CHAPTER 12: BODIES IN THE WOOD

Leek paced in his study, the flickering candlelight casting long, restless shadows across the room. The air was heavy with tension, his frustration mounting with each passing moment. Reports of dead bodies in the woods had surfaced again—humans drained of their blood.

Hermer stood nearby, silent but alert, sensing the storm brewing within his leader.

"It's not from us," Leek said firmly, his voice laced with anger. "We uphold the ancient rules. No human blood is to be tasted. This act... it's barbaric. A predator among humans will cause chaos and imbalance, breaking the very laws that preserve our existence."

Hermer nodded. "I've doubled the patrols, but whoever or whatever is doing this is careful. There are no signs, no trails to follow."

Leek slammed his fist on the desk, the sound echoing through the chamber.

Later that night, Hermer sat cross-legged in the quiet of his chambers. He closed his eyes and focused, calling forth the image of Aiya in his mind. The memory of her face had once been vivid the warmth in her eyes but now, it was slipping away like water through his fingers.

His frustration deepened as he delved further into his cultivation, but the harder he tried, the further she seemed to retreat. The once-clear image dissolved into a murky haze, leaving him feeling empty.

Why can't I see her? Why is she fading?

Hermer's breathing quickened, his frustration mounting. Finally, he opened his eyes, the dim light of the room offering no comfort.

"She's out there," he whispered to himself. "I know she is. But something... something is blocking me."

Leek's Nightmare

Leek's dreams were restless once again. This time, the forest was darker, the trees twisted and gnarled as if reaching for him.

He ran, the sound of his heartbeat echoing in his ears. The shadows seemed alive, closing in on him, suffocating him.

Then he saw her—a figure in the distance, shrouded in a glowing light. Her lips moved, forming words he couldn't hear.

"Help me," Leek tried to call out, but his voice was strangled, his throat dry. He stumbled, his legs giving way as he fell to the forest floor.

Suddenly, hands emerged from the shadows, grabbing him, dragging him down. Pain seared through him as he was bound, tortured by unseen forces.

The woman watched, her face unreadable. She reached out a hand toward him, but she was too far away.

"Who are you?" Leek screamed, his voice breaking.

Her words finally reached him, faint but chilling. "Remember..."

Before he could grasp her meaning, the darkness consumed him.

Leek jolted awake, drenched in sweat. His breathing was ragged, his chest heaving.

"What is this?" he whispered, his hands trembling.

Determined to understand the dream's meaning, Leek summoned Nhir, the ancient vampire traditionalist. Nhir entered slowly, his every step deliberate. Despite his age, the 3,000-year-old vampire exuded an aura of quiet power.

"You seek answers," Nhir said, his voice low and measured.

Leek nodded. "Something is plaguing me—dreams, visions. I need to know what they mean."

Nhir gestured for Leek to sit. "Relax your mind. I will search your soul for answers."

Leek obeyed, closing his eyes as Nhir placed his hands on either side of his head.

The room grew silent, the air thick with tension. Nhir's mind delved into Leek's, searching for the source of the disturbance.

But almost immediately, he was met with resistance—a powerful, unyielding force that pushed him back.

Nhir staggered, his breathing labored as he withdrew. "There is a blockage," he said, his voice strained. "Someone or something has sealed parts of your mind. This is no ordinary seal."

Leek's frustration boiled over. "Can you break it?"

Yes but not yet. I need more time to prepare and you need more rest. This is a powerful force not to be toilet with.

As Nhir left, a messenger entered, bowing low. "My lord, a letter from Lord Zuiss."

Leek unfolded the parchment, his jaw tightening as he read the words:

Refuse to marry my daughter, and you shall prepare for war.

Anger flared within him. He had made it clear he had no intention of marrying Areil, yet Lord Zuiss persisted.

In the halls of Lord Zuiss's castle, Areil sobbed uncontrollably. Her father, unable to bear her tears, was enraged.

"If Leek won't honor this betrothal willingly," Lord Zuiss declared, "then I will force his hand. Prepare the troops!"

Back in the flower shop, Aiya's grandmother had been listening to the gossip of the town. She knew the deaths in the woods were not the work of an animal.

"This is the mark of something dangerous," she told Aiya one evening. "Something unnatural."

Aiya's heart sank. She thought of Kael and the fear he had instilled in Perlia.

Could he be the course of the recents death? She thought to herself "No he might look dangerous but am not sure he is the cause" Aiya said to herself like a murmur.

Leek stood at the edge of his chamber's balcony, the cold night air biting against his skin. His crimson eyes scanned the dark forest below, the faint rustling of leaves barely audible over the turmoil in his mind. The dream, the deaths, the war everything felt like a tightening noose.

A knock at the door broke his reverie.

"Enter," Leek commanded.

Hermer stepped in, his face pale, his usual composure shaken.

"What is it?" Leek asked, his voice sharper than he intended.

"We've found another body," Hermer said gravely. "This one was... different."

Leek turned, his brows furrowing. "Different how?"

"It wasn't just drained of blood," Hermer said, stepping closer. "It was ripped of it's heart .

Leek's fists clenched. Whoever this predator was, they were growing bolder.

"Take me there," he ordered.

The forest was dark silent as Leek and Hermer arrived at the scene, accompanied by a few trusted guards. The smell of blood lingered in the air, thick and cloying.

The body was sprawled across the ground. Deep gashes marked its torso, the wounds precise and deliberate.

Leek knelt beside the body, his sharp eyes scanning every detail.

"This isn't the work of an animal," he said, his voice low. "And it's not from our kind."

Hermer nodded. "But who else could do this?"

Leek's jaw tightened. "That's what we need to find out."

He reached out, his fingers brushing against the victim's neck. A faint energy pulsed beneath his fingertips—a trace of magic.

Leek's eyes darkened. "There's sorcery involved."

Hermer's expression grew grim. "Magic hasn't been used in centuries. Whoever this is... they're powerful."

Leek stood, his determination hardening. "We'll find them. And when we do, they'll answer for this."

"This predator is breaking our laws," he muttered, his voice low and furious. "If they are caught, their soul will be seized. They will pay for this imbalance."