I saw… darkness that went on forever. An infinite abyss that stretched and folded into itself times a million.
Then I felt it, sensed it - a tunnel made of countless points of light formed itself right in front of me, like stars arranged into infinite spiraling arms.
The endless tunnel of stars beckoned, each point of light a promise of lovely oblivion. I felt myself being drawn towards it, like a moth to the most brilliant flame imaginable.
But something held me back, a thing that wrapped itself around my... body? Oh wait.
No body. No arms. No legs, or mouth.
Just weird shimmering threads like I was a brittle star.
My soul? Was I seeing my soul?!
Time ceased to have meaning. There was only the endless void, the mesmerizing spiral of stars, and the grip of pure darkness behind me keeping me from falling into that beautiful, terrible funnel of Uncreation or perhaps rebirth or Heaven or Hell.
I floated in that liminal space between life and death for what felt like aeons, for time nor space existed here in the limitless limbo.
Only the funnel existed and it sought me, desired to consume me whole, to grind me down to little soul bits.
As I looked at the tunnel of light, the concept of "me" began to blur, dissolving into the infinite nothing and everything between those mesmerizing endlessly spiraling lights.
But the thing holding me - the dark centipede bracelet that had merged with my flesh - refused to let go.
Its grip was both painful and reassuring, an anchor in this abyssal ocean of cold, alien death.
[SUBJECT: ALEXANDER GLOCK
STATUS: DECEASED
CAUSE: XENOMORF ELECTRICUS PARASITIC INFECTION, BRAIN DAMAGE HEAD WOUND FROM GUNSHOT
INITIATING RESTORATION PROTOCOL…]
[Soul Realignment. Body formation from Genesis well.]
[Soul Stats Foundry Established. Tabulating Anima Stats.]
| Name: Alexander Glock
| Age: 18
| Species & Subtype: Human
| Core Affinity: N/A
| Level: 0
| Anima: 89/89
| Anima Stamina: 0.1/0.1
| Mana: 0/0
| Mana Regen: 0.0m/hr
| Strength: 0
| Agility: 0
| Dexterity: 0
| Vitality: 0
| Charisma: 0
| Magic: 0
| Foresight: 0
| Intelligence: 0
| Wisdom: 0
| Skills: N/A
The words appeared in my consciousness like burning brands, white text written on blue nothingness.
Wow, so many zeroes. Look upon my vast numbers and despair!
Then sensation returned in a rush of cold wetness.
I gasped, choking on thick, metallic-tasting liquid as strong hands gripped my arms, hauling me up from the depths.
"Come on, newbie, breathe!" Cinder's perfect, angelic voice cut through the haze of disorientation.
I broke the surface of what looked like a pool of liquid mercury-like fluid, coughing and sputtering.
Rainbow feathers filled my vision as Cinder pulled me onto the stone ledge of what appeared to be a dim underground cavern.
Ah. Reincarnation. An angel just reincarnated me. How… theologically fitting?
The Lazarus Cavern was surprisingly cozy, lit by thousands of bioluminescent crystals embedded in the rock walls. They pulsed with a warm, golden light that cast a few shadows across the polished stone floor.
At the center of the cavern, the Genesis Well stretched out like a perfect mirror of quicksilver. Its surface was unnaturally still, reflecting the crystal lights above like a window into another universe filled with shimmering golden stars.
A massive statue of a female Omnid loomed over the pool, her stone wings spread wide and her sword pointed down at the fluid's surface. Her face was hidden behind a featureless mask, but her pose radiated both protection and warning. The plaque at her feet read: "Through Death We Rise Stronger."
I shivered, partly from the chill of the cavern air on my wet skin, but mostly from the lingering sensation of that infinite spiral of stars trying to pull me in.
A thick, fluffy robe hit me in the face, snapping me out of my daze. I realized with a start that I was completely naked, my wet skin already beginning to pebble.
"Get dressed," Cinder ordered, already turning away to give me privacy.
I quickly pulled on the robe, trying not to think about how I'd just been very naked in front of the girl who'd been haunting my thoughts since yesterday.
"So," I said, trying to sound casual while wringing fluid out of my hair, "do you make a habit of fishing dead classmates out of magic pools, or am I special?"
"Unfortunately, I'm stuck with you as a lab partner," Cinder replied without turning around. "Means I gotta be the one to resurrect your pink ass. Protocols and whatever. Don't get used to it, I'm not your friend. Here's your stupid bag."
She kicked my bag towards me.
"Thanks, dragon-bird fren’," I muttered, checking my bag over. "So, uhh... is there like a dead me in the classroom or...?"
"There was," Cinder shrugged. "Doc shot you in the head. Then he got a flamethrower out and burned the remains. Typical Tuesday, really."
"Also..." I said. "Is class over? How long have I been dead?"
"About twenty minutes, give or take," Cinder replied, finally turning back to face me. "Yeah, class is over. Everyone finished their dissections, doc burned the remains and blast doors opened."
"Should I head to the next class then?" I asked.
"What the actual fuck is wrong with you?" Cinder spun around, her wings flaring with agitation. "You just died! Like, actually died! A space parasite drilled through your eyeball and into your brain! Normal people take at least a day off after their first death!"
"But... attendance requirements..." I started weakly.
"Slayer Nazareth!" she threw up her hands in exasperation. "You really are some kind of walking PSA! You know what? Head to your stupid class. I don't effin' care. I'ma chill here. Thanks for dying, I get to skip Algebra now without getting detention. Go rinse off and change first. You smell like fresh meat.”
She pulled out her phone and sat down on the steps, slumping against the cavern wall, clearly dismissing me.
“Change and rinse off where?”
Cinder waved with a feathered hand.
I sighed and walked around a large column. Behind it, I discovered a shower and locker room filled with rows of lockers and fresh… LV 3 Hexasuits. Tiny, beast cores glowed in a large jar nearby.
Jackpot!
I took the robe off, enjoyed a quick shower and pulled on a Hexasuit. Then I stuffed a handful of beast cores and a few extra Hexasuits into my backpack. My phone was thankfully in my bag, but the tiny wax-speaker was no longer in my ear. I'd have to get a new one from the van.
"So?" Cinder asked without looking up from her phone as I walked back to the pool to stare at the shimmering surface. "What are you doing here? Go be a perfect student or whatever."
I went onto the floor and started doing push-ups. The Quetzi-girl squinted at me.
I pushed myself as much as I could and slumped into the floor panting.
“What are you doing?” She asked.
“Push-ups,” I answered
“Why?”
“Science!”
“What?”
“I’m seeing if dying made me stronger,” I grinned, panting. “The answer is… yes.”
“The pool doesn’t make you stronger, idiot,” she commented. “It…”
“Restores the body to a state of near-optimal health,” I said. “Read bout it on the Academy's website. This is great! My old bone breaks and scars no longer bother me!”
I shoved the little beast core into the chest hexagram and let the suit power up. Then I did some more pushups. Aww yes. Magical amplification.
The Quetzalcoatl simply stared.
After 148 pushups the tiny beast core dimmed, winking out and I slumped onto the floor. I inserted another beast core into the Hexsuit’s chest and stood up and did some jumping, trying to grab a stalactite.
“Having fun?” She asked.
“Yepperoni,” I nodded.
Sitting on the yellow stone steps next to her, I pulled out the sketchbook and began drawing. I drew the tunnel of light as best I could, trying to capture the endless spiral with quick pencil strokes.
Cinder stared at my sketch, her curiosity apparently overcoming her determined indifference and Omnigram scrolling.
"Just drawing' what I saw," I said, not looking back at her. "Never been dead before. Seems like something worth remembering."
“Ah. You saw the Wheel."
I nodded, adding more detail to the spiral. "Is that what it's called?
"Mhrmm," she nodded. "The Wheel that Consumes All. Arx. Inverted world."
"Say what?" I blinked at her.
"If you don't piss off like the other half-blood girl…" she shrugged. "You'll get to go there. By a transit gate. The world of the damned and living Gods."
"The world of the Gods?" I asked, my pencil pausing on the paper. "You mean like... an actual physical place?"
"Mhmmmm," she stretched. "Delving class does weekly delves there. It's where we get most of our good loot and level ups."
She glanced at my drawing again. "You've got a good eye. Most people can't remember the details of the Wheel after their first death. It's usually too overwhelming. Really fucks with your head and whatnot. How do you feel?"
“Fine," I shrugged.
Cinder stared at me with narrowed eyes. "That's... not normal. Most people are complete wrecks after their first death. Puking, crying, existential crisis - the works. Takes days to get over the trauma sometimes." She tilted her head, studying me with new intensity. "Oh, I guess you've had an incarnator at your parents' workplace then?"
"Uh..." I blinked at her, pretending to be clueless to keep her talking. "What's an incarnator?"
"You know, the mini-versions of the Genesis Well? Big companies have them for their employees. Insurance requirement thing. Dad's got one at work. First time I died I got incoed there. It… wasn't pleasant.”
"Ah. I grew up in North Acadia, we didn't have an incarnator," I shook my head. "So yeah. First death ever. Maybe I'm just weird?"
"Everyone's weird about their first death," Cinder said, her feathers shifting through thoughtful shades of blue. "But you're being extra weird about it. Like, creepy weird. You sure you're not some kind of robot or something?"
"Beep boop," I replied flatly, flipping to another page. "Totally a robot. You caught me. My evil plan to infiltrate the school has been revealed. Somebody stop me!”
"Yeah right," Cinder scoffed, but I caught a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. "A robot wouldn't have bled all over my favorite boots when Doc railgunned your head open along with the parasite."
I began sketching Cinder in an exaggerated war scene.
She stood in front of a sandbag trench, wielding a comically oversized, somewhat lopsided machinegun. An wild, thick mop of feathers spilled from her head. One of wings was open against a background of explosions and gunfire. The speech bubble proclaimed: "NO FRENS ONLY DEATH! HERE".
Above her, a massive nuclear bomb labeled "BIG FREN" plummeted from a WW2-style Omnithean plane with Executioner crosses on the wings.
I added tiny details - her skull choker with a skull and another skull bandana, and her dark tank top. Her usual scowl was amplified to ridiculous proportions, eyes manic, jagged spikes extending out from her combat boots. The nuclear bomb became animated with squiggly lines of motion and a toothy grin drawn on its side.
"What are you drawing now…" Cinder's voice cut off as she leaned over again.
I added a bunch of notes with sharp arrows pointing out various items on her person.
"Tactical goth boots of mass destruction (steel-toed for maximum emo)"
"Bigly gun (w bullets made from pure angst)"
"Emergency backup cigarette holder (for when the world just doesn't understand)"
"Skull choker of doom (+5 to brooding)"
"Pockets full of detention slips (Detention Master - Gotta catch 'em all!)"
"Anti-friendship force field (now with 50% more spite)"
"Warning: Approach subject with caution, may cause spontaneous human malfunction"
I heard a strange sound beside me - something between a snort and a choke. Glancing over, I saw Cinder biting her lip, clearly trying not to laugh as she read the annotations.
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"Nazareth! You're such a freakin’ dweeb," she managed, but there was no real venom in it. Her wings twitched as she fought to maintain her scowl. "And I do NOT collect detention slips like Pokemon!”
"Uh-huh," I signed the drawing as Alex G and slipped the paper over to her. "Here you go. One signed art free of charge. In fifty years you’ll be able to sell it for millions and buy a brooding gothic farm and raise crows or something. If you want more art it’ll cost ya.”
"Cost me what?" Cinder asked, carefully folding the drawing and tucking it into her dark backpack, trying to look nonchalant about it.
"Oh, you know," I shrugged. "Information. Stories. Secrets of the universe. The usual artist's fee."
Before Cinder could reply, rapid footsteps echoed from the stone stairwell. Christi emerged, panting, her burning head lighting up the somewhat dim cavern like a torch. Her head-flames were burning so bright that they were almost pale blue-white, casting dancing shadows across the ancient walls.
"Oh thank goodness!" Christi exclaimed, rushing over. "I heard what happened in Bio! Are you okay? First deaths can be so traumatic! Do you need anything? Water? Snacks? A hug? Counseling? ‘Cus I am qualified to…"
"I'm fine," I assured her, subtly edging away from her intense heat. "Just a little damp."
"He's being weird about it," Cinder commented from her stone perch. "Like, robot weird. Didn't even freak out, cry or puke or anything."
"Oh my!" Christi's flames flickered with concern. "That's... unusual. Maybe we should take you to the nurse? Sometimes the shock takes a while to set in..."
"Really, I'm okay," I insisted. "Can’t wait to get to my next class."
"You absolutely should NOT go to class!" Christi declared, her flames flaring. "First deaths get automatic medical leave!"
"See?" Cinder commented. "Even the walking rule book says you should take a break."
"Cassie!" Christi suddenly rounded on the Quetzalcoatl, her flames spiking higher. "How could you let your assigned partner die on his very first day? You're supposed to protect your lab partner, it is a sacred bond…”
"Me?" Cinder's feathers bristled, shifting to angry reds. "I literally tackled him out of the way of the first parasite! Not my fault he has zero survival instincts! He's… even worse than freaking Iogann! Also, don't call me by my Cast name you knobtwit!"
"Hey uhm..." I protested weakly.
“Cass… you have one of the highest stats when it comes to fighting,” the torch-girl insisted. “You have to…”
"It wasn't my fault, damn it!" Cinder jumped up, wings flaring. "At least Iogann is drawn to disasters - this mixie idiot practically manufactures them! He walked into class looking like a walking 'eat me' sign, tried to act tough against a predatory parasite, and then just sat there like a deer in headlights when the second one went for his face!"
"I was going to dodge..." I mumbled.
"When?" Cinder demanded. "After it finished drilling through your brain? Even Sarah had better survival instincts than you!"
"Now Cass-" Christi started.
"I said-Don't effin' call me that!" Cinder snapped, her wings flaring with agitation as she kicked Christi into the wall with a swing of her foot that was too fast for me to track. "And don't try to make this my fault! I'm not babysitting some helpless idiot who can't even dodge a parasite! Fuck this and fuck you!”
She grabbed her bag and vanished up the stairwell giving us both the middle finger.
"Owww," Christi groaned, peeling herself off the cracked wall indentation. Her flames had dimmed considerably from the impact. "She's gotten even stronger since last semester..."
"You okay?" I asked, helping her up.
"I'll live. I'm very solid," Christi waved off my concern, her flames already brightening. "Cinder's kicked me through walls before. Usually when I call her Cassie or try to get her to be less of a rule-breaker. She really hates her birth name for some reason."
"Some reason?" I asked after she fell silent.
“Oh, it's like... um..." Christi's flames flickered uncertainly as she tried to find the right words. "So Cinder is... like Cassie's Kaleid name, I think it means like… no family, no past, or future relationships, just fire and destruction and stuff."
"Kaleid... name?" I stared at Christi.
"Right, you're new here, sorry!" Christi's flames brightened again. "So, Kaleid names are like... names that some Omnitheans choose for themselves to… reinvent themselves, I think? It's kind of a rebellion against authority thing, I guess? Like, rejecting your birth name, relationships and family connections completely."
"Weird but okay," I said.
"Em is really into this stuff," Christi rubbed the back of her torch-head. "Equalist post-modern terminology. Dissociation from everything that chains you, embracing that everyone is equally beastly and hungry for flesh."
"Sounds like something for me to Oodle and read up about," I said.
"I mean, if you want to," Christi sighed. "Em calls it Predator Theory. She's really intense about it. I think that it's nonsense though. Family's important. The Leviathan Slayer taught us that."
"So Cinder is... rejecting her whole family?" I asked.
"Sort of, yeah," Christi sighed, her flames dimming. "She still talks to Lance sometimes... Generally it's telling him how much he's an over-achieving idiot and swearing at him. It's mostly their parents she has issues with. Justice Nova and his wife are devout Slayer followers and can be... intense about following rules and proper behavior. Which, you know, makes Cinder want to break every rule possible just to spite her dad."
"Ah," I nodded. Classic teenage rebellion, cryptid edition. "And the smoking?"
"Started right after she chose her Kaleid name," Christi confirmed. "Along with the all-black wardrobe and the whole 'I hate everything' attitude. She used to be so different... so colorful, helpful… so kind. I don't know what happened. But anyway!" Her flames suddenly brightened again. "You really should rest! First deaths are serious business!"
"I'm fine," I shrugged.
We remained silent for about a minute.
"Okkay. Sooo..." Christi's flames flickered with barely contained curiosity as she looked up the stairwell to make sure Cinder wasn’t coming back. "Did you make any progress on... Our plan? You know... Near-death experiences can really bring people together!"
"Well, she did save me from the first parasite," I said. "And then fished my newborn self out of the magic pool after the second one killed me. So... progress?"
"And she actually waited here with you!" Christi bounced excitedly, her flames sparking. "That's huge! Usually she just dumps the bracelet into the pool and leaves, letting the reborn swim out of the pool themselves. Did you… talk? What did you talk about?"
"Art stuff mostly," I shrugged. "She called me dumb and criticized my survival instincts."
"But she didn't break your arms or throw you into a wall!" Christi clapped. "That's practically friendship by Cass standards!"
"Your standards for friendship are concerning," I commented, pulling out my camera, lowering F-stop way down, cranking up the ISO and taking a few shots of the cavern.
Christi leaned towards me, curious as to what I was doing.
"Sup, High Pink Councillor? Want a photo?" I became my absolute, perfect self now that Cinder wasn't looming in my periphery.
"Oh my gosh, yes! Would you mind? I've always wanted a professional-looking photo of myself!" The torch-girl bounced, her pink suit and dress fluttering.
"Stand against the reincarnation pool. Good. Now, just act natural," I directed, watching through the viewfinder as Christi started to pose like she was auditioning for a teen magazine cover.
"Perfect!" I snapped a few shots, letting Christi cycle through various poses.
"Maybe you could help Cass with her music, or art, or..." She chattered at me.
"We’ll see," I said. "Nways, I’ve History class next–please direct me to the classroom location, so I'm not late. Also, just text me on Omnigram if you want a report on my mission, Chancellor. You don't need to follow me around. I'm good."
"You're completely sure you're good to attend class?"
"Perfectly good," I nodded, stretching, clamping down on my internal screaming. "Never better. Have a whole new spine and everything. I should do this more often. This cave is very chill and relaxing.”
Some distant part of me was horrified at my own words, was clawing his own face off and rocking in a corner in fear of the endless, horrid, hungry Wheel. But I wasn't that person now.
I was Alexander Glock, a self-made, unfeeling, human-shaped weapon on a mission.
"Okkay," Christi grabbed my elbow. "I'll take you. And please, keep me updated on everything!"
. . .
History class. Third period.
I was now fully changed, wearing a new set of Omnimart shirt, shoes and pants and had a new micro-speaker connected to my AI and buried deep in my left ear. I'd have to order a few more to be delivered to a nearby PO box, judging by the rate of how fast I managed to perish.
For a few minutes, I stood at the front of Mr. Yamamoto's classroom, studying the traditional Japanese décor that covered every surface. Scrolls featuring ancient calligraphy hung from the walls, and a small zen garden occupied one corner lit up by Kitlix lanterns. An enormous beast core sat in the ceiling, casting soft light into all directions and powering up the little liquid crystal kittens.
There were no windows in class and only a single door.
The Yōkai teacher himself was a translucent shadow-like figure wearing a traditional hakama in deep navy blue and a formal kimono top in charcoal grey. His family crest was embroidered on the kimono in silver thread, and he carried a wooden practice katana at his hip. Traditional tabi socks and sandals completed his outfit.
He maintained perfect posture as he gestured for me to introduce myself to the class, his eyes glowing faintly in his shadow-like face. The way he moved was unnaturally smooth, as if he was gliding rather than walking.
I scanned the room quickly for any potential escape routes - old habits die hard. There were no escape routes as far as I could determine, this entire class was deep underground in solid bedrock. A Japanese gravestone stood in the back of the garden.
Ah. The teacher’s final resting place from which his ghost was being projected by the power of the beast core in the ceiling. Who better to teach history than a ghost who's lived through it all?
Then my eyes landed on the empty desk behind Cinder, and my heart did that stupid flutter thing again.
Of course. Either she managed to scare the person sitting behind her away with excessive goth-rudeness or the universe clearly had it out for me.
I also noticed Emerald Stratos sitting in front of Cinder, ruby scales catching the light. Her gold-orange slitted eyes narrowed as she recognized me from this morning.
"Mr. Glock," Mr. Yamamoto's voice materialized somewhere beside me like a cold whisper rather than through my ears, a common trait among Yōkai. "Please introduce yourself to the class."
I switched to my practiced NPC mode, though it was getting harder to maintain with Cinder's ocean-blue eyes drilling holes into me from the third row. I decided to drown myself in bit of a comedy routine to lighten the mood of my death.
"Hey everyone!" I gave a cheerful wave. "I'm Alexander Glock, your friendly neighborhood photographer and artist from North..."
"I hear you died in Bio, nulls," Emerald interrupted, her voice carrying across the room and somehow completely muting mine. "Everyone's talking about it. Apparently you just sat there and let a parasite eat your brain."
Several students snickered. I caught whispers of "typical nullie" and "probably froze up."
"Ms. Stratos," Mr. Yamamoto's cold voice cut through the chatter like a blade. "It is considered extremely rude to interrupt introductions. Five points from your grade."
"But sensei-" Emerald started to protest.
"Ten points," the teacher's amber eyes flashed.
Emerald subsided with a huff, her ruby scales dancing with sparks of dragonfire. I noticed that Cinder rolling her eyes at her friend’s commentary.
"As I was saying," I continued smoothly, "I'm Alexander from North Acadia. And yes, I did die in Bio. Got better though!" I grinned, channeling my best 'this is fine dog’ energy. "Pro tip - when a space parasite tries to drill through your eyeball, don't just sit there thinking 'wow, this is gonna hurt.' Turns out it really does hurt!"
A few snickers. Cinder's perpetual scowl twitched slightly. Ember on the other hand looked like she was planning to decapitate me right after class.
"Thank you for that... colorful insight, Mr. Glock," Mr. Yamamoto said dryly. "Please take your seat. Behind Ms. Nova."
"You again." Cinder's voice dripped with irritation as I marched across the class and collapsed into the empty chair behind her. "Are you literally in all of my classes?"
"Maybe I am, maybe I am not," I shrugged. "The ways of the reincarnated samurai are mysterious."
Cinder turned back around, muttering under her breath, "Freakin’ pink weirdo..."
"Okay Goth GF bae," I fired back, immediately regretting my words as they left my mouth.
What the hell was that even? That wasn't even clever! My brain was obviously malfunctioning from prolonged exposure to the view of her majestic feathery wings in front of me.
She whirled around in her seat, eyes blazing. "What did you just call me?" Her voice was low and dangerous.
I remained stoically silent.
"Listen here, you preppy little mixie waste of space," she hissed. "I am NOT your 'goth gf', your 'bae', or any other stupid label your pathetic parasite-drilled brain can come up with. You think that you're so clever and quirky with your little drawings and your stupid jokes?"
"I'm sorry. Would you prefer Dark Princess of Angst? Queen of Combat Boots? Supreme Ruler of the Detention Realm?" I fired back at her, falling further back into sarcastic jokes just to annoy her.
“Shut it!” She leaned closer, sharp teeth glinting. "You think just because we had one semi-decent interaction in science class and inca' cavern... that we're suddenly friends? That you can just waltz in here with your fake perfect student act and..."
"Are all female Quetzis this hostile? Or are you just special, Cass?" I went waaaay off script.
Cinder's wings flared wide, her feathers bristling with rage. "Are you fucking kidding me?" she snarled loudly. "How dare you?! My name is Cinder, you absolute waste of space!"
THWACK!
Mr. Yamamoto's wooden katana struck Cinder's desk with lightning speed, making us both jump.
"SIRENCE!" He commanded, his accent thickening with disapproval. "No fighting in my crass! You both stay after schoor for two-hour meditation on harmony!"
Cinder spun away from me and slumped onto her desk, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like "Effin' nullies" under her breath.
I was once again presented with a perfect view of her wings.
The feathers started as a pale silver at their base, almost white where they connected to her back, before gradually darkening to a deeper metallic grey. Each caught the light differently, creating an effect like polished agate - some reflecting cool blue undertones, others showing hints of warm amber when she shifted.
Class ended before I even realized it, most of the teacher’s history lecture simply gone from my head due to the damn mind-melting wings.
Cinder glared at me as both of us emerged into the hallway. Her head-feathers were extra-puffed up in agitation, bristling like an angry cat's fur.
"Thanks a lot," she hissed. "Now I've got detention cus of your stupid ass. Hope you're happy with yourself."
"Hey, you started it with the whole 'waste of space' thing," I pointed out. "I was just trying to be friendly."
"By calling me by my Cast name?" She snarled.
"Is this nullie bothering you, Ci?" Emerald appeared beside us, her ruby scales gleaming dangerously. Her gold-orange eyes fixed on me with predatory intent.
"Just being an ignorant waste of space," Cinder muttered. "As usual."
"You know what would make you feel better?" Emerald's grin showed saw-like white teeth. "A little spine-breaking therapy. No one would blame you - he's clearly asking for it. And don't reincarnate him. Let the teachers deal with him."
"Hmmm." Cinder tilted her head thoughtfully, her feathers shifting through shades of considering-violence orange red as she opened and closed her fists, diamond-shaped pupils dilating like that of a cat about to pounce. "He IS really annoying... Maybe a good kick will..."
"You guys should..." I raised my camera smoothly and cranked the flash setting to maximum. "Lighten up and smile more!"
The flash went off before either of them could react. Both of the predators recoiled, momentarily blinded.
I took off running.
Nobody seemed to follow me.
Maybe they had better things to do or were simply bad at hunting humans down after being being blinded. Thankfully, both of them were evening predators, weak to being flashed in the face.
I quickly arrived at my locker, my heart still pounding from my narrow escape. As I pulled out the heavy bag of stolen board games, I caught my reflection in the small mirror within the locker. My face was flushed, hair disheveled, and I was grinning like an idiot despite nearly getting murdered.
What was wrong with me? I should be terrified. Instead, I felt... alive. Energized. Like I'd just discovered a new and exciting way to court death.
I should do it again.
Focus. You're here for a reason. Get your head in the game.
I shouldered the bag and headed for the cafeteria, already plotting my next move.
The lunch room was massive, with high gothic vaulted ceilings and long tables arranged in a precise hierarchy. The popular cryptids claimed the central tables near the opulent fireplaces, while less socially powerful groups occupied the edges.
I spotted an empty table row and headed straight for it and began laying out chess and checker boards.
"You," a voice sounded from one of the empty chairs. "Asshole mixie. If you ever call me 'Cassie' or 'goth gf bae' again, I will break your spine. Do not tempt me. This is your only warning."
"Gah, talking chair!" I jumped backwards.
Cinder slowly faded into visibility, her wings unfurling as color leaked back into her silver feathers. She glared at me.
I made the sign of the Slayer Nazareth in the air.
"Be gone, apparition! Quick, someone call a priest - we need an exorcism! The spirit's really goth too, it must have unfinished… detention to serve!"
"You're not funny," she declared flatly, arms crossed.
"I respectfully disagree," I replied, setting up another chess board. "I'm hilarious. Also, I'm sorry about earlier. Probably... won't happen again."
"Probably?" She growled.
"Well, I can't guarantee I won't say something incredibly stupid again," I shrugged. "But I'll try to be more mindful about the whole Kaleid thing. Maybe."
"MAYBE?!" She barked. "I told Em that I'm going to hunt you down and tear you into two! Maybe I should actually go through with that, you insufferable smartass!"
"Kinky. Plz crush forehead extra-hard with a giant boot after you tear out my spine," I commented. "I'll make a mold and cherish the imprint for a thousand years."
"You're seriously effed in the head, you know that? What kind of creep actually asks to be stomped on?" She half-growled.
"The kind that appreciates good boots," I shrugged, resuming my chess board setup. "Those are genuine Ravenstar Steel-Toes, right? Limited edition from their 'Dark Academia' collection $699,99 o-bux? Nice choice. The skull buckles really bring out your whole 'I hate everyone' aesthetic. And that Rain Day pants belt for $299.89? Very chiq. Such fashion."
Cinder's eyes narrowed dangerously. "How do you..."
"AI reverse image lookup," I said. "Took your photo yesterday during your smoke break on the beam."
She squinted at me, clearly contemplating how to best murder me.
I waved my lunch card at her before she actually decided to do it. "How about a free lunch as an apology? You can even order the 65 dollar steak with gold flakes on it, or the big sushi platter for 88,99."
"What? I don't need your charity, dweeb. And I definitely don't need your fake-ass apologies."
"Not charity. Reparations," I shrugged. "For my vast Acadian dumbness. Let me repent through the power of nom. I won't even bother you if my presence offends you. I've got a few chess matches to win."
"You're so... UGH!" She threw her hands up in frustration. "Fine. Whatever. But I'm getting the most expensive thing on the menu just to spite you."
"That's the spirit!" I grinned. "Bankrupt the dastardly half-human! Show no mercy! Order 59 varieties of heart-meat, carnivore-sama!"
Cinder snatched the meal card from my hand with a huff and stalked off to the lunch line, her silver feathers shifting through annoyed shades of gold-orange-red. I watched as she elbowed the crowd, loaded up her tray with what looked like enough meat to feed a small army - premium cuts of steak, several burger patties, and was that really gold leaf garnish? Guess the online menu wasn't exaggerating.
She returned to my table quickly and practically threw the meal card at my face. It bounced off my nose and clattered onto the chess board, Invader Xim Omnimart-harvested lanyard fluttering.
"There. Happy now?" She dropped into her seat with practiced teenage angst.
I nodded with a manic grin. Maybe she'd be less snappy after her many rare steaks to fuel her crystalline-organic Quetzalcoatl heart.