Kaleb was just beginning to drift into the shallow waters of sleep when a sharp knock on the door snapped him back to consciousness. His eyes opened to the dim glow of the lantern hanging by his bedside, casting flickering shadows across the bare walls of his quarters. He grumbled under his breath, rubbing his eyes as he swung his legs over the side of the bed, the cold stone floor sending a chill through his bones.

Before he could rise, the door creaked open, and one of his men—a young soldier with a pale face and wide eyes—stood at the threshold, his voice trembling with urgency. “Commander, I’m sorry to wake you, but… there’s a messenger. He’s just returned from Redhills.”

Kaleb’s heart skipped a beat. A messenger? At this hour? The night was thick with darkness, and the dangers that lurked beyond the walls of the city were enough to make any sensible man think twice before venturing out. What news could be so urgent that it couldn’t wait until morning?

His mind raced as he stood, quickly pulling on his boots and grabbing his sword from where it rested against the wall. “Where is he?” Kaleb asked, his voice steady but laced with an underlying tension.

“Outside, sir. He’s… he looks like he’s seen a ghost.”

Kaleb’s stomach tightened with unease. He pushed past the soldier and made his way through the winding corridors of the Maelyss headquarters, his thoughts dark and foreboding. He had sent fifteen men, led by Captain Zylar, to Redhills. They should have been safe there, with the barracks well-defended and the surrounding lands relatively quiet. What could have gone wrong?

As he stepped outside into the cool night air, the full moon casting a pale light over the courtyard, he spotted the messenger standing near the entrance gate. The man was trembling, his face ashen and streaked with sweat, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Kaleb recognized him instantly—a young soldier named Lyle, one of the fifteen he had sent to Redhills.

“Lyle,” Kaleb said, his voice low and commanding, “what happened? Where’s Captain Zylar?”

Lyle looked up at him, his eyes wide with terror. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words seemed to catch in his throat. Kaleb stepped closer, gripping the young man by the shoulders, his tone firm. “Speak, man. What happened at Redhills?”

Lyle swallowed hard, his voice barely above a whisper. “The Haltuers… they attacked, sir. The barracks… it’s gone. Everyone… they’re all dead.”

Kaleb felt the blood drain from his face, his grip tightening on Lyle’s shoulders. “What do you mean, gone? What happened?”

Lyle’s eyes darted around the courtyard as if expecting the shadows themselves to rise up and attack. “It was just after dawn… they came out of nowhere. We… we thought we were safe. Captain Zylar and the men tried to hold them off, but there were too many. They… they didn’t stop, not even under the sun.”

Kaleb’s mind reeled. Haltuers attacking during daylight? It was unheard of. For centuries, the creatures had only ventured out under the cover of darkness, their fear of the sun keeping them at bay. If they were now brazen enough to attack in the light of day… it was a terrifying prospect, one that sent a shiver down his spine.

“Are you certain?” Kaleb asked, his voice barely concealing the dread that clawed at his heart. “You saw them in the daylight?”

Lyle nodded frantically. “Yes, sir. It was daytime, and they didn’t stop. They just kept coming, ripping through everything… everyone. Captain Zylar sent me back to report what had happened. I… I don’t know If they made it out alive.”

Kaleb released his grip on Lyle, his mind racing with the implications of what he had just heard. This was more than just a simple attack. If the Haltuers were now immune to the daylight, it meant that the rules of engagement had changed, and the kingdom was facing a threat unlike any it had ever known.

He turned away from Lyle, staring out into the night, the full weight of the situation pressing down on him like a suffocating shroud. The Redhills barracks were gone, his men slaughtered, and the Haltuers… they were growing bolder, more dangerous.

“Get some rest, Lyle,” Kaleb said, his voice distant. “We’ll need to act quickly if we’re going to respond to this. Report to the infirmary. You’ve done well to make it back.”

Lyle nodded weakly, his body sagging with exhaustion as he was led away by another soldier. Kaleb stood alone in the courtyard, the cold night air biting at his skin, but all he could feel was the chill of dread that had settled deep in his bones.

For the first time in history, the Haltuers had attacked during daylight. And Kaleb knew, with a sickening certainty, that this was only the beginning.