Back in the Staff Hall, the Staff members left after the incident were gathered around Professor Kazim. The tension in the room was palpable by their expressions, their ongoing conversations speaking lengths of their predicament.
This was led by Professor Kazim, James Crockwell and Rona Watkins. Professor of Battle Arts and Imagery, and Alchemy and Potion Making.
The other two were part of this Cult as well, albeit one being higher than the other.
With the palpable tension, came one of the Staff members' lingering questions.
"Will the Headmaster get rid of the rest of us, together with the others?"
A female lecturer, Misa Crowberry, is a black-haired beauty with a pair of glasses and an office outfit.
"We shouldn't be concerned about what the HeadMaster wishes to do for now…we should find a way to redeem ourselves. Obviously, they are our colleagues, and this has been happening for years...till we didn't know of this until now."
Rona said with a slight pitch to her tone. The baggy clouds beneath her eyes added a lethargic hue to her facial expressions as she attempted to pull out a cigar from her pocket.
"I'm just as surprised….if not more than you, especially when it comes to Roland. He hadn't shown himself much…..but this is rather unlike him."
James stopped her, waving his finger and shaking his head at the same time.
She clicked her tongue and turned away, her irritation etched on her expression.
"Nothing's going to be the same after what happened, you can at least let me smoke while I reminisce on it."
Just then, loud footsteps echoed in the pathway between the Cubicles, attracting the attention of the Lecturers gathered.
Kazim seemed to have looked around, just to be sure he had made his headcount as he stood up from his desk.
With a sigh, he walked past the group of people and out of his cubicle, his gaze flickering with intensity as he did so.
Freezing at the door, James and Rona raised a brow in concern.
"Who's that? Did one of the students step in here again?"
"Students? You let students walk into here on their own accord? Tsk, Tsk."
The familiar, yet subtle voice projected in their heads as the Lecturer's gathered shifted on the spot. Rona and James glanced at each other before folding their hands as Nazim walked back into the cubicle.
"Hah….so this is where the rest of you were. Interesting"
HeadMaster Dreau walked into the cubicle, his mere presence taking what was left of the space around them.
"Headmaster!" The Staff members choruses as they genuflected, remaining silent with his presence.
He was someone who only showed himself on general occasions and never actually actively participated in Academy Events or Issues.
Everything was resolved within the enclosed space of his Office, so having the HeadMaster out and about, came as a surprise to them.
"Yes, never mind that." His gaze drifted to Nazim, a smile on his face.
"So, what are your plans on catching those fiends? And where's Cadwin in all this?"
Rona furrowed her brow, a slight annoyance lingering on her expression.
Head Master Dreau was someone proficient in a vast number of ancient magic. Finding out the situation and happenings around the Academy, under his roof would be as easy as pie.
'So what is he asking Cadwin for? Does he not know he's in the Health Clinic?'
The Health Clinic was a part of centres present in the Staff Room for injured or out-of-it members who needed time to recuperate.
Just like many locations in the Academy, it was located in a subspace. A safety measure to ensure attacks weren't targeted at them during their resting phase.
"He's currently occupying the Health subspace."
HeadMaster Dreau looked around for a moment, a sigh escaping his lips.
"You all must feel betrayed….confused and most especially, angered. These are people who were once friends to you, but they have proven not to be on the same page as us."
He tilted his head, getting a headcount, himself.
"Just because they were once Comrades doesn't mean you have to spare them and you don't have to get involved if you feel… different about it."
His scholastic gaze left a lot to be talked about within the Staff Members as he was about to walk away.
"Kazim, Rona and James come with me. We will need a definitive plan in finding where they are…..they are in this school but where?"
His authoritative tone had somehow twisted the question into a command, and the group of three quickly complied.
The others were left with their thoughts, one of them, the Head of the Control Room and a familiar figure. Konstantin Zi sat on the edge of the desk, two Lecturers turning to him. Filly Donal and Zitani Veleha.
He shrugged in response. "We wait."
With a sigh, the people gathered made themselves comfortable. It was a period that could as well be a test of their loyalty to the Academy, or to the so-called "System Uprisers" who seem to be working in their favour.
Everything was based on moral conduct, and how much a person is willing to cross just to achieve their goal, no matter how little.
A contemplative gaze was etched on his expressions, his thoughts reeling in.
'There must be a way…..there must be a way to catch them with the Control Room…'
It was a difficult period for the Staff Members, especially since they would have to be on the edge of their seats at all times.
Hopefully, they get their targets soon.
Speaking of targets, two freely walked the roofed pathways of the Academy. Their facial features were different from what they used to be and they seemed to have dawned new clothing.
It was a regular, commoner attire, but their laser focus on finding their goals had become apparent with the constant searching through the Visitors.
Katherin was the woman walking in front of Wisdom, who remained behind.
Wisdom seemed to be on the more lax side, as he enjoyed the view of the skies and the warm breeze that suffused them in a state of calmness.
For a second, everything seemed to have been normal, as if they weren't planning one of the Toughest Rebellions in history.
"Wis–Manak." She called out, and Wisdom, now with ash hair, turned towards her.
"Why aren't you searching as well? We need to get this over with and soon."
Wisdom shrugged. "This is a matter that will resolve itself. The Red Peacemakers and we are not that different, so finding them would be much easier than you think."
She stopped in her tracks, snapping her gaze behind her at him, her glare adamant.
He stopped, a frown on his face as his gaze narrowed.
"I'm sorry that you lost your childhood sweetheart, Katherin but you seriously can't still be upset by that?"
She cursed under her breath, a crack in her voice as she gripped her fists.
"You bastard." She muttered bitterly while Wisdom shrugged and walked past her.
"Don't be in a rush, whether you finish this up quickly or not, He will never take you back."
She stared at him I'm silence, her inner turmoil nearly colliding with her thoughts as she walked after him.
'I've come too far…..to break down now.'
They continued on their way, walking towards the Class Two Hall Building from the Cafeteria direction when a few familiar voices rang in their ears.
"I'm telling you, Rhett and Brett aren't a match for Jane yet. He's mastered the abilities of the gods to a tee! Don't you remember my battle with him? I wonder by technical default, you know?"
A scoff projected in the air, three boys walking towards them from the opposite direction.
"Oh, please. The Monkey King was known as a legend who caused Havoc in the heavens! You think some gods can stop him in his prime?"
"Well, you did….and you were merely at the 7th star at the time."
Jane's voice was decisive as Darrell laughed out in excitement.
"What are you talking about? That only happened because he wasn't strong enough to master his ability and even with the Monkey King transformation, its abilities were limited."
"That didn't stop you from 'everything is icing' everything, though."
Darrell said, a burst of laughter piercing the air from both Jane and Darrell.
"Hah! Hah! Very funny, guys."
Wisdom and Katherin felt a subtle intrigue in their conversations, but their goal was more important than any of their self-interests.
They shifted their gaze away in the opposite direction as they got closer, and walked by one another.
A slight tension had risen as they approached, but it clearly disappeared now that they had walked past them.
'What was I so scared of anyways.'
Wisdom thought, a snicker escaping his lips as they continued on their way.
Just then, Raph stopped and glanced back, Darrell and Jane doing the same.
His gaze landed on the two figures, aura infused into it and amplifying his vision.
'....what?' He wondered.
"Raph?" Jane called out, his gaze shifting towards Darrell's before they both turned towards Raph.
"What's wrong?" He asked, nearly instantaneously.
Jane had grown to admit a few things about Raph, especially after his conversations with the Student Body.
One especially that was advised to him by both the Vice President and Treasurer was this.
'Always trust his judgement. He acts two steps ahead, almost like he sees it happening in certain situations….something like that might arise, so ensure you're prepared.'
Raph remained silent until he took a step forward.
"Hey, you two!" His voice pierced the air, reaching the two figures that had walked past them a minute ago. His thoughts slowly reeled in.
'All this…incident with the System Uprisers, it didn't occur at this time in my Past life but it did occur in the end…..'
The two figures stopped, glancing at each other as the woman pointed at herself.
'.....there were a few people I saw causing havoc in the Dormitory that period….'
Having a spoiled past life affected many of his decisions, including this one, but how it did, was left to him.
He stopped in front of them, his hands folded, a frown on his face and his brows furrowed.