“What in the sweet hell is with this ungodly heatwave?” Scott cried quietly into the empty street. “We're approaching summer, not diving straight into the fucking sun! I'm going to be drenched in sweat before I even make it to the gate at this rate. Actually,” He stroked his chin and grinned mischievously, “Won't the girls be in the same boat? Depending on whether or not they're wearing undershirts, this heatwave may be more of a godsend instead.”

“Excuse me?” A soft voice called out from behind. Scott jumped and quickly whipped around, his panicked glare darting from curb to curb. “Down a little bit.” He lowered his gaze in response and his jaw dropped. A young girl with fiery red hair and bright amber eyes gave him a lazy wave. With a meek smile and an innocent glare, she asked, “Did I surprise you?”

He started with a weak shake of his head then squeaked out a high-pitched, “No, no.” He cleared his throat and gestured calmly toward her, “I thought I was alone here is all. Where did you come from?”

Without breaking her sheepish smirk, she pointed at a branching road roughly a hundred meters ahead of them. “Over there. I wasn't sure where to go so I've been wandering a bit until you arrived.”

“Eh? You've been here the whole time?”

“Yep.”

His mouth hung open for a moment before he coughed, “I don't know how I didn't see you then, I really don't. I guess I overlooked you or something.”

She pouted. “That's mean. I'm only a little bit shorter than average.” She then switched to a poker face and held the handle of her leather laptop bag in both hands just in front of her beige skirt. “You looked lost in thought as you walked right past me. It wasn't until the second time I called out to you that you started paying attention. What on earth could you have been so focused on?”

“Uh...” He wiped a hand through his chestnut brown hair and stared into the clear sky. “You know... section attack drills and... stuff.”

“Stuff?” She echoed with a raised eyebrow.

“Yeah, like, military... stuff. I've been taking classes and such towards the goal of joining the army after graduation. It's really serious so it really keeps me occupied, you know?” She didn't respond. Rather, she hummed loudly and shot him an ominous smile. He quickly turned and stammered, “So, anyway. What was it that you wanted?”

“Directions.”

“Hm?” He faced her once again and traced her figure all over. “Is that a Rosewood Academy uniform? You a new student?”

“Well, more or less.”

“What kind of an answer is that?”

“I was going to ask you if you knew the way, but now...” this time, he raised an eyebrow. Her warm amber eyes suddenly turned frigid as a chill ran down Scott's spine. “I think I'll follow you from behind. I doubt this white blouse would take to sweat very well, and I don't have an undershirt on after all.”

“Right.” Scott croaked, his face red as a cherry. “Sorry.”

As they walked, the short girl made idle chitchat in a soft, yet venomous tone. “I'm Lucy, by the way.”

“Scott.” He responded shyly.

“Are you, by chance, particularly fatigued?”

“Particularly? Try unimaginably. This damned heatwave is sapping everything out of me. The school gate is practically just around this corner yet my knees feel like they'll buckle long before it even comes into view.”

“Eh?” He felt her icy glare pierce his soul again as she mused, “The fitness standards for the army must be pretty piss-poor these days.”

Scott's brow twitched and he hesitantly looked at her. “For such a cute girl, you really are quite sassy. How the hell do you not have so much as a single bead of sweat on your forehead yet?”

“Who knows? Maybe I'm just that much more fit than you? I'm sure it helps that I don't get so absorbed in my daydreams about transparent blouses that I completely neglect my surroundings.”

“You're not gonna let that go, are you?”

“Certainly not anytime soon.”

“You might have an easier time making friends if you don't ridicule other people so much.”

“You might get a girlfriend if you were more honest. Hm?” As they rounded the bend, Lucy made a slight scowl. “Are they really so uncomfortable that they'd throw away their dignity so easily?”

“What are you- oh.” Scott followed her gaze to find a small group of students sat in a loose circle. All of the men had thrown their shirts aside and the women undid as many buttons as they could while still keeping somewhat covered. The men had their flies down, their pant legs rolled up and a significant chunk of their boxers exposed. Some of the women scrunched their skirts up either to the edge of or just past the edge of their underwear while the remainder flapped their skirts, flashing a rainbow of desires. Scott nodded. “I'm not complaining.”

“Ever the gentleman, aren't you?”

“Well, to be fair, I'm this close to joining them. Can it really be called shameful if all of us are doing it?”

“Would it still be considered murder if you all killed each other in a Mexican stand-off?”

“Oi, oi. Don't be such a spoilsport. I'm sure you'd find it more comfortable as well if you joined in.”

“I take back what I said about you maybe getting a girlfriend if you would be honest. The only way you'll ever get a girlfriend is through mail order.”

“You're relentless, huh?”

“Depends on who I'm talking to.”

“Yo, Scott.” Someone yawned, accompanied by a short series of dings. Lucy frowned as one of the male students with a buzz cut and thin-framed glasses waddled over while dragging his pants behind him with one foot. “It's fucking hot out, in'it? I didn't know that temperature alone could make my two textbooks feel like twenty.”

“I feel you, Eric.” Scott complained. “A marathon with shit running down my thigh would be easier than that five-minute walk just now.”

“Lovely first impressions all around me.” Lucy scowled and tapped her foot impatiently. “Hey, pervert.” Eric rubbed one eye and tiredly stared at her. “Why are you all waiting outside the gate?”

“It's filled up in the security shack.” One of the girls answered, her blouse now on the concrete and her skirt rolled up to her waist. “Apparently it's a hell of a lot cooler in there than it is out here.”

“Enough of that.” Eric interrupted. “Talking about it only makes it harder to bear. I don't know how much losing one last layer would help me out, but I'm going to find out if you keep making me think about it.”

“Desperation at its finest.” Lucy mumbled and walked past the group, keeping her back to them.

Eric leaned towards Scott and whispered, “How the hell is she not sweating?”

“I asked the same thing.” Scott told him.

“Lucky bastard, she is, to be able to bear this like it's nothing. Well, that aside, did you hear the news?” Scott shook his head and Eric continued. “Sounded like there was a family suicide of sorts last night. Or a series of murders ended with a suicide. Local cop shot both his kids, the wife was thrown off the roof -intentionally or forcefully, I don't know- and the rat-bastard hung himself after everything was said and done. You gotta wonder what goes through someone's brain to make them do all that.”

“It's definitely crazy-”, Scott cut himself off and slowly stormed past Eric. “Hey, hey, hey. What do you think you're doing?” He pointed at Lucy who was knelt down in front of two students on the opposite side of the gate, both wearing a band on one arm each.

She gave him a sideways glance and held a foggy, ice-cold water bottle in the air. She gave it a few shakes and without a word, handed it to one of the demi-humans. She then reached into her laptop bag and pulled out another bottle to give to the other. The half-naked band of people all watched on in greedy bewilderment as drops that glistened like jewels ran down the demi-humans' chins with every heavenly gulp.

“What's wrong with you, you bitch?” One of the girls growled and lunged forward, only to drop on all fours, panting.

“Hm?” Lucy hummed. “You got heat stroke or something?”

“What are you doing?” Scott asked again.

Lucy shrugged her shoulders. “Handing out a bit of the spare water I brought with me. Can you not bring drinks through the gate?”

“What about us?” One of the men snapped. “Can't you see us dying over here?”

“Looks more like your preparing for an orgy to me.”

“If you had so much water that you didn't need, it should have gone to us first.” Eric declared as he stumbled beside Scott.

“That's dumb.”

“It's common sense.” Scott countered.

“I'd argue that common sense is giving resources to those who need it more. I'm starting to wonder if there even is a brain within either of your skulls.”

“Don't be ridiculous. They don't need food or water. They're nothing more than waste-” Suddenly, Scott became silent and began to fall forward. His muscles locked up and the world around him faded to black. A deafening ring filled his ears but his hands refused to cover them. He gasped for air but no oxygen filled his starving lungs. All at once, it felt like tens of thousands of hands had latched onto him and were pulling him in all directions. Eric, Lucy, and all the others completely vanished leaving him and him alone suspended in a pitch-black space. The empty floor began to ripple as though he was standing on top of a calm lake. Below it all was a sea of scarlet spectres with furious yellow pupils, clawing at the surface. Something grasped Scott's chin and he was standing by his lonesome in front of the iron gates which were now warped, deformed, and torn from the brick walls. The sky turned black from a never-ending screen of thick smoke. The world itself seemed to be in the process of being consumed by a crimson blaze. Whatever invisible creature had a hold of him squeezed tighter, making him wince. He shut his eyelids tight but something pinched and tore them clean off his face. In front of him now was a silver-haired woman wearing his school uniform, with inhuman ears. Her tail thrashed into the concrete, creating a spider web crack in the sidewalk. Her ruby red iris branded her gaze right into his mind. She opened her mouth, flashing her razor-sharp fangs, and leaned in toward his neck. He braced for the bite, but then she whispered, “Disappear.”

“Scott!” A frantic cry reached out to him, returning him to his senses as he rested his head on the curb. “You good brother?”

“Eric?” Scott coughed, his voice raspy.

Eric let out a long sigh. “Mate, you should have sat down if you weren't feeling well. You don't got near as far to go if you pass out like that.”

“Pass out?”

Eric looked away and barked, “We got people actually getting heatstroke over here. You only gave them some of your water, right? How about sharing some with us before we all end up taking a nap?”

Scott followed his gaze to see that Lucy was still standing in front of the demi-humans, her arms crossed. She stood in silence for a brief moment before opening her laptop bag again and grabbing two more bottles. Everyone collectively reached for them and wailed as she gave them to the demi-humans again. She held one last bottle out in front of her, cracked its seal, and began downing the entire thing in one go. The plastic crinkled as she pulled it away from her lips, a single mouthful left at the bottom. She screwed the cap back on, inspected the crowd, and lobbed it directly in between all of them.

“Scott should be the one-” Eric attempted to suggest but was met by a backhand to the teeth. The remainder of the group pounced the bottle simultaneously, colliding with each other. Whenever one of them got a hold of it, another would punch or kick them wherever they could land a blow. Scott, with help from Eric, backed away from the brawl. “Bunch of greedy animals.” Eric grunted while rubbing his mouth. “What kind of sick bastard gets entertainment from-” He turned towards Lucy but stopped mid-sentence. Scott followed suite, however, when he turned to face her, she and the two demi-humans were nowhere to be seen.

* * *

“We finally got through then?” Scott declared while stretching.

“And the infirmary is fully loaded with people who have overheated.” Eric commented. “You sure you shouldn't stop by, just to be on the safe side?”

“I'm all good, especially now that you've put your pants back on.”

“Well, we did get chewed out pretty hard by the security crew about public indecency back at the shack. In all seriousness though...”

“Ah, I feel good as new. Got some water into me, took care of nature's calling, and got some more water. The AC in here seems to be running pretty hard as well, considering it feels like room temperature.”

“I thought so at first, but...” Eric paused and placed his hand in front of the nearest vent. “It isn't even on.”

“That's impossible. Outside it felt like entire lakes would evaporate in an instant. The building's insulation can't be so stellar that it's keeping out all of that excess heat.”

“I can't begin to guess how it could be either, but it is.” Eric then shrugged dismissively. “In any sense, class has already officially started so we should get going before we're unreasonably late.”

“I suppose, or so I'd like to say.” Scott squirmed slightly as he pinched his legs together. “Nature's calling again. You go on ahead, I'll catch up.”

“Seriously? Fine, fine. Just don't fall in.”

“Like I would ever do that.” Scott called out to Eric as he hurried down the long hallway. Scott then waddled in the opposite direction, his good hand tucked in between his thighs.

* * *

“That was a close one.” Scott whistled in relief as he stepped back out into the near-empty corridor. “Thought for sure I wasn't... hm?”

“It would have been nice if they'd let us stay for the duration of the period.” An unfamiliar voice complained from around the next corner. Scott cleared his throat, puffed out his chest, and held his chin high while walking at a brisk pace as two female students came into view. “I'd kill to be able to go to the beach on a day like today.” One of them continued.

Scott held his breath as they passed him, only releasing it when they didn't stop to acknowledge him. “Well, at least I didn't almost accidentally insinuate to them that I nearly pissed myself. Now then...” He started to fish out his schedule.

“Did you see that girl sitting up on the roof just a moment ago?” The girls gossiped among themselves.

Scott froze and held his breath again.

“The redhead? Yeah, why the hell would anyone willingly go back into that damnable furnace? She must be out of her mind.”

I see. Scott thought to himself, shoved his schedule back into his pocket without looking at it, and picked up his pace. As he wandered the empty halls, he eventually approached an unlabelled door. It creaked and groaned as he pried it open, the hinges screaming as though they were being tortured. He quickly jumped inside and slammed it shut behind him. The interior was flooded with dim, scarlet light, allowing him to just barely make out a steel staircase. He scurried up in an instant, gradually peaking over his shoulder while simultaneously feeling out the walls and potential obstacles with his hand. After tripping on many ventilation shafts, climbing over others, and hitting his forehead off of low-hanging pipes, he found himself in front of yet another door outlined by sunlight.

He took some time to calm his jitters about the heatwave before gripping the knob tightly. It rotated effortlessly, but when he pulled on it, everything refused to budge. He gritted his teeth and placed one shoe on the frame then pulled again with all his might. His veins bulged and his face turned blood red as he groaned with effort. A deafening squeak filled his ears as it all gave away, a blinding light forced him to shut his eyes and he accidentally threw himself into the air vents behind him. He rubbed his tailbone gingerly then something grabbed him on the crown of his head.

“Did you really need to make that much bloody noise?” Someone snapped from the rusted door frame.

The vice-like grip made Scott wail for mercy. “Ow, ow! You're going to pop my cranium like an overfilled balloon. Let go!”

The silhouette clicked her tongue in frustration and released him before stomping back out onto the rooftop. “So freaking fragile...” She muttered under her breath.

“No,” Scott protested as he climbed the metal stairs, “You're just freakishly strong for such a thin girl, Lucy. Really, how-” The moment Scott stepped into the sun, his vision began to spin and he dropped to his knees. He gasped for air and clawed at the collar of his shirt in an attempt to loosen it.

Lucy stood over top of him, arms crossed. “Seriously? Is it so hot that getting this far knocks the wind out of you?” He didn't answer. Every attempt he made to speak came out as nothing more than a dusty heave. After several seconds, Lucy sighed and retreated to the roof's ledge. She sat with her legs dangling over the side and placed her chin in her palm.

In time, Scott's breathing slowed considerably and stabilized. He ripped the front of his shirt open, scattering buttons across the masonry. He ran each limb through a systematic test, from the extremities all the way to the major joints before even attempting to stand back up. It felt like a lifetime, but after roughly five minutes, he was able to move again. He filled his lungs greedily and stood behind Lucy, fearful that he wouldn't be capable of getting back up if he sat down.

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“Took you long enough.” She growled.

“Sorry for not being... a devil like you.” He responded in between gasps.

Lucy smirked. “A devil, huh? Not the worst thing I've been called.” She then adopted a poker face and jabbed Scott painfully in the ribs. “So, why did you come up here?”

He shrugged. “Who knows? If I had to pick a reason though, I'd say it's because you're so unusual. Even unnatural.”

“Rude.”

“That doesn't dismiss the fact.”

“Go to Hell.”

“I'm pretty sure I'm already there.”

Lucy squinted and in a near-mute tone, stated, “Fair enough.”

Scott blinked hard. “You actually agree with me?”

“For different reasons I'm sure.”

“What reasons could you possibly have if this heat doesn't bother you?”

Lucy shot him a sideways glance and with an icy glare, asked, “What are your procedures in the event of a fire?”

Scott canted his head but answered, “Same as everywhere else. Evacuate to the designated muster area, - that being the courtyard - and wait for the firefighters.”

“Who's responsible for unlocking the restraints on the demi-humans?”

“Obviously, no one.”

“No one?”

“Of course. Who in their right mind would waste their precious time enabling the escape of those useless freaks? The only reason they're here is so that those in charge can keep watch on their development. They can roast for all we care.”

“Roast, huh?” Lucy growled lowly and squeezed her knee cap. “I see.”

Scott watched her intently and silently for nearly a full minute. Eventually, he sighed and tried to place a hand on her shoulder. “Come on, we're already late. It wouldn't do for a new student to skip their first day, especially since you already went through the gate.”

At the exact instant he felt the fabric of her blouse, the ground rose up to meet him. He fell backward onto the flat of the rooftop, his feet in the air. The shock shook his whole body, making him cough and wheeze. As his head bounced off the stone, it was immediately forced back down. Almost simultaneously, his uninjured arm was pinned at the wrist. Some kind of point weight that felt like it was going to be driven right through him was pressed into his diaphragm. Lucy stopped short of ramming her forehead into his, her amber eyes developing a red hue. “I don't like being touched.” She snarled.

Scott made the best poker face he could despite the throbbing throughout his torso and tried to retch his arm free. He pulled with everything he had and even bucked his hips to throw off Lucy's balance, but both her position and her expression remained unchanged. When he readied himself for a second attempt, however, Lucy started to squeeze. Only two images came to mind as flashes of pain made him tense up: one was a brand new tube of toothpaste, its contents overflowing rapidly. The other was a capped-off water bottle being twisted tighter and tighter until, pop! The cap flew off. His bones felt like rods made of play dough within Lucy's death grip. After several agonizing seconds, just as he was about to blackout, the weight was lifted off of him and he was released. Lucy hopped back to the ledge of the roof and sat down, her arms crossed, as Scott tried to get oxygen back into his lungs and wiped away a lake's worth of tears. “Are you-” He coughed and wheezed again before quickly messaging his throat. “Are you trying to kill me, you bitch?” He screamed.

She looked at him straight on without blinking and stated, “Not yet.” Scott got onto his knees, a hand clutched to his chest. He shook his head towards her while she tilted hers. “Don't think that I'll let you off that easily.” her hair danced in the wind and flickered in the sunlight. Once it settled down, Scott's heart sank. Her red hair transitioned to silver and her ruby-like eyes burned so bright, the sun seemed dim in comparison.

“You! You're-” Scott stuttered. Lucy- or rather, Luna- inched closer to him. “Stay back!” He cried.

“What?” She hummed. “Didn't you tell Grian that you would be the one to kill me? Come on,” She held her arms out wide and pointed towards her stomach. “Here's your chance to make good on that.” For every step Scott fled, Luna took two toward him. “Don't tell me you're all bark and no bite? Now that I'm standing right in front of you, you do nothing but piss yourself?” she mocked him. Scott bumped into something as he moved and hurriedly glanced over his shoulder, seeing a straight drop to the pavement. Luna grabbed him by the chin and forced him to face her again, scowling silently. She observed his clammy skin, his accelerated breathing, and his drowning sweat. “I see.” She yawned and released him.

Scott dropped to the stonework as Luna returned to the far side of the rooftop, overlooking the courtyard. His gaze darted between her and the door to the stairwell. He planted one foot firmly only for his escape to be shut tight completely on its own. In an act of desperation, he maintained his course regardless but recoiled the moment he made contact. He jumped with a yelp as the skin on his palm sizzled. He then pressed his arm into his thigh while biting his tongue. “Good try.” Luna mumbled sarcastically. “Maybe try again with a fireproof glove, it might work then.”

“Damned monster.” Scott spat through gritted teeth and let out a short cry.

“Oh? Found your voice did you?” She responded and snapped her fingers. There was then a distant pop and the school building shook briefly. “Maybe you'll find your foolhardy courage after all.”

Scott scanned the rooftop frantically before hollering, “What did you just do?” She only answered by pointing over the ledge. Scott cautiously approached, staying at least two arm-lengths away from her. It wasn't long until he could see a tower of black smoke bellowing from a second-story window. “That's... the library?” Scott muttered under his breath. At that moment, he heard the faint sound of a bell ringing below.

“Eh? That's an impressive response time. For humans anyway. Or perhaps it's an automated system?” Luna pulled one knee into her chest and watched the student body build up in the courtyard below. “How long until they're all out?”

Scott looked away. “Beats me.”

He felt Luna's glare dig into the back of his skull. “Ah, about five more minutes then. Still a bit on the slow side but I guess that's alright.”

Scott whipped around. “How-”

“It would seem we have a moment to kill.” Luna interrupted him and gazed over the crowd. “Hm?” Her focus fell onto a young man wearing a blue sports jersey over top of a pink dress shirt. Behind him was a girl in rags with so many large holes in them that she may as well have been wearing nothing at all. A thick collar was wrapped around her neck connected to a brown leather strap in the man's hand. Luna squinted at them and brushed her hair away from the left side of her face. Scott watched anxiously as Luna whispered, “Three, huh?”

“Three?” Scott squeaked. “Three what?”

“The amount of people that take turns on her day after day. Yet you barbarians have the audacity to call me a monster?” Luna explained and allowed her hair to drop in front of her face again. When Scott gave no reply, Luna glared at him. “What? Not going to call them 'useless freaks' and make up some excuse as to why there's no harm in raping them? Cat got your tongue now that the consequence of your actions is right in your face?” Luna narrowed her eyes and climbed up onto her feet. With a stretch, she instructed him, “You'd best not even think about running away while I'm occupied.”

Scott shot her a confused glance before she jumped to the ground below. There wasn't a sound as she landed. He wouldn't have known she had jumped at all if he hadn't seen it first hand. It was more like someone had gently lowered her down. Wait, this might be our chance. Scott thought to himself. She's as cocky as they say. It shouldn't be difficult to surround her- His own thoughts stopped themselves as he watched her dance between people, none of them giving her the light of day. How? Why? Could they really be ignoring someone so obviously dangerous as her? His own eyes then widened as he thought back to just that morning, as “Lucy” appeared as if from nowhere. “That's impossible...” He stammered.

“I guess they still have a long way to go after all.” Someone else, a deep and rough voice, exclaimed from behind Scott. He jumped in place and broke into another cold sweat. A boy, roughly his own age but with ivory horns growing out of the sides of his head, crossed his arms and raised his chin. “Is this the best you humans can do with only five senses?”

“Only five senses?” Scott mumbled.

“Brother!” Someone else cried. It was just then that Scott noticed a girl about the same age standing beside the boy. She had no horns but did have tufts of wool around her wrists, ankles, and neck. “You're not supposed to share that kind of information with the enemy.”

“As if they could do anything about it. Besides,” the boy stared coldly, “it's not like he'll be alive long enough to tell anyone about it. Right, our Guardian?”

Scott hopped away as the man in the jersey face-planted right beside him and Luna walked past, holding the girl in rags in a bridal carry. She sat up straight, tightly hugging Luna's neck, weeping and trembling. Even after she was placed down in the shade, the girl buried her face in Luna's chest and gripped her shirt so hard, it threatened to rip. Luna said nothing and only returned the embrace. She gingerly ran her fingers through the girl's cherry-blossom hair while simultaneously rubbing her back. They stayed like that for several minutes before separating. Luna smiled sweetly at her and asked, “What's your name?”

The girl sobbed some more, sniffled, and wiped the tears away. “N-Neam.” She stated nervously.

“Neam, huh?” Luna rested her forehead against Neam's and continued. “I'm sorry I took so long. Rest for now. I'll introduce you to everyone else once you've recovered your strength.” With that, Neam's eyelids shut gently and her breathing grew shallow. Luna laid her down on her side and stood up straight, keeping her back to Scott and Jersey. “Tío.”

The girl with tufts of wool on her limbs stepped forward. “Yes?”

“Heal her. Meargánta.”

The horned boy put his hands on his hips.

“The pricks should all be outside by now. Start releasing all of the captive demi-humans.”

“Gladly. What should I do if there are any still wandering the halls?”

“Up to you. Kill, incapacitate, or torture, it doesn't matter to me. Your only priority is getting everyone out before I torch this cesspool.”

“Understood.”

He then approached the stairwell door and kicked it inward. As he stepped through the opening, Luna held up her hand. “Wait one. Once you get everyone out, don't bring them back up here. Take them to the two we freed earlier and hold until I get back. I'll bring Neam and Tío with me.” Luna then slowly looked over her left shoulder, staring at Scott and Jersey with a bloody tear running down her cheek. “They don't need to see this part.”

Scott dragged his feet backward while Jersey began to stir. After a few slight twitches, he groggily got onto his knees and rubbed his eyes. He noticed Scott first but as his gaze transitioned to Luna, he vanished. There was a muffled scream as the rooftop itself rattled. Scott hesitantly inspected the source only to find Jersey pinned to the ledge, Luna holding him down by his face which contorted unnaturally. In a blur of motion, she then swung his entire body to the side, hitting him off of a component of the HVAC system, uprooting it. At the moment of impact, his body became nothing more than a red mist, his head still in Luna's hand. She scowled at it and spat, “So fucking fragile.”

“That can't be...” Scott squealed and crawled backward on all fours.

Luna sighed and tossed the separated head away. “Who told you that you could get off that easily?” She howled as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a red gemstone. She then undid the bottom buttons on her blouse and crushed the stone within the cloth. Her fingers snapped together and the splatters of fresh blood began to move, converging in one spot around the head. Luna scattered the dust from the gemstone over top of the pool. Chunks of skin began to reform and the entire cluster took a humanoid shape. After so many seconds, Jersey, albeit buck naked, stood in front of her again. His eyes danced with recognition and Luna placed her claw over his heart. “I can't reliably heal by my own power and scíths are a bit on the rare side, you see. We'll do things this way instead.” He grunted as some kind of hexagonal rune was carved into his skin.

“Luna?” Tío called out and pointed towards the ledge.

“Oh, right.” She replied and dragged Jersey over. “They probably would have heard that.” Below them, the entire student body pointed up at the rooftop. As Luna stepped into view, they all exchanged glances. Scott watched for a moment, dumbfounded. A thought struck him, returning him to his senses and he darted over to shout a warning. A blinding flash halted his advance and singed his uniform. When he was able to see again, the courtyard had been engulfed in a lime-green spire of flames. “Oi, asshole.” Luna waved to him. “Remember what you said? 'They can all roast for all I care.'” She then tightened her hold on Jersey's neck and sneered, “Now how's about we continue our chat?”

* * *

“Yo.” Ian called out past the sheet metal door and poked his head in hesitantly.

“It's open.” Rob stated groggily without looking. Rather, he pressed the wet cloth draped over his face into his skin, massaging his forehead.

“How're you holding up?”

Rob chuckled weakly, “Considering I just came this close to having the apocalypse itself turn me into ground beef, I'd say I could be worse.”

“No kidding.”

Rob then, both forcefully and gently, removed the cloth, placing it down beside him. His puffy, red, bloodshot eyes stared daggers through Ian. “So, you gonna tell me what she did?”

Ian crossed his arms. “The curse of reprisal, I think she said it was before. Assuming it's the same thing I think it is, you got off very lucky.”

“Well count me blessed then.” He spat in response.

“You don't know the half of it. I've only ever seen her do that once before, and let me you tell you, the fact that you're still capable of thought at all is a sign that she barely touched you. See, Luna and I used to go to school with this brat named Andy, the Police Chief's kid. Spoiled rotten would be an understatement and he often picked fights with Luna. She was closer to the passive side then, mostly at the request of her guardians, Stella and Aileen, to avoid drawing too much attention to themselves. One day, however, a priest shows up with a strange rose on his robe. Turns out this rose was poisonous to demi-humans which not even Luna realized. It dulled her senses, Andy tripped her while she was stumbling around, and she lost control of a power she didn't yet know she had. Right away, Andy starts screaming his head off, blood starts seeping out of every opening on his body, and he starts convulsing on the floor, flailing around like a fish. No one told us for a while, but apparently, his body died in the hospital that afternoon. So, as I said, you got off very lucky. She held back considerably when she hit you with it.”

“Hmph.” He let out a dissatisfied grunt and turned away. “You've told me what it is, now tell what it is. What exactly did it do to me?”

Ian scratched his chin and mumbled, “How best to explain it?” After a moment, he exclaims, “It's basically a mirror.”

“Come again?”

“It's a mirror. Think of it like this. I punch you and bruise your shoulder. She hits me with that curse, now I also have a bruised shoulder, or at least experience the pain to match it. Now apply that concept to a scale of a varying duration considering both direct and indirect pain. Who have you attacked, who have you bullied, what pain has your involvement in the resistance brought anyone, friend or foe alike? The curse hits you with all the pain you've inflicted on others, regardless of intention or method, all at once. She probably hit you with about a half-a-day's worth judging by your current condition. Not your entire lifetime, like with Andy.”

Rob scoffed, “So she sits on her high horse, handing out torture like free candy. How's someone like her a leader in any shape or form? Bitch really does like making people suffer just because they have a different opinion from her.”

“Oi.” Ian growled in a low tone, causing Rob to take a somewhat defensive stance. “Don't pretend like you actually know what you're talking about. For one, you weren't the only one suffering. I told you didn't I? That ability is like a mirror. In order for a mirror to reflect light, what has to happen first? The rays have to hit the mirror. What do you think serves that role in Luna's case? She does.” Ian then grabbed Rob by the collar and pulled his head in close. “She felt everything you did for the sake of showing you the bigger picture. She sure as hell did not do that just because you had a different opinion than her. She did it to deliver a message, 'You ain't any better.'” With that, Ian released Rob and stomped towards the exit. Before leaving, he continued, “She's taking the path with both the highest success rate and the highest percentage of survival. If we can't see that, if we insist on fighting that, then we really are a race that's doomed to perish.”

Ian then slammed the door shut on his way out, not waiting for a response.

* * *

This can't be happening... Such a thing can't be possible. Scott frantically thought to himself while pushing his back against the sealed exit. Countless times he's tried to escape but his legs refused to lift him. His second attempt at trying to force the door open only left his hands charred down to the bone. He could do nothing but attempt to cover his ears using his wrists and focus intently on an unchanging portion of the rooftop while reality unfolded around him.

On his left, Tío didn't react to him at all. If he tried to make a run for it, if he inspected her every movement or if he raised his hand towards her, she stayed diligently focused on the unconscious Neam. Neam herself, her tears long dried, appeared as naught more than a young infant, sleeping peacefully in her mother's lap. It was as if the warm glow that enveloped them shielded them from the cares of the world.

On his right, however...

“...st...” Someone coughed. “...j...jo...”

Crunch!

“Seriously?” Luna scorned. “Is that all you can endure? At what point in time am I supposed to acknowledge you as a superior species? Well, whatever.”

There was an ominous sound, a terrifying wail of churning metal mixed with something like someone gargling water. Then, a large, mangled object was dropped right in front of Scott who gagged and vomited immediately. For the moment it was motionless, but after only a second, a red flash crackled around it and it convulsed as though it had been shocked. It reached towards Scott, the skin of its arm peeled away, exposing the bone underneath. In some spots, even the marrow was visible. Each finger had been bent in unnatural directions at a minimum of seven spots throughout. What Scott guessed used to be the thing's face was dented inward, almost folded in on itself, with no remaining teeth to speak of.

“So?” Luna stomped on the outstretched hand and squatted down in front of Scott, grasping him by the chin.

So, what? Scott tried to say but the words got caught in his throat. Luna was completely expressionless, her face devoid of emotion. The borrowed uniform was entirely crimson without a shred of its original colours remaining yet somehow her skin remained untouched.

“Um...” Tío called out. “Don't you think it's time to stop the eclipse? It's probably doing more harm than good by this point.”

“True.” Luna mumbled and released Scott. She then snapped her fingers and the sunlight itself became brighter but the temperature dropped dramatically. Likewise, the massive spire in the courtyard dwindled and died. It didn't take long for the stench of scorched flesh to make Scott gag again.

Luna rubbed her chin and thought aloud, “I don't know if I used up more than I intended or you pricks had less than I thought, but I am a bit lower on mana than I anticipated. I'll have to err on the side of caution.” She paced back and forth mumbling, “I'll need to make sure I have enough to get back to Síochain as well as erasing this problem...” She hummed and closed her eyes. “No helping it I suppose.”

She began undoing the buttons on her blood-soaked blouse and asked, “Have you finished healing her yet?”

“I have.” Tío responded and the warm glow dissipated. “All of her physical wounds should be gone now.”

“Good.” Luna declared while tossing the borrowed uniform in a heap beside her. Her left arm seemed to collapse into ash and reformed as a black bandeau around her chest and a short skirt around her waist. “Awake.” Neam stirred for a second before shooting up into a sitting position. Her entire body twitched in order from the head down to her toes. Her pinkish cat-ears turned in opposite directions, leading her to stare first at Tío then at Luna. “How do you feel?” Luna inquired.

Neam only nodded in response, then fidgeted while pulling at the nearly non-existent rags.

Luna stared for a moment before pinching the brown cloth. It ignited, startling Neam, but she shortly calmed down. The flames formed shapes, becoming the same black clothing that Luna was currently wearing. “Sorry.” Luna apologized. “It may cover more than that slave attire, but I'm sure this still exposes more skin than you're comfortable with. Unfortunately, it takes more mana the more surface area I have to conjure and since I have to ration for the time being, you'll have to settle with this until we get back to the forest.”

“No, no, it's quite all right!” Neam cried and waved her hands in front of her. “This is plenty, my guardi-”

“Luna.”

This time Neam canted her head.

“I'd prefer it if you call me Luna. I won't stop you if you want to be formal and refer to me as 'Guardian' though. Before all that, however...” She handed Neam a broken pipe. “I have some unfinished business with the coward there. You're free to let off some steam until I finish my chat.” With that, Luna grabbed Scott by the hair and dragged him around the corner.

Whack!

Whack!

Whack!

“Sounds like they're already having fun.” Luna commented with a toothless grin. “Oh, but if you're worried about that guy dying, you can rest easy. That curse I inflicted amplifies his pain to the point that just a gust of wind should feel like he's being thrown into a wood chipper. On the other hand, as long as I have the mana to maintain it, he'll always be left at the death's door without ever actually dying, even if his body is chopped up into pieces.”

“Devils...” Scott whispered. “You're the spawn of Satan, without a doubt.” He continued to mutter under his breath, bug-eyed.

She shrugged her shoulders. “Takes one to know one I guess. More importantly,” She squatted in front of him again, expressionless once more. “You in the mood yet or not?”

“Huh?”

“Don't 'huh' me. You told Grian you would be the one to kill me but you've done hardly a thing since I got here. You ready to fight or not?”

Scott only stared at her in disbelief.

Luna squinted. “Well, I can't say it's much of a loss since you're so bloody weak. Fine then. If you're not going to fight...” She dug her claws into his temples. “No point in you sticking around, is there?” As though his body was no more durable than a wad of paper, his neck tore and his head detached, his spinal cord flowing behind it, waving in the breeze. Luna then, like throwing a paper cup into a garbage can, tossed it off the side of the building.

She stretched in place and returned to the other two. Tío supported Neam's weight from under one shoulder, who was panting heavily. “Luna.” The sheep girl called out. “I'm sorry. I healed her wounds but there's nothing I can immediately do for how terrible her malnutrition she is. Her stamina is really low as a result.”

“Well, it is what it is. She'll be able to have another crack at this guy anytime she feels like it anyway.” Luna brushed her hair away from her face again, glaring at Jersey's deformed body. It was immediately engulfed in a crimson flame, leaving not even so much as a spec of blood behind. She then turned her attention to Neam. “How was the first enactment of your payback?”

Neam's face lit up and her hands shook, but with a sly grin, she exclaimed, “Great.”

“Eh? You and Stella would get along rather well.”

“Stella?”

“Ah, nothing. Just reminiscing. I think it's about time we get going. I still have to torch this place before we meet up with the others and go back to Síochain. We can talk more there. Let's get going.”