strong, chilly January breeze blew, rustling the canopy of the willow tree above her.
Bae turned to the footsteps and saw the culprit approaching.
Clover Gosling.
Bae's face went pale.
"Surprised to see me, Miss Hakos?" Clover asked.
Fauna's and Sana's reminder to keep things on the downlow forced Bae to calm herself down as best as she could.
"N-not particularly."
Clover's bright blue eyes shimmered. A sly smirk formed on her lips.
"That so?" Clover sauntered closer to Bae, "I don't think you have evening classes, Miss Hakos." She tilted her head and spoke with a sickly sweet tone, "Are you, perhaps, waiting for someone here?"
Bae shook her head.
Clover's smirk became devilish.
"Liar."
Shivers ran up Bae's spine. Goosebumps formed on her skin. Bae dared to look at the Disciplinary Committee head, hoping to clear the air with her. She thought about the arguments she could make or strategies for how to weasel out of this uncomfortable conversation.
Unfortunately for Bae, none of her plans would come to fruition.
Bae saw Clover Gosling's arm dissolve into black goop. The rat-girl froze in horror, unable to process what she just bore witness to. Then, Clover's goop took the shape of a longsword that shimmered in the sunset.
Without warning, Clover lunged forward and thrust her sword-arm into Bae's heart.
"Urghk!"
Clover twisted the blade. Bae coughed out blood. The rat-girl's mind threatened to blank out, but Clover struck a cruel balance.
The maniacal girl kept Bae conscious while inflicting the most pain that she could. She pulled out her sword-arm from Bae's chest and watched Bae fall down to her knees, bleeding out at the foot of the willow tree.
"I've been watching you, Baelz Hakos." Clover spoke with devilish delight, like a cat playing with her bloody, dying food, "I knew that you weren't just another phantom wandering through this God-forsaken place - not just another figment of the Nephilim's imagination." She swung her sword-arm through the air and whipped off Bae's blood onto the ground, "I wouldn't have minded you seeing Irys seal her own fate if you had just gone with the flow and watched innocently from the sidelines. But you just couldn't help yourself, could you?"
Bae gritted her teeth and tried to talk back, but she only succeeded in gurgling blood. Clover looked down on her victim and cast her shadow over her.
"The fact that you're still fighting tells me that you're still out there somewhere." Clover hummed, "We must have missed a spot when we picked through the ruins of GKTV-5, but it doesn't matter. Not when I have you right here on your knees."
Despite Clover's gloating, Bae's eyes still bore a defiant glint. This amused the maniacal girl.
"You're wondering about Kronii Ouro, I'm guessing." Clover deduced slyly, "Don't worry. I've already dealt with her." Her sword-arm dissolved into goop again and transformed into a thin, pointy rapier, "Do you know what a lobotomy is, Baelz Hakos? A little poke through the cranium? Because Kronii Ouro clearly doesn't. Hell - she probably doesn't know a whole lot after what I did to her. Seems changes here translate in the real world too, somewhat."
When Bae heard this, her irises trembled. She looked at the pointy tip of the rapier and understood what Clover planned to do.
"One mindless thrall is good…" Clover snickered. She pointed her rapier at Bae's head and grinned, "But two would be even better. What a deal - am I right?"
Abject fear gripped at Bae. The poor girl shivered from head to toe, stroking Clover's ego.
"Oh, don't look at me like that. I'm doing you a favor here. You're about to understand true bliss." Clover argued playfully, "There won't be room for bad thoughts, fears or anxiety. Just… clarity of mind, peace and tranquility." Her smile widened, "Absolute obedience to me. You will see me as your Friend - the greatest Friend you'll ever have.
Clover raised her rapier-arm and pointed its tip on Bae's temple.
However, when she did, the tip of her rapier passed straight through Bae.
"What the…?" Clover scowled.
She swung her rapier-arm through Bae, but the blade went through her. Bae's entire body flickered and crackled like the screen of a faulty television set. Bae herself panicked, unsure of what was going on.
Then, with a flash of bright red light, Bae disappeared from the Old Quadrangle without a trace. Even the blood that she spilled faded away as if Bae herself never existed.
Clover whirled around. Her eyes frantically scanned through the garden, searching for the rat that disappeared. Her search proved futile.
Instead, she saw a different figure enter the quadrangle.
...
Irys.
Clover restored her human arm, wiped the dust off her hands and went to face the Nephilim.
"Good afternoon, Clover." Irys greeted her politely.
"Right back at ya." Clover spoke with her usual, albeit strained cheer.
"You wouldn't happen to have seen Baelz Hakos around here, have you?" Irys asked.
Clover buried her hands in her pockets and gave her spiel.
"She was here recently, actually." Clover revealed, clearing her throat, "But she said she had to go home because she wasn't feeling well." She wore a sly smile and added, "She told me to tell you not to worry about her. I was on my way to tell you about it, come to think of it."
"Did she, now?" Irys tilted her head curiously.
"Uh-huh." Clover insisted, "So don't worry, Irys. If you want to get anything off your chest, I'll be right here for you." She joined her hands behind her back and smiled, "I might be getting ahead of myself here, but you can think of me as your Friend. Principal Sparrowhawk too!"
"Is that so?" Irys lowered her head. After a short pause, she faced Clover and managed a small, trusting smile, "I'd appreciate that."
Epilogue
When Bae disappeared from the Old Quadrangle, she was thrust once more into the deep, dark sea that she saw in the eye of her mind. She floated through that abyss, trailing blood from her open wound.
The chipping noises of pickaxes and chisels intensified around her, followed by the whir of a jackhammer. Bit by bit, light poked through the deep darkness around Bae. Wisps of red magical light coalesced around her and started to seal her open wound.
Is this… my magic?
Bae looked up to the light. She swam towards it, braving the cacophony of noises that filled her ears.
Then, when she broke through the surface, she finally opened her eyes.
…
Bae gasped for air and winced with displeasure. Trapped in darkness for so long, it took her a bit of time to adjust to the natural sunlight and gather her bearings. She found that half of her body, everything below her waist, was trapped in some sort of strange red crystal, but her head and her arms were free.
Moments later, she found her liberators - the two alumni of the Occidental College, armed with a myriad of mining equipment. Fauna Ceres and Sana Tsukumo.
"Bruh…" Bae croaked weakly, dazed by her otherworldly ordeal.
The moment that Bae stirred, they dropped their tools and rushed towards her.
Sana and Fauna hugged the rat-girl and broke into tears. Bae was startled, but she hugged them back. It didn't take long for Bae to start crying too.
After a short while, a different set of footsteps approached the three.
A one-armed Colonel Omega. Despite her sorry state, she wore a small smile for Bae and greeted her.
"Welcome back to the land of the living. We've missed you."
To Be Continued
