Blake's drumming resonates with incredible force, a fervent expression of his musical passion. Seated beside him was Xenon, who was engrossed in a book.
"Can you please stop that, Blake? My ears are in agony!" Xenon exclaims with irritation.
Halting his drumming, Blake approaches Xenon with a playful grin. "Come on, dude, you're the only one who doesn't appreciate my musical talent." Teasingly, he adds, "What are you reading? The Bible?"
Xenon responds with an eye roll, undeterred in his reading. Blake chuckles, settling beside him.
"Are you teasing Xenon again, Blake?" Maddison asks, accompanied by Genevieve, who is holding a black book.
"Not too much, Mads," Blake replies, glancing at the book they're holding. "What's that?" he inquires.
"We found this in the library earlier. It's an ancient book about witch vampires. We thought of studying it to broaden our knowledge and strengthen our powers," Genevieve explains.
Blake, unimpressed, suggests, "Nahhh, I don't understand any of that. Just take your studies upstairs."
Maddison shoots him a disapproving look, and they ascend the stairs to begin their research.
Curious about the whereabouts of others, Blake turns to Xenon. "By the way, where are the others?" he asks.
Nonchalant, Xenon replies, "How would I know? Ask Aria; she probably knows where they are."
Blake scratches his head. "I don't know where she is either."
He grabs his drumstick but, before he starts playing again, Xenon quickly teleports to a quiet place to escape Blake's potentially ear-shattering music.
.
.
Aria sat at the top of their school tower, gazing at a photo of her and Crayven. Tears welled up again, seven years had passed, yet she couldn't break free from the chains of her past. Her eyes vividly witnessed how her lover turned to ashes and gradually faded away.
She couldn't harbor anger towards Xylon, but each time she saw him, emotions overwhelmed her. She understood Xylon's feelings, reading his thoughts, knowing he still struggled. So, she avoided facing him, unwilling to confront those emotions.
She placed the photo against her chest, with a heavy heart, she closed her eyes, shutting out the world and surrendering to the weight of memories that clung to her like a relentless ghost of the past.
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.
....
Jade had been wandering for a while, clueless about Rain's whereabouts. She had been searching for them since earlier. Eventually, she reached an abandoned classroom at the far end of the academy – the only room in sight.
"It's impossible that they're here," Jade whispered softly.
She was about to leave when she heard a moan from inside the room. Slowly, she approached the door, noticing its fragility due to its age, with spider webs clinging to it.
She pressed her ear to the door, listening to the sounds inside. "O-Ohhh ooohhh Rebeus~" moaned a girl.
Confused, Jade peeked through a broken window and widened her eyes at the sight of two individuals engaging in intimate acts.
A female student was on top of an old desk, still wearing a blouse but with her well-endowed chest exposed. Her skirt was lifted, revealing her open legs, while the guy vigorously thrusting inside her. The moans grew louder, and Jade, shocked, noticed that the girl wasn't from Serolf Academy due to her different uniform.
"A-Aahhh fuck aaahhhh Rebeus fasteerrr~" the girl loudly moaned, tightly embraced by the guy.
The guy lifted the girl, he changed his position and sat on the desk. He placed her on his lap, resuming their activities. Jade's shock intensified as she saw the guy's eyes turn red, revealing his fangs. He bit the girl's neck, sucking all her blood.
Jade almost screamed, but Phoenix suddenly pulled her away, covering her mouth just in time.
"Sssshhhh," Phoenix whispered.
Jade nodded, visibly shaken.
"You should never go to that place," Phoenix said.
Jade, weak-kneed from what she witnessed, tried to convey her fear about the girl.
"The girl... she's gone. There's a monster in that place!" she fearfully uttered.
Phoenix held both of Jade's shoulders. "Remember what I'm about to tell you; never, ever go back to that place," Phoenix gently warned.
"What's in that place..." Jade tearfully asked.
Phoenix shook his head. "Don't tell anyone about what you saw, or you'll be in danger," he cautioned.
Jade nodded, still feeling the fear. Phoenix hugged her tightly to comfort her.
.
.
....
The branches of the tree swayed on their own, and rose petals were showering the surroundings. In the midst of it all was Xylon, standing with his eyes closed, deep in concentration. While Xylon possessed the ability to create illusions, he was having a hard time controlling them. Gradually, the surrounding trees transformed into monstrous forms, and the once red petals turned ominously black.
Clutching his head, Xylon screamed in pain. Suddenly, a scenario unfolded before him where he had mercilessly ended Crayven's existence.
"S-Stop... Enough!!!!" Xylon's anguished shout pierced the air.
In an instant, the surroundings reverted to normal. Gasping for breath, Xylon lay back and closed his eyes.
"Arden..." he called.
Arden appeared before him. He was Xylon's familiar, a gift from his father. A Reaper disguised as a human, Arden had a true form resembling death itself – a giant skull-headed figure with a skeletal body. Cloaked in a long black robe, Arden carried a massive scythe, capable of erasing anyone it touched from existence, and their existence would forever be erased from the memories of everyone.
Kneeling before Xylon, Arden inquired, "How may I serve you, Your Highness?"
Xylon opened his eyes. "I want you to watch over the scholar named Jade Crisostomo. Observe her closely," he commanded.
"As you wish, Your Highness," Arden affirmed and suddenly vanished.
Xylon looked up at the sky, immersed in profound contemplation. The weight of his past mistakes continued to haunt him, leaving him unable to move forward.
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.
....
In the evening.
The Seasons siblings had just come out of the council chamber after reporting the information they gathered. They quickly ran back to the academy, moving so swiftly that they were almost invisible.
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....
Under the full moon, a young girl raced through the night, her heart pounding with each rapid step. Behind her was a terrifying creature, chasing her relentlessly. Its eyes were red, revealing long fangs and nails ready to strike her at any moment.
"P-Please... have mercy," the desperate plea escaped the lips of the young girl, her voice quivering with terror.
"Haha, there's no escape for you now!" mocked the chilling creature, its sinister laughter echoing through the moonlit air.
Suddenly, a young man appeared and slew the creature in front of the girl.
Jade jolted awake, drenched in sweat. She had dreamt of it again. Who is that man? Why does she keep dreaming of that event?
She glanced at Rain's bed, but they were not there. She reached for the bedside lamp and turned it on.
"Where are they..." she murmured, her voice a whisper in the quiet room.
Compelled by a restless unease, Jade reached for her phone, dialing her cousin Sheryl in the solitude of the night. The clock ticked past 12:30 AM.
"Hmm, hello? " Sheryl said from the other line. She was awakened by Jade's call.
"Hello, cousin, sorry to disturb you. I can't sleep again," Jade confessed, the weight of her recurring nightmares evident in her tone.
"It's okay. Did you dream of it again?" Sheryl inquired, a sense of shared worry lacing her words.
"Yeah," Jade sighed, the heaviness of the visions lingering as she shared the details with her cousin.
The two cousins had a long conversation until Jade felt sleepy again.
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The next morning.
"By the way, I woke up last night and noticed you guys weren't in the room," Jade mentioned as she walked alongside her friends in the corridor.
"We slept in Fall's room; we didn't wake you up because you were sound asleep," Winter explained.
"Is that so?" Jade responded.
They paused as Xylon's group passed by, and a gesture of respect filled the air as everyone bowed.
Kaye remained perplexed, questioning why everyone felt the need to bow every time Xylon appeared.
"Yo, girls! Good morning," Rebeus cheerfully greeted the female students.
Jade shuddered when she saw him. She couldn't be mistaken; he was the guy she saw in the abandoned classroom.
"Can you please be quiet, Rebeus? You're too noisy," Heberlin reprimanded him.
"Aye aye, sir," Rebeus replied, saluting.
Jade glanced at Phoenix, but he avoided eye contact.
If Phoenix knew Rebeus, they might be friends. Jade's knees suddenly went weak.
"Jade, are you all right?" Autumn asked, concerned.
Jade was unable to respond. Fear gripped her; could Phoenix be hiding a secret from her?
"Tss, look where you're going!" Yvess suddenly shouted.
Everyone turned to see a male student kneeling in front of Xylon. They also noticed a juice stain on Xylon's uniform.
"A-Apologies, Your Highness, I-I didn't mean to," the student pleaded.
"Why do they call him 'Your Highness'?" Jade whispered.
"Because he's the owner of the academy, and everyone fears him," Snow explained.
Heberlin seized the student by the collar. "Are you an idiot? The hallway is so wide, and you still didn't notice him? Do you want to be permanently blinded?" he scolded.
The student trembled in fear, knowing Heberlin would carry out his threat.
"P-Please, Your Highness... L-Lord Heberlin..." the student begged.
Heberlin began to stare into the student's eyes, ready to use his powers, but Xylon stopped him.
"That's enough, Heberlin. Too many people are watching. Let's go," Xylon said.
"Tss," Heberlin released the student, causing him to fall. They walked away, and Heberlin, Rebeus, and Yvess gave the student a parting kick.
Jade breathed a sigh of relief. The aura of that group was frightening.
.
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....
Aria was on the rooftop when Kan approached her.
"Xylon has been here for a while, but you still haven't shown yourself to him," Kan remarked while observing the entire school.
"There's no compelling reason for me to face him," Aria responded, her words carrying a weight of unresolved emotions.
Kan turned to look at her.
"Aria, you've become too entangled with the past; release the resentment from your heart," Kan advised, his eyes urging her to let go.
"I'm not harboring anger, Kan; I'm just sad and longing," Aria confessed, her eyes locking with Kan's in a silent plea for understanding.
They began to communicate through telepathy.
"You can't blame me for avoiding the prince, because every time I see him, it hurts. All the memories from the past come rushing back every time our eyes meet, and all the pain resurfaces," Aria shared with Kan through telepathy.
"I understand. But you can't avoid him forever. The day will come when you'll have to face each other," Kan replied before turning away.
Aria let him leave without uttering a word in response.