In the Forest
The three of them pressed on through the dense trees, heading back toward the village after spending the night there. Chris leaned heavily on Khaled, his right arm around his friend's neck for support, his left hand straight and bleeding. Connor walked beside him.
Connor asked, "Where did the others run off to?"
"They have their own kingdom… and multiple locations," Chris replied.
Connor's eyes widened as he looked at him. "So that means more of them will come looking for us."
Chris : "No!… But we'll become small targets. We're in their way."
A sudden realization hit Chris, and he turned to Khaled.
"Are there… survivors from your last strike?!"
Khaled frowned. : "Not sure… but the strike destroyed everything."
Connor scoffed : "Please… don't talk about that strike. You didn't kill anyone with it—just about buried us all with a bunch of failures."
The three moved slowly through the forest. The wind whispered through the leaves. Silence stretched across the woods.
Chris squinted, focusing.
"What's… that?!"
A wall of massive roots stretched across the land, surrounding the village.
"Stan?!" Khaled muttered.
"One of your crew?!" Chris asked.
"Yeah, probably… he's the one with the power to do this."khalad
Connor shouted, amazed, "Wow, Stan! What the hell is this, man?!"
Suddenly, an icy spear slammed into the ground in front of Connor, barely missing his left foot.
Silence fell. Then Maru appeared atop the root wall. Cold steam rose from his body, his breath icy. His eyes were frozen, deep blue, unblinking, and in his hand he gripped a spear.
"Identify yourselves!" Maru barked.
"You damn idiot! Nearly hit my foot!" Connor yelled.
Maru's face softened suddenly. "Connor!… Sorry, guys. Didn't recognize you from afar."
Khaled: "Maru! Good job, you guys. You and Stan—this was a brilliant idea to protect the village."
"Stan deserves all the credit," Maru replied. "It was his idea. He built it alone. I just oversee the guards here."
Connor: "Great, then open the door. Our friend here—" he pointed at Chris "—needs some love and care from the lovely Daisy."
(He said it mockingly.)
Maru turned atop the wall, gesturing to the guards.
"Open the gates!"
The massive gates began to creak open, the sound echoing slowly.
Chris hesitated. "Here we go…"
"Don't worry, my friend," Khaled said, sensing his anxiety. "Just trust me. You're with us."
The three stepped inside. Some guards were posted there.
Maru walked up to meet them.
Maru: "Where were you guys?"
Then he noticed Chris. "And… who's your friend?" He looked puzzled.
Khaled answered, "This is Chris—the one I told you about."
"Is he okay?" Maru asked, noticing the injuries.
Connor teased, "Chris dragged Khaled to a vampire party in a mine, and I crashed the party uninvited."
Maru chuckled. "Haha! I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Better you don't. Khaled, the brave idiot, almost buried us all with one stupid axe swing. We barely survived," Connor said.
The four walked through huge green fields, tall plants all around. Khaled supported Chris while Connor and Maru led the way.
Khaled looked around: "Wow… Stan did all this while we were gone. And in such a short time!"
"We were gone for only two days! How did he do all this?!" Connor asked.
Maru explained, "It's Ethan's well. Easy access to water. Crops and plants grew fast."
"Now I see… that's how he built walls this massive," Khaled said.
They continued until they entered the small village. Khaled guided Chris to the village clinic, while Connor went with Maru elsewhere.
Maru said, "Boris and Simon came back from the university last night , Heard Boris say they have a surprise for you!"
Connor smirked. "Maybe the kids brought me a gift from school," he joked.
Maru smiled softly. "Haha… you're such a joker."
As Khaled carried Chris by his right arm, villagers watched—children in the streets, people leaning from their houses, passersby. They stared at Chris, clearly curious.
Chris tensed, instincts screaming. "I don't think I'm welcome here."
A low defensive growl escaped him.
"What are you saying! You're just nervous. Calm down… they've never seen you. That's why they're looking at you this way," Khaled reassured him.
Khaled brought Chris into the village clinic. The hallway was empty, lights bright. Villagers leaving Daisy's office stepped aside respectfully.
Chris muttered, "Maybe they think I'm a threat."
"No, haha. They just don't know you. Lots of shapeshifters live here. You'll get used to it," Khaled said.
Chris felt dizzy and weak. "This damn poison… it's beating my body down."
"Hold on. You've survived a day and a half already. Not falling yet. Let's get you on a bed. I'll get the doctor," Khaled said, carrying Chris into a treatment room.
Chris collapsed onto the bed, exhausted. "I can't believe I'm actually here…"
Khaled rushed to Daisy. She looked shocked.
"Khaled!"
"We need you in the treatment room. Fast!" he said.
They ran back to Chris together. He lay there, chest rising and falling slowly, poisoned and worn out.
"Who is this?!" Daisy asked, checking his pulse and temperature.
"My friend, Chris," Khaled said.
Daisy examined his wounds, hesitating on giving injections.
"How did he get these?"
"Faced a group of vampires… one coated his claws with poison before striking him," Khaled .
"Got it… his body's poisoned," Daisy murmured.
She paused, unsure what to do.
"What's wrong?!" Khaled .
"I don't know the type of poison… can't give random injections," Daisy.
"Then… you can heal him with your powers!" Khaled urged.
"Yes… but I'm not skilled yet! " Daisy admitted.
"Remember the first time we met you?! You saved a soldier with your powers without even realizing it.
You can do it—but the problem is with you." Khaled reminded her.
"What?! Me?! Why?!" Daisy exclaimed.
"No one mastered their powers immediately… we had to try, fail, and repeat until we succeeded," Khaled.
"You're right… I've never tried this before," Daisy admitted.
She removed her gloves, took a shaky breath, and focused.
"You can do this… take a deep breath. Focus. Remember that first moment you discovered it," Khaled encouraged.
Daisy placed her hands flat over Chris's chest. Eyes closed, she inhaled deeply. Her breaths echoed in the quiet room.
Nothing happened. She opened her eyes, frustrated.
What?! Why'd you stop?!" Khaled.
She just stared at Chris, unconscious.
"Don't give up! Failure is part of it. No one succeeds on the first try. Repetition and practice are the path. Come on, raise your hands again. Try," Khaled urged.
"Ugh… fine," Daisy.
"Take your time … Chris isn't critical. He's just napping," Khaled tried to lighten the mood.
Daisy chuckled.
"This wolf isn't easy to kill," Khaled .
She tried again, focusing. Hands raised over Chris's chest. Her eyes snapped open wide. Green light erupted.
Her irises glowed bright green. Radiant energy swirled around her hands, flowing into Chris, covering his entire body.
"Wow… fantastic!" Khaled whispered in awe.
For several minutes she held the position. Chris's wounds slowly healed. His breathing steadied.
---
Elsewhere—Inside an Old Warehouse
The place was massive. A rusty metal ceiling reflected faint yellow light from tired, hanging bulbs.
Rows of black crates filled with uranium rocks moved constantly.
They were unloaded from mining trucks onto metal carts that screeched along in perfect order.
White delivery trucks waited, loaded with crates, ready to transport them elsewhere. It looked like a controlled distribution hub.
The workers moved in unison—dozens, maybe hundreds. No human sound escaped them.
Their faces were wrinkled, skin gray, lifeless. Red eyes glimmered coldly.
Their steps were sharp, mechanical. Not human… vampires.
A rough, commanding voice rose above them, incomprehensible, giving orders.
General Vega.
He looked like he'd stepped out of ancient hell. Tall. Skeletal frame visible beneath dark gray skin, as if his soul had been stripped centuries ago.
His face was sharp, sunken. Eyes burned like molten lava.
Long ears curved back. His expression merciless. Black hair fell like a shadow over broad shoulders.
He wore cracked armor, glowing faintly with streaks of fire, like embers in stone.
Suddenly, the vampire in charge of the mine—destroyed by Khaled—rushed in, gasping for air.
Vega turned slowly, each step toward him sparking faintly in the air.
"Why are you here?" Vega demanded, voice rough and terrifying.
The vampire lifted his head, exhausted. "Shapeshifters… and a werewolf… destroyed the mine!"
Vega raised an eyebrow. "You let them destroy the mine… and ran?"
Fear showed on the vampire's face. "They were… too strong."
Vega's eyes burned with anger. He gripped a dark sword, its edges split with fiery lines, mirroring his armor. The hilt was heavy; the tip ended sharp.
With one swift strike, he decapitated the vampire.
"No place for cowards here," Vega told the workers, holding the head.
Then he muttered to himself, "So… the werewolves are dealing with infected humans…"