Chapter 9: Art of Fear

         It was already recess break when Jonas and the others returned to the classroom so he decided to go to the cafeteria of Gotham Academy Elementary. He has also decided to invite Rosalie, Luke, and Damian to eat with him. Unfortunately, the latter refused.

" I am not interested in your game, Cane. "

Jonas raises his eyebrow when he notices how his name upgraded from a bumbling fool into Cane. Then watched Damian choosing to remain in their classroom and took something from his bag.

It seems someone has brought some snacks with him.

Luke frowned when Jonas invited Damian. It was just later when they started eating at one of the cafeteria's tables that he asked.

" Why would you invite him? "

Jonas shrugged.

" I was just showing my common courtesy. "

Luke then averted his eyes as he muttered.

"..but he's different from us. "

Jonas can feel a smirk forming on his face.

" Why do you think so? "

Jonas asked then continued.

" Why do you think he is different? Is he not human? "

Luke looks confused.

" You are also different. "

Now, there was a trade of fear in Luke's eyes. Rosalie was staring at them both with anxiousness while she watched the scene unfolding before her.

" I– "

Jonas then gives a comforting smile.

" Don't worry, I wouldn't harm you just because you are different. Do you want to know a secret? "

He then grasped both of Luke's hands and squeeze them gently.

" I'm different too. "

More than you ever were.

" But it's okay since all of the people are different. No one can be the same. We're all unique and special to ourselves. "

[ You collected a Hunt Fear ]

" I. Understand... "

Luke replied nervously.

" It's good that you understand. "

Jonas replied with a cheerful smile on his face. After that, they started eating and Jonas decided to engage with Luke and Rosalie in conversation about their miss subjects in classes which both of them groaned and sighed in frustration.

Perfectly relatable that kids their age are unenthusiastic about missing lessons and their activities piling up.

Also from time to time in their conversation, Jonas noticed at two of the nearest table them was his other 3 lackeys and 4 of their girl classmates which were giving Rosalie concerned glances.

After they finish eating, Jonas decided to leave together with Luke. This allows the two groups to approach them. His lackeys approached him and Luke while Rosalie was hovered by her concerned friends.

Then all of them returned to their classrooms. Jonas has missed History, Mathematics, English, and Physical Education. Fortunately, he was there for Music, Arts, Literature, and Science.

In the Music Subject, they were told to prepare to sing or play tomorrow their favorite music. Their Arts subjects are spent time painting their opinion of November. Jonas did as the Art teacher told them. And he was surprised to find that he was good at painting. He wondered if it was him or the Original Jonas Cane that was good at painting.

" Exemplary as usual Mr. Jonas. Your work of Art, today is surprising. Mr. Cane so your opinion of November is Halloween is it? You have done well in your painting. I see that you admired Van Gogh a lot. "

Jonas shrugged. If that is how she wanted to see his painting then Jonas wouldn't bother to correct her.

Jonas has decided to imitate Van Gogh's starry night and made a disturbing horror parody of it.

The crescent glowing moon became an irregular spiral crescent around it was a web. The stars became eyes. And the cloud became mists. The blue night sky became black. The weird thing became a burning black and dark blue burning flame. Instead of houses, it was stick figures of people being swallowed down by the ground and underneath the ground were coffins. Through the stick figures of people, some people aren't people. Normal people are just depicted as black stick figures. While the not quiet people are depicted in detailed etch and colors. There are rotting creatures, not quite people armed with knives and people wearing someone's skin. And there are also dead people lying while being swallowed by the ground.

" —A very Gotham style. Absolute work Mr. Jonas. "

The more the Art teacher stared at the painting, the more she felt disturbed and felt fear rising within her subconscious.

" What do you want to name your Art Mr. Jonas? "

Without hesitation, Jonas replied.

" A feast of the Dreads. "

The Art teacher felt the wording of the title a bit odd but decided to not question it when she felt a strange sensation. The more she stared at the painting the more she was starting to feel that there was something wrong with the painting.

Is there? Or is she the only one thinking about it? Is it just an illusion of her mind? The Art teacher felt confused.

" Would you like to display your work here at the Academy Mr. Jonas? "

[ The Web shares that all of the Entities are pleased with your art. ]

[ The canvas painting Feast of the Dreads is imbued with their essence ]

[ Canvas Painting {Feast of the Dreads}

→ It is an Artifact containing essence from the Entities.

→ All of the beings who stared at the Painting except the Avatars would subconsciously feel fear the moment they stared at the painting.

→ The longer someone stares at the painting, the more they would descend in their fear.

→ All of the people who stared at the painting can be pulled into the world of the painting except Avatars.

→ The world of the painting is limitless

→ The Archivist or Avatars can collect the fears of the people inside the painting.

→ Objects and people in the painting can be pulled in and pulled out at any time]

" I will be taking it home. "

The Art Teacher nodded her head as Jonas covered his work with fabric. It would be too dangerous for it to be kept at the Academy. And he was certain that it would be useful to him in the future.

The Art teacher then observes the painting of the next student. Jonas then glances at Damian who was focused on his work and didn't appear to be interested in his art.

He glance at the painting and caught a glimpse of a very realistic sketch of a dead bat and a robin who have its wings clipped.

" Is something wrong Cane? "

Damian glared at him and arched his brow.

" ...Nothing."

' This little killer has an attitude. '

Jonas thought to himself after he stopped looking at Damian's painting.

After that, in the literature subject, they were given homework on writing short literature of any kind. They would read it then tomorrow. In the last subject Science, they were then grouped into 6 groups for their Science Project.

Jonas then was grouped with Luke, Rosalie, Dami, and one of Rosalie's friends.

The School then ended. Jonas together with Luke went to the Shopping District of Gotham accompanied by Gregory and James who was their family's servant/bodyguards.