The Journey Begins

So, here we are, the beginning of the end—or at least that's what it feels like. The sun barely rose over the trees, casting a soft orange glow across the Alpine forest, which was way too peaceful considering what's ahead. I stood there, watching the sunrise, pretending to enjoy nature when, in reality, all I could think about was how I'd rather be in bed. Luna stood next to me, arms crossed, like she was waiting for some epic moment that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

"Ready for another day of walking?" I asked, breaking the silence. Because, you know, walking through freezing forests sounds like the perfect way to spend a morning.

Luna glanced at me, raising an eyebrow. "Ready for more whining from you? Because I think we both know how this day's going to go."

"I don't whine. I simply… express my displeasure with the current situation," I replied, flashing her my most charming grin. She wasn't impressed.

Sebastian, ever the dark cloud hanging over our little journey, stood a few feet behind us, his face stoic as ever. I swear, he's like a walking drama movie poster—all serious and intense.

"You'll need more than witty comebacks to survive what's coming," Sebastian said, like he wasn't secretly enjoying watching me fumble.

"Oh, don't worry," I replied. "I've got sarcasm, bad jokes, and a complete lack of understanding of what's happening. I'll be just fine."

With that, we started our hike. If I had known we'd be hiking into the middle of nowhere, I might've packed better shoes—or maybe just, you know, not agreed to come at all. But here we were, trudging through the Alps on a quest to unlock my supposed "true power," which, for the record, sounds like something out of a bad video game. 

Luna walked ahead, leading the way like she knew exactly where we were going. I was starting to think she just enjoyed getting away from me. And Sebastian, well, he was probably off plotting my doom in his head. 

"So, how far is this magical sanctuary anyway?" I asked, already regretting the question as soon as it left my mouth.

Sebastian didn't even turn around. "Far."

"Ah, yes, thank you for the clarification, Mr. Vague Answers. I'll just mentally prepare for 'far' then."

Luna smirked at my whining—I mean, expressing displeasure—and shook her head. "Don't worry, Eli. It'll only feel like forever. Besides, it's not just about walking. You're going to train along the way."

Oh great, because what's better than walking through the mountains? Training. "Training for what, exactly? The world's most dangerous game of tag with murderous cultists?"

"Training for the trials," Sebastian said, his voice dark and serious as usual. "You're not just going to survive this. You're going to be reborn through it."

"Right, because I haven't already died a little inside from all the revelations thrown at me," I muttered under my breath, earning a side glance from Luna.

But training wasn't a joke. Luna and Sebastian weren't exactly gentle teachers. Every so often, they'd stop the hike, and Luna would run me through some kind of combat drill. She wasn't half as soft as she looked. One minute, she'd be smirking and throwing flirty insults, and the next, she was sweeping my legs out from under me and pinning me to the ground. How romantic, right?

"Come on, Eli. Focus. You've got to be faster," Luna said as I lay lie

out on the grass, staring at the sky like it had all the answers. 

"Sure, let me just 'focus' while you're trying to kill me," I grumbled, rolling over and pushing myself up. My muscles already ached, but Luna wasn't letting me off the hook.

"Quit complaining," she said with a teasing smile. "You're getting better, but you need to anticipate my moves."

"You do realize you're terrifying when you get like this, right?" I shot back, rubbing the back of my neck. "Like, there's 'intense Luna,' and then there's 'I might actually die if I slip up again Luna.' I think we're somewhere in between."

She laughed—a real laugh, not the sarcastic kind—and for a moment, it made the bruises feel worth it. Almost. 

As we kept moving, Sebastian chimed in from behind, explaining the importance of each exercise. Apparently, these trials weren't just about strength. They were mental, emotional, and spiritual tests that would push me beyond my limits. It all sounded pretty dramatic, but knowing my luck, it probably meant more bruises, more emotional scars, and a whole lot of confusion.

By late afternoon, the atmosphere started to shift. The forest around us grew denser, the path harder to follow. And that eerie, unsettling feeling that something was watching us crept in. I tried to shake it off—after all, I'm a vampire now, right? I'm supposed to be scary. But if we were being honest, the only thing I was scared of was Luna finding out just how much she was kicking my ass during training.

"Hey, uh, anyone else feeling like we're being watched?" I asked, trying to sound casual but probably failing miserably.

"Welcome to the Alps," Sebastian said cryptically, as if that explained everything. 

We set up camp as night began to fall, the lighthearted banter from earlier fading into silence. The chill in the air wasn't just from the weather. There was something out there—something waiting for us. 

Luna, seated by the fire, kept glancing around as if she could sense it too. I caught her eye, and for a moment, the teasing from earlier was gone. She looked worried, and that unsettled me more than anything else.

"Get some rest," Sebastian said quietly. "Tomorrow, the real trials begin."

Great. Because today was just a warm-up, right?

As I lay down, staring up at the stars, my mind raced with a thousand questions. What were these trials really about? Was I ready for any of this? And why the hell did Luna keep looking at me like she knew something I didn't?

One thing was clear: whatever happened next, there was no turning back.

Welcome to the deep end, Eli. Hope you can swim.