The Mark of the Chosen / The Hidden Monster War

I couldn’t sleep. Not that I didn’t try—I buried myself in the threadbare blankets Evelyn handed us, curled up on the creaky couch, and squeezed my eyes shut. But every time I did, I saw glowing eyes, claws, and teeth. I kept hearing that horrible howl.

Mia was on the other end of the couch, just as restless. Every few minutes, she shifted or sighed. Finally, she sat up, her face pale in the dim light of the fireplace.

"Sam, are you awake?" she whispered.

"Yeah." My voice cracked, betraying how freaked out I was.

Mia hugged her knees. "Do you think it’s true? What Evelyn said? That this...weapon...is connected to us?"

I shrugged, though she probably couldn’t see it. "I don’t know. None of this makes any sense. Maybe it’s all some big mistake."

"Does it feel like a mistake to you?" she asked, her voice quiet but sharp.

I didn’t answer.

By morning, Evelyn had transformed the cabin into a battlefield prep zone. Weapons were laid out on the table in neat rows, and she was sharpening a sword that looked older than anything I’d seen in a museum.

"You’ve got dark circles," she said without looking up. "Didn’t sleep, huh?"

"How could we?" Mia snapped, her usual calm completely gone. "You threw us into this mess, told us we’re the key to some ancient war, and expect us to just...deal with it?"

Evelyn finally set the sword down and met Mia’s glare with a calm, steady gaze. "You’re scared. That’s normal. But fear doesn’t stop the monsters from coming. It just makes you easier to kill."

Mia opened her mouth to argue, but I stepped between them. "What’s next? You said we had to learn. So teach us. What do we need to do to survive?"

Evelyn seemed to approve of my attempt at bravery, though it felt more like desperation. She gestured for us to sit at the table.

"First, we figure out why the monsters are targeting you," she said, pulling out an old leather-bound book. Its cover was worn, the edges frayed, and it smelled faintly of smoke and earth.

She flipped through the pages until she found an illustration. It showed two figures—one holding a blazing sword, the other with glowing hands. Above them was a strange symbol: a circle with jagged lines branching out like rays of light.

"This is the mark of the Chosen," Evelyn explained. "It appears on those who are connected to the ancient weapon."

"What kind of weapon is it?" Mia asked.

"No one knows exactly," Evelyn admitted. "But legends say it has the power to control the balance between worlds—human and monster. Whoever wields it could end the war or destroy everything."

"And you think we’re connected to it?" I asked skeptically.

"I know you are," Evelyn said, her green eyes narrowing. "The monsters can sense it. And if we’re lucky, there’s a way to confirm it."

"How?" Mia asked cautiously.

Evelyn reached for my hand. "May I?"

I hesitated, then nodded. She turned my palm over, her fingers tracing the lines like she was reading a map.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Looking for the mark," Evelyn said. "Sometimes it’s visible, sometimes it’s hidden. But it’s always there."

After a moment, she let go of my hand and turned to Mia. "Your turn."

Mia reluctantly held out her hand. Evelyn studied it closely, then frowned.

"It’s not visible yet," she muttered. "But that doesn’t mean it’s not there."

"What does that even mean?" Mia asked, pulling her hand back.

"It means the connection is still dormant," Evelyn explained. "But when the time comes, the mark will reveal itself. And so will your role in this war."

My stomach twisted. "What role?"

Evelyn didn’t answer. Instead, she stood and grabbed two wooden staffs from the pile of weapons. She tossed one to Mia, who caught it awkwardly, and handed the other to me.

"Training starts now," she said.

"Training for what?" I asked, gripping the staff like it might bite me.

"For everything," Evelyn said, her tone leaving no room for argument. "If you want to survive, you need to learn to fight."

The next few hours were brutal. Evelyn showed us how to block, strike, and dodge, barking instructions like a drill sergeant.

"Keep your stance wide, Sam!"

"Don’t drop your guard, Mia!"

By the time we stopped, my arms ached, my legs felt like jelly, and I was drenched in sweat. Mia collapsed onto the floor, groaning.

"How is this supposed to help us against monsters with claws and fangs?" she muttered.

"Because you need to build strength, speed, and reflexes," Evelyn replied. "The staff is just the beginning. If you can’t handle this, you won’t last a second in a real fight."

Before we could argue, there was a knock at the door.

Evelyn stiffened, her hand immediately going to the crossbow.

"Stay back," she whispered, motioning for us to move to the far corner of the room.

The knock came again, louder this time.

"Who is it?" Evelyn called, her voice firm.

A familiar voice answered. "It’s Brady. Let me in!"

Evelyn opened the door cautiously, her crossbow raised. Brady stepped inside, his face pale and his eyes wild.

"You’ve got a problem," he said, his voice shaking.

"What kind of problem?" Evelyn asked.

Brady glanced at Mia and me, then back at Evelyn.

"They know where you are," he said. "And they’re coming."

The blood drained from my face.

"Who’s coming?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.

Brady looked straight at me.

"All of them."

Evelyn slammed the door shut and bolted it, her movements quick and precise. She turned to Brady, her green eyes sharp.

"How far out are they?" she asked, grabbing a silver dagger from the table.

Brady wiped sweat from his brow, still catching his breath. "Half an hour, maybe less. I barely made it out of town without being spotted."

"Vampires? Werewolves? Or worse?" Evelyn pressed, already moving to the shelves where jars of strange substances sat.

Brady swallowed hard. "All three. They’re working together now. I think they’re desperate."

"Working together?" Mia blurted, her voice trembling. "I thought they hated each other!"

"They do," Brady said grimly. "But whatever this weapon is, they think it’s worth putting aside their differences. For now."

I felt my knees weaken, and I grabbed the edge of the table to steady myself. "Why us? Why are they after us?"

Evelyn didn’t answer immediately. She was too busy tossing jars and vials into a bag. "Because they think you’re the key. And if they’re this determined, they’re probably right."

"That doesn’t make sense!" Mia said, pacing nervously. "We’re just...normal. We’ve never done anything special!"

Evelyn slammed the bag onto the table, making us jump. "You’re not normal," she said firmly. "Not anymore. The mark might not have appeared yet, but it will. And when it does, you’ll understand."

"I don’t want to understand!" I snapped, surprising even myself. My voice cracked as I continued. "I just want this to stop. I didn’t ask for any of this!"

Evelyn’s expression softened, just for a moment. "None of us ask for the battles we’re thrown into, Sam. But we fight them anyway, because the alternative is worse."

Brady stepped forward, his face serious. "We don’t have time for speeches. What’s the plan?"

Evelyn nodded, snapping back into action. "We can’t fight them here. There are too many, and this place isn’t fortified enough. We need to move."

"Move where?" Mia asked.

"Somewhere they won’t expect," Evelyn said, already packing more weapons into a second bag. "There’s a place deep in the woods—an old sanctuary. It’s protected by ancient wards. If we can get there, we’ll have a chance to regroup."

"A chance?" I repeated. "That’s it? A chance?"

"Do you have a better idea?" Evelyn shot back.

I didn’t.

We moved fast. Evelyn handed each of us a backpack filled with supplies and a weapon. She gave me a silver dagger and Mia a short sword, both of which felt absurdly heavy in our hands.

"Don’t hesitate to use them," Evelyn warned. "They’re not just for show."

Brady led the way, his truck parked a short distance from the cabin. As we loaded in, the air felt unnaturally still, like the world was holding its breath.

"Do you hear that?" Mia asked, her voice barely a whisper.

I strained to listen. At first, there was nothing but the rustle of leaves in the wind. Then I heard it: faint, rhythmic thuds, growing louder.

"They’re coming," Brady said grimly, climbing into the driver’s seat.

We didn’t need more motivation. Evelyn climbed into the front, while Mia and I scrambled into the back. The truck roared to life, and we sped down the dirt path, the headlights slicing through the darkness.

"How far to the sanctuary?" Brady asked, his knuckles white on the steering wheel.

"Ten miles," Evelyn said. "But we need to lose them first. They’ll follow our scent."

"Scent?" Mia repeated, her eyes wide.

"Vampires and werewolves track by scent," Evelyn explained. "And those other things—well, let’s just say they have their own ways of hunting."

I glanced out the back window, half-expecting to see glowing eyes or shadowy figures. The thought made my stomach churn.

"How do we lose them?" I asked.

"That’s the tricky part," Evelyn admitted.

As if on cue, the truck lurched violently to the side. Something hit us—hard.

"What was that?" Mia screamed.

Brady fought to keep the truck steady. "They’ve found us!"

I turned to look out the window and froze. A massive werewolf was running alongside the truck, its glowing eyes locked on us. Its claws scraped against the metal, leaving deep gashes.

Evelyn leaned out the window, her crossbow loaded and ready. She fired, the bolt striking the werewolf in the leg. It yelped and stumbled, but another one took its place almost instantly.

"Brace yourselves!" Brady shouted as he swerved the truck off the road and into the woods.

Branches whipped against the windows, and the truck bounced violently over the uneven ground. The werewolves kept pace, their snarls filling the air.

"This isn’t going to work!" Mia cried.

"It will," Evelyn said, her voice steady. "It has to."

But the creatures were relentless. One of them lunged at the back of the truck, its claws sinking into the tailgate.

I grabbed the silver dagger and hesitated for only a moment before stabbing at its hand. The blade sank in, and the werewolf let out an ear-piercing howl, falling away.

"Nice job!" Evelyn shouted, reloading her crossbow.

I didn’t feel victorious. My hands were shaking, and my heart was pounding so hard it hurt.

"Hang on!" Brady yelled as the truck burst through a thicket of trees. Ahead, a stone archway came into view, its surface covered in strange, glowing symbols.

"The sanctuary!" Evelyn said. "We’re almost there!"

The truck skidded to a stop just outside the archway. Evelyn and Brady jumped out first, motioning for us to follow.

"Through the arch!" Evelyn ordered.

Mia and I didn’t hesitate. We ran, the glowing symbols casting an eerie light over us as we passed beneath.

The air changed instantly. It felt heavier, warmer, and strangely calm. When I turned around, the creatures were snarling at the edge of the archway, unable to cross.

Evelyn let out a sigh of relief. "We made it."

"For now," Brady added grimly.

I stared at the creatures, their glowing eyes filled with rage. They couldn’t reach us—but they weren’t giving up.

"What now?" I asked, my voice barely audible.

Evelyn looked at me, her expression hard but not unkind.

"Now," she said, "we figure out why you’re worth risking the end of the world."

The sanctuary was unlike anything I’d ever seen. Inside the archway, the trees grew taller and twisted together like cathedral arches. The air buzzed with a strange energy, and the ground beneath my feet felt softer, almost alive.

Mia and I stood in stunned silence while Evelyn and Brady checked the perimeter.

“What is this place?” Mia finally whispered, her eyes wide as she took in the glowing runes carved into the trunks of nearby trees.

“A sanctuary,” Evelyn said, returning from her inspection. “It’s ancient, protected by magic older than any of us. Nothing with ill intent can enter here.”

Brady leaned against a tree, wiping sweat from his brow. “We’ll be safe for a while, but they won’t stop hunting. They’ll wait just outside the barrier until they figure out a way in—or until you step out.”

“No pressure or anything,” Mia muttered, crossing her arms.

I still couldn’t process what had happened. Werewolves. Vampires. Whatever those other things were. And us, somehow in the middle of it all.

Evelyn noticed my dazed expression and sighed. “I know it’s overwhelming, but you don’t have the luxury of freezing up. The monsters out there? They’re patient. If you’re not ready when the time comes, they’ll kill you. And then they’ll kill everyone else to get what they want.”

Her words hit like a slap. My legs felt like they might buckle, but I forced myself to stand tall. “Then teach us,” I said. “If we’re supposed to be...whatever this is...then we need to know what to do.”

Evelyn studied me for a moment, then nodded. “Good. Because we’re not just going to sit around waiting for them to make the next move.”

Evelyn led us to a clearing deeper within the sanctuary. The air here was even thicker with energy, and strange plants glowed faintly in the underbrush.

“This place will help,” she explained. “The magic here enhances strength, sharpens reflexes. It’s why sanctuaries like this exist—to train people like you.”

“People like us?” Mia asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Chosen,” Evelyn said simply.

“That word again,” I muttered. “What does it even mean? Why us? Why now?”

Evelyn hesitated, her usual confidence faltering. “I don’t know why you were chosen. But I do know this: you’re connected to the weapon, and the weapon is the only thing that can stop this war. Whether you like it or not, you’re part of something bigger now.”

Mia let out a frustrated sigh. “Great. Love being part of vague, world-ending prophecies.”

“Prophecies don’t matter,” Evelyn said sharply. “What matters is what you do now.” She tossed me a staff, then handed one to Mia.

“Not these again,” Mia groaned, holding the staff like it might explode.

“Don’t underestimate them,” Evelyn said. “A simple weapon in skilled hands can do more damage than you think.”

Evelyn spent the next hour drilling us in stances and strikes. She was relentless, correcting every mistake with sharp words and even sharper demonstrations.

“You’re too slow, Sam!” she barked as I fumbled a block. “Move your feet!”

“Easier said than done,” I muttered under my breath, but I kept going.

Mia, for all her complaining, was a quick learner. By the end of the session, she was landing strikes with surprising precision.

“Not bad,” Evelyn admitted, tossing Mia a water bottle.

“Thanks,” Mia said, though she looked more exhausted than proud.

I sat down, panting, and wiped sweat from my face. “Okay, so we’re learning to fight. But what about the weapon? How do we find it?”

Evelyn crouched beside me, her expression serious. “The weapon will reveal itself when the time is right. For now, you need to focus on surviving long enough to reach that point.”

Brady appeared from the edge of the clearing, his face grim. “We’ve got a problem.”

Evelyn stood immediately, her hand on the hilt of her dagger. “What is it?”

“The barrier’s weakening,” Brady said. “The monsters are working together to break it down.”

“That’s impossible,” Evelyn said, though her voice held a note of doubt.

“Tell that to the glowing cracks in the archway,” Brady shot back.

I felt the blood drain from my face. “What happens if the barrier breaks?”

Evelyn didn’t sugarcoat it. “If the barrier falls, they’ll overwhelm us. We won’t stand a chance.”

Mia’s voice wavered. “So...what do we do?”

Evelyn’s jaw tightened. “We fight. And this time, there’s no running.”

The air grew colder, and a distant howl echoed through the sanctuary. My grip tightened on the staff, my heart pounding in my chest.

This wasn’t just training anymore.

The war had come to us.

Next Chapter Three

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