The vampire quickly rose, its red eyes glowing like two flames. Its sharp teeth gleamed in the light of the moons, and its smile was a promise of death. Kael, still on the ground, could feel the heat of the threat closing in. He didn't have time to think. There was no more room for calculations, tricks, or elaborate strategies. It was life or death, and he was in the middle of a brutal hunt.
The vampire advanced with inhuman speed, a blur of shadows and muscle. Kael had no choice but to jump back, narrowly dodging the monster's claw that skimmed his skin. The sharp pain spread through the air, but Kael couldn't hesitate. His survival instinct screamed louder than the fear.
"You're going to die, kid," the vampire growled, its voice ragged and threatening, as it lunged again.
Kael couldn't lose focus. He was alone. The improvised blade was tossed away when the vampire struck him with a brutal blow, knocking the strength out of his hands. The grimory lay discarded on the ground, just a simple piece of paper in a world where Kael couldn't rely on magic or spells. Now, the only magic was fear and the fight for survival.
With a fierce scream, the vampire lunged at Kael, its sharp teeth ready to sink into his flesh. Kael didn't have time to think, his mind in turmoil, but his survival instincts took over. He dove to the side, making the vampire miss its attack. The monster extended its claws toward him, but Kael used the force of the movement to punch the creature directly in the stomach. The vampire stepped back, surprised by the human's resistance, but quickly regained its composure, laughing in contempt.
"Do you really think you can hurt me, worm?" the vampire mocked, shaking itself off.
But Kael was on fire now. His anger, the humiliation he suffered at the academy, the pain of being thrown into this world... all of it became fuel. He wouldn't be a victim. Not here. Not now.
Kael stood up, his heart pounding in his chest, sweat dripping down his forehead. He didn't have much time before the vampire recovered and attacked again. He needed to act fast.
When the vampire tried a quick attack with its claws, Kael stepped back, but instead of running, he took a step to the side, pushing himself toward the vampire and, using the force of gravity, landed a punch straight into the creature's stomach. The vampire shuddered, a roar of pain escaping its lips, but it quickly tried to retaliate with a heavier strike. Kael saw the claw coming and, at the last moment, threw himself to the side, narrowly avoiding it. Kael's improvised blade was pulled from his boot, and he swung it with force, aiming for the vulnerable spot at the vampire's neck. But the monster was fast, much faster than him.
"You're not going to win, human," the vampire snarled, closing in at a lethal speed.
Kael was breathing heavily, but his eyes were locked on the creature. His blade was improvised, and the creature seemed stronger, more agile, more experienced. But Kael had an advantage: his anger, his will to live, and his ability to adapt quickly. He wasn't a warrior. But he could be something better: a survivor.
"I'm going to kill you, bastard!" Kael shouted, with an intensity that made the vampire hesitate, even if just for a second.
The vampire looked at him, surprised by the determination in Kael's eyes. "You think you're going to win?" it mocked, its sharp teeth gleaming in the light of the red moons.
"I don't think," Kael replied, panting. "I know."
It all happened very quickly. The vampire made a move, going for the final strike, its claws extending like blades. Kael, knowing he couldn't dodge in time, stepped forward, using the momentum of the vampire's attack to drive his blade toward its throat.
The sound of metal slicing into the vampire's flesh was brutal, and Kael felt the hot blood spurt into his hand. The vampire let out a scream of agony, a shrill sound that made Kael's hairs stand on end. It was weakening, its strength beginning to fade as it struggled to resist. But Kael didn't stop. With one final push, he drove the blade deeper, cutting through the flesh until it hit bone.
The vampire shuddered one last time, its red eyes losing their light before it fell backward with a heavy thud. The sound of its body hitting the ground was like a final sentence.
But Kael saw the vampire begin to heal and quickly ran toward it, his dagger striking its throat, and with...
"DIE, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Kael screamed, tearing the throat further and ripping the vampire's head off.
Kael stood there, over the creature's corpse, his entire body trembling, but he wouldn't let relief take over him. Not yet.
He took a deep breath, staring at the fallen creature. Violet's words, what she had said about this just being a hunt and how he should "overcome" his limitations, began repeating in his mind.
"I... survived." Kael said, panting, his eyes fixed on the dead vampire. He looked at his hands, covered in blood, and then up at the purple sky with the red moons. He was exhausted, but adrenaline still coursed through his body. He knew he couldn't stop.
The sound of something moving in the forest made him glance back. There was no time to think about what had just happened. He had killed the first vampire, but it wasn't the end. Not in the Blood Portal.
"I'll survive this." Kael whispered to himself, still in shock, but determined. "I'll get out of here."
When he stood up... the blood was staining his whole body, and the vampire's head lay atop the grimory, which emitted a strange light. The blood, suddenly, vanished into nothingness...
Kael stood in silence for a moment, staring in disbelief at the scene before him. The vampire's blood, which had been spurting from its throat only moments ago, vanished in the blink of an eye. With each passing second, he felt the pressure of something strange in the air, as if an invisible force was manipulating the environment around him. The grimory, which had been forgotten on the ground, now radiated a soft yet intense light. It was like a golden aura mixed with red tones, surrounding the vampire's head.
"What the hell..." Kael murmured, feeling a strange twinge of confusion in his mind. He didn't dare approach it immediately. Something was wrong, something he didn't understand. The grimory was not an ordinary piece of work, and he was beginning to realize that now.
Cautiously, Kael took a hesitant step toward the book. The light emanating from it seemed to intensify, as if responding to his movement. He crouched slowly, and with the tip of his fingers, touched the cover of the grimory.
Upon contact, a surge of energy coursed through his body, sending a strange shiver down his spine. It was as if the grimory had connected with him in some way, as if some magical force had been awakened. Kael pulled his hand back quickly, but the light continued to shine, brighter now, filling the entire forest with a pulsing sense of power.
"Shit... what happened?" Kael was more confused than ever. He couldn't understand how the vampire's blood had simply disappeared, nor why the grimory was acting this way. It wasn't normal, it wasn't... possible.
He stood up, looking at the vampire's corpse. The creature was unrecognizable now, its body still warm but with no trace of life or blood. What was left was just pale skin and skeletal flesh. Kael couldn't explain it, but he felt it wasn't a good thing.
When he looked back at the grimory, he saw something moving inside the cover, as if the pages were being turned by invisible hands. The book... was alive? He moved closer once more, now with more caution.
Suddenly, a hissing, almost inaudible voice was heard in his mind. It wasn't something he expected to hear, much less from a book.
"You have survived the first test."
Kael stopped, his breath becoming heavier, feeling the weight of those words. It was as if the grimory itself was watching him, measuring him, evaluating him. He took a step back, suspicious, still not fully understanding what was happening.
"The portal is not just a physical test... It is a test of the soul." The voice continued, sounding clearer now. "You will face much more than vampires, Kael Redgrave. You are only beginning."
Kael clenched his fists, a mix of anger and confusion rising within him. He was in a world where he had no control over anything, where everything seemed to be manipulated by forces beyond his understanding. And now, this cursed book was speaking to him.
"Blood is the key. The portal feeds on it." The voice hissed again. "But it is you who decides how much you will pay to continue."
"Alright... that's enough!" Kael shouted, slamming his hand down on the grimory, making it fall sideways onto the ground. The light around him disappeared, but the feeling of being watched did not fade.
He looked at the dead vampire once more, his hands still stained with blood, and felt a growing hatred inside him. He was done with mysteries and riddles. There was something bigger happening here, something he needed to understand to make it out alive. But for now, he knew enough: he needed to keep going. He needed to survive.
With one last glance at the grimory and the vampire's body, Kael picked up the book from the ground and carefully stashed it in his makeshift backpack. He didn't know what else could happen, but he had one goal: get out of this place.
"I will survive. I'll get through this shit. I'll make it out alive." He said to himself, his voice now firmer, more determined. "I won't let this bring me down." But the grimory, seemingly aware of his resolve, seemed to vibrate in his bag, almost as if it had a mind of its own. Kael felt a shiver run down his spine. He didn't know if it was a sign of something even worse to come or just the price of his survival, but he couldn't stop.