CHAPTER 31: CH 31: THE CONFRONTATION.

Air rushed past like liquid glass, cold and sharp. His body sliced through it, weightless and wild. Every nerve screamed with freedom.

His cape flapped in the wind, his arms stretched out for direction but his expressions were stone cold.

Nightwalker finally spotted Aetherion Academy and dove down— the speed of a lightning bolt and precision of a heat seeking missile.

~BOOM.~

The stone archway carved in erupting dust and pieces of stone upward in its wake.

He stepped out of the crater he’d made and marched on — not toward the auditorium.

Nightwalker was headed for the administrative building where the principal’s office was.

Some awakened finally spotted him and immediately turned into frantic fans. Their eyes widened in awe and reverence.

But something was off with him— normally, Nightwalker loved his fans, he’d always stop and take pictures with them or at least give them his signature wink.

But this time— Nothing. He moved through them like they were nonexistent, creating an aisle as they gathered around him.

And yet they kept worshipping the ground on which he stepped on, the high pitched screams persisted and so did the pictures.

~Chk-chk~

A student’s phone finally broke the composure he’d been trying to keep for so long.

He stopped for a second— turning to him and truly letting him understand what he had just done was worse than treason.

His student’s mouth went dry, his body froze in place but on the contrary, his hands wouldn’t stop trembling. This was Nightwalker, he wouldn’t hurt his fan... Right?

He stared up at Nightwalker’s face— the sun perfectly behind him, tracing the outline of his face with meticulous precision.

Nightwalker bent his knees. The air pressure around him doubled instantly and the ground cried under his feet.

~BOOM~

In the next second, he was gone. Leaving the awakened sprawled out on the ground where he previously stood.

Whether they believed it or not, that was the best outcome.

He landed in front of the administrative office and pushed the doors wide open, sparing no one a second glance as he marched straight for the principal’s office.

Sarah, the principal’s receptionist, shot up from her seat the second he barged in.

"Nightwalker... She- she’s not in," Sarah tripped over her words, "perhaps you could wait while I called her."

Nightwalker said nothing. In fact, he hadn’t said a thing since he landed on the academy’s grounds.

He raised a finger to stop Sarah, then pointed subtly at her chair — a silent command, not a suggestion.

She reluctantly sat in her seat and watched as Nightwalker stepped into the principal’s office.

No sooner had the doors closed behind him did she pick up her phone and dial for the principal and someone else.

She brought the phone next to her ear as soon as she picked, bent down under her desk and whispered but deep down she knew... He could still hear her.

---

About ten minutes after she alerted the principal, she barged into the room.

Casual jeans, a simple blue shirt and her hair left flowing off her shoulders. One of the few people who didn’t fear the Paragon in front of her... At least not totally.

Nightwalker’s back was slumped into her leather chair, his cape twisted and draped over his thighs. His feet hung up on her desk.

He gave her a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. "Miss Alice Morwen, how are you doing today?"

She stepped forward, sidling into the empty guest seat. "I’m very well, Nightwalker. Well, I was until I abruptly heard the Paragon was in my Academy. And now, in my office."

His hands moved in fake concern over his mouth. "You didn’t get my fax?"

She scoffed. "No, I guess I didn’t. Cut the crap, why are you here?"

"Wow. You still don’t like foreplay, do you? Well I’m not here as the phenomenal Nightwalker—"

"Then what are you here as?"

She didn’t let him finish.

"I’m here as a concerned parent. To hear there was a fight on Academy grounds, and my son was involved, and it was a gang up against him from an online app.

I’m sure you understand my sudden drop by."

She brought her hands to her temple and rubbed them in exhaustion.

"The fight was started by your son, Micheal, against two others and he almost killed someone."

"Who?"

His eyes locked onto hers and his smile died instantly.

"Miss Quinn Ovrin. And Mr Aegon Dhalar."

She said unflinchingly.

He arched a brow. "Orvin, where have I heard that name before?"

Alice tilted her head back in disbelief. "You don’t know where you heard the name before? How bout Spectra? The former Paragon whom you killed?"

"Ohh." He slammed his fist down onto the table. "I’m my defence, that was a long time ago. And whose bright idea was it to place them both in the same Academy?"

"That part had nothing to do with me, coincidence I suppose."

"Hmm." He leaned over the desk, inching closer to Alice, "Are you sure you can still handle the responsibilities of running this Academy?"

Her face twisted. "Excuse me?!"

He leaned back and raised his hands in feign regret. "No offence Alice, I’m sure you’re very capable of doing your job but let’s not also forget you’re still just a human."

She glared at him. "I’m human, don’t forget this human has been running this school for years and was previously an awakened hero."

He pointed a finger at her. "You weren’t an awakened hero, you used an artifact created by awakened to be a caricature of a hero— a fake, a wannabe, a fraud.

That’s all you are, that’s all you’ll ever be."

"Get. Out."

"Oh come on Alice. I was just being honest and in your defence, it’s not just you— all of you humans who try to be heroes are nothing more than just sorry excuses for the real thing."

She shot out of her seat, scratching the legs of the chair against the floor, slamming her palms against the desk.

"Get the hell out of my office you sorry excuse for a man, yet alone a hero."

Her words brought an unsettling smile to his lips. He nodded lightly, slowly pushing himself off the chair—

~BAM!~

In the next second Nightwalker’s hand was locked over Alice’s throat.

Her brain had close to no time to register what was happening before her feet were off the floor and every breath impossible to draw.

Her legs flailed for escape, her fingers scratching against his hand and movement getting harder and harder.

With her eyes closing, she locked eyes with his— this was all a game. Shattering her spine could’ve happened instantly but he didn’t.

He pulled her closer, lips brushing lightly against her ear. His words were low and deliberate.

"The next time you insult a God. Make sure you have a backup plan."

"Drop her now, Ian."

Collins narrowed his gaze at Nightwalker.