Elizabeth tossed from side to side, tucking her legs in and wrapping herself tightly in her cloak—all in vain. The chilling cold seemed to burrow into her very bones, while the ache in her muscles from their long journey on horseback coursed through her body, intensifying her torment. In this light, the adventure didn't seem fun at all.

Dan was sleeping peacefully. Though he naturally disliked getting dirty or exerting any effort, in practice, he proved more resilient than she had expected. Here, amidst the biting cold and with the fire dwindling to a mere flicker, she marvelled at his ability to sleep at all.

William, on watch, leaned against a tree, his eyes closed in a semblance of rest. Elizabeth rubbed her hands against the cold, finding little comfort on the hard ground. To warm herself, she decided to walk. Careful not to disturb William, she tried to rise, making no noise.

She only took a few steps on the forest floor when a branch cracked treacherously under her foot. The sound pierced the night's stillness, and she froze. Glancing at William, she expected a reaction, but his face remained serene. Encouraged, she resumed walking.

But, in that instant, William's breathing became erratic. His previously peaceful expression twisted into one of distress. The torment seemed endless until he awoke with a start, his eyes wide with terror and his hand gripping the sword.

Elizabeth stopped dead in her tracks, observing William's tormented expression. His fear, so tangible, sent shivers down her spine, tensing her muscles and chilling her skin. Gasping for air, with his chest rising and falling rapidly, William struggled to orient himself in the moonlit clearing. His frantic eyes swept the surroundings until they settled on Elizabeth. Holding her gaze, he seemed not to recognise her at first. After a tense pause, his features softened. He sighed with relief, and the panic faded from his eyes. Only then did he release his grip on the sword.

"Why aren't you asleep?" he rasped out.

"I—I can't sleep. I'm cold." With her eyes wide, she instinctively wrapped her arms around herself. But it was not only because of the chill. She also shivered from the alarming spectacle of William's nightmare. The terror she had glimpsed in his eyes stayed with her. She couldn't help but wonder what horrors this strong, invincible man had seen in his dreams to evoke such a reaction.

William stood at once and tended to the fire, coaxing it back to life. As the fire revived, its flames flickered and danced, casting a warm, orange glow on their faces. The comforting crackle of the firewood filled the silence, mingling with their thoughts.

Elizabeth, sitting across from William, couldn't shake off the image of his nightmare-induced fear. It was still vivid in her mind. She wanted to break the uneasy silence with a conversation but lowered her eyes in embarrassment, as if she had intruded on William's privacy by witnessing his nightmare. A heavy silence hung between them in the chilly night air. Only the haunting call of an owl echoed in the stillness.

Though a pleasant warmth now enveloped Elizabeth, she didn't go to sleep. An unanswered question echoed in her mind, something she felt was important to ask William. He remained seated by the tree, leaning against its sturdy trunk. From her vantage point, his profile was clearly visible. His gaze was lost in the distance, seemingly indifferent to her presence.

At last, summoning her courage, Elizabeth asked in a tentative voice, "The executed man... was he indeed your friend?"

He turned sharply toward her, as if taken aback, his eyes reflecting both pain and anger. Her heart raced, expecting a harsh retort. But instead, his hoarse voice broke the silence. "Yes, he was my friend. Why do you ask?"

Elizabeth paused, wrestling with her thoughts before speaking again. "I heard your conversation with Cedric in the prison and wondered what he had done."

His reply came icy. "He murdered four villagers and two of my knights."

"Why? What happened?" she asked, her voice echoing her confusion.

William replied only after a pause, as if gauging his words. "He wasn't himself anymore. He had turned into... a bloodfiend."

An icy shiver raced down Elizabeth's spine as she stammered, "B-blood... what?" The grotesque face of the man flashed in her memory, instilling a deep-seated fear. "But how? How did he turn into it?"

William scanned the darkness beyond the trees, his voice tinged with urgency and a trace of despair. "That's what I'm trying to find out. Such things are becoming common in our lands."

"Oh..." Elizabeth's hands became icy again. "And your friend, how did he turn into one?"

"Ilfred... He patrolled the woods with other knights in search of bloodfiends. When he returned, he had already changed. Nobody knows exactly what happened... Ilfred kept his experience there to himself. But the others returned unaffected."

Though frightened to death, Elizabeth pressed, "Tell me more about this! In what way did he change? Who are these bloodfiends?"

William cast a wary glance around the forest, as if fearing unseen listeners. "You're asking too many questions. I'll share more later, but not here... not in these woods..."

Sensing the unease in William's tone, Elizabeth decided not to push further. Yet her mind was a whirlwind of unanswered questions. As they sat together in silence by the fire, the secrets of the bloodfiends loomed ominously in the surrounding darkness.

When Elizabeth tried to sleep, she found it impossible after William's revelation. The executed man didn't leave her thoughts either, and she realised what was so unsettling about him. His superhuman strength had nearly shattered the chains that bound him, and his roars were nothing short of bestial. Yet what struck her most were his eyes, completely black, like two pitch-dark voids. A cold fear gripped her heart. Though she had only caught a glimpse of him, she sensed something even stranger about the man.

She listened to the nocturnal forest sounds, her senses sharpened to detect any lurking danger. Every unfamiliar noise made her strain her ears, her imagination running wild with terrifying possibilities. Her heart hammered against her chest in a relentless rhythm. Only with the approach of dawn's first light did sleep finally claim her.

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