Battle in the forgotten city

The road stretched endlessly before them, winding through the dense, mist-laden forest. Melly sat on the back of Arkins' black motorcycle, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist as they sped through the darkness. The wind howled past them, but her mind was elsewhere—still replaying the events of the last battle.

The last piece of death was gone. The experiment was over. But the war? Far from it.

They were heading toward something even more dangerous.

Arkins slowed as they approached an old bridge, its stone surface cracked with age. Beyond it, the forest thinned, revealing a sight that took Melly's breath away.

A city—hidden in the valley below.

Not just any city.

A vampire city.

Towering gothic structures loomed over narrow, labyrinth-like streets. Dark spires pierced the foggy sky, their tips glowing with an eerie crimson light. The streets shimmered under dim lanterns, casting flickering shadows against the cobblestone pathways. The air was thick with magic—ancient, powerful, and alive.

Melly's fingers tightened on Arkins' jacket. "You never told me vampires had an entire city hidden away."

Arkins smirked. "You never asked."

She rolled her eyes. "And where exactly are we?"

Arkins exhaled, his gaze scanning the city below. "Welcome to Noctis Haven. The last true sanctuary for vampires."

Melly swallowed, staring at the impossible sight. This place had been kept secret for centuries, hidden from humans, sorcerers, and even most supernatural beings. But why had Arkins brought her here now?

Before she could ask, a pair of figures stepped out of the shadows at the entrance of the bridge.

Tall. Intimidating. Vampires.

Melly recognized them instantly.

Arkins' brothers.

The Brothers of Night

The first man had jet-black hair, tied back into a loose ponytail, with piercing violet eyes that gleamed like amethysts. He wore a dark trench coat over a high-collared shirt, his movements as smooth as a predator stalking its prey.

Ezra. The eldest.

The second man leaned lazily against the bridge railing, his arms crossed. His silver-white hair fell messily over his forehead, his crimson eyes half-lidded with amusement. Unlike Ezra, who radiated deadly precision, this one looked… dangerously playful.

Zyren. The wildcard.

Ezra's sharp gaze locked onto Arkins. "You finally decided to come home."

Arkins cut the engine and slid off the motorcycle. "Not for a warm welcome, I assume."

Zyren smirked. "Depends. Did you bring trouble with you?" His gaze flicked to Melly, eyes narrowing. "Ah. You did."

Melly crossed her arms. "Nice to meet you too."

Ezra ignored her, stepping closer to Arkins. "Word reached us about the destruction of Project Rebirth. Tell me that wasn't you."

Arkins' expression remained unreadable. "What if it was?"

Ezra let out a low breath, shaking his head. "You have no idea what you've started."

Melly frowned. "We ended something that never should've existed."

Zyren chuckled darkly. "Oh, sweetheart. You don't end things like that. You ignite them."

Ezra's voice turned grave. "Project Rebirth was never just about you, Arkins. Or Melly. It was bigger than that."

Melly's blood ran cold.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Ezra hesitated, then finally said, "It was never about just making a weapon. It was about building an army."

Silence.

Melly's breath hitched. "An army of what?"

Ezra's violet eyes gleamed.

"Hybrids."

Melly's stomach twisted.

She had thought the nightmare was over. But in reality?

It was only beginning.

Chapter 11: The Hybrid War Begins

Melly felt the weight of Ezra's words settle deep in her chest.

An army of hybrids.

She had spent so much time hunting the truth, fighting against the people who experimented on her—only to realize she had been playing in a much bigger game.

"How many?" Arkins' voice was sharp, controlled, but Melly could sense the tension in his body.

Ezra exhaled slowly. "We don't know the exact number. But they've been experimenting for decades. You weren't the first, Arkins." He looked at Melly. "And you won't be the last."

A chill ran down her spine.

She had always assumed she was alone. The only one they had tried to manipulate, to turn into something unnatural. But if there were others—

She clenched her fists. "Where are they?"

Zyren snorted. "That's the real problem, isn't it? No one knows. These hybrids weren't created to live normal lives. They were bred for war. When the time comes, they'll be unleashed, and no one will be able to stop them."

Melly swallowed. "Then we have to find them before that happens."

Ezra's gaze darkened. "It won't be that simple."

Arkins stepped forward, eyes blazing. "I don't care how difficult it is. We're stopping this."

Melly had never seen him this serious before. His usual smirks and sharp retorts were gone, replaced with cold determination.

Ezra studied his younger brother for a long moment before finally nodding. "Then you'll need help."

Arkins frowned. "I don't need—"

Ezra held up a hand. "This isn't about you. This is about survival. If what you're saying is true—if the ones behind Project Rebirth are still active—then they won't stop until they get what they want." He glanced at Melly. "And they want her."

Melly tensed. "Let them try."

Zyren grinned. "Damn. I like her."

Ezra sighed. "You won't be fighting alone."

Arkins raised a brow. "What are you saying?"

Ezra's eyes gleamed under the crimson glow of the city's lanterns. "You came back to Noctis Haven at the right time. Because we're not just fighting to stop an experiment anymore."

He turned toward the towering city behind him.

"We're preparing for war."

Melly followed the brothers through the ancient streets of Noctis Haven, her senses on high alert. The city was unlike anything she had ever seen—silent yet alive, hidden from the world yet brimming with power.

Dark alleyways twisted between towering gothic buildings, their spires clawing at the crimson-tinted sky. Shadows slithered along the cobblestone streets, moving like whispers in the night. The vampires here didn't just live in secrecy. They thrived in it.

"This place is…" Melly trailed off, searching for the right word.

"A graveyard?" Zyren offered with a smirk.

Ezra shot him a look. "A sanctuary."

Arkins walked beside Melly, his expression unreadable. "Noctis Haven is more than a city. It's the last refuge for those who refuse to follow the old ways."

"The old ways?" Melly echoed.

Ezra nodded. "Vampires were once rulers of the night. But the ones in power? They never let go of their hunger for dominance. Noctis Haven was built for those who chose to step away from that path."

Melly glanced around at the figures watching them from the shadows—silent, calculating, waiting. These weren't ordinary vampires. They were warriors. Survivors.

But something felt… off.

"They don't trust us," she murmured.

Arkins smirked. "They don't trust you."

Melly raised a brow. "And why's that?"

Zyren chuckled. "Because you're not one of them."

Before she could respond, Ezra came to a stop in front of an iron gate. Beyond it, a massive stone structure loomed—an ancient cathedral, its windows glowing with dim, otherworldly light.

"This is where it begins," Ezra said.

Arkins frowned. "What are we doing here?"

Ezra turned to him, his gaze sharp. "If you want to take down the ones behind Project Rebirth, you need allies." He pushed open the heavy iron doors, revealing a grand hall lined with towering statues of long-forgotten warriors.

At the center of the chamber, a group of figures waited.

Melly's breath caught.

They weren't just vampires.

They were something more.

A woman with ghostly silver hair and glowing blue runes along her arms. A towering man with obsidian-black wings folded behind him. A figure cloaked in deep crimson, their face hidden beneath a hood.

Ezra stepped forward. "Meet the Forgotten Warriors—the ones who refused to bow."

The silver-haired woman tilted her head. "And this," she said, her gaze locking onto Melly, "is the one who's been hunted."

Melly stiffened.

"Careful," she said, her voice low. "I bite back."

The woman smirked. "Good."

Ezra folded his arms. "If we're going to win this war, we need to fight together. Because the people behind Project Rebirth?" His eyes darkened.

"They've already started hunting us."

A War in the Shadows

A chill ran down Melly's spine.

She had spent years fighting against the people who experimented on her—running, surviving, pushing back. But now?

This wasn't just her battle anymore.

It was a war.

And Noctis Haven was about to become the first battlefield.