The group traversed through the forest, the path winding beneath towering pines and ancient oaks. Branches whispered as the evening breeze threaded through the canopy, crimson streaks bled across the sky as the sun sank. Small creatures could be heard scurrying through the underbrush. Squirrels darted toward their burrows, settling down for the night. An owl swooped low, wings whispering as it struck its prey. Insects chirped, their chorus turning eerie as darkness thickened. Night flowers unfurled, some releasing a strange white mist that curled through the trees, fogging the forest floor.
The group moved quietly through the forest, occasionally whispering amongst themselves-well it was mostly Matt who did all the talking, going on and on about the day's events what they were going to eat, whether Mireille could cook, and a whole lot of absurd topics.
"Can you be quiet, Matt?" Zave finally snapped. "Humph, it's not like I was talking to you anyway." Matt pouted. The forest returned to silence again, the darkness growing thicker.
Lloyd who had been paying attention to Mireille all along suddenly spoke up, "We need to hurry back."
"Wait, I seem to see something." Mireille trailed off the path they were treading, she had seen something in the bushes not far away. She stopped to pick it up.
"What is it?" Zave asked puzzled. Mireille opened her palms revealing what was lying in them.
"Haha, looks like I really did lose it after all. But I found it so, great, right?" It turned out to be the token Lloyd gave her on their first meeting. Lloyd gave her a strange look, shook his head then said nothing.
"Whoa, how did it appear way out here?" Matt stared at the token curiously, "You sure you didn't intentionally throw it away, intending not to meet us again, hm?" His words made Alex scoff turning his gaze away from them. When he did, he noticed the area around them seemed different from before. While they bickered, the forest transformed-mist curling thick and white until the world beyond ten paces vanished. "Guys," Alex turned back to them, "it seems something is wrong."
"What is it Alex?" Seven asked, shifting his attention away from Mireille. The others also turned to Alex.
Alex didn't say anything, just gestured for them to look around. When they did they also noticed the strangeness around them.
"Huh? How did happen, no-when did this happen?" Matt asked looking around.
"Shh, everyone be on alert, this isn't just anything." Lloyd gave the command. The group stood back to back, subconsciously leaving Mireille in the centre. They scanned the area awaiting any signs of attack.
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Through the mist, a vampire observed the group of five. "She's staying with werewolves?" Valmore narrowed his eyes, "Tsk, stupid girl. Well, what were we expecting. She really is a half blood. Let's take a closer look, shall we? This is gonna be fun." He swooped down, disappearing into the mist.
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The five were on guard not knowing where danger may come from. With their line of sight restricted by the thick mist, they could not tell who the enemy they were facing was.
"Hello, little one. It's great to finally meet you." Valmore appeared behind Mireille, right in the centre of the group.
Lloyd, Matt, Zave and Alex looked at the figure that appeared out of nowhere. He had his hand on the half-blood's neck, his claw stroking her jugular.
Mireille stood frozen, her blood running cold. Her face drained of colour, pale as a sheet of paper.
"Let her go!" Lloyd growled, claws extending. The others bared their fangs at the vampire before them.
"Oh my, what is this? Mere mutts dare to challenge me? Know your place." He released an icy aura of a Lord forcing Matt to his knees, and Zave and Alex to stumble. Lloyd remained unshaken. "Oho~, an alpha?" Valmore chuckled, "You got lucky kid, but you're not thinking these pups can match me right?"
"I said let. Her! Go!" Lloyd roared, shifting to his wolf form completely. Mireille watched as Lloyd turned into a massive wolf with black fur and bright golden eyes that glowed with ferocity. Her eyes widened-the wolves she'd seen before were ordinary-sized, but Lloyd now towered nearly three meters, a beast of shadow and gold.
"Ah, uh, ah-, don't move, else the little half breed here dies." A wicked grin played on Valmore's face as he watched Lloyd shift.
Lloyd froze in his steps, indecisive about what to do.
"Hm~, interesting, I never thought I'd live to see a day where a werewolf will cohabit with a vampire and hesitate for their sake." He looked at Lloyd with disdain. "Aren't you mutts always assertive over territories? Why would you allow a vampire into your midst?" He looked at the frozen figure in his hands, "And you... I don't have much to say, but are you stupid?" Mireille looked at the vampire dumbfounded. She blinked her terror-filled eyes.
Valmore chuckled at the little one's stupidity, "I should take you to Freya, she'll be glad to keep you as her new doll. What do you say, little doll? Shall I gift you to Freya?" His playful smile hid several dangerous thorns.
Mireille couldn't utter a word. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Zave and Alex stealthily closing in on the vampire. "Alright. I've decided, the half blood comes with me." Valmore declared, straightening up.
"She's not going anywhere!" Lloyd pounced on him. Alex moved swiftly, shifting mid-air and snatching Mireille away while Zave and Lloyd faced the vampire. He lowered her carefully at Matt's side, his voice steady: "Watch over her."
Matt watched as Alex placed Mireille down, stunned by his unexpected care, he didn't just throw her down and leave, but even told him to watch over her. "Am I dreaming?" He turned to Mireille who was equally surprised.
Alex joined in the fight, which was more like a joke than a real fight. It was as if the vampire was mocking them, he had made several copies of himself, attacking them and then retreating into the mist.
Valmore's laughter echoed from every direction. Shadows lunged, claws raked, but each strike met only mist. Cuts opened on the wolves' flanks, yet the vampire was nowhere and everywhere at once.
"Dammit. He is using clones to confuse us." Zave cursed. Valmore's tricks left the wolves with several cuts.
Mireille watched the three struggling and remembered something she heard from some folks she once saw camping the forest. "Sev-Matt, I know of a way to defeat him." Matt turned to Mireille not paying attention to what she called him, "Really, you do?"
"Yes, I heard a group of humans discuss it one time I was out trying my luck on hunting." Mireille said embarrassedly.
Matt, now anxious, didn't have time to pay attention to what Mireille was thinking, he grabbed her shoulder showing a rare moment of seriousness. "Tell me what you heard, what can we do?"
"They were saying something about how saying the true name of a vampire lord weakens the-but the thing no one really knows the names of the vampire Lords..." Mireille paused.
Matt saw her hesitation and knew she was still holding back some information. "Spit it out. Dammit."
"The thing is-" Before she finished speaking the tree next to them was snapped in two and fell with a loud boom under the force of Zave's weight.