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Search "The art of blood and shadow"
Warm water cascades over my face, relaxing me as I close my eyes, allowing myself to rest in the peace of darkness.
The sound of water splashing onto the floor creates a soothing melody, while a gentle light above illuminates the shower, leaving the rest of the white bathroom shrouded in shadows. Only the chrome accents reflect the glow of the magical lamp, outlining the contours of the objects.
Beautiful rose patterns etched into the shower glass obscure the view halfway, adding a touch of mystery.
I slick my hair back and wipe my eyes before turning off the water. Wrapping a towel around myself from shoulders to knees, I step out, my feet landing softly on the plush rug.
My pale skin nearly camouflages the droplets trailing down my legs as I glance into the mirror to my left, adjusting my short white hair one more time. Grabbing a white towel hanging on the outside of the shower door, I wrap it around my head, forming a snug nest.
I dry my feet on the mat beneath the shower, then head toward the door, leaving faint wet footprints behind me.
The dark wooden door to the tower stairs creaks open, letting a chill seep into the steamy bathroom. I close the door behind me and ascend the stairs to the second-floor bedroom, treading lightly on the aged wooden steps without a sound.
It's dark, but faint light seeps through the gaps in the horizontal wooden door at the top of the stairs. Holding the towel in one hand, I use the other to push the two panels open at once.
A red glow from the crimson moon floods the entryway as I climb higher, revealing more of my room. The twin lights of two moons clash at the center of the room, waging a war for dominance.
The smaller moon, always rising from the southern side, is known as the Blood Moon, its red light painting the land below. It's three times smaller than the opposing moon, the Moon of Purity, which rises from the north. Its cool, clear light, reminiscent of water, symbolizes cleanliness and courage.
Despite their size disparity, both moons shine with equal intensity every night, rising and setting on opposite horizons, alternating dominance as they pass one another.
I step slowly toward the western window, passing my desk on the left. Standing on the sill of the tall oval window that nearly reaches the ceiling, I place my right hand against the glass, my cheeks tinged with a faint blush.
My breath fogs the glass, slowly obscuring the view of the crater's natural beauty. Taking a deep breath in and out, I feel fresh air fill my lungs.
"No dream is impossible," I whisper confidently.
I open the window, and the curtains billow around me in the gentle breeze, momentarily concealing me.
Moments later, the curtains fall still. Only two damp white towels remain where I once stood.
The window begins to close on its own.
At the last moment, a single petal of a black rose slips through the narrowing gap.
Crack!
The window shuts.
The black rose petal floats gently down, landing on the wet towels.
Clouds slowly envelop both moons, leaving the entire crater bathed in red for a fleeting moment.
The delicate petal of the black rose finally settles on the towels in the darkness.
The area is surrounded by towering trees. In a vast clearing within the dense forest, a lone carriage sits ominously.
Around it, a sizable group of cloaked figures stands watch, though some remain hidden in the shadows, observing their surroundings in silence. Each of them is dressed in a black cloak that conceals their faces. Their cloaks appear reinforced, utilizing technology far beyond the norm.
"Boss, those monsters aren't chasing us anymore," one of them reports, rushing to the most distinct figure among them—a man whose mana radiates stronger than anyone else's, even though they are adept at masking both their presence and magical energy.
Strange noises emanate from the seemingly ordinary carriage. The group stiffens as the sounds grow louder. Suddenly, they rush toward the carriage, desperately trying to stifle whatever is inside.
The clouds shift, revealing one of the moons, which bathes the crater in a crimson glow. Through a small window in the carriage, a glimpse of something unnatural can be seen—a distorted, inhuman silhouette.
A faint breeze sweeps through the clearing. From the carriage's left side, a presence emerges—unexpected and menacing.
The group instinctively prepares for battle, yet they fail to notice that half of their number already lies dead on the ground.
"It's... a girl?" someone whispers in disbelief.
She stands there, seemingly out of place, with white hair flowing over bare shoulders exposed by her oversized hoodie.
"You know," she says with an air of annoyance, "it's awfully rude to steal my things."
"Your things?! You're claiming that thing belongs to you?" their leader yells, stepping forward to reveal his face. His expression is both confident and threatening.
"Listen, kid, everything's going just fine for us right now, and I doubt you want to die here," he sneers.
The girl's finger drips with a small bead of blood. Her face is downcast, concealing her true emotions, though the anger simmering within her is evident.
She raises her hand, pointing the bloodied finger at him.
"Die."
Her voice is barely a whisper, yet it carries the weight of her intent.
From her fingertip, a needle of unimaginable speed and sharpness pierces the air, slicing clean through the toughest of metals. It tears off the leader's ear.
He clutches his head, staring at her in disbelief. "What does a vampire want with us?" he demands, already calculating a plan and signaling to his subordinates.
"Wow, congratulations, you guessed my race," she says mockingly. "But tell me, does that knowledge help you?"
Her voice drips with disdain as she surveys them.
"You pathetic humans, weak as insects. You've made one critical mistake: this is my family's territory."
"W-wait, what did you just say?" The leader's bravado falters, his eyes widening in panic. "No... no, this can't be. They assured me—countless times—that you wouldn't be here!"
His voice grows frantic, cracking under the weight of his realization.
She silences his rambling with a single clap of her hands, the sound reverberating unnaturally across the clearing. A tense silence follows.
The girl begins walking toward them slowly, her head bowed.
"My apologies for the late introduction," she says in a voice that suddenly carries an air of authority far beyond her years. "I am Ruri Rikiin, sovereign of this land."
The group stares at her in terror as her words sink in.
"How is this possible?!" their leader screams, trembling. His composure shatters entirely as paranoia takes hold. A small golden orb slips from his hand, rolling to her feet.
Ruri crouches to pick it up, examining its intricate design. The orb is adorned with golden etchings and glowing blue elements at its core.
The light intensifies, blinding her momentarily as it begins to pull her in. Yet, she doesn't resist. Instead, she locks eyes with the leader and smiles.
The orb seals with a deafening explosion, startling every creature in the vicinity.
"Stupid vampire," the leader mutters, clutching his head as he breaks into maniacal laughter. "You really thought I wasn't prepared for this?"
He takes a step forward, only to be halted by the slow sound of clapping coming from atop the carriage.
The illusion shatters in an instant, revealing the truth.
Ruri is unharmed, sitting nonchalantly on the carriage roof.
Her voice cuts through his panic like a blade.
"You know, this was fun," she says, her tone mocking. "Especially watching you live in a world of your own delusions while your men waited for your orders... as I killed them one by one."
Her laughter is cold and unfeeling. "Their screams, their pleas for mercy. Some even took their own lives rather than face me. Such delightful despair."
"B-but... the orb—it absorbed you!" he stammers, his voice cracking.
She tilts her head, smirking. "You really thought a little trinket like that could contain me?"
Her laughter resonates through the clearing, seeping into his veins, feeding his growing paranoia.
"For all your posturing as an elite, you couldn't even comprehend a fraction of my power."
The leader collapses, paralyzed with fear, as Ruri's presence overwhelms him. He's dragged helplessly toward her as she descends from the carriage.
"I expected a better game," she says with a sigh. "Explosions, knife fights—something exciting. But all I got was a one-sided slaughter."
Standing over him, she flicks a drop of blood onto his chest.
The blood erupts violently, reducing him to an unrecognizable pulp.
With a disappointed look, Ruri surveys the battlefield—mangled bodies, dismembered limbs, and the aftermath of her magic's devastation.
The blood from the fallen begins to flow toward her, their corpses dissolving into streams of crimson that converge on her wounded finger. As the land is cleansed, her wounds vanish.
She dusts off her hands, walking toward the carriage door.
"Welcome back, my queen," a voice greets her as the door creaks open into the darkness within.