-Class Beta Camp-
Class Beta has finished preparing their camp before nightfall. A fireplace was placed at the center to give both warmth and light to the entire place. The whole class sat down by the fire while they were discussing their strategy while laughing.
A dark-haired man with sharp brown eyes behind his square glasses approached his entire class, a mug of coffee in hand. "Quiet down, all of you." He scolded the entire class, and they only looked at him in return.
"Don't worry, Ciel." One of the students reprimands him. "No one will attack here in the middle of the night. And besides, there are no vampires in this portion of this island."
"Let's hope that was true," Ciel said while sipping his coffee. "Did you set the protection barrier?"
"We forgot!" Another student gasps, and she stands up and raises her hand to cast the protection spell. "I'll cast it now."
"Hey, Ciel." The third student asked. "Do you think we can beat the other two classes, especially Class Alpha? I heard that one of them almost destroyed the training room."
"Whacha his name again? More like Seraphim or something?" a fourth student chimed in.
"It's Sephiram." Ciel corrected, adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose. "Someone like him can cast an S-rank magic." He whispered in a low voice, looking at his open hands and curling it into a fist. "How can I beat someone like that?"
"Now that reminds me." The fifth student asked Ciel. "You're from Class Delta before you transfer to us, right?"
"Yes," Ciel answered. "I was supposed to be placed in Class Alpha." Jealousy is hinted at in his tone.
"Yeah, but some no-name girl who mysteriously shows up bested you to it, and she was placed in that class instead of you, that's why Sir Claus scouted you instead to our class before the decision was finalized." The first student mocked, which Ciel reacted by clutching his fist in anger. "I heard some rumors that she was protected by the government."
"Wait, did you say 'government'?" A sixth student but in. Her voice is full of upsetting anger. "Who do you think she is, a VIP?"
"Well, considering her status, maybe she is very important." The third student calmed her down before turning to the second student who was currently setting up the protection spell. "Hey, are you still alive there?"
The second student turned her head. "I'm fine." She answered. "It's just that- huh?"
She saw something a pair of red glowing behind the bushes in front of her twenty meters away from their camp. Since it was dark, she couldn't pinpoint what sort of creature it was.
"Um, guys?" She said in a scared tone. "I think we have company."
"Come on, Cassidy!" the fourth student shouted in mockery. "It's only your imagination!"
"I think it's not my imagination, guys!" Cassidy's tone is now more scared and is now sweating bullets in fear, as the red-glowing creature begins to charge toward them at full speed. "It's approaching towards us!"
This caused all the students to look in her direction and see twelve feral vampires trying to destroy the protection spell by barging it using their claws. This caused them to stand up and run towards the ruins to get inside. Cassidy is struggling to keep the spell intact while the vampires are still trying to break the barrier.
"Cassidy, forget the spell and run inside while I call Sir Claus!" Ciel cried out to her. "We can't fight them-" he was cut off and his eyes were wide in shock when he saw the protection spell shattered into pieces after several beatings and Cassidy began to turn tail and run in panic.
"Cassidy!" Ciel cried, reaching out his hand. "Here!"
Cassidy can reach his hand but when they decide to follow their classmates inside the ruins, the vampires are catching up to them, and fear is written on their faces.
*
-Class Alpha Camp-
Anissa jolted as she felt something was wrong. The wind somehow died down earlier, and Lena had finished setting up the protection spell. She breathed heavily as her body began to feel some shivers in her spine.
'What was that?' She thought as she tried to calm down. 'This is the first time that I felt fear. I got a bad feeling about this.'
"Something's wrong?" Sephiram asked his adopted sister with a worried look on his face. "You seem to be tense."
"I'm okay, big brother." She replied with a weary smile on her face. "Just feeling cold. That's all."
"You don't wear your jacket. Here," he said as he took off his school blazer and wrapped it around her shoulders. "This keeps you warm."
Anissa clutched the jacket gently. "Thanks, big brother."
"That's sweet, Seph," Mark said as he appeared between them. The two were slightly shocked at his sudden appearance. "But did you forget about her?"
"Who?"
"Mina, you silly!" Mark teased as he pointed towards Mina who was seen talking with Nadeshiko and Carol. "She's been looking at you while talking to Anissa. She's been jealous, no offense Annie."
"Jealous? What do you mean?"
"Seph, still Mister-Obvious-Since-Childhood." Mark teased. "She had a crush on you since we were kids, seriously."
"Wait, what?" Sephiram reacted, a slight blush appearing on his cheek. Anissa only giggled. "Shut up, Mark! (Looking at his giggling sister) Stop it, Anissa!"
"I need some rest," Lena whined in a childlike tone as she wiped the sweat on her face using a handkerchief, ignoring the noise behind her. "Casting the spell requires some large amount of mana."
"At least you're not like Fred here who is all muscle and no brains." Misty mocked while an audible 'hey!' came from Fred. She holds two cups of coffee in both hands. "Here's your coffee," she said, reaching out the mug of coffee in her left hand.
"Thanks." Lena smiled like a child receiving candy as she took the mug of coffee in Misty's hand.
"We can discuss our strategy again once we are inside the ruins," Sasha said to her classmates. "We can't stay outside longer, for we are outside Libertas and-"
Carol suddenly heard something in the background and jolted her head in a certain direction, wearing a face that something was approaching them. "Shh!" Carol suddenly hushed everyone. All of them fell silent.
"What is it, Carol?" Ian asked her.
"Did you guys hear something?" Carol asked as she listened attentively.
"Hear what?" Leon asked.
Everyone fell silent and heard some distinct noise from far away. As they heard it further minutes later, they responded immediately.
'Danger!' They thought as they jolted up.
"Lena, create an opening to the barrier now! Marcus, help Lena!" Sasha ordered. "That's a cry of help!"
Lena and Marcus create an opening on the barrier to shelter some refugees and as if on cue, they see Class Charlie running towards them, weapons in hand but fear is written on their faces. Behind them are a group of feral vampires chasing after them.
"There!" one of Class Charlie's students yelled at the rest when he saw the barrier opening for them. "Class Alpha creates an opening in their barrier! Let's make haste!"
Lena and Marcus create a way as Class Charlie enters inside the barrier in a hurry. As the last students entered safe and sound, they closed the barrier and the feral vampires slammed their fists on the barrier, trying to break the barrier for them to enter.
"What happened?" Sasha asked one of the Class Charlie as they gasped for breath.
"Vampires suddenly attacked us without warning." One of them told Sasha what happened, fear was written on both his face and voice. "We were setting the protection spell when they suddenly attacked us. Luckily, all of us got away."
"Have you contacted Sir Axiom?!"
"We tried to contact him, but the signal was cut off."
"Shit!" Fred cursed as he tried to contact their instructor. "I can't reach Sir Westeria!"
"What about Class Beta?" One of the Class Charlie asked them. "Did they come here?"
"We haven't seen any members of Class Beta," Sasha said. She saw the scene in front of her in terror and shock. The vampires are trying to enter the barrier. Lena and Marcus stepped back to the barrier, weapons in hand and battle stance thanks to Fred handing them earlier while she asked Class Charlie what happened. Ian and Leon are now on the second-floor balcony of the ruins, weapons in hand and ready for orders.
"My hunch was right." Anissa stepped in as she approached the vampires in front of her. "They are in this place, too?"
"What do you mean?" Fred asked her.
"I've seen these kinds of vampires before." She said as her eyes were focused on their appearance. Their skin is grey as silver, they have a thin body that you may see as their bones, and their faces resemble a fusion between humans and ghouls. All in all, they are not human. "These are vampires that are succumbing to their lust for human blood." She gulped in nervousness. "They were considered as an outcast and I think they were exiled here to wander and attack any unsuspecting prey that was roaming on the island."
"No way!" One of the Class Charlie cried as she heard what Anissa said. "This portion was protected by Muffula! There is no way they can enter here!"
"She's right!"
"I don't think that's the case anymore!" Sephiram shouted, defending his sister. When they saw him, he clutched his head in pain with one hand.
"Are you okay?" Mina asked him worriedly.
"I'm fine," Sephiram answered in the same monotone voice, with the same blank expression on his face; the same expression he wore two weeks ago but there is something changed. His eyes were no longer in a blank state but in a normal manner. "Sasha, order Lena and Marcus to dispel the barrier."
"Are you INSANE?" Sasha cried. "You're going to let yourself be killed!"
"It's either all of us survive but Class Beta will perish or all of us will die here!" Sephiram shouted back, anger rising in his voice. Sasha keeps her mouth shut and gives Sephiram a serious look.
"Make sure to get back here alive," Sasha ordered. "That's an order."
"Affirmative."
"Lena, Marcus, dispel the protection spell now!" Sasha ordered the two, and they did so. "Fred, Mina, Carol, Misty, and Nadeshiko! I want all of you to back me up! (Draws out her sword and looks above) Ian and Leon! Back us up! (To Class Charlie) Class Charlie, help us out if you want to live. (Class Charlie nodded to themselves before brandishing their weapons. To Sephiram) and Seph, take Anissa and Ryan with you. I don't want you to do this alone."
Sephiram nodded. Anissa stepped in, adjusting her gloves while Ryan clutched his staff tighter while fidgeting, still frightened by the scene in front of him.
"Let's go!"