Walking into the busy hall, Temp, who was lost in thought, walked directly into a pillar in the middle of the cafeteria. Students all around him chuckled at the humorous scene, albeit in a very stifled way in an attempt to hide their laughter at his misfortune.

Wincing in pain, Temp looked up and glanced at his surroundings, his oak-brown eyes scanning the area. Dwarves and Elves were chattering about, with their tiny counterparts in the Gnomes and Fairies mingled with each other at the miniscule tables which were proportioned to their body sizes. Around him, students and professors leaned in close, exchanging murmurs and laughter, their faces alight with ease.

***

Lucia watched as Temp froze, his sudden realisation dawning over him, gaze darting nervously around the cafeteria. She could practically see the gears turning in his head as he fumbled to say the appropriate words to her. She always adored this cute side to him, an introvert who was never one for crowds and had willingly sacrificed his comfort for her. A slight flush of colour rose to his cheeks, and for a moment, he seemed completely out of place among the chatter of students and the clatter of trays. ‘Cute as ever I see’ Lucia thought.

Lucia’s lips softened as her gaze drifted over to Temp, smiling tenderly with memories of their time in the countryside of the Capital, the world blurring as she reminisced of the simpler days. She remembered how he used to sit by the window in class, attention lost in the view outside, his posture slumped and distant. During group projects, Temp would hover in the background, arms crossed and voice never rising above a whisper, his gaze darting away from the others as though he wished to disappear entirely.

Temp only warmed up to Lucia due to their shared days in the orphanage. Often they were seen together, having their own meek little conversations about Gods know what.

These days, Lucia had noticed improvements in Temp’s introverted nature however. He was now even able to strike up conversations and tease Lucia openly in public after all, she scowled, memories of Temp outwitting her just a few minutes ago surfacing into her mind.

To her, he was the most expressive and outgoing person in the world. Temp was like a quiet pot of boiling emotions, he could go from a brooding, emotionless old man like those of the magic tower to an overly energetic magic swordsmen in a blink of an eye, grinning from ear to ear like a monkey and blushing easily at the smallest of remarks. And his smile, oh his smile, it was like a ray of sunshine which brightened up even the stormiest of days. It was so rare to see him smile, but when he did, Lucia made sure to take in every moment of it, as if the world stopped for a moment to take it in before continuing on with its rotation.

Despite all of this, Lucia still could not stop the tugging feeling of worryness for her friend. Yes, Temp was impossibly expressive when with Lucia, always quick to respond to even the slightest of gestures. Yet, when he was alone without her, surrounded by the bustling chatter of students and the stern gazes of professors, Temp always retreated into his shell, becoming an enigma. With others, he was quiet, cool, and aloof, as though wrapped in an invisible cloak that distanced him from the world. Lucia could see it, the way he shrank into the background, his posture stiff and his words few and quiet, as if never having talked in his life.

Snapping out of her daze, she returned back to the comedic scene in front of her. To anyone else, Temp might’ve appeared embarrassed, but to her, his awkwardness was a part of the charm that made Temp, Temp. She’d come to adore these clumsy, off-guard moments where he was most like himself, vulnerable yet still so undeniably him.

Leaning forward, Lucia carefully positioned herself behind Temp, placed both her hands on her shoulder, and violently but playfully shook him back and forth. “Tempppp, please don’t die!” she squealed dramatically, her voice bright and full of mischief.

Around them, heads turned. Students shot glances their way, eyebrows raised, while others chuckled quietly, drawn to the unusual sight of such a lively scene. Whispers spread across nearby tables, and some of the bolder onlookers openly stared, curious to see how the event would unfold before their eyes.

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***

Temp gasped as if surfacing from deep water, his breath catching in his throat and consciousness too, resurfaced.

Still recovering from his recent mishap, Temp absentmindedly questioned Lucia on the purpose of their visit to the cafeteria, as if his brain had sustained severe trauma by that light knock.

Just then, Temps' eyes widened in horror and his stomach dropped as he remembered the whole point of coming to the cafeteria. ‘Shit.’ He thought to himself. ‘I’m dead’.

Lucia’s smile faded as she processed Temp’s words. Her fingers tapped a slow rhythm against her crossed arms as she arched an eyebrow at him, irritation sparking in her eyes.

“Forgot?” she repeated, her voice calm but edged with a sharpness that made Temp wince. “You forgot we were on a date?”

‘Just endure, just endure’. Temp looked down, closed his eyes and prayed to the 5 Gods as he prepared for the incoming onslaught of tongue lashings he was about to receive, like a child remaining silent as he was berated by his mom for bringing home subpar results, not that he would know, of course, for he neither brought back bad results nor had a mom.

“Temp,” she started, arms firmly crossed and a frown of pure exasperation lining her face, “I don’t believe this. You forgot we were on a date? This was supposed to be a special day for us—something to actually care about! And you just… forgot? Did that encounter with the pillar cause a concussion? If so, I will GLADLY give you another!"

Temp flinched slightly but kept quiet, his face burning with embarrassment. He nodded meekly, not offering a single word in his defence, knowing any excuse he’d muster would just make things worse. For all the books he had studied and courses he was attending, none of them could have prepared him for this situation. Well, maybe prophecies could, but he was too busy interpreting that world-ending one, although he would much rather the world end right there and then than experience this.

Which God would help me the most here? Time, Space, Magic, Life, or Death? Preferably the Death God would personify right here and kill me. Maybe the Life Goddess could appear and calm Lucia down right now. Alright I’ve decided, Life Goddess, please appear now.’

No God answered.

‘Worth a shot I guess’, Temp thought, unconsciously shrugging his shoulders.

Lucia did not take that lightly.

“Oh, shrugging your shoulders now huh?”

Lucia’s tone yet again grew sharper and louder as her eyes fixated Temp with a glare, her arms still crossed tightly. “Is this all just a joke to you, Temp?” Her eyes flashed with the fire that caught him off guard, somehow making Temp feel like he was being looked down upon despite being physically taller than her. She tapped her foot, tension in the air almost palpable. “Shrugging, as if this date is just something to brush off?”

Temp braced himself and kept his mouth shut, this time also keeping completely still, knowing that anything he could say or do now would definitely make things worse. He was a master at staying calm under pressure, yet here he was, feeling like he was facing a worse fate than any ancient doomsday prophecy. A bead of sweat rolled down his pale face, and he felt himself sinking under her words, each one piling on top of him like heavy stones, and all he could do was stand there and endure.

After Lucia’s passionate rant on Temp’s absentmindedness, the entire hall was filled with silence. The whole of the student body and teaching staff had paused their activities to intently follow this Fairy-drama-esque scene.

Many students, first-years and seniors alike, stared wide-eyed and open-mouthed. Most of them knew Lucia. After all, she wasn’t just any student, she was the second coming of Merlin, a young mage of unmatched magical potential, revered for her talent even before setting foot on campus. Her presence was a rare one, and every whisper about her abilities spread like wildfire. Today, seeing her so visibly upset, holding nothing back in her confrontation, was almost as shocking as it was entertaining.

It was especially so for the young man she was scolding. No one knew him, and his classmates from Mr Visionaries lecture all quickly took notice. “Isn’t that Temp? He didn't even speak a word during the lecture, how’s he with Lucia?” one wondered. As countless pairs of eyes centred around the flamboyant pair, a sudden low and constant hum filled the atmosphere. Leaving everyone, students and professors alike, with a sense of primal fear, rendering them all unable to move. Temp and Lucia stood shook, a visceral sense of fear gripping at their very souls, frozen in place. Temp himself knew what it was, for he had already prophesied it for days.

Explosions echoed in the distance, the ground cracking with a deafening boom as it tore apart.

The world cried.

And Pangea was introduced to chaos.