Katrina pulled the towel tight and shook damp hair out of her eyes. The events of the past ten minutes were swirling around her head like the vestigial remains of a dream she’d been ripped awake from. Along with the rest of the class, she’d been enjoying the end of their last Survival lesson in the pool when a gas explosion nearby had shaken them into a state of panic and had them evacuate into the Academy’s underground shelter. Once there, Veritas had gathered to discuss several upcoming sporting events Theseus was meant to be reporting on.

That was what everyone remembered. It wasn’t, however, what had actually happened. Watching the footage on John’s laptop screen was like looking through a window to an alternative dimension. Recorded through his glasses – still in the possession of Lysander and Angelo – it told a tale of events far removed from unexpected gas explosions and, despite the absurdity of what they were seeing, far more realistic. After all, why would the whole school evacuate underground just because of a nearby accident?

“A nanomachine gestalt,” said John for the fifth time, as if trying to affirm his trembling conviction, “The central program constructs a body for itself from surrounding materials. It’s a deadly war machine; A self-repairing autonomous warrior able to change its shape, scale and even number to suit its circumstances,”

“That don’t explain what it’s doing out in this backwater wasteland,” said Theseus, “Or why we’d conveniently forget it even appeared!”

The group were huddled around the computer with Phoenie checking every half minute to make sure no one was spying into their midst. Most of her paranoid glares were reserved for Astrid’s quartet, who stood cross-armed against a stack of tables, disapproving frowns helping to keep them in a bubble of isolation.

“We all know its Godhand,” she whispered, popping her head back into the circle, “This all happens the same day those four come back. There’s no way they’re not behind it!”

“Since when did Godhand use nanotechnology? Or any technology…” asked Theseus, his voice trailing off and his brow furrowing as if he were suddenly questioning his own sure statements. It was true that Godhand abhorred technology, but there was a twinge in the back of Katrina’s mind that said otherwise. From the exchanged glances and puzzled looks of the rest of the group, she figured she wasn’t the only one agitated.

Just as confusion overtook the group, a whispering melody danced on the wind and burrowed deep inside Katrina’s heart, easing her rising frustration and stress and drawing her attention towards the podium, where Ms Shimomura was waiting. The rest of the students were drawn towards her too, as if she were reining them in with a few simple chords from the tip of her breath.

“Because of current events, I am sorry to inform you that lessons have been cancelled for the rest of the day,” she said, “Please make your way home as soon as possible,”

A murmur spread across the patchwork of social circles, heads turning this way and that as if everyone was waiting for someone to take up the challenge and walk out of the shelter. As a few brave individuals stood up to leave, a small figure scrambled from out the shadows and hoisted itself up onto the podium.

“ATTENTION!” shouted Lysander Goodfellow, waving John’s glasses aloft, “I see you’re all looking mighty confused about what’s just been going on, but I’ve come to tell you: DO NOT PANIC! I recorded everything that happened with these amazing Goggles of Destiny and can confirm that we have been deceived!”

Chapter 42
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