The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, the metal clanging from the trays of plates and plates made the space a chaotic mess of sound. Aurora walked out of the cafeteria with a few other students, but her eyes still scanned quickly, recording every movement around her.
The incident just now was enough for her to understand that F3 would not let her go.
Jenden and Marcus followed right behind, their shoes clicking rhythmically on the marble floor. Liam pretended to look down at his phone, but every few seconds, the corner of his eyes glanced towards Aurora, like a cat stalking its prey.
She didn't turn her head, but every muscle in her shoulders and back was tense. Her breathing slowed slightly, each step calculated so as not to appear too hasty.
In the corner of the hallway a few meters away, Blacke leaned loosely against the wall, hands deep in his pockets. He didn't miss any of F3's movements. Over the past few days, the frequency of their appearances near Aurora had increased dramatically, and that wasn't a coincidence. His eyes narrowed, as if he was remembering something.
Aurora leaned against the railing, her breath mingling with the cool afternoon breeze. The sun had set, leaving streaks of orange and red across the horizon.
She closed her eyes for a few seconds, trying to stop her mind from replaying the lurking gazes from behind.
The sound of the terrace door opened. Blacke stepped out, his gait leisurely but his eyes as sharp as knives.
He stood a few steps away from her, his voice low:
"They've been following me since I left the cafeteria."
Aurora opened her eyes, glancing at him. Her lips pursed slightly:
"I know… but I still can't figure out what they want."
Blacke didn't answer right away. He walked to the side, resting his hands on the railing. From this angle, he could see the stairs leading to the terrace.
There, Jenden was standing talking to Marcus, his mouth smiling faintly, but his eyes still occasionally glanced in their direction. Liam disappeared from sight, which made Blacke even more wary.
He leaned over, lowering his voice:
"I'll keep an eye on them. Don't let them know you're wary."
Aurora smiled faintly, but without any joy:
"It's hard. Those eyes… it's like they're measuring my every move."
Blacke glanced over, his voice slow, each word heavy as lead:
"Then don't let them read your expression. Keep your eyes calm. If they don't find a weakness… they'll lose patience."
Aurora was silent for a few seconds, then asked softly:
"Do you think… they're looking for my weakness?"
Blacke didn't take his eyes off the stairs, where Jenden had just nodded slightly to Marcus, as if signaling something.
"Sure. And I guess… their waiting time is almost up."
At the same time, in the corner of the training ground, where few people passed by. Jenden leaned against the wall, quickly glancing at Aurora who was resting on the bench far away.
He lowered his voice, pretending to tie his shoelaces as he spoke:
Jenden: "Do you see anything strange about her? She doesn't look like she did a few days ago."
Marcus also glanced over, his eyes slightly narrowed:
Marcus: "Yeah... her face is tired, but not the kind of tired from training. I also see... her eyes are a little red."
Jenden nodded slightly, his gaze sharpened:
Jenden: "What a coincidence... today is the start of the blood moon cycle. Tonight and tomorrow. Do you understand what I mean?"
Marcus curled his lips, his smile full of meaning:
Marcus: "You mean... she has a reaction to the blood moon?"
From behind, Liam walked over, heard half of the sentence, frowned:
Liam: "What are you two implying? She's just a normal girl."
Jenden glanced at Liam, his voice low:
Jenden: "Normal? No. I've noticed since this morning, she's been trying to hide it but it's not stable. If my hypothesis is correct... the blood moon will reveal its weakness."
Marcus interrupted, his voice full of glee:
Marcus: "Let's watch tonight. See how she reacts when the moon reaches its peak."
Liam hesitated:
Liam: "What if I guess wrong? If I get caught, it'll be troublesome."
Marcus shrugged, his smile cold:
Marcus: "If I guess wrong, I'll still get information. But if I'm right... then we'll know what's going to make her fall."
Jenden turned to look at Aurora again, his eyes shining with calculation:
Jenden: "Get ready. When night falls... don't let her notice."
The same afternoon in the classroom. The sliding door opened, Aurora walked in with a faster gait than usual. Her hair was a bit messy, her eyes were unfocused. She went to the table, poured a glass of water.
Knox was sitting with his feet up on the chair, and frowned as soon as he saw her:
"Wait... what's with this face? It looks like she's about to go to a fight."
Aurora didn't answer, just picked up the glass and drank it in one gulp. The sound of the glass being placed on the table was a bit loud, making the whole room stop.
Zane tilted his head, his eyes searching:
"Did something happen to you? Or is it... F3 causing trouble again?"
Aurora glanced at Zane, not answering right away. Just that glance, Knox and Zane understood that they had guessed correctly.
Easton crossed his arms, trying to keep his voice calm:
Easton:
"If you keep being tense like this, they'll read you. Stop thinking, Aurora."
Aurora smiled faintly, but her eyes flashed with unease:
Aurora:
"Do you think I can stop thinking? Today and tomorrow... are blood moons. Do you know what that means?"
The three of them looked at each other in unison.
Knox:
"Blood moon? It sounds like some old superstition. What? Are you afraid of blood moons?"
Aurora quickly covered her mouth as if she had just said something wrong, bit her lip, turned away, and did not answer.
Zane:
"Don't tell me it's just because of an astronomical phenomenon."
Aurora interrupted, her voice harsher than usual:
Aurora:
"Shut up! What do you guys know!"
The atmosphere in the room immediately became heavy. F4 had never seen Aurora speak so loudly.
Knox raised his eyebrows slightly, half surprised and half annoyed:
"Okay... okay. If you don't want to say anything, then don't bristle like a stray cat."
Aurora took a deep breath, but her hands were still clenched. In her mind, the image of Rina and Diana gradually fading under the red moonlight appeared again. Laughter, hug, and then... emptiness.
Easton lowered his voice:
"You're scared... right?"
Aurora trembled slightly, but then suppressed it, glaring:
Aurora:
"Afraid? No. Just… don't interfere in my business, please!"
The words came out coldly, but her heart wavered when she saw Knox and Zane pause, their faces truly worried.
Zane:
"We're just concerned, Aurora. No need to act so strong."
Those words made her heart skip a beat. But immediately, the memory of her eldest sister dying for love was like a knife stabbing back, reminding her that caring sometimes only brought pain.
Aurora turned away, her voice choked:
"Sorry… but… I… can't."
Without waiting for anyone to react, she turned around and walked quickly to the door.
Knox:
"Hey! Wait."
Easton stood up:
"Let me."
But Aurora raised her hand to stop him, her eyes full of warning:
Aurora:
"Don't follow me… Please."
The door slammed shut. In the hallway, Aurora ran, as if if she had slowed down for even a second, they would have seen the truth: that she was from Luneva.
Inside the room, F4 sat silently for a few seconds, then Zane sighed softly:
Zane:
"She's hiding something… and it's not small."
Knox leaned his head back in his chair, his eyes still on the closed door:
"Yeah. And tonight, we have to find out."
The school bell rang, Aurora immediately walked quickly out of the classroom, not even looking back. The sky was gloomy today, the faint red light flickering from the horizon signaled something ominous.
On the third floor corridor, Jenden leaned against the railing with his arms crossed, his eyes indifferent but the corners of his lips curled slightly.
Jenden: "She ran again. Something must be wrong."
Marcus: "Did you see her face? Pale. Just like yesterday."
Liam: "The blood moon is today and tomorrow… Maybe?"
Jenden: "Keep an eye on her. But keep your distance. I don't want her to notice."
The three of them walked silently, blending into the stream of students that were dispersing, but the distance to Aurora was never too far.
Aurora rushed straight to the library, her hand lightly tightening the strap of her bag. Her steps were quick, but she still maintained a false calm. Her heart was pounding.
At the same time, a tall figure turned from the opposite corridor, Blacke.
He stopped when he saw Aurora disappear through the library door.
Blacke (whispering): "This girl... is hiding something?"
He followed, unaware that at the end of the hallway, three sharp eyes were on him.
Marcus: "Blacke is following too?"
Liam: "Leave him alone. Our target is only Aurora."
Jenden: "Yes. He will just accidentally clear the way for us."
Inside the library, Aurora scanned each shelf like someone searching for treasure. Hundreds of book spines were neatly arranged, but she focused on only one section: The Legend of the Forbidden Books.
Her fingers paused when they touched a black cover, silver border, and no title. Carefully pulling it out, Aurora sat down at a hidden table in the corner, opening the first page.
Blacke stood silently in the aisle on the other side of the shelf, observing. F3 was further away, hidden between the rows of shelves, his eyes not missing any of her movements.
The page revealed a whisper of words:
"The blood moon is a time when light and darkness mingle. When the red moon shines down, those from Luneva will be as weak as ashes in the wind."
Aurora continued reading, each word tightening her chest:
"If they appear in the human world that night, they may disappear, lose their lives… or lose their power and become puppets in the hands of humans."
Her lips trembled slightly, but her eyes remained calm. She turned the page:
"If they have been close to humans, and then disappeared into the blood moon… humans will recognize them as Luneva… and blood will be shed."
Aurora's hand tightened slightly. The air around the table was thick.
Another page, but this time there were only a few vague lines, like poetry carved in blood:
"If you want to survive the red night,
Step over the obstacle,
The person before you is the door,
Only the stronger will see the dawn."
Aurora closed her eyes slightly, and for a moment, the image of Jenden, Marcus, and Liam's faces appeared in her mind.
Aurora (whispering to herself): "The opponent... Right now...is you."
Blacke frowned, not understanding the full meaning but clearly feeling that this was an important secret. In the distance, F3 exchanged glances, as if they had just finished assembling the last piece of the puzzle about Aurora's weakness.