The forest had been calm only moments ago.
Sunlight filtered through the tall canopy in broken shards of gold, birds chirping somewhere high above as the four of them moved along the narrow trail toward the southern kingdom. The air was warm, quiet almost too quiet.
Sera walked beside Princess Eirlys, her voice soft, offering comfort, though her own mind remained alert. Cassian's voice soon broke the stillness.
"Sera! Come here for a moment. We need to talk." Sera sighed and went to him.
Eirlys was now trembling faintly, as she rubbed the dry tears. She looked up at her brother, Lorenzo. Who was walking while looking down, the sadness also in his eyes. He looked at his sister, Eirlys.
He gave her a lopsided smile, as he mouthed, 'Everything is going to be fine.'
Eirlys nodded but still she was hurt, her mother who was pregnant, and her father who were probably dead by now. She looked up ahead, Sera and Cassian were talking in murmurs, she remembered her mother's words, 'Prince Cassian is not like his father. Your brother and he will protect you.'
Silence returned as they continued walking.
Then—
A rustle.
Sharp. Sudden.
"Huh?"
The bushes exploded with movement.
A figure in black lunged toward them.
"Watch out—!" Sera screamed as the figured lunged at Eirlys.
Sera shoved Eirlys aside. Pain tore through her shoulder as a blade sliced across it. She stumbled, breath catching, while Eirlys hit the ground.
"Fuck!" Cassian snapped, already moving, a knife flashing from his sleeve.
Steel met steel as he and Lorenzo engaged the attackers.
Sera forced herself upright despite the burning in her arm and rushed to Eirlys, helping her stand—only for more shadows to emerge.
Women this time.
Silent. Deadly.
One lunged at Sera. She twisted away at the last second, grabbing the attacker's wrist and wrenching it hard. The dagger clattered to the ground. The woman retaliated instantly.
Eirlys pulled out her sword, just as another figure dressed entirely in black rushed toward her. The masked figure swung his blade downward, but Eirlys blocked it and pushed him back. He moved unnaturally fast, forcing her to retreat several steps.
Eirlys gritted her teeth and lunged forward. Their swords collided again and again, sparks flying with every strike. The figure suddenly vanished from her sight.
"What—?"
Before she could react, he appeared behind her.
Eirlys spun around, but he caught her wrist and slammed her against a tree.
The impact knocked the air from her lungs.
While, Sera and the assassin blades locked for a split second, then Sera twisted sharply, driving her knife forward.
A clean strike. The assassin froze, then collapsed.
Sera exhaled, chest rising and falling rapidly, before her eyes snapped toward Eirlys.
"Eirlys—!"
The figure had Eirlys pinned against a tree, his sharp, elongated teeth piercing Eirlys' neck, Eirlys let out a yelped.
Before Sera could move— Cassian surged forward like a storm.
His blade cut through the man's arm in one swift motion. Blood sprayed as he yanked Eirlys free, pulling her behind him.
The remaining assassins retreated, melting back into the forest.
Silence fell again.
But this time, it was heavy.
Eirlys groaned as she placed her hand on her neck where the masked figure had bitten her. The dizziness washed over her, then Lorenzo caught her instantly, lowering her gently, her head resting in his lap. Cassian checked her pulse, his expression tightening.
Sera moved toward them, but pain shot up her arm, forcing her to stop. She clenched her jaw, stepping aside to quickly tear fabric from her clothing, binding the wound tightly despite the sting. Then she returned.
Eirlys was pale. Too pale.
"Oh no… we have to get her to a doctor quickly," Sera said, kneeling beside her.
But something was… wrong.
Her teeth.
"…What in the—"
Fangs.
Sharp. Elongating.
Cassian blinked. "Is this what they call vampires in the stories?"
"But it's impossible though…" Lorenzo and Sera snapped together.
Before they could react further—
The bite marks on Eirlys's neck began to heal.
Slowly. Unnaturally.
Her eyes opened. Red. Distant. Hungry.
Her breathing became uneven. Her gaze shifted between Lorenzo, Sera, and Cassian. Then she froze. The blood scent.
Her eyes locked onto Sera's wounded arm. A strange thirst clawed at her throat.
"Eirlys?" Lorenzo said cautiously.
Eirlys took a step forward, then another. Her fangs were fully visible now.
"Eirlys..." Cassian warned.
But she didn't seem to hear him.
Her breathing grew heavier as she stared at the blood staining Sera's bandage.
Suddenly, she lunged.
Cassian reacted instantly. He grabbed her before she could reach Sera and pinned her against a tree. "Eirlys!" he shouted.
She struggled against him, her eyes wild.
"Control yourself! Look at me!"
Eirlys continued struggling.
"Eirlys! Breathe normally! Look at me, not the blood!"
For several long moments, she fought against him. Then slowly... her breathing began to steady. The red in her eyes softened, her body stopped trembling.
Finally, she blinked and looked directly at Cassian.
Reality returned.
The three of them froze. A silence fell that felt suffocating.
Eirlys looked at Cassian eyes for a moment, then reality hit her, her parents, the war, and now that she became a creature, a monster, humans won't accept her. Tears escaped her eyes, she placed a hand over her mouth as she looked down. Cassian hugged her as he patted her head.
"Everything is okay. Get yourself together." He said.
Eirlys rested her head against Cassian's shoulder. He stroked her hair gently.
Behind them, Lorenzo and Sera looked at them warmly.
And then—
Sera's vision shifted.
Her gaze dropped to her arm.
The wound.
It wasn't just a wound anymore.
The edges had darkened—veins spreading outward in thin, shadow-like lines beneath her skin. The flesh around it pulsed faintly, as if something alive was buried within.
Her breath stilled.
This was no ordinary injury.
Something had been left inside her.
Something… wrong.
Eirlys looked at Sera as she sensed some strange energy. But then she looked away.