William and Dan burst into the clearing where they had left Elizabeth. But what they saw was beyond their expectations: she was cornered against a tree, her body stiff with terror. A black snake with eyes glowing a sinister yellow was slithering toward her. The snake hissed, writhing as it drew closer and closer to the terrified Elizabeth.

Without hesitation, William sprinted forward, his sword cutting through the air with a metallic flash. In one fluid motion, he cleaved the snake in two. But to everyone's horror, after the snake let out a final, unsettling hiss, it dissolved into a dark mist that quickly disappeared into the air.

Rushing to Elizabeth's side, William grabbed her shoulders. "Did it bite you? Tell me!" Overwhelmed by the terrible encounter, Elizabeth could only shake her head, unable to speak.

William's gaze swept over her body, searching for any sign of injury, before locking onto her eyes to ensure she was well. After a tense pause, he exhaled a sigh of relief, grateful to find her unharmed.

"What the hell?" Dan's voice quivered, his eyes wide with shock as he tried to make sense of the snake's mysterious disappearance.

"It looks like some kind of sorcery," William said, his breath still heavy. "It reminds me of the serpent Ciaran told us about—the one whose bite can turn people into bloodfiends. I've never seen such a creature before. It's definitely not normal."

Putting aside their animosity, the two men shared a concerned look as Elizabeth tried to steady herself.

"It really looked like the snake Ciaran described," she said, her voice trembling from the shock.

"So, it can bite any of us and turn us into monsters?" Dan asked with a shudder. "What happens if one of us becomes a bloodfiend?"

"Then that person must be eliminated," William said grimly, wiping dark stains from his sword. Their colour was like the blood of the monster he had slain in the village. "It's a law in my kingdom. Maybe it's the only way to stop them. Maybe..." His gaze wavered, betraying his doubt. Silence fell as everyone contemplated the dreadful possibility.

"Are all bloodfiends so desperate for blood? Can they resist it by sheer willpower?" Elizabeth asked.

"It seems not," William replied, his gaze growing distant as if he were reliving some memory.

Dan frowned. "But is it true we can walk safely during the day, that they don't hunt at this time?"

William nodded. "They can't tolerate sunlight."

"And where do they hide from the sun?" Elizabeth asked, peering into the indistinct darkness among the trees.

"In the shadows of dense forests, deep hollows—anywhere they can, waiting for twilight to begin their hunt," William replied. "But usually not far from settlements. I hope this forest is safe, yet..."

The once strained relationship between Dan and William had shifted toward an uneasy truce. Dan had stopped vying for Elizabeth's affection. Instead, his fear made him focus on their collective survival. He realised William's skills were invaluable for navigating this dangerous and unpredictable world.

As they moved on, Elizabeth couldn't shake the chilling encounter with the malevolent snake from her mind. She stepped carefully, her eyes scanning the ground, vigilant for any similar threats. Meanwhile, her heart filled with gratitude for William, who had swiftly intervened to save her. His actions proved that he truly cared about their safety, and they could trust him.

At nightfall, Elizabeth fell into a peaceful sleep. Her dreams were serene in contrast to the day's terror. On the edge of wakefulness, she felt a gentle caress on her forehead—a calming and soothing touch as if someone was attempting to console her. Without opening her eyes, she tried to guess who it might be. The touch was soft and warm. William? No, his hands were too rough. Perhaps Dan's hand...

But then a sudden, terrifying thought made her heart race, a chill creeping through her body as the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end: the hand wasn't Dan's or William's. It was smaller—feminine, or almost childlike.

She snapped her eyes open, but there was no one; both men were fast asleep, too far away to have touched her. Everything seemed normal, yet the sensation of the caress lingered, as if someone had just hastily withdrawn their hand, leaving the phantom touch imprinted on her skin.

Though unsure of the reality of her experience, Elizabeth later confided in William. To her surprise, he didn't dismiss her concerns or change the subject as he might have before. "They know we're here," he said. "Sometimes they're just curious about humans."

A wave of unease washed over Elizabeth. "They aren't human? Then who are they? Ghosts?"

William shook his head and whispered, "I can't reveal their secrets. Not yet."

The day passed and the forest shadows grew darker. But Elizabeth couldn't forget the strange experience. As she followed William and Dan, her thoughts kept returning to the mysterious touch that had brushed her forehead earlier that morning. It wasn't just the sensation that haunted her but also the mysterious origin of the touch.

William's cryptic words had only fueled her curiosity and unease. 'They know we're here,' he had said, suggesting the presence of otherworldly beings watching them, observing their every move. Yet the touch had been soothing, not malevolent; Elizabeth felt that intuitively. It was the kind of gentle, comforting touch a mother might give to her sleeping child.

༺ ✧ ༻

One morning, as they continued their journey through the Whispering Glen, the once distant mountains now loomed ever closer, their majestic peaks piercing the sky and mingling with the treetops.

"Are we going to climb the mountains?" Elizabeth asked, awestruck and intimidated by their sheer scale.

"No," William replied. "It's impossible."

Elizabeth breathed an internal sigh of relief. She glanced at Dan, who seemed to share her sentiments. While the journey ahead would still be challenging, it was certainly better than attempting to conquer the imposing mountains.

William then led them through terrain where large stones, some as tall as a human or even taller, were scattered among the ancient trees. The stones, green with time and moss, had taken on whimsical shapes. Occasionally, Elizabeth perceived human figures or strange faces within them. One stone reminded her of an animal, another resembled an old man with a crooked nose. But of course, these were just tricks of her imagination—the true sculptor of these stones was nature itself.

Navigating the maze of stones, William guided them confidently, making turns without hesitation. The path was shaded, and the air was damp and cooler, filled with the scent of wet, fallen leaves.

At one point, William halted and turned to Dan and Elizabeth, assessing them with a piercing gaze. "Now, do me a favour. To proceed any further, you need to be blindfolded."

"What?!" Dan's brows knit together in disbelief.

William's intense stare held Dan's. "Unless you prefer to stay here."

Dan's eyes darted around the surrounding forest and the enigmatic stones. His throat tightened as he looked in fear at William, whose expression remained unwavering. Sweat dampened Dan's palms as he wiped them against the fabric of his trousers, struggling to maintain his composure.

"Dan, let's do as he asks," Elizabeth said. "I believe it's a necessary precaution."

William nodded. "We are about to tread a secret path. Its entrance must remain hidden from your eyes."

After a tense moment, Dan reluctantly accepted William's request, though he gave him a disapproving glance and adopted a defiant posture. Unfazed by Dan's reaction, William pulled two dark cloths, resembling long, wide scarves, from his saddlebag. There was no doubt he had prepared them in advance, knowing their destination from the start.

First, William approached Dan and carefully secured the blindfold over his eyes, making sure it was snug but not too tight. Then he turned to Elizabeth, their eyes meeting. The fragmented sunlight illuminated the true depth of his dark blue eyes, making them appear brighter and more vivid than ever.

Gently, William draped the cloth across Elizabeth's eyes, his fingers brushing her skin. She couldn't help but notice the delicacy of his touch and found herself inexplicably drawn to the sensation. She tried to dismiss it, but the feeling lingered. Once the preparations were complete, William led them forward at a cautious pace to ensure their safety.

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