Chapter 1 Prologue

The night air was thick with the scent of blood and desperation, swirling together in a tempest that seemed to cling to the ancient forest clearing. It was not a place for the living but the living had chosen this place for a meeting.

At the center of it all, an altar carved from black stone loomed beneath a canopy of twisted branches, its surface slick with fresh crimson. Around it, a circle of creatures gathered; vampires with eyes like molten rubies, werewolves whose claws twitched in barely-contained aggression, witches draped in dark silks that shimmered unnaturally, and shades, their spectral forms shifting and flickering like dying embers.

All eyes were fixed on the altar, where a lone figure knelt; bound, battered, and trembling. The witch's silver hair was matted with blood, her eyes wild and defiant even as her strength waned. She was the one who had spoken the prophecy, her words echoing across centuries, igniting fear and ambition in the hearts of every supernatural faction. And now, they had dragged her here, to the edge of the world, as far west as west could go, to silence her voice forever.

The leader of the assembly, a vampire elder named Kael, stepped forward. His age was carved into his pale features, his eyes glowing faintly as he addressed the crowd. "For centuries, this witch's prophecy has hung over us like a blade," he said, his voice low and commanding. "A child who will tear the veil, who will bring ruin to the living and the dead alike, must not be born. Tonight, we sever her connection to the prophecy and bind it forever. By her blood, we take control of our fates."

A murmur of approval rippled through the gathered creatures, though some faces remained hesitant, uncertain.

Kael turned to the witch, his voice hardening. "You brought this upon yourself when you spoke those cursed words."

The witch spat at his feet, her voice hoarse but filled with venom. "You cannot bind what was never yours to control."

Kael's lips curled into a cold smile as he raised a dagger etched with runes that pulsed faintly with malevolent energy. "Watch me," he said with simple malice.

Around him, the other factions moved closer, their faces illuminated by the flickering torches that ringed the clearing. The tension in the air was palpable, as though the forest itself was holding its breath.

Kael didn't hesitate. He plunged the dagger into the witch's chest, her scream piercing the silence as blood spilled over the altar, pooling in its ancient grooves. The air shifted immediately, a charged current crackling through the clearing. The witch's body convulsed, her dying breath carrying one last curse:

"You think this will save you?" she rasped, her voice echoing unnaturally as her eyes locked with Kael's. "My blood will not bind the prophecy. Hear me O ancient ones for I have paid the price in life's blood. My spilled blood will feed it."

Her body stilled, but the words lingered, carried on the wind like ash. For a moment, silence reigned, broken only by the distant rustling of leaves.

Then the shadows shifted.

A figure emerged from the darkness, his arrival as silent as death itself. His presence was an intrusion, yet it felt as though he had always been there, watching from the edges of reality. His face was obscured by shadow, but his form was solid, his movements deliberate as he stepped toward the altar.

The creatures turned, bristling. "Who are you?" a werewolf growled, baring his fangs.

He was immediately struck by his alpha, drawing blood. "Only fools do not know Thalor, god of prophecies."

Thalor ignored him, his voice smooth and chilling as it cut through the tension. "You fools," he said, his tone laced with dark amusement. "You've only quickened the prophecy's path. The witch's blood has not bound it; it has become an accelerant."

Kael stiffened, the dagger still clutched in his hand. "Lies," he spat. "The ritual was flawless. Her death ensures the prophecy will remain dormant."

The figure laughed, low and menacing. "You've spilled sacred blood on cursed stone, and now the prophecy stirs. You've opened the door you sought to seal," he smiled as if amused. "You forget her words, bloodsucker. She paid the price. You helped her pay it."

The air grew colder, the torches flickering wildly as an unnatural wind swept through the clearing. Whispers, faint but growing, filled the space; unintelligible words that carried a sense of foreboding. The shadows seemed to lengthen, creeping closer to the altar as if drawn to the blood that now soaked it.

"You've unleashed something far worse than you can comprehend," Thalor said, his voice softening to a near-whisper. "The child will come, and no ritual, no sacrifice, no alliance will stop it. It is already written."

Kael stepped forward, his voice trembling with restrained fury. "If you know so much, tell us how to stop it."

The figure tilted his head, as though considering the question. Then, with a voice laced with quiet menace, he replied, "You don't stop it. You survive it... if you can. I won't let her sacrifice be a waste."

And with that, he dissolved into the shadows, leaving the gathering to stand in stunned silence.

The clearing felt heavier now, the weight of the witch's blood and the Thalor's warning pressing down on them. For the first time, Kael's confidence wavered. He glanced at the altar, where the witch's lifeless body lay, and felt the beginnings of dread clawing at his cold, immortal heart.

The prophecy was alive, and it was coming for them all.