LUCA'S P.O.V.
Name: Luca Vance
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Complexion: Dark
Height: 6'3 (192 cm)
Major: Physical Education
Bio: Grew up without a father, who died from a stab wound in a fight before Luca was born. Raised by his devoted mother, Tasha. A proud and confident extrovert, Luca is one of the best basketball players in school, though only an average student. He thrives in the gym, is fiercely popular, and undeniably handsome. Despite his tough exterior, he's easily triggered and has an irrational fear of cockroaches.
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The cave was silent except for the dripping of water somewhere in the distance. The deeper I went, the more the world behind me faded. Darkness pressed in on every side, thick like fog but colder—heavier. My footsteps echoed as if the walls were listening, absorbing every sound. The air stank of mold and ancient decay. My hands brushed against cold, slimy stone as I navigated through, and cobwebs draped over me like veils from forgotten tombs. My breath came out in misty puffs, though there was no wind.
Something was calling me forward. Not a voice—more like a pull in my chest, a magnetic force dragging me toward the unknown. And then, I saw it. Light.
Faint at first, flickering, like the last embers of a dying fire. But as I moved toward it, it grew—brighter, hotter, more urgent. It pulsed in rhythm with my heartbeat.
And then came the sound. A groan—low and broken, laced with agony. It chilled my bones.
I stepped around a jagged bend in the cave and was immediately repelled by the sudden flash of bright light. Almost as bright as the sun.
I turned around immediately and rubbed my eyes, and I slowly peered through as my eyesight had adjusted.
There, in the center of a vast stone chamber, bathed in blinding light, knelt a man. His body trembled violently, wracked with pain. He clawed at the ground, trying to rise, but his limbs shook too hard to hold him. Surrounding him was a circle of hooded figures—twelve, maybe thirteen—draped in black robes. Their faces were hidden, their hands raised. From each palm, a beam of pure, radiant light poured into the man's body.
He screamed—a sound that didn't even seem human. It pierced the air, ricocheting off the walls and straight into my soul. I stumbled backward, but I couldn't look away.
The man's skin began to burn—literally burn—from the inside out. His veins lit up like lava, glowing through his skin. His muscles convulsed, and chunks of his flesh began to flake away like ash caught in the wind.
And then I saw his teeth.
Fangs.
Not like those cheesy Halloween ones. Real. Sharp. Curved. Monstrous.
What was he?
Who were they?
What the hell was I witnessing?
As more of his skin disintegrated, his eyes rolled back. His body spasmed and began to collapse inward, folding in on itself as if the light was erasing his very existence. His final scream was so loud, so animalistic, it left a ringing in my ears long after he crumbled into nothing.
Just ashes.
Gone.
I tried to leave, but the cave suddenly felt like it was spinning. My foot slipped on the uneven floor, and I crashed down hard onto a sharp rock. Pain exploded in my ankle as I twisted it at an unnatural angle. I let out a groan, not loud, but not quiet either. As I tried as much as I could to suppress the noise the pain made me feel.
And that was enough.
Twelve heads turned toward me, hoods still drawn, eyes hidden. But I knew. I felt them. Their gaze pinned me in place like nails into a coffin.
They didn't speak. They didn't move.
They just stared.
Without warning, one appeared directly at my face and laid a hand on my chest.
A scream clawed its way up my throat—
"AHHHH!" I jolted upright in bed, drenched in sweat. My chest heaved like I'd just run a marathon, heart hammering against my ribs so hard I thought it might break free.
It was a dream?
The door burst open.
"Luca!" my mom cried, rushing into the room. "Are you alright?"
She was at my side in seconds, cradling my face in her hands, scanning me for signs of injury. Her presence should have grounded me, but it didn't.
"I'm fine," I said, voice hoarse. "Just a nightmare."
Her eyes were soft, worried. "Do you want to talk about it?"
I hesitated, but the images wouldn't leave me alone. "There were cloaked people... in a cave. They were burning this man alive. With light. He vanished into ashes. He had fangs. Like—like a vampire or something."
She sat on the edge of the bed and smoothed a hand down my damp hair. "It was just a dream, Luca. You've been staying up too late again, haven't you?"
I didn't answer. I didn't believe it was just a dream because it felt way too real.
She poured a glass of water from the jug by my nightstand and handed it to me. "Drink this. Then get up. You have school."
I drank it all in one go and nodded. "Yeah. I'll get ready."
She kissed my forehead and walked out.
As I tried to stand up from the bed, a slight sharp pain suddenly brushed inside my ankles which held me back.
"Argh!" I exclaimed in a low tone as I held my ankle. I was so confused. Thankfully, the pain was very faint and did not last long.
I must have twisted it a bit in my sleep. I thought to myself.
I ignored the pain and I threw off the bed covers and dragged myself to the mirror, which was a daily routine as I loved to admire my body, as a means of boosting my self confidence. My body was still slick with sweat. My reflection looked pale, shaken. Not like me.
Then I saw it.
A small mark—just above my right pec. Faint. Circular. Intricate. Like a burn... or a brand.
"What the hell...?"
I leaned in, squinting. It wasn't raised. Didn't look infected. It looked... old. Like it had always been there, hidden, until now.
I scrubbed at it with my fingers. Nothing. I grabbed a wet towel and rubbed harder. Still nothing. The mark stared back at me, unmoved. Unbothered.
"Mom?" I called.
She returned, her voice trailing in from the hallway. "Yes?"
"Come here for a second."
She walked in, drying her hands on a dish towel. "What is it?"
I pointed at my chest. "Do you see this? Right here?"
She frowned and stepped closer, pulling out her phone flashlight. She squinted for a few seconds, then shook her head.
"There's nothing there."
"What?" I blinked. "It's right here! It's a whole damn circle!"
She tilted her head. "Sweetheart, there's nothing on your skin, now hurry up and come out for breakfast."
She left again, casual, like I hadn't just told her I might be branded by some vampire-hunting cult.
Frustrated, I entered the bathroom to have my bath, grabbed an exfoliating scrub from the bathroom, lathered it, and scrubbed until the skin turned red with slight scratches. The mark didn't fade. If anything, it became clearer. More defined. I stared at it in the mirror, heart pounding.
That wasn't a dream!
Something had happened to me.
I dressed in silence, my thoughts a whirlwind. My uniform hung crisp and neat—ruby-red jacket, white shirt underneath, black pants pressed and ready. I smoothed my hair, threw on a chain, and tried to look normal.
Tried.
At the breakfast table, my mom had made everything: toast, eggs, bacon, a steaming cup of sweet, creamy coffee—Just how I liked it. It brought minimal comfort to my wandering mind.
I chewed in silence, barely tasting anything. My mom watched me but said nothing.
"You okay?" she finally asked.
I nodded. "Just tired."
"You didn't sleep well."
"Nope."
She gave me a small smile and touched my hand. "It was just a dream."
"Yeah," I said quietly, "just a dream."
But the mark still tingled beneath my shirt.
When I stood, she called out, "Be careful at practice today."
"I'm always careful."
She gave me the look.
"Okay, I'll try," I smirked, grabbing my bag.
I leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Bye, Mom."
"Bye, sweetheart."
I got to the endered and held the handle, compelled to turn back to my mom.
"Mom?"
"Hmm" she replied faintly.
"Did you really not see anything?"
She shook her head, "cross my heart sweetie. What did you think you saw?"
"It was…" I suddenly lost the mental strength to explain, "never mind, I'll see you later".
As I stepped outside, the cool air hit me like a slap. The sky was clear, but the world felt... heavier. Off.
I walked slowly, feeling eyes on me.
Then, I saw it.
Across the street, standing completely still among a sea of moving people, was a figure.
Cloaked.
Black hood.
Motionless.
Watching me.
No one else seemed to notice. They walked right past it, unfazed. I stared, heart pounding, the mark on my chest burnt faintly.
Suddenly I felt someone bump into me.
"Sorry, it was my fault" The girl apologized with a soft comforting tone and moved along quickly. Something shimmered in the corner of my eye as she ran off but I paid no attention to it.
I looked back at the creature
and it was gone!.
Gone.
I looked left and right to be sure it wasn't just hanging around. I saw nothing.
I took a deep breath in to calm myself down and tried to convince myself I was getting crazy and was just seeing things.
But I knew what I saw.
And I knew one thing for sure:
This wasn't over.