The day unfolded like a vibrant tapestry, woven with threads of laughter and camaraderie. Classrooms buzzed with focused energy, but the real magic began after the bell. As the final echoes faded, Ri and Ash, inseparable as always, made their way to Fang's Café, tucked away on the other side of campus. It was their haven, a cozy space filled with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the comforting hum of conversation.
Jihu, a regular at Fang's, was often there too. Soon, a comfortable rhythm developed. Jihu and Ri would often find themselves lost in conversation, their heads bent together over books or whispered jokes, while Ash, with her bright enthusiasm, would chat animatedly with Fang behind the counter, a comfortable familiarity settling between them. Shu, the observer, never seemed to mind these pairings. He'd often watch with a knowing smile, a silent acknowledgment of the connections forming around him.
One day, the usual comfortable atmosphere shifted slightly. Shu, arriving at the café, strode straight towards the counter, a mischievous glint in his eyes. She addressed Ash, her voice laced with a playful tone, "Hey, Mrs. Fang, can you give me a cappuccino with two sugars?"
Ash's eyes widened, a blush creeping up her neck. "What are you talking about?" she stammered, her cheeks burning. "I'm not Mrs. Fang! I'm just helping him out, and we're friends, okay?"
Shu threw her hands up in mock surrender. "Oh, sorry! My bad. Guess my imagination ran a little wild there. Just picturing you and Fang, all lovey-dovey. Sorry, it's my bad." She chuckled, the twinkle in her eyes refusing to dim.
She then turned her attention to the corner table where Jihu and Ri were engrossed in conversation. "Hey, lovebirds," she called out, earning a startled look from Ri. "Can I join you?"
Jihu, with his gentle, ever-present smile, responded instantly, "Yes, why not? Come on over."
Ri, however, was less accepting. She narrowed her eyes at Shu. "What did you just say? Do you think it's a joke?"
Shu feigned an innocent expression. "Truth hurts, doesn't it? Am I wrong, brother-in-law?" she directed the last part at Jihu.
Jihu's cheeks flushed a subtle pink, but he couldn't help the soft smile that bloomed on his lips. "No, not at all," he admitted, his gaze briefly meeting Ri's, a silent message passing between them.
Shu clapped her hands together, pleased. "Okay, so I'll just interrupt your lovely talk then. Please don't mind." She settled into the chair beside Jihu, effectively breaking into their bubble of intimacy.
The three of them chatted, the conversation flowing easily between them, the initial tension quickly dissipating. They talked about classes, upcoming assignments, and the usual everyday things for half an hour. Then, the café door burst open, revealing Raven, his face a mask of urgency. He strode straight to Fang, his words tumbling out in a rush. "Give me an Americano, hurry! I have to go, Dad's calling me. I think it's urgent."
Fang stopped what he was doing, his brow furrowing with concern. "Bro, what happened? Is something wrong? Is your mom not feeling well again? Is Aunt okay?"
Raven shook his head, his hand running through his hair. "I really don't know. I have to go but first, I need to cool my head. So, I need a strong Americano, please."
The café went still for a moment, the previous laughter and light-hearted chatter replaced by a shared, unspoken worry. The vibrant tapestry of the day had suddenly frayed at the edges, the thread of concern weaving its way into the previously carefree atmosphere. The day, which had begun with such joyous promise, now hung suspended, waiting for answers to the unasked questions hanging heavy in the air.
The frantic energy radiating from Raven was palpable. Jihu, observing his friend's distress, could no longer ignore the simmering tension. Raven had received a call from his father, and the worry etched onto his face was enough to shatter the usual stoicism. "Maybe Raven's mother is really very sick," Jihu murmured, a knot tightening in his stomach. He surged to his feet. "Tell me what happened, brother," he insisted, his voice thick with concern. "You're not alone, we have to go with you, right Fang?"
Fang, ever the loyal companion, confirmed with a nod, "It's nothing, we will definitely go."
But Raven, usually so contained, erupted. His anger was raw and volatile. "You don't need to know this, okay!" he snapped at Ri, his voice laced with venom. "And it's because of humans like you that I have this problem!"
Shu, who had always been fiercely protective of Ri, couldn't contain her rage. Without a thought, her hand flew out, connecting with Raven's cheek in a sharp slap. "How dare you talk to Ri like that?" she hissed.
The consequences were instantaneous and terrifying. Raven, his eyes burning with a primal fury, pushed Shu with such force that she was sent flying. Two nearby tables splintered into pieces as she crashed into them, before landing with a sickening thud. She was instantly unconscious.
Ri, completely bewildered, turned to Jihu, her eyes wide with fear. "What's going on? Why did Raven do that? I know you're not human, you're something else, but why are you doing this to us? What have we done to you?" Tears streamed down her face.
Jihu, his mind scrambling to process the sudden violence, placed a reassuring hand on Ri's shoulder. "Ri, give me some time," he said, his voice strained. "I will sort everything out, and then we can talk about this." He knew he needed to focus on the immediate crisis: Shu.
"Fang!" he bellowed, his voice laced with panic. "Come and heal Shu!"
Then, turning his rage on Raven, Jihu grabbed his collar, his voice a guttural snarl. "What are you doing? They're humans! They're not powerful like us! You can't hurt them like that! They've done nothing to you, nothing to your mother!" He shook Raven, desperation clawing at his throat. "Please, just listen to me, Raven. Don't be so angry. If you force your power like that, you'll kill her! Cool down!"
Fang, efficient as ever, managed to revive Shu, but she was weak and trembling, her body seemingly battered and broken. Ri and Ash huddled around her, tears streaming down their faces, their grief raw and desperate.
When Shu regained consciousness, she was consumed by terror. "Please run away!" she pleaded with Ri and Ash, her voice hoarse. "Don't think about me, just run away! They're not humans! Please run, you both! Don't come closer! I'm not doing anything wrong! Please go away…" The words tumbled out in a frantic stream, before she succumbed to unconsciousness once more.
Raven, clearly frustrated by the display, scoffed. "Stop your drama, okay? I don't want to do such a thing! If you have to come, come with me. If you don't want to come, don't come." Then, without another word, he turned and left.
Jihu and Fang, their faces etched with worry, carefully helped carry Shi, Ri, and Ash back to their house. Then, as quickly and silently as they had appeared, they vanished, seeming to become nothing more than wisps of air.
The day stretched on, each moment thick with unspoken fears. Ri found herself constantly glancing at the door, wondering why Jihu hadn't returned. Ash, equally anxious, kept checking the window, desperate for a sign of Fang. Shu, however, lived in a perpetual state of dread. Each sunrise brought with it the same bone-chilling fear that clung to her all day, only to be swallowed by the fear of the approaching night. Every moment was a torment.
The days flowed by, each indistinguishable from the last, a continuous cycle of fear and uncertainty. The possibility of never seeing each other again loomed heavy, a grim shadow cast upon their fragile hopes. They had no idea what the future held, or if that future would even include them all. They were alone, terrified, and desperately missing the friends that they now questioned if they ever really knew.
The air in Raven's home crackled with a heavy, stifling grief. He had arrived breathless, heart hammering against his ribs after his father's cryptic, panicked call. The sight that greeted him was worse than he'd imagined. His mother, usually vibrant and regal, lay pale and still, flickering memories of her former self clinging to her like fading embers.
"Humans," Raven hissed, the word a venomous curse. His fists clenched, nails biting into his palms. "They did this. They are all vile, selfish creatures! I will destroy them. Every last one! The human world will burn!"
He was ranting, a controlled fury threatening to shatter. He paced like a caged beast, his elegant features contorted with grief and rage. His words were the words of a prince betrayed.
That's when Jihu arrived, his normally playful fox eyes shadowed with concern. Behind him stood his father, the stoic leader of the Fox Clan, a regal figure radiating ancient wisdom.
"Raven, you're wrong," Jihu's father stated, his voice calm but firm. "Humans are not responsible for this."
Raven spun around, his eyes blazing. "Don't lie to me! You saw her! What else could it be but their treachery?"
Before Jihu's father could respond, a heavier voice echoed in the room. It was the Vampire King, Raven's father, his face etched with a weariness Raven had never witnessed before.
"Raven, calm yourself. Humans… they are not as bad as you think. There are terrible humans, yes. But there are also those who are capable of great kindness, great sacrifice."
Raven scoffed. "Kindness? Sacrifice? I see only destruction and malice!"
His father sighed, a sound heavy with regret. "The attack that took place twenty years ago… the one we blamed on humans… it wasn't them."
Raven froze, his anger momentarily eclipsed by confusion. "What? What are you saying?"
"Humans don't even know we exist, Raven," his father continued. "The attack was carried out by trolls and Minotaurs. They are creatures of chaos, always seeking opportunities to sow discord and pain."
A gaping silence filled the room, broken only by Raven's ragged breathing. "Trolls and Minotaurs? Then… then why? Why were we told it was humans?"
Just then, a new voice cut through the tension. "I can explain that."
Raven whirled around again, startled. Emerging from the shadows was Fang, the Fairy King's son, his presence radiating an almost unsettling tranquillity.
"Fang? Where did you come from?" Raven demanded, a surge of suspicion flooding him. "So everyone knows about this but me?"
Jihu stepped forward, his expression apologetic. "You weren't the only one who didn't know, Raven. We only found out ourselves a few days ago."
Raven rounded on his father, his voice tight with suppressed fury. "Why didn't you tell me? All these years, I've been fuelled by this hatred, this burning desire for revenge. If you had told me…"
"I didn't know myself until five years ago," the Vampire King confessed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "But I couldn't reveal something like this without absolute proof. We've been investigating, all of us, working together."
"The trolls and Minotaurs framed the humans," Jihu's father interjected. "They understood that blaming them, creatures perceived as weak and selfish, would be the easiest way to ignite conflict and divert attention from themselves."
His father continued, his gaze meeting Raven's directly. "And your mother… this wasn't black magic. Our investigation points to a poisonous troll attack. The venom is slow-acting, subtly draining her life."
"That's why we called you all here today," the Vampire King announced. "Raven, Jihu, Fang. You are the new generation, the future of our world. I'm appointing all of you to investigate. You must go to Earth and discover where these trolls and Minotaurs are hiding."
He looked exhausted as he continued. "I will provide any information that I have about the enemies. I will call an end to this meeting. You both should leave to Earth as soon as you can."
Raven was stunned. "Us? Go to Earth?" He looked at Jihu and then to Fang.
With a nod, the Vampire King confirmed, "Yes. Find the truth. End this cycle of hatred and lies."
As everyone dispersed, a whirlwind of thoughts crashed through Raven's mind. He had dedicated his life to hating humans, his actions fuelled by a decades-old lie. Now, he was being sent to protect them, to uncover the real enemy. The task was daunting, the path uncertain, but the burning anger had begun to cool, replaced by a cold, steely determination. He would find the trolls and Minotaurs, bring them to justice, and perhaps, just perhaps, begin to understand the truth about humans, and about the dark secrets hidden within his own world.