Before his world plunged into darkness, Grey raced through the night, pursued by three unknown figures. Those figures, clad in ominous black, looked like police officers at first glance, but there was something off about them. They were more like soldiers or mercenaries on a relentless hunt.

Briana had missed a few days of school due to illness. On her return, she couldn’t help but notice the peculiar atmosphere that hung in the air.

All eyes turned toward her, but not with the warm welcome of friends or even the casual curiosity of classmates. Instead, they gazed at her with empty expressions, avoiding her eyes as if she were invisible. Perplexed, she took her seat, her mind racing to find the cause of this strange behavior. Had she done something to become the object of ridicule?

The teacher arrived late, a rare occurrence that seemed to intensify the discomfort in the room. When the teacher’s eyes fell upon Briana, she too averted her gaze and cleared her throat before making her way to another student named Oliver.

Oliver listened attentively, his face paling as the teacher whispered something in his ear. He nodded and replied with a subdued, “Okay,” before slowly rising from his seat and approaching Briana. As he sat beside her, he took a deep breath to steady himself.

Briana’s heart raced, anxiety gnawing at her. She sensed that something terrible must be about to be revealed, but her mind couldn’t fathom what it might be. In a compassionate gesture, Oliver placed a hand on top of hers before delivering the news.

Trinity, her best friend, had fallen gravely ill, and she wouldn’t be returning to school anytime soon. In fact, there were fears that she might not survive the evening due to a problem with her magical powers. Her mana was not circulating properly, and the consequences were dire.

Oliver explained everything with kindness, but nearby students couldn’t help but whimper and look away, understanding the depth of Briana’s impending heartbreak. The teacher, after the difficult revelation, approached Briana and offered her some time to process the news either with a friend or in solitude.

Hanging her head to conceal her emotions from the others, Briana chose to go out on her own. She left the academy, descended a flight of stairs, and ventured far from the prying eyes of her classmates. When she was certain that no one was watching, she couldn’t help but break into a smile.

Briana started dancing and whispering to herself, “Yes, yes, yes. Finally!” 

She and Trinity had been enduring 14 years of education together, and it had been quite a struggle, especially under the weight and pressure of a magician as powerful as Trinity.

Trinity’s parents owned a mining company that employed human slaves for labor, making them highly successful but inadvertently causing a problem for Briana. She had been born with an extraordinary magical gift that had once earned her praise and admiration. In their city, those with magic were revered as protectors against northern threats, and Briana was exceptional.

But everything changed when she met Trinity, whose magical abilities surpassed even Briana’s, and whose kindness and compassion won the hearts of everyone around her. Trinity treated all beings, from vampires to servants, with the same warmth and respect, earning her a unique place in the community.

Trinity also had a brother named Christian, whom she constantly corrected and chastised for his behavior. She believed in treating others with kindness and respect, even when society labeled them as mere humans. In her eyes, love and compassion were the most potent forms of magic, and she lived by those principles every day. But Trinity couldn’t find anything wrong with Christian’s actions. He was the perfect vampire. Trinity was the abnormality that somehow imposed her will on others. 

As Briana absorbed the news of Trinity’s illness, she couldn’t help but reflect on the girl who had changed her life in more ways than one. 

The night’s gentle breeze tenderly kissed her cheek as she gazed upwards at the trees swaying gracefully in the wind, their branches like dancers in a nocturnal ballet. Her eyes then traveled to the celestial beauty of the silver moons that adorned the sky. A soft, contented smile graced her lips as Briana closed her eyes, surrendering to the tranquil embrace of the night.