Nadia was still driving the van. Emma and Layla slowly woke up and decided to keep her company by talking to her during the journey. As they looked around, they immediately noticed that Velmora was no longer sitting in the passenger seat beside Nadia.
"Where is Velmora?" Emma asked.
"Well, she was just here, and then she suddenly disappeared. Before she left, she simply told me to keep driving forward. That's all," Nadia answered.
"And you trusted her?" Layla asked.
"Yep. As long as Milan trusts her, I do too. Besides, after what she did for Ivory and Lucy, I believe she doesn't have any bad intentions toward us," Nadia replied confidently. At the back of the van, Zara slowly opened her eyes. She had just woken up from her sleep, but instead of speaking, she quietly listened to their conversation.
"So what really happened to you, Nadia?" Layla asked.
"As far as I remember, you were the very first person who started all this misery. I remember you lying on the hospital bed. Lucy, James, and I were taking care of you, and then you suddenly started biting Lucy. You were the one who turned people into vampires. What happened?"
Nadia remained silent for a brief moment before answering.
"When I was on a field expedition in the Brazilian Amazon, I traveled there with my colleagues to investigate a research project. I don't remember exactly how it happened, but while I was there, I felt something… almost like something entered my body. Some kind of virus, I think. I didn't realize that I had carried it back home with me. Later, I became very sick. It started with a fever, then strange cravings. I only wanted fresh meat… and blood. That's when I went to the hospital to see Dr. Patel. I don't remember much about the time I spent with you all. Everything is just fragments in my mind. Later, I woke up covered in blood. My clothes were soaked with it. I had no idea what had happened, but by then the entire hospital had already fallen into chaos. Vampires were everywhere. At that moment, I only had one thing on my mind—finding my daughter, Zara. I had left her waiting for me at the ward reception. It took me several days of fighting just to stay alive. Eventually, I heard gunfire echoing through the hospital. I followed the sounds while vampires roamed through the corridors, growling all around me. I was surrounded until I met Milan, Scarlet, and Zero. They saved my life. They were already on their own journey. Zero gave me hope when he told me that my daughter was alive and among the survivors who had escaped. That's why I decided to join them."
She finished her story, and silence filled the van for a few seconds.
"And what about them?" Layla continued.
"Do you really believe everything they say? I mean, when Milan used to bring Ayanna in for check-ups, he wasn't anything like the person he is now."
Nadia smiled faintly.
"Believe me, guys, I've seen things far worse than what anyone could ever imagine. I believe in them because they've saved us more times than I can count. Deep down, they're good people, and I trust them." Her words filled everyone with a little hope.
Suddenly—
SCREEECH!!
Nadia slammed on the brakes with all her strength. The van came to a violent stop.
Lucy, Zara, and Ben instantly woke up, startled by the sudden halt. Standing directly in the middle of the road were two men. They weren't moving.
They were simply staring at the van.
"Who… who are they?" Emma asked in shock.
"The Witcher… and Vision," Nadia answered fearfully as she slowly reached for the whistle hanging around her neck. The Witcher and Vision stood motionless, their eyes fixed on the van.
"You mean… they're among the Six's Bound we were told about?" Lucy asked nervously.
"Yes… they are," Nadia replied, her hands trembling uncontrollably.
"Velmora… are you here with us?" Nadia whispered desperately as she glanced at the empty passenger seat.
"We need you… please." There was no answer.
Velmora was gone.
"She's not here, Nadia," Emma said while reaching beneath one of the seats and pulling out a sword. "We'll have to defend ourselves."
"What are you doing?" Nadia asked.
"Don't try to be brave. They're far beyond our limits."
"Maybe they are," Emma replied as she gripped the sword tightly,
"but they're blocking our path. We can't just sit here waiting for them. We have to do something."
She opened the van door and stepped outside.
Layla and Lucy quickly followed her.
"Zara, stay inside the van with Ben," Nadia ordered her daughter.
"Don't come out." Nadia stepped outside as well, joining Emma, Layla, and Lucy. Together they stood facing Vision and the Witcher.
"Nadia… Nadia… Nadia…" Vision said with a sinister smile.
"How are you, my dear? Long time no see. Did you miss us?" As he spoke, his eyes slowly turned blood-red.
"You know me?" Nadia asked cautiously.
"How couldn't we?" Vision chuckled.
"You were the one who carried the virus from the Amazon. A perfect little package you delivered to the world. Victor is very proud of you."
Nadia's expression darkened.
"What do you want from us?" Layla demanded. The Witcher took a slow step forward.
"Where is Milan and his friends? We've searched everywhere for them, yet we still can't find them."
"We don't know anything about them!" Emma shouted, raising her sword into a fighting stance.
Vision laughed loudly.
"You know, we can do this the easy way… or the hard way." His smile widened.
"You know exactly what we're capable of, Nadia. Just tell us where they are, and you and your friends will walk away alive."
As soon as he finished speaking, vampires began emerging from every direction. From behind abandoned vehicles…From the nearby trees…
From the roadside… Within seconds, dozens of vampires surrounded them, cutting off every possible escape.
The women instinctively stood closer together.
"We already told you everything we know," Nadia replied firmly.
"The last time we saw them was when we parted ways after blowing up the camp." Vision's smile slowly disappeared.
"Then…" he said coldly,
"I suppose we'll have to do this the hard way."
He slowly began walking toward them. Nadia, Emma, Lucy, and Layla prepared themselves for battle. Then, without warning The van door swung open. Zara stepped outside. She walked fearlessly until she stood directly in front of Nadia, Emma, Lucy, and Layla.
In her tiny hands she held the knife Nutaila had given her, pointing it directly at Vision and the Witcher. For the first time… Vision and the Witcher froze. Their expressions shifted ever so slightly.
"Zara!" Nadia shouted.
"What are you doing? Get back inside the van right now!" Zara never lowered the knife.
"Don't worry, Mother," she said bravely.
"I'll protect you." Vision suddenly burst into laughter.
"Well, well… a little six-year-old girl wants to play the hero."
"I am seven, you bastard," Zara replied without a hint of fear.
"And I'm not scared of you."
The Witcher smirked while Vision smiled with amusement.
"Let's see just how brave you and your friends really are." Vision and the Witcher both stepped backward. With a simple wave of Vision's hand, the surrounding vampires received their orders.
"Kill them." The vampires immediately charged toward the group from every direction.
Nadia, Emma, Layla, Lucy, and Zara quickly gathered together, standing shoulder to shoulder as they prepared for the inevitable battle.
Inside the van, Ben remained hidden, trembling in fear.
"What are we going to do now?" Lucy asked nervously.
"Blow the whistle already, Nadia!" Layla urged.
Without wasting another second, Nadia grabbed the whistle around her neck and blew into it as loudly as she could.
The sharp sound echoed across the silent road…
But nothing happened. No one came. No answer.
The approaching vampires were only getting closer.
"What now?" Layla asked, panic filling her voice.
Nadia tightened her fists, took a deep breath, and stared directly at the charging horde.
"We fight!" she shouted. The vampires were only moments away from reaching them.
Suddenly, the ground beneath the charging horde began to tremble violently.
RUMBLE…!
The earth split open with a deafening roar. Without warning, dozens of enormous stone spears burst upward from beneath the ground, piercing through the vampires with incredible force. One after another, they were impaled before they could even reach Nadia and the others. The battlefield was instantly covered with lifeless bodies.
Not a single spear struck Nadia, Emma, Layla, Lucy, Zara, or even the van. The attack had been perfectly controlled. Everyone stood frozen in disbelief.
"What… just happened?" Emma whispered.
As the dust slowly settled, the cracked earth shifted once more.
A graceful figure slowly rose from beneath the surface as though the earth itself had given birth to her. Velmora.
She stepped onto the road with complete calmness and positioned herself in front of Nadia and the others, silently shielding them from Vision and the Witcher.
Her expression remained cold and composed. She simply stared at the two enemies before her.
Behind her, Nadia and the others let out relieved breaths. She had come back.
"Look who we have here…" Vision said with a sinister grin.
"Velmora herself." He folded his arms.
"This isn't your fight. Stay out of it."
"It wasn't before," Velmora replied calmly.
"But I have decided to join it." Vision's confident smile faded. He unconsciously took a step backward.
"I didn't know you had decided to choose sides," he said.
"But why choose the wrong one when you could stand beside the Gods? We could rule together. I'm certain Victor would gladly pardon you and grant you one of the highest seats beside him." He smiled mockingly.
"Besides… after everything humans did to you, surely you don't want to involve yourself with them again." Velmora remained silent.
She slowly glanced back at Nadia, Emma, Layla, Lucy, Zara, and the frightened Ben inside the van.
For a brief moment, she simply looked at them.
Then she turned back toward Vision.
"I believe there is only one God," she said quietly. "And I'm quite certain He doesn't lie inside a coffin with a blade through His chest." The atmosphere instantly became heavier. Vision's face twisted with rage. A dark aura surrounded him. His expression changed. His voice became deeper. It was no longer Vision speaking. Victor himself had taken control of his body.
"Strong words, Velmora," Victor said coldly.
"But today… you and your new friends are going to die." Velmora smiled faintly. She took one slow step forward.
"Let's see how powerful your dogs really are."
The Witcher's face immediately darkened with fury. Victor's crimson eyes suddenly glowed.
An overwhelming wave of darkness burst from Vision's body and raced toward Nadia and the others. The illusion was meant to invade their minds and seize control of them completely.
Before the darkness could reach them, Velmora spun around with astonishing speed.
She stood firmly before Nadia and the group.
Her feet planted deeply into the ground. Her eyes suddenly transformed into brilliant white.
A radiant light exploded from within them.
Streams of pure white energy flowed from Velmora's eyes into Nadia, Emma, Layla, Lucy, Zara, and even Ben, who was still hiding inside the van.
One by one…Their eyes began glowing with the very same white light.
Victor's darkness collided with the brilliant energy surrounding them.
BOOM!
Instead of consuming them, the dark power violently rebounded. The illusion shattered instantly. The force reflected straight back toward Vision.
"Impossible—!" The darkness struck him with tremendous force.
BANG! Vision was thrown backward as his own power slammed into him.
He crashed onto the ground, the impact shaking the road beneath him.
For the first time since the confrontation had begun… Victor's own power had been turned against him. The Witcher took a single step forward. In the blink of an eye, he vanished.
His body dissolved into darkness as he attempted to slip into Velmora's shadow, preparing to strike from within. But Velmora had already anticipated his move. The instant the Witcher reached her shadow, her entire body became transparent, as though she no longer belonged to the physical world. The Witcher passed straight through her.
His attack failed completely. Losing his balance, he crashed onto the ground beneath her feet, forced back into his physical form.
"Nice try, Witcher," Velmora said calmly.
"But I'm always three steps ahead of you."
Before he could recover—
BOOM! Velmora drove a devastating punch into his chest.
The impact sent the Witcher flying across the road before he crashed beside Vision.
The two of them slowly climbed back to their feet.
Velmora calmly returned to her fighting stance.
This time, the color of her skin slowly shifted into a light earthy brown, as though she had become one with the ground beneath her feet.
Vision narrowed his eyes.
"You've learned a few impressive tricks, Velmora," the Witcher said with a grin. "But let's see what happens when your past comes back to haunt you." Darkness poured from his body.
The surrounding reality immediately began to distort. The earth trembled violently.
Massive ancient stone walls erupted from the ground, surrounding everyone inside what resembled the ruins of a forgotten civilization.
The air became cold.Heavy. Unnatural.
Nadia, Emma, Layla, Lucy, Zara, and Ben instinctively stood close together as they watched the impossible scene unfold.
Then…A woman's voice cry echoed through the stone corridors.
"Help… please… help…" Velmora froze. Her entire body trembled. Tears slowly rolled down her cheeks. She dropped to her knees.
"No…" She clutched her head tightly.
"No…" The Witcher smiled. Vision simply watched in silence. Within the illusion… Figures carrying burning torches slowly emerged from the darkness.
They dragged a woman whose hands and feet were tightly bound to a wooden log.
She cried desperately for help. The frightened woman struggled as they carried her deeper into the ancient caves. More people surrounded her.
They began chanting. Preparing a ritual.
The horrifying memory unfolded before Velmora's eyes exactly as it had happened long ago.
"I said… stop…" Velmora whispered through her tears.The Witcher's grin widened.
"I SAID STOP IT!!"
Her scream shook the entire illusion.
Suddenly, Her eyes burst into a brilliant blue light.
An overwhelming wave of energy exploded from her body.
BOOOOOOM!!
Every wall, Every torch, Every person, Every memory all Shattered into countless fragments before completely disappearing.
Reality returned. Velmora slowly stood up.
Her face was covered in tears. But her eyes burned with fury unlike anything they had ever witnessed.
The earth beneath Vision and the Witcher suddenly erupted. Stone pillars wrapped around their bodies like giant hands, dragging them toward Velmora.
Before either of them could react, Velmora seized both of them by their throats.
One in each hand. She lifted them effortlessly into the air. The pressure of her grip tightened.
Vision and the Witcher desperately summoned their darkness. Black energy swirled around them.
Yet neither of them could move. Velmora's grip was simply too powerful. Their breathing became strained. Their faces twisted in pain.
"You never want to see me angry again," Velmora said in a cold voice. Her grip tightened even further.
"Never… bring up that part of my life again."
As she stared into Vision's crimson eyes…
She saw something beyond him. Far beyond.
Hidden within endless darkness, Victor Valois.
Resting inside his ancient coffin. Without warning, Velmora's body dissolved into shimmering particles. She entered directly through Vision's eyes. Everyone watched in complete disbelief.
At the same time, the earth continued restraining both Vision and the Witcher, keeping them completely immobilized. Vision screamed in agony.
His body convulsed violently. Blood began streaming from both of his eyes.
Far away…Beyond the illusion…Beyond reality itself… Velmora emerged from Vision's gaze.
She found herself standing before an enormous ancient coffin. Victor Valois's coffin. She slowly climbed onto it and examined it carefully.
Then… She looked down.
Victor lay motionless beneath the lid, the blade still embedded in his chest. A faint smile appeared on Velmora's face.
"I know you can see me," she said calmly.
"And I know you can hear me very well, you son of a bitch." Her body slowly changed color until it perfectly matched the coffin.
She gradually merged into it, passing through the ancient stone as though it were water.
Moments later, she emerged from the other side…
Standing directly above Victor Valois himself.
She looked down at the sleeping king.
"You may be the strongest vampire alive, You may command the Six's Bound, But you should know your limits." She leaned slightly closer.
"You're fortunate that you're already dead. I cannot bring myself to harm an unarmed man."
She smiled faintly.
"To everyone else, you may call yourself a god, But to me, I'm not afraid of you." She straightened herself.
"So I'll wait. I'll wait until you finally awaken from your beauty sleep. And when that day comes…I will find you. I can promise you one thing.No matter what you do, You will never win."
With those final words, Velmora stepped backward. Her body dissolved once more.
She exited through Vision's eyes the same way she had entered.
Back on the road, Everyone stared at her in stunned silence. Velmora released both Vision and the Witcher. The moment they were free, neither of them dared to continue fighting. They exchanged a single glance. Then both vanished into the darkness and fled. Silence fell over the battlefield.
Velmora slowly dropped to one knee. She lowered her head. No one spoke. After a long moment, Nadia cautiously walked toward her. She stopped just behind Velmora.
"I'm… so sorry… about your—"
Before she could finish, Velmora turned sharply.
Her white glowing eyes burned with anger.
"I said…" Her voice echoed across the empty road.
"I DON'T NEED YOUR PITY!"
Nadia instinctively stepped backward. The others remained completely silent. Several moments passed. Velmora closed her eyes. She took a slow breath. When she opened them again, the anger had faded. She spoke calmly.
"Get back in the van." She looked toward the road ahead.
"Keep driving forward. We're almost there."
Without another word, Nadia nodded.
She, Emma, Layla, Lucy, Zara, and Ben climbed back into the van. The engine started.
Moments later, the van disappeared down the road.
Far away… High upon a lonely mountain…
Milan, Scarlet, Ayanna, Nutaila, Raven, Dr. Patel, and Zero lay scattered across the ground, completely exhausted. For several moments, none of them moved.
Then…One by one… Their eyes slowly opened.
They looked down at themselves in disbelief. Every wound, Every cut, Every broken bone, Had completely disappeared.
It was as though the battle had never happened.
They quickly stood up and gathered together, silently looking at one another. Then their eyes turned toward the small hut standing quietly before them.Milan took a slow step forward. A faint smile crossed his face.
"We're here."