How To Survive A Calamity

"I don't know what you're thinking but don't go killing me off that easily, idiot number 2."

"I-idiot number 2?!"

"I'll survive." I said dryly then shrugged and turned around.

"It's all that matters."

After all...

Survival was my reason for survival in this world — no, Aethoria as a whole.

"Huhh? Wh-what are you talking about? And I'm the one that's talking nonsense? Look at this guy calling me an idiot, you idiot!"

"Pffttt. What, Vic, did you think that actually sounded cool? Look, even Don stired in his sleep because of your cringe worthiness. Pftt buahaha!!" Chelsea burst into laughter.

Th-this stupid kids...

Ah.

Just thinking about their faces made my fist tremble.

Ah, oh god of this world...

I want to punch them.

***

With our sense of unease and anxiety increasingly growing over time, our small little group tool up the pace as the dark red storm clouds rumbled in the mot so comfortable distance behind us.

The storm loomed closer and closer with each moment that past and my mind was occupied with all kinds of thoughts.

'By now, the storm should have at least covered half of the distance we already have up till now.' I thought darkly, restraining the muscles in my face from scowling.

'The cadets from the crater...did they die...?'

[Most likely.]

'...Haah. i see.'

I had mouthed off about how it was all about survival fown here, but i still couldn't help a fragment of my thoughts wander towards the kids we left behind at the crater.

'I have no regrets.' i had to first of all affirm that.

I would most likely still repeat my actions and decision again if i ever found myself back in that situation.

There was no right or wrong here, and mortality as a concept was a grey area.

There was only survival.

And my survival mattered the most to me before anyone else.

There was nothing i could do about them, and neither was i obligated to do anything even if i could.

In the end, i could only feel a tinge of sympathy.

They weren't people i knew, not even their names or faces, but it was never a pleasant experience leaving a group of kids behind to die.

It left a bitter taste in my mouth.

That was also why a part of me was angry and i clenched my fist tightly.
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'The Academy... Aegis better be prepared to take responsibility for this exercise.'

I had no idea what was inside the dark storm, but i could only pray the cadets at least died peacefully...

'Even that is might just be unlikely.'

I tried to be optimistic but...

'No. Those guys are cooked.' i breathed a small sigh.

We continued working until we finally stopped.

Stopped wasn't exactly it, frozen was more like it.

We arrived at an unexpected scene, and the rabid sight of a battlefield unraveled before us.

"What the..."

There were signs of struggle and confrontation scattered all over the place, along with the desmembered body parts of strewn and mangled bodies covered in blood and wounds. The air was thick with the putrid smell of smoke and melted flesh interwoven with boiled blood and emanated a sickening heat against our faces.

The sound of our feets cracked as we stepped forward, the red sandy desert ground underneath had been heated into glass, and a large, massive dent was carved deeply into the ground at the middle like a dug up crater.

"Those are cadets of the academy..." Deandra saidz her expression drawing on a horrid face.

The bodies that were scattered all over the place were unrecognisable to me, but their uniform betrayed their affiliations as first year cadets of the academy, just like we were.

"What could have happened here? Was this where the explosion from before happened, or something else?"

"We can't just stand still. Some may still be alive, we might be able to find out what happened. Please, everyone, hurry." Deandra urged and took a brave step forward.

She quickly rushed towards one of the many injured bodies and began checking on them.

Trise placed Don down somewhere nearby and went in with Chelsea.

I on the other hand took my time carefully and overlooked the overall damage of the place before slowly approaching the large cavity forming at the center.

The glass like sand crushed and shattered under my feet and i felt the putrid heat of the ground against my face.

"Just what could have happened here...?"

I stood at the edge of the cavity and peered into it, but there was nothing there.

Just then, i heard a low groan that made me turn around cautiously.

"Cough...ugh!!"

It was a small cry of pain and agonizing discomfort, there was a battered body of a cadet stirring in agony against the ground off to one side.

I cautiously made my way to the stirring cadet. He seemed like he was lodged into the ground and was stirring to move his body.

It was just like Deandra had said after all, some of these guys really were still alive.

A part of me felt a small relief.

Finally, we may be able to answer some of the questions that distraught us.

"...What happened?" I bent over the cadet next to hime, and swept my gaze over his figure.

The cadet was a male, he looked like a young teenager covered entirely with blood and wounds.

He had raven black hair and shaggy bangs that fell over his eyes, making them hard to discern, and a small build that looked weak and frail.

His current wounded appearance only added to his pathetic sight.

'Such a young boy...'

Was this the world of Aethoria after all? Where little kids and children like this were forced to be involved into this sort of lifestyle from a very young age.

The boy stirred and opened his eyes, but ad soon as he saw me he trembled backwards and tried to retreat away from me.

"N...no! Please...stay away from me! I- i don't want to die?"

"Hey, calm down. What are you talking about? Why would i hurt you, I'm a fellow cadet, too." I tried to say, but the cadet was adamant on treating me like some monster or villain.

His shoulders trembled with fear, and even his voice croaked each time he spoke.

"A-are you sure? You're not mad...like the others? You won't...t-try to kill me...?" He stuttered weakly, shaking.

I nodded and softened my voice gently.

"Yeah, but what are you talking about? Run mad?"

The boy shuddered against the ground and hesitated. His voice came out faintly with fear.

"You won't try to hurt me?" He said again.

I stared silently at the boy, conscious of the intensity of my gaze, and parted my lips.

"I need you to explain to me what happened here? What are you talking about?"

The boy stiffled a breath, his eyes hidden behind his shaggy bangs.

"The others..." He said shakily, "they all suddenly went mad and attacked each other! They murdered one another like they were enemies!"

The boy...

"What did you just say...?"

His words made my eyes widen and my body stiffen in place.

"I...i don't know. It all just happened all of a sudden! I couldn't do anything, and they tried to kill me too!"

"..." I went silent and breathed out a sigh.

I see.

So that's how it was here.

"Hey, Vic. Did you find something?" I heard Chelsea call out to me and drew out of my thoughts.

I looked away briefly at her and briefly said.

"Yeah. There's someone who's still conscious."

"Ohh, what a coincidence. We found someone, too." Chelsea left Deandra and Trise behind and began to approach us.

I turned back to look at the boy who was still shivering uncontrollably and scratched my head.

I sighed.

This was troubling.

But for now...

I gazed at the boy and eventually said.

"I'll need you to tell me and my teammates exactly what happened here. But first, what's your name?"

The boy seemed to flinch back as soon as i mentioned i wasn't alone. I decided i had to be careful about my words and actions to avoid starling him any more.

So I just remained gently in my spot and gazed silently. I could hear Chelsea's crunching footsteps approach more closely from behind.

"They won't hurt you either. We want to help."

Eventually, the boy stiffled another breath.

"My name .." he muttered strangely, almost wistfully.

"Nico..." Instead Chelsea said from behind in a strange voice.

At some point, she had finally caught up to us and was just standing over me.

I stared up at Chelsea and blinked at her abrupt words

"Huh?"

Nico?

Chelsea didn't seem to notice my reaction and ignored my presence entirely.

Her trembling gaze was fixated entirely on the boy with raven black hair like the night, and shaggy bangs.

Her lips parted dazedly, her voice as faint as the sound of a river.

"Nicodemus Kodrey."