The first thing I noticed about him was his eyes. Not because they were beautiful, though they were, they were glowing, but because they didn't look alive. It was strange because everyone else in the room laughed, talked, moved… but him? He just sat there. Still. Watching! Like he was waiting for something or someone.
I didn't know his name then, I didn't know what he was, but I knew one thing for sure; meeting him would change my life… or end it.
The gates of Ravencrest College creaked as Elara stepped inside. The air changed immediately. It was colder… heavier… like the place was breathing but didn't want to be noticed.
Students walked past in neat uniforms, but something felt off. Nobody laughed loudly. Nobody lingered too long in one place. Then she saw him again, the same boy from earlier.
He stood under a tall stone archway, half in shadow, watching her.
Elara adjusted her bag and walked toward him, ignoring the strange feeling in her chest. "Hey," she said softly. He didn't respond at first. Then slowly, his eyes shifted to her. "Yes?" his voice was calm… too calm. She hesitated. "You're new too?" A pause.
"I've been here longer than you think," he replied. That didn't make sense—but before she could ask, he turned slightly away. Elara frowned. "You're very strange, you know that?" For the first time, something almost like emotion passed through his face. "A lot of things here are strange," he said quietly. "You'll learn."
A bell rang suddenly. Students began moving, but when Elara looked back, the boy was already gone. No footsteps, no sound, just… gone. She blinked. "Wait… where did he—" "Don't talk to him." A girl beside her grabbed her arm. Elara turned. "Who?" The girl's eyes flicked toward the empty archway. "Lucien Vale".
That night, Elara couldn't sleep. Something pulled her outside her dorm. The campus was silent… too silent. And then she saw it—Lucien standing in the middle of the courtyard. But he wasn't alone. Behind him… figures moved in the darkness, watching, waiting, and one of them smiled. A smile full of teeth. Lucien didn't turn around—But he spoke softly into the night: "…I told you not to follow me, Elara."