The sky was overcast, reflecting the somber mood of the small gathering at the cemetery. Friends and family of Yul had come to mourn. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the nearby trees, adding a soft, mournful sound to the quiet scene.It was a very sad sight to behold as everyone came dressed in black, a reflection of the sadness that the moment had cast upon everyone.Jack, Yul's father, wore a somber expression. Even if he made it appear to everyone that Yul had been a coward and had taken his own life, he still felt the pain of having lost a son.Among the mourners was Tiara. She stood by the freshly dug grave, her eyes red from crying, a deep sorrow etched across her face. Beside her was Cheong, who tried to comfort her, though he himself was clearly struggling with the weight of the loss.As the ceremony continued, Serpens quietly stood quietly at a spot where no one could see him. He felt a knot of guilt and sadness in his chest, knowing that Yul's death was a tragedy that
Serpens arrived home, feeling the weight of the day’s events pressing down on him. The words of Cheong still echoed in his ears - "You were a part of the chaos." He just couldn't understand why Cheong would say such a thing to him. Stepping down from his bike, he made his way towards the door.As he opened the door, he was greeted by the sight of Lan who had been waiting for him for almost an hour. However, he was surprised to see her and his sister pulling along very well like they've always known each other.“Hey,” Lan said softly, standing up from the couch. “Hey,” Serpens replied, walking over to her and greeting her with a warm kiss. "I'm sorry for keeping you waiting for so long," He went further to apologize.“Its okay," Lan said, wearing a warm smile. "How have you been?" She asked."I'm good," Serpens replied. "And you? How have you been?" "Good too. Just that, I’ve missed you,” she admitted, her eyes full of affection as they settled back onto the couch.“Same here,” Serp
As Serpens lay in bed that night, he couldn't shake off the question which Serena had asked him. Their parents had died when they were still kids. He was just six years old at that time and Serena was just three years old.Though he couldn't really remember everything that had happened, he could still remember some police officers coming to their house to break the news to Grandma Suki.Someone had assassinated his parents. Someone who had always envied his father but that was all he could remember. While he was still in deep thoughts, his phone buzzed and it was a call from Lan. He had forgotten to call her after promising he'd do so."I've been waiting for your call," Lan began, after he picked up the phone to answer the call."Sorry, I forgot." Serpens apologized. "I was talking to Serena and I lost track of time. I'm really sorry.""It's fine. I just thought of reminding you that I'm home. I got home about thirty minutes ago." Lan said. "Extend my warmest regards to Serena. I rea
The late afternoon sun cast a warm glow over the neighborhood as Serena made her way to the assisted living facility where she had decided to visit for her voluntary project work.The whole purpose of the project was to visit the elderly people who had lived in Draketown for at least fifty years and most preferably those who were born there to gather enough information regarding the current deaths in Draketown for the school's end of year magazine publication.As she walked into the facility’s courtyard, she noticed old man Xue sitting alone on a bench, enjoying the fresh air. His silver hair gleamed in the sunlight, and he seemed lost in thought. Serena approached him with a friendly smile.“Good afternoon,” she said softly. “Do you mind if I join you for a moment?”Old man Xue looked up, his eyes twinkling with curiosity. “Not at all, young lady. Please, have a seat.”Serena sat down beside him, taking in the peaceful surroundings. “My name’s Serena. I’m on a school's project assign
Serena couldn't hide the pride that surged through her after her meeting with old man Xue. She had always known that there was something special about her grandmother but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.She was still on her way going home when she heard someone call out to her. Turning around, she saw Cheong. She recognised him as one of the guys who had picked on her then."What do you want?" She sneered at him."I've come to apologize for what happened the other time. I didn't mean to pick on you. I know what I did was wrong." Cheong said, feigning remorse. "I'd really want us to start on a much better ground."Serena looked at him, a feeling of suspicion washing over her. She could feel that there was something quite strange in Cheong's sudden appearance to apologize to her. It's been over two months they picked on her making her wonder why he had only decided to apologize now."Tell me why I should trust you. What exactly do you want from me?" Serena asked, her anger risi
The flashing red and blue lights of police cruisers bathed the area in an eerie glow as Inspector Lui and his partner, Inspector Chan, arrived at the crime scene. He and Inspector Chan were somewhere close by when Serpens's call came in, prompting them to rush down to rush down to the crime scene as soon as possible.Since the current deaths in Draketown started happening, agents of the CIA have been dispersed all over the city to ensure that the lives of the citizens are protected and to act swiftly should they notice anything strange.They pushed through the gathered crowd, their faces set in grim determination. Ahead, they saw Serpens waiting, his expression a mix of concern and frustration. The lifeless body of the young man still lay on the ground, the unmistakable skull marked stark against his chest."Serpens," Inspector Lui called out, approaching him. "What happened here?"Serpens shook his head. "I'm not sure. No one seems to know what happened. We just heard an uproar out
That night, Serpens fell into a restless sleep, the weight of recent events pressing down on his subconscious. The name Dimitis de'nom kept echoing in his ears like the relentless cry of an abandoned baby.As he drifted off, he found himself in a strange, ethereal landscape. The world around him shimmered with an otherworldly glow, and a soft, almost haunting melody filled the air. In the distance, he saw a figure approaching—an ethereal version of Xin, Old Xue's granddaughter whom he had healed months back.His surprise was palpable as he pondered why she had come to meet him in his dream. He took a firm stance waiting for whatever advances she'll make whether positive or negative."Serpens," she called out, her voice echoing like a whisper in the wind. "What do you want?" Serpens asked, his eyes glinting in bewilderment."Have you found the stone bearer?" Xin asked, taking Serpens by surprise."How do you know about the stone bearer? Who told you?" He asked, his curiosity piqued.
As they waited, old man Xue observed Serpens with a curious, yet understanding expression. "You know, my granddaughter told me about how you helped her. She's spoken very highly of you."Serpens nodded, feeling a mix of humility and urgency. "I had a vision last night. She came to me and told me she's the stone bearer. It's crucial that I speak with her. There's something important we need to do before the solstice."Old man Xue's expression grew serious, a hint of concern crossing his features. "I see. The prophecy... I had hoped it wouldn't come to this, but it seems fate has other plans."Before Serpens could respond, they heard footsteps descending the stairs. Xin appeared, her face lighting up with surprise and relief when she saw Serpens."Hey, it's you," she said, hurrying over to him. "I didn't expect to see you here.""I had to find you," Serpens said, standing up to meet her. "We have a lot to talk about. Your grandfather was just telling me about the prophecy."She glanced