Annabella detests the night. After all, she could be making the most out of the eleven to twelve hours to do more things to prepare for her next move. She does not like to waste time, nor waste what practicable resources she could search for or recycle within the day. Without the night, she could probably explore farther and travel from one region to another so long as there was sunshine upon every surface that it touches upon the earth.

  There was no meaning for her as to why the universe was designed to have a day and night cycle. To her, it was a hindrance to what human beings like herself could potentially achieve and overcome. Perhaps she was selfish for owning this stubborn belief of the night being a meaningless part of her life.

  Another thing she dislikes apart from the night is the sunset. She would always feel bitter whenever there was a sunset because it would mean that it was almost time for darkness.

  Does she hate the night? Or maybe she hates the darkness? The lines blur by these two, seemingly, equal matters of her dislike which could all be gathered into the one fact that was called, "the end of the day."

  She would ask herself from time to time, why were living things forced to either adapt or naturally be born to find any benefits from the clutches of the moon, and darkness?

  These circumstances of the world certainly do not benefit her at all, more so that she was about to be overwhelmed with banshees and werewolves—creatures that only arise at night in the dark castle.

  It seemed that the banshees and werewolves formed a mutual pact among themselves to hunt and wreak havoc upon any intruders that would invade the dark castle. It was quite an unusual pair of creatures to reside amongst the floor that Annabella now walks.

  While Annabella was fleeing from the hoards of monsters, she shot an arrow against a werewolf with her bow, piercing through the monster's eye and through the beast's skull. The arrow flew past a banshee that was behind it which in turn, struck another werewolf chasing her.

  Annabella assessed that the situation was pointless for her. There were far too many monsters in her way, and only one of her. Death was certain for this daring adventurer. There was no way for her to proceed on this floor for her to continue her climb up the tower. She cannot return to her hometown without bringing it back.

  She turned a corner after passing through an open, arched entryway. She found herself in an open corridor. There were gigantic chandeliers at the center just below her that were lighting the current floor she was on. She jumps on one of the giant chandeliers to attempt of losing the wolves and banshees. She planned to find a way to jump to the corridor just below.

  She was able to confuse some of the werewolves. Some of them remained on the floor she was previously on. Yet, some werewolves still persist to chase her onto the gigantic chandelier along with some of the banshees. Her pursuers were more tenacious than she thought. The wolves, of course, were beginning to close their distance against her. They were much faster than her after all.

  As she landed with both of her feet on the corridor below, she aimed her bow at the remaining wolves that were still chasing her. Upon letting go of the bowstring, a linear shockwave instantly followed fighting against the air resistance. Three of the wolves were hit straight through their snouts by an arrow she flew piercing through each of the werewolves' skulls. The whole ordeal looked like it was done by a single attack due to the wolves faltering in a synchronized manner. They all fell down the chandelier into the seemingly bottomless floor down below.

  Only two banshees and a bigger werewolf were all that was left. She speculates that this was the Alpha wolf. She again fled and instantly flew three arrows against the beast, but the creature deflected the arrows with a single swipe of its claws.

  Annabella did not expect it to have such quick reflexes. She continued to run. If the creatures do not stop following her, she definitely will die.

  Up ahead, she suddenly saw a huge mob of werewolves that were assembled together. However, these wolves weren't aware of her presence, but of something, or someone else entirely.

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  What she saw was a werewolf that soared mid-air like a ragdoll upon being hit by a rusty sword wielded by a swordsman in a black suit of armor.

  With hasty decision-making and the creatures still distracted, she nimbly withdrew five arrows in her quiver and fired five of them consecutively against the wolves that were surrounding this swordsman. All these actions were done, while she was running away from her pursuers.

  Two of the werewolves that the swordsman was struggling against were shot by the arrows the archer fired leaving the swordsman unscathed.

  The swordsman noticed the arrows that fired in his direction and saw the archer, two banshees, and an alpha werewolf coming closer.

  Not wanting to waste any more time, the swordsman beheaded a werewolf with his blade and smacked his fist protected by his gauntlet into the skull of another werewolf. Another set of two arrows injured and killed the remaining wolves. The swordsman kicked the injured wolf hard into the side of its ribcage upon seeing the opportunity.

  He immediately ran toward the archer, ready to face the alpha werewolf.

  The swordsman raised his weapon, and placed his hands on the fuller and handle, expecting a devastating attack from his opponent which towered three times his own size.

  The alpha werewolf succeeded in slamming both of its claws onto the swordsman which knocked him down, tumbling him over the floor. Its strength was far superior to the one donned in the darkened steel plate.

  As the swordsman fell, the giant werewolf was hit in the eye by one of Annabella's arrows leaving a gaping wound. The werewolf pulled back in pain. The injury that was dealt against the fierce wolf, however, was not enough to pierce through its skull. It seemed to be that the alpha wolf's body proved to be much tougher. Annabella thought this was such questionable anatomy.

  The swordsman got back on his feet and immediately charged forward in an attempt of dealing a finishing blow to the distressed creature. But then, he was greeted by two banshees that phased through the werewolf. The swordsman immediately stopped his advance, preparing to react for his next move.

  "No! If you—" Annabella tried to warn the swordsman, but it was too late. The swordsman was not familiar with these creatures.

  He will now have to commit to his choice.

  The banshees let out an ear-piercing shriek against the swordsman and the archer.

  Annabella quickly covered her ears and bent down on a knee. But this proved to be inadequate to protect her eardrums from bursting against the otherworldy cries of the banshees. She felt great pain and pressure in her ears. Blood began to trickle out if her ears and she felt like her head was about to explode. She can barely open her eyes trying to endure the pain. Was she about to faint? How much longer can she endure?

  She peered through her squinted eyes to assess the situation.

  The swordsman was still standing.

  At this moment, the swordsman saw an opportunity to attack the banshees head-on. The creatures only seem to phase into the physical domain in order for them to commit to an ear-piercing shriek. He swung his sword in a horizontal motion and slashed the two banshees in half which dissipated their bodies from existence.

  The cries of the banshees were gone.

  Annabellas learned the weakness of the banshees at this point. Sound, after all, cannot be produced without sound waves existing from vibrations. And vibrations can only exist from a physical source, such as a lute which can emit different sounds, she thought.

  But what truly surprised her was the fact that the swordsman continued to stand and endured the painful shrieks at point-blank range, unfazed by the aftermath.

  The swordsman continued his charge—his darkened steel armor rattling. His sword, forward.

  The alpha werewolf regained its composure and spotted the swordsman whilst blinded by one eye. It quickly committed to a swipe of his right claw.

  Their attacks collided. The alpha werewolf was faster.

  The swordsman was hit by the giant claw and his whole body rammed destructively against a bookshelf, crushing both it and the castle wall.

  Annabella understood that there was no way a regular person could survive a devastating hit like that.

  As the alpha werewolf saw that it was finished with the swordsman, it then saw Annabella who was still in agony over the banshee's shrieks.

  It began to walk forward. Annabella could not stand. She was paralyzed as this exalted, foul creature moved ever closer. Her thoughts could only race about what was about to tear her apart.

  She has to flee, but her body was betraying her.

  But will she even be able to flee?

  The alpha werewolf was still faster after all.

  And then, the humongous beast fell forward on the floor. Annabella remained paralyzed but confused as to what just happened.

  It appears to be that the alpha werewolf was defeated.

  Crumbling brick and mortar and wood sounded behind the dead werewolf. The swordsman moved the bookshelf away that crushed him just now. He then stood up and began to walk toward the dead creature.

  The swordsman rolled the dead werewolf over with his foot revealing the sword that he used to pierce the creature's heart. He pulled it out of the dead werewolf's chest with ease. The swordsman looked over at Annabella. They both understood to each other that everything was fine, for now...

  Seeing the darkened armored swordsman in full view, Annabella realized from then on that what she really hates, was not the darkness, but the night.