Frostblood: The last dragon Hunter

Shadows in the Mist

The night was silent—unnaturally so.

Not a single dog barked. Not a whisper of wind stirred the trees. The village, once full of life, lay cloaked in fear. Doors were bolted shut. Curtains drawn. Lanterns dimmed. No soul dared step outside, save for two.

Kaoru walked quietly through the narrow, moonlit alleys, his cloak brushing against the cobblestone. Hana followed close behind, her grip tight on her blade's hilt.

Kaoru glanced around, his voice low and composed.

"Doesn't look like there's any threat around here."

Hana didn't lower her guard. Her eyes scanned every rooftop, every shadow that flickered.

"Still… no harm in keeping an eye out."

Their footsteps echoed faintly as they passed shuttered homes. Each one seemed to hold its breath. Every corner felt like it might be hiding something.

Eventually, Kaoru crouched, settling onto the ground in a small clearing between two houses.

Hana frowned.

"This isn't the time to rest."

He didn't look up.

"I'm not resting." He closed his eyes. "Just watch."

A moment passed in silence. Then his eyes snapped open, sharper than before.

"The Abyss is in the forest," he said coldly. "She hasn't come out yet… but she's there."

Hana's stance shifted. Her hand tightened on her blade.

"Then what are we waiting for?"

Kaoru rose without another word, brushing off the dirt.

"Let's go."

They moved—silent and swift—toward the black line of trees at the edge of the village. Toward the darkness where something ancient and terrifying waited.

The Whispering Abyss

The forest was different.

The moment they stepped beneath its canopy, the air turned colder. Mist curled around their feet like living things. The moonlight barely touched the path. Each step they took was muffled, as though the forest itself didn't want to disturb what lay ahead.

Kaoru slowed his pace, alert.

"Strange… I'm sensing nothing."

Hana scanned the dark tree line.

"Maybe she's already onto us. If she's one of the Six Abyss… she's definitely nearby."

Kaoru frowned.

"Even sensing her presence is harder now. It's like…" He hesitated. "Like she's hiding inside the air itself."

They moved on.

Thick branches arched overhead. The deeper they went, the heavier the silence became—like a weight pressing on their chests.

Then suddenly, Kaoru stopped. Mid-step. Frozen.

Hana's voice broke the quiet.

"Why did you stop?"

He didn't answer.

His eyes were wide—too wide. His pupils barely visible. His mouth hung slightly open. Something was wrong.

"Kaoru?" Hana took a step forward, concern sharpening into panic. "Are you alright?!"

Then she saw it.

Something—no, someone—was wrapped around him.

A shape darker than the forest itself clung to his back, elegant and monstrous all at once. A pair of pale, slender arms draped over his shoulders, long nails tracing delicate lines across his cheek.

Her lips hovered dangerously close to his ear.

Kaoru's body trembled.

Hana couldn't move. She couldn't breathe.

The woman's voice was soft, haunting… and laced with cruelty.

"Were you looking for me, little wolf?"

Her smile twisted, beautiful and terrifying.

"Then come closer."