Chapter 4

"Third one. No more time to waste," Kingsley said as they roamed the streets. 

Blue eddies surfaced around Lyn's spearpoint blade, forming a spiritual connection with the fiery presence of his Timeless Flare. His skin was topped with rime, and the blood in his veins was starting to freeze. But he sensed no pain. Right then, an intense wave of heat swam throughout his body. A hint of blue flicked across his eyes for a brief second before the heat surged over in a hurry to mingle well with the icy energy.

Created by the same swordsmith, these swords opposed one another if one lived for a different purpose. Because of the thick stains of blood and tears, Deathless Ice and Timeless Flare had been painted with a strong will to obey their owners till death did them part.

Kingsley led the way through the bushes, up the trees, and down into the tunnels. He scanned the surroundings. Eerily darker. Most of the shops were closed, and the only lights that brightened up the whole area were the ones from twenty-four hours.

He was about to call it a night when fine hairs at the back of his neck rose, triggering the summon to awaken his sword.

"You felt it too?" Lyn nudged his elbow, suppressing the increasing power of Deathless Ice to be freed from her grip.

Kingsley nodded and raised a brow, signaling her to act normally. They continued walking. The mysterious presence continued to tail them, getting closer as time ticked away. When the twins reached the entrance of a remote alley, they sped up and slid to the sidewall at once. The moment the mystical shadow came into their view, Kingsley pulled out his fiery blade and lunged toward the opponent. 

With her icy sword gripped tight, Lyn stepped onto an isolated broken wooden box and leaped high to back her brother up. The aggressive strikes scratched hard against the ground.

But there was nothing.

It was only smoke. A greenish smoke.

"W-What?" Lyn was stunned. 

Kingsley was puzzled too. But it wasn't the time for them to think.

"Let's get back first," he said, grabbing hold of his sister. "We need to tell them about this."

***

Miracle almost lost her footing the moment she entered 5 Lilium. Lyn was shoved behind. Kingsley tripped, stepping on his own loosened shoelaces that he hesitated to tie before entering the class. He straightened his tie and shot a glance at his sister. 

She didn't look any better than him. Her maroon hair was disheveled, and her face was puffy from all the unnecessary pushes by her excited classmates.

"Wow, Kingsley!" Peter smirked and dropped his elbow on his shoulder. "You have a day like this too."

"Shut up if you don't want me to spill the tea." He gave a rough shrug to drop his hand.

Everyone was crowding around Miracle to get to know her, to feel like they were close to her. These were humans. They only cared about one another if the other party was pretty, rich, or dying.

"Hey, hey, Miracle! Have you heard of the dark secret in our school?" The voice overtook the rest.

'Dark secret?' Miracle shook her head though she could foresee what it was going to be.

The girl was about to start when Rex interrupted.

"Oh, come on, Jessamine! Don't scare our new classmate! Who knows if it's valid?" he said, putting a knee on his chair as he turned his head around to check attendance.

"Please, I doubt it's a rumor. Students get horribly killed every eighteen years. This freaking place is so freaking cursed. Don't you know how this island used to forbid travelers from staying overnight? And you call yourself a Syihuex-ian?—Oh, wait," Jessamine paused her argument as she remembered a point. "I forgot you just landed here a few months ago."

Rex rolled his eyes. "Even you're saying it now—used to. Which means it's getting better! See? I'm a very good example. Nobody chases me out though I'm not born here."

"Are you scared, then?" Miracle muttered.

It was a question directed to Jessamine. 

"What?"

Lifting her disguised eyes to meet hers, she repeated louder this time, "Are you scared of the dark secret?"

Jessamine chuckled. "It's hard to say no. Even my mom always tells me there are monsters out there that eat up humans and whatnot..."

Rex slacked his jaw. "And you're still living here?"

"Aren't you the same?" she retorted. 

"Well, that's because..." 

Jessamine didn't wait for him to finish his words. "I'm an atheist; in fact, those who were born on this island, we're all atheists because we don't worship nor pray to any specific god. We were brought up that way. But for me, I still believe there are good beings doing their best to protect us from evil. I've never regretted being born here."

"Good beings? You mean mythical creatures?"

Rex jerked his head in Miracle's direction upon hearing that.

"Mythical creatures? Phoenixes and dragons? Nah, nobody believes myths in this generation, Miracle. How should I say this? Something like good witches, perhaps? Or maybe someone with a supernatural ability. I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks this way. You see, there are still so many people here despite knowing the dark stories of Syihuex Island."

"So it's witchcraft and sorceries you believe in."

"It's the closest assumption we can relate to."

Decorating her thick lips with a smile, Jessamine walked back to her seat and grabbed a sandwich from her bag; she was heading for her break.

The smell of her rose perfume was pungent. She wasn't an annoying pest, but the way she carried herself made her one. The heavy makeup on her—blue eye shadow matched with glossy orange lipstick—was hard to be ignored. She probably failed in her art classes if she ever attended one.

"It's the cycle, exactly like what you had in mind," Kingsley confirmed, walking toward the round table at the corner of the cafeteria. "The 18th-year cycle. Some think it's because of the witches' spells that created such an issue, and some think it's because of some sort of serial killer."

"So there are witches for real?"

"Nope. Never seen one," Lyn said, eyeing the students in a group of three walking past their table to the vending machine.

"If there are, then it wouldn't be just one 18th-year cycle," Kingsley continued.

"But I still don't get it. Even if it's as Jessamine said earlier, why would they enroll in a school like this when they already knew it was no good? Can't they just stay at home?" Miracle asked. "It's safer, at least."

Her face twitched as she took a bite of the bread stuffed with bacon and cheese that Hayden had prepared. Meaty, but not raw-y.

"Don't make that look, Miracle!" Lyn helped her flatten the bread so it would fit inside her mouth for the second bite. "Well, mortals here think education is the only weapon to improve their lives. Syihuex Island is developing at a slow pace. They only have this school." 

"This whole island is not safe, in fact. But Stellaerio is the worst because it's sitting exactly on the center point of the three worlds," Kingsley chipped in, cleaning the mustard sauce he dripped on the rusted bench. "Remember the three victims dad told you about when he grouped us together this morning?"

Miracle nodded, acting as though that was the first time she heard it, and she wasn't there with them at the café yesterday.

"The cycle is already repeating. Just that it has yet to occur in this school."

"Plus, the eerie green smoke we encountered last night. Those evils weren't able to shapeshift eighteen years ago," Lyn paused. "They're evolving.”

"Who else knows about this?" Miracle tried her best to chew the food as she moved her eyeballs, focusing on every human coming into her view. "I'm pretty sure the students know nothing. The real thing, I mean."

"True. Only the principal knows," Kingsley said. 

He clicked his tongue when he saw Peter heading to the snack counter. 

Needless to say, his friend ignored him. 

"Principal? He's a TinXi?"

"He is. But we only get to meet him once a year during the annual dinner. Dad forbids us from getting engaged with him due to personal reasons which we don't know." Staring at her watch, Lyn shrieked, "Shit, Kingsley! It's twenty minutes past ten! We gotta meet Mr. Sam!"

"For what? I'm still not done with my bacon." He frowned.

"Idiot!" She smashed the remaining food into his mouth. "We failed in his paper last week. Let's go before he really thinks we're some sort of dumbass. Catch up with you later in class, Miracle. Bye!"

"Doooiiiilookkklikicareboutliterature?" the brother muffled, accidentally spitting out some of the breadcrumbs before he was dragged away.

Miracle chuckled and left the table as soon as they did. She walked along the corridor that connected the two blocks, one of which housed junior high students. 

There were announcements stapled to the abandoned noticeboard in the corner. Black and white pictures dominating the entire board stole her immediate attention. She snatched the papers in a hurry, leaving parts of the torn pieces stamped underneath the tarnished thumbtacks.

'2001-Missing students found dead,' she read inwardly. 

Eyes widened, she gasped and ran a hand over her mouth. Sweat streamed down her neck as she scanned the never-ending names. They were the victims from eighteen years ago. Going through the papers, Miracle skimmed for similarities just to solidify her assumption.

"Hearts stolen" was the keyword in the descriptions.

And it was all she needed to conclude.

"Miracle? Miracle!"

A familiar voice drifted to her ears, followed by a warm and soft tap on her left shoulder.

She came back to herself right there and then. "H-Huh?"

"Miracle..." His voice trailed off as his stare dropped to the sheets she was holding. "You're... interested in these?" Rex asked, cupping a load of worksheets in his hands.

He knocked his knee to the slipping pieces to keep them stabilized. When it wasn't helping out much, he tipped his toes to the side and put the chemistry practices on the handrail of the stairs.

"Well..." she hesitated.

Waving it off, he winked. "Anyway, I'm here to ask you out tonight. You free?"

She stared at him, startled by such a random request. Her lips parted, but no words were said.

Rex's patience only lasted for a while.

"I'll take your no response as a yes, okay? Tonight, 7:00 p.m. at Cappuccino Café. See ya!" He rushed off in the other direction.

Too bothered by what she saw on the board, Miracle gave up the option of chasing after him.