He seemed to be having difficulty breathing, yet his eyes were glancing everywhere around him for an indication on where he was.
The air was stale and smelled of dirt, he was in a dark alley, he could see puddles wetting the earth all around him which exuded a nauseating smell.
He pinched his nose and walked away from there.
Maybe it was because he was underground, or because he had lived his whole life in his parents’ shelter, or due to having been in his bedroom just a minute ago.
But he seemed to have realised his circumstance only when he was faced with the scene of humans walking on a busy street, too numerous to count.
He took a step backward as horror settled on his face.
He returned to the dark alley, the sounds made by the pedestrians reached his ears, it was the tumult of a city, yet when he looked at the sky, all he could see was an earthen ceiling, with crystals lodged into it, bringing light to the city below.
As a vampire, as long as there was the slightest light, he could see everything with clarity. From the corner of his eyes, he noticed a strange shape in the alley.
His muscles tensed up, preparing to face what was hiding in the darkness, however, when he examined it closer, he noticed it was an oval shape that irradiated a familiar energy.
[What is it? Is this what brought me here?]
A trace of expectation showed on his face; he extended his hand to touch it, yet it seemed immaterial as if it was a mirage.
It didn’t seem harmful, nor useful. His attention soon returned to what laid outside the dark alley he had taken as a temporary shelter.
For the next few minutes, his face went through a series of emotions, showing the struggle that was happening inside him.
Ocelio had never met a living human. He had seen and studied corpses, but Humanity was for his race a source of fear and danger.
[I am Ocelio Enigma. A vampire Progenitor. This life is mine to control.]
He spoke to himself as if mustering his determination before stepping closer to the open street.
[First, I must ascertain where I am.]
He stared at the figures walking at a steady pace, the children running after each other, his face showed surprise when he noticed the road wasn’t even paved, instead, it seemed to be plain mud that had been flattened under people shoes.
He saw a silver-haired woman begging with her child by the side of the street.
The woman had a dishevelled appearance with a shabby gown that only served to hide her body but did nothing to protect her from the cold. The child was a girl around 10. Like her mother, she had silver hair that fell below her shoulders. Her tired brown eyes stared at the busy street; a hint of hunger revealed itself on her scrawny face.
Both of them had brown eyes, however, black and white spots covered their eyeball, making the colours look turbid.
He stared straight at the woman; his thin lips opened, asking with a slight quiver in his voice.
[What is this city called, do you know the name of this world?]
The woman appeared dumbfounded. Then she saw his elegant shoes, his clean, refined clothes and his sharp features. She made a frightened expression, she rose in a hurry, she bowed to him as low as she could, forcing her daughter to do the same.
[Sir, this is Terrouine city. Please, forgive this uneducated woman, I do not know what a world is. Please forgive me.]
She seemed about to cry in distress as she continued to bow to him.
Ocelio stood with his eyebrows furrowed. A few bystanders gave him a few glances before returning to their business as if they were afraid of looking at him.
[At least you should know the name of the country or the region.]
[I don’t know, I’m sorry sir, please forgive me.]
Tears could be seen falling to the ground from the woman’s face. The little girl was shivering beside her, whether from the cold or fear.
Ocelio’s face lost some of its sternness after seeing their current state. He sighed in resignation before asking a strange question:
[Why are you begging in the street, you seem to be still young, can’t you work?]
[Please forgive me sir, I’m only a Manualis. Nobody is willing to hire a useless woman like me. I only beg to feed myself and my daughter, not a coin more, I swear.]
She seemed frightened of something; anxiety was written all over her face as she tightened the grip on her daughter’s hand.
Ocelio didn’t seem to have realised that she had started to become fearful of him as soon as she saw his eyes.
He looked at the child holding her mother’s hand. Noticing his stare, she lowered her head in dread, her long hair hid her small face behind a veil of thin silver hairs. She seemed like a twig in a windy day, her skinny arms had more bones than flesh and her legs kept quivering under his stare.
He gave a sigh, his irritation melted away as he turned around.
Ocelio made his way down the street, feeling the glances from every human he met. When their eyes met they looked away in a hurry, fear overtaking their faces.
Apart from this, Ocelio seemed to be paying close attention to the citizens' clothes. They appeared to want to hide as much skin as they could, covering themselves in numerous pieces of clothing despite the stale and warm atmosphere in the city.
Often, his attention would direct itself on the poor people sitting on the ground, some hidden, others boldly coming forward to beg for a few bronze coins.
But, no one came near him. He appeared to know it wasn’t fear for what he was but for his appearance.
Ever since he had assimilated the Void Rabbit’s bloodline, his vampire bloodline had become unshackled, his black eyes had turned the same colour as all the other vampires: bright red.
He had noticed how their expression would change when they looked at his clothes, but fear only manifested when looking at his red eyes.
Ocelio raised his head to stare at the white light dotting the ceiling of the cave-like structure. He was still walking in the street, but he didn’t seem scared of the humans surrounding him anymore.
He had heard numerous stories through his life, of how terrifying, how twisted and destructive humans were.
However, when the other children would stare in nervousness and fright at the teacher, he had instead shown scepticism.
Unlike the children who spent their time playing, he had access to his father’s library and had spent a large amount of time thinking, alone in his bed.
[Humans, as expected, their minds are not so different from Vampires. So foolish.]
He muttered to himself with a tinge of mirth in his voice. Rather than criticising others, he seemed to be rebutting himself.
It was the first time he had communicated with humans and he seemed to have already gained a grasp on their mentality.
Without realising, his body had relaxed and he was examining the streets with curiosity. His feet soon brought him to a peculiar street in the city. Countless makeshift counters were arranged on both sides of the road. A large crowd was already gathered there, people would move from one counter to another, examining the items placed on it, some would try to barter to buy the items, others would trade their own possessions for money with the counters’ owners.
Ocelio didn’t show particular enthusiasm in what he was seeing. It was mostly kitchen utensils, clothes or handcrafted decorations. Things he had never bothered to look at in his youth.
All of sudden, his attention shifted toward the crowd. His nose breathed in the smells hovering in the air; the sweat and dirt were the most prominent, at the same time, a sweet fragrance made him widen his eyes in surprise.
He tried to take in more air but the scent has dissipated. His red eyes examined the crowd in search of the origin but he had already lost all clues.
[Could it be, it was exposed to the air and he just put a bandage on it? It smelled so good.]
He closed his eyes, a thin smile appeared on his face, he took a few seconds before examining the people near him.
A glint of malice surged in his eyes, vanishing in the next moment.
[I should be careful. First, I need more information on this world.]
He continued his stroll, walking on the right side of the street with nobody daring to come close to him.
It was only when he approached a wall that appeared to be delimiting the sectors of the city that someone came to block his path.
Two men and a woman dressed in the same uniform with a sword sheathed to their waist stopped him, asking him to show his identification card.
However, as soon as the man who appeared to be their leader saw Ocelio’s red eyes, his expression tensed, he stepped back and asked him a question.
[I am sorry sir, I was not aware that our city had a prestigious visitor. May I see your identification card? The prosperous district is restricted…]
He made a pause, he appeared to have been scared when he saw Ocelio crease his eyebrows. He made an awkward smile, giving him a short bow.
[Identification card? I forgot it at home. What difference is there anyway between this district or another one, isn’t it all the same.]
His nonchalant tone indicated that he wasn’t asking a question but stating a fact.
Seeing his behaviour, the city guards started sweating, they appeared to have realised what kind of guest they were dealing with.
[Sir, the prosperous district is where the fifth class: Peritus and above reside. It’s a bit different from the poorman and hardman’s…]
The guard seemed to have realised that what he had said must not have made sense to him.
He looked at his colleagues, noticing they were avoiding all eye contact, he mustered the most polite tone he could.
[Sir, it’s not that you can’t enter, but it’s the law to record all guests entering the prosperous district. Even if it’s not an identification paper, a warrior insignia or a recommendation letter will do as well.]
[Then, where do I get those?]
The guard bit his lips, before hiding his irritation in a blink, resuming to explain with patience.
[As long as a Bloodrainist or a Magicalist visit a branch or headquarter of the Warrior’s association, they will obtain a warrior insignia. Of course, there’s a test for that…]
[What are the benefits of getting a warrior insignia?]
The brown-haired guard didn’t even finish his sentence before he was asked another question.
The other guards standing behind him flinched, they eyes wandered anywhere but where Ocelio stood, acting as if they had heard nothing.
Ocelio stared at the guard with the emotionless expression. He did not seem aware of the pressure his body was giving off in a natural flow, his intense stare was similar to his father, making those facing him cower.
[There are a lot of advantages…For that it would be better for the clerk of the warrior association to explain, I am just a city guard Sir, please forgive me.]
The guard was staring with a pitiful expression at the ground, he didn’t dare raise his head, the pressure he felt was beyond anything he had ever experienced.
Trails of sweat had cascaded down his neck to his back, his hands were moist, he, himself didn’t seem to realise what was happening apart from being uncomfortable and scared.
[Where is that warrior association branch?]
After the guard indicated the direction, he watched Ocelio’s back with dread.
Only when he disappeared in another street did he take a deep breath and release a sigh. Strength seemed to escape his body.
[What’s wrong Captain? Did he told you his identity?]
The young female guard came checking on him, seeing his pale face, she appeared both worried and excited.
[Forget anything you saw today. That man is not something the like of us can approach or talk about. That’s an order!]
He walked to the cabin for the guards to rest on the other side of the wall. He sat on a chair and stared in a daze at the window.
[I’ve got to report it. Deep red eyes without impurity…Could it be a noble has arrived in our city?]
