I never once thought of my course as inhumane. After all, what we battle are not humans. Monsters, they are, wearing outer shells that made them seem normal. Made them look more human—like me. Like us. But we know better. I know better. If I had not, then I should not have started fighting this witch in front of me.

The crossbow felt heavy in my hands as I expertly pulled an arrow from my quiver and loaded it onto my weapon. Drops of blood decorated our arena—a wide coliseum without a roof, with layers upon layers upon layers of marble seats now filled with seniors like me, cheering and whooping and occasionally throwing rotten apples at the witch.

The witch. A tall tanned girl that is currently hugging her wounded arm. Her face, beautiful and sculpted moments before, now had a long clean cut on the cheek from where my arrow had pierced her. Her pupils were dilated with panic and fear, her whole body shaking. I do not feel any sympathy or compassion—I do not feel anything except rage. Rage and a deep wound of heartache and a darn large amount of vengeance.

They took Teukkie away from me.

It’s fair enough to take someone from them.

I picked up a vial of poison from my suit’s inner pocket and let a few drops of the purple liquid fall on my arrow. The poison was from a gorgon’s saliva—extremely rare and dangerous to both humans and monsters. Just the perfect thing to use against the witch.

A drop of sweat slid down the back of my neck as silence hung between us. Just a couple more seconds….

“Kim Taeyeon,” the school owner called out from his speaker, “three minutes remaining.”

Sh*t. Three minutes. Can I do this? I shook my head. This seems impossible—No! I can do it. I have to do it. To graduate. Besides, that blonde ape is probably watching right now. I gritted my teeth and tightened my grip on the crossbow.

Then I ran towards her.

Holding a proper posture throughout the run, I shot down my poisoned arrow. It had a straight trajectory, aiming straight on the witch’s head. The witch’s head was hung low, though, with shoulders slumped. It looked like she had given up. But just 1 inch left before that arrow struck her down, she raised her head and flicked her wrist. A wave of fire appeared in front of her, completely scorching my arrow.

Cunning. To block my attack from a closer range in order to save energy.

I threw my crossbow at her, then, as she was distracted for a split second, I took out the daggers from my thigh pockets and closed the gap between us. Time for close combat. Close combat had been my forte, and I was at the top of the batch in this class, but for some reason I found myself in par with the being in front of me. And she was just using one arm.

Agitated, I threw a fake left jab, then proceeded with a knee kick to the thigh, but she just side-stepped and tapped my knee away from her. My foot skidded for a second, but I regained my balance. As soon as I did, I raised my arms to cover my face and charged.

I had expected her to flick her wrist and summon a ball of fire or create a fissure on the Earth like before, but this time, she looked up at me with sorrowful eyes and a hint of wistfulness on her smile. I was puzzled for a moment until my collision with her brought me back to my senses.

Her folks had killed the love of my life. Killed was an understatement, actually. They ate him. Disgusting werewolves. Tears clouded my vision as I remembered the way he shouted at me, telling me to run. To go live. I blinked away my tears as the witch and I tumbled on the sand.

Revenge. Revenge. Revenge.

I punched her jaw, and she just let me. I punched her again, and I heard a faint chuckle. Masochist, I thought in disgust. I raised my fist for the third time, but she looked at me straight in the eyes. And smiled.

“Hello,” she greeted me weakly. “I’m Yuri… W-what’s u-up?”

My fist stopped in midair. In the middle of confusion, I couldn’t help but answer. “Taeyeon,” I blinked.

“Cute name,” she smiled softly as blood trickled down . “Suits… you.”

“What the hell is wrong with you?!” I glared at her. How dare she mock me during our battle! I sent another strong hook to her cheek. And another. And another.

“P-please… hu-hurry on… with i-it,” she whispered as her face contorted with pain. “J-just… kill me… already…”

“You monsters don’t deserve a quick death,” I growled at her. “You guys deserve years of torture until your eyes just go blank.”

I felt my eyes water again as I grabbed her collar. “You guys deserve the worst there is. And I can’t wait to eradicate your whole population.”

“Then why are you shaking?” She asked me.

“Because I’m angry! Your kind killed someone important to me!”

“That’s not why you’re shaking…” She grinned. “You’re scared. And nervous. And you think that everything revolves around you.”

I raised her and threw her to the other side, where she rolled and coughed blood. How dare she?! She doesn’t know how it feels… to lose someone… Teukkie….

“Do you know how many witches you guys killed during your ‘witch-hunting escapades’?! A lot of us, and a lot of humans too! Your insecurities and stupidity killed both witches and humans! You’re not the only one that lost someone important!” The witch shrieked, causing me to retreat a couple of steps.

Then the ground erupted.

I had encountered a lot of earthquakes before, but this was on a grander scale. The ground split into half, and I jumped on one side. The ground continued to separate, and my attention was all at the witch until I heard people shouting. I look back to see that even the coliseum was being cut into half. People were grabbing on the ledges, but somehow, whenever someone falls, there will always be a chunk of rock they fall onto.

“You guys killed my family and friends, too,” the witch sobbed as she fell on her knees, her hands on her face.

More screams.

“One minute remaining,” the speakers boomed again.

My eyes flew to the witch, then to the people, then to the split arena, then back to the witch. My crossbow probably fell down the chasm already, and I lost my daggers. My quiver was cut so… big no. Only thing left is my katana.

I unsheathed the weapon and ran towards her, ran against the uneven ground and against all the hatred I had.

The witch’s body suddenly rose, a cloud of blackness engulfing her body. The weather suddenly got dark, and just a couple of seconds after Yuri—I mean the witch levitated, it is already raining. Raining and there was thunder. I continued to run, though, ing my katana in front of me.

Her body twitched, and she faintly raised her arm. And suddenly the ground shook again, wilder than before. And faster. I tried to stop running but my foot got caught on a rock and I rolled on the ground. Pain was flaring on my leg. I looked at it and frowned when I saw my ankle bent in an odd angle. Great. A broken ankle. At this time.

“40 seconds.”

That was when I started to panic. I struck the ground with my katana and used it to stand up, then half hopped half dragged myself to my opponent.

20 feet away. Thunder struck the rock beside me.

15 feet. I would have fallen if I hadn’t had reflexes when the ground in front of me suddenly opened.

10 feet. The rain was stronger and I slipped for probably the fourth time.

7 feet. Rain became snow—then snow became hail. It gave me more light wounds, and walking was harder.

5 feet. The witch’s bloodshot eyes suddenly looked at me. It was red-rimmed enough, but the iris of her eyes were not brown anymore, like before; they had become black.

“Die.” Yuri stated, and the ground beneath me collapsed.

“Argh!” I yelled as my broken ankle hit the side as I tumbled in midair. I desperately clawed the walls of the rift. “Fu—!” I bit back a curse as my fingers finally grabbed hold of something.

“30 seconds.”

“Calm your horses!” I screamed as I started to make my way up. It took me another ten seconds to climb. I hoisted myself up and started to run towards the witch again.

“20 seconds.” I continued to run, leaping to avoid the other holes.

“17 seconds.” I grabbed the katana I had dropped moments before and sliced my way through the flying rocks.

“14 seconds.” I found myself head-to-head with Yuri as I sprung myself.

“Hurry,” she groaned as she clutched her head, slowly descending. I crouched then kicked her thigh, causing her to yelp and fall on her knees.

“10 seconds.”

“Tao… now…” She whispered, and my body stopped. No, not like my body went limp, it literally stopped in midair. I couldn’t control anything except my eyes, which just blinked in confusion, and my mouth. I looked past her and saw the flying rocks suspended in midair, the falling seniors were paused in space, the thunders stopped and there was a silence I couldn’t explain in words.

“I hope you realize that you humans aren’t the only ones hurt,” Yuri rolled on her back, her black eyes looking at me. “We also age; we get hurt and we can die because of major injuries. We’re just the same. Only that we have… certain abilities.”

How she could talk even with her bruised ribs and broken bones, I didn’t know. I pushed my katana further, to finally end her, but it wouldn’t move. My body was fighting against myself, and I couldn’t help but give her a mean look.

“What have you done to me?!”

“Please change this ruthless world…” Yuri coughed blood again, splattering my boots, completely ignoring my question. “Please understand us. Try… as we try to understand you.”

Normally I would have ignored her, but the sight of a beautiful girl slowly dying in front of me made me listen. Listen and ponder on her words.

Was I wrong all this time? Was the school and the whole institution and all the officials and administrators wrong? I had spent seven years studying the creatures; possible appearances, distinguishable features, weaknesses, everything. I had always believed that they would cause the apocalypse if the hunters were not present. But now, I wondered if the apocalypse would happen because the hunters are here, causing war and mayhem to any creature they encounter, whether they be good or bad. We never really thought about it, but maybe, maybe, we can actually live together with them. Peacefully and quietly.

“Taeyeon-ah! Please live long! For me!”

Leeteuk’s words echoed in my mind, his face surfacing through my thoughts. His face full of dirt, his bleeding lip, his pleading eyes.

“I’ll try,” I choked up my words. “But it’s so hard… Because Leeteuk…”

She stood up, and that was when I first noticed her hand. It was black and limp, almost like a corpse’s. My eyes travelled towards her arm, then to her neck. Black. Her skin was black.

A memory flashed.

“The Black Plague, the Bubonic Plague, name it and we can point out who made it. Okay… does anyone know who? Anyone? No? Okay. Witches. Those who rebel against the will of God! The witches! They were the ones who created the plague. No, Soyou, not like the witches in books. Real witches. With skin like the trunks of trees and teeth like that of a shark’s and a stomach like that of a lion. They are ruthless, creating traps to lure in kids and teens, offering their blood to the moon to gain immortality or to gain power for strong spells. The Black Plague was an example of a strong spell. It was first discovered during mid-1300s, when a young woman suddenly fell down in the middle of the street. When doctors checked her, they saw that her skin had shriveled up and was black. The whites of the eyes were black and the pupil was red. It was dangerous during those times because after that discovery many people died. They didn’t know if it was airborne or can be transmitted through saliva or anything else. But what they do know was that a witch did that.”

“There is no cure for the Black Plague, as much as we search for it. They say we can only delay it. How? They say by Unicorn blood. Because Unicorn blood can heal almost all injuries, and can give you immortality. Some say that there is a plant, a fallen sun’s ray, and when its juice is drunk, it can pause all your living cells and still live. Least movement of living cells, least chances of dying from Black Plague.”

I gasped, looking at her. “You have the Black Plague.”

Yuri’s black eyes widened, and I saw that her pupils were red, just like what Professor Daesung had said. Yuri looked at the ground. She was silent for a moment, before startling me by suddenly looking behind her.

“No, Tao. Stay there. Don’t let Yixing come near me. I want to stop this once and for all,” she said, and when I looked at the direction she was facing, I saw two male figures on top of the coliseum. One with silver hair and one with black. The silver haired—the taller one—was holding back the black haired one.

“Taeyeon,” Yuri called out, taking my attention. “Who is he? The one you’ve lost?”

“My first and last love.”

“First and last. You’re quick to end your heart’s desire.”

“Stop.” I breathed. “Why are you still alive when you have the plague?”

“I have a friend… He’s… a Unicorn. He helped me when I was dying, voluntarily giving his blood.”

“Unicorn blood is true?”

“Of course. So… I guess that’s why you’re having trouble in trying to understand us. Because your boyfriend was killed.”

I didn’t even want to correct her that Leeteuk wasn’t my boyfriend because her eyes…. They looked so sad and broken it was like she was there when it happened.

“Yes,” I answered instead.

She walked towards me, limping, then grabbed my katana. She placed it in my hands, then positioned them to make it look like I was about to stab someone.

Wait.

“What are you doing?” My voice shook. No way. No!

“You can’t resist it, Taeng.”

Taeng. She said my nickname with so much affection my heart ached. She was like a best friend to me right now. I don’t know why but if I wasn’t a hunter and she wasn’t a witch and the world wasn’t as cruel as it is, then we could have been the best of friends.

“Tao, please. Just let me.” Yuri said again, and I knew she was talking to the tall silver haired guy.

“Yuri… stop.” Please. Don’t make me lose someone again.

“Taeng, I’ve lived way too long. The world is so corrupt I can’t find myself living in it.”

“Let’s change it. Please. Together. Please. Just don’t kill yourself.”

“I won’t.”

Those words…

“I won’t,” he flashed a last smile. “I’ll come back. So run! I’ll catch up!”

And that was when I knew she really was going to kill herself. I opened my mouth but she raised a hand.

“I can’t kill myself. I just can’t.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. But she wasn’t done talking…

“I can’t. But you can. Do it for me please, Taeng.”

I snapped. “NO WAY IN HELL AM I GONN—” No sound came out after even though I was sure I was talking. She had used her power on me again. To silence me. Literally silence me. My mouth opened but no sound came out.

Please.

Stop.

Don’t do this.

She pushed my foot upwards and I rose higher, still suspended. She positioned herself beneath me, and I knew.

I knew that when time resumes, my katana will directly pierce her heart.

I knew that when time resumes, I’ll kill her.

I’ll kill Yuri.

I opened my mouth again. “Please. Stop. I don’t want to do this.” I mouthed. She looked at me, tears streaming down her face.

She laid on her back, then gave a thumbs up. I looked up to see the tall guy nod, snap his fingers, then look away.

I felt myself falling. I felt my katana piercing her flesh, her heart, her remaining life. I felt myself crying after that, with Yuri’s head on my lap.

“Taeng… listen to me.”

I shook my head and continued to cry, the murmurs of the crowd making me cry harder.

“Taeng… please.”

I looked at her.

“Don’t hate her… she’s not as bad as she seems.” I didn’t understand who she was talking about and I hadn’t had the time to ask because her skin rapidly turned black.

She took a shaky breath, then looked up. She whispered something I couldn’t understand, and smirked before saying out loud, “Bye guys. Thanks a lot Tao… and Yixing… Sica…. Thanks for everything… Taeng. Thank you. I’m so sorry for this.”

“What?”

She raised her arm and placed her finger directly across my forehead. She flicked her finger at me, but instead of feeling pain, it was like there was a wind that hit me. I saw a blue orb near her finger, and instinct says that I should get away, but I ignored it. Because this was Yuri. She may be a witch, but she’ll never hurt me.

She grabbed at her neck, and raised a chain. A necklace. She detached it from herself, and poked the locket—a locket with nine sides—with the blue orb. I blinked when I saw the locket absorb the sphere. Yuri closed her eyes and mumbled a spell, and seconds later the necklace was on my neck, neat and safe.

“This… is your memory orb. Your memory since you first hit my cheek with your arrow. In ten minutes, you’ll remember nothing after that. You’ll remember nothing about me, about the things we said, about you willing to change the world. You’ll forget it all.”

“Why?!”

“Because if you do mean it… then you’ll think of it again. Change the world, Taeng. Change it because you want to; because you need to.”

“Please,” I begged, “don’t make me forget you.”

“You won’t… when that locket opens… you’ll remember me.”

“How will I open it?”

“You won’t. Someone else will. Someone cold.”

“Like someone evil?”

“No,” she chuckled. “Someone literally cold as ice. She’ll know what to do.”

“Just tell me her name. Please.”

“No way, Taeng. Just remember. She’s not as bad as she seems. Tell her I love her. Too much.”

“Yuri, please.” I sobbed again.

But this time she didn’t reply.

I looked at her again, my hands working their way up to her pulse points. Neck. Head. Ankle. I felt nothing.

There was no pulse.

Yuri was dead.

All because of me.

I held her body tightly towards mine, perhaps wishing for a miracle.

Yuri… I’m so sorry.

Her black body suddenly shone, like there was a light inside. Her skin started to crack, like an old paper, like a fragile glass. With every crack there was a beam of light shining from it.

“What’s happening?” I heard someone behind me say. “Taeyeon get away from her!”

Yuri’s body started to fade, slowly, piece by piece, like how dandelions do when a wave of wind hits them. Slowly. It was so slow it was torture.

Then I saw nothing but white.

I blinked my eyes, trying to make them adjust, but I just see nothing. Seconds later it was gone. I had a feeling, so I looked up, and there it was. A big ball of bright white light flying upwards.

Higher. Higher. Smaller. Smaller. Yuri was starting to disappear from my range of sight, and the fact that my head was starting to spin didn’t help.

The ball suddenly split.

Nine rays of light.

One hit me square on the back.

Seven scattered all around the world.

And one rose up to the sky. It was going to be a new star, I’m sure of it. The brightest of them all.

As I felt myself slipping away, a new wave of freezing air hit me, making me tumble and gasp.

It was faint, but I thought I had heard a cry of anguish from the direction of one of the rays.

“Yuri-ah!!!”

The last thing I saw was a familiar blonde head, scooping me up. His deep voice said, “You idiot. You owe me some chicken after this.”

Author's Note:

• Lu-Yoon12: 

Hi readers, that is if we even have one, lol. Anyway, this chapter is filled with bullcrap, just like our corrupted minds. We are waaaaaay too lazy to even say something in this author's note...so. We will just see ya in the next chapter.

Byeeeee

• LeFabulousPugnny

HAIIIIIIIIIIII. I don't even know if someone has already read the prologue but eyyyyy, we tried to put as much feels to it. Simply because we are evil. Lol. I know what you're (probably) thinking right now: sadistic high schoolers. Eh. Blame the exams. Literally messed up our brains. So... I guess Lu's the only lazy one in the author's note lol but I'm here to say that if you've already read the prologue, and now this, well, thanks! :D 

I guess that's all... Thanks to those who used up their time to read our story. Huehuehuehuehue. See you guys soon in chap 2! Which is... I'm not sure when we'll update but YOLOOOO.

ps: pls dont hate us because we already killed someone in the first chap. we just want to catch your attentions ;n;