Arc 1: The WAR and FUTURE

Chapter 1: Responsibility (1)

"The war between Humanity and Supernaturals ended 200 years ago. It lasted for a decade which made it known as the Decadal War. It was ended by the truce between the representative of both sides. The truce created 6 powers that were ruling or observing the world. The Supernaturals have the 3 Councils named: Beast, Vampire, and Witchcraft. Humanity had the one ruling and two guarding powers namely: World Leaders, Hunter Association, and The Church. I know this thing was kinda boring since you already learned this during your primary and secondary years but it was a prerequisite for your other subjects especially History Department." the Lady spoke while on the podium. 

She was Jessa Reyes, a historian and a professor for almost 2 years.  She said to have both beauty and brains. As one of the beauties inside the University, her class was always crowded especially, men. Even though she was teaching more on historical subjects. 

"Many of you might think the Classical question over 200 years ago since the war ended. Why on earth that the Church was recognized one of the 6 powers and become the Guardian of humanity?" she asked her students. 

"Maybe the Church's influence was great?"

"Unfortunately no, the Church's secular powers were already robbed and its enemies were on the peak. Nevertheless, the Church's authority was weakening year by year. It was almost safe to say that the Church was already falling," Jessa grimly said. 

"So the rise of the Church was because of the last Council before the War?" 

"It was good to know that some of you know about the history," Jessa smiled to the student who spoken lately. 

Its seatmate nudged him and laughed. 

"Yeah, it was one of the many conspiracy theories after the war. It includes the 9th Intercessory Council. They theorize that the Council orchestrates the war. But, everyone knows that everything that was discussed inside the Council was put under absolute secrecy.  As your local historian, I got a chance to peek the documents and especially to the minutes of the meeting of the Council. It was stated that since the start and the end of Council, they informed every country anonymously about the possible threat of the Supernaturals. At the very end, the Council arrived at the conclusion that many countries regarded their message as spam. Regardless, the Church had secretly started preparing for the Supernaturals even after the Council ended. As they anticipated the Supernaturals appeared where most of the countries caught unprepared, while the Church remains motionless and acts unprepared. The world falls into turmoil as the humans fight the Supernaturals for their own liberty while Church acts in the backline and saving lives," Jessa explained as she mentally summarizes the thing that she read a few years ago. 

"Isn't the Church cruel for such action?"

Jessa nodded. 

"The Church might indeed look cruel but that was the only thing they can do that time and I mention before they warned the world. If the Church calls for war immediately, they couldn't drag it into a war of attrition like happened, and probably humanity will lose immediately. The Church itself should decisive while watching over the current turmoil between humanity and Supernaturals. They also want to advocate peace for both sides but during that time it wouldn't likely happen. I would like to express my apology to the Supernaturals here but there would be peace if your kind wasn't greed of power," Jessa answered while smiling helplessly. 

"However, who proposed the war?" Jessa asked. 

"General Seals, aren't it?" 

Jessa nodded. 

"Unfortunately, no. General Seals might be known to declare the war but the other General, General Eternity called for war." Jessa corrected. 

"Did General Seals took General Eternity's recognition?"

Jessa couldn't help to gulp, she aimlessly leads her students to one of the narrow and dark parts of the history. 

"You might remember that the Church was preparing until the right moment. Their first priority number was aside from helping people and fortification of the churches as sanctuaries if the battle escalated. The General's call for war was set aside for that moment. As you remember that the Supernaturals was on the verge of winning, the General Seals called for a war that lasted until a decade. The Supernaturals caught off-handed by them. As most history books narrated, the Church had taken back by the original Papal States and then Southern Europe. Does anyone know how the Hunter Association created?" Jessa asked after explaining to see if her class was attentive even though she was the reason why most of them are here. 

"Aren't they came from the remaining families that survive the ambush of the Supernaturals when they first appear?"

"Good to know. When the Supernaturals started to ambush them, the Church took an initiative to protect them. The Church helps them to train and to take part in the battles. When the war started, the two powers started to reclaim the parts of Europe. Since they had saved many people from maltreatment of the Supernaturals. They couldn't manage all the people they saved, so they instituted the World Leaders to look over them while they wage war. Until now, the most political power in the world was taken by the members of the World Leaders." Jessa ended.

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"Aren't it was too bias for Humanity?" 

"Yes, it may look bias but it was what really happened. The peace that we have now was because of the pact at the end of the war. Does anyone know the name of the pact?" Jessa asked before ending her discussion. 

"Devil's Deal,"

Jessa nodded. 

"Devil's Deal, the truce formulated by General Seals to end the war. That time, many people thought that what's going on in the General's mind. But, General foresees that both the humanity and Supernaturals were heading to extinction if there wasn't tied and that's why he proposed an equal condition for both sides. I will be early dismissing the class for the preparation in the upcoming festivals. Just to remind all of you, we'll see each other in 2 weeks." Jessa reminded and dismissed the class. 

Right before she left the room, she saw a familiar guy that was leaning on his desk. She approached the guy. 

"Jake, are you fine?" she asked. 

The guy looked to her and weakly smiled. 

"I'm fine," he answered. 

"Are you sure? I can help you go to the infirmary?" Jessa suggested. 

The guy shook his head. 

"I'm fine," the guy insisted. 

Jessa shrugged and let out a depressing sighed. 

"Just go to the infirmary if you don't feel well," Jessa reminded before walking out of the room. 

"Do you know our clan's trait?" a female student asked her friend while walking. 

Her friend just rolled her eyes. 

"You already said for over 20 times. How would I forgot it if you keep on repeating?" her friend retorted. 

The female student chucked but immediately shivered.

"Kidding aside, I feel the aura of death somewhere here. I think someone might die today," the female student spoke with dreadful expression. 

Her friend looked at her stranger and couldn't believe what she was saying. She's thinking that her friend was bluffing. The student shook her head and run from the direction where her guts pointing her. She arrived at the almost fainted Jake. 

She looked around to see if there's someone who could help her. Strangely enough, there was no one in the hallway. She immediately took her mobile phone in her pocket to see the time. She couldn't help but to chucked that she was already late to her class. After a minute, her friend arrived while catching its breath. 

"Your guts seems right," her friend spoke. 

The female student nodded. 

"Is he still alive?" her friend asked. 

"Yes, but his pulse was already weak. He might die at any moment," she answered. 

The two made a silent decision by making eye contact with each other. The two helped each other to carry Jake side by side. Even though Jake was not that heavy, the infirmary was quite far from their position. The two endured carrying Jake to the Infirmary. 

"He seemed dying, the Healer greeted that wasn't even surprised when he opened the door for the two. 

At that point, he took Jake from the two ladies who were already sweating enough and laid him to the nearest hospital bed. He checked Jake's pulse before injecting the IV fluid. After that, the Healer looked the two and offered them to a seat. The two gladly take a seat and they were offered bottled water. The two didn't refuse and take the bottled water. 

"Do you know the guy?" the student asked. 

"Unfortunately, yes. He was often visiting this infirmary because he didn't feel well these days. Then, look at him now, I think he already pushed himself to the limit." the Healer explained while drinking coffee. 

"Um, does he have any relative that we can call?" the student asked. 

"Ah, yes! I forgot that. Thank you for reminding me," the Healer took his phone from his pocket and called someone.

It took a while before the infirmary's door burst open. It was Jessa Reyes that was lecturing a little while ago. The two ladies were shocked that the guy who was dying was a relative of one of the University's goddess. 

"How was he?" Jessa hurriedly asked. 

The Healer shrugged. 

"I could only do the first aid to him. Didn't you said that even your friend inside the Office had already given up on him?" the Healer answered her. 

Jessa's expression turns grim. The atmosphere inside the infirmary turned chilly and the two ladies couldn't help to make any sound because of Jessa. 

"A-arent you a healer? Ca-can you just heal him?" the student's friend spoke stutteringly and breaking the silence inside the room.

The Healer looked at her and smiled grimly.

"My powers were limited and not omnipotent. What the guy was having was beyond I could heal," the Healer responded and couldn't help to shiver because of Jessa. 

Meanwhile, Jake found himself standing at the front of a Castle that looked abandoned. He didn't remember how he arrived here but the only thing he knew was he fainted on the University's hallway. He tried to look around but he only finds was a desert. There weren't even plants there only sand. He thought that he should walk away from the abandoned castle. He turned around and walked away. He didn't know how long he was walking but he only see was sand and dust. He didn't even feel anything from the desert. He stopped for a moment and looked at the sky. His expression turned gloomy when he saw that there was nothing on the sky; not even the stars, the moon, and the clouds. By then, he knew that he was mistaken. He chose to return to the castle. 

Then, he turned around he was shocked that almost lost his balance because the castle was right before him. He took a long breath and courageously walked toward the castle. He slightly pushed the door of the castle to his surprise that there wasn't any resistance. He walked inside and he saw a hallway that didn't have anything even some decoration. He saw another door in the opposite direction, he rushed in. He was startled when he saw a young man in his 20's sitting in a tea table and sipping from his cup. 

"You arrived? I thought that you will take more time to realize that there was nothing out there?" the young man spoke in a calm voice. 

Jake walked toward the young man and he noticed the pile of papers that were stored at the corner of the room. 

"Who are you?" Jake asked when he arrived at the table. 

"Guess?" the young man answered gleefully. 

"Just answer me," Jake prompted. 

"No, we just meet last six months, and yet you already have forgotten my name?" the young man spoke amusingly. 

"You... you," Jake couldn't rebut him. 

The young man laughed and made Jake remembered but something was stopping him from saying it. 

"You're Suffering!" Jake blurted out when the thing that was stopping him from saying the young man's name vanished. 

By then, Suffering laughed hard that the whole castle could hear it. 

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