In a world where beauty is paramount and ugliness a sin, where judgment reigns supreme regardless of right or wrong, and where mere existence feels oppressive.

..here I am

..looking forward to tomorrow

..hoping for the best but bracing for the worst.

I don't like this; I've never liked it. But what can I do? I can't fight fate, can I? This is who I am; I'll deal with it.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of rushing footsteps. My concealment was excellent, but they were better.

"She's here. I can feel her," a man said.

I hoped this tree branch could support my weight.

"Shit!" I swore, slipping from the branches.

"She's here! Come quickly!" another man shouted.

Then, perhaps, I'll die at their hands after all. Here I am, awaiting my doom. Maybe I'll be grateful; at least I won't have to suffer this cruel world any longer. Hello, doom? I guess…

GASP!

I gasped for air, my heart pounding as if I'd just run a marathon.

What now? Am I not dead? Don't tell me I'm immortal now. What kind of Aswang is both a monster and immortal?

I froze at a sudden movement and heard a voice.

"You're awake," said the man beside me, sitting as if he'd been waiting.

"Y-yeah," I replied, scanning the room. What kind of place was this?

"Do you feel fine?" he asked flatly, as if nothing were unusual.

"No," I said after checking myself. My clothes were ripped, and my body ached terribly.

"Who are you?" I asked when he finally met my gaze.

"I'm Petter," he said, his glance cold.

(Pics)

"What's your name?" Petter asked, ignoring my earlier statement about feeling unwell.

"Feliese. Feliese Dela Cruz."

We heard footsteps and a door opening. A beautiful woman entered; she resembled someone I knew and smelled of roses. We were told to come to the office. I didn't know where we were, but it was best to remain silent; I knew I'd learn everything eventually. The woman who'd summoned us knocked and entered.

"Ma'am, they're here," she said as we approached the desk. The woman, "Ma'am," looked me up and down. I felt nervous; she seemed to see right through me, as if all my secrets would be laid bare.

"Ma'am, I—I thank you for saving m-me," I stammered, feeling helpless under her gaze; it was like standing at the gates of hell.

"Well, I didn't save you," she said flatly, turning her gaze to the man beside me. "You can go first. I'll brief this young lady on her situation," she added, dismissing Petter and the other woman, who obeyed without hesitation.

"Feliese, right?" the woman asked.

"Yes, ma'am," I replied, looking around. It resembled a school office more than a hospital, I thought.

"I'm Mrs. Helda Drash, the head of this school. Here, fill this out. It's your enrollment and registration form," Mrs. Drash said casually, as if I'd already agreed to everything. So, it was a school.

"A-ah, Mrs. Drash, I'm already in my second year of college at St. Rose University. I can't enroll here; I'm sorry," I declined respectfully, taking the papers she offered. As I skimmed them, surprise washed over my face.

"This is…" I said, looking at Mrs. Drash with wide eyes.

"Yes, that's what you think it is. I know you're in college, and this is a university as well; you can transfer. However, you'll be starting in your first year since the curriculum and courses are different. This is tuition-free; you only need to provide personal items. Dorms and all amenities are free," she said, smiling amiably. At the end of the day, I'm still among my own kind. I would cry if I had any tears left.

"Mrs. Drash, I offer my deepest gratitude. Thank you for this incredible opportunity. I gladly accept this once-in-a-lifetime chance," I bowed sincerely. "It's nothing; I can only help our fellows," she said, sipping her tea. I stood and adjusted my ripped clothes; my body felt healed.

"Ma'am, may I ask if this is against school policy? This is a prestigious school; is it alright to admit someone like me?" I asked.

"Oh, I know you have questions. This is the school handbook; it contains everything you need to know about policies, rules, regulations, and faculty. You can submit your enrollment form later at 10 o'clock. Here's your dorm key. Ask Petter for directions," she said, shoving everything at me and pushing me out the door with an invisible force, as if eager to be rid of me.

As I walked through the door, it shut behind me. I looked around and saw Petter standing by the door.

"Hey, can I ask where the girls' dorm is?" I asked when our eyes met.

"Come this way," he said, starting to walk. As we walked, I observed the school building; we were on the third floor of the shortest building; others had four or more floors. When we reached the girls' dorm, Petter abandoned me without a word or direction. I was about to thank him when I turned around, but he was gone. This school will be my home.

Without further ado, I entered the dorm. I was excited about this new school. How could an unenrolled student already have a dorm? I was so grateful to be alive.

"Hey! Welcome to Veliesteria Dorm! Where's your luggage?" a girl behind the counter asked. Is that what she's supposed to ask?

"I don't have any." I noticed the girl's expression change; her face seemed to ask, What happened to you? as she looked at my clothes.

"Which floor is room 205?" I asked, ignoring her disgusted expression.

"Second," she replied. I went directly to the elevator. I didn't know if I had a roommate, but I expected as much. The elevator doors opened to a long, spacious hallway. I could see the door with the plaque "205."

I was about to knock when I remembered my key. Instead, I unlocked the door and entered. I was about to appreciate the spaciousness when I felt a strong sense of danger.

My fangs grew in seconds, along with long, sharp fingernails. Instinctively, I slashed behind me without looking. This was my life we were talking about. I slashed again to the side and took a step back. My eyes turned yellow with vertical lines like a snake's; my senses heightened as I glared around. I heard a whimper as I saw blood dripping from my fingernails. There, wounded, with a long gash on her arm, she staggered back to the sofa.

"I'm sorry," I said, watching her lick her wound and whimper. She was wearing only a bra and panties; a glimmering beauty.

"You're a girl, alright? Stop drooling!" she said, covering herself with a robe.

"Why did you attack me?" I asked. Of course, her intention was to kill me. It was dangerous, and anyway, I was only appreciating the beauty God created—or did He create her? I thought.

"I wasn't informed someone was coming," she said, getting up and going to her room. It had to be her room. I realized she hadn't used a weapon; had she relied solely on physical strength? I wanted to ask more, but she clearly wanted to be left alone. She smells like trouble anyway.

Veliesteria University. The only hidden university from mortals, where unique students are admitted. From the headmistress to faculty, students, and staff—all unbelievable creatures.

I filled out my form. It asked for my classification; what kind of Aswang? In the end, I left it blank. Let them find out who I am.

I decided to walk around the school after submitting my forms. Even without help, I was sure I wouldn't get lost. I looked at my schedule; it was best to know my classes and room beforehand.

CLATTER!

"OUCH!" I cried, picking up my papers from the floor before looking at the culprit.

"Bryan?" "Fel!?" We both shouted our names in unison. He looked more terrified than surprised. What was he doing here? Even after decades, I recognized him instantly.

"I'm sorry, Fel. Let's get out of here; I'll explain later," he said hurriedly, grabbing my hand. I held him tighter, pressing ourselves against the wall as I whispered, "Conceal." I told him not to move as we watched a group of people approaching.

We didn't have time to run; it was better to observe. As they drew closer, I heard their conversation.

"It's not noon yet. What are we doing? And inside the building, too? Aren't we going to get caught?" a girl in pink said worriedly. She looked young; how could she be a college student?

"Oh, Charlie, we won't get caught if no one sees us," said the girl in red, seemingly the leader.

"Sheryl, not good. Look ahead," said the one at the back. They abandoned Bryan and hurried back where they came from. I looked where they'd been looking and saw Petter.

"Feliese, I can see you. What are you doing concealing yourself?" he asked. I dropped my concealment; it wasn't meant for him anyway.

"Bryan was being pursued by some people; they didn't look friendly."

"You mean the noontime hunt—kill or be killed?" he asked, clearly knowing about it. What kind of horror is this?

"Yes, they pursued me even after I entered the school grounds and followed me into this building. They'd been watching me even though it's not noon yet," Bryan said, livid.

"What kind of school is this? Why would the headmistress allow this?" I asked, dazed. My confusion was obvious.

"It's not a real killing, you imbecile. It's a program for changing student council members," he said, turning and disappearing into the shadows.

"Want to come to my place?" Bryan asked, looking at my stunned expression. I thought it was a real killing. I couldn't blame myself; I'd nearly been murdered on my first day, in my own dorm, by my own roommate. I nodded; I still couldn't speak, especially after Petter called me an imbecile. He's insane!

"What's really happening here? You know how it feels to be in the dark and know nothing, right?" I asked a little later.

"Fel… you know this isn't what we should be talking about right now. How did you get here? Why are you here?" Bryan asked, confused. Bryan was my childhood friend. His family was rumored to be Aswang, which is why they moved, and I hadn't seen him in years. Now I knew he wasn't ordinary. Being in this school proved you possessed something that shouldn't be revealed to mortals.

"You're here, so it proves that…" I interrupted him.

"Yes… yes, Bry, I'm an Aswang since birth… that's why I know that concealment spell. I came here by accident; I don't know this place's location… I was being pursued by mortals. I thought I was going to die. When I woke up, I was already in this school," I said, shoving a burger into my mouth. That's not really what I wanted to talk about.

"We were chased out of our town because we're Aswang, and you didn't even say anything," Bryan said, as if harboring a grudge from long ago.

"Oh, shut up, Bry. We were kids then. What could I possibly have done at that age?" I retorted. We'd been close, like best friends, and I didn't understand the reason back then, but now I guessed it was our shared bloodline.

"The burger had garlic and chili," he stated flatly.

"I know," I smirked. I remembered not being able to handle chili and garlic back then. But I'd overcome that fear; that's how I discovered Aswang can eat garlic and chili with practice. I suffered immensely to overcome that.

"Alright, stop teasing, and let's get back to business," I said when he tried to goad me further.

"What year are you in?" I asked.

"I'm in first year, 1-C. How about you?" he replied.

"1-C. Tell me about this student council program," I said. It was better to have an ally and know things beforehand.

"The student council changes annually, as usual, but this university is different. They don't count votes; they count the people they can control. Each party candidate hunts for 'votes' and marks them—a special mark that targets the soul and weakens it if the contract is disobeyed. It's not a choice; once marked, you're bound, even if you don't want to be. You can't remove the mark yourself; only the one who placed it can. This program is approved by the dean, but with rules: no one should be hurt; students are guided and must protect themselves; and presidential candidates can't hunt; only their members and supporters can. There are two parties and one independent candidate; I don't have information on them," Bryan said, proving his knowledge. Nothing had changed; he was still a smart-alecky loner.

"Oh, so which party are you in?" I asked.

"Petter's," he said.

"Petter's the president, right?" I asked. Even if he'd called me an imbecile, I'd rather choose him.

"Yeah. It's getting late; the hunt lasts until 2 AM. You should go to your room. My roommate will be here soon," Bryan said, heading for the door. Interestingly, while the boys' and girls' dorms were separate, they weren't entirely off-limits to each other.

"Won't you walk me to my dorm?" I teased.

"Oh, shut up, Fel. Even back then, you were strong; now you've really grown up," he said, glancing at my breasts. Disgusting!

"Bry!" I said coldly. He'd been staring. Well, they were big… kinda.

"What?" Bryan should be feeling my temper by now. I'd known him since childhood, and he'd always had a crush on me. I just didn't know if that was still the case.

"Bryan!" someone shouted from behind. Her voice was familiar, yet I hadn't sensed her presence until she attacked. I dodged and slapped her head, sending her face-first to the floor. I really wanted to laugh at how pathetic she was. What was she, anyway? I didn't sense any Aswang connection; maybe she was from another race. This was the girl from earlier, my supposed roommate.

"Ahh, ry, ry! Help me!" She cried, drawing attention from other students.

Did she want an Oscar? I'd gladly give her reason to cry. I was about to hit her again when Bryan helped her, even carrying her bridal style back to his room. I could smell the bitchiness. Seeing his serious expression—I'd never seen him so serious before—I wondered about their relationship. Well, that's a given. I wanted to follow them.

"You should go. See you," he said coldly, shutting the door without looking back. I was stunned, shocked, and…sad? No, that wasn't right.

"Oh, shoot! I can't sleep in my room!" said a voice from the doorway. It was Bryan's roommate.

"Are they in a relationship?" I realized what I'd said too late. I shouldn't have cared.

"Hi, I'm Rey, Bryan's roommate. Jessa's my cousin. I guess it's my fault they met, and yeah, they're in a relationship," he said. Not very talkative, are we? I shouldn't be sad; I should be happy Bryan wasn't alone anymore.

"Okay," I said.

"Do you know anywhere I can sleep tonight?" Rey asked, about to leave.

"I just got here; I don't know anyone or anything," I blurted.

"Oh, you said that girl's your cousin? Well, she's my roommate," I added, realizing Bryan would spend the night with that bitch. I couldn't stand it.

"Can I take her place?" Rey asked with puppy eyes. As if I cared.

"Do whatever you want!" I said, walking away. When I looked back, he was gone. I guess he didn't like my response. I didn't care.

I was about to unlock my door when I felt his presence; his concealment was almost as good as mine.

"Where did you go? I thought you didn't want to be here; you weren't following me," I said flatly. I wasn't concerned; I wanted to know what he'd done.

"Well, I brought this!" he said, proudly showing me some beer.

"Are you going to drink all of that?" I asked. What a stupid question. Of course, he would.

"Yeah, we will," he said, entering the room as if I'd agreed to drink with him.

"No, we won't. You will. I'll be sleeping, and you'll do whatever you want, but don't be noisy," I said, locking the door. I cast a spell to prevent anyone from entering or leaving while I slept; this would prevent unnecessary problems. "Don't do anything funny; I won't hesitate to kill you. Your cousin already got a taste of that," I said seriously, emphasizing my words.

As I was about to enter my room, I heard him call from the lounge. "Aren't you going to ask me about Bryan or Jess?" he asked, having finished the beer. Not much of a drunkard, are you? I thought.

"I'll find out myself," I said emotionlessly.

"But I can tell you now," he replied. There's a lot going on in my life recently; I don't know if I can still manage on my own. I thought I'd have an ally in Bryan. It's not that I'm using him, but it's good to have someone, right? There's a limit to what I can do alone. In this society, which I think is more dangerous than the mortal world, I need connections, companions, and allies.

"Then tell me," I said, walking back to him and taking a beer from the table. "I'd appreciate it," I added, but I still needed to be careful; I didn't know who to trust. I guess I'll drink anyway.

"My cousin is like Madame Drash; she comes from both sides; she knows both black and white magic. I know you're new here, but you wouldn't be here if you weren't one of us, so I'll tell you everything. Jess and I come from the same lineage. Basically, she's okay, but the nasty thing is, she wants everything and anything, no matter the cost."

"Madame Drash is a chosen Divine Albularyo and Supreme Aswang. How are you guys related to her?" I asked, sensing the pleasant scent she emitted.

"Madame Drash is my grandmother," he whispered. "It's a secret, heehee ^_^! Don't tell anyone," he added. This idiot! How could he tell me so easily? Suspicious. I don't even sense divine power from him.

"I didn't inherit her divine blood, but her supreme status. The thing about Jessa is that she has the divine aura and is also a Supreme Aswang. In our race, she's known as the crowned princess; that's why her head's so big. It wasn't concerning at first, but then she started summoning demons to get what she wants," he said, completely exposing his weakness. I listened carefully.

"The thing earlier was the demon of lust; it's been possessing her for a while; she has full control. No one can resist it," he added.

"She's weak in combat if that's the case," I said; maybe that's why I'd defeated her with one strike.

"Yeah, you're right," he replied. "But she can also summon demons of war, chaos, or calamity. That would be worse. I need to be vigilant." A powerful Manggagaway.

"You said it's your fault Bryan and your cousin met? How?" I asked.

"Well, one time I didn't do what Jess wanted, so she went to my dorm and made a scene; that's where they met," he said, taking a sip of his beer.

"What can you do?" I asked, not wanting to know more about that scene; I'd ask Bryan myself.

"I'm a healer, but I can also curse; I'm an Aswang, after all," he said. Maybe he's a good fighter, too.

"What can you do?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing special. I'm just a useless Aswang, at the bottom rank ^_^! It's nothing to be proud of," I said meekly.

"Oh, c'mon, it's not so bad," he consoled me.

"Both my parents are at the lowest ranks in our race. It was worse when my mother was carrying me; they avoided eating human flesh, which made me weak. They only ate animal flesh," he said. He should realize that any Aswang who avoids human flesh loses 70% of their power, becoming a laughingstock among their peers. It's both good and bad to be underestimated. I looked at him and realized he'd been sleeping this whole time?! This idiot! I wanted to punch him; this bastard! How dare he sleep on me!

Tss!

It was dusk when I woke up. This university doesn't operate like the mortal world; everyone wakes at dusk—Albularyo, Diwata, Incanto, Aswang, or any other creature, good or bad. This is how we start our night.

"C'mon, open the door!" I heard an impatient shout outside my door before a knock.

"Really? You're going to start my night with this bullshit?!" I shouted back, kicking open my bedroom door. Of course, he couldn't open the entrance; I'd put a spell on it last night.

"I can't get out!" said the man, blushing? Why was he blushing? I didn't say anything, but I opened the room and kicked him out. As I returned to my bed, I saw my reflection in the mirror: I was only wearing my panties and a see-through bra. This is humiliating! So that's why he was blushing! That bastard! I couldn't sleep like this anymore; better start my night already.

"Did you have fun last night? My cousin's pretty beat up," said the bitchy voice from the door. Was she referring to the man I'd just kicked out?

"That's my line, fool," I responded. I'd given up on befriending her; she couldn't be my ally. "My best friend sure does feel good to be played with, huh?" I mocked her. Don't even try getting on my bad side, bitch; you don't stand a chance.

"Oh, yeah? He is so good!" she said flirtatiously, trying to sway me. I cast an ancient taming spell inherited from my ancestors; no one could resist it.

"PLOP!" I was surprised when she suddenly became unconscious and fell to the floor; a black shadow arose from her seven apertures; it must be the demon of lust possessing her.

"Bryan!?" I called out, seeing him in the hallway. I felt relieved that Jess no longer had the power to summon demons. This way, I'll have Bryan all to myself. It's selfish, but it'll benefit him, too.

"You're early," he said, acting cool as we walked. What did Jess want from him?

"Yeah, say… what's your relationship with Jessa Callaham?" I asked, unsure if I really wanted to know.

"She just wants to be pampered. If I remember correctly, it was Rey's punishment for not doing what she wanted. Since he's my roommate, Jess said it was my responsibility to make up for it—not very reasonable, is it? Given the situation, I did what she wanted," Bryan stated. Yeah, but now she can't do that anymore—ordering people around as if the world revolves around her, I thought.

"Oh, I'm sorry about yesterday. I didn't know what I'd done until Rey told me this morning. I'm really sorry, Feliese. Let me make it up to you. Let's go to the movies," he said sincerely. Under normal circumstances, I would have let it go.

"Yes, of course. Don't worry about last night; it's been taken care of," I said without thinking.

"Huh? What did you say?" he asked, confused.

"What? Heehee ^_^! Nothing. Come on, let's go to our room; we'll be late," I said, pushing him toward our room.

The teacher was already there, seeming very strict; she reminded me of my late mother, the queen. While she lectured on a certain ancestral race, I was busy analyzing how I could conquer the world -_-! Just kidding. It was so boring it nearly killed me. The only good thing was that I already knew the topic. What could you expect from someone homeschooled? The normal curriculum of public and private schools versus what I'd learned—or should I say, been forced to learn—was far beyond theirs.

"Who can give me at least one ancestral race from the dark side? Anyone?" the teacher asked, but received only silence, like the silence of death.

"Sigantres and Ures Ures," I said, breaking the silence and causing everyone to turn towards me.

"What? Am I wrong?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"How did you know of their existence? Merely mentioning them is almost a curse," the teacher said, worry and confusion on her face.

"It's not, if you're protected by the divine ancestral chant. What? Am I wrong, ma'am? And why the hell did you ask in the first place?" I asked.

"Well, you're not wrong, but this isn't recorded by any account, from either the light or dark side. How did you know?" she asked.

"I'm not the only one who knows this stuff; you yourself know it, too, right? So maybe… just maybe… it came from the same resources?" I said, obviously not revealing my personal knowledge. Oh, Great Creator, I'm grateful there's no creature You made that can read minds, I thought, scanning my classmates' eyes. Or did You?

"Hey, Bry, who's that boy next to that nerd?" I whispered as the teacher continued her lecture.

"That's Dexter Quintin. Why? Are you interested in him?" Bryan asked. I didn't respond.

What makes a human "human"? Is it ethics? Norms? Anything that fits the standard of being "right"? I personally don't understand human nature, proving I'm not one of them—weak creatures, wicked, not powerful, yet capable of anything they desire. We, my brethren, are like humans aspire to be: some wicked, some kind, some uninvolved in disputes. The strong and smart govern us, perhaps the only similarity between what humans consider "monsters" and themselves.

"How's life been? How have you been? It's been a long time since we last saw each other," Bryan said, eating his burger. I couldn't respond, not because I didn't want to, but because of the scenery. Our ideal atmosphere, as monsters, would be pitch black at night, but no. The supposed darkness was beautiful, with sparkles twinkling everywhere. Such a beautiful town; only if we belonged here, though we deserve it.

"It's been fine. Do you remember my mother?" I asked, biting into my burger.

"Yeah, she seemed strict, if I remember correctly. She was pretty, too," he said. Yeah, what do you expect from her highness? I thought.

"What race are you from? Are you related to our clan?" I asked. We can't be together if we're related.

What am I thinking! This is stupid!

"From the southern races, the goblin side," he said.

"Where did you go after the mortals chased you out?" I asked. Good thing we're not related.

"We returned to our hometown. My mother was a mortal, so we didn't stay at my father's place. My father was the first prince; he didn't want his father's—the Goblin King's—responsibilities, so he stepped down from the throne. When we returned, the kingdom needed saving; the crowned king was dying, cursed by a Supreme Mangkukulam. My father became king and saved the kingdom; it's still flourishing," he said, seemingly summarizing his whole life. Hilarious.

"May I ask what you know about me?" I asked.

"You? Nothing, besides you being my best friend back then. I know nothing about you," Bryan said.

"Good. Let's go," I said, standing to leave. "I have things to do," I said, getting into the car.

"Fel, I know you're hiding your true identity. I respect that; I'll wait until you tell me. Now that we're together, I won't let you go again, and I want you to know I'll always be here for you," Bryan said after getting in. What's this? A love confession? I thought. I didn't know how to respond. Should I cry? Laugh? Anyway, it was good he was by my side.

It's Friday.

Most students returned to their hometowns; some preferred to stay and continue studying and practicing their powers and abilities.

"Hey, Dex," I called with a superficial smile, seeing him in the corridor. This Batres—so charming and handsome.

(Picture of Dexter and introduction, how he looks and his status)

Heh, I chuckled. Batres—creatures with mind-reading abilities. They've been almost wiped out in recent millennia; they're avoided because of their ability to read the minds of creatures more powerful than themselves. Who wants their secrets known? That's why they were purged; I think my ancestors were among those who nearly wiped them out.

"Hey…" he called back. "What can I help you… your highness?" he added almost inaudibly. I stopped abruptly, realizing what he'd said.

"Never call me that again, or you won't know how you die. Given your high intelligence, you'll still fail," I said charmingly. If only Bryan could see me now, he'd know what "charming" means.

"I… I'm sorry. I… I didn't mean that," he stammered, adjusting his glasses.

"I won't do it again," he said seriously. Better not, I thought.

"Okay! Then we're good," I said. He knows my identity… well, that's a given, for a creature made to pry open secrets. "So? Are you going home tonight?" I asked, resuming my unnatural naturalness.

"What do you want from me?" he asked seriously. He's direct, isn't he?

"I don't want you spewing secrets everywhere, to anyone or anything, unless you don't want your tongue or fingers," I said, laughing charmingly at the end, as if it were a funny conversation. I sensed he'd tensed up. "Oh! Relax, I was just kidding, alright!" I laughed again.

"I want to live as normally as possible; I don't want to be entangled in such issues," he said pleadingly. He knows what I'm capable of; he's scared.

"Swear an oath," I replied simply, as if stating I was hungry. Swearing an oath was as sacred as Heaven's Dao; you'd be struck by tenth-level lightning if you broke it.

"And how can I trust you won't pester me anymore?" he asked, afraid I'd go back on my word; our race wasn't known for trustworthiness. "Why hide your true identity? We're not in the mortal world anymore; they won't judge you, because everyone here is as disgusting as can be. Don't bother concealing who you are; you're wasting your precious self," he lamented, as if he'd already lost his life.

"That's exactly why," I said. "So? Are you taking the oath or not?" I said with slight seriousness. "Don't act as if you've lost your life; it's just an oath," I added.

"You don't know me," he said quietly, but I heard him clearly. What did he mean by that? "Okay, I'll do it." He closed his eyes, chanting as blue light surrounded him during the sacred ritual. "I, Dexter Quintin, solemnly swear an oath to the Heavens Dao. I'll never tell Miss Feliese's secret to anyone, anything, or anywhere. I, Dexter Quintin, will accept your punishment if I break my oath." As his chant ended, the blue light disappeared; he opened his innocent, captivating almond eyes. I couldn't look away.

"Fel!" someone called, and I turned. It was Bryan. When I looked back at Dexter, he was gone. Bryan's heartbeat was still racing when he reached me. "Where were you? I've been looking for you for two hours!" he said, worried. Why would he look for me for two hours? Such patience.

"I've been here only a couple of minutes; I was talking to Dexter," I said absentmindedly. Was this bad? Had I been enchanted or cursed? But I felt fine; nothing could affect me, internally or externally, even spiritually.

"I didn't see anyone. Are you sure it was Dex? Maybe it was a ghost," he said, looking around.

"Why were you looking for me?" I asked, shrugging off my thoughts.

"I'm going home; would you come?" he asked, uncertain.

"Sure," I said simply. "What's the transportation? Air? Land? Or water?" I asked curiously, remembering how he'd flown around with me as kids and walked kilometers as if teleporting, defying the laws of physics.

"Neither. We're teleporting—from my dorm room to my room in our castle," he said, leading me to his dorm. Female students weren't forbidden from entering the male dorms, and vice versa.

As he opened his bedroom door, he chanted; a bright light surrounded the frame. When he opened it and walked through, I followed. We were in a different room—enormous. It wasn't a room; it was a house. Bryan's room. Isn't it a waste of space, such a huge room for one person? But hey, those bookshelves are glamorous; one bookshelf holds a whole library. Yaycks! I felt dizzy just looking.

"Done admiring?" Bryan asked, smiling, leaning against a bookshelf as my eyes passed over him. My heart started acting up again. Ugh! I'm such a slut; first Dexter, then Bryan? What the heck is happening? Why do I find these people so handsome and captivating? "Heh," I sneered, trying to suppress my emotions.

"What are we going to do here?" I asked, avoiding his gaze.

"It's been too long since we last saw each other; isn't it time for us to reminisce?" he said seriously. Well, I find it cool.

"There's a spiritual stream up north; why don't we go there first? We'll bring food and drinks," he suggested, heading for the door.

"Ugh, well, okay. What's so good about the stream?" I asked, following him; I heard him call someone to prepare things.

"Well, it's called a spiritual stream for a reason."