Chapter 2 – Rainfall and Rumours

What a beautiful day.

That was the first thought that passed through Riven's head as he walked through the city streets, hands in his pockets, a faint smile pulling at his lips.

The rain came down in soft sheets, soaking the cracked pavement and darkening the worn brick buildings lining the road. A cold wind stirred the puddles, and winter clouds hung low above Obsidian, but none of it bothered him. If anything, the gloom felt right. Cleansing, in a way.

He tilted his head back, letting a few raindrops hit his face.

"Lucas," he said under his breath, "you were a good, smart little sheep."

The corners of his mouth twitched.

"I'm sure some of them will be very upset once they find out you're gone."

He strolled casually past a closed tea shop, red lanterns swaying in the rain, his reflection distorted in the puddles at his feet.

"It's going to be so much fun pretending I care."

He chuckled. "Maybe I should practice fake crying. Ah, what should I say... 'He would've been a great hero, just like his dad'? Or maybe, 'What a shame. That noble blood won't be passed down.'"

He sighed as he turned down a backstreet and climbed the rusted steps of his apartment building. The place was old, worn, barely holding itself together. Paint chipped from the walls, and the hallway lights flickered like a bad memory.

He unlocked the door to his flat and stepped inside. No pictures. No warmth. Just a bed, a desk, and a small kitchenette that hadn't seen proper use in weeks.

"This again," he muttered.

Before anything else, he went into the bathroom, flicked on the buzzing light, and ran the tap. He leaned toward the mirror and bared his teeth.

No fangs.

Not right now.

But he cleaned them anyway. Blood could stick in the weirdest places.

As he scrubbed, he grinned at his reflection. "What a good night," he whispered. "And tomorrow... might be even more fun."

He wandered back into the main room and dropped onto the mattress, arms spread wide.

"I live in a dump while I'm the best thing in this whole damn city," he whispered. "But... I guess that's part of the fun."

No chores. No expectations. No responsibilities. Just a mask and a game.

"What's even better... I won't need to cook for the next few days."

He turned onto his side, eyes fluttering shut.

But just before sleep took him, a thought lingered:

*There have to be others, right?*

*Vampires. Like me.*

*It can't just be me.*

For a second, the thought made him feel... smaller. As if the shadows he ruled might one day swallow him too.

He rolled over and forced the feeling down.

He was the predator.

Always.

The next morning, Obsidian Hill Academy was buzzing.

Riven stepped onto campus with a yawn and stretched like nothing was wrong, like his hands hadn't torn through flesh just hours ago. His uniform was slightly wrinkled, hair lazily styled, charm effortlessly in place.

And already, the whispers reached him.

"Someone died."

"Did you hear? A noble."

"Lucas. They found Lucas."

"They say it was brutal. Like... not human."

He blinked, feigning confusion. *Wow. News travels fast when it's the son of an S-rank.*

A group of first-years huddled together near the stairwell. One of them was crying. Others looked pale.

When he entered the classroom, it was louder than usual. Students whispered in tight clusters. Some sat in silence, eyes downcast. A few girls openly wept.

Riven slid into his seat, placing a comforting hand on Sarah's back as she wiped her eyes.

"I can't believe it," she whispered. "Lucas was... he was such a good guy."

Riven nodded slowly, eyes full of well-practised grief. "Yeah. It's... unbelievable."

He leaned forward, elbows on the desk, and buried his face in his hands.

*Let's see who notices the tears aren't real.*

A few moments later, Sarah pulled him into a side hug.

*Perfect.*

Professor Albright entered, his face grim. The room quieted almost instantly.

He stood at the front of the class, folding his hands behind his back.

"I'm sure most of you have heard already," he said, voice low, "but I need to confirm it formally."

The room held its breath.

"Last night, Lucas Ashington's body was discovered on the path he uses to walk home. The scene was... brutal. I won't go into details, but I will say this—it wasn't peaceful. He died in pain. And his loss is a tragedy not just to our academy, but to the Ashington family... and to all of you who knew him."

Some students gasped. Others choked back sobs.

"There is an active investigation underway," the professor continued. "If any of you know anything, or saw something unusual, please report it to any of your teachers immediately. No matter how small."

Riven pressed his lips together and nodded solemnly.

*Brutal, huh? That's one way to put it.*

As the teacher stepped back and let the class process, another voice cut through the silence.

"I was going to marry him..." one girl whispered.

Riven blinked.

She was one of the girls from the lockers yesterday. The one who spoke so highly of Lucas.

"I always thought... one day... I mean, he was so kind to me. We used to talk after theory class..."

The words were broken by tears.

Riven's heart pounded—not with guilt, but excitement.

*She really thought he'd marry her?* 

He almost laughed. It took everything he had to keep a straight face. His stomach twisted in amusement, his eyes burned with the effort of pretending to be sad.

He wanted to burst out laughing.

But he didn't.

Barely.

He looked down, lips trembling with the effort to hold it in.

*Gods, this is fun.*

Riven's eyes drifted across the room.

Lilly sat alone again, her hands folded neatly in her lap.

Unlike the others, she wasn't crying. Wasn't whispering. She just stared—at the window, at the floor, and sometimes... at him.

Their eyes met.

She didn't look away.

Riven tilted his head slightly. *Hmm? Staring a bit too long there, Lilly.*

He smiled. Friendly. Harmless.

She blinked, then looked down.

*Does she know? Or is it just that theory of hers?*

Either way... he was intrigued.

*Let's make it fun.*

*Let's show her vampires are real.*

Later that day, during a short break, a new face entered the classroom.

Tall, dark-haired, wearing a long grey coat over academy robes. His presence silenced the chatter in seconds.

"Class 3-B," he said, eyes sweeping across them. "I'm Instructor Kael. I've been temporarily assigned to assist with the Ashington investigation."

The atmosphere shifted.

"I'll be observing this class periodically. You may also see more patrols across the campus in the coming days. If anyone has anything to share—anything—you come to me directly. Understood?"

The students nodded.

Riven raised his hand lazily. "Sir, will we be safe? If... you know. Whatever did it is still out there?"

Kael looked at him for a long moment. "We believe it was an isolated incident."

Riven's eyes sparkled. "Ah. That's good, then."

The instructor didn't reply.

He just turned and walked out.

As the door closed behind him, Riven leaned back in his chair, smirking.

*Let the games begin, Kael.*

*Let's see who wins.*

Whispers passed through the room in the wake of Kael's departure. But beneath them all, another rumour was starting to spread.

Apparently, a new instructor would be joining the academy soon.

No one knew who they were or what they taught. Only that the higher-ups were bringing them in fast.

Some said they were a specialist in aura mutation.

Others said they weren't even human.

Riven sat quietly, listening.

His smile never left.

*Now things were getting interesting.*