SKRRRRI!

BAAAAM!

The sound of the chair roughly scraping on the ground echoed through the cafeteria in that moment, before tumbling to the floor.

Draugr had shot up to his feet and jerked back in shock.

He seemed to notice the attention that had brought him, and to save face, he picked the chair up and retook his seat.

That lowered the attention, though some onlookers still kept their gaze on them.

White had already leaned backward in his seat, his aura casual once more.

"You think your threat was tough, huh?"

Draugr asked, a vein of anger popping on his forehead at how he had reacted.

But then White’s smile receded, and without a word, he rose to his feet.

Walking by Draugr, he whispered,

"Don’t forget to say your goodbyes..."

TAP!

TAP!

The sound of shoulder tapping rang out in that moment, and White’s hands found their way back into his pockets as he stepped out of the cafeteria.

The two who were beside Draugr returned with dishes in their hands, but couldn’t help but notice White leaving.

"Tsk, you let him leave so soon. I thought we’d get to have some fun with,"

Nota was saying when he suddenly paused, as he looked at Draugr, noticing his hands, which were resting on his lap, shaking oddly, with cold sweat covering them.

"Hey, Draugr..."

No answer.

"Draugr?"

No answer.

"DRAUGR!"

He shouted, managing to snap Draugr out of it.

"What’s wrong with you? You’ve been acting like a dead man since we stepped into this place."

Nota called out, as Draugr forced down his thumping heart before ordering, 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Call the others."

He said to them as they paused.

"You mean call the gang, or who exactly?"

"Call all of them!"

Draugr snapped.

"All of them, in here... now!"

___________

"Hello, Commander Zoltan."

The greeting echoed above a skyscraper’s roof, where a horned young man sat, a holograph on his right hand.

"White! I just got the news that you passed the test. What’s up? How are things in the UEF?"

Commander Zoltan asked, as White smiled.

"It’s just perfect, Commander."

White said, looking down, where a total of twelve people finally stepped out, surrounding Draugr as they moved out of the cafeteria.

"That’s good to hear. Anything I can help with?"

He asked, and White nodded.

"Bring me a mothership."

"What?"

Commander Zoltan said, in confusion.

"I changed my mind. Decided to leave the United Earth Federation."

"Need a mothership to take me away from here. I was hoping you could help with that."

He said, as the Commander remained there, lost for words.

"But White, I thought...you just got in. Why the sudden leave?"

He asked.

"Is that a no, Commander Zoltan?"

White asked, and there was silence for a while before Commander Zoltan exhaled.

"Of course not, White. I’ll be coming with a mothership right away. But please tell me why you’re leaving the UEF so soon."

He said, and White hummed quietly for a while before he replied.

"Remember what I told you about the dreams."

He asked, and there was a three-second silence before Commander Zoltan spoke.

"About you needing to kill someone?"

He asked.

"Yes. I came here for that, and I’ll be finished with it soon. Don’t want to waste more time here after that."

He responded.

"White! You can’t kill someone in the UEF as a student! There will be chaos!"

Commander Zoltan snapped, horror in his voice, but all it did was make White smile.

"Then better bring in more motherships, Commander Zoltan."

He responded before severing the call.

White rose from the building, his eyes turning to look up at the sky.

It was blue, dots of stars lingering around, along with the half-moon at the edge of it all.

"It’s such a beautiful night..."

White mused beneath his breath, feeling the breeze whiz past his ears, his eyes closed.

Then they opened, turning to look at his right hand.

It began to morph, his fingers lengthening until they became silver-colored claws burning with dark flames.

"...a wrong night to sin."

____________

"You sure you’re not just losing your mind, Draugr?"

One of the eleven third years surrounding Draugr said, as the others chuckled.

"The boy, according to the info I got from Officer Mac, is just a new guy sent in by Humanity Ascension."

"Sure, he might be a bit strong, but it makes zero sense to suddenly come for you."

"He doesn’t even know what you look like, the fuck?"

Another added.

"Dude’s just paranoid as hell. Seems like the notorious Draugr finally met his bully match."

"I saw it in his eyes."

Draugr whispered.

"Got bullied by his eyes so much he calls for all of us to protect him."

He added, as they all burst into laughter, but then,

Whoosh.

A sudden dark whooshing of air surrounded them all, and in that moment, the terrible cold returned to Draugr, who shrank into himself in fear.

"He’s here!"

Draugr said to them, as they all immediately paused, looking around.

But there was nothing.

"Draugr... you’ve gotta stop this madness."

"I swear he’s here. He comes with the cold."

Draugr said, and in that moment, attention turned fully outward, silence reigning for about ten seconds before, finally, one of them, with closed eyes, turned into the distance, and there, he found a silhouette.

"There!"

He said, pointing into the distance, and they all turned.

On a building that once used to be a lighthouse of sorts, half-broken and about fifty meters away from them, was a figure, half-devoured by darkness.

But still, they could make it out; the horn on his forehead, especially, was the easiest to see, and the cold crimson-dark eyes that stared not at them, but right at Draugr.

"See? It’s him! I told you, he’s after me!"

Draugr said, as aura began rising from his group, as they began unleashing their auras, five of them hovering high into the air, while six more surrounded Draugr protectively.

"None of us here has caused you any trouble, so what do you want!?"