The nights in Sabah always came swiftly.
Yeh Yao stood on the balcony of the University Malaysia Sabah library, watching as the western sky gradually blushed with the hues of dusk. The tropical twilight spread like ink, swiftly swallowing the last remnants of sunlight. He took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh, post-rain air mingled with the salty tang of the distant ocean—a scent familiar to his hometown, comforting yet tinged with an inexplicable unease.
"Daydreaming again?" A familiar voice came from behind, pulling him from his thoughts.
Yeh Yao turned to see Alicia walking toward him, her arms laden with books. Her long hair fluttered slightly in the breeze, her face adorned with that playful smile he had known for years. Fifteen years, to be exact—from kindergarten until now, that smile had been the most constant presence in his life.
"Just thinking," Yeh Yao replied, taking the books from her hands. He glanced at the titles—Introduction to Educational Psychology, Modern Teaching Methods—standard textbooks for their education program.
"What's got you so lost in thought?" Alicia leaned against the railing, tilting her head to gaze at the emerging stars. "Don't tell me you're still pondering that grand plan of yours to 'change the future of education'?"
Yeh Yao chuckled but didn't answer directly. He did often think about how education could shape their hometown's future, but tonight, his mind was elsewhere. Today marked the fifteenth anniversary of their friendship—and the countlessth time he had chickened out of confessing his feelings to her.
"The moon looks strange tonight," Alicia suddenly remarked, pointing toward the eastern horizon.
Yeh Yao followed her finger and froze. The moon hung unnaturally deep red, as if stained with blood, casting an eerie glow across the night sky. He had never seen such an ominous sight.
"Blood moon," Yeh Yao murmured, recalling something he'd read in an astronomy book. "It's caused by a lunar eclipse. When the moon passes through Earth's shadow, only red light can penetrate the atmosphere and reach its surface."
"Beautiful… but also kind of terrifying," Alicia whispered, unconsciously inching closer to him.
Yeh Yao felt his heartbeat quicken at her proximity. Maybe tonight was the right moment—on this special day, beneath this uncanny blood moon—to finally tell her what he'd kept hidden for a decade.
"Alicia, there's something I want to tell you," he said, steeling himself.
"Hmm?" She turned to him, her dark eyes glimmering with curiosity under the moonlight.
Just then, Yeh Yao's phone rang, shattering the moment. Annoyed, he pulled it out and saw his mother's name on the screen.
"Mom?"
"Yeh Yao, are you with Alicia?" His mother's voice was tense.
"Yeah, we're at the library. What's wrong?"
"Come home right now. Don't stay out too late. The news just reported several attacks in the city—the police are advising everyone to stay indoors."
Yeh Yao frowned. "Attacks? What kind?"
"Not sure, but it sounds like some kind of animal attacks. Just be careful and come back soon."
"Got it. We'll head back now." He hung up and relayed the message to Alicia.
"Animal attacks? In the city?" Alicia sounded skeptical. "Could it be stray dogs or something?"
"Not sure, but better safe than sorry." Yeh Yao checked his watch. "It's almost nine. I'll walk you back to your dorm."
They packed their books and left the library. The campus was nearly empty, with only a few students hurrying toward their dorms. The night was thick, the blood-red moon casting an unnatural glow over everything.
As they walked along the tree-lined path, Yeh Yao couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The air was too still—no wind, not even the usual chirping of insects. The entire campus was wrapped in an unnatural silence. Instinctively, he moved closer to Alicia, scanning their surroundings.
"Does it feel… too quiet to you?" Alicia whispered, clearly sensing the same unease.
Yeh Yao nodded but didn't get a chance to respond. A rustling sound came from the bushes ahead. He immediately stopped, pulling Alicia to a halt.
"Who's there?" he called out, but there was no reply—only the bushes shaking more violently.
A primal sense of danger made Yeh Yao yank Alicia back just as two dark figures burst from the foliage, lunging straight at them.
Acting on instinct, Yeh Yao shoved Alicia behind him and raised his backpack as a shield. The impact sent him staggering. In the moonlight, he finally got a clear look at their attackers—two tall men in black hoodies, their faces obscured except for their eyes, which gleamed with an unnatural light.
"Who are you? What do you want?" Yeh Yao demanded, subtly reaching for his phone to call the police.
The figures didn't answer. Instead, one of them let out a strange hissing sound—inhuman, guttural.
"Run!" Yeh Yao grabbed Alicia's hand and bolted toward the campus security booth.
They sprinted desperately, but the footsteps behind them were gaining fast. Yeh Yao glanced back—the two figures were closing the distance with terrifying speed.
"They're not human!" Alicia gasped, her voice laced with fear.
Realizing they couldn't outrun them, Yeh Yao veered toward the student center, hoping its maze of corridors would help them lose their pursuers. They dashed inside, weaving through empty halls, before ducking into a classroom and shutting the door quietly.
The room was pitch black, save for the blood-moon light seeping through the windows, painting the floor in eerie crimson. They held their breaths, listening as the footsteps stopped outside the door. Then came a sniffing sound—like an animal tracking prey.
Yeh Yao's heart pounded. He could feel Alicia trembling beside him and squeezed her hand reassuringly. The doorknob turned.
The door creaked open, revealing a silhouetted figure emitting that same spine-chilling hiss. It stepped inside, moving with an unnatural, almost reptilian grace.
Just then, Yeh Yao's phone vibrated. Though silent, the sound was deafening in the stillness. The figure's head snapped toward their hiding spot behind the lectern.
"Go!" Yeh Yao yanked Alicia up and made a break for the other exit.
The figure lunged. Yeh Yao pushed Alicia clear but was tackled to the ground. As he struggled up, he saw something that would haunt him forever—the attacker's face morphing, skin cracking to reveal gray-green scales beneath, eyes narrowing into slits, mouth stretching to expose rows of jagged teeth.
This was no longer a man. It was a monster.
"Yeh Yao!" Alicia screamed, trying to reach him, but the second figure blocked her path.
"Get help! Find security!" Yeh Yao shouted, grabbing a chair and smashing it against the creature's head. The blow only enraged it. With a snarl, it swiped at Yeh Yao's throat.
He barely dodged, slamming against the wall. The other monster had Alicia in its grip, dragging her toward the door.
"Let her go!" Yeh Yao roared, charging forward—only to be seized and hurled to the ground. Pain exploded through his back as his vision blurred.
When it cleared, Alicia was being hauled out of the room, and the creature loomed over him, its rancid breath hot on his face.
Then—light.
A blinding white glow erupted from Yeh Yao's chest, flooding the room. The monster shrieked, recoiling. The light coalesced into a shape—a silver-white sword, its blade etched with ancient runes, pulsing with pure energy.
As if guided by instinct, Yeh Yao grasped the hilt. Warmth and power surged through him, banishing all fear.
The creature attacked again, but this time, Yeh Yao didn't falter. He swung the sword—a flash of light, and the monster's clawed hand fell severed to the floor. It howled but still came at him, jaws gaping.
Yeh Yao sidestepped and plunged the blade into its chest. Light erupted from the wound, and the creature disintegrated into ash.
No time to process what had just happened. Sword in hand, Yeh Yao sprinted after Alicia. Drag marks led outside, where the second monster was hauling her toward the woods.
"Alicia!" he yelled, sprinting full speed.
The creature turned, its grotesque face twisting in alarm at the sight of the glowing sword. It dropped Alicia and faced Yeh Yao, its body contorting—bones cracking, muscles swelling, claws elongating.
Yeh Yao didn't stop. The sword hummed in his grip, guiding his movements. As the beast lunged, he pivoted and slashed horizontally. The blade cleaved through its torso effortlessly.
A final, ear-splitting screech—then the monster crumbled into dust.
"Alicia!" Yeh Yao dropped to her side, shaking her gently. "Are you okay?"
Her eyelids fluttered open. When she saw the sword, her pupils dilated. "What… is that?"
"No idea," Yeh Yao admitted, staring at the blade, its glow now dimming. "It just… appeared. Saved us from those… things."
"Things," Alicia whispered, shakily sitting up. "They weren't human. I saw their faces… change."
Yeh Yao nodded, helping her stand. "We need to call the police. Warn them."
At that moment, the sword dissolved into motes of light, flowing back into Yeh Yao's body. He stared at his hands, stunned, as warmth spread through him, soothing his wounds.
"It… vanished?" Alicia breathed.
"Feels like it's inside me now," Yeh Yao murmured, equally bewildered. "I can still sense it—like it's part of me."
They exchanged a look, both realizing their lives had just changed forever. And yet, neither knew this was only the beginning of something far greater.
Above them, the blood moon still hung, a silent witness to the night's horrors. Yeh Yao supported Alicia as they limped toward the campus gates, leaving behind only fading ashes—and the first whispers of an oncoming storm.
This night, the gears of fate began to turn.
An expedition for humanity's survival had just begun.