Christoph could not believe his eyes. Before him, under the light beam, stood a young man. This person looked similar to him but at the same time different. The young man had a smug curve on his lips and said, “To think someone like you will get a hold of my powers.”
Christoph was shocked, he did not quite understand what this young man was talking about, but he recognized this voice. He reacted, “So you are the person who has been talking to me all this time.”
The young man nodded. Christoph asked, “What do you mean I will get your powers? Who are you?”
The young man smiled and said, “My name is Lawrence Blackthorn. As for the other question, well, it works quite simply. If you can finish the contents of this chalice, you will be able to inherit all my powers.”
Christoph furrowed his brows, and Lawrence said, “Do you think it is too easy?”
The young man nodded, and Lawrence said, “You are in this place because you have already been given a second chance. As we speak, your body is recovering. You will know when you wake up, well, if you wake up.”
Lawrence spoke in a casual tone. As he said, he began to walk around Christoph. The latter saw Lawrence wearing a black suit, white shirt, and shiny black shoes. The light beam followed his pace, and Christoph could not help but feel that awe while looking at Lawrence’s demeanor.
This guy was a definition of elegance and nobility. Lawrence suddenly stopped, ran his hand through his black bangs, and asked, “Have you fallen in love with me, dear Chris?”
Christoph shivered and woke up from his daze. He could not help but despise this man in front of him. Lawrence chuckled and said, “You are a funny one. Hahaha. Go on, ask me all the questions you have in mind, for this will be our first and last meeting.”
Taking a deep breath, Christoph asked, “Can you tell me where is this, and what do you mean that my body is recovering? Am I not awake yet?”
Lawrence raised his hand and snapped his fingers. The scene changed, and they appeared in the white room. He said, “What you see now is a simple projection. I will tell you how it works briefly, so just be patient. Anyways, so please see if you can recognize the person on that stretcher.”
Christoph turned his head and opened his eyes wide. He found himself lying on a stretcher. His body was twitching, and his skin was squirming. He could not believe his eyes. Lawrence said, “You probably want to ask, what is happening here? Why can you not feel anything, and why can you see your body, right?”
Christoph nodded numbly. Lawrence shook his head while playing with his bangs and said, “You humans are all the same. Anyway, one more time won’t matter. So, your body is transforming. You are currently inside the deepest part of your brain, the unconscious brain. All your thoughts and senses have been blocked outside this place. This is why no feeling and the power of the unconscious brain allowed you to create the scene before you.”
The explanation gave Christoph some context, but he still could not understand how. Lawrence sighed and said, “I told you earlier that you have been given a second chance. This is why your genetic structure is transforming slowly. However, if you cannot accept this change consciously, your body will explode, and your flesh will splatter around this wonderfully clean room.”
Christoph shivered and asked, “What do you mean by consciously accepting the change?”
Lawrence said, “Well, you are willing to give up your humanity, that is fine, but to earn a second chance, you need to open your heart and accept the reality.”
He snapped his fingers, and they came back to the dark space where the light beam illuminated the golden chalice. Lawrence continued, “This chalice is filled with blood. You need to drink it till you get used to it. When you get used to it, your transformation will be complete.”
Christoph thought briefly and asked, “It could not be that easy. What’s the catch?”
Lawrence chuckled and said, “You are quick to learn, boy. Very good, well the catch is if you fail to follow the instruction, the ritual that is supposed to revive you will make you into a meat spread.”
Christoph imagined the scene in his mind and shivered. He sighed and asked, “That lady outside asked me the same thing, and now you are asking the same thing too, but would you mind telling me what am I giving up my humanity for?”
Lawrence smiled and said, “Oh, that? Well, you will be entering the ranks of a Vampire.”
Christoph was shocked and asked, “You are telling me I will become similar to those who killed my parents? What is the point of anything if I become what I disgust?”
Lawrence gazed at Christoph and said solemnly, “You think too much. Just like there are bad and good humans, there are distinctions among Vampires too. Not all of us go crazy hunting for blood. If so, the world would have turned into a graveyard.
Neither do all of us restrain completely from the taste of human blood. Every creature in this world has a good and evil side to them. Christoph, you are not as saintly as you might think you are. After all, your hatred toward the killers is sinful. You are even willing to give up your humanity for vengeance. Right?”
Christoph did not like to be outdone and said, “You are mixing the two topics. I am not giving my humanity for the sake of immortality or power. I am not greedy for those things.”
Lawrence chuckled and said, “Kid, let me tell you that some of us had no choice but to accept this thing you call damnation. The earliest vampires were born this way. They did not get to say no. When someone is so lonely that they might outlast the entire humanity, they seek comfort with those of the same kind.
That is how vampires came into being, out of necessity. Then just like every other thing humans find different, our kind was attacked. To survive and protect the ones we love, we hid. However, nothing could stop humans, so we multiplied.
The so-called humanity and the righteousness of your kind made us monsters. Since we were seen as monsters, we committed atrocities, and that is when the human leaders realized the true horror of our power. So, these hypocrites bought up an organization called the Hunters.
If vampires are cruel and monsters for killing humans, what do you think of the hunters who kill humans for getting to know about the existence of vampires and call it maintaining secrecy.”
Christoph was left speechless. He could not counter the argument. Lawrence was correct if you look at the logic. Since he could not say anything, he calmed down.
Lawrence did not continue speaking either. He was an aloof elite vampire who did not wish to mingle too much with the human. After regaining his composure, Lawrence said, “Decide what you want to do, I do not have enough time, and your body is reaching its limits.”
Christoph did not react, but what Lawrence said triggered a thought process in his mind. The young man thought, ‘Well, he does have a point. I cannot go and fight against those people without any strength. He also said that not all vampires rely on human blood to satiate their hunger. I could have tried to look for the enemies without turning, but how would I find these people if I did not know about them and their world? Turns out, things are not as simple with these people as they seem to be.’
When he was lost in thoughts, a pang of pain bought him back to reality. Surprised, he asked, “Did you not say that all my senses are blocked in this world? Why did I suddenly feel pain.”
As she spoke, he placed his palm to cover his chest. Lawrence did not say anything. He just looked around and yawned. Christoph understood that he would not get any answer, so deducing it himself, he concluded that it might be because the body was reaching its limit.
Since he had already decided to give up his humanity, what was there to hesitate? Also, if humans were supposed to be like hunters, he would rather be a vampire. Someone who can wear his reality on his sleeve.
Resolving his heart, he picked up the chalice from the pedestal and raised it to his mouth. The golden chalice was covered with a red pattern and filled with blood to the brim. Christoph’s heart was beating fast, and his stomach twisted in his belly.
As the distance between the chalice and his lips lessened. He began to shiver and hesitate. This was his instinct as a human. However, at this movement, Lawrence yelled, “Drink!”
With a reflex, Christoph held the chalice and poured the content into his mouth. The blood dripped from the corner of his lips, and his stomach shrank, but he did not stop chugging down the red liquid because only forcing this thing down will give him the chance he needed.
However, after a few moments, he could not hold on, and the chalice fell from his hand.
…
Outside the isolation room, Ambrosia and Vincent stood monitoring the situation. Suddenly, the butler said, “My lady, I think he failed.”
Ambrosia sighed and said, “What was I even expecting?”
When suddenly, they sensed something and were shocked. A strong wave of energy radiated from inside the room, and Ambrosia’s eyes dimmed again. She said, “Go clean up the room. He must have exploded.”
That said, Ambrosia walked away while Vincent sighed and entered the room only to witness something completely different and fall to his knees as he said, “Master Lawrence.”
