Aeon Nether & Idol Effigy

Chapter 62- Choosing Habitats

Lunch finished sooner than we'd all would have liked. The upside was that the practical class where we'd be playing with different materials to build mock mini structures to be destroyed by mock weather cycles - including the weather cycles from dungeon environments that have never happened in this world yet are part of the rare things we must know.

Without me knowing the class seemed to be counting down the seconds before lunch was over and had gotten people or they themselves had gotten supplies to shield themselves. When we placed everything back to where it was supposed to be I was met with a strange class that wouldn't have seemed so out of place in the horror, apocalypse, thriller or adult section of a bookstore or on the recommended watchlists of movies and Tv shows.

The entire class, with the exception being myself in the simple thin plastic see through gloves, had additional protection. I'm talking about varieties of kitchen to leather gloves that were up to some people's armpits. Passing the colours of thick glovers there were people with ventilation masks at construction sites or from those videos of spray painting street artists. There were goggles that frightened me into thinking that these people might be trying to throw some crap around like monkey's do. Other than that there was also a strange look into people's minds with certain species centric protection contraptions. And yes, I'm referring to the bong in the corner with that one studious goodie two shoes student named Lauren that no one was saying a thing about.

Although, maybe it's not so far off from the truth to be saying that I'm the one taking drugs. I sure as hell won't call her out on it if she actually was taking some drugs in class. For one thing she was clearly smoking non-drug substances that smelled like some sugary cereal and for the other thing, I'd just be embarrassing myself with how uncultured I am. What if I offend another species by saying the contraption looked like a bong?

"You'll have a full four hours to build mini buildings that will shelter your mini counterparts from the storms you'll be facing in the future." Sir Eustace smiled as he showed a mini realistic human doll that was struggling to get out of his hand like he was some great demon... Maybe the doll was a higher being than us mortals who see the man as an incubus, because the man seems to be desirable and told us he was part demon. "They may die, but for all the ones who get their own to survive long enough to build living conditions that we'll be observing over the next few weeks... You'll get mysterious unknown future benefits!"

A couple people cheered, but another person could be heard laughing it off. "Unknown future benefits? Sounds like I might get to live that one second longer in the future dreaming of Sir Eustace rescue."

"Now, now! Keep your fantasies to yourselves, thank you!" Sir Eustace cut in with his own laughter that didn't quite reach his eyes. His eyes not expressing a dark or cold feeling, but a feeling more akin to helpless pity. He seemed to want us to survive, but also didn't seem to care about some of us. It was an odd thing that was off from his past behaviour.

I wasn't the only one who picked it up, Aster's hand had gripped my wrist and squeezed it slightly. When I looked back up all I could see was her calm arrogant facial expression that would have been a representative of noble elves if I didn't see other elves. I merely shook her off slightly only to slip my hand into hers and offered her a squeeze. She shook slightly as her eyes darted to my worried expression, but she shook her head slightly mumbling, "It's nothing... Feeling a little sick again from the smell."

"Mhm", I didn't expose her nervous mumbles as obvious excuses. I didn't ask. I never ask. It's something I've noticed and subconsciously did that attracted different species into wanting to spend more time with me. Another result of having other species as teachers whilst I grew up, the taboos were more ingrained into my being. In the end, I only questioned things in my head, never out loud. A feeling that they'd tell me soon if need be or I'd find out for myself soon enough anyway.