Chapter One

Here we are, the next Nocte Yin.

I had fun writing the first chapter, it was like a new beginning. But I was having a bit of a problem with the next few chapters because the initial rush was over.

I finished the first Nocte Yin, so what's the point…?

Then I told myself, the point is that I have plans, big plans that I intend to dish out.

So I hope by the time I upload this, I'd have pinned my writer's block down, slap it around a bit and then kick its sorry ass out the door.

Ahem… so… on with the show!

Have fun! :)

- - -

It was a bright day with a clear sky and a bright sun. There was a wind that brought the ocean onto the white coastline in rushing waves. The air was fresh and warm with a hint of salt and a twinge of excitement. Spread sparsely throughout the sand were people lounging and having a good time, mildly sipping on their drinks and building sandcastles. Over to the right, opposite of the resort, was a well-kept trail that led from the beach to the nice forest full of swaying palm trees, perfuming flowers and tall blades of grass. And if you squint, you can see two little dots (which were really people) running down the path towards the shore.

"Why are we running again?" Nocte screamed.

Nocte Yin, our thirteen-year-old protagonist. She was Chinese with chin-length black hair - no bangs (she figured that she looked much more mature without bangs) – and dark brown almond-shaped eyes. She had braces (still white elastics, and still to her mother's horror) and none of her ears were pierced. She was wearing a red bathing suit, white sandals and a soft cotton button-up shirt. Her hat had long flown off her head, and from her red face, you could tell she had been running for a while now. She was quite a normal girl really, but with a twist that will cause you to remember her – always.

"Do you really want to know?" Aman yelled back.

Aman Rafiki, our protagonist's best friends, well, one of them anyway. She was a 14-year-old African sporting thin braids, decorated with bright round beads at the ends, all over her head, which were currently flying swiftly behind her in a neat ponytail. She had two piercings on each ear, golden hoops, which really brought out the flecks of yellow in her eyes.

"Yeah!" Nocte shouted. "I really want to know!"

"In case you haven't noticed, Nocte," Aman said, tone bordering upon sarcasm. "THERE'S A DRAGON CHASING US!"

If you would stand back a few steps (yes, scooch back), you would see that there was, indeed, a full-grown dragon chasing them. It was really a vile thing. Blue scales that lightened with every breath, nostrils breathing out grey smoke and wings flapping about as it stumbled along the trail on foot (which doesn't seem smart when it can fly, eh?), it would have instilled fear into any teen.

"You're panicking too much," Nocte said lazily.

"And you're freakishly calm!" Aman hollered as she jumped over a coconut.

"Well I've been chased by dragons before," she said, almost conversationally as she, too, skipped over a coconut.

"I don't know whether to laugh or be horrified," Aman said.

"Laugh," she said. "I turned out alright."

Aman rolled her eyes and asked, "Are you sure?"

"Ha, ha, very funny," she said sarcastically.

They flung themselves in opposite directions, just avoiding being burnt by fire breath. Thankfully, the plants were hydrated enough to hold off from being burnt to crisp. It amazed Nocte on how the beaches of Southern Xon could be so different to the rest of the split country.

She quickly got up and ran right into-

"Mom!" Nocte gasped, stumbling up.

"Hello, dear!" her mother, the great malicious sorceress, Malise Yin (maiden name Hei), greeted in a very exaggerated way that would have seemed fake if it weren't for it being real. She was beautiful, goddess-like even, and looked to be the age of twenty-five.

"How do you always manage to get yourself in these situations?" her older brother, Gash (who was also a cruel warlord), asked amusingly. He was considered "handsome", which to Nocte meant "ugly", and he was known throughout all of Erisire as the man who killed his own master and took over his late master's legions of terror.

"This is the first time I got myself into this situation!" she screamed at him outrageously.

"Uh-uh," he said, waving a finger at her. "Remember the first time?"

She huffed and looked away like a grumpy child.

"Mrs. Yin," Aman said, looking hopeful.

"I'll take care of this," Malise said pleasantly. "You two go with Gash to the resort. You're parents got us some ice cream cake, Nocte's favourite."

Her mother pushed them softly towards Gash, who pulled them along the trail. Nocte looked back briefly to see her mother summon a hell dragon to counter the blue one, and then all she saw after that was her and Aman's family gathered together at the table, happily chatting and waiting for them before the cut the cake.

Her little brother, the esteemed Emperor Dire of Lamise, was glaring (it was more like pouting, but Nocte didn't want a death wish) at her older sister, Ebony, the famous Wicked Witch of the Southeast, who was dangling his sunglasses above his head in a teasing manner, even Ebony's familiar cat, Hecate, had a mischievous look in her yellow eyes. Occult, her little sister, the immoral psychic, was laughing at the scene as her four Domino Guards (each wearing a mask that resembled a domino piece) stood guard around the two families. (And yes, Nocte was the middle child.)

What made her heart soften was the sight of her father talking to Mister Jabari and Missus Narkeasha Rafiki as if nothing had changed between them. Her father was the Umbra Yin, also the mad scientist who developed the Immortality Serum that ensured young life to his family for the rest of time and for as long as space provided. Not only that, but he was also the Head of the Yin Clan, one of the four elites of the villain society.

As Nocte walked closer to the table, her heart slowly hardened because although her father acknowledged no change, there was certainly a rift. The rift had been there at the very beginning of Aman and hers relationship, and the two of them tried hard to ignore it. They had succeeded until last year.

You see, Nocte's family was evil, and Aman's family was good. They were exact opposites. Ever since they were four to twelve-years-old, Aman and Nocte had attended the same school, the prestigious Athena Academy, a neutral ground for all bright minds. They accepted anyone as long as they cooperated with the school system. And it was there they became friends.

But last year (and Nocte still cursed the previous year with vehemence), her family decided to put (the real word was: forced) her into Evil Academy, the school for villains-in-the-making, and Aman's family sent her off to Hero Academy (pretty self-explanatory). They were divided and had trouble trying to stay together (exchanging letters could only do so much).

At the beginning of summer, both of them felt an invisible wall between them and knew that it had to go right away. So working together, they chipped the wall down (more like bulldozing it down on Nocte's part, and a bit of TNT just to make sure) and knew that it wouldn't stay that way. The new school year was to start soon, and they feared separation.

Their families, cautiously, let them associate with each other, knowing that suppressing them would only bring unsaid feelings of negativity. Even Nocte's parents, as evil as they were, didn't try to stop her because the truth was, they loved her. That's right, you read right, they loved her.

No doubt by now you've noticed a difference in Nocte's family compared to all the other evil families (except for the Hei's). Yes, they loved each other, and everyone knew it, but the love was only within the First Family of the Yin Clan. All Nocte's uncles, aunts, cousins etc. all hate each other and envy the First Family, and they spent most of their time plotting ways to end their lives.

Why? Because although the First Family had the greatest of the weaknesses (love), they thrived, flourished and conquered more effectively than those who were emotionally adept. Nocte's father, mother, older brother and sister, little sister and brother were the best. They were unrivalled in power, money, skill – you name it, they had it.

And what about Nocte, you ask?

My answer is, what about her?

Because the truth was, Nocte wasn't any of those things. Except for her natural gift of the Death Glare and her very high immune system, there was nothing to distinct her from her family. She had little to no power, little to no money, little to no skill, and she purposely stops herself from using the Death Glare.

You may find this weird, but the truth was, and although she loved her family very much (more than words can say), she didn't want to be like her family.

Nocte Yin did not want to be evil.

It was a terrifying concept that her family has yet to accept fully. They perhaps understood where she was coming from, but they mainly ignored it, hoping that is was a phase she was going through. But as years passed, they realized it wasn't just a phase, it was something here to stay. Hence, her parents sent her to Evil Academy, trusting the brainwashin – erm, I mean, teaching would set her straight.

At the beginning, Nocte had tried to be nice to everyone and resist doing well in subjects she knew were extra evil, but all she got were mocking stares of what-the-hell-are-you-doing-? and a bad feeling that took up residence at the pit of her stomach when she aw her marks. The Chinese stressed the importance of school to its last breath, and getting a 60 was a bit no-no!

What was worst was the heir of the Paine Clan, the rival clan of the Yin's, just would not leave her alone! He had water balloons falling on her head, trapped holes for her to fall into, he insulted her every chance he got and the list went on and on and on – until…

Well, in the long run, Nocte beat him at his own game. For you see, Paine was the best dancer ever, and she had won in the silent dancing contest between them during last year's End of the Year Dance. She had smoked him good. Not only that, but remembering now, she did other things to even the score… and they weren't proud moments.

Remorse poured over her as she considered the other times… But they weren't entirely her fault, and plus, Paine and his friend, the heir of the Noir Clan, were baiting her! The truth was, she was very moody that month when she knocked Noir unconscious with one smooth Iron Palm, and she was really,really moody when she almost cleaved Paine's head off with a Halberd.

"C'mon, Nocte," Aman called from the table, waving her over.

She smiled meekly as she made her way over to their families. They were so happy, and here she was putting herself through a guilt-ridden trip, but she couldn't help it. She did not want to be evil. She did not want to be like her family. She did not want to be something she was not.

She wanted to be able to talk to Aman without fearing her family's disapproval. She wanted to choose a career she enjoyed. She wanted to have a life filled with… filled with…

"Have I missed anything?" her mother asked excitedly.

"You're just in time, mother," Ebony answered cheerfully.

But she also wanted to make her parents happy and proud. She hated when they were disappointed in her. She knew that they spent a lot of time, effort and money in raising her, especially when heroes and heroines were threatening their family all the time. They would pop out of nowhere swinging their big sticks around and rant on about how they were going to "take out the trash". The most annoying thing was that they always seem to inconvenience them during vacation time.

Nocte looked behind her shoulders to make sure there weren't any knights in shining armour hiding close by, waiting to pounce. Ever since that time their yacht was blown to smithereens, she never did trust calm, peaceful moments again. Stupid heroes (and heroines, remember?), always ruining a good time. If they show up, she'd-!

"Sit down, Nocte," Mrs. Rafiki said kindly, offering a chair.

She nodded, slightly disturbed by where her thoughts were going, and donned a shimmering smile.

"Dig in?" Aman asked, humouring her.

"Cake!" Nocte exclaimed and they all burst out laughing. Even her father was soundlessly chuckling.

She couldn't help but think, as she took a bite, that perhaps Evil's brainwashing was working.

- - -

the point