Raziel gasped as he woke up, finding himself staring into his mother’s concerned face, “Raziel, are you allr–” Aurelia’s words were cut short as Raziel, with wide and shaken eyes, suddenly enveloped her in a tight hug, “M-Mother! Is this…really you??”

He clung to her, his arms wrapping around her frail body with a firmness that sought to confirm the reality before him. The nightmare that had just tormented him seemed so vivid that he needed to reassure himself this was not an extension of it. Her warmth, the sound of her voice, her gentle breathing – all were a stark contrast to the lifeless body he had held not so long ago.

Aurelia, though startled, returned the embrace with a warmth that only a mother could offer, “Oh…Raziel, you are making mother worry. Did you have some bad dream? You seem a bit stressed,” she voiced her concern, her tone filled with the love and care that he never realized he would be so happy and relieved to hear again.

However, he, still holding her, slowly came back to his senses. The realization that the nightmare was not his reality, that his mother was still here with him, alive and well, that he was reliving the day, brought a mix of relief and a renewed sense of urgency, “No…I am just happy to see you, mother. It feels like I…I haven’t told you enough how much I love you,” he managed, his voice strained with the effort to maintain composure.

Aurelia’s expression softened, a mother’s knowing smile gracing her face as she cradled his face in her hands. Gently, she kissed his forehead and said, “You never had to say it because you always show it. I have always felt like the luckiest mother in this world to have you as my son,” she reassured him.

Raziel’s heart swelled with emotion as he gazed into his mother’s sightless eyes, the realization of the preciousness of this moment hitting him hard. He held her hands firmly, cherishing the warmth of her embrace, the sound of her voice, and the gentle touch of her hands on his face. Every sensation felt more profound, more meaningful, as if he was experiencing it for the first time.

He really got a second chance to make things right. “Mother, I… I promise, I’ll always be here for you. I’ll protect you, no matter what. So you have to listen to whatever I say, at least until tomorrow, no matter what,” Raziel whispered, his voice thick with unshed tears. The memory of his horrific vision, of a world where he lost her, still lingered in his mind, making the words he was telling her appear heavy.

Aurelia’s confusion deepened as she looked up at Raziel, her vacant eyes conveying a mix of concern and bewilderment, “What is it, son? What do you want me to do? Did something happen?”

Raziel, his heart racing with urgency, quickly reassured her, “It’s hard to explain right now, mother. But we need to leave this place as soon as possible. It’s not safe for us here any longer.” His voice carried an unusual seriousness that didn’t escape Aurelia’s notice.

She nodded slowly, her trust in her son evident despite her confusion, “Okay, Raziel. If you say it’s important, I have no reason to doubt anything. I’ll start packing our things.” Raziel breathed a sigh of relief at her compliance as he helped her stand up and quickly added, “I need to go warn the others, especially Grandpa Caius. They need to know it’s time to move.” His tone was insistent, underlining the gravity of the situation.

“Go then, son. I will be ready when you are back, though it’s sad we have to leave so soon since I liked this place,” Aurelia said with a sad smile, making Raziel press his lips together and say, “Don’t worry, Mother. I will find a better place for us.”

As Raziel dashed out of the house, his eyes trembled upon seeing his people walking around and talking, contrasting with their burned and mutilated corpses he remembered. He really couldn’t believe they were still alive now.

He then saw his friends, Morv and Vernon, coming his way as the two greeted him with their usual light-hearted banter, “Hey, Raziel! Where are you-”

But Raziel, without breaking his stride, urged, “You two! Pack your stuff! We have to leave before it gets dangerous here!” action

His abrupt seriousness left them exchanging puzzled looks, wondering what had gotten into their friend.

Raziel’s feet carried him swiftly to the building where Grandpa Caius was.

His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, planning the best way to convince him of the impending danger. As he reached the building, he could see through the open door, the injured from yesterday’s travel.

Without even hesitating, Raziel gathered all his energy to his throat and said, “Everyone, please listen! We have to leave this place as soon as possible. The Bloodclaw Clan is going to attack us by evening. So we have to leave as soon as possible!” Raziel implored, his voice ringing with a sense of impending doom.

As Raziel’s voice echoed through the room, a tense hush fell over the gathered vampires. His urgent message, delivered with such fervor, caught everyone off guard.

The room was filled with a mixture of disbelief and concern. Azel, one of the injured, looked up from his resting place with a furrowed brow, “Little Raziel, what are you talking about?” he asked, his voice tinged with skepticism, “Don’t worry, Matron Selene fended them off a long way away from our place. We will be safe here for a while.”

But Raziel was insistent, shaking his head vigorously, “No, brother Azel. They have definitely sniffed us out, and they will be coming today. I am sure of it.”

Whispers and murmurs spread among the crowd, a wave of unease rippling through the room as they absorbed Raziel’s words.

“Raziel, what happened? You are causing us to worry,” a calm, aged voice interjected, cutting through the rising tide of panic.

Relieved and happy to hear his voice again, Raziel turned to face him, “Grandpa Caius…” he began, his voice laden with urgency, “The Bloodclaw Clan is going to attack us today, along with their leader. We have to leave before they arrive. Please, you have to trust me on this.”

Caius’s expression was a mix of concern and confusion as he gently led Raziel away from the crowd to a secluded corner of the room. In a hushed, measured tone, he questioned, “Raziel, you can’t just go about shouting out these things. Our people are already worried sick and on edge. You have to come to me first if you have anything important to say. But tell me, who told you they are going to attack us today? Based on what we know, they shouldn’t be able to track us here for the next few days.”

Raziel’s eyes held a deep sense of urgency as he faced Caius, “I know it sounds crazy, but there is no time to explain now. I will tell you everything later. But I am definitely sure they are coming for us today, and we have to leave now if we are to survive another day. We would never stand a chance, especially since their chief will be coming as well. It seems like…” Raziel’s expression contorted with pain, “…the chief is out to kill our matron.”

Caius’s face creased with concern, his brows knitting together as he processed Raziel’s words.

After a few moments of deep contemplation, he replied, “It’s hard to take action without any solid reason. But since I have never seen you this shaken, and I believe you are not being paranoid, I will consider what you are saying might come true, even though I don’t know how you know. But if we leave now with our injured, we will never be able to run or hide if we get attacked by anyone out there. You do know that, right?”

Raziel winced, understanding the gravity of the situation. “I know, but we would rather take that chance than let those monsters kill us all.”

Caius let out a weary sigh, his gaze hardening with resolve, “Then I shall tell everyone to pack up and be ready to leave. This is really going to be hard on all of us, especially our injured. But as you said… we have to take our chances.”

Feeling a wave of relief wash over him, Raziel nodded, “Thank you, Grandpa Caius. I will quickly run over to Matron Selene’s house and warn her as well.”

With no time to lose, Raziel turned on his heels and dashed towards Selene’s house, his heart pounding with a mix of fear and determination but also the yearning to see her alive again.

–

Raziel’s heart pounded against his chest, each beat echoing the urgency of the situation as he neared the small stone house, tucked away in the secluded part of the village.

Panting heavily from the sprint, he didn’t venture closer to the stream this time. Instead, he stood at a safe distance, calling out with all his might, “Matron Selene! It’s me, Raziel! Can you please come to me? I have something very important to say, and it can’t wait.”

His voice, filled with a blend of anxiety and desperation, cut through the quiet of the surroundings, reaching out into the calm of the evening. He shifted from one foot to the other, his eyes darting around the area, searching for any sign of her.

Then, like a soothing melody that calmed the raging sea of his heart, he heard her voice, “Raziel?”

Turning around swiftly, Raziel’s eyes met hers – those deep, ruby red eyes that always seemed to understand him beyond words. There she stood, in her graceful glory, her red robe clinging to her wet skin, outlining the contours of her elegant figure. The sight of her, alive and unharmed, brought an overwhelming sense of relief mixed with a surge of emotions he couldn’t quite place. Never did he expect he would feel so happy and relieved to see her standing before him like always.

“Matron Selene…” he whispered, his voice barely audible, choked with emotion. Tears began to form in his eyes. The memory of her brutal death at the hands of the werewolves flashed in his mind, juxtaposed against her current, serene presence.

But it only made him feel even more determined to save her…to save everyone!

Merry Christmas everyone! 😀