The wind died again.
That strange stillness returned to the training yard — the same feeling from the night of the eclipse. Like the world itself was pausing to watch.
Arinya's hand was still wrapped in dark mist.
It moved slowly around her fingers like smoke that had its own thoughts.
She stared at it.
Her voice came out quiet.
"…Recognized me?"
Across from her, the vampire heir stood relaxed, hands loosely behind his back like he was discussing weather instead of something that could change the supernatural world.
"Yes."
Kael stepped forward immediately.
"That's enough."
His voice carried a warning.
The vampire didn't even look at him.
"You already know it's true, hunter."
Kael's jaw tightened.
Arinya glanced between them.
"…Okay, clearly you two know something I don't."
Neither answered.
The silence stretched.
Arinya sighed.
"You know what? I'm tired of this mysterious energy and vague speeches thing."
She pointed at the vampire.
"You."
Then she pointed at Kael.
"And you."
Her voice sharpened.
"Start talking."
The vampire chuckled softly.
"I like her."
Kael ignored him.
Instead he looked directly at Arinya.
"…There are different kinds of awakenings."
Arinya crossed her arms.
"I figured that part out already."
"Most people who awaken during the eclipse gain a single ability."
Arinya glanced at the shadow still circling her hand.
"…Energy shaping."
Kael nodded.
"Yes."
Then his expression darkened.
"But that isn't what happened to you."
Arinya frowned.
"What do you mean?"
The vampire heir answered before Kael could.
"You didn't awaken a power."
He pointed toward her chest.
"You awakened a bloodline."
The words hit harder than expected.
Arinya blinked.
"…A what?"
Kael exhaled slowly.
The vampire continued.
"A very old one."
Arinya shook her head.
"Okay, pause."
She gestured around the yard.
"I woke up two days ago thinking vampires were just bedtime stories."
She pointed at herself.
"Now apparently I have a supernatural bloodline?"
The vampire smiled.
"Welcome to reality."
Her thoughts raced.
Bloodline…
What kind of bloodline?
Why me?
The shadows around her hand twitched again.
Kael noticed immediately.
"Focus."
Arinya looked at him.
"I am focusing."
"No," Kael said.
"You're spiraling."
She groaned.
"Yeah, because none of this makes sense."
The vampire tilted his head.
"It will."
Arinya glared at him.
"You're suspiciously calm about all this."
He shrugged.
"I enjoy interesting situations."
She pointed at him.
"You showed up to fight me."
"Yes."
"You're talking like you knew this would happen."
"I suspected."
Arinya's eyes narrowed.
"…You knew about the eclipse awakening?"
The vampire nodded once.
"But not you."
Her stomach tightened.
"So what am I?"
He smiled slightly.
"That's the question everyone will be asking soon."
Kael stepped forward again.
"We're done."
The vampire sighed.
"You hunters always ruin the fun."
But he didn't argue.
Instead he turned toward the forest.
"Training her won't be enough."
Kael's voice hardened.
"I didn't ask for your advice."
The vampire stopped walking.
Then glanced back at Arinya.
"…You felt it when the power moved."
She nodded slowly.
"Yes."
"That wasn't energy shaping."
Her eyebrows pulled together.
"Then what was it?"
His red eyes gleamed faintly.
"That was instinct."
The wind moved through the trees again.
He pointed toward her chest.
"Your blood knows how to fight."
Arinya felt that strange pulse inside her veins again.
The vampire turned away.
"You should thank me."
Kael's sword lifted slightly.
"For what?"
"For showing her the truth early."
Then he disappeared into the forest.
Just like the night before.
Gone.
The yard fell quiet again.
Arinya stared at the trees where he vanished.
"…That guy is unbelievably annoying."
Kael didn't laugh.
Instead he looked at her carefully.
Arinya noticed immediately.
"What."
Kael spoke slowly.
"…He's not wrong."
Her stomach dropped slightly.
"About what part?"
"The instinct."
She looked down at her hands again.
The shadows had faded.
But the feeling inside her body hadn't.
Like something ancient was stretching awake.
Her thoughts drifted.
My blood knows how to fight…
What does that even mean?
She looked back at Kael.
"…You said my family had history."
Kael nodded.
"Yes."
Her voice lowered.
"What kind?"
Kael hesitated.
For the first time since this started, he actually looked uncertain.
"…The kind people erased."
Arinya blinked.
"That's not comforting."
Kael walked toward the house slowly.
"We'll talk about it tonight."
She followed.
"Why tonight?"
Kael didn't look back.
"Because by tonight…"
He glanced toward the sky.
"…the supernatural world will know you awakened."
Arinya stopped walking.
"…How?"
Kael's voice carried calmly across the yard.
"Because the eclipse leaves a mark."
Her heart skipped.
"…A mark?"
Kael finally turned.
And looked directly at her neck.
Arinya frowned.
"What?"
Kael's voice lowered.
"…You should check a mirror."
Her stomach twisted slightly.
"Why?"
Kael didn't answer.
But his expression told her enough.
Something had changed.
Something permanent.
And somewhere far away, in places she couldn't see—
Other creatures had already felt it.
The Shadow Eclipse had chosen someone.
And the hunt was about to begin.