Sex and The Hunted

The corridors of Sol Academy were transformed by the night. Gone was the chaotic bustle of students; in its place hung a heavy, echoing silence, broken only by the rhythmic click of their footsteps on the marble.

Floating candles bobbed along the high ceilings, casting long, dancing shadows that seemed to stretch and reach as the trio made their way toward the Mythical Archives.

"You know" Aureli broke the silence, his voice echoing a little too loudly for the empty hall. "I never would have pegged Silver as the type to land such a divine creature. Imagine my shock seeing a washed-up gloom-cloud like him accompanied by... well, perfection."

He winked at Vanessa, who offered a polite, awkward smile.

Silver groaned, rubbing his temples. "Watch your mouth, Aureli. I’m right here."

"Oh, I know" Aureli snapped back, flashing a blinding, shit-eating grin. "That’s the tragedy of it."

Meanwhile, On the far side of the campus, behind the old stone church, the sun had set.

Noah and Meline slipped through the heavy metal doors of an underground cellar. It was their secret spot, a place where the hierarchy of the Academy didn't matter.

They descended into the cool darkness, closing the doors against the world.

"Are you okay?" Noah asked softly, wiping dirt from Meline's cheek.

"I am now" she whispered, leaning in closer , her lips gently burshing his ear lobe. A shiver ran up Noah's spine as Meline moved back and stred deeply into his eyes, her intent scribbled all over her expression.

They kissed, desperate and clumsy in their youth.

The trauma of the bullying melted away, replaced by the heat od passion. Clothes were discarded on the dusty floor, under the sliver of moonlight filtering through the cracks, as they lost themselves in each other.

For a moment that seemed to hold for an eternity, there was only passion. The sound of breath, the warmth of skin.

Then, the moonlight was blocked out. A shadow fell over the cellar doors.

Meline opened her eyes full of desire, looking over Noah’s shoulder, until those very same eyes were filled with terror.

Something  was there, standing at the top of the stairs, still. Too still. 

It rushed at them!

Her scream didn't just break the silence. It tore it apart.

Silver stopped dead. 

His head snapped toward the courtyard as Aureli’s playful demeanor vanished instantly, replaced by the sharp focus of a combat instructor.

"What was that?" Aureli whispered.

"A scream.." Silver stated fully alert.

His hand went to his waist, instinctively reaching for a weapon he wasn't wearing.

"Courtyard. Now!"

They ran. Bursting out of the main building, until their eyes met with a student, Kami, sprinting toward them, hyperventilating.

"Mr. Aureli! Mr. Silver!" Kami shrieked horrified, pointing back toward the church. "DEAD! SHE'S DEAD!"

"Who?!" Aureli shouted.

"Meline! Behind the church! There's so much blood!" the young boy cried

"Vanessa, take the boy to Chernobog, now!" Silver ordered, his voice cold and professional. However, even he could not hide his emotions. "Don't let him out of your sight. GO NOW!"

Vanessa grabbed the terrified student and ran as Silver and Aureli sprinted for the church.

They circled around the back, finding the cellar doors wide open where a sound drifted up from the darkness, not a scream, but a low, broken wailing.

Silver slowed down. He put a hand out to stop Aureli, scanning the entrance. They descended the stairs, step by cautious step as the air grew colder, heavy with the metallic tang of fresh copper.

At the bottom, in the center of the dusty floor, they found them.

Noah was sitting in a pool of spreading crimson. He was shirtless, shivering violently. In his arms, he cradled Meline. 

Or what was left of her. 

Her body was pale, her eyes fixed on the ceiling in a permanent expression of terror. Her throat had been torn open, not by a blade, but by something jagged and wild.

"Noah..." Aureli choked out, his hand covering his mouth.

Silver didn't speak. He moved instantly, scanning the corners of the cellar, checking the shadows. Only when he was sure the predator was gone did he turn back to the tragedy in front of him.

"Noah..." Silver’s voice also broke, barely a whisper, choked by the weight of the sight. He tried to step closer but paused, unsure of how to breach the boy's wall of grief.

Aureli, usually so flamboyant and loud, was now a mask of controlled sorrow. He stepped forward with a calming, gentle authority.

“Noah” he spoke softly. “We need to get Meline help. There’s nothing we can do here... but we need to take care of her properly.”

Noah looked up. His eyes were red and hollow, void of any light. “Help?” he muttered, his voice cracking. “It’s too late for that.”

He clutched Meline’s body tighter, pressing her cold cheek against his chest as if trying to transfer his own warmth into her.

“Please, Noah” Aureli continued, kneeling beside him “You’re not alone in this. We’ll get through this together. But you need to let go for now.” he tried to reach out but Noah swatted his hand away! He didn't want anyone to touch her, not in this state. His eternity existed in that puddle of blood, and he did not want to leave it

Silver moved closer, placing a heavy, grounding hand on Noah’s shoulder, his gritty voice softened by pain. “We’ll make sure she’s treated with the respect she deserves. But you need to come with us. You can’t stay down here in the dark. Don't you worry, kid... I will get to the bottom of this.”

Something in Silver's promise broke the dam.

Noah’s tears flowed freely as his hands let go, his sobs filling the silence of the basement. He finally relinquished his hold on Meline, crying harder as he allowed the two teachers to take the burden from him.

The transition was tender. Silver supported Meline’s head; Aureli carried her legs. Their movements were slow and reverent, as if they were handling a fragile, precious relic rather than a corpse.

As they lifted her, Noah collapsed back against the cold wall. His sobbing quieted to soft, broken whimpers, his body trembling with the aftershocks of a mind that had just snapped.

Silver and Aureli began the slow ascent up the stairs.

At the top, Vanessa and Kami arrived just in time to witness the procession emerging from the cellar.

Vanessa’s hand flew to her mouth, her eyes filling with horror. Kami stood frozen, staring at the lifeless body of his classmate, his face draining of color.

“Chernobog is on his way” Vanessa announced, her voice steady but thick with sympathy.

“He’ll know what to do next, I’m sure...” Silver commented. He looked down at the girl in his arms, reeling from the reality that a student had been butchered within the bounds of the Academy.

Kami peered past the teachers, down into the dark throat of the cellar. He saw Noah sitting alone in the dark, staring at his blood-stained hands in disbelief. The gravity of it weighed on the young boy heavily. He struggled to find the words, but realized words were useless. Instead, Kami walked past the teachers and descended the stairs to sit in the dark with his friend.

Outside, the first drops of rain began to fall.

As the rain intensified, washing the dust from the air, everyone was overtaken by an incredible sadness. Silver looked at Aureli, then at Vanessa. They all wanted answers. They all wanted justice. But as the water mixed with the blood on their clothes, the focus remained on honoring Meline’s memory as they carried her lifeless corpse through the weeping night.