Forbidden Flame - The Nytheris

“Good morning, everyone... I hope everyone is ready for the test.”

The professor walked into the classroom. As soon as he announced the test, the room erupted into murmurs, and one of the students raised his hand.

“Sorry... about what test, Mr. Raven?”

Mr. Raven looked down with a chuckle before lifting his gaze to the student. “I told you about it a week ago. Okay, no more talking. Be ready.” With that, he turned toward the board to clean it, and everyone sighed in disappointment.

“Where the hell is she?” Celestia asked in confusion.

Vexa, lying tiredly across her desk, let out a sigh. “Who knows?”

Zaria simply sighed along with her.

Celestia scoffed in amusement and was about to ask, “And why are yo—” when the classroom door suddenly opened.

A girl with a stunning hourglass figure stood at the entrance, gasping for breath. She wore a white crop top with light blue baggy jeans and white shoes. Her black-brown wavy hair flowed perfectly down to her waist, framing her striking, vibrant blue eyes.

“May I come in, Mr. Raven?”

The three girls sighed the moment they saw her.

Mr. Raven folded his arms and looked at her. “What made you late, Kaelith?”

Kaelith smiled sheepishly while trying to catch her breath. “Sorry, Mr. Raven.”

He took a deep breath before replying, “Get in... and don’t repeat this again.”

“Thank you.”

Kaelith nodded and walked straight to her seat beside the girls. In a normal tone, Zaria asked, “Why are you late? We reached here together, right?”

Kaelith simply smiled without saying a word. Zaria raised an eyebrow and glared at her, while Vexa sighed dramatically.

“So, what are you going to do about the exam? We haven’t studied anything!”

Kaelith smiled nervously. “Actually... I studied the whole chapter the day Mr. Raven informed us.”

Celestia’s eyes widened. “What the fuck...?”

Before anyone could say anything else, Kaelith quickly added, “Guys, don’t worry. I’ll help you girls during the exam. Sorry, okay?”

Zaria sighed with a sarcastic smile. “You better help us.”

Kaelith chuckled and turned to take her bag.

AN HOUR LATER...

After the exam, the four of them walked out of the classroom. Vexa glanced at Kaelith and asked, “So, why were you late to class? Don’t tell me you’ve been with that Alex... please.”

Kaelith chuckled as they walked toward the main campus grounds. “I’ll tell you. Follow me.”

With that, she quickened her pace, and the girls hurried after her.

AT THE MAIN CAMPUS

“Where are they?” John asked Ethan, repeatedly glancing toward the doorway.

With a relaxed smile, Ethan walked over to one of the desks and effortlessly jumped up to sit on it. John turned back to him, raising an eyebrow when Ethan didn’t bother answering. Catching his look, Ethan gave him a what the fuck expression and shrugged.

“What, bro? I don’t know.”

John sighed before walking over and jumping onto the desk beside him. While the two of them waited, the four girls finally walked toward them.

“Sorry...” Kaelith said apologetically.

John immediately hopped off the desk and smiled. “It’s fine... Shall we?”

Kaelith nodded with a smile, while the other three girls looked at each other in confusion.

Ethan frowned as he looked at them before turning to Kaelith.

“Why do they all look so confused? Have you not told them about the prom night?”

The moment the word ‘prom’ reached their ears, the three girls’ eyes instantly lit up with excitement, and they started bombarding Kaelith with questions. John couldn’t help but chuckle.

Kaelith smiled sheepishly and looked at Ethan.

“No...”

John walked over to Zaria with a grin and gently nudged her shoulder.

“It’s our first prom night, babe...”

A faint blush crept across Zaria’s cheeks as she chuckled softly.

Ethan and Vexa exchanged a silent glance. Kaelith noticed it but simply smiled, choosing not to say anything.

“Okay, so let’s go now!” Kaelith said cheerfully.

Celestia shrugged before wrapping her arm around Kaelith’s.

“They’re so cringe, babe... Let’s go.”

Kaelith laughed at her comment and started walking with her, casually signaling the others to follow with a wave of her hand. The rest of them chuckled before following behind.

IN FRONT OF THE MAIN NOTICE BOARD

“′THE HOUR GLASS NIGHT’... Every student is warmly invited to our Hour Glass Night with their selected lucky partners. Friday night, sharp at 8:00 PM... at Whiteshell.”

Zaria read the notice aloud from the board.

Kaelith frowned slightly.

“What do they mean by ‘their selected lucky partners’?”

Ethan let out a chuckle.

“Don’t you know about that?”

Kaelith and the girls frowned at him in confusion.

John stepped forward with a grin.

“‘Their selected lucky partner’ means all of us have to write our names and drop them into that box. Tomorrow, during the official announcement, they’ll randomly pick the names. Whichever two names are picked together will become the pair for the night... and the best pair will win the Best Prom Pair of the Night trophy.”

“What the hell is that?” Vexa asked, making a face of pure disgust.

Ethan burst into laughter.

John casually placed an arm over Ethan’s shoulder and teased him with a mischievous grin.

“Brother... you can finally dance with a beautiful, stunning girl the day after tomorrow.”

Vexa’s expression instantly darkened with annoyance.

Ethan only chuckled at John’s teasing, while Vexa simply closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she chose not to respond.

Kaelith glanced at John with a what the fuck expression before looking back at Vexa with a playful smirk.

“Vexa... you could also end up dancing with a strong, handsome, stunning guy, right? Then why are you so angry?”

A sly smile spread across Vexa’s lips as she slowly turned to look at Ethan.

Ethan’s smile disappeared within a second.

Celestia and Zaria silently laughed at the scene unfolding in front of them.

“Okay... okay... we can stop this here. So, what’s our plan?”

John quickly interrupted, trying to distract both Ethan and Vexa before things escalated.

Kaelith shot him a playful glare.

John immediately made a pitiful please save me face, knowing he was the one who had started the teasing in the first place.

Kaelith laughed softly before saying,

“Tomorrow, Ethan, Vexa, and I won’t be here. It’s our grandparents’ anniversary.”

The moment she finished, Celestia looked at her in confusion.

“So what about tomorrow? The partner announcement is tomorrow. How are you guys going to find out who your partners are?”

Vexa answered without hesitation.

“When they announce the names, just check who our partners are too. We’ll sort everything out the day after tomorrow.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“So... we can leave by nine today, right?” Ethan asked.

Kaelith and Vexa nodded together before the three of them walked over to the box, wrote down their names, and slipped the folded papers inside.

After class, as Kaelith stepped out of the classroom, a guy suddenly stopped her by placing his hand in front of her, blocking her way. She came to a halt and, already frustrated, looked at him.

“Alex, leave me alone...” she said coldly.

She was about to walk past him, but he blocked her way once again.

“Please, Kaelith...!” he pleaded.

Kaelith let out a sigh of defeat, folded her arms across her chest, and looked at him with a clear What do you want now? expression.

Alex smiled faintly before saying, “Can’t you see I’m being loyal to you, Kae...? All the boys in this college want you and your gang. Everyone is crazy about you girls... but look at me. I’m only crazy about you...” he said with a pleading smile.

Kaelith sighed once again.

“I’ve already told you... I’m not interested in relationships and all that stuff. So, leave me alone... or you’ll see another side of me. I don’t want to show that to you.”

Alex simply sighed and remained silent.

“Sorry...”

With that, Kaelith walked past him.

But suddenly, her footsteps came to an abrupt halt as Alex’s voice echoed behind her.

“Is it your ex-relationship that’s making you reject me, Kae?”

He asked loudly enough for everyone nearby to hear.

The bustling hallway gradually fell silent as students turned toward them, their curious eyes fixed on Kaelith.

Her expression darkened instantly.

She slowly turned around, walked straight toward Alex, and stopped right in front of him.

“It’s none of your business... and stop calling me that name. Fuck off.”

Her voice was laced with fury before she turned around and walked away without another glance.

A smug smirk spread across Alex’s face. Shoving both hands into his pockets, he looked around confidently before casually walking back toward his gang.

“What was that, bro?” Samuel, one of his friends, asked curiously.

Alex chuckled as he continued staring at the path Kaelith had disappeared down.

“It was just a small trick...” he said with a confident smirk. “She’ll be mine soon.”

Still replaying Alex’s words in her mind, Kaelith got into her car and drove away much faster than usual.

“Fuck...!”

She slammed her palm hard against the steering wheel in frustration.

AT WOODLAND

Kaelith was arranging her clothes inside her handbag when the bedroom door suddenly opened.

“What happened?” Celestia asked as she walked in and comfortably sat down on the bed.

Kaelith glanced back at her with an innocent smile.

“What?”

Celestia chuckled.

“You know I can sense emotions, right?”

Kaelith laughed softly.

“Yeah... Whiteclaws things...!”

Celestia chuckled.

“Yeah... Whiteclaws things! Now tell me... what’s going on in that mind of yours?”

Kaelith walked over and sat beside her before letting out a quiet sigh.

“Nothing much... Alex came as usual and started blabbering.”

Celestia rolled her eyes with a chuckle.

“What’s wrong with that guy? Anyway, why are you so upset over that? It’s a usual thing, isn’t it?”

“It is... Who cares about all that?” Kaelith replied with a sigh. “But today... he shouted about Emmet...”

Celestia’s smile faded.

She moved a little closer before speaking gently.

“He’s a bastard. You already know that... But tell me something... why are you still so affected by that breakup? Is it because he looks so much like Charles?”

Kaelith inhaled deeply and was just about to answer when—

“Kaelith...!”

Vexa suddenly walked into the room, calling out her name.

Both Kaelith and Celestia turned their attention toward her.

“Ethan will be here in five minutes. Get ready, fast!”

Kaelith nodded with a sigh.

“Yeah... I’m coming.”

Vexa nodded once before walking back out of the room.

Celestia smiled warmly at Kaelith.

“We’ll talk about this when you get back. For now, don’t think about any of it. Just enjoy the anniversary with your family, babe.”

Kaelith chuckled softly and nodded.

“Okay.”

Celestia gently patted her shoulder before leaving the room.

Once she was alone again, Kaelith slowly lifted her gaze toward her reflection in the large mirror standing across the room.

For a brief moment, she simply stared at herself... then let out another quiet sigh.

After a while, Ethan arrived with John. While they were talking in the spacious coffee-brown, beige, and gold-themed main hall, beautifully illuminated by warm lights, Kaelith and Vexa came down the stairs. Kaelith was dressed entirely in black—a leather jacket paired with black baggy jeans, her hair tied up in a messy bun that perfectly complemented her effortless look. Beside her, Vexa wore black jeans, a blue jacket, and her shoulder-length hair was tied neatly into a ponytail. The moment they walked downstairs, everyone’s attention shifted toward them.

“So, here they come... Shall we leave now?” Ethan asked as he got up from the couch.

Kaelith and Vexa smiled and nodded.

After exchanging hugs and saying their goodbyes to everyone, the three of them finally began their journey.

Ethan was behind the wheel, while Vexa occupied the passenger seat. Kaelith sat quietly in the back seat with her AirPods on, deliberately giving the two lovebirds some privacy. They weren’t officially in a relationship yet, but everyone knew how deeply they cared for each other.

The road stretched endlessly ahead of them, illuminated only by the dim glow of scattered streetlights. The silence inside the car was peaceful until...

Screech—!

Ethan slammed on the brakes.

The sudden stop threw all three of them forward before their seatbelts pulled them back into place.

Kaelith immediately pulled one of her AirPods out.

“What happened? Why did you stop sudd—”

Her words died in her throat.

A motionless body lay right in the middle of the deserted road, illuminated by the car’s headlights.

Ethan stared at it for a brief second before instinctively reaching for the door handle.

Just as he was about to step out, Kaelith grabbed his wrist, stopping him.

Ethan looked at her.

Without taking her eyes off the body, Kaelith spoke calmly.

“It’s a trap... This isn’t an accident.”

Ethan shifted his gaze from Kaelith back to the body.

After a brief silence, Kaelith finally spoke again.

“Let’s check it out... But stay alert. Be careful.”

The other two nodded.

All three stepped out of the car, quietly shutting the doors behind them before cautiously making their way toward the motionless man.

Vexa immediately knelt beside him and checked for a pulse before placing two fingers beneath his nose.

“There... there’s no breathing...” she said as she looked back at them.

Kaelith simply nodded, her sharp blue eyes scanning every inch of the dark surroundings. The eerie silence pressing against them felt far too unnatural.

A small amount of blood stained the man’s face and hands.

The metallic scent reached Ethan almost instantly.

His breathing became uneven.

Slowly, his fangs began to emerge, and his warm brown eyes gradually transformed into a vivid crimson, the pupils narrowing into deep black slits.

He was losing control.

His chest rose and fell rapidly as the hunger threatened to consume him.

Vexa noticed immediately.

She rushed to his side and grabbed his shoulder firmly.

“Ethan... control yourself!”

Her stern voice snapped his attention away from the body.

Closing his eyes tightly, Ethan took several deep breaths, fighting against his instincts.

Vexa gently patted his shoulder, reassuring him before lifting her gaze toward Kaelith.

Only then did she realize...

Kaelith wasn’t looking at them anymore.

She was staring into the darkness ahead, her eyes fixed on something hidden deep within the woods.

“Kaelith...?” Vexa called.

Kaelith didn’t take her eyes off that particular spot.

“You calm him... I’ll be back.”

Saying that, she walked straight into the woods beside the road.

Darkness swallowed her figure almost instantly.

Before Vexa could stop her or even say another word, she was already gone.

Kaelith continued walking deeper into the forest, her eyes fixed on only one point ahead. With every passing second, her pace grew faster, as if something invisible was pulling her toward it.

Suddenly—

A huge, dark figure emerged from the shadows.

Before she could react, a large hand covered her mouth while another arm forcefully pinned her against the rough trunk of a massive tree.

Kaelith immediately struggled against him, trying to break free, but his grip was far stronger than hers.

As she fought, her eyes caught sight of something etched across his chest.

A jet-black dragon tattoo curled along his skin, every scale engraved with impossible precision. Ancient runes, celestial circles, and a lone crescent moon surrounded the beast as though the tattoo itself was an ancient magical seal embedded into his body.

At that very moment...

She knew.

He wasn’t human.

He was an Emberwing.

Her gaze slowly lifted to meet his eyes.

Hazel-green.

Sharp.

Piercing.

They carried a dangerous calmness that made it impossible to look away.

Without realizing it, her eyes wandered across the rest of him.

He possessed a broad, muscular frame that looked effortlessly powerful, perfectly complemented by a sharp jawline. His dark black hair fell into effortless waves, brushed back from his forehead as though a careless hand had styled it. The sides were trimmed neatly, fading seamlessly toward his ears, while the longer layers on top swept back in soft, windswept waves. Every strand seemed to catch the faint moonlight filtering through the trees, giving him an almost unreal charm.

The faint stain of blood on his lips only made him appear even more dangerous...

...and strangely captivating.

For one brief moment...

Kaelith completely forgot where she was.

She forgot the darkness.

She forgot the danger.

She forgot she was trapped against a tree.

She was utterly captivated by the mysterious stranger standing before her.

Then—

Thud!

The loud sound shattered the silence of the forest.

Both of them instinctively turned toward the noise.

A figure dressed entirely in black stood several meters away, its face completely concealed beneath dark clothing. It looked around cautiously, searching for someone.

Kaelith glanced back at the Emberwing.

He wasn’t looking at her anymore.

His sharp eyes were locked onto the mysterious figure.

Several tense moments passed.

Then, before Kaelith’s eyes...

The black-cloaked figure transformed into a massive black dragon.

With one powerful beat of its wings, it disappeared into the night sky.

Kaelith instinctively looked up, following the direction in which it had flown.

Taking advantage of his distraction, she struggled once more, trying to free herself from his grip.

But it was useless.

His hold never loosened.

Realizing force wouldn’t work, she closed her eyes for a split second before beginning to chant.

"Manus Cede....!"

The spell echoed through the silent forest.

Instantly, the Emberwing was thrown backward as though an invisible force had ripped him away from her.

Kaelith immediately took a defensive stance, her hair dancing wildly in the wind created by the spell.

The mysterious man slid across the forest floor before stopping himself by gripping the ground with one hand.

Slowly...

He lifted his head and looked at her.

Kaelith glared back without the slightest hint of fear.

A slow smirk spread across his lips.

He casually stood up, adjusted his shirt as if nothing had happened, and began walking toward her.

“Oh...” he said in a deep, velvety voice. “You’re a witch?”

Kaelith remained exactly where she stood, every muscle tense and ready to fight.

She refused to back away.

He continued walking until only inches separated them.

His warm breath brushed gently against her ear, sending an involuntary shiver racing down her spine.

A crooked smile tugged at his lips.

“Me too.”

As the words left his mouth, he slowly raised both arms into the air and closed his eyes.

The forest suddenly fell unnaturally silent.

Then...

Every leaf scattered across the forest floor began to rise.

One by one.

Then hundreds.

Then thousands.

They spiraled gracefully around them like a golden storm, dancing through the air as though the forest itself had awakened in response to his magic.

Kaelith’s blue eyes widened.

Her lips parted slightly.

She was too stunned to utter a single word.

The mysterious man merely smirked.

Kaelith slowly looked around at the countless leaves suspended in midair before her gaze finally returned to him.

Her voice came out as nothing more than a whisper...

filled with complete disbelief.

“NYTHERIS...!”