Chapter 2 – Blood and Moonlight
The scent of herbs filled the air when Blue woke up.
His body ached, his mind foggy. The room was warm, lit by flickering candles and the faint smell of burning sage.
He blinked at the wooden ceiling above him — and then at his bloodstained hands.
"Easy now."
The voice came from beside him — calm, commanding. Xavier.
"You're safe," his father said. "For now."
Blue tried to sit up. "What happened? Where are—Kin, Rito—"
"They're here," Xavier interrupted. "Your mother's tending to them. They saw too much. But they're alive."
Blue's chest tightened. "They're… here? In our house?"
Xavier nodded. "They followed your trail. They know more than they should."
Footsteps approached. Selene entered, serene as moonlight, carrying a tray of tea. Behind her came Kin and Rito, both pale and shaken.
Rito's throat was bruised; Kin's arm was bandaged.
When Rito's eyes met Blue's, she froze — fear flickering before she forced herself to look away.
Selene spoke gently. "They're frightened but unharmed. Blue, there's no easy way to say this — it's time you knew the truth."
Blue frowned. "Truth?"
Xavier stepped closer, expression dark. "You're not human, son. You're something far rarer."
Selene's voice softened. "Your father is a hybrid — half vampire, half werewolf. And I am a pureblood vampire of the Crimson Court. Together… we created you. A pure hybrid."
Kin blinked. "So, he's—what, both? Vampire and werewolf?"
Xavier's gaze hardened. "He's more than that. He's both royal bloodlines combined — something neither world will ever allow to exist."
Rito whispered, trembling, "That thing last night… that was him?"
Xavier nodded. "His awakening. Painful, uncontrollable. But necessary."
Blue's fists clenched. "You're saying I'm some kind of monster?"
Xavier's voice was cold. "You're saying it wrong. You're a weapon that must learn control — or the world will destroy you."
He looked toward the window, the moon still hanging high. "The Crimson Court and the Hybrid Dominion both want us dead. They will come for you. But worse still—"
He turned, eyes glowing faintly gold. "Now that you've awakened, the Witches of the Night will feel it. They'll sense your bloodline's power across Nebula. They'll come for you… to sacrifice you."
Blue's breath caught. "Sacrifice me?"
Selene's tone was grave. "The witches seek a pure convergence — a being born of both moon and blood. With your heart, they could awaken their Moon Queen."
Blue's pulse quickened. "What are you saying?!"
Xavier held up a hand. "Enough. Questions can wait. Training cannot."
He stepped outside, motioning for Blue to follow.
"The only way to live is to fight. Tonight, you begin."
Training Under the Moon
The night air was sharp. Blue stood barefoot in the clearing behind their home, sweat running down his back. The forest was alive — every movement, every heartbeat amplified through his new senses.
"Again," Xavier ordered.
Blue growled. "I can't—"
"You can," his father snapped. "Control is forged through pain."
Blue inhaled sharply and closed his eyes. The beast stirred within him — claws scraping beneath his skin, teeth aching to emerge. He forced it down, breathing slow and deep.
"Good," Xavier said. "Now move. Feel the earth, the wind, the hunger — but rule them."
Hours passed. Each motion, each command carved discipline into chaos.
"Your power isn't your enemy," Xavier said. "Your fear is."
From the porch, Kin and Rito watched in silence.
Rito whispered, "He's suffering."
Kin shook his head. "He's changing."
He paused, watching the blur of Blue's strikes and the precision in Xavier's movements. "And I need to learn that too."
Rito blinked. "You? You can barely lift a sword."
"Maybe," Kin said, stepping off the porch. "But if monsters like that exist, and they're coming for us… then I need to know how to fight back. I won't turn my back on him."
He walked into the clearing.
Xavier raised an eyebrow. "You should be resting, boy."
Kin stood tall. "I want to train. To fight things that hunt in the dark. I want to protect my friends, my family… and him."
Blue turned, eyes widening. "Kin, don't—"
Kin smirked. "Too late. I'm in."
Xavier regarded him in silence, then tossed him a wooden staff. "Then prove it. Five minutes. Survive."
Rito shouted from the porch, "You're all insane!"
Xavier ignored her. "Blue — hold back your strength. Control, not kill."
Blue nodded. The two faced each other.
The fight began — fast, fierce, uneven. Kin dodged the first few strikes but stumbled after the third. Blue held himself back, learning restraint even as power surged beneath his skin.
At last, Kin fell to one knee, panting. Blue reached out a hand.
"Not bad," he said, smiling faintly.
Kin grinned, taking it. "You hit harder than any human I've met."
Xavier approached, his expression unreadable. "You both have spirit. Good. You'll need it."
He turned toward the woods, voice low and grave.
"The Crimson Court and the Dominion will come. And when the Witches of the Night begin their rituals, you'll feel them in your dreams."
He looked up at the moon, its light pale and cold.
"When that happens, don't run. Train. Fight. Survive."
His eyes glowed gold. "The real war begins soon."
Chapter 2 – Blood and Moonlight (Final Scene)
The moon had started to fade into the pale light of dawn. Blue's body trembled from exhaustion, his breathing ragged. Kin sat on the ground beside him, gripping his staff, chest heaving.
Xavier stood over them, arms crossed, his golden eyes dimming back to human color. "That's enough for tonight."
Blue looked up, confused. "But I can keep going—"
Xavier shook his head. "No. Pushing beyond your limit now will only make you lose control again. You'll train at sunrise. Both of you."
He turned toward Kin, his tone lowering into command. "You and Rito must return to the village. Speak of this night to no one. Not even your families."
Kin nodded immediately. "Understood."
Rito hesitated. "But… what if someone saw us leave? What if they ask?"
Selene, who had been silent until now, stepped forward, her crimson eyes glowing faintly in the half-light. "You will tell them nothing. We'll handle what needs to be explained."
That's when Kin froze, realization striking him. "Wait—Gus. He was with us when Blue fell."
Rito's face went pale. "He ran… he ran back toward the village."
Xavier's eyes narrowed slightly. "Then the villagers already know something happened."
He looked toward Selene. "Can you—?"
Selene nodded before he could finish. "I'll take them home. I'll see what Gus has said."
She turned to the two teens. "We'll need to have our stories straight. No one must know the truth. If they do… none of us will be safe."
Blue stood, his expression troubled. "Why can't we just bring Gus here and tell him everything? He's our friend. He deserves to know."
Xavier's gaze sharpened like steel. "No, Blue. Everyone isn't worthy of your trust."
His tone softened slightly, but the warning in his eyes remained. "Sometimes, even friends can become enemies when fear takes hold."
Blue wanted to argue, but something in his father's voice stopped him. He only nodded, reluctantly.
Selene gestured toward the edge of the woods. "Come. I'll take you back."
The three disappeared into the fading night, leaving Xavier and Blue in silence beneath the dimming moon.
⸻
Scene Cut — The Village
The village of Hollowfen was quiet in the early dawn, the fog lying low and heavy across the crooked rooftops.
Inside a small, dilapidated house at the far edge of town, Gus sat alone in darkness.
The single candle on the table had long burned out. The only light came from the faint glow of his trembling hands. His breathing was shallow. His eyes were distant — haunted.
He kept seeing it.
The cliff. The claws. The eyes.
Those eyes.
"Blue…" he whispered. "I saw your eyes. You're one of them."
He pressed his palms to his head, memories flooding back — fire, screams, the night years ago when his village had burned. He could still hear his mother's voice, the snarls of beasts tearing through the streets, the blood, the moonlight.
"They took everything from me," he muttered. "Monsters… they killed my parents, my friends, my home."
His trembling stopped. His voice steadied, turning sharp.
"But now… now I know what you are. And I can finally take my revenge."
As he sat in the dark, the air thickened — heavy with cold.
Then came the whisper.
Low. Female. Echoing.
"Gus…"
A dark shape emerged from the corner — a woman cloaked in shadow, her form half-dissolved into mist. Her voice was smooth, almost tender.
"I told you this day would come. The day when your hatred would give you strength."
He didn't flinch. "Mother."
"Yes," she said, stepping closer. The room pulsed faintly with black light as her eyes glowed violet. "We let you live for this purpose. We gave you knowledge, power, the magic of our kind. You are no longer the frightened child of Hollowfen… You are the Heir of the Witches of the Night. Our warlock. Our weapon. Our savior."
Gus's lips curved into a faint, twisted smile.
"I understand, Mother. And I'm ready. Tell me what to do."
Her smile grew wider, her voice a whisper of silk and poison.
"Find the half-blood. The royal mistake. Bring us his heart beneath the full moon… and the Moon Queen shall rise again."
The shadow faded, leaving Gus alone in the dark.
Only his voice remained.
"Yes, Mother. I'll make them all pay."
⸻
Scene Cut – Back at the Village Edge
Selene, with Kin and Rito beside her, walked quietly down the misty path. The early morning air carried the smell of smoke — someone already stirring their fires for the day.
As they reached the edge of the main road, Selene stopped.
"Where can I find Gus?" she asked.
Rito pointed toward a crooked shack near the northern fence line. "There. He lives with his grandmother."
Selene nodded. "Thank you."
She looked at both of them seriously, her crimson eyes glowing faintly. "Remember — no one can know what happened tonight. Not the truth. Not a word."
Kin placed his hand over his chest. "We swear."
Rito nodded quietly. "You have our word."
"Good," Selene said softly. "Now go home. Get some rest. Tomorrow will not be kind to any of us."
The two teenagers went their separate ways, vanishing into the morning fog.
Selene turned toward the shack. As she approached, she slowed. The air grew cold. The smell of sulfur and rot stung her nose. A dark current thrummed through the ground, wrapping around her senses like a warning.
"Dark magic," she murmured.
She knocked once.
No answer.
Twice.
Still nothing.
A third time — and the door creaked open slightly, on its own.
Inside, the air shimmered faintly with violet energy. The scent of blood and burned herbs filled the air.
Selene's eyes narrowed. She steadied her breath, extending her hand — the faint glow of red energy building in her palm.
Then, with a whisper, she crossed the threshold.
"Gus… we need to talk."
End of chapter 2 Blood and Moonlight