Finally Isabella arrived back to her home. She is really tired and lost in thinking what were they talking about? How is studying mecatopia and why they were really scared of her? But one thing was clear for her that they were definatily talking about a girl. Isabella lay on bed.

After lot of time, The hunters scratch the wooden floor and saw hidden chamber in the tavern containing symbols and runes they've never seen before. Katarina touches symbols and suddenly a whispers echoing throw the tavern. The chamber opens with horror voice and the fog increased, than, Eldric is saw a painting in which a dark queen sitting on a throne, innocent humans falling dead around her and 7 huge figures standing against a dragon queen. Eldric and Katarina snapped and he said "The war is coming. The end of mecatopia is near" both looking at each other. As they inspect the area, a shadowed figure appears, whispering in an ancient language, then vanishes. They leave, haunted by the feeling that they have only scratched the surface of an impending threat. From there they moved to eastern side.

On the eastern side of the city, Daria Draven raised his hand toward the sky, muttering an incantation in Lumen Umbra tongue, its their family's secret language. Arcane symbols flickered in the air as his magic activated, casting a shimmering shield around the perimeter. "I've contained the area," Daria's voice crackled in their communication devices. "Nothing's getting in or out. Proceed with caution. The vampire may have more than thralls."

Daria's expertise in magic allowed him to be both a hunter and a protector. He approached the tavern from the side, conjuring a blade made of pure energy that hummed in the bloody air. His eyes flicked toward the horizon. If the vampire had summoned others, they would have no escape.

Eldric's crossbow bolt was already loaded as he kicked in the tavern door, stepping inside with a calm, deadly precision. They noticed the tress are painted with the same symbol by blood. nd the air was thick with the metallic scent of blood. Dark handprints trail along the bark, with some stretching impossibly high, suggesting the work of supernatural entities. The thralls, under the vampire's control, twitch and writhe in unnatural ways, as if bound by some dark, ancient magic. The path to the tavern feels like walking into the heart of a cursed land, and each step brings them deeper into the vampire's dark influence.

Suddenly, the whispers start echoing I'm their minds , eldric hear "your little daughters blood is so tasty". While Katarina "your boyfriend will rip out your throat, he is beast". And Daria "they are just using your magic for picking hunters, otherwise they will kill a worst witch like you". The whispers are so realistic that they begin to second-guess each other's intentions.

Than, the another rogue vampire emerged from the shadows, its eyes like pools of molten crimson, a dark aura pulsing around it. Shadowy, inky wings seemed to stretch from its back, blending with the night as it moved. It hissed, revealing elongated fangs, and with a flick of its wrist, a faint ripple of dark energy echoed out, daring the Draven family to come closer.

"You've taken enough innocent lives," Eldric growled, aiming his crossbow directly at its heart. "The Draven family doesn't show mercy to those who break the code."

The vampire's movements were a blur as it dodged Eldric's bolt, the wind from its dodge brushing past his cheek. Katarina lunged, but the vampire twisted, flashing a sneering grin. Shadows swirled around its form, taunting the Dravens, as if testing how far it could push before their patience snapped.

"Too slow," it sneered. Than, he scratch Katrina's back with its nails. She is strong enought.

In one blur motion, she leapt from the rafters, plunging her silver-tipped dagger into the vampire's back. The creature screeched, its flesh sizzling from the silver's touch. But it wasn't enough to take it down.
Draven entered the tavern, his eyes glowing with arcane energy. He extended his hand, and shimmering chains made of light appeared, binding the vampire in place. It thrashed violently, but the magic was too strong.

"Now, Eldric!" Draven shouted.

Eldric didn't hesitate. He drew his dagger and approached the struggling vampire. "You should've known better than to target this city," he said coldly before driving the dagger straight into its heart. While driving the dagger he notices the strange symbol on his hand, something he's never seen before, almost like a rune that shimmers before fading into its body.

Before he touch the symbol, The vampire let out one final, ear-piercing scream before it disintegrated into ash and left a symbol on land. As they get closely, they saw the symbol again but more clearly, which is made of multiple interwoven elements. Representing an Eye, jagged lines these resemble cracks, symbolizing the fracturing of reality, as the barrier between Mecatopia and an ancient realm weakens and representing the phases of the moon, hinting at the supernatural and the dark connection to forces beyond mortal comprehension.

Katarina knelt beside the rune, tracing its edges with a frown. Her back is bleeding but she is strong. She has surfaced an ancient memory , something she'd read about cursed symbols that bound more than just magic. She could feel it, a deep, pulsing energy, like a heartbeat embedded in stone. As she straightened, a shadow flickered behind her, pair of red eyes staring them, She throw the sword on that figure, the figure get disappeared leaving nothing but the mystery in the tavern.

Draven said "what happened, Kate?
"There was a figure that got disappeared". Katarina replied

Eldric muttered under his breath, recalling the lines from a forgotten prophecy, 'When shadows rise within the walls, the old blood shall face its call.' It was a tale told in whispers, dismissed by many as lore. But standing here, he wondered if the shadows truly were rising.

The three hunters stood in the silence that followed, Eldric nodded, but his gaze lingered on the ashes. "This isn't over, we all see the mysterious ghostly figure" he said quietly. "What's that thing? Something's changed. Vampires this far into Mecatopia's borders... they're becoming bolder."

Draven dispelled the magical chains with a wave of his hand. "Agreed. We need to inform the other families. The balance is shifting. And if it's vampires today, it could be something far worse tomorrow."

Katarina while looking at the sword with little close eyes and said "or maybe someone making them bolder".

The Dravens catch their breath, the tension lingering as they step out of the cursed tavern. But as they move to leave, a figure appears in the distance, surrounded by fog, framed by the pale light of the moon. Its red eyes pierce the night, watching them with an unnatural hunger. Eldric shivers as he realizes this encounter was only the beginning.

With a horrific laught, shadowy figure vanishes into the fog, leaving the family shaken and uncertain of what awaits them.

The Moonlit Waters Sirela's home touches the lake's edge, the water casting silver reflections in the moonlight. Every night, she finds solace on the terrace, she scared of water but still stand on terrace for watching moon, the cool breeze stirring her hair as she gazes at the shimmering lake. But tonight, there's something different, a chilling undertone in the air. The whisper starts faintly, her name echoing in a voice she doesn't recognize, calling to her as if from the water itself.

She leans over the edge, watching as shadows seem to dance just beneath the surface. The whispers grow louder, intertwining with her thoughts until they're an unstoppable current, reminding her of an ancient lineage, a power hidden within her blood.

Meanwhile, her family's resentment grows darker and more palpable, their hostility intensifying, calling her names, screaming, and lashing out. Each time they do, something primal flares within her, magic flickering at her fingertips, uncontrollable and vengeful.

The night was calm, with a soft breeze carrying the scent of blooming wildflowers. Aurora and Ravaan wandered through the open meadow under the silver light of the full moon. Aurora's laughter rang out as Ravaan chased her, his smile wide and genuine.

"You can't catch me!" Aurora teased, her flowing dress twirling as she ran ahead.

"Oh, you think so?" Ravaan replied, his voice filled with playful determination. With a sudden burst of speed, he caught her hand and spun her around. They both collapsed into the soft grass, laughing breathlessly.

The two leaned in, sharing a tender kiss, the world around them feeling far away. The warmth of the moment seemed to make time stand still.

Then, something changed. The air grew colder, carrying a faint whisper that neither could understand. Aurora pulled back, her gaze shifting to the horizon.

“Ravaan… look,” she said softly, pointing.

Ravaan followed her gaze. There, in the distance, stood a castle—its dark, jagged towers piercing the sky like claws. It shimmered faintly as if it wasn’t fully real, yet its presence was undeniable.

“That wasn’t there before,” Ravaan said, his voice low and uncertain.

“No… it couldn’t be. I’ve been here hundreds of times. I would’ve seen it,” Aurora whispered, clutching his arm tightly.

They stared at the castle, its windows glowing faintly with an eerie light. Shadows moved inside, though they couldn’t see what caused them.

“Let’s go back,” Ravaan said, his voice firmer now.

Aurora nodded quickly, and the two began walking back toward the village. But as they walked, the unsettling sight of the castle seemed to follow them, even though they didn’t dare turn back to check.

As they neared the safety of home, Ravaan took Aurora’s hand. “Don’t think about it, okay? It’s probably just… some trick of the moonlight.”

Aurora nodded, though her eyes betrayed her unease. “Let’s not talk about it tonight.”

He pulled her close, planting a quick kiss on her forehead. “Deal.”

And with that, they walked together into the village, the memory of the castle lingering in their minds, though they tried to push it aside. The night was supposed to be theirs, filled with laughter and kisses, but now it held a strange, haunting secret they could not ignore.