Nightmare Mythos

'This is the most embarrassing thing I've experienced today,'

That thought continued circling around Cesar's mind as Jacqueline was pushing through the wheelchair he was currently sitting in. Beside her was his group who was remotely looking through any suspicions that they passed by at the busy streets of Dawn Breaker.

Was Cesar's condition to the point that he wasn't able to move his legs?

Clearly not.

Cesar got put in this situation because the group insisted that he do so. At first, he thought they were pulling a prank on him but as they got nearer to the Castle Hearth, his face was only flushed with embarrassment.

He didn't appear to be injured but it looks like he was getting special treatment.

'Well, I'm thankful for their help, I guess? Because of this, I didn't exert much movement. Anyways, I have to focus now,'

Entering the Castle Hearth while still in his wheelchair, Cesar and the group immediately went to find Arnold. They got separated as they decided to meet at the main hall if they ever found Arnold along the way.

On the other hand, Jacqueline and Cesar went to the main hall themselves.

Passing through some guests that gave them weird looks, Jacqueline quietly assisted Cesar as she was the one pushing the chair. Through an outsider's eyes, one might think a natural beauty was being under her merciless boss' clutches.

However, it was far from that.

Jacqueline keep stealing glances at Cesar as if she was eager to ask something. However, even if Cesar noticed those feelings himself, he didn't have to entertain whatever she wanted to inquire.

For now, finding Arnold was the top priority.

And coming to the main hall, Cesar was able to easily spot the Headmaster of the Academy chatting around his peers with big smiles and fake masks to cover his true emotions.

That's what he's always been.

"Arnold,"

Interrupting his talk with the other guests, Arnold shifted his gaze to the side where Cesar was sitting in a wheelchair.

There was a look of relief on his face when he saw Cesar before he came closer and whispered, looking around his body to see if he had suffered any injuries.

"You're holding on?"

"Yes, but I wanted to talk to you about something. You might have wanted to hear about this,"

Arnold tilted his head before retorting right away, "If you're talking about receiving your rewards, we already canceled it and they said you'd receive it right after this day. You don't need to show yourself too."

"No, no. It's not that,"

Cesar deeply pondered at the words he'd have to carefully say so that Arnold would not get agitated when he mentioned it. Hence for a while, he left Arnold at a complete standstill while still being very patient.

Eventually, he had the right words formed and stated.

"There's a Nightmare in the Academy,"

Arnold stood stiff in his position but Cesar wasn't done yet.

"Look, my condition is pretty bad. No, it had gone for the worst. And the Nightmare that is currently dwelling in the Academy is the cure for my condition," Cesar paused, "We need to get back and finish it. I… I have ways to resolve my condition but whatever is staying in the Academy might endanger the students,"

Arnold remained motionless in his position. His eyes were telling a lot of things that Cesar couldn't distinguish which was what telling who.

However, all his attention was solely directed at the guy in the wheelchair who happens to know something he shouldn't have.

"Cesar…"

"Yes?"

Arnold frowned, "How come you knew about this?"

Cesar tilted his head and retorted, "Look, I have no time to explain. We need to—"

Arnold's next actions even baffled Jacqueline as he took a step forward and grabbed Cesar's collar to bring him out of the wheelchair.

Cesar opened his eyes wide at Arnold's reckless action even Jacqueline put her guard up, her hands already clenching at the sword around her belt.

"The fuck?"

Cesar also couldn't understand this action that he cursed Arnold for it.

"Get the fuck out of me,"

Removing Arnold's hands from his collar, Cesar arranged his clothes and took a step back.

Looking at Arnold with a ridiculous expression, the same as the other attendees who couldn't believe that the Headmaster of the Academy had the guts to hurt one of his students, the vibrant atmosphere inside the halt quieted down. Read the latest on empire

"What the hell was that, Sir Arnold?" Even Jacqueline questioned his action as she added, "What did Cesar mean when there's a Nightmare currently dwelling in the Academy?"

Chatter—!

Once that subject came in, the attendees began to chat amongst themselves that even Cesar himself had to think for a moment.

Why was a Nightmare even at the Academy in the first place?

The emotion of finding a cure for his worsening condition seemed to have clouded his rationality to think. It was just for a brief moment that he deluded himself that having a Nightmare to his home for over three years that he thought it was normal.

But now he was back on track.

"…"

Arnold who was under the gazes of hundreds of individuals in the hall wasn't expecting this turn of events.

Even if some didn't believe Cesar at all, this was a way to tarnish Arnold's name who has been perfect throughout time.

And colluding with a Nightmare, which hasn't been heard of, was the worst-case scenario to receive from the mass.

Arnold who was oddly quiet when he could've answered that question took a long sigh from his mouth before looking straight directly at Cesar.

"Look, Cesar. I can explain. This Nightmare you're talking about…I—"

Almost instantaneously, every around the hall could hear a huge shout coming from above.

"Show's starting!"

Crack—!

Cesar, Jacqueline, Arnold, and every guest were available in the main hall when the ceiling glasses from the walls broke down.

Right after, wall clocks seemed to be thrown through those glasses as they seemed to drop down.

Tik—!

Cesar watched the clock spin around the air as they continued falling before they all froze altogether.

Tak—!

"Kaboom!"

Boooooooom—!

Just soon after, Castle Hearth exploded.