DARAN“What’s wrong with me? Why am I so restless? I haven’t even slept enough for the past few days, no, to be more precise, I haven’t slept at all.”I couldn’t keep locking myself in my room, and I had to find out the cause of my restlessness immediately. I went out and went to the kitchen to find something to do.“Ah… Ouch!” Jonea was seen groaning in pain while holding her stomach.I stood behind her. I didn’t know what had happened to Jonea; I had gotten closer without realizing it but didn’t dare touch her.“What’s wrong?”“I don’t know, my stomach suddenly hurts.”“Is it because you’re tired after I took you around and did so many things?” I felt guilty.Jonea turned and looked at me. Her face looked so pale. She bent down while holding her stomach.“Come on, I’ll take you to the hospital now.”“No! No need,” she said while continuing to hold her stomach. She even looked more robust than before. “Tell me, what date is it now?”“I’m sure it’s still the tenth. What’s wrong? Did y
JONEAHunter sent me a message.[You remember we have to meet tomorrow, right? The assignment must be submitted immediately. I'll wait at two in the afternoon in front of the campus.]I didn't reply to the message and lay back down. I couldn't think of anything because the pain in my stomach was getting stronger, even spreading to my back.I don't know how many hours I slept. When I woke up, it was already noon. And Hunter sent me another message to remind me that we had to meet this afternoon to finish the assignment.My mind was completely blank. For a while, I just lay in bed doing nothing.I shouldn't have to get involved with Hunter anymore. Because I've met Aland, and I know where he is right now. The problem is Aland will only be able to get out of the land of the dragons if he is being hunted by Luke Draken.Shouldn't I still return to my original goal? Aland also said that we wouldn't be able to be together before we recapture the blue Sapphire. And the only access to Luke Dr
HUNTERI was nervous as if this was the first time I met Jonea. I even arrived at the place we agreed to meet an hour early. I kept checking the watch on my wrist."Hi!" Jonea greeted.I turned around. She really came."Hi," I replied. "How are you? You didn't reply to my messages. I thought you—"I was at a loss for words as Jonea stared at me expressionlessly. Wait, I felt something was different. Today, she seemed…"Oh, aren't we going to the museum and art gallery today? I've checked the exhibition schedule, and I've also booked tickets for us. But how about we have lunch first?"Jonea answered expressionlessly. "I was thinking of a restaurant. How about we go there?""Oh, okay."I paused momentarily, contemplating Jonea's attitude and speaking, which were completely different from usual. It was as if she were a different person. She didn't look cheerful; she even tended to be too serious. Is she still upset with me?We went to the restaurant Jonea mentioned. I was a bit surprised
JONEA“Why are you so surprised? Whose face did you see this time?”Daran really took off his mask, but it wasn’t his face that I saw this time, but Aland’s. Did Daran reapply his mind mirror magic? This really bothered me. He always cheats!“Why are you silent?” Daran muttered with emphasis. “Don’t you want to touch this face? Isn’t this the face that you’ve always missed, Jonea?”I gasped in surprise. How did Daran know? Did he realise whose face I was seeing right now?Daran deliberately brought his face closer to mine. As if he wanted to challenge me to touch, caress, maybe even kiss him? Of course, I wanted to do that if he was Aland. But I knew he was Daran, who used Aland's face with his magic power.“Is this the figure you’ve always wanted to find, Jonea? Because of him, are you willing to sell yourself to me?”My eyes opened wide. I know I did the contract I agreed to with Daran a few months ago with full awareness. I have also sworn loyalty and will give my whole body and li
JONEAWhen I came back home, I saw Daran tending to his magical plants in the yard. I approached him with a cheerful expression. "I'm home," I greeted. Daran left his magical plants and glanced at me briefly. He didn’t even return my greeting and walked away. It was apparent he was trying to avoid me. But I moved quickly and blocked his way. “Daran, I have a question. It’s about my friend with the red mark on his forehead. I mean, Hunter Abraham. He sent me a message asking to meet. He wants me to write the report with him. If it makes you uncomfortable, I’ll decline.” “Jonea, you don’t need my permission for that.” I was stunned. “What?” The smile completely disappeared from my face, replaced with worry. This wasn’t the reaction I expected from Daran Carver, who had always been possessive and overprotective of me. “But, you were concerned about this before,” I continued. “Because you have to work together, you can’t avoid it forever. I know you can take care of yourse
JONEA“We live together!” Owen said, throwing his arm over my shoulder. He grinned widely at Hunter, full of confidence. “Isn’t that right, Jonea?” he whispered to me, as if to emphasize our closeness.“What? You live together? Jonea, that’s not true, is it?” Hunter’s face showed confusion, maybe even hoping I would deny it. But I stayed silent.“Hunter, I don’t owe you any explanation,” I finally said calmly. “It’s late, you should head back. I’m going home too.” Then I glanced at Owen. “And stop joking around!”I turned and left the both of them.“Jonea, wait!” Owen called, running after me. “Come on, I was just kidding. Why so serious? Are you really mad about what I said?”I quickened my pace, ignoring him.“I wasn’t lying, was I? We do live under the same roof! Why are you mad? I was just telling the red wolf the truth. Besides, why does he keep bothering you?”I stopped abruptly and turned to face him. “Please, stop. I don’t want to joke or talk about anything today. I just want
JONEA“So what I mean is, you could totally be someone’s Cinderella, and it wouldn’t be a misunderstanding.” Daran’s words hit me like a meteor, making me explode and freeze at the same time. “Jonea?” Daran called out. I panicked. How could I space out when he was still talking to me? “Uh, yeah?” I muttered. “What’s up with you?” “I don’t know, suddenly I feel super hot.” I started fanning my face and neck. And just like that, Daran reached out and touched my cheek. I flinched in surprise. “Oh, sorry, I just wanted to check if you had a fever,” he said calmly. My body felt even hotter after he touched me. My heart was pounding out of control. If I stayed there any longer, I might lose it completely. I quickly stood up, pushed the chair away, and walked off. “Sorry, it’s late. I should get back to my room and rest,” I said quickly, not even looking back at him. I opened the door and rushed out of there. Once I was in my room, I locked the door tight and sat on m
MARILYN“Come with me, I'll treat you to lunch.”My body wobbled for no reason. I even had to hold onto the wall to keep from collapsing. I don’t know why... it felt like every ounce of luck I’ve ever had in my life was coming together in this one moment.Owen Rivers, the campus heartthrob, just randomly shows up and asks me out for lunch? If I say yes, would heaven punish me?Before I could answer, I glanced around and felt the piercing stares of the girls watching us. Clearly, they were super jealous. I knew exactly what those looks meant.“You’re treating me to lunch?” I said a bit louder on purpose, just to make them even more envious.Owen welcomed the challenge, standing with his shoulder leaning casually against the wall right in front of me. His arms were crossed, and he towered over me, practically glowing. I was trembling, completely speechless.Owen Rivers smiled at me! I almost fainted on the spot.Before I could say anything, he grabbed my hand, gently dragging me along w
JONEAI was sitting in what felt like endless darkness. No sound except the echo of my own breath, no movement except the shadow of myself fading on a pitch-black floor like cracked glass. I knew it was just a dream, but it felt so real, like a trap I couldn’t escape.Suddenly, a voice broke the silence—cold and familiar.“Jonea,” it called, echoing through the void. “I know you can hear me.”Luke Draken.My body tensed, but I couldn’t see him. Just his voice, flowing with power and certainty.“Surely you’re starting to understand the dragon blood flowing in your veins,” he continued. “You can’t deny it, Jonea. Our bodies were bound long before the red moon rose.”In the dream, I touched my own body. My hand brushed against something that shouldn’t be there—hard, sharp scales covering half of me. I gasped, choking on a sob. What had happened to me?Luke chuckled softly, mocking. “I will live inside you forever,” he said, his voice drawing closer, as if whispering directly into my ear.
JONEAIt seemed like Luke noticed something off about my body. He grinned widely and tossed Hunter to the ground like a rag doll. Then, in a swift move, he picked me up and laid me down on the marble altar.Why? What’s happening to me? My chest felt tight, my whole body burning. I was so thirsty—desperately craving someone’s touch, someone to soothe me.Without realizing it, I started moaning and gasping at the same time. Luke gently lowered me onto the altar, then climbed over me with a calculated ease.“Union,” he whispered. “You’re breaking the seal. And when the crimson moon reaches its peak, your pure blood will be mine!”I couldn’t control my body or my thoughts anymore. Pain surged through me as I let out a scream. My eyes flew open, my head tilting back to stare at the dome’s opening. The full crimson moon stared back.“Ahhh!” I cried out as sharp fangs pushed out of my mouth, piercing my lips.Luke leaned closer, his eyes glowing bright red—the eyes of a dragon. He kissed me,
HUNTERI turned around to see one of the shadow creatures loyal to me in this secret mission. Its black eyes glinted under the moonlight."The werewolf forces are ready," it said shortly.I nodded. "Make sure no one knows the plan until the very last moment."The creature bowed and disappeared into the shadows.My thoughts drifted back to when everything began to fall apart.We used to be an unbeatable group—Beast Four. Me, Aland, Edison, and Elmar. Together, we protected the Sapphire Blue with strength and unbreakable friendship. But the Red Dragons destroyed everything.One by one, my friends fell. Edison and Elmar vanished into the darkness of the shadow world. Jonea, broken and battered, chose to hide. Aland—he was captured by Luke Draken. Back then, I didn’t understand why Luke targeted Aland specifically, my closest and most different friend.I remember that night vividly. Aland was locked in the dragon’s prison, his body covered in wounds. I knew he hated me for joining the Red
MILLERNever in my life did I think I’d witness something like this—a scene straight out of a legend. Standing before me were humans from the shadow hunter ranks, werewolves, lycans, dragons, and even jeverics, creatures that had been at odds for as long as anyone could remember. And yet, here they were, side by side, united by a single purpose: finding Jonea before it was too late.The sky was gloomy that day, heavy gray clouds mirroring the tension hanging over us. From the hilltop, I watched the valley below where thousands of figures had gathered, awaiting final orders before the search began.“All of this… it’s for Jonea,” I murmured to myself.Arabel stood beside me, her sharp eyes scanning the crowd with her usual vigilance. “They understand what’s at stake, Miller,” she said firmly, her voice calm but resolute. “If Jonea falls into the wrong hands, it’s not just her life that’s at risk. The whole world is.”I nodded, swallowing the fear creeping into my chest.On the human sid
DARANI’m losing my mind. There’s no other way to describe how I feel right now. My entire body feels like it’s on fire—an intense mix of anxiety and rage. I’ve been searching for Jonea for days, but there’s no trace of her.I’ve scoured every corner of this island, plunged into shadow realms, and even crossed the borders of the Blue Sapphire lands. It’s like she’s been erased from existence, like the wind leaving a faint trail only to vanish without a trace.“Jonea!” I shout, breaking the silence of the night.But only my own echo answers me.Frustrated, I press on, crossing boundaries I’m not supposed to. I find myself at the edge of the Dragon Valley, the gateway to the Land of the Blue Dragons. This is my last shot. If she’s not here, I don’t know where else to look.I’m furious.“JONEA!” I roar again, my voice echoing off the steep cliffs. My rage is so intense that the plants around me wither and die, drained by the destructive energy radiating from my body.But it’s not Jonea w
JONEAI froze, my heart pounding erratically as Luke’s words sank in.“The last time we met was at a graveyard, right?” he asked, a faint smirk playing on his lips, making my blood boil. “More accurately, I saw you. You knew I was there, but you chose to ignore me.”My eyes widened. A graveyard? I racked my brain, trying to make sense of his words. Only one graveyard stood out in my memory—the one where my parents were buried. The day I stood at the edge of a fresh grave, feeling the world crumble beneath my feet. The day I auctioned off my freedom for something far worse.“So,” I murmured, almost in disbelief, “you were there? Watching me?”Luke’s smirk widened. His face was calm, but his eyes hinted at something much darker.“You looked so fragile that day,” he said, stepping closer. “Just a little girl who’d lost everything. It was… entertaining to watch.”Rage bubbled in my chest, but my body refused to move, as if his presence alone was a chain binding me in place.He reached out
JONEAI stared out the hospital room window from my bed for what felt like the hundredth time. The white blanket covering me felt unbearably heavy—not because of its weight, but because of what lay beneath it. Black, cold, hardened scales covered parts of my body. It felt like I was trapped in an unending nightmare.This was the first time I had absorbed magical energy, and I never imagined the consequences would be this severe. My body, my mind, even my heart—all felt different. Yet, in a strange way, I didn’t regret it. The baby dragons had been saved. They were just like me—alone and scared, facing a ruthless world.Miller stopped by yesterday and explained everything. It turns out Aland brought me here, to this special hospital for hunters. Daran and Aland had a heated argument over where I should be treated. Aland insisted I stay under his watch, while Daran wanted to take me back. In the end, Miller mediated, and this hospital became the compromise.According to Miller, Aland wa
DARANI ran as fast as I could, my body trembling from both exhaustion and panic. The wet sand of the beach made every step heavier, but I didn’t care. In front of me, the dark ocean stretched endlessly. Waves crashed hard, as if reminding me that I was racing against time. Jonea was out there somewhere, and I couldn’t let her slip away.“Jonea!” I screamed with all my strength, my voice hoarse. But only the wind and waves responded.My body nearly lost balance when my foot suddenly hit a rock. I almost fell, but a strong hand steadied me.“Uncle, are you okay?” Owen’s voice was full of concern. He grabbed my arm, steadying me. “You’ve used up too much energy earlier. You need to rest.”“Let go of me!” I shoved his hand away. “I need to save Jonea!”“You won’t save her if you pass out here,” Owen said firmly but gently. “Calm down, Uncle. We’ll look for her together.”But I didn’t have time for his reasoning. Adrenaline pushed me forward even though my body was nearly at its limit. My
JONEAOwen stepped forward, his body morphing into a massive, intimidating lycan form. “I’ll try to hold them off. You guys figure out how to break their spell.”Without waiting for a reply, Owen lunged at the first beast, determined to stop it before it could cause more destruction. Meanwhile, Arabel and Miller began chanting spells, attempting to trace the dark magic controlling the dragonlings.I stood frozen, unsure of what to do. But when I saw the second dragonling start to move, I knew I couldn’t just stand there. Hesitantly, I approached it. “Hey, you don’t have to do this. We’re here to help you,” I whispered, even though I wasn’t sure it could hear me.The first beast fought back viciously against Owen. Their battle left the hall in even worse ruins. Eve, who was usually composed and cold, finally unsheathed her sword. “I’ll back Owen up. Protect Jonea,” she told Daran before leaping into the fray.I tried to get closer to the second dragonling, but an invisible force held m