In the outskirts of town, where tall trees loomed overhead and bushes concealed secrets, a man with a scarred face worked diligently. He stood by a makeshift campsite, his weathered hands expertly placing an arrow into a container filled with a mysterious liquid. The man's horse was securely tied to a nearby tree, patiently waiting.
The scarred man had a rugged appearance, with a strong and weathered countenance that spoke of a life lived on the edge. His face bore the marks of battles long past.
As he continued to work, he suddenly heard distant sounds of approaching hooves. He swiftly dropped the arrow he had been preparing and assumed a defensive stance, hand on the hilt of his blade, ready for whatever might emerge from the woods.
Moments later, two riders appeared from the shadows of a tree. The first rider was a man with a commanding presence, his clothes fancy and his horse well groomed. He was a stark contrast to the rugged man. Beside the first man sat another man whose attire was more modest compared to him.
As the two drew near, The scarred man's eyes widened briefly, realising that it wasn't what he was expecting but rather it was the king, Cedric and his personal guard, Roland. A small grin tugged the corner of his lips. He lowered his defensive stance and bowed to show his respect. "Your highness." He greeted.
"Magus," King Cedric acknowledged with a nod as he and Sir Roland dismounted from their horses. The king was a tall man with sharp features, his blonde hair gleaming in the dappled sunlight that filtered through the trees. "Is there any update?" He asked further.
Magus, rising to his feet. retrieved the arrow he had dropped earlier and the bottle of mysterious liquid. He approached King Cedric to present the information he had gathered. However, before he could hand the bottle to the king, Sir Roland stepped in between them with a protective stance.
King Cedric's eyebrows furrowed slightly, his piercing blue eyes shifting between Magus and Sir Roland.Sir Roland took the bottle from Magus and examined it closely. After a moment, he handed it over to his king.
"I have had the potion prepared," Magus explained in a low voice, ensuring that only the king and Sir Roland could hear. "It's a potent concoction, Your Highness, specifically designed to kill vampires. A few drops of this on a weapon should do the trick."
Sir Roland's eyes widened hearing this news for the first time as this would be good help to the kingdom. The king on the other hand had a neutral expression as he stared at the liquid. With a firm voice he remarked. "And how efficient is it?" His gaze shifted from the bottle to the man who stood before him.
Magus had his words cut in his throat as he tried to find the right word. His lips parted and his hand trembled slightly which didn't go unnoticed by the king. "I…I..," he stuttered, his hand clenched into a fist and his gaze weary as he could feel the king's hard gaze on him. Gulping down nothing he said. "It hasn't been tested yet, your highness."
The king let out a dark chuckle, he walked towards the arrow lying on the floor and deepened in one in the liquid. Roland and magus watched him, their curiosity piqued and he fixed the arrow on the bow string. "It looks like we have a volunteer." His grin widened as he pointed the bow directly at magus.
Magus could feel his heart racing, and his eyes widened, but just as he was about to plead for mercy, the king released the string. The arrow went flying, and Magus closed his eyes shut.
However, instead of the arrow hitting Magus, it went whizzing past him and struck a figure hiding in the shadows behind him. A loud cry filled the air, and the man who had been lurking in the darkness burst into flames.
Sir Roland and Magus stared in shock as the fiery figure writhed in agony, its form disintegrating into ashes. It became apparent that this was no ordinary man but something far more sinister.
Magus turned his gaze to King Cedric, who now wore a satisfied smile. It was evident that the king had known about the hidden threat and had used the opportunity to test the potency of the liquid on this unsuspecting vampire.
King Cedric turned to Magus and Roland. "Gentlemen, it seems we have a weapon that works. Prepare more of this potion." He commanded.
Magus and Sir Roland nodded in agreement, and grabbed the remaining bottles of the Liquid. "They will be safe in the palace." He added.
The kingdom had been made with steels surrounding it just to protect any vampires from getting in. So it would be impossible for them to get the liquid even if they try.
As they rode through the serene forest, their horses' hooves echoed in the quiet. Everything seemed peaceful until, out of nowhere, King Cedric heard something coming. He quickly moved to the side, narrowly avoiding a flying object that was aimed at him. The thing missed and hit a tree nearby, making a creepy hissing sound as it struck the bark.
"It looks like we have more company." King Cedric hissed, his lips curled up into a grin. Sir Roland and Magus stopped their horses too, scanning the forest cautiously. They could feel the danger lurking in the shadows, and the tension in the air grew as they prepared for whatever threat might emerge.
King Cedric's keen eyes caught the swift movement in the corner of his vision. His grin remained as he tracked the figure moving faster than any human could. But then, another presence approached from behind him, and his senses tingled.
Without hesitation, the king swiftly drew another arrow, dipped it into the potent liquid, and fired at the first vampire. It groaned in pain and anguish as it turned into ashes.
While the first vampire disintegrated, the second one attempted to flee, realizing the danger of the liquid. But King Cedric knew he couldn't allow it to escape, for it might warn others of its kind of their discovery.
He took aim and released the arrow, his aim as deadly as ever but the second vampire took a turn and the arrow struck a tree instead. The king let out a groan in frustration but he wouldn't let this one escape.
Without hesitation, the king pulled the reins of his horse, urging it into a swift gallop. As he gave chase, the king continued to fire arrows at the fleeing vampire, but it moved with unnatural speed and agility, narrowly avoiding each projectile. The tension in the air grew thicker with each passing moment as the chase continued.
"It's heading to the town!" Sir Roland's voice rang out, loud and urgent, as he rode alongside the king. Magus followed closely behind them.
In the bustling town, Aurora desperately tried to distance herself from Richard's persistent advances. Despite her clear disinterest, he continued to seek her attention, causing frustration to simmer beneath the surface. Her patience wore thin as she felt his hands enclose around hers, an unwelcome intrusion that made her flinch.
Determined to put an end to Richard's persistence, Aurora swiftly pulled her hand away from his grasp, her expression morphing into a withering glare. She parted her lips, ready to unleash her pent-up frustrations on him, even though she knew deep down that her words would likely fall on deaf ears. But before she could utter a single word, screams pierced the air, shattering the tense silence that had enveloped the marketplace moments ago.
Chaos erupted like a thunderclap, transforming the once peaceful gathering of villagers into a scene of pandemonium. A lone man charged into the midst of the crowd, causing goods and people alike to scatter in all directions in a frantic attempt to escape his erratic path. Three wild horses trailed closely behind him, adding to the mayhem.
A horrified gasp escaped Mary's lips, her eyes widening as she instinctively began to back away along with the rest of the terrified crowd.
Aurora's heart pounded in her chest, her brows furrowing as she too involuntarily took a step backwards. But then, something caught her eye, freezing her in place and causing her eyes to widen even further.
The man's eyes, as red as rubies, locked onto hers, the realization hitting her like a bolt of lightning. In that fleeting moment, she knew exactly what she was witnessing - a vampire.
This didn't go unnoticed by the rest and the panic only worsened.
Aurora stumbled backward in her attempt to flee from the approaching vampire. Panic and chaos gripped the marketplace as villagers scattered in all directions. She crashed into a vendor's stall, causing it to topple over with a clatter of noise.
A vampire attacked Aurora, its red eyes fixated on her as fear pulsed through her veins. Just as the bloodthirsty creature closed in, it unexpectedly burst into flames. Aurora instinctively shielded her face from the fire, stunned by the sudden turn of events. Within moments, all that remained of the vampire was a pile of ashes.
The shocked crowd fell into silence, their faces filled with disbelief. Aurora remained on the ground, clutching her chest as her heart gradually slowed down. This was the second time she had encountered such a terrifying creature, and recovering from this experience would not be easy.
Meanwhile, King Cedric, wearing a satisfied expression, skillfully fired a final arrow, hitting his target with precision. As he reined in his horse, the villagers in the marketplace recognized his presence and bowed to show respect, their faces still displaying traces of astonishment and admiration.
With an air of authority, King Cedric dismounted and strode confidently towards the center of the commotion. His boots echoed against the cobblestones as he approached the spot where Aurora remained on the ground, visibly shaken. Their gazes met momentarily, causing Aurora's eyes to widen before she quickly averted them, burying her face in the ground. It was against the rules for someone of her commoner status to have any close interaction with the king.
"Please allow me to offer my assistance," King Cedric spoke with authority, his words reaching Aurora's ears and his hands stretched forward. Though his offer sounded genuine, she couldn't shake off the lingering apprehension.
However, disobeying the king's orders was considered a grave offense punishable by death. Despite her hesitation, she knew she had no choice but to comply with his offer of assistance.
Aurora, her heart pounding and her hands trembling, slowly reached out to grasp the king's extended hand. His glove-covered hand was warm as he helped her to her feet. When her hazel eyes met his striking blue ones once more, King Cedric was immediately captivated by her beauty. He held her gaze for a brief moment, his lips parted to speak when a voice from behind interrupted.
"Your highness, we need to return to the palace right away." Sir Roland said.
King Cedric's let go of Aurora's hand and turned to his personal guard, nodding in acknowledgement. They needed to leave and safeguard the liquid before more vampires appear as it seemed that was their new target. With a graceful wave of his hand, he signaled for the group to proceed. Magus brought his horse over to the king, and the trio mounted their steeds.
Aurora let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. She watched as the king, his guard, and the hunter rode past her with their horses, disappearing into the distance.