Katera

Chapter 1: First Meeting

On dark cool night an 18 year old girl with long midnight blue hair and blue eyes named Maria was out bow hunting in the woods, which weren't far from her house. Maria didn't usually bow hunt at night because it was much harder to see what was in front of her. Also hunting during the day was just more convenient for her. As she paced through the woods in hopes of finding something she heard a noise nearby and something moving. But she couldn't make out what it was. Thinking that it was possibly a bear, she grabbed and arrow and aimed her bow at the origin of the movement and released the arrow.

Once the arrow pierced the target, she a strange grunting noise notifying her that the target was down. When she went to check it out, she was shocked to find out that it was not a bear that she hit, but instead a person.

"Are you okay?" Maria asked in worry of the injured stranger. She looked at the man with black hair and blue eyes and noticed the arrow had pierced his left leg.

"Yeah, I'm fine." The stranger replies. He then removes the arrow with no struggle. "Thanks for asking."

"I am so sorry. I didn't mean to hit you with my arrow. This'll probably be the last time I bow hunt at night."

Maria then helped the man up back on to his feet. "Thank you" he said in response to her aid. "No problem" Maria replied. "Would you like me to help you the rest of the way?" Maria asked "No, I'm not far from home. But thanks for the offer."

Maria looked to her and saw some sort of U-shaped piece of metal with light purple stones and a pointy W-shaped curve at the center, and believed it belonged to the stranger. When she looked up to ask the stranger that he had dropped it, but noticed he was already gone. So she decided to stick the metal object in the satchel she carrying with her, and hoped that she'd be able to return it to him. Maria then headed home.

Maria reached her destination, which was an apartment because she lived alone. When she entered through the door, her friends Jessie and Rachel were there reading a book.

"Hi girls, I'm back." Maria stated pleasantly

"Welcome back Maria, did you catch anything." Rachel asked curiously

"No, and I don't think I'll be hunting at night anymore. It's too hard to see in the dark." Maria replied with a frown.

"Well, maybe you'll maybe get something next time." Jessie said in support "You must be cold, here take this." Jessie handed Maria a blanket to put over her arms.

"Thanks Jessie." she responded "If you don't mind me asking, what are you guys reading? Just out of curiosity." Maria asked

"We're reading the book Myths and Legends." Rachel responded

"Myths and Legends? Really? Don't you know like everything in that book is made up?" Maria asked

"Yeah, but we don't care. Many of the stories in here are really cool, even if they are made up." Jessie replied

"Why don't you sit down and read with us. You might find it interesting too." Rachel commented.

Maria agreed to reading the book along with then. As they flipped through the pages they read stories about werewolves, fairies and mythical places such as Atlantis. Maria only found they story about werewolves interesting. "How about we read a story that isn't so childish. Something that's not mermaids and fairies." Maria insisted

They continued flipping through the pages of the book.

"Oh, how about this one. It's about vampires" Rachel stated

Maria looked at the open page of the book and had her eyes set on the title 'Vampires of Katera'. "Sounds interesting enough." she then started reading one of the pages.

The Vampires of Katera are not ones to be messed with. They were said to drain the blood of almost every human who entered their city. Many people enter their city, few return. These vampires are also said to have special abilities such as superior strength, exquisit speed and hypnotic capabilities.

Katera is said to always be ruled by a vampire prince. The vampire prince is usually feared more that the other vampires in the city, but it is not known why.

Maria then stopped reading due to being interrupted by Jessie.

"Wouldn't it be cool if this place was real?" Jessie asked

"No, I wouldn't want to become vampire chow." Rachel replied

"Rachel, vampires don't eat people, they drink their blood." responded Maria

"Still, anyway me and Jessie should get going. It's getting kinda late." Rachel said sleepily

"Okay then, but is it okay if I borrow this book?" Maria asked nicely with a smile on her face.

"Sure, why not." Jessie replied

"Thanks, I'll be sure to return it to you when I am done with it."

Maria's friends Jessie and Rachel then left Maria's apartment. Maria watched them through her doorway as they headed home. As soon as they were out of sight she shut the door and headed to her bedroom. She then dressed herself into her sleep clothes, grabbed the Myths and Legends book and began reading it again.

The prince of Katera also wears a crown, which is believed to be made up of white gold and amethysts. The W-like shape is believed to resemble fangs that of a vampire.

Next to words showed a picture of the said crown. When Maria looked at the said picture she realised it looked oddly familiar. But she couldn't quite place it, and then it struck her. She then got out of bed to fetch her satchel. After she found it, she took it to her room. Maria opened up the satchel and took out the strange metal object she had found earlier that night. And to her surprise, it almost matched the picture in the book perfectly.

Maria was shocked at this information and at the same time questions ran through her head. "Is Katera a real place and not fictional?" "Was that stranger I met actually the vampire prince?" "Is this piece of metal I found actually the prince's crown?" These questions haunted her mind. Then she decided that she had to find out if it was true or not, so she placed the supposed crown back in her satchel and decided that she'd begin her investigation starting tomorrow night. But as for tonight, she would rest.