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ELYRIA
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As Elizabeth bathed she thought to herself, “So warm... it’s been two week and two days since he started staying with us. I still don’t know his name. Every time I ask he says he doesn’t have one. It’s weird—should I give him a name myself? Dad offered him a job at the restaurant, so he’ll be staying with us for a while. I’ve noticed he murmurs the name Nyx while sleeping. I wonder who she is—maybe his sister or his girl.” She splashed water on her face.
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“I can’t help but think about how attractive he is. Living under the same roof with someone so hot will be challenging. I don’t think I can hide him for too long. I’ve been avoiding Sarah for a while now. I keep seeing him near the school on my way back. If he sees me he’ll definitely call out, and Sarah might get the wrong idea.”
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Just then the bathroom door suddenly burst open. “What are you doing? You pervert!” she screamed, hurling the bar of soap at his face. She slammed the door shut, her heart racing.
Maphals had no idea what just happened.
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DARIA — LIBRARY
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“Wait up, Thane! You’re running too fast!” Alexandra’s breathless voice echoed through the forest.
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“Run, Alexandra!” Thane yelled back, his eyes fixed on some unseen danger. Suddenly Thane vanished, leaving her all alone in the forest.
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“Where am I? What’s going on, Thane?!” Alexandra screamed, confusion etched on her face.
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She pushed on, following his path closely, her heart pounding. As she ran, a group of humans burst from the underbrush, their eyes fixed greedily on Alexandra. “An elf!” one of them exclaimed—elves were said to be extinct; seeing one was unbelievable. “We can sell her for a fortune on the Takka black market.”
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Alexandra’s eyes widened in terror as the men closed in. But just as all hope seemed lost, a strange-looking man appeared out of nowhere, fighting off the attackers with ease.
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After the last man fell, Alexandra collapsed and went unconscious.
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She jolted awake in her darkened bedroom, her heart still racing from the vivid dream. The danger felt too real—these men were from her past. “I keep having that same nightmare about that day. Damon saved me from those men and brought me to this kingdom. I might be a slave—or worse, dead—if it wasn’t for him. I can’t repay his kindness. He gave me a place to call home.” Her eyes filled with tears and grew heavy. “I have made up my mind to serve this kingdom with my life. Thane, wherever you are, be safe.” She closed her eyes and sank back to sleep.
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TAKKA — LAKE VAIL
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“Sneezed.”
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“A beautiful lady just mentioned my name,” Thane said with a chuckle. Zinna laughed, his silver hair gleaming in the sunlight. His red eyes sparkled with amusement as they sat on a tree branch, waiting to ambush a wagon carrying gemstones and other valuables to Daria. Their group of seven had been planning this heist for weeks.
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Flashes of light appeared in the distance—the signal that the wagon was approaching. But Thane’s instincts were on high alert. “I don’t trust your intel, Zinna. Princess Charlotte stopped the movement of gemstones and other valuables from Fulton to Daria. Don’t you think this is some kind of setup?” he asked, his brow furrowed.
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“What do you mean, Thane?” Zinna asked, puzzled.
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“We should be able to sense the gemstones by now, but I’m not feeling anything,” Thane replied, scanning the horizon. “Doesn’t that seem weird?”
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Zinna shrugged. “They might have placed a barrier on the wagon to make it undetectable. They wouldn’t want to draw attention to themselves if they’re planning to sneak it in.”
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Thane was the only one in the group who could use detection—he was a wind user by birth. With his short black hair and muscular build, one could tell he’d been through a lot.
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Thane’s unease grew. Something wasn’t right. The wagon should have been guarded, but now he wondered if they were walking into a trap.
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[RUMBLING!!! — THE WAGON COMES INTO VIEW]
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They watched as a lone woman came into view, driving the wagon. Thane’s instincts screamed at him to call off the ambush, but Zinna leapt at the wagon the moment it got closer.
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As Zinna drew his sword, a swift blade flashed toward him from nowhere, and he barely blocked it. The woman on the wagon stood, revealing her face, and three dark shadowy figures emerged beside her. Zinna recognized them—something didn't add up—they were people who didn’t exist: the infamous trio of killers.
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The rest of the group were ordered to retreat as Thane leapt down to aid his friends. Two of the phantom group were already cut off .
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Another shadowy figure appeared out of nowhere and struck Thane’s chest with a swipe of its paw. He managed to create a wind barrier to block the attack, but the impact was brutal, slamming him into a tree as blood poured from his mouth.
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“AHHHHH!!” Blood rushed from his mouth.
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“Damn it! If only we had withdrawn sooner—this wouldn’t have happened.” Zinna was paralyzed with fear, his worst nightmare come to life.
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“Zinna! Snap out of it! Fight or die! This isn’t the time for daydreaming!” Thane shouted, jumping in front of Zinna to shield him from the shadow beings. With a single punch, Thane jolted Zinna back to reality.
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“Humans! Worthless creatures! Drop dead! None of you will escape! You little thieves, multiplying and bearing—” the woman spat venomously.
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“She’s one of them—sending someone of that status. This was a trap; his intel was wrong. Who could have done this?” Thane thought, as realization ran through him.
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The woman wasn’t a normal demi-human. A Tenebrous Umbra is a mysterious and feared clan, capable of crafting and manipulating darkness—creating shadowy entities that embody the deepest fears of those around them. These entities, known as Umbra Manifestations, appear as dark, featureless silhouettes, devoid of color or texture. They take on the general shape and structure of the feared object or being, but with an unsettling, amorphous quality.
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TU members can create and shape Umbra Manifestations, imbuing them with the essence of a person’s fears. They can manipulate darkness and shadows to move their creations unseen, strike from the shadows, or create shadowy illusions. Umbra Manifestations emit a resonance that amplifies the fear they represent, feeding on the emotional energy of those nearby—and their users.
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“This is the third in command of the TU group—this is not happening,” Thane muttered to himself.
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“[HEHEHHE!!] Selling out the thane for that much gold is worth it, don’t you think? Two hundred Fulton gold coins now, and an additional four hundred after the job is done... priceless!” Riven chuckled.
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“Remind me to never get on your bad side,” Kieran said as he laughed. “You should’ve seen his face; it was absolutely hilarious!”
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“Kieran, get the drinks ready so we can make a toast.” As the drinks were poured, Riven raised his cup. “A toast.”
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[GLUG GLUG GLUG GLUG] “That’s right—drink up, Kieran.” Hahaha.
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“Why aren’t you drinking? [WHEEZE] I can’t breathe. Riven, what is this?!” Kieran gasped.
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“You think I’d share the money with you? You must be crazy, Kieran. What a joke. Hahaha. Life isn’t fair, and you can’t always trust who you think you know. You might be able to read someone’s face, but never their heart.” Hahaha.
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Kieran’s eyes widened in shock as he struggled to breathe; his chest heaved with a loud [WHEEZE]. His gasps grew shallower; his body weakened until he slumped to the ground. The last sound he made was a faint rattle, and then... silence.
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"This is too much to handle,” Zinna said.
“Face the bear while I take those three ninja things—whatever they are. She’s bringing our fears into reality. Switching places is the best option; sooner or later she’ll run out of dio . Those beings are taking too much from her.” Thane replied.
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Zinna leapt to cut off the bear’s head . The umbra reshaped its form into Zinna’s fear once again, three Ninja . “Damn it "
He sliced right between them .. unbelievable.
In that instant his arm was severed. [AAAAAAAAAHG!!!! Whoosh!!!!] Blood poured from his arm, Zinna’s stump without stop.
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“ZINNA!!!! This is bad—this is very bad,” Thane shouted, occupied with the bear.
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“The light is getting dimmer. My body feels cold—could this be the end of me? Am I going to die?” Zinna gasped for air. “I’m coming, Zinna—hold on.” Thane struggled against both the bear and two other ninja who had now turned their attention to thane, Suddenly multiple blades came flying toward him.
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“We are done for; I can’t avoid this.” The swords passed through him as the umbra were no longer supplied with Dio from their user—they all vanished.
* That was close*
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“Finally—she’s all out of Dio. I’m also out of strength. I can’t let Zinna die after all we’ve been through together.” Thane thought. “I can’t lift my body any longer; I’m already at my limit. This is the end for both of us.” He looked up into the sky and fell to his knees.
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“No... please... don’t kill... Zinna... let him live... take me instead...” he gulped. “He... doesn’t deserve... to die...” He struggled to speak. “You want... to hurt someone... hurt me... not him...” His eyes fluttered closed. “Please... I’m begging you... have mercy... on him... not me...” His voice faded. “Zinna... live... let him...” He trailed off into unconsciousness.
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“Ugh. Humans—so weak, so fragile, so blind to the world around them. They think they’re the masters of this world, but they’re just parasites, sucking the life out of everything they touch. And you—you’re no different. You’re just a mindless zombie, following the herd, never questioning, never thinking. You’re a plague, a cancer, a disease that needs to be eradicated. And I’m the cure. I’m the one who’s going to show you the true meaning of power, of strength, of superiority. You see, I’ve evolved beyond your petty human limitations. I’ve transcended your weaknesses, your emotions, your pathetic morality. I am the future, and you are just a relic of the past. So don’t bother begging for mercy. Don’t waste your breath trying to reason with me. It won’t work. I am beyond reason, beyond compassion, beyond humanity. And soon, you will be beyond life itself.” She raised her blade, about to cut off Zinna’s head.
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“Niamh, that’s enough,” someone ordered.
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“But si...r
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...” she stammered.
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ELYRIA
SIMON DEAN SCHOOL — ELYRIA
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"[GLUG GLUG GLUG]"
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"Come on, take it easy, Elizabeth! So, you’re saying he just barged right in?" [Hehehe]
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"It’s not funny, Sarah. I thought he’d leave, but when I came out of the bathroom, he was still there—sleeping on my bed. That’s just too..."
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[CHOMPING CHOMPING]
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"Earlier you said he didn’t have a name. Why don’t you give him one? And where do you think he’s from? Plus, he claimed to be a god. Do you think he might really be one?"
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Elizabeth rolled her eyes, taking a bite of her sandwich.
"You’ve got to be kidding me, Sarah. A god? He doesn’t even know the difference between noodles and bread! He doesn’t know a damn thing... although," she blushed, "he is cute, with those charming eyes of his."
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Sarah burst out laughing. "Sounds to me like someone’s in love!" she teased, chuckling. "Haha, you’re totally smitten!"
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Elizabeth protested, taking another sip of her drink. "[GLUG GLUG]... I’m not!" But her blush betrayed her.
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[THE SOUND OF THE BELL WENT OFF AS SCHOOL CAME TO AN END]
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"Finally got that out of my mind. Now that she knows about it, I shouldn’t avoid her anymore," Elizabeth thought as they both walked home together.
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Just then, a group of guys circled Elizabeth and Sarah.
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"Hmmm, what do you want now, Danzo? I told you I wasn’t interested. My answer is the same as last time, and that’s my final answer. Go tell your boss I’m not going out with him!" she shouted.
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"I never gave you an option, did I?" he laughed. "You’re coming with me."
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He grabbed her by the hand, dragging her along. Sarah stepped forward.
"Let her go!" she demanded, though her voice trembled with fear.
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"And who might this be???" [Haha]
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"That’s some pretty nice chest, boss—why don’t we take both of them?" one of his underlings suggested.
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They all laughed. There were about sixteen of them.
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"Hey Elizabeth, how you doing?" Malphas asked, his eyes locked onto her.
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"Do I look okay to you? Can’t you see?? Are you that dumb?" Elizabeth snapped.
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Malphas shrugged. "Okay, bye," he replied casually, walking past them.
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Danzo’s underlings blocked his path. "Where do you think you’re going, buddy?"
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Another guy recognized Malphas, his eyes widening.
"Huh! It’s the same kid who beat up Kizira!!"
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"How interesting," Danzo sneered. "So this is the kid who got the best of that weakling? Don’t make me laugh!"
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Elizabeth’s heart pounded. The look in his eyes just now... was he really leaving me because of the harsh words I said to him? Does he understand what I’ve been saying all this while? she thought to herself.
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"Xenon!" Elizabeth suddenly shouted.
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“I said that’s enough. Put them in the wagon—we’re taking them back to Fulton.”
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Thanks for reading. ...❤️🩹
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