The first lights of morning poured into the lecture halls as the students trickled in.

But to the surprise of everyone, Dean was already there in his seat. His eyes settled, hand under his jaw. The claw marks on his face glistening under the morning light. He was locked in and ready to go.

Eyes followed him with amusement. Just yesterday he was late, nearly killed someone and now, he was here before everyone else. Eyes on the board and waiting.

In a matter of seconds, the hall filled up. About seventy something freshmen choosing world history as a first course were seated waiting for the professor.

Dean looked around, noticing only a few familiar faces. Astrea was seated in the front row to the left.

While he caught Andre Truman from the corner of his eyes. Entering and going all the way back to the middle row.

Still searching, Dean hoped to find more familiar faces but much to his disappointment, Olsen wasn’t here and neither was Rogue.

The latter was expected. What was someone like him doing anywhere that required actual thinking.

’He would probably be in combat training,’ Dean thought.

The hall had turned rowdy with glances and gossips. Even from a few words he could pick up. He learned most people here were afraid of combat training after yesterday, hence why they picked world history.

Dean’s intent was totally different. Fighting wasn’t the problem.

Dean leaned back slightly.

Understanding this world and how things truly worked was.

And right now... he knew nothing.

Suddenly the noise and rowdiness began to die down. As a slow tap could be heard from the distance.

Dean’s eyes widened as Richard limped in. His cane on one hand assisting his gait.

"This isn’t real..." Dean thought. "You?"

Then he suddenly stopped thinking and shifted his surprised expression. This man could read people after all.

The whispers and shocked expressions of the other students couldn’t be held back.

Who would have thought. The principal was the professor in charge of the World history class.

Reaching the desk after a minute of deliberate Aura farming. Richard set his cane on the edge of the desk at the podium.

He turned to look at this class and every single person held their tongue without protest.

The uncomfortable silence remained until Richard raised his right arm.

"Welcome everyone. You all know who I am," he paused and smiled, "But for the sake of this class, call me Mr. Richard."

The whole class nodded as a vampire sitting beside Dean, answered. "Yes sir..."

Richard nodded and shot a glance at Dean before turning away.

Pulling out what seemed like a marker from his black formal jacket. Richard gently limped to the board.

On the board, he wrote it boldly with a blue shade.

WORLD HISTORY

"World History," he said as he faced the class again. "Not what happened. How we survived it."

Dean nodded. That was what he was here for.

Richard balanced both hands on the cane as he smiled.

"Let’s begin with. The Shattering. Anyone? Can anyone tell me?"

The next forty five minutes flew by like time was frozen for Dean.

Richard didn’t lecture. He simply talked. He talked about the shattering with in depth understanding like he had lived through it.

It was about how the very fabric of the world betrayed humanity. On a day, not specified by the Archives according to Richard.

Reality fragmented as the first ever flux zones appeared and everything civilization depended on for centuries became useless.

Technology stopped working, phones and other communication devices became nulled, Cars, trucks, trains, planes, Guns,.missiles. name it...

It all went moot as hundreds of years of growth and dependence was thrown out the window.

And to make it worse,monsters poured out in droves as reality kept fracturing even to this day with flux zones opening relentlessly.

The monsters that emerged forced cities to collapse with no viable weapons to fight them back.

Populations scattered. Being hunted day and night by monsters that seemed to spawn from thin air as if the very earth itself was degenerating to give them life.

Richard spoke and yet he managed to manoeuvre around the roles that summons and summoners played.

Making sure to focus only on history and ended where the Great coalition began. Knowledge about this was sure to hook the students for the next class.

All that time, Dean listened, watched the reaction of others, listening to a student answering Richard’s rhetorical questions.

At the end of it all, he learned a few things. One was that, the knowledge he had in his body was literally dog shit.

Two, Astrea was quite knowledgeable in history and had no business being in the class. Oppressing him and the others by answering all of Richard’s questions.

And lastly, he had no business bringing a note to this particular class. Richard wasn’t teaching, he was just telling stories and hoping they could keep up while having a deceptive smile on his face.

The class ended and instead of being dismissed. Richard gestured for them to sit down.

"Pair up," he said simply as he kept tapping his cane on the boarded floors of the podium.

"Each pair would work on an assignment and present directly to me," he stopped tapping and tilted slightly. "Make sure to choose your partners well."

The instruction didn’t stay in the air long enough before students began forming clusters.

Species to species, social tiers to social tiers. Everyone seemingly gravitating to what works for them.

A few students approached Astrea but they veered off immediately she stared.

And after about five minutes of random pairings, only three people remained and of course... Dean was one of the unlucky ones.

Still unpaired alongside Astrea and Andre. Dean was about to walk towards Astrea when Andre cut in front of him.

"Lady Astrea," the boy said smoothly. His tone was sharp and focused like he planned the whole thing.

Dean froze. Truthfully he didn’t think Astrea would end up not pairing up, after all, she was the star of the class already.

And now when he thought of picking up on the loss of the others due to their own fears. This bloody Truman was playing a fast one.

"Tsk" he clicked his tongue.

Astrea on the other hand wasn’t having it. Even though Andre was already by her side. Her eyes were cold as she sneered.

"That’s Miss Vermith to you," she looked at Andre with condescending eyes.

But Andre didn’t flinch. He simply nodded. Accepting the correction like it didn’t carry any venom whatsoever.

’This shameless bastar–,’ Dean cursed.

Literally everyone turned to look at Mr Richard. Who just stood there with an amused smile even as he leaned on his cane.

He shrugged. "Miss Vermith and Master Truman. You’ll work together."

His words didn’t stutter and it was obvious, it wasn’t a suggestion.

Even with her jaw clenched. Astrea nodded in agreement as she stole a glance at Dean.

"You’ll have to work alone on this one, Gray" said Richard. As if he always predicted this outcome.

Dean nodded in frustration.

Of course he wasn’t paired. Not chosen. Just... placed.

His fingers tapped slowly on his leg before he cracked his neck. ’Just like old times.’ he thought.

Richard allowed the silence settle before he continued.

"Your assignment," Richard spoke, looking at the whole class.

"Find something in the archives you believe I don’t know about the Shattering. Something hidden. Something you think I’ve missed."

He didn’t finish before people began whispering complaints. Dean himself couldn’t understand what the crazy fellow was trying to do.

How could they.. common freshmen, find something the professor doesn’t know about?

"As I said.." Richard continued like their worries and whispers didn’t matter.

"...each pair and the loner would present their research to me in two weeks in my office. Make good use of your time. You are all dismissed."

Everyone began to walk out immediately after he stopped talking.

Astrea walked past him without a word.

Not even a glance this time.

Dean watched her go, thumb brushing over the claw marks on his face.

He clicked his tongue softly. "Just too slow,"

Astrea marched through the hallway with jaws clenched, she’d wanted to be with him. Even though he was dangerous to have around.

His intuition was going to be a problem but she didn’t mind taking the risk.

She wanted to talk more after being interrupted by the announcement yesterday.

Dean, on the other hand, watched as the hall emptied around him.

He stayed seated for a second longer than necessary.

Then he stood.

The claw marks itched again.

The plan was simple. Clinic first.

Then... whatever came next.

A/N: Thanks for all the support so far. Please your gifts, powerstones and Tickets inspire me