Hunting to Hunted

The Hunter's Keep

Silvina stood confident in front of the council. Her sleek black outfit, both practical and stylish, covered her body like a second skin, showing off her slender, slightly muscular form. Her black hair cascaded down her back, contrasting sharply with the vivid blue of her eyes that were watching the five council members across from her.

The dim light in the room made them seem like deadly ghosts.

Ancient stone walls surrounded them, engraved with symbols of past victories and failures. The scent of dust and oil hung in the air as the council watched her with cold, judging eyes. They were seated in a semi-circle, their chairs a few steps higher than hers.

With their red cloaks, they seemed like death’s minions.

Silvina hated the way the room always made her feel—small, replaceable. It was the intent, after all.

The eldest hunter, Lucas, a man with a long white beard and ancient eyes, spoke first. His voice reverberated in the silence.

"Silvina... You’ve proven yourself in small missions, but this mission will push you to your limits. Do you truly believe you are ready to face the darkness that lies beyond our borders? The creatures you’ll encounter may be more than you can handle."

Lucas, with his strong build and cold eyes, watched her carefully. He was clearly still fit for battle, but every one of the elders had laid down their weapons and taken up the task of leading the new generation.

Silvina took a step forward, unflinching, her voice steady and clear.

"I’ve faced death before. I’m ready for whatever comes my way."

A murmur rippled through the council next to Lucas, some of them skeptical, others impressed by her conviction. The youngest among them, Melina, a sharp-eyed woman with platinum blonde hair, leaned forward, her eyes searching Silvina’s face.

"You’re confident, but confidence isn’t enough. This mission... it demands more than skill. It requires heartless choices, and you must be solely focused on your mission."

Silvina’s eyes flashed with irritation for a moment.

"I am focused, I am trained." were the only words she spoke.

The council exchanged glances, and a brief silence fell over the room. Finally, Lucas nodded slowly, a hint of respect in his eyes.

"Very well, Silvina. We will send you. But remember, there’s no turning back once you step into the shadows. You must be ready."

Silvina nodded, her expression hardening into one of unshakable resolve

As she turns to leave, the council’s gaze lingered on her, she didn’t care. She knew what her mission was and she would not fail.

Silvina stepped out of the council room, the heavy doors closing behind her with a resonating thud. Her pulse was steady. The hall was eerily silent as she walked, her boots clicking against the stone floor.

Her mission, she was tasked to eliminate one of the oldest and most dangerous vampire covens, its members were centuries old, the blood that they had shed could stain the sea a dark red.

She walked toward the weapons table, where they had to leave their weapons before entering the council room. Her fingers brushed the silver dagger on the table, the cold metal offering a small comfort.

Silvina took a deep breath, her hand lingering on the silver dagger for just a moment longer before she pulled away. Placing her two silver daggers in their holsters and grabbing her gun and securing it to her waist, she moved.

Her steps echoed as she walked through the hallway, her eyes were always scanning for danger even if she was in the most secure building in the city.

The Hunter’skeep.

The building itself is a masterpiece of defensive architecture, a combination of old-world stone craftsmanship and modern security measures.

The outer layer of the building was simple yet imposing, designed to blend seamlessly with the city’s skyline

The outer facade was simple yet imposing, designed to blend seamlessly with the city’s skyline while hiding the true nature of the place. Its windows were narrowed and reinforced with a special type of glass that can withstand blows from supernatural forces, and the heavy iron door was sealed with both physical and magical locks, ensuring only those with permission could enter.

Silvina walked through the Hunter's Keep with purposeful strides. The air was thick with the scent of old parchment, leather, and the ever-present burn of silver.

UV lights illuminated her path, casting a heated glow. Each step taken her closer to her next mission, but her mind was already on the task at hand.

The faces of her fellow hunters were a blur as she passed them. They were all busy preparing for their own hunts, sharpening weapons, reading reports, or consulting with the Keep’s alchemists for potions and poisons.

Silvina barely noticed them, her mind focused on her mission. It was the same routine, the same deadly purpose. She never made friends, she only had one goal her whole life. Training and succeeding.

Her hand brushed against the hilt of her silver dagger, a reminder of the countless nights spent sharpening her skills and honing her instincts. The daggers had become extensions of herself—both deadly and precise, capable of ending a vampire’s life with a single strike. They were the tools of her trade, and she trusted them above all else.

She turned a corner and entered the war room, where maps and scrolls were scattered across the table. The soft murmur of conversations filled the air, but it fell silent as the others took notice of her. Silvina didn’t need to speak. Her presence commanded attention.

A grizzled old hunter named Darius looked up from the map and nodded at her. "Silvina," he greeted, his voice rough from years of smoke and battle. "Your next mission’s been handed down from the Council. It’s a vampire lord. I’m shocked they gave this to you."

She nodded sharply, her voice steady. "Where is their coven?"

Darius slid a map toward her, his finger tracing a dark stretch of forest far from the Keep and the city. "We’ve tracked them to an old mansion in the heart of the Blackwood. The reports say the vampire lord has been gathering followers, but no one’s seen him directly. You’ll need to be cautious."

"Of course," she replied, her gaze locked on the map, absorbing every detail.

“Silvina…” Darius’s voice softened with concern. “This is a no-contact mission. If you’ve completed it, you can return immediately.”

Silvina’s expression hardened as she looked up from the map, her resolve unshaken. "No contact until every last one of them is eliminated."

“Yes…” Darius repeated.

She took the file next to him with her name on it.

“Remember to stop by the armory before you leave. Good luck, Silvina.” Darius said, his eyes lingering over her as if he wanted to say something more, but kept silent.

As she walked out of the room, her eyes briefly fell on a long-forgotten portrait hanging in the hallway. It was a painting of the first hunters who had established the Keep, their faces stern and unwavering. Silvina’s heart thudded in her chest. She wondered if they ever felt the weight of what they did—the endless cycle of death and vengeance. Sometimes, it felt as though the Keep itself had absorbed all the darkness of the battles fought within its walls, leaving nothing but a hollow echo of lives lived in pursuit of a singular purpose: to protect humanity from the monsters lurking in the shadows.

She tore her gaze away from the painting and made her way to the armory. She was greeted by Jane, polishing a sniper rifle.

“My order was to give you fifty silver bullets with these…” Jane pointed to a stack of bullets. These bullets are designed to cause significant damage, such as burning or explosion, upon impact. Vampires, being vulnerable to fire, would be susceptible to these types of bullets. And then, of course, fifty wooden and silver bullets.”

Silvina smiled as she picked up one of the bullets, looking at the chrome liquid flowing inside. "You are a true artist, Jane," she said, starting to pack the ammunition in a bag.

“I try,” Jane said with a prideful smile.

Silvina packed all the ammunition before leaving without another word. She was ready. But as she paused in the doorway, a strange feeling tugged at her. It was an intuition—a feeling she couldn’t ignore. Something about this hunt felt different—darker, perhaps more personal.

Silvina shook off the thought and steeled herself. The next hunt would be like all the others—kill or be killed. Nothing more, nothing less.