Kaiden spurred his horse forward like an arrow, dodging fallen trunks as his breath came in ragged gasps. But then—shadows split apart, and from within them emerged a man so terrifying it was as if the night itself had taken shape.
The figure raised a hand, black as a blade, and struck the horse in a single, ruthless swing. A strangled neigh—then blood sprayed, and the head thudded to the ground.
Kaiden was thrown with the collapsing body, crashing into the snow, the cold gnawing at his bones.
He lifted his head with trembling effort. His eyes met a pair of crimson flames, burning with malice.
The man advanced slowly, lips curling into a frigid smile. With bloodstained fingers, he brushed Kaiden's forehead as though toying with a helpless mouse.
In a guttural voice dripping with mockery:
— "You wretch… what are you doing among humans?"
Kaiden froze, his heart hammering.
The man pressed again, harsher this time:
— "Have you gone mute with fear? I asked you… what are you doing among humans?"
Kaiden's voice cracked as he shouted:
— "If you mean to mock me, then kill me! Death is better than being someone's puppet!"
A short, dark laugh escaped the man.
— "I am not mocking you. I am asking in earnest… what is a vampire doing hiding among humans?"
Kaiden's whole body stiffened. His voice faltered:
— "What… what did you say?"
The man leaned close, whispering slowly, as though unveiling a forbidden truth:
— "Haven't you realized yet? You're a vampire… only still asleep."
Kaiden gasped, his face as pale as snow.
— "Liar! I'm human!"
In an instant, the man seized his throat and hoisted him up as though he weighed nothing. Air fled his lungs, panic clawed at his chest.
— "Listen closely… your heartbeat betrays you. Your blood is not human. Your soul slumbers… but I can smell it. A scent I could never mistake."
Kaiden clawed at the man's grip, but his voice choked into silence. The man only laughed and hurled him against a tree. The trunk shuddered, snow scattering like ash.
The predator drew closer, pressing a knee into Kaiden's chest and pinning his arms. His whisper was ice against his ear:
— "Look around you… all your comrades are dead. You're the only one I spared. Do you know why?"
Blood dripped from Kaiden's lips. He forced a broken whisper:
— "Why…?"
The man's smile widened, thick with both hatred and fascination:
— "Because you are not one of them. And because I want to see… when the wolves inside you awaken."
He grabbed Kaiden's white hair, yanking his head up until their eyes locked.
Crimson burned like twin embers in the man's gaze, while Kaiden trembled between denial and fear.
The man's grin stretched wide.
— "You will scream… you will loathe yourself… but sooner or later, you will awaken. And when you do… I'll be the first to welcome you."
The vampire's grip tightened around Kaiden's throat, lifting him slightly off the ground. His voice, low and mocking, cut through the silence:
— "Do you know what fascinates me?"
Kaiden struggled for air, but the creature gave him no chance. A cold smile curled across its lips as it continued:
— "My strike just now should have been fatal. Any other human would already be a corpse. But you… you're still alive. Bleeding… trembling… yet your heart refuses to stop."
Kaiden's eyes widened, disbelief written across his face. He tried to speak, but his voice was barely a whisper:
— "I… I'm human."
The vampire let out a short, scornful laugh, sharp as a slap:
— "Human? Don't lie to yourself. Your blood betrays you… your breath betrays you… You are a vampire, like me. The only difference is that I awoke long ago—while you still sleep, pretending to live among them as one of their kind."
Kaiden shook his head, his voice trembling:
— "No… that's not true…"
The man leaned closer, crimson eyes burning:
— "Deny it or accept it—it makes no difference. Your body will remind you soon enough of what you are. You can't deceive your own nature."
His grip tightened until Kaiden's face turned blue, then suddenly released him. Kaiden collapsed into the snow, gasping wildly. The vampire crouched, pressing bloodstained fingers to his forehead as if toying with a doll.
— "You know… you're far more entertaining than I expected."
Kaiden tried to rise, but his body betrayed him. In an instant, the man struck the side of his neck with a casual backhand. Darkness swallowed him whole.
The vampire slung Kaiden over his shoulder with ease, a sly grin spreading across his lips. As he stepped into the shadowed forest, he murmured:
— "Ah… it seems I've found something rather interesting."
---------
Two days had passed since the scouting expedition was sent to Starleaf Village, and no word or message had come from them. In the council hall, where leaders and nobles gathered around the long table, the discussion over the border situation was heated—until one of the commanders spoke, his voice trembling:
Commander Jin:
— "Lord … the scouting expedition has not returned for two days, and there has been no sign or message from them."
A heavy silence fell over the hall, and breaths seemed to freeze. The assembled nobles exchanged worried glances, but their eyes kept drifting toward Cadis, who remained motionless for a moment, as if his heart had stopped beating.
Lord Lac (hesitantly):
— "This does not seem natural, my lord. Even if they had been attacked, someone should have managed to send a signal or a messenger."
The army commander slammed his fist on the table:
— "Shall we sit idly by?! If Starleaf has fallen to an unknown enemy, we might be next!"
Another commander, coldly:
— "We must face the truth… perhaps none of them survived."
Murmurs of fear, anger, and panic rose throughout the hall, until Cadis finally stood from his seat. His voice was calm, yet sharp as a blade:
Cadis:
— "Enough of the chaos. I did not summon you here to turn into crows croaking over death. So far, we have no evidence of their fate."
He scanned the hall with a piercing gaze before adding:
— "We will send another team to investigate. But this time… I will lead it personally."
The commanders shifted uncomfortably in their seats; some gaped in surprise, others tried to object.
Lord Lac:
— "My lord, that is unacceptable! You cannot risk yourself. If you insist, let us send another leader with a larger force."
Cadis, his voice resolute:
— "I said what I said. If a threat lurks in the shadows, I will face it first. I will not allow my men to be led to slaughter while I sit here watching."
All bowed in silence, yet tension still hung heavily in the hall. Cadis's decision was not a rash impulse—it was a clear signal: what awaited them in Starleaf Village might be greater and deadlier than they could imagine.
Cadis left the council hall with measured steps, while the whispers of the commanders echoed behind him like a heavy shadow. The long corridor leading to his quarters was bathed in cold silence, as if the entire castle were holding its breath, awaiting his next move.
As soon as he entered his room, he shrugged off his formal robe and tossed it aside. He stood before the large wardrobe and opened its doors, revealing his black armor etched with faint silver lines. Heavy, yet perfectly crafted to command respect, it draped his body with the presence of a born warrior.
His hand reached for the hilt of a long sword with a broad blade, its edge catching the flicker of torchlight. He lifted it slightly, then ran his fingers along the blade, as if checking the loyalty of an old companion.
Cadis spoke softly, almost to himself:
— "If darkness creeps toward us… I will not let it swallow my men first."
A servant entered cautiously, bowing quickly.
Larson:
— "My lord… the squad awaits your orders. The soldiers can't believe you intend to lead this mission yourself."
Cadis did not look at him, fastening his armor firmly:
— "Tell them to believe it. And tell them too… he who fears the shadow will not stand when it appears."
He tucked his helmet under his arm and strode toward the door with resolute steps.
In the outer courtyard, a squad of his finest soldiers stood in formation, awaiting his arrival. The moment he appeared, a solemn silence fell. Only the sound of his heavy footsteps on the stone could be heard. Soldiers instinctively lifted their heads, their eyes a mixture of awe and pride.
Cadis stopped before them, meeting each gaze in turn. Then he raised his sword high and declared:
— "To Starleaf… let us uncover what hides behind this silence. Whoever does not fear death, follow me."
The courtyard trembled with the soldiers' cheer, and the squad surged after their commander toward the gate, where the night swallowed the long road leading into the unknown....