"At last, child of the hunt."

Callista stumbled back, her voice barely a whisper. "Who... are you?" Even as she spoke, a primal instinct deep within her whispered the answer.

The being shimmered, its light intensifying. "The power coursing through you," it boomed, "belongs to me. I am the Celestial."

"The Celestial? Why haven't I heard of you before?"

The Celestial's light flickered, a hint of something akin to disappointment dimming its brilliance for a fleeting moment. "Because, Hunter," it rumbled, "only a chosen few throughout history have reached this threshold. You absorbed another's Celestial energy. A reckless act, but one that brought you here."

Shame flooded Callista. "I just felt compelled," she admitted quietly. Billie's axe had sung a siren song she couldn't ignore.

The Celestial pulsed with renewed power, the room vibrating with its energy. "Your potential, Hunter, remains an untamed fire. But within you burns the echo of the first to reach this place."

A spark of curiosity ignited within Callista. "The first? Who was that?" The Watchers had never delved into the origins of the Hunters, leaving her to accept them as a natural part of the world, like vampires.

The being began to dissipate, its voice a fading whisper. "Focus on yourself, Hunter. Conviction is the key. Unlock me, and you will unlock the cosmic power within.”

Conviction? Callista felt a hollowness where it should reside. Vengeance for those she'd lost had driven her, but now it felt hollow. What purpose did she have left? In the face of the Celestial's power, her motivations and strength seemed insignificant.

The Celestial's form dissolved into particles of light. "Use it wisely." It was a final whisper before it vanished completely.

Callista jolted awake, the harsh beep of a machine a rude awakening. A pale, weary Indigo materialised beside her, his eyes red-rimmed. Relief flooded his face as their gazes met.

"Callie!" he rasped, his voice thick with emotion. "Thank the heavens you woke up. I thought..." He choked back a sob, unable to finish the sentence.

Disoriented, Callista scanned her surroundings. The sterile white room, with its harsh lighting, resembled a surgery unit. "Where am I?" she croaked. "How long?"

"London," Indigo replied, rubbing his temples. "Watcher Council headquarters. You were out for three days. Your heart... stopped for a while."

The blinding light lingered behind her eyelids, a ghost of the Celestial Plane. Squeezing Indigo's hand reassuringly, Callista murmured, "The Celestial Plane, I think I was actually there. It spoke to me."

Indigo's eyes widened. "The Celestial Plane? You actually reached it?" Disbelief warred with a flicker of awe. "What did it say?"

Callista recounted the Celestial's words - the dormant potential, the first Hunter. A spark of determination ignited in her eyes. "We need to find out about this first Hunter. Maybe that's the key to defeating Eydis."

"The Council doesn't record much about the Hunter origins," Indigo admitted, "we were created by patrons, admirers of heroes. Never questioned our place."

Callista absorbed this revelation, her mind racing. Yet, a newfound hope warmed her. The key to defeating Queen Eydis might lie within her, within this Celestial power. But unlocking it was the question. What kind of conviction did it require?

Her mind raced, fueled by the Celestial's words and the weight of responsibility. There was a nagging feeling, a fragmented memory just out of reach. Was the Celestial the only one she spoke with on that strange plane? Deep in the recesses of her mind, a faint echo of another voice lingered, soft and serene yet stubbornly out of reach.

A jolt of dread lanced through Callista. "Speaking of celestial power," she stammered, "what about Billie? Did he make it?"

Indigo's face darkened. "There were an accident on his way to the hospital," he began, "he went missing."

Panic surged through Callista. "How? Who took him?"

Indigo's brow furrowed, his hand instinctively reaching for his phone, scrolling through notifications with a frantic urgency. A heavy sigh escaped him, his face falling as he met Callista's gaze. "No news, our resources are stretched thin at the moment."

Callista's voice was a whipcrack. "Stretched? Why?"

Indigo hesitated, his gaze flitting away from hers for a moment. "There's been a growing distrust towards the leadership," he whispered, his voice strained. "Rumours of us working with the vampires. Unleashing mutated ghouls responsible for several hunter deaths. Now that Billie, and Elisa went missing..."

Callista's mind raced. "Elisa too? Another Metamorphosis-based hunter..." Instinct screamed at her about Billie's possible predicament. "Do you trust the Watchers?"

Indigo remained silent, squeezing her hand in a gesture of reassurance that felt hollow. His mind was a storm of conflicting emotions. Queen Eydis wasn't who they expected. Ruthless, yes, but not with simple bloodlust. It was a chilling precision, a calculated move that exposed a critical weakness in their organisation - their Achilles' heel.

A formidable, terrifying vampire beyond his wildest imagination.

*****

A sleek black cat landed silently on the windowsill. It shimmered, morphing into a tall man after he slipped inside.

"Identity verified. Dr. Elias Kivi access granted," a metallic voice announced with a monotone chirp.

A steely glint entered Elias's eyes as the heavy door hissed open, revealing a scene of controlled chaos. Scientists in sterile white coats scurried around two figures strapped to separate tables. One, a hulking male with black hair, thrashed violently against his restraints, his roars echoing with a primal fury. The other, a slender figure with long, blonde hair, lay eerily still, a pained grimace etched on their face.

"Two hunters?" Elias rasped, his voice laced with a chilling curiosity.

Adrian rumbled, "Indeed. One was given, one was taken. But the real question, Doctor, is can you extract enough Celestial energy to complete the weapon?"

Dr. Elias, his face obscured by the harsh glare of the overhead lights, tilted the vial filled with a swirling white liquid. "For now, this will suffice," he muttered, his voice devoid of emotion. "But the Anti-Vampire Weapon nears Phase Three. We'll see if it's enough, Prince."

As Dr. Elias began his analysis, Adrian swallowed hard. The weight of his actions pressed down on him. He had to make it work. He had to save her. Save Athena.

Even if it meant... betraying everything he believed in.

Betraying Eydis. The very name sent a tremor through him. Eydis, with her dazzling smile and mesmerising gaze, had captivated everyone she met. Once, the mere thought of them as enemies would have been laughable.

Who could ever truly hate her? And yet, fate, or perhaps Eydis's own machinations, had plunged a dagger into his cold, undead heart.

The audacity. Even after her vile actions, she dared to impersonate Athena. Yet, here he was, bound by the Royal Decree, a helpless spectator as she tore everything down. He craved answers, an explanation for her betrayal.

But silence was her only response.

And so, the burden fell on him. Adrian, the prince, the devoted brother, would become the instrument of her downfall. He would end her reign of terror, for the sake of his sister, for the sake of the vampire race.

He had to. No one else would. Not his power-hungry father, who valued power above all else. To change the tide meant sacrifice, and Adrian, with a heart heavy as a tomb, chose to offer his own.

There was no other choice.