The Hunter’s Shadow

The sun barely kissed the horizon when a chill swept over the village — a cold, sharp presence that didn't belong to the wind. The villagers whispered about the sudden shift in the air, a tension that made even the birds quiet their morning songs. Something had entered their world. Something that didn't belong.

Elara felt it the moment she woke, a prickling unease running down her spine. Her thoughts immediately went to Lucien. Was this his doing? Or was it something worse?

By midday, she knew the answer.

Marin was the first to notice the stranger.

Elara found him at the market, his face pale, eyes dark with unease. His usual warmth was gone, replaced by a wariness that unsettled her more than anything.

"There's someone new in town," Marin said quietly, voice low enough that only she could hear. "He arrived this morning — alone. Tall, dressed in black. There's something… wrong about him."

Elara's breath caught in her throat. "What do you mean?"

Marin's jaw tightened. "It's the way he moves. Like he's hunting."

A cold dread settled in her chest. She couldn't shake the feeling that whoever this stranger was, his arrival wasn't by chance.

"Where is he now?"

Marin hesitated. "I saw him heading toward the forest."

Elara's heart stuttered. The forest. Lucien.

Without thinking, she turned on her heel and ran.

The shadows beneath the trees seemed darker than usual, stretching long and thin as if they were trying to warn her of what was coming. The air grew colder with every step, and the weight of dread in her chest threatened to crush her.

"Elara..."

She spun around at the sound of her name, heart leaping into her throat. Lucien emerged from the shadows, his face drawn and tense. His crimson eyes burned with urgency — and fear.

"You shouldn't be here," he said, voice rough and low. "You need to leave. Now."

"There's someone in the forest," she said breathlessly. "He's looking for something — or someone. I think he's here for you."

Lucien's expression darkened. "You shouldn't have come. This isn't your fight."

"I'm not leaving you to face this alone," she insisted.

The wind shifted suddenly, carrying with it a presence that froze the blood in her veins. Lucien's head snapped toward the deeper shadows of the forest.

"He's here," Lucien growled, every muscle coiling with tension.

Before Elara could react, a figure stepped into the clearing. Tall, dressed in dark leathers, with eyes like cold steel. His presence was suffocating — sharp, calculated, and predatory. This wasn't a man who hunted for sport.

He hunted with purpose.

"Elara," Lucien murmured, voice like a warning. "Stay behind me."

The stranger's voice cut through the silence like a blade. "So, this is where you've been hiding."

Lucien's shoulders tensed. "Who are you?"

The man's smile was razor thin. "My name is Elias Thorn. I'm a hunter."

The title hung in the air like a death sentence.

Elara felt her breath leave her in a rush. She had heard the stories — the legends of hunters who sought out creatures of the night, those who would stop at nothing until every last monster was wiped from the earth.

"I'm not here for you, girl," Elias said without looking at her. "I'm here for him."

Lucien stepped forward, shielding Elara from Elias's gaze. "You don't know what you're doing."

"Oh, I know exactly what I'm doing," Elias sneered. "You've broken the council's laws. You've survived when you shouldn't have. You're an abomination that should have been destroyed centuries ago."

Elara's heart pounded in her chest. "You don't understand — he's not the monster you think he is!"

Elias's cold gaze finally met hers. "You're blinded by whatever spell he's cast on you. But don't worry. I'll break it soon enough."

Lucien's voice was a low growl. "You won't touch her."

The wind stilled, and for a breathless moment, the forest was silent.

Then Elias drew a silver blade from beneath his coat — an ancient weapon forged for one purpose.

To kill.

Elara's heart clenched as she realized the horrifying truth:

Could she stop this hunter before he took everything away?