Nightmare Mythos

Chapter 13: New Class 1-A

Yesterday's class ended in a very… weird peaceful manner. Those people who befriended the demoted students quickly didn't talk with them while those who didn't care which are Jacqueline and Cesar being prime examples were completely unaffected.

The next day, half of the students in Class 1-A were gone. Only their empty seats remained which will now belong to the new incoming class 1-A students. Aside from Jacqueline who was late as always, Cesar, along with others, was a bit earlier than their regular time of attending.

Others are obviously curious but it was the first time Cesar showed the same feelings on this shifting of rankings since a lot had changed and become demoted. He wanted to see what made the difference between the previous and current people.

So far, nothing had entered yet. It had only been a few minutes till Cesar entered inside so he felt relaxed.

All of their doings were put to cease after one student entered the class. It wasn't their previous classmate but someone unrelated to their class until today.

'Oh…'

Only Cesar seemed to have noticed and recognized the woman since he always shifted classes every month until he belonged to Class 1-A. There were big leaps of transfer most of the time while he stayed at some times. Hence, once in a while, a month or a few was enough to analyze who piqued his interest and who wasn't.

The person who entered were part of some of the individuals.

'Oh? She's… someone from Class 3-C if I remember correctly. She has been good. I heard she's slowly mustered her way up to the top. Good for her,'

The woman had a wonderful atmosphere that one might be able to become friends with her if they just communicated. She looked around the classroom before her eyes landed on Cesar and her eyes sparkled with glee.

Cesar didn't like that.

'Uhm, what?'

His calm heart wavered when she noticed the same woman started to trod in his direction. Finally, she sat beside him and offered an affectionate smile.

"Hey, it's been a while. You remember me?"

The others who were only observing cast curious glances in their direction, inquisitiveness got the best of them as they determined the situation between the cute woman and Cesar.

Cesar completely avoided looking at the cute student and remained looking at the window outside. After a moment of pause, he answered.

"Reyna, right?"

Reyna let out a mischievous smile, a smile Cesar had been seeing for some time now, before chuckling.

"Hi, freak. We've been once classmates in the first year, midterm remember?" Reyna let out a small sigh, "I remember you're very… slim there. Now, you're exactly my type. The only thing that remained is your unbreakable resilience,"

"Huh…"

Cesar remained unfamiliar with this sensation when he was talking to a classmate or to a schoolmate even, since he wasn't getting talked to for over a year. It's either there's a purpose or need to do so for him which is entirely different this time.

They were just normally talking… or is that what she wanted to show?

Just as Reyna was about to continue, the door of the classroom slid open, revealing two men entering inside. They looked very identical which made everyone believe they were siblings and they weren't wrong.

Soon, they landed gazes at the edge of the seat, directly at Cesar, who was only now observing them and couldn't help but shiver.

He recognized the twins as well.

Reyna as if surprised to see another two familiar faces giggled before she greeted, "Joshua and Nike. You are here as well. Do you recognize this guy—"

Before she could even continue, Joshua interrupted, "Yes, we know who this guy is. We're in the same class one time on the first year as well. Class 12-E. We were… used,"

Remembering the time when he used the twins to take the fall of himself to get him promoted for the next month, Cesar shivered, thinking he'd be receiving death threats to them which he didn't mind.

What he does mind, however, is his peaceful time in this class that might come to an end right into this instant.

But to his surprise, the twins sat right in front of him, completely joining Reyna inflicting mental torture on Cesar.

Three of them understood he was a guy who was usually timidly quiet and likely to be left alone just the way he wanted to, yet now they weren't leaving him be. It's just a small payment for everything he has done for them.

Being used or to be used, being decimated or to be decimated, it's just one of the qualities in the academy where the weak always get left behind. If they don't adjust their mentality, they're likely to fall behind.

The only thing they have to do is learn from their experiences and use them to strengthen themselves. That's where most of the new Class 1-A students came from.

Soon, students came left and right. Cesar recognized them all but they also knew him. It's just that they get to know each other due to the information they have in the academy. They weren't classmates one time or met each other which made them aware of each of their presences.

Though a few of those students get to meet Cesar and say a few words to him which he finds odd. He didn't know he was that approachable when he built a wall around him that gave the impression that he didn't want to entertain anyone.

Even if they do, Cesar mostly short-circuits all the time and tends to ignore them.

Hence, he found his situation puzzling.

Eventually, the room was beginning to be full again. There were only a few seats left to be used. The old Class 1-A was all quiet, probably looking around to see if there were any differences between the ones that had been demoted or not.

To their surprise, it seems the academy has been right once more.

The aura most of the people that had entered were of the same caliber as them. Unlike those who can hide it very well, the newbies who weren't well-versed in the way things had weren't doing a very good job.

It is probably because they weren't taught to be like that in the lower classes unlike Arnold who willingly taught techniques right away in their third year.

'There was another guy I was expecting to see. Is he late?'

Cesar glanced at the wall clock just above the teacher's board and saw there was only a minute till Arnold came. He might be a bit late but it wouldn't look right if the student was late on his first day being in this class.

'No, that's not the right word. He had been once in here but just got demoted because I stole his place. Though, I wouldn't care less whatever the methods he pulled off. Arnold gave clues in his speech yesterday that he made it. On the other hand, he had no reason to lie,'

He never doubted hence once the door slid once more, revealing a pair of students. One was Jacqueline, confident and indifferent as always while she was walking alongside with a familiar countenance.

There was a tint of arrogance plastered on his features but unlike the time when he got replaced by Cesar, there was confidence to support his usual gait.

He was humbled by Cesar yet he returned much more revitalized.

'He really is back. Quentin, I guess you've matured a bit,'

Cesar remained observing Quentin and soon, as if the other individual felt the gaze, he stared back. There was a glint of dangerousness once Quentin noticed him but he immediately gestured a friendly wave.

Cesar immediately has a bad feeling about it.

'Yeah… you must be angry. I'll avoid you as much as possible so don't disturb me as well,' Cesar mused inwardly, answering the indirect threat on his gaze to him inwardly.

However, it seems Quentin didn't get the signs he was giving and walked beside Cesar's seat. If only Reyna or the twins from the front already occupying those spaces, he might've already seated down and engaged in conversation while still remaining in his place.

Though he started the talking still.

"You must be the freak. I saw you once in a while. I've been watching,"

Reyna on the side chuckled. The twins had their brows raised. Only Cesar remained emotionless. Thinking of something to say, seeing that he wasn't continuing, he retorted.

"That… sounds creepy,"

Quentin's face cracked, all his shady thoughts showing on the outside before he calmly breathed very… obviously. That only made Cesar's suspicions of not being involved himself even further.

"It's… not creepy actually. It's just what everyone usually does to search for someone. After all, you are the freak. People from the lower class started worshipping this figure due to his accomplishments. Such achievements can topple over someone puny like me, "

Sensing that this was an act of provocation and trying to get something out of him, Cesar wasn't idiot enough to fall for it. With a tired sigh, he continued.

"Continue yapping there. I'm all ears,"

"Who's yapping?"

Suddenly, Arnold appeared right in front of the board completely unnoticed by everyone which made the new class students frown. As for the old ones, they were already used to his shenanigans.

It was some sort of show prowess to impress?

"Sit down, Quentin. Discussions starting," Arnold then let out a cheeky smile, "Welcome back as well,"

As if it was enough to satiate his inflated ego, Quentin returned the smile and cast one last look onto Cesar and seated down away from him.

Arnold looked around the class before he continued, "Let's do a quick introduction first to the new students. But first, I'll start. My name is Arnold, the current headmaster of the Resisting Academy."

"As for why I'm starting this introduction even though I already knew some of you and your classmates, it's to waste time," Arnold paused as he both raised his hand with a sigh, "I'm guilty as charged so just don't file a complaint to the administrators,"