Ashwood Bar was empty.
Too empty.
The lights flickered softly.
Old music played somewhere in the background—
But no one was there.
Except him.
Aeron Vex sat at the corner table.
Calm.
Waiting.
The door creaked open.
Nora stepped in.
Slow.
Careful.
Zoe's protection spell faintly glowing around her.
Nora looked around.
"…Of course."
"No people. No witnesses. Very dramatic."
Aeron didn't smile.
"You came."
Nora crossed her arms.
"Don't sound surprised."
She walked closer—
But stopped at a distance.
"I'm not here to play games."
Aeron leaned back slightly.
Studying her.
"I don't play games."
A pause.
"I end them."
Nora rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, yeah. Creepy dialogue."
"What do you want?"
Silence.
Then—
Aeron spoke.
Slow.
Clear.
"You."
Nora froze for a second.
"…What?"
Aeron stood up.
Walked closer.
Not aggressive.
Not threatening.
Just… certain.
"I will let all of you live."
A pause.
"Every single one of them."
Nora frowned.
"That doesn't sound like you."
Aeron's eyes didn't leave hers.
"On one condition."
Nora already knew.
"…Say it."
"Eva and Lana die."
Silence.
Heavy.
Sharp.
Nora stepped forward instantly.
Anger rising.
"You're insane."
Aeron didn't react.
"After that…"
A pause.
"I build what was meant to exist."
Nora laughed once.
Cold.
"Your 'kingdom'?"
Aeron tilted his head slightly.
"Not a kingdom."
A pause.
"A correction."
Nora shook her head.
"No."
"Not happening."
Aeron studied her.
Then—
For the first time—
His voice changed.
Softer.
"You are the only one I do not want to destroy."
Nora went still.
"You are… like me."
Nora's expression hardened.
"No."
"I'm nothing like you."
Aeron stepped closer.
Closer than before.
"That is why I chose you."
Silence stretched.
Nora broke it.
"Why?"
A pause.
"Why me?"
Aeron looked at her for a long moment.
Then—
He answered.
"Because you are the only one who understands control… and still chooses not to lose it."
Nora didn't respond.
But she didn't step back either.
The Backstory
Nora spoke again—
Lower now.
Serious.
"…What are you?"
Aeron's gaze shifted slightly.
Not away.
Just… deeper.
"We were three."
The air in the bar felt heavier.
"My brother… Finn Vox."
"My sister… Exuma Vox."
Nora listened carefully.
"We were human."
A pause.
"Once."
He continued—
"Our aunt…"
"…was a witch."
The lights flickered.
"She wanted to create something beyond life."
A pause.
"And she did."
Nora whispered—
"…You."
Aeron nodded slightly.
"She turned us into something else."
"Not vampire."
"Not wolf."
"Not witch."
A pause.
"Something… wrong."
Nora's voice lowered.
"…Panthom."
Aeron didn't react to the word.
But didn't deny it.
"I died at twenty-four."
Silence.
"But I didn't leave."
Nora swallowed slightly.
"What about your family?"
Aeron's expression didn't change—
But his voice did.
"She killed them."
A pause.
"Our parents."
The room felt colder.
"I stayed in control."
"Exuma… followed me."
A shadow passed across his face.
"But Finn…"
A pause.
"…did not."
Nora frowned.
"What did he do?"
Aeron answered simply—
"Everything."
Silence.
"So she buried us."
Nora's eyes narrowed.
"…Buried?"
"In the ground."
"Alive."
A pause.
"Waiting."
Nora exhaled slowly.
"…And now you're back."
Aeron nodded.
"But they are not."
A pause.
Then—
"Yet."
Nora's eyes widened slightly.
"You want Eva and Lana to wake them up…"
Aeron looked at her.
"Yes."
Silence.
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
Nora stepped back slowly.
Her expression cold now.
Decided.
"…I'm going to kill you."
Aeron didn't react.
Didn't move.
Didn't threaten.
"You can try."
Nora turned toward the door.
Stopped for a second.
Then said—
"…I won't try."
A pause.
"I will."
She walked out.
Cut Back — The Cave
At the same time—
Velik and Julien entered the cave.
Carrying blood bags.
Enough.
More than enough.
Lucas looked up.
"…Finally."
Eva and Lana remained resting.
Weak.
But alive.
And far away—
Something had already started moving.
Because this wasn't just a fight anymore.
It was a choice
The cave was quiet again.
But not peaceful.
Lucas paced back and forth.
Restless.
Annoyed.
Hungry.
"…She's taking too long."
Julien leaned against the wall.
"She'll be fine."
Lucas stopped instantly.
Turned.
"You don't know that."
Velik remained calm.
"She will return."
Lucas scoffed.
"Yeah, and if she doesn't?"
No one answered.
Zoe sat near Eva and Lana.
Watching them breathe.
Still weak.
Still recovering.
Then—
Footsteps.
Outside.
Everyone turned.
Nora walked in.
Slow.
Silent.
Different.
Lucas stepped forward immediately.
"…You okay?"
Nora didn't answer.
Didn't look at him.
Just walked further inside.
That was enough to set everyone on edge.
Julien straightened.
"What happened?"
Nora finally stopped.
Took a breath.
Then—
"…He doesn't want to kill us."
Silence.
Lucas blinked.
"…What?"
Nora looked up.
Cold.
Focused.
"He said he'll let all of us live."
A pause.
"…if we kill Eva and Lana."
Everything snapped.
Lucas exploded.
"WHAT?!"
He stepped forward—
Anger immediate.
Violent.
"You actually stood there and LISTENED to that?!"
Nora snapped back.
"I didn't agree!"
Lucas didn't stop.
"That's not the point!"
He pointed toward Eva and Lana.
"They just came back—and that psycho wants them dead AGAIN?!"
Zoe stood up.
"Lucas—calm down—"
"I AM CALM!"
He clearly wasn't.
Julien stepped in.
"Enough."
Lucas ran a hand through his hair.
Breathing heavy.
"…Say everything."
Nora nodded slightly.
Then spoke—
"He's not just killing randomly."
A pause.
"He needs them."
Velik's eyes narrowed.
"For what?"
Nora answered—
"…to bring his siblings back."
Silence fell again.
Different this time.
Heavier.
Zoe whispered—
"…What?"
Nora continued—
"He has a brother. Finn."
"A sister. Exuma."
Julien frowned.
"…And?"
Nora's voice lowered.
"They're like him."
Lucas muttered—
"Great. More nightmares."
Nora continued—
"They were turned by a witch… their aunt."
A pause.
"She made them into something else."
Zoe whispered—
"…Panthom…"
Nora nodded.
"He said his brother lost control."
"Started killing… everyone."
Velik spoke quietly—
"And so they were sealed."
Nora looked at him.
"…Buried alive."
Zoe stepped back slightly.
"No…"
Lucas laughed once.
Not humor.
Just disbelief.
"…This just keeps getting worse."
Julien crossed his arms.
"So what does that have to do with Eva and Lana?"
Nora answered immediately—
"They came back from death."
A pause.
"He thinks they can bring his siblings back too."
That hit hard.
Lucas turned slowly toward Eva.
Then Lana.
"…Over my dead body."
Zoe whispered—
"Lucas…"
He shook his head.
"No."
Firm.
Angry.
"Not happening."
The Shift
Nora spoke again.
Softer now.
"There's more."
Everyone looked at her.
"He… didn't want me dead."
Lucas frowned.
"…Why?"
Nora hesitated.
Just for a second.
"…He said I'm like him."
Silence.
Lucas stepped closer.
Lower voice now.
"…You're not."
Nora looked at him.
"I know."
But something in her tone—
Wasn't fully sure.
Final Explosion
Lucas suddenly kicked a loose stone across the cave.
Hard.
Frustration boiling over again.
"FIRST he kills—"
He stopped himself.
Clenched his fists.
Corrected—
"—he ruins everything…"
"Then he shows up, makes deals, talks about family like he's normal—"
He pointed toward the outside.
"And now he wants to build some twisted world using YOU?!"
His voice cracked slightly—
But he didn't stop.
"I swear—"
A pause.
Lower.
Dead serious.
"If he comes near any of you again…"
His eyes darkened.
For once—
No humor.
No sarcasm.
"…I don't care what he is."
"I will find a way to end him."
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Real.
Ending Beat
Velik finally spoke—
"We don't rush."
A pause.
"We prepare."
Julien nodded.
"We stop him before he reaches them."
Zoe looked at Nora.
"We protect each other."
Nora exhaled slowly.
"…Yeah."
Lucas muttered—
"…and maybe eat something before we all die."
Zoe rolled her eyes.
"There he is."
But even that small moment—
Didn't remove the truth.
Because now—
They finally understood.
This wasn't about survival anymore.
It was about stopping something…
Before it became impossible.
The Trap
The cave felt smaller now.
Not physically—
But mentally.
Like the walls were closing in.
Silence sat between them.
Heavy.
After everything Nora had said.
Lana finally stood up.
Still weak—
But steady.
"I can control myself."
Her voice was calm.
Focused.
Everyone looked at her.
"And now…"
A pause.
"We stop running."
Lucas leaned back against the wall.
"…I like where this is going."
Lana continued—
"We need a plan."
Velik nodded.
"Agreed."
Lana looked around at all of them.
"We don't fight him outside."
A pause.
"We trap him."
Julien frowned.
"…Trap him?"
Lana nodded.
"We lock him somewhere he can't escape."
Lucas raised an eyebrow.
"…Right now, we're the ones locked in a cave."
He gestured outside.
"And he's walking around freely."
Eva stepped forward.
"Then we change that."
Everyone turned to her.
Eva looked at Lana.
Then at Nora.
"We use what he wants."
Lucas narrowed his eyes.
"…Don't like that sentence."
Eva continued anyway.
"He wants Nora."
Silence.
Nora immediately shook her head.
"No."
Eva stepped closer.
"Listen first."
Zoe watched carefully.
"What are you thinking?"
Eva spoke clearly—
"We send Nora back to the bar."
Lucas pushed himself off the wall instantly.
"NO."
Nora crossed her arms.
"Finally, something I agree with."
Eva didn't stop.
"And this time…"
A pause.
"…we're ready."
Velik's eyes sharpened.
"…Go on."
Eva pointed toward the cave entrance.
"We don't wait here."
"We go out."
Julien frowned.
"That's risky."
Eva nodded.
"Yes."
"But necessary."
Then—
She said the key part.
"We cast a binding spell."
Zoe's eyes widened slightly.
"…Outside?"
Eva nodded.
"A containment field."
A pause.
"Once he enters…"
"…he doesn't leave."
Silence fell.
Everyone processing it.
Nora looked at her.
"You want me to bait him."
Eva met her eyes.
"I want you to bring him in."
Lucas shook his head immediately.
"I don't think this is going to work."
Eva looked at him.
"Why?"
Lucas stepped forward.
"Because he's not stupid."
A pause.
"He knows what we are."
"He knows what we'll try."
Velik spoke calmly—
"But he also has a weakness."
Everyone looked at him.
Velik nodded toward Nora.
"…Her."
Silence.
Nora exhaled slowly.
"…I hate this plan."
Zoe stepped closer to her.
"You won't be alone."
Julien added—
"We'll be right outside."
Lana spoke softly—
"He won't suspect all of us."
Eva stepped closer to Nora.
Lower voice.
"Trust me."
A pause.
Nora looked at her.
Long.
Careful.
"…If this goes wrong—"
Lucas cut in—
"It won't."
Everyone looked at him.
Lucas sighed.
"…Because we won't let it."
That was the closest thing to reassurance he could give.
Nora shook her head slightly.
"…You all are insane."
Zoe smiled faintly.
"Yeah."
Nora took a breath.
Then nodded once.
"…Okay."
The Plan Locks In
Velik stepped forward.
"Then we move now."
Julien grabbed the blood bags.
Lucas looked at them—
"…Finally."
Lana looked at Eva.
"After this…"
A pause.
"No more mistakes."
Eva nodded.
"After this…"
"…we finish it."
Outside—
The forest waited.
Dark.
Still.
And somewhere—
Aeron was already watching.
Because this time—
They weren't running.
They were hunting.