On a foggy morning in October, the sculpture students from the capital's most famous and old art university, were finishing their works for the exhibition that would take place the next day at the school's museum. Some were taking the works to the museum while others were still completing them.

A pink haired girl with purplish eyes whose name was Lydia, who had already finished hers, approached her friend Eclipse who was still working on it…

– Hey, are you still not done with yours? – She asked, leaning on her table.

– I just need to put these flowers on the sides and it’s done. – She replied, while adding some blue flowers to her piece.

– Ah, you really can’t make art without adding flowers to it, do you? Hahah. – Lydia laughed, noticing the passion her friend had for flowers.

– Yeah, you’re right. – She briefly laughed. – I think they give a more unique look to the artworks.

– That’s true, they always look awesome… No wonder you’re the best of the class, hehe! – Her friend Lydia stated, while admiring her work. – I’ll wait for you to finish so we can go submit them at the museum together.

– Thanks! I won’t take too long, I promise. – Eclipse said, smiling at her.

~~~

After some minutes, Eclipse had already finished the project, so they were going to take their works to the exhibition room.

– Wait, what about Xavier and Catherine? – Eclipse asked while placing her sculpture on the delivery box.

– What do you mean? They literally waved us goodbye an hour ago, they already submitted their works. – Lydia answered, confused.

– Oh… Yeah, I forgot. Nevermind it. – Eclipse realised.

They picked up their work and were heading downstairs; they were quite struggling to make it through the stairs since they were huge and heavy, but the girls still managed to make it.

When they arrived in the room, the man who took care of the place was talking to a tall black haired male.

– Oh… He’s occupied with someone else. – Lydia sighed.

They didn’t want to interrupt them, but they really needed to.

– Hey, sir, sorry to interrupt but, we need to submit our works for the exhibition. Should we take them inside or you’ll take care of them? – Eclipse inquired, after approaching the employee.

– Yeah sure, I’ll take care of it once I’m done talking with Prince Dracarus. – He explained.

Dracarus exchanged looks with the girls… They looked surprised. 

Pale porcelain skin, white eyes as glossy as quartz with long eyelashes, and soft black hair which reached his shoulders… Not to mention the beauty mark he had under his right eye. He was indeed one of the most beautiful men of Portus.

– Oh, greetings Dracarus Swan. It’s a pleasure to meet you. – Lydia stuttered with a hint of shyness…

Same as Eclipse.

– Hello…

Dracarus was also amused by their looks, especially Eclipse. It was rare seeing someone with pure white hair and bicoloured eyes.

– Hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you both too. However, I’ll need to take my leave now… Thanks for the information by the way; – He announced, glancing at the man. – And goodbye, have a nice day.

The girls waved him goodbye as they watched him vanish in an instant.

– Damn, he really is prettier in person… – Lydia whispered, still shocked about how she saw him for the first time in front of her.

– It’s my first time seeing him so close too… He’s truly very handsome. – Eclipse agreed.

– I feel like I’ve been bewitched just now. – Lydia said. 

– Huh? What about Xavier? Have you forgotten about him? – Eclipse asked, jokingly.

– Oh, of course not! He’s obviously the one who has my heart. – She replied, quite embarrassed and walking away from Eclipse.

Eclipse laughed and chased after her.

“So he’s really Dracarus, huh? What an unexpected encounter.” She thought to herself.

~~~

Dracarus Swan

“They were talking about an exhibition in the museum… It’s probably the sculpture class one, I’ll stop by tomorrow to see it. Now, regarding the information the man gave me, it must be somewhere in here.”

I started searching through the crowded intersections, for the individual he mentioned… That was when I realised I was being watched from not so far away.

I looked behind and saw someone running into an alley between two buildings. I was sure that was the suspect I was looking for and the one observing my moves. I chased the man and enclosed him in the small path. He suddenly pointed a gun at me.

– You’re bold to do that to someone like me… – I pointed, slowly walking towards him.

The man reloaded the gun… He was determined to shoot me.

– Woah there; – I gasped, standing a few metres from him. – Don’t you think we should solve this in a peaceful way? – Trying to convince him.

– Nah, I’d rather do this my way. I’m not afraid to shoot, you don’t scare me. – He threatened, looking straight into my eyes with a glowing rage on his face.

– Well, since you insist… – I took off my jacket and tossed it to the side. – I’ll allow you then. 

I activated my power which emerged from the four point shaped star in my forehead, and he immediately shot me in the chest. He looked frustrated as he saw my chest regenerate by itself, and kept on shooting me while I slowly created a bloody sword from my power.

– Yeah, that’s enough. It’s my turn now. – I ran towards him.

I ripped his chest apart using my sword and he let out a scream of pain. The man fell to the ground, lifeless.

– That’s what happens when you choose violence over peaceful ways…

I wiped the spilled blood off my face and picked up my jacket from the floor.

As I looked at the entrance of the hidden path, the place didn’t seem crowded anymore. 

“I wonder if they ran because of the sounds of the shots… Whatever.”

I teleported myself back to the city, and as I walked my way to the car, I noticed the old theatre door was slightly open. I decided to go in and saw a small audience inside. On stage was a figure doing a kind of performance with dance. You couldn't see her face, it was just a silhouette without any kind of light reflected on the artist’s image. But in a way, it was quite interesting. The performance lasted a few minutes and the small crowd seemed to have really enjoyed it.

“People nowadays really like art and expressing themselves through it…”

~~~

Dracarus returned to the palace at the end of the day, and went to sleep after reporting about his completed mission to Khaos.

Khaos is the strongest being in the nation of Portus, she became the leader of the country about five hundred years ago after the war of leaders. She has two trusted helpers who work with her to keep the peace in Portus, being Dracarus and Han. They help Khaos by carrying out missions deemed too cruel and dangerous for the most common helpers of justice, consisting mainly in assassinations of individuals who are specifically dangerous and most threatening to pacifism.

 ~~~

Unknown

– Stop!! Don't kill him! What are you doing?! Leave him alone!! 

– Hm? Should I kill you instead of him then? If that's the case, I won't hesitate…

I woke up, sweating, and almost crying… 

“Ah… these dreams… they never end.”

I went to the kitchen to drink a cup of water to calm myself down. I also checked the clock, and it was still 04:00 a.m. I poured the water from the sink into the cup, and drank it while blankly staring through the kitchen window; the wind gently blew against the trees outside. I decided to stay there for a bit as the peaceful view from outside eased my mind after the intense dream…

“I promise to meet you one day and do the same thing you did to him, I won’t let you escape!”

~~~

The following morning, at the university, the students were in the private room of the second floor of the museum. They were peacefully resting after two long months, as they also watched the people wander through their sculptures in the exhibition. Lydia and Eclipse’s group of friends were gathered on a round table; they wanted to plan something to celebrate the ending of another long school project, and a successful exhibition.

– We could do something fun after all this work… – Catherine said.

– Yeah, like a party between us or something simple yet fun. – Xavier, a red haired friend with black eyes and glasses, suggested.

They kept on suggesting things to do while Eclipse was half asleep on the table, observing the crowd downstairs.

– Wait… isn’t that Dracarus? – She murmured, widening her eyes, as she saw the same man from yesterday standing in front of her artwork.

– Huh? Did you say something, Eclipse? I thought you were asleep. – Lydia asked, tilting her head down, meeting Eclipse’s eyes.

– Oh… I was just thinking about something. – She replied.

“What he is doing here…” She thought to herself as she looked back at him.

– Oh by the way… Since you’re actually awake, do you have any idea about what we’re talking about? – Lydia inquired.

“Hmm, regarding what I need to do later, it would be good if they came to my house.”

– Why don’t we make a sleepover at my house tonight? – She proposed, lifting her head from the table.

– It seems like the best idea actually. – Catherine approved.

– Yeah, I’m up to it. – Xavier replied.

– Me too, I just need to ask my parents first. – Lydia added.

– Alright, I’ll just tell my mother about it, and you can go to my house at humm… maybe, 08:00 p.m? Is that good? – Eclipse asked.

– Yes. – They all agreed.

~~~

Dracarus was still standing in front of Eclipse’s piece. He was very fond of her works in every exhibition as they always captured different emotions and feelings. However, he never met her… Or so he thought.

“Her piece looks magnificent as always… I wonder what’s the true meaning behind it this time.” He thought to himself as he appreciated every tiny detail of it. The sculpture showed two individuals sharing the same heart as they melted, with blue little flowers on the sides.

“Will I ever meet you someday…?”

~~~

Before they noticed, it was already 02:00 p.m, they were now free from school that day. 

– Alright guys, I’ll wait for you all at 8 o’clock, see ya! – Eclipse said while waving goodbye to her friends by the school gate.

– See ya, Eclipse!! – Lydia, waving back.

– Bye!! – Xavier also waved and turned around, heading to the bus stop.

It was again raining that day, it was gonna be a cosy sleepover with the rain sounds outside. 

~~~

At the designated hours they were already there, they were surprisingly punctual despite procrastinating on their works. All of them were wearing cute pyjamas and funny ones. They were all laughing and greeting each other for the second time that day at Eclipse’s gate while waiting for her, but instead, her mom showed up. 

– Are you guys Eclipse’s friends? She's taking a bath right now, but she told me that y’all would arrive in case she was occupied, come inside! It’s raining!

– Thanks… Sorry, what’s your name? – Catherine asked. 

– Oh, It’s Dahlia!

– Alright, thanks Miss Dahlia!!

They were waiting for Eclipse in the living room. Catherine and Xavier were quite surprised and amused by seeing Eclipse’s house for the first time. It was really pretty and floral, there were flowers everywhere with such fancy decorations. She then appeared out of the bathroom and they went to her room right after.

– So, what should we do first? – Eclipse asked, as she sat with them in her bed.

– I'm kinda hungry, I usually have dinner at 7 o’clock… – Catherine said, as her tummy agreed.

– I ordered the food for nine, we can play any game before it arrives, you can also eat a snack if you’re that hungry.

– Thanks!

~~~

They played board games and some others while they were waiting for the food. It was fun and they had a good time.

– The food is here, kids! Eat while it's warm, I’ll bring some juice and the strawberry pie as well.

– Thanks, mom.

– Hey Eclipse, can we watch a movie while eating? – Lydia, about to grab a piece of food.

– Sure, choose one and we’ll watch it!

They ended up watching a scary movie since it was almost that time of the year, and two of them fell asleep in the first half because of how tired they were from those two long months of work.

– Maybe we should go to sleep too, we had enough fun already. – Eclipse yawned, looking at Catherine who was also still awake.

– You’re right, good night Eclipse!

– Good night, Cath.

~~~ 

Meanwhile, Khaos' trusted helper was again submitted to another work…

– I could be sleeping, why do I gotta do it right now, can’t I do it tomorrow? – Dracarus asked, while rubbing his eyes, expressing his sleepiness to Khaos.

– Well, the person lives with someone so during the night is an easier way, you can just kill him in a peaceful way without causing blood. Also, the other party won’t panic much when she wakes up. Therefore, I’m sorry to disturb your sleep. If you really can’t do it, then I’ll go by myself.

– Don’t worry, it’s fine… Give me the location.

– So…

~~~

The place was not so far from there, it was at the nearest city. Dracarus was entering the destined mansion when he saw a blood pond forming next to the gate… The blood was coming from the fountain. He went further in… He was there for the mission, but the amount of blood coming from there seemed way more worrying so he went to check the origin of it. That was the moment he found something really strange… The person he was supposed to annihilate this time, was already dead inside the fountain. The heavy rain was causing an overflow in the fountain water, causing the blood to also leak out.

– What the hell? Someone murdered him already? – He murmured to himself, in complete shock. – There's soaked paper over there too…

He picked up the paper and there was something written on it…

– The Moon’s Shadow?!

~~~