The next morning came quickly. Zay had forgotten that this body wasn't used to drinking like his previous reset, and he was out like a light after only a few bottles of some kind of whiskey.
Renzo had passed out on the floor next to the couch, unable to make it all the way.
Hours went by as the two of them slept. Eventually, Zay slowly opened his eyes, the world around him a blur. He groaned as he moved a hand to his forehead, the hangover hitting him like a hammer.
After a moment, he opened his eyes again—this time the world was a bit clearer. He glanced around and realized he was in his bedroom. Pushing the blankets off, he reluctantly got out of bed and stood up, rubbing his eyes. On the floor were over eleven empty bottles of alcohol scattered across the room.
With a sigh, he made his way to the small closet and grabbed a short-sleeved black shirt and a pair of sweatpants, throwing them on.
He walked out of the room and headed to the living room, where he found Renzo sprawled out on the floor like a starfish. Zay shook his head and stepped over his arms before heading into the kitchen. He poured himself a glass of water and chugged it down.
"Fuck," was all Zay muttered as he poured more water into his glass and chugged it down.
[Arbiter, the Seal of Midnight has deemed you ready for your first task.]
The message appeared briefly before fading away. Zay groaned louder, chugging another glass.
"I wonder what the first task will be... then I have to pass the Second Sequence. I can't wait for this hell," he muttered sarcastically under his breath before refilling his glass and downing it in one gulp.
[First Task: Drain an elven royal of their blood onto the Mark of Midnight.]
Zay's left hand began to glow a deep blue, the light pulsing through the black fabric of his gloves. He set the glass down on the nearby table.
His right hand reached over to his left, unclenching his fist before gripping the glove by the middle finger. He pulled it off slowly, his grip tightening.
Beneath the glove, a mark revealed itself—a crescent moon, slowly rotating, with two fangs crossed over it, dripping violet light. The mark shone so brightly it lit up the entire kitchen for a moment before fading and vanishing from view.
"The Mark of Midnight... and I have to drain an elven royal's blood onto it? Where the hell am I supposed to find an elf of royalty?" he muttered, exhaling a long sigh.
He glanced at the glove in his hand, loosened his grip, and slid it back over his left hand, adjusting it tightly. With quiet steps, Zay walked to the living room where Renzo was still sprawled on the floor, fast asleep. Carefully stepping around him, Zay lowered himself onto the couch, resting his arm on the armrest.
He propped his elbow up, placing his thumb under his chin and his index finger against his lips. His eyes narrowed slightly as he fell into thought, contemplating the task now laid before him.
Zay heard footsteps echoing from the hallway before Shira emerged. His eyes widened at the sight.
"Shira… that crest on your arm… what is it?"
Shira glanced over at him and smiled softly. "It's my family's crest. The Elwood royals."
'Perfect timing for a royal… damn,' Zay thought with a sigh. He rose from the couch, slipped off his gloves, and set them down where he had been sitting.
He stepped past Renzo, who had turned onto his side in his sleep, and approached Shira. Raising his hand gently to her chin, he leaned in close.
"How about… we do something, since he's out cold from all the drinking?" he whispered, brushing his thumb across her lips for a fleeting moment before releasing her.
Neither of them spoke after that. Shira gave a small nod and turned, heading back to her room.
Zay let out a slow exhale, cracked his neck, and stretched out his arms.
"We do what we must… for strength," he murmured.
He walked into the kitchen, opened a drawer, and pulled out a sharp knife. Holding it up, he checked its edge, then cleaned it thoroughly before gripping the handle tight. With the blade tucked behind his back, he crossed the living room and made his way down the hall.
He stopped at her door, raised his left hand, and knocked.
"Come in…" came a soft voice from within.
Zay opened the door and stepped inside, quietly shutting it behind him without looking back.
Shira lay on the bed, naked beneath dim morning light filtering through a small curtained window. The room was quiet, cloaked in shadows.
He approached the bed, placing the knife discreetly at its edge—hidden from her view in the low light. Then, he lifted his shirt over his head and dropped it beside the knife. With a steady breath, he picked up the blade again and held it tight in his right hand.
Zay climbed onto the bed, leaning in close. With his left hand, he pinned her down gently and kissed her.
Shira closed her eyes.
Zay stared down at her face for a long moment, then slowly raised the knife. He pressed the blade to her throat—and in a single motion, slit it open.
Her eyes snapped wide, a muffled scream lost in the kiss.
The Mark of Midnight appeared, glowing fiercely on Zay's left hand as he let the knife clatter to the floor. He grabbed her wrists with his right hand, pinning them over her head as her blood poured over his left hand, soaking it completely.
Zay deepened the kiss, restraining her from screaming for a few seconds before slowly pulling away from her lips. He blinked slowly and then got up from the bed. His left hand, drenched in fresh blood, was raised in front of him as he clenched his fist tightly, and the mark faded.
[First Task Completed.]
The message faded quickly. Zay flicked his left hand, and blood sprayed across the floor as he walked toward the door, opening it. He crossed the hallway to the bathroom, where violet aura coiled around his right hand as he turned the water knob. Water rushed out of the faucet. He cleaned his hand for several minutes until all the blood was washed away.
Sighing, he turned to look at himself in the mirror. His hair was long, clean, and the white and red streaks were still there. His body showed no wounds or cuts and had a six-pack of abs. Aura began to form in a thin layer around his body as he smirked, turned to the bathroom door, and walked out.
Renzo, now awake, looked down the hall.
"Morning. What's the plan for today?" he asked curiously before heading to the kitchen for a glass of water.
"We're leaving in a few minutes... heading to a hotel Shira told me about last night. That's where we'll be staying until the second sequence is over," Zay replied with a smile. He opened the wooden door to Shira's bedroom, walked in, grabbed his short-sleeved black shirt, slipped his arms into it, and pulled it over his head, leaving the knife on the floor.
Zay approached the desk in the room and opened it, revealing countless gold pieces. He picked them up and put them into the pocket of his sweatpants.
He glanced at Shira, lying lifeless on her back on the bed, before turning to the door. He opened it, left the room, and closed the door behind him.
Zay made his way down the hallway to the couch and slipped his Midnight Fangs gloves back on.
"Renzo, can you help me with the bags of clothes?"
Renzo looked at Zay from the kitchen and placed his glass down. "Yeah. All of our clothes are in just two bags, right?"
"Both bags are in my room. I also gave away our old boots yesterday," Zay replied.
"That's fine," Renzo said as he walked into the living room.
"We've got to move now or we'll miss the check-in times for a room," Zay added as he slipped his feet into his new boots. Renzo did the same, and the two made their way down the hallway.
They entered the room Shira had given Zay to stay in, walked to the closet, and each grabbed a bag of clothes. Zay lifted the fur coat Renzo had given him and slipped it on. He moved the pieces of gold from his sweatpants pocket into the coat's pocket. The two brothers left the room and closed the door behind them.
Renzo knocked on Shira's door before speaking, "We're leaving! Thanks for letting us stay for a bit."
There was no response, and Renzo sighed, shaking his head. "Doesn't it smell like metal to you?" he asked, looking over at Zay.
Zay shook his head. "Not at all..."
Renzo shrugged and followed Zay. The two of them left the house and property, walking down the stone streets toward the hotel.