Morning rose smoothly somewhere in the Scottish Highlands. Pale sunlight slid gently over the hills and mist rolled low across the land. Inside the fortified walls, people were already awake, moving with purpose. Survivors had formed a small neighborhood of modest houses, arranged carefully within the barriers. For them, life continued through discipline and routine.
Daily activities were always underway. Everyone was assigned a task every morning. Some worked tirelessly on reinforcing the walls, stacking stone and metal under constant supervision. Hunting parties were sent out beyond the perimeter, while armed security patrols scanned the land for any sign of vampires, ordered to shoot on sight without hesitation.
Inside the walls, a small Medical Bay had been established for those injured during work or patrols. Anyone wounded was immediately brought there. Leyla had been assigned as a nurse, tending to the injured alongside Ivory and Emma. Dr. Patel had been given her own private quarters for research and experiments, far from the living areas. Marcus led the people as their unquestioned leader, his authority firm and absolute.
Several survivors worked on agriculture, planting and growing crops, as the sand-rich soil proved surprisingly good for farming. Ayanna was among those assigned to the fields. Sometimes Ben and Zara walked beside her, helping her plant seedlings, talking quietly as they worked under the open sky.
It was like a small town village hidden inside massive walls, heavily guarded at every corner.
Dr. Patel was inside her quarters, focused on her work. Her research space was filled with vials and equipment. Blood samples lined the shelves, each carefully labeled with names and dates. The room smelled of antiseptic and metal. Marcus stepped inside, his boots echoing softly against the floor as he approached her workstation.
"Please give me good news, Doc," Marcus asked.
"Still working, but I need to show you something. I was about to call for you," Dr. Patel replied.
She prepared an injection, carefully drawing blood into a syringe, then turned and showed it to Marcus.
"What's this supposed to mean?" he asked.
"I mixed blood samples from your blood and Emma's. I need to test it on one subject."
"You want me to take you? Why can't you go alone?"
"Because I don't want to die alone if anything happens," she said.
Marcus laughed briefly, shaking his head. "Let's go."
Dr. Patel secured the injection, gathered her tools, and followed Marcus as they exited her perimeter. They walked behind the houses, moving toward the far end of the settlement near the back of the walls. Ayanna was planting crops with Zara when they noticed Dr. Patel and Marcus walking together.
"Why do they always go behind the houses?" Zara asked quietly.
"I don't know, Zara, but whatever they're doing, I believe Dr. Patel has a good reason," Ayanna replied, watching them disappear from view.
Behind the settlement stood a small barn constructed with reinforced walls, heavy locks, and alarms mounted everywhere. Four armed guards protected the place day and night, working in rotating shifts. Two guards opened the door when they recognized Dr. Patel and Marcus. A warning sign hung above the entrance: STAY OUT.
Inside, vampires were restrained with chains, locked down as experimental subjects. Low growls echoed through the space. Marcus forced one vampire onto a metal bed as it struggled violently, snarling with unnatural strength. Dr. Patel hesitated, fear flickering across her face. Marcus wrestled the creature down and secured the restraints.
"It's okay. You can begin," Marcus said.
Dr. Patel stepped closer, preparing the serum. She stared at the vampire as it thrashed, desperate to free itself, its hunger for blood overwhelming. She injected the serum into its neck and slowly stepped back.
"Now comes the worst part," she said.
Two guards raised their guns, aiming directly at the vampire to protect her.
The subject began reacting immediately. The vampire coughed violently, blood spilling from its mouth. The serum surged through its body, forcing every possible cure within its system. Green veins spread across its arms and face as its eyes widened unnaturally. The body seized violently—then fell still. It was dead.
"Another failure," Marcus said, his voice heavy with disappointment.
"I need time, but I know I'm so close to finding the cure," Dr. Patel replied.
"Time is something we don't have!" Marcus shouted.
She stepped back instinctively.
"Do you know why I took you in?" Marcus continued. "Because you gave me hope. Every night I lie awake thinking that tomorrow there will be a cure. I've put all my faith in you. All these people—they look to you, Doc. You are our hope. We don't want to hunt vampires with bullets forever. We want to hunt them with a cure. Take them in. Give them shelter. A home. Day by day, until we wipe all those fuckers away."
He calmed himself and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Work again. Double your shifts until you find the cure."
"Already doubled it."
"Then triple it."
"I have a schedule this evening with Ayanna. She needs treatment. It's important," Dr. Patel said.
"Nothing and no one is more important than this. If she can't wait, let her die. I give you two months only," Marcus said before turning and walking away in anger.
Somewhere far away, the van continued moving as late morning faded into early afternoon. Scarlet and the others sat inside as the road stretched endlessly ahead. The silence was heavy. Zero drove, focused. Nutaila sat in the passenger seat, calmly cleaning her swords. Milan sat in the back with the others, staring forward, lost in thought.
Suddenly, Zero slammed the brakes. The van shook violently. Nutaila struck her face against the dashboard.
"What the hell is that?" Raven shouted.
"Your driving sucks," Nutaila snapped.
"Why did you stop like that?" Nadia asked.
"Look ahead," Zero said.
They saw a sign: WELCOME TO EDINBURGH. Beneath it, bodies were hanging from wooden beams. Everyone stepped out of the van, approaching slowly. On the right, a vampire was hung by ropes, growling weakly. Blood dripped from its torn abdomen—its lower body missing. On the left hung a human woman, dead. Her eyes were gone, leaving dark hollow sockets. Her fingers and toes had been cut off.
"What the fuck is this?" Zero muttered.
"Whoever did this made their message clear, Stay away. Not vampires. Not humans."Raven said fearfully.
"Then we have to find another way around," Nadia said. Everyone looked at her.
"What? There must be another way," she added.
"Are you afraid?" Nutaila asked.
"I'm not a fighter like you, You can defend yourselves."Nadia replied.
Milan said nothing. He turned, got into the van, started the engine, and drove up to them.
"You have your choices, You can come with me or not. You have free will. But nothing will stop me from going to my sister."Milan said.
They all got inside. Milan accelerated, and the van moved forward.
Somewhere in Nottingham, where the cult had been slaughtered, a vampire stood near the massive hole where Milan had crushed them. A hand emerged from the darkness below. The cult leader climbed out, alive but badly injured. He stood in the ritual circle, staring at the bodies of his followers.
"You have lost your people," the vampire said. "The only people you had left."
Cult leader stared back at him.
"You are the Vision."
"You are right. I am—but the one who is speaking now is Victor. And I have something for you."
The cult leader started laughing, the sound broken and bitter.
"I know what you want. You won't get it from me."
"Think about it. Everyone is dead—your people. It is time you accept the truth. Kneel before me, and I will grant you dark power. You already have the ability to perform rituals. Become my Sixth Bound. Kill for me, and I will grant you the strongest power."
"You are telling me to betray my Hollow King. And be your dog?"
"The Hollow King was an idiot. He refused to kneel to the darkness. But you still have a choice. Kneel. Take the power. Get revenge for all those losses. Become my loyal servant."
The cult leader knelt down without hesitation. The Vision reached out and placed a hand upon his head. Darkness began spilling from Vision's eyes, pouring like liquid shadow and entering the cult leader's eyes. It spread rapidly, consuming him. His eyes turned completely black as the darkness took over. His body began healing—every wound closing, flesh restoring itself without leaving a single scar.
"Rise, my Sixth Bound. Your name is the Witcher. You possess the power to call rituals, move through darkness, and manipulate reality."
The cult leader rose, reborn under his new name—The Witcher. Rain began to fall as thunder cracked violently across the sky, lightning tearing through the clouds. The Witcher smiled slowly, satisfied.
Inside the van, Milan and Nutaila suddenly felt something surge through them. Their eyes turned into darkness. Everyone froze in shock. Milan lost control of the wheel, his hands no longer responding.
They were heading straight toward a massive rock.
"Watch out!" Scarlet shouted, lunging forward to grab the wheel—but it was too late.
The van slammed into the stone with brutal force, flipping violently as metal screamed and glass shattered. It bent upside down and crashed hard onto the road, coming to a devastating stop.