The chief led them to a small, humble dwelling on the outskirts of the village, offering them shelter."You can stay for as long as you want... I hope it's not too small." Though Elijah appreciated the chief's kindness, he couldn't shake off the unease that settled in his stomach. He wasn't comfortable with the fearful looks the villagers gave them, simply because of their nature. Meanwhile, Elias, ever the optimist, was in high spirits. He had taken a liking to the village, excited by the prospect of seeing new people and, most importantly, making a new friend in Adrian.One day, Elijah sought solitude in the sprawling fields surrounding the village, hoping to clear his troubled mind. He sat beneath the shade of a large oak tree, his thoughts swirling, when Adrian approached and sat down beside him.Elijah barely gave the kid a cursory glance before turning away, his expression closed off. "Could you quit that 'I understand you' kinda look?" he said, his voice curt, a hint of irrit

"... Elias gritted his teeth. He stood up abruptly and charged out of their hiding place, intent on saving his friend, even if it meant facing the entire village alone.But Elijah, despite his own injuries, was quicker. He grabbed Elias's arm, his grip surprisingly strong despite his broken leg."Where do you think you're going, Elias?" he snapped, his voice rough with pain and a desperate edge."Everyone of you just sits here like you've all given up. I'm going to save my friend," Elias retorted, his voice trembling with a mixture of fear and defiance. Tears welled in his eyes, blurring his vision."And how do you intend to do that?" Elijah's voice rose, his face contorted with a mixture of frustration and fear for his twin. "You couldn't do anything then. What do you hope to accomplish against those numbers? You're weak!" The word hung in the air, heavy and cutting.Elias's eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat. He recoiled as if struck, his face registering disbelief and

A day passed, which stretched into weeks, but his father never returned. The silence of the cave grew heavy, broken only by the drip, drip, drip of water from the ceiling. Elias, his anxiety growing with each passing hour, finally decided to leave the cave and search for his father.He ventured out into the forest, his senses heightened, his steps cautious. He soon noticed faint trails of blood on the grasses and twigs, marking the path his father had taken. He suddenly realized he had developed an acute sense of smell, able to discern the distinct scent of blood, a scent that was both intriguing and repulsive.He followed the scent back towards the village, his heart pounding with a mixture of hope and dread. But what he met with upon his arrival was deafening silence and a scene of unspeakable horror.Bodies of villagers lay scattered everywhere, their limbs twisted at unnatural angles, their guts spilled out in grotesque displays. The stench of death and decay was overwhelming, a s

She jolted up from her sleep, panting and sweating, each breath came in heavy... She looked around the dark room like she was confirming if she was still dreaming. The room was eerily dark, only little moonlight was about to pass through the thick window. The atmosphere chillyShe sat up properly still trying to make out what she saw in her dream."The usual nightmare?" A voice came in from the shadows. It's voice She looked in the direction the voice was coming from without much concern. "Yeah," she replied. "But, just like before, I couldn't discern who or what it was."An eerie glowing set of crimson eyes formed from the darkness, slowly taking shape as the moonlight took in its form. "What was he like?"She gave a look that showed she was trying to remember what she had dreamt. "He felt like he was born of divine nature, but I also felt overwhelming darkness." She explained. "He was in the sky, radiating both brightness and darkness. Wielding dual blades, one of pure lightning,

Sunlight filters through the windows of an old, dusty study, illuminating swirling dust motes. Max leans against a bookshelf, his expression weary. The lead hunter, Dylan, sits opposite him, his team standing silently behind."You said history," the hunter prompts, his voice patient. "Start from the beginning."Max closes his eyes for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "It... it began with a betrayal," he says, his voice low. "An entity — powerful, ancient — was once a god, but he was overthrown by his own kind. The reasons why... they're complex, a story for another time. But that betrayal fueled him."He opens his eyes, focusing on the hunter. "He came to Earth seeking to wage war against the gods. But to do that, he needed an army. And he couldn't create life, not the way the gods could. So, he corrupted what already existed.""Corrupted it?" the hunter asks, leaning forward."He polluted the natural world," Max explains, a grimace twisting his lips. "He merged the essence of humans