GLASS || The Catalysts, #1 [REWRITE]

X

It's a labyrinth of an academy. Keeping pace with Neesha, Lena has long since lost her sense of direction as she weaves through the many hallways and rooms of the building.

She had been taking mental notes of the corridors and hallways they pass in the first few turns into the academy, trying her best to remember certain routes. Only a minute or so has passed, and she has already given up. It's simply impossible to get through this place. And once they've entered the building, the passages are without any windows or open spaces, making Lena feel awfully like a prisoner being led to a particular cell.

There is a bell after some time, and with that, students start filling the hallways. As much as Lena hates to admit it, she relaxes at the sight of the growing student crowd, knowing she's no longer alone—not that she doesn't trust Neesha, especially what they had just gone through together despite being mere strangers before. But the academy itself is too much to handle, and much too eerie since it's still foreign to her. She just doesn't feel settled; there's something uneasy Lena can't quite place.

On a side note, no one pays them any attention. The students are either rushing down the halls and from room to room or are busy tapping into their own devices—either their personal, interactive virtual ones or hand held tablets—and mustering other interesting gimmicks. It seems the behaviour of a normal school, only, these students tend to find more fascination in their gadgets and their superpowers more than themselves or their peers—conversations are rare.

And, as Neesha and Roen have pointed out, duels. Lena winces, both her and Neesha pausing because of live brawl momentarily blocks off their path. As she watches, a student sends another flying to the opposite wall of the cramped hallway, shattering part of the structure.

Neesha barely blinks as she steps through, seizing the opening. Lena quickly follows, not wanting to get into the fray.

"How does one navigate in this academy?" Lena can't help but ask. "I mean... apart from the chaos all around"—a crash behind them—"I'm referring to its labyrinth structure. How do I know where to go?"

Neesha pauses to think. Finally, she answers, "You don't, really."

"What do you mean?"

"Well... it should come natural to you once you've settled. At least, that's how it was for me," Neesha explains. "I'm sorry, I never really thought of this, and realize I have never wondered. Somewhere along the line I just... adapted. So I don't have any useful advice."

Their conversation is interrupted with a booming noise that echoes through the entire hallway, followed by a mini quake great enough to shake the entire academy, considering its size and structure. Even Neesha pauses in her steps; the surrounding students fall quiet for a moment or two in hushed silence. What could possibly move the entire academy?

Wobbling and barely standing on her own two feet, Lena leans to the wall next to her for support. Neesha is extremely and impossibly composed, staring off into the distance—though to Lena, she is only glaring at the walls—as if seeing beyond the hallways and the exteriors of the academy.

"Back?" Neesha mutters, so softly Lena doubts her own ears. Her amber eyes seem to light up for a brief moment, but as soon as it does it fades, and her brows furrowed. "No. Then it can only be..."

"What's going on?" Lena questions uneasily. She isn't quite sure she wants the answer to her question, but she feels the need to ask anyway.

Without turning to look at her or bidding her farewell, Neesha says, "All right, Lena. I need to head somewhere. I-I'll see you around."

And with that, she takes off, not sparing another glance at Lena, leaving Lena all alone in the hallway.

Wait what?