Kayla climbed out of the only window in her dorm room, unable to sit still for another moment in the confined space. The weight of her past pressed against her chest, and she needed the open sky to breathe again. Today weighs far heavier on her than I thought.
As she pulled herself onto the roof, she was greeted by a breathtaking sight—last of the sunset painted the horizon with hues of gold, pink, and fiery orange. The colors spilled across the snowy landscape, bathing the academy in a warm, ethereal glow. the sunset painted the sky in a cascade of colors—fiery oranges melting into soft pinks, with streaks of gold fading into the deep indigo of approaching night. It was breathtaking, a fleeting masterpiece that felt worlds away from all of her worries.
For a moment, the weight of everything lifted, replaced by the simple beauty before her. A small smile spread as she took a deep breath.
she flicked her wrist, melting the snow where she planned to sit and drying the surface to make it more comfortable. Settling down, she let the cold breeze play with her hair, its chill sharp.
Seeing Matthew brought back memories she wanted to forget. Kayla realized that even after 2 years of mending herself did not completely heal her scars. They were deeply etched within her.
Rage burned within her, memories trying to crawl up, chocking her. She took a deep breath burying them down, down and down. She will not let the past ruin her future.
She is not that Kayla anymore. She is in control of her destiny.
From her vantage point, the Astral academy stretched out before her like a dream: towering spires and domes covered in snow.
Below, the courtyard buzzed with life. some of the students were still arriving, with packed bags and their eyes filled with hope and excitement to start of their new life.
as she watched she realized that there were not only sorcerers like me down there but also vampires and shifters. She was excited to see them for the first time. All she knew about the other species is from the books she read and the stories she heard. This was her first time seeing them with her own eyes.
And she was able to easily spot them among the students because of the quirks.
Vampires moved with an unnatural grace, their movements so fluid they seemed to glide across the snow almost impossible to see. Some flashed by so quickly they were mere blurs, faster than the winter wind itself. Werewolves, unbothered by the freezing cold, strolled confidently in light cotton shirts, their breath forming faint clouds in the frosty air.
And then there were the sorcerers like her. Some twirled their fingers, weaving small spells that glittered like fireflies against the dimming light.
It was then that Kayla felt someone. Their gaze leaving a trail of prickling sensation on the exposed parts of my back. It was intense, penetrating, and far from merely assessing; it was devouring. I could almost feel the heat of it searing through the layers of my composure, igniting a flush beneath my skin.
she turned, scanning the roof, compelled to find the source of that searing gaze. There leaning casually against a spire on the opposite side of the academy stood a figure.
At first glance, he might have been mistaken for just another student like me who was on the roof wanting to enjoy the sunset, if not for the fact that he was standing like a statue, as if he was carved out of the same stone as the spire he was on. if not for the unmistakable otherworldly aura around him, she would have dismissed his presence.
Even though she has never met one she knew instantly.
He was a vampire.