The next morning, everyone woke up doing their best to forget what had happened the day before—along with the secondhand embarrassment that still lingered from their friend's ordeal.
Riven and Leo were already heading toward the cafeteria to grab breakfast. The others stayed behind in the dorm, brushing their teeth, washing their faces, and handling the usual morning essentials. Riven didn't mind being separated from the group for once. He actually welcomed it.
He wanted time alone with Leo.
The two of them had never really talked one-on-one before. Everything had always been group discussions, shared tension, shared danger. This felt… quieter.
"So," Riven said after a few seconds of silence, "nice weather we're having."
The moment the words left his mouth, he slapped his palm against his forehead.
I suck at small talk, he thought.
"You suck at small talk," Leo said bluntly.
Riven groaned. "I'm trying my best. But seriously—how are you?"
"How am I?" Leo repeated, glancing at him. "That's a weird question."
"Well," Riven said, rubbing the back of his neck, "last night you got pretty emotional. At least, emotional by your standards. I've never seen you get angry for someone like that. Then again… we've only been friends for about a week."
Everything had been happening so fast. Too fast. This felt like the first real chance to slow down and actually talk.
"It's just…" Leo exhaled slowly. "Harkel and I have known each other for about a month now. He contacted me right after he got that vision from his future self."
Riven listened quietly.
"I was the easiest person for him to reach," Leo continued. "I don't live inside the Walls. And my family name carries weight. Yours doesn't—no offense. Neither does Thomas."
"None taken," Riven said easily.
"You can't really find people by their last name unless it belongs to a powerful family," Leo went on. "So Harkel and I connected fast. And if I had to describe his personality…"
"Charismatic," Riven said.
"That," Leo agreed. "And caring. A joker, too. Which is why it was strange seeing his smile disappear like that. Your smile shouldn't vanish around your family. It should grow."
Leo's gaze darkened slightly.
"But something about his family… something's wrong. Something he blames himself for. Something he keeps buried. I just hope one day he realizes that whatever happened probably wasn't his fault—probably wasn't something he could control."
"Enough about Harkel," Riven said, shifting gears. "What about you?"
"…Me?"
"Yeah. You," Riven said. "You matter too, dude. Ever since the beast hunt, something's been eating at you. I can see it on your face. You don't have to talk about it—but if we're going to be stuck together for a while, we might as well not hold anything back."
Leo clenched his fist.
As he opened his palm, his nails extended—longer, sharper, capable of tearing skin.
"If I'm being honest," Leo said quietly, "I hate it. I hate the urge. The hunger."
They entered the cafeteria, grabbed their food, and sat down at an empty table near the wall.
"It's overwhelming," Leo continued. "Like something inside me is constantly trying to crawl out. I don't know how my ancestors dealt with it—or if they even tried. Maybe they just let the beast take control."
He shook his head.
"You wouldn't understand how it feels. It's like something is trapped under your skin, desperate to be released."
Riven leaned back in his chair.
"It's weird," he said. "We've got a vampire, a half-fairy who's probably on his way to becoming more, and a werewolf—which I don't even know if it counts as a race, but the system says yours is transformable, so it counts enough."
Leo huffed faintly.
"I'm getting off topic," Riven waved his hand. "What I'm trying to say is… maybe the universe pulled us together for a reason. Maybe even if Harkel hadn't found you, you still would've ended up here. And we still would've met."
He met Leo's eyes.
"Maybe we can help you with that urge. Maybe sticking together—fighting together—will ease that hunger someday."
Leo was quiet for a long moment.
"I think it's hopeful," he finally said. "And I hope you're right. But I doubt it."
Then he looked back at Riven.
"What about you? Ever since Jordan talked about seeing his other self, you've been distracted."
Riven paused.
"Me?" he asked, pointing at himself.
"Yeah. You."
Riven exhaled.
"You ever get that feeling like something bad is about to happen? Or already has, and you just don't know yet?" His eyes dropped to his tray. "Something feels off. Like the balance of my life tipped when Harkel's family mentioned my parents."
He stared up at the ceiling.
"The worst part is I can't even check on them. The academy blocks all communication. I can't contact them at all." His voice softened. "Truthfully… I'm scared. But I still have hope."
Leo listened silently.
"I'm hoping God's watching over them," Riven continued. "Over all of us. Maybe this is our way out. Their way out. So I just have to keep moving forward."
Leo smiled.
"My family, man," he said. "I like that."
⸻
Back in the dormitory, the remaining four boys were finishing up getting ready for the day.
Luka sat near the window, lowering himself to the ground and settling into a meditative position. Sunlight filtered through the glass, brushing against his skin as he closed his eyes and focused on steadying his breathing. They weren't ready to test his limits yet—not with direct exposure. Not until after the beast outing.
For now, indirect light was enough.
Thankfully, they'd already bought an umbrella. As long as Luka stayed covered during the outing, things should be fine.
Harkel looked around at the others and let out a slow breath.
"Hey, guys," he said. "I want to apologize about yesterday. I shouldn't have been so defensive. I should've communicated better. And I should've stood up for myself instead of just… taking it."
"It was your father," Jordan said calmly. "Truthfully, we should've been more understanding. Be real—have any of us ever talked back to our dads?"
Silence filled the room.
None of them had.
At home, when a decision was made, it was final. Talking back only led to punishment.
"Honestly," Luka said, opening his eyes and rising from the floor, "I should be apologizing too."
He walked over to Harkel.
"I could tell you were uncomfortable. I was making remarks in my head—and yeah, you could hear them. Still, I shouldn't have done that. I know you've got issues with your family. Especially your brothers."
He bowed his head slightly.
"I'm sorry."
"Hah," Harkel chuckled. "Guess we're all a bunch of A holes, huh?"
"I'm not," Joey said, raising his hand.
That earned a round of laughter.
"Alright," Harkel said as it died down. "Let's go catch up with Riven and Leo."
Jordan and Joey headed for the door.
Luka returned to his spot by the window, sitting back down on the floor in a meditative position as sunlight brushed over him once more.
As everyone headed out the door, closing it behind them, Luka waited a few more minutes in silence.
Once the hallway sounds faded, he moved.
The boy extended his arm in front of him, palm flat and steady.
Okay… let's see if I can do this again, Luka thought.
His fingers slowly curled inward, as if he were trying to grasp something invisible.
It wasn't an accident yesterday. It felt like I was using my evolved ability—but not at the same time. If I can control it… imagine showing this during the beast outing. Just… using nature differently.
A strange, liquid sensation washed through him. It almost felt like he was about to lose control of his body—like the sudden pressure before needing to pee—but he didn't.
His eyes snapped open.
"I think… I did it."
A grin spread across his face as he looked down at his palm.
Resting above his hand was a small sphere of liquid—not water, but something darker. Thicker.
Blood.
His blood.
The sphere was about the size of a tennis ball, wobbling slightly in the air. It was obvious he had no real control over it yet. The blood had come straight from his own body.
"So I wasn't going insane," Luka muttered. "I really do have a second ability."
His smile faded into thought.
Am I a dual evolver? Or is this just a byproduct of what I really am… a vampire?
The realization hit him again.
He wasn't fully human anymore.
He wasn't like everyone else.
But… he wasn't alone either.
He had people who could relate to him now. People who would stand by him even after all of this. The thought made him shake his head, pulling himself out of it.
"No," Luka said firmly. "I'll use this to my advantage. Whatever this power is—I'll weaponize it."
Curious, he pulled up his system interface, opening his general tab to see if this blood manipulation showed up as an ability.
⸻
[SYSTEM: Luka Thomas (Vladryne)]
Level: 7
XP: 450 / 1000
Race: Lesser Blood
Evolved Ability: Nature
Strength: 20
Speed: 17
Durability: 15
Energy: 21 / 21
Health: 37 / 40
⸻
It wasn't listed.
That told him everything.
So I didn't dual evolve, Luka realized. This must be another racial trait…
He frowned slightly as he noticed something else.
His health had dropped.
Why? he wondered. I wasn't attacked…
As the blood sphere collapsed, the liquid flowed back into his palm and vanished beneath his skin. He didn't try to create another one—but even then, he felt a slight sting.
Another dip.
⸻
[-3 HP]
⸻
Luka's eyes widened.
"…So it costs health every time I use it."
A slow grin crept across his face.
"Good thing I took Riven's blood," he muttered. "That extra health makes it usable without killing myself."
Another thought crossed his mind.
If I'm a hybrid… or at least a quarter…
A quarter of his hair had turned red. He remembered Riven—half of his hair had turned green.
If he becomes a full fairy, maybe all his hair will turn green, Luka thought. So for me…
"Either way," he said quietly, "I should still be able to evolve, right?"
He remembered Jordan questioning the system—how Riven evolved and he didn't—and how that had triggered an explanation… and then a quest.
Luka took a breath.
"System," he said. "When do I evolve? Or… can I evolve?"
⸻
[System: A Lesser Blood can evolve.]
[System: New Quest received — Reach Level 10 for your next evolution.]
⸻
"…Ten?" Luka blinked.
That confirmed it.
I really am only a quarter vampire, he thought. Riven had to reach level ten too.
He smiled.
"I might be behind in levels," Luka said softly, "but with how my race works… I can catch up in no time."
Even without being on the same level as the others.
That thought gave him the push he needed.
⸻
Riven was already in his combat class—even though most students were still in homeroom.
He stood in front of Mr. Kaiser, hands clasped together.
"Please. Please," Riven begged.
He'd been doing this nonstop ever since they returned from the beast hunt. His old gauntlets were completely busted—no stat boosts, no system bonuses. Just battered metal wrapped around his hands.
"For the hundredth time, Riven—no," Kaiser said flatly, shooing him out of the room as preparations for class continued.
"Come on, man," Riven muttered as he walked toward his homeroom.
The shop could make him a new pair of gauntlets using a beast gemstone—but that would waste a resource they might need later. If Kaiser gave him a replacement, they could save that gemstone for something better.
Lost in thought, Riven nearly walked straight into two figures standing in his path.
Two military personnel.
"Uh… hi?" Riven said slowly. "Can I help you?"
One of them stepped forward.
"Are you Riven Harlow?"
"Yes," Riven answered. "That's me."
"You need to come with us," the man said. "Now."