The sleepless hunter

Chapter 2 – The Sleepless Hunter

Riven Duskbane was not what people expected when they heard the word hunter.

Most imagined a tall, muscular warrior with sharp eyes and endless energy. Riven was tall, yes, and his eyes were sharp when they needed to be… but he moved slowly, like a man who had all the time in the world. His black hair was always messy, his clothes were plain, and the dark circles under his eyes made him look tired even in the middle of the day.

In truth, Riven was always tired. Sleep came to him in short bursts, never lasting long. His mind was restless, and his nights were often spent walking under the moon, thinking about nothing and everything at once.

People who met him for the first time rarely believed he was a hunter. Some thought he was a traveler, a wanderer who had lost his way. Others thought he was a burden, someone who only slowed the group down. They couldn’t have been more wrong.

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Riven was good at everything he tried. He could track footsteps in mud that others couldn’t even see. He could fire an arrow straight through a coin at fifty steps. He could pick a lock (open a door without a key) in seconds. And when it came to fighting… well, most never saw him move until it was already over.

But Riven didn’t like to show off. He preferred to watch and wait, letting others underestimate him. It made his work easier.

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That morning, he was sitting at a small wooden table in the corner of an inn, sipping black coffee that had gone cold. Around him, the other hunters in his group were arguing about their next mission.

“They say a royal blood vampire has been spotted near the eastern mountains,” one man said, slamming his fist on the table. “If we can catch her, the reward will be enough to keep us fed for a year.”

Riven didn’t look up. He slowly stirred his coffee, though he had already finished drinking it.

“Why so quiet, Duskbane?” another hunter asked. “You’re not scared of one vampire, are you?”

Riven shrugged. “If she’s royal blood, she’s stronger than all of us put together. And if she’s smart, she’s already gone.”

The others laughed, mistaking his words for laziness. They didn’t notice the way his eyes narrowed slightly — the way he was already memorizing every detail they had said.

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Riven had no love for vampires. They had taken more from him than he could ever get back. But he also didn’t rush into fights for the sake of glory. Every battle was a risk, and every risk had to be worth taking.

Still, the mention of a royal blood vampire caught his attention. He hadn’t faced one before.

He leaned back in his chair, letting the conversation fade into the background. The other hunters would head out soon, swords and crossbows ready. Riven would follow — slowly, quietly — and see for himself if the rumors were true.

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Outside, the human city was waking up. Magicians in long robes walked the streets, their staffs glowing faintly with magic. Maids hurried to the markets, carrying baskets of bread and fruit. Gangs lingered in alleyways, whispering deals no one else was supposed to hear.

And somewhere, far from the noise, in the mountains beyond the city walls… a vampire princess was watching the world she was meant to avoid.

Neither of them knew that their paths were already moving toward each other.

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