Abarith
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Chapter 44: The Coming Storm
🕑 Added 2024-11-30 14:33:01 +0000 UTCJeremy stepped out of his room, still feeling the weight of his mom's visit. Everything she said sounded like a warning about what was coming, and it made Jeremy feel scared and confused.
As he got to the end of the hallway, his communicator buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and read the message: all morning classes were canceled for an important speech, and all students had to go to the academy's main hall. Jeremy frowned. It was unusual for the academy to make such a sudden announcement. He was already feeling uneasy after his talk with his mom about the war, and now this assembly just made everything worse.
He replayed his mom's words in his head—her serious face, the way she talked like there was no other choice. It scared him. And now, this sudden announcement just made Jeremy even more nervous about what was coming.
As he walked to the main hall, Jeremy noticed other students looking worried. There were whispers all around, everyone guessing what was going on. The air felt heavy, and Jeremy's anxiety grew with each step. He clenched his fists, trying to stay calm.
Up ahead, he saw the group. He hurried to catch up with them. Marcus looked tense, his eyes narrowed, and Jeremy could tell his friend was just as scared as he was. Jeremy's panic spiked as he looked at Marcus. His thoughts raced—what if his mom was already at Marcus' parents right now? The idea made him feel sick. He could barely look Marcus in the eye, his stomach twisting with worry about what might be happening in Luminaris. The helplessness was too much, and it took all his strength not to break down right there.
Perci's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "It's weird for them to call an assembly without warning," she said, frowning. She sounded suspicious, and Jeremy could see the worry on her face.
Jeremy stayed quiet. He didn’t know if he should tell Marcus what she was planning—if he should tell the awful truth. In the end, he decided not to. Not yet. He was scared of what it would do to Marcus, to their friendship. What if Marcus blamed him for what his mom was doing? Or worse, what if Marcus thought Jeremy was part of it? Losing Marcus's friendship, especially now, was too much to handle.
On top of that, Jeremy felt completely overwhelmed. Everything was happening so fast—he wasn't ready to explain it all to Marcus. He didn't even understand it himself. How could he put that burden on Marcus when Jeremy couldn't even handle it? He forced himself to focus on the present, on the speech they were about to hear.
The group entered the main hall, which was already crowded with students. The usual noise was gone, replaced by an uneasy silence. Jeremy looked around and saw the instructors standing along the edges of the room. They looked tense too, their faces serious. It was rare to see them like this, and it only made the atmosphere worse. Jeremy exchanged a glance with Andrew, who gave him a small nod—an unspoken sign that they were both scared.
They found a spot to stand, and Jeremy realized how quiet the room was. The whispers had stopped, replaced by a heavy silence as everyone waited. The tension was unbearable, like the whole academy was holding its breath.
A hush fell over the room as Headmaster Velorn stepped onto the stage. His presence commanded immediate attention, and the nervous whispers ceased. Jeremy felt a chill when he saw the serious look on Velorn's face. The headmaster was usually composed and confident, but today there was something different—something that made Jeremy's stomach drop.
Velorn began to speak, his deep voice echoing through the hall. "Students, I regret to inform you that there are some changes to how we will proceed." He paused, letting his words sink in, and Jeremy could feel the tension grow in the room as everyone held their breath. "The leadership believes that we must take proactive steps to ensure that students are more prepared."
He paused again, his eyes scanning the crowd. "In light of this, we will be integrating new elements into your curriculum—steps that will involve real-world application of what you have learned." Another pause. Jeremy's heart raced as Velorn's gaze swept over him. "This year, we will begin sending students to participate in limited engagements against smaller civilizations."
A murmur ran through the crowd, a mix of gasps and anxious whispers, an unmistakable urgency hanging in the air.
Jeremy's mind raced. Velorn's words, though subtle, carried the same undertone as his mom's warnings. The sense of urgency, the push towards preparation—it was all happening much sooner than he had imagined. He looked over at Marcus, who nodded with a grim expression.
"The academy will play a key role in ensuring we are ready," Velorn continued, his voice steady but heavy, and Jeremy heard a few students swallow nervously. "This is mandatory. Every student, no matter what year, will be expected to join." He let his words hang in the silence, and Jeremy saw Andrew stiffen beside him, his jaw tightening. The gravity of what was expected of them was sinking in.
Jeremy had known that war was coming after his mom’s visit, but hearing it now made everything feel much more real. There was no more time, no more distance between them and the reality of battle. The urgency in Velorn's voice made it clear—there was no escaping this. They were being thrust into the heart of the conflict, ready or not.
Velorn ended his speech by instructing the students to prepare themselves, both mentally and physically. "Starting tomorrow, new drills and combat assessments will begin." He paused, his gaze sweeping over the students, his face serious, his voice lowering slightly. "By next week, you will be participating in small-scale missions against our foes. Prepare yourselves."
The hall remained silent as Velorn stepped back, his words settling like a heavy blanket over the crowd. Jeremy felt his throat tighten and he glanced around, noticing how other students were reacting—some wide-eyed, others whispering nervously. Andrew stood beside him, his eyes locked forward, determination slowly replacing his initial shock. It was clear that nothing would ever be the same after today.
The future he had feared was no longer distant—it was here, demanding that he be ready. He felt panic rising within him, his heart pounding. The thought of being sent to invade other civilizations, of being on the front lines, terrified him. He wasn't ready. None of them were ready.
A hand on his shoulder broke him out of his thoughts. He looked up to see Marcus standing beside him, his expression serious but determined. Marcus's eyes met his, and Jeremy could see the fear there, but also the resolve. Jeremy nodded and slowly stood up. If war was coming, they had to be ready—not just for themselves, but for each other. They had to stay strong, no matter what.
The group left the main hall together, their steps heavy with the news they had just heard. They spoke in low voices as they walked, discussing how this would change everything—their studies, their plans, everything they had been focusing on at the academy.
"I can't believe it's happening so soon," Mia said, her voice trembling. "We've only been here a month, and now they're sending us to war?"
"It's messed up," Timothy added, shaking his head. "They talk about our single month of training as if it's enough to get us ready for an actual war."
Marcus clenched his jaw. "It doesn't matter if we're ready or not. We have no choice but to face it. We need to stick together, help each other through this."
Andrew gave Marcus a playful nudge. "And maybe I'll even save your butt out there. Don't worry, I've got your back."
Marcus rolled his eyes, but a small smile appeared. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't let me regret trusting you."
Jeremy looked at Marcus and saw the fear in his eyes, but also determination. Jeremy knew he couldn't tell Marcus everything, but he could at least stand by his side. "Marcus is right," Jeremy said, his voice steady. "We might not be ready, but we have each other. We need to get stronger, and we need to do it fast. If we work together, we might just make it through."
Perci nodded. "We have to watch each other's backs. We can't let fear control us. We need to stay focused and train as hard as we can."
Mia glanced at the others. "Do you think we should try to get in some last-minute Essence? If Andrew and Jeremy go with us, we could even try going to a Tier 1 Dungeon?"
Timothy frowned. "We should, but Jeremy still needs a few more days of rest before he starts physical training."
Jeremy bit his lip, considering. He glanced at Marcus, knowing how much his friend needed to grow stronger too. He didn't want to be the reason they fell behind. "I could go to the academy hospital and double-check. With my equipment I should be able to help you guys even when I'm not completely healed yet. I'm not really interested in getting more Essence for myself, but I want to be there to help you all. Maybe they'll let me do that."
They all exchanged glances, clearly confused. Mia frowned, tilting her head. "Not interested in more Essence Jeremy? We need all the Essence we can get from the dungeon."
Jeremy shrugged, trying to downplay it. "I've got... a lot, from the Tier 2 dungeon I mean. More than I need, for now. So for now you guys need it more, and I just want to make sure I'm there to support."
Marcus finally nodded. "Sure, it can't hurt to ask the hospital. We need every bit of help we can get."
As they talked about gathering more Essence, Jeremy's thoughts drifted to the Essence his mother had forced on him after killing the Seekers. He knew that once she was done in Luminaris, she would bring him even more Essence—an unthinkably massive amount, taken from Marcus' city. The thought made him feel sick, but he couldn't deny that it also made him stronger. He just had to make good use of what his mother has done, and to try his best to protect his friends.
He didn't know if he should tell Marcus about his mom's plans, about what she intended to do to Luminaris, Marcus's home. For now, he chose to stay quiet, focusing on what lay directly ahead—getting stronger, preparing for the battles they would soon face. He knew that eventually, he would have to make a choice, but for now, he needed to focus on surviving.
Andrew chimed in, "So let's head on over and grab an early lunch so we can head straight to the dungeon after."
Jeremy nodded, a determined look on his face. "Alright. I'll quickly drop by the hospital and see if they'll let me. I'll join you all in the dining hall afterward."
