The night air was thick with the scent of rain as you moved silently through the narrow, winding streets of an ancient city forgotten by time. Cobblestones, slick with moisture, glistened under the pale light of the moon. Your breath formed clouds in the chill air, but you barely noticed. Every sense was focused, every nerve on edge. You were close now—so close you could almost feel the dark presence you had hunted for years.

For as long as you could remember, your life had been consumed by a single purpose: to find and destroy Adrian Thornwood, a vampire lord who had eluded hunters for centuries. He was no ordinary creature of the night; he was the one who had taken everything from you.

You paused at the entrance of a crumbling cathedral, its gothic spires clawing at the sky like twisted fingers. This was where the trail had led you—a place as ancient as Adrian himself. The weight of the past hung heavy in the air, mingling with the scent of decay and something darker, something older.

With a deep breath, you pushed open the heavy doors. They creaked on their rusted hinges, the sound echoing through the vast, empty space. Inside, the cathedral was dark, save for the flickering light of a few scattered candles. The shadows seemed to shift and move, alive with unseen eyes. You knew he was watching you, waiting.

"Still so relentless," came a voice, rich and velvety, from the darkness. Adrian stepped into the dim light, his figure tall and imposing, cloaked in black. His eyes, the color of dying embers, locked onto yours with a predatory gleam. "I’ve been expecting you."