Chapter 14: Earthquake
There are many reasons why an earthquake happens.
One accurate and common situation is the mother nature calling, a natural event.
The second situation could be a man-made earthquake, and a worst example of that is the academy being bombed by unknown assailants to produce this kind of event. However, the tremors didn’t sound like a terrorist attack as they continued for some time now.
But if it weren’t for those two, what does it imply for this current earthquake to happen?
As Cesar and Freya ran through the corridor of the west wing, the two instantly came to a realization.
A Runic Gate is being born in this world.
Rumble—!
"Be careful of tripping over or being hit by falling debris."
Freya warned calmly.
"I’m sure everyone knows the protocol if an activity related to the runic gate is happening, but accidents still happen each time because of it. Do you know why?"
Before Cillian could even inquire, Freya chuckled with a depressing tone.
"Because human people are dumb. Either they are prideful, thinking that they are safe, powerful enough to withstand it, or unbothered about what is happening in their world."
Cillian stared at her briefly.
For a moment, he thought the thick wall Freya had built herself had slowly crumbled since she was sick. Nevertheless, it was a sight to see for Cillian.
As for her statement, Cillian couldn’t agree more.
Letting out a haggard breath, Cillian inquired.
"What do you want me to do?"
"It’s very simple, really. We’re going to knock on each dormitory room in the second year in this wing. Kick the door open to see the situation inside if you must. If you see anyone, regroup them first at the edge of their corridor. Keep shouting "To the complex", got it? If the situation becomes hectic, just let them run. I’m just doing this so that we can get the situation controlled."
Cillian nodded once before seeing Freya grab something under her sleeves. The moment she grabbed it, she tossed it onto Cillian.
Looking at the crest shape item that looked like a police badge, Freya informed:
"This is an Artifact called Crestfallen. Its negative effects are not too much. You will just feel dejected and gloomy for an hour."
Freya paused as she sneezed.
"Use this if you ever find trouble knocking the door open. It is very convenient since it doesn’t work as keys. Another door will open up for you, and you’ll get to enter inside."
Cillian frowned upon receiving such an Artifact before he clenched it into his fist. He looked at her and asked.
"What about you?"
"Don’t mind me, I have another method."
Now that they knew everything they needed to know about their current situation, all their attention was put on the pressing matters at hand.
Soon, they finally landed in the second-year dormitories. In just a few seconds, they will meet the first corridor.
"You take the left."
Cillian nodded lightly before running for a few seconds. At that moment, Freya immediately turned right and knocked on the first door.
"Hahh..."
Letting out a ragged breath, Cillian knocked on the door once as he shouted.
"Is anyone in here? Everyone has to be at the ground complex right now!"
He waited only for a second as he hesitated to use the artifact on his head before the door opened and a woman appeared. She appeared to be shaken.
"Stay here for a moment."
Without further questioning her reaction, Cillian moved across the room just right in front of the woman and repeated the same announcement.
"Hey! Is anyone here? Everyone has to go to the ground complex right now!"
The door opened once more, revealing a fearful guy who nodded meekly.
Cillian pushed the fearful woman with the fearful guy and advised them to wait for their place. He didn’t let go for now since the situation didn’t appear to be worse yet.
Cillian understood that Freya wanted to group everyone as a whole and let them join together.
Thankfully, he didn’t encounter problems for now.
Before he even knocked on the dormitory room, some doors opened. Others were already opening, leaving only a few choices for him to call out the people inside.
"Is anyone here!?"
Soon, he came across a door that didn’t open or move. Nobody even answered his question, nor did he feel any movements happening inside.
He instantly knew what needed to be done.
Putting strength into his knees, Cillian kicked the door so hard, but instantly regretted it because of how hard it was.
"Hah!"
Feeling his feet slightly hurting, Cillian clicked his tongue before using the artifact clenched in his hand.
Soon, the artifact did its wonders, and a crest-like door manifested on his front, peering at the situation inside.
The sight was both unnatural and fast. The crest-like door that displayed to look inside manifested for a few seconds before he undid it later on.
It was already enough for him, seeing that nobody was inside anymore.
Cillian didn’t linger any longer. He went to other rooms in the corridor he was assigned and finally reached the end.
He immediately instructed everyone he passed by and grouped them at the end of the hallway.
So far, there haven’t been any problems.
’Looks like others didn’t listen and immediately went ahead. Well, they are already grown-ups. ’
Cillian mused inwardly as there were only a few left once he reached the end of the hallway.
"Please form this group and go to the complex."
This group of people immediately went ahead after giving thanks to Cillian.
By the looks of it, the ones left here became frightened or nervous due to how intense the earthquake was.
That also implied that the Runic Gate is near the academy, which means they are prone to dangers. Not because of Runic Gate itself, but other ’outside’ factors that made these people afraid.
’Hmm, of course, many people are going to be interested in this Runic Gate, like everyone else is. As for whether they were enemies or not, how could I know?
Cillian took the second corridor a few steps ahead before doing another round of search.
This time, there were fewer people to fetch, as their initial panic seemed to have disappeared from them, leaving no choice but to follow the protocol.
That means those other few can’t follow what they were doing.
Some people aren’t as cool-headed as Cillian or as quick to think as Freya, who instantly realizes the situation and how to act upon it.
And because of this, Cillian had to use the artifact repeatedly to gather the people who were still inside each dormitory. Luckily, half of the doors he surveyed were left open.
"Hello! Is anyone inside!?"
Finally, after the relentless pursuit of finishing the task, running through different corridors, and climbing up to the upper floors, Cillian and Freya managed to see the whole situation for the west wing themselves.
Now, they led three students from the upper floors down to the ground level. This was the last three they retrieved from the rooms before they decided to come to the ground complex as well.
Tap—!
Reaching through the ground floor, only Cillian’s haggard breathing and small sneezing coming from Freya could be heard.
The ground steadily swayed as the hallways were eerily quiet. If not for those tremors, one might easily think this was an abandoned site.
"Let’s go, Achoo!"
With a sneeze coming from Freya, who led the group, Cillian placed himself in the last order.
In case a situation arises, he was there to swiftly take action. They set their eyes on the academy complex as their final destination for today.
...
The ground complex could only be explained by one thing.
Humongous.
It stretched as far as the eye could see, and the ground, made of trimmed grass or polished stone, was comfortable for the students. It had an open space at the roof, allowing the sky to be visible from the ground. It’s like a gigantic stadium if Cillian described it back on Earth.
Instructors and teachers were busily moving around to either assist students or ensure their safety. Students, who followed the protocols without a word, were diligent and listened to their instructors’ orders.
Nobody made unnecessary actions.
Even though most of them were nervous or frightened while the earthquake continued, everyone knew what they needed to do.
’Amazing...’
"Cillian, go back to your class."
Freya stated calmly as she let out a charming smile.
"Well done, today."
Cillian smiled as he said.
"We’ll talk about the favor after some time."
Freya, who appeared to be changing her view of Cillian, shook her head helplessly before speaking to the same three people who went with them.
Cillian left and ran to the first-year section and immediately went to find his homeroom class, Class 1-A.
"Cillian!"
Cillian swiftly traced the sound of that voice. The one who called him was the fatty Phillip, and the other guy beside him, who was only standing still, was none other than Vin.
"Hey."
Cillian frowned.
"Why were you in my class? Go to your own,"
"We’re done being counted!"
Phillip immediately added.
"Your homeroom instructor keeps shouting your name, which was heard in the nearby classes. Quickly tell it to your instructor! Goodness, when the hell is this going to stop!? Runic Gates are getting slower in manifesting themselves!"
Vin quietly nodded once before Cillian immediately agreed to do Phillip’s suggestion and went ahead to their line.
After scurrying through the tight line, he raised his hand and hastily told him his name.
"Sir, Cillian Sparrow is present."
He safely reached the academy ground complex.