"Ah, I see our little friend over here is quite lively," said Braham with a smile, taking a glance at the unnaturally large humanoid creature.
Basil tapped my shoulder once, and then left to seat himself on another row.
There was a slight disappointment that befell me that I wished didn’t show in my face.
The creature that was not so little moaned in excruciating pain in response as though it was in despair.
Braham spoke to the creature playfully with no sign of terror like the students.
"My students here are terrified—terrifically curious about you. Shall we introduce you?"
"...argh..."
The entity seemed to be uncomfortable. Who wouldn’t be? I was uncomfortable just by looking.
It attempted to shift and stretch its limbs, but the thick metal wire that pierced and tied its body made him unable to do so.
"I reckon that’s a yes, then!"
He twirled on his heel to face the students, whose faces were shifting from creeped out, morbid curiosity, and absolute horror.
The usual carefree classmates were strangely silent.
"This," he began, "is a nephilim. Though, almost like illegal mages who aren’t known by the administrators, this one isn’t named and are therefore unknown to the Original God.
"A named nephilim has more power than that of an unnamed one. Hence, we managed to catch this bad boy."
"Nephilim’s abilities range from a multitude of things, but have the same baseline: words.
"In an era that is bygone, people once believed in holy books or scriptures.
"These scriptures were written by humans like us—or, once was. Will being a mage interfere with our being human? I don’t know myself."
Braham laughed and his laugh, that was the only sound in the chapel, echoed.
"Once upon a time, the ability to read and write was reserved for the well-endowed, the wealthy.
"But in a time before that, in a time before humans and no human besides Adamus, the first man, walked the land, reading and writing was an ability that can only be conjured by higher beings like nephilim or angels.
"In other words, writing is so powerful that it can manifest things into existence!
"That was how the first "God," otherwise known as the Original God, created our world."
A pause.
Braham let the students take in the information.
"However, due to the Holy Revolution ruled by nephilim, gods from each then-existing religions fell from their respective thrones.
"For thousands of years after Adamus, humans lived alongside nephilim. This was before the Holy Revolution.
"Nephilim were the rich, the great, and the extraordinary. They were the civilization.
"However...nephilim had begun craving for something that only a god can monger.
"To create"
The silence was nearly serene.
"They wanted to be like God, who could conjure things into existence.
"But the first nephilim to have this idea was too afraid of defying their God
"So, that nephilim searched for a human.
"That human would come to be the first mage.
"In a cave, an illiterate woman named Hera was drawing.
"She couldn’t read nor could she write. But she could conjure stories, and that’s what a creator needed.
"The unnamed nephilim found her and was in glee. It watched her as she hid from her master and drew on cave walls, carving on stone, nudging on dirt or sand.
"This nephilim, it appears before Hera in the form of a man, and tells her:
""Read!""
His enunciation and story silenced us all.
Then, as though he was amused, he smiled.
"Just a quick lesson on nephilim history," said Braham at last as a final touch, crouching to take a machete off the floor.
I didn’t even notice the blade when I entered...
His smile was eerie. The imprisoned nephilim’s eyes widened and looked at the blade in dread.
"Onto anatomy."
"Bunny."
When classes ended, I was determined to give the test paper I had found back to Braham "Bunny" Lee.
It was inserted in my briefcase, in between parchment notes, and I had nearly decided to just throw it out.
For some reason, I felt like communicating and getting rid of this gap between us.
I wanted to make things clearer, to prove that I was not the embodiment of violence.
Still...
Bunny refused to answer me.
It’s not like I hated him for what he did...
Maybe just a little, but still.
I followed him out of the chapel and into the pathway then into the corridors.
I understood slightly that I might have been acting pushy and annoying. However, what was more annoying was this grown man not giving me the benefit of the doubt.
His long legs irritated me as I walked behind him.
"Bunny," I would say once in a while as to perk his attention, to let him know I was still here.
From where we were going, I assumed he was going to either the library or the staff’s lounge.
With his stiff arms swinging, Braham brisk-walked away from me, getting speedier by the moment.
"Bunny."
And I followed suit.
Eventually, with Braham still ignoring me, he stopped in front of the library’s doors.
"Bunny—"
Before he enters, however...
"...what might it be that you need, Reverie?" He glanced at my neck. "I see you’ve been taking care of your body."
At last, I thought.
"Mr Bunny," I feigned respect, "you dropped this."
Braham was blatantly surprised. So much so that he looked relieved that I didn’t mention a thing about that day.
He eyed it.
"Where did you get this?"
"It flew from the stack of papers yesterday. I picked it up and was about to give it to you, but you dismissed me."
He stared at the piece of parchment paper, before continuing with:
"...thank you."
"No worries.
"And this stitching, I have much to thank Sir Jibril."
I was quite pleased—very pleased—that we were speaking normally. Chances are, he’d finally choose me when I raise my hand in classes. Maybe we’ll even get to be on speaking terms one day.
Braham looked odd, though, as he stared at me and shifted uncontrollably.
He looked at me in either displeasure or confusion.
I wasn’t sure myself.
"...who?"