"My Queen, the Hunt has begun."
Silence followed those words.
Then—
Awooooo!
The howls erupted again.
This time they were much closer.
They seemed to come from every direction around the university.
Britney grabbed Ethan's arm.
"I don't like that sound."
Nobody did.
The Guardian slowly stepped in front of Trisha.
Its massive wings spread completely.
They were enormous.
Each feather-like scale shimmered with faint golden light.
For the first time, everyone realized just how big the creature truly was.
It looked like something out of an ancient legend.
Its eyes remained fixed on the darkness.
Waiting.
Listening.
Then—
Crash!
The university gates exploded inward.
Everyone jumped.
Pieces of twisted metal flew across the courtyard.
A dark figure slowly walked through the destroyed entrance.
Then another.
And another.
More figures emerged from the darkness.
There were twelve of them.
All dressed in black.
Long cloaks covered their bodies.
Silver masks hid their faces.
Nobody spoke.
The air suddenly felt heavy.
Professor Vale's face lost all color.
"No..."
The nearest figure raised its head.
Even from this distance, everyone could see glowing red eyes behind the mask.
"The Vessel."
The voice sounded strange.
Ancient.
As if several people were speaking at once.
Trisha felt cold.
The figure took another step.
"We finally found you."
Liam moved instantly.
He stood beside the Guardian.
His golden eyes glowed.
"You'll stop right there."
Silence.
The masked figures looked at him.
Then one of them laughed.
A low, eerie sound.
"A Moon Werewolf."
Another voice spoke.
"They truly awakened."
More laughter followed.
The sound made everyone's skin crawl.
The first figure slowly removed its hood.
Someone gasped.
Its face looked human.
Mostly.
Dark veins covered its skin.
Its eyes glowed crimson.
Its teeth were unnaturally sharp.
Most terrifying of all—
There was a black crystal embedded in the center of its forehead.
Professor Vale took a step backward.
"Hunters..." he whispered.
The figure smiled.
"Professor Cedric Vale."
Its voice dripped with amusement.
"You are still alive."
The old man's hands trembled.
"You should all be dead."
The Hunter laughed.
"We don't die so easily."
Nobody understood anything.
The Hunter ignored everyone else.
Its eyes remained fixed on Trisha.
"So many years."
Silence.
"So many failed searches."
Another step.
"And now..."
It smiled.
"You return to us."
Trisha swallowed.
"I don't know who you are."
The Hunter tilted its head.
"No."
Its smile widened.
"You simply forgot."
A strange pain suddenly shot through Trisha's head.
She gasped.
A flash appeared in her mind.
Fire.
Screaming.
A giant palace.
Golden eyes.
Then—
Nothing.
The vision vanished.
She stumbled.
Liam immediately grabbed her.
"Trisha!"
"I'm okay."
She wasn't.
Her head hurt.
The Hunter watched her carefully.
Then it smiled again.
"Interesting."
The Guardian growled.
A deep, terrifying sound.
The entire courtyard vibrated.
"Leave."
The Hunter looked at the enormous creature.
Then laughed.
"The Dragon Guardian."
Silence.
"It appears you remained loyal."
The Guardian's expression became cold.
"I gave my word."
"To a dead queen."
Silence.
"She is not dead."
The Hunter's eyes slowly moved toward Trisha.
"No?"
Nobody moved.
The Hunter suddenly raised one hand.
The black crystal on its forehead glowed.
The air exploded.
Boom!
A powerful wave swept across the courtyard.
Everyone staggered backward.
Everyone except the Guardian.
The creature remained unmoving.
Its golden eyes narrowed.
The Hunter looked surprised.
Then it smiled.
"I see."
Another crystal began glowing.
This time all twelve Hunters raised their hands.
Dark energy filled the air.
The sky itself seemed to darken.
Professor Vale looked horrified.
"No."
Nobody understood.
The old man turned toward everyone.
"Run!"
Silence.
"RUN!"
The Hunters attacked.
Twelve streams of black light shot forward.
Everything happened at once.
The Guardian spread its wings.
Golden light exploded outward.
Boom!
The collision shook the entire university.
Windows shattered.
Trees bent violently.
The fountain cracked.
Everyone was thrown backward.
Trisha hit the ground.
Her ears rang.
For several seconds, she couldn't hear anything.
Then—
Roar!
The Guardian's furious roar echoed across the campus.
Trisha looked up.
Her eyes widened.
A giant golden barrier surrounded everyone.
The black energy struck the barrier repeatedly.
Yet it held.
The Hunters looked shocked.
"So this is your power..." one whispered.
The Guardian's eyes burned.
"Leave."
The Hunter smiled.
"No."
Another step.
"We crossed worlds for this."
Silence.
"We are not leaving without her."
Liam slowly stood.
Moonlight.
No.
Crimson light from the rings bathed his face.
Something inside him stirred.
His heartbeat quickened.
He looked at the Hunters.
Then at Trisha.
A strange certainty filled him.
They wanted her.
Which meant they were enemies.
And enemies couldn't have her.
A growl escaped his throat.
Everyone looked at him.
Liam froze.
That hadn't sounded human.
Then pain struck him.
He grabbed his chest.
His golden eyes brightened.
The world suddenly became clearer.
He could hear everything.
Everyone's heartbeats.
Their breathing.
Even the wind.
Then he heard something else.
Growling.
It wasn't coming from outside.
It was inside him.
The Hunter smiled.
"The Alpha awakens."
Liam looked up.
"What?"
The Hunter's red eyes gleamed.
"Moon Werewolves possess many gifts."
Silence.
"But only one becomes an Alpha."
Liam's breathing quickened.
The growling became louder.
Stronger.
"You..."
The Hunter pointed directly at him.
"...are becoming one."
At that exact moment, another howl echoed through the darkness.
Then another.
Then hundreds.
The sound surrounded the entire city.
The Hunters slowly looked toward the crimson sky.
For the first time—
Their expressions changed.
Fear.
One of them whispered,
"They're here."
The Guardian's golden eyes widened.
Beyond the university walls, shadows began to move in impossible numbers. Shapes leapt across rooftops, gliding between crimson reflections like living smoke. The distant howls multiplied into a single thunderous chorus, shaking windows and nerves alike. Even the Hunters hesitated, their confidence cracking as something far older and far hungrier answered the call from the darkened city above them, unseen, waiting to descend soon.
Then it looked toward the darkness beyond the university.
And for the first time since appearing—
It looked genuinely alarmed.