Eve led the party deeper into the forest, the shadows of the towering trees growing longer and darker with each step. The thick canopy overhead blocked out much of the light, casting the forest floor into an eerie twilight. The air was cool and damp, carrying with it the scent of earth and decaying leaves. But Eve's heightened senses, far beyond those of her companions, picked up on far more than just the ambient sounds of the forest. The rustling of leaves, the distant snap of a twig—each sound was crystal clear, yet it was the faint, lingering scent of blood that held her focus.
She could feel the tension in the group behind her, their movements cautious and deliberate as they followed her lead. Every rustle, every shift in the shadows seemed to heighten their anxiety. But Eve remained composed, her mind sharp, her instincts honed as they drew closer to the source of the scent.
"How much further, Eve?" Aric's voice broke the silence, low and steady, though it carried an edge of unease.
Eve didn't look back, her gaze fixed ahead as she continued to track the scent. "Not far," she replied, her voice calm but tinged with an undercurrent of urgency. "We're getting closer. Stay alert."
Draks tightened his grip on his axes, his eyes darting around the darkened forest. "This place feels wrong," he muttered, more to himself than to anyone else. "Like the trees are watching us."
Lyra, her bow already drawn and an arrow notched, nodded in agreement. "Whatever it is, it's not natural. I can feel it."
Killion, ever the rogue, tried to lighten the mood with a half-hearted grin. "Let's hope it's not something with too many teeth."
Eve pushed forward, her senses now almost overwhelmed by the scent. The air was thick with the metallic tang of blood, and she could tell they were close—very close. Her footsteps quickened, and the others followed suit, their weapons at the ready. The forest seemed to close in around them, the trees like silent sentinels as they approached the source of the scent.
Finally, they arrived at a small clearing, the forest opening up just enough to reveal what lay within. Eve's eyes immediately locked onto the figure lying on the ground, her senses heightened to their peak. The scene before them was grim: a man, his body sprawled awkwardly on the forest floor, lifeless and pale. But what caught Eve's attention most were the unmistakable twin bite marks on his neck, deep and oozing blood.
Aric dismounted swiftly, his expression hardening as he approached the body. "A vampire attack," he said, more as a statement than a question.
But Eve was not so sure. She knelt beside the body, her eyes narrowing as she took in the details. The bite marks were there, certainly, but something was off. The size of the marks was larger than what she would expect from a vampire's fangs, and the man's body told a story of a violent struggle. Deep scratches marred his legs and arms, the flesh torn as if by claws rather than the clean bite of a vampire.
"This doesn't make sense," Lyra said, her voice laced with confusion as she took in the scene. "Vampires don't leave wounds like this. They drain their victims clean, quick and efficient."
Draks stepped closer, his brow furrowed as he studied the marks. "What kind of vampire could do this?"
Eve didn't answer immediately. Instead, she leaned down, her fingers brushing against the man's neck, where the blood was most prominent. She could feel the warmth of the blood, still fresh, but there was something else—a strange energy that sent a shiver down her spine. Without hesitation, she dipped her fingers into the blood, bringing it to her lips. She tasted it, letting the metallic liquid linger on her tongue.
The effect was immediate. A sharp, tingling sensation shot through her, jolting her senses and sending a wave of unease through her body. This was not the taste of a vampire's kill—there was something wild, primal, something that defied the usual order of things.
"Viertun…" Eve muttered
Eve straightened up from the corpse, her mind racing as she processed the implications of what she had just discovered. The party members gathered around her, their eyes reflecting a mix of curiosity and concern. The atmosphere was thick with tension, the gravity of the situation settling in.
"This is no ordinary vampire," Eve began, her voice steady but laced with the urgency of the situation. "What we're dealing with here is something different—a False Vampire, or as it's known in ancient tongues, a Viertun."
Aric frowned, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "False Vampire? I've never heard of such a thing."
"That's because they're not true vampires," Eve explained, her gaze shifting from one party member to the next. "A Viertun is a cursed creature, twisted by dark magic. They were once human, transformed by malevolent forces into something that mimics a vampire. They have the thirst for blood, but lack the control and intelligence of true vampires. They're more like feral beasts."
Draks growled, his massive frame tensing at the revelation. "So, someone made this thing? You're saying we're not just dealing with a monster, but possibly a sorcerer or witch behind all of this?"
Eve nodded, her expression grim. "Exactly. These creatures don't just spring up on their own. There's usually a dark force at play, manipulating events from the shadows. Whoever or whatever is responsible for this creature's existence may still be out there, watching us, waiting to see what we'll do next."
Killion, always quick to question, leaned in closer, his eyes narrowed. "So what's the endgame here? Are we hunting the beast, or do we go after the one who made it?"
"For now, we focus on the creature," Eve replied, her tone decisive. "The one who created it might be our ultimate target, but if we don't deal with the False Vampire first, it'll continue to kill. And every death will feed its dark power, making it a greater threat."
Lyra, her bow still in hand, glanced around the darkened forest with a wary eye. "But how do we find it? If it's as dangerous as you say, we need to be prepared."
Eve's golden eyes flickered as she scanned the area, her senses heightened to the smallest details. "I'm looking for tracks, signs of where it might have gone. These creatures are fast and cunning, but they're not infallible. They still leave traces behind." She crouched down, inspecting the ground closely. "Broken twigs, disturbed foliage, even the faintest hint of blood... these are all clues. We need to be vigilant. The moment we find its trail, we move swiftly and strike before it has a chance to disappear again."
Draks tightened his grip on his weapon, the determination in his eyes mirroring Eve's. "Then let's not waste any more time. We need to end this before it gets any worse."
Killion and Lyra exchanged glances, their resolve hardening. The air around them was thick with tension and the promise of imminent danger. The hunt had begun.
The group fell silent, their eyes following Eve's every move as she carefully inspected the area around the body. Her vampiric senses picked up the faintest disturbances in the earth, the subtle rustling of leaves in the distance, and then—there it was. Her gaze locked onto a dark substance splattered against the bark of a nearby tree. The black liquid was unmistakable, its viscous consistency and the way it clung to the wood confirming what Eve already suspected.
"Here," Eve called out, her voice low but commanding as she approached the tree. "This black liquid—it's blood, but not just any blood. It's the blood of a dark magic-cursed creature."
Aric and the others moved closer, their expressions grim as they examined the substance. "It's like tar," Aric muttered, his hand hovering near the tree but not quite touching the black blood. "What does this mean?"
Eve knelt beside the tree, her fingers lightly tracing the trail of blood that led from the splatter down to the forest floor. "It means the creature is injured. It's losing blood, which should, in theory, make it easier to track. But there's something odd about the amount of blood here."
Draks, his brow furrowed in thought, looked down at the ground where the black blood had pooled. "Odd how?"
Eve stood, her gaze shifting from the tree to the ground where the blood continued to trail off into the forest. "The amount of blood we're seeing is too much. A creature like this, even one as resilient as a Viertun, wouldn't normally lose this much blood without suffering severe consequences. And yet, the creature is still moving, still capable of continuing its hunt. That doesn't add up."
Killion, ever the skeptic, tilted his head, his voice laced with suspicion. "So, what's your theory, then? What are we missing?"
Eve paused, considering her words carefully. "There are two possibilities. Either the creature is somehow regenerating its lost blood, which would imply an even darker, more dangerous form of magic at play, or—"
"Or someone is deliberately bleeding it," Lyra finished, her voice filled with understanding. "Using its blood as some sort of marker or trail."
"Exactly," Eve confirmed, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the direction the blood trail led. "The man we found earlier—he wasn't a professional hunter, not someone who would know how to track or injure a creature like this effectively. But this much blood, leading us in a clear direction—it feels too... deliberate. Like someone wants us to follow."
Aric's jaw tightened, his eyes dark with realization. "A trap."
Eve nodded. "It's possible. Whoever is behind this might be luring us into a confrontation on their terms, in a place where they have the advantage."
Draks hefted his axes, his face set in determination. "Then we play along, but we do it our way. We stay sharp, keep our eyes peeled. If they're setting a trap, we'll be ready for it."
Killion's smirk returned, though his eyes were serious. "I like the sound of that. Let's give them a surprise of our own."
Aric looked to Eve, his expression firm. "Lead the way, Eve. But let's make sure we're the ones in control of this hunt."
Eve's eyes gleamed with a mix of determination and caution. "We'll follow the trail, but be prepared for anything. This creature may be wounded, but that doesn't make it any less dangerous. And whoever—or whatever—is behind this is likely watching our every move."
With that, Eve took the lead once more, following the trail of black blood deeper into the forest. The path ahead was fraught with danger, but she knew that they had no choice but to see this through. The stakes were higher than ever, and the darkness that loomed before them was as thick and oppressive as the forest itself. But Eve was ready. The hunt was on, and she would not be outmatched.