Night Time - Monday, 3rd January

-----

Scarabia party was as lively as possible. They don't really have a traditional ceremony after the compulsory start of the semester one. After that, it was a party until midnight with wonderful food and drinks. Everyone has their own agenda. Some had a pool fight on the fountain, some were playing soccer with a fiery ball, some just hung around and chatted with their dormmate or showed off their Wassailia gift that they brought.

Jamil wasn't having fun. Especially not when at least one member of Scarabia was missing.

He pulled his phone from his ears after the umpteenth time it went straight to voice mail and huffed. Where was he? Why can't he be an at least present prefect? And he said he was going to set things right. What a liar.

"Jamil." Jamil looked from his phone to see the white-haired senior approaching him.

"Mustafa."

"You look distressed," Mustafa said, leaning against the wall next to Jamil, not noticing how the younger boy scooted away a bit, "is there something wrong?"

Jamil turned to the side, noticing Chandra and Ashoka playing rock-paper-scissors to get the last spanakopita. "No."

"Are you looking for someone?" Mustafa asked again.

Jamil let out a huff. "As always," he grumbled, "where did he run off this time?"

"Who?"

Jamil clicked his tongue. "Ka-"

There was a clap sounding between them, gaining the attention of every student there, including Jamil. It was then he noticed someone who didn't belong in the dorm. "Headmaster?" he muttered in confusion.

Crowley took off his tophat before bowing down at them. "Good evening, Scarabia." He straightened up and put back his hand, both of his hands were on his key-shaped cane. "I have a very important announcement for you." He sighed. "A bad news first. Because of some unexpected circumstances, your previous prefect is unable to continue their role."

There were mutters around the students, but Jamil was possible the most shocked of them all. "What-"

"But the good news, they had picked someone perfect to be their successor." The headmaster walked forward through the parting students. He stopped just a few feet away from a student and he opened his arm as if welcoming him.

"Scarabia, your new prefect is Jamil Viper."

What...

What...?

"Whoa! Jamil." Yudhi was smiling so wide as he joined on the applause. "Congratulation!"

Mustafa laughed, putting a hand on a still shocked Jamil. "Looks like you're going to the big league!"

Chandra was ecstatic, pulling Ashoka's front vest and shaking it as he shouted, "See?! I told you Senior Jamil will make a good prefect! You owe me 20 madols!"

But Jamil didn't say anything. Not even when the headmaster's golden eyes were still on him.

He's... the prefect...?

He's the new Scarabia prefect.

He's chosen to be the new Scarabia prefect.

"Wait..." Jamil choked.

Something's not right...

Mustafa frowned at him worriedly. "Jamil?"

"Me? The prefect?" Jami's steps flattered, but his back was already against the wall. His trembling hands curled to on his side. "But...but what about Kalim?" This must be some sort of prank Kalim was pulling. "He's the prefect, I'm the vice-prefect. What's going on?"

For some reason, Mustafa's frown deepened, now with a hint of confusion. "Jamil," he said, "you're never the vice-prefect."

What?

"It's pretty late," Chandra said, rubbing his eye with his curled fist, "maybe his brain is jumbled if he doesn't sleep at his bedtime."

Ashoka rolled his eyes at him. "Not everyone is you, Chandra."

"But..." Jamil stared at his dormmates one by one. Some were concerned, a lot were confused. He shoved Mustafa's hand off his shoulder and tried to step away. "No...This is... This is messed up."

"Jamil?" Yudhi asked.

Why does Yudhi sound worried?

Why does Mustafa being so close?

Why are Chandra and Ashoka rooting for him?

"How are you okay with this?!" Jamil screamed, "I... I lied to you... I tricked you... I tried to make your winter holiday a living hell. Why are you guys acting as nothing had happened?"

Confused murmurs filled the room.

Chandra leaned into Ashoka. "I think he's really out of it." Ashoka nodded at him.

"Jamil," Mustafa stepped toward him, a hand raised to touch his shoulder again, "do you want to call it a night?"

"No." Jamil smacked the hand away. "Answer me! What the fuck is going on?!"

"Okay, okay." Mustafa raised both hands and sighed. "I don't know what you are talking about. Everything is fine. You didn't make the winter holiday 'a living hell'."

"Are you talking about the training camp?" Ashoka suggested. Jamil turned to him, nodding desperately. Ashoka raised an eyebrow at him and shrugged. "I had lots of fun."

Chandra hummed in agreement. "Me too. It's not that bad." He flexed his twig arm. "I can feel I'm stronger than last semester."

They don't remember?

He knew the side effect of his unique magic with his targets unable to recall during the hypnotized state, but this...

Forgetting how he tried to overthrow Kalim?

Forgetting how he was the one behind the cruel training camp?

Forgetting how he was their enemy?

How did this happen?!

"What about him?" Jamil asked, voice barely above a whisper, "Where is he?"

"Who are you talking about?" Ashoka asked again.

"Kalim!" Jamil screamed. "Kalim al-Asim? Your prefect?! Why are you acting like you don't know him?"

No responses. Just stares of confusion.

"No..." Jamil shooked his head slowly in disbelieve, "No fucking way... You do know him right?"

There's no way they would forget Kalim, right?

But Yudhi answered, "I don't think we have a student named Kalim al-Asim."

They don't remember Kalim...

Nobody knows who Kalim is...

Jamil gritted his teeth. "This is fucking messed up... This can't be true..."

Kalim...

Was this your plan?

"Jamil?" Mustafa tried to approach him, but Jamil shoved him away. "Jamil!"

Jamil ran toward the mirror and leaped to the Hall of Mirrors. "KALIM!" His voice echoed in the empty chamber. It was late at night and no students were in sight. But Jamil didn't care. He ran through the street, shouting Kalim's name and had his phone in his hand to try to call him. That boy must've been hiding somewhere! This game had gone too far! He better takes responsibility for all the drama and Jamil's panics!

But Kalim was nowhere in the main school building.

Or at the gym.

Or at the library.

Or at Sam's shop.

Jamil nearly collapse when he returned to the Main Street, leaning his strained body against the statue of the Sorcerer of the Great Sand, panting heavily as he was soaked in sweat. The air was cold, but it didn't soothe the raging frustration inside of Jamil's chest.

He glared at a pathway to the right, to the only location he hadn't checked yet. This was his last chance.

Jamil ran toward where an old dorm stood on the hill. The light from behind the first floor's curtain was still on. Jamil just hoped that the owner was still awake.

He reached the front door and knocked it, muttering, "Let him be here... Let him be here..."

The door was opened just a few seconds later revealing a captain in his gray pajamas. "Senior Viper?" he greeted, slightly confused. "Can I help you?"

"Is Kalim here?" Jamil asked.

"Uh..." Jonah looked behind him. Jamil looked past him, noting some first-year students, most notably were the two Heartslabyul who crashed during his overblot. But Kalim wasn't there. "I don't...think so?"

It was the same confused tone Jamil had heard earlier from his dormmates. "You don't think so? What do you mean?"

Jonah looked back at him. "I mean...I don't think any of us has 'Kalim' in our name."

Him too?!

"You got to be fucking kidding me! You too?!" Jamil screamed. "Are you saying you don't know Kalim? Kalim al-Asim?"

Jonah shook his head. "I... I don't know? Who is that?"

"Captain." The ginger-haired Heartslabyul approached, leaning against the door frame. "Is there something wrong?"

Jonah turned to him. "Hey. You know someone called Kalim al-Asim?"

Ace hummed, eyes rolled up and wrist rolling. "Not somebody I can recall...?"

"I told you many times about Kalim, Ace! You've heard about him!" Jamil screamed again. "Both of you had met him! You know him! You fought with him when I overblotted!"

Jonah and Ace looked at him with widened eyes. "You...what?" Jonah asked, shock filling his voice.

"Fucking..." Jamil let out an exasperated growl. "You don't remember I overblotted too?!"

"Umm..." Jonah was thinking hard, probably trying to calm him down. "I remember joining the training camp, but I don't remember you had an overblot."

"That's insane!"

Footsteps came from behind Jonah and Ace and a boy, taller than both of them, with spiky mint green hair and gold eyes appeared. "You." He pointed at Jamil. "You're not invited to our sleepover."

Jamil was about to retort when he realized something about the boy. "You're...you're a Diasomnia kid, right?"

The greenette raised his chin proudly. "Of course. Is there any problem?"

"I've seen you hanging around your vice-prefect. So, surely you know about Kalim al-Asim right?"

"Master Lilia mention something familiar about his bandmate in his Light Music Club, yes," Sebek answered.

For the first time that night, Jamil felt he could breathe just a bit. This boy clearly has no connection to Scarabia or the training camp, so there's no way he's affected by this obscure amnesia phenomenon. Finally, some lead. "Yes. The light music club. Have you seen that member?"

"No," Sebek answered. Short, but clear. And crushed Jamil's spirit once more.

Jamil let out a frustrated whine "You're all fucking useless," he grumbled.

Apparently, he was loud enough to receive offended looks from Ace and the Diasomnia kid. "Hey! You're the one asking the weird questions!" Ace yelled.

"Then how come both of you don't know about Kalim, when you literary saw him, and yet this kid at least recognize him?!" Jamil screamed back.

"We've never met this Kalim guy!"

"We're telling the truth, Senior Viper," Jonah interrupted, "I don't remember ever meeting anyone named Kalim al-Asim during the training camp. Is he someone close to you?"

"Someone close..." A vague memory of a cave resurfaced. Of Jonah standing in front of him with a golden lamp in his hand. But it would ripple and be replaced by Kalim. Kalim is his master. Kalim is the person he's supposed to serve and protect.

Kalim isn't here.

"I see you don't have anything to say," the Diasomnia kid said, "I supposed you can leave now."

"Sebek..." Jonah said.

"I'm with cabbage boy here," Ace added, "what a weirdo."

Jonah sighed and turned back to Jamil who hadn't moved an inch. "Good night, Senior Viper. Maybe you can find him in the morning." He gently closed the door, leaving Jamil out in the dark.

Where is Kalim?

The thought kept running in his head as he walked back to Scarabia, almost robotic. He barely registered entering the prefect dorm room – his dorm room – and collapsed on the bed. His eyes were still glued to his phone, still trying to dial Kalim for the umpteenth time and messaging him.

No answer from the other side.

-----

Jamil dozed off in the end, still holding his phone. It was in 5% and it was only an hour before school started. There was no way he could get his phone fully charged in a short second. Sighing he got up from his bed, pinching the bridge of his nose to reduce the headache before looking around.

Still no sign of Kalim...

Jamil sighed again before going to the bathroom to start the day. His movement was almost robotic even though he had only a short time to prepare himself. It wasn't that he couldn't do things fast, but his brain was still muddled to register anything. The good thing was he didn't have to worry about taking a long time to wake up Kalim, but the bad thing was Kalim was nowhere to be seen.

When his mind finally registered his surrounding, he finally realized he had stood in the kitchen, dressed in Scarabia Prefect uniform that fit him perfectly. Jamil looked down at himself. How did he get these clothes again?

"Good morning, Jamil." Looking up again, he saw Yudhi walking toward him with a cup that smelled like an instant cereal drink. "Are you okay this morning?"

Jamil wanted to say 'morning, everything is fine', but he knew he couldn't, not with this. "Yudhi," he said almost sorrowly, "are you sure you don't know anyone called Kalim al-Asim?"

Yudhi frowned at him with a sorry look. "I'm sorry, but I don't think so."

Jamil sighed. "Oh."

"Is he a close friend?" Yudhi asked again. "I'm sure I can help you find him."

"We're not close. We're..." He's my master. I worked for him. He's not here. I'm going to get in trouble if I don't keep my eyes on him. He's going to get in trouble if I don't keep my eyes on him. He shook his head. "Nevermind."

He walked to class alone without the usual chattering beside him. It was weird how quiet he felt despite the packed hallways of students meeting up with their classmates that they hadn't seen for a month. He checked on his phone in his pocket.

Still no phone call or messages from Kalim...

He was probably so out of himself that he bumped into someone when entering the classroom. The person turned around, his annoyed looks turned into his usual salesman smile. Jamil sighed. "Azul."

"Oh, good morning, Mister Jamil," Azul said with his usual salesman voice. "How are we this fine day?"

Jamil rolled his eyes. "I'm not here to chatter." But, he was someone Jamil wanted to see. "I need to ask you something."

"My, how forward." Azul chuckled. "Fine. I'll answer one question for free."

Jamil scoffed but still continued. "During the winter holiday, Scarabia held a training camp. Did you join in?"

Azul hummed. "Certainly. I even helped with the program on the final day, did I not?"

Nothing was missing so far. "Do you remember why you joined in and what happened after?"

"Hmm..." Azul put fingers on his chin and closed his eyes. "I think Grim talked me out to join in because Jonah was there as well." When he opened his eyes, his gaze was somehow softer now that Jamil noticed it. "Both of us made up and we joined the training camp until finished a few days before Wassailia."

"Do you remember anything besides that? Something involving a large scale of magic?"

"Well, this is a training camp, so magical combat is possible."

"What about overblot?"

Azul looked up at him again. The charm was gone and replaced with a frown. "No...? There wasn't any overblot. What are you talking about?"

But Jamil kept pestering on him. "And what about someone named Kalim al-Asim? Does that ring a bell?"

Azul thought hard again. "No. I don't recall someone with that name ever making a contract with me. Are you recommending him for a deal?"

Jamil sighed through his nose in frustration. "Motherfucker..."

He left Azul standing there and headed to his seat, for once grateful that he was sitting at the edge near the electricity socket so that he could charge his phone.

Still no calls or messages from Kalim though...

The classes were over in a blink and soon it was already lunch. Jamil got out of there before anyone could approach him. His feet seemed to move on their own, already knowing their usual route to their neighboring class of 3-A, Kalim's class. Jamil would usually pick him up for lunch and head to their usual table, Kalim chattering along the way of whatever interesting that happened in class for him.

Jamil peeked into the class, looking through the students but didn't see any Scarabia with white hair. Who he did see was a silver-haired Diasomnia kid who often hang out with Lilia as well. Without thinking much, Jamil approached the student. "Hey."

The silvernette – if Jamil remembered correctly, his name is Silver – looked up at him. "Yes?" The boy looked at him before recognition flashed in his eyes. "You're Jamil, right? Kalim's friends."

Jamil let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank the Great Seven, you remember him."

Silver stared at him in confusion. "Of course, I remember him. Why wouldn't I? Is he sick by the way? He's not in class."

The relief was once again turned into a coiling disappointment. "He's not?"

Silver shook his head. "I thought you would know something about it since he speaks highly of you."

Jamil blinked, a little bit surprised because he wasn't expecting that. "What did he talk about?"

There was a small tug on the corner of Silver's lips. "He looks up to you. Always talking of how you're so reliable and smart. And how you're always there to help him." The worry on his face returned. "Is he okay?"

"I..." Jamil stepped back. "I don't know..."

Before Silver could question him again, Jamil was already running out of the classroom. His appetite for lunch had been long gone and had no intention to return unless he found Kalim. He took out his phone again.

Still no messages or phone calls from Kalim...

Where was he? Was he skipping class? Was he purposely hiding from him?

But then a thought popped up: was he even in NRC?

Wait...

But what if...

Jamil scrolled down his phonebook and pressed onto a number. There were three rings before the person on the other side answered with a lazy, ["Hello?"]

Zeki. Are you at your school?"

["Yeah. Is there something wrong?"]

"Do you know where Kalim is?" Jamil leaned against the pillar, fingers on his temple. "I looked for him everywhere and asked everyone I could think of, but nothing. Do you know at least something?"

["Hold on. Kalim is not in Night Raven? I thought he rode the carriage with you?"]

"No. He said that his own carriage will arrive after me." He regretted he didn't ask for clarification.

["I-wait. Hold on."] There was shuffling at the end of the line. ["I remember something."]

"What what is it?"

["Okay. I think this is a few hours after you left. I noticed another carriage arrived as well."]

Jamil held his breath. "Was it the ebony carriage?"

["I don't think so. It was white and being pulled by pegasuses. I didn't think about it since I'm assuming it's for the others. But now that you say Kalim never arrived..."]

"And that carriage is probably for Kalim." Kalim wasn't in NRC. This confirmed it. He rode the wrong carriage. "But, to where?"

-----

Afternoon Time - Sunday, 2nd January

------

There was a knock at the office door which caught the room's two occupant's attention. A boy dressed white with reddish-brown eyes and brown wavy hair entered. "Headmaster Ambrose. You wish to see me?"

"Yes. Thank you for coming in." The headmaster in blue stood up and walked around the table to approach the new boy. The headmaster put a hand on the new student's back as he guided them toward his table where the other person was waiting. "Ali, this is a new student and he'll be joining in your dorm."

The student, Ali, nodded in understanding. He then smiled. "Hello. My name is Ali al-Amin, the dorm leader of Desert Wonder. If you need anything around the dorm, you can ask me." He offered a handshake and the other person accepted it.

"Great to meet you." He grinned, though there was a certain twinkle in his ruby eyes that didn't quite reach. "My name is Kalim al-Asim. I'll be in your care from now on."