Night Hunters

Through the leaves, an old, run-down mill appeared before long. Shen took a deep breath and looked around carefully. He saw bloodstains all over the stone walls of the mill. Even though the stains were almost dry, they still had a bright red shine that made him shiver.

"Stay quiet," Zara said after a short pause, half-drawing her sword and making a silent gesture toward Shen.

The two of them held their breath as they got closer to the mill's door. Shen pushed the wooden door open slowly. The door opened slowly, and the creaking echoed through the night. When they got inside, they saw something scary. The mill had turned into a slaughterhouse. There were dead bodies all over the floor, and their pale skin looked like it had been drained of blood.

Shen stepped back, and a rough voice came out of his mouth. "These are..."

At that moment, a voice echoed in the dark, breaking the eerie silence. It was cold and mocking. "So, we have guests..."

Shen quickly drew his sword and looked around, but he couldn't figure out where the voice was coming from. A shadow moved in the dark. "Who are you?" Shen yelled through clenched teeth. "Prove yourself!"

There was a short pause, and then two sets of bright eyes appeared out of the dark. They were scary and piercing, as if they could see right into Shen's soul. Zara quickly moved in front of Shen and spoke in a low, strained voice. "Be careful. There are more than two of them.

There were three ladies, which is strange because they were so similar. Their skin was so pale that it almost looked translucent, and their eyes flashed red. Sharp fangs sparkled between their lips. They looked like they were part of the darkness in their tight-fitting black gowns. One of the women moved slowly and purposefully toward Shen. She growled at him with her red eyes. She slowly licked her lips and moaned, "Your blood smells so good."

Shen felt a wave of fear wash over him, and he couldn't breathe. He asked, "Are these... night hunters?"

Zara quickly drew her sword and pulled Shen back. "Yes," she growled, "and they're a lot worse than we thought at first." Stay alert.

Shen's fear quickly turned to panic as the women got ready to fight. He thought that the darkness was getting closer and closer to him and would soon cover him up. He looked at Zara, but she seemed scared of the monsters too. Shen steeled himself and got ready, keeping his eyes on the threat that was about to happen.

One of the women jumped at Zara with a lot of speed. Her graceful movements were deadly precise. Shen pushed Zara away without thinking, so she didn't get hurt, but the beast hit the wall of the mill with an unnatural amount of force. The stone wall fell down with a loud crash, and Shen was shocked by her strength. His eyes were wide with shock. How could someone have that much power?

The sounds of a fight outside caught Shen's attention. Soldiers had fought the beasts outside. The woman who had hit the wall jumped out of the rubble and charged at the troops, tearing into them with terrifying speed. Shen was horrified to see her freeze. With one quick move, she threw one soldier into the air and then stabbed another with her sharp claws, sending him crashing to the ground.

"Shen!" Zara's voice brought him back to reality. Two more animals were chasing them. Zara grabbed Shen's arm and pulled him outside. "Now!"

Shen and Zara went outside and got their swords ready to fight the night hunters. Shen stepped forward, holding his sword tightly in both hands as the battle rhythm echoed through the dark jungle. The two remaining beasts moved slowly and with bloodlust in their red eyes.

Shen still thought about killing. He thought back to when he had to kill the cannibal who was chasing him in order to stay alive. The memory was clear and jagged: the tribal cannibal lunging at Shen with a nasty look in his sunken eyes. Instinct took over, and his body moved before his head could catch up. He had lived, but it had cost him. That cost was now a burden for him.

When Zara saw him stuttering, she stopped. Her sharp eyes saw right through him. "You're thinking about it again, aren't you?" She asked in a strong but quiet voice.

Shen stopped. "How about?"

"About our training and how ready we are to kill outside of it." She took a step closer, her presence anchoring her. "Shen, I'm not sure if you've ever had to survive before. This is also a way to stay alive, though. It's not the same as killing someone.

Shen looked at the blade, which shone in the moonlight. It pushed against his doubts and felt heavier than it should have. He thought back to a training session from a few months ago.
He could almost hear the teacher's voice.
It had been a harsh place to train. The smell of sweat and dirt filled the air. Shen's arms shook as he held a practice sword in front of a wooden dummy.

"Shen, pay attention!" the teacher yelled. "You don't mean to hit." A strike that isn't meant to happen is a wasted strike.

Shen's forehead creased. The blade hit the dummy again, but not hard enough to break it. The teacher clicked their tongue. "You're not sure. You're making a reservation.

The teacher's face got serious. "Wanting blood is not a good reason to kill." It's about protecting what's important and stopping a threat. If you wait, you'll lose more than just yourself. Everyone who needs you will be lost.

When they heard a sudden noise, they turned to look at the bushes. Zara drew her bow with ease, her eyes narrowing as she followed the sound. Shen's hand tightened around the sword. His heart raced, but this time it was because he was excited, not scared.

The thing came back from the shadows, and its eyes shone faintly in the dark. As it moved forward, its claws scraped the ground in a graceful way that made it look like it was hunting.

The beast lunged with its claws cutting through the air. Zara shot an arrow that hit the beast's side, and Shen rolled to the side just in time to avoid it. It didn't move, even though it was screaming in pain. Shen's mind was racing as he got to his feet. Zara's words kept him from running away, even though he wanted to.

"Strike where it's weak," she yelled. "Make it matter—the eyes, the joints!"

The beast turned its attention to Zara and sprang toward her with terrifying speed.
Zara walked over to Shen and stood next to him without saying anything. "They're faster than we thought." She said, "We're going to die if we make one mistake."

Shen took a deep breath and stared at the deadly shapes. He said to himself, "We'll find a way," which turned his worry into determination.

Shen quickly blocked the attack with his sword, but the beasts were too strong. His arms shook every time they hit. As he fought, his instinct took over the fear that was growing inside him. One of the aliens smiled slyly as he hit again, and his face was full of bad intentions.

Shen stepped back to protect himself from their constant attacks and saw Zara fighting hard on her own. These animals were not only bloodthirsty but also cruel, smart, and good at finding things.

As the fight got worse and the dark woods turned into a battlefield, Shen and Zara were doing everything they could to stay alive against these scary night hunters.