Nephilim: Genesis

Chapter 7: Be My Valentine

The moon was hanging high and full over AZ Academy's sprawling campus, casting long shadows across the courtyard. I finally made it outside the assembly hall, where the rest of the elites had gathered. The air was cool, but there was a tension building that made it feel heavy, almost electric. Everyone stood in a circle under the dim glow of the courtyard lamps, their faces a mix of confusion and impatience.

Kaze, leaning casually against the stone wall, had just dropped the bomb: "Those soldiers? The ones we saw in the assembly hall? Yeah, they're the same ones from Dax's vision."

Immediately, the group's reaction was loud and chaotic.

"Are you serious?" Kairo's voice cut through the air first, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Those are the guys that are supposed to kill us?"

Toriq crossed his arms, his expression unreadable, but I could feel the intensity radiating off him. "How do we know for sure, Dax?"

"The Omega symbol. It's the same symbol from the soldiers in my vision. Trust me. It's them." I said trying to sound confident.

Laten, standing a little apart from the group, stood there unreadable.

"What the hell did Miss Harriett want with you?" Ember, ever the direct one, asked, her tone sharp. "Why'd she keep you back, Dax? What's going on?"

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. I knew this moment was coming, but I wasn't exactly looking forward to it. "Miss Harriett knows about the premonition."

The words hung in the air for a second, heavy and loaded. Everyone exchanged uneasy looks, waiting for more.

"She knows about the battle," I continued. "The one we're supposed to have with the Omega Task Force."

The group fell quiet, the weight of what I'd said sinking in.

"And?" Tru prodded, crossing her arms. "What does she think about it?"

"She thinks it won't happen... if we just comply with the rules," I said, feeling the skepticism rise in my chest as I repeated her words.

"Comply?" Asani scoffed, clearly unimpressed. "So, what, we're supposed to just roll over and let them tell us what to do? How to live? Fuck that."

"I don't know, man." I shrugged. "That's what she said. If we follow the rules and stick to the program, the future I saw won't happen."

Jenobi nodded, looking thoughtful as she adjusted her glasses. "It makes sense, honestly. If we're all in sync and following the academy's guidance, we'll be better prepared for anything. It's like chess—predictable moves lead to a predictable outcome. Chaos is what causes defeat. We haven't tried not being so chaotic "

Heiress, standing off to the side, spoke softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Miss Harriett's only trying to protect us. Maybe... maybe she's right? If we listen, maybe we can avoid all of this."

Amira, always the voice of reason, chimed in, her expression calm but serious. "Look, I'm not saying it's easy to trust the system—especially after what we've seen—but it's the safest option. She's the headmaster for a reason, right? She wants what's best for us, even if it's hard to see it right now."

The others nodded, considering Amira's point, and I could see they were leaning toward agreement. Jenobi, Heiress, and Amira seemed convinced that compliance was the right move, the safe move.

But I wasn't so sure. I remembered what Miss Harriett had said—about how she couldn't read my mind. I wasn't like the others. She had no idea what I was really thinking, and that put me in a different position.