The night was too quiet.
Even the wind had stopped.
---
Rheinland — Crash Site
Smoke rose into the dark sky like a signal of something gone wrong.
The remains of the plane burned across the forest floor. Metal twisted. Fire crackled. The smell of fuel and blood filled the air.
Then—
A hand moved.
Slowly… painfully… something crawled out from the wreckage.
Its skin was burnt. Torn. Gray.
Its eyes opened.
Empty.
It stood up.
---
Another one moved.
Then another.
Bodies that should've stayed dead… were standing again.
Passengers.
Crew members.
All rising.
All wrong.
---
One of them turned its head sharply.
A sound.
A heartbeat.
Not far.
---
The First Infection
At the edge of the forest, a man walked his dog along a quiet path.
The dog suddenly stopped.
Growling.
Low.
Warning.
> "What's wrong, boy…?"
Then—
Something rushed out of the darkness.
Fast.
Violent.
The man didn't even have time to scream properly.
The dog barked wildly before being silenced.
Blood splashed across the leaves.
---
Minutes later…
Silence returned.
Then—
The man stood back up.
---
Above the Forest
A shadow moved across the sky.
Fast.
Silent.
Elena.
Her wings cut through the cold air as she flew above the forest, her eyes scanning everything below.
Her senses screamed.
> "Turichie… something's wrong."
> "I know," the voice replied. "Multiple signals. Fast. Chaotic. This isn't normal hunting."
Elena's eyes narrowed.
She could feel it.
Blood.
Not calm.
Not steady.
Distorted.
---
Then she saw it.
Fire.
Smoke.
The crash site.
---
She landed on a tall tree, crouching silently.
Her eyes glowed faintly as she looked down.
Bodies.
Moving.
But not like her.
Not controlled.
Not aware.
---
> "What are they…?"
> "The infected," Turichie said. "The virus has reached Germany."
Elena's chest tightened.
> "Already…?"
> "Faster than expected."
One of the infected suddenly snapped its head toward her direction.
It growled.
Then—
It charged.
---
First Contact
Elena dropped from the tree.
Landing silently.
The creature rushed toward her, screaming.
Its movements were wild. Uncontrolled.
Elena stepped to the side—
Too fast for it to follow.
> "So this is what they've become…" she whispered.
The infected lunged again.
Elena raised her hand.
Her blood formed—
A sharp crimson blade along her arm.
In one swift motion—
She slashed.
---
The creature stopped.
Then collapsed.
---
Elena stood still.
Watching.
> "That was… easy."
> "Don't get careless," Turichie warned. "They don't fight like you. They overwhelm."
As if on cue—
More sounds.
More movement.
Dozens.
---
Elena looked up.
Her eyes widened.
They were coming from the crash site.
From the forest.
In the Shadows
But the infected… weren't the only ones moving.
Deep within the forest, far from the crash site—
Figures stood in silence.
Watching.
Their eyes glowed faintly under the red moon.
Not mindless.
Not chaotic.
Aware.
---
One of them stepped forward.
An old man.
His movements were slow… but controlled.
His eyes were darker than the others.
Smarter.
Hungry.
---
> "So… it begins," he whispered.
Behind him, a few others stood—pale, trembling, unstable.
Newly turned.
Not fully in control.
---
> "Spread out," the old man said quietly. "Take what you can. Don't waste blood."
They moved.
Not like the infected.
Not rushing.
Not screaming.
---
Hunting.
---
Above — Elena
Elena suddenly froze mid-air.
Her eyes widened.
> "Wait…"
> "You felt it too," Turichie said.
Elena's voice dropped.
> "That's not the virus…"
A different presence.
Colder.
Sharper.
More… familiar.
---
> "Vampires," Turichie said. "Your kind… but not like you."
Elena looked down at the forest.
Now she understood.
> "So there are two threats…"
> "No," Turichie replied softly.
A pause.
---
> "Three."
Elena's eyes darkened.
---
Below her:
The infected rushed toward the town
Vampires moved silently between trees
And her… standing between both worlds
---
> "Then I'll stop all of them."
Her wings spread.
The red moon burned above.
And the night… finally broke
---
Rheinland — Edge of Town
Lights flickered inside houses.
People unaware.
Sleeping.
Living.
---
And from the darkness…
The infected began to move toward the town.
Slow.
Then faster.
---
Above Them All
Elena rose into the air again.
Hovering.
Watching the approaching wave.
Her jaw tightened.
Her eyes hardened.
> "They're going to reach the town…"
> "Yes."
Silence.
Then—
> "If you do nothing… they die."
Elena looked at the glowing lights of her home.
Her family.
Her brother.
---
Her fists clenched.
Her wings spread wider.
> "Then I won't let them."
The red moon burned above her.
The forest trembled below.
And for the first time—
Elena didn't run.
---
She dived.
Straight toward the incoming darkness.
---
End of Chapter 18
---