After cleaning up the classroom and laying out worksheets for the next day on their desks, he made his way to the courtyard to read and keep an eye on the hallways. The staff member had asked him earlier to help him and the other staff to make sure students were in their dorms before curfew.
He didn't think there were going to be any issues, since most students knew better. He flipped through the book, chewing his bookmark idly as he did so before he heard footsteps rushing towards him and he looked up seeing a group of students charging at him.
"∴𝙹ᔑ⍑ ∴𝙹ᔑ⍑ ∴𝙹ᔑ⍑. ∴⍑ᔑℸ ̣ 'ᓭ ⊣𝙹╎リ⊣ 𝙹リ?" He asked quickly, closing his book and getting to his feet.
"∴ᒷ リᒷᒷ↸ ⍑ᒷꖎ!¡. ᓭ𝙹ᒲᒷ 𝙹⎓ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ !¡∷𝙹⎓ᒷᓭᓭ𝙹∷ᓭ ᔑ∷ᒷ ᔑ∷⊣⚍╎リ⊣ ᔑリ↸ ∴ᒷ ℸ ̣ ⍑╎リꖌ ╎ℸ ̣ 'ꖎꖎ ⊣ᒷℸ ̣ ⍊╎𝙹ꖎᒷリℸ ̣. ∴ᒷ ↸𝙹リ'ℸ ̣ ꖌリ𝙹∴ ᔑʖ𝙹⚍ℸ ̣ ∴⍑ᔑℸ ̣." One said, bending over placing their hands on their knees panting.
Arguing? What on earth is going on...? He thought. "ꖎᒷᔑ↸ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ∴ᔑ||." He said quickly. The students nodded and quickly did as told, explaining what they could. Xelqua listened carefully, thinking of reasons. Soon enough they got to three professors arguing near some of the student's dormitories.
He could see some students poking their heads out of their rooms confused or concerned. He thanked the other students before asking them to return to their rooms and stepped up to the arguing three. "!¡∷𝙹⎓ᒷᓭᓭ𝙹∷ᓭ. ∴⍑ᔑℸ ̣ ╎ᓭ ⊣𝙹╎リ⊣ 𝙹リ?! ∴⍑|| ᔑ∷ᒷ ||𝙹⚍ ℸ ̣ ⍑∷ᒷᒷ ᔑ∷⊣⚍╎リ⊣ ᔑℸ ̣ ᓵ⚍∷⎓ᒷ∴ ╎リ ⎓∷𝙹リℸ ̣ 𝙹⎓ ↸𝙹∷ᒲᓭ?!" He asked sharply, crossing his arms.
The professors all turned to him and their heated conversation faltered momentarily. All three spoke at once, trying to explain their side of things. From what Xelqua could make out, it was over some stupid reason including their students and exams. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose before looking at them. "𝙹ꖌᔑ|| 𝙹ꖌᔑ||, ᒷリ𝙹⚍⊣⍑! y𝙹⚍ ℸ ̣ ⍑∷ᒷᒷ ᔑ∷ᒷ !¡∷𝙹⎓ᒷᓭᓭ𝙹∷ᓭ 𝙹⎓ ℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᓭ ᔑᓵᔑ↸ᒷᒲ||. ||𝙹⚍ ⍑ᔑ⍊ᒷ ʖᒷᒷリ ꖎ𝙹リ⊣ᒷ∷ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷリ ╎ ⍑ᔑ⍊ᒷ ᔑリ↸ ||ᒷℸ ̣ ||𝙹⚍ ℸ ̣ ⍑∷ᒷᒷ ᔑᓵℸ ̣ ꖎ╎ꖌᒷ ℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᓭ 𝙹⍊ᒷ∷ ᓭ𝙹ᒲᒷℸ ̣ ⍑╎リ⊣ ᓭ𝙹 ╎リᓵ∷ᒷ↸╎ʖꖎ|| ᓭℸ ̣ ⚍!¡╎↸?"
"||𝙹⚍ ⍑ᔑ⍊ᒷ リ𝙹 ∷╎⊣⍑ℸ ̣ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ᓭᔑ|| ᔑリ||ℸ ̣ ⍑╎リ⊣ ̇/ᒷꖎᑑ⚍ᔑ."
"ᔑᓵℸ ̣ ⚍ᔑꖎꖎ|| ╎ ↸𝙹 ʖᒷᓵᔑ⚍ᓭᒷ ||𝙹⚍ ℸ ̣ ⍑∷ᒷᒷ ᔑ∷ᒷ ↸╎ᓭ∷⚍!¡ℸ ̣ ╎リ⊣ ᒷ⍊ᒷ∷||𝙹リᒷ ᔑリ↸ ʖᒷ╎リ⊣ ᒷ ̇/ℸ ̣ ∷ᒷᒲᒷꖎ|| ᓵ⍑╎ꖎ↸╎ᓭ⍑ 𝙹⍊ᒷ∷ ᔑ ᓭ╎ᒲ!¡ꖎᒷ ᒲᔑℸ ̣ ℸ ̣ ᒷ∷ ᔑリ↸ ᓭℸ ̣ ⚍↸ᒷリℸ ̣ ᓭ ᓵᔑᒲᒷ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ⊣ᒷℸ ̣ ᒲᒷ. ᓭ𝙹 ╎ ∷ᒷᓵ𝙹ᒲᒲᒷリ↸ ᓭℸ ̣ 𝙹!¡!¡╎リ⊣ ℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᓭ ╎↸╎𝙹ℸ ̣ ╎ᓵ ᔑ∷⊣⚍ᒲᒷリℸ ̣ ᔑリ↸ ⍑ᒷᔑ↸ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ||𝙹⚍∷ ∷𝙹𝙹ᒲᓭ. ↸𝙹 リ𝙹ℸ ̣ ℸ ̣ ⍑╎リꖌ 𝙹⎓ ᓵ𝙹リℸ ̣ ╎リ⚍╎リ⊣ ℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᓭ 𝙹⚍ℸ ̣ ╎リ !¡⚍ʖꖎ╎ᓵ." Xelqua narrowed his eyes, stepping forward once more.
The professors fell silent looking at him, suddenly unable to argue. The look in his eyes was unsettling. Soon one got the courage to go against him, "ℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᓭ ╎ᓭ リ𝙹リᒷ 𝙹⎓ ||𝙹⚍∷ ᓵ𝙹リᓵᒷ∷リ."
Xelqua squinted his eyes and got repressively close to them and they gulped looking up at him. They went to open their mouth before Xelqua put a hand firmly on their shoulder. "ℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᓭ ᓵ𝙹リ⍊ᒷ∷ᓭᔑℸ ̣ ╎𝙹リ ∴╎ꖎꖎ ᓵᒷᔑᓭᒷ ᔑリ↸ ||𝙹⚍ ∴╎ꖎꖎ ∷ᒷℸ ̣ ⚍∷リ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ||𝙹⚍∷ ∷𝙹𝙹ᒲᓭ." He slowly spoke, a frown which turned into a scowl spread on his face.
The professors quickly nodded and dispersed just as quickly. Xelqua sighed, rubbing his eyes and hung his head before shaking his head. "⚍リʖᒷꖎ╎ᒷ⍊ᔑʖꖎᒷ." He muttered and walked to his room for the night.
Some professors don't really deserve to be in that position. He thought as he sat at his desk and started looking through more papers and books to get rid of the irritation he held. He felt like he needed a break already and not for the reason he thought it would be.
He groaned shut the notebooks and went to sleep for the night. Tomorrow will be a short class due to the...other professor's punishment. The night passed with no issue, surprisingly, before he was woken up by ringing. He sat up quickly and looked around. "Is that the academy alarm...?" He yawned and got up looking outside in the hall.
He saw other professors and students doing the same, all with confused looks as a message rang through the halls. "ᔑꖎꖎ !¡∷𝙹⎓ᒷᓭᓭ𝙹∷ᓭ ᒲ⚍ᓭℸ ̣ ʖ∷╎リ⊣ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ╎∷ ᓭℸ ̣ ⚍↸ᒷリℸ ̣ ᓭ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ╎∷ ᓵꖎᔑᓭᓭ∷𝙹𝙹ᒲᓭ ᔑリ↸ ∷ᒷᒲᔑ╎リ ᓭ╎ꖎᒷリℸ ̣ ∴╎ℸ ̣ ⍑ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ↸𝙹𝙹∷ ꖎ𝙹ᓵꖌᒷ↸. ⚍リ⎓ᔑᒲ╎ꖎꖎᔑ╎∷ !¡∷ᒷᓭᒷリᓵᒷ ꖎ𝙹ᓵᔑℸ ̣ ᒷ↸ 𝙹リ ᓵᔑᒲ!¡⚍ᓭ. ᔑꖎꖎ ᓭℸ ̣ ᔑ⎓⎓ ᔑリ↸ !¡∷𝙹⎓ᒷᓭᓭ𝙹∷ᓭ ᒲ⚍ᓭℸ ̣ ᓭℸ ̣ ᔑリ↸ ʖ||."
Every professor in his hall looked at each other, blinking before grabbing their things and going to their students' rooms gathering them first while sharing looks. They attempted to keep the students calm as they walked to the classrooms and locked their doors. The halls fell into an eerie silence.
Xelqua motioned his students to take their seats as he stood by the door clasping and lowering his hands in front of him. Calypso stood by him instead of sitting. "You don't think it's what everyone felt earlier...do you?" She whispered.
"Probably...but we didn't get a warning like this the first time...so it's a bit worrying." He shrugged, tilting his head to the door. "We're keeping an eye on each other just in case it's targeting someone in particular. So far nothing."
Calypso looked at the chalkboard, looking in every corner almost expectantly. Nothing. "Well...nothing on the board yet."
Xelqua nodded and motioned for her to sit down. When he was sure she sat down, he closed his eyes and focused on all sight. The class stayed silent, watching him and working on the worksheets they were given due to having nothing else to do. After a few what felt like hours, Xelqua winced and grabbed his head putting a hand on the wall.
He felt every all-sight from the other professors get abruptly cut off as his own did. "Professor?!" Krishna got up quickly rushing to him as he blinked and slid down the wall to sit on the floor. "Are you okay?"
He let out a long shaky exhale and nodded, closing his eyes and leaning his head forward rubbing it. "Something...just caused......all of us to drop out all-sight......" He muttered and cleared his throat. He did not want to open his eyes. "I can't use it again...I don't think the other professors can't either."
Krishna knelt. "Can you open your eyes?" She asked, noticing he hadn't yet. "Truthfully...I don't want to. I can but I don't want to." He shook his head and rubbed them harshly. Krisha flicked him. "You'll scratch your eyes if you do that."
He huffed. "Open your eyes, professor." Krishna insisted and he slowly did after some issues. He blinked and looked around before looking at her squinting. "You alright?"
Xelqua blinked his eyes rapidly and looked at her again. "Everything is really blurry. Like....everything's kind of like blobs..."
"That's not good, and you can't use allsight so we don't know what's going on in the other classes," Calypso said standing up going to them and helping Krishna get Xelqua to his feet.
"No, we don't."
"What are we going to do?" Talik asked before looking at the chalkboard. "Guys-"
"What?" Krishna asked and followed his gaze. There in front of them, words were being written on the board. Slanted and all capitalised. 'Fate be written in stars, thee cannot run from it, child of the sun.'
"Uh.....I think we found out who they're targeting." Calypso said, looking at the board.
"Who?"
"You, professor." The class said after a short moment. Hesitant to even say it aloud. "'Fate be written in stars, thee cannot run from it, child of the sun.'" Mackinsey said, reading from the board. "Do you think this is on...everyone's chalkboard?"
Xelqua shrugged before hearing something vibrating in his desk drawer. He knew what it was immediately. "That can't be good." He sighed and rifled through his drawers and grabbed it. "Calypso, can you see who sent it and what they want? You can access my logs."
"Yeah." Calypso nodded and took it. It was his communicator. He didn't expect it to work here still. Calypso opened the chat and looked at it. "Martyn and Xisuma....oh no..."
"What?" Krishna asked looking over her shoulder putting a hand on the communicator to see the chat. "Oh...yeah that's not good. Professor...they got the same message on their boards."
"Let them know we did too and that every professor can't see." Xelqua instructed and after a while, Krishna said, "Martyn said every professor at the Seminary has harsh ringing in their ears. Every Admin professor can't get their admin windows to open."
"I don't like that. Ask them if they had a drawing of the Sun, Stars, Moon and Mars, in the corner."
"That's a yes. They're having all staff and students return to their rooms. All Listeners are having their professors get checked out."
As if on cue, another announcement rang through the academy. "All students please return to your rooms. Every professor affected must be escorted to the sick bay and all medical staff must be on deck."
"I hope this isn't permanent....." Calypso sighed, putting the communicator back in Xelqua's desk and helping him up. "I'll bring you to the med bay then I'll head to my room."
He sighed, "Thanks, Calypso." He nodded and the two left before the rest of the students. He heard other students bring their professors, murmuring.
"Calypso...I guess everyone's classes will be focused on the Weavers...the council can't ignore this now." He muttered.
"I agree...especially if this is the second time this happened...to the Admins and Listeners too."
"This is going to be fun...because only the council and the three of us know the most about the Weavers, I don't think you'll be able to meet Martyn or Xisuma in person." He sighed, "You can use my communicator...but only in my dorm, yours or the classroom."
"Understood. We're at the med bay now...and you were right. Every professor is here. It looks like the students escorting them are waiting outside the room. Want me to join them?"
"You don't need to, you should get to your room." He shook his head, squeezing her shoulder gently. "You might need to grab the communicator and bring it to your room and see if the other two have any idea or anything else happening."
She said she would and left when he was in the med bay. "̇/ᒷꖎᑑ⚍ᔑ?" Someone asked as he sat down, he couldn't help but scowl as he took his mask off and set it in his lap as the medic instructed. He replied, "⋮𝙹ᓭ╎ᔑ⍑." curtly.
His old professor flinched, shifting his weight on the cot they sat on. "╎ ⍑ᒷᔑ∷↸ ||𝙹⚍ ⍑ᔑ↸ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ʖ∷ᒷᔑꖌ ᔑ ⎓╎⊣⍑ℸ ̣ ʖᒷℸ ̣ ∴ᒷᒷリ ℸ ̣ ⍑∷ᒷᒷ 𝙹ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ∷ !¡∷𝙹⎓ᒷᓭᓭ𝙹∷ᓭ."
"╎ ↸╎↸, ╎リ ⎓ᔑᓵℸ ̣. ╎ℸ ̣ ∴ᔑᓭ ᑑ⚍╎ℸ ̣ ᒷ ╎リℸ ̣ ᒷ∷ᒷᓭℸ ̣ ╎リ⊣ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ↸ᒷᔑꖎ ∴╎ℸ ̣ ⍑ !¡∷𝙹⎓ᒷᓭᓭ𝙹∷ᓭ ∴⍑𝙹 ⍑ᔑ⍊ᒷ ʖᒷᒷリ ⍑ᒷ∷ᒷ ꖎ𝙹リ⊣ᒷ∷ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᔑリ ᒲ𝙹ᓭℸ ̣ ╎リ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᔑℸ ̣ ᒲᔑリリᒷ∷."
Josiah didn't answer for a moment. "ᔑ∷ᒷ ||𝙹⚍ ᓭ⚍⊣⊣ᒷᓭℸ ̣ ╎リ⊣ ᓭ𝙹ᒲᒷℸ ̣ ⍑╎リ⊣?" He asked quietly.
Xelqua smiled, "𝙹⍑, ╎'ᒲ リ𝙹ℸ ̣ ᓭ⚍⊣⊣ᒷᓭℸ ̣ ╎リ⊣ ᔑリ||ℸ ̣ ⍑╎リ⊣, ⋮𝙹ᓭ╎ᔑ⍑. ∴⍑ᔑℸ ̣ ∴𝙹⚍ꖎ↸ ᒲᔑꖌᒷ ||𝙹⚍ ℸ ̣ ⍑╎リꖌ ╎'ᒲ ᓭ⚍⊣⊣ᒷᓭℸ ̣ ╎リ⊣ ᔑリ||ℸ ̣ ⍑╎リ⊣? ᔑ∷ᒷ ||𝙹⚍ ᓭ⚍⊣⊣ᒷᓭℸ ̣ ╎リ⊣ ᓭ𝙹ᒲᒷℸ ̣ ⍑╎リ⊣?"
When Josiah didn't answer, Xelqua tilted his head to him, whispering coldly, "ℸ ̣ ⍑𝙹ᓭᒷ ℸ ̣ ⍑∷ᒷᒷ !¡∷𝙹⎓ᒷᓭᓭ𝙹∷ᓭ ᔑ∷ᒷ ⍊ᒷ∷|| ᓵꖎ𝙹ᓭᒷ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ||𝙹⚍, リ𝙹? ╎⎓ ||𝙹⚍ ⍑ᔑ⍊ᒷ !¡∷𝙹⎓ᒷᓭᓭ𝙹∷ᓭ ᓵᔑ⚍ᓭᒷ ℸ ̣ ∷𝙹⚍ʖꖎᒷ ᔑ⊣ᔑ╎リ, ᒷᓭ!¡ᒷᓵ╎ᔑꖎꖎ|| ╎リ ⎓∷𝙹リℸ ̣ 𝙹⎓ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ᓭℸ ̣ ⚍↸ᒷリℸ ̣ 'ᓭ ↸𝙹∷ᒲ╎ℸ ̣ 𝙹∷╎ᒷᓭ...||𝙹⚍ ∴𝙹リ'ℸ ̣ ʖᒷ ᔑʖꖎᒷ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ↸𝙹 ᔑリ||ℸ ̣ ⍑╎リ⊣ ᒷ⍊ᒷ∷ ᔑ⊣ᔑ╎リ."
Josiah audibly gulped but didn't say anything. Xelqua put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it. "ᔑᒲ ╎ ⚍リ↸ᒷ∷ᓭℸ ̣ 𝙹𝙹↸, !¡∷𝙹⎓ᒷᓭᓭ𝙹∷ ⋮𝙹ᓭ╎ᔑ⍑?" He asked again.
"||ᒷ-||ᒷᓭ !¡∷𝙹⎓ᒷᓭᓭ𝙹∷ ̇/ᒷꖎᑑ⚍ᔑ." Josiah finally muttered, a slight shudder going through his body. Xelqua let go of his shoulder after a few more moments, "⊣𝙹𝙹↸." He murmured and they sat in silence.
Xelqua smiled gently and Josiah kept his head down. After a while, every professor was checked on before it was determined that their eyesight should clear up in either a few hours or a couple of days. They left the room and the students who stayed, let them know and held onto them.
"ᓵᔑꖎ||!¡ᓭ𝙹" "||𝙹⚍ ∷ᒷᔑꖎꖎ|| ℸ ̣ ⍑𝙹⚍⊣⍑ℸ ̣ ╎'↸ ꖎ╎ᓭℸ ̣ ᒷリ ᔑリ↸ ꖎᒷℸ ̣ ||𝙹⚍ ∴ᔑꖎꖌ ʖꖎ╎リ↸?" Calypso asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. He hung his head. "リ𝙹!¡ᒷ"╎ ⍑𝙹!¡ᒷ↸ ||𝙹⚍ ∴𝙹⚍ꖎ↸ ⍑ᔑ⍊ᒷ, ᔑᓵℸ ̣ ⚍ᔑꖎꖎ||."
Calypso chuckled, "リ𝙹!¡ᒷ." She smiled and started walking with him. "∴⍑ᔑℸ ̣ '↸ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ|| ᓭᔑ||?" She asked after a moment. Xelqua shook his head, "They said it'll be a few hours to a couple of days."
"You think it depends on the person?" She asked when they got to his room. He sat on the bed, crossing his legs. "It must. It's the only logical thing. I guess till then, classes are cancelled."
"Aw, man."
"We don't have a set schedule so it won't affect us that much." Xelqua shrugged. "Did the other two say anything?"
"Uh...." She clicked her tongue before saying, "Yeah. It's basically the same thing. Everyone's cancelling classes and planning on holding a meeting with all staff when everything's normal."