Chapter Eleven: The Hunters in the Sky
1283 Words
The sky split open.
Not like lightning.
Not like a storm.
It tore apart.
A glowing rift stretched across the clouds above Lucien’s castle, bleeding silver light into the night. The air vibrated with a deep, unnatural hum that seemed to press against every surface of the courtyard.
Every vampire looked up.
Even the ancient creature kneeling beside the fissure lifted its massive head.
For the first time since emerging from the prison—
It looked afraid.
My chest tightened.
“What are those things?” I whispered.
The creature answered quietly.
“My executioners.”
The silver rift widened.
Something moved within the light.
Huge shadows shifted behind the glowing tear in the sky, their shapes distorted by the energy surrounding them.
Davies’ face had gone pale.
“No,” he muttered.
Lucien glanced at him.
“You recognize them.”
Davies swallowed.
“I recognize the stories.”
Lucien’s crimson eyes gleamed.
“Then tell us.”
Davies didn’t look away from the sky.
“Ancient hunters.”
Adrian frowned.
“Hunters of what?”
Davies’ voice lowered.
“Anything that threatens the balance of the supernatural world.”
Lucien smirked slightly.
“That sounds vague.”
Davies gestured sharply toward the rift.
“Not when you realize they were created to kill gods.”
Silence fell over the courtyard.
Lucien’s smile faded.
For the first time that night—
He looked serious.
“You’re suggesting that thing”—he nodded toward the kneeling creature—“is considered divine-level dangerous.”
Davies’ eyes were grim.
“Yes.”
The creature spoke again.
“They are relentless.”
Another flash of silver light burst across the sky.
This time the shapes inside the rift became clearer.
Massive armored figures stepped through the glowing tear in the clouds.
One.
Two.
Three.
They were enormous—taller than even the kneeling creature.
Their bodies were covered in ancient metallic armor etched with glowing runes.
Wings of silver light spread from their backs, shimmering against the night sky.
The courtyard fell silent again.
Adrian exhaled slowly.
“Those are not hunters.”
Davies disagreed quietly.
“They are exactly that.”
The first figure stepped fully through the rift.
Then it stopped midair.
Hovering above the castle.
Its glowing gaze swept across the courtyard.
Searching.
Calculating.
Until it landed on me.
The creature beside the fissure growled softly.
“They found her.”
My pulse spiked.
“Why are they looking at me?”
Davies didn’t answer immediately.
Lucien did.
“Because you’re the common factor.”
Another armored hunter stepped through the rift.
Then another.
Five of them now floated above the castle.
Their glowing eyes burned like stars.
Adrian moved closer to Lucien.
“Lucien… those things are radiating power stronger than anything I’ve felt in centuries.”
Lucien nodded slowly.
“Yes.”
But he didn’t sound afraid.
If anything—
He sounded intrigued.
The first hunter finally spoke.
Its voice carried across the courtyard like a blade cutting through silence.
“Hybrid anomaly detected.”
My stomach dropped.
“That sounds bad.”
The hunter continued.
“Creator signal confirmed.”
Davies whispered a curse.
Lucien’s eyes flicked toward me again.
“Creator signal?”
The hunter raised its glowing spear.
Pointing directly at me.
“Target identified.”
My heart stopped.
“Wait.”
The kneeling creature suddenly moved.
Its massive body shifted between me and the sky.
Chains rattled violently as it rose slightly from its kneeling position.
“Stay back.”
The hunters did not move.
But their weapons glowed brighter.
The first one spoke again.
“Primary threat detected.”
It wasn’t talking about me.
It was talking about the creature.
Lucien noticed immediately.
“They’re here for you.”
The creature didn’t deny it.
“Yes.”
Davies stepped forward sharply.
“This is exactly why it was sealed away!”
Lucien looked amused again.
“Or maybe this is why she created it.”
My head spun.
“I didn’t create anything!”
But even as I said it—
Another flash of memory tore through my mind.
The cavern again.
The ritual circle.
And this time—
Something descending from the sky.
Glowing figures.
The same ones.
Fighting.
Destroying everything in their path.
My breath caught.
“They were attacking.”
Lucien turned toward me immediately.
“You remember something.”
“They were destroying everything.”
The memory sharpened.
Flames.
Collapsed cities.
Armies of supernatural creatures falling before silver weapons.
“They weren’t protecting balance,” I whispered.
“They were wiping us out.”
Davies looked stunned.
“That’s impossible.”
Lucien disagreed quietly.
“Not impossible.”
His gaze returned to the hunters above the castle.
“Strategic.”
The lead hunter raised its weapon again.
“Creator anomaly must be eliminated.”
The words froze the air.
My chest tightened.
“They want to kill me.”
Lucien smiled faintly.
“Yes.”
Adrian swore.
“That’s not good.”
The creature stepped forward again.
Its chains snapped violently as it moved.
“I will not allow that.”
The hunters reacted instantly.
Their wings flared with blinding light.
Energy gathered around their weapons.
The lead hunter spoke again.
“Guardian construct detected.”
Davies frowned.
“Construct?”
Lucien’s smile widened slightly.
“They think it’s a weapon.”
The creature growled.
“I am more than a weapon.”
Lucien chuckled.
“That remains to be seen.”
Suddenly—
One of the hunters moved.
It shot downward from the sky like a silver comet.
Straight toward the courtyard.
Adrian reacted instantly.
“Incoming!”
The hunter struck the ground with explosive force.
Stone shattered.
The courtyard cracked beneath the impact.
Dust and debris exploded outward.
When the dust cleared—
The hunter stood between me and the others.
Its armor glowed brighter now.
It lifted its weapon.
“Creator anomaly confirmed.”
The creature roared.
The sound shook the castle walls.
“Stay away from her!”
The hunter didn’t hesitate.
It swung its weapon.
The creature moved to intercept.
Their collision was catastrophic.
Power exploded outward like a shockwave.
Vampires were thrown backward.
Stone walls cracked.
Even Lucien had to step back.
Adrian stared in disbelief.
“Those things are strong.”
Lucien’s eyes gleamed.
“Yes.”
The creature roared again as it clashed with the hunter.
Their battle lit the courtyard with violent flashes of silver and black energy.
The remaining hunters in the sky began descending.
Davies looked horrified.
“There are too many of them.”
Lucien didn’t seem concerned.
If anything—
He looked delighted.
“A war between gods and hunters.”
He glanced at me again.
“And you’re standing in the center of it.”
Another hunter landed in the courtyard.
Then another.
Weapons glowing.
Eyes locked on me.
The lead hunter raised its spear again.
“Final directive.”
Its voice echoed like a death sentence.
“Eliminate the creator.”
The creature roared.
Lucien stepped forward slowly.
His crimson eyes burned.
“Well,” he murmured.
“This just became interesting.”
But then—
Something unexpected happened.
The silver energy inside my body surged violently.
Stronger than ever before.
The ground cracked beneath my feet.
The hunters froze.
Every single one of them turned toward me.
Their glowing eyes widened.
And the lead hunter spoke again.
This time with something that sounded disturbingly like alarm.
“Impossible.”
My vision blurred as the power inside me exploded outward.
The hunter’s voice echoed again.
But this time—
It wasn’t calling me the creator.
It called me something else.
“Prime origin detected.”
- Writer
