Jade delightedly distributed morsels to the birds, expressing her care.
"There you go, no need to worry about going hungry," she remarked with a warm smile.
However, the birds scattered as they sensed someone approaching. Jade's joy turned to irritation when she realized it was Xylon.
"Could you please slow down when you walk? See, the birds took off because of you," Jade grumbled with a frown.
Xylon, unfazed, replied, "And why is that my fault?"
"Due to your stern look and scowl, you practically look like a monster, scaring them away," Jade retorted.
Xylon raised an eyebrow, bemused. "Me, a monster? Seriously?"
"Yes, your perpetual frown gives off that vibe, like you're carrying the weight of the world, making you look like a monster," Jade explained, her irritation evident.
"If I'm a monster, then you're a pig," Xylon retorted.
"Hey, I'm not a pig!!!" Jade protested.
"You're a pig because you're heavy. How many plates of rice do you eat to be that heavy? Why don't you go on a diet?" Xylon suggested.
This further irritated Jade. Why is this guy so annoying?
"Hah! You're just skinny; that's why you think I'm heavy! You're as thin as a stick!" Jade shot back.
Xylon grinned. "Me, skinny?" he said.
He moved closer to Jade, causing her to involuntarily retreat until she found herself pressed against the wall.
Jade gulped; her heart raced, and she suddenly felt nervous.
"D-Dont come closer... Or else I'll scream," Jade stammered.
Xylon brought his lips close to Jade's ear. "Go ahead, scream. Let's see if anyone comes to your rescue," he whispered, sending a shiver down Jade's spine.
Jade's eyes widened. Xylon gradually moved his face closer to her.
Xylon leaned in to kiss Jade, but suddenly, he sensed something approaching.
"WATCH OUT!!" he shouted.
He quickly pulled Jade, and the ice arrows struck the wall with a thunderous impact, nearly shattering it. Xylon scanned the area and saw more ice arrows approaching from a distance.
He turned to Jade. "Hold onto me tightly," he commanded.
Jade screamed as Xylon lifted her abruptly, as if they were newlyweds. Xylon swiftly ran, and the ice arrows continued to follow them. Jumping up a tree with Jade in his arms, he skillfully evaded the relentless pursuit of the ice arrows.
Xylon moved with agility, dodging each arrow. He didn't know where they were coming from, and he couldn't use his powers as he was struggling to control them.
Taking cover behind a massive tree, he called out, "Arden!"
Arden suddenly appeared in front of them. Jade's eyes widened; he was the guy she had seen in the tree.
"You summoned me, Your Highness?" Arden acknowledged.
"Handle the source of these ice arrows," Xylon ordered.
Arden nodded and vanished.
Xylon tightly held Jade, swiftly running to distance themselves from the ongoing icy pursuit.
"Waaahhh, what's happening? Why are ice arrows chasing us?" Jade screamed.
"Tsk, could you please be quiet?" Xylon grumbled.
Xylon leaped up another tree, carrying Jade, as the ice arrows persistently trailed them.
.
.
From afar, an enigmatic figure wearing a mask observed. This mysterious entity skillfully orchestrated the ice arrows, manipulating them to its whims.
Crafting an ice spear with calculated precision, it seemed prepared for an imminent strike. However, a sudden appearance disrupted its plans—Arden showed up right before it.
The masked figure, taken aback, instinctively stepped away, feeling the need to escape as they were aware of Arden's abilities. As the masked figure approached the pond, a hand emerged from the water, reaching out and seizing the intruder. In the blink of an eye, the masked figure submerged into the water, eluding Arden's grasp.
.
.
"Idiot, that's not how it works! Watch me," Rebeus exclaimed, gracefully leaping from the bottom of the stairs to the top.
"Why jump? You could just run quickly," Blake commented, then sprinted up the stairs like Flash.
Heberlin sighed, "I'm only getting hungry watching you guys," he said, moving closer to Zake and snatching the goblet of blood he was drinking.
"That's mine!" Zake protested, his eyes turning red as fangs emerged.
"Chill, bro. Fine, take it," Heberlin said, returning the goblet to Zake. This guy was so selfish, he thought.
Suddenly, the door swung open, and Xylon and Jade entered. The presence of someone with Xylon surprised everyone.
"Dude, you look exhausted. What happened?" Blake asked.
"I'll explain later," Xylon replied, shooting a glance at Jade.
"Why did you bring her here?" Xenon questioned.
While they were aware of Jade's arrival at the academy, they hadn't paid much attention to her.
"I had nowhere else to take her. Earlier, a creature unleashed ice arrows, and I knew I was the target," Xylon explained.
"Ice arrows? Only a noble can conjure those," Heberlin mused.
"But why were you targeted?" Blake wondered.
"Uhm, excuse me, but..." Jade interjected, "...I don't understand what you're talking about."
All eyes turned to her.
"Should I erase her memory?" Heberlin suggested.
"No need. She won't divulge what happened to anyone," Xylon assured.
"Are you sure?" Xenon pressed.
Xylon nodded.
"Anyway, let's save the ice topic for later. Hello, miss, I'm Rebeus Grimaldi," Rebeus greeted.
Jade felt a surge of fear, unable to shake the uneasiness in Rebeus' presence.
"She seems scared of you, dude," Blake observed.
Rebeus scratched his head, a mischievous grin spreading across his face as he regarded Jade.
Zake, however, couldn't take his eyes off Jade as he approached her.
"S-She... she smells good," Zake softly remarked while sniffing her.
"Blake, take Zake to his room," Xenon ordered, and Blake promptly obeyed.
.....
Jade awoke in an unfamiliar room, blinking as she surveyed her surroundings.
"Where am I?" she questioned herself.
Sitting up, she observed the carefully displayed items in the room. Her attention shifted when the door suddenly swung open.
"You're finally awake," greeted the female student.
"Where am I?" Jade inquired.
"You're in Xylon's mansion. By the way, I'm Maddison," the female student introduced herself, extending her hand.
"I'm Jade," she replied, shaking hands. It felt strange; she couldn't recall how she ended up here.
Maddison invited her to the living room, but no one was there.
.
.
....
In the school grounds, the Seasons siblings argued while walking, troubled by the absence of Jade.
"Where on earth did you all leave Jade?" Autumn's frustration seeped into her question.
"I've already told you, I don't know. Perhaps she's just nearby," Rain replied.
"Nearby? What if she runs into the prince's friends?" Autumn retorted, her irritation palpable.
"Why are you so hot-headed?" Snow interjected.
"Because I'm fed up with all of them!" Autumn declared in annoyance.
As they continued walking, Fall summoned a bat and engaged in conversation with it.
.
.
....
In the meeting room, Xylon and his friends were now discussing the sudden attack that had occurred yesterday.
"Arden couldn't catch the mysterious being who attacked us yesterday. It suddenly submerged itself in the water," Xylon explained.
"Ice? Water? Wow, looks like that one has a two-in-one power," Rebeus commented.
"Do you think that person was also a student here?" Xenon asked Kan.
Kan shrugged. "Aria can answer that question."
All eyes turned to Xylon. He lowered his head.
"She still has no intention of talking to me, right?" Xylon sighed.
Silence hung in the air, making it awkward to discuss Aria and Xylon's situation.
Heberlin decided to break the silence. "By the way, where's Phoenix?" he inquired.
They exchanged puzzled glances, realizing they had no idea where he had gone.
.
.
Phoenix lay on the academy sports field, his gaze fixed on the overcast sky.
"What are you doing here?" Jade inquired, a playful smile gracing her lips.
After chatting with Maddison, Jade decided to leave and return to their boarding room. However, during her walk, she noticed Phoenix on the field.
A reciprocated smile adorned Phoenix's face as he admired Jade's beauty while she settled beside him.
"I'm just admiring the sky; it's beautiful," Phoenix said.
Jade couldn't help but chuckle.
"Why are you laughing?" Phoenix asked.
"Nothing. It's just a bit unusual for boys to admire the sky," she replied.
Phoenix shifted from a reclining position to sitting up. "Do you not remember anything from yesterday?" he asked.
A puzzled expression crossed Jade's face. "Yesterday? What happened yesterday?" she queried with confusion.
"Ah, nothing," Phoenix dismissed.
Heberlin erased Jade's memories of what happened between her and Xylon yesterday for everyone's safety, as per Xylon's order, when Xenon insisted on it once again.
Phoenix rested his head on Jade's shoulder.
Jade's heart raced by his sudden action. Seeing Phoenix with his eyes closed, she decided to let him be. She diverted her attention to the sky; indeed, it was remarkably beautiful.
.
.
Aria lingered once again at the top of the tower. From this vantage point, she could see the town. Vampires possessed sharp vision, granting them superior eyesight that allowed them to see even those in the distance.
She observed the people in the town - some were shopping, strolling, and engaging in various activities. However, Aria abruptly paused when her eyes caught something. A young man walking on the road had captured her attention. She stared at him intently, her eyes widening.
"I-Impossible..." she whispered.
Without hesitation, she jumped from the tower. The ground trembled beneath the force of her landing, but it meant little to her; her attention was on the man she had seen in town."
.
.
....
Jade had already settled in for sleep when Rain and Winter unexpectedly burst in.
"Waahhh Jade!" Rain exclaimed, embracing Jade tightly.
"Where have you been? We've been searching for you since yesterday," Winter questioned with concern etched on her face.
"We were so worried about you," Rain said, pouting.
"Sorry, I dozed off in the library," Jade fibbed, following Maddison's advice to keep her visit to Xylon's mansion as a secret.
"Oh, really? Well, at least you're here now. Don't disappear like that again, okay?" Winter said, giving Jade a tight hug.
Jade couldn't help but smile, touched by their genuine worry for her.
As Jade drifted into sleep, she found herself once again in that mysterious place.
The surroundings were enveloped in darkness, and the moon hung perfectly round in the sky.
She saw a young girl sprint fearfully, pursued by a menacing creature. The scene was undeniably terrifying. The girl's cries for help echoed, and just when all seemed lost, a young man appeared and killed the terrifying creature.
The scenario changed when a group of people wearing noble attire arrived. One of them, a young lady, crumbled into tears, her anguished cries echoing as she desperately called out a man's name. The air grew heavy with silence as her friends stood by, subdued and solemn. Their faces were blurry, so Jade couldn't recognize them.
Jade woke abruptly to the sound of her ringing phone, noticing Sheryl's call.