Vermillion fades into white.

Damp in cold sweat, and gasped for air.

The harsh blizzard in her vision transformed into a sterile white room. Contrasting the sharp scent of winter and blood, was the distinctive smell of medicine mingled with a faint unplaced hint of something nostalgic, like a forgotten memory.

Her eyelids fluttered, blindingly light vanquishing the nightmare. Her brows furrowed in confusion as her eyes focused on the familiar ceiling.

What happened?

She turned her head slowly, scanning the room. Her gaze paused on a figure in a white lab coat slumped over a desk. Short brunette hair spilled across the keyboard, illuminated by the blue glow of the flickering screen overhead.

Fragments of memories resurfaced, forming a vague picture of the recent event, Massaging her forehead, she released a deep sigh. I got destroyed.,

It wasn’t an unusual occurrence. Unfortunately, being at the bottom ranking, she often had the misfortune of being randomly chosen to challenge the top ranker in the academy. Her classmate was undoubtedly relieved it wasn’t their turn to be sent to the infirmary this time.

Noticing the darkening sky peeking through the curtain, she realized the day and turned into night. Rising from the bed, her muscles ached in places she didn’t know could ache. Moving quietly, she slipped off the bed and examined her body for anything out of place. Finding nothing, she stretched before attempting her grand escape.

“Escaping already, Miss Weiss?” The sudden voice startled her, freezing her in track. “You sure know how to wound this old heart of mine.”

Her throat tightened and she swallowed hard before awkwardly turning around, peeking at the woman through her hair. The older woman, Doctor Kassandra was already out of the chair and stretching like a feline, all the while struggling to keep one eye open.

“Hah,” Her voice cracked in a whisper, tense as the woman dragged her feet away from the desk and toward her while wiping the drool from the corner of her mouth. Like being pulled by a string, she detoured to the side with a single twist, shoulders slumped.

“I see, I see.” Yawning, Dr. Kassandra glanced at her briefly before collapsing face-first onto the previously occupied bed, waving her away like she was shooing a bug. “I’m just gonna finish… paperwork.”

A minute passed with no movement. “Urg… Huh?” Her head tilted as she looked at the unconscious doctor, unsure of what to do.

After a moment of consideration and resigning in defeat, she cautiously approached the older woman, maintaining a certain distance away. Leaning in, she ensured the doctor was breathing fine. Seeing her completely knocked out for the count, she grabbed a blanket from another bed and tossed it over her. She immediately stepped back, watching as the blanket fell over the doctor’s figure.

Well… it’s covering most of her.

Please with the situation, she bolted for the door the next second as quietly as she could. Only after it slid closed, did she release a sigh of relief.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Despite the illuminating light mounted into the wall in strips, the corridor stood eerily absent of life. Raising her hand, she tapped the black band around her wrist. The time materialized in a blue hologram above. “It’s barely evening.”

Brushing back the hair from her face, she looked out the towering glass window into the night. Below, a few people strolled through the garden, either alone or with company chatting about whatever upcoming plan they have or event coming. She felt a pang of envy, wishing she could experience talking with someone who would listen. Shaking away the feeling, she stretched to relieve her aching muscles and then turned on her heel and walked down the corridor.

Spread out along the dark blue marble floor between each window, are luscious green plants in elegantly designed pots. On the opposite side, mounted into the wall are holographic displayed in frames of historical figures, looking fearless and heroic like in tales told to little children at bedtime. Between each display, are fine-crafted doors leading to different rooms, some had numerals while others were simply blank.

Am I going the right way?

There had been numerous times when she got lost from either being momentarily distracted or taking the wrong turn because every corridor looked identical. The first few times, she had panic and almost had a mental breakdown but at some point, it became a guessing game and an adventure.

Despite having mapped out the entire campus during her stay, it was built like a labyrinth. There are always new nooks and crannies to be discovered. Each part of the digital map has been carefully labelled and marked, including snapshots for memories and making it seem more inviting and mysterious, worthy of a journey inside the academy's high defence wall.

Stopping in her track, she glanced to the side. Am I hallucinating?

Something had passed by of the corner of her vision. Turning around, a dark red glow resembling a wisp appeared in front of her. Upon closer inspection, she noticed the smooth fluttering. Like a trigger, something long forgotten and pushed to the back of her mind resurfaced.

Waiting and watching, lurking out of sight,

The blizzard raged around her, a tempest of ice and fury that mirrored her inner turmoil. Snow whispered across her face, biting into her skin as the wind howled like a banshee, drowsing out the sound of the battle that took place. She stood numb, her body trembling not from the cold but from the pain in her chest.

The broken blade protruded from her heart, its sharp edges glowing in a sinister light. The pulsing deadly aura faded with time yet, sending waves of agony through her with each beat of her failing heart. Warm blood flowed from the wound, and a thick, crimson stream turned to ice as it met the freezing air. It pooled around her feet, forming a gruesome scarlet stain in the otherwise pristine snow. She knew her lifeblood was being claimed by the relentless cold, her story buried beneath the unyielding frost just like the others who had fallen.

Oh, how they would laugh.

From the shadow, the monster emerged, towering above her imitating the human posture. Yet, bore a shattered reflection of what it once was. Broken and impaired, left in a state of eternal despair and misery by the cruel hands of a single human. It lumbered forward, awkward and unsteady, yet eyes burned with fierce intelligence and unquenchable rage.

She coughed, blood spattering her lips and despite the pain, she bloody grinned. Her laughter, weak and hoarse, was swallowed by the storm but it resonated in the silence of the mind. The sight of the monster that prey on the weak of humanity, was almost amusing in her final moment. The monster's red eyes burned with rage and humiliation.

In the corner of her vision, a trail of light flickered, It was delicate and ephemeral, looking so out of place in the bleakness of the world. She spoke, her lips moving against the world put in slow motion.

Her vision blurred, sweet darkness creeping in around the edge. Twisted claws reached for her, its precedence was suffocating, and a tangible force slowly drained the remaining life from her body.

From the corner of darkness, a fluttering translucent creature appeared. Delicate and seemingly too otherworldly, leaving a shimmering trail of light along its wake. Movement graceful and unbothered by the storm, untouched by the fury around it. The creature closed in, tiny wings beating in a soft rhythm. It hovered for a moment, then gently brushed against her lip as she exhaled her final breath, in silent farewell.

Inhaling a deep breath, gold meets gold.