The girl was simply too tired to dream. For lord knows how long, Lilith swam through an infinite sea of blackness as she slept in the endless void. Occasionally, she'd hear voices in the distance, a garbled mess of words and phrases she could never identify.
Eventually, the girl's eyes opened, and they burned as the soft lighting of a nearby lantern immediately assaulted her retinas. Lilith remained perfectly still as she finally awoke, eyes wide as just how...grandiose the room was.
The infirmary's walls were adorned with dark wood paneling, and crimson velvet drapes hang from the tall windows. Antique medical instruments rest on polished wooden tables, and ancient tomes on alchemy and healing are carefully arranged on shelves. Candle sconces line the walls, casting flickering shadows that dance on the aged stone.
Among the traditional touches, there were modern medical instruments as well, brought about by the integration of science and magic. Steam-powered machines, likely crafted by skilled hunters and alchemists, filled the infirmary, aiding in diagnostics and treatments. A delicate blend of magic and science that paved the way for a unique ambiance, where old and new seamlessly coexisted.
Lilith was tempted to fall back asleep, turning her head to her left to immediately notice that she wasn't alone. An older man with a rat's nest of graying hair, his arms and hands were completely covered in what looked to be alchemical tattoos.
"You..." Lilith rasped, her throat seizing as she came to realize just how thirsty she was.
However, the doctor did not hear her over his own snoring, the older man lying back in his chair, arms crossed and fast asleep.
The girl rolled onto her side and forcefully smacked the man's knee, the doctor jolting awake as he looked in all directions.
"I am awake! I never sleep on duty!" He cried to no one in particular.
He looks down at the very annoyed looking girl lying in bed, rapidly tapping on her throat as she begged for water.
"Ah! Water, yes, of course!" He pulled an cold jug of water from a nearby table and poured her a glass, helping Lilith hold the thing as she attempted to down the entire thing.
"Slowly, slowly now! You've been unconscious for a week and half. You were half-dead when you arrived here, starved and weak from exposure. Regardless, you are still with us. I'm sure Sir Isaac will be pleased."
The girl coughed as she took a final gulp of water, wiping her mouth as the doctor sat the glass down on her beside table.
"Where am I?" She asked, attempting to regather her wits.
"You are currently resting within the halls of the noble Wolfe House. Here, you are safe from the horrors of the night. I must say, little one, I am surprised one so young survived the journey here. Alone, and on foot no less!"
"Well, my mother was a hunter of the Wolfe family. Her name was—"
"Aurelia Wolfe. This, I know."
The voice came from a tall man standing at the entrance of the infirmary. He was clad in the attire of a seasoned hunter: a long black coat no doubt made from a thick, durable material that provided protection against the elements as well as the claws of the night's terrors. The collar was pulled high, and the coat was adorned with imperial silver accents and buckles, the shoulder guards gleaming under the lights of the infirmary. His trousers were secured with a belt accompanied by a buckle depicting a sword and shield, and his boots were also tipped and lined with imperial silver, allowing him to kick violently and stomp any horrors that should come his way. Held in a sheath at his left side was a short sword and in a holster on his right was a large pistol of some kind, a design Lilith had never seen before. His utility belt was also lined with pouches likely containing all kinds of tools and no doubt additional weapons, and a harness about his chest held several silver throwing knives and ammunition for the pistol on his belt. In his hands was a familiar leather pouch.
"Mother..." Lilith whispered.
"If these are indeed my sister's ashes, then it is indeed her daughter that lays before us both. I am so sorry for the loss of your mother, young one. I...I have not seen you since you were little, barely able to stand on your own and terrified of your own shadow. I used to carry you around the halls of the mansion while your mother followed like an enraged bear." He gave her a sorrowful smile as he recalled the warm memory.
The hunter took a seat on the opposite of the doctor, the two men nodding in greeting to one another as he continued to cradle Aurelia's ashes.
"I know this is a difficult time for you, but I must know...how did my sister die?"
Lilith was silent, but only for a moment. The memory of that night returned at full force, and from the sorrow that pooled in her chest, rage was born. She gritted her teeth, lips peeled back to reveal her new row of fangs, the hunter's eyes growing wide and the Doctor Faust raising a brow as her tattoos glowed once more, flames licking her white patient's clothes.
"Please, young one, you must calm yourself!" The doctor reminded her.
The flames faded, but the tattoos continued to glow.
"Vampires attacked our party at night. They were after mother. They had a leader...this woman mother called...Morgana Levesque." She recalled, hands balled into fists.
"By the Seraphim...she has returned..." Doctor Faust whispered.
The hunter nodded, his face a grim mask of stone.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
"Indeed, it would seem Bloody Mary has finally reared her hideous head."
Lilith locked eyes with the hunter who reminded her so much of her mother. The same piercing amber eyes, albeit her mother had only one. The dark skin, the structure of his face. The way in which he carried himself.
"Uncle...Isaac?" She began with uncertainty.
"Who is she?"
"One of the worst things born from the bowels of hell itself, little one." Doctor Faust answered. His striking blue eyes seemed distant, not quite looking at Lilith, as though recalling a long off, foul memory.
"Bloody Mary is a horror that goes by many names. She's been walking among us for...well, only the gods would know how many centuries. There's a rumor that she was a member of one of Eldengard's oldest noble families. But much of her history is a mix of potential fact and possible fiction. What we do know, little one, is that she's vampire most foul. Queen of the Blood Moon and the stuff of nightmares. Most hunters who have attempted to slay her have met a brutal end. Those that lived to tell the tale are in no condition to embark on another hunt ever. While she's terrorized this country for quite some time, she disappeared at a certain point in history. The last hunter to face her was my great-grandfather, and all he managed to do was seal her away in a long forgotten tomb. With what you have told us today...it is abundantly that she has returned."
Doctor Faust nervously tapped his feet upon the floor, his arms folded across his chest.
"I knew something was wrong. My daughter has been saying for months on end that things were stirring in the dark. Foul things, she said."
"I know, doctor, I know." Isaac replied, running a hand through his beard.
"We know not where she is nor what she is planning. The best we can do is keep our heads on a swivel, for those of us behind these walls and beyond." Doctor Faust concluded.
"And beyond?" The girl asked.
"How much did your mother teach you?" Isaac inquired.
"Just enough to keep me alive, I suppose. How to orient myself if separated from the group. How to start a fire, how to cook, keep oneself clean, where to stab an undead should they come too close."
"Clearly, your sister wanted the girl to live as ordinary a life as possible. Young Lilith, did your mother tell you anything about your bloodline?" Doctor Faust implored.
"No, nothing at all. Just that our family has a rich history."
Before anyone could reply, there came a colossal roar of thunder, the window of the infirmary flashing the brightest of white as a bolt of lightning struck the earth. The sound alone made the poor girl nearly jump out of her skin. Isaac and Doctor Faust, likely accustomed to chaos, were even disturbed.
"Thunder? During a winter storm? How odd..." The doctor mused.
The door to the infirmary burst open, and a young huntress entered, clad in attire much like Isaac.
"Doctor! Sir Isaac! There is an odd phenomenon happening outside the mansion! I...I don't know how to explain it, but something is very wrong! The stuff of omens!"
The two men rose to their feet and quickly made for the door. Lilith instinctively slid out of bed and immediately stumbled and fell as her feet touched the cold wooden floor.
Isaac turned and rushed back to her side.
"You must return to bed!" He said, placing the pouch holding her mother's ashes by her bedside and attempting to help her climb back in.
"No! I wish to know what's going on in its entirety! No more secrets, and that includes whatever is happening outside!"
Isaac sighed, having the doctor fetch her robes for warmth before the three made their way outside. As Isaac pushed open the tall reinforced entrance doors to the mansion, they were met with a sight born from a nightmare.
The air thickened with an ominous energy, and a haunting silence settled upon the land. The once vibrant colors of nature now turned muted, as if nature itself mourned the impending doom. The nightly chirping of winter-land birds and critters and the rustling of snow-laden trees were replaced by an eerie stillness, as if the world held its breath in trepidation.
Then, emerging from behind a gathering shroud of dark clouds, the Blood Moon began its ascent. Its crimson glow pierced the blackness, casting an otherworldly light upon the world below. The moon's surface seemed to writhe, as if it bore an ancient malevolence within.
As the Blood Moon ascended higher, its red radiance bathed everything in its path, turning the landscape a ghastly shade of scarlet. The world was no longer recognizable; it was as if reality itself had been tainted by an unfathomable darkness.
With the arrival of the Blood Moon came an abrupt shift in the weather. The once mild winter breeze turned into a biting cold wind that cut through Lilith's thin clothing like a blade. The perpetual winter had descended upon the world, transforming the once lush surroundings into a frozen wasteland.
The foul energy surrounding the Blood Moon was palpable, sending shivers down Lilith's spine. It felt as if the very essence of evil had taken residence in the skies above, spreading its malevolence across the land. Her young mind struggled to comprehend the magnitude of this cursed phenomenon.
As the hours dragged on, the Blood Moon continued to rise, casting its eerie glow upon the Wolfe House and its surroundings. Its presence seemed to taunt Lilith, a cruel reminder of the dark forces that now threatened to consume her world.
Amid the crimson glow, Lilith felt an overwhelming sense of loss and despair. The memory of her mother's lifeless body being consumed by flames haunted her mind, intertwining with the haunting spectacle before her.
The first Blood Moon - a night of eternal shadows, marking the beginning of a world forever changed. And within young Lilith's heart, it ignited a fire fueled by anger and hatred. Her resolve to become a hunter, to face the darkness head-on, solidified amid the chilling silence and the sinister presence of the Blood Moon. Little did she know that her path would be fraught with peril, yet it was a path she knew she must walk, no matter the cost.