A few days passed. The wind had begun to carry a chill, as though the forest itself sensed the weight of what was coming. Leaves rustled like whispers in the dark, and the trees stood still, almost watching.
Eamon and Helena made their way through the dense forest, careful not to make much noise. Helena had brought extra cloaks for the cold, and Skarn followed silently behind them, sniffing the air. They were headed to meet Arthur.
Arthur was already at the usual meeting spot, near the large broken tree deep inside the forest. He sat on a patch of moss, arms wrapped around his knees, his eyes scanning the shadows between the trees.
When Eamon and Helena reached him, he didn't stand up. He simply looked up and spoke, his voice tired.
"What do we do now? Tomorrow he will kill someone again, and we have no way to stop it."
Eamon sat down on a large rock beside him. His face was blank, but his eyes were heavy.
"You're right," he said. "We can't stop him. There's just no way."
Helena sat beside Eamon. Her voice came out soft, but there was frustration behind it.
"So what do you suggest we do then?"
Eamon looked down at the ground. He hesitated before speaking.
"We can't stop him from killing someone. But we can stop him after. Once he kills, he will try to escape. We'll wait in the forest and catch him before he gets away."
Arthur's voice cracked slightly as he replied.
"So you mean we should just let a family die tomorrow night? Even though we know someone will die for sure?"
Eamon clenched his fists.
"I don't like it either, Arthur. But what choice do we have? We can alert the army, but they can't cover the whole town. Not every street. Not every alley. He'll find a way through no matter what."
Arthur shook his head.
"I already did that last week. I told them. I begged them. And people still died. I can't let it happen again."
Eamon looked at Arthur, his voice firmer now.
"This is the only way, Arthur. You know it."
Helena was quiet for a moment, then spoke with a heavy breath.
"But it's so sad, Eamon. We know someone will die tomorrow night, and we just have to let it happen?"
Eamon looked at her, pain flashing across his face.
"I know, Helena. It is sad. It's horrible. But we have no other choice. Still, we will let the army know. But we have to stay hidden. If they find out we're involved, we might not be able to catch the real killer. He will disappear again."
Helena looked at both of them. Then she nodded slowly.
"Alright. I'll write an anonymous letter. I'll address it to Commander Dragomir. I'll let him know what's going to happen and why we're sure about it."
Arthur gave a small nod.
"Good. If the army manages to stop the murder, that's great. But if they don't... then me and Eamon will face that monster in this forest. And we'll bring him to justice."
Eamon stood up and adjusted his sword belt.
"Then let's go. We've done what we can. Tomorrow's going to be a long night."
Arthur stood too. Helena got up and wrapped her cloak tighter around her shoulders. The three of them began walking back toward the edge of the forest.
When they reached the road that split toward the town, Eamon and Helena waved goodbye to Arthur and headed back to the hotel. They didn't say much on the walk back.
The weight of tomorrow lingered over them.
The next morning, just as sunlight began to creep through the curtains, Helena took out a piece of parchment. She dipped her quill in ink and began writing.
She wrote clearly and quickly, stating that a murder would happen that night. She didn't name anyone. She only explained the pattern. One person every seven days. Always at night. Always brutal. Always calculated.
She folded the letter and sealed it.
Then, without telling anyone, she handed it to a boy near the gate and asked him to deliver it to Commander Dragomir. The boy nodded and ran.
By afternoon, the letter had reached the commander.
Dragomir sat in his office, reading the note silently. He raised his eyebrows as he read further.
"Who sent this?" he asked the soldier beside him.
"It came anonymously, sir. No name. No signature. Nothing," the soldier replied.
Dragomir hummed. He leaned back in his chair and read the letter again.
"Still," he muttered. "This makes sense. The pattern is clear."
He stood up suddenly.
"Send word to every post. Increase the forces. Increase the checking. Post guards on every main road. No one should die today. Tell the adventurers in town that we might need their help. We must stop this killer tonight."
"Yes, sir!" the soldier replied with a salute and hurried out of the room.
Within hours, the town changed.
Soldiers stood at every corner. Some wore leather armor and held spears. Others had swords. All of them were alert. The townspeople were asked to stay indoors. Shops closed early. Children were brought home early from the fields.
It felt like a storm was coming.
Eamon stood by the window in his room and looked down at the town. Soldiers were everywhere. Some were even walking near the hotel gate.
Skarn lay near the door, tail flicking.
Eamon rubbed his eyes. He felt tired. And he didn't know if this plan would work.
Suddenly, someone knocked at the door.
Eamon turned and opened it slowly.
Standing at the door was Commander Dragomir himself.
He wore his red cloak and had two medals on his chest. His dark beard was trimmed, and his face was sharp.
"Can I come inside, Rank 2?" he asked.
Eamon was stunned for a moment. He stepped back quickly.
"Oh, yes, sir. Please come in."
Dragomir entered the room and looked around. His eyes landed on Skarn.
"Oh, you have a bond," he said with a small nod. "Good. That makes things easier."
Eamon closed the door.
"May I ask why you're here, sir?"
Dragomir turned to face him.
"Oh yes. About that. Eamon, I want you to help me today. We need to catch the vampire who's been killing people in this town for over a month."
Eamon froze.
"Help you? Me?"
Dragomir crossed his arms.
"You're a Rank 2 adventurer. You may not be high-ranked, but we need all the help we can get. We need more people to keep the town secure. You're capable. That's why I'm here."
Eamon tried to stay calm. This was unexpected. He hadn't planned for this.
"But sir… how do you know the killer will strike today?"
Dragomir walked to the window and looked outside.
"We got an anonymous tip. It matches the pattern. The seventh day. The same timing. We're taking it seriously."
Eamon looked at Skarn. Then back at Dragomir.
"Sir… I just became an adventurer. I'm still learning. I don't know if I'm strong enough to fight a vampire."
Dragomir smiled.
"We're not asking you to fight him alone. Just help with patrol. Keep your eyes open. We need everyone tonight."
Then he laughed a little.
"You'll have my full support. Don't worry. You're not alone in this."
Eamon took a deep breath.
He couldn't refuse.
He couldn't risk angering the army. That would put Arthur and Helena in danger too. And it would ruin their plan.
He nodded slowly.
"Okay, sir. I will do it."