Chapter One

There was a scream and then a dancer dropped dead.

At first the people had thought it was a part of the dance-drama until they saw that blood flowed out freely from the young girl's chest. Then the arrow which had been sunk into her chest was noticed as she writhed in pain, earning collective gasp.

Her white attire decorated in specks of blue and black could not be recognized any longer. The cloth had gradually turned into a blood red color as it absorbed the liquid that emanated from her skin.

More arrows followed, and more bodies dropped to the ground. A war cry rang out in the night, followed by the beat of a victory drum as masked men appeared from every corner, wounding the people with their arrows and spears.

"Run!" A voice cried out. "There is an attack from a rival pack!"

"Olivia!" A middle aged woman with blond hair called out, dragging her daughter who had been frozen in place by her fear. "We have to get out of here quickly!"

Initially she stumbled, taken aback by her mother's sudden pull but upon seeing the blood that flowed through the land like a river, a surge of adrenaline drove through her veins.

Her footsteps were fueled by determination and fear of death.

Hand in hand, Olivia and her mother ran towards the nearest building to seek refuge.

How it had happened, Olivia struggled to understand. They had all been merry with drinking, dancing, and eating to celebrate the annual Moon Party. No one had expected this sort of chaos, else provision for security would have been made.

The attack seemed to be meticulously planned as the masked men did not give much room for an escape. Being alive was a matter of pure luck as they unapologetically fired arrows and some of the men slashed around with machetes, swords and threw spears.

Heads fell to the ground like heavy raindrops from the sky forming into a puddle of blood.

The sprays of blood occasionally clouded her vision, stinging Olivia's eyes the more, she wiped them away.

They kept running away from the impending danger. Her mother looked back, to see her husband fall to the floor struggling for his life as an arrow had hit him in the stomach.

He rolled on the floor and groaned in agony.

"Olivia be on your way." Her mother's breathing was ragged as she said this. "I need to help your father."

"I cannot leave you here mother," said Olivia stubbornly, tugging on her mother's hand.

"You do not seem to understand the gravity of the situation," her mother said, tears in her eyes. "Please go. I shall meet up with—" her mother's statement turned into a primal cry as an arrow made its way into her eye, sending spurts of blood in every direction.

Another arrow had been targeted towards Olivia but her mother sensed it and jumped in her daughter's frontal. Several arrows found its way into her body, creating an otherworldly pattern.

"Run!" Her mother choked as she took her last breath. "For me Olivia, please run."

Tears clouded Olivia's vision as she stared at the sight before her. Her mother lay on the ground, lifeless and unmoving. Her eyes had turned white and her lips and fingertips were an ashy blue color. Her whitish blond hair was now coated in her blood, making it seem as though she had dyed her hair.

She looked to where her father had lay and was surprised to see that his head had been severed off and a man stood proudly with it in his hands. Her father's eyes had been left open with an expression of shock on them. His mouth was slightly parted and was also an ashy blue colour. His greying hair had spots of blood all over.

The man who held her father's head shot her a grin as though he knew that was her father. Then he moved towards her with the calculated steps of a predator, still flashing his teeth

His eyes spoke of a thirst for blood and souls which sent a shiver down Olivia's spine.

Without hesitation, she picked to her heels. Blood splashing from behind her as she ran through the puddles like a deer running from a lion.

Her lungs burned in exhaustion but she pressed on, terrified of the prospect of death even though it seemed as though it would offer respite.

Tears continued to flow down her cheeks. Her eyes were puffy and red, her cheeks swollen and her body trembling.

Finally getting to the residential area, she heaved a sigh of relief as she ran towards a building. Just as she approached the door, a sharp pain shot through her leg, sending signals of anguish to her brain.

She screamed, the sound echoing in the night as she buckled to the unforgiving ground. The impact made her scream some more as her brain was overwhelmed by the signal of pain her receptors sent to it.

Her head throbbed unforgivingly but not more than the sensation the arrow embedded in her legs gave. Pain blinded her vision so she became unaware of her surroundings.

The only thing Olivia could hear was the continuous scream of the people and the shouts of an impending victory.

She kept her eyes closed, anticipating death. Another arrow made it's way into her shoulder but she remained unresponsive. She didn't scream, or writhe in agony, instead she lay there, her senses being overwhelmed and she welcomed the embrace of death.

But light as they say is always at the end of a tunnel.

"Get up!" A voice said, and then it was accompanied by a vigorous tap on her back. "Hold onto my arm. We have to get out of here as soon as possible."

"Who are you?" She choked, looking up at the handsome man.

"That doesn't matter but you can call me your Savior," the man said. "I am from a neighboring pack. We heard your cries of distress and came to help."