Nightmare Mythos

After savoring the fillet that tasted very good on his plate, Arnold grabbed a napkin before wiping his lips. Removing any grain of stain from his mouth, he grabbed the wine on the side and drank it.

Fully satisfied with the food and willing to eat more, he started picking more food from the table before explaining regarding the Association.

"The Hunter's Association was established way, way before the Academy or the Army solidified their position. At that time, the Association was the one handling the matters that exposed them to Nightmares. Remember, this was the time when Nightmare Potion hadn't been invented yet but fully used Techniques.

"Now, you already know that Techniques are only used to fend off these Nightmares. Most of the Techniques known from that time haven't been developed in a way that is very advanced now. Techniques today can be used to kill, at least, some of them can deal damage to us people. It can inflict mild damage to Nightmares but that's just it. "

Arnold contemplated deeply at what knew more about the Association before revealing his sentiment after picking up his food.

"They had it pretty rough you know. Nightmares at that time, even Lesser Nightmares, are considered as a dangerous threat. Today too as well, Lesser Nightmares are dangerous but they can be defeated if one has a proper plan and uses their Facets that can potentially harm a Nightmare.

"The struggle those people felt at that time was immense, a person can just wish to themselves to just die. Thus, what did you think they did when fighting Nightmares was just wishful thinking from that time? "

Being asked a question that he didn't have any answer to, Cesar could only shrug his shoulders and push Arnold to continue explaining without these stupid questions raised up to make their conversation longer.

Eating a mouthful, Cesar respectfully told him, "Sir, just give me the details. Don't raise this kind of questions,"

Arnold blinked in an erratic way before shaking his head with a sigh. After recollecting himself, he then continued after grabbing another bite.

"They formed up a solution that prolonged the lives of humanity while trying to avoid extinction. They decided to defend and hide from them. This is where the Langston Bridge comes in,"

Cesar listened more intently even if he was already aware of some of the things relating to the Langston Bridge. Though since he was being given free information from the Headmaster himself, he didn't speak and let him continue.

"In the Association at that time, there were three families that are widely known to the world and these three still exist today. First is the Langston Family, a family adept at craftsmanship and building infrastructures. This family was widely respected as their blood runs were solely driven by constructing a building that is the best thing you can get. They are not called Pioneers for no reason,"

'Langston Family… Pioneers… Wow, this is my first hearing it. This wasn't put in the history of the Academy data books…'

Cesar took a pause in his thinking 'Well, other students might've accessed it when they were outside. I might be different just because I'm unqualified to see those things. I'm a hoodlum and orphan at the same time, after all…'

Arnold saw Cesar fully concentrating before introducing, "Following that was the Yarrow Family. They are slightly different from the previous family as Yarrow's blood is adept at defending. No, I'm not talking about withstanding an attack coming from a Nightmare using their skills or body. Instead, they are also builders that can make a building withstand even the worst of damages. If they can build that, they can also repair it as well. They are very well known as Guardians,"

'Very interesting…'

Arnold then paused to digest his food before adding, "Lastly, is a Family that you already have an interaction with. The very family that created this Association, something that can be called the leader of this Association. They are the Family of Hunters, the Casanova Family,"

Cesar's spoon stopped coming at his mouth when he heard the name of the last family as he couldn't help but voice out.

"Casanova…?"

"Yes, Casanova," Arnold explained further, "Their blood runs like that of a hunter. Their family had the highest chance to kill Nightmares at that time. Throughout their long and rich history, ten Nightmares were killed with their involvement in that particular situation."

Arnold halted then added, his tone full of respect, "Can you even imagine the casualties they had to pull off just to kill that kind of small numbers at that time? It took thousands of lives of innocent lives, even reaching the points of casualties up to hundreds of thousands to take those heights. Now, the average killings of Nightmares are much higher than that with fewer casualties because of the Potions,"

Arnold took a breather, "These three families are the great figures in the past. And because of these three, the Langston Bridge is formed."

Arnold massaged his chin, slightly tired from all that talking and eating before continuing, "It was called Bridge Project at first which has been suggested by the Langston Family. There are disagreements at first, even fights since making it will not only put lives at stake but also can be wasteful of resources that can be put to different sources. However, this notion continued to change as the threat of the Nightmares signified. Thus, everyone, even the Yarrow and Casanova, had to agree and partake."

Arnold paused, "Do you know what the initial building plan does this impossible thing to make? At first, it was 50 years. But as they continuously worked on this project until the very end of it just to connect it to various parts of the world, it actually took another two centuries to finish it,"n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Cesar almost choked the food he was gobbling up before Arnold continued.

"Approximately 250 years happened before it happened. Then, Langston Bridge is formed,"

Arnold paused as he explained further more about this project in a precise and concise manner. Cesar seemed to be lost in time listening to this rich history before the Headmaster himself ended it with the statement:

"That's why Hunter's Association is a highly respected Association. However, there's a reason for their decline that continued to happen until today,"

Cesar couldn't help but frown once he heard before replying, "Decline? The Hunter's Association is declining? What the hell was that supposed to mean?"

"I thought no asking question?" Arnold jested back before revealing the piece of information to Cesar, "It was only a few years after the Langston Bridge was created that this particular event made this powerhouse look like crap in the face of it,"

Arnold took a pause, "And that event was when the world became so unfair to us kind. As if our struggles weren't enough, a true Higher Nightmare Creature had befallen this land. It isn't becoming one or a new Higher Nightmare creature. Instead, it was a real deal."

Cesar awaited for Arnold.

"We didn't know much about this particular Nightmare instead it just brings destruction in its wake. We don't even know its title as well. However, we called it Atrocity," Arnold paused, "Until to this day, this Nightmare remains alive and habited that part of the land, and probably had become a Bounded Nightmare."

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