Chapter 9: Sparks and Shadows
Tyler adjusted his hoodie as he stepped into Brewstone Coffee, the familiar scent of roasted beans and baked pastries wrapping around him like a warm blanket. The late afternoon crowd bustled—college students hunched over laptops, locals chatting at corner tables, steam rising from ceramic mugs. It felt… normal. Almost safe.
His eyes scanned the café, and there she was.
Selene sat near the window, sunlight catching in the waves of her silver blonde hair, making it look like it was spun from gold. Her black leather jacket was slung over the back of her chair, her fingers lightly tapping the side of a half-empty mug.
For a moment, Tyler just stood there. Watching her. Something about her presence calmed the storm, always simmering beneath his skin. The beast inside stirred, curious but quiet.
She looked up and smiled—a real one this time.
"Hey, stranger."
He smiled back, easing into the seat across from her. "Hey. You actually showed."
"Only because I owed you a coffee," she said, raising her mug in a mock toast. "And I wanted to see if you could actually smile. Last time we talked, you looked like someone who'd seen a ghost."
Tyler chuckled, the tension in his shoulders unwinding a little. "Funny you mention that. It's been… a week. But yeah, it's good to get a break."
They ordered drinks, hers, a strong black; his, iced with extra milk and the conversation began to flow like a creek after rain. Tyler kept things light. He told her about Mason's latest junkyard obsession and them building a go-kart from scraps and ranted about his Business Management professor, who might secretly be a vampire. He even relayed his brush with death via cafeteria sushi.
Selene laughed, bright, genuine, and musical. Each laugh from her chipped away at his walls.
She tilted her head slightly. "You seem better. Still tense, but… less haunted."
"I'm working on it," he said, sipping his drink. "Trying this new thing called not freaking out constantly. Early results are promising."
Her smile deepened. A silence hung between them for a beat not awkward, but full of something unspoken. When she reached for her coffee, her fingers brushed his. They both froze, eyes meeting. Neither pulled away. It was electric. It was warm. Familiar. Like home.
Selene cleared her throat, but didn't pull back right away. "You never talk about your parents."
Tyler hesitated, then shrugged. "They're… not around. Been just me, Mason, and my uncle for a while now."
She nodded but didn't pry. In return, she told him a little about herself, funny stories from school, the time her cousin accidentally pepper-sprayed himself, awkward family dinners. She left out the hunting. But the walls were cracking. On both sides.
Eventually, the empty cups and fading sunlight marked the end of the moment.
Tyler reached for the bill.
"Hey—no," Selene said, trying to intercept it. "This was my treat. I owe you, remember?"
"You can get the next one," Tyler said, grinning.
Selene blinked. "Next one?"
"Yeah. Friday evening?" he offered, nerves twisting in his gut.
She looked flustered—and flattered. "It's a date."
Elsewhere at The Crimson Covenant Estate, Elarion
The purr of a sleek blue Jaguar F-Type echoed off the stone walls as it climbed a winding hill outside the magical kingdom of Elarion. At the top stood a fortified estate, dark spires rising against the storm-streaked sky. The air shimmered faintly with enchantments.
Elder Grant stepped out, the car door shutting with a muted thud. He wore a long crimson coat, the subtle glow of mage sigils etched into the cuffs. His face was calm, his shaved head glistening in the moonlight, but tension rippled beneath the surface.
Inside the estate's central chamber, crimson-robed mages bowed before a throne carved of blackwood and inlaid with silver veins. Atop it sat Morfius, the High Lord of the Crimson Covenant. Power clung to him like shadow and smoke.
"You were intercepted?" Morfius's voice cut through the air like frost-laced thunder.
Grant bowed low. "I think we were sabotaged. The item was stolen... somewhere on the edge of a city called Hollow Pines. A human died during the incident. I handled the cleanup. No trace remains."
Morfius's eyes narrowed. "Was this an accident… or an enemy's action?"
"I suspect the Dark Creed," Grant replied cautiously. "Or perhaps the Illusion mages. But the item is… lost."
Morfius rose, the air crackling. "We are running out of time. Find it. No more delays."
His smile was thin and cold. "If we want the mage factions to unite and end this war, the weapon must be in our hands."
Back in Hollow Pines
Evening wind tugged at Tyler's hoodie as he stood outside the local dojo, Andrew at his side. The sign above read: Kia Martial Arts
"You still think this will help me?" Tyler asked.
Andrew grinned. "It definitely will. Now it's self-defense, stress relief and control"
The dojo smelled of cedar and sweat. Students bowed to Master Kia—an older man with sharp eyes and an air of quiet power.
Tyler mimicked the moves, awkward at first. But something inside him responded. The beast moved with him. Not wild but focused.
Tyler and Andrew sparred. Andrew got a few good hits in, sending Tyler sprawling more than once.
"Is this why you brought me here?" Tyler asked between breaths. "To beat me up legally?"
Andrew laughed. "Damn right."
But gradually, Tyler found his rhythm. His movements became sharper, more controlled.
He landed a solid counter that had Andrew tapping out, surprised and winded.
After class, Andrew headed out, but Master Kia stopped Tyler.
"You're strong. Fast. But you let your anger guide your movements," he said. "Let me show you something more advanced.
Five moves. But you'll need discipline and practice."
Tyler nodded, eager.
1. Ura Mawashi Geri – Spinning Hook Kick
A sweeping heel kick. Fast. Flashy. Devastating. Tyler stumbled at first, then caught the motion—fluid and vicious.
2. Tobi Geri – Jumping Kick
A soaring strike. Front, side, roundhouse. Tyler mastered all three variants with unnatural ease. Even Kia looked impressed.
3. Kaiten Geri – 360 Spinning Kick
A full-body spin into a strike. Common in extreme styles. Difficult. Tyler pulled it off with raw, startling grace.
4. Kansetsu Geri – Joint Kick
Precise, surgical. Kia demonstrated on a dummy, nearly snapping its knee. Tyler practiced until his form was clean.
5. Enpi Uchi – Elbow Strike
Close-range. Brutal. Tyler nailed it almost instantly.
"You are learning very fast," Kia muttered. "But speed alone isn't mastery. I can't tell if it's because I'm a good teacher or you are just that talented but You need stillness. I'll teach you a meditation technique."
Shaolin Qigong Meditation – Foundation
Kia walked him through the Wu Ji stance, deep breathing, and Qi visualization. Inhale light. Exhale tension. Circulate energy. Clear the mind.
"Do this for fifteen minutes each morning and evening," he said. "It will teach you balance and give you better control."
As the session ended, Tyler received a familiar ping in his mind.
Training Rewards
+1 Strength. +1 Stamina. +1 Endurance
New Daily Task: Meditate 15 minutes
Control Mastery: 50%
Tyler sat cross-legged on the mat, sweat cooling on his skin. The beast within was no longer growling. It listened.
Meanwhile at Med School Library
Jun sat across from Mason at a table cluttered with books, most of them fantastical: Bloodlines of the Night, Witchcraft and Lycanthropy, Myth or Memory? The two of them had been meeting up over the last few days.
"You believe in this stuff?" Mason asked, smirking.
Jun shrugged. "It's fiction. But exaggerated fiction usually starts with something real."
He laughed softly. "You're not wrong."
Jun raised an eyebrow. "You were just researching werewolves and now I'm the conspiracy nut?"
Mason chuckled. "Touché."
They talked easily, Jun's curiosity infectious. Eventually, Mason leaned forward, voice low.
"Can I be honest with you?" he asked.
Jun tilted her head. "Have you not been?"
He hesitated, then nodded. "I'm a facts guy. Science and logic. But lately… things have happened. I think I saw something—something real. In Deadwood Forest."
Jun's eyes widened. "You saw one?"
"I don't know what I saw," he lied. "But it changed how I see the world."
They talked until the library lights dimmed. As they walked out, Jun stopped him near the steps.
"I knew it when I met you," she said softly.
Then she kissed him.
"You're not like the others, Mason Graves. You're something more."
And for the first time in a long while, Mason didn't feel so alone.
Later That Night
The soft ping returned in Tyler's head.
System Notification
Full Moon: 2 Days Remaining
Tyler rubbed his temples. The system was quiet, but its presence loomed like a second heartbeat.
He thought of Selene, her laughter, her warmth, her smile.
Friday.
He cursed under his breath. Their second date was scheduled for the same night as the full moon. No late-night movies. No midnight walks.
He'd have to end it early, before the moonrise. Before the beast claimed him again.