Soul Takeda had always considered himself an ordinary high schooler. His days were filled with mundane routines: school, part-time work, and occasional hangouts with friends. Life wasn't thrilling, but it was peaceful—and that was enough for him.
One winter evening, restless and seeking solace from the quiet chaos of his mind, Soul decided to take a walk. Snow fell gently, blanketing the town in an ethereal white. The blue lights along the trail illuminated the path in a soft, dreamlike glow. Trees swayed lightly in the crisp breeze, their shadows dancing across the snow.
As he wandered deeper into the trail, Soul's thoughts were interrupted by a piercing scream—a girl's voice, desperate and terrified. His heart raced as he sprinted toward the sound, his shoes crunching against the snow. But when he reached the source, there was nothing. No girl. No sign of struggle. Just an eerie silence that seemed to stretch endlessly.
"What the…" he muttered, his breath visible in the frigid air.
Before he could make sense of the situation, a voice spoke behind him. It was soft, seductive, and laced with a chilling undertone.
"What are you doing out here, so late?"
Soul's body froze. He turned quickly, his eyes landing on a woman who seemed to have stepped out of a nightmare. She had dark, feathered wings that stretched ominously behind her, and her piercing purple eyes seemed to glow in the dim light. Her beauty was haunting, unnatural, and every instinct in his body screamed at him to run.
He didn't hesitate. Turning on his heel, he bolted down the trail, the cold air burning his lungs. But no matter how fast he ran, it was futile. She was faster. In an instant, her hand gripped his arm with an inhuman strength, yanking him backward. He stumbled, falling to the ground. The snow cushioned his fall, but before he could get up, she was on him.
Her face hovered inches from his, her eyes filled with a strange mix of hunger and sorrow. Then, without a word, she leaned in and bit his neck. Pain exploded through his body as her fangs pierced his skin, and a searing heat spread from the wound. A dark mark began to form where she had bitten him, its intricate patterns glowing faintly before fading into his skin.
Soul's vision blurred as dizziness overtook him. The world spun, and he felt his strength slipping away. The last thing he saw before succumbing to the darkness was her expression—a look of regret, almost tenderness, as her gaze lingered on him. Then she stood, her wings folding around her as she stepped back.
The first rays of dawn began to break through the trees, painting the snowy landscape in golden hues. The woman's form trembled as the sunlight touched her skin. She let out a soft gasp, her body beginning to dissolve into ash. But before the sun could claim her completely, she extended her hand toward Soul, and a faint, ethereal glow flowed from her into him. Her final act was to transfer half of her soul into his body.
The woman vanished, her ashes scattered by the morning breeze. The trail was silent once more, save for the faint rustle of the trees.
Hours later, Soul awoke to the rhythmic beeping of a heart monitor. His eyes fluttered open, and he found himself in a hospital room. Wires were hooked up to his arms, and the sterile scent of antiseptic filled his nose.
"What… what happened?" he muttered, his voice hoarse. Memories of the woman, the bite, and the burning pain flashed through his mind like fragments of a dream. Instinctively, his hand reached for his neck. The mark was still there, hidden beneath a bandage, but he could feel it—a strange warmth radiating from the spot.
As he tried to piece together the events of the night, a nurse entered the room, her face lighting up with relief.
"You're awake! You've been out for hours. We found you unconscious on the trail. Do you remember anything?"
Soul hesitated, his mind racing. Should he tell her about the woman? About the mark? About the way her soul seemed to intertwine with his? He opened his mouth to speak but stopped himself. No one would believe him. Hell, he barely believed it himself.
"No," he finally said. "I don't remember anything."
The nurse nodded sympathetically and began checking his vitals. But as Soul lay there, staring at the ceiling, he couldn't shake the feeling that his life had changed forever. Something was different. Something inside him had awakened—and he had no idea what it meant.