The faint glow of moonlight streamed into the dormitory room, casting long, soft shadows on the walls.
That night, Aiden woke with a jolt, his breathing uneven and shallow. His heart thudded in his chest as the remnants of the dream clung to him.
The tree- massive, ancient, and bathed in a strange golden glow- stood vivid in his mind. Its branches had reached out to him, beckoning, their tips like fingers stretching toward the sky.
Then came the whispers, a hundred voices overlapping, then the screams of the Magi, and the image faded to darkness.
Sitting up, Aiden pressed a hand to his forehead, his hair damp with sweat. The room was silent except for the soft snores of Sevan and Adrian in their respective beds. Aiden's eyes shifted toward the window. Something about the dream gnawed at him, despite it being comforting for the past few weeks.
It was the first of many days he had dreamt of the screams.
He swung his legs over the side of the bed, careful not to make a sound, and pulled on his shoes. A cold breeze met him as he stepped into the hallway and quietly made his way outside the academy.
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The crisp night air greeted him as he stepped beyond the main doors, the world blanketed in silver light from the full moon above.
He was afraid he'd get caught, but it was a miracle he had not met any on the way. Even the Holloways were nowhere to be found.
The academy's sprawling grounds stretched out before him, the faint outlines of its towers looming in the distance. Aiden moved carefully, his shoes crunching softly on the gravel paths.
He glanced back at the towering walls of the academy, taking a mental note of where the perimeter appeared to end. He wouldn't go past it- not if he wanted to avoid trouble.
As he continued, the sound of wings slicing through the air made him freeze. A large bird darted past him, so close that he felt the whoosh of air against his face. Aiden's eyes darted upward, his heart quickening. The bird circled once, then landed a few metres away.
Its glossy black feathers glistened in the moonlight, and its glowing purple eyes locked onto him. Something about it wasn't natural. Before he could process the thought, the bird let out a piercing screech and leapt into the air.
As it ascended, its body contorted, twisting unnaturally. Feathers gave way to limbs cloaked in shadow, and in moments, the bird had transformed into a figure draped in a dark, flowing cloak.
Aiden's pulse spiked as he instinctively ignited his powers, flames flickering to life in his palms. The cloaked figure hovered for a moment before vanishing into thin air.
"Teleportation," Aiden muttered under his breath, spinning around, his eyes scanning the area.
He barely had time to react before the figure reappeared, a sword gleaming in its hand. Aiden hurled a ball of fire toward it, but the figure dodged with inhuman speed, closing the distance between them in seconds.
Aiden tried to counter, flames erupting in arcs to keep it at bay, but the figure was relentless, darting in and out of view.
The next moment, he felt the cold bite of steel against his neck. His breath hitched as his attacker materialised behind him, holding him in place. Aiden tensed, his flames extinguished.
"Why are you here?" a low, familiar voice demanded.
Aiden's heart lurched. That voice...
He craned his neck as much as he could without pressing against the blade, catching a glimpse of his captor.
"Emmeranne?" he asked, incredulous.
The blade lowered instantly, and the figure stepped back, allowing him to turn fully.
Emmeranne's dark brown eyes, dull and unreadable, met his as she pulled down her hood. Her long, wavy black hair fell around her face, glinting softly in the moonlight.
"What are you doing out here?" she asked.
"What am I-" Aiden started, his voice rising. "You attacked me!"
Her expression remained impassive as she sheathed her sword, the faint metallic scrape breaking the quiet. "I thought you were a Nosferatu."
"A... what?" Aiden asked, frowning.
Emmeranne tilted her head slightly, as though debating whether to elaborate. "A being that roams at night," she finally said. "They can take many forms. It looked like one was lurking."
"Nosferatu?" Aiden repeated. "That's what I fought? What are they?"
"It's not what you fought," Emmeranne corrected. "It's what I thought you might be."
Aiden's brow furrowed. "Wait. So that thing wasn't-"
"Likely a stray bird," she said flatly.
Aiden groaned in frustration, dragging a hand down his face. "Great. So I just got ambushed by my classmate because of a bird."
Emmeranne's lips twitched, wanting to correct him but chose not to. "You shouldn't have been out here anyway."
"I stayed within the perimeter," Aiden argued.
"You didn't," she said simply, pointing at his feet. "You're past it by at least ten steps."
Aiden glanced down at the ground, realising she was right. His stomach sank.
"Okay, fine. But how did you know I was out here?"
Her expression didn't change, but her silence spoke volumes.
"You followed me?" Aiden pressed, his voice tinged with disbelief.
"Not exactly," she said. "Headmaster Kairos mentioned something about keeping an eye on you. He didn't say why."
Aiden's jaw clenched. "He told me not to leave the academy walls," he muttered.
Emmeranne nodded. "And you didn't listen. Headmaster Kairos usually has reasons for what he says. You should take his advice."
"Why do you care?" Aiden snapped, his frustration spilling over. "Why are you even out here?"
"It's none of your concern."
Aiden took a step closer, narrowing his eyes. "You can't just ambush me, accuse me of being some... Nosfera-whatty, and then act all mysterious."
She met his gaze, her dark eyes unreadable. "I can and I will," she said calmly. "Go back to the dorms, Aiden. You're reckless for someone who claims to be careful. And it's Nosferatu."
Her words stung more than he wanted to admit. Before he could muster a response, she turned and began walking away, her cloak billowing slightly behind her.
"Wait," he called after her. "Emmeranne!"
She paused, glancing over her shoulder.
"I—" Aiden faltered, unsure of what to say. "Thanks. I guess."
"Don't thank me. Just don't make me chase you next time."
With that, she disappeared into the shadows, leaving Aiden alone under the vast, moonlit sky. He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. His heart still raced, though he wasn't sure if it was from the encounter or the lingering fear of what could have happened.