Ella wasn’t quite ready for the day, but the sight of Mira flailing a spatula at the spider had pushed her out of the house before she could react. As the door clicked shut behind her, she could still hear Mira muttering, “I can't do this.”

When Ella arrived at Astralis Academy, it was just in time for her first class. Keeping her head low, she quickly made her way to the history classroom, ignoring the side glances and whispers that followed her. She found her worn boots far more interesting than the curious looks.

The bell—a low-toned vibration for students with sensitive hearing—rang just as Ella settled at her usual desk by the window, which gave her a clear view of the academy’s vast courtyard. She pulled out her book and notes, trying to focus on them as the teacher entered the room.

Professor Barnes began his usual lecture, droning on about the Great Blood War between vampires and werewolves, and the treaty that ended it. Ella barely paid attention, as she had already studied the topic extensively in her quest to figure out her identity. Her mind wandered back to the night before—Alyssa’s glowing eyes, the rogue wolves, her strange surge of power...

When the bell rang to signal the end of class, Ella hurried to her sanctuary: the library. Pushing open the heavy double doors, she felt instantly at ease, surrounded by the smell of old books and the promise of hidden knowledge. The librarian, Mrs. Hawthorne, a kindly woman with silver hair tied into a neat bun, smiled warmly as Ella stepped inside.

"Good morning, Ella. Back again?" Mrs. Hawthorne asked, her voice soft and filled with gentle humor.

Ella smiled faintly, her usual unease easing in the presence of the familiar librarian. "Yeah, I just can't seem to stay away."

"Well, you're always welcome here. Let me know if you need help finding something new." Mrs. Hawthorne gave Ella a knowing nod before returning to her desk, focusing back on her book.

Ella wandered deeper into the rows of shelves, her fingers lightly grazing the spines of books, each filled with ancient lore, supernatural history, and endless possibilities. The scent of paper and ink mixed with a sense of peace as she browsed through titles that were familiar to her. She finally settled on one thick, dusty volume about vampires she hadn’t read.

Making her way to a cozy corner, Ella settled into one of the armchairs, tucking her feet beneath her. The soft glow of the reading lamp cast a warm circle of light over the pages as she opened the book and began to read.

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Vampires, the so-called 'living dead,' walk the line between life and death. Although they are biologically immortal, their existence depends on the consumption of fresh blood. The blood mimics the flow of nutrients, minerals, and vitamins found in the living, giving them superior strength, speed, and heightened senses.

Contrary to popular belief, not all vampires are bound to the night. While most prefer the darkness due to their sensitivity to sunlight, many can function during the day, especially older or more powerful vampires who have learned to resist its effects.

Their fangs, hidden within their gums, are retractable, and designed for efficient blood extraction from their prey. A vampire's eyes are a telltale sign of their true nature, glowing an unmistakable red when they are threatened or aroused by bloodlust.

However, despite their power, vampires are not without vulnerabilities. Prolonged exposure to sunlight, lack of blood, or severe physical trauma can lead to a temporary feral state, often triggered by uncontrollable thirst and rage. In this state, vampires lose much of their reason and become dangerously unpredictable.

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Ella leaned back in her chair, the words swirling in her mind. Could she be a vampire? The sun didn’t particularly agree with her, and she had always burned easily under its rays. But that was likely just because of her red hair and fair skin. She didn’t feel any unnatural cravings for blood, and she hadn’t grown fangs when she fought the rogue wolves the night before.

But then, what was she?

She frowned, flipping through more pages of the book. She came across another passage that caught her eye.

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The process of becoming a vampire is not instantaneous. It involves a series of transformations, both physical and mental. The awakening of a vampire's abilities can be triggered by extreme trauma or heightened emotions, particularly those involving survival.

Newly awakened vampires may not recognize their true nature immediately. Many report a period of confusion, where they experience heightened senses, strength, and resilience without understanding the cause. Only with time, or a triggering event, do they fully come into their powers.

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Ella stared at the passage for a long time. Could the fight last night have triggered something inside her? She had always felt different, stronger than she should have been. But that didn’t make her a vampire, did it?

Her mind churned with the possibilities, but no clear answers came. As she read on, each passage only seemed to raise more questions. She didn’t fit neatly into the vampire description. She had never craved blood, never had fangs, and—well, she had never experienced that eerie red glow in her eyes.

But something had changed last night.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching. She glanced up to see Mrs. Hawthorne coming toward her, a soft smile on her face.

“Everything alright, dear?” the librarian asked, her eyes twinkling as she glanced at the book in Ella’s hands.

“Just... trying to figure things out,” Ella muttered, closing the book slightly.

“Ah, the search for knowledge.” Mrs. Hawthorne nodded knowingly. “It’s a powerful thing. But sometimes, the answers we seek take time to reveal themselves.”

Ella nodded, though the weight of the unknown still pressed heavily on her. “I just don’t know where to look anymore.”

“Keep searching,” Mrs. Hawthorne said gently. “And trust yourself. The truth has a way of finding us, even when we least expect it.”

With that, Mrs. Hawthorne gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder before turning and walking back toward her desk. Ella watched her go, the librarian’s words lingering in her mind.

Was the truth closer than she realized?

She looked back down at the book in her lap, her fingers tracing the old pages. Answers or not, she would keep searching. Because whatever she was—whatever was happening to her—she had to understand it.

She had to know the truth about herself.