(Direct continuation after the fight)
Breaths. Heavy, uneven.
Blood dripped onto the cold ground.
Gabriel struggled to stay on his feet. His knees felt like they could give out at any moment, but he forced himself to remain upright.
Raphael pressed a hand against a deep scrape on his ribs, his chest rising and falling rapidly.
Michael lay on his back, staring blankly at the dark sky.
"He's a damn monster…" he murmured hoarsely.
Isaac stood a few meters away, barely out of breath. He didn't seem untouched—no, they had managed to wound him. A shallow cut on his cheek, a tear in his coat. But his expression said it all:
Even now, after two years and three months of training, they were no match for him.
But this time, he had to put in effort.
A barely audible crack accompanied the movement of his shoulders. He briefly grimaced—as if something in his back was no longer as it should be.
Then he took a deep breath.
"Passed."
The three brothers didn't move.
Gabriel heard the word—but it took seconds before he truly understood it.
Passed?
That was it?
Isaac's gaze lingered on each of them before he continued speaking.
"You have completed your training," he said calmly. "You are hunters."
He let the words settle, as if testing whether they felt right.
"But do not mistake this for invincibility."
The Truth About Vampires
Isaac's voice was calm but unyielding—like a tree standing firm in the storm.
"You have fought vampires. But you do not truly know them."
Gabriel slowly lifted his head.
"Most hunters believe vampires are wild beasts that kill without reason. They are wrong."
Isaac slowly raised three fingers.
"First: The Cursed."
"These creatures are nothing more than walking corpses. They were not created by a pure vampire but through tainted blood or dark rituals. They are strong but mindless. Over time, they decay and lose all traces of humanity."
"The second category: The Awakened."
"These vampires were once human. They were bitten and turned by a powerful vampire—but they retain their minds. They hide among us. They manipulate, they control. They wage their own wars from the shadows."
Michael tensed slightly, as if bracing himself for an unspoken realization. "And the third category?"
Isaac's gaze lingered on him for a moment.
"The Ancients."
Silence.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then Isaac continued.
"These beings are older than kingdoms, older than your imagination can reach. Some say they were the first vampires. Others claim they were never human to begin with. Whatever the truth is—they are not like us. They command the darkness and have survived the centuries because they are smarter than any hunter who has ever tried to kill them."
Gabriel felt an uncertain feeling rise within him.
"How many of them are there?" Raphael asked quietly.
Isaac closed his eyes briefly.
"Too many."
The Birth of Darkness – Truth or Lie?
Raphael barely shook his head. "But something must have created them. Nothing comes from nothing."
Slowly, Isaac leaned against a tree. It seemed casual—but Gabriel noticed how he shifted his weight from one leg to the other.
As if he needed to.
"There are different theories."
"The first possibility: The Curse of Cain."
"Some believe that Cain, the first murderer in human history, was also the first vampire. That God cursed him not only with eternal life but also with an unquenchable hunger for blood. His descendants are said to have been the first vampires."
"The second possibility: The Fallen."
"Others say that the first vampires were angels who fell with Lucifer. But instead of becoming demons, they adapted—becoming hunters of the night."
"The third possibility: The Dark Mother."
"There are legends of a woman older than any written record. Some call her a witch, others a goddess, some claim she is darkness itself. They say she created the first vampire—not as punishment, but as revenge."
Michael drew in a sharp breath. "And what do you believe?"
Isaac closed his eyes for a moment.
Then he fixed his gaze directly on them.
"The truth is worse than any of these theories."
Gabriel saw Isaac's fingers tense—briefly clenching into a fist before relaxing again.
Raphael saw it too.
But neither of them said anything.
The Real Battle Begins
The fire crackled, but the warmth was no longer felt.
The words had been spoken.
The brothers now stood at a different point than ever before.
Isaac studied them for a long time. Then he said:
"You are hunters. You know your weapons. You know your enemies. But remember—vampires are not your only problem."
He paused for a moment.
"The darkness wears many masks. And some are more terrifying than anything you can imagine."
His gaze wandered to the sky for a moment before he quietly added:
"And if you survive long enough… you will understand why."