"Soren," Pencil whispered, fingers tapping together nervously. "Won't instructor Marcus be mad at us for doing this? I mean, we are already going late to the class; a prank on top of that just spells trouble."
Soren turned to Pencil. He understood his friend's worry all too well. Back at their town, Pencil had always been one to run away from trouble.
Even when Vass bullied them with no end in sight, Pencil would never say a word about it.
It was the same way Pencil had shied away from the battle with the Eldritch.
And yet, the boy had the dream of becoming a Soul Mecha Pilot.
Soren did not think he was in any position to judge, but regardless of Talent, he was beginning to realize that one needed a strong heart to accompany their dreams. If not, were they not just delusions?
Soren did not voice these feelings.
"Don't worry about it. In a bit, it won't matter whether we are in the cafeteria or not." Soren replied, checking his wristwatch.
"But we are not supposed to be in the cafeteria before the instructor comes." Bloodshine added, peeking at Soren from behind Pencil.
Soren did not understand this girl. Only yesterday, she was bravely declaring her willingness to marry him. And now, she was shy in his presence.
However, girl psyche was not his forte. Right now, there were bigger problems.
According to Pencil and the Bloodshine, there had been an announcement that the venue for the assessment was no longer the lesson area. But rather, the cafeteria.
Even though this did not make any sense whatsoever, the cadets had still done as instructed and gathered at the cafeteria.
However, Soren had not heard any announcement of the sort. He had repeated this day a few times.
If he did, he would remember.
But that was not all. The cadets were required to gather an hour earlier than initially stated.
Just then, the train slowed to a stop.
Soren and Pencil peeped through the square-shaped window. Soulbound knights rushed out of the train in a hurry.
Commander Jared and Boyed led them in front.
Soren looked at his wristwatch once more. It was almost time.
He waited some more, and then from the other end of the corridor, a figure approached. It was Instructor Marcus.
He moved in a strange manner, as if drunk—staggering left to right. His eyes looked hazy and a bit green.
This was the first time Soren had gotten the opportunity to properly look at Marcus before his death time.
Soren had bumped into the man a few hours ago. He had not been looking like this before he walked into the instructor's lounge.
"Is he alright?" Pencil asked.
—Shush.
Soren shushed him. They hid at the other end of the corridor.
"Remember what I told you. If you do this, I'll consider your apology." Soren whispered to Bloodshine.
She nodded back, obviously willing to please.
Soren observed her closely. "And oh, regardless of whatsoever you see, DO NOT STOP! Not until I tell you to."
She nodded again. Soren turned to Pencil, and he nodded back.
Bloodshine retrieved her Soul Steel dagger. This was going to be her instrument.
"Bloodshine's Shade lets her project the desire of her target in the form of an illusion. However, with the Soul Steel dagger, that ability is further enhanced." Pencil explained.
"She can not only project the desire in illusion but also influence it with her thoughts."
~First Form: Heartmirror veil
Bloodshine muttered.
Her Soul-steel dagger glowed as green soul energy rushed through it like uncontrollable flames.
Whoosh
The world began to shift, green soul energy quickly forming a new space.
Soren, Pencil, and Bloodshine could observe the instructor, but he could not see them.
Soren observed as the world before Instructor Marcus restructured itself—another him appeared, attempting to enter the cafeteria.
However, Instructor Marcus moved fast against his target—dagger slicing the neck of the fake Soren.
Dude!—The fake head fell to the ground.
Pencil gasped in horror. Soren immediately grabbed him by the mouth.
Instructor Marcus turned about to the sudden sound but saw no one.
Bloodshine's ability shielded them from the five observable senses. But a little accident could destroy it all.
Marcus looked around, even walking all the way to their spot. Fortunately, the hazy-eyed instructor did not spot them.
He proceeded back to the cafeteria entrance.
—The doors slid open, and he staggered inside.
—Doors closed.
"What the hell was that?" Pencil panicked, breathing hard and heavily.
Bloodshine also reacted in panic
Her snake-like eyes widened in shock. "Why did the instructor do that? Why did he kill...?"
All three of them hurried to the spot the murder was supposed to have taken place.
Bloodshine released her technique, and like smoke dissolving in air, the scene changed—Soren's corpse disappearing.
—Suddenly a scream. No. Screams—
They came from within the cafeteria. Soren was not sure what was happening but peeped from the little square window that allowed one to view the inside of the cafeteria from outside.
His eyes widened in shock. Elementals mixed in the air on defense, but against the Instructor's strength, it was of no use.
~Splash
Blood stained the window.
More painful, horrific screams. A hand stained with blood slapped the window.
Soren backed off.
A face—half torn off—begging for help. It was Tommy's.
The three outside shifted back in fear and surprise.
"Soren!" Pencil called, still panicking. He pointed to the base of the cafeteria door.
Blood seeped out.
The screams, just as suddenly as they had begun, had disappeared.
Soren, Pencil, and Bloodshine looked to one another.
Soren could see fear in their eyes. He could also smell it in the air.
He turned to Pencil. The boy had peed his pants.
The place had gotten silent. Too silent.
Soren reached for the cafeteria doors. Pencil tried to stop him.
But this was something Soren had to do.
However, unlike usual, the doors did not easily open automatically—as if a force prevented them from their usual function.
Soren used a hand to peel it open.
Torn flesh fell out.
The sight before him—
Pencil instantly vomited to the side.
Bloodshine was also disgusted but somehow persisted more.
The lights in the room flickered.
Soren frowned.
The sight of death in many forms was something he was used to. But even he was not expecting this scene.
It was not just the fact that the cadets were all dead. But it was the manner of their death.