Nightfall: Last Call

Chapter 4 -The Silent Blades

04:30 AM, April 5th 2026 - The Howler

The dim lighting of The Howler cast long shadows across the bar as the final customers trickled out into the quiet streets. Ren wiped down the counter, his thoughts still swirling with everything that had happened in the past few days. Ren felt like he was standing on the edge of something—something dark and incomprehensible.

Just as he finished up closing the bar, he heard the soft creak of the door behind the bar—the one that led to Darius's private office. Ren glanced up to see Darius standing in the doorway, his expression calm but serious.

"Ren," Darius said, his voice as low and steady as ever. "It's time."

Ren blinked, setting down the rag in his hand. "Time for what?"

Darius stepped forward, motioning for Ren to follow. "You asked me how you could stand against Valen. The answer is training. Real training. But not just anyone can teach you how to fight vampires."

Ren's pulse quickened. He had expected Darius to offer some guidance, but there was something in his tone that felt different—heavier. As if what came next would change everything.

"Come with me," Darius said, his voice quieter now. "There are things you need to see."

Ren hesitated for only a second before nodding. He followed Darius through the door and down the narrow hallway that led to the back of The Howler. They descended a set of stone stairs, deeper into the bowels of the building than Ren had ever been before. The air grew cooler, and the dim lights flickered, casting eerie shadows on the stone walls.

After what felt like an eternity, they reached an iron door, thick and old, like it had been there for centuries. Darius unlocked it with a single turn of the key, pushing it open with ease. The door groaned in protest, revealing a dark, expansive chamber on the other side.

Ren stepped in, his eyes widening at the sight. The room was vast, dimly lit by sconces along the walls, and lined with old weapons. But it wasn't the weapons that caught Ren's attention. It was the figures standing in the center of the room.

There were four of them, each one radiating a quiet, deadly energy. They were like shadows themselves, their presence commanding the space with an almost palpable intensity.

"This," Darius said as he stepped forward, gesturing to the group, "is The Silent Blades."

Ren's eyes flicked between them, trying to take in each face, each detail, but they moved like a single, seamless unit, their silence unnerving.

"They are my elite force," Darius continued, his voice steady. "I left the vampire world long ago, but I knew there would come a time when neutrality wouldn't be enough to protect what I've built. The Silent Blades are my safeguard. They operate in the shadows, unseen, unheard—until they strike."

Ren swallowed hard, feeling the weight of their gazes on him. "And they're going to train me?"

Darius nodded. "Vampires like Valen won't stop. If you want to survive, you need to learn how to fight. And there's no one better to teach you."

Ren's gaze shifted to the leader of the group, a woman with sharp, calculating eyes who seemed to be watching him the closest. She stepped forward, her movements graceful yet powerful.

"This is Lucia," Darius said. "She specializes in stealth and strategy."

Lucia's lips curved into a faint smile, though there was little warmth in it. "You'll need more than brute strength to survive," she said, her voice like silk. "You need to be invisible. Unseen. We'll see how long it takes for you to disappear."

Next to Lucia was a towering figure, his arms crossed over his broad chest. His gaze was cold, assessing, and his very presence exuded power.

"Viktor," Darius said. "Strength and defense. He'll show you how to survive a direct fight."

Viktor barely inclined his head in acknowledgment, his voice a low rumble. "You'll need more than speed. You need to be able to take a hit and keep fighting. You're not strong enough yet—but you will be."

The third member stepped forward, a man with a quiet, deadly focus, his eyes gleaming white with cold precision.

"Kael," Darius introduced. "Tactics and precision. He's a master of the blade."

Kael didn't speak, but there was something in the way he moved that made Ren's pulse quicken—a sense of lethal control. Kael held out a dagger, the blade gleaming in the low light, offering it to Ren. Ren took it, the weight of the blade heavy in his hand.

Finally, Darius gestured to the last member, a woman with a dangerous smile playing at her lips. Her presence was different—less about raw power and more about an unsettling charisma.

"Seraphine," Darius said. "She'll teach you to resist the manipulation of vampires—how to guard your mind."

Seraphine stepped closer, her eyes gleaming as they flicked over Ren with interest. "You're human," she said softly. "That makes you vulnerable. But it also makes you interesting. Vampires will try to control your thoughts, your emotions. I'll teach you how to resist... if you're strong enough."

Ren glanced at Darius, his mind racing. The Silent Blades were everything he hadn't expected—and more than he could've imagined. He had known he was in over his head with Valen, but now, standing here in front of Darius's secret weapon, it felt real. The danger. The stakes. His own vulnerability.

"This is the only way to survive," Darius said, his voice low but firm. "Valen is coming, and when he does, you need to be ready."

Ren nodded slowly, the weight of Darius's words sinking in. He wasn't ready. Not yet. But now, with the Silent Blades behind him, maybe he could be.

Darius turned to Ren, his expression softer for a moment. "You've already made the choice to stand against Valen. Now, you must commit to it."

Ren took a deep breath, feeling the cool metal of the dagger in his hand. He nodded. "I'm ready."

Lucia stepped forward again, her sharp gaze never leaving his. "We'll see about that. Training starts now."