Stephen and his friends found Aria and Cedrick in the apartment, catching them off guard. Xylon's eyebrows shot up in surprise at the sight of Aria.
"Who are they, bro?" Cedrick asked in surprise.
"They're my friends, newcomers to town. They arrived late, so they had trouble finding a place to stay," Stephen explained.
Cedrick scratched his head, contemplating. "Are you planning to let them stay here?" he asked.
Stephen nodded, his mind already made up. Cedrick had no choice but to relent. After Stephen introduced his friends, Cedrick took Stephen's groceries and headed to the kitchen. Before heading to the kitchen, he approached Aria and kissed her on the cheek.
"Whoa, what's going on between you two?" Blake asked.
"They're a couple," Xenon revealed, breaking the news.
They all settled onto a long bamboo bench.
"I didn't expect to see you here, Aria. Since when have you two been dating?" Xylon asked.
"Not long ago," Aria replied, a hint of shyness coloring her cheeks.
"So, he's the reason you always escape from the academy," Heberlin teased, earning a playful glare from Aria.
"Ahhh, she's in love again," Blake chimed in, teasingly.
Aria's face flushed with embarrassment from the teasing.
"If you look closely, that man looks exactly like Cray...." Xenon didn't finish what he was about to say.
He's right, Cedrick resembled Crayven. Xylon and the others glanced at each other. Xylon cleared his throat and changed the topic of their conversation. They discussed their plan to capture the chimeras attacking the town.
"By the way, check out what I found earlier," Xylon said, unveiling some flyers.
"What's this?" Heberlin asked.
"Why don't you read it and find out?" Xylon suggested.
Xenon took the flyers, scanning them with interest. "Paradiso Bar?" he read aloud.
"They're looking for a new band to play at their bar?" Blake asked.
"A bat told me that some chimeras have been going to that bar. If we go there, we'll surely catch them," Xylon explained.
"But, bro, I can't perform. I'm a Charmer, remember? My music tends to... affect people," Blake said, a tinge of disappointment in his voice.
"I'll take your spot," Stephen offered, stepping up without hesitation.
"Xylon on vocals, Xenon on bass, Stephen on guitar, and I'll be the drummer, we'll make quite the ensemble," Heberlin suggested.
"Wow, I can't wait to hear you guys play," Aria said excitedly.
"Aria and I will just watch around," Blake said.
"What will be the name of our band?" Heberlin asked.
Xylon thought for a moment. "Moonlight Knights," he finally announced.
Blake's eyes sparkled.
"Nice name, bro. Moonlight Knights, I like the sound of that," Blake approved, nodding in agreement.
Cedrick came out of the kitchen. "The food is ready; let's eat," he said.
They all stood up and headed to the dining area.
.
....
Jade was engrossed in her writing when Rain quietly approached her.
"Do you need something?" she inquired, glancing up from her work.
"Well, I was just wondering if you've been talking to Zake, since you've been hanging out with Xylon's friends," Rain inquired.
A subtle smile played on Jade's lips as she considered her response.
"We do exchange words from time to time. Why do you ask? Do you have a crush on him?" she teased.
A sudden flush of embarrassment colored Rain's cheeks.
"N-No, it's not like that," she stammered, trying to regain her composure.
"Oh, come on, don't be shy. It seems like you've got a little crush on Zake," Jade continued teasingly, a playful glint in her eyes.
"N-No, stop it. But can you help me? I want to get closer to him. Please, Jade," Rain pleaded.
"Sure, I'll tell Zake to meet you in the garden later," Jade offered, a warm smile spreading across her face.
"Really? That would be amazing! You're the best, Jade," Rain exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement as she wrapped her in a grateful hug.
Jade couldn't help but return the smile, pleased to be able to help her friend.
.
.
Rebeus was whistling as he walked towards their classroom. However, he stopped in his tracks when he noticed a woman walking by.
"Oh, la la, what a stunning beauty!" he exclaimed, his eyes lingering on her graceful figure.
Taking in every detail, he noted how she resembled a porcelain doll, her flawless complexion and alluring curves captivating his attention. She exuded an irresistible allure, igniting a spark of desire within him. She looked delicious.
Rebeus couldn't resist the urge to nibble on his lower lip, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.
"Looks like I'll hit the jackpot with this one," he said to himself.
Just as he was lost in admiration, a familiar voice broke his reverie.
"Hey, aren't you coming in? We're running late," Yvess interjected, nudging Rebeus back to reality.
"Right, let's go," Rebeus replied, tearing his gaze away reluctantly.
Together, they made their way towards their classroom, the allure of the mysterious woman still lingering in Rebeus's mind.
Meanwhile, Love scanned the Academy with a knowing smirk.
With a sense of purpose, she resolved to finish her mission here quickly.
.
.
Maddison sat alone in her room, her spirit weighed down by a heavy cloud of despondency. She had no motivation to go out.
Now that Genevieve was gone, she lost interest in studying. What she did for Autumn wasn't enough; she wanted to find out who really killed her best friend.
.
.
Jade is in the dormitory now, taking a shower in the bathroom. As she showers, she gazes at herself in the mirror. She notices that her hair seems to be getting too long. She stares into her eyes and almost screams when her eyes suddenly turn red. She recoils. When she looks at her eyes again, they are back to their usual color.
She quickly rinses off and gets dressed.
....
On that night, Jade dreamed again. She found herself in a place where nothing was visible, as if she were lost in a world of emptiness. She began to wander aimlessly.
"Welcome back, Jade," a voice suddenly echoed.
Jade halted upon hearing the voice. When she turned, she saw the winged woman, the spitting image of herself. The woman smiled at her and approached.
"Where am I?" Jade asked.
"You are in my world, the world of emptiness," the woman replied.
"But why am I here? And why are you here too?" Jade inquired.
"Because you are the chosen one... until you use me, I will remain here," the woman explained.
"The chosen one?" Jade echoed.
"Yes. One day, we will become one. You and I. Together, we will destroy the world," the woman proclaimed.
Jade's eyes widened in shock.
"D-Destroy? I don't want that! I don't want to destroy the world!" she protested.
The woman in front of her only smiled.
"You will also use my power, when the time comes. Always remember, your emotions will control me. When you release intense emotions, we will become one," the woman in front of her stated.
"Well, I'll control my emotions. I refuse to be like you. I will never use you," Jade declared.
The woman simply laughed.
"Let's see about that," it said before vanishing.
Jade woke up drenched in sweat.
Why are her dreams always so weird?