The Silvermoon Academy

Hallow's End Night, 11:00 PM

"I said, fuck off!"

Jacinth Bladestorm swung a blunt hand at his younger sister, trying to knock her away from behind him. Sahriel swiftly avoided it, ducking and continuing to loll after him. She was grinning from ear to ear; on her head, Sari wore a shattered jack-o'-lantern for a hat, and carried a bucket full of candy. Jacinth had come across her trying to vandalize the Law building -- her excuse of "looking for Hallow's End Candy" had failed, and they'd tussled liberally across the grounds.

"I'm tired of you acting like such a dumbass," Jacinth said sullenly, still stalking his way to the Guard House. "You can't draw graffiti on buildings. I don't give a fuck what the holiday is."

"It was FUN," she snipped back, stretching her arms out behind her back. "When did you wedge a stick up your ass, Jacinth? You used to draw fucked-up stuff on walls all the time."

"That was in Gadgetzan, that was different. I was bored."

"I'm bored here. There's nothing to do."

"It's a fucking SCHOOL, Sari, you're supposed to get an education." Jacinth glowered at his little sister, who was toothily grinning as she strolled beside him. "Aren't you in Ironhall? You should have plenty to do."

"Ironhall is full of pricks."

He stopped her, squaring her up.

"Do you act like you do with me and everyone else, around them?" he asked firmly.

"Yeah."

"They all probably think you're retarded. Good job."

"You are retarded. Fuck you."

He swung a fist at her, knowing she would dodge, and then easily swept her to the ground with a well-aimed kick. Sari tumbled into a pile on the grass, and squalled.

"Why don't you go shove your cold dick in a treehole and fuck it to death, JACINTH?!" she yelled, and their battle began.

Sahriel knew to roll with the kick he threw at her, and did so -- she felt the heel of his boot connect with her shoulder and rode the force into a forward dive. She bounded up, leapt, and landed on his back. Jacinth seemed all too aware of her next move, and caught her; he grabbed both her wrists, locking her arms around his neck, and started to swing her left and right to knock her off balance. Sahriel squealed, and was eventually flung into a spray of shrubs. Jacinth adjusted his tabard, scowling at her.

"You're not shifting your weight when you're supposed to," he remarked, watching her pry herself from the bushes. "You're easy to throw. Like a drunk girl at a Winter's Veil party."

"Fuck you!"

"Go climb a tree."

"I'm your sister, you should treat me with respect!" But Jacinth had already started walking away, whistling cheerfully.

"Go back to Northrend, you fuckface!" Sari shrieked, waving her lanky arms at him as he strolled off.

"Thinking about it," Jacinth shot back. "Probably leaving tomorrow."

Sahriel's whole attitude changed. "... take me with you."

"Nope."

"DO IT, YOU ASS GREMLIN!"

"No way."

"I WANT TO GO TO NORTHREND, TOO!" Sari went tearing across the grass, flipped through the air and landed on Jacinth's back like a cat with claws out. He ducked, letting her weight take him down to the ground. Sari tumbled off him, shredding grass and pulling his tabard off raggedly. Jacinth, still whistling, plucked her from the ground by her arm and sent her flying back into the bushes with one smooth arc of his arm. Sari soared, loose and prepared, through the air -- she rebounded off the nearby building wall and cartwheeled into him like a tumbleweed.

"Take me to Northrend, Jacinth!" Sari cried, and they rounded the corner slapping, striking, squabbling and trying to throw each other into whatever object they could find. "Take me to Northrend, you fucking de--"

Their footsteps ground to a halt. The nighttime breeze blew a strange smell past them both. Jacinth's grip on Sari suddenly tightened -- he had a hand at her collar, and he pulled her close with tense fingers.

There was something lying in the alleyway between the Administration building and the school cafeteria.

Sari struggled, but Jacinth's grip would not relent. He jerked at her, instilling her with silence.

They stared at the shadowed heap lying there. It was an elf -- a small, female elf -- and she was lying on her back with her hands crossed over her chest. Her legs were neatly pulled together, her hair arranged in soft red curls across the ground. But the dim crystal streetlight belied a darker fact -- her throat was slit. From the tip of her pale chin down to her exposed sternum, a long visceral cut ran bloody. Crossing the slice with a nigh perfect perpendicular strike was a slash across her neck. A pool of blood, black in the weak light and nighttime, soaked around her shoulders.

Her white eyes were open. Her clothing was smoothed and unsullied. She was wearing a white, frilly costume. Her school satchel sat, undisturbed, nearby.

Both siblings stared blankly. Sahriel spoke first.

"That girl is dead."

"Fucking shit. She must be a student."

"Jac, wait."

But Jacinth had already released her and hurried to the body. Sari crept after him, shivering. She looked around hurriedly -- there was no sign of anyone else around, no foreign movement, no open holes or cut paths.

"Sari, holy shit."

"What?!"

"Her hands. Look."

As they looked over the girl, a scream of laughter erupted from beyond the alleyway -- a group of students trick-or-treating ran like animals in the night across the Academy courtyards, decked in costumes and sweet with candy. But the scream overlapped a sudden gasp of horror -- Sahriel covered her mouth, looking away. She could not bear to look at it, and barely heard Jacinth mention the danger, calling the headmistress, alerting the guards...

Every single one of her fingernails had been carefully removed.