Starlit Bonds

XXXIX

Chapter 39:Crestwood Heights
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The hall buzzed with anticipation as Karina stood before the podium, her nerves palpable beneath the weight of the moment. With Hyein by her side, she recited her flashcards one last time, a silent gesture of solidarity before taking her place at the forefront of the room.

As she faced the sea of expectant faces, her heart hammered against her chest, a relentless rhythm echoing the magnitude of the task before her. With a deep breath to steady herself, Karina cleared her throat and began to address the gathered students of Crestwood Heights.

"Hello, students of Crestwood Heights," she started, her voice strong despite the tremor in her hands. The curious eyes fixed upon her only served to heighten her nerves, but she pressed on, determined to convey the gravity of the situation. "I'm sure many of you are wondering why you've been gathered here today."

"Come on, in you go," Winter urged, gently nudging students towards the entrance of the hall. Her voice carried a hint of urgency, a silent command to comply with the impending assembly.

Haerin intercepted a passing student, her tone casual yet authoritative. "There's an assembly this afternoon," she informed him, her words laced with assurance. The guy seemed taken aback. "There is?" he questioned, surprised by the unexpected news. Haerin simply nodded, her demeanor calm and collected. "Just follow the crowd," she advised, her tone indicating that compliance was non-negotiable.

"But this is urgent, because we're balancing the downfall or upscale of our school, the upscale of our world," Karina continued, her voice steady despite the weight of her words. Her eyes scanned each person in the room, searching for signs of understanding or resistance.

Noticing Kelsie's face contorted in horror, Karina pressed on. "As you know, a few months ago, there was an outbreak of vampires from the underworld who helped us save the school," she explained. A voice from the crowd interrupted, incredulous. "Helped us?" they exclaimed, their disbelief echoing through the hall. Karina flinched at the interruption. "They burnt our school down to a crisp," the person continued, their words sparking a flurry of whispers and murmurs among the audience.

Karina shot a glance back towards the curtains where Hyein and Danielle stood, receiving a reassuring nod from Hyein. Turning back to the audience, she took a deep breath and cleared her throat. "Actually, that's not true," she began, her voice ringing out clear and determined, quieting the murmurs in the hall. "As someone very involved in the fight, I was there the entire time."

Her voice trembled slightly as she continued, "There was a vampire, Giselle Aeri. She was the one who used crystals and potions to her advantage to seek revenge for how humans treated her, how we pushed her away. She wanted the world to burn," Karina explained, her words weighted with the gravity of her experience.

"Her allies, through persuasion, changed their side and helped us take her down. I want this to be proof that vampires can be good. They're not monsters or emotionless. Though they've been wronged, they didn't reach for revenge; they reached for humanity," she asserted, her conviction evident in her tone.

"She hurt my friends, and I still forgive her," Karina continued, her voice unwavering. "Because I understand what it's like to be turned on, to be allies with someone, and then suddenly not," she concluded, her gaze sweeping over the assembled students, her message hanging heavy in the air. Kelsie swallowed hard, visibly affected by Karina's words.

She returned to her prepared speech, her words flowing with conviction. "We shouldn't be punished for what we are. After all these years of prejudice and hatred against each other, it needs to end," Karina passionately declared, her voice resonating through the hall.