How To Survive A Calamity

Three of the most unrelatable people among the first years, and probably in the whole Academy, sitting in the same table made an unusual group. It was already slightly surprising that either Deandra or Ceres could be found alone with Victor on any other day, but this was stiill slightly likely. Each of them were classmates after alll despite their standings and social hierarchy. It was weird, but maybe it was possible.

But even Xavier or anyone else couldn't have foreseen this group from happening.

He leaned backwards against the tall back of the chair, wrapping his fingers around the edge of the arm rest and glanced at the male informant.

"Keep monitoring the situation and tell me how it develops."

"Yes, young mast— i mean, yes, understood!"

"Keep you the good work, Ken."

Xavier sent off the male cadet, called Ken, with an appreciative smile, leaving him to return back to his own devices in the empty silence of his furnished dorm room. The smile on Xavier's face instantly receded as the door shot behind Ken's back, a solemnity breathing into the study.

Xavier shifted on his sit only slightly, twirling to directly face the messy wooden desk strewn with almost countless pieces of papers and documents, his thoughts hidden behind his thin, closed eyes.

The news Ken delivered sparked undeniable interest in him. In fact, anything Victor related did, ever since he first saw the unassuming male cadet that day at the duel. And ever since, he's dormant feelings concerning the possible true nature of 1499 had only grown stronger after watching Victor in person and fighting along side him in the dungeon.

"He's recently Ranked up. Against all odds, the no talent of the Academy made a breakthrough. Isn't that curious?"

Xavier's eyes narrowly opened without a glint, sweeping over a piece of document he raised from the desk, his pale yellow irises were empty of any particular glint.

The news about Victor's breakthrough wasn't something hard to come around, especially for those with similar standings like Xavier. In fact, it was pretty much an old news by this point. This was because Victor didn't just wake up from his coma and broke through, no. He already did so at the Dungeon, despite his condition.

It was only until he was brought back to the academy for medical support and examining did they realise Victor Bright was now an Eta Ranked Awakened. So it had already been a couple of weeks since Xavier knew.

What he didn't know, as of yet at least, was Victor's latest condition. This margin was what seemingly separated the influence and resources Deandra held from Xavier. But it wouldn't be too long until he discovered this; Xavier's intel wasn't in any way lacking to Deandra's, it was just about a day or so slower.

Xavier didn't know about Victor's current condition and that made his whole new breakthrough a lot more interesting in to his eyes. When Xavier stopped to think about it... didn't this mean that Victor was now allegedly stronger than he was?

Xavier was still a Meta Ranked Awakened, a rank lower than Eta, and in truth, so we're many of the First years. Technically, in one fell swoop, Victor had risen from the allegedly weakest and bottom cadet in the First year, to one of the strongest, only just beneath Ceres Walker.

Of course there were still many other factors to attribute to one's strength and all, but the power of Ranks and difference in power levels each offered couldn't be ignored easily. But Xavier couldn't help but wonder if the nature of Victor's breakthrough was true or not. It sounded like he was being paranoid, but that was just Xavier's nature to question the surface.

After watching Victor for some time through his various tabs, it became apparent to Xavier that Victor seemed to like to keep yo himself. It was especially hard to notice, because he usually had little to no presence unless one truly decided to pay him regard.

Wether it was intentional or not, Victor avoided the spotlight in most cases, but no matter how he did, he always seemed to draw some kind of attention one way or another. First with his Null assessment, then with Ceres and the duel, and now....with his breakthrough.

Whatever the case was, it seemed like Cadet 1499 Victor Bright was finally about getting all the attention Xavier felt he deserved.

Xavier's thoughts halted there and he shook his head sideways with a helpless smile, sighing tiredly. As much as he would have liked to get out his desk and rush off to meet Victor himself, he still had various important matters to attend to.

Like for example, how to take advantage of the current situation the Academy found itself in...

Aegis, built like a fortress, had suffered it's first great blow in many years, probably since its time of establishment and there were many out there who could and would make use of this weakness, some even among the Academy instead.

The world was built on power after all. Aegis was powerful and commanded great influence and even more resources, even having the institution owe a mere favour was more than enough leverage for many.

And as of this exact moment, Xavier was seated behind his desk as one of those trying to reach in their hands for a piece of the pie one way or another. The benefit wasn't solely for him, not at all, it was more about how powerful the influence could make his family.

Even now, the headmaster of Aegis still was absent. What better time to gain an advantage now that Aegis was running around picking up it's pieces. Chaos was a ladder, it was an opportunity Xavier never failed to recognise.

He tossed the piece of document back against the scattered many on the desk before him before leaning backwards and sighing while shaking his head. He swept a glance over the strewn documents and lingered before sighing deeply again.

"I really should get an assistant."

***

Ceres took a sit right next to me, appearing seemingly indifferent and unperturbed by all the gazes and attention ger presence inevitably drew in the cafeteria. Before i could properly react to anything, she had already taken the liberty of sitting.

The moment after my mind froze, seemingly overreacting from shock, my thoughts raced slightly, my eyes throbbing with pain slightly. What was Ceres doing here?

No it probably wasn't weird for her to show up in the cafeteria, right? But...why here? Why would she decide to sit at this exact table with me?

"Hey."

While my thoughts raced, Ceres dryly said, raisin her head and staring straight at Deandra sitting across the table. Deandra stared at Ceres with her brows furrowed, her gaze deeply questioning, and it was obvious she was just as surprised and confused by Ceres's appearance.

'Hey, I'm also a bit uncomfortable with you, too, suddenly showing up.'

Although, due to what we've been through, i found Deandra a lot kore comfortable to be around strangely, but her sudden worry and slight shift in behaviour towards me was something i wasn't sure i wanted to get used to. Plus, she also had her own way of drawing numerous unwanted attention wherever she went.

The cafeteria was already quite noisy when Deandra appeared and decided to share a table with me, but now the whole place seemed to want to blow up with the addition of Ceres, who was a certified lone wolf and detached character.

"What?"

"What are you doing?"

"What am i doing?" Ceres rose a brow, tilting her head slightly at Deandra's strange question while i just held my position and reduced the sound of my breathing as much as possible.

"Yes. Why are you here?"

"What am i doing? What are you doing?"

"I heard Victor was recently discharged. He was a member of my team, and a classmate. Of course i came to check how he's doing."

"Oh. He's also my classmate then, in that case." Ceres' rebuttal unenthusiastic, while passionate veins seemed to pulse to the surface around Deandra's head.

"Hah! And when had that ever mattered to you before?"

For the first time since tge beginning of the this back and forth, Ceres' brows furrowed with almost disdain, the edges of her lips pulling and curling to an exasperated frown.

"Ugh, you're annoying."

Deandra's red eyes flared, sparks rebounding within them as the heat around the table seemed to slowly rise.

"What did you just sa—?!"

"Ah! We were wondering what all the noise and commotion was about, but of course it had to be you!"

Fortunately, before Deandra could continue and things got hitted, a weirdly familiar and still annoying voice interrupted from nowhere as a couple new faces approached the table from the side.

"You just got out of the infirmary and you're already causing trouble, you bastard!"

It was Trise.

***

[A/N: hey guys, i just released a new book and I'd really like to get your options on it. The name id A Vampire's Perspective, and no, I am not dropping How to Survive A Calamity. That is my priority.]