Dysnomia Academy [ONC 2021]

Chapter Sixteen

While Luna and Zach were comforting Fritz, I drifted off to think about Nightmare's magic. Why was she using so much of her magic? Her excessive use could've knocked out a small army. Was she exercising her skills?

Harlow interrupted my thoughts with a question.

"Why do you think the door was open?"

She helped me realize something important. There's a training ground for elemental magic users where they could experiment. Nightmare could've gone there if she needed a place to practice.

"I'm not sure. I have a bad feeling about that room. We shouldn't go back to check, but let's just keep an eye out for Nightmare."

The bell rang, warning everyone to go to class. The five of us stuck together in a group all the way to our classroom. When we reached the "1-A" sign, I pushed open the door. Nightmare stood in front of the classroom as if she didn't just use a ridiculous amount of magic in another room...as if it was a normal day.

I sat in the back of the room with Zach and Fritz. Luna and Harlow went to their regular seats. I read the message scrawled on the wall in front of the classroom.

There is no lesson for today.
Self study until physical training.

Nightmare always had a detailed lesson plan for each day we were in class. In my head, she was setting off quite a few suspicion alarms. I pulled our my notes and started reading. Not long after, Fritz set a folded piece of paper on my desk. I opened it.

Something's wrong with Nightmare.
It looks like there's a bug sticking out
of the back of her neck.

My breath got caught in my throat. I was afraid to look up and check for myself. As she made her laps around the classroom, I took the chance to see it for myself. A set of insect-like antennae wiggled about from the back of her neck.

I wrote on the other side of the note.

I'm going to ask to use the bathroom.
You're coming with me. We can use
it as an excuse to leave.

I passed it back to Fritz and wrote a separate note for Zach.

Protect Luna and Harlow.
Nightmare's acting weird.

After giving Zach the note, I raised my hand. Nightmare immediately turned around with a smile.

"What's wrong, Kenzo?"

"I need to use the bathroom. I'll buddy with Fritz."

"Go ahead. Come back quickly."

The two of us left the classroom. Once we were at a safe distance, I told Fritz my plan.

"We need to go check on the head principal. If he has antennae too, you need to run and call the V. Guard to tell them what's going on. It might be related to the serial killer."

Fritz's face paled.

"Why don't we just call the V. Guard right now?"

"I need to confirm my theory."

I rushed over to the principal's office, and Fritz reluctantly followed close behind. I kept an eye out for any staff members on the way there. When we reached the door, I rattled the stubborn doorknob.

"It's locked. I don't know where else he'd be, but something's definitely up."

Before Fritz could respond. A hand covered my mouth. I bit down on their skin until they bled. The familiar taste of iron coated my tongue. My body felt suddenly lighter. The person let go, and I floated up towards the ceiling. Anti-gravity? The only person I know with this power is Newton. 

I looked down at the pro villain below. He was passed out on the floor, bleeding by the hand. I shut off the power midair and fell to the ground. Fritz stared at me with wide eyes.

"K-Kenzo..."

Shit. I stood up and brushed my clothes.

"I don't have much time to explain. Check the back of his neck for the antennae."

Fritz bent down to get a closer look and scrambled away from the body.

"He-he has them! What's going on!?"

"I think someone is using a parasite to control the pro villains. It's probably someone from the outside."

I heard a scream in the distance. Fritz and I ran back to our class. The students inside seemed perfectly fine. I was about to continue searching when Nightmare greeted us. We returned to our seats, and I wrote a note.

It looks like someone is controlling
the pros with a parasite.

I passed the paper to Zach. He skimmed it before frantically writing back. Zach tossed the paper to me.

Where did you guys go?
Nightmare was acting weirder
after you left.

They might be connected to each other. I hurt one of them...they must be receiving a signal from somewhere. I didn't write back. I was more concerned with our escape. The raw power of a controlled villain with special abilities was not something I wanted to experience first hand. The weakness of Nightmare's power is that the light has to come into contact with your skin. If we used a shield, the light wouldn't reach us.

I scanned the classroom for something that fit my needs. Then, I remembered something. I wrote another note to Zach, explaining my plan. He nodded his head. Zach made a remote control car, attaching some yarn and the plan. He drove the car over to Harlow, Luna, and Fritz. They each read it, put their hand on the yarn, and confirmed with a nod.

I activated my electron cloud, which protected the five of us that were connected by the yarn.

Action time.