Morning had barely settled over the streets when Lucien appeared at the corner of a quiet road on his way to school.
The city was waking slowly—cars passing, distant voices, sunlight stretching across rooftops.
Lucien walked through it all like he belonged to a different rhythm entirely.
His white hair fell softly across his eyes, bright against the dark coat draped loosely over his shoulders.
Hands in his pockets, crimson eyes half-lidded, he moved with that same effortless calm—as if the world had nothing to offer that could surprise him.
Then he stopped.
Across the street.
Something moved in the shadow between two narrow buildings.
Lucien tilted his head slightly.
The thing stepped out.
It was tall, unnaturally thin, its limbs too long for its body.
Its skin looked like wet charcoal stretched over bone, cracked in places where faint violet light leaked through.
Two crooked horns curled from its head, and its eyes glowed a dim, hungry blue.
Its mouth opened slightly, revealing rows of jagged teeth that didn't quite fit together.
A creature of the night.
Lucien watched it for a moment.
Then he began walking toward it.
Slowly.
Unhurried.
The creature noticed him halfway across the street.
The moment its glowing eyes landed on Lucien—
Everything changed.
Its entire body stiffened.
Fear flashed across its twisted face.
Lucien stopped a few steps away, studying it calmly.
The creature immediately dropped to one knee.
Its long claws scraped the pavement as it bowed its head deeply.
"My lord—!" it rasped quickly. "Forgive me. I meant no disrespect."
Lucien sighed quietly, as if mildly inconvenienced.
"I was sent here only to feed," the creature continued hurriedly, not daring to look up. "Nothing more. I swear it. I will return immediately."
Lucien said nothing.
He just looked at it.
Those red eyes were enough.
The creature trembled under the weight of that silent gaze.
"I will leave," it added quickly. "Right now."
Without waiting for permission, the creature pushed itself up and leapt backward. Dark wings tore open from its back—thin and ragged like shadows stretched too far.
With one powerful beat, it shot into the air and disappeared into the morning sky.
Lucien watched it vanish.
Then he exhaled softly.
"Annoying."
He adjusted the strap of his bag over his shoulder and continued walking toward the school like nothing had happened.
Another ordinary morning.
The sports field buzzed with early-morning energy.
Students spread across the wide grass, stretching, jogging in place, shaking out their arms.
The sun hung bright overhead, and the whistle of the coach cut through the chatter now and then.
Lira stood near the girls' side in her grey sports uniform, the soft fabric fitting her comfortably as she stretched her arms over her head.
Beside her, Joy was already warming up seriously, leaning down to touch her toes, then rolling her shoulders.
Around them, boys and girls stretched in loose groups.
On the other side of the field, Lucien stood quietly among the boys.
He still wore his mask and hat, hiding most of his face.
But the white strands of his hair still escaped beneath the brim, catching the sunlight like silver threads.
His red eyes moved lazily across the field.
Then the whistle blew.
"Run!"
Students burst forward across the track.
Joy took off immediately, long strides cutting through the crowd.
Lira followed.
For about ten seconds.
Then her breathing turned dramatic.
"Oh no…" she muttered under her breath while jogging slowly. "Easy peasy lemon squeezy…"
Her pace slowed more.
And more.
Soon she was barely jogging.
Panting heavily.
She stopped completely and bent forward, hands on her knees.
"I'm tired," she groaned loudly. "I can't run anymore."
Someone running past shouted, "You've only done one lap!"
Lira lifted a finger weakly. "One lap is enough character development for today."
Then someone appeared beside her.
Running backwards.
Lucien.
He matched her slow pace easily, arms relaxed, moving as if running required no effort at all.
Even running backward, he looked perfectly balanced.
"Already surrendering?" he asked calmly from behind his mask.
Lira shot him an exhausted glare.
"Stop talking," she puffed, trying to jog again. "You're distracting me."
Lucien kept gliding backward beside her.
"Your breathing sounds like a dying accordion."
"HEY!"
She pointed at him while jogging. "You're making fun of me!"
He tilted his head slightly.
"You're talking too much."
"Oh really?" she snapped between breaths. "Maybe if someone stopped running backwards like a weird vampire bat—"
Mid-sentence—
Her legs gave up.
She collapsed dramatically onto the grass.
Not injured.
Just completely done.
Lucien stopped immediately.
He stared down at her for a second.
Then crouched beside her and offered a hand.
"Get up."
She groaned but took it.
His grip was careful as he helped her stand and guided her slowly to a nearby bench.
She dropped onto it with relief.
Lucien handed her a bottle of water from his bag.
She took it gratefully and drank.
After a moment she looked up at him suspiciously.
"How many laps did you do?"
Lucien answered casually.
"That was my fifth."
She blinked.
"…Cool."
She nodded slowly like she had expected that.
Then Lucien studied her for a moment.
"Why can't you run?" he asked. "You're light."
Lira looked down at herself.
Then back at him.
"I may look light," she said seriously, "but I'm heavy."
Lucien considered that for a second.
Then nodded once, like that explanation made perfect sense.
"I see."
He stepped back from the bench.
"I'll be going."
Without another word, he turned and jogged back onto the track, effortlessly blending into the running students again.
Meanwhile Lira leaned back on the bench, still holding the water bottle.
"…Fifth lap," she muttered.
Then she sighed.
"Show off."
Lira took one last breath, pushed herself off the bench, and jogged back toward the track.
"Hey—!"
She heard the voice behind her.
"Hey, Lemon Squeeze."
She turned.
Ronan was jogging toward her, hair slightly messy from the wind, purple eyes bright with amusement.
"You look like you're about to die," he said casually.
Lira put a hand dramatically over her chest. "Excuse me. This is my last lap for today."
Ronan chuckled and slowed his pace to match hers.
Together they finished the lap just as the whistle blew.
"Alright! Rest!" the coach called.
Students immediately scattered across the grass, collapsing wherever they found space.
Lira crouched on the ground, breathing heavily, her silver hair sticking to her forehead and cheeks from sweat.
"Why… does running… exist…" she muttered between breaths.
Ronan crouched beside her, calm as ever. He twisted open his bottle and took a slow sip of water.
Then he glanced at her.
"What's wrong with Cassian?" he asked. "He hasn't been coming to school lately."
Lira wiped her forehead with the back of her hand.
"I don't know," she said. "He's sick, I think. Caelen said he's been vomiting blood."
Ronan's expression shifted slightly.
"That's not good."
"Nope," Lira replied simply.
Footsteps approached.
Joy jogged toward them, still moving even though everyone else had stopped. Her head tie had slipped slightly, her hair damp and sticking around her face.
She kept jogging in place.
"You people are lazy," she said between breaths. "We just started."
Just then—
Keiran came running across the field and nearly collided straight into her.
"Whoa—!"
He stopped abruptly.
"Sorry!"
Joy glared at him. "Watch where you're going!"
Keiran raised his hands innocently. "Hey, I said sorry."
Joy huffed.
Then she crossed her arms.
"Oh right—I heard something," she said suddenly.
Ronan looked up. "What?"
"There's this teacher starting some project," Joy explained. "He said he'll be mixing boys and girls into teams."
Keiran shrugged. "Honestly, I don't even know why they separated our buildings in the first place."
He kicked lightly at the grass.
"There are just too many of us. And some students are… well… you know."
Joy nodded like she understood exactly what he meant.
Lira slowly stood up, stretching her legs.
Ronan stood beside her too.
She glanced between them all and smiled a little.
"I hope we end up in the same group."
Joy nodded.
"Same."
Keiran grinned. "That would actually be fun."
Ronan gave a small nod as well.
For a moment, they all stood there together under the bright morning sun—
Not knowing how complicated things were about to become.