Happenings On The Field Trip [11] - The Night Of The Reaper II

"What the hell are these threads lying around everywhere?" Emrys muttered, clearly annoyed.

He had noticed them earlier but hadn't given them much thought. Now, as he fought off the Spawns, they were becoming a distraction.

"And why the hell isn't anyone noticing them?" he whispered, perplexed as he watched Oliver—who was supporting Violeta—and Ana stepping over the threads without a second thought.

The battlefield was chaotic, shrouded in darkness, the only light coming from the moon and occasional bursts of Gifts.

So Emrys simply prided himself on his sharp eyes, conluding that others couldn´t see them due the the darkness.

Then out of nowhere, the threads began to move on their own, floating effortlessly without tangling with one another.

Despite the surreal sight, no one else seemed to notice or react to them.

He longed to follow them, to uncover their destination, but he couldn't abandon the others.

Though he didn't voice it, he knew the truth: with Violeta injured, he was the only capable fighter left.

"Hey, look at that glowing blade! Isn't that Weiss?" Violeta exclaimed, pointing with an eager excitement.

Her face lit up as everyone's attention shifted to the white-haired girl, her uniform completely drenched in dirt, yet her presence unmistakable.

"That explains why we haven't encountered more trouble," Emrys concluded, realizing that the reduced number of Spawns rushing towards them was due to Weiss's relentless efforts.

With determination, he rushed over to Weiss, who was making her way towards them with equal urgency, her glowing blade cutting through the darkness.

"Weiss, could you lend me a hand? I need to check something," Emrys said, his expression grave, urgency in his voice.

Weiss met his gaze, her dark blue eyes locking onto his intense purple ones.

Though they hadn't interacted much before, she sensed a strength in Emrys that was hard to ignore, a silent understanding passing between them.

She glanced at the people beside him, quickly piecing together what he needed.

"Very well," she replied firmly. "I will protect them."

Emrys gave her a reassuring smile. "Thank you. Don't worry, I'll return soon!"

With that, he turned and rushed off, following the threads that moved as if they were orchestrated by an unseen hand.

His departure left Weiss standing guard, her blade ready, her eyes scanning for any approaching threats.

Unexpectedly, Professor Mendoza's voice echoed in Weiss's head. "Students Weiss Licht, Ophelia Sunshower, Ares Niphes, Cres Lumina, and Vincent Sol!"

"I apologize for the delay in contacting you, but this sudden wave is more serious than we anticipated," he began. "You students are the best of the best. I regret placing this burden upon you, but please take charge of the other students. We professors are currently engaged with a.... with a Desolator-graded Reaper and won't be able to assist you until it is exterminated. I apologize once again."

Weiss's eyes widened. A Desolator was the third highest grade of Reaper, equivalent to a Protector-Ranked Hunter.

None of the professors were of that rank; they were all Defender-Ranked.

By luck, she had never encountered a third-grade Reaper, but she understood that the ranking system wasn't arbitrary—it carried significant weight and meaning.

A Desolator could easily defeat multiple Defender-Ranked Hunters. Even Erisa Nocturne would be in grave danger fighting one alone.

For Weiss, facing such a creature was almost certain death.

"I have reached out to you five and only you five with this information. Spreading fear and panic would be counterproductive. Do not worry, students of Sentinel Academy; we will not let any of you die tonight. Fight with everything you have, because tonight, all of you are Hunters!"

With that, the connection was abruptly cut off.

/||\

Emrys followed the threads, weaving through the chaos. He aided students, dodged Spawns, and struck them down with precision, wielding the academy sword he had taken from Oliver.

His legs grew heavier, each breath a burning effort, but a relentless drive pushed him forward.

He had to find the source of these threads.

In the distance, a figure emerged from the fray, standing amidst the turmoil.

No Reapers surrounded him, either because he had already dealt with them or they were held at bay by other students.

Emrys squinted, straining to see through the chaos: black hair, piercing red eyes.

"...Quill?" Emrys muttered, still far away. As he approached, he saw Quill raising his hands, his whole body trembling. The threads held steady, weaving through the battlefield, attaching to the Spawns.

Emrys marveled at the intricate web of threads. 

His gaze snapped back to Quill, standing several meters away, blood trickling from his nose.

Emrys's keen ears caught a faint whisper,

"Glaciate."

Instantly, the temperature plummeted.

The threads Emrys had been following were suddenly wrapped in cold ice, encased in a crystalline shell.

"Just what the hell...?" Emrys was at a loss for words.

The battlefield, once ablaze with combat, turned a chilling ice blue.

Moreover, all the Spawns connected to the threads were consumed by the ice, frozen in crystalline cocoons.

All around the field, students shared his astonishment, not knowing what had just happened or who was responsible for it, but they quickly seized the moment.

*Crack* *Crack* *Crack* *Crack*

The ice splintered with explosive cracks, like a victory cry.

The trapped Spawns shattered, their forms disintegrating into plumes of black smoke that dissipated into the cold night air.

Emrys watched in disbelief as the battlefield transformed before his eyes.

The oppressive darkness that had once dominated lifted, revealing a field rapidly clearing of enemies, bathed in the glow of ice blue.

The relentless tide of Spawns was now reduced to mere stragglers.

His heart pounded with adrenaline as he turned back to Quill, just in time to see him collapse to his knees.

Quill's hands clutched his chest, his breath coming in ragged gasps, blood trickling from his mouth.

"Quill!" Emrys shouted, running towards him.

"...E...mrys?" Quill's voice was strained, barely audible. He looked utterly spent.

"Quill, let me help you," Emrys said, not waiting for a response. He reached Quill, pulling him up and draping Quill's arm around his shoulders, supporting his weight.

Quill remained silent, too exhausted to speak.

Emrys refrained from asking questions, focusing instead on getting Quill to safety.

The battlefield still echoed with the sounds of ongoing fights, but for a moment, Emrys felt a flicker of hope.

The tide was turning, thanks to Quill's incredible effort.

/||\

"Don't make any rash movements!" Professor Mendoza shouted to his two colleagues. "This won't be an easy fight—we might even die here. But this is what we're here for. This Reaper won't get past us!"

Professor Nadine scoffed at his overdramatic speech, though she knew deep down the drink she enjoyed earlier could have been her last.

She pulled a hair tie from her pocket and quickly tied her long dark purple hair into a bun, preparing herself for the battle ahead.

All focus was on the Reaper in front of them—a Desolator.

Unlike the black smoke Spawns, this creature exuded a palpable menace.

Twisted black horns jutted from its skull, and its dark, sinewy body was covered in sharp, obsidian-like needles.

Its eyes were particularly unnerving—not the usual vacant white orbs, but small, piercing black irises that seemed to bore into the soul, making for an unsettling sight.

The Desolator stood there, seemingly curious about the three individuals before it.

It tilted its head in a grotesque manner, almost as if mocking them.

"If this is to be my last day," Professor Silencium began, massaging his neck and rubbing his buzz cut, "then I must confess my feelings, Leonie…"

Professor Nadine gave him a disdainful look. "Shut up and focus on the battle."

"Prepare yourselves; it's coming. Don't underestimate its intelligence," Professor Mendoza instructed, ignoring the banter. "I will handle the analysis... I'm sorry I can't do more—"

"Oi, you shut up too," Professor Nadine snapped, her irritation clear.

Professor Mendoza simply smiled, but his face quickly turned serious. "It's coming…." he warned as the Desolator took one slow step after another, then suddenly vanished.

It reappeared in front of Professor Mendoza, catching him off guard.

His mind raced to process the threat. 'Target its neck now!' he telepathically commanded his colleagues, snapping them back to attention.

Professor Nadine opened her mouth and unleashed a powerful scream, sending visible spirals of sound waves hurtling toward the Desolator.

The creature clutched its head in agony, its own scream piercing the air.

But it recovered quickly, lunging at Professor Nadine and striking her hard in the stomach. She was sent flying several meters, coughing up blood as she hit the ground.

"You bastard!" Professor Silencium shouted, charging at the Reaper. The Desolator tilted its head again, seemingly curious about this new threat.

Professor Silencium's fists became a blur—jab, uppercut, a rapid series of punches. Each strike seemed to pass through the Desolator's smoky form as if hitting air. The creature moved with eerie fluidity, evading every blow.

In an instant, it vanished and reappeared behind him, its hands transforming into shadowy, needle-like points aimed at his back.

Reacting swiftly, Professor Silencium managed to dodge a fatal strike, but not without consequence.

One shadow needle pierced his shoulder, blood streaming from the wound as the Reaper remained anchored behind him.

Despite the pain, a grin spread across Silencium's face. He seized the end of the Desolator's hand. "Get ready, you damn monster!" he roared, activating a surge of electricity through his body.

Green sparks crackled, racing through the Desolator's form, causing it to shriek in agony.

The electrical currents nearly roasted the creature, but Silencium's iron grip kept it trapped in torment.

Driven by desperation, the Desolator decided to devour Silencium's soul on the spot to end its suffering.

Its other hand clamped onto Silencium, and its gaping, white maw opened wide, aiming for his face. The Reaper's neck elongated grotesquely, bringing their eyes level.

"Ah, shit," Silencium muttered, his voice strained as he increased the intensity of the electric discharge.

Any lesser Reaper would have succumbed or fled by now, but the Desolator, driven by its singular purpose, continued its assault.

It knew that consuming Silencium's soul would end its pain.

The scene was horrific—Silencium's face contorted as if being pulled apart, something invisible yet vital being drawn from him.

His eyes widened in terror, veins bulging as the life seemed to drain from his body.

Just as it seemed the end was near, the Desolator halted, a sudden awareness of impending doom creeping over it. It sensed an overwhelming threat approaching.

It released Silencium, who collapsed to the ground, unconscious but alive, his soul saved, though barely.

Red orbs materialized around the Reaper, glowing ominously and making it wary.

Its condition had deteriorated; its objective had failed.

From all directions, a barrage of red needles shot towards it, piercing its smoky form. The Desolator screamed, a high-pitched wail that cut through the night air.

Its arms flailed wildly, destroying the red orbs, but the relentless assault forced it to retreat. Its grotesque form flickered, shadows writhing as it stumbled back.

It had severely underestimated its opponents and now paid the price for its curiosity.

"Erisa!" Professor Mendoza shouted, "This is no place for you! That is a Desolator-graded Reaper, and—"

"With all due respect, sir," Erisa Nocturne interrupted, stepping into the fray with the three Professors, "despite my limited experience, I hold the same Hunter Rank as you. Please consider me an asset, not a burden."

Professor Mendoza looked momentarily taken aback before chuckling. "When did the younger generation become so reliable?"

"What do you mean, younger generation? I'm still part of it! I'm only 26, for heaven's sake!" Professor Silencium retorted, his wound still present, though he had managed to stop the bleeding with bandages he always carried.

"Be quiet, old man," Professor Nadine chimed in, back on her feet. "Nocturne, you better not get in my way when I get serious."

"I will do my utmost," Erisa replied, accumulating all the blood that had landed on the grass throughout the battle.

The Desolator turned its head slowly from left to right, as if resting.

"It has been some time since we faced a Reaper ranked higher than a Devastator, and we needed to assess its strength. This won't be easy, as we are still unaware of its abilities," Professor Mendoza explained. "I will provide guidance throughout the battle," he added, addressing Erisa directly.

This was Erisa's first encounter with a Desolator, and she could already feel the difference in strength. This would be a hard fight.

Suddenly, small shadowy orbs appeared next to the Reaper, mirroring the ones Erisa had summoned earlier. They shot black needles at them with deadly precision.

'Nadine, deflect the attack swiftly!' Professor Mendoza instructed telepathically.

In an instant, Professor Nadine let out a piercing scream, her voice creating a visible shockwave that intercepted the oncoming needles, causing them to fall harmlessly to the ground.

'Silencium, immobilize it immediately!'

Professor Silencium raised both hands, unleashing a torrent of greenish electricity at the Reaper.

The creature reacted with lightning speed, using one of its shadow orbs to propel itself sideways.

'Nadine, now! Force him into position!'

Professor Silencium maintained his stream of electricity, aiming at the space where the Reaper had been.

Professor Nadine screamed again, this time with a wider, more powerful range. The sound waves struck the Reaper mid-dodge, sending it careening back into the beam of electricity.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahrg!" The Reaper's bestial screams tore through the night once again as the electricity coursed through it. It convulsed violently, its shadowy form flickering and writhing under the relentless assault.

'Erisa, stay vigilant. Professor Silencium is reaching his limit. The Reaper will likely target me first, as I am the weak link. Be prepared to behead it when the opportunity arises. I trust your judgment.'

Erisa didn't respond verbally; she didn't need to.

Professor Mendoza switched to vocal commands. "Nadine, maintain the pressure!"

Professor Nadine intensified her assault, forcing the Desolator to the ground on all fours with the sheer power of her voice.

But the fight was far from over. The shadowy orbs in the sky indicated the Reaper still had control over them.

It directed them to shoot at Professor Silencium with dozens of black needles, forcing him to dodge and release the Reaper from the electrical assault.

The relentless barrage kept Professor Silencium in constant motion, evading needle after needle.

Despite the crushing pressure from the sound waves, the Reaper managed to free itself from the electric torment.

More shadowy orbs emerged from its body, swarming towards Professor Nadine. She dodged the eight incoming orbs while maintaining her scream.

"Nadine, be cautious! He's manipulating them like puppets!" Professor Mendoza shouted.

Nadine evaded again, but the orbs moved faster and faster, her focus on the Reaper wavering.

She redirected her sound waves to push the orbs away, but their speed and coordination made it increasingly difficult.

Meanwhile, Professor Silencium destroyed the orbs attacking him with swift precision.

"Silencium, target those attacking Nadine!"

He mimicked firing a gun with his fingers, aiming eight times and destroying each orb with pinpoint accuracy.

'Everyone, engage it in close combat—Erisa, that includes you. But allow yourselves to be hit intentionally. Minimize injuries, especially you, Erisa. And remember what I told you before.'

Erisa's instincts screamed that this was a reckless strategy.

Yet, seeing the unhesitating compliance from Professors Nadine and Silencium, she had no choice but to trust in Professor Mendoza's plan.

With a swift nod, she sprinted directly at the Desolator, the blood she had been manipulating earlier forming into a crimson sword in her hand.

The three of them converged on the Desolator from left, right, and center. The creature remained eerily still, almost as if it welcomed the assault.

Just before they made contact, the Desolator tore open its own stomach, releasing a swarm of shadowy orbs that shot out in every direction with blinding speed.

Erisa felt the impact like a series of cannonballs, each orb hitting with brutal force.

She was thrown back, her body screaming in pain as she hit the ground.

Around her, Professors Nadine and Silencium were similarly struck down, groaning in agony.

The orbs felt like they were made of pure malice, their force enough to shatter bones. But the Desolator ignored its fallen foes.

It had one target in mind—the one orchestrating the attacks, the one who hadn't yet lifted a finger in combat.

Professor Mendoza barely had time to react as the Desolator surged towards him, its speed a terrifying blur.

Before he could move, its two horns impaled his chest, sending a shockwave of pain through his body.

Pinned and helpless, Mendoza gasped as the Desolator lifted him off the ground. Its cold, pitiless eyes met his as it opened its mouth, the white orb within emitting a horrid vacuum sound.

'----N-o-----w---!'

His thoughts were disjointed, his vision fading as his life force ebbed away. He felt his skin grow cold and pale, his strength waning.

Through his dimming sight, Mendoza saw something behind the Reaper—a red scythe, glowing ominously in the moonlight. "...A Grim Reaper...?" he whispered, lost in delirium.

The moonlight revealed not death incarnate but the resolute figure of Erisa Nocturne.

With a fluid, practiced motion, she swung the scythe of blood, slicing cleanly through the Desolator's neck.

The Reaper's head toppled from its shoulders, its body collapsing in a heap. Unlike the lesser Spawns, the Desolator didn't immediately dissipate into smoke.

It lay there, confused, its form trembling as it tried to comprehend its end. How could this girl, who had seemed so weak, have dealt the fatal blow?

Erisa dropped to one knee, her breath ragged.

Around her, the sounds of cracking ice raged, but for a brief moment, there was a pause, a silence that marked the fall of a formidable foe.

*Cough* *Cough*

Professor Mendoza's body convulsed, blood trickling from his mouth. "Professor!" Erisa called out, her voice strained with concern as she struggled to maintain her own balance.

She clutched her wrist, pain radiating from the blue bruises that marred her skin.

The other two professors bore similar injuries, their bodies battered from the relentless assault of the Desolator's orbs.

"I-I'm fine," Mendoza gasped, forcing a weak smile. "This isn't the worst injury I've had." He tried to inject some humor into his tone, but his labored breathing betrayed the severity of his condition. "We need to save the other students..."

Erisa's eyes scanned the battlefield, her heart pounding. "I do not believe there is any need to," she replied, her voice steady despite the pain.

The other two professors managed to gather around her.

"I know Nocturnes are known for being cold-blooded, but be mindful of your words." Professor Nadine cautioned, her body trembling with fatigue.

"I apologize for the misunderstanding. What I intended to convey was that most of the Reapers have already been dealt with." She gestured toward the camp, which had been teeming with battles and Reapers only minutes ago, but now offered a clear view.

The only thing obstructing their gaze was masses of ice chunks everywhere on the ground.

The students, though a lot visibly struggling to stand, were seemingly in no life-threatening danger.

"My goodness, I need to start eating whatever they feed you young people." Professor Silencium remarked, his voice tinged with a weariness.

He then collapsed onto the grass behind him, completely tired.