"The cold heart learns to feel but they just can't flow!

~Virgil

“It’s been a while, Virgil. How’s the mission going?”

The stern voice of a man echoed from an old, platinum-coloured stone resting on the bedside table. It resembled a pocket watch, its surface faintly glowing.

Staring blankly into the void, I responded with little enthusiasm, “Yes, Master.”

But instead of giving a straight answer, I added, “I haven’t identified the target yet.”

That was a lie.

I already knew who my target was. I didn't understand why I lied—it just felt right in that moment. A taut silence filled the room, but neither of us made an effort to break it. My head swirled with thoughts, endless possibilities of what would happen when I finally faced her.

A smirk tugged at my lips as my tongue instinctively slid across my fangs. This wouldn't end well for me either—I knew that. But she was my prey, my mission.

“Alright, kid. Don't mess this one up,” the voice on the other end said, his tone sharp.

I gripped the communication device tightly in my hand and let out a low hum in response. The conversation ended in suspense, leaving me alone once more.

I hated this feeling.

To be honest, I wasn't entirely sure if she was the target. The clues I'd been given all pointed to her, but what if they were wrong? What if the target was someone else, like a man or some notorious creature?

I sighed, running a hand through my hair in frustration. I wasn't supposed to get attached, not to the target, not to anyone. But this... this was different. I didn't even know what to think anymore.

Maybe a swim would clear my head.

I stood up, heading to my closet to grab a towel. Without much thought, I made my way to the gymnasium. As I stepped inside, the vast room was empty, just as I’d expected. Not that I minded the emptiness—it suited me.

Frost Hall was silent, the kind of silence that pressed against your ears and made you feel the weight of your own breathing. The air was cool, and faint echoes of my footsteps bounced off the polished floors as I strode toward the pool.

The water shimmered under the dim, artificial lights, its surface a perfect, undisturbed mirror. I stood at the edge, peeling off my shirt and tossing it aside. The chill of the room didn't bother me—nothing ever did.

Lowering myself into the water, I felt the coolness wrap around me like a second skin. For a brief moment, it was almost peaceful. Almost.

But the peace didn't last long.

As I sank deeper into the water, something stirred. A feeling. Something dark, crawling up my spine like icy fingers. I ignored it at first, pushing off the wall and gliding through the pool with powerful strokes. The water parted effortlessly as I moved, each stroke strong and deliberate.

But then I felt it again.

A shadow.

It wasn't something I could see, but I could feel it—hovering, watching, waiting. The predator in me stirred, I am always on my toes ready for a challenge. My instincts screamed at me to turn, to bare my fangs, to fight. But there was nothing there. At least, not that I could see.

I stopped swimming and floated in the middle of the pool, my red eyes scanning the room. The shadows seemed to stretch farther than they should, creeping up the walls and curling into corners where the light couldn't reach.

And then, I heard it.

A faint ripple in the water.

I wasn't alone.

The stillness of the pool was broken as I whipped around, my senses on high alert. My fangs extended instinctively, and my claws itched to tear into something—or someone.

“Show yourself,” I growled, my voice low and commanding, echoing through the empty space.

There was no response, only the soft sound of water lapping against the edges of the pool. My heart didn’t beat, but I could feel the adrenaline coursing through me anyway.

And then, from the corner of my eye, I saw it. A figure. A blur of movement beneath the water.

Without hesitation, I dove.

The water rushed past me as I surged downward, my vision sharp even in the dim depths. But when I reached the bottom, there was nothing. Just the cold, empty silence of the water pressing against me.

I resurfaced, my chest heaving—not from exhaustion, but from the raw, unrelenting anger building inside me. My hand gripped the edge of the pool, and I hauled myself out in one swift motion.

Dripping and tense, I scanned the room again. The shadows were still there, shifting and writhing like they were alive.

“Enough games,” I snarled, my voice cutting through the air.

And then, just as quickly as it had begun, it stopped. The shadows stilled and the water calmed. The room fell silent once more.

I stood there, dripping water onto the tiles, my fists clenched and my senses sharp. Whatever it was, it was gone now. But I knew it wasn't over.

Something—or someone—was watching me. And whatever it was, it wanted me to know. I found it quite interesting, for a creature to hide it's presence while playing with my instincts, whatever it was, they really almost got me.

From this mild experience, this creature could be either a witch or a hybrid shapeshifter...I took a few laps of a swim before I exited and left the gymnasium.

Once I left the gymnasium, I headed towards my room where I swiftly changed into Shadowthorne's casual attire before I headed to the library. In this academy, time doesn't matter, after all night creatures don't slumber. Well particularly me, a mission awaits to be uncovered.

On my way to the library, I heard familiar hushed voices and when I tried to figure out what they were talking about, my abilities seemed to fade-as if someone deliberately nullified them.

'Interesting!' I thought inwardly.