Classroom of the Elite: Monster Academy

Vol. 2 Chapter 3 - Prelude to The Beginning and The End

Screams resonated with the crackling of flames, like lyrics to the song that heralded the end.

When I opened my weary old eyes, the temple had already fallen, and chaos ruled what once was a sanctuary of peace. I began to walk, my bones trembling with each step. With every step, I would pass a soul who had breathed their last. With every step, I would pass a brother who had drank with me on pleasant nights.

The comforting scent of incense that used to swirl gently through the halls of Tianfeng was now replaced with the scent of ash and lost lives.

Everyone is gone...

"Why? What did we do to deserve this?"

No one answered my question except the low tremble of the ground I stood on. The beast had marked me - the final soul.

It approached, but I did nothing. To cling to life at this point is futile. "Quickly, take me," I implored. So that I could join my brothers on the other side.

Its massive shadow loomed before me, an amalgamation of creatures that appeared to be a rebellion to life itself. But as I gazed upon its being, a certain word surfaced in my mind and I cursed myself for thinking such a thing - Just how could a creature be so dreadful, yet appear so beautiful...

Its long pristine hands grabbed and lifted me up towards my inevitable end. Its mouth opened wide, an endless abyss that pulled me closer, consuming my entire existence.

I closed my eyes, accepting the end... But all of a sudden, a bright light teased at the edges of my eyelids. What's causing this? I asked myself. For the last time, I fluttered my eyes open and gazed at the world I'm about to leave behind.

What I saw then was white, endless white... White flames, pure and untainted. For some reason, despite this being the last moment I will experience, it gave me warmth, a soothing embrace that reminded me of a mother's touch.

Ahh, my brothers, forgive me... To find solace in such a serene end amidst our shared tragedy... forgive me for holding onto this final grace.

◐◓❂◒◑

White, an endless white enveloped my vision. A sea of white flames that spoke of the beginning... and sought its end.

Opening my eyes, I was greeted by a sky painted in hues of pink and gold. The refreshing morning breeze, coupled with the warm glow of the rising sun brushed against my skin, stirring an unexplained sense of comfort within me... This wasn't the first time, so why did this familiarity tug so deeply at my heart?

Slowly, my hand rose to my face, fingers lightly tracing the contours of my skin before pausing at my eyes.

Tears...

I realized I was crying again, though this time, it was slightly different... White flames, I vividly remember being surrounded by an endless sea of white. It's the first time I've encountered such a dream... What does it mean and why only now?

I shifted in wonder and with every little movement my body made, the gentle, moist sound of the dew-kissed grass would fill my ears. I finally remembered where I was. So, I fell asleep outside, huh.

Stirring to my feet, I scanned my surroundings and spotted Ayanokouji-kun a short distance away. He had already changed back to his clothes, his gaze lingering on the vast sea of trees below.

I approached him, my steps light on the wet grass. Every step felt cold, making me remember that I've been barefoot this entire time. As I moved, the morning breeze swept through my disheveled hair, playing through the strands, unraveling every tangle, as if the wind itself was my comb.