Part 1
William stood by the table, watching Ed as he organized his gear with a focused expression.
"Eddy." William began, breaking the silence as he stepped closer to the table where Ed was working.
"You need to be prepared. The hunt is set to start in a few days, when the next full moon appears."
Ed looked up, his eyes meeting William's. "I'm ready. I just need to know what to expect. What do you think the monster is?"
William paused, seeming to consider the best way to respond. "It doesn't matter exactly what it is, Eddy. What matters is that it's brutal and violent. More so than any predator we've ever encountered. Its strength and ferocity are beyond what we can imagine."
Ed frowned, fiddling with one of the items on the table. "So, how should we approach it? Any idea how to kill it?"
William shook his head slowly, his expression serious. "We know it's a nocturnal predator with monstrous strength and impressive speed. The tracks we found indicate that it's big and extremely dangerous. But beyond that, it's unpredictable and deadly."
Ed glanced at his weapons, focused. "What can we do to prepare better for this?"
William took a step closer to the table, his tone firm. "Make sure your weapons are in perfect condition. Check that everything is sharp and functional. Also, prepare traps and any other resources that might give us an advantage. And most importantly, stay alert. The monster could attack at any moment, and we need to be ready to respond."
Ed nodded, his determination evident. "I'll review everything and ensure we're ready. And what about the hunting strategy? Are we just waiting for the full moon?"
William crossed his arms and looked at the floor for a moment, thoughtful. "We don't have a set strategy yet. We'll have to wait for word from Pallas. He'll be in charge of coordinating the hunt and giving us the necessary instructions when the time comes."
Ed raised an eyebrow, slightly frustrated. "So, we don't have a specific plan yet? What will we do if something unexpected happens before the full moon?"
William gave a small smile, trying to calm Ed. "Flexibility will be our ally. While we don't have specific orders from Pallas, the best thing we can do is keep our senses sharp and be ready to act at any moment. Pallas seems to know these creatures well and will know how to guide us."
Ed took one last look at his gear. "Understood. I'll stay alert and review everything until Pallas gives us more details. I don't want to be unprepared when the time comes."
William settled on the bed next to Ed, watching him with a careful gaze. "Eddy, since we're waiting for the full moon and there's some time before the hunt begins, how have your days been here? Made any friends or anything like that?"
Ed looked at William with a thoughtful expression. "The days have been a bit dull, honestly. I've been dedicating myself to training and preparation. I've met some people, yes, but I haven't gotten too close. Everyone is busy with their own tasks."
William nodded, his expression growing more serious. "That's understandable. But I need to give you some advice. Don't form too many strong bonds here. It's not that I'm being insensitive, but the truth is, our life is unpredictable and dangerous. At any moment, one of us could die. It's better to keep some emotional distance so that the impact is less when things go wrong."
Ed frowned, absorbing the words. "Do you think the situation is that serious? I always thought forming connections was important for morale."
William slowly shook his head. "Of course, connections are important, but in a life like ours, it's crucial to protect yourself too. I've seen many people lose themselves because they got too attached to those around them. Stay focused and prepared, and don't let closeness weaken you when things get tough."
After a thoughtful silence, William straightened up, his back more upright. "Eddy, there's something else I want to tell you. If, for some reason, I can't return to your mother, if something happens that prevents me from fulfilling our promise, you must go back and tell her. Don't leave her without knowing what happened. It's important that she has an explanation, at least."
Ed looked at William, understanding the gravity of his words. "I understand. I'll remember that. I want to make sure she knows the truth, even if it's not what she expects."
William gave a small smile, his expression softening a bit. "Good. Now we'd better get some rest. We've got hard work ahead of us, and there's no point in being tired when the time comes."
He stretched, giving one last glance around the room. "I'm heading to my bed. Sleep well and rest up. We'll need all the energy we can get."
Ed nodded, getting up to prepare for the night. "Sure. Good night, Dad."
Part 2
I woke up at the bottom of the sea, the cold, sticky sand clinging to my body like a liquid prison. Small fish swam past me, their bodies shimmering like shadows in the dark. I writhed, struggling against the suffocating feeling and the weight of the water that seemed to press me down. Every movement was a painful effort, but I finally managed to peel myself off the seabed.
My heart raced as I frantically swam towards the surface, my legs and arms heavy as lead. Air seemed like a distant dream, a promise of relief that slipped further away with each stroke.
When I finally broke the surface, a blast of cold, salty air hit my face, and I lunged for the shore. The sea was relentless, but I managed to reach the sand, collapsing to my knees as my breathing began to steady.
I was on the beach of a port city. The Isle of Fen stretched out before me, its buildings looming darkly against a threatening sky. My eyes adjusted to the surroundings, and the horror began to take shape before me.
The beach was made of black sand, cold and abrasive beneath my feet. But what truly captured my attention was the sight of Helena, lying on the ground, her body partially buried in the sand. The scene was surreal, a mix of beauty and horror. Helena's body was covered by a black mass of sand, and what remained of her was being devoured by a monstrous figure.
The Water Demon, an entity that haunts me every night, was over Helena, its form shifting as it devoured her flesh and bones with predatory ferocity. Its eyes glowed with a horrendous light, fixed on me with an insatiable hunger.
It noticed my gaze and, with an abrupt movement, stood up. Its long limbs extended toward me with terrifying speed. The creature was coming my way, its feet sinking into the black sand as it ran with a disturbing grace.
I tried to flee, my legs heavy and clumsy in the sand. The port city seemed like a maze of narrow, winding streets, but I couldn't shake the feeling that the creature was always one step behind me. My heart pounded erratically, adrenaline coursing through my veins as I ran desperately, but the Water Demon seemed inevitable, its presence almost oppressive.
I entered a dark street, fear suffocating me as I ran. The sound of my footsteps echoed off the stone walls, but the sound of the creature's footsteps was even more terrifying, a steady and relentless rhythm that drew closer and closer.
Finally, I was cornered. The narrow street ended in a dead end, and I turned to face the creature now before me. It approached, its eyes locked on me. Its lips stretched into a cruel smile as it prepared to kiss me with an overwhelming, horrifying force.
I had nowhere to run, fear was so palpable it felt almost like a physical force, and the creature lunged at me, its presence dominating every sense. The kiss wasn't a gesture of affection, but of consummation, a promise of entrapment that seemed to pay tribute to what I feared most.
As the Water Demon drew closer, I braced myself for the cold touch of its lips, despair consuming me completely. The world around me crumbled, and I was about to be swallowed by an endless nightmare.
The sensation of cold and death seemed to consume every fiber of my being. When the Water Demon was about to press its icy lips against mine, a piercing scream shattered the silence.
Suddenly, the vision dissolved into a dark mist, and I was jolted back to reality. I awoke with a start, my heart pounding almost painfully in my chest. I was lying in my bed in the dormitory, the air around me so warm and familiar that it seemed a cruel irony after the nightmare.
But as my mind began to clear, I realized something was terribly wrong. My body was covered in cold sweat, and a lingering sense of terror continued to haunt me. I struggled to get up, the room spinning around me, and a sense of impending panic gripped me.
Then, I looked to the corner of the room, and my blood froze. Something was there, transformed into a monstrous being. Its sharp claws glinted in the dim light filtering through the window, and its burning eyes were fixed on me with a predatory fury. The monster's mouth was open, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth, ready to strike.
The low, menacing growl of the monster echoed through the room, and I could see saliva dripping from the corners of its mouth. Every movement it made was charged with fierce tension, and fear spread through me like an uncontrollable wildfire.