When Cobalt usually entered his homeroom, it would take him several minutes to get the class to settle down. Sometimes he would have to slam a book on the desk to get their attention, or even crack his whip like he did on his very first day as a teacher, and even then his students would often talk amongst themselves as he tried to take roll-call.

But not today.

They gawked and stared at the Incubus as he slowly made his way up to the front of the classroom, each pair of eyes locked with the iron horns upon his head. Reaching the head of the room, he planted his hands on the desk and took a deep breath.

"I'm bringing this up now on the condition that it's never spoken about again," he said aloud, turning to face his students.

They all stared at him, enraptured. Only Karazelle seemed to look him right in the eyes.

"What happened last night was... unfortunate. Someone was badly hurt, and I reacted poorly, to say the least. The side of me that those in attendance of that party witnessed was... unpleasant. And I'm sorry you had to see that."

Cobalt glanced over to Quinn's usual seat. Unsurprisingly, the Imp's chair was empty. Lottie was absent as well, but that was to be expected; there was no doubt in his mind that she was right by her best friend's side, up at the hospital.

"However, I do ask that you all keep in mind the terms of the Rite to Fair Combat. When a bystander is harmed, the perpetrator is no longer protected by the Rite, and thus will face punishment for their actions."

He took a shuddering breath.

"I... lost control. But I will not apologise for it. That will be all."

He walked around the desk and sat down in the chair. The class remained silent for a few moments until the bell rang, spurring the students to gather their things and quietly exit the room. Only four remained.

"Sugar..." Karazelle breathed, getting out of her seat.

"I believe you have Maths next, Ms. Terna. The room is in a different building, so you really ought to-" the Incubus began, not making eye contact with her.

At the back of the room, Izzbelle slammed her fist against the table, startling him.

"Quit the fuckin' act, dumbass! What's goin' on with you?!" she questioned, pointing an accusing finger at him.

Cobalt swallowed hard.

"Nothing, Izzbelle."

Across from her, Whitney folded her arms and shook her head.

"Sir? No offense, but we're not blind."

As if to compound her point, Jelli trotted up to the teacher's desk and peered deep into Cobalt's eyes. Standing on her tiptoes, she reached across and placed her pudgy hands atop his, her tail wagging to keep balance behind her.

"What happened?" she asked softly, eyes already glimmering.

Cobalt bit his lip and tried to keep up the front, but one look at the Glutton's concerned face was enough to break him. Taking a deep breath, he returned the gesture, holding her hands.

"I... don't know. I really don't know."

It wasn't a lie. Cobalt was just omitting a few details. He didn't relish hiding things from them, but the last time they got involved with a Devil, they all nearly died. He wasn't about to make that mistake again.

"When I ran out on everyone last night, I wound up passing out. When I came to... well..."

He gestured limply to his horns. Walking up to his desk, Karazelle, place one gentle hand atop Jelli's hand and reached for Cobalt's shoulder with the other.

"Do you think it might have something to do with Diate?" she asked, cocking her head.

"I mean you did take a big fuckin' bite outta him," Izzbelle added.

"Izzbelle!"

"What?!"

Though it uneased the Incubus to think back on what he did that day, he shook his head and gestured for Karazelle to ease off on the Oni.

"It's alright. She may have a point. Two barely-documented demons coming into such close contact with one another is bound to have some lasting effects. I just didn't think it would be anything this drastic."

"Do they hurt, sir?" asked Whitney, sitting cross-legged on her desk.

He shook his head.

"No, but they feel strange. Dull and heavy."

"Do, uh... Do you want me to check?"

Furrowing her brow, Karazelle turned and glared at her friend.

"Now is not the time to cop a feel, Butterskin!" she snapped.

"I'm not! I just wanna make sure he's okay!"

Nudging past Jelli, Cobalt raised both of his hands, signalling for the two to stand down before they broke out into another one of their cataclysmic arguments.

"I appreciate your concern, but I'm going to have to get this checked by a medical professional. You should all head to your next class; I'll see you for Language," he said with a heavy sigh.

Karazelle's eyes went wide.

"Wait, you don't mean-?"

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He gave her a tired nod.

"Yeah..."

He made his way to the classroom's exit, only to be stopped by a firm hand from Izzbelle. The Oni bore down upon him with an intense glare, but Cobalt knew from experience that what she was giving him was a look of concern.

"You sure about this, dumbass?" she asked.

He nodded and gave her the best approximation of a smile he could muster.

"I'll be fine, Izzbelle. I appreciate your concern-"

"I- I'm not concerned. Just don't wanna have to deal with her goin' psycho on us again."

She pulled her hand away and folded her arms, grunting for the Incubus to be on his way. Bidding them all farewell, he stepped out of the classroom and set off towards the infirmary. As he walked down the hall, however, his smile slowly faded as a heavy sense of dread settled over him. The ever-burning hunger still smouldered in his stomach, and now he had this dull pain throbbing at the forefront of his head.

"I hope this can be fixed..."

-----

When Cobalt arrived at the door to the infirmary, he was dimly surprised to find the door shut tight. He tried the handle a few times, but it was locked tight.

"Elya? Are you in?" he called, hammering his fist against the door.

He was met with silence. Frowning, he tried the door a bit more forcefully, but still the lock held.

"It's been locked since yesterday, sir," called a passing student as they made their way to class.

"Since yesterday? And Nurse Elya, where is she?" he asked.

They just answered with a shrug and jogged off down the hall in order to catch up with their friends. Growing concerned, he called louder and banged on the door, but nobody responded from within.

This wasn't like her. Elya was always prone to bouts of solitude, but she was always there whenever Cobalt went looking for her. She had her quirks, yes, but at the end of the day, she was still a very diligent school nurse. She wouldn't just leave the infirmary closed up like this during a school day.

Cobalt jostled the handle as he began to worry.

Come to think of it, she was acting very strangely the last time he saw her. Was she sick? Was she hurt? It wouldn't be the first time Elya had hidden grievous injuries from him.

Hot panic flashed through Cobalt's body. Before he knew what he was doing, the Incubus wound his fist back, his veins glowing red beneath his skin. Without warning, he punched a hole straight through the wood of the door, startling all the students passing by.

He didn't have time to worry about what he was doing, however. He had to make sure that Elya was okay.

Sticking his arm through the hole he made, Cobalt fumbled with the lock from the other side, opening the door with a click and allowing him to stumble on through. The infirmary was exactly as it was the last time he left it; the desk and beds were pristine, the windows were shaded and the lights were off.

Immoderata, the chilling black dagger, was still stuck firmly in the floor. A few feet away, a figure sat slumped in the nurse's rolling chair.

"Elya!" Cobalt cried, rushing to the Fallen's side.

He grabbed her shoulder and tried to rouse her, but she was completely unresponsive. She was holding her coat tightly shut, and her face was frozen in a pained expression. Her eyes were glazed, gleaming a strange shade of bluish-green.

"Elya...? Are you okay?"

She was breathing at least, but just barely.

"Come on, talk to me...!"

Her head lolled forward as her eyes twitched.

"... My love... Cobalt... you should... go... stay... I don't... Everything is... not... is fine... I'm... sorry... fine..." she murmured, speaking on both the inhales and exhales.

There was something wrong with her. One moment she was speaking in a droning monotone, the next she sounded as though she were in excruciating pain.

"What? Elya, what are you talking about?" he asked, kneeling down to met her gaze.

"Cobalt...? My love...?"

She blinked and locked her gaze with his own.

"The fire in your eyes... It's back," she said.

"What...?"

"But... someone... in your shadow..."

"Elya?"

He flinched as the sound of clanging metal suddenly rang out from behind him. Jolting back to his feet, Cobalt turned on his heel to see that Immoderata had fallen onto its side, leaving a large gash in the linoleum floor. He crept over to it and picked it up off the floor, but the moment his fingers glanced the twisted black iron of the dagger's handle, a dreadful chill ran through his body.

"Wh- What the Hell...?" he breathed, lifting it closer to his face.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood up.

"Wha-?!"

Cobalt turned around to see Elya standing less than an inch from his face, her eyes wide and blazing violet. Grabbing him by the throat, Elya snatched the dagger from his hand and pinned him against the wall, her hands as cold as ice. Her pupils were tiny pinpricks, and as he struggled against her iron grasp, the Fallen brought Immoderata close to his neck.

"Who are you?" she said in a low, monotonous voice.

"Agh...! E- Elya, it's me...!"

She slowly shook her head.

"Do not wear the skin of my beloved and call yourself friend. Who. Are. You?"

"What are you talking about?! Elya, stop this...!"

She slowly inclined her head, not once taking her eyes off him.

"... He doesn't know, does he?"

Pressing the flat of the blade tight against his neck, the Fallen leaned in close and whispered in the Incubus' ear.

"Mark your days. I will rip your taint free from his immaculate flesh and crush you beneath my boot like the parasite you are. This I promise," Elya told him, her chilling voice sending shivers down his spin.

Dropping him, she regarded Cobalt with a cold eye before silently padding over to the window. She crossed her arms before her face and abruptly threw herself at the window, shattering the panes with a resounding crash. Furling her wings, the Fallen took off into the air, leaving Cobalt alone on the glass-strewn floor of the infirmary.

He stared at the destroyed window, completely lost for words.

What was that? What the Hell just happened? What was going on with Elya?

He heard someone clear their throat, startling the Incubus. Clambering to his feet, he almost tripped into the nurse's chair in an effort to orient himself.

Mistress Viola stood in the doorway of the infirmary, her hands clasped behind her back. The stern Succubus gazed at the shattered glass all over the floor, before she glanced at the hole in the door and finally looked at Cobalt's panicked face.

"... Boy," she said, glaring at him.

"Miss, I swear, I didn't-!" he began, wildly gesturing to the destruction all around him.

She silenced him with a wave.

"I don't want to hear it. There's a more important matter that requires your attention."

Eyes wide, he glanced at the window.

"But..."

"No buts. Follow me."

She turned on her heel and clomped out of the room. Though the uneasiness in his chest was only spreading, he had no choice but to run out after his employer. She was marching down the hall at a brisk pace, her cloak flowing dramatically behind her.

"What do you need me for?!" Cobalt called struggling to keep pace.

She didn't look at him, but he caught sight of Mistress Viola clenching her gloved fists.

"I need you to stand witness."

"For what?"

She fixed him with a steely gaze.

"For the expulsion trial of Magnus Rost."