Humans fear many things. Darkness, insects, animals, the depths of the ocean… Death, hunger, disease. But in this age, what people feared most could be summarized in a single word: Monster.
The morning sun struck the stone pavements of the courtyard, making it seem as if no trace of the night's fog remained. But a heavy silence still hung in the air; no one dared to speak loudly, and even whispers seemed to echo.
Eren was wandering in the academy's inner courtyard to clear his head after the events. He kicked small stones he saw and glanced at the blue engravings on the scabbard of his new sword. Just as he reached the training dummies, he heard a familiar voice from behind him.
Kayra: "Eren! I've been looking for you since yesterday, where were you? Last night was a complete disaster. Everyone is in a panic, a shadow was seen on the moon. I thought you were dead!"
Eren: "Don't worry, I'm fine. But the city… it's not good at all. I was in the market when it happened, you should have seen the fear on people's faces."
Kayra: "How can any monster, creature, ghost, demon, or curse… cross the Safe Haven barrier? Last night, a colossal mist creature appeared in the middle of the market, everyone scattered!"
Before Eren could answer, a heavy voice echoed from the iron railings of the large balcony above the courtyard. The sound of steel-soled boots hitting the stone floor silenced the whispers. Kael had appeared. Beside him was Azrael Solarius, the chief mage whose long robe billowed in the wind, and two unfamiliar figures. Kael's presence filled the entire courtyard. He clasped his hands behind his back. There was neither anger nor a comforting smile on his face — only a sharp, unbroken seriousness. When he began to speak, the authority in his voice further suppressed the silence in the square.
Kael: "What happened last night… was unexpected."
(A brief silence)
"All of you saw it. All of you felt it. This city, this academy…"
(His words grew heavier)
"It reminded you how fragile everything you thought was safe truly is."
The young people in the courtyard fell silent. In some eyes there was fear, in others, anger.
Kael's voice echoed once more:
Kael: "Barriers…"
(Silence)
"Walls…"
"Titles…"
(Kael's voice lowered)
"None of them will absolutely protect you."
"This is why here, on the eve of the trial, I tell you this: be careful. What you face is not just a test."
(Kael's gaze swept over the crowd)
"Things can get out of control in an instant… just like yesterday."
Azrael Solarius slowly bowed his head in approval.
Kael's gaze wandered among the students, then he slowly spoke his last sentence:
Kael: "Remember… Inside the Academy, after you successfully pass the trial, you will truly be safe. That place will be a sanctuary for you."
When Kael's voice ceased, a stony silence remained in the courtyard. The sun, as if suddenly hidden behind a cloud, faded; a heavy shadow replaced the light. Above the still echoing silence in the courtyard, Kael's voice rose again.
Kael: "Many of you are wondering where tomorrow's trial will take place. The answer is simple — Moon Eye Island."
Whispers broke out from the crowd. This name was one of the darkest stains in Safe Haven's history. The vampire clan on the island had completely wiped out the village in the center of the island in four nights.
"Isn't that still a forbidden zone?" someone whispered.
Kael answered as if he had heard it.
Kael: "Yes, it has been sealed for a long time. But today, as we do every year, we are reopening that island specifically for the trial. Because a hunter cannot prepare for darkness by merely reading books."
Azrael Solarius, the mage behind him, rested his staff on the ground. The tip of the silver-embroidered staff glowed, drawing a reflection in the air. An island appeared in the image — surrounded by mists, like a dark stain in the middle of the lake.
Kael pointed to the island.
Kael: "In this trial, you will be left on the island. You will only be able to take your main weapon and the equipment on you. Your task is simple — survive for one week. No rescue team. No distress signal."
His words chilled the students to the bone.
Kael: "Escape is impossible due to the River Serpents and Lake Serpents living in the waters of Moon Eye Lake. Those who try to cross the lake… usually wash up on shore in pieces the next morning. So for one week, your only goal is: not to die."
After a moment of silence, Azrael added in a cold voice:
Azrael: "A small vampire clan also lives on the island. Conflict with them is inevitable. Some hunt to stock human blood. Others just want to kill humans. You cannot choose who you will encounter. And even if inter-team conflicts and fights result in death, they are not forbidden during the trial."
Rowan held his breath, whispering:
Rowan: "So… what you call a trial is literally a massacre."
Dean: "The one who survives, wins. The rest are statistics."
Kael ignored these whispers among the crowd. He gripped the railings with his hands and filled the entire courtyard with his voice:
Kael: "Some of you will not survive this trial. But those who do — will become true hunters. Remember this: not everyone who passes through darkness emerges the same. Some harden… some shatter."
When the speech ended, the wind died down for a moment. The young people began to disperse in a silent crowd.
As Eren walked, he placed his hand on the scabbard of Lunar at his belt. The metal was cold, but his heart was even colder.
Eren thought to himself:Survive for a week. Vampires, monsters, sea creatures… This isn't a trial, it's like a mass grave. After a while, Dean came beside him, with his usual confident, mocking smile on his face.
Dean: "Did you hear, Eren? Kael said 'some of you will not survive'. I hope 'some of us' isn't us."
Eren didn't smile, he just bowed his head.To survive… such a simple word. But now we all know how difficult it is.The sun cast its last warmth on the courtyard stones as bells chimed in the distance. The students were given only one day.
The next day, Moon Eye Island would be waiting for them.
The sun had tilted towards the west, casting long shadows on the academy's stone walls. The students were given only one day — some were packing their belongings, some were praying, some were sitting silently by the wall. Eren, Rowan, and Dean sat at the same table, looking at the simple maps in their hands.
Kael's voice was still in their ears.
Dean: "He says one week… What will we eat there, huh? Vampires?"
Rowan answered without taking his eyes off the map.
Rowan: "It is said that there is an abandoned village in the northern part of the lake. We might find something there, but… the people who lived in that village are no longer alive."
Dean: "So either we starve to death or we become friends with the dead. Great."
Eren: "Survive. There's no other option."
No one could sleep that night.
When morning came, a colossal ship, shrouded in fog, was waiting for them at the lakeside harbor. Its hull was a near-black gray, with a curved serpent figure at its bow. Its name was "Eclipse." The breath of every student who stepped onto the wooden ramp vaporized in the cold air, forming a silent queue.
When Eren and Rowan stepped onto the ship, they saw Kael on deck. Beside Kael were Azrael Solarius and two high-ranking hunters they didn't know. Kael gave them a brief glance, then turned to the horizon without saying anything. As his cloak billowed in the wind, his voice only reached those nearby.
Kael: "This silence… it's like the silence just before a storm."
The ship moved slowly. The sound of chains mingled with the deep hum of the engine. The fog over Moon Eye Lake seemed to deliberately open up and make way for them.
Dean leaned against the railing, looking at the dark water of the lake.
Dean: "If someone falls into this water, their body won't be found."
Rowan: "No one would want to see that body again anyway."
No one spoke during the journey.
Only the rhythmic sound of waves hitting the ship's hull.
Hours passed. As the sun set, a landmass appeared from the fog on the horizon — Moon Eye Island.
The fog enveloped the island like a shroud.
The silhouettes of the trees were crooked and bent, the soil was pale gray.
Kael stood before the students, his voice this time overpowering even the wind.
Kael: "From here on, this is the trial area.
The protective serpents of Moon Eye Lake prevent the ship from approaching the shore.
You will cross with small boats. Each team will board its own boat.
Your connection with the outside world will be cut for one week.
If I see a signal — it will be recorded as a failure, not a rescue."
After a brief pause, Kael's gaze lingered directly on Eren.
Kael: "And one more thing. I don't want a repeat of last night's incident.
Use your magic stones carefully,
and… no matter what you encounter, try not to be alone."
Dean leaned towards Rowan:
Dean: "So, night creatures, vampires, and maybe even students driven mad by hunger. It's going to be fun."
Rowan: "Remind me to question your definition of fun."
Kael raised his hand, and the platforms on the side of the ship were lowered. As the small boats touched the water, the surface of the lake strangely vibrated — as if something had moved in the depths.
Eren felt an indefinable pressure within him.
It was as if thousands of eyes were watching them from beneath Moon Eye Lake.
As he stepped into the boat, the cold mist of the water hit his face.
At that moment, a sentence passed through his mind, his own voice trembling:
Eren: "This isn't just a trial… This is to see who lives and who dies."
The boats disappeared into the fog one by one.
As they moved away from the ship, Kael's voice echoed one last time:
Kael: "Remember… The real trial begins where fear starts."
The fog completely swallowed them.
Neither the sky nor the reflection of the water remained.
Only a gray void, the sound of oars, and a single sentence echoing in Eren's mind:
"I'm not sure if the sun will rise on this island."