"We're finally done!" Lyra yelled, smacking my back.

"Ow, lower it a bit on the violence, yeah?" I flinched. "You seem very happy about finishing middle school." We had just completed our last day and were making our way home, cutting through the nearby park.

"Of course I am! Now that we've finished middle school, we can enroll in Valoria High School for Descendants," she said excitedly, her blue and green eyes shining with newfound energy. "We can finally learn something useful for once, instead of just math or science."

"Math and science are useful, though," I muttered under my breath. Unfortunately, Lyra heard me and flicked my head. "Ow, that hurts!"

"We both know they won't be useful for us. We're descendants, after all. Our blood is different from normal mortals, and with that comes the duty to learn how to control our abilities to help defend our kingdom and its people," she rebutted. She was quite stubborn most of the time, but I was used to it.

"They're still useful to some of us. After all, some people might choose to become scholars or alchemists." I stood my ground.

"Ah... Well, I suppose you're right, but," she walked ahead of me and stood in front of me, "we're both not doing that since our abilities don't match those paths."

"Whatever you say," I sighed, knowing this conversation was going nowhere.

Lyra’s eyes suddenly lit up with a new idea. "Hey, I know how we can celebrate! Let's go to the internet café nearby. We can play some games or watch some videos."

I raised an eyebrow. "The internet café? Really?"

"Yeah! Come on, it'll be fun. Plus, they have those new VR stations now. I've been dying to try them out," she said, practically bouncing on her feet.

I couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. "Alright, alright. Let's go."

We made our way through the park, the summer sun casting long shadows on the ground. The internet café was a small, cozy place tucked away in a corner of the shopping district. The neon sign flickered as we approached.

Inside, the café buzzed with activity. Rows of computers lined the walls, and a few VR stations occupied the center of the room. The familiar hum of electronics and the soft chatter of other patrons filled the air.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

Lyra headed straight for the counter, her excitement palpable. "Two VR stations, please," she said to the attendant, who handed us each a headset.

For the next few hours, we played on the VR stations and had fun in the arcade, enjoying ourselves immensely. Then Lyra's phone started vibrating.

"Shit, it's my parents," Lyra said, panicked.

Lyra's parents don't like how carefree she is, and for good reason—she's the Princess of Valoria. "Shall we run?" I asked, already standing up from our table with my bag in hand.

"We're gonna need to run for it, yeah," she said, already starting to dash toward the door.

We both ran as fast as we could toward her family's estate, and by the end of it, we were both gasping for air. "I definitely ran faster than you," I barely managed to get out.

"Nu-uh," she sounded more out of breath than me. "I was faster," she giggled.

As expected, her guards were waiting at the gate, and they did not look impressed. "I should probably leave you off here... it's for the best, I think," I reluctantly said. The King and Queen aren't really fond of me for many reasons, but mainly because of my lack of abilities.

"I think so too," Lyra said softly. She seemed to have a sad expression for a second, but it quickly disappeared as she continued, "But we'll see each other for the entrance exam, right?" she said with a twinge of hopefulness.

I smiled a bit at her question. "Yes, we will." I hugged her in surprise. It would be a while before we'd be able to see each other again, as she has duties to fulfill as the princess over the summer.

We said our goodbyes, and I watched her enter through the gates with her guards. As she finally entered her home, I made my way toward mine.

__________________________________________

"The target has been spotted going down the street," said the man, hidden in a nearby tree, speaking to his boss on a device.

"Good. Make sure to follow and not lose sight of him, while ensuring you stay hidden," his boss replied.

"Got it," the man affirmed, watching me as I walked down the street. I was already aware of him; after all, he was hiding in the shadows. As a descendant of Astrea, Goddess of the Night, my ability allows me to manipulate shadows to my advantage. I lured him into a seldom-used street, disappearing into a nearby shadow as swiftly as nightfall.

"What the—"

Before the man finished his sentence, I thrust my dagger deep into his back. He groaned and fell to the ground, attempting to turn and face me.

"You—you're a descendant of Astrea," he choked on his own blood; it was clear he wouldn't survive.

With swift precision, I delivered a hard kick to his head, ending his life.

"It's never-ending," I sighed, tired by all the fun that I had with Lyra . I heard footsteps approaching and quickly melded into the shadows once more to avoid further trouble.

I shadow-stepped back to my room and sat on my bed.

"Well, at least I dealt with it after leaving Lyra's home," I muttered to myself. Knowing Lyra, she would've attacked the assailant head-on. Besides, I prefer to handle things like that alone; it’s easier when you only have to worry about yourself. But why was that person spying on me? Do they know who I am? Surely not, as I've always ensured to kill anyone who sees my true identity. After all, I am The Death's Shadow. No one except a handful should know about that.