For about ten minutes, Lilith had been diligently tracking Nacht through the dense forest. His footsteps, barely perceptible against the forest floor, posed a challenge even for her keen eyes. Despite their faintness, Lilith persisted, her determination driving her forward in pursuit of her elusive quarry.
Lilith had been honing her skills as a hunter alongside the seasoned veterans of the village since she was a mere child. Every lesson, every expedition into the wilderness had molded her into a formidable tracker, capable of navigating the most treacherous terrain with ease. Her familiarity with the ways of the forest, cultivated over years of training and practice, allowed her to move with the grace and stealth of a true huntress. And yet even so, she was never challenged as much as this in tracking her 'prey'.
Lilith continued to pursue Nacht's tracks until they abruptly vanished at the mouth of a cave.The problem was that there were no human tracks near that cave. It was as if the tracks just vanished. Despite her efforts to backtrack and search for any missed signs, her path repeatedly led her back to the same spot.
Come on, Lilith, I must find him to save Mother. I can't give in to fear now.
As she readied her rifle to enter the cave, she was suddenly yanked into the bushes from behind. She attempted to cry out, but a hand swiftly covered her mouth. A dark figure with a masked face loomed over her. "It's me, Nacht. Be quiet, will you?" he instructed, removing his hand as he crouched down to peer into the cave. Lilith questioned his presence. "What are you doing here?" she inquired. "Those wolves were stalking the house," he replied without turning to her. Lilith expressed skepticism. "So what? Wolves don't enter buildings. They aren't a threat," she retorted. Nacht agreed. "Normally, yes, but these are no ordinary wolves," he explained cryptically, glancing at Lilith before focusing on the cave. Nacht explained the situation in a hushed tone. "Those wolves in there, they're not normal. They're infected, just like the people in the village earlier," he whispered urgently. "Infected wolves are far more dangerous. They show no fear and will pursue their prey relentlessly. No matter how badly wounded they are, they won't stop until they've caught their target." His words conveyed the seriousness of the threat they faced, causing Lilith's eyes to widen with apprehension. Nacht disclosed that he had spotted a pack of seven outside the cave, detailing their composition and suggesting cannibalism among them. Lilith recoiled in horror. Nacht then unsheathed his sword, preparing for confrontation. Lilith, shaken by the revelation, followed him into the cave.
Inside the cave, the gruesome scene unfolded before them. Lilith covered her nose against the putrid stench of death and decay emanating from the feasting wolves. "How did wolves get infected?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief. Nacht pointed silently towards a shadowy figure in the depths of the cave—a human corpse. "They ate an infected person, perhaps one of your village hunters who thought they were just a bit under the weather and went out hunting anyway," Nacht explained grimly.
Lilith's heart sank as she realized the implications. "That might be my uncle. He went missing a few days ago, before the village fell into chaos," she murmured, her thoughts racing. But before she could act on her impulse to investigate, Nacht pulled her back, his grip firm. "Charging in won't help now, he's already dead. You'd only become their next meal," he admonished, his tone tinged with irritation. Reluctantly, Lilith nodded in agreement.
Nacht outlined a plan, his voice low and urgent. "We take out the leaders first—the white-maned wolves. I'll target the right one, you take the left. Once they're down, we rush outside and finish off the rest that follow us," he instructed, his gaze fixed on the pack. Lilith nodded, her grip tightening on her rifle.
With a swift and coordinated attack, Nacht jumped away from the cover, grabbed one of his knives from his pouch while in mid-air and threw it with swift precision, hitting one of the leaders right in the heart, followed by the crack of Lilith's rifle. The leaders fell, but the rest of the pack was quick to react, their glowing green eyes blazing with fury. Without hesitation, Nacht and Lilith sprinted for the exit, the pack hot on their heels.
As they burst from the cave's confines, Nacht swiftly hoisted Lilith into his arms, his muscles tensing as he prepared to leap to safety. With a powerful thrust, he propelled himself upward, soaring through the air with Lilith held securely against him.
In a seamless motion, Nacht landed atop a nearby tree, the branches rustling beneath his weight as he found a vantage point for Lilith. Setting her down gently, he nodded to her before leaping back down to the forest floor, his sword at the ready.
From her elevated position, Lilith took aim with her rifle, her eyes scanning the approaching pack of infected wolves. With precision honed from years of hunting, she fired shot after shot, each bullet finding its mark with deadly accuracy. One shot struck the throat of a charging wolf, while another pierced the heart of another, dropping them instantly.
Meanwhile, Nacht moved with swift, lethal grace, his sword flashing in the moonlight as he engaged the wolves in close combat. With expert precision, he struck at their vulnerable points, aiming for hearts and throats with deadly intent. In a few swift strokes, he even managed to deliver a couple of decapitations, sending wolf heads rolling across the forest floor.
Together, Nacht and Lilith fought as one, their coordinated efforts driving back the ferocious onslaught of wolves. With each strike of Nacht's blade and each shot from Lilith's rifle, they held their ground against the relentless tide of fur and fangs, determined to prevail against the nightmarish pack.
As Nacht was engrossed in dispatching one of the wolves with a swift decapitating strike, Lilith diligently reloaded her rifle, her hands working with practiced efficiency. But in the midst of their battle, one of the remaining wolves seized an opportunity, stealthily creeping up behind Nacht with predatory intent.
With a sudden lunge, the wolf sank its teeth into Nacht's leg, tearing through flesh and muscle. With a sharp grunt of pain, Nacht swiftly withdrew his sword from his previous target, turning to face the assailant. In a desperate maneuver, he swung the hilt of his sword with all his strength, connecting with the wolf's skull and momentarily stunning it. With adrenaline coursing through his veins, he followed up with a swift kick from his wounded leg, driving the wolf back.
Despite the searing pain shooting through his injured limb, Nacht managed to keep the wolf at bay for a fleeting moment. Sensing the imminent danger, Lilith sprang into action, her rifle already trained on the predator's head. With a steady hand and unwavering focus, she squeezed the trigger, sending a bullet hurtling through the air.
The shot rang out, echoing through the forest as the bullet found its mark, piercing the wolf's skull with lethal precision and piercing through into its heart in one long trajectory. With a final, agonized whimper, the wolf slumped to the ground, lifeless.
As the immediate threat subsided, Nacht sank to his knees, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he clutched his wounded leg.
Lilith swiftly descended from the tree, her heart pounding with concern as she rushed to Nacht's side. "Your leg!" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with panic as she took in the severity of his injury. "It is not healing!" she exclaimed.
Nacht managed a weary chuckle, his features contorted with pain as he held onto his wounded leg. "I guess not," he murmured, his voice strained. Lilith's eyes widened with worry as she searched for answers. "Why is it not healing?" she pressed, her voice trembling with apprehension.
The syringe Alice used on me earlier is still in effect, that's why. Damn it. An injury as big as this will need a bit to heal now. He thought.
"It is nothing. It'll heal later, I'm sure," he reassured, though his tone belied the gravity of his condition. "Just hope it won't leave a scar. I'm exhausted," he added jokingly before surrendering to the weariness that weighed heavily upon him.
Concern etched deep lines across Lilith's brow as she watched Nacht drift into an uneasy slumber. Fearing the worst, she leaned in close, her ear pressed against his chest in search of the reassuring rhythm of his heartbeat. But to her horror, there was nothing. No breath, no pulse. Panic surged through her veins as she shook Nacht, desperate to rouse him from his unconscious state.
"Nacht! Nacht!" she cried out, her voice trembling with fear. But he remained unresponsive, his pale features devoid of life. In a moment of desperate resolve, Lilith's gaze fell upon the wound on Nacht's leg, the source of the blood that held the potential to save her mother.
Her hands trembling, Lilith seized the water flask at her side, emptying its contents nearby before positioning it over Nacht's wound. But the flow was agonizingly slow, and Lilith's desperation grew with each passing moment. With a determined resolve, she reached for Nacht's dagger, her hands trembling as she widened the wound, bringing forth a greater stream of blood.
Once the flask was filled to the brim, Lilith wasted no time. With a final, sorrowful glance at Nacht's still form, she turned and fled into the night, her footsteps echoing against the silent landscape as she raced back to the village, leaving Nacht behind in the cold embrace of the forest.
Cure or Curse
Lillith pushed open the front door, her once-clean clothes now smeared with blood, causing Alice to jump to her feet, alarmed by the sight. "What happened?" Alice's voice wavered with concern as she took in the scene before her.
"We encountered some wolves nearby," Lillith explained, clutching a flask filled with Nacht's blood. "Where's Mother?" she added urgently.
"In the bedroom," Alice replied, her anxiety growing with each passing second. "What's that you're holding? And where's Nacht?" she asked, scanning the room for any sign of him.
Lillith hesitated, grappling with the weight of her words. "This is Nacht's blood. He gave it to me before he... left," she said quietly, unable to bring herself to reveal the truth.
Alice's heart sank at the mention of Nacht's departure. "Left?" Her disappointment was palpable as she processed the news, her hopes dashed by the sudden absence of their enigmatic companion.
I suppose I can grasp why he'd choose to leave like this. I've done nothing but complicate things since he rescued me. And then, to add insult to injury, I injected him with that syringe, not even aware of the consequences, all to aid two strangers. It's only natural for him to grow weary of my presence and decide to leave. He owes me nothing; it's foolish of me to presume he'd remain by my side.
She sighed and followed Lillith into the bedroom. Orianne looked very pale, the black veinlike things reaching her shoulders now. Her canines had turned into fangs, and she was sweating profusely, her body radiating heat as if she were being cooked alive. Lillith gently roused her mother. Orianne sat up, her breaths coming in heavy gasps as she looked at her daughter. "Lillith? What's wrong?" she asked. "Mother, I got his blood for you. You can finally be cured," said Lillith, her voice tinged with sadness, but she quickly composed herself and smiled. She handed Orianne the flask. "Drink, and you'll feel better," she said. Alice settled onto a stool, her eyes fixed on the flask. Suddenly, a surge of doubt flooded her mind.
How did she talk Nacht into it? He seemed really mad when I brought it up. Why would he suddenly agree to give his blood after saying no so firmly? Unless... it wasn't his choice. But Lilith couldn't force him, could she? He'd never let her. So, how? Did she really persuade him? Or was there something else going on?
As Orianne drank the blood, an eerie transformation overtook her. She convulsed violently, her eyes flashing purple, mirroring Nacht's own unsettling gaze. In a sudden twist, her eyes turned a luminous green and her nails morphed into menacing black claws. With terrifying speed, she seized her daughter by the throat and slammed her against the wall.
Alice sprang to her feet, stunned by the sudden chaos unfolding before her. As she struggled to regain her balance, she could only watch in horror as Lillith fought for breath, her strength fading. "Mother! Mother..." Lillith gasped weakly, her voice strangled by Orianne's grip.
Alice's gaze darted to the pistol Nacht had given her, now lying within reach. With trembling hands, she leveled it at Orianne. "Orianne, please! Let her go! Wake up!" she pleaded, her voice cracking with desperation. But Orianne seemed oblivious to her words, lost in the grip of whatever dark force had seized her.
Then, with a deafening crash, the door behind Alice exploded inward, and Nacht stormed into the room, sword drawn. In one swift motion, he lunged at Orianne, slashing at her arm to force her release of Lillith. With a powerful thrust, he knocked her to the ground, his weight pinning her down as he straddled her, his grip unyielding.
He held her down with a vice-like grip, his fingers digging into her throat, pushing her down with a force that would have shattered bones if not for Orianne's transformation. His expression was grim, his eyes burning with a fierce determination to end the chaos before them.
Nacht spoke words in a tongue unknown to Alice, a language that sent a chill down her spine.
"Inghabur Hund'saun un'kavis Kal'vanan. Kiran'lian mun kif hanan."
As he uttered the strange words, Orianne began to calm, the black tendrils retracting, her claws receding, and her eyes softening to a gentle lavender hue just like Nacht's. He slowly removed his hand from her throat and stood up. Orianne slowly drifted away, losing her consciousness
But just as the crisis seemed to abate, Nacht's own anguish erupted. He fell to his knees, wracked with pain, black blood streaming from his eyes and mouth. A sinister mark appeared on his finger, and he cried out in agony, as he held his hand with the marked finger, his screams echoing through the house.
Alice rushed to his side, her heart pounding with fear. She grasped his trembling arms, desperate to offer comfort. "Nacht! Are you alright?" she cried out, her voice filled with anguish. But Nacht's suffering only intensified, and Alice could do nothing but watch in horror as he continued to writhe in pain, his torment echoing through the silent night.
Lilith hurried to her mother's side, her heart racing with concern. As she felt Orianne's pulse, relief washed over her, momentarily soothing her fears. However, as her gaze shifted to Nacht, a profound sense of regret flooded her being. She couldn't shake the guilt that gnawed at her, knowing that Nacht was suffering because of her actions.
Suddenly, Nacht closed his eyes. In a chilling display of otherworldly power, Nacht's appearance started changing before their horrified eyes. His once-human features contorted with an unsettling grace, each shift radiating an aura of primal dread. Ears elongated into sharp points, casting eerie shadows against his now snow-white hair that became longer and reached his lower back, which seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly glow.
His eyes, once familiar, now blazed with a piercing purple light, their intensity enough to send shivers down the spine of anyone who dared to meet his gaze. His nails turned into black claws. With each passing moment, his presence grew more menacing, his very essence suffused with a palpable darkness that seemed to seep into the very fabric of reality.
Dark veins snaked across his skin like serpents, pulsating with an unholy energy that twisted his once-familiar form into something altogether more sinister. His every movement exuded a chilling confidence, a silent promise of unfathomable power and unyielding malice.
In that moment, he was no longer the Nacht they once knew, but a being of pure malevolence, a harbinger of doom whose very presence sent shivers down their spines. As he turned his gaze upon them, it was as if the very air grew colder, suffused with an icy dread that threatened to consume them whole.
Nacht's transformation was a nightmare brought to life. His eyes, once familiar orbs, now blazed with an ominous purple glow, radiating a sense of danger that sent a chill down Alice's spine. As he turned his gaze upon her, it felt as if a black fire burned within his eyes, consuming everything in its path.
With a speed that defied comprehension, Nacht seized Alice by the throat, lifting her effortlessly from the ground. His grip was iron, his touch sending shivers of dread coursing through her veins. A cold-blooded stare pierced her soul, freezing her in place with its intensity.
Meanwhile, Lilith, spurred by desperation, grabbed her rifle and swung the stock against Nacht's skull with all her might. But to her horror, he didn't even flinch. With a swift motion, he disarmed her, shattered the rifle and threw it with a force that left a gaping hole in the wall.
Suddenly he started speaking in that strange language again but now it was in a wraith-like voice. "Ki'vrakur Linf Kul'aan Kav'kur Monikal hal'aan."
As Nacht uttered the incomprehensible words, a sense of dread washed over Lilith. Suddenly, she felt a hand pulling her hair downwards, and another holding, almost squishing her throat and as she looked up, she realized it was her own mother, her eyes aflame with the same unnatural purple glow as Nacht's.
Alice struggled against Nacht's iron grip, her throat constricting as if held in a vise. Tears welled in her eyes, saliva dripping from her mouth as she fought to draw breath. In a desperate bid for survival, she spotted a syringe protruding from Nacht's pouch.
With trembling hands, she reached for it, her vision swimming with the threat of unconsciousness. Just as she felt herself slipping away, her fingertips brushed against the syringe. With a surge of adrenaline, she plunged it into Nacht's throat, causing him to falter and release his hold on her.
But Nacht was not defeated yet. Despite the syringe taking immediate effect, he remained determined to rise again. It was only when Alice drove another syringe into his heart that he let out a bone-chilling shriek, his form collapsing to the ground.
As the darkness receded, Orianne fell unconscious, her own struggle coming to an end. Nacht lay motionless, his features returning to their former state as the black veins faded from his skin. With one final, haunting utterance, he succumbed to unconsciousness, leaving Alice and Lilith to grapple with the aftermath of their harrowing ordeal. "Kal'van Nus Vil'naan kurk vm'alaan!"
A Bloodservants truth
In your respite, Nacht, I'm unshackled, but control will be mine, eventually. Despite your resistance, this vessel, this frame, belongs to us. I am you, and you, me. Recall, Nacht, however fierce your battle, your true essence will be embraced. Shed your guise, return to your origins. Let the mark on your finger serve as a reminder, a beacon to your true self. Remember who you once were, who you must become, to save your -
Nacht's eyelids fluttered open to an image of a young girl with black hair and a soft smile, haunting his thoughts. With a jolt, he snapped awake, sweat beading on his forehead. The ghostly voice echoed in his ears, chilling him to the bone. "Recall?" he whispered to himself, trying to steady his racing heart. His gaze fell to his finger, and a wave of dread washed over him as he noticed the ominous black mark etched upon it. "Damn it!" he exclaimed, leaping out of bed in a panic.
Reaching for his dagger, in a desperate attempt he aimed to rid himself of the cursed mark, but it was knocked from his grasp by an unseen force. Startled, he turned to see Alice and Lillith standing nearby, their faces filled with concern. With a heavy sigh, Nacht sank back onto the bed, defeated.
"How are you?" Alice inquired, her eyes flickering to the dagger that fell to the ground, a trace of blood staining its blade. "What were you trying to-" Before she could finish her question, Nacht raised his hand to cut her off.
"Nothing!" he bellowed, his interruption sharp and forceful. Startled, Alice recoiled at his sudden outburst, taken aback by the raw anger and frustration in his voice. It was the first time she had witnessed him in such a state, and it left her feeling uneasy.
Looking at Lillith, he asked with resignation, "How's your mother?" Lillith, feeling guilty, replied softly, "She... She's okay." Despite her remorse, she held onto the belief that saving her mother was worth any sacrifice.
What happened to him? Why did he attack us all of a sudden and what was that weird voice and language he was speaking?
Alice wanted to voice her thoughts, though there was a big chance Nacht would get angry. Before she could, the door opened and Orianne entered the room. Nacht looked up at her, noticing her lavender-colored eyes. He sighed and glanced back at his marked finger. He chuckled. "Congratulations, now you're my blood-servant, I guess," he said sarcastically, standing up and retrieving his dagger from the floor, then tossing it onto the bed. Walking toward Orianne, he asked, "How are you feeling?"
"A little light-headed," replied Orianne, eyeing Nacht's blood on the ground. Nacht nodded, expecting that answer. He looked at his bleeding finger. He offered it to Orianne's mouth. "You need to get used to the smell of blood around you and the touch of death. For now, my blood will calm you down and help you get used to it. After a few weeks of consuming a bit of blood, you'll be fine. Don't let yourself starve. If you need blood, drink. Ask your daughter to cut her palm and let you drink a bit. If you don't, you'll go into a frenzy. Better to hurt her a little than kill her and then drink her dry. Your choice," he explained as Orianne drank from his finger.
Afterward, he attempted to heal his finger, but it went slowly because of the syringes Alice had injected him with. "Will Mother be able to heal herself too?" asked Lillith, fascinated by Nacht's healing. Nacht chuckled as he put on his cloak and scabbard. "Of course not. Being a blood servant doesn't give you the same 'abilities' as a ghoul, vampire, whatever you call us around here. It's merely a second chance at life, or I suppose death if you will," he explained.
"What does that mean?" asked Lillith, not understanding what he meant by 'second chance at death.' "It means that your mother had already passed away, but I prevented her soul from leaving her body by imprisoning it there. Your mother won't be able to die unless I free her imprisoned soul. That's what a blood servant is," he explained nonchalantly.
"What?!" shouted Orianne. Nacht gave her a side glance but focused immediately on his sword. "What do you mean 'my soul is imprisoned within my body?'" she asked angrily. "It means exactly as it sounds," replied Nacht, annoyed and without looking at her. "And now you know why I refused," he continued.
Lillith felt her knees giving way and sat down. "Does that mean that … Mother won't be able to go to the afterlife?" she asked. Nacht looked at her seriously. "You're quite young to know about all that stuff. To answer you … I'm not sure. What I am sure of is, as long as her soul is imprisoned, she won't be going anywhere. She will wander the earth until I let her free," he explained, putting his sword back in the scabbard.
"But you can free her whenever you want, right?" asked Alice, shocked by the sudden turn of events. Nacht nodded but immediately shook his head. "I should be able to … but I cannot," he showed his mark to the three girls in front of him.
"My 'power' to free her is suppressed by … my other self. Unless he awakens and frees her, she'll be stuck here. Problem is, I myself am not sure what exactly my 'other self' is," Nacht admitted, a troubled expression crossing his face.
Ever since I lost my memories, all I've been told is that I was a 'monster'. Amidst the fog of forgotten pasts, there's one thing that remains clear: my singular desire, the very purpose that consumed me as 'my other self'. And now, even without those memories, that wish still drives me forward.
Nacht sunk in thought as he remembered his wish, he whispered, "I will free you from this curse." But Alice's next question snapped him back to reality. "Does that mean that Orianne will never die unless you become that monster again?" His gaze fell to the floor, a weight of sadness evident in his expression. "Monster? Yeah, he is a monster," he murmured quietly, his own self-perception echoing in his mind. The word stung, coming from Alice, even though they didn't know each other for long. Hastily, he lifted his gaze, the fleeting sadness replaced by a mask of indifference. Alice, however, caught the shift, and guilt flooded her features. She scrambled to apologize, but Nacht waved it off. "That is probably the case," he responded to Alice's inquiry. Lilith attempted to interject, but Orianne cut her off with a stern tone. "Quiet, Lilith. It is not his fault that this happened. Have you apologized to him for taking his blood without asking him?" she chided, her anger palpable. Lilith's regret was evident as she muttered, "I-I'm sorry," avoiding Nacht's gaze.
This mark.That is why I didn't want to get any blood-servants. Each time I use my blood, he will get one step closer to getting out. This mark is a representation of that. I have to be careful from now on.
Nacht sighed heavily, rising from his seat. "It's late. I must press on," he declared, moving toward the door. But before he could depart, Alice reached out, clasping his arm. "You didn't think you could just leave me behind, did you?" she teased, a small smile playing on her lips. Nacht paused, closing his eyes briefly thinking about her suggestion.
I promised that I would bring her to safety. Staying in this village wouldn't be exactly safe.
Then he reopened them and nodded, agreeing to her joining him.