In the night sky shimmered with stars like scattered diamonds, and a full moon glowed bright, its silver light spilling over the terrace where I lay, staring up at the moon. I always come here on nights like this, and when I'm alone, I talk to myself—loud, like the sky's listening.
"What happens if we kill all the demons?" I shouted in the quite night, my voice bouncing off the stillness. "Will the world finally be beautiful?"
A cold whisper hissed in my ear, making me flinch.
"Kill them all first, then you'll see."
I shot up, glaring into the shadows. "Who's there?" I yelled, my heart racing. A gust of wind whipped around me, and Eran appeared, his cloak flapping, his icy eyes glinting in the moonlight.
I jumped, my face heating up, suddenly nervous. "When did you get here, Teacher?" I mumbled, scratching my neck.
"A few seconds ago," Eran said, his voice sharp, cutting through the night.
I frowned, my stomach twisting. "Is something up? Why're you here so suddenly?"
Eran's gaze locked onto me, heavy and serious. "No, but I need to ask you something important."
I swallowed, my hands fidgeting. "What?"
Eran stepped closer, his tone low and urgent. "I don't want to bring up your past, but I've increased academy security and still can't figure out why the demons are so active lately. It all started with the attack on your parents. They were stronger than me—way stronger—but they were killed. Did you feel anything… strange when it happened?"
My throat tightened, flashes of that day hitting me—blood everywhere, my parents' last breaths.
"I don't know much," I said, my voice shaky. "I was unconscious most of the fight. When I woke up, my parents were… almost gone. One demon attacked me, and I killed it. The rest were already dead—my parents got them."
Eran's eyes narrowed, his voice dropping. "I saw that demon's body, Vitrit. Its bones grew unnaturally, bursting out, tearing it apart. Did you do that?"
My heart pounded, and I shifted on my feet, nervous. I couldn't hide it anymore. "I… I've been hiding something," I admitted, my voice trembling.
Eran stayed silent, his stare intense.
"My mom was from the Origami Clan, and my dad… he was from the Vermillion Clan. I'm one of the rare kids who got both their powers. I can manipulate blood, too—if I touch someone's blood and they're within 20 meters, I can control their organs. But only when my neck mark starts burning."
Eran's eyes widened, shock flashing across his face. "Only a few have dual powers like that," he said, his voice tight. "The first Kshatra founder was one of them. Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
I looked away, my hands clenching. "I didn't trust anyone at first," I muttered.
Eran's expression softened. "I get it—it's hard to trust after what you've been through," he said quietly. "But what makes your mark burn?"
I shook my head. "I don't know… it's rare, but it happens in moments like when I was crying over my parents' bodies, and that demon attacked. My neck mark burned, and I felt… stronger, like energy was surging through me."
A foul stench hit the air, and a demon lunged from the shadows, claws gleaming, eyes glowing yellow.
My neck mark flared, a rare, searing burn that made me gasp, the power igniting inside me. I stood, my hands morphing into paper swords, their edges glinting in the moonlight.
I dashed at the demon, moving like a blur, my blade slicing its arm, its blood soaking my hand. The power took over—I used my blood manipulation, and the demon's bones shot out, bursting through its skin with a sickening crack, its body exploding in a mess of blood and bone.
I gasped, my vision blurring, and then everything went dark as I collapsed, the moonlight fading away.
Eran stared at my neck mark, his eyes narrowing with a mix of concern and curiosity. "I need to find out more about this mark," he said, his voice firm. "But the mission date is close, and I don't have time to research right now. We'll hold off on that."
He looked at me, his expression softening. "Good night, Vitrit. Let's meet tomorrow on the training ground."
I nodded, still shaky from the demon attack. "Good night!" I called after him as he vanished into the wind.
I didn't bother going back to my room—I just curled up on the terrace, the cool stone under me, and fell asleep under the stars.
The next morning, we gathered on the training ground, the air crisp with the scent of dew and pine. Lucior was there too, standing a little apart, his pale face set with determination.
I couldn't help staring at him—I wanted to know more about this new guy. Eran noticed and turned to him, his voice steady.
"Are you feeling okay, Lucior? Strong enough to train with us?"
Lucior nodded, his voice calm but confident. "Yes, I'm fine. My body feels stronger than before." He paused, glancing around at us. "I've got a question—what's this mission everyone's talking about?"
Eran crossed his arms, his gaze sharp but trusting. "After Tenzaki's death, you've been with us, so I can trust you. In 15 days, the gate of Crimsonfang Mountain Den will open."
Lucior's eyes lit up, and he stepped forward, his voice eager. "Me and Tenzaki were training for that same mission—to get weapons from the den. Can I join you?"
Eran hesitated, his brow furrowing. "This mission is risky, but if you want to, you can join us. I trust Tenzaki's judgment."
Lucior gave a small nod, a flicker of gratitude in his eyes.
Training started a few minutes later, the clang of weapons and shouts filling the air. Eran paired us up for sparring, and I watched as Lucior faced off against a wooden dummy, his movements sharp and precise.
Sparks of lightning crackled around his fists, a faint glow of energy rippling through his body—his Lightrix Clan powers in action. He punched the dummy with a loud crack, sending it flying back, splinters scattering across the ground.
I blinked, impressed—he was fast, way faster than I expected, and the raw power in his strikes made the air hum with electricity.
But then Ryoshi stepped up to spar with him, her silver hair glinting as she raised her sword, ready to test his skills.
Lucior's face twisted, his eyes narrowing with clear disdain. "I don't fight girls," he snapped, his voice cold, turning away from her.
Ryoshi's jaw tightened, but she didn't back down. "Scared you'll lose?" she shot back, her tone sharp.
Lucior ignored her, walking off to train alone, leaving Ryoshi glaring at his back.
I frowned, not sure why he was acting like that—it didn't make sense to me, especially since Ryoshi was so strong.
By the time training ended, the sun was a deep red, sinking low, painting the sky in fiery hues.
I'd noticed a lot about Lucior during the session—he seemed to really dislike girls, acting cold and rude to Ryoshi, barely hiding his disdain, but he was polite to me and the other guys.
I didn't know why he was like that, and it didn't sit right with me, but I didn't ask him about it.
We all headed back to our rooms, the day's exhaustion settling into my bones.