Stella stared outside the car window as hot tears streamed down her cheeks. Her heart felt heavy in her chest as she spoke.
"Master, please give me another chance," she sobbed, but he stared back at her with indifference. Stella could see his eyes masked with no emotions at all.
"No, I don't think you belong here," he told her. His hoarse voice showed no trace of pity or remorse. "You're a dark witch, a weakling. I've given you so many opportunities to prove your worth, but you let me down each time. You've truly proven to me that you're not worth staying in the Alphamega pack," Grandmaster Fred nonchalantly said.
More tears rolled down Stella's face. She just turned 18 today and hasn't manifested any glimpse of power. Everyone in her pack has given up all hope on her. She was considered the weakest among the witches. A dark witch who wasn't even a white or black witch. It was confirmed that she was the only dark witch left. Dark witches are said to be weak in nature, have a short lifespan because of their inability to manifest any actual power. They usually die young because of lack of strength and overwhelming weakness. Most of them die due to giving birth, just like Stella's mother who died immediately after giving birth.
Stella grew up in the Alphamega pack (the pack of witches) her whole life. As the last bloodline left, Grandmaster Fred (the leader of the Alphamega pack) had expected something different from her. But all these years she showed no trace of power. Can't even master a simple defensive combat skill. On her eighteenth birthday, which was today, she lost a fight against a weak werewolf, a fight that was meant to prove her worth. Grandmaster Fred felt humiliated and decided to cast her out of the pack, sending her to the great Academy of Vantura.
That place was hell for someone as weak as her. She could be bullied and maybe eventually die.
"Please master! Give me another chance! I'll prove to you that I'm really worth being here, please master, please!" When she was a child, this man would encourage her that she would one day become something great. But today he was giving up on her? Stella felt the drop of hope she had left for herself being shattered.
"No, you're no longer welcome here," Fred let out his last words before turning to leave. Stella felt her heart in her chest grow heavier as if she was carrying the entire earth in it.
"Master please! Master please!" she screamed at the top of her voice, banging the glass window. Even some of the respected pack officials who were watching sorrowfully shook their head as they walked away.
The car began moving Stella away from her home, the only home she has ever known. All she could do was scream and cry at the top of her lungs. She can't bring herself to accept the fact that she was cast out by her own pack. As tears welled up in her eyes, something in her gut told her perhaps there was still hope, and from now henceforth she needs to be strong and emotionally independent.
…
The car drove for hours, taking Stella out of her current city and to the city of Vantura. The car drove into the well-built gate of the Vantura Academy. Stella was unable to see clearly because it was still a bit dark. She got out of the car, grabbing her luggage handle and slamming the car door. Stella couldn't help but yawn and stretch her body. After all, she had been sitting in the car for hours. The air of the surroundings was filled with the scent of flowers, and the place was noticeably quiet with no student in sight.
Stella started walking, rolling her luggage as she walked further. It was about 5 am in the morning, and Stella reasoned the students of Vantura were still asleep. She was happy she arrived at this time because she didn't want herself catching much attention. Stella planned to keep a low profile during her stay here. She turned to her shoulder looking behind her, but could only see the gateman's figure in the dark, who was busy locking the huge gates.
She walked for a couple of minutes before spotting a tiny gate which was painted brown. It was fancy and tiny, and Stella could already tell that this gate indicates a pack quarters. Since she was desperately looking for the witches' quarters and was told that the witches' quarters was called the 'brown block'—though it was still a little dark, she could tell it was color brown, and it's not that she was colorblind anyway.
She opened the gate slowly and stepped into the premises. The building inside the small brown gate was incredibly tall, all painted in brown. The flowers were also amazing, sending sweet aroma into the air. After walking a couple of distances passing by many buildings, she saw some people from a distance. It seemed like a fight was ongoing. The day had become brighter, and Stella could now see everything clearly.
The noises of the people got louder, and she decided to go take a look. She hurried forward with her luggage by her side, which was making an annoying sound on the ground. She could feel the powerful aura in the air, but she ignored it because her curiosity was getting the best of her. The scene finally came into her view. She saw two powerful creatures which happened to be vampires. One had dirty blonde hair while one had messy pitch-black hair which scattered on his forehead. Her eyes immediately landed on him. She saw him staring at his lair longer than expected.
The black-haired guy had a tall, muscular figure. Stella's eyes drifted down to his neck, and then down to his chest. Her purple-brown eyes landed on his abs which bulged out of his white t-shirt. She couldn't get a clear view of his face because of how he flung his body continually, effortlessly landing deadly punches at the other guy while dodging and defending himself. His moves were swift and calculated. Even Stella herself.
The blonde hair guy's attempts to punch back always ended up being dodged by the black-haired guy. Stella saw the black-haired guy lifting one of his legs, and with just one kick, the blonde hair guy flew a distance, landing on the ground with an impact.
Stella gasped in fright. For a moment she thought he was dead, only for her to see him letting out a couple of coughs. Then, she saw the black-haired guy casually dusting his hands and fixing his messy hair. He tucked both his hands into his trouser pockets and majestically walked towards the half-dead one.
The little crowd cheered for him for winning the fight.
He leaned forward to the boy lying on the ground and whispered.
"You weakling, you're not worthy to be my opponent. Stay far away from me, because who knows, next time you might actually die." With that, he leaned back up, giving the boy a little wicked smile. Stella saw fangs in his mouth. That was when she realized she was surrounded by vampires.
"Maximus! Maximus!!" The crowd shouted the black-haired guy's name.
'Isn't this the witches' quarters?' She asked herself internally. Confused about where she was. Quickly grabbing her luggage, intending to run when,
"Hey you!" a husky, sharp voice shouted, the words cutting through her heart like a wooden stake. The crowd immediately stopped shouting. Stella could no longer feel her legs; it was as if they no longer belonged to her.