Chapter 7 – Bloodlines Revealed
Two weeks had passed since the night of the witches' awakening.
The days were filled with sweat, bruises, and exhaustion — but also growth.
Under the rising and setting sun, Blue, Kin, and Rito had trained harder than they ever thought possible.
Xavier drilled them in combat forms, discipline, and survival.
Selene taught Rito how to control her focus, how to sense energy, and how to move unseen through the shadows.
And though none of them would admit it aloud — they were starting to feel like something close to a team.
The Morning of the Full Moon
That morning, the air was heavy — charged.
Even the forest seemed to breathe slower.
Xavier noticed it first, his instincts prickling like a blade drawn halfway.
The full moon was coming. And for hybrids, it was always a night of chaos.
But for now, the clearing echoed only with the sound of sparring — and Selene's measured voice.
"Focus, Rito," she said calmly, circling the girl. "Don't think, feel."
Rito exhaled, blocking Kin's wooden sword with her own. Her movements were fluid, sharp — the kind of grace even Selene found herself admiring.
In two weeks, she had gone from a hesitant beginner to something different — her instincts sharper than human reflexes should allow.
Kin stepped back, panting, sweat dripping from his hair. "When did you get this fast?"
Rito grinned, swinging again. "Maybe I've been holding back."
Their blades clashed, the sound echoing through the clearing.
Blue watched from the sidelines, impressed. "She's actually beating you, Kin."
Kin smirked, tightening his grip. "Not yet she isn't."
He lunged — too fast, too hard — and Rito dodged, but her footing slipped. She hit the ground with a sharp crack.
"Rito!" Kin dropped his weapon, kneeling beside her. "I—I'm sorry! I didn't mean to—"
Rito clutched her side, gasping in pain. "I'm fine… just maybe… not fine."
Selene was already at her side, helping her sit up.
When she lifted Rito's training vest, everyone froze.
The injury — deep, bruised, and ugly a moment ago — was already fading.
Flesh knitting itself together right before their eyes.
Kin's eyes widened. "What the hell…"
Selene's tone dropped low, quiet but certain.
"I knew it."
Blue frowned. "Knew what?"
Selene didn't answer immediately. Her crimson eyes narrowed as she studied Rito's skin.
"I noticed something the last time I patched her up," she murmured. "I thought it was just adrenaline. But now…"
She met Rito's gaze. "You're not human. At least — not fully. What are you?"
Rito blinked, stunned. "What do you mean what am I? I'm me! I—" She looked down at her side, watching the skin seal completely shut. "I don't know… I've always healed fast. My mom said it was just genetics."
"Genetics," Xavier repeated slowly. He exchanged a look with Selene — one that carried unspoken understanding.
Blue noticed. "What's going on? What genetics?"
Xavier sighed. "Selene…"
She rolled her eyes. "Fine. But you owe me dinner for this."
Before anyone could react, Selene moved — faster than human eyes could follow. She gripped Rito's shoulder, bared her fangs, and bit.
Rito screamed — a sound that cut through the trees.
Her body arched, eyes glowing a vivid green. A shimmer of light flared under her skin like sunlight refracting through glass.
Selene jerked back almost instantly, grimacing in disgust. She spat the blood to the ground, wiping her mouth.
"Repulsive," she hissed. "I hate fae blood."
Blue's eyes widened. "Fae?"
Xavier nodded once. "Just as I thought."
Kin looked between them. "What's a fae?"
"Whatever it is," Blue said, staring at Rito's now completely healed wound, "it's strong."
Rito sat trembling, eyes wide and frightened.
"Fae?" she whispered. "You mean… like fairies? That's not real—"
"It's real," Selene said sharply. "And dangerous. Fae blood runs ancient — older than vampires, older than hybrids. It's the blood of nature itself. No wonder you're a fast learner — it's in your veins."
Rito pressed her hands against her chest, still staring at her unblemished skin.
"I… I didn't know. My mom never told me. She always said our family came from 'old roots,' but… this?"
Selene softened slightly. "She may not have known. Many fae bloodlines were hidden generations ago. You're a rare one, Rito."
Kin exhaled. "So… we've got a hybrid prince, a half-fae warrior, and a human who punches above his weight. Sounds like the start of a bad joke."
Xavier chuckled under his breath. "Or a prophecy waiting to unfold."
But before anyone could say more, the wind shifted — cold and heavy.
The scent of smoke drifted faintly from the west.
Selene's head turned sharply, her expression hardening.
"The witches," she murmured. "They're moving."
Cut To: The Witch Hollow
The crimson moon loomed overhead once more.
Gus stood in the center of the ritual circle, his body covered in markings that glowed like molten veins.
The High Witch raised her arms, her voice echoing through the hollow.
"The time has come, my warlock. Go now. Burn the village that birthed your pain. Hollowfen will be your offering."
Gus's eyes — once brown and kind — now glowed with the same red fire.
He looked toward the north, where the faint lights of his home village flickered in the distance.
"Yes, Mother," he said quietly. "They will all burn."
The witches began to chant again, their voices rising like thunder.
As the ritual ended, dark wings unfurled from the shadows behind Gus — made not of feathers, but of fire and ash.
He stepped forward into the night, his hands trembling with hunger and hate.
Every step toward Hollowfen was another heartbeat closer to vengeance.
End of Chapter 7 – Bloodlines Revealed