A while later…

Helbram and Bryan came out from school's canteen and heading towards the stair. Helbram’s bringing his coffee and drink it as he sits. Just then–

“BRO! YOU… ARE… SO… AWESOME~!”  Bryan’s making weird body poses. “Please be my study buddy!”

Helbram’s sipping his coffee. “Why're you asking me? Studying is not my forte, go ask Rose. She’s the diligent student in our section. Exclude her Lesbian attitude from the equation. You know that.”

And he continues sipping his coffee.

“But Rose— she's a HUMSS student! Unlike us, we're both STEM.” Bryan’s begging him, like a cat.

HUMSS stands for Humanity and Social Sciences; and

STEM stands for Science Technology and Engineering Mathematics

“Whatever! Just go and ask her out.”

He shakes his coffee and drink. Just then, Bryan realized something.

“Heh, I get it now. Is she your sole requirement to be your study buddy?”

Helbram's surprised, choked, and spit his coffee.

“What in Tophet is that? I didn’t say anything like– !”

Just then, Rose spot them downstairs. She smiled, draws closer, then taps Helbram's shoulder, and greets.

“Hel! There you are!”

Helbram flinched.

“Who goes ther – !?”

The unsuspected boy turned his head and seeing Rose up close made him jump.

“Ro– Rose, it’s you??! When did– ?!”

He quickly stood up and tripped. Thankfully, Bryan's big physique blocked him from falling.

Rose has a brown knee-long hair. Has a hair bangs, mid-skin tone, hazel-colored eyes, freckles, hour-glass body, and roundish-almond eye shaped. She’s from HUMSS.

She grabbed something on her bag and lend him his notebook.

“I’ll return this math notebook I borrowed last week. It really helped me understand statistics, estimations, and sequences. Thank you, Hel.”

Helbram took the notebook, dazed.

"She— she understood my messy penmanship?" He wondered as he let his shyness get through him.

“Rose, didn’t I tell you that you could just drop my notebook at my house?"

He's panicking.

"Our morning class was dismissed earlier than expected. You know, the Science Class? Since we have vacant time— I took the opportunity to return it to you."

Helbram takes a look on his notebook.

"I see."

And put it inside his bag. Bryan's been in the background and noticed how the two reacted. Helbram felt tension while Rose shows faint shyness. Bryan smiled and speak nothing. Rose noticed Bryan behind Helbram, so she waved her hand.

“Oh, hello there, Bryan!”

Bryan crossed his arms and smiled.

"Oh? If it isn’t the honorable Supreme Student Council President, Rose Mary Elefteria?”

Rose giggles and felt embarrassed.

“Oh, stop glazing me Bryan. We three are childhood friends, you can drop the formalities."

“Hehe!" Bryan giggles.

"It seems the SSC is getting busier these days.”

Helbram asked and Bryan rubs his chin.

“Is it about the 7th Month Cultural fest that’ll be held once every 7th year?”

Rose nods.

“I see. Since this is the 6th month of the 7th year, no wonder people are getting busy.” Helbram concluded.

“Since June started, our school proposes for class shortening in preparation for the next month’s cultural fest. Also, expect some of our instructors won’t be needing to meet us.” Rose elaborates.

“So basically, this month’s like a semi-acad and semi-vaca, right?"

Rose nods and so is Helbram.

“Indeed, Bryan. But remember, today’s schedules haven’t approved to be shortened by our dear principal yet. Which means, we still have that History Class this afternoon." Helbram rolls his eyes. “That very same instructor believed that ‘The Abomination’ exist. Pft! How foolish.” His speech triggered Rose.

“Pardon?"

Rose heard but wants Helbram to repeat it. Still, all he gave is an annoying smug.

"The Abomination is not real! Only those crazy-brained bastards from Cult of the Dead believed such tale!"

Helbram's and Rose's rivalry is on.

“Oh yeah? If I prove its existence, I’ll make sure you’ll received that donut treatment firsthand!”

Helbram made a grin.

“If it was ‘real’ bleeehh!”

Their rivalry is in climax and it made Bryan uncomfortable.

"There they go." He sighs and decided to quell them.

“Woah! Woah! Easy bhoiz and ghalz!”

He stepped in-between and both turn away.

“Look, people believe what they saw, I know that. But please, let us not talk about it especially in corridor, okay?”

“Bryan, I heard the Northern Empire has this myth about the existence of this ‘Abomination’.”

Nothern Empire can be imagined as Europe, and Russia in real life.

 “If my memory serves me right, the Northernean folk sticks to that belief till now. So, as a Northern Empire citizen, will you affirm such allegations?”

Bryan felt tension and scratches his cheeks.

“Well, I'll be lying if that myth isn’t popular in our empire.”

“Rumors that became myth in this generation says: ‘Somewhere in Northern Empire lies a castle where the Abomination's sealed. And the only way to unseal it is through Human Blood. Various myth busters travelled from afar and tested it for themselves. Some became frustrated or crazy that whichever castle they stumbled, they spill blood in em' but— none of their attempts succeeds.”

Bryan sighs. “So, all I can say is, the myth is still a hit in this era.”

Hearing Bryan's statement boost Helbram's confidence.

“And who are responsible of spreading such rumor?”

Bryan exhaled. “It... actually originated from the founder of the Cult, Cultist of the Dead.”

“Ha!! I knew it! That famous myth originated from those crazy and ill-mannered servants of the Doom Deity!”

He celebrated, showing he won their rivalry. He smirks and points his hand to Rose.

“The founder must’ve hit his head and start spouting nonsense.”

He starts mocking Rose and she took the bait.

“You may mock it but— it is said that the founder is blessed by the Doom Deity to communicate with the Dead!"

He grinned.

"How can a Deity that's imprisoned for over millennium can—"

Suddenly, a sharp pain struck him, making him paused. He took a deep breath and speaks.

"The Doom Deity's been imprisoned over a millennium. How can a mortal communicate with a Deity with an ill-heart?"

Helbram's tone gone eerie making Rose and Bryan felt something's off. But later, Helbram reverts back to his self.

"I sense fraud circling in history!"

Again, their Rivalry's back.

"WHY YOU—!?"

Bryan steps in. "Cut it out, you two!" Bryan said. "How about this— set your belief differences and make peace, okay?"

Both turned away but later, came to understanding.

7:57 A.M.

Rose checks her wristwatch. "Helbram! Our battle hasn't ended!" She points boldly. "The existence of the Abomination is real! Mark my words!"

Helbram shrugs. "Whatever you say, ma'am!"

Rose's aura, a fearsome rival mode, shifts to sweet and lovely gal.

"Anyways, I'll get going. I have errands as SSC president. Goodbye, and— don't forget our battle hasn't finished."

Rose is about to leave but- "Rose, wait—!?"

He pats her shoulder and Rose flinch, losing her balance. Helbram jolt and quickly catch her. The two of them stared for a minute and Helbram noticed something from her.

“Rose?”

"He— Helbram, what is it?"

“Did you trim your eyebrows, applied mascara, and put blush and lipstick?”

Rose blushed, seeing Helbram up close.

"I— I'm sorry for saying that, Rose."

He helped her stand, after that, the boy makes a fidget motion of his thumbs.

"Uum... Th— this afternoon, wha— what time were you lea— leaving?"

Rose gasped and smiled.

"As usual, hehe."

"I... I see. Got it.” Helbram gone timid.  “Uum... Will there be delays?"

 Rose thinks. "Hmm... 15-30 minutes."

"I.. I see. See ya this afternoon Rose."

Rose paused, faced him, and put both of her clasped hands on her skirt.

"Yeah, at the school plaza."

Rose made her leave and Bryan felt something's going on. So, he creeps on Helbram, giving him a teasing stare, and hushed.

"When did the two of you get this close? Hmm?"

Helbram jolts. "Shu— shut up! There's nothing between us!"

Bryan glares. "Sus"

The boy avoided eye contact.

"Our r—rivalry hasn't cha—changed, a bit! That's all!"

The eerie silence Bryan gave made Helbram shiver. When he turns, Bryan's grinning so he quickly looks away, trying to hide his face.

"F— for real..."

"Whatever you say, Helbram." Bryan smiled.

"E— enough about me! *exhaled* What're you up to Bryan?"

And the two starts moving.

"I heard that they're holding roleplay about the Lives of the First Humans created by the Creation Deities. I know you're a great actor, so are you up to the task?"

Bryan's giving it a thought.

"I'll think about it, Helbram. I already heard about it last week, it's in the School Publication post. It states that the official Audition starts at Thursday so— there's plenty of time to think ab--" Helbram slaps his shoulder.

"You better be, you veteran! Don't let such skill die!"

"Thank you for the encouragement, Helbram." Bryan felt happy. "How about you? The School Publication also announced that there are Academic Contest such as Math and Science Quiz bee. Prices are great too!"

"I've already participated those stuffs 7 years ago so it's time to step down." He scratches his cheeks, shyly. "Heh.... Right now, I want to explore new activities like—entertaining. But meeehh... Like you, I needed time to think."

"Man! You should though! You're an Acad achiever! But— hmph! Who am I to force ya?" Bryan made a thumbs up. "Of course, the decision always lies in you, Helbram."

They're almost at the intersection path.

"Helbram, you know my passion in Theatre and Cooking. Right now, both of them are present in this event so choosing which one is difficult. But— whatever! I'll choose what screams louder!"

He then looked at Helbram.

"Oh? I forgot to ask. Since we have 4 hours to spare before afternoon class, what are you up to? My part, I'll stay at the library and study our major subject." Bryan felt timid. "I'm bad at math so I gotta study in advance so I'll be able to drill it to my thick skull since you refused to be my study buddy today.”

“Now that I told you, it's your turn. Are ya gonna study at the Rooftop, like always?"

Helbram looked at the stairs.

"Naah... I'll head first at the locker to store my stuffs and sleep at where you found me. You see, I haven't gotten any proper sleep lately. Credits to Rose’s persistence and this- annoying dream which I always forget when I woke up."

"I see. Is it the same weird dream you kept sharing since 10th grade?" Bryan assumes.

"No, not some nonsense dream I shared before. Last night's dream is... I feel it’s completely different! It gives chills and realistic vibe on it. But the thing is- I can’t remember."

Bryan noticed Hlebram’s hand slight shaking. "I see, I'm praying for peaceful sleep for ya, Helbram Mauler Wilheim 21st!!"

Helbram's annoyed whenever Bryan says his complete name so, he responds back.

“You too, Bryan Vasseur Bourgeois”

"Why does he always troubled himself stating our full names?"

 Helbram felt awkward and Bryan just laugh.

"See ya on the afternoon class, Helbram!"

So, two of them bid each other and went separate ways.

Helbram headed to the locker room to store his belongings. As he closes his locker,

“The Abomination… and Doom Deity, huh?”

his right eye starts shedding blood. It shows a faint glow, passes through his eyepatch. As he wondered, reality is distorting. The moment he blinks, he’s transported to a different scene where;

He’s in the woods.

"What's this place? What in Tophet is going on? I was at the Locker a minute ago?!"

Ahead, he saw two people.

"Strange, there are 2 people standing at the top of the hill."

The curious boy decided to draw closer but when he blinks again, he's in a different scene where he saw a monster.

"What am I doing?! I can't— MOVE!"

His hand is raised and the monster is pinned on the ground. Helbram's body is strangely frozen but not his eyes. Thus, he uses that opportunity to look around. There, he realized that everything's frozen, including the monster.

"Has time— stopped?"

Suddenly, he heard a loud roar and a gigantic fleshy hand burst from its body to crush him.

"Wait?! Am I daydreaming?! If so, this is way too real! I'm going to die before I could become a Military Soldier!"

That moment, the scenery glitches and the scene moved to where the monster is encased in dark cocoon.

“Just- wait a second! I haven’t finished comprehending what’s happening and now where in a different scene?! Give me a break!”

Helbram’s confused but has a spare time to rest.

But not for long.

The monster forces its way to break free from its encasement.

"Oh no! It's trying to break free!"

The Dark Cocoon's weakening and the monster's arms trying to rip the it by sheer force. Helbram's terrified but it seems the body he's in is speaking.

"Alright, I--  --- --- of --- ---. So --- — ABO----!"

The body that Helbram inhibits clenched his hands and the dark cocoon starts trembling.

KKRRRRRKK!!!!

The event glitched out and once again back to the dark void.

 "It suddenly gone dark." The boy's mind cannot comprehend what's happening. “And- the body I housed earlier, it referred that monster- Abo or something.” *rubs chin* “Abo… Abo~! *gasp* Abomination?!”

Suddenly, a sharp pain struck his head and flashes of memories flooded his thoughts in regards to Abomination info written in his notebook.

“It’s nothing alike on the sketch Rose provided! Has my brain conjures a grotesque and twisted version of that mons-” Suddenly, he heard a low growl. He looked behind and saw the monster up close.

The eye of the monster is alive and staring at him.

"The monster's eye, its- it’s looking at me!"

Heart raised, and heavy breathing present towards the boy. He covered his eyes, and look down to avoid its gaze.

"It's... so scary!"  *heavy panting* “I… I wanna wake up! I hate this dream! F-For real!”

In the midst of fear, a familiar voice, calls.

"Helbram..."

He flinched and look around, aside the Monster’s position.

 "Who's there?!"

Yet he sees none, only darkness.

Silence dominated the place but-

"--- --- Stop! Stop, Abo---, the ---ation!"

Helbram covered his mid-elven ears but it only gone worse.

"So... Loud!"

It goes on and on, until his ears bleed.

"Please... make it stop!"

He closed his eyes, hoping for everything to end.

When the voices faded, he opened his eyes. Before he knew it, he tripped, lost his balance, and fell downstairs.

"KKYAAAHHHHH! SOMEONE CALL 911! QUICK!!! SOMEONE FELL DOWNSTAIRS!! HURRY!" That fall made Helbram lose his consciousness.