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Chapter Text

Scott gazed thoughtfully through the stained glass windows of his ancient castle, swirling his goblet filled with a mixture of dark wine and blood, the liquid catching the flickering torchlight. Outside, he could see a procession steadily marching across the grand stone bridge that led to his fortress, the flickering flames of torches darting across the night sky like tiny, shimmering stars. This was not the first time he had faced such uprisings; over his 800 years of existence, he had quelled numerous revolts and rebellions. No matter the chaos or the threat, he knew this would be no different.

“My Lord.”

Scott turned toward the sound of the voice, a faint smile creeping across his face as he recognized the familiar figure of the head maid of his castle. Gem, a remarkably lovely woman with an air of quiet confidence, had been taken in by him some time ago. Occasionally, he would encounter a human who managed to amuse him, and Gem had proven to be one of those rare exceptions. A skilled practitioner of the mystical arts, she had faced harsh judgment and rejection in the nearby town because of her extraordinary gifts. Recognizing her potential, he had extended her an offer to serve within his castle walls, providing her with a secure position and encouraging her to pursue her studies into the arcane further. Having someone of her formidable power and knowledge on his staff was always advantageous, especially in moments such as this, when her skills might be needed the most.

“Excellent timing,” he said, placing his goblet down gently on the table and approaching her with his arms outstretched. “It seems the unruly crowd has decided to revolt. I would rather stay out of the chaos, so would you mind taking care of them for me?”

Gem offered a small, graceful curtsy, her posture maintaining its usual flawless poise. Scott's smile widened slightly as he stepped past her, intrigued to assess how much her abilities had developed over the years. From his vantage point on the balcony, he anticipated gaining a better perspective. Perhaps after this, the humans would finally recognize their place and-

A sharp, stabbing pain in his back caused Scott to freeze abruptly in place, as if hit by an unseen force. A sudden, sharp exhale escaped his mouth, despite the fact that he had long since ceased to need to breathe. His vision blurred slightly, and he wavered on his feet, stumbling forward until he managed to catch himself on the polished mahogany dining table. With his free hand, he instinctively reached behind him, his fingers curling around the hilt of a knife. He grasped it firmly and pulled it free, immediately sensing the faint, rhythmic hum of magic—a binding spell that was gradually taking hold of his undead body, seeping into his flesh and bones, locking him in place and draining his vitality.

I'm sorry,” Gem said softly, taking a few cautious steps back. Her face reflected a mixture of terror and a strange sense of vindication, as if she had just made a difficult but necessary choice. "They promised me that they would let me live if I was the one to end you, that I could walk away free after doing what I had to do."

Despite his body growing ever more frail and weak, Scott’s fury surged fiercely within him, flames of rage igniting his chest. 

“You turned against me?! I took you in, cared for you, gave you a sanctuary when the others cast you out!! And this is how you repay my kindness?!"

He lurched forward, claws extended and teeth bared, intent on tearing her ungrateful throat out. But at that moment, his legs suddenly buckled beneath him, causing him to collapse to the ground with a heavy thud. Black spots flickered at the edges of his vision, and a chilling realization washed over him: Oblivion was near.

"I know..." Gem whispered softly, her voice tinged with guilt and regret. "I'll tell them I ended you. But instead, you'll rest peacefully. They won't be able to touch you, not while my spell both binds and protects you, keeping you safe from harm and interference."

He was panting heavily now, struggling to stand despite his arms trembling more intensely than they had in a long time. He looked up at her, his piercing red eyes blazing with fury.

“Do you think they will accept you?” Scott let out a bitter, condescending laugh. “You're nothing more than a tool to them. They'll cast you aside as soon as your usefulness runs out. Or perhaps..." His laughter turned cold and dark. "Perhaps they'll send you to join me. Maybe they'll finally throw you onto that pyre you are so terrified of.”

“Maybe so,” Gem admitted quietly, glancing back out the window. From his position, he couldn't see what was happening outside, but Scott could hear the pounding of footsteps and the shouts growing louder. It was only a matter of time before they broke down the doors, flooding his home with their filth and chaos. “But I am still human, and I must stand with humanity. Consider this binding spell my final act of kindness and my gratitude for everything you've done.”

Scott managed one last snarl, a raw, unrestrained sound of defiance, just before the spell took hold of him completely. The final image etched into his mind as everything faded to black was the violent splintering of his front door and the flickering lights of torches, their flames dancing ominously in the darkness.

Chapter Text

Owen sat in the plush velvet chair of the mayor's living room, a gentle smile playing on his lips in a way that was reserved solely for moments like this. The warmth radiating through the mayor's house didn't stem from the crackling hearth or the sturdy oak walls that protected against the chill of the night outside. Instead, that comforting warmth, the kind that made you linger and feel at ease, emanated from the man sitting across from him, whose presence seemed to fill the room with a subtle yet palpable sense of kindness and reassurance.

Louis, the Mayor of Oakhurst.

As a humble lumberjack, Owen never imagined he would forge a friendship with a man like Louis. For the longest time, the very idea of having friends seemed like an impossible dream to him. From childhood, he had been shunned and ostracized, ever since the day his skin became covered in foul boils and lesions that no doctor could cure. Even now, as an adult, Owen could still vividly feel the piercing looks of pity, disgust, and contempt cast by the townspeople. They all viewed him with disdain, except for Louis, whose kindness stood as a stark contrast to the harsh judgments of the others.

Where others might have stared or winced at the sight of his skin, despite the linen wraps that Owen had practically mummified his body with, Louis merely smiled. He offered his hospitality—a warm beverage to ward off a cold night, and his friendship to a man starving for even a small glimmer of kindness. And Owen… It was almost impossible to fully express how much he loved the mayor, how eagerly he looked forward to those nightly visits and those heartfelt talks by the hearth. Just the simple promise of seeing that kind and gentle smile was enough to help him get through each painfully lonely and difficult day.

“Owen…” Louis spoke up, setting down his wine glass before meeting the lumberjack’s gaze. “May I ask you something?”

Owen laughed lightly, imagining that the mayor would offer up some witty question. He’d had many to offer for the past several weeks, all never failing to make the lumberjack smile.

“Ask away,” he declared without hesitation.

“What would you do… if I told you I knew a cure for your condition?”

Owen's smile faded when asked the question. His mind flooded with memories of the empty promises from doctors he had seen over the years. He had tried countless remedies—tinctures, ointments, bloodletting, leeches, and many other procedures—that left scars nearly as visible as his disease. He had long given up hope for a cure, and hearing his only friend offer false hope now made him want to get angry. He was moments away from shouting at them for speaking such words. But then he noticed the seriousness—and the fear—in Louis's face. That fear was familiar to Owen: the fear of an outsider finally trusting someone, knowing one wrong move could break that trust. Owen held back his anger and spoke calmly again.

“What do you mean?”

“If you could get rid of your condition, but live your life never truly belonging amongst those you care about… would you?”

At that last part, Owen couldn't help but scoff. 

“I'm already an outcast. Even now, I have nowhere to truly belong. If I had that still, but at least could live a life free of this ailment and pain, I would.” The anger he felt faded slightly as he turned his gaze to Louis. “Particularly if it meant living it with you.”

Louis sat in silence for a moment, his gaze lingering on Owen for what felt like an eternity. Then, he stood up, offering a hand to the lumberjack. Without hesitation, Owen took the offered hand, the novelty of someone willingly touching him without grimacing at his mottled skin never getting old. He let the mayor lead him down into the cellar of the mansion, away from the dim lights of the sun through the window.

“What I am about to show you,” Louis said quietly, almost cautiously, “I have never shown to another human being. Tell me, have you heard the tales that they say in the pubs? The stories told around campfires about monsters and creatures of the night?”

Owen nodded, having heard a few stories during the rare times the town's folk would be willing to take his coin. There were tales of wolves that walked like men, those who practiced magic that corrupted their souls, and creatures that looked human but were distinctly not. He never gave much thought to them, seeing them as little more than superstition. After all, he knew where the actual monsters were.

“I can't say this for all the stories…” Louis released Owen’s hand, stepping back into the darkness of the cellar. “But I know that there are things out there that humankind will never accept. I know… because I am one.”

As the mayor finally looked up, locking eyes with the lumberjack, Owen was struck by the unearthly red glow that seemed to slice through the darkness like twin beams of light. The hand that reached out to him was now revealed to have long, inhuman claws—designed seemingly to rip and tear with savage intent. It suddenly dawned on him: Louis wasn’t just a man. He was something else entirely—one of those creatures of the night, a vampire, a being of darkness and eternal hunger.

“I'll ask you once more,” Louis repeated, his stance firm but unwavering, his hand still outstretched toward him. "With everything you now understand, do you accept my invitation? Would you choose to become like me and walk this path?"

With little hesitation, Owen grabbed that outstretched hand, noticing for the first time the unearthly coldness of the skin. It felt like a cool summer breeze, and he never wanted to let go.

“Yes,” he declared, gripping that hand in both of his.

~\~/~

Three days later, Owen awoke. He was not in his lonely hut, or on the mouldy hay bale that served as his bed, but in a coffin—a stone tomb erected in the cellar of the mayor's house—a place for him to rest, for his body to adjust to his new life. Louis had warned him that it would take time, that his body would need to relax and properly accept the gift. He had promised that Owen would wake in comfort, that he would be there to greet him. As he pushed the lid of his coffin aside, Owen smiled, eager to see the face of his sire, the man he would spend eternity with.

But he wasn't there.

Confused, Owen emerged from the coffin, feeling unsteady on his feet. The world around him seemed overwhelming—too sharp, too loud, and the smells were almost overpowering. He leaned slightly against the wall, one hand pressed against the rough brickwork to steady himself. As he struggled to regain composure, the lumberjack stepped out of the cellar, emerging into the ransacked living room that once belonged to Louis. 

Cold dread sliced through him, and panic seized him as he took in the destruction. The familiar teacups that had always been ready for him when he arrived were now shattered on the wooden floor. The plush chair he had come to see as his own was now torn into ribbons. The windows were smashed, leaving jagged glass framing the broken frames, and the door was cracked open, hanging ajar. Through that open doorway, a sickening smell wafted in—smoke, burning flesh, and the unmistakable scent of fire.

“No…” Owen whispered, praying to whatever God may be listening that this wasn’t happening. He couldn't remember the last time he had prayed, having long since accepted that God had abandoned him. But now, for the man he loved, for his sire, for the one person who ever gave a shit about him, he prayed.

And it was for naught.

In the very center of town, a wooden pyre had been erected, the flames still burning hot. And in the center of the fire, Owen could see the charred remnants of his friend. There was no mistaking it, especially as he saw the burning tatters of red cloth from the shirt that Louis always wore, floating on the wind. One of those remnants fluttered past his face as if to mock him for his loss. Bloody tears ran down Owen's face as he stumbled toward the pyre, his throat seizing up as he tried to speak, but no words would come out.

Through the roar of the flames and the pounding in his head, Owen could make out the voices of some of the townsfolk. They seemed to be trying to assure him of his safety with words like ”you're safe now” and “worried about you,” piercing through the haze of grief. From the snippets that he was able to process, Owen put the story together.

Despite their disdain for him, the town's folk had begun to notice Owen’s frequent visits to the mayor. When he had not returned from one of his visits, the citizens grew worried. They raised an army against the mayor, ransacking his home just hours ago. When they found proof of the occult hidden among his belongings, they assumed the worst. And so, they sought to rid the town of the monster hiding among them.

Owen crumbled to the ground, his chest tight and his eyes burning with bloodstained tears. He was alone again. Louis hadn't done anything to them, and they had burned him at the stake. They took him, and now Owen was alone. Even worse, now he would be alone for eternity. Once again, this town had doomed him to life as an outcast, robbing him of his one chance at happiness.

Finally, through his raw and burning throat, Owen screamed. His scream echoed through the town, the cry of a man with nothing to lose and the roar of a monster ready to make everyone pay. No one would be spared; no man, woman, or child would be leaving Oakhurst alive! They took everything from him, so he would take everything from them.

His bloody rampage lasted for hours, the bodies piling in the streets that were soaked red with their blood. He was merciless, hunting down every last one of them. And when they sought refuge in the public house, he burned it to the ground. Let them die as they had condemned Louis to. 

And when he was finished, blood dripping from his arms and mouth, Owen trudged toward the lumber mill he had commissioned. The very commission that had once united him and Louis. Gazing up at it, he dropped to his knees and then just collapsed. He closed his eyes, hoping that when he opened them again, he would be back with the one person he had ever loved. 

Chapter Text

Cleo the Zombie.

That was the name the townsfolk gave her when she moved here with her master so many years ago. They could see that there was no life in her eyes—no spark, no will to live. And in truth, there wasn't. Not since she was 13 years old and had been forced to watch her mother be killed right in front of her. Not since the man she was forced to call her master had stolen her free will. It had been almost 80 years since that fateful day, and she was a zombie no more.

The axe was heavy in her hand, its edge dripping with dark, long-congealed blood. Still, she dragged it behind her, her other hand firmly wrapped around the ankle of the man she had once called master. She pulled both the axe and the body over to a pit—the same pit that now held the decaying remnants of the “farm animals” she had been made to care for. How fitting that the vampire who fed from them would now rot alongside them.

With a heave, Cleo tossed the body into the pit. It joined its severed head, the fanged mouth still open in the midst of a scream, but the eyes completely lifeless. The silver axe had done its work, but Cleo wasn't one to take chances. As such, she had staked the body at least a dozen times, long after it stopped moving. Even now, sitting in that lye-filled pit, the stake remains protruding from the bastard's chest.

With her task now complete, Cleo released a long, trembling sigh she had kept inside for decades. She sank to her knees, her face a mix of laughter and tears that tore from her throat. At last, she was free after so many years—free from hunting people, treating them like livestock, and offering innocent lives to a man who saw her only as a useful tool. He had lived in luxury, while she was fortunate to have a small hutch on his property. She had been made to feel grateful for the limited land that allowed her to grow some vegetation for survival, constantly groveling for even the smallest privileges.

Not anymore.

Thanks to her former master, Cleo had lived a long life and learned much about vampires. Her mother had told her about her old home in a town called Oakhurst, where she had been turned a long time ago. Her former master had also spoken of Oakhurst, how he had been turned there, how he longed to see his old friend, one who had been sleeping for centuries. Perhaps, Oakhurst would be where she could find answers—answers to who she was, to where she came from, and maybe... just maybe... she could find a cure for what she had become.

Returning to her hutch, Cleo brushed aside the ratty rug to reveal the loose floorboards that protected her few personal possessions. An old journal, books on herbs and plants, and her mother's favorite dress. Her former master had tossed it at her, saying that perhaps one day she would grow into it, and that he looked forward to the day she would fit in it. Cleo had hidden it away, but couldn't bring herself to get rid of it. Not when it was one of the last remaining ties she had to the woman who raised her.

Gathering her things in a simple hemp bag, Cleo stepped out of the hutch, taking one last look at the manor that had been her prison. With a snarl that would have put her former master’s to shame, the former thrall pulled a flint and steel from her dress pocket. On the dried hay near that long, empty stable, she struck the flint and ignited the hay. There had been a dry spell for days, so the fire burned easily, and soon it engulfed the house, consuming everything inside.

With the roaring flames at her back, Cleo set off on her journey, hoping to find answers about who she was — beyond her master's thrall or her mother's farmer, beyond the zombie everyone saw. Maybe she would finally learn how to live.

Chapter Text

My Dearest Cherri,

How are you? I’ve missed you every single day I’ve been away. I truly long for our peaceful days together—those quiet moments watching you tend the garden, creating something beautiful out of nothing. Even now, I curse the cruel conscription that snatched me from your side, counting down the days until it runs out and I can finally come back to you.

The military life has been as harsh and unforgiving as ever. I find myself, and I quote, “the most hopeless recruit to ever curse their ranks." My shooting scores remain the lowest recorded, and I can’t even manage to stab a dummy properly with my bayonet. The drill sergeant tried to show me how it’s done, but he ended up cutting his hand when he snatched the gun from my grasp. I couldn’t help but vomit on his shoes in front of everyone, and spent the rest of the day scrubbing the latrines with a toothbrush as punishment.

PS, thank you so much for the care package with the spare. I really appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Anyway, one of the higher-ups decided that I might be better suited for their engineering corps. They’re sending me on a new mission to construct a base of operations. I’ll be leaving in the next few days for a small town called Oakhurst.

Well, I call it a town, but honestly, it’s more like a ruin. It was abandoned around 200 years ago, for reasons that remain a mystery. The stories vary wildly depending on who I ask. Some say a deadly plague wiped it out; others talk about a catastrophic fire. A few whisper that it’s a cursed land. Personally, I don’t buy that nonsense—monsters and curses belong in fairy tales, not real life. Come on, what is this—medieval times?

I will say this much: the military seems quite eager to be rid of me. Sending me out into the backwoods to serve the rest of my tour? Honestly, I see it as a win-win situation. I avoid going into battle, and they get to rid themselves of what might be considered a black mark on their record—all without having to break my conscription. Still, I’m not sure how often I’ll be able to send you letters from Oakhurst. I’ll do my best to stay in touch, but please don’t worry too much about me.

I love you more than words can say, and I cannot wait until we’re together again.

Yours, always and forever,

Apo.

Chapter Text

Gunfire ripped through the air, distant explosions ringing in his ears. The smell of blood mixed with the stench of decay and rot, adding to the nauseating atmosphere of human misery. He couldn't focus on anything specific; the landscape was too blurry, too full of smoke to process fully. Distant voices could be heard—young, old, all filled with so much pain. 

The cry of "I can’t stop the bleeding!" echoed countless times across the chaos, emanating from numerous voices filled with fear and desperation. Sometimes their voices wavered with panic, other times with anger, and occasionally they sounded broken, exhausted by the relentless struggle. In the midst of their cries, harsher voices pierced through, dismissive and unfeeling, disregarding the pain and the dying around them.

“We need him on the front line!" one demanded urgently.

“I don't care what's wrong with him, we need him on the front!" another shouted, voice edged with urgency.

“Do your job and fix him! He's no good to me dead!" a commanding voice ordered, frustration and desperation mixing.

Amidst the chaos of screaming and shouting, his own heartbeat thundered in his ears, each thumping pulse echoing his rising anxiety. His breathing became ragged gasps as he struggled to find calm amidst the storm. His vision blurred at the edges, the world around him tilting into crimson. It was overwhelming—everything was becoming too much... too much to bear.

~\~/~

With a sudden gasp, Dr. Legundo sat upright, a cold sweat breaking out across his forehead as he desperately fought to regain his bearings. His heart pounded fiercely in his chest, and he struggled to catch his breath amidst ragged gasps. Despite the chaos raging within him, he closed his eyes and, through sheer force of will, gradually managed to steady himself. After a tense moment, he took one last deep, calming breath before slowly opening his eyes again, carefully assessing his surroundings with a clearer, more focused mind.

He found himself inside a small tent that he had set up the previous night, as his recent travels had brought him to a place where proper lodging was hard to find. This was the latest stop on his pilgrimage, driven by a desire to use his medical skills to help the less fortunate. Although he maintained a detailed journal of his journey, he had long lost track of exactly how long he had been on the move. Memories of having a permanent home or anyone he could consider a friend seemed distant, almost forgotten.

Then again, someone like him didn't deserve to have those things.

Anticipating where such thoughts might lead, the doctor shook his head slightly. He closed his eyes once more and began to recite the oath that had governed his life for many years, serving as a reminder of his purpose and resolve.

“Into whatsoever houses I enter, I will enter to help the sick, and I will abstain from all intentional wrongdoing and harm, especially from abusing the bodies of man or woman, bond or free. And whatsoever I shall see or hear in the course of my profession, as well as outside my profession in my intercourse with men, if it be what should not be published abroad, I will never divulge, holding such things to be holy secrets.”

He repeated these words twice more before he felt his mind steady enough to begin his day. He had a long journey ahead of him if he wanted to reach his destination before nightfall.

Oakhurst, an abandoned town in the countryside, deep in the wilderness and far from any sign of civilization. Some of his more… imaginative patients had been spreading all sorts of rumors about the town, warning him that it is not one he would want to visit. However, the Doctor found himself intrigued. Rumors like these are often used to explain misunderstood scientific or medical phenomena, suggesting this might be a place deserving further investigation.

If he could find the cause of whatever illness was afflicting the town, he could help restore the area. It would be a significant step on his journey, bringing him closer to his ultimate goal.

The doctor stood up and reached for his surgical robes, which he wore like armor. The white fabric always brought him peace, reminding him of his mission and helping him stay focused. As he checked the breast pocket, he felt the familiar weight.

His Golden Cross.

He wouldn’t forget. He couldn’t. He owed them that much, at least. As long as he lived, he would remember them—every detail, every moment, every face. Their presence would linger in his mind forever. And he would atone for what had happened, seeking redemption for the past.

Chapter Text

Drift stared in absolute horror at the single flower left on her doorstep—a delicate orchid. It was the same flower that had appeared at the scene of multiple attacks terrorizing her hometown. This was the one case she had been unable to solve, and now it seemed to be taunting her from her own doorstep.

Nobody knew who the attacker was or what their motives might have been. There was no clear pattern to their target choices or the locations they visited. Everything about the attacks seemed completely random, except for one detail: the orchid. It was consistently found at every scene, carefully placed on the chest of each latest victim, as if the attacker were paying their respects with a flower, like putting a wreath on a grave. No one ever saw the attacker, never heard a sound, and the victims' families could never identify anyone who might have had a reason to harm their loved ones. If it weren't for that flower, one might think these attacks were totally random.

From the beginning, Drift sensed something strange about this case—a feeling that it was more than just simple violence, something darker. This intuition fueled her determination to work tirelessly to solve the mystery, to bring comfort and justice to the victims and their families, and to make sure the innocent wouldn't be forgotten. She tried many different avenues, including checking flower shops and talking to florists, hoping that someone would remember someone who had purchased this type of orchid. But no— it was a rare variety that needed a particular environment to grow.

You might think that this would make it easier to find, but that was a mistake. The person or group responsible was clever enough to avoid getting caught and dangerous enough to leave these flowers as a signature or calling card.

And now, one was sitting right on the welcome mat of the lead detective's home.

Drift slammed the door shut with a loud bang, causing the frame to shake hard enough to make the walls tremble. She threw the deadbolt, then leaned against the door to catch her breath. How was this possible? How did they know where she lived? Had she been followed? Was it someone she knew? How much did they know? Was this a warning? A threat?

So many questions, fears, and what-ifs tore her apart. She was trembling, breathing heavily, her eyes darting wildly around her apartment. Not even five minutes ago, she'd felt perfectly safe, drinking her morning coffee while getting ready for work. Now, all it took was a single flower to shatter that sense of security.

She had to go. She had to leave right now!

Rushing to her room, Drift reached under her bed for a leather suitcase she kept there. She then began grabbing clothes from her closet and shoving them into the bag without regard for neatness. She didn't care what she was grabbing, only that she would have enough—enough to get far away from this town, away from that orchid, and from the psycho who left it on her doorstep. The police could take over the investigation, and she could find something else to do. Maybe she'd go to the countryside, find a small town to lay low in for a while.

Thinking about the countryside reminded her of the old stories of Oakhurst, a cursed land shrouded in mystery that had remained unsolved for centuries. It sounded like something that could distract her from this terrible experience, especially if it put several counties between her and the orchid attacker.

Slamming her suitcase shut, Drift ran out her back door, heading for the nearest train station. She didn't even bother to close and lock the door behind her. Deep down, she knew she wasn't coming back.

Chapter Text

Abolish Veylocke was raised in a household surrounded by stories and legends about monsters. From a young age, he saw a terrifying scene of a monster killing his parents, a trauma that left a lasting emotional scar and continues to affect him as an adult. As he grew older, with the careful guidance of Lord Morcant Thornvale, he developed his skill in recognizing different types of monsters, especially vampires. However, his experiences and increasing understanding of the world revealed that good and evil are not always clear-cut. Not all humans are virtuous, and not all vampires are evil. Both groups include individuals who consciously choose their actions and identities. Among the monsters of the night, some seek peaceful coexistence and harmony rather than conflict.

That was how the Organization came to be.

Founded centuries ago, the organization was an extensive group of both humans and vampires who worked together to maintain a carefully balanced equilibrium. Together, they aimed to protect humanity's good and eliminate the evils that hunted them. Abolish’s parents had been among their members, with stellar records spanning their careers. That is what made them a target for the fiend who murdered them, leaving young Abolish an orphan.

Lord Thornvale ensured he knew the full truth, never dumbing down the reality and treating him with the respect due to someone worthy of such knowledge. He dedicated himself to training the young man in the subtle arts of stealth, mastering the delicate skill of blending seamlessly into surroundings, and the importance of unwavering preparation. He shared crucial information about garlic, silver, and the most effective methods to trap a vampire, preventing it from causing harm. Yet, he also emphasized the importance of restraint, teaching him to look beyond the intimidating fangs and deadly claws. Instead, he encouraged him to recognize and understand the men and women lurking behind the monsters, fostering compassion and insight amid the darkness.

Abolish, now in his early twenties, had flourished under the guidance of the Lord, developing into one of the most outstanding members of the organization. His skills and dedication rendered him perhaps the finest in his field, and the Lord couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of pride in the man he had become. In recognition of Abolish’s exceptional efforts and accomplishments, he was entrusted with a critical and sensitive mission.

Far out in the rural stretches of the countryside, there lay the abandoned remnants of a once-thriving town called Oakhurst. This was the place where the Veylocke family had once made their home, having served alongside the local mayor nearly two centuries ago. It was also in Oakhurst that the Holy Spirits chose to manifest, bringing with them ancient and mystical tomes—rich with knowledge that could help humanity stand against the menace of the evil vampires.

Abolish’s task was to locate a specific volume hidden among these sacred texts and deliver it back to the Organization. His mission also included eliminating any vampires that threatened innocent lives. As with any mission undertaken for the Organization, maintaining absolute discretion was crucial. To blend in seamlessly, Abolish would assume the guise of a butler, claiming he was there to help his family lay their loved ones to rest. Interestingly, this disguise coincided with a personal wish of his—an authentic, heartfelt desire to see the town and its memories laid to rest. After all, the most convincing lies often contain a kernel of truth, and this particular story had that in spades.

As dawn came, Abolish stepped into Lord Thornvale’s carriage, taking his seat. Morgant, his handler for this mission and the Lord’s carriage driver, flicked the reins, and the carriage took off, leaving the town of Blackwood in its dust.

Chapter Text

Renhardt Dogmourne was an unfortunate character, having lived a life full of hardship and struggle. He had no memories of his father, only the warm, loving smile of his mother. She was a talented baker by trade and one of the most renowned in their small town. Her cookies were legendary, drawing people from distant places eager to taste them. Her reputation grew so much that the local Town Lord himself took notice, inviting her to live and work at his estate as his personal baker. Young Renhardt was overjoyed at his mother's success, celebrating her achievements with heartfelt pride. For a time, their life was joyful and prosperous.

Sadly, not everyone wished them well. One of the town lord’s cooks, driven by envy, resented the young baker, believing she had taken his place. In his bitterness, he sabotaged Renhardt’s mother by replacing her sugar with salt. When the Lord tasted the infernal cookies, it was so disgusting that he spat them out, denouncing her as a fraud and a poisoner. This was not helped by the cook's words in his ear, whispering false testimony against the two, painting them as conniving and untrustworthy. As a result, she and her son were cast out of his home, with the promise that she would never hold a job in the town again.

With nowhere to go and no home to return to, the young man and his mother wandered into the shadowy, dense woods. The baker was overwhelmed with grief and inconsolable. Sensing his mother's despair, young Renhardt tried to comfort her with gentle words, hoping to ease her distress, but nothing seemed to help. 

As night fell and the cold air settled in, they desperately searched for a place to rest and find shelter. Their eyes soon spotted a rickety, old shack hidden far from civilization, surrounded by tangled trees and thick underbrush. Driven by desperation, the mother and son cautiously approached, seeking refuge and hoping it would shield them from the biting cold winds. 

As they hesitantly opened the creaking door, they found they were not alone. Inside, an old woman was stirring a bubbling stew, filling the hut with the rich aroma of meat and vegetables. She turned at the squeak of the door hinge, her withered face breaking into a gentle smile as she looked at them with kind, knowing eyes.

“Good evening,” she called out to them. “Come, come, warm yourself by the fire.”

Perhaps they should not have been as trusting as they had been, but the two were desperate, and the woman seemed kind enough. So, the two let themselves in, sitting down on the log bench set up in front of the hearth. the old woman looked them up and down with an appraising eye.

“I sense that something has happened to you,” she remarked, a strange Edge to her voice. “Someone has done wrong by you, haven't they?”

With her emotions still raw, the young Baker immediately started to sob, letting her anguish escape between hiccups. Throughout, Renhardt gently rubbed her back and offered her his handkerchief to dry her eyes. The old woman listened, nodding slightly as she did. 

“I see. such a terrible thing.” The old woman straightened up slightly, approaching a chest sitting up against the wall. “Here, I think I have just what you need.”

From the depths of the chest, the old woman carefully pulled out a plate of pristine cookies. Each cookie was perfectly shaped, its surface gleaming with a delicate dusting of powdered sugar. A rich, enticing aroma of baked goodness wafted through the hut, filling the air and making both mother and son’s mouths water in anticipation. In the dim light, the cookies almost seemed to shimmer, their surface catching the faint glow of the hearth.

“Here, take these.” The old woman held out the plate, which the young baker tentatively took. “One bite of these cookies and your employer will speak differently about you. Even that cook who dared to slander you will find his tongue changed.”

The wording should have been a clue; it should have warned them exactly what they were agreeing to. But both mother and son were so desperate, so heartbroken over what had happened, that they ignored all the obvious red flags. In fact, young Renhardt found himself staring longingly at the cookies, licking his lips to try one. Seeing his gaze, the old woman's smile seemed to widen.

"Go on,” she encouraged, ushering him toward the plate. "Take one. I promise your tongue will never be the same.”

The young Renhardt looked amazed as he reached out to take one of the perfect cookies. He bit into it eagerly, his eyes going wide as the flavors filled his mouth, unlike anything he had ever tasted before. With tears of joy in his eyes, he turned toward his mother, nodding eagerly. With cookies like these, the town lord was sure to accept them back! He just knew it!

But then, everything went wrong. His mouth began to burn, his tongue swelling as he coughed and choked. He tried to spit out the cookie, but it was too late. The old woman, upon seeing his distress, let out a laugh that was more of a maniacal cackle. Her kindly facade melted away, revealing the withered, vile face of a witch. Renhardt tried to speak, but no words could come out. Distantly, he heard the sound of a plate shattering on the ground and felt his mother's arms wrap around his chest. He was hoisted off the ground and pulled from the hut, the witches’ cackling echoing as they ran.

After that, Renhardt was never the same. His tongue had indeed changed, twisting into an accent that could barely be understood at times. He considered himself lucky that he hadn't consumed the entire cookie. If he had, he feared what might have happened—if his voice would have been taken permanently instead of being mangled like this. As for his mother, she never fully recovered. Grief-stricken over the loss of her job and her son's curse, the young baker fell into despair. Within a few years, she was on her deathbed, clinging to her son’s hand as she squeezed it.

“My son…” she croaked, clinging to life just a little longer. “You must… seek the town… of Oakhurst.”

“Oakhurst?” Renhardt repeated.

“Yes… There is magic there. Maybe… you can find… a way… to be free…”

With those dying words echoing in his ear, Renhardt set off on a journey. He knew little about Oakhurst, having only heard stories during his time as a bartender. But literally had hurt spoke of a town that was cursed, much like himself. It seemed a fitting place for him to settle down. And perhaps his mother was right. Perhaps he could finally find a way to cure his tongue. Only time would tell.

Chapter Text

Shelby giggled softly to herself, a playful smile forming as she stuck her tongue out slightly while she carefully scribbled in her journal. She was completely immersed in working on her latest fanfiction, feeling a wave of inspiration that kept her on a creative high. Next to her, neatly arranged, were her treasured copies of Mr. M’s latest novels—things she always carried with her wherever she went. Over time, the spines of these beloved books had become cracked and bent from countless readings, and her favorite bookmark was boldly sticking out of the last volume. This burst of inspiration was so intense that she almost felt an uncontrollable urge to get her thoughts down on paper immediately, fearing that if she didn’t, she might drive herself into oblivion from the sheer force of her creativity.

Ever since she was a little girl, Shelby has developed an intense love for stories about the strange and unusual. Every night, her father would sit beside her and tell vivid tales of incredible creatures. He spoke of fairies that danced gracefully in the night sky, howling werewolves roaming in packs across the countryside, and mighty behemoths migrating across the globe, leaving only enormous footprints as their silent traces. Shelby eagerly absorbed these stories, her imagination ignited, as she ventured into the forest beyond Sunny Side Cliff, searching for goblins, brownies, and other fantastical beings her father's stories had conjured. 

When Shelby was five, her father went on an expedition to hunt down werewolves. He promised to stay in touch, sharing his adventures and bringing back a proof or souvenir of these elusive creatures. Sadly, that was the last time she saw her father. However, she refused to let his memory fade. She carried on his legacy of exploration right in her hometown, meticulously keeping journals of every discovery. She devoured every piece of media related to the mysterious and unknown—books from various authors, many fictional but some with details that made them feel astonishingly real. 

Nearly twenty years later, her passion remains alive. When she’s not out searching for the next great mystery, she spends her time writing in her journals—crafting stories inspired by Mr. M's novels or creating her own original tales, filling pages with her imagination and dreams.

Finishing up the latest chapter of her fanfiction, Shelby closed her journal and tucked it into her bag. She got up, brushing the pieces of grass off her skirt before adjusting her thick glasses. It was getting late, and her mom didn't like it when she was out too late. So she gathered her things and headed home. 

~\~/~

“Mom! I’m home!”

Shelby entered her small home, closed the door behind her, and set her belongings down. She saw her mother at the kitchen table, her messy hair tied back in a ponytail, surrounded by a disorganized pile of papers. Her stressed expression was familiar these days. Since her father left, her mother had to work a second job to support them. Shelby wanted to help, but her job at the library didn't pay much. She chose to focus on boosting her mother's mood instead.

“Guess what? I found this really cool book about ancient legends at the library. And Mr Fwhip? He said I could have it! How cool is that?!”

Her mother said nothing, her eyes remaining fixed on the scattered papers. Shelby glanced at them, noticing that not all of them were bills. One was a letter from a neighbor, insisting that Shelby needed to be sent away so she could get her “delusions” dealt with. Seeing those words, the young woman couldn't help but frown. She knew she wasn't exactly well-liked; she didn't have any friends, and some people whispered behind her back. It had taken an embarrassingly long time for her to realize that they pitied her because of her father. They all believed him to be a drunk, a man so sloshed by wine that he couldn't tell fact from fiction. The whispers warned that she would be just like him, just as strange and abnormal as the stories he told. 

“Mom?” she called out, reaching for that letter. “Here, let me get rid of that.”

Her mom's hand came down on top of the letter, preventing Shelby from taking it. That action made the young woman flinch, her hand pulling back sharply.

“Mom?”

“Shelby…” Her mother's voice was gentle but tinged with resignation. She sounded exhausted, as if she had been crying. “Listen, I know you loved your father. I know you're trying to keep his memory alive with his stories... but there comes a time when you have to grow up.”

“What?” Shelby shook her head. “No, Mom.”

“I think it would be good if you spent some time out of Sunny Side. Your uncle owns a flat out in the capital, and they have some great schools there. Maybe you could go there and-”

“Mom, no!” Shelby shouted, taking a few steps back. “No, listen. I know everyone thinks Dad was some drunk, but he wasn’t! That book I got? It tells of this town in the countryside called Oakhurst! It’s got so many legends about demons and magic and curses and-”

“ENOUGH!!” Her mother’s voice was loud and harsh, shattering the atmosphere like a rock through glass. “Enough, Shelby. Demons and magic aren’t real. None of that is real! Your father’s stories were just that: stories. And the sooner you accept that… the better.”

Shelby was silent, reeling from being shouted at by her mother for the first time in her life. She could feel hot tears welling in her eyes and a lump forming in her throat. She took a step back, then turned and ran up to her room, slamming the door behind her. She threw herself onto her bed, sobbing like she hadn't in a very long time. She sobbed and she sobbed until her face ached. Then she just lay on her bed, face buried in her pillow.

Sometime later, long after the sun had set behind the curtains of her window, she would finally rise. Her tears had given way to a determined expression. She got out of bed, threw open her closet, and grabbed a large bag. She packed a few essentials, including her journals and books, and shoved them all into the bag, tying it shut with a final knot. Throwing the bag over her shoulder, she turned toward her window, sliding it open with ease.

Her mother didn't want to believe her? Fine. She would go and find proof. She would go to Oakhurst and find proof that monsters were real, that her father's stories weren't just drunken ramblings. She would show everyone that she wasn't delusional.

 Without a moment of hesitation, Shelby slipped out the window, heading off into the night.

Chapter Text

In the foggy town of Brookville, a place known for industry and academics, there lived a man called Mythical J. Sausage, or simply M. He was a writer who picked up the quill at a young age, creating fantastical stories that amazed his audience. 

For a while, he showed great promise, with tales of folklore and the undead making readers eager for more. His talent for blending fiction with reality kept many awake at night, wondering if the monsters in his stories would come to life and haunt them.

However, as all good things do, his fame began to fade. Publishers began seeking fresher ideas, grounded in fact and reason. M would go to the pub, drowning his frustrations in ale that blurred his focus. More and more of his manuscripts and drafts were returned, and the corrections and criticisms increased with each setback. His name started to disappear, like ink washed away by rain.

Maybe if he had turned to a different muse, M could have made a comeback. But the supernatural was his obsession, one that held him in a tight grip. He couldn't just cast it aside, not when it had defined his identity for most of his life. Even as his fans shifted toward more academic works, M kept writing feverishly and alone, convinced that the truth behind the old legends was closer than anyone dared to believe.

Then came the letter.

The envelope was yellowed with age, its surface slightly worn and fragile. Sealed with an old wax crest, it bore a design that M did not recognize. There was no return address; only his name was handwritten on the front, left deliberately on his desk for him to find after returning from the pub. Stumbling slightly, M made his way over to his chair, took the envelope in his hand, and carefully broke the brittle wax seal, revealing the letter inside. The handwriting was rough, almost frantic, with a hurried and uneven scrawl, yet M recognized the penmanship. It belonged to Oliver Soundley, an old university colleague. Oliver had been a fellow folklorist—an adventurous soul who had vanished without a trace two years earlier while pursuing a mysterious legend in the remote southern counties. To hear from his old friend for the first time in years had M sobering up immediately.

M.

If you still seek truth behind shadows, come to Oakhurst. There, you will find a tale that will make your name eternal. But beware, the soil remembers, and the date draws near. Do not come lightly. The anniversary awakens them.

Oliver Soundly

Oakhurst. That name sounded vaguely familiar, tugging gently at the edges of M’s memory and stirring a faint recognition. Clutching the letter firmly in his hand, the author turned toward his extensive research archive, methodically pulling down aged texts, newspapers, and archives, determined to uncover any mention of that place. And eventually, he found it.

A remote, nearly forgotten town engulfed by towering trees and swirling mist. Once a vibrant settlement, it boasted a burgeoning livestock industry and rich mineral deposits supporting a lively mining community. However, nearly 200 years ago, everything changed. A terrible massacre swept through the town, slaughtering every man, woman, and child within its borders. The church declared it a divine curse, possibly punishment for some grievous sin the townsfolk had committed against the Holy Spirits. Survivors, if any, were never documented or found. Now, only days remained before the 200th anniversary of that dark night, casting a shadow over the present.

This was it.

This was what M had been searching for. This was his chance to prove the truth behind the old legends. But there was no time to waste. He had to get moving immediately, lest he lose his window. He rushed to his desk, packing his ink, journals, and a change of clothes. Then, heading out into the darkened streets, he hailed a midnight carriage. The cost for a trip to that forgotten town was far from cheap, but it would be worth the expense.

This would be it. His greatest story. His final chance at greatness. And Oakhurst was waiting.

Chapter Text

Avid was thrown into the deep end of the supernatural at a young age. Elle, his best friend and partner in crime, had been playing with him out in the woods near their homes. They knew those woods like the back of their hands, treating them as their playground since they were old enough to be on their own. But on that day, they had been a bit too cocky, traveling further than they ever had before. And, of course, they got lost.

As children do when they are terrified, they screamed for help, calling out for their mothers to find them. After a while, something answered their cries. But whatever it was, it was far from human. Avid has little memory of what happened after that creature appeared, only recalling waking up with deep scratches on his neck and Elle dragging him out of the woods.

No one ever believed their stories, assuming that their childish minds had exaggerated what really happened. They dismissed the two as traumatized children and insisted that Avid's marks were caused by either a wolf or a bear. However, the two of them knew the truth, and they were determined to prove it.

As they reached adulthood, both Avid and Elle dedicated themselves to studying the supernatural. He immersed himself in alchemy, absorbing every bit of knowledge about legendary creatures and mystical potions. The constant scratches on his neck motivated him to continue searching for a solution to remove them. Meanwhile, Elle focused on the physical side of their work. Her expertise with a crossbow was unmatched, making her the brawn to Avid's brains.

Their latest obsession was vampires, especially regarding the legends of Oakhurst. One of the tomes the pair had found spoke of a time when vampires ruled over the town. They noticed a pattern: every 200 years, some new threat would rise, almost always vampiric in nature. The result would end in the town being wiped out, its citizens either turned or murdered. It fascinated the two hunters, leading them to question if there was a way to stop the vampires without staking them. After all, it was called an infection for a reason, and all infections could be cured. All they needed was a test subject.

Unfortunately, capturing a vampire proved to be nearly impossible. Finding one was difficult, to say the least. Since these creatures had existed for so long, they were experts at hiding. But Elle was confident she had located somewhere they might be. She promised to head out and bring one back, grinning from ear to ear as she left.

The next day, she came back with a strained smile, tears running down her face as she showed her hand. On her palm, two tiny holes clearly indicated a vampire bite. Avid looked at her hand in horror and met her frightened gaze.

"Well…" she let out, her breath shaky, "at least we have a vampire to work on."

Working quickly, Avid grabbed a vial from his work table, using it to collect some of the blood dripping from that open wound. He had to work quickly and find a cure. If Elle was infected, there was no telling how long he had before…

Elle cried out loudly, dropping to her knees in pain as she clutched her injured hand tightly. Avid spun around in shock, his eyes widening as he watched his friend suddenly collapse, overwhelmed by an unknown force. When she finally looked up, her eyes had turned a deep, sinister blood red, her teeth had become sharp and jagged, and her gaze appeared feral and wild. Without hesitation, she lunged into a pouncing stance, launching herself aggressively toward Avid. Thinking quickly, the alchemist reached for a wooden stake from the nearby weapons table, gripping it firmly and positioning it defensively in front of himself as he prepared for the attack. 

In her madness, Elle threw herself straight onto the stake, the wooden point piercing straight through her chest. She choked, coughing up blood before collapsing to the ground, completely unmoving. For a good minute, Avid just stood there, panting heavily as his hands shook. Her blood was all over him, the coppery smell overwhelming. And then, he fell to his knees, collapsing into full-body sobs.

She was dead. His best friend in the entire world was dead, by his hand.

No.

No, he did what was necessary. The blame lies with that monster—the vampire who bit Elle and caused all this. Grief turned into furious tears as Avid forced himself to stand. His eyes were fixed on the weapons rack, where Elle's crossbow and belt were hanging. Without delay, he took both, fastened the belt around his waist, and slung the crossbow onto his back. He may not have Elle's skills, but he would learn.

Walking out of their base, Avid turned toward the dense forests surrounding them. He could feel the creatures of the night lurking in the shadows, as if waiting for him to step into their territory. He knew they would want to turn him, just like they turned Elle, but it wouldn't happen. He would find and kill every last vampire to avenge his friend.

Either way, he had nothing left to lose…

Chapter Text

Jack von Pyroscythe, or Pyro to his friends, was the eldest son of the renowned Pyroscythe family. They were well known in the Capital, with his father and every other member of his family serving as important figures in the military. Generals, Admirals, Naval commanders—his family was full of strong men like that, brave fighters who fought for king and country and never backed down from a challenge. 

So, needless to say, Pyro was a bit of an oddball. 

From an early age, he preferred books over anything else. He’d rather study in his family’s grand library than train in the family’s garden with a sword. His physical abilities were lacking — his strength below average and his stamina nearly nonexistent. But his knowledge and eagerness to learn made him an excellent scholar, so his family reluctantly enrolled him at the Capital University. They figured that perhaps he could become a military advisor, continuing the family legacy from a different angle.

Of course, his family wasn’t the only obstacle Pyro faced.

Czeslaw was a member of another noble house, one with ties to the military similar to those of the Pyroscythes. He also enrolled in the university, studying battle strategies and martial law, hoping to become a General. When he saw Pyro among his classmates, he wasted no time in making his life miserable. Constant ridicule and mockery followed him throughout his school years, with ongoing hazing leaving him with missing assignments, torn books, and his personal belongings trashed. It got to the point where Pyro would be forced to find somewhere secluded on campus just to get a moment of peace.

On one such occasion, when he was reading his favorite book by the lakeside, Czeslaw found him. He was stumbling around, his face flushed with alcohol, and a half-empty bottle of expensive whiskey in his hand. The moment he spotted Pyro, the usual hazing and ridicule began. As he normally did, Pyro tried to leave, to get away from his tormentor, but Czeslaw blocked his path every time. The venom he spat from his alcohol-laden breath chipped away at what little self-restraint the scholar had left. He closed his eyes, covered his ears, but it wouldn't stop. 

Then, he felt his book being ripped from his hands.

This wasn't just any book, but rather a personal Journal containing all of Pyro's notes and his research dedicated to his thesis. He'd been working on it for weeks, and now the drunken bastard was gleefully tearing it to shreds. Of course, he tried to take his notes back, only to get a boot to the chest that sent him sprawling into the mud. Czeslaw laughed loudly, the tiny shreds of parchment falling to the ground as he dropped the now-empty journal cover into the lake. That laughter echoed loudly in his ears, making the normally timid scholar see red.

What happened next was a bit of a blur, but he remembered getting to his feet, picking up one of the large stones that liked the lake’s edge. He remembered lifting the stone, a sickening thunk, and that irritating laughter finally coming to an end.

It was the splash that followed that managed to snap Pyro out of his stupor. He looked down, shocked to see Czeslaw’s form lying face-first in the lake. His head looked almost caved in, and one look at the bloodstained rock in his hand made it all too clear what had caused it. In a panic, Pyro threw the stone into the water, stumbling away from the shore as the realization hit him. Without hesitation, he ran away from the lake, putting as much distance between himself and Czeslaw.

By the next morning, Czeslaw’s body was discovered by the constables, not far from the place Pyro preferred to go to read. Immediately, the blame fell on Pyro, with his tormentor’s family demanding retribution for their son’s death. Of course, Pyro denied any wrongdoing, using his own weakness and the whiskey bottle recovered at the scene to try and defend himself.

“Maybe Czeslaw fell!” he argued. “Those rocks are treacherous. Maybe he hit his head when he fell and drowned!”

But of course, his pleas fell on deaf ears. No one believed him, not even his own parents. He knew they didn't care for him, seeing him as a weak link in their otherwise pristine bloodline. But to have them so openly burn him left him reeling. They had been waiting for a chance to be rid of him, especially now that he had no chance of doing anything worthwhile in their eyes. And so, they gave him an ultimatum: denounce his family name and be cast out, never calling himself a Pyroscythe again, or be arrested for the murder.

What other choice did he have? He packed what little he was allowed to take from his home and set off that very night. He couldn't stay in the capital, but that didn't mean he was giving up. His notes were gone, but he didn't need them. He would find a new avenue of research, a new thesis that would show everyone his worth. He would impress them all and be welcomed back with open arms. And he knew exactly where he could go.

Chapter Text

Pearl covered her ears, unable to stomach the sound of tearing flesh and cracking bones. This was her fifth full moon since the incident— the fifth time she had to lock her parents away for their safety. They never argued or fought her when she led them into their silver cages. Instead, they offered their hands to the manacles and voiced words of love and support. Not once did they blame her for flinching or her discomfort with being touched by them. They knew what they were and what they had become.

Werewolves.

Most of the time, they could pass for normal humans. Yes, they were a little stronger, with teeth and nails sharper than usual, but they could still act like the people they were. It was only when night came, when the full moon rose into the sky, that was when they ceased to be people and became the monsters they had been forced to become.

Ever since that fateful night, Pearl has been trying desperately to find a cure. She pores over every single tome, record, and book, recording anything even remotely related to werewolves, but finds nothing. She tries experimenting on her own, using well-known werewolf weaknesses like silver to try and steady their minds. It doesn't work. In desperation, she even attempts to ingest werewolf blood, hoping to possibly gain their strengths while avoiding their weaknesses. All she gets is a pretty bad stomachache.

By now, she knew she had exhausted all options available to her. She had to face the fact that her parents were beyond saving. They were doomed to this life, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Nothing… save for avenging them.

Locking down the Moon Estate took a long time, and finding the right wards that would keep outsiders away while keeping her parents contained was even harder. Luckily, she’d managed to find a specialized containment spell that would completely seal off the estate. No one would be able to find it once the spell was enacted, and those inside would find themselves trapped forever. As such, Pearl ensured several fruit trees were planted, that a freshwater brook ran through the lands, bringing fish and clean water, and that fields could be sown during her parents' better days. They could seal themselves away on the full moon and sustain themselves during their human times.

A life of a caged animal, but it was still a life.

Standing outside the Moon Estate’s main gates, Pearl triple checked that all of the sigils she’d carved into the wall were in position. One small mistake could ruin weeks of hard work, so she had to be thorough. After making sure everything was perfect, she stepped back, opening the worn, leather tome that contained the spell she needed.

“Hae terrae in perpetuum obsignentur, et nemo earum beneficia aspiciat.”

The sigils carved into the stone wall began to glow before a shimmering wall of light descended over the area. As it fell over the wall, it vanished from sight, leaving only a misty blanket covering what appeared to be an inconspicuous clearing. Already, she could feel the spell urging her to move on, that this land was no longer welcoming to her. With a heavy sigh, Pearl lowered the book, tucking it into her luggage along with her few worldly possessions.

 Her home was gone, sealed away forever. Now, she would need to find somewhere new to live, somewhere else to call home. She didn't know where her journey would take her, but she knew that one day she would have a new home, and if she was lucky, a new family. But for now, she had a job to do as a werewolf hunter. So, picking up her bags, Pearl turned toward the Rising Moon and took her first step toward her new tomorrow.

Chapter Text

Martin groaned softly as he stretched his limbs, awakening from a long, restful slumber. He didn't have a clear sense of how much time had passed, but the brightness of the sky suggested it had been quite a while. As his eyes fluttered open, he expected to see the familiar sight of the caravan he had been traveling with, along with the other men of his merchant convoy. However, what he encountered instead was a sprawling, deconstructed campsite, devoid of any sign of life or activity.

Great. Once again, he had been left behind.

This wasn't the first time such an occurrence had happened, especially considering his narcolepsy, which often made him a bit of a burden and hindered his ability to wake up on time. His father, the leader of the merchant caravan, had grown increasingly frustrated with Martin’s repeated struggles. As a result, he had made a stern declaration: if Martin could not wake up on his own and join the group in the mornings, he would be left behind.

Martin initially thought it was just a bluff. After all, this was his father—what kind of father would leave his son stranded in the middle of nowhere? He learned the harsh truth the very next morning when he caught the faint tail end of the caravan’s departure. It took him over an hour to dismantle his tent and hurriedly catch up, only to be met with glares of annoyance and impatience.

The second time it happened, Martin had been slightly quicker. He managed to keep the caravan in sight just long enough to start disassembling his camp and then hurried after them, finally reintegrating with the group. But now, apparently, the third time was the charm. He had no idea where anyone was, and he was well and truly stranded.

Letting out a groan, Martin pulled himself free of his sleeping bag and began the familiar process of disassembling his camp, cursing his luck the entire time. It wasn't his fault that he was like this. He had tried to wake up; he really had. But he couldn't control it, and nobody seemed to understand that. When he needed to sleep, he needed to sleep—that was all there was to it. Had he not already proven himself to be a valuable member of the caravan? He was the only member of their group willing to take risks, put himself out there, and try to make a difference. He was the one constantly seeking out new things to sell, new ventures to make them rich. But did any of them appreciate that? No! All they saw was some sleeping idiot. 

Well, screw them!

He was sick of being a merchant anyway. Sick of always traveling, never having a stable home. He wanted to be someone. He wanted to have money and power, to be recognized for his strength and abilities. He wanted to be like the nobles he saw while hawking his wares. And maybe, this was his chance to do it. This could be the time when he reinvented himself. He didn't have to stay Martin the Merchant's son. No, he could be someone new. He could be... he could be... 

Crap, what could he be?

Whatever. He'd figure it out along the way. He'd find a way back into civilization and reinvent himself. Maybe even give himself a new name. Wait, no, that's a bad idea. Knowing him, he'd likely fumble his name if he tried to come up with something. It would be better to stick with Martin. Though maybe he could change the spelling.

Martyn.

Yes, the Y added in made him sound a bit more posh. He would need a surname, though, but he could come up with one later. He’d also need to come up with a backstory. So many things to consider.

On the bright side, he had plenty of time to think while he ventured out to find people.

Chapter Text

There was a noticeable shift in the winds that swept through the dense forests of Oakhurst, signaling unmistakable signs that humanity had once again come to reclaim these cursed lands. The sacred spirits, who had finally chosen to descend upon this blood-soaked town, let out a jubilant cry, a sound that echoed loudly across the abandoned countryside. From all directions, twelve new visitors entered the borders of Oakhurst, and yet, two more souls were awakened, adding to the unfolding story…

Deep, deep underground, in an almost labyrinthine crypt, a massive stone coffin was placed in the center of a grand chamber. In this stone coffin, a man lay—pale skin, blue hair, and a hint of something poking through his perfect lips. This was Scott Goldsmythe, the manor lord who had been cast into an unnatural sleep. 

He had not moved in nearly 600 years, but now, the ancient magic that kept him asleep had finally been broken. His finger twitched, then his hand, and finally his eyes began to open as he stretched his arms—only to be immediately stopped by the cramped confines of his stone bed. His sleepy smile immediately turned sour, recalling the events that occurred before his great slumber.

“Gem…” he snarled. “That traitorous… You'd better hope you’re already dead, or I’m gonna turn you into my first meal.”

Scott could tell that he was weak; one does not sleep for however long he has been and not become weaker. He was probably at the level of a freshly turned fledgling at this point—frankly, an embarrassment for someone as ancient as him. But he at least had enough strength to shove the massive lid off his coffin with one hand. It flew across the crypt, smashing into one of the support columns and finally allowing him to sit up. 

To normal eyes, the gloomy darkness of the crypt would have been suffocating, but Scott was a vampire, a creature made for the dark. As such, he saw everything with perfect clarity and was immediately disgusted by the dust and cobwebs everywhere.

“Who let my family crypts turn out like this?!” he exclaimed, absolutely aghast. “Just because you sealed me away doesn’t give you leave to just neglect your duties. Surely someone has been living here while I’ve been asleep.”

He could no longer use his strength to jump to the upper levels of the chamber, leaving him no choice but to climb a ladder like an ordinary peasant. He urgently needed food and refused to remain weak, especially with the invaders possibly living in his home. However, if foolish humans did inhabit his castle, he might be able to feed on them and restore his strength—he just needed to be clever about it.

However, as Scott emerged from the top of the winding staircase leading out of the crypt, he was shocked by what he saw. 

His once-beautiful castle was utterly gone, replaced by charred, overgrown ruins. He could see the remnants of construction he didn't recognize, as if someone had modified his castle for a new purpose before a raging fire had taken it out. Through the overgrown weeds and encroaching wildlife, he could make out what almost looked like bodies. Long decayed and reduced to little more than skeletons now, it seemed that whoever had overtaken his castle was long gone. Too bad they took the castle with them.

“Well…” he let out, clicking his tongue before hissing through his teeth. “So much for my free meal. I doubt Gem’s alive either. Shame.”

Surveying the damage done to his castle, Scott tried to piece together how much time had passed. He wasn’t the biggest fan of calendars, seeing as they were mainly religious documents, and he and the church didn’t exactly see eye to eye. That was to say nothing of the fact that they kept changing the time system every couple hundred years. Still, he needed something, anything he could use to reliably tell him how long he’d been asleep.

Luckily, something revealed itself to him: a massive oak tree perched near the edge of the cliff. Judging by its placement and the surrounding landscape, it had once been a small sapling planted in his grand garden many years ago—specifically, 27 years before he was cursed. A grin spread across Scott’s face as he gazed at the tree; he stepped forward, reached out with both hands, and pushed against it.

Ugh, he hated feeling weak! In his prime, he could have uprooted this tree with ease, tearing it from the ground. Now, he was struggling just to bring it down. Frustration boiled inside him, and he growled under his breath. As he stepped back, his foot unexpectedly caught on something beneath the fallen leaves—an old, rusted axe embedded in the shattered skull of one of the bodies lying scattered around.

It wasn’t much, but it would suffice. 

Scott grasped the axe firmly and began swinging. Each blow was hard and deliberate—one, two, three—until after 72 relentless swings, the mighty oak finally toppled over with a thunderous crash. As the dust settled in the wake of the falling tree, its cross-section became available to Scott; the countless rings etched into its trunk were now visible to him. It’s well-known that you can determine a tree’s age by counting these rings, and, as anyone familiar with vampires would know, they also love to count such things.

Seating himself on the now felled tree, Scott made himself comfortable and began to carefully count the rings.

A short distance to the northwest of the crumbling castle ruins, at the foot of a dilapidated tower, something suddenly began to stir. A figure, frozen in time and motionless for over two centuries, finally started to move again. The world around him had changed drastically since he had collapsed at the base of the now-decaying lumber mill. Tree roots had wrapped tightly around his limbs, grass had grown across his body, and weeds were tangled among his mud-brown curls. From a face half-covered in dirt and debris, a single eye slowly opened. That eye reflected nothing but cold emptiness, a void that seemed unfazed by the passage of time, even as the figure gradually lifted himself from his resting place.

“Really?” he grumbled, his voice tinged with annoyance, unconcerned about the plants that still clung stubbornly to his body. “Someone had to come and wake me up... Why can’t they just let me die…” 

Owen, the former lumberjack turned vampire, reluctantly wiped away the dirt caked onto his face before flicking it aside with a tired gesture. His body felt stiff and weak, a clear consequence of the endless hours he had spent sleeping in the shadowy confines beneath his lumbermill, lost in a mindless, restless slumber that seemed to stretch on indefinitely.

Finally standing, Owen hissed as he felt the sun's rays fall on him. He was a weak enough fledgling that the sun didn't burn him, but its brightness still made him wince. He retreated into the confines of the ruined tower, the foliage dropping from his body with each step he took. Leaning against the wall for a moment, Owen took stock of his surroundings.

Seeing his and Louis's lumber mill reduced to this state made his long-dead heart ache. It just went to show how much time had passed, and yet here he was—still living, and still alone. But if something had returned to Oakhurst, if something had spurred the Holy Spirits to finally make their move, then maybe he had a reason to keep living—at least for a bit longer. 

Unfortunately, he wasn't exactly in any shape to go on another killing spree. He was hungry, and he looked like some sort of feral plant creature. Looking down at his clothes, he realized most of them had been completely eaten away by time, leaving him in little more than rags. Luckily, since Owen spent most of his time at this lumber mill back when he was human, he had kept some personal effects here. Hopefully, time had been kinder to them than it had been to him.

He discovered the old wooden lockbox concealed among the broken remnants of the roof. Remarkably, the box remained intact, and upon opening it, he found his clothes were still relatively unscathed. They were stiff and a bit dusty, but he had worn worse — in fact, he was already accustomed to much worse conditions. Carefully shedding the ruined garments he had slept in for the past two hundred years, Owen donned a fresh set of clothes. He also retrieved some linens stored at the bottom of the box, skillfully wrapping his arms, legs, hands, and neck with a practiced precision that he had never completely lost. 

As he finished, he moved to close the box but hesitated. At the very bottom, nestled among other items, was a single red tunic — Louis’s tunic. Owen almost forgot he still had it; he recalled the day Louis lent it to him when his own shirt had been torn by a falling branch he hadn't managed to dodge. Louis had given him this shirt to wear home, and Owen had kept it close, treating it as a treasured keepsake. 

With trembling hands, Owen carefully pulled the shirt from the box, pressing his face against the folded fabric. Sadly, any traces of his sire’s scent had long since faded, leaving the vampire feeling utterly empty once more. Unwilling to leave it behind, Owen gently placed the shirt into his satchel, convinced that holding onto that small piece of Louis might help him retain some of that warmth now missing from his life. Anything, he thought, to feel even a fragment of comfort amid the coldness that had engulfed him.

“Right…” he let out, cracking his neck. “Time to go find some food.”

In the blink of an eye, Owen had transformed into a flurry of bats. They scattered on the winds as he himself took flight, following his nose toward the smell of humans.

“624, 625, 626… I’VE BEEN ASLEEP FOR 600 YEARS?!”

Scott’s sudden shout startled a nest of crows that had settled on one of the broken battlements of his castle. Still, could you blame him? 600 years! How much had he missed during that time? He had lived for nearly 800 years before, and in his human lifetime alone, he’d seen the fall of the Roman Empire. His family had sacked part of Brittania in the name of the Goldsmythes! Sure, he hadn’t fought in the battles himself, but he’d funded them!

Hang on, he was off topic. He needed to focus.

Scott knew from experience that humanity was constantly changing, and after 600 years, there was no telling what had changed. He would need to be cautious about how he went about things. It would do him some good to try and blend in with the humans for a while, until he could get his strength back. It was his best option for now.

With a sigh, Scott got to his feet, turning toward the worn-out bridge leading from his castle to the mainland. From experience, he knew that if he went across the bridge and kept traveling southeast, he would reach a small human settlement called Oakhurst. Hopefully, he can find some food there and get some thralls to help rebuild his castle. So, with a flourish of his cloak, Scott crossed the bridge, making his way toward the town.

Little of the once-bustling town of Oakhurst remained, as the forest had long since overtaken it. However, a notable clearing still held its remains, with staggered wooden walls standing as the only visible relic. The roads leading into the town were nothing more than dirt paths, overgrown with weeds and strewn with sharp stones that could damage any passing carriage. The town itself was in utter ruin—no buildings remained upright, only the overgrown shells of former wooden homes and the crumbling stone outline of what might have been a church. The few structures that appeared somewhat stable were the entrance to a stone crypt and a once-elaborate fountain, now filled with stagnant green water. 

Cleo stepped through the crumbling wooden gates of Oakhurst, surveying the wreckage with a weary air. She hadn't expected much from the beginning, knowing that this area had been abandoned long ago. Her mother had told her that she left because of the plague, unwilling to risk contaminated food. 

Speaking of food, what exactly was the situation she was working with? She had seen several pigs on her travels, but humans cannot live solely on meat. The remnants of farming plots were scattered about, with some potato and carrot crops. Oddly enough, there was a rather large abundance of garlic fields. Not precisely a dinner-time staple, but it would do in a pinch.

The sound of a twig snapping pulled Cleo from her ruminations. She turned with a start, shocked to see an older gentleman trying to pull some of the larger weeds out of the side of one of the skeletal houses. One look at his graying hair and thick glasses made it clear that this man was just another traveler, someone who had likely been on the road for quite some time. Not someone she needed to fear, but she wasn't going to take any chances.

“Hello?” she called out, garnering the man’s attention.

Upon hearing her, the man lifted his head, his road-weary eyes brightening at the sight of the red-haired woman. He straightened up, wiping his hands on his trousers before approaching her.

“Ah, good day to ya, missy.”

Cleo nearly did a double-take at the THICK accent on the man. It felt like four to five different dialects shoved together into one barely comprehensible voice.

“U-um…. Hello.”

“I must say, ‘tis good to see a friendly face amongst the ruins of this here town, doncha know. Might I ask as to what I be callin’ ye?”

After taking a moment to recenter herself and do some mental translations, she cleared her throat.

“Right. I’m Cleo.”

“Cleo.” The man’s warm smile softened even further. “'Tis a beautiful name, Miss Cleo. I am Renhardt Dogmourne, a pleasure.”

“Pleasure’s all mine. Who exactly are you? Do you live here?”

Renhardt shook his head with a soft laugh. “Nay. I am but a humble traveler seeking out the lands of Oakhurst. I arrived naught a bit ago, only to find this… crumbling husk. I take it from ye questions that ye too be a wayward soul, wandering this vast world of ours, doncha know.”

Now it was Cleo’s turn to chuckle, but her laughter wasn’t of mirth, but of a world-weariness of someone who had never had a home to call their own.

“Yeah. You could say that.” Cleo’s hand went to her neck, where a pendant lay flush against her throat. “My family used to live here a few hundred years ago, but left when this plague swept through. Didn’t want to risk getting sick.”

“Aye, twas the smart choice.” Renhardt’s eyes swept across the shambling ghost town. “‘Tis clear from looking at this place that no living thing has dared to tread upon these lands for some time.”

Cleo bit her lip at Renhardt’s choice of words. Indeed, nothing living had been here for some time. Though from how ruined this place was, nothing undead was likely here either.

“Oh, thank the Word, people!”

Both Cleo and Renhardt turned back toward the entrance, seeing that two more people were just entering the town. One was an older woman, her conservative clothing and monocle marking her as a scholarly type. The cloak alone made Cleo think of the local constabulary, so this one was some sort of law enforcement. As for the other, her rosy cheeks and cheerful smile clearly showed her youth and her naivete, given that she seemed to eagerly approach veritable strangers with the openness that would get anyone killed or worse.

“Hi!” the younger woman with hair even redder than Cleo’s cheerfully greeted. “I’m Shelby! Nice to meet you!”

Cleo blinked slowly at her, more than a little caught off guard by her exuberance.

“Cleo…” she offered up.

“And I be Renhardt Dogmourne.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you all,” the older woman declared with a soft, yet cautious smile. “I’m Drift, a detective from a few counties over.”

“Yeah, we met on the road,” Shelby cheerfully offered. “I was all kinds of turned around out there. Seriously, you’d think with a place as legendary as this, there would be some signs. But not a one! Though maybe there were signs at one point.” The young girl’s eyes widened behind her thick glasses. “Ooh, do you think Bigfoot pulled them out to keep people away?”

The silence that settled over the small group after that comment was thick, with only the distant crows and the rustling wind in the trees audible. Cleo could already feel a sense of dread creeping over her, knowing her time in Oakhurst would be... eventful, to say the least.

~\~/~

On the other side of the ruined town, someone else was finally arriving. Avid, drenched in sweat, out of breath, and frantic with urgency, came running out of the woods as if the bats of hell were on his heels. He practically staggered through the southern gates, collapsing onto the ground as he finally found a moment to catch his breath. He was never the bravest of people, which was why he had chosen the role of support in his duo with Elle. But with her gone, he knew he had to summon courage and be brave himself. 

Unfortunately, the forest was dark and full of terrors, its shadows concealing dangers at every turn. And as he surveyed Oakhurst, he realized the town wasn't much better—no solid structures, no semblance of shelter, and only a few small patches of garlic scattered about like fragile remnants of life. Avid practically pounced on one of those patches, clawing at the dirt until he grasped that precious, paper-wrapped bulb, clutching it tightly as if it were his salvation.

“Thank the Word…” he let out in between gulping gasps. “Thank you.”

With almost feverish intensity, Avid began digging up the remaining garlic patch. He couldn't precisely gauge how much he would need to confront whatever monsters might be lurking in this abandoned ghost town, but he preferred to be overprepared rather than caught unawares. Never again, he silently vowed to himself, feeling his neck ripple subtly beneath his bandages as he worked.

“Hello?”

Avid shrieked when he heard the sudden voice, his heart pounding in his chest. Without thinking, he jumped to his feet quickly and instinctively pulled out his crossbow, ready for whatever threat might be present. He hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to fire or hold back, and was relieved when he chose the latter upon realizing who he was about to face. Before him stood two travelers, both with fair skin and dark eyes, clearly human and not anything more sinister. Letting out a nervous laugh, Avid lowered his crossbow cautiously, rubbing the back of his head in a gesture of embarrassment and relief at having misjudged the situation.

“Sorry about that,” he hastily apologized. “Are you new here?”

One of the men, who appeared to be only a few years older than him and was dressed impeccably in a suit reminiscent of a butler's uniform, seemed to scrutinize him, examining him from head to toe with a critical and discerning eye. It was evident that he was not entirely pleased with what he saw, as evidenced by the deep furrow forming between his brows, suggesting a clear display of disapproval. Conversely, the other man responded with a warm, bright smile, effortlessly dismissing the earlier tension with a casual wave of his hand, as if the incident was insignificant to him.

“Don't worry about it, we've all had those days.” The friendly man extended a hand, his smile never fading. “My name is Mythical J. Sausage, but you can just call me M.”

“Hi.” Avid took the outstretched hand. “I’m Avid.”

After a firm handshake, the two broke apart as the disapproving butler scanned the area.

“Do you live here?” he questioned, his voice a low monotone that made him sound like some consummate professional.

“What, here?!” Avid quickly shook his head. “No, no. I just got here myself. I'd heard rumors about this place, all the legends and tales of what happened here. And I figured, why not? What did I have to lose?”

“Oh, us too!” M cheerfully said, draping an arm around the bewildered butler, who obviously wished to be anywhere else. "I received a letter from an old friend mentioning that Oakhurst is the place to find the story of a lifetime! I haven't seen it yet, but who knows? Who knows what secrets and mysteries are hidden in the crumbling ruins of this once lively town?”

Pinching his fingers gently around a part of M's sleeve, the butler carefully pulled the arm away, then stepped forward with a deliberate motion. After releasing the author's arm, the butler lightly brushed his own shoulder as if to regain composure, then cleared his throat softly.

“I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Abolish, and I'm just here to pay my respects to my family.”

“You have family here?” Avid questioned, eyes scanning the crumbling homesteads and weed-riddled streets.

“No, but they used to live here a long time ago.” Abolish looked out at the town, his deadpan expression never changing. “I’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting much, but I had hoped for more than… this.”

“You’re not alone on that one.”

This time, Avid managed to keep himself in check as the new voice reached his ears. He and his two new companions turned to see a fourth man entering the town. He was older than all of them, with short hair that still showed some gray. He had a rather nasty scar running from the top right of his forehead down to just below his left eye. He wore a monocle over his right eye and a white surgical robe.

“Greetings,” the man said with a small smile and a slight tip of his head. “I’m Legundo, but most people call me Legs.”

“You’re a doctor,” Abolish noted, gesturing casually toward Legs’s attire.

Legs gave a modest nod, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. “Yes, I am. I’ve been on… a bit of a pilgrimage, so to speak. Traveling through different places, trying to help those in need and… just be useful, honestly.”

“Oh, is that what you are?” Avid chuckled softly, feeling more at ease with a doctor present. “That’s wonderful! I’m a man of science myself, actually.”

Abolish raised an eyebrow skeptically. “Are you?”

“Pfft. Yeah! Of course!” Avid straightened his back, puffing out his chest confidently before bringing his fist to his sternum in a ceremonial gesture. “You happen to be in the presence of a first-class alchemist and potion maker,” he declared proudly.

Abolish remained visibly skeptical, but Legs seemed to regard him with some curiosity and respect. M looked positively giddy at the mention of alchemy.

“Potion making? Did you happen to branch into distillery? I would kill for some ale or beer right now.”

At that, Avid winced, his proud demeanor faltering a bit. If he didn’t squash this now, then he’d be hounded to make beer for however long they were together in Oakhurst. However, he also knew from experience how well people took it when he talked about what he really did. Still, better to rip the bandage off now than let it fester.

“Actually, I never explored that particular tree,” he admitted, holding up his crossbow for emphasis. “My expertise lies more in… hunting. Specifically, hunting vampires.”

The instant that word escaped his lips, Avid could feel the unmistakable sharp decline in how his companions viewed him. Abolish maintained a neutral expression, betraying not a hint of emotion, but Avid was acutely aware of how the butler silently judged him, his gaze sharp and assessing. Mr. M, on the other hand, looked quite excited—almost eager—which, in a strange way, was oddly reassuring to Avid amidst the tension. As for the doctor, his look was one Avid recognized all too well—pity mixed with exasperation—an expression he had seen countless times on the faces of adults dismissing his concerns as either exaggerated or merely the product of an overactive imagination.

“Great…” he heard the doctor mutter under his breath. “He’s a lunatic.”

“No!” Avid was quick to step up, his voice rising an octave. “No, I’m perfectly sane, Mr. Bedsheet! Vampires are real, and I’m gonna find them and kill them! Every last one of them!”

“This,” the Doctor interjected, pulling at the white robes he wore, “is my surgical apron. I would appreciate it if you didn’t call it a bedsheet.”

Avid wanted to argue further, but there was something in the Doctor’s gaze that stayed his tongue. Nothing monstrous, but something… unsettling. He shook it off, though, holding up his hand in a placating gesture as he slung his crossbow back over his shoulder.

“Alright, that was my bad. But I’m not crazy!”

“Sure.” The Doctor gave a slow nod that made it clear he didn’t believe Avid in the slightest.

“Excuse me,” Abolish cut in, getting everyone to focus on him. “I hate to interrupt, but maybe we should see if there’s anyone else here.”

“Oh yeah, good idea!” Mr. M agreed, nodding eagerly. “Should we head on in? I think I can hear some voices up ahead. Maybe it’s actual townspeople!”

“Yeah, let’s go!”

Avid hurried forward with anticipation, eager to see if there was anyone else nearby. Perhaps he could find someone who believed his story—a new partner to trust. While they couldn’t replace Elle, it would certainly be comforting to have someone watching his back in this uncertain situation, especially as the terrifying threats of Oakhurst started to reveal themselves more openly.

Owen touched down on the edge of a strange, stone crypt that had been erected abruptly in the middle of the dense woods. It was unlike any structure he recognized, having practically grown up amidst these trees. Times had changed, and the woods had grown wilder and more mysterious since he was a man, but he knew enough about the land to realize that this crypt had not been here before. The entire place reeked of Holy Light, especially from the unnatural glowing stones that sat at the top, as if guiding lost souls safely towards it. He sneered, considering smashing the stones, but ultimately decided against it. His strength was not yet enough to meddle with such sacred relics of the Holy Word, not without risking severe consequences.

Turning away from the crypt for the moment, the lumberjack's sharp eyes caught sight of fresh footprints imprinted in the dirt surrounding the entrance. Clearly, someone had recently been here—no, perhaps two individuals. Their presence was evident in the lingering scent of humans in the air. His stomach growled loudly, a constant reminder of the thirst that seemed to never truly fade, no matter how much he ate. The tracks appeared to be relatively fresh, indicating that his prey was not far away. Unfortunately, his brief stint as a bat had already sapped much of his energy, forcing him to continue on foot. It was an inconvenience, indeed, but one he hoped to remedy soon, preferably after he satisfied his thirst with a proper meal.

Following the scent, Owen made his way through the forests, heading toward a lake nestled within a sandy clearing. A tower had been erected there long ago, once serving as an outpost for fishermen who used the lakes to catch their dinner. He snagged a sheep along the way, his ravenous thirst overwhelming him as he drained the creature of its blood. It wasn't as satisfying as human blood, but it would do for now—enough to quench the thirst just a little longer.

As he enjoyed his meal, Owen managed to spot two figures crossing the lake via the crumbled remnants of the bridge. They were a little more than stepping stones now, and Owen didn't quite trust his agility just yet. Maybe he could find one of the old boats? He turned away to do just that, pretending not to notice the voices calling out to him. Not until they got closer, close enough that it would be reasonable for a human to have heard.

“Hello!” a woman’s voice called out.

Owen turned around slowly, forcing a fake smile onto his face before calmly greeting the humans. They consisted of a man and a woman, and they looked vastly different from what he remembered being the common fashion when he was still alive. The woman was dressed in a striking outfit, featuring a skirt that was shorter in the front and longer in the back, revealing glimpses of her calves and the knee-high boots she wore. There was also something unusual about her scent—wild, untamed even—that piqued his suspicion. He knew he would need to keep a close watch on her.

As for the man, every aspect of him screamed spoiled rich kid. His attire was expensive and stylish, his skin was flawlessly smooth, and his hands looked as if he had never experienced a single hardship in his life. It took all of Owen’s self-control not to sneer at the sight of him. This one's blood probably tasted like some sort of expensive wine, Owen thought, bitterness flickering in his mind.

“Hello there,” he said, consciously maintaining a calm and friendly tone, free from any hint of anger or hostility. “I saw you across the lake and was attempting to find a boat.”

“Oh, can’t swim?” the wealthy young man sneered, his tone dripping with mockery. The remark ignited a fierce desire in Owen to tear his throat out. Without a doubt, this one would be his first meal.

“No, I can swim,” Owen responded steadily. “But these waters don’t look particularly welcoming or safe.”

“You’re not wrong about that,” the woman nodded in agreement, her expression serious. “It’s quite cold right now, and I’d rather avoid anyone catching a chill.”

“Right,” the rich boy said with a dismissive nod. “Fair enough.”

“Suppose I should introduce myself,” Owen said with a courteous smile, scanning the group. “I’m Owen. Who might you all be?”

“Oh, right,” the woman cleared her throat, adjusting her posture. “I’m Pearl. Nice to meet you.”

“And you can just call me Pyro,” the wealthy boy chimed in, his eyes glinting with curiosity. “Say, do you happen to know anything about that tower over there? It’s rather strange, isn’t it?”

Owen glanced over Pyro’s shoulder at the tower situated in the middle of the lake. He took a moment to carefully consider his response, deliberately choosing to keep his true familiarity with the land a secret for the time being.

"It appears to be some kind of fishing outpost to me. Perhaps a watchtower designed to ensure that travelers and fishermen alike don't capsize or get into trouble out on the water."

“Ah, yes, that makes sense," Pyro replied thoughtfully. "Water can be... It’s often a perilous environment, especially for those who aren’t prepared."

Owen’s eyes shifted back to Pyro, his gaze narrowing slightly as he studied him more closely. There was something in the way Pyro expressed that sentiment — a subtle, peculiar tone — which struck Owen as unusual. Coupled with his earlier remark about the lumberjack’s supposed inability to swim, it clearly marked Pyro as one of those humans Owen needed to keep an eye on more carefully. However, for the moment, it was too early to reveal his true intentions or to start scrutinizing everyone around him. Not when he didn’t know how many other humans might be lurking nearby.

“So, what brings you to Oakhurst?” Pearl asked, her tone casual as she gently brought Owen back to the present moment. She tilted her head slightly, curiosity evident in her eyes. “You live around here?”

Owen hesitated briefly, choosing his words with care.

“Well, I did,” he replied with a cautious tone. “I was a lumberjack working in this area, but… well, I left for reasons I’d rather not get into. It’s a complicated story. But I’m back now. Trees are ripe for the chopping this time of year, and a man has to make a living, after all.”

Pearl tilted her head with a teasing smirk, glancing back at Pyro. “Then, do you happen to know where the town is?” she asked, voice light with amusement. “This absolute buffoon here managed to get us more than a little turned around.”

Pyro looked a bit defensive but also amused. “I’ve said sorry like five times already! Besides, you were the one who was down in that crypt when I found you.”

Pearl chuckled softly, crossing her arms. “And I was doing quite well on my own until I got saddled with you.”

Owen cleared his throat, attracting the attention of the two humans. "Fortunately for you both," he said with a slight smile, "I do know where the town is. If you follow me, I’ll lead you directly there."

As the two expressed their gratitude for his assistance, they began to follow Owen away from the lake, heading toward the old, winding paths that led to the heart of Oakhurst. Owen wasn’t eager to set foot again in that forsaken town, with its memories and shadows—yet he doubted these two were the only humans who had sought refuge or had been drawn here. This place had an almost magnetic pull, attracting prey like a greedy beast, and Owen knew he would encounter all kinds of people—some dangerous, some not—and that blending in would be a crucial advantage in the long run. 

Lucky you, Pyro, Owen thought silently. You get to live just a little bit longer.

Scott stood atop one of the sturdier parts of the wooden wall encircling the ancient Oakhurst ruins. Inside, he could see roughly a dozen people gathered in a fairly large group, engaged in conversation, exchanging stories, and sharing their experiences. He had been standing there for a while, observing everyone present. Most of these individuals appeared to be strangers to one another, trading names and discussing what had brought each of them to this place. From the snippets of information he had overheard, the site had been abandoned for approximately 200 years. The stories explaining how it came to be deserted varied greatly depending on who was recounting them. It wasn't much, but with 600 years of history behind him, Scott realized he couldn't be too selective about the details he absorbed. Every piece of information could be valuable in this unfamiliar past; he needed to catch up fast.

 Just as he was beginning to grasp who everyone was and what their roles entailed, two more faces entered the scene. One was a woman carrying a musket strapped to her back. It was different from the muskets Scott remembered from his earlier experiences, which only confirmed his belief that humanity continues to grow and evolve. The other was a somewhat shy young man who seemed to be pretending to be wealthy. He exuded an air of desperation and poverty, or perhaps that was simply the scent of the town in general. It was a place best described as a dumpsite.

Well, he wouldn’t accomplish much just standing there idly. If he wanted to find something to eat, he needed to move closer to the source. He shuddered at the very thought of having to interact with the chaotic crowd below, especially some of the more… unstable individuals. The one named Avid, who was currently hurling garlic at people while loudly screaming about vampires, was already starting to irritate him. However, on the bright side, it didn’t seem like anyone was taking Avid’s ramblings seriously. That was at least a small comfort for Scott.

Jumping down from the wall, the ancient vampire landed lightly on the outside, then walked through the gate as if he hadn’t been watching for the past several minutes. The red-haired woman who called herself Cleo was the first to notice him, along with the doctor and the butler. For some reason, Cleo looked already fed up at the sight of him, looking at him as if he were something stuck to the bottom of her shoe.

“Let me guess, you’re new too?”

“I mean…” Scott spread his arms, gesturing to himself. “I just walked in, so I’d say so.”

“Great,” she sneered, shaking her head and turning away. “Lunatics and rich snobs. Cheers!”

“Don’t mind her,” the doctor interjected, clearly attempting to play peacemaker. “This has been… a rather interesting day.”

“Interesting?” the timid man who called himself Martyn interjected, no longer sounding particularly timid. “I came here after being lost in the woods for days, hoping to find some sort of civilization. Instead, we've got someone looking for Bigfoot, a guy throwing seasonings at everyone and rambling about vampires, that guy with the weird as heck accent, and now this blue-haired weirdo. I'd say this day has become downright psychotic.”

Scott placed a hand over his chest, clearly annoyed at being called a blue-haired weirdo. It wasn't his fault that his hair was this striking shade of blue; he had dyed it impulsively after a particularly drunken night at the Local Tavern. Initially, he intended to keep it this way for just a few weeks, mainly to annoy some visiting dignitaries he didn't care for. However, everything changed when he was turned, and now his hair color is permanently stuck this way. He couldn't wait to become a full vampire once more, then he could finally get rid of this blue hair and leave behind the embarrassment of that egregious oversight.

"For your information, my family once held dominion over this land. I have merely come to reclaim my birthright. However, I must admit, I did not expect to find it in such a sorry state."

"Then you're a local,” the doctor remarked.

"Not exactly,” Scott corrected. This was not the moment to reveal precisely how old he was. "My family moved away quite some time ago, but this land still belongs to us, so I have come to reclaim it.”

"And let me guess, you're not entirely pleased with all these ruffians mucking about?” Martyn questioned, his earlier brash tone giving way to a somewhat pretentious attempt at sounding posh.

“Oh no, quite the opposite. Frankly, if you lot want to move in and clean this place up, you're more than welcome! I'd even be willing to help you out, get you settled, and assist with whatever you need. The more, the merrier!" 

With the old town gone and the area seemingly abandoned of all human life except for these eclectic individuals, Scott felt the urgent need to rebuild his human population. This group might not be the absolute best, but their blood would sustain him just as well as anyone else's.

“Wait, wait!”

This interjection was prompted by the soldier girl who had entered the scene not long ago. Scott turned to face her, recalling that she had introduced herself as Apo. The expression she wore towards Scott was one of mild panic mixed with significant annoyance. 

"What's this about you claiming ownership of this land?” she demanded. 

"Like I mentioned earlier, this land has been in my family for generations. Perhaps you've heard of us? The Goldsmythes?" 

"This land belongs to the military,” she cut in abruptly, reaching into the sack slung over her shoulder to retrieve what appeared to be some kind of official documentation. She then waved the document aggressively in Scott's face, prompting him to snatch it from her hand and glance at it quickly. "See? I have orders to establish an outpost here, to convert this land into a military garrison."

"I see," Scott said, lowering the documents and turning to Apo with a raised eyebrow. "Last I checked, didn't the military send their construction crews with, oh, I don't know, supplies? Or maybe more than one person to do the job? And you certainly don't look like any military personnel I've ever seen before." 

“It was a joist stint,” the doctor explained, causing Apo to tense visibly. “I've seen it before—they sent her out here basically to get rid of her. My guess is they don't really care about any outpost or garrison. They just wanted to get rid of her and keep her out of their hair." 

From how red Apo's face was turning, Scott took it to mean that this was the truth. He couldn't help but let out a mocking little laugh at that.

"I think I understand now," he said, turning to face the soldier girl with a condescending pat on the top of her head. "How about a compromise? How about I let you build a small Watchtower here in the town? That way, you can report back to your superiors that you did your job, and I get to have my land restored. Sound fair?" 

Apo mumbled something under her breath, a sound that vaguely resembled reluctant acceptance of the deal. Scott smiled, feeling satisfied that the situation had resolved itself.

Suddenly, a powerful thrum rippled across the land. Scott took a step back, recognizing the sensation of holy magic. He wasn't the only one confused; everyone turned sharply toward the ruined church at the center of town, feeling the same energy surge through the air.

~\~/~

Owen was just outside the gates of Oakhurst when the Holy Magic struck him with the full force of a punch to the stomach, leaving him momentarily breathless. His two humanoid companions reacted similarly; they exchanged surprised glances before quickly running past Owen and into the heart of the town. Owen watched them go, unable to steady his features after that overwhelming wave of power. The Holy Spirits were unleashing their fury without restraint this time. Not only were the crypts stirring from their slumber, but it seemed that some powerful holy beacon had been brought to life right here in the town. From the intense feeling of energy radiating from the ruined church, that was where he would find it.

“Avid, what did you do?!”

That shout was coming from a rather large woman who smelled like dirt and seeds, standing over a skinny man with bandages on his neck. He was smiling while sweating, his heart hammering as he pulled his hands away from a glowing, golden beacon set up in the middle of the church. This was likely the Avid that the woman was yelling at.

“I was consecrating, Cleo!” the man shouted. “I’ve read all about these! They’re tools sent by the Holy Spirits to cleanse a land of dark forces! It’s part of a massive circuit, and if we consecrate them all, it will erase the creatures of the night!”

Owen clenched his fists tight, already finding himself hating this Avid character. He knew too much.

“Avid…” Cleo groaned before throwing her hands up. “You know what? Forget it. Drift, you’re a sensible one. Come deal with this idiot.”

“I’m not an idiot! You felt that power! It’s real!”

“Sure it is,” a new woman, probably this Drift person Cleo had summoned, said as she pulled Avid to his feet. “Come on, we should probably try to figure out what we’re going to do about shelter.”

At the mention of shelter, the gathered crowd around the tower began to disperse, with discussions about resources and which plots they wanted flitting among the humans. In contrast, Owen just stared at the now sacred beacon. He could feel its power weakening him further. If he wasn't already at his lowest point, he imagined there would be worse consequences. For now, he was okay, but only for now. He would need to address this sooner rather than later. 

But not yet. Not with all these people. 

For now, he would need to keep his cards close to his chest and make himself useful so he could blend in. He could find one of the humans to stick around with, one less irritating than Avid or Pyro had been. It had been a while since he'd built anything, but he could at least make himself useful. After all, Lumberjacks were known for providing resources.

Chapter Text

Following the dramatic activation of the beacon, the new citizens of Oakhurst found themselves faced with the immediate task of establishing basic survival and safety measures. As night rapidly approached, they realized they had no shelters to retreat to and no reliable source of food. Cleo, drawing on her background as a farmer, took it upon herself to address the food shortage. In response, every member of the newly formed Oakhurst Township eagerly threw whatever seeds and plants they could find at her, hoping to contribute to the effort. Avid, in particular, threw in an exorbitant number of garlic seeds, so much so that Cleo had to threaten him with her makeshift hoe to make him stop. 

Despite the chaos, it was a start. 

Cleo then began setting up a basic agricultural plot around the old fountain, which was the closest water source available at the moment. An irrigation system was essential to sustain crops and ensure a steady food supply. While she worked to establish the field, the rest of the townspeople began scouring the area for supplies. Some of the more prepared travelers among them carried axes and pickaxes—tools they generously shared with the others—so they could mine stone and fell trees.

Around this time, small groups began to form as people organized themselves. Some individuals paired off and headed into the woods, their nerves heightened by the distant howling of wolves that kept everyone on edge. A few more ventured toward the old mines, hoping to find coal or metals that could be forged into better tools or used as protection against whatever might be lurking in the trees. Among this group was Avid, especially after learning that the town had been known for its massive silver deposits.

"Silver is an incredible vampire deterrent!" he eagerly explained to Drift, who had somehow been roped into being the straight man in this comedic duo. "We need to gather as much as we can! I'm talking armor, weapons, even silver decorations hanging in front of doors to keep those bloodsuckers out!"

"Sure," Drift replied, deciding that she could probably channel his enthusiasm into helping the town instead. "Let's go get as much silver as we can carry."

Practically giddy with excitement, Avid eagerly grasped Drift by the arm and firmly dragged her out through the town gates, heading toward one of the nearby caves. Pearl watched the two figures disappear beyond the wall, shaking her head slightly in amusement and perhaps a hint of concern.

"That boy's got issues," she muttered to herself, a bemused expression on her face.

"Right?!" Cleo exclaimed, raising her hands in relief at having someone else to talk to. "Thank you! I mean, who goes around screaming about vampires and throwing garlic at people? I get it, this town is full of crazy folks like him, but he really takes the cake."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Pearl replied thoughtfully, turning toward one of the nearby houses. From her vantage point, she could see Shelby sitting quietly, humming softly to herself as she carefully trimmed the weeds from around the house's frame. "I mean, I believe in vampires before I believe in Bigfoot."

Cleo didn't have much of an argument for that one. And frankly, she was being a bit hypocritical when it came to the vampire issue. After all, she knew very well that vampires existed, and the reminder made her instinctively adjust the choker around her neck. Once she took a moment to collect her thoughts, she shrugged lightly and turned to Pearl with a soft, understanding smile.

"Have you figured out where you're going to live yet?" she asked gently.

Pearl hesitated for a moment before responding, "Honestly? I haven't quite figured it out yet. There aren't many houses here—well, technically, there aren't any traditional houses. There are just not enough plots of land available. Some of us are going to have to share spaces, and... well, I guess you could say I'm waiting to see if anyone is willing to share their home with me. I've been alone for so long that the idea of living by myself no longer appeals to me."

Cleo nodded thoughtfully, then added, "Well, if you want, I was planning to turn that house in the middle into some sort of public bunkhouse. But that was before everyone started selecting plots and deciding where they'd settle. So, I suppose it's mine now—well, or ours, if you want to share."

Pearl broke out into a big, cheerful grin, quickly throwing an arm around Cleo to give her a friendly side hug. 

"Sounds like a plan, roomie!" she said enthusiastically. "I'm going to go chop some trees so we can start working on those walls." 

With that, she scampered excitedly toward the woods, leaving Cleo a little momentarily stunned by the physical affection, yet oddly feeling a warm sense of happiness from it. Cleo turned back to her work, feeling a bit more uplifted, comforted by the thought that she at least had one person—someone who wasn't completely off their rocker—to talk to.

Over where she was working, Shelby took a moment to catch her breath after successfully pulling the last of the weeds from the plot she had chosen. The patch was somewhat small, but she felt confident she could turn it into a cozy little space. She already envisioned a small writing desk set against one side and a reading nook with a shelf to hold all her books. All that was left was to gather some wood. As she turned to head towards the woods to fetch some, she suddenly paused, her eyes falling on a figure standing nearby by the ruins of the old church. It was Scott, and he was gazing intently at the beacon with an expression that Shelby didn't quite recognize — a mixture of curiosity, confusion, and a hint of uneasiness. 

"Hey," she called out softly, causing the blue-haired man to turn in her direction quickly. "Are you doing alright?"

"Huh?" Scott blinked, seeming momentarily startled, but then he seemed to understand. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I was just looking at this strange beacon thing. I've never seen anything like it before. Have you?"

"Not in person, no. But I've read about them," Shelby replied. "It's supposed to be some kind of holy binding spell, I think. From what I understand, it's a circuit made up of seven parts — six forming a circle, with one in the center. Once they're all consecrated, they're said to emit a holy energy that can banish the darkness lingering over the land."

"Darkness like…" Scott gestured vaguely toward the distance, "vampires and stuff?"

Yeah, maybe. I mean, everything I've read about these things has just been in my books." At the mention of books, Shelby absolutely brightened. "Speaking of, I still can't get over the fact that Mr. M himself is here in Oakhurst! How cool is that?! He's like my favorite author, and I... I'm totally fangirling. I told him how I love his works, and he said he'd sign some of my books when we get the chance. I all but screamed!"

Scott gave a slight nod, smiling slightly as he did while chuckling softly. This girl was an amusing one, and her positivity was infectious. Her thing about big feet was a bit weird, but no human was without their quirks. He spared a glance at the plot she had chosen, giving it an appraising look.

"So is this where you're going to live?"

"Yep! Do you have anywhere to live? I know you said that you, like, own the lands and all that, so do you have a mansion somewhere?" 

Scott clicked his tongue, hissing softly through his teeth before giving us a slight shake of the head. "Unfortunately, the family property is... well, let's just say it's not livable at the moment."

"Oh. Well, if you want, you can stay with me. I haven't lived on my own before, and with all those wolves outside, I'd feel much safer knowing that I had someone to come home to at the end of the day." She smiled warmly, her eyes encouraging.

Scott perked up at her offer, a glint appearing in his eyes and a slight tick of a smile forming on his lips. "Are you inviting me to live with you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, totally! You're more than welcome to," she replied cheerfully.

Scott grinned widely, a genuine smile spreading across his face. He then performed a regal bow, gesturing with his hand. "Then I humbly accept your kind invitation," he said with a charming smile.

While most of the citizens of Oakhurst had decided to band together for safety in numbers, not everyone adhered to this rule. Mr. M was already riding a creative high after the recent events with the beacon. The sense of power emanating from it proved that the supernatural forces he had been seeking did exist. And if Avid's words were even somewhat accurate—though he took them with a grain of skepticism—it meant there were at least a few more of those strange beacons out there. He was determined to find them. He trusted the other townsfolk to gather enough wood and resources to rebuild the town; they could manage without him for just one day.

 With these self-assurances fueling his confidence, Mr. M ventured deeper into the forest, trusting his intuition to guide him toward the next part of his journey. Already, he could hear whispers carried by the wind, like a voice beckoning him onward. The sound felt warm and inviting, almost as if someone was calling him forward. He followed the voice without hesitation, even as a small, rational part of his mind warned him that this might not be a safe idea. Nevertheless, he couldn't let this chance pass him by. Not if he wanted to redeem himself and rise once more among his peers in the writing community. Taking risks was necessary.

And this time, that risk paid off handsomely.

In the dense forest's heart, along a narrow, hidden trail beneath the ancient trees' thick canopy, Mr. M discovered a tall, imposing stone crypt. It was accessed by stone stairs that rose several feet before abruptly ending in a steep drop into darkness. Known for his endless excitement and curiosity, Mr. M was cautious. He decided to test the depth of the drop by carefully picking up a loose stone from the crypt's edge and tossing it into the darkness below. After a brief fall, he heard a gentle splash—surprisingly, there was water at the bottom, cushioning the fall. 

"Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Geronimo!" he declared with a grin and leapt into the crypt, landing effortlessly in the water below. 

As expected, the water caught his fall, and he quickly noticed a sturdy ladder that led out of the water and into the crypt itself. He climbed out, shook off his coat, and looked around. The crypt looked just as he imagined: dark, damp, filled with cobwebs and long-extinguished candles. The only light came from the sunlight filtering through the entrance, leaving Mr. M wishing he had brought a torch or lantern. Fortunately, some old torches lined the walls, making them easy to light. Mr. M took out a flint and steel from his pocket, struck it against the torches, and ignited them. With the torches flickering, he felt a surge of excitement and decided to explore further into the crypt. 

 At the very end of the crypt, displayed on a raised pedestal, was a single chest. Silvery white in color, with edges lined in gold, it was clear that no man had crafted it. Licking his lips in anticipation, Mr. M slowly reached for the chest and pushed it open. Inside, sitting on a plush velvet interior, was a book. It was a simple leather tone with golden embossments across the cover. Picking it up, Mr. M looked at the cover, where the golden letters shimmered in the torchlight.

"Way… of the Land?"

More than a little curious, Mr. M opened the book, and when he did, it began to glow with a light so brilliant that he had to shield his eyes. Whispers filled his ears as his mind started to fill with knowledge, his head aching as he stumbled backward. The book tumbled from his hand, but it never reached the ground; instead, it disintegrated into particles of light that floated away like fireflies. He was left standing there, panting slightly as the whispers faded and his mind settled. Standing there for a moment, he didn't know what to say or what had just happened. But he did know one thing.

"Magic is real! Magic is real!! I knew it was real! I knew it! I've got to show the others, I have powers now, I have to show them!! I'll show them all! I have powers!"

With a spring in his step and an infectious grin plastered across his face, Mr. M rushed out of the crypt, making his way back to the entrance. There was a strange column of water in the very center, and when he pushed himself into it, he found himself pushed all the way to the top, where he could safely reach the surface once more. Once more, having to shake himself free of the water, he ran back in the direction of Oakhurst, excited to tell everyone about what he had found. 

It felt profoundly strange and nostalgic to return to his roots as a lumberjack after so many years away. Owen wasn't exactly enthusiastic about supplying wood for these despicable humans, but he knew he had to blend in for now. The rhythmic swinging of his ax allowed him to drown in the monotony of the task, giving his mind space to wander over everything he had learned and experienced. 

The humans here were an odd lot; one in particular was especially mouthy about vampires and seemed eager to kill them. Owen, however, wasn't worried. That man reeked of weakness and fear. He was confident that if it ever came to a fight between him and Avid, that human would be reduced to a drained husk on the ground before he could even reach for that revolting garlic of his. 

Still, it wouldn't matter in the end. He had every intention of slaughtering every last one of those vile pests. Not a single one of them would be leaving Oakhurst alive. 

Or better yet, why let them take the easy way out? Why let them enjoy the peaceful, final Embrace of death that had once been denied to him? Why not make them suffer as he had suffered? Why not make them feel the same loneliness, the same ridicule and scorn that had plagued his entire existence? He could show them what it truly meant to be an outcast, to be shunned and misunderstood by the world around them. 

Yes, that sounded like a grand idea—a fitting revenge for everything they'd done. 

The distant sound of voices pulled Owen from his thoughts. He turned toward the noise, from where he knew one of the many old mine shafts existed. The framework had long since rotted away, the entrance overgrown, but it was still there. And it seemed some of the humans had found it. From the shrillness of the voice he heard, he realized it was Avid and his supposed handler, Drift. With a smirk, Owen rounded the tree he was chopping, just as the pair emerged from the mine. Both of them carried sacks bulging with stones and shimmering ores. 

"Nice haul," he called out, unable to stifle a laugh as Avid screamed and dropped his sack, falling flat on his arse.

"Oh, hey," Drift greeted, not startled in the slightest by Owen's presence. "Didn't see you there."

"Where the hell did you come from?!" Avid exclaimed, pointing a quivering finger in the lumberjack's direction. "Why are you just standing there all quiet?!"

"I'm felling trees," Owen answered, gesturing with his thumb to the logs ready to be dragged back to town. "You know, lumberjack? It's my job."

"No! No, you were just standing there! You're waiting for us to come out of that cave! What are you hiding?!"

"Avid…" Drift pinched the bridge of her nose, shaking her head. "Literally everyone is out here trying to get resources, just like us. I swear, you are so carriage-lagged." 

Avid ignored her, getting back to his feet before continuing to point at Owen, who just blinked slowly at the pathetic show of bravado.

"You were waiting for us, I know it! Are you a vampire?"

Owen easily laughed off the question, fighting back the urge to flash one of his fangs. Instead, he turned around, pulling his peavey hook from his belt.

"Oh, there are worse things out here in these woods than vampires, Avid." He stabbed the hook into the log with a practiced motion; the movements felt natural to him even after 200 years of nothingness. "This time of year? I'd be more worried about the wolves. They migrate east around this time, and they tend to be quite ravenous things. To say nothing of the bears and the other creatures that torment the foolish who venture out beyond where they're welcome."

Yes, these woods were quite dangerous indeed. Back when he was still a man, Owen had to contend with the occasional skeleton that would rise from the grave or the zombie that would shamble about. Then there were the spiders, much larger than the tiny ones that often nested in his rotten hay bed, and the creatures as green as the brush that would explode if you dared to get too close. Oakhurst had been safe from them when Louis was in power, one of the gifts granted to him as a fully-fledged vampire. Sadly, Owen was not strong enough to instill that much fear into the creatures of the night. Not yet, at least.

"Actually, speaking of all those things, let me ask you this." Avid approached Owen, arms crossed and brow raised. "We see undead creatures come out of the woodwork every night. Why is it that they are just an everyday occurrence, but you find the idea of vampires ludicrous?"

At that, Owen just shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe it's just cuz I've never seen one."

Laughing lightly at his joke, Owen began to drag his log back toward Oakhurst, the two humans following behind him. The entire time they walked, Avid continued to pester the lumberjack.

"And what if I told you I had seen one? What would you say if I told you that I had come face to face with a Vampire?"

"I'd say you were full of it," Owen answered honestly. "If vampires are truly as dangerous as you claim them to be, then I highly doubt that you would have been able to come face to face with one and live to tell the tale."

"Not true!" Avid moved so he was in front of Owen, forcing him to stop. "I did see a vampire. They got as close to me as you are now… and I had to defend myself."

"I don't doubt that you had to defend yourself against something," Drift spoke up, gently taking Avid's arm before pulling him out of the lumberjack's path. "But maybe... maybe you were just defending yourself against a person."

At that, Avid pulled his arm free, shaking his head with a look of pain in his eyes. It was an expression Owen recognized all too well — the eyes of someone who had lost their closest person.

"Trust me when I say, the person I had to defend myself from... if she had been a person, I never would have had to."

Despite himself, despite the animosity he still held toward humanity, Owen couldn't suppress the pang of sympathy that pierced through his long-dead heart. He knew the sound of grief all too well, and this was fresh grief as well. Quickly, he shook his head to clear his thoughts. He couldn't get distracted now; he couldn't become soft. Humans didn't deserve his sympathy, especially not some wannabe vampire hunter. Tightening his grip on his peavy hook, he continued his trek back toward Oakhurst.

The sun gradually set over the horizon, casting the sky in the rich, warm hues of twilight that slowly gave way to dusk. By this time, the various expeditions were returning from their daily ventures, carrying numerous logs and bags filled with cobblestone and shimmering silver ore. All the coal they had managed to gather was carefully transformed into lanterns and torches, providing crucial illumination for the skeletal remains of the town. Since the conditions weren't suitable for settling down comfortably for the night, they planned to continue their work, making light an essential resource—especially once darkness fully enveloped the town.

Unfortunately, as night fell, a new, terrifying sight unfolded before them. An ominous blood moon replaced the warm, peaceful hues of twilight that hung high in the sky. Gone were the twinkling stars and the deep blues of night; instead, they faced a haunting expanse of crimson, as if the entire land had been bathed in blood, transforming the night into a landscape filled with dread and foreboding.

"That's not natural," Abolish commented, his usual monotone remaining even as he looked up at the sky from the plot he had chosen for himself.

"You can say that again," Martyn agreed, pausing work on his own homestead to shudder at the terrifying sky. "That wasn't like that before I got here. Just a normal sky with normal stars. Not this… Bram Stoker nightmare fuel."

Legundo, who had arranged his base of operations between the two men, couldn't help but shake his head at Martyn's comments. He straightened up, wiping his hands on his apron before leaning on the framework he had arranged with the cobblestones.

"You're overreacting. This is an easily explainable scientific phenomenon."

"What, the bloody moon, or the equally bloody night sky?" Martyn shot back skeptically.

"It's called a lunar eclipse. The Earth passes directly between the Sun and Moon, blocking direct sunlight. The remaining light that reaches the Moon's surface is scattered by Earth's atmosphere, with blue light being filtered out, leaving behind the longer, reddish wavelengths. Thus, we get the phenomenon known as the Blood Moon."

Martyn didn't look the slightest bit convinced. If anything, he seemed more confused by the doctor's scientific explanation. Abolish, on the other hand, merely stayed silent, his eyes returning to the sky with a slight narrowing of his vision. However, this was not the end of the conversation. As if drawn by the mention of the Moon and the ominous sky, Owen seemingly appeared out of nowhere, dragging along a fresh log of wood.

"Are we talking about the moon?" he asked, looking around at the gathered men. "Are you saying you haven't heard the tale?"

 The minute he said the word 'tale,' Mr M came running from the house he had been working on. He had been feeling a bit down after telling everyone about his magical power, only to discover that it basically just made crops grow a little faster. Those he had shown it to had laughed, with Cleo straight up yelling at him to get away from her fields, so he was feeling a bit down and out. But the mention of a potential story had him starry-eyed once more, rushing over to Owen with an almost manic grin.

"You know the tale of Oakhurst?!" Mr. M practically shouted, practically vibrating where he stood. "Is it about the massacre from 200 years ago?"

Owen smirked, sitting down on the log he had been dragging before lacing his fingers together.

"It is indeed." Everyone gathered around Owen as he began the tale. "Two hundred years ago, the townsfolk of Oakhurst committed a grave and unforgivable sin. They took the life of an innocent man, one who had been protecting the town longer than anyone could remember— even longer than the oldest residents had been alive. When that man died, a terrible and powerful monster was unleashed upon the populace. This beast tore through the town with ferocity, killing every man, woman, and child in its path. The blood spilled that night permanently tainted the skies over Oakhurst, turning them a perpetual shade of red that remains visible to this day. As the legend goes, anyone who is foolish enough to attempt reclaiming the lands of Oakhurst from this vile and merciless creature will suffer the same fate as those sinners—either a gruesome end at the hands of the monster or be swallowed by the darkness that still lingers there."

A larger audience had gathered amidst Owen's Tale, with all the citizens of Oakhurst listening intensely. Avid was practically shaking in his boots, and almost everyone looked a little spooked. The only ones who remained unfazed were Cleo, the doctor, Abolish, and Scott.

"Wow…" Shelby let out, a nervous smile on her face. "I don't remember reading about that in my books."

"It's just an old Tale," Owen said, getting back to his feet. "old superstitions passed down through the generations. I don't really think there's much to it. After all, I used to live here back when I was a boy."

"Oh, really?" Scott questioned, eying Owen up and down. "And how long ago was that?"

"Eh," Owen gave a small wave of the hand. "30… 40 years ago? I never really learned to count, so I don't really know."

"You're over 40?" Mr. M. let out in amazement. "Wow. You don't look a day over 20."

"Healthy living, fresh mountain air," Louis's gift, his last remaining trace of his beloved sire. "That kind of thing. Unfortunately, while I'm adept at felling trees, I'm not exactly skilled at construction. If I supply materials, would someone be willing to help me build a house here?" 

Mr. M. was quick to offer his services. "Oh, absolutely! We're running out of available plots to rebuild some houses, so why don't you just room with me? Trust me, you will be living in the lap of luxury with me. I used to be a carpenter before my publishing career took off. I may be a bit out of practice, but the body never forgets." 

"Cheers," Owen declared, allowing Mr. M. to lead him toward the plot the writer had chosen.

The construction of the houses was advancing smoothly, with all workers committed to finishing their tasks efficiently. The houses themselves were straightforward in design, featuring functional layouts and modest sizes. However, a handful of the more experienced and skilled members of the town's workforce dedicated extra effort to enhance the aesthetic appeal of some structures, adding decorative touches and design elements. In total, nine houses were being built, with about five groups of roommates spread about the neighborhood. 

There were Cleo and Pearl, who took the initiative to decorate their house by transplanting some Rose bushes they had discovered nearby. They also gathered berries to serve both as food and to enhance the aesthetic appeal of their home, adding natural beauty and practicality to their surroundings. 

Next, Apo and Pyro, who had recently become roommates after discovering they shared the same goal of developing the same piece of land, began working together. They had built walls and a roof to create a basic shelter, though the floor remained mostly dirt. Apo appeared particularly focused on the idea of building a simple watchtower on their roof, perhaps to get a better view of the surroundings or to serve as a lookout.

Drift and Avid became roommates as well, primarily due to Drift's insistence, so she could help keep her new friends' enthusiasm for vampires somewhat in check. Their home was a two-story house with a bathtub on the second floor, adding a unique touch to their living space.

 Shelby and Scott shared a charming, cozy cottage that served as their home. Shelby had gone to the trouble of installing a mud-brick floor, using a clever trick she had picked up from her books to craft them. Scott wasn't entirely happy about living in such a small space, but considering the alternative—living in the ruins of his castle—he saw no reason to complain outright, at least not aloud.

 Mr. M kept his promise to Owen by building a beautiful house with a lovely mossy cobblestone roof. He even went as far as to set up some interior decorations, including a small kitchen and two different bedrooms. Owen insisted on taking the attic bedroom, saying he preferred being high up. Mr. M, always accommodating, obliged.

 Everyone else had a home of their own. Renhardt said he would turn his home into a sort of tavern, hoping that having a public house for them to enjoy would help boost morale and town fellowship. Martin and Abolish were just going with simple stone houses for them to live in, with the latter adding on some small fields of his own so he could help with the farming. Finally, Dr. Legundo took the only house with a stone foundation, knowing full well that it was likely to be the sturdiest place for him to build. His home would serve not only as his residence but also as a future clinic. He had a feeling he would need it in the days to come. 

Surveying the town, Avid was glad that everyone now had a home they could retreat into. So much so that he had proposed a house judging contest to be held in a few days so that everyone could showcase their hard work. It had been met with a lukewarm response, but Drift had convinced everyone to humor him, so they reluctantly acquiesced. 

As he looked around, Avid couldn't help but feel a bit nervous about how many people had roommates, especially since he already harbored suspicions about a few members of the village. One of his main suspicions was Scott. There was something about that man that set off every alarm bell he had. The way he looked, the way he talked, the way he dressed—all of it felt dangerous. Plus, he'd seen how the man had been staring at the beacon, as if it had offended him at some point. Was he feeling the effects of its holy energy? Unfortunately, he didn't have enough evidence, but he needed to be sure.

To try and combat this vampiric threat, Avid went all out on his vampire defenses. He had an entire patch of garlic growing right next to his house, posted signs everywhere warning everyone to stay vigilant, and, after making sure everyone had the silver tools they needed, took the leftovers and began smelting silver blocks. He did his best to ensure that every single house had at least one silver block buried beneath it, with the first one going under Shelby and Scott's front door.

Shelby had been one of the few people not to think he was crazy. Yeah, he did get a little frustrated when it came to her incessant obsession with Bigfoot and the fact that she still believed in Santa Claus in her twenties. But, he still considered her a friend, and he didn't want to risk Scott doing something to the one person in town who believed him. 

After carefully burying a silver block under his own front door, Avid stood up and stretched, feeling a sense of accomplishment. He then turned around, prepared to move on to the next house, only to let out an all-out scream when he suddenly realized that Owen was standing directly behind him. Startled, he stumbled back, but thankfully, he was caught and steadied by Drift, who had been standing nearby and watching the scene unfold. 

"So, is this where you're staying?" the man asked, his tone casual, as if he hadn't just startled the young alchemist into nearly pissing himself.

"Yep!" Drift cheerfully responded while quietly steadying Avid. "I'm going to be working on a chimney next. The nights are getting colder, so we'll need a way to stay warm."

"I can't help but be a bit worried about all this wood," Owen said with a sly smile creeping across his face. "What if a vampire comes along and sets it on fire?"

Avid sputtered slightly, trying to think of a defense, but the lumberjack kept talking.

"I mean, all it takes is just a small piece of flint and a piece of steel, and suddenly—fwoosh," Owen mimicked a burst of flames with his hand. "And there goes the house."

"Why would they do that?" Drift asked, frowning. "If a vampire was attacking, why burn down the house? They bite people, not burn their belongings."

Owen was grinning, clearly enjoying this little scene of his. "Well, you see, vampires are pretty clever creatures. They're not like the undead who shamble around, causing a nuisance." He took a step forward, the smirk never leaving his face. "Nah, they're calculating. You go into the house, and all they have to do is burn it down, smoke you out. You'll come running right into their open arms."

Avid was starting to breathe a bit heavier now, his hands shaking as he reached for the wooden stake he had hanging from his belt. Owen's gaze flicked onto it for a split second, and the amusement in his eyes just seemed to grow.

"You seem to know a lot about vampires," Drift commented, which gave Avid's panicking mind something to latch onto.

"Yeah, I thought you said you didn't believe in vampires! Were you lying this whole time?!"

Owen just took another step closer, leaning in so his mouth was mere centimeters from Avid's ear.

"I'm pulling your leg."

The sudden sigh of relief from Drift broke the tension in the air, though it left Avid feeling more than a little angry. especially when Owen reached out and ruffled his hair like he was some sort of child. 

"You're gonna be alright," the lumberjack said as he walked off. "You're gonna be alright."

Avid grumpily smoothed his hair out as Drift chuckled nervously.

"Oh man, he almost got me with that," she said quietly. "Wasn't very nice though. I think he enjoys scaring people. First that story, now this? Man…”

Avid sighed, shaking his head. "Come on… we still got work to do."

Chapter Text

As the first morning rays finally dispersed the lingering shadows of the dark and bloody night, everyone felt a wave of relief. The night had been dark and full of terrors, but it was now over, and it was time to resume their efforts. The houses looked noticeably better than the day before, yet the town still needed significant work. The town walls required repairs here and there, the fountain needed fixing, and there was an urgent need to find some animals to add much-needed protein to their diet. 

Beyond these immediate concerns, the beacons also warranted attention; if more existed, discovering and consecrating them could prove immensely beneficial. The humans instinctively felt that they needed to act quickly in this regard. Additionally, Mr. M's mention of a mystical tome hidden within a crypt piqued the interest of the more adventurous and exploratory members of the group, eager to venture out and uncover its secrets. 

Dr. Legundo was among the first to depart, hardly waiting for the morning sun to rise. He liked to see himself as a patient man, with a high tolerance for nearly anything the world could throw at him. Yet the madness he encountered among some of Oakhurst's more outspoken residents was beginning to show him that he wasn't as composed as he thought he was. He urgently needed some fresh air and a break, especially from the barrage of garlic and signs claiming vampires were real. Fortunately, he had a valid excuse: he needed more cobblestone to complete his house.

"Are you going somewhere?"

For a brief moment, the doctor tensed up, a flicker of tension crossing his face. Yet, he quickly recognized that the familiar monotone voice belonged to one of the only four sane individuals remaining in this unpredictable town. Relief washed over him, and he turned his attention toward Abolish. 

"I was about to set out on a mining expedition," he explained, motioning toward his half-finished house. All he possessed at the moment were some wooden frames, which served as a rough outline of his plans, and a cobblestone foundation built from the rubble he had gathered around his chosen plot of land. "That, and I really need to get away from these crazy people."

"Tell me about it," Abolish responded, a trace of exasperation creeping into his voice. "I had to remove three different signs from my house declaring that vampires were real."

"Right?" Apo chimed in as she walked over to where the two of them were talking. "I swear, if I have to listen to Shelby going on about Bigfoot or Avid talking about vampires one more time, I am going to scream. It's like everyone's got their own supernatural obsession, and none of it is ending anytime soon."

"I have to agree," Pyro added, having followed Apo over. "It makes me feel bad for Scott and Drift. They have to room with those two, and I bet it's even more exhausting for them."

"That was their choice," the doctor reminded him, shaking his head slightly. "Although I have to admit, I chose to be Avid's neighbor, so I don't really have much room to talk about their situations."

"As fun as commiserating like this is, maybe we should go and do this out of town?" Abolish gestured toward the town gates with his thumb. "We're burning daylight, and I'd rather not have to listen to anyone going on and on about how dangerous it is at night or asking if I have garlic."

There were immediate murmurs of agreement and quick nods. And so, the three "sane" people teamed up and headed toward the mines, hopeful of finding a little peace and escaping the endless supernatural chatter that had become their daily routine. 

~\~/~

Meanwhile, a different group was forming just across the street. Cleo's primary goal when arriving in Oakhurst was to find the head vampire who turned her mother and the man who had once been her master. She couldn't achieve that if she stayed stuck in town, and like the doctor before her, she was growing tired of the madness of the people around her. Also, if she had to listen to Martyn talk in his rich-boy way or see Scott eyeing everyone as if they were beneath him, she was going to commit murder.

Of course, Cleo understood that confronting an elder vampire would require her to have significant power backing her up. Mr. M's minor trick with the plants might not have been anything extraordinary, but she had to acknowledge that there was some degree of magic involved in his actions. She was eager to explore the area further, hoping to locate one of the crypts where he claimed to have discovered his magical book. If luck was on her side, she might stumble upon one that would truly be valuable to her. Fortunately, she already had an ally willing to accompany her on this pursuit.

"I've seen one of those crypts before," Pearl explained as she slid a simple sword into its sheath attached to her belt. "I came across it during my journey here. There was just a basic enchantment book—nothing as impressive as magic powers or anything. But who knows? Maybe we'll uncover something new and powerful."

"That's what I'm hoping for," Cleo replied, ensuring she was well-stocked with supplies so that they wouldn't face any unexpected difficulties in the woods.

"Oh, are you planning to look for more magic books?"

Immediately, Cleo felt her face fall. Reluctantly, she turned to see Avid cautiously approaching the group, with Drift trailing not far behind him. 

"I have a theory that the magic books were placed there by The Holy Spirits," Avid explained. "I want to get one for myself, hopefully one that will help us defeat vampires. Maybe a lightning spell, or perhaps a fire spell. Fire works well against vampires."

A passing Owen let out a noise that sounded like a choked-off hiss, but nobody paid it any mind.

"Can we come?" Drift asked eagerly, giving Cleo a pleading look.

"Are you going to be going on and on about vampires the whole time?" Pearl questioned, fixing her gaze on Avid.

"Uh…" Avid looked caught off guard for a moment, but quickly cleared his throat. "I mean… not the whole time."

"Can it be none of the time?" Cleo snarked.

"He won't say a word," Drift promised, wrapping an arm around her roommate and pulling him closer. "Right? You won't say a single word about vampires."

"Oh yeah, totally!" Avid agreed, sweating slightly while holding up his hands. "If I mention vampires even once, feel free just to send me back home. Deal?"

Cleo narrowed her eyes, staring down the would-be vampire hunter. He withered under her glare, shrinking back behind Drift a bit. Taking a moment to glance back at Pearl, who just shrugged, the redhead sighed in acquiescence.

"Fine… but I'm not joking, you say vampires even once, and I'm leaving you for the wolves."

Avid smiled and nodded quickly, though he remained hidden behind Drift. Cleo had a bad feeling about letting him join the group, but her options were limited, and having more eyes watching her back would be a good thing. And if all else failed, she could leave him for the wolves like she promised. It would mean one less loon to deal with, at least.

Owen swung his borrowed pickaxe, striking the stones with more force than necessary. He was working on a makeshift mine inside the crypt, located within the borders of Oakhurst. The valuable book had already been taken from here, and everyone thought it would be a good idea to establish a mine close to home. That plan worked for him. At the moment, he desperately needed a way to vent his rage without revealing his true feelings or identity.

Avid's words still echoed in his mind—how fire worked effectively with vampires. Those words mingled with the memories of the flames that claimed Louis from him, and even now, Owen could almost feel the searing heat of those flames. He saw, again, the burning scrap of Louis's shirt fluttering past his face. Owen thought Pyro, the privileged rich kid, was irritating, but Avid was slowly surpassing him in that dangerous rivalry. It had taken every ounce of self-control to resist turning on the sniveling human and silencing him with a monster's brutality. He couldn't afford to do that—not yet. Especially not while that rambling fool was there, serving as the most significant proof that vampires weren't real.

As he continued chipping away at the stone wall of the crypt, Owen suddenly heard footsteps approaching from behind. The scent that accompanied the footsteps was one of refined fabric, suggesting someone well-dressed. That narrowed down the potential Intruders to Scott, Pyro, or Martyn. Glancing over his shoulder revealed them to be Scott, who was walking toward him, holding a pickaxe of his own.

"Surprised to see you down here," Owen muttered, returning to his work. "Didn't you say something earlier about being adverse to manual labor?"

"Yes, well, right now this town is in the sort of state where you can't exactly afford to just sit around." Scott raised his pickaxe and brought it down on the stone. "That and I desperately need to fix the roof of my and Shelby's house. Not that it'll do much for that hovel, but it's better than being out in the elements."

Surprised you didn't turn tail and run back to your silver spoon and Ivory Tower the second you saw this place," Owen glanced over at Scott with a smirk. "Or did your family banish you here or something like that?"

"Oh, no, nothing like that." The dismissive wave Scott gave with that particular comment grated on Owen's nerves. "I was just getting a little bored with the manor life, but the stories about this land and how it belonged to my family—it made me figure I'd come out here and see what I could do. Lot more crazy people than I expected, but I'm sure some sane ones will show up eventually."

"Eh, I doubt it." 

Scott lowered his pickaxe, leaning against it with a cocky attitude. 

"And what about you? What brings you to Oakhurst?" he asked, his tone almost casual, yet carrying an undercurrent of curiosity.

"Just coming home," Owen muttered softly, glancing away as if the words themselves were weighty.

"Oh, you lived here?" Scott probed, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"Long ago, long before all..." he gestured vaguely around with one hand, indicating the small town and its changes, "this."

"And how long ago was that?" Scott pressed, interested now.

"30, 40 years ago?" That was the answer he gave Martyn, he was pretty sure. Good to keep it vague. Exact numbers would seem suspicious and unnecessary.

Scott let out a loud snort, a noise that betrayed his amusement, hiding a laugh behind a fist to his mouth. "I'm sorry, you? There's no way you're over 40 years old."

How ironic. His body was technically in his twenties, yet illness had left him gaunt and hollow, often mistaken for someone much older. Transforming had filled him out a little, making him more visually appealing, but there was still a sharpness to his face that he could never quite smooth over. It made him wonder what he would look like if he could see himself in mirrors—what kind of face he would have greeted Louis with had things been different.

"Believe what you want, but I am."

"I'd believe that shirt of yours is that old." A manicured finger pinched at the loose sleeves of Owen's tunic. "Puffy sleeves? Really?"

"Oh, you're one to talk." Owen pulled his sleeve free, turning to face Scott fully. "Look at you! Who turns up their collar like that? You look ridiculous! Heck, you look like you're going to some social gathering, not mining!"

"What, you expect me to dress like you?" Scott snorted again at that. "I'm a Goldsmythe, and I wouldn't be caught dead in anything like that."

Hearing that name triggered a vague recognition in Owen's mind. Goldsmythe… he remembered hearing the name before, but the context eluded him. He squinted slightly as he examined Scott more carefully, trying to recall where he might have heard it. Suddenly, the manor lord swung around on his heels, breaking the moment.

"You know what? You can keep playing with the rocks. I am going to go get some food."

"Yeah, you do that." Owen waved him off. "Go on, get going."

Scott rolled his eyes before heading back out of the crypt, leaving Owen to his work. The lumberjack let him, his suspicions growing. There was something off about that Manor Lord, and then there was that name. Where had he heard that name before? Great, this is going to bug him. As if he needed another reason to be annoyed. With a low groan, he turned back to the stones and heaved his pickaxe once more.

~\~/~

Scott left Oakhurst feeling a gnawing hunger in his stomach. Shelby, a very diligent person, had cooked nearly all the food they had stored, including some raw meat Scott had been saving. It was too early to start killing humans for food, so he would need to go hunting. Animal blood wasn't as satisfying as human blood, but it would suffice in a pinch. Hopefully, he could find some wild pigs or perhaps a cow. He'd have to be cautious, though—if he wiped out all the livestock, there wouldn't be enough to breed up, and his food supply would be in trouble. 

He managed to find a couple of wild chickens and a cow, which he eagerly consumed. He was feeling much better but didn't want to overindulge. If he consumed too much blood too quickly, his true nature would begin to show. As much as he wanted to get stronger, it was too soon to show his hand. So, he merely took enough to satisfy his hunger for the time being. And that's when he came across a rather interesting sight.

Near the entrance of one of the town's old silver mines, Scott found a pig. Oddly enough, this pig had a rope around its neck, attached to a nearby tree. It was just sitting in the dirt, though it looked up at Scott when he approached. As with all animals, it seemed initially wary of him. Animals always had a better sense of danger than humans did; that's why it was eyeing him this way. He was just about to reach for it when he heard voices coming from the cave.

"Is someone up there?"

Scott quickly pulled his hand away from the pig, turning just in time to see Pyro emerging from the mine. The scholar's face brightened at the sight of the blue-haired man, and he immediately gave a friendly wave. 

"Oh, it's you, Mr. landlord," Pyro said with a grin, turning back toward the mine. "Hey, everyone, Scott's out here." 

The rest of the mining party soon emerged from the cave, their bulging sacks of ore and cobblestone in hand. Scott offered a slight nod of greeting as they set down their haul. 

"I didn't expect to see anyone out here," the doctor admitted, eyes scanning the the manor lord with his gaze. "You don't seem like you're out chopping trees or mining like the rest of us." 

"No, I'm out here getting food," Scott explained, glancing at the pig. "Although it looks like someone beat me to it." 

"Oh no, this isn't food," Apo said softly as she approached the pig. Gently, she reached out and placed her hand on top of its head. In response, the pig immediately pressed against her, as if seeking comfort or hiding behind her. "This is Truffle. Pyro and I kind of adopted him."

Scott blinked slowly, his eyes fixed on the unusual scene before him. 

"You've adopted a pig..." he said cautiously, a hint of surprise in his voice. "You do realize pigs aren't typically considered pets. They're usually raised for food." 

Pyro nodded, a bit embarrassed but honest. "Originally, we were planning to add him to a pig farm," he admitted, "but then Apo made the mistake of giving him a name, and now we've got a pet pig instead." 

Scott responded with a slow, exaggerated nod, choosing not to delve deeper into that particular discussion. Humans remained an enigma to him, especially this strange group that had somehow found its way to Oakhurst. 

The silence stretched for a moment before Abolish asked casually, "You with anyone?" scanning the area carefully for any other townsfolk nearby. 

"Nah," replied Scott. "It's the middle of the day, and I was just out grabbing some food. Plus, Shelby told me she wanted to go exploring on her own, so I figured I'd go off on my own. Make myself useful, so to speak." 

Pyro looked around. "Oh, Shelby's out?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Sure that's safe?" 

"I mean," Scott shrugged, "it was either let her go or listen to her talk incessantly about big feet. Believe me, I preferred her exploring." 

That remark elicited nods and murmurs of agreement from the group. No one explicitly said anything mean about Shelby, but it was clear that she could sometimes be a bit much. After exchanging a few more words and some light pleasantries, Scott clapped his hands together, signaling it was time to move on. 

"Well, I better get going. Enjoy your… Truffle," he said with a faint smile, then quickly slipped away from the group, leaving them to their own thoughts.

"Well," Pearl let out as she stared out at the horizon. "That's not ominous in the slightest."

Pearl and her team had been exploring the woods beyond Oakhurst for quite some time now. They had yet to locate one of the Crips they had been searching for, mainly because Pearl had become a little disoriented and couldn't quite remember the exact spot where she and Pyro had first met. Unfortunately, this disorientation led them to their current discovery. Across a murky, twisting river, there appeared a new patch of forest. Unlike the dense, vibrant spruce trees that characterized the surrounding woods, the trees in this area were gray and lifeless, standing in stark contrast. Cobwebs covered everything, some far larger than the tiny spiders one would usually expect to find, giving the place an eerie, abandoned feel. Not even the wind seemed to blow through this area, as if the very air was still and heavy with silence. It was truly a dead woods, a bleak, desolate stretch of forest that seemed untouched by life. 

"Oh, I don't like this..." Cleo muttered. "I don't like this at all." 

"You did say there was a plague that came through," Drift recalled, looking at the forest with a detective's eye. "Maybe this area was where it originated? There have been some diseases that can transfer from plants to people." 

"No," Avid said quietly, which was odd given that he didn't seem to have the concept of an indoor voice. "No, this is something else. Something much, much darker." 

Cleo let out a low growl. "If you say one word about vampires, I swear—" 

"Hey, hey!" Avid threw his hands in the air, back to his usual loud self. "Did I say anything about them?! No, I didn't, but you have to admit there's something wrong with this place!"

As reluctant as they were to admit it, Avid had a valid point. Regardless of whether supernatural causes were involved, something was definitely off about this place. Given the oddness of everything and what they observed with the bloody moon (sorry, Doc, but that couldn't just be a normal eclipse), they needed to examine the location closely. 

"Look, over there!"

Drift gestured toward a peculiar arrangement of stones that seemed to extend from the shoreline across the river to the Deadwood. These stones were likely the remnants of a bridge that once spanned the river, now reduced to a simple sequence of stepping stones. Despite their dilapidated state, they represented the only viable crossing without the aid of a boat, which none of the adventurers felt inclined to attempt crafting on the spot. Cautioning each other to watch their footing, the four travelers carefully navigated the uneven stones, steadily making their way across the river. 

Upon reaching the opposite bank, they stepped onto the shores of the Deadwood, where gray sands billowed beneath their feet like ash. This entire place felt as if death had laid claim to it, with no sound of birds or anything else—not even the spiders that might have caused those cobwebs could be heard. It was just cold, eerie silence. 

All four members of the adventuring party were on edge, but they pressed on further. They knew that something important was happening in this place, something probably connected to what had happened in Oakhurst. They needed answers.

"This place feels... wrong," Cleo admitted, rubbing her arms as if to ward off a chill. "This feels like a mistake."

"Maybe so," Pearl admitted, "but I think we all know we need to keep going."

"I don't know…" Drift let out, a shudder in her voice. "I mean, Mr. M isn't even all that magical with his weird plant thing. Are we really going to keep venturing deeper into this just for the chance of that?"

"Hey, guys!" Avid shouted. "I found something!"

Somehow, Avid had managed to climb to the top of a hill amid the dead wood. He was gazing out into the distance, completely transfixed as the three women caught up with him. As they approached, they saw precisely what had captured his attention. 

Nestled in the heart of a secluded valley within the dense forest, there was an ominous clearing encircled by a shallow marsh. At its center stood a towering obelisk, its presence both formidable and awe-inspiring. An unseen power radiated from it, pulsating with a mysterious energy. The aura it emitted was neither malevolent nor divine but instead possessed a neutral, inscrutable quality, leaving onlookers in a state of quiet wonder and curiosity.

"What are we looking at?" Pearl let out, rubbing her eyes as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"I don't know," Drift answered, taking a tentative step forward. "Should we get a closer look?"

Despite being more than a little weirded out by what they saw, the four of them decided to get a closer look. Staying close to one another, they descended the hill, heading toward that towering obelisk. As they approached, they noticed a staircase set into the base, allowing people to climb up. Clearly, this was an invitation, and they accepted it. Reaching the top of the obelisk, they were surprised to find an opening near the bottom. Inside that opening was a beacon.

"Oh, it's one of the beacons!" Avid exclaimed, immediately reaching for it. "Like the one from town! This is great!"

Avid was the only one to see the beacon before it was consecrated. So, while the one back in Oakhurst was a brilliant orange color, like a mini sun, this one was an off-white shade, giving off no glow whatsoever. That started to change as Avid slammed both of his palms down onto the beacon's shimmering surface, and an orange light began to swirl within its center.

"Come on! Consecrate with me!"

The three women exchanged confused glances but slowly reached out and placed their hands on the beacon. The orange light inside seemed to grow larger, expanding faster than when it was just Avid. Despite the weirdness of the situation, something felt right about doing this. The glowing light filled them with more bravery and confidence. In fact, just being in the light of the beacon almost seemed to rejuvenate them. The aches and weariness from their travel seemed to fade, though they didn't disappear completely.

"Maybe there is something to this weird holy circuit that you were talking about," Pearl admitted. "How many of these things do you think there are?"

"Seven," Avid answered without any hesitation. "Six to form a circle and one in the center. And until all of them are fully activated with holy light, then the darkness of the land will still be able to haunt us."

 Cleo went to glare at the would-be vampire hunter, but was immediately met with a defensive shout.

"I said darkness of the land! I did not mention the V word. I said the darkness of the land. You can't say anything!"

"He's got you there," Drift commented.

"Drift, you're supposed to rein him in, not encourage him," Cleo groused.

"But he didn't mention vampires, which is what he promised. He's kept his word, so lighten up."

Pearl giggled a bit, the argument honestly lightening the mood as they waited for the beacon to become fully consecrated.

~\~/~

Cleo and her gang weren't the only ones in the Deadwood. Shelby, who had been on a solo adventure of her own, found herself strangely drawn to those mysterious, shadowy woods that seemed to whisper secrets in the wind. Despite the unsettling atmosphere, the supernatural enthusiast was practically elated as she took in her surroundings, her eyes bright with curiosity.

"Something supernatural has to be here," she murmured to herself, her gaze scanning the hauntingly twisted trees with excitement. "Maybe some ghosts, or werewolves. Vampires maybe? I mean, I'm not so sure about those, but anything's possible! Maybe even Bigfoot!"

Shelby paused, giving that last one some extra thought, her brow furrowing as she contemplated the possibilities.

"Wait, I don't think Bigfoot would live in a place like this," she finally decided, her voice tinged with doubt. "They'd probably live somewhere a bit more… alive. But still, something's out here—I'm sure of it. I can feel it in my bones."

As Shelby successfully cleared one of the larger Hills of the Deadwood, she suddenly caught sight of the very Obelisk that Cleo and her team had discovered during their expedition. Just as she did, she was immediately enveloped by a powerful wave of holy magic emanating from the structure. She couldn't help but let out a sigh of awe and relief as the divine energy washed over her, feeling a renewed sense of strength and resilience that seemed to push her beyond her previous limits.

"Oh, that felt good," she said to herself. "I should go investigate."

Without hesitation, she quickly slid down the side of the hill, making her way steadily toward the structure ahead. She arrived just as Cleo and her group were beginning to descend the towering obelisk. They were engaged in a hushed discussion among themselves, carefully examining the effects of the Holy Light that had recently washed over them. It appeared that they, too, had experienced the same significant bolstering of their strength that Shelby had gained. It may have been some form of powerful mass effect spell, designed to spread across all of Oakhurst.

"Oh, hey!" Drift was the first to catch sight of Shelby, immediately offering a wave. "It's Shelby!"

"Bigfoot girl?" Avid hopped down from the obelisk, grinning when he saw Shelby. "Hey! What brings you out here?"

"Just exploring. Haven't found anything yet, but thought this place looked cool." Shelby turned toward the obelisk. "What do you think this place is? It's kinda creepy."

"We're not sure," Pearl admitted, "but we found another beacon, like the one back in town."

"How are you feeling?" Cleo questioned. "Feeling particularly hearty?"

"As a matter of fact, I do." Shelby broke out into a grin. "I felt a wave of power, kinda like what happened yesterday, and I feel so much better."

"Then it doesn't just affect the ones who do the consecrating," Drift noted, pulling a notebook from her cloak and jotting down some notes. "And if Avid is right about this being part of a circuit-"

"Which I am!!"

"-then it might be beneficial to try and find them all."

"Ooh, can I come?" Shelby asked, already excited. "I'll feel better knowing I have someone watching my back."

Cleo was immediately grinning at that. She put her hand on Avid's back, pushing him toward Shelby, who quickly moved to catch him.

"I have a better idea. If we split up, we can cover more ground. Why don't you and Avid go off and see if you can find any more beacons? Pearl, Drift, and I can be the other group, and we'll go this way." Cleo pointed off in one direction. "How does that sound?"

"I'm game," Shelby declared, happily locking arms with a stunned Avid. "Honestly, I was getting a bit spooked being out here by myself, and you're always like super prepared for all the supernatural stuff that's out here. Right, Avid?"

Avid paused for a moment, gazing ahead and blinking slowly, as if processing everything around him. The look of shock on his face made it clear he hadn't anticipated receiving such a warm, welcoming response as a new partner. It was an expression that made Shelby feel a twinge of sympathy for him. She wasn't entirely convinced that vampires truly existed here in Oakhurst—none of the stories she'd heard mentioned anything about them—but she understood what it was like to be considered crazy by others. Perhaps, she thought, they could become friends. And maybe, just maybe, he could help her find definitive proof that the supernatural did indeed exist. Luckily, it seemed he picked up on her thoughts immediately, because a broad grin spread across his face, brightening his features.

"Oh yeah! Totally!" he exclaimed enthusiastically. "You got any garlic on you? How about silver?"

"Perfect!" Cleo chimed in cheerfully, raising two thumbs up, then turning to Drift and Pearl. "That takes care of that. Let's keep moving. I want to see if we can find another Beacon before it starts getting dark. Plus, we still need to locate one of those crypts for a book."

"Good luck!" Shelby called out as the three headed off on their quest, then turned her attention back to her new partner. "So, which way should we go?"

Chapter Text

"Are you sure leaving those two alone is the best idea?" Drift questioned, throwing a concerned look back at where they'd left Shelby and Avid. "I'm a little worried about them."

"I think they'll be alright," Pearl assured the detective. "Avid may be a bit kooky, but he's also cautious. He'll watch Shelby's back, and maybe the two will bounce off each other and get some of their supernatural energy out."

"My thoughts exactly," said Cleo, genuinely relieved to have shaken off those two with ease without hurting anyone's feelings. "Anyway, why don't you two keep looking for beacons? I want a branch off this way and see if I can find one of those books M mentioned."

"You're going off on your own?" Drift questioned, sounding a little panicked. "What about all that stuff you said about staying together and watching each other's backs?"

"Trust me, I can handle myself." Cleo nodded in Pearl's direction. "And if you're worried, don't be. Pearl's got you."

"Yeah, I got you, Drift." Pearl wrapped her arm around the detective's shoulder. "You go on, Cleo. Hope you find one!"

Cleo gave a two-fingered salute before heading down a branching path in the Deadwood. This left the other two alone to continue their adventure. They could see a river not far ahead and elected to follow it. Whenever there was water, there tended to be some form of civilization. Likely, whatever civilization existed was gone, but there should at least be something. Whether it be ruins or dilapidated remains, it would be better than nothing. The fog made it hard to see, especially as the Deadwood continued to expand outward, with no end in sight.

 After what felt like an hour of walking, the dense mist began to gradually part, slowly revealing a towering mountain in the distance. At the very top of that mountain, they could make out the faint outline of ancient ruins, which immediately struck them as suspicious. The sight was enough to convince them they needed to investigate further, even though they weren't exactly equipped for a mountain ascent. While it didn't seem like specialized climbing gear was necessary, neither of them felt confident about their ability to scale the mountain, even with the boost they had gained from the beacons. Deciding to play it safe, they continued along the river's shoreline, keeping an eye out for any possible routes up the mountain. They hoped to spot a staircase, a path with a gentler slope, or any terrain feature that might make the climb easier and more manageable.

What they received instead was a bridge.

A massive stone bridge stretched across the river, extending from the summit of the mountain all the way back to the shoreline. Constructed entirely of stone, it was once an ornate and impressive structure, though it had long since begun to crumble with age. The remaining portions appeared sturdy enough to cross, unlike the shattered remnants scattered across the landscape. This indicated the significant time and effort invested in this bridge compared to the others. Clearly, something of great importance was located at the top of that mountain.

"What do you think is up there?" Pearl asked, her voice dripping with intrigue and curiosity.

"Honestly?" Drift hesitated, swallowing hard. "Something about this area is making me feel... on edge. Not like back when we were in the middle of the woods, but more like... like we're not supposed to be here. Like we're not welcome."

Pearl pursed her lips at that, but she couldn't argue. Deep down, she was getting a similar vibe from the place. The very air felt unwelcoming and dangerous; it was a gut feeling she couldn't ignore. That only made it more crucial to investigate. If there was something dangerous lurking here, they needed to learn everything they could about it. If they did nothing, they'd be willfully turning a blind eye to some unknown threat that could potentially terrorize Oakhurst—and they couldn't let that happen, especially when the town was still in rough shape defensively.

"Come on," Pearl urged, her tone firm yet encouraging. "Let's check it out."

~\~/~

In another part of the forest, Shelby and Avid were walking along a rough, winding path, casually chatting with one another as they went. Despite their different concerns, they surprisingly got along quite well, even though Avid still felt that her Bigfoot obsession sometimes distracted her from the more urgent vampiric threat lurking nearby. Nevertheless, it was refreshing to talk with someone who genuinely believed there was something beyond the ordinary. He hadn't had someone listen to him like that in a long time, not since Elle.

"So you're a vampire hunter?" she'll be asked, sounding genuinely interested.

"Oh yeah!" Avid said proudly. "I was in a hunting duo with my best friend back home. I didn't really do most of the hunting. That was mostly her. I was mainly the guy who did all the research, made the potions, and basically supported her. We made a really great team."

Have you ever seen a vampire?

 Avid rubbed the back of his head, his smile fading a bit. "I think so. Not long before I left, we were trying to find a vampire. I was hoping I could find a cure for vampirism. I mean, it's supposed to be some disease or infection, so that means there should be a cure."

"No, that makes sense," Shelby agreed, giving a nod. "And knowing you, I'm sure you can figure it out." 

Avid lowered his hand, his smile fading even further. "Well, unless I find one here, I don't think that's going to be possible." 

"But you said your partner and you were hunting for one, right? Surely you saw it." 

"Not quite..." 

Avid stopped walking, his eyes fixed on the ground. He glanced at his hand, and for a moment, his mind flashed back to his hideout. There, Elle lay on the floor, covered in blood, the stake still protruding from her chest. 

"Elle, my partner, got bitten… And she turned. Before I could even try to find a cure... she tried to attack me. I had to defend myself." 

Shelby gasped, covering her mouth with both hands as shock washed over her. 

"Oh no, Avid, I'm so sorry."

It was a stroke of luck that I was able to defend myself," Avid said quietly, his eyes never leaving his now trembling hands. "When I heard the stories of the monsters that lived here in Oakhurst, I figured this would be the best place to find a new vampire." His hands clenched into fists, his grief giving way to frustration. "And that's why I get so frustrated that nobody is taking me seriously! They don't know what I know! They think I'm some-! That I'm…!"

"Delusional?"

Avid actually looked up at that, turning back to Shelby. Her usual smile was gone entirely, replaced with something different—a sad, melancholic expression. He turned to face her fully, seeing her hug herself as she gripped the sleeves of her sweater.

"My dad used to tell me countless stories, tales about werewolves, fairies, mimics, and ghosts," she said softly, her gaze lifting as she managed a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "When I was five, he disappeared. He told me he was going to hunt werewolves, but he never came back. For the rest of my childhood, I kept his memory alive by always searching for the unknown. I didn't have many friends because of it, and also because of the rumors surrounding him." She paused, her voice tinging with sadness. 

"Rumors?" Avid asked, feeling a stone settle in the pit of his stomach. He knew what it was like to be at the center of rumors—especially ones that painted you as crazy. 

"My dad… had a fondness for wine, and everyone believed that his stories were just drunken ramblings. That when he claimed he was heading out for a werewolf hunt, he was actually abandoning us—leaving so he wouldn't have to deal with me or my mom anymore," she explained, her voice trembling slightly. "Shelby..."

Shelby wiped her eyes beneath her glasses, took a deep breath, and quickly returned to her cheery self.

"But I know the truth. I know my father wasn't crazy. I mean, just looking at this place makes it clear that something weird is going on. The supernatural exists, and my father wasn't some drunk who abandoned my mom and me."

Avid took a moment to collect himself, then returned her smile tenfold.

"Yeah! We'll show everyone that we were right! And who knows? Maybe your dad wasn't killed by a werewolf; maybe he just turned. Maybe it was a vampire, not a werewolf. You never know."

"You're right," Shelby let out. "I hadn't thought about that. Maybe I'll get to see him again!" She then paused. "Oh, wait. Would he try to eat me if he were a vampire?"

Avid thought back to how Elle had been. Up until she went feral, she had acted exactly like she always did. A bit afraid, but still herself.

"I mean, I'm sure he'd remember you," he offered up. "May take him a minute since it's been so long, but I'm sure he'd recognize you. But then he might try to turn you. Which, of course, you would say…"

Shelby hesitated before answering, chewing on her lip. "Um…. yes."

"No!" Avid shook his head violently. "No, the answers no!"

"I mean, sure, but… Immortality does seem pretty sweet."

"No, vampires are plagued. They can't taste anything; food turns to ash in their mouths. They can't sleep, they're restless, sleeping in coffins or upside down like a bat. They burn in the sun." Avid cringed. "Is that really the life you want?"

Shelby was quiet for a moment, her face subdued. "No, I guess not."

Avid, realizing he may have gone a bit far, moved to comfort Shelby. He wrapped an arm around her, smiling at her.

"Don't worry. I'll keep you safe. And if your dad did turn, I'll make sure you get to tell him all about your adventures. Maybe I can even cure him!"

"Really?" Shelby brightened. "You'd do that for me?"

"Totally!" Avid agreed without hesitation. "Anything for a friend."

After completing their mining expedition and chopping some trees, Legs and his group decided to explore further. Pyro chose to leave, taking the supplies and Truffle back to Oakhurst, leaving only the Doctor, Apo, and Abolish. They had recently felt a surge of holy magic and were curious about its source, which led them to the Dead Wood, where Pearl and Drift were. The two women were heading along the shoreline toward an abandoned bridge entrance.

"Hello there!" Legs called out. 

When they saw the approaching explorers, Pearl quickly waved a greeting, while Drift was busy holding onto a tree root to avoid slipping back down the hill or into the river. Noticing Drift's struggle, Apo hurried over, offering a hand and helping her climb to the hilltop. 

"There you go," Apo said as she helped Drift get her feet. "I take it you don't see a lot of wilderness where you're from?"

"Not really," Drift admitted, blushing from embarrassment. "I've lived in the city my whole life."

In stark contrast to Drift's struggles, Pearl easily and swiftly navigated the climb herself, displaying surprising agility. She dusted herself off before turning to face everyone.

"What brings you lot out here?"

"Well, we were exploring and we spotted these creepy decaying trees," Abolish explained calmly and in his usual monotonous way.

"Yeah, I think there may have been some sort of forest fire," Apo commented, looking around at the dead trees and the numerous cobwebs. She paused for a moment, considering the scene before her. "Then again, if this forest had burned down, I don't think there would be as many leaves still clinging to the trees."

The doctor looked up at one of the nearby trees, carefully surveying the ashy, brittle leaves that were stubbornly clinging to the dull gray branches. It didn't give him the impression of a place that had recently been burned to the ground, but somewhat resembled a site that had been ravaged by illness and decay over time. His mind drifted back to Cleo's mention of a plague from a few centuries ago, and he wondered if these trees might be remnants of that devastating outbreak. Perhaps these withered leaves and sickly branches held clues to whatever illness had spread through the area. He made a mental note to consider taking samples of the leaves and bark for further examination later, hoping they might reveal more about the disease that had left such a bleak landscape.

"What about you?" Abolish asked, pulling the doctor back to the present. "What brings you out here?"

"Well, Drift and I were exploring with Cleo," Pearl answered. "She broke off earlier 'cuz she wanted to go find one of those magical girl books or whatever, but before that we found another one of those weird beacon things."

"Like the one back in town?" Legs questioned. "The one Avid consecrated or whatever he did?"

"Yeah, exactly the same," Drift answered. "It was in this weird obelisk that was in the middle of a valley. We consecrated it, and the energy made us feel... I don't know, stronger?"

"Now that you mention it," Abolish remarked, looking down at his hands while flexing his fingers. "When that energy wave hit us, I did feel a bit healthier."

"Yeah, me too," Apo added before letting out a small groan. "Does that mean Avid was right?"

"Just because he was right about the beacons doesn't mean he's right about vampires," Legs quickly shut down. "Even a broken pocket watch is right twice a day."

"Well, anyway," Pearl interjected, "After that, Drift and I found this. We were gonna go check it out once we got up here."

She gestured with one hand toward the broken bridge and the land behind it, currently covered in thick fog. Legs, noticing this for the first time, couldn't help but feel uneasy. He took a step back, sensing the familiar anxiety in his chest. Abolish was the first to notice, with his usually stoic face showing a slight crack as he furrowed his brow in concern.

"Doc?" he called out, reaching for Legs before thinking better of it.

"Sorry," he apologized, taking a breath to collect himself. "Just... something about this place feels wrong."

"Right?!" Drift looked almost relieved that someone else shared her concerns. "I don't know what's going on, but this place feels like we're not supposed to be here. Like every fiber of my being is telling me to run."

"All the more reason to check it out," Pearl countered, pulling her sword from her side. "If there is something dangerous here, we need to make sure we know what it is so we can keep Oakhurst safe."

Apo and Abolish both nodded in agreement, and even Legs had to admit that there was some truth to her statement. He took a breath, steadying his nerves.

"Let's go together," Apo suggested, pulling her musket off her back. "There's strength in numbers after all."

"Sounds like a plan," Abolish agreed, heaving his wood axe onto his shoulder so he would have some sort of weapon.

"You lead and I'll follow," the doc declared.

Both Drift and Pearl looked relieved at the idea of having some backup on their mission. As a group, the five of them began to cross the grand stone bridge carefully. It was mostly intact, but some parts had fallen away, leaving gaps in the stonework. Luckily, there didn't seem to be any significant breaks—just small gaps that could easily be jumped over. After a few minutes of crossing, all five had reached the other side of the bridge, and they were all quite horrified by what they saw, none more so than the doctor.

"Now this looks like the site of a fire," Abolish commented, surveying the blackened stones jutting out of the ground. "And if I had to wager a guess, I'd say it was a pretty deadly one." 

Legs didn't say a word; his eyes locked on some of the skeletal remains that seemed to be clinging to one another in the corner of one of the stone pieces. His ears began to ring, and he could feel his heartbeat pounding in his chest. He could almost hear the sound of gunshots and bombs going off, the skeletal remains being replaced by the still bodies of soldiers trying to shield each other from explosions that they had no chance of surviving. He began to shake, the color draining from his face as he took a step back. Before he could take another, a hand shot out and grabbed his arm, violently pulling him out of his PTSD spiral.

"Whoa there," Apo's voice said as it cut through the ringing. "Careful, doc. You almost step right off the cliffside." 

Legs glanced behind him, and sure enough, he was one step away from falling down a very steep, stony cliff. Realizing that, he quickly stumbled away from the edge, catching himself on one of the larger stones. 

"Thanks, Apo. Sorry about that." 

"Are you all right?" Drift asked, her head tilted with concern. "You look a little pale." 

"I'll be all right," he assured the detective, doing his best to put on a smile.

"Hey, guys?" Abolish called out. "I think you'll want to see this."

All eyes turned toward where the Butler had gone, and fortunately, he hadn't strayed too far. He was standing amidst the remnants of what once might have been a grand dining hall. Broken pieces of a large mahogany table lay scattered across the floor, centered within a stone outline, with the husks of chairs strewn about haphazardly. Abolish stood with his back to the head of the table, gazing intently at what appeared to be a raised stone platform; on it rested another beacon. 

Unlike the one from the town, which emitted a bright orange glow like a star, this beacon was significantly different. Its color was a dark, bloody red, and instead of shining, it seemed to absorb and repel light, casting the surrounding area into unnatural darkness. Just being near the thing had the five humans on edge, goose flesh rising on their arms as the hairs on the backs of their necks stood up.

"I think we just found the source of all our uneasiness," Pearl spoke up, her voice cutting through the tense silence that had fallen over them. 

"What could have done this?" Drift let out, her eyes never leaving that cursed beacon. 

"I'm not sure," Apo answered, her eyes narrowing. "But right now, I think we need to focus on purifying it. You said you guys consecrated the one from earlier. How did you do that?"

Pearl re-sheathed her sword and stepped onto the stone platform. Standing before the beacon, she hesitantly placed her hand on its surface. Similar to the obelisk, a small orange light started to emerge in the midst of the bloody red. The red appeared to be attempting to engulf the light, seemingly succeeding. Observing this, the others quickly joined her on the platform, each placing their hands on the beacon. The orange light then sped up significantly, outpacing the red. After about a minute of silence, the red glow surrounding the beacon faded, and the tense atmosphere eased considerably. While it wasn't entirely gone — after all, in a burned castle filled with the dead, some unease remained — the oppressive feeling was no longer present.

"Oh, I already feel so much better," Drift said, visibly relieved. 

"It's taking a lot longer than the obelisk one did," Pearl realized. "Probably because it needed to be purified."

"Maybe it's the area," Apo offered up as a potential explanation. "Something clearly happened here. Something… bad. Maybe all that negative energy infected the beacon."

"It's as good a theory as any," Legs admitted, trying to look anywhere but at the skeletons. "We should look around a bit more once we're done here. See if we can find any clues."

"Sounds like a plan," Abolish agreed, and everyone got back to focusing on consecration.

Avid and Shelby were laughing and smiling as they made their way down the path toward Oakhurst. They hadn't found anything like a crypt or another beacon, but they'd managed to enjoy themselves during their adventure. Avid didn't want them to be out too late, and seeing it was getting late into the afternoon, he thought it best that they turn back. Thankfully, Shelby did not argue at all; if anything, she enthusiastically agreed with him. Still such a novel concept after so long of being ignored and brushed off as crazy. Hard to believe it had just been two days since he came to this place.

As the town gates came into view, Avid couldn't help but freeze in place when he saw who was waiting there, leaning against the town gates like he owned the place: Scott.

"You two look like you were having fun," the blue-haired man said with a strange smirk on his face. "You find your person with the biggest feet yet?"

While Avid was wary of Scott, Shelby approached him without regard for the dangerous aura the man exuded.

"Bigfoot, and no, not yet. We did find another one of those beacons, but not much else. I'm sure we'll find more tomorrow!"

The way Scott looked at Shelby reminded Avid of the way a pet owner would look at their pet, or the way a farmer looks at a suckling pig.

"Well, I went out and got us some food. Which reminds me, try not to cook all the meat at once. It's wasteful."

Shelby's face flushed with embarrassment as she nervously rubbed the back of her head, offering Scott an awkward but apologetic smile. 

"Sorry about that," she said softly. "I guess I got a little carried away. I just wanted to make sure everything was prepared." 

Scott reached out casually and tousled her hair, but his gesture felt so condescending that Avid couldn't help but cringe. It was apparent he was treating Shelby like a child, and he truly disliked it. 

"Don't worry about it," the blue-haired man said reassuringly as he withdrew his hand. "By the way, I went mining earlier and managed to gather some more cobblestone for the roof. Hopefully, we can finish patching it up before nightfall. I'd rather not be sleeping under the stars again." 

Shelby's eyes widened in realization, and her face turned even redder. 

"Oh man, I completely forgot about the roof!" she exclaimed, playfully scolding herself. "I'm so lucky to have a roommate as thoughtful and resourceful as you," she added with a grateful smile.

"Flattery will get you everywhere," Scott said with a self-gratulating smile, wrapping his arm around Shelby's shoulders. "Come on, let's get to work."

 Seeing his friend about to be let off, Avid couldn't help but reach out, catching her wrist. Shelby stopped where she was going, turning back to Avid with a confused smile. In contrast, Scott looked at Avid as if he were something disgusting at the bottom of his shoe. For a brief second, his blue eyes flashed a dangerous red, and Avid couldn't help but pull his hand back sharply.

"I just…" Avid forced a smile on his face, closing his eyes so they wouldn't see that it didn't reach. "I just wanted to say... I enjoyed hanging out with you."

"Same here," Shelby replied, her tone making it clear she was oblivious to Avid's distress. "See you around!"

And she let Scott lead her away, leaving Avid standing at the Oakhurst gate, now more sure than ever that something was wrong with Scott Goldsmythe. 

The castle beacon was finally consecrated, with the warm orange light illuminating the surroundings and bringing a sense of relief to the five humans who had done it. Once the ceremony was complete, they dispersed, eager to uncover what had transpired here. Examination of the castle ruins revealed little beyond more bodies and evidence of the fire that had ravaged the site. It was evident that no one had lived here for a very long time and that the castle itself was long gone.

"Check this out!" Pearl exclaimed, standing in front of a square stone pit. The pit featured a staircase spiraling downward into dark depths, beckoning towards unknown secrets.

Everyone gathered cautiously around the edge, peering into the darkness with a mix of curiosity and trepidation.

"What do you think it is?" Drift asked, studying the staircase closely. "It doesn't look like the Crypt from back in town."

"I believe this might lead to the sublevels of the castle," Legs suggested. "Royal families often had tombs dedicated solely to their lineage, usually located beneath the castle itself. Perhaps this is the entry to those hidden chambers." 

Pearl hopped onto the stairs, an eager smile on her face.

"All the other Crips we found had books in them. I'm pretty sure we're going to find something down here. Let's check it out!"

No one could genuinely contest that logic. Every member of the group had at least once seen a crypt and was aware of the mysterious books hidden within. The likelihood of discovering another one was too tempting to ignore, especially with the haunting memory of the blood-red beacon still vivid in their minds. With careful deliberation, they began their descent down the staircase, moving cautiously into the subterranean sections of the crypt below. 

The crypts scattered throughout the landscape were generally small, with simple stone floors, occasional niches for coffins, and the ornate chests that housed the books. In contrast, this particular crypt was markedly different. Under the flickering light of the torches that Abolish had provided for everyone, they could see an extensive brick floor that, despite its age, remained remarkably well-preserved. The walls were smooth, with only sporadic patches of lichen growing across the brickwork. Embedded into the walls were separate chambers, each with stone platforms that had likely once held sarcophagi. Most of these had been removed, probably plundered by tomb raiders who had looted the site.

"Geez, this place is a maze," Apo let out, letting out a Yelp as she nearly walked straight into a massive cobweb. Thankfully, she managed to avoid most of it, only getting a few sticky strands on her sleeve. She frantically wiped them away, shuddering a bit before regaining her composure. "Should we really be down here, guys? I don't like this place."

"Do you want answers or not?" Pearl shot back, fixing the soldier girl with a slight uptick of her brow. "I thought you were supposed to be some highfalutin soldier or something like that." 

"I'm part of the Engineering Corps. I'm a builder, not a fighter. I didn't even want to be in the army; I only joined because I was conscripted." 

"Be grateful you're avoiding the front lines," Legs said, his voice carrying a strange undercurrent. "Not everyone is so lucky."

Abolish glanced back at the doctor when the doctor said that, but kept his comments to himself. Apo, however, had no such reservations. 

"I don't feel very lucky right now. I mean, blame Avid and his stupid vampire rantings, but I keep expecting something to jump out of the shadows and stab me or something."

"Look," Drift interjected, moving to stand beside Apo. "I completely understand being afraid of a place like this. Heck, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't feeling a bit nervous. But I think we can all agree there's no such thing as vampires or monsters. Everything always has a logical explanation." 

"Exactly," Legs said with a nod. "Every monster that has ever appeared is usually just a person, a disturbed, sick individual who just needs help. It's the same with curses—half the time, they're just plagues or illnesses that people were too scared or ignorant to understand fully. There is absolutely no such thing as..."

The doctor's voice gradually faded as the group entered a vast antechamber, which appeared to be the very heart of the crypt. They found themselves on a narrow ledge overlooking the chamber below, and what they saw immediately put all five of them on edge. Dominating the space was a massive, open stone coffin. Its plush interior was completely empty, and the lid had been thrown across the room, shattered near one of the support columns. Everyone stood frozen, staring at the scene in stunned silence, unable to speak or comprehend what they were witnessing.

"Oh, would you look at the time!" Drift said a little louder than she probably should have. She had her pocket watch in her trembling hand, holding it up for the others to see. "I think it's high time we get back to Oakhurst! Don't you agree?"

"Yeah…" Apo agreed, already taking a few steps back. "We don't want to be out past sundown. Everyone will get worried."

There was widespread agreement as everyone quickly made their way back, moving with urgency and purpose. Pearl turned so suddenly and sharply that she accidentally knocked over a small urn placed on a nearby table. The urn tumbled to the ground with a soft clatter, and she immediately yelled at the unexpected sound, startled by the noise. Without noticing, she hurried after her friends, her attention focused on rejoining the group. What she didn't realize was that the urn contained what appeared to be almost like ashes — ashes that suddenly began to stir and swirl, gradually taking on a faintly ghostly feline form. The ethereal cat yawned leisurely, stretched its slender limbs silently, and then bounded after the five humans as they made their swift escape from the castle.

Chapter Text

Avid was pacing nervously across the street in front of his house, repeatedly chewing on his thumbnail as his mind raced with an endless stream of thoughts and fears. Every concern revolved around Scott; everything about him just screamed suspect in Avid's eyes. Now that he was friends with Shelby, Avid's worry deepened—he really didn't want anything to happen to his friend. Unfortunately, Shelby was roommates with the guy who was so obviously a vampire it wasn't even funny. Avid had already attempted to place a block of silver in front of her door as a protective measure, but he didn't hold out much hope that Scott wouldn't find a way around it. Desperate for support, he knew he needed allies—someone on his side who would listen to his fears and perhaps help him figure this out.

He paused his pacing for a moment, his eyes drifting upward as he spotted Mr. M working on the roof of his house. Mr. M was currently patching up some of the final holes, carefully fitting the pieces of cobblestone and adding patches of vegetation to make the roof look more inviting and natural. The author was a fellow supernatural enthusiast, known for his extensive knowledge and open-minded attitude. After the positive interaction he had with Shelby earlier, Avid felt a bit more confident about approaching him. Maybe he would get lucky and the man would believe his story—especially since M had claimed to find a magic book that granted him strange plant-related powers.

"Hey! Magic man!"

Mr. M paused his work momentarily, glanced over the edge of the roof, and flashed Avid a broad, welcoming smile. 

“Oh, hey, Mr. Vampire Hunter. You find any yet?”

Avid let out a nervous laugh, sweat pouring down his back. “You know, it's funny you should mention that. Mind if I come up?”

“Sure! Sure!” Mr. M beckoned him upward. “Come on! There’s plenty of room!”

Avid quickly located and began ascending the ladder that the author had propped against the side of his house, allowing them to access the roof. Once he reached the top, he steadied himself, heart pounding slightly from the climb, and found himself face to face with his potential ally.

“Hey, I need to talk to you. Are we alone?”

“Depends on your definition of alone.”

Avid screamed and nearly fell off the roof, only for a linen-wrapped hand to grab him by the back of his shirt and pull him away from the ledge. He fell back onto the cobblestones, looking up to see the smirking face of Owen staring down at him.

“What are you doing here?!” Avid shrieked. “Where did you come from?!”

“I live here,” Owen answered. “I was bringing M here some more stones I brought from the mines.”

“Oh, perfect!” M said with a grin. “Just what I needed. Thanks, Owen.”

Owen ignored the author, his eyes never leaving Avid. It made the vampire hunter feel a bit on edge, like he was staring down a predator. But, he swallowed his anxieties around the man who enjoyed tormenting him, knowing that he needed to say his piece before Scott had the chance to interfere.

“Alright, I was hoping for just M, but I guess you can be here too.” Avid adjusted himself so he was sitting a bit more comfortably. “Just promise me you’ll keep this between us.”

“Oh, let me guess,” Owen said in a mocking tone. “Vampires are real. They walk among us.”

“They do, and I think Scott is one of them.”

Owen’s immediate eyeroll and disgusted scoff were expected, but Avid pressed on.

“Look, I know you don’t believe me, but I’m positive that he’s a vampire. Everything lines up! The signs are there!”

“You mean the ones you’ve been putting everywhere?” Owen sneered.

Avid groaned in frustration. Of course, Owen refused to believe, and his disbelief made it harder to convince M that he was right. Still, he tried to press his case further.

“Not those signs. All you have to do is look at Scott, and you'll recognize that he is a vampire!”

“Avid?” 

The familiar voice of his roommate pulled Avid out of his frustrations. He turned toward the roof's edge, seeing that Drift had returned from her expedition with Pearl. The two girls were staring up at him, looking a little worse for wear. Drift was a bit pale, and Pearl seemed to have something following behind her. It was a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, but it almost looked like she had a strange, ashy cat rubbing at her ankles, but it vanished in an instant. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Avid refocused on the situation at hand.

"Drift, Pearl, listen to me. I believe Scott is a vampire. I believe he's a vampire and that he's dangerous." 

"Are you listening to this?” Owen sneered, gesturing with his thumb at Avid. "The absolute madman, this one." 

"Do you have any proof?” Mr. M asked, sounding more curious than condescending. 

"Well..." Pearl hesitated before speaking. "I mean, I'm not fully convinced that vampires are real, but we did find something really strange while we were exploring.”

Avid practically threw himself at the edge of the roof, his grip tight on the cobblestone ledge as he stared down at the two women.

“What did you find?!”

“Did you find another book?” Mr. M asked. “Are you magical girls too?”

“No, not quite,” Pearl answered. “Did you guys feel that wave of power not too long ago?”

“Oh, you mean the warm wave that makes us feel all nice and warm?” Mr. M began to smile. “Yeah, I felt it twice this afternoon. Feel a lot healthier. It's actually what motivated me to come up here and get all this done.”

“That's because when we were with Cleo, we found another one of those beacons. Avid, you remember that one.”

Avid nodded as Drift began to speak this time.

“Well, later on, we went our separate ways, and Pearl and I found this torn-down castle. It was really grand, with this huge stone bridge leading to it and everything. We went with the Doctor, Abolish, and Apo to check it out... and we found another beacon. But this one... this one was different.”

“Different how?” Owen questioned, no longer sounding annoyed or standoffish. Instead, he sounded genuinely interested, with a heavy glint in his eye.

“It was red,” Pearl explained. “Like a deep, blood red with absolutely no light in it at all. And the aura it gave off… it felt evil.”

Avid's mind raced at the possibilities of what could explain such a beacon. It made sense that there would be an opposite to consecration. Desecration, maybe? But if so, that means something would have had to desecrate that beacon, something spurned by the holy light. There was only one creature he could think of: a vampire.

“There's a little more to it,” Drift chimed back in. “After we consecrated the beacon, we wanted to look around to see if we could find whatever had turned it red. And... we may have discovered this enormous tomb." 

Ripples of surprise washed over the three men on the roof, with Avid feeling as if the breath had been knocked out of him. The surprise only deepened as Drift continued.

"Yeah, it was huge—so much larger and more elaborate than the crypts we've seen around here. It was so grand, more ornate, and… empty. Not empty like the chest had already been looted, but more like the inhabitants—the dead who belonged there—were no longer present."

"I initially thought perhaps tomb raiders had looted everything at some point,” Pearl added, "but when we reached the antechamber, we found this... open stone sarcophagus, sitting in the middle of the room. Old candles surrounded it, and the lid was just off and broken. There was nobody inside—no skeleton, nothing at all."

Everything was starting to fall into place clearly now. Scott insisted that his family had owned this land for hundreds of years, and that he had simply decided to return and claim it. His clothing, his manner of speaking, and the discovery of this abandoned castle with an empty tomb all pointed to the same truth. There was no denying it: Scott was a vampire, and Avid was almost certain that the tomb Drift and Pearl had found was his.

“I knew it…” Avid let out, first quietly, then so much louder. “I knew it! Scott’s a vampire! That has to be his tomb, where he’s been living until now! He’s a vampire!”

“Avid,” Owen cut off, turning to glare at the vampire hunter. “Just because they found some raided tomb doesn’t mean that it belongs to Scott. You have no proof!”

“Wrong! I have so much proof!” Avid began wracking his brain. “I mean…. I mean, just look at his cloak! That upturned collar? It’s like he’s not even trying to hide his true nature!”

“I’ll admit, that is a nice cloak,” M commented, nodding slightly. “I’ve been wanting to ask him who his tailor is so I could get one of my own.”

“Also, have you guys seen the way he just stares at the beacon in town?” Avid lowered his voice now, a little worried that someone might overhear. "Like he stares at it like it's personally offended him. I mean, his whole vibe is just... he feels evil and sinister, and I don't like it. I really don't like that he's roommates with Shelby. I know he's a vampire, and…and we need to get rid of him.”

“Guys, he’s coming!” Drift suddenly said, looking down the street in a panic. “Scott’s coming! Quick, act natural!”

There were a few quick shushes as the blue-haired manor lord rounded the corner. As he entered full view, everyone greeted him warmly with loud and probably exaggerated Hey's. Each person stretched out the greeting for about five seconds, their voices echoing through the afternoon. Once their enthusiastic hellos faded, Scott crossed his arms and eyed all five of them with the most unamused expression on his face, clearly unimpressed by their over-the-top welcomes.

“You’re either all really excited to see me, or you were all talking about me before I got here.”

Of course, they all were quick to try and deny it, this time stretching out the word no a little longer than they probably should. Scott remained thoroughly unimpressed, the only change in his expression being a slight raise of his brow. Not seeing the point in hiding on the roof from a potential vampire, Avid descended the ladder back down to ground level. Mr. M joined him and Owen… Owen just seemed to disappear. Apparently, that was something he liked to do.

“All right, we were talking about you,” Mr M admitted, which initially had Avid in a panic until the author continued, “but it was all good things. We were talking about your cloak and how lovely it is. Which reminds me, who's your tailor?”

For some reason, that question seemed to amuse Scott, who finally cracked a smile and relaxed his stance slightly.

“Unfortunately, my tailor left a long time ago. So this is a one-of-a-kind piece.”

Mr. M pouted, disappointed. Meanwhile, Avid noticed that Shelby was no longer with Scott. The last time he had seen her was when Scott had led her off. His heart plummeted into his stomach as he realized that he had willfully allowed his best friend to go off alone with a family. Crap, he needed to find her!

“Hey, uh, where’s Shelby?” Avid asked, feigning nonchalance.

“Oh, Shelby?” Scott sucked on his lip for a second. “Not sure, honestly. We needed a bit more cobblestone, so I went to get some more. Then I ran into you lot.”

Upon hearing that, Avid wasted no time. He quickly hurried over to Scott and Shelby's house, his heart pounding with urgency. Frantically, he threw open the door, but to his disappointment, the house was eerily empty. He couldn't detect any blood or suspicious stains, nor were there any obvious signs of a struggle. Despite the lack of visible evidence, Shelby was nowhere to be seen, heightening Avid's concern and sense of dread.

“Shelby?" Avid called out nervously as he stepped out of the house, glancing back toward the quiet town behind him. His hurried steps quickly turned into a frantic run as he reached the gate, his voice echoing with urgency. "Shelby?! SHELBY!!!”

Shelby sneezed suddenly, quickly covering her mouth with her hand before wiping her nose on her sleeve. It seemed she had caught a whiff of something, as that sneeze had been especially forceful. She should consider finding some local honey to help prevent any allergies from developing to the land. The last thing she wanted was to sneeze loud enough to scare Bigfoot when she finally found him.

Putting that aside for now, Shelby pressed on, venturing deeper into the woods. Her earlier encounter with Avid had been enjoyable, but she was now craving something more engaging and thrilling. She felt too restless to head back to town and continue with the housework—trusting Scott to handle everything. After all, he had already gathered all the necessary materials, so she knew she could rely on him, which allowed her to go off and enjoy herself and have some fun.

She had set off in one direction already and had been able to find that amazing Obelisk with the beacon. Now, she was heading in the opposite direction. She had a feeling that she'd see even more incredible things out there. All she needed to do was find them. It was getting a little late, but she was confident she could make it back before nightfall. She wasn't some little girl with a curfew anymore, anyway. And if what Legs said was true and the blood moon was just some eclipse and not the horror story that Owen had told, she had nothing to worry about.

In hindsight, maybe she should have told someone where she was going. Oh well, she thought, everything will work out.

Night began to fall once more over Oakhurst, and once again, the sky was bathed in a blood-red hue. The Doctor was getting more than a bit of flak for being wrong about the eclipse, especially since the chances of two happening in one night are astronomical. He had no logical explanation for it but kept insisting that there was one. 

Most of the more level-headed members of the town were choosing to ignore the moon, focusing instead on their ongoing efforts to restore Oakhurst. By now, nearly everyone had returned from their various expeditions, each with different levels of success.

Cleo happily reported that she had found a different Crypt hidden within the Dead Wood, one that contained a magical book very much like Mr. M's. Hers was called 'Way of the Prospector,' and it apparently turned her into a bloodhound for ores. Mr. M had been pleased about that, making a joke about them only missing one for animal husbandry. She then gave him a harsh shove in the face, sending him to the ground. 

Renhardt reported that he, too, had gone on such an expedition, alongside the aforementioned author. Unfortunately, while they found a crypt, it contained only an enchanting book, not one of the holy word books. However, they confirmed that whatever magic had brought these crypts to life was also replenishing them come dawn's light. Meaning that there was a chance to revisit the crypts they had discovered over time and, hopefully, find more books that could be useful to them.

Apo, after returning from the adventure in the castle, decided that the makeshift watchtower she had built on top of her and Pyro's house was not enough. So, she decided to convert the old church ruins into a new watchtower. Nobody objected, with a few even suggesting that having some protection around the beacon might be a good idea. She was already working on establishing a new cobblestone frame that she could eventually expand into a proper watchtower. It would take some time to get it right, but she was more than willing to put in the effort.

 The only one not doing anything mildly productive was Avid, who was currently running around like a chicken with its head cut off, screaming Shelby's name.

“Shelby!!” He was panting now, having to stop in the middle of the road, his hands on his knees to try and catch his breath. “ Shelby, where are you?!”

Despite the trepidation that the townsfolk felt about Avid and his vampire obsession, they had to admit that Shelby's being missing was a significant concern. None of them had seen her lately, and even though they had only known each other for a few days, they couldn't simply allow one of their own to vanish without question. 

Around a campfire near the town center, which served as an impromptu meeting spot for everyone, Cleo, Pearl, Apo, and Pyro had already gathered. Owen was leaning against one of the houses, just out of the firelight, watching quietly. At that moment, Avid approached, still frantic and pale, his hand trembling from a mix of adrenaline and fear, clearly distressed and overwhelmed by the situation.

“Guys, I can't find Shelby anywhere. I think Scott did something to her.”

“Are you sure about that?” Cleo asked, her disbelief evident in her tone. “That's a pretty hefty accusation to just throw at someone.”

“Look, all I know is that the last time I saw her, she was with Scott. And now Scott's here, and she's not. That is too strong a coincidence for me.”

“That does sound rather suspicious,” Apo reluctantly admitted.

“Even so, we can't just go accusing someone of hurting another person,” Pyro insisted, his face hard as he said it. “A false accusation like that, even in a small town like this, can be seriously damaging. We need evidence before we go accusing anyone.”

“Personally,” Owen chimed in from his spot against the wall, “I think we should be focusing more on trying to find Shelby before we start accusing anyone. I know the woods pretty well, so I'm more than willing to go find her.”

“We need more than just one person out on the hunt.” Avid ran his hands through his hair, taking a breath as he tried to steady himself. Now was not the time to be freaking out and acting like a maniac. He needed to get his act together and focus. “Look, even if it's not vampires, we know that there is a whole bunch of dangerous stuff out in those woods. Zombies, skeletons, giant spiders, and she's out there by herself.”

“That is concerning,” Doctor Legundo admitted, having emerged from his home to join the Gathering. “ Shelby didn't exactly strike me as the type to know self-defense.”

Cleo's face twisted with disbelief and annoyance. “So let me make sure I've got this right. You want us to go out there and risk our lives for some girl we met two days ago?”

“Yes!” Avid exclaimed, turning to Cleo with a face twisted in rage. “She would do the same for us! I know for a fact! And if nobody else wants to join me, then I will go by myself to find her because she's my friend and that's what friends do!”

Apo took a step forward, moving to intercept Avid. “Hey, let’s try to calm down.”

“Get out of my way, Soldier girl! I thought you would be the first one to volunteer! Doesn't the military care about the safety of civilians?”

Apo hesitated, then shook her head with a grim expression. "I- I mean… I’m an engineer, not a-” she started to protest, but then paused. After a moment of consideration, she straightened up and nodded. "You know what? Sure, why not? I’ll come help." 

A brief look of relief crossed Avid's face. "Alright, that’s one! Anyone else?”

“I’ll come,” Scott’s voice offered.

The moment he heard that voice, Avid turned on him in fury. He grabbed the stake from his belt, much to the sudden shock of everyone around him.

“Where’s Shelby? What did you do to her?!”

Scott looked stunned for a split second, then his expression turned to anger.

“What did I do? Nothing!” He snarled at Avid, taking a step forward and making the vampire hunter take a step back. “Absolutely nothing! I took her home, left her with the supplies, realized we needed more, and went to get more. That’s it!”

“Avid, that’s enough!” Drift came up behind Avid, trying to pull him back. “You’re acting irrational.”

“Yeah, put the stake away,” Legs insisted, talking to him like he was some kind of rabid animal with his hands raised. “Just put it away, then we can find Shelby.”

“Not until he tells me exactly what he did with her!” Avid’s knees were knocking, but he pulled free of Drift’s grip, pointing the stake right at Scott’s face. “I know what you are, and I know you did something to her!”

“You have nothing…” Scott snapped back, his voice low and dangerous. “And you’re about to be down a hand if you don’t get that twig out of my face.”

Everyone was now gathered around them in a tight circle, resembling spectators at a cockfight, with a mixture of concern and curiosity in the air. Voices rose and fell as people tried to calm Avid down or direct questions to Scott, each voice blending into the next. The commotion continued until a familiar voice suddenly pierced through the cacophony.

“What’s going on?" it asked, clear and steady.

The moment the voice was heard, a hush fell over the crowd. Avid, in his urgency, dropped his stake and pushed his way through the crowd to reach the source. Approaching with a look of curiosity and relief was Shelby, alive and completely unharmed.

“Shelby!” Avid exclaimed, rushing forward and wrapping her in a tight embrace. She stumbled back a step to steady herself, but Avid didn’t care. He was so relieved. “Thank the Word you’re safe! I was so worried about you!”

“Shelby, where were you?” Drift asked, escorting the Doctor to check on the girl.

“We couldn’t find you,” Legs told her, visibly relieved that Shelby was back.

“I was getting accused of your murder,” Scott sneered, bending down to pick up Avid’s fallen stake before dismissively tossing it into the campfire. “You were gone, and they were saying that I’d murdered you and hidden your body somewhere.”

“Murder?” Shelby winced. "Oh, geez, that’s my bad. I probably should have told someone I was leaving.”

“Let me state for the record that Avid was the only one who was accusing anyone of murder,” Legs said firmly, turning to Scott with a serious expression. “The rest of us were just saying she was missing.” 

Scott responded with a reluctant nod, still visibly angry. His eyes fixed on Avid, who shrank under that intense, almost threatening glare. 

“Yeah, I’m sorry,” Shelby said softly, rubbing the back of her head nervously. “I was feeling restless and decided to go out for a bit more exploring. I wandered to this tower located out in the middle of a lake, and I noticed it had another beacon too. I was planning to consecrate it, but then it got dark, and I got scared. I tried to hurry back, but I had to hide from a bunch of mobs, and... yeah, here I am.”

And this is why I was warning you about throwing around such hefty accusations, Avid,” Cleo chastised, being joined by several other townspeople as they all glared at the vampire hunter.

“Exactly,” Scott said, crossing his arms and looking down his nose at Avid. “You owe me an apology, and be grateful that's all I'm asking for.”

Avid grimaced, not meeting the nobleman’s eyes. The last thing he wanted was to apologize to a man who was so clearly a vampire. Sure, he may not have murdered Shelby now, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to kill someone soon. Unfortunately, he was very much in the minority on this one, as everyone began to crowd around him, badgering and lecturing him.

"Yeah, you need to apologize,” Pearl declared, making her disdain known.

"Accusing an innocent man of murder.” Pyro shook his head. "Scott's right, you're lucky that all he's asking for is an apology.”

"Say you're sorry right now,” Drift demanded, demonstrating a surprisingly firm stance. 

Faced with the mounting backlash, Avid had no choice but to submit. Lowering his head and clenched teeth, he reluctantly managed to say, "I'm sorry," which was immediately met with even harsher criticism. 

"This man accused me of murder, and he can't even apologize properly," Scott retorted, turning around and throwing his hands into the air. "I have done nothing to deserve this. Frankly, I don't think I want you in Oakhurst anymore. All in favor of kicking this guy out?”

Upon hearing that, as well as the very few and very quiet protests that followed, Avid was quick to change his tune. He couldn't afford to be kicked out, not when he was the only one who knew the truth about what was out there.

“Okay! Okay! I'm sorry!” He forced himself to meet Scott's gaze. “I'm sorry I accused you. I was just scared for my friend. She's the one person who believes me, and I got a little heated, and I shouldn't have accused you of something you didn't do.” It took every ounce of self-control he had not to add a yet to the end of that sentence. “Please don't kick me out.”

Scott kept up the glare for a good long moment, right up until Shelby came and hugged Avid's arm with a smile.

“It’s so sweet you were worried about me,” she said, sounding like she genuinely meant it. “Just try not to accuse anyone of murder anytime soon, okay?” 

Seeing Shelby acting so affectionate, Scott's gaze softened visibly. He sighed, then reached out and placed a hand on the top of her head. 

“All right, for you, I'll let this go,” his gaze briefly turned back to Avid. “This time. But honestly, I need some fresh air after this, so I think I’m going out on a walk.”

“Care for some company?” Owen spoke up, finally moving from where he had been leaning against the wall. Had he really just been standing there this whole time, not interfering? “That way, no one gets accused of murder.”

“Honestly, I could use a walk myself,” Pyro chimed in. “This whole incident hit a bit too close to home, and I could use a chance to cool off.”

“You know what? Sure.” Scott gave a wave. “Shelby, I’ll be back later. If I don’t, then I recommend getting your defense ready for why you murdered me.”

Avid groaned, burying his face in his hands as Drift led him back toward their home, Merp Manor. This was going to haunt him for a while, he could tell.

Scott was seething as he stormed out of Oakhurst, his two companions trailing behind him. He really needed to get away before he did something he'd regret. More than that, he needed food. He'd already drained a pig before coming back from his mining expedition, but it wasn't enough. He was sick and tired of just using animal blood. He needed something better, something a bit more refined. Luckily, two pliant little blood bags had readily offered themselves to him.

It wouldn't do to kill them, especially so soon after being accused of murder. Even if everyone thought Avid was utterly insane, a seed of doubt had been planted. He couldn't afford to let it sprout even a little bit. Luckily, all he really had to do was turn them both, and not only would he have a couple of fledglings to do his bidding, but he'd be able to cover up his crime easily.

“I can't believe they did that to you,” Pyro spoke up, breaking the tension over the three of them. “You've done nothing wrong. Why are they accusing you?”

"Honestly, I think Avid just has it out for him, " Owen remarked, shrugging as he did. "He was going on about how your clothes were all vampire-coded and how you were staring at the Beacon like it offended you or something like that."

Scott rolled his eyes at that, annoyed that his superior fashion sense and some passing stares had been what got him on Avid's watch list. “I was staring because I'd never seen anything like it before. Finding something new to see is rare for me, so of course I was interested. Nothing offended me. As for my clothes, it's not my fault that he gets all his clothing from Peasants ‘R’ Us.”

“He’s a jumpy fellow, that Avid,” Owen smirked as he said that. “So easily frightened by the smallest of things.”

“Personally, I think it’s a class thing,” Pyro commented. “I mean, you’ve seen how Cleo glares at us and sneers at nobility. She even gives the Doctor flak for being a learned man.”

“Oh,” Owen let out, glancing over his shoulder while toying with his axe. “So you’re nobility too, then.”

“Kind of. My family held a prominent position in the military back home.” Pyro’s tone became somewhat bitter as he kept speaking. “Unfortunately, I was recently disowned. It’s why I’m here. I’m going to write my thesis on Oakhurst and its rich history, show them that they made a mistake in tossing me out.”

“I see.” Owen arranged his axe so it was resting on the back of his neck, his arms hanging off either side of it. “I never had much in the way of material wealth myself. Just a humble lumberjack.”

“And what about the immaterial?” Pyro asked. “Are you awash with knowledge?”

Owen’s laugh seemed a bit bitter. “More than I care for, honestly.”

The idle conversation lingered for quite some time as the three companions delved deeper into the dense forests of Oakhurst. They carefully crossed one of the weathered stepping-stone bridges leading into the dead wood, unfazed by the unsettling surroundings. If anything, Scott found himself to be oddly captivated by the dark, haunting atmosphere. It seemed appropriate, given the sinister plans he had in mind. As they moved forward, his stomach rumbled loudly, and he caught the faint scent of fresh blood flowing through the veins of his prey. The thirst within him grew stronger, gnawing at his self-control. 

Soon, something appeared as they reached the top of a hill. They could see an obelisk in the center of a deep valley. There was shallow water surrounding it, grey and still like the surroundings, and yet the power emanating from the obelisk felt holy in nature.

“Oh,” Pyro exclaimed upon seeing the structure. “I believe this is the obelisk that Pearl, Cleo, and Drift mentioned—the one they discovered and consecrated.” 

“Is that so?” Scott smirked, observing the area as the ideal spot to do what needed to be done. “Perhaps we should take a closer look. Ensure it doesn't require any additional consecration. We can't be sure if these things have an expiry date or some kind of limit.” 

“I’m all in,” Owen said, hopping down the hill and sliding swiftly along the slope toward the marsh. “Let’s go.”

The three made their way over to the obelisk, although Scott was not particularly pleased about trudging through the marsh. While the water was shallow, he was wearing a rather fine pair of leather boots. These boots were high-quality, so they wouldn't get completely soaked through, but now they're covered in marshy mud. He could have his new fledgling help clean them once this task was completed. 

For now, however, he ascended to the top of the obelisk, where the three spotted the beacon. It was glowing a bright orange, similar to how it appeared in town, and he couldn't help but sneer at it.

“Looks alright to me,” Pyro commented, coming to rest his hand on the beacon’s surface. “Yeah, full of holy energy. Come feel for yourself.”

Scott was hesitant to touch the sacred relic, yet he knew he couldn't afford to appear suspicious. Carefully, he reached out and gently placed his hand on the glowing beacon. Owen mirrored his action, and at that moment, something extraordinary began to unfold. A dark red energy seemed to radiate from their palms, flowing into the holy light, but only from their hands. Pyro, standing nearby, was unaffected by this phenomenon. Both Scott and Owen narrowed their eyes, their gaze fixed intently on the beacon, as the mysterious energy continued to swirl and pulse.

“Pyro?” Owen spoke up. “Could you take a few steps back for me?”

“Course!”

Without hesitation, Pyro withdrew his hand from the beacon and swiftly hopped down toward the small, rocky island where the Obelisk was resting. Once he was a safe distance away from the beacon, the wisps of red energy emanating from their palms began to coalesce into a more concentrated form at the center. Scott could feel his dark power actively desecrating the sacred beacon, a sensation both ominous and intense. Since Owen was managing to do exactly the same thing he was, it became painfully clear that he was not the only vampire lurking in Oakhurst. 

“Really?” Owen exhaled, meeting Scott’s gaze with a mixture of contempt and irritation. His brown eyes suddenly shifted to a piercing, brilliant red, exposing his true, supernatural nature. “Well, this complicates things.”

“Yeah,” Scott responded, clicking his tongue with a hint of amusement.

“What’s up…?” Pyro called out from his spot, waiting patiently.

“Nothing~!” Scott replied cheerfully, voice singing with playfulness.

“I just don’t like sharing, really,” Owen admitted, his eyes remaining locked on Scott.

“Yeah… Well, I was here first, so~” Scott flashed a mischievous grin.

“I think I was here first, actually,” Owen countered.

“I don’t know. I’ve been here a long time,” Scott mused.

“Ah~ 200 years,” Owen boasted.

“Ah~ That’s baby talk,” Scott teased.

Owen couldn’t help but sputter at that. “What- how can that be baby talk?!”

“I’ve actually been asleep for 600 years,” Scott revealed with a smirk.

“600…” Owen looked genuinely stunned, and Scott just chuckled, flashing his own red eyes and fangs.

At this point, Pyro was getting a little nervous about whatever was being talked about on top of that obelisk. He took a tentative step forward, even though his instincts screamed for him to do the opposite.

“Hey… What’s… What’s going on up there?”

Realization flashed across Owen’s face.

“Oh my Gosh, Goldsmythes! I knew it rang a bell!”

“Yeah…” Scott didn’t even try to hide his self-satisfied grin.

Owen groaned, rolling his head back before deftly dropping down from the obelisk. He landed like a gargoyle, letting his frustration drip from his voice.

“He’s been around here longer,” the lumberjack reluctantly admitted. “I suppose he takes claim.”

Scott gracefully stepped off the edge of the obelisk, landing with his back straight as he walked over to where Owen was perched. It was almost funny, seeing the younger vampire’s feral nature on display. He was practically a fledgling from how he was acting. And Pyro, sweet gullible Pyro, remained so blissfully ignorant, staring at the two vampires without even attempting to back away..

“Yeah, I get first dibs.”

“First dibs… on the beacon?” 

Pyro pointed back at the beacon with a trembling hand, one that Scott grabbed by the wrist, pulling him closer.

“First dibs on you, silly.”

Pyro tried to pull free, but Scott’s grip was like iron. He could feel the man’s pulse thudding beneath his skin, smell the sweat running down his back. It made the elder vampire’s mouth water, and it’s clear he wasn’t alone. Owen came up behind Pyro, wrapping an arm around his shoulder before using his other hand to pull his head back and to the side, exposing his neck.

“Can I… Can I just take a bit?” Scott was about to snap and say no outright, but one look at Owen’s wild, red eyes made it clear he was barely holding on by a thread. “I won’t be greedy, just a bit.”

“Fine,” Scott gave a dismissive wave, releasing Pyro’s wrist. “Just a bit. Oh, and that applies to the rest of the town, too. I’m not so selfish as to starve a fledgling.”

Owen’s eyes flashed at being called a fledgling, which was honestly quite cute. So many newly turned vampires try to be intimidating when it comes to food. Scott had turned enough people in his lifetime that he had seen it all, but didn’t expect to see it in a 200-year-old vampire. His story must be an interesting one.

While Scott contemplated his fellow vampire’s tale, Owen took full advantage of the invitation. His fangs came out, and he bit down on Pyro’s neck, draining the human for a good few seconds. It was loud and messy, which only showed Owen’s inexperience, and when he let go of his prey, Pyro had a massive, bloody bite mark on his neck. The human stumbled, clearly woozy as he clutched his neck, finally starting to panic.

“Ugh… I don’t… I don’t feel too…” Pyro coughed, looking up with wild, terrified eyes. “You just drained me.”

“I was feeding,” Owen countered, crossing his arms and leaning against the obelisk. “He’s all yours, Mr. Goldsmythe.”

Scott smirked, his eyes a solid red as he let his fangs show. “Indeed, he is.”

Survival instincts suddenly kicked in, and Pyro instinctively took off running at full speed. The marshy waters immediately slowed his progress, making each step heavier and more challenging to move forward, but he desperately pushed himself to reach the other side of the shore. Unfortunately for him, Scott's mighty leap quickly closed the distance, and before Pyro could react, the vampire's weight landed heavily on his back. The sudden surge of pressure caused him to lose his footing and tumble into the treacherous marshy waters. He let out a scream of panic as he was forcefully pulled back, his neck once again exposed.

“No, no! Vampire!” He felt fangs on his neck. “VAMPIRE!!”

Scott bit down hard, savoring the taste of human blood as he drained his victim of every last drop.

Chapter Text

Scott was kneeling before an iron chest concealed in one of the numerous secret rooms within his family's tomb. Although the castle had long since been destroyed and all its valuables lost to time, the manor lord had not existed for over a thousand years without maintaining a few hidden caches. These caches stored more than just valuables; they also held cherished keepsakes and a variety of outfits suited to any situation he might encounter. Having such supplies proved to be incredibly valuable now, especially considering his current predicament after turning Pyro.

Draining an entire human had boosted his strength, but it also caused a permanent change to his eyes. His normal blue was utterly gone, replaced by the piercing red of a vampire. Although only about two days had passed since everyone arrived in Oakhurst, he didn't want anyone to see his eyes and immediately think vampire. That's what brought him down to the tomb, digging through a chest of his old party clothes, looking for one specific item.

"This would go a lot faster if you would help me," Scott called out, not looking back at the young fledgling leaning against the opening of the chamber.

The person he was speaking with was Owen, who had chosen to accompany him back to his castle after they had dropped off Pyro at the town gate. The lumberjack appeared nearly amused by Scott's request, chuckling softly as he remained completely still.

"Yeah, not gonna happen." Owen lazily turned his head toward Scott, a bemused expression on his face. "I still can't believe you're a Goldsmythe. This place used to be yours."

"It still is mine, what do you mean?" Scott looked up, more than a little offended. "I mean, yeah, it's a bit of a dump now, but it's still mine. And I have every intention of rebuilding my castle. I need a few more fledglings to do my dirty work. Pyro was a start, but I'm going to need more."

"I suppose I could offer some assistance in that regard," Owen said, finally moving away from his place against the doorway. "It is kind of my fault it burnt down."

 Scott was momentarily confused before recalling the story Owen had shared on their first night in Oakhurst. Now, armed with more knowledge, he sensed there was more to that story than he had initially thought.

"Why is that? What's your story, Owen?" Scott paused his search, leaning against the iron chest to give the younger vampire his full attention. "Does it have anything to do with the good man you mentioned in your tale? The one the town killed that unleashed a monster?"

Owen's arms had remained crossed throughout this exchange, but at the mention of the good man, his nails clenched into the sleeves of his shirt, and his expression hardened into a grim line. Clearly, these were powerful emotions—emotions intensified by the vampiric blood coursing through his veins.

"Louis was more than a good man. He was the best of them. He was the first person to treat me like I mattered, like I wasn't some rotten thing to be cast aside." The lumberjack turned away, his voice low and quiet. "He's the one who turned me, offered me a life free of pain and suffering."

"Louis…" Scott mused over that name for a moment, realizing it was a familiar one. "I think I knew a Louis once. He was an odd one, preferring the blood of animals over humans. Honestly, the main reason I turned him was so I could have someone I trusted to keep the humans safe and fed."

"Well, he did a good job." Owen bared his teeth, showing his fangs. "And how did they repay that kindness? They framed him for dabbling in the occult, and then they burnt him at the stake."

"You cared a lot about him, didn't you?"

A single red tear traced its way down his cheek as Owen gave a slight nod. Scott acknowledged him with an equal nod before returning his focus to his search. He found it difficult to relate to the concept of loving one's sire. In truth, Scott didn't even remember who his sire was, having only seen him once in passing. 

That encounter took place in a tavern, where the young lord was in the midst of getting thoroughly wasted and reveling in the chaotic atmosphere. Out of nowhere, the man had approached him, offering a tempting proposition: to keep the party going for all eternity. Without hesitation, Scott had eagerly accepted. The idea was enticing—he was powerful, charismatic, and living life to its fullest. Why not extend that pleasure beyond a mortal lifespan? After all, who would want to grow old, with bones creaking under the weight of time or skin sagging into wrinkles and lines? No, thank you. Scott preferred the idea of an eternal life filled with elegance and beauty. So, he accepted the man's gift, and the next morning, the man vanished without a trace. Scott never saw him again and felt no desire to seek him out.

"Ah, here it is."

From the iron chest, Scott pulled out a beautiful skull-shaped masquerade mask. It was incredibly realistic and would cover the entire top half of his face. Everyone would be so focused on the mask that no one would look closer at his eyes. It was perfect. He slid it on, turning to face Owen. By now, the fledgling had wiped his tear away and was back to looking cold and indifferent.

"How do I look?"

 Seeing him, Owen smirked. "You're going to make Avid shit himself."

"Now that's just a bonus. I'm still more than a little salty about him accusing me of murder. I haven't killed anyone," he paused for a moment. "Yet."

"Got any more of those?" Owen asked, approaching the iron box. "I have a bit of an idea."

Scott grinned, which was only made scarier by the mask he wore. This was going to be fun.

Pyro was not having a good time. His neck ached, the world around him was overwhelming—so bright and loud—and he could hear the steady thumping of everyone's heartbeats. Even as he desperately tried to bury his head in his pillow to block out the noise, the sounds of the town persisted: people milling about, their movements loud and indistinct. He could hear Apo working diligently on her watchtower in the center of town, the clang of her tools echoing through the air. Nearby, he could hear Abolish working on a potato farm next to his house, the rhythmic sounds of a hoe piercing soil mixing with the faint rustling of leaves. And then there was the smell—thick and coppery—that seemed to seep from the veins of everyone around him, making his throat ache with a dull, persistent pain.

Unable to hide in bed any longer without raising suspicion, Pyro reluctantly stumbled out of his shared home. His steps were hurried and unsteady as he made a direct path toward the town gates. He knew he looked worse than usual—his appearance ragged and unkempt—despite having no reflection to confirm it. He could feel it in the hollowing of his face, the sunken cheeks that told of malnourishment and despair. His wild, unkempt eyes darted around anxiously, and his posture was no longer dignified but strained and frantic. The refined, noble image he once maintained seemed like a distant memory now. He feared that if he continued down this dark path, he might be reduced to some feral, uncontrollable creature. Most urgent of all, he knew he needed food—desperately, urgently—and he needed it now.

Walking through the dense woods surrounding Oakhurst, Pyro tried to appease his growing hunger by picking some fresh berries off a nearby bush. He remembered tasting their sweet flavor earlier—during his journey, they had been a small comfort. But now, tasting nothing but bitterness, they felt like ash on his tongue, and he couldn't help but spit them out. The act only intensified his hunger, and as he did, his vision blurred at the edges, turning red with the mounting bloodlust that threatened to overwhelm him. The hunger gnawed at him relentlessly, a primal instinct now ruling his senses as he pressed forward, desperate and unyielding.

"Young Pyro?"

The familiar, thick accent cut through the haze of bloodlust, though it didn't disappear completely. The former scholar blinked a few times, then turned his head toward where the voice had come from. There, he saw Renhardt in the middle of felling a few trees. He already had a healthy stack of wood nearby, and he almost looked like he was creating a small clearing for himself among the trees. Pyro didn't know much about architecture, but he recognized some stones set in a box shape that were clearly meant to serve as an outline.

"Renhardt," he called out, doing his best to try and sound casual. Unfortunately, he likely came across as more flighty and unstable than he intended.

"Ah, we be knownin' each other for a bit now. I see no need ta be keepin' up with all these formalities, doncha know. Ye can just be callin' be Ren. Tis what me friends be calling me."

"Ren. Okay, Ren." Pyro let his eyes glance around the clearing, half afraid somebody else would be nearby. He didn't know which would be scarier, a human seeing them or one of the vampires.

"Are ye well, lad?" Ren lowered his axe, eying the former scholar with concern. "Ye be lookin' a wee bit worse for wear. Did something happen?"

Images flashed through Pyro's mind—disjointed, fragmented, just out of reach. He recalled cold, dirty water sloshing around him; the crushing weight of Scott on his back; the savage teeth tearing into his throat. The vivid memory caused him to gasp involuntarily, his hand instinctively reaching to his neck, but he caught himself just in time. He knew he couldn't let anyone discover what he had truly become, not after everything.

"You could say that," he finally admitted, a faint, weary smile spreading across his face. "Rough night, mostly. Everything that happened with Shelby and..." A pair of red eyes and a sharp grin briefly flashed across his vision. "And Scott..."

"Aye," Ren nodded sympathetically. "'Tis a shame what happened that night, the accusations thrown about when naught was needed. I say, left a sour taste in me mouth, it did. I had nearly forgotten the sting of accusation, but that night brought back memories I had long hoped to let go of, doncha know."

"More than you might think…"

"Tis why I made the decision to leave Oakhurst."

Pyro's head shot up, turning to Ren with a stunned expression. "Wait, you're leaving Oakhurst? Like, to hit the road again? '

“Nay, nay!” Ren quickly held up a hand to pacify the startled man. "Beggin' yer pardon, I misspoke. I be simply building a new home for meself here in the woods. I shall still be part of Oakhurst, but will spend me nights in the peaceful solitude I have grown accustomed to upon me travels."

"Oh," Pyro breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, good. Had me worried there. Just be careful."

"Aye, and the same ta ye, young Pyro. And if ya ever be needin' a friendly ear, my door be always open for ye. That be a promise."

Pyro sensed a shift when Ren uttered those words. Then it suddenly became clear to him: according to legend, vampires are not allowed to enter any home unless they receive explicit permission—an invitation. And Ren had just extended a blanket invitation into his house, one he could not take back. The implications of this realization were staggering, especially considering Pyro's current state of starvation, which clouded his judgment and amplified the gravity of the moment.

"Thanks, Ren," he managed to let out, taking a few steps back. He could already feel the red creeping into the corners of his vision. "I better get going. Need to… find some food before the House Judging Contest this afternoon."

"Aye, be seein' ye soon, laddie."

With a hasty nod, Pyro took off before he did something he wasn't sure he'd regret.

With morning approaching, Cleo led a group into the forest. Shelby had reported finding another Beacon near the lake, and they wanted to consecrate it quickly. None of them knew what caused the red beacon that appeared the other night, but they instinctively avoided risking another one and were wary of such a thing. So, she, Apo, Mr. M, and Martyn all left at dawn, heading straight for the lake beacon. When they crossed the water, they each placed a hand on the white beacon to consecrate it, though Mr. M leaned on it instead, pulling out a notebook and pen from his cloak.

"All right," Mr. M said aloud as he opened the notebook. "So, we've found the beacon in town; Cleo, you, Drift, and Pearl found one in an obelisk. Then there was the one in the creepy castle you guys found, and now the lake one from Shelby. Am I missing any of them?"

"That's all the ones we found so far," Cleo answered, mentally double-checking before nodding. "Avid hypothesizes that there are seven of them, so hypothetically, we've got about three more to find." 

"Sorry, but are we really believing the crazy vampire fanatic?" Martyn asked, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I mean, this is the same guy who has been posting signs all over our houses and throwing garlic at us for the past two days. And need I remind you, he's the one who accused a man of murder and threatened him with a wooden stake."

"I think I agree with Martyn on this one," Apo said. "I don't trust Avid as far as I can throw him, and frankly, after what happened last night, I'm not exactly eager to spend any more time thinking about him." 

"As the doc said, even a broken clock is right twice a day," Cleo countered. "And you can't deny that consecrating these beacons has been beneficial to us. We've all felt healthier and stronger because of them, so there must be a reason behind it."

Apo grumbled under her breath, but couldn't argue with that. "Fine…"

Martyn suggested, "Do you think we should create a detailed map?" He paused thoughtfully before continuing. "We could mark all the locations and note exactly where they are. That way, we'll have a clear idea of their positions, especially in case one of them turns red again."

"Honestly, having a map of the area would be a good idea," Apo chimed in, a bit more chipper. "I'll see what I can do about getting one started. We could even add all the crypts, too."

"Oh, that reminds me," M chimed in, brightening. "Remember how Ren and I found out that all the crypts get new books come morning? We should check out the nearby crypts to see if we can find some new ones."

"We'll add it to the list," Cleo told him. "But we need to get back by this afternoon."

"Right, the contest," Martyn recalled, cracking a smile. "I bet ten silver Avid makes it about vampires somehow."

Everyone snorted at that, the sound lightening the mood just as the Lake Beacon finally turned, sending a powerful wave of holy energy sweeping across the land. In that instant, everyone present felt a surge of strength, making the victory all the more encouraging. With renewed determination, they pulled away from the beacon and turned their gaze toward the horizon, ready for what lay ahead.

"Alright," Cleo began. "I think we have time for one crypt before we should head back. Let's make it count."

With some slight cheers, the four descended the lake tower to find their beacon.

Avid and Drift wandered through the dense forest, leisurely strolling to pass the time before the afternoon's House Judging contest. Beyond simply killing time, they longed for some fresh air, especially since the atmosphere in town had become noticeably strained after the events of the previous night. Although Avid remained deeply suspicious that Scott might be a vampire, he was also painfully aware that he had overreacted last night. His behavior had been irrational and was likely to have alienated most of Oakhurst with his reckless stunt. He knew he needed to step back, mend fences, and earn back the trust he might have lost.

"Avid…" Drift's voice was hesitant, as if she were afraid to speak up.

"Before you say anything, I'm well aware that I fucked up," Avid interrupted, his voice low and tinged with regret. "You tried to stop me, but I was too irrational, and I couldn't even apologize properly when I was caught." 

Drift looked surprised at the admission, but he gave a reassuring squeeze to the vampire hunter's shoulder. "I'm glad you recognize that, and I do agree you went a little overboard. However, I was actually going to say something else."

 Avid turned toward his roommate, paying close attention to her as she fidgeted nervously, her hands trembling slightly as she clasped the hem of her Detective cloak. 

"Drift? Are you okay?" he asked gently, concern evident in his voice.

She looked up, trying to appear confident but betraying her nervousness. "I'm fine," she assured him, though her tone lacked conviction. "It's just... You know how Scott Owen and Pyro went out in the middle of the night last night?"

Avid nodded slowly. "Yeah, Scott went to cool off, and Owen and Pyro went after him. What about it?"

She hesitated for a moment, then rubbed the back of her head, her fingers nervously playing with her hair. "Well," she began cautiously, "they didn't come back last night. Well, Scott didn't. Owen only stayed long enough to drop Pyro off before disappearing, just like he often does. But here's the strange part."

Avid suddenly halted, his body tightening as a mix of nervousness and curiosity grew inside him. He stared at her intently. 

"Drift, what did you see?"

"Pyro looked... I don't really know, but he didn't seem right. He appeared kind of ill," Drift replied, his brow furrowing. "He wouldn't talk about what happened or why Owen just dropped him off. Instead, he went straight home. I'm a little worried that something might have happened to him while he was out."

Avid's eyes widened in shock at her words, the implications hitting him hard. "You think Scott might have hurt him?" he asked, voice trembling slightly.

"That's a possibility," Drift said thoughtfully. "I'm still not entirely convinced about the whole vampire thing, but I have to admit that I don't think Scott is fully stable. I don't trust him, and I'm starting to lose trust in Owen as well."

The weight of her words sank in, leaving Avid's mind racing as he put together the pieces of the puzzle that were finally falling into place.

"Now that you mention it," Avid said quietly, "I think Owen mentioned that he used to live here as a kid, but he left around 30 or 40 years ago. When you look at that man, tell me—do you really believe he's only 40 to 50 years old? There's no way. He looks like he's barely older than I am." 

"Regardless," Drift continued, "we need to be a bit more cautious when it comes to Owen and Scott. Keep a close watch on them, and make sure they don't do anything that could be dangerous or that might put others at risk." 

"We should also try to talk to Pyro. See if we can get him to open up about what happened. If Scott and Owen are vampires, he's probably aware of it. They may have fed on him, which could explain why he looked so unwell." 

"We can try," Drift said softly, turning to look up toward where the pathway ended. "For now, let's see if we can find a book inside this crypt—perhaps we can find something useful." 

"Useful what?" Owen's voice called out, echoing from somewhere nearby.

Avid barely held back a scream as he turned toward the crypt they were approaching. He grabbed Drift's hand, his grip tight—probably more than it should be—but it was the only way he knew to stay calm under the circumstances. Standing atop the crypt, perched like a cat or a gargoyle, was Owen. He had something tucked under his arm, but Avid kept his eyes locked on the man's face rather than whatever he was holding.

"Are you here looking for something?" Owen asked, sounding oddly nonchalant for the way he was staring the two down.

"Oh, just doing a crypt raid," Avid quickly explained, forcing a smile onto his face. "You know, before the contest?"

"Oh yeah, Mr. M is pretty excited about that," Owen replied, straightening up and almost strutting down the stone steps of the crypt. "He worked really hard on our house. I was more of a gatherer and manager than anything, but I still think our house turned out good."

"Oh, totally," Drift agreed, nodding a bit harder than normal. "I'm sure you guys will get a super high score."

"I'm sure we will. Anyway, if you're looking for the book here, I already found it." Owen reached under his arm, pulling out a shimmering book with golden letters on the cover. "Sadly, I already have this one. If you want it, you can have it."

"Really?" Drift let out, genuinely surprised. "Thanks, Owen!"

Owen smirked and tossed the book at her, which she fumbled with before catching it. Avid stepped closer, taking a look at the cover.

"Enlightened Eye…" he read.

"Yeah," Owen nodded. "It enhances a person's vision, letting them see better, farther, and even in the dark."

"Ooh, that means I won't need my monocle anymore!" Drift cheered. "Awesome!"

Drift gently opened the ancient, leather-bound book, and instantly she was enveloped in a blinding, radiant light. Both Avid and Owen instinctively raised their hands to shield their eyes from the intense flash, their faces bathed in its glow. Drift's gaze remained fixed on the book as an ominous whisper echoed through the air, signaling the activation of its mysterious magic. As the brilliance gradually faded, the book appeared to dissolve into countless shimmering particles of light, which floated effortlessly into the surrounding ether, vanishing from sight. When the dazzling display finally ceased, Drift blinked slowly, her vision clearing, and she carefully removed her monocle, adjusting to the now dimmer surroundings.

"Whoa… my eyes really are enlightened. I can see much clearer now!"

"Cheers," Owen said, patting her on the back. "Happy to help. See you back in town." 

And just as quickly as he appeared, the lumberjack was gone. Avid and Drift watched him go, unsure of what to make of what just happened.

"That was weird, right?" Avid asked.

"Oh, totally weird," Drift agreed. "But for now, we should head back. It's almost time for the contest."

Martyn was staring at the book his group had found in the crypt they had been exploring, unsure what to make of it. The book was titled "Holy Word," which was a little on the nose, considering who was believed to be replacing these books every morning. However, it was the subtitle that made Martyn pause, which read, "Speak thine holy syllable and hold steadfast all vampires within thine sight." He wasn't the most steadfast believer in the supernatural, but he couldn't deny that something was happening. Having a divine book practically confirming that there was something out there that bumped in the night put him on edge.

"Hey, M," he called out, watching the author emerging from the town crypt with a book of his own. "What do you make of this?"

"I don't know," M admitted, leaning over Martyn's shoulder to look at the book cover. "Cleo said that she thought Avid wrote it."

"Yeah, there's no way that guy wrote some strange holy books and has just been running around replacing them in different crypts." Martyn glanced at the book M had found. "What did you find?" 

"Oh, this one's called 'Shoulder Barge.' It apparently allows me to 'knock thine enemies prone with thy blessed strength.' Pretty sweet, huh?"

Martyn narrowed his eyes, feeling his suspicions intensify. The books they had found earlier dealt with locating more ores or enhancing crop growth. Now, they were discovering texts about freezing vampires or rendering enemies prone? This marked a significant shift, and Martyn couldn't shake the feeling that it was an ominous sign. Was... was Avid actually right? Are vampires truly present in Oakhurst?

Knowing he needed proof to confirm anything, Martyn opened the book, letting the light wash over him as The Whispers of the holy word filled his mind. He felt the book disintegrating in his hands; its knowledge fully absorbed by him as it disappeared into the ether. As the lights faded, Martyn blinked softly, banishing spots from his vision as he mulled over his new power.

"M, I need you to do me a favor." Martyn turned to the author, who was just finishing his own book. "Today, during the house judging contest, I'm going to use this holy word thing. I want you to help me keep an eye out for anyone who suddenly stops moving. Can you do that for me?"

"Oh, absolutely," M promised, giving an eager nod. "I can even shoulder-barge them if I need to. Make sure they're really frozen."

"I don't think we need to go that far." Martyn paused as he said that. "Not yet, at least. I don't even know if this will work, or how it works for that matter, so we need to be careful. Just see who doesn't move, make a note of them, and we'll work from there."

"You can count on me." M put a hand to his chest, straightening up proudly. "I'll make sure we know exactly who the vampires are."

~\~/~

Scott strolled confidently into Oakhurst, ensuring his mask was securely in place. He observed that the townspeople had already begun to gather in the town square, presumably for Avid's house judging contest. He could even see the man himself starting to gather everyone together, a wide grin spreading across his face as he did so. The manor lord approached from behind the vampire hunter, with a few onlookers noticing him. After exchanging surprised glances, they stayed silent, waiting for him to come closer. Scott caught sight of Shelby trying to stifle a giggle behind her hand as he positioned himself directly behind Avid.

"Alright, everyone!" Avid declared, utterly oblivious to the vampire standing behind him. "Are we all excited for this contest? I know I am!"

There were a few mild cheers from the crowd, but most of the attention was on Scott, who discreetly placed a finger to his lips to signal silence. After rallying the group and building anticipation, Avid turned around. Instantly, his eyes locked onto Scott, and upon noticing the skull mask, Avid let out an ear-piercing scream. He lost his balance, falling flat on his backside while continuing to scream uncontrollably. The spectators, who had been eagerly awaiting that exact moment, burst into hysterical laughter. Even the Doctor and Abolish couldn't help but crack smiles at the spectacle.

"Scott?!" Avid exclaimed, his heart beating so loud that Scott was sure the humans could hear it. "Scott, what the hell?! Where have you been? And where did you get that?!"

"What, this old thing?" Scott tapped the side of his mask with a grin. "I wore it to a masquerade ball a long time ago. I needed to teach you a lesson for your little accusation yesterday, so now you can expect to see this face lurking around every corner, peering in every window. Whenever you turn around, I'll be there, watching."

"Oh, that is too good," Martyn chuckled. "Wish I had one, that sounds hilarious."

Scott's face split into a broad grin as he quietly appreciated Owen's foresight earlier. With a swift motion, he unbuttoned his coat, reached inside, and retrieved several additional masks of a similar style. As he revealed them, he couldn't help but notice Avid's soul seemingly leaving his body, probably imagining the horrors he might have unleashed upon himself. Martyn was the first to reach out and take one of the masks, quickly followed by Mr. M and Shelby. Honestly, seeing his roommate wearing her mask with her glasses perched over it was unexpectedly adorable, and he found himself unable to resist a soft coo.

"Shelby, you look so cute."

"Aww, thank you," Shelby gushed, clearly blushing under the mask.

"You think that's cute?" Pearl seemed to be smirking, then she reached down for something at her feet. At first, Scott saw nothing, but then as she made a scooping motion, something began to manifest: an ashy, translucent kitten that let out an echoing meow as it curled up in Pearl's arms. "Meet Oscar. He's a ghost cat."

Everyone immediately swarmed Pearl and her new ghostly pet, though Scott had to blink in surprise at the sight of it. That cat had been in his family some time ago—one that had been particularly precious and was cremated after it reached its lifespan. In fact, those ashes had still been in his crypt when he woke up. 

Scott had no illusion that the sanctity of his family's tomb had been recognized or respected, especially after he saw all of the empty resting places and missing sarcophagi. Honestly, he was surprised that his coffin hadn't been stolen. Granted, it was quite literally carved into the ground. Despite everything, he believed there was nothing else worth taking. Yet, somehow, Pearl managed to discover the one remaining item of value that had been left out in the open.

Regardless, that was a problem to be dealt with another day. From what was observable, Oscar seemed quite content with the current situation. His resonant purrs clearly expressed his satisfaction. If Oscar liked Pearl, then it might be worth considering turning her into a vampire as well. He had always been a good judge of character.

"Okay, okay," Avid interjected, finally standing back up. "Honestly, I deserve all of this, and Pearl, that is a very cute and kind of creepy pet that you have acquired."

"Oscar's not creepy!" Pearl held her ethereal feline close to her chest, stroking its ashy head as it meowed. "He's a little cutie pie!"

"Yeah, sure, he's a little cutie pie." Avid turned away from Pearl and faced Scott again. He seemed to have trouble looking Scott in the eye, which worked out perfectly for the Manor Lord vampire. "Listen, Scott. I wanted to apologize for what happened last night. I was out of line, and I shouldn't have said what I said."

"You're not forgiven," Scott said, crossing his arms.

"Fair!" Avid held up his hands. "More than fair. Anyway! Shall we get started on this thing? M, Owen, how about you start us off?"

Mr. M was more than eager to show off the house he had been working on for the past few days, inviting everyone in to see his modestly furnished home and all the hard work he put into it. Scott couldn't help but notice how nice it was, although he still missed the grand opulence of his castle. He really needed to get some more fledglings to rebuild it. He enjoyed his time with Shelby, especially how she would playfully tease Avid while wearing her borrowed mask, but he didn't know how long he could last living in such a tiny hovel.

"All right, all right," Avid called out as everyone filed out of Mr. M's home. "So, for this competition, I had a unique rating criterion in mind. Rather than focusing on beauty or building techniques, I was thinking we could grade homes based on vampire safety."

Immediately, his declaration was met with a loud chorus of groans and annoyed head shakes. Scott also had to roll his eyes at that. This man just never gives up, and he's just digging his own grave at this point. It was almost sad, but also quite amusing. 

So, Mr. M, Owen, I give your house a 5 out of 5 for vampire safety. You've got a solid foundation, all your windows are barred, and you are perfectly safe from vampires.

Owen smirked at that last comment, his expression slightly teasing as he tried not to reveal his fangs. Scott noticed the subtle attempt, knowing that revealing the truth about who was a vampire to Avid would be an exhilarating moment—one that would be so much fun once they finally decided to stop playing pretend.

The next house they moved into was the one Avid and Drift shared, a place humorously and somewhat derisively called Merp Manor. Scott couldn't decide what offended him more: the audacity of calling this rundown shack a manor, or the blatant favoritism Avid showed toward his own house. Clearly, he needed to teach the fool a lesson.

Stepping back to the rear of the crowd, Scott quickly released a flurry of bats into the air, sending them scattering among the gathered people. Instantly, chaos erupted as everyone panicked, swatting and shouting to scare the bats away. Scott instinctively pulled Shelby close, as if to shield her from the swarm, wrapping his cloak securely around her to secure his innocence.

"What is this bat infestation?" he accused, turning to glare at Avid, who was humorously trying to swat at one of the bats with a stick. "We've been here a few days, and you already have animals living in your home?" 

"I don't know where these came from!" Avid shrieked, continuing to wave his stick at a rather unamused bat. "They're not from our house!" 

"The Vampire Hunter with a bat infestation in his attic," Martyn groused, throwing a rock at one of the bats and missing by a mile. "I don't think your house is very vampire-safe." 

"1 out of 5!" Mr. M cheered, taking a break from waving his notebook at one of the bats to start that particular chant. "1 out of 5! 1 out of 5!"

After about a minute or two of pure chaos, during which bats darted in all directions and flitted around wildly, the last of them finally took flight, hopefully heading to somewhere safer than Oakhurst. Everyone around was panting slightly from exertion, catching their breath after the frantic disturbance. At last, Scott released Shelby from his hold. She was smiling at him as if he had just saved her life, her eyes shining with relief and gratitude. Scott gently ruffled her hair, his smile softening as he watched her look so adorable with her excitement. Avid, meanwhile, was doing his best to remain composed. He dusted himself off, tossed his stick aside with a resigned sigh, and then cleared his throat, trying to regain some semblance of calm amidst the aftermath of the chaos.

"Okay, I don't know what that was, but you know what? We'll take the 1 out of 5. Let's move on."

The next house on the tour was the one owned by Dr. Legundo. Unfortunately, the doctor hadn't quite finished renovating his home yet. Most of the ceiling was still open to the air, and the windows lacked bars, leaving them unprotected. Scott had to admit, however, that the interior was quite impressive. He had laid down some cobblestone for the flooring and was already in the process of setting up counter space and storage for his supplies. Once completed, this house would make a rather nice clinic. 

"Sorry, Doc," Avid said, looking the house up and down. "But I don't think you could even call this a home right now. It's got no ceiling, and the windows are wide open. That's only a 2 out of 5 for vampire safety."

The doc didn't seem all that upset about his low score. His focus seemed to be on looking over everyone after the bat incident, making sure no one got scratched or hurt. Thankfully, everyone was okay. Meanwhile, the next house on the list belonged to Cleo and Pearl. Scott had to admit that theirs was a very attractive home, featuring large windows and a row of berry bushes planted beneath them. Of course, everyone around began looking inside and freely entering, much to the frustration of one of the house matriarchs.

"Hey!" Cleo shouted as she pushed her way through the crowd, trying to get into her house. "No one invited you in here! Leave!"

Scott, for obvious reasons, was not part of that crowd. Neither were Owen nor Pyro, also for obvious reasons. The elder vampire took this opportunity to take a closer look at his fledgling. He could recognize the shiftiness in Pyro's stance, the way he kept eyeing everyone but couldn't decide who he wanted to feast on. Clearly, his fledgling was not eating properly, and he would soon come to regret that. Once this was over, Scott probably needed to get himself something to eat before he ended up spilling the beans to everyone.

"Well, this is going downhill fast," Drift said, leaning against the wall of the former church, now a half-finished watchtower. "I was hoping this house judging contest would bring everyone together, but it feels like it's just tearing us apart even more." 

"Maybe if Avid hadn't turned this into another one of his vampire propaganda campaigns, it might have," Owen remarked. "Seriously, what kind of criteria is vampire safety? He just didn't want to admit that M and I have the best house in this entire town." 

"I'd have to disagree on that," Mr. M chimed in, the mask he had been wearing earlier now resting on the side of his head. "Our house is good, don't get me wrong, but I really like Cleo and Pearls. It feels big, cozy, and homey—"

"All right! Murder it is! Everybody run!"

This shout came from Cleo, and when all eyes turned to her, they saw the farmer wielding Pearl's sword, looking ready to cut someone's head off. Of course, everyone who had been in her house uninvited quickly scattered, eager to get away from the irate woman. Pearl was doing absolutely nothing to stop her; in fact, from the smirk on her face, there was a very good chance she had given Cleo that sword. It made Scott honestly grateful that he had been unable to join in that particular escapade. Thankfully, Cleo did not seem to be targeting the entire town, just the few people who had been dumb enough to enter her home—and Avid, who had been dumb enough to come up with this entire idea.

"You do not just storm into a person's house without being invited!" she shouted, waving her sword at Avid, who was cowering behind a tree. "Seriously, were you raised in a barn?!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! You're right, that wasn't polite, I really shouldn't have done that! Please don't kill me!" Cleo was still visibly fuming but lowered her sword. Avid slowly stepped out from behind the tree, clearing his throat. "All right, so unfortunately, because of the large windows, I'm going to have to give this house a 3 out of 5 for Vampire safety." 

"Excuse me?!" Cleo raised her sword once more. "Care to try that again?" 

Avid went pale, tugging on the linens around his throat. "Did I say 3? I meant 4-" Cleo raised the sword higher, "5! 5 out of 5! Their house gets a 5 out of 5!"

~\~/~

Things became somewhat chaotic after that incident. Avid decided to take a break from judging the contest to explore the town's crypt and found an Unnatural Haste book hidden in a chest. Recognizing its potential usefulness, he immediately consumed it, instinctively knowing that such speed could help him in the future. Then, the judging continued with the housing contest. The subsequent evaluation was of Scott and Shelby's house, which received a score of 3 out of 5, mainly because of their glass windows and the back door Scott had installed. (the silver was still underneath the front door, and he still needed a proper way to access his own home.)

Following this, Avid attempted to question Scott about the events of the previous night involving his outing with Pyro and Owen. Scott, displaying his usual calm and unflappable demeanor, easily deflected the questions. Seeing this as his opportunity, Martyn noticed that everyone was so preoccupied with Scott and Avid that they scarcely paid attention to him. Seizing the moment, he subtly slipped into the center of the group and quietly muttered a sacred word, beginning to enact his plans.

“Sanctuarium…”

The moment those words left his lips, an aura of light exploded from around his feet. It swept over the ground, covering several meters in front of him. Everyone was utterly shocked by what they saw, with stunned shouts filling the air as they tried to escape the light. Hoping to encourage movement—and to see if anyone didn't—Martyn urged everyone to try to get away, watching to see who moved and who didn't.

Surveying the crowd, Martyn noticed two things that made him hesitate. First, Shelby stayed exactly where she was, looking around but not rushing like everyone else. Second, Scott also remained in his spot, perched on the roof and gazing down at the fading particles of light still shimmering. He was too far to see clearly, but Martyn was sure he saw some of those light particles curling around Scott's ankles like ethereal manacles. Sadly, the light disappeared as quickly as it arrived, leaving everyone stunned.

"What was that?" Apo exclaimed, glancing around nervously. "Who did that?" 

"Avid, was that you?" Cleo accused, eyes narrowing. The vampire hunter was quick to deny, "Trust me, I'm just as confused as the rest of you!" He raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Does someone have a new weird power they want to talk about?"

Martyn kept quiet, unsure of what to make of the results. Clearly, he had done something when he muttered the holy word, but he wasn't sure whether it had worked; he would need to test it a few more times before he could be entirely sure. At the very least, he confirmed that he could, in fact, do something. More than that, he had a few suspects.

"Someone?" Avid pressed, seeking answers. "Does anyone have anything they want to say?"

"I've got something to say," Owen piped up, crossing his arms. "What exactly is going on here? That felt really strange — like someone just dropped a holy bomb on us."

"Look, whatever happened, it's faded now," Pearl interjected. "For the moment, why don't we try to finish this contest, okay?"

There were murmurs of agreement as everyone attempted to move past what had occurred earlier. Martyn also chose to leave the matter behind, knowing he needed to avoid drawing any more attention to himself.

~\~/~

Thankfully, the rest of the house judging contest was uneventful. Ren's house was given a 4 out of 5, mainly because he had a back door. Ren explained his case, saying in his own way that his tavern should have a back door for deliveries and the occasional overzealous patron who couldn't hold their liquor. Sadly, the score stayed the same.

Martyn achieved the highest score, receiving 6 out of 5 for the sign he posted on his door. The sign read "No Visitors Welcome," clearly indicating that absolutely no one was allowed entry, especially vampires. Martyn accepted this verdict with enthusiasm, feeling quite proud of having somehow surpassed the usual scoring scale.

Pyro and Apo's house was next on the list, and it drew quite a few complaints about the state of their flooring, which was still predominantly mud and grass. Although there had been some attempts to install proper flooring, the house remained a mess—quite literally a pigsty. Truffle had his own fenced-off area tucked into the corner, and nearby, there was a hole filled with pigs. Everyone burst into laughter when Avid accidentally fell into the pig hole, and the laughter only grew when Apo teased the vampire hunter about training Truffle to sniff out vampires. They received a rating of 4 out of 5.

Finally, Abolish had his turn to be judged. His house was undoubtedly one of the finest structures, featuring a second story, a small cultivated field with potatoes and garlic, and windows that were perfectly barred to ensure security. He received a perfect score of 5 out of 5; however, the butler rolled his eyes, clearly displaying his impatience. It was evident to everyone that he had long since grown weary of this competition.

"All right, everyone, gather around," Avid called out, clearing his throat to capture everyone's attention as they formed a loose circle around him. "This has been quite an eventful competition, to say the least, but I believe we have a clear winner. With the highest score for Vampire safety, the prize goes to Martin." The group responded with polite applause as the announcement was made, and Martin offered a slight shrug before turning towards Avid.

"So, what did I win?" he asked, his curiosity evident.

The expression of sheer panic that flashed across the face of the vampire hunter was almost as amusing as the pig hole incident itself. His eyes darted frantically as he patted down his pockets, desperately searching for anything that could serve as a prize.

"Uh, what did you win? That's a very good question and one I definitely considered," Avid stammered, his brows furrowing slightly. Suddenly, he retrieved something from his pocket, and his face lit up with a bright smile.

"Your prize, Martin, is… garlic seeds!" he announced enthusiastically, holding out a handful of seeds as if they were precious gold. Of course, this earned more scoffs and eye rolls from the others, yet Martin graciously accepted the seeds.

"Honestly, you know what? I wouldn't mind growing some more of this stuff," he said, pocketing the garlic seeds with a thoughtful expression. He made a mental note to set up a small garden patch later, especially if there really were vampires lurking in town. Having some garlic on hand could be a valuable form of protection. "I humbly accept."

"Right," Owen said finally, letting out a sigh as he clapped his hands together in a somewhat dismissive gesture. "Well, that's one day of my life I'll never get back. If anyone needs me, I'll be trying to forget any of this ever happened. G'night." 

He gave a two-fingered salute, a quick farewell, then turned on his heel and strode off toward his house, his shoulders slightly slumped in resignation. Everyone else followed not long after, their expressions a mix of exhaustion and frustration, clearly eager to leave the day's events behind and forget it ever occurred.

Chapter Text

The morning after the house-judging contest, everyone seemed eager to get something productive done. They had spent a whole day at an event that many thought was a big waste of time, and half the town hadn't wanted to join in from the start. As a result, each person had their own ideas about what to do next. 

Cleo was already gathered with a small group of girls who called Oakhurst home. They were planning a girls' trip into the woods to explore, gather resources, and basically escape the chaos of the male population of Oakhurst. Pearl, in particular, hoped to find more crypts to explore, mainly because she owed Ren a spell book. He had shown her an Unnatural Haste spell book he found and asked her to read it since he couldn't read. Not knowing how spell books work, she accidentally absorbed the knowledge herself, leaving him without magic. She felt bad and wanted to fix things, which fit well with the others, who were more than eager to expand their own personal spell collections with any magical books they could find.

The men of Oakhurst were making similar plans, with several of them wanting to get supplies and others hoping to find more spell tomes or beacons of their own. There was also a pronounced and urgent need for more animals, as the current occupancy of the Oakhurst animal pens consisted of only a few pigs and a pair of sheep. Pyro found himself particularly drawn to that mission, his thirst almost overwhelming. 

While everyone was busy making plans about their next moves, Avid was approached by Ren. The older man appeared slightly nervous as he approached the vampire hunter, his gaze flickering with a shifty quality that betrayed the anxiety he was experiencing.

"Young Avid," the cursed man greeted. "Perhaps I could borrow ya ear for a wee moment?"

Avid nodded, not sure what this was about, but more than willing to accommodate someone who was willingly talking to him. Ren led him over to his home/tavern, inviting him in so they could speak in relative privacy. They sat at the rudimentary counter Ren had set up, perched on simple stools as the older man seemed to gather his thoughts.

"You know, I know I gave this place a 4 out of 5 for vampire safety, but this is a rather cozy place to be. Honestly, I'm looking forward to seeing it up and running."

"Aye," Ren nodded slightly. "Speaking of vampires, I find meself a wee bit… nay, not a wee bit, extremely disturbed by all this talk of vampires about the town these last few nights. What ye did ta Mr. Goldsmythe in regards to Young Shelby…" The older man shook his head. "I'd be lyin' if I said it didn't sour me opinion of ye."

Avid shrank into his stool at that, bracing himself for yet another lecture. He'd lost count of how many he'd received since coming here.

"But…" That made Avid perk, "when ya hear someone talkin' about somethin' scary, they're either talkin' nonsense and shenanigans, or there be some sort of truth to their words."

Avid felt a sudden surge of relief washing over him. It wasn't full belief, but there was a willingness to listen. He practically sagged on his stool, reaching out for rent and placing his hands on top of the older man's shoulders.

"Thank you…"

"Young Avid, what brings ye to Oakhurst? And why are ye talkin' about vampires all the time, doncha know?"

Avid hesitated briefly, unsure if he wanted to share the entire story. His neck ached slightly, serving as a subtle reminder of the part of the story he hadn't told anyone yet—not even Shelby. Still, if he wanted to earn Ren's trust, he needed to be honest and open about everything.

"Ren, somebody… important to me… was turned by something that came from here."

"Turned?" Ren repeated, his tone laced with shock.

"Turned." Avid's fists clenched around the fabric of his trousers. "She and I were a team. I was the guy in the lab, doing all the alchemy, science, and discovery. She was the field agent, the-the braver one. And one day, she came back to the lab, and she was... wrong. She had a bite on her hand, and after barely a minute, she... she changed. I knew that whatever bit her came from here, so that's why I'm here. I came to avenge her, to make sure that what happened to her, what happened to me, doesn't happen to anyone else."

"And… ye be sure it's vampires?"

"I'm almost positive," Avid answered, looking Ren dead in the eyes. "My gut is telling me that's what it is, and I learned long ago to trust my gut."

Ren was silent for a moment, turning toward the empty counter like he was looking for a drink that wasn't there.

"Well, that be a most disturbing tale indeed, Young Avid. Tell me, do ye know how to combat such a threat? Ye said so yerself ye were not a man of action, but a man of intellect."

Avid immediately took Ren's hand in his own, nodding enthusiastically.

"Yes, I know plenty of ways to fight vampires. First of all, garlic. There's a reason I've been making sure everyone has some. If you eat raw garlic, it will protect you from vampires for at least a little while. They can try to bite you, but they won't be able to turn you. Always keep some handy, and it will keep you safe."

Ren nodded in agreement, reaching for a small sack that was hanging from his hip. The way it crinkled when he picked it up made it clear it was full of garlic. It reassured Avid to know that someone was taking him seriously, even if he hadn't yet fully believed him.

"Secondly, silver. They can't touch it; it repels them and weakens them. Hanging silver over your door or placing it in front of it will keep them from entering your home. Oh, also, they cannot enter your home without an invitation, but having that silver would still be beneficial. Say, like if you accidentally invited a vampire in before you knew they were one—if you have that silver, you can keep them out and keep yourself safe."

"Aye, I be seein' the wisdom in that. Lucky for us, these lands be rich in silver, and we be already arming ourselves with it."

"Good! Good!" Avid was grinning now. "Armor, weapons, blocks everywhere. Ren, you have no idea how happy this makes me."

He was just about to hug the older man when he heard a knock at the door. He jumped, looking through the window to see Scott standing at the entrance. He was still wearing that stupid skull mask and was smirking as he looked through the window at the vampire hunter.

"There you are, Avid," the blue-haired noble called out. "We're about to go on a group expedition, and we wanted to invite you to join us. You too, Ren, if you'd like to come."

"Ah, an expedition sounds like a fine time, doncha know," Ren replied, much to Avid's horror. "I be needin' more supplies ta be finishin' me home, so I humbly accept your invitation, Mr. Goldsmythe."

"Uh… yeah!" Avid agreed, albeit reluctantly. "Yeah, an expedition sounds great! We'll be there soon!"

"Great!" Scott flashed a wide grin before dramatically turning on his heels with a flourish of his cape. "We'll be waiting."

One crucial ground rule had been established for the girls' trip organized by four of the five women from Oakhurst: Shelby was strictly forbidden from discussing Bigfoot. She agreed to this condition without hesitation, honestly just eager to enjoy quality time with people who truly wanted to be with her. So far, it has been proving to be an enjoyable experience. They had been exploring extensively throughout the forests of Oakhurst, even daring to venture deep into the mysterious Deadwood. Along their journey, they discovered several of the unusual crypts scattered across the landscape, each one containing a different, intriguing book.

One of the first things they did was take another look at the ruined castle and the massive tomb beneath it. Unfortunately, there were no signs of any magical tomes, which was quite disappointing. Now expecting it, the girls were at least able to approach the open sarcophagus without completely freaking out, and got a closer look. Unfortunately, this only revealed that the crypt was empty and whatever had been here was long gone—stuff they already knew. By that point, the uneasiness in the area had set in, and they quickly left.

 Their next stop was a crypt not far from the castle, where Shelby discovered an Unnatural Haste book, which she readily accepted. The enhanced speed granted by this book would ensure that, should she ever encounter any object or entity—though she did not specify what exactly—it would be easy for her to catch up to it. Alternatively, she would gain the agility needed to run away from wolves if they suddenly appeared and posed a threat. Pearl concurred with this assessment, noting that the ability to escape from wolves would be highly advantageous and provide a crucial survival advantage.

The next tomb held a book titled "Prayers of the Faithful." By offering a heartfelt prayer to the Holy Spirits, Cleo could gain a boost to her health, healing her injuries and making her slightly more resistant to harm. Testing this specific power proved a bit challenging, as she had to genuinely desire it and pray sincerely. It had been far too long since she had trusted in any divine force, but she did her best, and someone up there finally decided to throw her a bone. She could feel the extra health she received and admitted that it would ultimately be beneficial.

Before moving to the next crypt, the girls were surprised to find a tower hidden among the Dead trees. It resembled the tower at the lake, though it was in much rougher shape, and had a beacon at the top. Thankfully, there were no lakes or marshlands around it, so they didn't need to swim to reach it. They all climbed the tower, placing their hands on the beacon's surface as they began to consecrate it.

"Apo is really missing out," Shelby remarked, drumming lightly on the beacon as she spoke. "Actually, I don't think I ever had this much fun with anyone."

"Well, someone had to serve as the voice of reason among all the madness that is the male populace of Oakhurst," Cleo reminded her.

"Not all of them are insane," Pearl countered, giving her roommate a slight smirk. "The doctor seems pretty level-headed, and Abolish also seems to have a good head on his shoulders."

"What is Abolish's deal anyway?" Drift wondered, thinking back to her rare interactions with the butler. "I mean, I don't think he's ever really interacted with any of us. He's got his own house, keeps to himself, and didn't he like leave halfway through the house judging contest?"

"Drift, half the town left the house judging contest around the time they came to my and Pearl's house," Cleo reminded her. "That's not exactly suspicion-worthy."

"Besides, butlers are trained to be basically invisible," Shelby pointed out. "They show up when they're called, do what they're told, and other than that, they just disappear into the background to do whatever it is butlers do."

"He does seem to have it all put together," Cleo admitted, "Honestly, part of me wonders if there's more to his story than he's telling."

"Cleo," Drift let out, giving the redhead a sideways glance, "do you honestly think everyone here has been candid about why they came to Oakhurst? I would bet my detective's badge that at least half of us aren't telling the full truth."

Cleo couldn't argue with that one, especially considering she was sitting on one hell of a secret of her own, one she had absolutely no intention of sharing anytime soon. "I suppose you have a point there."

Silence fell over the group as they waited for the beacon to be fully consecrated. Thankfully, it seemed almost done, but it was still taking a while. The silence dragged on for a good moment, then Shelby popped up with a new question to get the conversation going again.

"What do you think that light was back in town?" she asked. "The one that happened during the contest? It felt bizarre."

"I think that was Martyn," Cleo answered, remembering the book that he had found when they were out hunting for crypts the day before. "I think it was called holy word? It said that if you said this holy word, you could freeze vampires in their tracks for some time. Honestly, Apo thought Avid was being his usual self, messing around with those books. Trying to continue his vampire propaganda."

It had been so tempting to take the book for herself, but Martyn had gotten to it first, and she couldn't just take it without revealing some things she wasn't ready to reveal yet. So, she had to play along with the narrative that vampires weren't real for a bit longer.

"That doesn't make any sense, though," Drift pointed out, her brow furrowed in concentration. "I mean, these books are ancient, probably older than any of us here. And Avid, he's my friend, but there's no way he could do anything this big. I mean, finding all these hidden crypts and placing these books? No way. It's just not possible."

"Yeah, plus there has to be a reason these books keep appearing," Shelby said, motioning to the vast Erie landscape around them. "Whether you call it a plague, vampires, or whatever else happened here, it was bad. Bad enough that something decided to help humanity by leaving these strange magic tomes behind."

"The red beacon." Pearl's expression softened as she remembered, her tone becoming solemn yet thoughtful. "All the other beacons we've found have been white, and they didn't take anywhere near as long to consecrate as that red one did. Right, Drift?"

"Right," Drift replied, her voice steady but contemplative. She hesitated slightly before continuing. "Something turned that beacon red, something dark. I'm not jumping on the vampire bandwagon just yet, but we can't ignore that something unusual is going on here."

A tense silence settled over the four girls as the beacon suddenly flared to a brilliant orange, flooding their surroundings with a radiant, holy energy. Yet, despite the comforting warmth of the light, all four of them couldn't shake the chilling sensation that lingered — as if something ominous was unfolding. They exchanged uneasy glances, aware that whatever was happening, they didn't like it one bit.

With the Oakhurst men, the situation was notably more chaotic and disorderly than among the girls. A sizable group of eight, consisting of Apo, Ren, Avid, Martyn, Scott, Owen, Mr M, and Legs, moved together. As expected with such a large gathering, their movements were far from stealthy; they tromped through the woods, making plenty of noise and disrupting the natural silence. Owen watched them all with a mixture of amusement and mild exasperation. It was fortunate they were out hunting for ancient magic tomes and elusive beacons rather than living prey. Otherwise, they might have found themselves in serious trouble. His only regret was that the group was too large to single out a worthy meal, as the snack he had taken from Pyro was already starting to fade, and he would need to find more food soon.

Thinking about the new fledgling made Owen chuckle as he recalled how poorly the man was coping. He took perverse pleasure in watching him squirm and nervously glance around, clearly terrified of saying or doing something wrong. Now the man knew what it felt like to be an outsider, an outcast—an experience that Owen found almost poetic. He couldn't wait to see others join this feeling of alienation; it was only a matter of who would be next.

After some mindless traveling, the group managed to find their way to one of the crypts deep in the forest. Everyone began to jump down eagerly, though Avid remained skeptical. The only crypt he had actually ventured into was the one in town, which had a staircase rather than a long drop. So, of course, Owen gave him a hard shove on the back, sending him falling into the crypt. He laughed as the would-be Vampire Hunter screamed as he fell, right into the shallow waters below. Scott, who remained up top with him for a brief moment, also shared a smile, glancing over at his fellow vampire. 

"You beat me by about two seconds," Scott said, finishing with a giggle. "Honestly, I can't remember the last time I had this much fun." 

"Me neither," Owen replied, smirking mischievously. "It's a shame there's such a big group, though. Starting to get thirsty again." 

"Me too. Hey, did anything happen in town with that strange light thing?" 

"Oh, that," Owen said, wincing as he recalled the feeling of the light cascading over the street. He had felt it try to reach out for him, to lock him in place, but he was able to shake it off—probably because he was still relatively weak. Scott, on the other hand, had a kill under his belt since his Awakening and was now a higher-level vampire, meaning the light likely affected him. "It felt holy in nature. Why? What did you feel?" 

"Like I couldn't move," Scott replied, his earlier mirth fading as he shuffled his feet. "It brought back some memories I didn't want to revisit. Whoever cast that spell, we need to ensure they can't do it again." 

"All in due time. Anyway, we should probably get down there before they start accusing us of being monsters." 

Owen gestured with his thumb toward the crypt, and Scott nodded in agreement. Both of them quickly jumped down, spotting the other six members of their group gathered around the chest. Apo had the magical tome in her hand, but from the fading light, she had likely already absorbed the knowledge from it. Another spell to add to the human's repertoire. Not exactly encouraging, but it wouldn't matter in the end. What did matter was what the humans were talking about as the two vampires approached.

"Listen, I know you guys are sick of me and my vampire talk, but am I the only one who was weirded out by all those bats that just appeared yesterday?" Avid scanned the gathered crowd. "Like, I know it's kind of old news at this point, but it kind of freaked me out."

"I thought they came from your attic," Legs spoke up, smirking a bit as he said it. "I'm sorry, but you're not going to be escaping those allegations anytime soon."

"They were from the outside!" Avid threw his arms in the air out of frustration, but then took a deep breath, put his hands over his face, and regained his composure. 

"Do you think somebody did it on purpose?" Mr. M questioned.

"I do, and I think it was Scott!" Scott rolled his eyes at that, a reaction Apo echoed. Interestingly enough, nearly everyone had seen them by this point, except for Avid, yet none of them were pointing them out. "Think about it! He's still wearing that silly skull mask to try and scare me, and honestly, I believe he's petty enough to unleash bats." 

"You're right; I am petty enough." 

Of course, Avid immediately shrieked and stumbled backward, much to the amusement of everyone gathered around. Scott simply crossed his arms and smirked beneath his mask. 

"That doesn't mean I would. Do I look like someone who would just gather a bunch of wild bats purely to annoy you?"

"Nah," Owen commented, eyes never leaving Avid. "You're not one to get your hands dirty. And I don't exactly see any servants around here to do your bidding."

"How long have you been standing there?!" Avid cried out, visibly shaking.

"This whole time," Legs answered, laughing as he said it. "Seriously, if they were vampires, they would have bitten you so many times by now."

"Perhaps if he were alone, Doctor," Owen teased, flashing Avid a toothy grin. "But no vampire would be foolish enough to attack in a crowd as big as this."

"Don't encourage him," Apo chastised. "Seriously, he's bad enough as is."

Everyone chuckled at Avid's expense, the vampire hunter sulking as everyone took their leave of the crypt.

~\~/~

The large group continued their adventures through the wilds of Oakhurst. Some idle conversation persisted, though most of it was Scott and Owen teasing Avid about his cowardice. To his credit, the vampire hunter took it as well as he could, trying not to let it bother him. Then, as they pressed on, they reached the grand path leading to the castle bridge. Everyone stopped and stared at the bridge, with only a few not recognizing it. Scott had to hold himself back from snarling at the idea of more humans invading his former home, and Owen just stared at the bridge with a distant look in his eyes. If one looked closely enough, one could almost see fire flickering in his irises.

"I remember this place," Legs spoke up. "There's a beacon just over that bridge, but unless something turned it red again, we should be in the clear."

"I think if something had turned it red, we would have felt it," Martyn said, eying the bridge nervously. "I mean, every time one of these beacons gets consecrated, we all feel that wave of power on the wind. I'm pretty sure it would be the same if the reverse happened and something made it unholy."

"Are you saying that because you don't want to go across the creepy, broken stone bridge?" Mr. M asked.

"Honestly, that's part of it, I will admit."

"If I be honest with ye," Ren interjected, eyeing the castle with apparent fear. "The hour grows late, and me old bones be tellin' me that this be a bad omen. Perhaps t'would be prudent to return to the safety of Oakhurst, doncha know? I be needin' ta return ta workin' on me cabin, lest I be caught in the night by the monsters that lurk upon these here lands."

"You know, honestly, I'm with Ren on this one." Avid slipped right next to Ren, giving the older man a pat on the back. "Plus, we need to stick with the buddy system, so I'll stay with Ren as my buddy, and we'll head back to town. Sound good to everyone?"

"I should probably get back myself," Apo agreed, nodding slightly. "My watchtower is still far from complete, and I also need to feed Truffle and check on Pyro. He hasn't been feeling well."

"Then I'll go back to." Mr. M went to stand next to Apo. "I think I've got enough to write about today, and I still need to get started on my manuscript. Oh, I have so many stories to tell."

The four continued their journey along the winding path, steadily making their way back toward Oakhurst. Meanwhile, only Owen, Scott, Legs, and Martyn remained committed to their mission, pushing forward without any inclination to return to town just yet. Eager to see what lay ahead, they decided to persevere, following the shoreline of the river as it stretched toward Deadwood.

"So, doctor," Owen began as he jumped from one of the stepping stones onto the ashy shores of the Deadwood, "What do you make of all this? All this magic and beacons and whatnot."

The Doctor steadied himself on the shore, adjusting his surgical apron before giving the lumberjack his attention.

"Honestly, I've never been a religious man." The Doctor's gaze was distant, his voice tinged with weariness. "I've never had much reason to believe in the word or the Holy Spirits. But, the most I can say is that there are things in this world that just haven't been explained yet."

"And all these books? The beacons? What do you make of them?"

"We know that magic exists," the doc replied. "Enchanting books are common, sold in your basic libraries. Honestly, it makes sense that some would grant humans powers. But, the number of books that we are finding here is suspect to me. As for the beacons, there have been many studies about ancient technology that would have been comparable to magic. There's a good chance that these beacons are part of that ancient technology."

They continued walking, following a rudimentary path deeper into the woods, and up to one of the crypts that they had been looking for.

"And what about these?" Owen gestures to the crypt with his thumb. "Unsettling tombs with ancient tomes? And you can't deny that there's something holy about these places."

"I can't speak for how the books came to be in these tombs, nor will I say definitively that they are holy in origin. All I will say is that there are some things that man was simply never meant to know."

"I thought you were a doctor," Scott said, walking past the two before gracefully dropping into the crypt.

"I am a doctor," Legs responded, his fists tightening slightly. "I'm a doctor who gives care, provides medicine, and helps people. I don't try to explain away the existence of ominous tombs or magical books. I just do everything in my power to keep people safe and help them live the best life they can."

Owen eyed the Doctor curiously, watching the man as he descended into the crypt himself. He had no love for doctors, not after a lifetime of being fed false promises by so many of them. And yet, somehow, Legs felt different. There was something about him that felt… It was hard to explain, but Owen felt drawn to him for some reason. It made him curious, made him want to learn more about the man.

"You coming?" Martyn called out, standing on the lip of the tomb.

Owen blinked, then gave a slight nod. "Yeah, I'm coming."

Martyn jumped down into the crypt, and Owen followed. For the first time since Louis died, he had a reason to keep going. This would be fun.

~\~/~

The crypt contained a spellbook titled "Banish Undead". Both Scott and Owen kept their expressions neutral when it was revealed, but neither could entirely hide their relief, as it turned out to work only on lesser undead, like the skeletons and zombies that roamed the lands at night. The Doctor ended up taking the book for himself, earning him some teasing from both Maryn and Owen for being a man of science who used magic. Legs didn't even dignify that with a response.

After a bit of travel, the group came across the ruined tower that had once been Owen's lumbermill. Returning to this place felt like a punch to the stomach for the lumberjack, but he kept his emotions to himself. Still, he took up the rear of the group as they ventured to the top of the tower, finding yet another beacon to consecrate. Seeing such a holy relic desecrating his former resting place made Owen want to scream, but he kept it to himself, merely clenching his fists beneath his cloak.

"Not exactly the sturdiest of perches," Martyn commented, testing the flooring around the beacon. "I don't think this can hold a lot of people."

"I'd say two at most," Owen answered, already making himself comfortable on the stone ledging of the tower. "Any more and the floor's likely to give out."

"Yeah, no thank you." Scott joined Owen on the ledge, somehow making it look dignified while Owen just perched. "This cloak is worth more than any of you peasants make in a year."

"Oi!" Martyn objected. "I'm no peasant!"

"Sure~."

"Martyn," Legs interjected, sounding tired and annoyed. "Come on. I need help to get this consecrated."

Rolling his eyes, Martyn joins the Doctor on the rickety floor of the ruin Tower roof. Together, the two humans place their hands on the beacon, filling it with orange light. It will take a while since it's just the two of them, and they'll need something to pass the time, so they start talking. Of course, the primary focus of their conversation is the strange happenings in Oakhurst, and the main instigator behind the more radical hypotheses about what's going on. 

"Can we talk about avid?" Owen asked, feigning nonchalance. "Honestly, he's starting to concern me, especially with all his vampire talk and what happened with Shelby the other day." 

"He's been worrying me too," Legs admitted, with a slight furrow in his brow. "Honestly, I'm a little worried about what might happen if he keeps indulging in his delusions." 

"I've wanted that man gone from the day he accused me of murder," Scott said, openly showing his disdain for the man. "The worst part is, he doesn't seem to learn his lesson. Even now, he's still accusing me of being some creature of the night, and I'm sick of it. I'm sick of him, and I want that man gone."

"Your little horror story probably didn't help him any," Martyn pointed out, using his free hand to gesture at the lumberjack. "Your little tale of Oakhurst had everyone on edge." He then turned his attention to Scott. "And that one continuing to scare the ever-living daylights out of him isn't helping much either."

"I'm wearing a skull mask. It's a harmless prank; I'm not accusing anyone of being a monster or pretending to suck someone's blood. No, I'm just wearing a scary mask. Most people stop being afraid of things like these as children."

"My point is," Martyn interjected before sighing, "Both Avid and Shelby have been going on and on about mythical creatures, be it Bigfoot, vampires, or werewolves, or whatever. And the way they talk, you'd think they'd have some sort of concrete evidence to support their existence, but they don't. All they have are theories, speculation, and 'oh, a friend of a friend said this' or 'there are theories that he does this.' And, I hate to say this, but I think a couple of more susceptible townspeople are getting influenced by their madness." 

"You're worried about a group psychosis," the Doctor hypothesized, the furrow in his brow suggesting he had similar thoughts. 

"I'm worried about it spreading, yeah. I'm concerned that people might believe this without any concrete proof, leading to another situation like what happened with Scott and Shelby. It could spiral out of control and cause real harm."

"And what do you want to do about it?" Owen asked, casually examining his nails. He needed to become stronger so they could develop claws. "Got any big plans in mind, Mr. Woodhurst?"

"I don't know yet," Martyn admitted, turning away contemplatively. "Something needs to be done before the town descends into madness."

"It could be what destroyed the town the first time," Scott interjected, eager to stir some discord. "People growing paranoid, jumping at shadows, accusing their neighbors of vampirism or witchcraft. That's happened many times throughout history. And the outcome is always the same—mass hysteria and death."

"Maybe that's the true curse of Oakhurst," Legs suggested, giving the idea some thought. "This landscape isn't exactly welcoming, and if you live here long enough, the slightest sign of dissent or hardship could lead to accusations of the worst kind."

"Whatever it is, we need to nip it in the bud," Martyn declared. "And I think I know exactly where to start with doing that."

As if to herald his declaration, the beacon turned a brilliant orange, filling the air with even more holy energy. Owen and Scott both had to hide grimaces from the feeling, especially now that six of the supposed seven beacons were activated in favor of humanity. To hide their discomfort, the two hopped off the ledge of the tower, turning back toward the ground.

"For now, we should get back to town," Owen insisted. "It's getting late, and I don't think any of us wants to be caught out here after the sun goes down."

Murmurs of ascent filled the air as they all started heading back to Oakhurst.

Chapter Text

As night fell over Oakhurst, the townsfolk began returning to their homes, exhausted from their journeys and ready to call it a night. However, one of them did not return to his home within the walls. Ren, instead, was out in the woods, continuing to fell the logs he had been working on the day before, dragging them over to the outline he had set up for his home. He already had a solid, cobblestone foundation, and the walls were rising up nicely. If he kept up his current pace, he would have a lovely log cabin before the moon rose too high. Thankfully, he had the foresight to arrange a small fence lit with torches to keep the darkness at bay.

Everyone in town came to check on him come morning, making sure he was okay and to apologize if they had been the cause of his premature exit. A few brought some housewarming gifts, with Pearl bringing him the spellbook Uncanny Direction to replace the Unnatural Haste book she had unwittingly consumed. Cleo had offered a Become Undead spell tome she had found that she was saving for herself, but Ren turned her down. Instead, he absorbed the Uncanny Direction spell, surprised that his illiteracy didn't keep him from absorbing the knowledge within. Now, no matter where he went, he would always find his way home.

Avid, being Avid, brought a block of silver for Ren to place on his doorstep. Ironically, he did this right when the three vampires in town were visiting with the hermit. None of them reacted to the rather expensive gift, having chosen to speak with Ren on his porch rather than inside, but Avid took his leave quickly, still very afraid of Scott and more than a little weary of both Owen and Pyro.

In the wake of Ren's leaving, the town was beginning to grow more than a little tense, especially coupled with all the weirdness the town had been experiencing. One in particular, Martyn, was starting to become a believer. His Holy Word spell working had been a catalyst, and he'd managed to give it a second shot while out on the lads' trip. He hadn't gotten a good look at who was frozen and who wasn't, but that's where his partner in crime came in. He would need to meet up with Mr. M, and soon.

A sudden knocking on the door pulled Martyn from his thoughts. He jumped slightly, turning to the door.

"Who is it?"

"It's me," Apo's voice answered. "Apo? Um…Soldier girl? '

Oh, thank the Word. Someone level-headed. Martyn opened the door, inviting Apo into his house. She stepped in, glancing around before turning her attention to the man.

"Hey, I wanted to talk to you," she began, chewing on her thumbnail as she tried to get her thoughts in order. "Frankly, I feel like I'm losing my mind right now and everyone else is either busy or insane."

"Let me guess," Martyn let out, pulling up a chair before plopping down into it. "There's a reason you went back to town with Avid and Ren that didn't involve your watchtower."

"Exactly." Apo took a chair for herself. "Avid's been ranting and raving like a lunatic about vampires since day one, and I can tell that it's starting to get to people. Ren moved out of Oakhurst for Word's sake because of Avid's nonsense!"

"Yeah, that was a contributing factor, according to Ren." Martyn paused for a moment, then came to a decision. "Apo, I need to try something."

Before the soldier girl could attempt to protest, Martyn held out a hand and uttered "Sanctuarium", activating his Holy Word spell. Holy light exploded from his feet and washed over Apo, who jumped up in shock and backed away.

"It was you?!" she exclaimed, staring at the light particles as they faded away. "That light during the contest was you?!"

"Yes, it was. The book we all thought was fake? It actually does something. I've tried it a few times, and it's worked each time. I need to meet with Mr. M to figure out if anyone was frozen when I did the spell, but it works."

"Oh my Gosh…" Apo ran her fingers through her hair in disbelief. "Oh my Gosh… There's no way. There- there's just no way."

Another knock on the door had Apo yelping, and Martyn wishing he had thought to install some windows in his house.

"I saw the light!" Mr. M's voice declared from the other side of the door. "Martyn, are you okay?"

Realizing it was his partner in crime, Martyn threw open the door and grabbed the author by his waistcoat, pulling him into the house. M stumbled a bit, looking surprised when he saw Apo was already there.

"Oh, hey there. You part of this, too?"

"She is now," Martyn answered.

"Part of what?" Apo exclaimed, starting to grow a bit exasperated. "What is going on here? Please don't tell me you two are jumping on this whole vampire bandwagon!"

"No, listen." Mr. M looked genuinely serious, which was a stark difference from the cheery, flowery disposition the author had displayed since coming here. "Martyn and I were testing out his power, see? I've been keeping an eye out for potential suspects, and I've already got a few. We don't know for sure, but it's a suspect list."

"We're not going to be repeating Avid's little stunt with wild accusations," Martyn assured Apo, also looking serious. "Not until we have concrete evidence that proves our suspicions are true."

Apo looked somewhat mollified by this, but was still visibly disturbed and distrustful. Even so, she remained seated.

"Alright," she said with audible reluctance. "What have you got?"

"So," Mr. M began, "When Martyn tried out the spell during the house judging contest, I saw that Shelby didn't move, and neither did Scott."

"Right!" Martyn nodded at that. "I saw Scott on the roof, and the light almost seemed to be curling around his ankles."

"And then, when it happened during the lads' trip, Ren didn't move, nor did Owen."

"And Ren just happens to choose to move out of Oakhurst?" Martyn crossed his arms. "That's too big a coincidence for my taste."

"That doesn't mean he's a vampire," Apo exclaimed, her fingers tangled in her auburn hair. "Vampires don't exist! They're a scary story meant to make children come home before dark and keep them from talking to strangers."

"Apo." Mr. M reached up, taking Apo's hand in his while disentangling her hair from her fingers. "Look, I get not wanting to believe that monsters are real. I've been dealing with that kind of mentality for years, but you have to admit that something is going on here. Something's going on, and there are people in town that know more than they're letting on."

"Honestly, it's why I can't wait for Ren to open his tavern, if he ever opens it," Martyn added, looking down at his hands. "All it takes is a few drinks and a few rounds of poker to break down a person and figure out their tells. And then from there, you can figure out how much of what they say is bullshit."

"It's all bullshit!" Apo exclaimed, ripping her hand out of M's. "There is no such thing as Bigfoot, or-or vampires, or the Loch Ness Monster. It's all stories! Fiction!"

"Every story has a kernel of truth," M countered, which made Apo pause slightly. "And you have to admit, to find a book that specifically talks about banishing creatures of the night, that's more than a little suspect."

"Look, all we're suggesting is that we try to keep an open mind," Martyn urged, fixing his gaze on Apo. "We've had many people discuss the monsters hiding in the shadows, like Bigfoot, vampires, or werewolves. And that's not getting into that whole horror story Owen was telling the other day. Say what you will about Avid or Shelby, something convinced them these creatures exist, and with everything going on, I'm just seeing too many red flags to ignore."

"And what if that's how it begins?" Apo asked, clearly expressing her disbelief and annoyance. "What if one of the reasons Oakhurst keeps declining is due to some group psychosis? What if it just turns into another Salem Witch Trials or a lynch mob? What then?"

Martyn sighed, his face making it clear he had considered this. Even Mr. M seemed somewhat concerned by the suggestion. 

"Even if that's the case, I believe that openly dismissing the strange and unusual will only come back to haunt us." Martyn clasped his hands together, as if in prayer, and took a deep breath. "Here's what I propose: we spend a day or two accepting the weirdness of Oakhurst—48 hours of being open to whatever happens, no matter how strange. If nothing arises, we'll drop it and focus on getting Shelby and Avid the therapy they clearly need. But if we do find something—proof that something exists out there—then at least we'll know what we're dealing with, and we can ensure that this town doesn't face the same fate it has every 200 years."

"I'm willing to give it a shot," Mr M declared, giving his companions a firm nod. "I don't want to believe that Shelby or Ren is a vampire, but we can't afford to take any chances. We should keep an eye on them and make sure they're okay."

"What about you?" Martyn asked, turning to face the soldier girl sitting across from him. "Are you in or out?"

Apo looked incredibly torn, her face a mixture of confusion and uncertainty. She had to admit that there was some wisdom in keeping an open mind, especially right now when everything around her seemed to be descending into chaos. Yet, the idea of simply accepting that these creatures—Bigfoot, Nessie, the Chupacabra, and others—were real was overwhelming. The sheer weight of believing in such fantastical beings was almost too much to bear, and she grappled with the implications of such truths.

"Augh!" She looked ready to tear her hair out before groaning long and hard. "Fine, fine! But just for 48 hours! And I refuse to be as vocal about it as Avid or Shelby."

"And we're not asking you to be," Martyn assured her, giving her a soft smile. "Just keep your eyes open and don't automatically dismiss the weird."

"I'll try…" That was the most she could promise.

~\~/~

Scott leaned against the outer wall of Martyn's house, quietly listening in on the entire conversation unfolding inside. Behind his skull mask, his brow was furrowed in frustration; he was not pleased with the fact that more humans seemed to be jumping on the bandwagon, claiming that vampires were real. As annoying as it was to be unable to instill fear in the human populace openly, he had to admit that this anonymity offered some advantages. It was concerning that some townspeople were actually starting to believe in monsters again, which wasn't exactly ideal for his plans. He knew he would need to be highly cautious and advise Owen and Pyro to do the same—at least for the next two days. Once they managed to pass that 48-hour window, those three would likely return to dismissing monsters as mere works of fiction and continue to dismiss Avid as a lunatic.

As he continued to stand there, listening to the conversation dying down, he noticed a black figure approaching from the side. He recognized it as Abolish, who was staring at him with a raised eyebrow, suspicion clouding his usually stoic face. Not wanting to seem too suspicious, Scott stepped away from Martyn's house and walked over to the butler, his annoyance clearly visible despite the mask.

"So, this town has gone completely insane," he announced with feigned nonchalance. "I just overheard Martyn talking with Apo and Mr. M about deciding to believe in vampires and monsters for the next 48 hours."

"This, coming from the man wearing a skull mask and lurking outside someone's home, eavesdropping," Abolish countered, looking directly at Scott.

"I'm not crazy. I'm simply doing this because it's amusing to watch Avid completely lose control. I'm not going around discussing monsters, vampires, and similar things as he does. Personally, I don't believe indulging the crazy man will help."

"What do you mean by 'indulge'?"

"It's like I said. Those three were talking about acting like Avid for the next two days, believing in monsters and stuff like that. They also discussed the idea that Oakhurst fell because everyone fell into paranoia and insanity. Looking around this place, I have to say I'm starting to think they might be onto something."

"Yeah," Abolish clearly didn't have a good response for that. "All right, I can admit that's a little strange."

"Exactly. So, if you need me, I'm going to go fish before someone accuses me of murder again."

 And with that, Scott turned on his heels and headed toward his house to gather his fishing gear. He wasn't lying about the fishing; he was starting to run low on food, and he hoped that fish could be a sustainable food source while he waited for more bountiful prey to appear. Maybe he could even invite other vampires to join him, or maybe Shelby would like to go fishing. He wanted to get to know her better, especially since they hadn't had much time to really connect since becoming roommates. She seemed fun, and honestly, he was considering turning her into a vampire. He had no doubt that her endless curiosity and enthusiasm would only be amplified by vampiric blood.

~\~/~

Pyro felt as if his sanity was slipping away, like grains of sand falling through his fingers. The relentless sound of his neighbors' heartbeats pounding in his ears was maddening, each thump making him more agitated. His throat burned, and his mouth ached with an insatiable craving—an overwhelming urge to sink his fangs into something, anything, to satisfy the hunger. The thirst was so intense that he nearly bit Truffle, the thought of harming the pig making him recoil in horror. He stumbled out of his house, desperately needing to find food immediately.

"Oh, Pyro!" Scott's voice called out, cutting through his turbulent thoughts. Despite the anxiety that gnawed at him around the man, a new, faint flicker of relief and hope ignited within the fledgling vampire at the sound of his sire's voice—the one who had created him, the man he both feared and looked up to. "There you are. I was wondering if I'd run into you. How have you been?"

Pyro had lost track of how many times he had been asked that question over the past day or two. His roommate had been particularly insistent, probing if he had come down with a fever or some other ailment. The warmth of her touch on his forehead had almost been too much to bear, and he had nearly revealed his true form through the coldness of his skin. He had lied, repeatedly, insisting he was fine, just tired. But with Scott, he couldn't lie. Not when he understood just how powerful and perceptive his sire truly was.

"Not good," he admitted, his voice trembling as he hugged himself tightly. He knew he looked utterly horrible—the result of his restless nights and mounting stress—and he almost regretted not bothering to shave before that cursed expedition with Owen and Scott. He had the sinking feeling he'd be dealing with that lingering, irritating five o'clock shadow for the rest of eternity. "I'm so thirsty, and I can't stand it. I tried to eat some berries earlier, but I nearly threw up."

Scott seemed to chuckle at that before reaching into a satchel at his side. He pulled out a dead chicken, its sight making Pyro's mouth water. His hands twitched with the urge to snatch it, but he restrained himself for the moment. Fortunately, Scott was merciful and handed him the chicken, which Pyro quickly took and drained immediately. Luckily, they were concealed behind one of the houses, away from curious eyes.

"I recommend carrying some raw food with you," the elder vampire advised, wiping some of the stray feathers off his hands. "It's not as good as humans or even live animals, but it's better than starving yourself and risking a killing spree."

The younger fledgling responded, "I'll try," while tossing the now drained carcass into the tall grass. "It's difficult because there's hardly enough food for everyone to keep around. Plus, humans might become suspicious if all the animals suddenly vanish."

"True, that's why I am going to go see if I can get some fish. I've never really tried draining the blood from a fish before, never really had the need, really, but if we can subsist on fish, then we might be able to blend in a little bit easier while the food situation gets sorted out."

"Oh, then we should invite Owen too." As much as he really didn't want to travel alone with the two vampires again, he was in a slightly better position this time. Plus, as a brand-new fledgling, he needed all the help he could get, especially from much older vampires. "I'm sure he'd be happy to know about a new food source."

His sire gave a nod at that, and Pyro felt a surge of happiness wash over him. His master was pleased with him, and having someone actually be happy with him was a novel experience. He absolutely had to make sure that he stayed on Scott's good side and kept receiving that praise.

Stepping out of their hiding place, the two vampires quickly located the third member of their makeshift coven and found him near the center of town. He was speaking with a few other members of Oakhurst, with Mr M revealing a map he had apparently been working on. It was rudimentary, with only some crude sketches of the town, the surrounding area, and some basic landmarks. This included the beacons, Oakhurst itself, and the castle.

"All right, based on this, Oakhurst isn't exactly at the conduit's center. Instead," Mr. M tapped the map's center with his quill, revealing the castle's location. "The castle is actually at the core of the conduit. Looking at the marked spots on this map, our next beacon should be nearby," he said, tapping a different spot just northeast of the town, which he pointed to. "Right here, to be exact."

"M, this is perfect!" Avid exclaimed, grinning as he stared at the map. "All we need is one final beacon, and the Holy Light will cleanse this land! Then, we can finally leave this place!" 

"Who said anything about leaving?" Owen questioned, giving Avid a sideways glance. "We've only been here a few days. Why are you suddenly so eager to leave?" 

"Ignore him," Legs interjected, shaking his head. "Avid is under the impression that the fog that rolled in after we arrived is a result of the beacons keeping us trapped here." 

"It's like I said, the beacons are meant to keep this area contained. No one can go beyond the barriers until the Holy Light has cleansed the area and all evil has been purged. Ask Cleo! She went exploring and found this invisible wall that's keeping us in!" 

"Are you sure she didn't say that just to mess with you?" Pyro offered. "She's made her disdain for you quite clear, and I can see her coming up with some story to distract you and get you out of her hair." 

"Hey! Believe me or not, that's your prerogative! Heck, why don't you see for yourself if you can find Cleo's invisible wall? Maybe then you'll start actually listening to me!" 

"I have a better idea," Scott chimed in, stepping right next to Owen. Avid recoiled at the sight of the masked man, but seemed to be holding himself back somewhat. "How about you stop screaming at the top of your lungs like a madman, and we don't throw you out on your ass?" 

"Oh yeah?" Avid feigned bravery, though his knees were knocking as he pointed at Scott. "And here's an even better idea. Why don't you go ahead and take that mask off?"

"Why, is it bothering you?" Scott smirked, crossing his arms.

Avid hemmed and hawed for a moment, then rubbed his head and offered a strained smile. "Actually, no. It's not, so you won't get any more reactions from me. Just take it off."

"Actually, I think I'll leave it on just a little bit longer, just in case."

Avid looked visibly deflated at that, prompting Drift to step in. Pyro could hear her whispering to her roommate about how he just needed to calm down and maybe take a bath to de-stress. Thankfully, the hypochondriac agreed with his more level-headed companion and allowed himself to be led out of the Town Square toward the colloquially known Merp Manor. As they disappeared from sight, Shelby turned to Scott with a somewhat chastising look in her eye.

"You know he has anxiety, right?" the redhead crossed her arms, leveling a glare at Scott. The Elder vampire didn't seem fazed in the slightest, matching her glare with a smirk. "You're either going to give him a heart attack or push him to the point where he snaps and kills someone."

"She has a point," Pyro admitted, recalling his own time when he was the one who had been pushed too far and snapped. "Maybe it might be a good idea to lay off him just a little bit?"

"He won't kill anyone," Scott said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Honestly, I'd like to see him try, but that is irrelevant right now. Shelby, do you want to come with me, Pyro, and Owen to go fishing?"

"We're going fishing?" Owen asked, surprised, as he was hearing about this particular venture for the first time.

"Yes, well, I'm hoping that they'll be a sustainable food source for us," Scott answered, looking directly at his fellow vampire with an expression that clearly signaled some unspoken conversation between the two. "You're more than welcome to join us."

Owen observed the two vampires, then shifted his gaze to Shelby. Her earlier irritation had faded, replaced by a newfound enthusiasm for going fishing. As he took in the scene, Pyro couldn't help but notice how the man's smile carried a sharp, almost predatory edge, though remarkably, no fangs were visible. 

"Fishing sounds great," Owen said with a hint of anticipation.

"Awesome!" Shelby exclaimed, practically bouncing on her heels and squealing with excitement. "Lucky for us, I brought my dad's old fishing rod. Just give me a minute to grab it, and then we can head out."

With that, she hurried back to her shared house with Scott, not wanting to waste another second.

~\~/~

Apo was in the middle of placing cobblestones at her Watchtower when she noticed what was going on. Scott was walking out of town with Owen, Pyro, and Shelby. She was too high up to see clearly what they were doing or saying, but the fact that it was getting late and they were heading into the forest set off some alarm bells for her. Setting down her bag of cobblestones, the soldier girl made her way back down to the bottom floor of her tower, sliding through the still-open doorway to where Martyn and Mr. M were. They were chatting about things, probably about to turn in for the night, when she approached.

"I just saw Scott leave with a large group of people heading into the forest," she announced immediately as she stepped in front of them. 

"Wait, right now?" Martyn exclaimed, glancing up at the darkening sky. It was nearly night, and with the new moon, it was even darker than usual, though the sky remained tinged with that ominous, bloody red hue that had persisted since they arrived. "Why are they going out so late at night?"

"Yeah, it's going to be too dark to gather any resources," Mr. M added, rising to his feet. He pondered the situation for a moment before suggesting, "Do you think we should follow them?"

"Definitely." Martyn grabbed a silver sword he had recently made, grabbing a spare one for M while Apo readied her musket. "Come on, let's get moving."

The explorers and hunters quickly realized that traveling through the woods at night was a terrible idea. The darkness was so intense that even with their torches lit, their visibility was poor. They lost the trail twice while trying to find their quarry, only locating them after what felt like an hour in the pitch-black forest. The four—Scott, Pyro, Owen, and Shelby—had gathered to set up a small campsite at the river's edge. Pyro lit a fire, and they grilled fish over it. Shelby sat on a nearby rock, feet kicking playfully as she dipped her fishing pole into the water. Scott arranged torches along the shoreline for extra light, while Owen kept watch for danger or movement. This vigilance proved crucial when, moments later, they had to hide behind a tree to avoid being spotted by three pursuers.

"Quick, get down!" Apo hissed, pulling her companions behind the tree. "Don't let them see us!"

Peeking cautiously through the underbrush, the three of them observed the four fishing people, straining to listen in on their conversations.

"So, Shelby," Owen spoke up, even as his eyes never left the trees. "I've been dying to know. What is this business about Bigfoot? I mean, I've got the whole Avid psychosis thing, but yours is a pretty unique brand of strange."

"Oh yeah," Shelby commented, laughing lightly. "Everyone was giving me a lot of grief in the beginning, but Avid kind of grabbed their attention with the whole vampire thing and accusing people of murder. They kind of left me alone after that. It's nice not to be the crazy one for once."

"You're not crazy," Scott insisted, coming over to ruffle Shelby's hair. "You're fun. Completely different from Avid."

"Thank you!" Shelby beamed. "Anyway, to answer your question, I believe that everything exists. We've been hearing all kinds of stories all across the world. And there are usually many common factors between them. How could those stories spread across entire continents if there wasn't some truth behind them? So, I believe that there are things out there. We just haven't found proof that they exist. And that's why I'm here in Oakhurst. I want to find proof that the supernatural exists, so that I know for sure that it's real."

"Now that's quite an ambition," Owen commented, sounding genuinely impressed. "Definitely different from Avid. I can respect that."

"What do you three think?" Pyro called out, following Owen's gaze toward the tree where Apo, Martyn, and Mr. M were hiding. "No need to be shy. We don't bite." 

That drew some laughs from the three men, and the three would-be spies had no choice but to slip out of their hiding spot. They moved onto the shoreline, their eyes fixed on the small fishing camp nearby.

"Oh, hey, guys," Shelby greeted warmly with a smile. "What brings you here?"

"Were you afraid we were going to do something nefarious?" Owen asked, exaggerating with spooky gestures. "Afraid we were going to attack Shelby or—" he paused for effect, "—suck her blood?" He delivered the last part with a thick Transylvanian accent, which made Shelby and Pyro burst out laughing. Scott rolled his eyes, but a slight smirk played under his mask.

"We were just worried," Apo responded softly, her gaze never leaving her shoes. "I mean, you guys go off into the middle of the night? You have to admit, that's a bit suspicious."

"What, you've never heard of night fishing?" Pyro asked, crossing his arms with a raised brow. "It's quite common."

"In a dark and spooky forest infested by the undead?" Martyn countered.

"Ugh," Scott rolled his eyes hard. "I swear, I can't do anything in this town without coming off as suspicious. I go looking for resources and get accused of being scary. My roommate gets lost in the woods, and I get accused of her murder. I go on a fishing expedition with several people, and our motives get questioned! I think I should just leave town because apparently I can't do anything right."

"No, don't go!" Shelby cried out, reaching out and grabbing Scott by the tails of his coat. "How will I do without my roommate? I still want you to stay."

"Thank you, Shelby. For now, though, I think I'm going to take a break and go light up some parts of the shoreline. You three," Scott gestures to Apo, Mr M, and Martyn, "can do whatever. But, I'm warning you. If you decide to go down the path of Avid's insanity, it won't lead you anywhere fun. You'll probably end up in a padded room right next door to him."

"It's only for 48 hours," Martyn argued. "We're only going to swim in the sauce for a day or two, and if we don't find anything, then we drop it."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." Scott grabbed some torches from a small pile that had been set up and began walking down the beach. 

A moment of silence fell over the group as Scott disappeared down the beach. Then, Owen shrugged before reaching for some spare rods that were leaning against a rock. He held them out to the three newcomers, a sly smile on his face.

"Care to join us? Maybe the fresh air and some fresh fish will help you clear your heads."

Reluctantly, the three of them took the offered fishing rods and settled on the shore. The original fishers kept on with their Idol chatter, completely ignoring the three of them. Owen was pressing Shelby for more information about Bigfoot, asking about proof of its existence and related topics. It made Apo want to roll her eyes, questioning whether there was any point in pretending to believe in this supernatural stuff if it just meant being grouped with folks like Shelby or Avid. In fact, she was about to voice that opinion when she noticed Martyn was gone. His fishing pole was propped up against a rock, and the man was nowhere to be seen.

"What the hell?" she exclaimed, scanning her surroundings. "Where did Martyn go?" 

Mr. M looked up from his fishing and also noticed their partner had vanished. 

"What the...? Really?" the author said, dropping his fishing rod and quickly standing up. "We came out together for a reason!" 

"You'd better go look for him," Owen advised, watching as they hurriedly gathered their belongings. "We don't want anyone accusing us of his murder if he suddenly disappears or something." 

Without wasting time on further words, they hurriedly left to find their missing partner.

~\~/~

Scott was nearing complete starvation at this point. His attempt to use fish blood as a source of nourishment had turned out to be a disastrous failure, as the fish had left a bitter, ash-like taste in his mouth—just like every other piece of food that wasn't warm blood. Furthermore, tasting that raw fish had made him severely ill, to the extent that he was now desperate for any sustenance. He was on the verge of taking a small bite from Shelby when the Three Musketeers suddenly burst onto the scene. Now, he found himself out in the woods, hunting down some livestock in a desperate attempt to stave off his feral instincts.

After finishing off a pig and effortlessly disposing of its now drained carcass, Scott heard the sound of approaching footsteps. They were too loud to belong to any of his fellow vampires, indicating that it was likely some of the trio who had tracked them down at the river. He rolled his eyes, visibly frustrated, and approached the source of the noise, finding Apo and Mr. M making their way up the hill.

"Okay, this is getting absolutely ridiculous," he exclaimed, glaring sharply at the two humans. "Are you two following me or something? Because that's very rude."

"What? No!" Apo hurriedly raised her hands in protest. "Martyn just disappeared on us. We thought maybe he went this way, so we came looking for him."

"Wait, didn't you say you were going to light up the beach or something?" Mr. M questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, well, I was getting hungry, so I came to see if I could find some food. The fishing was taking too long, and honestly, I was starting to get impatient," Scott explained, frustration evident in his voice.

Apo nodded understandingly, still scanning the dense woods with a keen eye. "I get that," she admitted softly, voice tinged with concern. "Seriously, where is he? Why do people keep wandering off like this?"

Scott turned away from Apo, a wry smile on his face. "Well, at least it's not me getting chewed up this time," he said with a smirk. Without further ado, he pivoted and started walking away from the pair. "I'm heading back down to the beach. Good luck finding your teammate. And remember, it's not just me who gets suspicious when someone doesn't stay with their buddies."

He took a few steps before transforming into a bat, his slight silhouette flitting into the night sky amidst the small colony he summoned. Scott needed to get back to his team quickly before anyone else suspected anything. More than that, he was eager to turn Shelby before the night ended. He wanted to grow the coven, and Shelby was the only person he had found genuinely interesting in town. With the Three Musketeers apparently split up and at each other's throats, he figured it might be easier to get them off the beach and away from their fishing party.

Upon returning to the shoreline, Scott quickly spotted Martyn, who appeared to be with Owen, Pyro, and Shelby. What disturbed Scott even more was that Martyn seemed to be slandering him behind his back. He was talking about how Scott hadn't lit up the beach as he had claimed—despite placing three torches, mind you—and he was suggesting that Scott's disappearance into the brush was suspicious. 

"Come on, you three," the man declared, clearly annoyed. "He just walks in that direction and vanishes—no torches, no footprints, nothing. Just poof, gone."

"I'm sure it's fine," Shelby insisted, actually rolling her eyes a bit. "Scott's tough. I'm sure he'll be okay."

"But he keeps wandering off!" Martyn looked ready to tear his hair out. "How are you just okay with that?!"

"He's his own person," Pyro responded, easily brushing off the man's concerns. "I mean, he's a manor lord. They're not exactly known for listening to anyone."

"Besides," Scott interjected, stepping out of the tree line. Martyn shouted and literally jumped at the sound of his voice, which gave Scott a flashback to all the times he startled Avid over the past day or so. The psychosis really was spreading. "You're the one who wandered off this time. Your teammates are looking for you just up that hill."

Everyone burst into laughter at that moment, their comments about how everyone was suspiciously flitting across the group. Heat immediately spread across Martyn's face as he felt the embarrassment. He grumbled to himself in frustration before quickly making his escape, clearly flustered by everything that had transpired. He wanted to leave before he lost any more face or dignity. Scott, observing the situation, decided to let him go, honestly grateful to be done with that particular incident. This left just him, his coven, and their innocent future member, standing there in the aftermath of the chaos. 

"So, what did I do this time?" Scott quipped as he rejoined his team. Shelby was the one to respond to his question. 

"Apparently, Martyn tried to follow you down the beach, but then he said you just disappeared, and he found it suspicious that there were only a handful of torches and nothing more." 

"Yeah, because I ran out of torches, and then I decided to get some food," Scott explained, raising his hands in exasperation. "Seriously, I wasn't joking when I said I was considering leaving town. I'm growing fed up with all this nonsense. Not even the idea of scaring Avid out of his skin makes me willing to go back there." 

"Well, before we start making any plans like that," Owen interrupted, gesturing straight ahead with his thumb, "maybe we should focus on our fishing efforts first. And perhaps we can move a bit further downstream so we can avoid any more unwanted visits or surprises."

Sharing a nod, the four of them gathered their fishing gear and moved further downstream. Hopefully, they can find a quiet spot with a lower risk of interruptions. Then, they could finally enjoy their meal. 

"I swear I'm going to strangle Martyn when we find him," Apo declared, her knuckles white against her musket. "How could he just ditch us like that? This whole thing was his idea—believing that monsters are real and that there's something weird about Scott!" 

"Maybe it was some sort of maneuver?" Mr. M suggested, though he seemed a little skeptical of his own words. "Like maybe he was trying to spy on Scott or something." 

"Even if that were true, he should have let us know somehow, not just left us at the riverside," the soldier woman shook her head in annoyance. "See, this is why I was never cut out for the army. I don't work well with others, especially those who don't communicate. The only reason I even joined was that I got conscripted. When I was assigned to come here, I was looking forward to being out here in the middle of nowhere. I was hoping for peace, no fighting, no nonsense. But ever since I arrived, it's been nothing but chaos and nonsense!"

 Mr. M reached out gently, placing a firm hand on Apo's shoulder to stop her from walking any further. He carefully turned her around to face him, locking eyes with her and conveying a serious, commanding expression. 

"Hey," he said softly, his tone calm and reassuring, as if trying to soothe a frightened animal. "You need to calm down. I understand this is overwhelming, and you're at your wits' end. But losing control and yelling isn't going to help anyone. Right now, let's focus on getting back to town. Maybe Martyn went there. Okay?"

Apo silently rolled her eyes, though she appreciated the author's calmness and rational approach. Yet, as her gaze settled on the horizon, she suddenly halted. Her brow furrowed, and her grip on her weapon loosened. 

"Mr. M?" she asked slowly, lifting a hand to point down the hill they were climbing. "Are you seeing what I see?"

Mr. M slowly turned his head to see what his partner was observing, and his jaw dropped in genuine surprise and astonishment. Embedded into the side of a much higher hill was a massive, weathered stone archway, with a broad staircase leading up to it and another staircase descending into darkness inside. From the clearing and the dirt path that seemed to lead directly from the entrance, it was clearly a site of great significance and mystery, possibly hiding secrets from long ago. Keeping his eyes fixed intently on the strange entryway, Mr. M reached for his notebook. He carefully opened it to the map he had sketched earlier, examining the spot where he believed the next and final beacon might be hidden. His gaze lingered on the unusual structure, filled with curiosity and anticipation.

"This is it," he whispered, his voice barely more than a breath, as if fearing that any louder sound could shatter the heavy silence surrounding them. "This has to be it. This is where our final beacon is." 

Cautiously, the two descended the hill, their steps tentative as they approached the ominous doorway ahead. As they ascended the few stone steps leading to the entrance, their eyes lingered on the shallow chamber below, where a single unclaimed beacon rested silently in the center. The room's layout was spacious yet eerily empty, with dead, gray vines hanging limply from the ceiling, adding to its foreboding atmosphere. Exchanging wary glances, the two steeled themselves and stepped into the crypt-like space. They reached out simultaneously, their hands trembling as they touched the beacon, watching it ignite with a bright orange light. They could only hope that this would be the last one needed to complete the circuit, bringing an end to their arduous quest.

Shelby got herself resituated on the shore where her friends had chosen to continue their fishing trip. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't starting to feel a little suspicious about everything. Scott, Owen, and Pyro had been traveling together frequently, including the other day when Pyro came back looking more than a little worse for wear. Glancing at the scholar now, she could see that he definitely wasn't looking good. If she didn't feel like she'd be overstepping, she would have suggested he might head back to town to get some rest. But it seemed that wouldn't be met with any positive response. 

"This probably works," Scott announced, surveying the deserted shore.

"Yeah, this'll do," Owen agreed, taking a step back. "I'll keep an eye out for any more of those… hooligans."

Shelby wanted to think that Owen meant the zombies and skeletons that had been manifesting as they had been traveling, but her instincts were telling her that wasn't the case.

"You guys didn't bring me all the way out here because it's too far for anyone to hear me scream, right?"

Immediately, both Scott and Pyro began laughing, waving her off and trying to dismiss her concerns.

"No~" Scott almost drawled, placing one hand on her shoulder while leaning in. "Why would you say that?" "You've been reading way too many books," Pyro added, taking one of her hands in his.

Initially, she had every intention to laugh it off and explain herself, but that's when she felt a sharp pain in her hand. She quickly turned to Pyro, seeing that he had her hand up to his mouth, with a pair of sharp fangs now embedded in the back of it.

"You're joking," she let out, genuinely too shocked to realize what was happening. "You're kidding me."

A sudden sharp pain erupted in her neck, causing her to turn around hastily. To her shock, she saw that Scott had now bitten her, his mask pushed to the side. The most startling detail was his eyes—bright red and intense—something she had not noticed before. The sight of those red eyes finally snapped her out of her daze, and she mustered her strength to break free from both of them. Without hesitation, she ran down the beach as fast as she could, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Oh come on now," Owen called out, suddenly appearing right in front of her. "Don't be like this."

 Shelby ended up running straight into the lumberjack and fell flat on her butt. Scott and Pyro were quick to catch up to her, both of them showing off red eyes. Scott almost looked playful, looking down at her with a smile that felt predatory. Pyro, however, seemed positively feral. His hands were shaking, his nails were long, and he wasn't saying anything.

"You're not gonna make it a problem, are you?" Scott asked, leaning down.

"Wait, wait!" Shelby cried, backing away. "I told you about wanting to learn about the supernatural! I don't want to hurt anyone! We can be friends! We can be friends!!"

"And we will be," Scott assured her. "And you'll have all the time in the world to prove the supernatural exists."

As he reached out to grab her, Pyro was faster. He quickly leapt on top of Shelby, his mouth almost unhinged as he clamped onto her neck. She screamed in pain, overwhelmed by a burning sensation that seemed to consume her entirely. Her heartbeat slowed drastically, and everything blurred into darkness. That darkness only lasted a second before her eyes snapped open, frantic as she felt Pyro being violently torn away from her. Gasping for air, she sat up abruptly, clutching her neck in shock and confusion as she looked around, trying to process what had just happened.

"Oh wow," Owen spoke up, his earlier hostility gone. "Another instantaneous transformation. How are you feeling, Shelby?"

For a good minute, Shelby just knelt in the sand, coming to terms with everything. Though she was breathing, she could instinctively tell she no longer needed to. She couldn't feel her heart beating as it had been before, and the entire world felt sharper. She reached for her glasses, removing them as she looked around, seeing the whole world clearer than she ever had before. With a slow, tentative movement, she stuck her finger in her mouth, poking at her teeth to feel her new things. The minute she felt that sharp point against her fingertip, she absolutely exploded.

"It's real!" she cheered, leaping to her feet and punching the air in happiness. "It's all real! I knew it! I knew my dad wasn't crazy!"

"You are taking this surprisingly well," Owen told her, continuing to eye her curiously. "Especially considering how terrified you were before."

"Oh yeah! I almost forgot! He attacked me!" 

Her excitement turned to anger as she looked where Pyro was supposed to be. However, it seemed she wouldn't have to worry about him escaping punishment for her attack. Scott had the fledgling vampire by the throat, pressed against a tree with a murderous look on his face. Pyro himself looked terrified but also more different than before. His skin was paler, his eyes had a red hue, and his hair almost seemed to be turning gray at the roots.

"How dare you…" the Elder vampire snarled, his grip tightening on Pyro's throat. "She was not yours to take."

"I'm sorry, sire!" Pyro was pleading, clinging to Scott's wrist like his life depended on it. Though, given the situation, it probably did. "I'm sorry! I was just so thirsty, I couldn't control myself!"

"Come on," Owen called out, wrapping an arm around Shelby. "Cut him some slack. I'm sure you remember how it was the first time you got turned. That thirst will get you."

Scott seemed hesitant, and still more than a little angry. He spared a glance at Shelby, looking her up and down.

"What do you think?" he asked her, "Should I let him off the hook?"

"I mean… if he promises not to do it again." As angry as she was about being attacked, she didn't like the idea of someone being torn down because of it. Especially since she got the feeling that he was a fellow fledgling. Fledglings needed to stick together, and Pyro had technically sired her. She should have some loyalty to him. "Maybe you can let him off with a warning?"

 Scott seemed to contemplate this, then finally dropped Pyro. The other vampire collapsed to his knees, practically falling into a bow with his head in the sand.

"Thank you," he let out, sounding genuinely relieved. "Thank you so much." 

 "Thanks, Shelby, not me." Scott then leaned in, speaking quietly. "And if you ever steal from me again, that will be the last thing you ever take."

With that matter settled, everyone gathered up once more, hoping to induct the newest member of their coven.

"All right," Owen said with a clap of his hands. "Welcome to being a vampire. Here are the rules. First off, you can't eat anything that isn't raw meat or just fresh blood. Try anything else, and you're just going to make yourself sick. Silver repels us, so try to avoid it. The sun, contrary to popular belief, does not reduce us to ash. We are just weakened by it, and we can't use much of our powers in broad daylight. Garlic; it is poisonous to us, but not in the way people think. The smell of it just grosses us out, and if one of our victims has eaten garlic recently, we can't turn them.

Shelby was nodding along eagerly, wishing she had brought one of her notebooks to take notes in. Still, she was glad she at least had some idea of what to expect.

"And what about the other stuff? Like only being able to go into houses when invited, or what about counting grains?"

"Is that why I've been so obsessed with counting lately?" Pyro asked.

"Both of those are true," Scott answered, completely ignoring Pyro's question. "Also, just so you know, the more blood you consume, the stronger you get. Right now, you're a fledgling. You can blend in pretty well with humanity, and they shouldn't be able to tell any differences. However, once you reach a higher level, you'll find it harder to hide your differences."

"Is that why you've been wearing your mask?" Shelby asked, gesturing to the now discarded skull mask. "Did you drink enough blood that you leveled up?"

"Yep," Owen answered, gesturing with his thumb toward Pyro. "He turned him and transformed. It's the same reason why Pyro looks so different now—because he turned you."

"So am I going to have to turn someone?"

"Not if you don't want to," Scott assured her. "You can live off animals if you want. I wouldn't recommend it, it's like a human living off of tofu for the rest of their life, but you do you."

Just as the conversation was about to continue, a sudden wave of unimaginable power swept across the lands. Unlike the previous six times it had occurred, this event felt altogether different—more intense, more overwhelming. The moment it engulfed them, all four vampires collapsed to the ground, pain rippling violently through their bodies. They felt a crushing weakness, as if their bones had turned to lead, heavy and unyielding. Their heads throbbed with excruciating migraines, and their usually sharp superior vision was now clouded and distorted. The air grew thick with tension and unfamiliar dread as the land around them trembled under the force of this unprecedented surge.

"What's going on?" Shelby cried, hugging herself and trying to stave off the sudden onslaught of pain. "Scott, what's going on?" 

"The final beacon..." Owen snarled, his gaze turning toward the skies. "The humans activated the final beacon!"

Chapter Text

The power of the final beacon washed over the land, sanctifying it just as Avid had predicted. Every single human in Oakhurst felt that power and heard the promise of safety it brought. 

"All Beacons Sanctified. The Divine Light Weakens All Creatures of Darkness."

Drift and Avid, who were out mining when this happened, both immediately perked up at the feeling. Avid, of course, broke out into a fit of giggles, hugging Drift tightly and spinning her around in pure joy, their faces lighting up with happiness.

In a different mine outside of town, Abolish and Legs were caught off guard by the feeling. Even the skeptical doctor had to pause, unsure of what to make of this sensation carried on the wind. Abolish, for his part, didn't outwardly react. Instead, he just continued mining, gathering as much silver as he could. He could tell this was the start of everything going downhill.

Ren was finishing the last touches on his cabin roof when he felt the power. He nearly smashed his thumb from the shock, staring out into the woods with wide eyes. He had started to think that maybe there was truth to the tales of Oakhurst and the darkness that haunts the land. But now, faced with the reality that it all might be true, he couldn't help but feel afraid. Yes, humanity held the advantage right now, but who knew how long that would last?

Martyn, who had just gotten back to his house after his embarrassing display at the riverside, practically jumped when he felt the power. He saw this as proof that something was happening, that there was more to Oakhurst than met the eye. All he could do now was wait and see what would happen next. With humanity holding the advantage as the lands were actively sanctified, it was only a matter of time before the forces of darkness decided to fight back. He quickly made his way over to his storage chests, grabbing all the silver he had gathered to start making armor and weapons. He needed to be ready.

In the Crypt, where the final beacon lay, Apo and Mr. M both backed away in stunned shock as they shook off the last of the excess power that had washed over them. Both of them were panting a little, exchanging looks of disbelief and curiosity about what had just happened. They couldn't waste any more time standing around, so they quickly headed back to town. They needed to regroup with the others to see if everyone else had felt what they did. And if there really was something dark out in those woods, they had to be prepared. 

The vampires were understandably panicking. They were weaker than a newborn baby at this point, and if humans caught them, they wouldn't stand a chance. Their fear and desperation were palpable as they tried to find a way out of the dire situation. Scott, being the eldest, was the first to recover. He shakily got to his feet, breathing heavily as his gaze turned skyward.

"One of those beacons is at my castle," he told the others, mustering what little strength he had left. "I'm going to go and reclaim it."

"Go," Owen said with urgency. "Hurry!"

"Wait, your castle?" Shelby let out, her curiosity pushing through the fear and pain. "That scary place is your home?"

"Yeah, it's been in my family for generations. And by that I mean it's been mine for generations. Once this is over, I plan to rebuild it. Sorry, but I can't live in town anymore."

"Wait, does this mean you were never really my roommate?"

"Shelby, have you seen the state of that place? My castle isn't exactly inhabitable right now. Granted, Oakhurst isn't in much better state, but if I had to choose between living there and living in my castle-..."

"We are so close to death!" Owen screamed, "Permanently!"

"Right, right," Shelby backed off. "We'll talk about this later, Scott."

"Right," Scott replied with a nod, transforming into a back and quickly flying off. 

"The rest of us should probably get out of here, too," Pyro insisted, gritting his teeth through the pain he was in. "The sun's going to be up soon, and I don't want to get caught in it." 

"Yeah, I should head home too," Shelby declared. "Luckily, I've still got some of the fish we caught. Maybe that will be a good alibi." 

Owen nodded, watching the two fledglings take off in opposite directions. As they disappeared, he turned toward where Scott had gone. He didn't feel strong enough to bat out, so he decided to go on foot. He wasn't sure what would happen once Scott started to desecrate the beacon, but having someone there who could at least stall for time might help them. They needed to regain their strength before the humans realized just how weak they were.

Scott all but collapsed as he reached the ruins of his castle. He tumbled to the ground gracelessly, sprawled out on the remains of his Grand Dining table. Picking himself up, he dragged himself over to the beacon sitting on its raised platform, mocking him with its bright orange glow. Being in its Holy Light made him feel even weaker, but he pushed through it. Then, with a snarl, he slammed his hands down on top of it, channeling as much Unholy energy as he could into the glowing box. It would take a while, especially since he was alone trying to desecrate this powerful beacon, but he didn't care. He had to get rid of it and turn it back toward darkness. He refused to be weakened again. 

Never again.

In the wake of the final beacon being consecrated, everyone gathered back in town. The sun was rising over the horizon as they discussed the power they felt and the sensation they experienced when that final beacon was claimed. Apo and Mr. M were quick to explain what had happened, taking the opportunity to absolutely scold Martyn for running off without them. Of course, everyone was buzzing with energy, eager to see what would happen now that all the beacons had been consecrated.

Mr. M took this opportunity to update the townsfolk on their current suspicions. He told Cleo and Pearl about Martyn's holy word ability and their suspected vampires. Martyn also shared his suspicions about Scott, Pyro, and Owen, noting how they had been traveling together consistently and seemed to be sticking as a group. Of course, some argued that safety in numbers was a good thing, but Martyn insisted there was something off about it.

And then something happened.

It felt like a string had been cut, like someone had taken a rock to a window. That window hadn't shattered completely, but it had cracked, and those cracks looked ominous, to say the least. Whatever force was behind the holy energy of the beacons—be it the Holy Spirits or something else—it seemed to be directing them toward the castle. There, something was desecrating one of the beacons. If they manage to take it from the holy light fully, then the entire town will be in danger. 

"That…" Cleo hissed through her teeth, sounding genuinely worried now. "That's not good."

"We need to go," Martyn exclaimed, already grabbing a shield and his sword. "We need to get to the castle now! Apo, you still got your musket?"

Apo quickly grabbed her musket from her back, nodding swiftly. Mr. M was quick to join them as well, since he was still somewhat prepared after their night travels. It would be a bit easier to travel now that it was daytime, but they still needed to stay cautious. Something was desecrating that beacon, and they had to be ready. 

"We must protect the beacons at all costs," Mr M insisted, genuinely sounding scared.

"If we find Scott there," Martyn began shaking his head. "I swear, if he's there, I'm going to… I don't know what I'm going to do, but it is not going to be pretty."

"Forget about Scott for a moment," Apo chastised. "The beacons are our top priority. You heard the voice, same as the rest of us. It was protecting us from Dark Forces, and if one of them goes down completely, or, Word forbid, turns red, then we're in serious trouble."

"Right, that big ominous voice." Mr M spoke with a voice full of awe and wonder. "Could that have been the Holy Spirits? Or maybe it was the speaker of the Holy Word."

"If it were, it would explain why there are so many churches of the Word spread across the lands." Martyn then stopped in his tracks as they made it over a shallow hill along the path, where the fog was slowly beginning to part. "Hang on, who is that?"

His two companions stopped at the top of the hill, looking down at the swirling fog. They could see the start of the bridge leading to the castle, and there was a lone figure standing right at the entrance of that bridge. He was staring at it but wasn't moving. It almost looked like he was rooted in place. As the three of them cautiously approached, the figure turned, revealing himself to be Owen.

"What are you doing here?" Apo question, unable to keep her suspicions at bay. "Where are Shelby and the others?"

"Well, we saw that the final beacon had been taken," Owen answered, though his voice sounded a bit strained. "We were heading back to town, but then we heard that one of the beacons was falling. I followed the feeling, and it brought me here."

"We were going to go consecrate it," Martyn declared, already heading to the bridge. "Something neutralized the energy completely, and we need to get it back."

"Yeah, come with us," Mr. M insisted, already reaching for Owen's hand. However, before he could even touch the man, Owen ripped his hand away, looking almost angry. "Whoa, you okay?"

"I..." Owen looked like he was holding something back, taking a deep breath before speaking again. "I'm sorry, but I can't go to that place."

"What?" Martyn asked, actually coming back toward the lumberjack. "Why not?"

"Have you been here before?" Mr. M asked, his fingers flexing like he was wishing he had his notebook out. "Do you know something about this place?"

"It was… a very long time ago." Owen almost seemed to shudder. "Too many bad memories. I'm sorry, but I'm just going to go back to town."

Apo wanted to argue, but she knew they were already wasting time. If they waited any longer to try and drag Owen somewhere he clearly didn't want to go, they would just be wasting precious time that whatever was corrupting the beacon needed to finish his task.

"All right, fine," she said with a growl, staring directly at Owen. "Just follow the path and head straight back to town. I don't know what's going on, but we can't afford for anyone to get lost out here. We'll come join you as soon as we can."

"Cheers then."

Owen turned around and headed back down the path toward Oakhurst, while Apo and her group approached the bridge. Before crossing, Martyn quietly muttered his holy Word under his breath, unleashing the same circle of light he had used previously. Owen didn't halt his steps at all, continuing steadily toward Oakhurst.

"I had to try," Martyn defended himself. "I had to be sure."

"No, that's completely valid," Apo assured him warmly. "Come on, we need to keep moving."

~\~/~

Scott was feeling a little better now that he had managed to neutralize the beacon. Unfortunately, until he fully desecrated it, the humans would remain strong, and his kin would stay weak. Determined to succeed, he continued to pour his unholy essence into the beacon, watching as it turned a deeper, more sinister shade of red with each passing moment. Just as he was nearing what he believed to be the final moments, he suddenly heard frantic footsteps rushing across the old, creaking bridge, echoing with urgency and suspicion. 

"Not now..." he groaned, baring his fangs in angry frustration. "Damn it, not now!"

He could see figures already breaking through the dense mist, their shapes becoming clearer with each hurried step. If he hesitated any longer, they would surely see him. With great reluctance, he pulled his hands away from the beacon. The ominous red light that had been gathering intensified briefly before flickering out, returning the beacon to its dull, lifeless white color. The humans would likely attempt to restore it to its holy state within minutes, but he hoped to escape before then.

As he heard their voices growing louder and closer, he summoned his strength and boosted himself over the crumbling walls of the old castle, descending the steep, treacherous slope of the hill behind it. From there, he quickly transformed into a bat, taking to the air in a desperate flight, hoping to find another nearby beacon to destroy, so that the final stand could be broken and his efforts would not be in vain.

~\~/~

The trio of humans who had just burst into the castle were immediately overwhelmed by the shock of what they saw. It was only for a brief moment, but they caught sight of a familiar figure with blue hair vaulting over the back walls of the ruined castle. There was only one person in town with blue hair, and that was Scott. For Martyn and Mr. M, this was the unmistakable proof they had been waiting for—an answer they desperately needed. 

"That was Scott!" Martyn nearly shouted, already sprinting toward the back wall in an urgent attempt to find the blue-haired noble. "Scott!! Come out! We saw you!"

"Oh my gosh," Apo repeatedly exclaimed, her voice trembling as she clung to a panicked mantra. "Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh."

"That was Scott, right?" Mr. M said, his hands trembling as he moved closer to the others near the wall. "I mean, he was pretty far away, but I'm very sure that was Scott."

"Yeah, that was him," Martyn confirmed, nearly breathless from the emotional whiplash he was experiencing. He had to lean against the wall for support. "It had to be. He was here with the beacon that was being desecrated."

The mention of the beacon snapped Apo out of her panic spiral. "The beacon! We need to fix the beacon!" 

The three of them practically dove toward the neutralized beacon, pressing their hands against its smooth surface and channeling holy light into it. It began to slowly turn a familiar warm orange, but even that comforting glow couldn't quite settle their panicked hearts.

"Right," Martyn declared, his face dead serious. "That's it. I'm calling it now—Scott isn't human. He's a creature of the night, one of the dark entities that the strange voice in the books warned us about."

"Do you think Avid might be right?" Mr. M wondered aloud. "Could he be a vampire?"

"I don't know what he is, but one thing's certain—he's our enemy."

"Where did he even go?" Apo asked nervously, turning back toward the back wall with a terrified expression. "He just vanished, and we didn't see any trace of him after he disappeared beyond the wall."

"This is just like what happened at the river," Martyn said, feeling vindicated. "He walked ten paces down the beach, veered into the forest, and just vanished into thin air. And then he just magically happened to find you on top of a mountain? Yeah, there's no way he's human."

"Oh man," Mr M whimpered. "Guys, one of the abilities of a vampire… is to turn into bats."

"Like the bats from town?" Apo asked, hating how easily the pieces were falling into place.

"Exactly like the bats from town!" Martyn slammed a fist on the surface of the beacon, thankfully without causing any damage. "I bet all the silver in my house that Scott's the one who summoned those bats specifically to torment Avid."

"That makes so much sense," Mr. M realized, rubbing his face with his free hand. "As long as he makes Avid look like an absolute laughing stock, no one's going to take him seriously. No one's going to believe in vampires, and if Avid happens to find proof that vampires are real, the town's going to be less likely to believe him because Scott and his ilk have been sowing seeds that he's a madman."

Apo could feel her entire body shaking from pure adrenaline and fear. This wasn't real. None of this could be real. Monsters weren't supposed to exist outside of scary stories and campfire tales. They weren't supposed to actually exist! Yeah, she promised to try and keep an open mind about the supernatural, but she honestly expected this to blow over—that for the next 48 hours, she would just be playing along and then everyone would go back to being normal. She never expected to actually find something!

"This can't be real…" she whimpered. "This isn't real…"

"Wha- Are you serious?!" Martyn grabbed Apo by the arm and shook her vigorously. "Are you still in denial?! After everything we've just seen, and this obviously desecrated beacon that we're currently trying to consecrate?! What more evidence do you need?"

"I just can't believe this… no, there has to be a rational explanation," Apo replied, her voice trembling.

"Listen," Mr. M said softly, gently pulling Martyn's hand away from Apo. "I understand you're scared, but you saw it with your own eyes. Denying what you saw won't change the truth. The longer you remain in denial, the greater danger you're putting yourself and all of Oakhurst into."

Martyn's face suddenly paled, all the color draining from his cheeks as his head snapped up. "Guys, I just realized something," he said hurriedly. "What's stopping Scott or anyone else on his side from just going to one of the other six beacons?"

A cold dread washed over all three of them at that realization. They had been so focused on reaching the castle that they hadn't even considered the other beacons. Even if they had chased Scott away from this one, what's to stop him from flying off to another beacon and desecrating it? And what's worse, they didn't have time to go back into town and recruit additional help. The best they could do now was re-consecrate this beacon and then set out to intercept Scott wherever he was headed next.

~\~/~

As Scott had accurately predicted, the castle beacon was re-consecrated shortly after he had taken flight. The immense Power Wave generated by the event nearly knocked him out of the sky, causing him to tumble uncontrollably and crash into the deadwood below. He broke through several branches in his fall, transforming into his vampiric form before ultimately hitting the ground. Groaning in pain, he sat up slowly, pulling a twig from his hair and angrily tossing it aside.

His frustration with the humans had reached its breaking point. Whether or not he had been spotted back at his castle, he had no intention of returning to Oakhurst anymore. Frankly, with his roommate now being a vampire, he saw no reason to go back. He planned to return to his own castle once it was safe, then reclaim the beacon, ensuring it remained red this time. For the moment, though, he needed to find another beacon to turn, and fortunately, he knew exactly where one was located—he had crash-landed not far from it.

The scent of the marshlands wafted to Scott before he even saw the area. He didn't look forward to wading through the mud again, but seeing the towering obelisk rising into the sky was a welcome sight, at least for now. Without hesitation, he made his way across the marshlands, climbing up to the obelisk and firmly placing his hand on top of the beacon. He hoped that the humans foolish enough to have come to his castle would be searching for one of the other beacons rather than this one. He wasn't prepared for a fight, especially in this weakened state. However, once he desecrated this beacon, all bets were off.

Keeping his eyes fixed on the horizon, Scott lay in wait, prepared to fully desecrate the beacon when the moment was right.

To say that Pyro was in a panic would be an understatement. Not only was he incredibly weak, despite having just gorged himself on Shelby, but he had also managed to anger his sire. Scott's anger had dragged Pyro back to a dark moment from his past—himself as a young boy, being beaten and berated by his father for being weak. However, this time, the situation was far worse. His father had been held back by societal standards and the reputation of the Pyroscythe family, which constrained him from acting harshly. Scott, on the other hand, felt no such restraints. If Pyro crossed him again or proved to be a weak link or someone who couldn't fall in line, Pyro was certain he would be eliminated without hesitation. 

Hiding in the shade of the deadwood, the vampire struggled to gain control of his trembling nerves. He knew he had to do something to prove himself, to earn back his sire's trust. Fortunately, he had already managed to bring his hunger under control after feasting on Shelby, a thought that still made him shudder. At least, he wouldn't have to worry about going feral anytime soon, but securing a proper food source was a prudent step. 

Maybe he could try to bring some animals back to the castle ruins and offer his help in rebuilding the castle. It wasn't the most dignified work, but he was literally at the bottom of the totem pole. He had observed the way Scott doted on Shelby, and from how quickly he had become angry at her being turned, Pyro was certain she would be Scott's favorite. As long as he could be useful and allowed to stay at his sire's side, that felt like a viable path forward.

For the moment, his best chance was to locate a beacon. The vampires were still weakened, and if they succeeded in reclaiming not just one but two beacons, the likelihood of the weakening effect reactivating would diminish significantly. All he needed was to find one, and fortunately, he knew of a nearby option—the lake beacon, the same one he had observed when he first arrived in Oakhurst. He had just enough strength left to transform into a bat. Hopefully, this would allow him to reach the beacon and give him the opportunity to desecrate it.

As he felt the sudden pulse indicating the castle beacon was being reinstated, his conviction grew stronger.

Without wasting another moment, Pyro shifted into a bat, shakily taking to the air and heading towards the lake beacon. Flying as a bat was a strange and exhilarating experience, yet it was overshadowed by the intense fear and the persistent gnawing pain that continued to claw at him. Despite this, he managed to cross the terrain at a speed that would make even the fastest horse envious. Soon, he spotted the lake beacon and made a rather abrupt landing on the top of its tower. Fortunately, this sudden descent left him sprawled across the holy beacon, his Unholy Essence already beginning to corrode the sacred light it emitted.

"Come on," he urged, gripping the beacon as tight as he could. "I have to prove myself. I have to show him who I am. I have to show him that I am worthy. I have to show him I'm not a mistake. I have to show them all. I am Jack Von Pyroscythe, and I will not let myself die here!"

Despite not needing to, Scott held his breath as the beacon under his hand finally turned a dark, bloody red. A new wave of power washed over the land, this one the complete opposite of the one that had been unleashed before. This one felt like a cold wind blowing through a derelict cemetery, sending a chill down the spines of any human who felt it. The ominous voice from before returned, this time speaking in a darker, more sinister tone.

"Final Stand Broken. Darkness Pushes Back Against the Light."

The crippling weakness finally faded, the racking pain ceasing. Scott visibly relaxed, stretching his body in pure relief. Then, after making sure there was absolutely no one around to see him, the manor lord collapsed dramatically onto the stone steps of the obelisk.

"That was way too close," he let out, rubbing his face from sheer exhaustion. "I thought Avid was full of it when he said these things would cleanse the lands. This is absolutely ridiculous. Who even came up with these things?! These weren't around before I was put to sleep."

After taking a moment to compose himself, Scott stood up, dusted himself off, and adjusted his tailcoat once more.

"Well, lesson learned. Never let the humans get all seven beacons again. I'll need to coordinate with the rest of the coven and figure out where those beacons are. Hopefully, we can start capturing them for ourselves." That brought a smile to the vampiric lord's face. "Honestly, I'm kind of curious to see what would happen if we managed to desecrate all seven of them at once."

With that evil thought in his mind, Scott took off into the air, making his way back to his castle. Hopefully, by now, the humans were long gone.

Pyro felt a wave of relief as he realized the final stand was broken. He believed that the figure responsible was probably his sire, the powerful vampire lord who had turned him and might have saved their entire coven at this moment. Now, if he could take the beacon, it would strengthen their position in Oakhurst. More than that, with the weakening effect of the seven holy beacons gone, he could also defend against humans trying to storm the tower and stop his plans. The thought of feeling helpless and weak again was something he desperately wanted to avoid. 

Although he had now neutralized the beacon, it hadn't yet been turned to their side. He hoped it wouldn't take long to corrupt it entirely. Rumors in town said a desecrated beacon turns red, and he was curious to see how that change looked and what it meant. Thankfully, he didn't have long to wait.

Though not nearly as climactic as Scott's reclamation of the Obelisk beacon, the lake beacon soon emitted a wave of dark power, signaling complete desecration. Pyro stared in wonder at the ominous blood-red hue the beacon had taken on, basking in its unholy light as he felt it strengthen him. He couldn't help but throw back his head and laugh, proud that he had managed to do this. He had secured the vampire's foothold and had hopefully proved himself to his sire.

"I have to tell him," Pyro declared, eagerly descending the wooden steps leading out of the tower. "Oh, Scott is going to be very pleased with me. Very, very pleased indeed."

Chapter Text

With the fall of both the lake beacon and the obelisk beacon, the townsfolk of Oakhurst began to grasp the full extent of the danger looming over them. The realization spread quickly; everyone was on high alert, hurriedly forging weapons if they hadn't already done so, and crafting armor from the surplus silver they had been steadily uncovering in the mines around the town. Some of the more eccentric residents, driven by a mix of fear and determination, were even collecting leftover pieces of wood from various construction projects around the town and carving them into makeshift stakes. The dread from the previous night still lingered heavily in the air, and each person knew deep down that urgent action was needed—sooner rather than later—if they hoped to survive what was coming.

Avid, in particular, was growing more agitated and determined as he watched the surge of darkness spreading ominously across the lands. He was desperate to ensure the safety of the people of Oakhurst and decided to approach his roommate, Drift, with a plan, hoping to rally her and others for what might lie ahead.

"Hey," he called out, catching her as she began to armor herself in a full suit of silver, meticulously crafted and gleaming faintly despite the overcast sky. "Hey, how are you feeling after last night?"

Drift paused, offering a shaky smile that betrayed her inner turmoil. "Honestly?" she admitted, her voice trembling slightly. "I haven't felt this afraid in a long time— not since I left my old town to come here."

Avid's expression softened, and he reached out, holding out a hand in a gesture of reassurance. "Well, I think I might have an idea that could help us calm everyone down," he said earnestly. "Think you can help me?"

Eagerly, Drift nodded and reached out to grip his hand. As their palms met, a distant rumble echoed through the air, ominously rolling in the background. It almost sounded like thunder, but there were no storms anywhere nearby. The sky stayed heavy and overcast—a constant during their time in Oakhurst—yet this sound was different—deeper and more threatening.

"What was that?" Drift asked, her voice tinged with fear, unable to completely mask her unease.

"I don't know," Avid admitted, his brow furrowing as he listened intently to the distant noise. "But whatever it is, it's just another reason for us to get this done. Come on, let's go." 

He grasped her hand firmly and pulled her down the street, their steps quickening as the ominous rumbling grew louder behind them, hinting at the approaching storm of darkness that threatened to engulf their home.

Scott brought his pickaxe down forcefully onto the support column of the bridge leading to his castle, watching as the structure crumbled under the blow. Large stones shattered and fell into the river with loud crashes and splashes. He wiped his brow, though he wasn't sweating, and then executed a vampiric leap back onto the cliffside. After steadying himself, he turned toward the view of the bridge, surveying the scene with a smile. 

Significant sections of the bridge had collapsed entirely, making it nearly impossible to reach the castle by normal means. While it was still possible to access it by traversing the deep, rocky cliffs that surrounded it—though this would be a much more arduous and less direct route—Scott and his coven could come and go freely, thanks to their ability to transform into bats.

Turning away from the bridge for the moment, Scott shifted his focus to the numerous skeletons scattered across the landscape that surrounded his castle. They were an eyesore, to say the least, and he was determined to prevent them from polluting the pristine lands he cherished, once he had restored everything to his ideal state. Grabbing a makeshift broom he quickly crafted from some spare twigs and a sturdy stick, he began sweeping the skeletal remains off the broken bridge, sending them tumbling into the rushing river below. Carefully, he kept a couple of the skulls, thinking he might take a page from the infamous Vlad the Impaler's book and use them to intimidate any humans who dared to approach. Hopefully, he could find some sufficient sticks to carve into stakes for the purpose.

With the last of the skeletons dealt with, and only a handful of skulls left as proof of their existence, Scott turned toward the tree he had failed when he first woke up, tearing it apart to create the stakes he needed. he was just about to start whittling away at one with a stone knife when he heard the familiar chirp of a bat. he glanced up seeing a somewhat reddish bat coming toward him, one with almost curly fur. he couldn't help but smile, realizing who this bat was.

"Welcome to my castle, Shelby," he greeted, setting down his work to properly greet his new fledgling.

Shelby transformed into her vampiric form, settling on the ground as she looked around.

"Hey, I came to check on you," she said, her gaze settling on the beacon sitting atop its stone platform. It remained a sacred beacon, with Scott having decided to delay desecrating it. Everything that had transpired the other night underscored the need to strengthen this place before attempting to reclaim it for darkness. "Do you need any help with that?"

"Oh, no, not just yet," he replied. "The last thing I want is for more humans to come by and try to undo all my hard work."

Shelby turned back toward the now-broken bridge. "Is that why you broke the bridge?" she asked. "If I didn't have my bat transformation, it would have been a lot harder to get over here."

"Exactly. You get it. I want to keep all those humans away from here. That's why I'm planning to reinforce this place, see if I can command Pyro to do his duty as my fledgling, and actually get some work done."

"And that's the reason you have the skulls?" Shelby bent down and picked one up. "Let me guess—you're going to pull a Dracula and place them outside your castle to scare everyone?"

"Very clever." He reached out and ruffled her hair, genuinely enjoying that she was taking all of this in stride. If only she were truly his fledgling and hadn't been stolen from him by Pyro. Fortunately, Pyro was his fledgling, so he had some claim over her. She was part of his lineage. "I have you to thank for that particular idea. I was reading one of the books you had about popular myths and legends, and Vlad the Impaler was certainly an intriguing subject."

"You don't know about him?" she asked, her voice tinged with genuine surprise. "But aren't you a vampire just like him?"

"See, here's the thing," Scott said, clapping his hands together. "I was put to sleep about 600 years ago. Unfortunately, that means I was snoozing away while Vladi was out doing his thing. Pity, I think we might have been able to get along." He shrugged. "Oh well."

"You know, if you liked some of the stories that you read, I can show you some of my fanfictions."

That offer raised Scott's eyebrow. He had never heard of this fanfiction, but it sounded interesting. "Elaborate?"

"Oh, right, you wouldn't have heard of that." Shelby cleared her throat. "So, a fanfiction is when people like me enjoy a story so much that they write their own story based on that one, often using the same characters or inserting themselves into the story. I've written several over the years, including a few about vampires and werewolves, and I will admit that most of them were based on Mr M's novels."

"Right, the occult author guy." Scott had heard him talking about being an author, but had brushed it off as just the ramblings of some madman who was insisting he was greater than he was. There may have been more to him than he gave the man credit. "So you're essentially coming up with gossip about all of these characters."

"Oh no, gossip is about real people, fanfiction is about fictional people," Shelby then had to pause for a moment, realization dawning. "Wait a minute, if vampires are real, does that mean I've been writing real person fanfiction?"

"Oh, so there is a type of fanfiction where you are gossiping about people."

"Well, gossip is designed to either make someone look good or make someone look bad. Fanfiction is just for fun, a made-up story that you know is fake to make you happy."

Scott couldn't help but smirk, letting out a soft chuckle. "I don't know, I've spread some gossip that has made me very happy."

"I'm sure you have," Shelby replied, carefully setting the skull down on the ruined table with the rest. "Well, I mainly came to check on you and let you know I managed to pass off last night as just going fishing. Everyone's a little worried about you, though, especially since you didn't come back to town."

"And I have no intention of going back," Scott stated firmly. "However, if you decide you want to get out of town, you're more than welcome to join me."

Shelby gasped at that, her eyes brightening as a huge grin spread across her face. "We get to keep being roommates?"

"Of course!" Scott matched her smile with one of his own. "I like you."

Hearing that, the young fledgling let out a massive sigh of relief, placing a hand over her now unbeating heart. "Oh, phew. I'll admit, for a moment there, I was afraid you only saw me as food the whole time."

"No!" Scott crossed his arms over his chest to form a large X as he shook his head. "You're one I actually wanted to spend the rest of eternal life with." He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her up against his chest so her head was resting right under his chin. He hugged her closely, feeling her arms come up to grip his as he rested his chin amid her wild red hair. "Some of them I would rather have as food, and others, well, the idea of them being a vampire and having to spend the rest of eternity with them, that sounds awful. But not you."

"Avid?"

She said the name so flatly and so quickly that Scott couldn't hold back the snort that escaped his mouth. He released the younger vampire, needing a moment to compose himself before replying.

"Well, I wasn't going to name names, but you said it," he said, his tone light with amusement. After taking a moment to enjoy the levity of the situation, Scott grabbed his stake and carving stone once more, preparing to return to work. "Well, as fun as this has been, I need to get back to getting my castle in order. And you should probably get back to town before someone starts getting suspicious."

"Oh, yeah," Shelby replied quickly, turning back toward the broken bridge. "Hey, let me know if you need anything—food, help with the beacon, whatever you need."

"I'll let you know, promise," Scott assured her.

She nodded quickly, then transformed back into a bat, fluttering across the now-broken bridge and heading back toward town.

"Be careful where you turn back," Scott called after her. "You don't want to let them see you!"

"I will!" she shouted back, disappearing into the light of morning. 

On the cliffside overlooking the ruined tower, Martyn was fast asleep, leaning against a rock and snoring loudly. His two companions were slowly starting to wake up as well, all three having fallen asleep at some point during the night. They had set up camp in this rocky outcropping, hoping to spot a vampire or some creature of the night trying to desecrate the ruined tower beacon. However, none ever appeared, which Apo confirmed after checking the still-glowing orange beacon at the top of the tower.

"Ugh," she groaned, doing her best to stretch after falling asleep on the hard rocks. "And I thought the cots in the barracks were horrible. I am never complaining about those thin canvases again."

Mr. M was making similar noises, cracking his neck as he tried to work out the kinks from sleeping on the rocks. Once he was more awake and able to move, he turned his attention to their still-slumbering companion. He reached down, grasping the man by his shoulder. When that did nothing, he shook him a little harder.

"Martyn. Martyn, it's time to get up."

Still, the man didn't move. If anything, he was snoring a bit louder. Already annoyed at having wasted an entire night sleeping out in the cold, Apo bent down and slapped Martyn across the face. That woke him up.

"Oi!" The man held his stinging cheek, glaring at the soldier girl. "What the bloody hell was that for?!"

"It's morning," she answered, glaring down at the man. "It's morning, and we wasted an entire night sitting here keeping watch over a ruined Tower and sleeping on the rocks."

Realizing he had fallen asleep while on his watch, Martyn abruptly jumped to his feet and quickly turned toward the beacon. He only allowed himself to relax once he confirmed it was still glowing a bright orange, signaling everything was under control. A sigh of relief escaped him before he turned to face his companions. 

"We got lucky," he said matter-of-factly. "I genuinely thought Scott and his ilk might try to come and claim this beacon as well. I mean, they took two of them last night." 

"Maybe they assume two would be sufficient," Mr. M suggested, brushing some stray leaves and dead grass off his coat. "Magic as powerful as this can't be easily desecrated. There might be something else we're not aware of."

"Whatever the case may be, we need to get back to Oakhurst as soon as possible," Apo insisted firmly, already beginning her trek down the mountain. "We have to inform the town about what happened at the castle." 

Martyn quickly caught up with the soldier girl, not bothering to brush away the twigs and leaves still sticking out of his hair. "About that, how are we going to handle it? If we go into town acting like fools, everyone's just going to assume we've been drinking the same well water as Avid. We need to be smart about this and plan carefully." 

"Agreed," Apo said with a nod, her initial annoyance at her companion softening as she appreciated his rational approach to the situation. She wasn't exactly convinced that vampires existed, but she couldn't deny that something unusual had happened last night involving Scott and that beacon. "My recommendation is that we limit who we tell. Specifically, we should keep this information between us and those who will handle it calmly and professionally, without jumping to conclusions." 

"Cleo," Mr. M declared without hesitation. "She's been the calmest and most collected of all of us. If anyone will be willing to listen and handle this matter with the necessary discretion and professionalism, it's her."

"I would also recommend Pearl and the Doctor," Apo added. "Pearl, like Cleo, is calm, collected, and has her wits about her. And the Doctor has been nothing but a pillar of support to everyone in town, always ready to help and listen whenever needed."

"Do you think the Doctor will believe us?" Martyn asked, skepticism clear in his voice. "I've seen how firmly he dismisses anything supernatural. He's probably going to denounce what we saw, dismissing it as nothing more than hallucinations or tricks."

"I don't think so," Mr. M responded thoughtfully. "We all heard that voice on the wind—the one telling us about the beacons being sanctified and the final stand being broken. He can't deny that; nor can he deny that something strange is happening, something beyond ordinary understanding."

"Plus," Apo added, "it's not like we're going around shouting about vampires and monsters. We're simply presenting our testimony of what we saw and the conclusions we've reached. It's a stark contrast to Avid's fear-mongering campaign."

"In that case, we should get Ren and Drift in on this as well," Martyn added. "Ren's been living on his own for a while now, and he needs to know what he's dealing with. As for Drift, she's been the straight man to Avid's insanity this whole time, so I think if we tell her about what's going on, she will react more rationally."

"I think we stop there for now," Mr. M suggested. "I mean, the others on the list are ones that we suspect to be vampires. I'm willing to write off Ren, given everything that's been going on and his reaction to the final stand being broken. I don't think he's a vampire, but then there's Shelby and Pyro. They went off alone with Scott, along with Owen."

"Right…" Apo let out, her voice lowering to a whisper. "And the last time Pyro went off with Owen and Scott, he returned looking different—almost sickly. He claimed it was just a cold or something, but…" she hesitated, shaking her head. "No, I won't jump to conclusions. Innocent until proven guilty."

"Human until proven otherwise," Martyn added. "But even so, we keep our cards close to the chest. No grand gestures. No massive confrontations. We stay calm, limit information to our designated team members, and avoid causing unnecessary fuss."

Everyone nodded in agreement at that, continuing their journey back to Oakhurst.

Cleo walked through the streets of Oakhurst, observing everyone and making sure no one was going mad with panic. Luckily, no one seemed to be in a right panic, merely focusing on arming themselves and getting armor, which was more than understandable. In fact, Cleo made sure to offer silver to those who didn't have a complete set of armor just yet, having used her Way of the Prospector ability to fill her stores to bursting. Many took her up on her offer, thanking her for her generosity, while others, like Abolish and the Doctor, assured her that they were fine.

Abolish had been spending a considerable amount of time mining lately, he explained as he opened a chest to reveal a substantial quantity of raw silver ore—more than she had managed to gather herself. However, she understood that her time was divided, as she also served as the town's farmer, leaving her little free time. 

"Is that where you've been disappearing to so often?" she asked, watching as the butler closed the chest. 

"Yeah, pretty much," Abolish replied, then reached over to a worktable, grabbed a shield, and slung it onto his back. "Want a shield?" 

She accepted the shield and strapped it onto her back. As for the Doctor, although he didn't have nearly as many supplies as everyone else, he was equipped with a complete set of armor and had crafted some silver tools. However, he didn't possess a sword, and when Cleo offered him the supplies to make one, he shook his head.

"Do no harm," he said firmly when asked why he refused. 

Cleo chose not to press further, sensing the guardedness in the Doctor's eyes. There was more to his refusal than he was willing to reveal, and she realized it would be hypocritical to pressure him for answers. She would be satisfied that he was at least armored up and protected.

"Wow," the voice of Owen let out from directly behind her. "Everyone's been busy."

Cleo turned on the lumberjack, feeling her heart hammering in her chest. She was never going to get used to the man just randomly appearing out of nowhere. Seriously, how was he so quiet? She had been trained long ago to keep an ear out for anyone coming close, and yet even she couldn't tell when he would appear or disappear. It was quite frustrating. Not that she let any of that show.

"Will you stop doing that?!"

...Much.

"Sorry, can't help it." Owen looked around the town, crossing his arms and looking a bit concerned. "Everyone seems a bit worked up."

"You think?" Cleo crossed her arms as well. "I don't know where you were last night, but I think they have a pretty valid reason to be on edge."

"Yes, well, I'm just a little concerned about our more… suggestable town members." The lumberjack turned his gaze toward some new construction near the corner of town. It was a modest wooden frame with some stone flooring, but everyone who looked could see Avid and Drift working on the site. "The village idiots are apparently working on some sort of vampire wellness center."

That certainly caught the Doctor's attention. He had been in the process of gathering a bundle of his medical equipment along with some dried herbs he intended for medicinal use when he suddenly froze in place. His eyes widened slightly as he absorbed what he was hearing.

"They're building what?" he asked, his voice dropping into a tone that carried a surprising hardness—a darker, angrier edge that none of them had heard from him before. It was enough to put Cleo on edge, making her feel more alert and tense.

"Yeah, it's some sort of clinic or facility, or something like that, apparently meant to, I don't know, test to see if people are vampires or some similar purpose?"

"Oh no." Cleo shook her head. "We are not having that!"

"No, we are not."

The Doctor began marching directly toward the clinic, his face a mask of barely concealed rage. Owen followed after him, clearly wanting to enjoy the show that he had just unleashed. Cleo chose to hang back, letting the Doctor handle the situation without interference. Frankly, she had other concerns occupying her mind—particularly the recent arrival of Apo, Martyn, and Mr. M. The three of them had run off last night after experiencing the shared sense of dread. They hadn't returned until now, well after sunrise and several hours after they had initially left. Needless to say, she was more than a little irritated with them for their reckless behavior and the worry it had caused.

"And just where have you been?" she snapped, approaching the trip with her hoe in hand. It wasn't a sword, but it was a helpful tool for intimidation, especially since she'd shown no qualms in using it as a weapon. "Do you realize how worried we've been? Last night was bad enough as it is without you three making things worse."

"We're sorry," Martyn said immediately, genuinely sounding contrite and remorseful. "We tried to get to the castle in time to stop whatever was desecrating the beacon there. And we did, but it wasn't enough."

"We know," Cleo informed him, her tone softening somewhat. "We lost two of the beacons, I think the one at the lake and the one at the obelisk."

"On the bright side, we now know who at least one of the bad guys is," Mr. M announced, which made Cleo perk up. "When we got to the castle, we saw Scott bolting over the wall and disappearing. We're almost positive that he was the one desecrating that beacon, and when we showed up, he fled like the coward he is."

Cleo wanted to feel vindicated. She hated nobility, hated those in power, and Scott had been way too much like her old master—his smartness, his lack of care for anyone, and the fact that he never seemed to even look at her vegetable patch except to maybe sneer at the garlic. She had dismissed it before as just him not wanting to witness the dirty work behind his lavish banquets. But if he were one of the dark forces in these lands, if he were a vampire, it would explain a lot. Still, she couldn't jump to conclusions—not yet.

"How do you know he wasn't there to reconsecrate it?" she suggested, having to bring up the possibility. "How do you know he didn't think you guys were the bad guys?"

"Because every time we've consecrated a beacon and someone else has come up, no one has ever run. Scott ran. He ran because he was desecrating it, and he didn't want to get caught."

"Does that mean Shelby's in danger?" Pearl asked, having joined the conversation at some point. "I mean, Scott is her roommate after all."

"Right, where is Shelby?" Apo asked, as if realizing for the first time that she couldn't see Shelby. "The last time we saw her, she was with Pyro, Scott, and Owen."

"Oh, I just saw her," Pearl announced, smiling happily. "She gave me some fish to give to Oscar!"

As if summoned by his name, the ghostly cat materialized on Pearl's shoulder, letting out a soft meow as Pearl pulled a dried trout from her bag. The ghost cat happily took the fish, jumping onto the ground to nibble at its new treat. Cleo couldn't help but coo slightly at the sight before her, but then quickly got back to business.

"How did she look?" she asked, referring to how sickly Pyro had looked when he returned from his travels with Scott and Owen. "Did she look sick or anything?"

"Oh, no." Pearl shook her head. "She seemed perfectly fine to me. Her usual bubbly self."

"What about bandages?" Martyn asked, taking a step forward. "Did she look like she was trying to cover something up?"

"Not that I could see. As I said, she looked completely fine."

Cleo couldn't help but sigh in relief at that, a hand going to her neck where her choker lay. The last thing she wanted was for someone as sweet and innocent as Shelby to be dragged into this world. Let her continue to pursue the supernatural, like Bigfoot or fairies. Leave her out of the darker side, the bloodier side. Let her stay some innocent kid who still believes in the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus. Please…

~\~/~

"Am I a joke to you?!" Legs exclaimed, marching straight into the so-called vampire wellness center. He was seeing red as he stepped inside, absolutely furious.

Avid immediately jumped upon hearing the Doctor's angry yell, and seeing the flash of terror across the man's face shouldn't have felt as good as it did. Legs tried to tamp down his feelings of vindication, but he couldn't help wanting to make Avid afraid.

"What- What do you mean, a joke?" he stammered.

"Am I a joke to you?" Legs ripped off the sign hanging on the outside wall. "The Avid-Drift Vampire Centre for Vampire Awareness." He was so tempted to smash the sign over his knee, but he forced himself to toss it aside instead. "After everything I've done, everything I've sacrificed to become someone who gives care… And you, in a day, decide you're going to be performing medical examinations on the town!" 

"What?!" Avid threw up his hands, waving them erratically. “No, no, no, no!” 

Legs grabbed Avid by the front of his vest, slamming him against the walls of his so-called clinic.

"Do you know everything I went through to get to where I am? Everything I have paid…"

Avid, still being hoisted into the air by the Doctor, began to stammer again. "Well, you cut a hole in a bedsheet, you stuck it on over your-"

Legundo punched him. He couldn't hold it back. He punched him so hard that the Doctor was surprised he hadn't knocked the man out. Instead, Avid just began shouting again, a bruise already blooming on his face.

"You just punched me! Did Owen put you up to this?!"

Owen, who had somehow manifested on top of the wooden walls that were being constructed, only seemed to smirk at what was going on.

"I only told them what you told me," the lumberjack answered, examining his nails as if he hadn't a care in the world.

Legs ignored Owen for the time being, his focus locked on Avid. The Doctor was breathing hard now, his knuckles aching to lash out again. Instead, he began to speak through gritted teeth.

"What mockery of modern medicine are you doing here?"

"This is not medicine," Avid quickly explained, which only made Legs snort.

"Clearly."

"Listen, it's fine! It's fine." Avid was trying to smile now, though anyone could see he was terrified. "Come on, we're not bothering anybody. It's going to be opt-in."

Legs just growled, dropping Avid before he listened to the intrusive thoughts that urged him to do more than punch the irritating man. Unfortunately, the would-be vampire hunter didn't take the hint, going after the Doctor.

"Hey, listen, listen, listen, okay? I remember a few days ago, I needed some medical attention. People wanted you to do an examination of my brain, but your place wasn't fully ready. If you set up a place for people to get themselves evaluated, then that's great. If anything, I want you to—I could really use a checkup. But so far, this is the only clinic in town."

Legs snarled again, even louder this time. 

"Oh, there are a few things you could use right now."

He tried to walk off, only for Avid to needle him further.

"Alright, go! Grumble. Go grumble and get it done!"

Legs stopped in the middle of the street, his fists clenched tight, screwing his eyes shut as he began mentally reciting the Hippocratic Oath. He muttered it under his breath, trying to curb the murderous thoughts pounding against the carefully constructed walls of his mind. And, of course, Avid couldn't leave well enough alone.

"Whatcha doing there, doc?" He moved in closer. "Oh, you're reciting your oath? What's all that about?"

Legs took a very deep breath, his voice measured and as cold as ice.

"Do not, for a moment, take my lack of violence as acceptance of what you're doing right now."

Finally, the man seemed to get the hint. He held up his hands and backed off slightly, lowering his voice.

"Okay. But listen, this isn't a clinic, not like what you think. It's a center for vampire awareness where we can help people to learn how to recognize vampires, how to stop them, and how to fight against them."

"You just called it a clinic!" Legs threw his hands in the air. "You are actively perverting what I've done, everything I've worked for the past 20 years to become!"

"I'm trying to protect this town, okay?! If we want to be able to fight against the creatures of the night, we need to be unified, we need to be aware of what's going on, and we need to know who among us we can trust!"

"You, my friend, are a fool," Legs let out, turning away one final time, "And you are going to lead this town down the wrong path. Good day, Avid."

This time, the Doctor didn't stop until he had left the town of Oakhurst behind. He desperately needed some fresh air to clear his mind before he risked breaking several of the Oaths he had previously taken.

~\~/~

Owen stood atop Apo's watchtower, watching the Doctor storm out of town. It was incredibly entertaining to see him explode with anger, revealing glimpses of a complex personality underneath. Clearly, there was more to the Doctor than met the eye, and Owen was eager to uncover the secrets he might be hiding. For now, though, he had a different mission. Tensions were already rising after last night's events with the beacons, and Owen knew his own standing in town was probably shaky after refusing to go to the castle. While shaking off Martyn's little spell might have given him a temporary break, he recognized he needed to handle this suspicion before it grew stronger. 

However, his current mission took priority. He needed to make sure that the humans remained oblivious to the true perils of the night. He needed them to continue believing that creatures like vampires were nothing more than legends. More than a few were already beginning to suspect that something more was going on, and he needed to nip that in the bud. Luckily, he already had a plan.

His first move was to fully establish Avid's reputation as the town's idiot. Fortunately, most residents already viewed him as nothing more than a manic nuisance, and this Vampire Wellness Center was merely the latest incident, the straw that broke the camel's back. Since the Doctor had been pushed so violently over the edge, the more level-headed members of the group would likely distance themselves from Avid; all they needed was a slight nudge.

He also began sowing the seeds of doubt in Drift. She was Avid's biggest supporter, and while she seemed to act as the voice of reason to his insanity, she also lent credibility to his claims. She needed to go, so he had been sticking around her, trying to become that little voice in her ear, making her question her friend. She was starting to get a bit weary of him now, which wasn't ideal, but if it got him the result he was hoping for, he would work with it.

The final step of his plan was currently underway. Besides spreading the word about Avid's little vampire clinic, Owen had also been calling for a town meeting. He scheduled it for after sunset, reasoning that everyone would be busy during the day but would be better off already in town by nightfall. He had already convinced Ren to come into town for the meeting, and a few others were more than willing to join to discuss what was going on. This would give him the venue he needed to settle some accounts and hopefully reinforce the idea that there's nothing supernatural about the town. It would certainly be entertaining, especially once he told the story he had been working on all night.

Chapter Text

"Hey, M," Cleo called out, catching Mr. M as he was coming out of the town crypt. From the lights that were surrounding him, he had likely consumed another magical tome. She'd have to ask him about what power he found later. "Can I talk to you?"

"Oh, of course!" the author eagerly nodded, following Cleo away from the town proper and over toward the wall. They found a secluded corner near some stone ruins that hadn't been built up, making themselves comfortable on some of the larger pieces of rubble. "Is something wrong? You seem a little worried."

"I am," she admitted, albeit reluctantly. "Do you remember what you were telling me about last night? About Martyn's holy word spell and how it supposedly freezes creatures of the night where they stand?"

"Yeah," Mr. M replied, losing his normally cheery disposition.

"I need you to tell me exactly who you saw getting caught in it. Who didn't move when he used that word?"

Mr. M nodded at that, pulling out his notebook. "Okay, so we've done it a couple of times now, and each time, we've had different results. The first time we did it, during the contest, Shelby and Scott did not move. The second time, it was Ren and Owen who didn't move. However, we ran into Owen when we were heading to the castle to try to stop the beacon. Martyn used his holy word then, but Owen was able to move. We're not exactly sure what happened there, or if there's some part of the holy word spell we don't understand, but we left Owen on the list just in case."

"Right, better safe than sorry. Ren though? And Shelby?"

"I don't want to believe either of those two is a vampire, either. Ren's a good friend of mine, and Shelby… she's Shelby. She's one of my biggest fans, and she's just a sweet kid. The idea of her being some bloodsucker… it breaks my heart honestly."

"So you believe that vampires are real."

"I do, yes." Mr. M nodded, his conviction evident. "I mean, I haven't seen anyone getting their blood sucked, but you have to think about it this way. All the books we've been finding, this magic that's supposed to defend against the darkness, the beacons, and what we saw last night was Scott. That's just too much evidence to cast aside."

"Please tell me you aren't fear-mongering over here."

Apo's voice drew the attention of the two, pulling their gazes to the approaching soldier girl. She had some sacks of dye in her hands and some orange banners draped over her shoulder.

"What are those for?" Cleo questioned, gesturing to the banners with a finger.

"What are these?" Apo held up one of the banners. "Martyn is working on some banners to hang around town. He thinks it would boost morale to have some symbol to rally behind and to bring some color to this place. It's not a bad idea, but I'm hoping to convince him to do something more than just plain orange." Apo then paused, shaking her head vigorously. "Wait, come to think of it—forget that. Fear-mongering. Mr. M, I thought we agreed we were going to stick to the facts." 

"And I am. I'm telling her what we saw and the conclusions we reached, just as we discussed. We agreed when we came back to town that we would keep this calm and only speak with those who would handle this information rationally." 

"Good on you," Cleo commended, relieved at their foresight. "The last thing we need is any more Avids running around."

"So, as the resident sane person," Apo began, turning to Cleo, "what do you make of all this?"

"If I'm being honest, I've got my own suspicions. If vampires do exist, then they've been here for a while—long enough that the Holy Spirits decided to intervene in this place. They had such an impact on this town that a barrier had to be erected to keep them in, and if that is the case, then that means anyone local is suspicious."
"Owen, you mean," Mr. M realized. "And Scott said that these lands belong to his family. If his family existed here as long as he said they did, and if they were some ruling class..." 

"It may not have been his family," Cleo clarified, "it may have just been him." 

"The empty tomb in the castle," Apo realized, putting the pieces together. "You think that's where Scott came from." 

"I'm thinking that it's a possibility." Cleo took a breath. "As for Owen, I've been keeping an eye on him. He keeps disappearing and reappearing at random. More than that, he's been going around town insisting that everything is fine and that nothing is going on. In the words of the bard, 'I think he doth protest too much'. Like, I know I've been telling everyone to calm down and not overreact, but at least I'm willing to admit that something is going on here. I'm not flat out refusing to see what's in front of me."

Her two companions nodded along, with Mr. M scribbling furiously in his notebook.

"All right, so," Mr M began, looking up for a moment. "If we're going off of Scott and Owen being vampires, who should we be worried about? Who will they target?"

"Well, I don't know about them, but here's what I would do if I were a vampire." Cleo straightened up, genuinely giving the idea some thought. "First, I would target my roommate, if I had one. Make sure that we're on the same page and on the same side. If we're going off the usual suspects, i.e., Scott and Owen, that means you're in trouble, Mr. M, as well as Shelby. Apo, depending on what happened with Pyro, you could also be in danger."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Apo admitted. "I don't want to jump fully onto this whole vampire bandwagon, especially with pyro, but I'll keep my eyes peeled."

"More than my roommates," Cleo continued, "I would target the most reasonable voices in town. Those who have the most influence, the ones who have the most say. That would be me, or the doctor, but, and I don't mean to sound full of myself, I think that mainly fits me. So I could be in danger."

"What about Avid?" Mr. M asked. "Wouldn't turning him also make sense? And take him out of the equation."

"See, here's the thing about Avid. His running around and shouting from the rooftops that vampires exist is actually the best proof that vampires are fake. Letting him continue to run around and do his own thing is actually helping them, so if anything, I would save him for last."

No one disputed that fact. In fact, all of them attributed their disbelief in the entire vampire phenomenon mainly to Avid's erratic ramblings.

"Listen," Cleo spoke up, "I'm going to tell you now that there is something supernatural going on in Oakhurst. And if I ever stop saying that, either something has changed in town, or something has changed within me. Okay? Remember that."

After turning the lake beacon, Pyro had found refuge in an old mineshaft not far from the tower. It was deep, with labyrinthine tunnels that stretched so far that Pyro had gotten lost twice just trying to find the exit. It was the best place for him to hide out, especially since he was almost certain he wouldn't be able to return to Oakhurst. Scott had managed to get away with his little mask charade, but Pyro didn't have the same charisma as his sire. In truth, his erratic behavior had already drawn the attention of several people in town, including his roommate, so returning to Oakhurst was most likely a bad idea. He'd have to make his way out into the wilderness, and he would need to find a way to get back into Scott's good graces.

While taking the lake beacon was a step in the right direction, the scholar held no illusions that it would magically fix his transgressions from the night before. He would need to do a lot to earn his sire's approval, starting with gathering some animals to breed as a food source. He had already gathered a couple of pigs and a few sheep, and was currently weaving a makeshift net that he could use to fly them over to his sire's castle. Most likely, that would be where he'd find the manor lord, and, hopefully, the delivery of food would be well received.

However, he was running low on the string he needed to make the net. The tunnels were vast, but there were also sections deep enough that no creatures dared to venture, not even the spiders. Luckily, he knew from experience that there was a surplus of giant spider webs in the various crypts, so if he could find one, he could trim the webbing and get the string he needed to finish his nets. And, as luck would have it, there was a crypt not far from his new den.

As he reached the entrance of his mineshaft den, Pyro transformed into a bat and took off into the air. He didn't have far to fly, making his way over to the crypt he was looking for before landing on top of one of the stone stairs leading to it. He glanced around quickly, making sure no one was nearby, and then slipped into his vampiric form. Only then did he jump down the crypt shaft into the shallow waters waiting below. 

As he emerged from the pool, he spotted a figure ominously standing in the shadows of the crypt. There were signs of a book having been consumed, with lights slowly fading into the choking darkness of the crypt. Using his superior night vision, Pyro could see that the figure was the good doctor. Hopefully, he could use the gloom of their surroundings to his advantage.

He was just about to call out a greeting when he heard a splash behind him. He jumped and turned around to see that Abolish had joined him. The butler was emerging from the pool, fully dressed in silver and looking as composed as ever. The vampire quickly stepped into the gloom of the crypt, hoping to conceal his more inhuman features from the butler. He couldn't quite explain why, but something about Abolish made his hair stand up on the back of his neck. He didn't understand why, since Abolish was just a butler—a simple servant. What was there to fear from him? Still, now was not the time for mind games. He needed to make himself known.

"Doctor," he called out, then he turned toward the newcomer. "And Abolish! Fancy meeting both of you here. I was just doing some woodland exploring. How do you fare?"

"I'm good," Abolish replied, as monotone and boring as ever.

"I…" The doctor sounded tired and a little bit on edge. Nothing like the rather affable man that power had gotten to know in town. Clearly, something had happened. "I just needed to cool my head."

"Oh." Pyro took a step back. If there's one thing he'd learned over his short life span, it was that when a good man was angered, it was best to leave. "Perhaps I should leave you be then."

"No, it's... It's fine. You're fine. I just needed a moment. Here." The doctor took several steps out of the shadows and into the faint light that was coming from the sunlight filtering in through the entrance. "Let me stop standing ominously in the shadows."

Pyro laughed nervously, giving a fast nod. "Oh yeah. I mean, coming down here and just seeing a lone figure standing at the end of a tomb was uh, you know… I know we were in one of these before. It was just...."

Legs returned to the laughter, though it was not one of amusement. If anything, there was a darkness to it, like he had no choice but to laugh because the alternative was something he didn't want to consider.

"I will not deny… It matches my mood, but that is another discussion entirely."

"Oh," Pyro quickly jumped on the out. "Well, I wouldn't want to pry and prod. I feel like that's a very personal—"

"Oh no, I'll tell you straight up." The doctor rubbed his face, massaging his temple, focusing on the part not covered by his monocle. "Avid's making a mockery of what I've spent the last two decades trying to learn, and I am… running out of patience with him." 

"His… mockery of the scientific method." Pyro guessed, receiving an exasperated nod from the doctor. "Yeah, it's been getting to me as well."

"Avid made a vampire center," Abolish clarified, the declaration catching the vampire off guard.

"A vampire… What, sorry?"

"A clinic, he called it." Legs practically spat the word. "A place for people to receive care."

Pyro saw Abolish shake his head at that, muttering under his breath about not calling it such a thing. Pyro had to agree with the butler's sentiments. Back in the capital, he had seen more than his fair share of charlatans pretending to be doctors, offering fake treatments at high prices, snake oil salesmen, and the like. He may have become a vampire, but men like that are the real monsters.

"That's terrible, doctor," and he found he actually meant that. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry you have to deal with that."

"It's fine," the doctor replied, waving him off with one hand. "It's nothing you need to apologize for."

"Have you said anything to him?"

That got a laugh out of the doc—a dark, mirthless thing. "Oh, I said… quite a bit. But I needed to step away before I violated several oaths that I've taken."

"What--?" Pyro cleared his throat, trying to rephrase his question. "One of those oaths, surely, would be protecting the safety and promoting public health amongst all, wouldn't it?"

"Yes, but do no harm…" The way he said those words felt like a mantra, something he repeated to himself over and over again, multiple times a day. "Help those who need to be helped. Cure those who need to be cured. That is... that is my prerogative. And as much as I would love to dislocate that man's jaw, it is not something that I have done for some time."

"Didn't stop you from punching him in the jaw," Abolish pointed out.

"A momentary lapse," the doctor declared, rubbing his hand slightly. Now that he knew what to look for, Pyro could see the signs of bruising on the knuckles. It must have been one hell of a punch.

"Well I'm not sure if you're familiar with the philosophy of utilitarianism, Doctor," Pyro had to pause his speech for a brief moment when he heard the doctor snorting loudly, "but wouldn't the best thing to do for the general broader public health be to, you know, remove one parasite so that it doesn't spread and corrupt the whole body?"

"I mean, I don't think killing Avid is a good idea."

This completely out-of-pocket comment from Abolish had both Pyro and Legs immediately turning on the butler. They spoke over one another, immediately trying to shoot down the idea of murdering the man.

"Whoa!" Pyro exclaimed. "I mean, I wouldn't suggest that at all. In fact, I would strongly suggest some sort of exile because, you know…"

"Exactly," Legs agreed. "As much as Avid drives me insane, I wouldn't wish death upon him. I would, however, recommend that he be removed from town before he leads it down a path that will only spell destruction for its citizens."

"Or at the very least, have him committed somewhere where he can get the help he so desperately needs."

Abolish held up his hands in a silent surrender, clearly recognizing that his suggestion was not one they wanted to entertain just yet. Thankfully, that had helped to lighten the mood significantly, with the doctor's smile looking a bit less forced.

"Thank you both," he said, looking at both Pyro and Abolish. "I appreciate your concern, and I'm grateful for it. It's only been a few weeks since we've been here together, but at the same time, I appreciate your counsel and your conversation, but I need to... I need some time to think."

"Of course, Doctor." Pyro nodded quickly. "Yes, I'll uh... I'll leave you alone."

"And if you came here for the book, I already took it."

"Actually, I came here for some cobwebs for a project I was working on." The mention of the book made Pyro stop. Information was the best tool in war, and there was one on the horizon. Knowing what everyone could do would be crucial in the days to come. "If you don't mind me asking, what book did you find here?"

"One that feels… so appropriate for how today has been going. Want to see?"

Pyro nodded, and the doctor looked between Pyro and Abolish thoughtfully. Then, with a sudden burst of speed and strength, he rammed straight into the butler, sending him crashing into the ground. Abolish actually gasped at the hit, coughing as his body tried to regain the air that had been violently forced out of his body.

"Wow! That's a haymaker right there!" Pyro was suddenly a bit scared of the doctor, taking another step back. 

"You might be a doctor, but you can definitely tackle somebody," Abolish let out, still coughing and holding his chest.

"Another life," Legs replied simply, going over to Abolish and offering a hand. "Are you okay? I should have warned you. I just needed to get some of that energy out."

"No, don't worry about it." Abolish took the offered hand, getting back to his feet. "You just caught me on an inhale."

As the butler slowly regained his composure, Pyro decided to take his exit. Hopefully, everyone had been so focused on the doctor and his issues that they hadn't noticed anything inhuman about him. Hopefully, he could find some cobwebs in a different tomb. Either way, he had overstayed his welcome. 

In town, Renhardt was diligently working on finishing his tavern. Since he had fully moved out into his cabin on the outskirts, he felt a responsibility to ensure his former house would be put to good use. Additionally, he had a legitimate excuse, as a town meeting was scheduled for that evening. Although he had set up a few lanterns to light the path from his cabin to the town gate, he was not particularly eager to travel at night—especially after what had happened last night with the beacons. Nevertheless, he reminded himself that this was not the time for dark thoughts. His tavern wasn't going to build itself. At present, it was little more than a wooden box with some basic furniture, but Renhardt was determined to transform it into a lively place filled with good food and fine mead. It was meant to be a gathering spot that Oakhurst desperately needed, offering more than just drinks and meals, but a sense of community and warmth.

But Ren had a few more plans than just his tavern. Nay, he had grander ambitions, ones that would hopefully protect the town against the growing darkness.

Ren knew from his observations around town that not everyone was convinced by the darkness threatening Oakhurst. While some began to realize that something sinister was unfolding, many residents lacked the skills or means to oppose it. Among them were several young souls who shouldn't have to bear the heavy burden of fighting against the Terrors of the night. Deep within, Ren felt a strong sense that it was his responsibility to take action. He resolved to form a group—a militia—that would be dedicated to protecting these innocent souls. He planned to gather those who understood the true nature of the darkness lurking in their lands and who were willing to stand against it. He envisioned creating a secure meeting place tucked beneath his tavern where they could share vital information, coordinate their efforts, and ensure the safety of everyone involved.

 As he continued working on his tavern, Ren took a moment to consider who he could enlist for his militia. Mr. M had already demonstrated himself to be a dependable ally, listening attentively to his stories and offering a supportive ear. There was also Mr. Woodhurst, a young lad who had been the first to charge forward when the sanctity of the beacons was threatened. Though he may have failed to prevent the creatures of the night from breaching the final defenses, it was undeniable that the young man had shown great promise, and Ren was eager to nurture his potential. His final candidate was the young Army woman. Despite her youth and preference for architecture over combat, she possessed resources and strategic insight that could prove valuable. 

Ren hoped to speak with these three individuals during the upcoming town meeting to discuss his plans. He believed that such a gathering could shed light on several issues and help unite Oakhurst. 

"What… on earth am I looking at?"

That was the very first thought that crossed Scott's mind as he watched a small, brown, scruffy bat flying rapidly toward his castle, clutching a large net filled with livestock. It was by far the strangest and most unusual sight he had ever witnessed, and he had seen a great deal of weird things in his time. Considering the bat's scruffy appearance and its brown coloration, he suspected that this was likely Pyro, his fledgling. Pyro had finally decided to show himself, although it was already quite late in the day. Scott had already finished his chores, which included setting up the skulls on their stakes, and he had even erected a few signs on the mainland side of the bridge, warning of the dangers and noting that the bridge had collapsed. He doubted anyone would bother reading them if they could read at all, but he felt it was important to try. 

"And just where have you been?" he called out, crossing his arms and making his annoyance quite visible.

The small bat touched down directly in front of Scott. It then transformed into its scruffy-looking fledgling form, lowering itself into a proper genuflection. It was clearly an attempt to stroke Scott's ego, and, amusingly enough, it was working.

"I apologize for my late arrival, sire," the man said, keeping his head bowed respectfully. "I was gathering some livestock for us to breed and feast upon. I know you have no intention of returning to the town, and I wanted to ensure we had a reliable food supply until we could find more humans to join us.

"I see," Scott responded, stepping away from his kneeling subordinate to observe the captured animals. There was a pair of sheep, about three chickens, and a single cow. The fact that he had managed to carry all of these from their previous location to the castle was a testament to how much he had grown stronger since devouring Shelby. Since there were no animals on his castle lands, having them here would be a significant advantage.

"I suppose this will suffice," Scott said. "Go and build a pen for them. You should have enough sticks lying around to get the job done."

"Of course," Pyro responded promptly, quickly regaining his footing and rushing to carry out the orders. 

"And when you're finished, your next task is to start building the walls of my castle. Cobblestone will suffice for now, but I expect you to find better materials soon. I refuse to live in a hovel or some cobblestone monstrosity again."

"Yes, sire. Whatever you say," he replied obediently. "As it happens, I know of a place not far from here—one that delves deep into the earth. It will provide a steady supply not only of stone but also of deep slate. I believe you'll find the deep sleep ore much more pleasing to the eye than plain cobblestone."

"We'll see about that. You know what needs to be done. Now, get to it," Scott said firmly.

"Yes, right away," Pyro replied without hesitation.

As Scott watched his fledgling scramble to fulfill the tasks assigned, he couldn't suppress a smirk. Perhaps his seemingly useless fledgling wasn't so useless after all.

As the sun descended over the horizon, the citizens of Oakhurst began to gather for the town meeting. They didn't have any town hall or gathering place just yet, with Ren saying his tavern wasn't ready yet. As such, they decided to meet in the beacon tower. It was a bit cramped, but there was enough room for about twelve or so chairs to be arranged in a circle around the beacon. Everyone took their seats and settled in.

Wanting to start on a positive note, Martyn took the opportunity to show off the new banner he had designed. It was mainly orange, to emulate the holy beacons, with a slight red gradient that almost made it look like a sunrise. There was also a bright white circle in the middle, adding to the sunlight imagery. Everyone was, of course, immediately applauding the new banners, with Pearl happily declaring that she was going to hang them everywhere. Ren even suggested having the banner printed on some shields for everyone, which Abolish offered to do. It was a nice opener to the meeting, and everyone was in much brighter spirits.

"Alright," Owen began, looking around. "It looks like at least most of us are here."

"Oh yeah, who's missing?" Drift questioned, doing a quick headcount. "I don't see Scott or Pyro."

"The doctor and I saw Pyro in one of the crypts," Abolish chimed in. "I'm not sure where he went after that, or if he even knows about the meeting."

"And Scott?" Apo asked.

"I don't think it's possible to get every single member of Oakhurst into this meeting, and I don't want to waste anyone's time too much." Owen cleared his throat, sitting up in his chair before addressing the town as a whole. "I wanted to discuss the happenings of yesterday, people's perspectives on it, but also an opportunity to perhaps, uh, come clean… with a lot of you about the history of this place and… and myself."

This sobered everyone up immediately. Martyn, who still held some reservations about the lumberjack, immediately leaned forward.

"Which happenings of yesterday?"

"The changes on the wind," Owen clarified. "I think we're all in agreement that something strange is going on. On top of that, you, Martyn, you and Apo and Mr M, you saw me on the bridge. The bridge to the castle. And I couldn't muster the strength to cross."

"Yeah, I was wondering about that," Mr M spoke up. "What was all that about?"

"I suppose I should tell you the truth." Owen rubbed his hands together, like he was mustering the courage to say what needed to be said. "I told everyone here that I grew up in Oakhurst, that I left here when I was a boy. What I didn't tell you was that I didn't exactly leave of my own volition."

A hush fell over the gathered crowd, everyone listening intently. Owen kept his eyes on the ground, not looking up once.

"Oakhurst was being freshly rebuilt, the first time in nearly 200 years. And while we were setting everything up and getting some infrastructure going, we saw an influx of the church. At first, they were helpful. They helped establish trade, plot out roads, settle debates; they were all-around good neighbors. But over time, the influence of the church grew and grew, and it began to infringe upon the rights and freedoms of our people. The adults, I was a child at the time, began trying to push back against them, and when they did, a new faction was established. Their official title was Templars, designed to defend against the evils of vampires."

Some soft murmurs began to flip about the crowd. They didn't like where the story was going.

"Keep in mind, there weren't any real vampires involved. It's just a superstition that people believed in. However, it soon became evident that these Templars were essentially just the church's private mercenary group. Anyone who dared to oppose the church or challenge its power would find themselves scrutinized by both the Templars and the church authorities. They would be asked questions about their whereabouts on specific dates, made to stand on silver, hold onto sacred relics, or even chew raw garlic to test if they were 'human'. Over time, the pressure and intimidation grew so intense that we reached a breaking point. The adults in Oakhurst even attempted to expel the church from the town entirely. And that… is when the killings began."

"Oh no…" Shelby gasped.

"My uncle was among the first to perish, and my father was not far behind him." Owen tightly clenched his fists. "More and more people began to die until what was essentially a war broke out in the town square. My mother, along with several other surviving members of Oakhurst, made desperate efforts to ensure everyone's safety. The castle had been converted into a public house, serving as a grand meeting hall for the town. It was here that the adults attempted to lead all of us children, believing that barricading the doors would protect us. Yet… I lost my way in the chaos, became trapped in a ravine, and by the time I managed to crawl out and rejoin the group… I could only watch in horror as the Templars… set the castle ablaze, engulfing everyone inside."

"Oh jeez.." Martyn let out, unable to keep it in.

"All those skeletons we saw…" Legs whispered in abject horror. "They were… they were children."

"Yeah." Owen nodded slightly. "So, if I refuse to venture over to that castle, or if I get a little snappish about being made to recount my exact whereabouts every single night, then I'm sorry if that is upsetting to some of you. That's just who I am. I've come to reclaim my birthplace and try to have a quiet life. I will not be the judge, jury, and executioner of my neighbors."

"Don't apologize for your trauma, Owen," Legs insisted, looking at Owen as if the lumberjack would shatter in the blink of an eye.

"When was that?" Cleo questioned, sounding audibly skeptical.

"Like I told Martyn when we first came here, it was about 30 to 40 years ago. I can't give you anything more specific than that because I legitimately don't know my own age. I was never taught how to count."

"What about the plague?" Shelby asked meekly, "Was there ever one?"

"Sure sounds like there was," Pearl chimed in, shaking her head.

"Perhaps there was one a long time ago," Owen replied, finally sitting back up. "I won't deny that there is evil in Oakhurst, but throughout my time on this earth, I've found that just about every monster out there is just the worst of humanity. Those who persecute others because they're different, because they don't share the same beliefs as you. The people who will raise a hand against you just because you dare to be different. Those are the real monsters."

"If what you said about the church is true, I'm willing to believe it," Martyn muttered.

"Regardless of that, I see this as an opportunity." Owen looked around at the group. "We have the chance to make Oakhurst better. We can succeed where so many others failed. Oakhurst can be a good place to live; it can be a beautiful one. But the thing is…" The lumberjack turned so he was fully facing Avid. "I don't think you're a vampire, Avid. But from my perspective, you do have all the makings of a monster in you."

Everyone felt the burn of those words, as immediate protests rose across the room. Avid himself practically jumped to his feet as if his chair had burned him. Drift was quick to move to comfort her roommate, while Pearl turned to Owen with an admonishing look.

"Look, I know Avid's been a bit much lately, but that was a bit too far."

"Yeah, there was a blast radius on that one," Martyn let out, feeling the second-hand indignation from that comment.

"I mean…" Shelby actually looked a bit conflicted. "He did make that weird vampire center with the jail cell in it."

"He put a what in his clinic?" Legs exclaimed, looking absolutely furious.

"Yeah, he put a jail cell in the clinic."

"The clinic alone was bad enough, but you put a jail cell in it?!"

"Okay, okay!" Avid held up his hands. "I will admit, I may not have had my head on straight when I made the vampire Wellness Center. I apologize for that, and I have already told Drift that she can do whatever she wants with it, but the jail cell stays, please, if nothing else."

Drift said nothing to that, looking a little sheepish at being singled out. Thankfully, all attention remains solely on the would-be vampire Hunter, who continued to dig his own metaphorical grave.

"But listen please, I apologize that I've come off too strong. I came here straight from something very traumatic. Okay? A vampire attacked me. I think, I believe. And I defended myself. And it came from here. I think whatever it was came from this place. It's undeniable that they exist, and I've just been trying to protect everybody."

"You mean with all the murder accusations," Abolish pointed out.

"I was genuinely afraid for Shelby! And with Ren, when he moved out, I panicked! I was scared, and I'm still scared. I've never been anything but scared since the day I came here. I'm sorry, and I don't know what I'm doing."

"See, here's the problem with that," Martyn spoke up again. "You make a lot of noise, but it's always preceded by I think or I believe. You have no concrete evidence, no proof. So at this point it really is just fear-mongering."
"There are very few more dangerous things than being led by the uninformed," The doctor added, sounding tired as he said it.

Seeing everyone ganging up on him, Avid seemed to snap. He turned to them all, his eyes almost wild as he looked among everyone.

"Well, then, since we're all here, I think we need to address something that I think we're all overlooking in lieu of just blaming it all on me. I am not the only one who believes in the supernatural. I've been hearing what everyone's been saying: how some of you believe in vampires, how some of you have gotten magical books warning about the dark creatures of the night. I'm not the only one who believes in this stuff, but because I'm the squeakiest wheel, Owen's trying to drown me in grease. He's trying to paint me as this psychotic madman, and you're all believing it!"

Unfortunately for Avid, this exclamation only solidified his reputation as 'The Psychotic Madman,' as he himself had eloquently described. Those seated nearby subtly began to shift away, with even Drift appearing noticeably uneasy. Seeing this, Avid visibly deflated, his confidence wavering as the room's perception of him solidified.

"Seriously? No one is going to stand up for me?"

"Avid…" Shelby looked up, her glasses reflecting the light of the beacon and hiding exactly where her eyes were lying. "I don't think Owen is trying to turn everyone against you. I think he's genuinely trying to calm us down, to show us that… that there's a rational explanation for everything."

"Unexplained things are happening in Oakhurst," Legs admitted, his voice gentle, "but I don't believe in your reasoning."

"We need to at least try to trust each other," Apo spoke up, gripping her arms tightly. "And Avid…All you're doing is trying to make us paranoid of each other. You're just an agent of chaos pretending to be a champion of righteousness. I'm sorry but… It's the truth."

Avid looked genuinely distressed by this, his eyes darting around the room to find anyone who would support him, anyone who believed him. However, every time he met eyes with someone, even those who had expressed belief in the supernatural, none of them could meet his gaze. They all turned away, shame coloring their faces. Realizing just how alone he was, Avid broke.

"You guys… all I wanted was to take care of everybody here. And, clearly, this is just a town that can't be saved."

And with that, the would-be Vampire Hunters stormed out of the tower. The door behind him slammed shut, the frame rattling slightly. Drift looked torn, like she wanted to go after him, but stayed in place to avoid drawing any more attention to herself. As the uneasy silence settled over the crowd, Ren rose from his seat. 

"Me friends, ya see what comes of dreadful things? One thing we can all agree on is that the night before, we all felt a dread in our souls the likes of which we've never felt before. Can anyone deny the dread, doncha know? Any one of ye?" 

This was met with a chorus of no's and several shaken heads. 

"I don't deny the fear," Legs clarified. "I deny the source."

Ren nodded at that, grabbing the banner Martyn had been showing off earlier.

"Instead of going back and forth and clawing at each other, I suggest we all come together and find out whatever might be coming for us. Cuz, make no mistake, there is a Darkness out there with our names on it. I can feel it in me bones, and you all know it too. So pull yourselves together, Oakhurst! We've got work to do!"

Despite the initial dread and fear sparked by Avid's proclamations, Ren managed to turn the tide of the meeting. Slowly, the tension shifted as the attendees began to cheer, their voices rising in unison, fists raised high in solidarity while they rallied around Ren and the Oakhurst banner. No matter what challenges lay ahead or what threats lurked in the darkness beyond the town walls, they were determined to face them together. United and resolute, they would stand firm and be prepared for whatever came next.

Chapter Text

In the wake of the Town meeting, everyone was in a bit of disarray. Though most of them had come together after Ren and his rallying cry, Avid had taken his leave of the town. He had gathered a few belongings in a rucksack and abandoned Merp Manor. As morning came, Drift could only stare at the seemingly ransacked manor, feeling a deep-seated guilt because she hadn't stood for her friend. As she stood there, a soft hand came to rest on her shoulder. For a brief moment, the detective was afraid it was Owen, who had been popping up behind her all day yesterday. However, one look at that small hand made it clear that it was not Owen's.

"Hey, Shelby."

Shelby moved so she was standing next to Drift, also looking at the open door of Merp Manor. She looked sheepish herself, her eyes sweeping the room before turning toward the ground.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Not really. I can't help but feel like I've let Avid down. I just got… I was so scared in that meeting, afraid that… I don't know, maybe I was just afraid that the others would look at me the way they were looking at him. I left my friend high and dry, and…"

"Hey." Shelby turned Drift toward her, pulling her into a hug. "It's all right. Avid knows to be careful. He'll be okay. And we can go find him."

Shelby's voice became strained at the end, mostly because she had made the mistake of pressing her face right into the crook of Drift's neck. This meant that she got a huge whiff of the detectives sent, and could quite literally hear the blood rushing through her veins. It took every ounce of her willpower to pull away from that hug, plastering a nervous smile on her face to try and hide how close she had come to biting her friend.

"Would you come with me?" Drift asked, either ignoring or not noticing Shelby's discomfort. "Avid cares about you greatly, and I think he'd listen to you."

"Yeah, absolutely!"

"You're going to look for Avid?"

This question was proposed by Abolish, whom the two girls turn to see. Oddly enough, the butler had a new accessory he was wearing—a long chain wrapped across his body with a lantern hanging from it. The lantern itself didn't look like a typical one; it resembled more of a meteor hammer that just happened to provide light.

"Abolish, hey," Drift said as she took a closer look at the strange lantern. "What's that for?"

"Oh." Abolish lifted the lantern, letting it dangle from a small section of the long chain. "I found this Lantern Thrash spell while I was out yesterday. The book said I would need a lantern of my own, so I made this."

"That is so cool," Shelby gushed, her eyes sparkling. "What does the spell do?"

"I never got the chance to test it out before the meeting last night, and I was planning to try today. But if you girls are going to look for Avid, maybe you could use some protection?"

"Oh, we will not say no to protection." Drift looked genuinely relieved at the offer. "Thanks, Abolish, truly."

The butler just nodded, following the two girls away from Merp Manor and toward the town exit. As they headed out, they passed a different group having an intense conversation about the meeting from the other night. It was a group of about four—Cleo, Ren, Martyn, and Legs—sitting around the old campfire as they discussed their thoughts on the previous night. 

"So we're all in agreement that something was off about Owen's little story, right?"

"I mean…" Martyn gave a helpless shrug. "I'll be honest, that story was… intense to say the least. I don't know how much of it was true, but it certainly had its desired effect."

"And we did see the bodies back at the castle," the Doctor said quietly, shuddering from the memory of all those small skeletons.

"Yes, but here's the thing," Cleo pointed out. "I don't know about everyone else, but if I were traveling with my mother, I highly doubt she would let me out of her sight for a second, especially if some bloodthirsty Templar knights were after us. And he just happened to get lost and fall into a ravine? And completely dodge this entire Massacre? Sorry if I'm a bit skeptical about that."

"I have one thing ta say about the confessional if ye hear me, dontcha know." Ren lifted his head a bit, looking everyone in the eyes. "If I were a wolf amongst the sheep, ta get meself a nice, clean, and easy-to-get meal, I'd get the sheep ta be fightin' one another, distracted so that I could swoop in and eat one of 'em for dinner, dontcha know."

"Well, if that were the case, I'd say mission accomplished," Martyn said bitterly.

"Right." Cleo stood up from her log seat, smoothing out the skirt of her dress. "We need to go back to that castle. We need to take a closer look at that place and see exactly what happened there."

"We need proof," Legs agreed with a Stern nod. "Whether for or against, we need to know the truth."

"More than that," Martyn chimed in, "we need to find more spell books. Things are getting dicey out there, and we are going to need as much Firepower as we can get on our side. What does everyone have so far? I have my Holy Word spell."

"So far, I have Way of the Prospector, Prayer of the Faithful, and Become Undead," Cleo answered.

"I have Banish Undead and Shoulder Barge," the Doctor replied.

"And I be possessin' an Uncanny Direction spell, one that allows me ta always be knowin' me way home, dontcha know."

"Oh, well, here, Specs." Martyn reached into his satchel, pulling out a book with a cover reading Shoulder Barge in golden script. "This is that Shoulder Barge spell the doc has. I was saving it for later, but you're more than welcome to it."

"Ah, thank ye kindly, Mr. Woodhurst."

As Ren absorbed the knowledge of the spell book, everyone else began to gather their stuff and prepare for the journey ahead. Legs was more than a little reluctant to return to the castle, not wanting to face all those dead bodies again. Cleo was the first to notice that, coming over to the Doctor and putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey," she said softly, "if it'll make you feel better, maybe we can try and put some of those bones down in the crypt. That way, they can at least have some semblance of a burial."

"That…" Legs took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Yeah, I would like that."

Pyro had been working diligently all night, ardently clearing out the overgrowth from the outline of the castle and carefully plotting a basic shape using the limited cobblestone he had available. One of the advantages of being a vampire was that he no longer required sleep and felt no fatigue at all, even after such hard work. Scott had kindly offered him a short break to drain a chicken, which Pyro appreciated greatly. Back in his family home, his father would never have allowed such an interruption during a task, so this small concession was a welcome improvement.

 Meanwhile, Scott had settled himself comfortably on a makeshift throne he had constructed in front of the beacon. It was a simple stone seat with a cushion taken from his old coffin, but it was a definite improvement over sitting on the ground. He hoped to have a more suitable throne made soon—something more fitting of his station. For the moment, this would suffice. He held an old goblet in his hand, one he had retrieved from one of his many hidden stashes within the family tomb. He took a sip of the pig's blood he had collected in it, letting out a forlorn sigh. Bored of just sitting around and watching the world go by, he noticed the sun beginning to rise. After finishing the contents of the goblet with a flourish, he set it down, dusted himself off, and rose to his feet.

"Pyro!" he called out, pulling the fledgling away from his work. "I'm bored and looking for something to do."

"Oh, is there anything I can do to help?" Pyro asked, setting down the stones he was working on and wiping his hands on his pants. "If you want, I can show you where my mineshaft is. You can take a look at the deep slate in there and see what you think of it."

"I was actually thinking about getting some more beacons," Scott said, glancing back at the holy beacon that was still sitting on its platform, its divine light almost mockingly shining down on him. "So far, we've taken the lake beacon and the obelisk beacon. But I highly doubt we'll be able to keep control of them for long. We need to start capturing more of these beacons so we can weaken the humans' influence and strengthen our own position."

"Of course, of course," Pyro nodded eagerly, his expression reminding Scott of some of the dogs he used to keep around—loyal creatures that helped keep the riffraff and troublemakers at bay. "Maybe we should try to locate that missing one, the one that was consecrated the other night and nearly crippled us."

"Oh yeah."

Scott closed his eyes, thinking about where might be a good place to hide a beacon. He knew that somewhere in the forests, there was an old crypt, not like the ones that have been popping up and holding all these magical tomes. This one was an actual crypt, a place that had once served as the resting place for the townsfolk. That could be where this final beacon was. If nothing else, it was a good starting point, and even if they didn't find anything, it would give him something to do to pass the time.

"Come with me," he commanded, adjusting his tailcoat with a flourish before turning toward the sky. "We're wasting time."

He then transformed into a bat, a sleek black creature that looked as elegant as he was. Pyro shifted into his scruffy brown rat form, and the two of them flew off toward the crypt.

The three-person search party to find Avid had unfortunately returned empty-handed. They had combed through the nearby forests thoroughly and even examined some of the tome crypts, hoping to find any trace or clue leading to their missing friend. Sadly, there was no sign of Avid anywhere in the vicinity. Drift was beginning to feel overwhelmed with worry, clutching her arms to herself as she fought to suppress the shivers that wracked her body. Shelby did her best to offer comfort to the detective, gently rubbing her back while maintaining a respectful distance to avoid revealing her true nature.

"It's going to be okay," Shelby assured Drift softly. "Avid can take care of himself. He has his crossbow, and I believe he's had some magic spells with him, too."

"Yeah, he's got that Unnatural Haste spell," Abolish added from where he was walking in front of them.

"Yeah, he does, doesn't he?" Drift replied, glancing at Abolish in surprise. "How did you know that?"

"I've been keeping track of all the spells everyone discovers," Abolish explained casually, shrugging as if it were no big deal. "It's a good habit to get into."

"No doubt about that," Drift responded before she got an idea. "Maybe he sought refuge at one of the beacons." 

"Honestly, that's what I would do." Shelby nodded at that. "I mean, the beacons tend to be in places that are isolated from the forest, and the Holy Light would keep the undead at bay. If I needed somewhere to crash, that's where I'd go."

"We're not far from the lake beacon," Abolish informed them. "And I think that was one of the beacons that got taken by the dark forces."

"But wouldn't that mean it would draw in the undead?" Drift wondered, actually stroking her chin a bit as she gave that some thought. But then she shook her head, realizing that wasn't a relevant question right now. "Never mind. Even if we don't find Avid there, reclaiming a beacon for the Holy Light would be to our benefit anyway."

"Yeah, totally," Shelby agreed, albeit reluctantly. She didn't know how she was going to get out of not consecrating the beacon, considering she couldn't anymore. "Should we go?"

"Yeah," Drift said with a nod. "But we shouldn't stay too long. If something is out there desecrating the beacons, they may come running as soon as we neutralize it. And no offense, Abolish, but I don't want to risk a fight."

"None taken, that's a smart mindset to be in," Abolish gave a slight nod. "We go, we fix the beacon, and then we get back to Oakhurst."

The three of them shared a nod as they made their way toward the lake, with Shelby quietly hanging back. Maybe hiding amongst the humans wasn't going to be as easy as she had hoped. 

Cleo and her party stood at the base of the bridge leading to the castle, or what was left of it. The bridge itself had been completely broken down, with only the crumbling support pillars remaining standing. Signs had been placed in front of the now derelict bridge, announcing the bridge's collapse and how the area was unsafe. Cleo can help but sneer at the rather fancy handwriting used to write these signs, recognizing it as practice penmanship only a noble would have.

"This did not look like this a couple of moons back, the last time we were here," Ren noted.

"There was that ominous Thunder that we were hearing yesterday," legs were called, looking up at the sky. "It may not have been thunder at all. It may have been the bridge collapsing."

"Doctor, the bridge may have been in rough shape, but it wasn't to the point of collapsing like this. Someone, or something, did this to the bridge."

"So how are we to get across?" Maryn questioned, wincing at the sight. "I mean, even if we cut down some of these trees, I don't think they can span the gap like that."

"Ye be leavin' this to ole Renhardt, dontcha know." Ren took a gander at the gap they had to cross, then turned back to the group. Then, from his back, he pulled a crossbow he had been carrying with him since the start of this whole mess. "I been makin' many a rope bridge upon me travels, and I be willin' ta make one more. Just give me a bit o' time and some materials, and we be across this here gap before ya can say dontcha know, dontcha know."

Laughing slightly at the men's alliteration, the began gathering the materials that Ren would need to complete the bridge. If they all work together, they could get across the gap before it gets too late in the day.

The crypt beacon fell, seized by the forces of darkness. The feeling of its loss spread across the land, alerting the humans to the fall of another beacon of holy light. Apo, who had stayed in town rather than go out in search of Avid, felt the pulse of the crypt and couldn't help but panic a bit. Losing two beacons was bad enough, but if a third was added, and they didn't do anything to stop it, that could be a problem. Despite the trepidation she felt about the darkness beyond the town gates, she had a duty to protect her outpost. So, she grabbed her musket and stalked out of her home, and almost ran right into Owen.

"And where are you off to in such a rush?" the lumberjack asked, his axe slung over his shoulder as he watched her.

"Didn't you feel it?" Apo narrowed her eyes slightly, still suspicious of Owen. "The crypt beacon fell. We need to get there before it's fully turned."

"Oh yeah, I thought I felt that change on the wind." Owen turned his gaze toward the horizon. "Unfortunately, I have absolutely no idea where this crypt is. But if you do, I'm more than willing to follow."

"Sure, fine. Let's go."

Despite her reservations about the lumberjack, Apo knew that going into potentially enemy territory alone was a bad idea. This was especially true since they didn't know how many allies Scott had. Plus, the town had no definitive proof that Owen was an enemy, and this would be the perfect opportunity to find out which side he was on. She just prayed to the Word that he was on their side.

The two made their way out of Oakhurst, heading straight into the forest. Even moving as fast as they could, it would take some time to reach the crypt, and Apo saw this as a chance to learn more about Owen.

"Can I ask you something?" she inquired, turning to Owen. "Why do you seem so hostile toward Avid?"

Owen chuckled softly. "Well, you've heard my story. Honestly, people like him—those who look for reasons to persecute others, judge based on differences rather than who they truly are—irritate me. And Avid, unfortunately, fits that description."

"Still, calling him out like you did last night? I think that was a bit too heavy-handed."

"I stand by what I said. Avid might not be a vampire, but if he continues down his current path, he's going to become one hell of a monster."

"And what do you consider a monster?" she asked, her voice seeking clarification.

Owen actually stopped walking after Apo said that. He stopped entirely, turning to stare as if caught off guard by the question, his expression flickering with surprise and unspoken emotion.

"What is a monster to me?" Owen repeated quietly, his voice carrying a subtle warning, a tone that suggested there was more beneath the surface. "You really want to know?"

Apo got the distinct impression that she had just stepped on a landmine. Unfortunately, it was too late to back down from her question because Owen had already begun to answer it.

"The monsters I grew up with weren't under the bed or in storybooks," Owen said, gazing up at the sky, his hands gripping his axe tightly. "They were real, and they were out there on the streets."

He paused, voice thick with emotion. "To me, the monsters were the hard wood of a slammed door in the face of a boy desperate to find a home. They were the taut fabric of the cloak pulled around the stranger, too scared to show their skin, merely at the sight of yours."

For the first time, Apo noticed the linens wrapped around Owen's hands. If the story he told back in the meeting was true, maybe he had been burned. Burns can leave some severe scars, and given how he was covering his hands, she suspected he had a few. It made her wonder what kind of life he had lived after leaving Oakhurst. She was staring so intently that it was a miracle Owen hadn't noticed, but he seemed too lost in his own thoughts to pay attention.

"They were the cold sting of coin in your palm because no food vendor was willing to touch the money you've earnt so that you could eat," Owen persisted, his voice heavy with boiling anger, frustration, and pain, as he clenched his teeth. "Those are my monsters, Apo. Not creatures of the night or tall tales, but people. People who were rotten to the core, who shunned those who did nothing wrong beyond existing in a way that offended them. So, forgive me if I am a bit, as you say, heavy-handed with the likes of Avid. Live as I have, and you learn quickly to tell who the wronguns are."

Having said his piece, Owen began to resume their march down the path, with Apo trailing behind quietly. What kind of life had he lived to make him so bitter? And why was this the first time she noticed that coldness? She contemplated doubling back, finding someone else to accompany her to the crypt, but she had already come too far. At this point, it would be more suspicious if she turned around. She had to see this through, no matter what happened.

"I'm sorry," she said after a moment, hoping to smooth things over after clearly setting him off. "I… I can't even imagine what you've been through."

Owen just gave a small smile that didn't reach his eyes. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Ren was true to his word, effortlessly constructing a sturdy rope bridge to span the now gaping chasm where the previous bridge had collapsed. Noticing that the bridge had crumbled in two separate sections, he skillfully built a second rope bridge, understanding that both would be necessary for safe passage. Using clever tactics with thicker ropes and his crossbow, he bridged the gaps with ease, carefully testing each with heavier rocks to ensure stability. Once satisfied, he tied off a secure knot and signaled a thumbs-up to his team. Martyn couldn't help but applaud, and Cleo looked genuinely impressed by his ingenuity. The Doctor, ever cautious, volunteered to be the first to cross, just in case something went wrong. Thankfully, the bridge held firm under his weight, and they succeeded in crossing to the castle.

However, what they discovered on the other side made them question whether they were still in the same castle. 

A wooden fence had been erected in front of the main entrance to the ruined palace. Stakes had been driven into the ground, with several skulls morbidly displayed atop them as a warning or trophy. Evidence of recent construction work was visible, with a grand outline erected in the now-less-wild grass. All the skeletons encountered during their previous visit had vanished, though the skulls suggested they had been repurposed or relocated.

"Is someone actively working on this place?" Martyn questioned, surveying everything as they pulled some of the fencing out so they could enter.

"They be doin' more than workin', lad." 

Ren pointed straight ahead, at the broken-down table and the makeshift throne that had been erected at its head. The goblet that was resting right next to it was pretty damning evidence that someone had been here. The Doctor hesitantly approached the goblet, picked it up, and sniffed it. He immediately recoiled, pulling it away.

"Blood," he reported, setting the goblet back down exactly where he'd found it. "Pig's blood, if I had to guess."

"Still think vampires are fake?" Cleo asked, her eyes locked on that goblet.

"I…" the Doctor ran a hand through his short hair. "I honestly don't know what to believe anymore. Unfortunately, with the skeletons gone and the site having been…"

"Turned into a construction zone?" Martyn suggested, "Infested with the undead?"

"Tampered with," the Doctor settled on. "We can neither confirm nor deny what really happened here."

"The beacon," Cleo realized. "What about the beacon?!"

Everyone immediately turned toward the beacon on its platform and was both relieved and more than a little surprised to find it was still holy. Given what they had seen here, they fully expected to find it desecrated and read. Seeing it still glowing orange was a shock, to say the least. Martyn even reached out, placing a hand on it to feel the energy, and he felt no signs of tampering. No darkness that needed to be purged.

"Okay, seriously, what is going on here?" Martyn demanded. "The broken bridge, the fresh construction, and yet they don't touch the beacon? What's the point?"

"This may be where nobleman Scott has been," Ren suggested, eying the throne with clear contempt. "If he be a creature of the night as we be suspectin', then perhaps he no longer feels the need ta hide who he truly is, dontcha know."

"That could explain why he wasn't at the meeting last night," Cleo admitted.

"And why he's been missing ever since his supposed fishing trip with Shelby," Martyn added. "Him and Pyro."

"We shouldn't jump to conclusions," Legs insisted, his brow furrowed in visible worry. "We have a lot of speculation and a lot of circumstantial evidence, but no concrete proof. If we let our fears run wild, we'll start acting rashly, lashing out at potential allies… It will not end well."

"The doctor's right," Cleo agreed, taking a step back before steadying herself. "As you said before, we can't be certain of what truly happened here. For now, I suggest we head back to Oakhurst and inform everyone of our findings."

This was met with nods of agreement as everyone began to leave the castle. Martyn took a moment to carefully replace the fencing they had pulled up, even though it was somewhat pointless. The rope bridges they had erected would give them away instantly, but at least they could make it appear as though they hadn't gone inside. 

Unfortunately, Apo and Owen did not reach the crypt in time to stop the desecration. They were crossing the hill to get it when they felt the beacon fall. Apo couldn't help but curse under her breath, drawing her musket as she approached the crypt entrance. Owen was watching her back, or so she thought, as two figures began to emerge from the gloom of the crypt.

"-gold, maybe some emeralds?" the voice of Scott echoed through the dark stairway.

"Anything's possible," Pyro's voice answered, which made Apo's heart lurch. "It's a pretty deep mine, and only the best for you, Sire."

Soon, the two figures stepped out from the shadows, standing absolutely frozen like statues the instant their eyes locked onto the soldier girls. And those eyes—those piercing, bloodshot eyes—coupled with their pallid, almost ghostly complexion, left no doubt about what she was witnessing. These two were vampires. With a trembling hand, she raised her musket, aiming its bayonet directly at them. Pyro immediately looked frightened, his hands raised defensively, as if to make himself look less threatening. In contrast, Scott's expression shifted to one of near amusement; he studied her with a keen, assessing gaze, as if she were some naive child caught in a dangerous game.

"Well, hello there," the blue-haired man greeted, smirking in a way that revealed one of his sharp canines. Apo tried to say something, but her throat felt tight. She licked her lips to try to wet them, but still no sound would escape her throat. "What, cat got your tongue?" 

Scott was taunting her now, taking a step forward as she lurched backward. This sent her stumbling right back into Owen's chest, and when she felt his hands wrap around her shoulders, a sense of cold dread hit her.

"I thought you guys might be hungry."

The reality of her situation hit her like a locomotive. She was surrounded by vampires. Avid was right. Scott, Pyro, and Owen were all vampires! And she had just walked right into the middle of them, alone, without anyone knowing where she was. She shivered where she stood, feeling something warm running down her leg. 

"Well, now, that you mention it," Scott drawled, taking another step toward the frozen Apo. "I was getting a bit peckish. There's been nothing about."

Pyro, who had been holding back because of her musket, was now taking a step toward Apo, revealing his own fangs. Seeing those teeth in her own roommate finally snapped Apo out of her terrified spiral. Thinking fast, she tilted her musket up and then jammed the butt of it right into Owen's face. She could hear a crunch, most likely his nose, and the hands holding her arms were suddenly gone. She immediately twisted around, using her musket as a bat. However, a pale hand closed around it, and she found she couldn't budge it an inch.

"Now that was rude," Scott chastised.

The musket was wrenched from her hand, and she could only watch as the blue-haired man snapped it like a twig before tossing it aside. Owen was already getting back up, snapping his nose back into place without even batting an eye.

"Wait, wait!" She held out her hands, even as she watched the three gather around her. "You don't have to do this! Let's bargain!"

Bargaining with vampires? How low had she fallen!? But she couldn't die here! Not when she had someone waiting for her!

"Please, let's bargain! We can make a deal!"

"A deal?" Owen laughed, wiping his nose on his sleeve. "A bit late for that, don't you think?"

"Yeah, I have to agree with Owen," Scott chimed in, continuing to look at Apo like she was a lamb to the slaughter. "Three of us, one of you. I see no reason to entertain any deal you may have."

"Sire," Pyro spoke up, though he sounded meek, almost nervous. "Maybe… Maybe we could hear her out?"

"Oh come off it," Owen snapped, glaring at Pyro, who seemed to shrink under the lumberjack's gaze. "She's just trying to save her own skin. She's hoping to stall us so more Humans will come. You're one of us now, so act like it!"

"I can discipline my own fledgling, thank you very much," Scott countered, giving Owen a sideways glare.

Apo was slowly regaining her faculties, her breathing evening out as she stared at the three men surrounding her. "You're a vampire too, Pyro? You're one of them?"

Pyro flinched when he was addressed, but gave a slight nod. "I-I am… but I'm okay. And you'll be okay too."

"You don't look okay." Apo couldn't help but wince. "You look sick."

"He's fine," Owen snarled, pushing on Apo's shoulder, causing her to stumble back a step. "Actually, he's better than fine. He's just like us." 

"Exactly," Scott said, dramatically spreading his arms as if to showcase himself to the world. "If you knew how incredible it was to be a vampire, you wouldn't be afraid. In fact, if you chose to join us, you'd have no reason to fear. We're stronger, faster, we never age, and we never get sick." 

"You eat people," Apo spat angrily. "You're undead parasites." 

Owen scoffed at this, rolling his eyes dismissively. Pyro, meanwhile, looked sheepish and ashamed, avoiding eye contact. Scott, however, placed a hand on his chest in mock outrage.

"I'll have you know I haven't killed anyone since I woke up. Pyro's still alive, still here, still among us."

"You call that alive?!"

"Oh, come now, you saw how he was before. Weak, scrawny, could barely carry a medium-sized stone. Now, he's strong enough to break boulders with his bare hands. He's faster than the most athletic human you could name. And you could be too."

Apo swallowed hard, taking another step back. Her foot caught on the stone steps of the crypt, and she fell, landing hard on them.

"Come on, Apo," Pyro urged, attempting to sound gentle despite the fear that was unmistakably present in his voice. "Vampires aren't all that different from humans. I'm still me—just better—and you can be too. And... think about it. If you were one of us, you wouldn't have to be afraid ever again. You could go back to your home, go back to the girl you're always writing to." 

"Cherri..." 

When she uttered her name aloud, Owen's expression almost seemed hungry. He smiled in an utterly sinister way, crossing his arms and leering menacingly at Apo.

"So you have someone to go back to. I think I get it now," Owen said as he reached down, pulling Apo to her feet. The action might have seemed gentlemanly if his grip on her arm hadn't felt like a vise. "Think about it this way: as one of us, you could be with her forever. You could travel the world if you wanted, and you'd never have to be afraid of anything. And trust me when I say, the conversion process is much easier when you don't fight it."

Apo pulled herself free, shaking her head hard. "I can't. I can barely handle blood from a paper cut, and you expect me to accept becoming a monster that has to drink it to survive?"

"And this brings us back to my earlier point," Scott chimed in. "Three of us, one of you, and no real incentive to just let you go. As I said, there's been nothing about, and we are starving."

"Wait, wait." Apo threw up her hands. "I said I wanted to make a deal, so let's make a deal. Give me… give me 24 hours. Give me a day to find someone else, anyone else."

 Owen actually laughed when he heard that, throwing his head back and letting out a loud belly laugh. He was almost in tears, if he even had tears left to shed, looking highly amused as he came down from his euphoria.

"Oh my goodness, and you called us monsters!" he laughed a bit more, holding his stomach from how hard he was laughing. "Selling out your own kind to save your own skin! Humans really haven't changed one bit."

Apo recoiled sharply, a wave of nausea washing over her at the very thought. She couldn't allow herself to become a vampire—to turn into some bloodsucking leech. Her priority was to get back to Cherri and remain true to herself when she did. If that meant betraying someone, so be it.

"I'll admit," Scott said, voice steady, "your little plan is quite amusing. But what's to stop you from just running back to town and spilling everything?"

"Well, you saw how well that went for Avid," she responded, guilt gnawing at her. She owed him a huge apology if she ever saw him again. "He was kicked out of town and just ran off."

"Oh, so now they banish him from Oakhurst," Scott said, genuine offense flickering in his eyes. "I've been demanding his Exile since day one, and they waited until I left to finally get rid of him? Humans, I swear."

"But that just proves my point," she argued. "No one would believe me if I started saying I ran into vampires. And the townspeople trust me—so if I tell them I need to bring someone here to, I don't know, reclaim the beacon you guys took, they'd believe it. I can come up with a plausible excuse to lure them out alone. Then you can have them, and I can slip away. Please, just let me do this?"

Scott seemed to think about it for a moment, tapping his chin slightly before glancing over at his fellow vampires. Pyro just shrugged, likely too afraid to go against his sire. Owen, on the other hand, still looked highly amused. The lumberjack had his arms crossed, and he grinned as he leered at Apo.

"All right then," he said, giving a slight nod. "24 hours, you bring someone here. Bring them to the crypt tomorrow night and offer them up to us. However," he leaned in close, bearing his fangs. "You try to double-cross us, or fail to show up at all, or say one single word to the town about what happened here; we won't turn you, we'll just straight-up kill you. And then you will never see your precious little Cherri again."

Apo swallowed hard, then shakily nodded. With her agreement finally secured, the three vampires backed off from her, giving her the necessary exit. She knelt carefully to pick up the broken pieces of her musket, her hands trembling. Without hesitating, she turned and sprinted out of the clearing, her footsteps pounding the ground. She ran, and she ran, never looking back as she fled from the danger behind her.

~\~/~

"Well, that was fun," Scott declared, watching the little soldier girl run off. "You brought us an amusing toy."

"Well, she was making a fuss about me not jumping to go to the Crypt when you were turning it, so I figured I'd make her regret pushing me," Owen replied with a shrug, rubbing his nose slightly. "Still, I'm going to enjoy repaying her for the impromptu nose job she gave me."

"Speaking of, is it true what she said? Did they run Avid out of town?"

Owen nodded at that, looking very smug. "I had the entire town eating out of the palm of my hand with a little sob story about Templars. Made them all feel sorry for me, and continued to defame Avid to the point where he eventually had no one on his side. Not even his little roommate would stand up for him. he ran out of town with his tail between his legs."

Scott grinned, clapping Owen on the back. "Excellent work. And once Apo brings us our free meal, it will be two for the price of one."

"Do you really think she'll sell someone out?" Pyro questioned, sounding rather conflicted.

"Oh, in a heartbeat," Owen quickly responded. "She's a coward, a weak-willed coward. She will do anything to ensure her survival. She's one of my least favorite types of humans. So, if you don't mind, I think I'll skip this meal. Maybe I can cause a commotion in town, desecrate their beacon, and attract the town's attention so you can have your prey."

"Are you sure?" Scott asked, tilting his head slightly. "Aside from the nibble you took from Pyro, I don't think you've had much blood."

"Trust me, I intend to gorge myself soon. Just… not yet." Owen stretched a bit, then groaned. "Anyway, I'd better get back. Someone should make sure Little Miss Soldier upholds her end of the bargain. What about you two? What do you plan to do?"

"Well, we're going to see about getting some more beacons to switch to our side. I imagine you were somewhat distracted while we were dealing with Apo, but it appears that the humans have retaken the lake beacon while we were busy." Scott turned his gaze toward a nearby hill. "If I remember correctly, we're not far from that ruined tower where you and I watched the Doctor and Martyn consecrate a beacon. That's where we're heading next." 

"Well, then, best of luck." 

Owen took his leave as Scott and Pyro began walking toward the top of the hill, approaching a nearby cliff. 

"Ready to fly?" Scott asked. 

"Yeah, I'm ready."

Together, the two of them leapt off the edge of the cliff, their forms dissolving into a flurry of bats as they soared into the afternoon sky. Unbeknownst to them, someone had been silently observing from a hidden spot nearby. A lone figure, concealed beneath the dense foliage of the underbrush, covered his mouth with his hand to stifle any noise. He waited nervously until the bats had scattered in different directions, then pressed his back against the rough bark of a nearby tree, his entire body trembling with a mixture of fear and anticipation.

"What…" Avid gasped, his voice barely a whisper. "Did I just see…?"

Chapter Text

Avid had been lost after leaving Oakhurst, both physically and metaphorically. He couldn't exactly leave the town, what with the invisible wall trapping them all, but he had no intention of returning. As he felt the crypt beacon fall, he knew it was unlikely to lift anytime soon. Still, he had decided to wash his hands of it. If Oakhurst didn't want to be saved, he wasn't going to waste his energy. So, he waited to see what would happen.

Of course, that didn't mean he just sat around doing nothing. He still wanted to protect himself, so he went around looking for valuable books. He found a Prayer of the Faithful book that he immediately consumed, though he thought putting his faith in some deity that only stepped in now seemed pointless. Still, it was better to have it than not. He also found a spell to Banish Undead creatures, which he was definitely planning to save for later. Unfortunately, there was a cooldown between when he could consume a spellbook, so he would have to wait.

Then, something happened — a one-in-a-million chance encounter he still couldn't believe. 

He had just emerged from a crypt not far from where the beacon had fallen. His eyes caught sight of Scott and Pyro standing on a nearby cliffside. As he drew nearer, he overheard their conversation about flying—then transforming into bats before disappearing into the sky! His mind was still spinning, his heart thundering in his chest as the surreal scene replayed insistently in his thoughts. He remained leaning against the gnarled trunk of a tree, gasping for breath, struggling to comprehend what he had just witnessed.

It was undeniable. It was real. Vampires were in Oakhurst, and Scott and Pyro—they were vampires! His legs trembled as he took a hesitant step forward. His initial panic-stricken gasp gradually morphed into a manic, terrified laugh that soon burst into frantic laughter, punctuated by screams and tears. Desperate to escape, he turned and sprinted back toward town with all his might, the chaos of his emotions raging within him—laughing, crying, screaming—all at once—as he pushed himself to run faster than he ever had before.

Disposing of her musket had been both the easiest and hardest thing Apo had to do in her entire life. She never liked carrying it around, but without it, she was very much unarmed. She needed to start carrying around a sword or some wooden stakes. Either way, she would need a new weapon, now that her musket was just two broken pieces at the bottom of a deep mining shaft. Hopefully, no one would ask her about it, but if it was discovered down there, she could easily say it had slipped from her back and had fallen. She'd stashed it deep enough that it would be a plausible excuse.

 Now, she faced a bigger problem. She needed to figure out whom she would give to the vampires.

"Apo!"

The voice of Drift caught Apo completely off guard, causing her to almost jump in surprise. She instinctively turned around and saw Drift, Shelby, and Abolish approaching her from the town gates. They appeared well and no worse for wear, suggesting they had recently been out exploring. Drift looked a bit frazzled, with dark circles under her eyes, likely due to the events of the previous night.

"Hey, you all right?" the soldier girl asked.

"Were you out?" Drift asked, sounding a bit desperate. "Did you happen to see Avid?"

Apo shook her head. "No, I can't say I have."

She looked visibly crestfallen, her shoulders drooping as she expressed her sadness. Shelby gently rubbed her back, trying to offer comfort. 

"We're a little worried," the young woman explained, still rubbing Drift's back. "We didn't find anything, but we did reclaim the lake beacon." 

Apo sighed briefly, a wave of relief washing over her. "Oh, you did? That's good. That's really good."

Just then, a thought occurred to her. Out of everyone in town, Shelby was likely the only one who would unquestioningly trust her without hesitation. Plus, she was obsessively fascinated with all things undead and supernatural. She would probably jump at the chance to go out exploring, eager for adventure. And who knows — maybe she would even enjoy being a vampire, embracing the darkness. She would most likely seize the opportunity eagerly and accept their so-called gift without a second thought.

But as she continued to dwell on it, Apo's apprehension grew even stronger. Shelby, the sweet, innocent Shelby she had always known, forced to become a bloodthirsty monster? The very idea of that once kind and gentle face twisted with fangs and covered in blood was almost too much to bear. No, it was impossible to accept. But if Apo didn't find someone—anyone—to take to the vampires, then it would be Apo's life at stake. She had to survive, for Cherri's sake.

"Hey, Shelby," Apo began, trying to sound nonchalant. "Can I talk to you real quick?"

"Huh?" Shelby looked surprised, but quickly nodded. "Yeah, sure. Abolish, can you take care of Drift?"

The butler nodded quietly, gently ushering Drift away as the two redheads made their way to one of the secluded corners of town. They made themselves comfortable on some stones, then Shelby gave Apo her full attention.

"You're not trying to interview me for some government watchlist, are you?"

"What- No!" Apo groaned, rubbing her face. "I'm an architect! I don't even like the government! I swear, you've been treating me like I'm some spy for the CIA or something like that!"

"Are you?"

"No!" Apo threw her hands up. "It was a mandatory conscription once I turned 21. Trust me, I hate the government probably as much as you do."

"Oh, okay then." Shelby was suddenly very chipper again, sitting up straight and looking straight at the soldier girl. "What did you want to talk about?"

Apo took a moment to compose herself, then began speaking.

"Right, listen. I know we got off on the wrong foot when we first came here. I know I wasn't exactly the most accepting when it came to your… fascination with creatures like vampires and Bigfoot. I know that with everything going on, trying to deny that there's anything supernatural happening is… well, it's pointless. So, I was hoping I could talk to you about… what your thoughts on this are. What do you think about vampires?"

Shelby blinked, looking more than a little surprised. Then, her expression turned contemplative. She began chewing her thumbnail, her brow furrowed slightly. When she spoke, she almost sounded hesitant, as if she were carefully choosing her words.

"Are you saying you believe in vampires now?"

"I… I think there's been too much evidence to ignore. I'm willing to believe that vampires exist, and that they may be here in Oakhurst."

"Have you seen something?" Shelby sounded almost scared.

"You could say that," She couldn't say anything more. Owen could be watching, and she couldn't risk it. 

"Well…" Shelby shuffled her feet slightly, toying with a stick beneath her shoe. "Most of what I know about vampires is stuff I've read in books. How they can see in the dark, are stronger and faster than anyone else, and how they drink blood. However, they aren't always monsters. In some of Mr M's books, the vampires actually get along well with humans. They drink animal blood instead of human blood and blend in very well. They can be doctors, writers, or just people. I'm sure some of them out there are big and dangerous, but I don't think all of them are. Maybe some of them want to live as we do."

"And you think that's possible?" Apo couldn't keep the skepticism out of her voice. "They thirst for blood, and last time I checked, humans are quite full of blood. How can they interact with people and not see them as just livestock or food?"

"I think it comes down to choice." Shelby looked up, her expression oddly somber. "Drift said something to me when we first came here. She told me that most monsters are just people. And vampires and werewolves, technically, are people too, so if people can choose to be good or bad, why can't vampires or werewolves? Why should we ostracize them just because they're different?"

That question made Apo pause. She couldn't help but think back to Owen's earlier rant about what he saw as monsters. Was that why he seemed so angry with humanity, angry at people like Avid? Had he become a vampire to try to find people who would accept him? And Pyro… he had come back to town, had tried to blend in. She didn't know much about the legends of vampires, but not once had he tried to attack her. Even back then, in front of the crypt, he hadn't laid a hand on her. He had even defended her, trying to talk the vampires from killing her. Was he like Shelby said? Was Pyro just… trying to survive?

"But what about the rumors?" Apo wondered aloud. "I mean, they say there was a massacre 200 years ago, and apparently it wasn't the first one. What if vampires were the cause of it? What if the vampires here at Oakhurst are the same monsters who slaughtered this town centuries ago?"

"And what if they're not?" Shelby stood up. "What if they're just vampires, ones with no connection to whatever happened in the past? What if they're just… people?"

"And what if they are?" Apo turned away. "What if they threaten us? What if they try to turn all of us?"

"Maybe we can change their mind." Shelby offered the soldier girl a slight smile. "Things are different now. We are different people from those who were here before us. And, I'd like to think that we could be friends. And maybe whoever was doing all the killing can get some help. Maybe we can fix them."

"You…" Apo just shook her head. "You are so insanely naive."

"Maybe I am." Shelby hugged herself, her nails digging into the sleeves of her sweater. "But someone here has to have some hope."

~\~/~

"Guys! GUYS!! Oh my Word, GUYS!!!" 

Avid was screaming his head off as he tore into town, running straight into the Town Square, where he saw Cleo, Martyn, and Legs. All three of them turned to see him approach, and Avid nearly collapsed. As he finally reached them. The doctor was the first to come to his side, studying him as he struggled to catch his breath. He was drenched in sweat, his legs felt so shaky after running full tilt through the forest, but he didn't stop or let himself collapse. Not yet.

"Avid, are you okay?" Legs asked, giving him a quick pat down to make sure he wasn't hurt. "What happened out there? Why are you shouting like this?"

"Guys, you are not going to believe what I saw out there." He took a few gasping breaths, gulping air into his oxygen-starved body as he tried to straighten himself up. 

"Oh no," Martyn let out, sounding somewhere between annoyed and genuinely concerned.

"Are we safe?" Avid scanned the immediate area, seeing if there was any sign of any of the vampires. He didn't see anyone, and thankfully, Owen was nowhere to be seen. He didn't want to take any chances with him, even if he hadn't seen the lumberjack as part of the group that batted out. "Look, I'm really sorry about before, with storming out of town like that. I honestly had no intentions of ever coming back here." 

"What changed?" Cleo prompted, looking genuinely concerned. "What did you see, Avid?"

"I was out getting books from the crypts, right, and I saw Scott and Pyro standing on a cliffside where they turned into bats before flying away."

Legs immediately groaned, and Avid knew the man was about to try to dismiss what he saw, but Avid just kept talking.

"Look, I know how this sounds, but I know what I saw. They were standing on the cliffside, Scott asked Pyro if he was ready to fly, and they turned into bats and flew off. They didn't know I was there because I was hidden in the underbrush, and… and honestly, I am still a little freaked out about it…" 

"You look more than a little freaked out there, mate," Martyn said quietly. 

"Where was this?" Cleo pressed, sounding oddly not dismissive. 

"It was over by that crypt beacon, the one that was just taken." 

Of course, this was the moment that another beacon was taken. In this case, it was the ruined Tower beacon. Everyone felt the chill of its desecration, with no one, not even the doctor, able to suppress the instinctual shudder. This also summoned several other members of the town, including Apo, Abolish, Drift, and, unfortunately, Owen.

"Avid!" Drift cried out, running over and hugging Avid tightly. "Oh, thank the Word, you're okay! I was so worried about you!"

"We went looking for you," Abolish reported, sounding as monotone and boring as ever.

"I thought you weren't coming back," Owen commented, his face making it clear he'd hoped that had been the case. 

"I… I wasn't." Avid swallowed hard but put on a brave face. Now wasn't the time for accusation. "Listen, I wanted to apologize for the way I've been acting for the past several days. I have been letting my overactive imagination and anxieties run wild, jumping at shadows and seeing things where they shouldn't be. Honestly, I was mad because you were calling me out, but you guys had plenty of reason to do so. And Owen, I want to apologize to you for how I acted in that meeting and for dismissing what happened to you. I never intended to come off as anything like what those Templars were for you and… and yeah, I'm sorry. I'm not expecting you to forgive me or anything, just… I needed to say it."

Owen appeared genuinely surprised by the apology, and the others seemed equally taken aback. He noticed Cleo offering a slight nod of approval, while Martyn responded with a small thumbs-up. Recognizing that he had done the right thing, Avid felt a sense of relief wash over him. After a brief moment of continued silence, Owen gave a reluctant, almost hesitant nod, clearly still processing the situation.

"Well, at least you're man enough to admit when you were wrong. Don't expect this to mean we're suddenly best friends, though," Owen said, his tone measured but with an edge of sincerity.

"No, no, of course not," Avid replied quickly, waving off the idea before turning toward Cleo. "Hey, did you say we were planning to go do something out in the woods?"

He silently hoped she would pick up on his subtle hint and give him an easy excuse to leave, and fortunately, she did just that.

"Yes, we're going to try and reclaim some more beacons. We might have gotten the Lake Tower back, but we still lost the crypt and the ruined tower. The darkness has three, and we've got four. We need to move now while we still have the majority," she explained.

If Owen hadn't still been watching him so intently, Avid might have collapsed from sheer relief. Martyn, ever quick to act, swiftly wrapped an arm around Avid's shoulder and shepherded him away. They were soon joined by the doctor and a very nervous Drift, who followed after them with evident apprehension.

"Hey, can I talk to you?" she asked, keeping her voice low.

"Like, right now?" Avid glanced at the group he was with. "Hey, why don't you just come with us. The more the merrier."

"Yeah, come with us," Martyn agreed, holding out his free arm. "You can trust us."

"I hope so." Drift moved to join their group as they left Oakhurst and headed into the woods. 

~\~/~

Apo paced around Oakhurst, genuinely torn about what to do. Shelby's talk had filled her with even more doubts and also reminded her of an essential part of her duties as a member of the military. She was supposed to protect people and keep them safe from anyone who dared threaten them. She may have been a washout sent out into the boonies to disappear basically, but she was still a soldier. No matter how many times she tried to deny it or insist that she was an architect, she was still a member of the military. And she couldn't in good conscience hand someone over to the vampires.

But she knew she couldn't just do nothing. Fear gripped her, worried that the vampires would follow through on their threat and kill her. She needed to return to Cherri, to her home. That was only possible if she was alive. If she were turned into a vampire, would she still have a home? Would Cherri accept her? More importantly, could she survive in town long enough to return, even as a vampire? What if they discovered what she had become and drove a stake through her heart? Or worse, what if they did something even more terrible?

Her fears didn't even stop at the town. Even if, by some miracle, she managed to get out of Oakhurst as a vampire, what were her chances of living a normal life? Sure, Shelby had suggested that vampires could live off animal blood or blend in with humans, but how long would that last? She would still need to report to her superiors, and if they found out what she had become, there was no doubt in her mind that she would be taken away, tortured, and tested on. Even if she managed to avoid that, she could never truly live anymore. She would spend the rest of eternity looking over her shoulder, afraid of vampire hunters or anyone discovering the truth. But could she condemn one of her friends to a life like that?

Unless… 

Unless she told the town the truth. They trusted her, and she already knew that several of them believed in vampires. If she told them she had been confronted by three of them, maybe they would believe her. But that was unlikely, given that Owen seemed to be lurking around every corner. The moment she tried to spell, he would probably take the opportunity to rip her head from her shoulders. Like it or not, she was on her own. 

That meant she would have to do this herself.

Gathering her wits, Apo returned home and began gearing up. She grabbed a silver sword, a silver ax, and three wooden stakes. She also picked up some garlic, hoping it would be enough to stave off the vampires. Even if she couldn't take them all out, destroying one or more would be enough. She would give Oakhurst a fighting chance and do her duty as a soldier.

"Avid, I'm so, so sorry I didn't say anything at that meeting," Drift began, having remained silent until the group of five had made it well into the woods. "But I'm kind of getting a little bit scared. Do you remember how we've seen Owen pop up just out of nowhere?" 

Avid nodded rapidly. It was one of the reasons he had considered Owen suspect number two, with Scott as number one. "Oh yeah."

"He's been doing it to me constantly, like I turn a corner and he's just there." Drift looked over her shoulder, as if she expected the lumberjack to appear suddenly. Seeing his roommate and friend so scared, I couldn't help but move closer to her, wrapping an arm around her. "This whole thing, it got me thinking about what you were saying the other day. You said that people might try to target me to get to Avid, right?"

"You think that's what he's doing?" Cleo asked, taking a moment to climb over a fallen log that had overtaken the path.

"I think so." Drift cleared the fallen log herself, then kept walking. "He's been trying to talk to me a lot, trying to get into my head and turn me against Avid. And then what happened at the meeting, I mean, you can't tell me that wasn't a deliberate attempt to ostracize Avid completely."

"Scary thing is, it almost worked," Martyn muttered.

"Yes, well, I wasn't exactly helping things." Avid sighed, rubbing his face. "I have not been doing well since I lost Elle, my partner. She was always the level-headed one, and I lost her to what I can only assume was a vampire. And with everything going on, with my friends being threatened, I panicked, and I lashed out and… it nearly drove what few friends I had away. I don't blame you for not standing up to me, because I didn't deserve to be stood up for in that moment."

"You seem a lot more rational now," the doctor noted, looking at Avid with an oddly respect-filled gaze.

"I think seeing Scott and Pyro turning into bats and flying away just made this all too real."

"Wait, WHAT?!" Drift screamed, coming to a sudden stop.

"Right, you weren't there to hear that part." Avid clapped his hands together. "While I was out in the woods, I saw Scott and Pyro standing on a cliffside, and then they turned into bats and flew off. And when I saw that, everything just became way too real, and I knew I couldn't continue going down the path I was on. I needed allies, and I needed a support system, and I wasn't going to get that if I kept screaming my head off. So I took some advice that I had gotten from Elle a while back. She told me that sometimes, you had to learn to swallow your rage and apologize, even if you don't mean it."

"I think I would have liked this Elle person," Cleo remarked. "How exactly were you two friends?"

"We grew up together. And she saved my life." Avid's fingers grazed along the bandages around his neck, but he quickly pulled them away. "But that doesn't matter now. What does matter is reclaiming these beacons and trying to figure out how many more vampires are out there."

"And we can start with this one."

They were now standing on the hill overlooking the crypt. Seeing the ominous opening, the five of them were initially put off. None of them had been to this beacon before, and all of them felt more than a little apprehensive about the location. The fact that it was a desecrated beacon probably didn't help the morbid atmosphere.

Feeling the sudden tension in the atmosphere, Legs found himself frozen. The others were already making their way to the Crypt entrance, knowing that they needed to get this done. However, Legs just couldn't. He could feel himself slipping back, back into the war. Back into who he used to be. He could hear the gunshots ringing in his ears, and he could smell the blood. He was breathing a bit heavily, and finally, he snapped.

"Wait!" he cried out, which genuinely surprised his four companions. "Wait, please! I…. I need to say something."

To everyone's credit, they were all silent as they came out of the crypt. They gathered around him, waiting silently for him to speak. Legs took a moment to re-center himself, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths through his nose. He could still smell the gunpowder, but he tried hard to block it from his mind.

"I'm not trying to be the dissenting opinion or the devil's advocate, but…" his fingers were flexing, torn between clasping together or forming a fist. He settled on a more prayer-like position. "This is a road that, once you go down… it will have consequences. I've seen what fear does to people. I've seen the bloodshed. People will get hurt. People will die."

"Doc," Avid spoke up, sounding more serious and gentle than he had in a while. "I'm pretty sure people have already been hurt. Especially if we do nothing."

"I just want you to be aware of what you are about to do."

"Legs," Cleo spoke up, turning and pointing down the stairs toward the beacon. "Go in there, look at that beacon, and tell us there's nothing to it."

"This is not me trying to debate that there is something strange about Oakhurst," the doctor removed his monocle, wiping it on his surgical apron just to give his hands something to do. "What I'm trying to say is that one of the biggest threats a person can face, one of the greatest weapons they can wield, is fear. I'm not trying to stop you. I wouldn't be standing here if I didn't agree that something was strange. But are you ready to do what's necessary if the time comes?"

As he affixed his monocle back onto the bridge of his nose, the doctor was met with four determined faces. Drift, Avid, and Martyn all looked a bit apprehensive and way too young to have to make this kind of choice, but he could tell that they would do what needed to be done. And Cleo, the hardness in her gaze showed that she had long ago chosen her path. It made him wonder just what she had seen, the kind of life she had lived. If anything, looking at Cleo made him feel like he was looking at someone who understood him more than he understood himself.

"If we want to, then we'll have to," Martyn declared, gripping his shield tightly.

"Like I said last night, all I wanted was to help people," Avid said. "I meant it then, and I mean it now."

"We have to, yeah." Drift agreed, trying to sound brave.

"I…" Cleo seemed to hesitate, toying with the pendant of her choker briefly. "I've seen a lot of things, and there's a reason why I came here. And… let's just leave it at that and go get this beacon."

She quickly turned on her heels and descended the steps into the crypt, with the others following behind. Legs, having finally said his peace, followed them in. He reached the bottom of the steps just in time to watch Drift place her hand on the blood-red beacon and immediately be blasted across the room by it. Everyone was instantly rushing to her side, helping her up as she held the back of her head. Legs reached for his satchel, pulling out some gauze and cloth to take care of her head.

"What happened?" Martyn let out a cry, looking absolutely panicked. "What just happened?"

"I…" Drift winced as the doctor carefully applied the gauze to the back of her head. Thankfully, she had only gotten a bit of a bump from hitting the wall, but it was better safe than sorry. "I don't know. I just touched it and… it felt like it was rejecting me."

"But, weren't you able to reconsecrate that red beacon back at the castle?" Avid asked, "What makes this one different?"

"It's fresh," Cleo replied, eyes fixed on the red beacon with a sharp glare. "They just activated it recently. All that dark energy is too unstable to be reconsecrated right now. It needs some time to settle before it can be properly reconsecrated."

"I hate that it makes sense," the doctor muttered softly, almost to himself. "How long do you think we have to wait?"

"I don't know for sure," Cleo admitted, "but considering how violently Drift was thrown, I think we'd be wasting our time if we just sat here and waited. We need a better plan."

"For now, why don't we try and find another one of those magical tomes?" Avid suggested. "I was actually about to try one of the tombs near here before I ran into Scott and Pyro. I think there may still be a book in there, maybe one we can use?"

"Sounds like it's as good a plan as any," Cleo said, straightening back up. "Drift, are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine." the detective gently waved off the doctor, giving him a shaky smile. "I think I was more dazed than anything. My head's already feeling better."

"All right, then let's get moving."

 Everyone began to file out of the crypt, heading toward the tomb Avid had mentioned. However, the doctor hung back. He stayed where he was standing, staring at the red beacon for a good long moment. he looked at the gauze in his hand, thankfully bloodless for now, but the image of it covered in the blood of countless soldiers forced him to throw it aside. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.

"Protect the body, protect the town, protect as many as you can. Protect the body, protect the town, protect as many as you can. Lose the arm, save the body. Lose the leg, save the life." He released a long breath, tilting his head back before pulling on his face. "…I hate this."

The sun was gradually descending in the sky, casting longer shadows across the land as dusk approached. It was clear that night would soon fall, signaling that it was nearly time for Apo to fulfill her end of the deal. Owen observed quietly as the young soldier woman marched out of the town gates, clutching silver weapons and a few stakes, ready for her task. The lumberjack couldn't suppress a chuckle, knowing that her journey was likely to end poorly for her. Personally, he harbored a secret hope that Scott would swiftly eliminate her, yet a part of him found amusement in the idea of her becoming a creature of the night. Watching her trembling with fear at the very thought, Owen imagined her descent into isolation and madness would be a sight to behold. 

Wiping his mouth to clear away the trail of drool he was leaving behind, Owen turned his focus to the task ahead. He still needed to lure some townsfolk away and recall those still roaming the wilderness. Luckily, he had a plan for that—something he had been carefully developing over the past days. Moving down into the depths of the mineshaft beneath the town crypt, Owen uncovered a small passage he had secretly carved and concealed behind a mound of mud. His darkvision allowed him to see well enough in the pitch-black tunnels, and he easily navigated through them, following the faint pulse of holy energy until he sensed he was directly beneath the beacon. 

He had tested this method before, and as long as he remained beneath the beacon and could touch it, he could desecrate it. It had taken meticulous effort and patience over several days to carve out this tunnel and expose enough of the beacon's base to make this possible, but the payoff would be worth it. Placing two fingers on the stone opening where the beacon rested, Owen began channeling his dark energy into it. 

He could feel the holy energy resisting, fighting against his influence, but he was confident in his strength. Being a patient vampire, he eagerly anticipated the chaos that would ensue when the panic spread as the beacon was neutralized. His only regret was that he would not be able to completely desecrate it this time and would have to settle for neutralizing it temporarily. Nevertheless, he knew there was another beacon not far from town, deep within the Pale Oak Forest. If he could take that one down entirely, perhaps by then the deal would be over, and at least one more vampire could join their ranks—or at least contribute to their growing power.

The snap of the last thread of holy energy from the town beacon felt like a breath of fresh air for Owen. He immediately pulled his hand back and raced out of the tunnels on all fours. Already, his superior hearing could make out Pearl rushing toward the beacon, trying to see who had been behind it. They would never think to look down. Once he reached the tunnel and made sure that his mud wall was back in place, he turned into a bat and shot out of the mind, disappearing into the night. When she was far enough away, he began to laugh, unable to remember the last time he had this much fun.

"I think that went well!" he said to no one in particular, turning toward the rising moon. "Now then, let's go find a beacon to desecrate fully."

Martyn and his team had successfully located the crypt that Avid had indicated, uncovering an impressive book inside: Lantern Thrash. Without hesitation, Martyn eagerly seized the book, swiftly devouring its contents before anyone could object. His only disappointment was that he lacked a lantern at that moment to test its contents firsthand. He was eager to experiment with it and felt a pang of frustration as he and his companions emerged from the crypt.

It was at that precise moment that the town beacon suddenly went out. 

All five members of the group were startled and panicked, immediately deciding to make a swift escape towards Oakhurst. As they burst out of the forest, Martyn caught sight of a lamp post along the route leading from the town gate to Ren's cabin. These lamp posts were simple wooden structures with a metal hook at the top, holding a lantern that hung and flickered in the darkness. Recognizing the potential of this lamp post as a makeshift weapon, Martyn quickly reached for his ax, pulling it from his belt. In one decisive motion, he swung the ax and chopped down the slender wooden pole. The pole crashed to the ground, and Martyn swiftly grabbed it, already feeling the flames of the lantern igniting within him, eager to answer his call.

"Oi!" Ren called out from his porch. "What are ye doin' with me lanterns, ya dang fool?!"

"Sorry, Specs!" Martyn shouted back, not stopping his running. "Town's in danger! Can't talk!"

Rushing through the town gates, all five of them ran straight into the beacon tower, where they found Pearl with her hands on the beacon and a lantern at her feet as she turned to face them.

"Oh, good, people. Quick, help me consecrate this thing."

Five hands immediately slapped down onto the surface of the beacon, channeling holy energy into the milky white bulb.

"What happened?" Cleo demanded. "Did you see anyone?"

Pearl shook her head quickly. "No, I saw nothing. I just felt the beacon go off, and I ran in here literally five seconds after I felt it go. None of the doors were open, not that I noticed at least, so I don't know how they got in or out."

"The windows," Legs realized, looking up at the unfinished tower. "Some of the windows don't have bars on them. That could be how they got in."

"I thought vampires couldn't go where they weren't invited," Drift commented, feeling nervous.

"No, that's only for private residences," Avid corrected. "The Beacon Tower is, unfortunately, a public area. So, a vampire wouldn't need permission to enter."

"We need to fix that," Martyn declared quickly, leaning his makeshift staff against the spiral staircase. "Get some silver doors on this thing, or just hang silver everywhere."

 Pearl noticed Martyn's staff and perked up immediately. "Oh, did you get the Lantern Thrash spell too?"

"I did, just now," he reported, glancing back at his staff. "I'll probably try to make something a little better than this. I kind of stole it from Specs, but it'll do for now."

"Oscar helped me find my copy of it," Pearl happily reported, the ghostly cat manifesting on her shoulder with a loud meow. "I turned mine into a flail."

"Abolish has that spell too, and he turned his lantern into a meteor hammer," Drift recalled.

"Yeah, I am definitely upgrading this thing," Martyn muttered, feeling shown up already despite his earlier excitement.

"Is this conversation really relevant to what's going on right now?" Cleo snapped. "We had someone desecrate Our Town Beacon right under our noses; I think we should be focusing on that!"

"Unfortunately, I don't think there's anything we can do about that," Pearl admitted, giving her roommate a sheepish look. "For now, let's just focus on reclaiming our Beacon, then we can focus on sealing up the tower so this doesn't happen again."

With that declaration, everyone focused their attention on the beacon, waiting as it refilled with holy energy.

Scott, in his bat form, observed closely as Apo entered their agreed-upon crypt for their meeting. She arrived exactly on time, walking solo through the dark doorway. Her well-armed silhouette was visible against the faint light of the blood-red moon, causing the manor lord to roll his eyes in contempt. Clearly, he thought, he must teach this mortal a lesson on just who she was messing with. 

He let her stew for a few minutes in the dark, knowing it would leave her uneasy to wait for him. Then he flew down in his Bat form. As he entered the long tomb, he smoothly transformed into his vampiric form, the heels of his shoes clicking on the stone, making the soldier girl jump. He smirked, lifting a hand and wiggling his fingers in a playful wave.

"Well, hello there," he greeted warmly, mirroring the familiar tone he had used the day before when addressing her. "You're looking very alone today."

"Yeah," she replied, her hand instinctively reaching for her shield and drawing her silver sword, her body tense and prepared. "Yeah, I am."

"We had a deal," Scott reminded her with a hint of annoyance in his voice. "Twenty-four hours for you to bring us someone to eat. It was rather generous of us to give you that, and this is how you repay us?"

"The deal's off," she snapped, her voice sharp despite her knees trembling and her hands shaking. "I'm not letting you turn anyone."

That comment made Scott laugh outright. He actually had to tilt his head back, holding his hair as he chuckled softly. When he looked back at his target, her face was almost as red as her fiery hair.

"Oh, you're funny," he said, taking a slow step forward. Unlike before, she didn't step back this time. The only indication of her fear was her trembling legs and her trembling sword, but she held her ground, refusing to move. "You really think you can stop me?"

"It's my duty to protect the town," she said, her voice quivering just as much as her body. "You're dying. You and the rest of your vampire kind."

Scott chuckled again, raising a single finger in a dismissive gesture. "See, here's the thing about that: bigger men than you have tried, braver men backed by entire armies. And yet," he spread his arms wide, "here I am. But hey, by all means, give it your best shot."

Apo narrowed her eyes as she carefully scanned the tomb, looking for any sign of the others. Frankly, Scott was doing the same, his gaze sweeping across the area. He had sent Pyro out to gather some additional livestock, but he had hoped that his fledgling would understand the importance of being at the meeting place on time. Clearly, he was going to have to discipline the fool once this was over. Owen had a legitimate excuse; he was the one who had created the distraction to facilitate this secret meeting. As for Shelby, she hadn't been present at all, and Scott wasn't planning to hold that against her. 

"Where are the others?" Apo demanded, her voice sharp.

"They're around," he answered smoothly, a hint of confidence in his tone. "You'll see them soon enough. Now, are you going to take the shot or not?"

Gritting her teeth, the soldier charged forward, raising her sword before bringing it down. The blade cut cleanly through Scott's neck, severing his head from his shoulders. His skull bounced onto the floor as his body collapsed, old blood oozing from the wounds. Apo stood there for a good moment, panting as she stared at the fallen body. 

"Holy spirits, I did it," she whispered in awe, stumbling back and instinctively covering her mouth, her face a mixture of shock and disbelief. "I killed him! And he just... he just took it!" 

Her eyes darted around desperately, still trying to locate the other vampires. When her search came up empty, she cursed under her breath, turning swiftly toward the exit of the tomb.

"Damn him. Well, if they won't come out willingly, I'll lure them out myself. We'll go to the castle, and I'll draw them out into the open."

As she exited the tomb, using the bubble column as her escape route, Scott's body suddenly began to move. It moved deliberately, then reached over to the fallen head, carefully picking it up and placing it back in its proper position. The skin around the wound quickly sealed itself, and the spilled blood was drawn back into its place, resetting as the elder vampire calmly popped his neck back into place.

"Been a while since they've tried that," he mused, turning toward the entrance himself. "I wonder what she'll say when she sees me. Let's find out."

Transforming back into his bat form, Scott swooped out of the tomb, eager to reach the castle before his guest arrived. He just knew that things were going to get interesting.

Chapter Text

It felt like it took forever for the town beacon to be reconsecrated, even with six of them channeling holy energy into it. Thankfully, it soon returned to its golden orange color, filling everyone with a sense of peace. Unfortunately, that peace didn't last long. Someone managed to get into town, desecrate the beacon, neutralize it, and then leave without anybody seeing them. Being the only person there, Pearl initially fell under suspicion. However, since she had helped with the reconsecration, she was given a pass.

Despite the fears of what happened in town, Oakhurst knew they had bigger issues to consider. They could feel one of the beacons being taken, the one out in the Pale Forest, and knew more would follow. Right now, the Dark Forces have the majority of the beacons. Since they were in the minority, it was only a matter of time before they experienced the reverse of what happened the other night, when all the beacons were sanctified. None of them wanted to imagine what that would be like.

"We need to reclaim some more of these beacons," Martyn insisted, as he replaced the wooden pole of his makeshift staff with a sturdier metal one. Abolish even offered a more mace-like lantern to hang from it, which Martyn accepted with only a slight sideways glance. "Which ones do we have? We've got the town beacon—what others are still out there?" 

"We reclaimed the lake beacon earlier," Abolish answered, his brow furrowing with thought. "I think we still have the castle, but I don't know how long that will last." 

"Right," Martyn replied, finishing the assembly of his new staff, which now sported a gleaming silver pole and the more mace-like lantern. "The ruined tower and the Pale Oak Forest are still too fresh—probably too dangerous to turn on. And we know the crypt was still pretty volatile when we last went there, so that only leaves the Obelisk and the Castle."

"Obelisk first," Cleo insisted. "That's one we know we don't have yet. Once we get it, we can head to the castle and make sure that it remains ours."

"I'm a bit weary of going out at night," Avid admitted, looking up at the blood-red sky. "Like, it's the middle of the night. Shouldn't we try to stay in town?"

"We literally don't have a choice," Drift pointed out. "They already attacked our town, and there's not a chance in hell they're going to stop there. We can't let them get all the beacons, Avid."

The Doctor emerged from his house, his satchel now laden with medical supplies, bottles of medicine, and fresh bandages. "Drift's right. Let's go to the obelisk and consecrate it, and then we'll see about dealing with the castle."

"Some of us should stay in town, though," Abolish pointed out. "Just in case they decide to come back."

"We can stick to town," Pearl offered, coming to stand next to the butler. "Shelby's turned in for the night, and I think Ren is still in his cabin with Mr. M. The man's been interviewing us for his book, so I think they're in the clear."

Cleo nodded at that, but still looked a bit nervous. "Just… be careful. Watch your back."

"I will," Pearl promised with a nod. "You too."

And with that, Cleo, Avid, Drift, Martyn, and Legs all began to make their way out of Oakhurst, hopefully to reclaim more beacons for the holy light.

Apo was still in shock from the fact that she had actually managed to kill Scott. She had never taken a life before, and the reality of it hit her hard. This was not at all what she had imagined. Sure, there had been some blood, but it looked almost unreal—dark, sluggish, more like ink than actual blood. Still, she had done it. She had taken out one of the vampires, and that thought both worried and empowered her. Now, all she needed to do was locate Owen and Pyro. Once she found and defeated them, she could put an end to everything. She hoped they would be at the castle, as she had suspected.

When she reached the castle bridge, she was surprised to see two rope bridges now spanning the crumbling structure. She didn't doubt for a moment that Scott had been behind destroying the original bridge, but Oakhurst had already provided her with a way to cross. She took that as a sign that her decision to stand up for the town — rather than sell out her friends — was the right one. Now, her focus was on getting inside, summoning the vampires to come to her, and finishing them once and for all.

At the far end of the bridge, Apo pulled out her axe and began slicing through the wooden fence blocking the castle entrance. It was a simple, crude barrier—mostly sticks bound together with what looked like reinforced webbing—so she dismantled it with ease. Leaving the fallen pieces behind, she stepped into the castle's derelict interior, surprised to see recent construction work taking place. However, what truly stunned her was who was waiting for her on an ostentatious stone throne.

"SCOTT?!"

The vampire held a goblet delicately in his hand, swirling the dark crimson liquid within as he cast a slow, contemplative glance in her direction, his expression almost indolent with curiosity. He then took a long, deliberate sip from his goblet, savoring the taste before finally resolving to break the silence and address her.

"Took you long enough," he commented, as if she were late to an appointment. "I had enough time to break into one of my wine stashes while I was waiting for you."

"How are you still alive?!" She was still holding her ax and was now pointing it straight at the vampire, who hadn't even bothered to rise from his throne. "I killed you!!"

"You mean you thought you killed me."

"I cut off your head!"

"That you did." With a single finger, Scott pulled the collar of his shirt aside, revealing his completely unblemished neck. In fact, the only marks he had were a pair of small scars right on the jugular vein. Likely, the scar from when he had been turned into this monster. "It's been a long time since I've been beheaded. I forgot how dizzying it is to have to pick up your own head. Wouldn't recommend it."

In a panic, Apo rushed forward, bringing her axe down on Scott. Like before, he didn't even try to dodge. He let the axe cleave through his collarbone and embed itself in his body, just looking at it with a bored expression.

"Feel better?" he asked with a mocking tone, taking hold of the ax handle and pulling it out of his shoulder. The wound began to knit itself back together, with only the torn clothes serving as proof that the wound had ever existed. "Did you get your anger out? Are you done?"

Apo stumbled back, the color draining from her face as she stared at her axe, then at the perfectly healed Scott.

"How… How are you still alive?"

Now, Scott finally decided to stand up. He set his goblet down, adjusting his ruined tailcoat as best he could.

"This is what Owen was saying earlier. As one of us, you wouldn't have any reason to be afraid. No one could hurt you, not in a way that really matters. And you could be with your loved one forever—never age, never get sick, never die. This is, what, the second time you've tried to kill me? I haven't even done anything to deserve it."

"Haven't done- you kill people!" Apo drew her sword this time. "You're a murderous monster!"

"Oh my goodness, you're worse than Avid!" Scott rubbed his face. "I haven't killed anyone since I woke up! Sure, I will fully admit that my hands aren't exactly the cleanest, but so far the only person doing any killing is-"

Apo plunged her sword straight into Scott's chest, right where his heart should be. He just paused, looked down at the sword, then looked back up at her with the most incredulous expression he could muster.

"The only person doing the killing is you," he finished, gripping the sword by the blade and pulling it out of his chest. Like all the other wounds before, it closed almost instantly. "I've not killed anyone. Maybe I'm not the monster here. Maybe you are."

The obelisk beacon was successfully reconsecrated in favor of humanity, bringing immense relief to everyone involved. With its reclamation, they now had three holy beacons on their side, and they were determined to preserve this advantage at all costs. To do so, their next crucial step was to reach the castle and hold that beacon as long as they could. 

"All right, we need a plan," Legs insisted, knowing firsthand the Follies of going somewhere half cocked and without a plan. They were already marching toward the shoreline, and they could see the castle in the distance. "Are we here to secure, or are we here to surveil?"

"Surveil," Martyn answered quickly. "Right now, we don't know what's going on there. All we know is that there was fresh construction, and that there's a very high chance that the vampires are there."

"I can secure some boats," Cleo offered. "It will get us across the river and to the cliffside. From there, we can scale the mountain and survey what's going on from the tree line."

"Good idea," Legs said with a nod. "Gather some intel, and figure out who's there and who we have to be worried about."

"Maybe we should send someone as a diversion," Drift suggested, though she sounded nervous as she did. "Like, maybe Avid and I can take the bridge and draw the attention of anyone who's there. We could get a look at whoever may be there, and it would make sure that you guys could go unnoticed."

"That is…" the Doctor looked very nervous as he contemplated that idea. "That is a very risky maneuver. Are you sure you want to try that?"

"Honestly?" Drift was shaking, holding her arms as she tried to self-soothe. "Look, I'm not very good in a fight. Even if we are surveilling, I know for a fact I'm not going to be any help should we need to defend ourselves. The best I can do is draw the attention of everyone and keep it off of you." 

"I've got your back, Drift," Avid insisted, coming up and placing a hand on her shoulder. "We'll take the bridge and see who we find there. That should give you guys enough time to scale the back cliffs and reach the castle."

The other three exchanged uncertain glances, contemplating whether this was truly a good idea or not. There was some validity to Drift's plan, yet they couldn't be sure if the potential risks justified it. At the same time, they recognized that carrying a liability with them—someone who might slow them down if they had to face the vampires—was a concern. Despite their reservations, they understood that, given the circumstances, this plan was probably their best option despite the risks involved. 

"All right, you two." Cleo grabbed both Avid and Drift by the shoulders, making the two face her as she looked them over. "You go across the bridge, say hi or whatever, and then you get out. You don't stick around, you don't try to pick a fight. You go, make your presence known, then leave. And above all else, stay together. Do you understand me?" 

Both of them immediately nodded, not even attempting to argue. Avid took Drift by the hand, squeezing it tight. The two then broke away from the group and headed toward the bridge entrance. That left Cleo, Legs, and Martyn to find some boats to get across the river.

Apo didn't know what to think anymore. Three times she had tried to kill Scott, and he had shrugged off each attempt like it was nothing. And now, here he was, trying to paint her as the monster. Of course, she was trying to kill him; he was a vampire! A blood-sucking parasitic monster! More than that, Owen had threatened to straight-up kill her if they didn't get some human sacrifice from her! Why was she not arguing harder?!

"You don't get to spin this on me," she hissed, gripping her sword despite knowing it was pointless. "You said it yourself that your hands aren't clean. You kill people, and you'll kill them again."

"Yes, but I don't have to." Scott began to walk around her, circling her like a bird of prey. She had to spin around to follow him, never letting him out of her sight. "I can feed off animals. That's why I've got some pigs and some sheep over there. I've even got a few chickens I'm breeding up. We don't have to be enemies, we don't have to be monsters. But then here you come in trying to kill me, three times, unprompted."

"You demanded a human sacrifice for me!" Apo's voice was shaking. "Owen literally called me food when he brought me to you!"

"Yes, but we were just going to turn them, not kill them. Honestly, it gets rather lonely out here." Scott gestures to his ruined castle. "I'm used to being surrounded by servants and my like-minded peers. I'll admit, you lot are a bit on the weird side, but a couple of you are rather amusing. Pyro, for all his faults, has proven useful, and while Owen can be a bit on the broodier side, he's reliable."

"How many people have you turned?" She had to know. She had to know how many of her friends had been turned. Know how many Oakhurst citizens had already fallen victim to Scott and his ilk.

"I have only turned Pyro. He's the only one I've turned."

 Apo's eyes narrowed, not believing it for a second. His emphasis on the word 'I' made that clear.

"How many vampires are there?"

"Enough." Scott leaned in. "And with you, there can be one more. That's all we wanted when we saw you back there. To make you one of us. But, so far, our hospitality has been spat on."

He suddenly backed off, returning to his throne and picking up his goblet once more. He swirled the contents idly, then took another sip.

"And frankly, now that I think about it, I'm not really sure you're such a good fit. Why should I share my gifts with someone who clearly has it out for me? I'd rather not spend the rest of my eternity looking over my shoulder and waiting for you to show up. sounds exhausting."

"And what makes you think I want to spend eternity with you?" Apo sneered at the very idea. "I already told you I have someone to go back to. If you turn me, then I'll be like Pyro, some sort of sniveling thrall."

 At that, Scott actually laughed.

“Oh, no no no no no.” He actually wagged his finger like some teacher correcting a student. "There's a big difference between a fledgling and a thrall. A fledgling is a young vampire, and while they may have some loyalty to whoever turned them, that's all subjective. Me, I have absolutely no loyalty to the guy who sired me. I don't even remember the guy's name. He was just some sketchy man from out in Graywick." 

"Get to the point, Scott…" Apo snarled.

"I'm getting there." Scott clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "How rude, honestly." Apo rolled her eyes as Scott continued. "As I was saying, a thrall is someone with whom we share our blood, but who is not a vampire. They live longer than humans, and if they are fed our blood, it can heal most wounds they receive. And even with thralls, there are different levels. Whenever I would make a thrall, I wouldn't use too much mind control on them. If I did, it would just turn them into these mindless, shambling zombies that couldn't do anything more than exactly what you told them to do. Very boring, and very dull. Not my cup of tea."

"Again, I say, get to the point."

Scott rolled his eyes hard. "I'm saying that becoming my fledgling doesn't mean that you're stuck with me for all eternity. I'm saying that if I turn you, you can run around and do whatever you want. Go back to your CherrI girl, travel the world, return to your military post, whatever you want. No one's saying you have to stay here. Well, except for the giant invisible wall keeping us all trapped, but that's not my fault."

Apo clenched her fists, trying to think of any alternative. Anything at all.

"I can't kill you," she reluctantly admitted through clenched teeth, receiving a smug nod from the blue-haired vampire. "But what's stopping me from just telling everyone about you? Everyone already thinks you're weird and wrong; they'll believe me if I say you're a vampire."

"And how well did that work for Avid?" Scott's immediate answer had the soldier girl flinching. "Plus, you're also not taking into account the fact that you came to my castle, alone, and I'm both stronger and faster than you. And as you just said, you can't kill me. You are very much at the disadvantage here."

She hated how he was right. She was outclassed in every way, and there was no telling when the other vampires would show up. No one knew she was out here, and the chances of a rescue were minuscule at best. And even if someone did come for her, Scott would likely turn them and her. There was no way for her to win this.

"Why are you doing this?" she let out, her misery evident in her tone. "What do you want?"

"What do I want?" Scott set down his goblet a little harder than he probably needed to. "I didn't ask for any of this. Six hundred years ago, I was put to sleep by someone I trusted. Now here I am, in a world I don't recognize, with no castle, no servants, a town full of weirdos, and a barrier keeping me trapped. I'm just trying to live the best life I can. I'm trying to survive, and to do that, I need to eat. And if I want to get this place back up and running, I need people to help me, and I've found it's easier to trust people when we're all on the same page. Hence, turning them. Are you starting to connect the dots?"

"But do you have to turn people to feed on them? Do you have to kill them?"

"No, actually." Scott shook his head slightly. "That's what thralls are for. You keep them around, you drink from them, and then you let them rest for a few days so their blood count goes up, ad infinitum. You don't have to kill people. And again, animal blood. I remind you once more of my pigs and my sheep."

Apo fell silent, contemplating her options. Deep down, she knew there was only one way she was walking out of this castle alive, if you could even call it living. Besides, if it weren't her, it would be someone else. And hopefully, she could sate his hunger at least for a while. So, she reached up, loosening the collar of her blouse and undoing the buttons covering her neck. She folded down the fabric, then pulled her hair to the side.

"Fine," she closed her eyes and tilted her head to the side. "Turn me."

She could practically hear the self-satisfied smirk on Scott's face as he approached her. Cold hands curled around her shoulders, and she could feel how close he was to her.

"Are you sure?" he asked, the breath of his words tickling her neck.

"Just do it."

There was a low, cruel chuckle, then she felt it. The fangs pierce the skin of her throat, and the burn of his venom courses through her veins.

One thing that you won't typically find in most storybooks about vampires is the innate ability they possess to sense when a new member of their kind is born. While this gift has an obvious range, the vampires of Oakhurst are well within that limit. From his perch high in the Pale Oak Forest, Owen perked up immediately when he sensed Apo being turned into a vampire. He couldn't help but grin, transforming into a dark-brown bat before taking off into the night sky. His curiosity and sadistic instincts drove him to see firsthand how well this fledgling would adapt to the darkness. 

From her cozy house in Oakhurst, Shelby was writing diligently in her journal. She wanted to write an account of everything she'd experienced in Oakhurst and get it published. That's when she suddenly sensed a new presence—an entirely new member joining their supernatural family. Excited and eager, she quickly stuffed her manuscript into her bag, then carefully peeked through her curtains to ensure she wasn't being watched. Finding no one around, she silently slipped out the back door of her house, transforming into a cute, fluffy bat to take flight. Her goal was to reach the new fledgling in time, eager to welcome them and say hello to their newest member.

Pyro, who had been gathering the cows his sire had demanded, felt the arrival of their newest member and was instantly hit with a wave of dread. He had completely forgotten about the rendezvous he was supposed to participate in. He groaned, slapping himself on the head a few times as he transformed his groan into a scream. Why did he keep messing up?! Did he want his sire to abandon him?! He was already on thin ice; if he kept this up, he would end up with garlic down his throat and a stake in his chest! Throwing some makeshift leads around the cows, he began almost dragging them toward the castle. Hopefully, their presence would at least appease his master enough that he wouldn't be struck down for his failure.

Apo stumbled back as Scott finally released her, holding her neck as her vision swam. The gloom of the night gave way to a strange clarity, allowing her to see everything that the darkness had once hidden. Though she was still breathing, she knew she technically didn't need to anymore. She could feel her neck closing, knowing that she would have scars just like the ones Scott had.

"Isn't that better?" Scott asked her, sounding so damn smug.

 Hastily, Apo rebuttoned her blouse, covering up her neck. It was over now, and it was time for her to get out of here. She turned around, ready to run straight out of the castle, when she froze. Scott also perked up, smirking as he noticed the exact two figures she had seen. Avid and drift, making their way across the Rope Bridge toward the castle.

"Showtime," he whispered into her ear. 

He gave her a slight push on the small of her back, and she stumbled forward, and then, realizing what he wanted her to do, she started running. She ran right over to the two approaching humans and practically tore through the fencing she had torn down. When they saw her coming, both of them looked shocked, and she could only pray that they hadn't seen her getting turned.

"Apo?!" Drift cried out.

"What are you doing here?" she exclaimed, letting all the fear she had been holding back come out. "We need to leave, now!"

"What are we-, what are you doing here?!" Avid countered. "Is this where you've been? What happened in there?"

"I was confronting Scott," she answered, grabbing both of their wrists. She was careful only to hold them where their sleeves were covering, not wanting them to feel how cold her hands had become. More than that, she didn't know how she would react if she could suddenly feel their pulse beneath her fingers. "Come on, we need to leave. We need to leave right now."

To their credit, they let her drag them across the rope bridge, away from the castle. Scott wasn't giving chase, likely his way of honoring their deal. She didn't trust him to keep his word for long., to say nothing of what Owen would do if he came, or if Pyro-

"Oh, Spirits…" Avid whimpered, frozen in his tracks. "Pyro's here."

Shit…

Sure enough, Pyro was standing on the part of the bridge where the two rope bridges connected. He had two cows with him, for some reason, and was staring at the three of them with a furrowed brow. Apo swallowed hard, worried that he was here because of her. Did he know about her? Did he somehow realize that she was a vampire now? Would he say something? Would he reveal her? All these thoughts were racing through her mind, sending her into a spiraling panic. Meanwhile, the man just approached them, giving them a leering grin.

"Oh geez, we are currently sandwiched between two vampires," Avid whimpered, shaking in his boots. "We're sandwiched and surrounded."

Not wanting to be on the easily broken rope bridge, the three of them had no choice but to make their way to the stone platform, the one where their vampiric barricade waited. Pyro tried to greet them, but Apo was faster. Thinking quickly, she raised her boot and kicked him square in the chest, sending him flying right off the bridge and into the river below. She could hear him hit the water with a splash, and only then did she let out a long breath.

"Holy shit," Drift exclaimed. "Apo…"

"You just kicked a vampire off a bridge!" Avid's nervousness turned into a surprised laugh as he said that. "Apo, that's the bravest thing I've ever seen!"

"Yeah... sure..." She kept staring at the water, then quickly shook her head and looked back at the other bridge. "Let's not hang around to see how he gets back up here."

As if finally reminded of the danger still present, the three of them hurriedly made their way to the mainland. They needed to get back to Oakhurst quickly. 

"What were you even doing there?" Apo had to ask, wondering what would possess these two to walk into a vampire's den.

"We were a distraction," Drift explained, and Apo immediately felt indignation rising in her chest. "Hold on! Before you get mad, it was my idea. Avid and I would go in and draw the vampire's attention, long enough for Martyn, Cleo, and the Doctor to get themselves set up around the back."

"They're still at the castle?!"

"Trust me, they are much better prepared for this than we are," Avid told her. "For now, we head back to town, roll up, and get ready for the worst."

"Right… right."

She didn't like this. She didn't like the idea of three of her friends still at that castle. She was even more terrified that one of them might have seen her get turned, but she couldn't dwell on that now. All she could do was protect Avid and Drift, make sure they got back to town, and be the last person the vampires ever turned.

~\~/~

Pyro hauled himself out of the river, seething with an intense, almost uncontrollable rage. He hurriedly wiped water from his face, flicking droplets away as his blood-red eyes glowed fiercely in the darkness around him. His own roommate had just betrayed him by striking him off the bridge—a reckless and unforgivable act. He hadn't even provoked her! In fact, he had been the one responsible for convincing his sire and Owen to entertain her foolish idea of a deal. And now, this is how she repaid him? Pyro sincerely hoped Scott had sunk his fangs into her neck, because when she eventually returned to the fold, he was going to make her pay dearly for this betrayal.

Using his vampiric claws, Pyro easily scaled the cliffside and made it back to the top of the hill. The cows he had brought along were still on the bridge, so he went back and grabbed them. His shoes squelched with each step he took, and he was dripping water everywhere. It was annoying, and he hated it, which only made his mood sour further. As he brought the cows into the castle courtyard, he was met by his sire, who was less than thrilled to see the sopping wet fledgling.

"Well, look who the bat dragged in," Scott's voice called out.

"Forgive me, sire," he quickly apologized, dropping into a low bow. "I fear that in my diligence to gather livestock for you, I forgot to remember the rendezvous."

"Yes, and thanks to that, I was alone down in that crypt, and Apo got the chance to strike me three times." His sire held out his ruined tailcoat, gesturing to his tattered clothing. "Do you have any idea how expensive this outfit was? And I killed the man who made it!"

"I'm sorry, sire," Pyro kept his head lowered, cringing harshly. "I swear, I'll do better."

"You'd better. I have no use for a worthless fledgling." 

Pyro nodded again, and only then did he begin to rise from where he was. As he did, two bats came flying into the castle. One was somewhat reddish, with cute curly fur, and the other was more gaunt, with mud-brown fur and a scowling face. It was clear that this was Owen and Shelby.

"What happened?" the Owen bat questioned as the vampire returned to his vampiric form. "I just saw Apo heading back to Oakhurst with Avid and drift. Don't tell me you just gorged yourself on three different people."

"I wish," Scott replied, waiting until Shelby had assumed her vampiric form before continuing to speak. "She decided that she was going to be brave and attempted to kill me. And when that failed, and I showed her the error of her judgment, she decided to surrender herself. I turned her, and that's when Avid and Drift showed up."

"Do they know?" Shelby asked, sounding a bit nervous. "There's been a lot of talk going around town about who's a vampire and who's not. Everyone seems pretty sure that you, Owen, and Pyro are vampires."

"Shockingly, they seemed pretty unaware of who they were traveling with," Scott answered with a slight chuckle. "If they had shown up five seconds earlier, it would have been over."

"And what about you?" Owen questions, looking Pyro up and down. "Why do you look like a drowned rat?"

"Apo decided to secure her place amongst the humans by  kicking me off the bridge." Pyro took a moment to try to wring out part of his jacket. "She's lucky that I'm a vampire, because being wet in this weather is not fun."

"I see." Owen leaned against a nearby rock pile, brow furrowed in thought. "They're getting bolder. I thought my little stunt in town would make them fearful, but I'm afraid it may have had the opposite effect. We might need to shore up our defenses and remind them of exactly what kind of creatures haunt Oakhurst."

"You mean like rebuild the castle?" Shelby asked, immediately brightening a bit. "We can make a grand ballroom, maybe even a fountain, and big windows. I took some classes on glass blowing, so I can make some gorgeous stained glass windows."

"And I do still have my mine," Pyro pointed out. "We can gather as much deep slate and black stone as we want, and rebuild this castle into a great Gothic manor—something more befitting us vampires."

"I think I have to agree with these two," Owen chimed in. "Messing about town has been entertaining, but the suspicions of the townsfolk are starting to get a bit much, so it might not be a bad idea to have somewhere to fall back to if and when our true nature is revealed."

"Then maybe we should start with taking the beacon," Shelby suggested, gesturing to the still holy beacon with her thumb. "I mean, with all four of us here, we should be able to desecrate it pretty quickly, right?"

 Scott reached out, ruffling Shelby's hair and giving the first genuine smile he had since this entire conversation began. "I knew there was a reason I liked you. Come on, let's get to it."

~\~/~

There was a slight hill just behind the castle ruins, high enough that the humans could see beyond the rudimentary walls that had been erected already. This was where Martyn, Cleo, and the Doctor had hunkered down, their torches extinguished as they looked down at the castle. They kept their voices at a hushed whisper, not wanting to give themselves away.

"So, I have to ask," Martyn whispered, "is this a kill on sight scenario? Like, if we see Scott or Pyro, do we go in swords drawn?"

"I don't think we can," Cleo whispered back. "Vampires are notoriously hard to kill."

"Yeah, but… we should at least try. I mean, I've got my Holy Word and my Lantern Thrash. I think I can do some damage."

"You've said it yourself that your holy word isn't the most reliable thing," the Doctor pointed out. He felt ridiculous arguing about the merits and usability of a magical spell, but at this point, he had to face the facts. "We still don't know exactly what the qualifications are to be caught in it. For all we know, older vampires might be immune to it, or the younger vampires are too weak to be recognized as something Unholy."

Before the conversation could continue, movement within the castle drew everyone's attention. All of them fell silent, eyes fixed on Owen as he seemingly materialized out of thin air, his presence abrupt and startling. To their astonishment, Shelby did the same, emerging suddenly and adding to the shock and horror of the three observers. From behind the stone that had been blocking their view, Scott and Pyro appeared, casually walking out as if they had only been steps away all along. The four of them exchanged words and laughter, acting as if they were the closest of friends. As if… they had nothing to hide from each other.

"Oh Word…" Cleo gasped, covering her mouth. "Shelby…"

"Shelby…" Legs let out, gripping the tree he was hiding behind. "Scott. Pyro… Owen."

Martyn shook his head, punching the dirt in anger. "Damn it… All this time, and there are four of them?"

"I think they're headed for the beacon," the Doctor noted.

Holding their breath, the three watched as the four gathered around the beacon, the holy beacon, and placed their hands on it as if to consecrate it. When they saw the blood-red power emanating from all four of their palms, it just sealed it; all four of them were vampires.

"Right, that's it." Martyn grabbed his staff and began making his way down the hill toward the castle. "We're stopping this. We're stopping it now."

Cleo was quick to follow behind him, with Legs taking up the rear, albeit very reluctantly. They slunk down the hill and over to the slender outcropping that surrounded the castle. They kept their steps silent, not daring to make a sound. They could hear the four of them talking as they desecrated the beacon, completely nonchalant.

"You know, there's one thing that's been bugging me this entire time," Owen's voice commented, sounding more than a little annoyed. "Every single person that's been turned so far, it's been an instantaneous thing. They didn't have to rest or wait it out. It was just bite and boom—you're a vampire. So why in the world did it take me three days to fully transform and wake up? How is that fair?"

"That's a good question," Shelby responded thoughtfully. "Was there something special about your transformation?"

"I think I might know," Scott's voice chimed in. "Owen, what shape was your body in when you were given the gift?"

There was a long pause before Owen replied, his voice tense. "It was in rough shape, and let's leave it at that."

"That explains it. You see, when I was turned, it took me about a day of rest before I woke up. I was already quite the drinker by then, heavily indulging for several years, and my doctors had warned me about my liver and other health issues. My hunch is that the gift needed time to heal me before I could fully awaken in my true form. That was probably what happened to you, Owen."

Owen absorbed this in silence, a hint of sadness in his voice as he concluded, "So that's why I didn't wake up in time…"

Before the conversation could continue, Martyn struck. With a yell of "Sanctuarium!" and an erratic wave of his staff, the area around the four vampires was bathed in both Holy Light and fire. Chaos descended upon all of them. 

Shelby, who had gotten caught in both attacks, screamed in agony as she stumbled back, tripping over some of the cobblestone layout. The Doctor could only wince as he saw her tumbling down the cliffside, her body crashing and crunching against the Rocks before she finally landed in the waters below. 

The Holy Light had frozen Pyro, though the flames were unable to catch on his soaking wet clothing, which spared him from the same fiery fate as Shelby. However, he remained rooted in place, trying to free himself from the light that surrounded him like manacles. he was hissing and bearing his fangs, his temper flaring from the sudden attack.

Scott had managed to evade the lights easily, his earlier encounter with Apo having weakened him to the point where the holy word spell did not have the same effect on him. His cloak had caught fire, so he was forced to ditch it, the burning fabric fluttering to the ground as he glared at the intruders in his castle.

As for Owen, he managed to evade both attacks as well. Quickly assessing the situation, he jumped over the wall and made a swift attempt to escape into the nearby forest. However, he could not go unnoticed, as the Doctor was quick to give chase, determined to catch him.

"Owen," the older man called.

"Legs, it doesn't have to be like this!" Owen called back, not stopping as he wove through the trees of the hillside.

"Owen, we can talk."

"Can we?" Owen almost seemed to snort at the idea.

"Owen, we can talk."

Whether it was idle curiosity or if he genuinely wanted to hear what legs had to say, Owen did stop. He stopped on the side of the hill, his back to the Doctor as he straightened up, running a hand through his long curly hair before sighing dramatically. Legs gave him plenty of space between them, just in case the lumberjack felt threatened by him.

"Oh dear," Owen lamented, shaking his head. "And it was all going so well." 

He finally turned around, and the coldness in his eyes made it clear he was done pretending. He didn't have his axe with him, but Legs knew the man didn't need it.

"Owen, I can help you," he said softly, very slowly approaching the man. 

Owen scoffed at that, shaking his head before turning away. "You can't help me, Doc. I've tried. I can't even die right."

"I'm a doctor," Legs reminded him, reaching out for Owen's shoulder. "I can help you."

His fingertips had just barely brushed the lumberjack's shoulder before he harshly pulled away. Legs held up his hand in a pacifying gesture as Owen just laughed bitterly.

"Listen, I uh…" Owen scoffed slightly. "I don't know what you want me to tell you."

"I don't have a sword," Legs told him, continuing to hold up his empty hands. "I'm standing here. I'm just here to help."

~\~/~

Martyn laughed triumphantly as he raised his lantern staff high above his head, his gaze fixed on the vampires standing before him. Neither of them attempted to conceal their presence any longer; their sharp fangs gleamed openly, a clear warning to all. 

"It's good to see you again, Lord Goldsmythe," he said with exaggerated politeness, bowing mockingly. "Sorry to disappoint, but this time, you're not escaping." 

"Why would I flee from my own home?" Scott responded with a sneer, casting contemptuous glances at the two humans. "You're the one who should be running." 

"Really? And let you desecrate the beacon?" Cleo spat fiercely, brandishing her sword directly in Scott's face. "That's not going to happen on my watch."

Scott cast a glance at Pyro, who was finally beginning to shake off the last remnants of Martyn's Holy Word. He was crouched like a feral animal, likely near his breaking point. Frankly, Scott wasn't far behind. He was getting sick and tired of humans barging into his home and attacking him, and he had been stabbed and gutted enough times for one night, thank you very much.

"You come into my home, with your holy words and your fire, and you just expect me to just listen to you?" Scott shook his head. "Yeah, no. I think it's time that you humans got reminded of exactly who I am!"

Scott launched himself fiercely at Martyn, claws extended and ready to strike. Despite the man's gleaming silver armor successfully blocking Scott's initial slash, Scott was quick to seize an opportunity, grabbing the staff from Martyn's hands and forcefully throwing it aside. Without his lantern, it was now unlikely that he could cast his signature fire spell again. Just as this realization dawned, Martyn drew his sword with a swift motion and began attacking him with precise, relentless strikes.

Meanwhile, Pyro charged at Cleo with ferocious intent. He was hardly more than a ravenous beast at this point, claws and teeth ripping at her as she tried to defend herself with her sword. She managed to kick him in the stomach, sending him tumbling back, but he rebounded off the ground with surprising agility and charged straight back at her. When she raised her arms to block him, Pyro lunged, sinking his teeth into her arm. She let out a scream of pain, a cry that immediately drew Martyn's full attention, sharp and urgent.

"Cleo!"

Unfortunately, this fleeting distraction turned out to be precisely what Scott needed. He seized the would-be fire mage by the throat, forcefully yanking him off the ground and hurling him across the castle grounds. The mage skidded toward the entrance, slamming hard into the crumbling wall. Meanwhile, Scott calmly retrieved the fallen staff, his pace unhurried as he approached Martyn. The man, still gritty and bloodied, pushed himself upright, spitting blood as he raised his sword once more, ready to fight again.

"I won't go down that easily," the man snarled.

"Yeah, you will." 

Using the man's own staff against him, Scott seized the opportunity and wielded the mace-like lantern with decisive force. He swung it directly at Martyn, striking him with such impact that Martyn was propelled off the broken bridge, tumbling down the rugged mountainside. Like Shelby before him, Martyn's body bounced and crunched as it collided with the uneven terrain, finally coming to a halt in a tangled heap on the rocky shore below. Scott briefly glanced at the fallen man, his eyes scanning him critically before he turned his attention to the staff in his hands. Realizing he had no further use for it, he let it slip from his hands to join its owner below. 

At that moment, Scott's senses prickled with the familiar shift in the wind—he recognized it as the sign of a new vampire being born. His instincts sharpened, and he turned swiftly to see Cleo finally casting Pyro off of her. She was clutching her arm, her eyes wide and wild, her fangs now visible beneath her lips as her transformation was complete. Their eyes locked for a moment, and Scott offered her a slight, playful smirk.

"So," he began. "Wanna have a conversation?"

"We'll talk later," she replied, turning away sharply.

Scott just shrugged, allowing the newest fledgling to run off. She'd be back. They always came back.

~\~/~

"Back in the castle, you said something about not waking up in time," Legs began, not missing the way Owen flinched at his own words. "And it got me thinking. That story you told back in town, not the one at the meeting, I know that one wasn't the truth. But the one you told on the first night here. The one about the good man struck down by the town. Was that your story?"

Owen closed his eyes, and when he opened them, a single, bloody tear ran down his face. "Yeah. Yeah, it was. That good man, the one who protected Oakhurst… was a vampire. He was a good man, better than everyone else in that town. He was my sire, he's the one who turned me, who gave me this gift. And I lost him. Not to Templars or vampire hunters. It was just… people being people."

"People can change, Owen," Legs insisted, gripping the hem of his surgical apron tightly.

"No." Owen shook his head. "No. The human race has been the same from the very beginning. Before I was a vampire, you were a cold and…harsh presence. And even after, you were all the same. But I'm not a monster, Legs."

"I never called you one," Legs replied. "You're sick. You're suffering. Let me help you?"

"Sick…" Owen practically spat the words, then lifted a single hand. He tore the linens from around it, exposing his skin. "I've been sick for a long time, Doctor. Long before I was ever turned. Go on, see for yourself. See exactly why I was too late to wake up and save the one person who ever gave a shit about me."

Legs had read enough medical journals to recognize the scars left behind by boils and lesions. Even in the gloom of the night, he could make out the marbled nature of his skin and knew that at one point, he had likely been wracked by a terrible disease—perhaps some form of late-stage leprosy or a plague of some sort. Unfortunately, he didn't have the tools or medical texts to conduct any further evaluations, not that he thought Owen would ever let him. Still, it was clear that Owen had suffered greatly during his time as a human.

"I am so sorry," he said softly.

"Sorry…" Owen began to rewrap his arm. "That seems to be the favorite word of every Doctor I ever saw. Sorry, we can't cure you. Sorry, it's getting worse. Sorry, but I don't want to see you here ever again. Get out of my sight, you filthy thing!"  

Owen punched a tree so hard that it shook, sending out a spray of wood chips and scattering the crows that had been nesting in it. Legs couldn't suppress a flinch, but he remained where he was standing.

"They couldn't help me… but this curse, as you call it, did. For the first time, I remembered what it felt like not to be in pain. It made me better, and it's the only cure I ever need or want."

Owen unclenched his fist, resting his palm against where he had punched the tree. He closed his eyes and seemed to sigh, then turned to face the Doctor.

"I don't want to give this to you, Legs." Owen's eyes flickered briefly behind the Doctor. "And neither does Pyro."

Legs turned back, seeing Pyro perched on top of a tree just behind him. There was fresh blood around his mouth, which the man wiped away with his sleeve.

"If you don't leave now…" Owen warned.

"We can't leave," Legs interjected. "We've tried. Several of us have already tried, but something is keeping us in. A wall that we don't know how to bring down. As much as you want us all to go, we can't."

"Look, I don't know what you want me to tell you." Owen threw up his hands in exasperation. "Go back to Oakhurst, wall up, create defenses, do whatever you have to do. Just…" he hesitated briefly, then turned away once more. "I don't wanna be touched, I don't wanna be cured. I'm already fine as I am. And moreso, you've been the only good soul that I've found outside of…" he sniffled slightly, a second bloody tear running down his face. "Outside of him, in my 225 years on this wretched Earth. So, I'm giving you this one opportunity and the one kindness I'll show you until we meet again."

"It would be wise, Doctor," Pyro called out from his perch on the tree. "If you should listen to Owen."

Legs looked between the two vampires, maintaining his decorum.

"Anything can be cured," he insisted. "I can help you. Both of you."

"We don't want your help!" Owen snapped, clearly reaching the end of his rope. "I'm perfectly happy as I am. We all are."

"Yeah, happy," Pyro parroted, though his tone was anything but convincing. "Very happy."

The doctors said nothing in response. What could he even say? That was when Owen started to approach him. He couldn't sense any hostile intent, so he didn't react, not even as Owen reached for him, took hold of his hand, and lifted it.

"You'd like it too," The lumberjack said, his voice softer now. "You're a doctor. Consider all the good you could do with an immortal life. You don't lose those skills; they stay with you. You could save thousands over the years. You'll have a real opportunity to make a change in the world, Legundo."

Owen ran a thumb over Legs' pulse point but kept his grip loose. For a moment, Legs tried to imagine what such a life would be like, but he immediately shook his head. Eternity was not meant for him; the world didn't need someone like him alive for all time. And if what Owen said about his skills staying with him was true, she knew there were some skills he had that he wanted to forget. So, he gently retook his hand, trying not to flinch at the heartbreak that seemed to echo in Owen's eyes.

"No one deserves to lose everything they've ever loved," he said softly. "It's not something I'd wish on anyone."

Likely realizing that his offer would not be accepted, Owen turned away one last time. He scrubbed at his face with his sleeve, wiping away those bloody tears.

"Getting up early," he remarked, looking out at the sun that was beginning to peak over the horizon. He then turned back, flashing his fangs. "I won't ask again."

"I'll go," Legs conceded, holding up his hands once more. "But I won't stop trying to help you, whether you want it or not."

With those parting words, the doctors slipped past Owen and began their trek down the hill toward where the boats were waiting. His heart was hammering in his chest, but he didn't look back. He had to get back to town and let everyone know the true.
Avid was right.

Vampires are real.

Chapter Text

Apo's head shot up as a cold wave of dread washed over her. Something had happened, something bad. She had been up in her watchtower, spiraling after coming to terms with the fact that she had been turned into a vampire. Now, her gut instinct was telling her that someone else had been turned. It had to be one of the three who stayed behind at the castle—Cleo, Martyn, or Legs. The idea of any of them becoming vampires was something Apo couldn't accept. She needed to get there, and she needed to get there now.

Unfortunately, she knew there was no way she could reach her destination using just her human speed. So, with great reluctance, she channeled some of her power— the dark power she had gained through her transformation. Soon, a flurry of bats exploded out of the top of the tower. She was among them, a bright red bat with longer fur. She didn't take any time to look at herself in this form, knowing that time was of the essence.

Flying as fast as she could, Apo reached the castle's shoreline within minutes. She scanned the area frantically, trying to see anything—any sign of her friends. Then, she caught a whiff of blood—strong, metallic, and nauseating. She didn't want to look toward the smell, but with how overpowering it was, someone was likely hurt. She turned toward it reluctantly and had to gasp.

Lying among the rocks that dotted the shorelines, Martyn lay in a bloody heap. He looked like he had several broken bones, and the sand was rich with his blood. He was letting out thready breaths, so he was still alive, but barely.

"Martyn!" she screamed, turning into her human form and practically falling to her knees at his side. "Oh my gosh, Martyn, can you hear me?"

He wasn't responding, just letting out wheezing breaths that sounded painfully wet. She was panicking, knowing they couldn't afford to lose anyone. Not now. Not with nearly half the town turned into vampires, herself included. They needed Martyn.

Amidst her spiraling thoughts, Apo remembered what Scott had been saying—how a vampire could create a thrall without turning them, and how feeding a thrall vampiric blood would heal their wounds and extend their lifespan. The idea disturbed her deeply, yet the only alternatives were to turn him or let him die. Neither option was something she was inclined to choose, leaving her with only one choice to make. Grabbing a knife from her belt, Apo sliced open her palm, cringing as her own blood began to drip from the wound, then pressed it to Martyn's mouth.

"I'm so sorry," she choked, even as she watched his body literally snap back into place. "I am so sorry. Holy Spirits, come up, please forgive me for this."

One by one, all of Martyn's broken bones began to gradually reset themselves, the pain easing as his breathing stabilized and became less labored. She could still see the scars etched on his skin, aware that those scars would likely remain forever. Despite everything, she was grateful that he was still alive. She slowly pulled her hand back, watching as the wound slowly closed, while she desperately tried to figure out how she was going to get Martyn back to safety. In her desperation, she summoned her bat form once more, the leathery wings unfolding as she approached him. Without hesitation, she grabbed Martyn firmly by the collar of his coat.

"Just hang on," she told him, flapping her wings as hard as she could and taking off into the air. "I'll get you back to town. You'll be safe. I swear it."

"Fuck!" Cleo screamed once she was far enough away from the castle. "FUCK!!"

 Her arm was no longer bleeding, but it hardly mattered now. The damage had already been done. She considered herself incredibly fortunate to have been turned—at least, it had been long enough since the last time... She shook her head, unwilling to dwell on that vile sack of filth and the other dark thoughts. He was dead and gone, and she believed she was better off for it.

Or was she?

 She was a vampire now, the very thing she had come out here to destroy. She had become the very thing she hated most. She wanted to laugh, she wanted to cry, she wanted to scream to the heavens. But she couldn't—not right now. Right now, Oakhurst needed someone stable, someone solid. That meant that, no matter how much she wanted to break down like a maniac, she needed to get a grip and calm down.

Thankfully, hiding the bite scar wouldn't be a problem. Her sleeve hadn't been torn or anything, so she could easily pull it down over the mark. She already had a food supply back at town, with the sheep, the chickens, and the cows. She could use their raw flesh to get by—at least for a while. She'd have to get rid of all the silver in her house, and already the silver armor she was wearing was starting to feel uncomfortable. In time, she wouldn't even be able to touch the stuff, and she needed to be ready for that.

Going through her mental checklist of everything she would need, Cleo regained her senses. She took a few breaths, enjoying the habit of the exercise, then straightened her back. It was already morning, and people would get suspicious if she stayed out any longer. She didn't know what happened to Martyn after he fell, but she couldn't afford to go back. As for the Doctor, he hadn't gotten into the castle with them. Most likely, he had hung back, or maybe he'd run afoul of either Owen or Shelby. Either way, she needed to focus on herself right now, and that meant getting back to town. So she put one foot in front of the other and began the long trek back to Oakhurst.

Martyn groaned, his entire body aching as he slowly returned to reality. As he slowly opened his eyes, he found himself staring at the familiar ceiling of his house back in Oakhurst. Everything hurt badly, and his ears were ringing. Distantly, he could hear a voice calling out to him.

"Martyn… Martyn, wake up."

Slowly, he turned to see someone standing over him—a blurry figure in black and red. As the memories of everything that had happened came crashing back, he shot up out of bed, almost screaming from sheer fear and adrenaline.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, back it up, back it up! Get away from me!"

The figure, revealed to be Apo, immediately backed off, raising her hands in a pacifying gesture. Martyn was panting now, starting around and trying to figure out how the hell he ended up back home. When he saw his staff leaning against the wall, he quickly grabbed it and pointed it at Apo.

"You're not with them, are you?" He demanded quickly.

"What? With who?" 

"How am I still alive?!"

"I…found you washed up on the riverside, and I brought you back to town. You were in pretty bad shape, but I did my best to patch you up. "

Martyn moved to demand answers, and he felt pain lancing up his leg. He stumbled hard, having to plant his staff in the ground to catch himself. As he looked down at himself, he could see a bad tear in his pants and a large gash that had apparently healed over. He stared at it, then up at Apo.

"What did you do to me? How the fuck am I still alive?! Scott knocked me off a bridge!"

"It's one of my powers," she quickly explained. "I can heal, but it's very, very costly. I was saving it for a special occasion, and when I found you on the riverside, I knew I had to do something."

Martyn didn't have time to figure out whether that made any sense. Right now, his mind was reeling from the fact that he had been thrown off a bridge by Scott. And the last thing he remembered seeing was Cleo-

"Cleo… where is Cleo?!"

"I… I-I only saw you."

Despite his limp and his torn clothing, Martyn began to head straight for the door. He threw it open, using his staff to walk as he tried to reach the town exit. Apo followed quickly behind him, her panic evident in her voice.

"Listen, you shouldn't be up right now," she tried to insist. "You're lucky to be alive right now, and you really need to put yourself first."

"Not until I know that Cleo and the doctor are safe!" Looking around, it dawned on him just how light it was. It was already morning, meaning a lot of time had passed since being thrown off the bridge and waking up at home. Time that Cleo and the Doctor might not have. "Listen to me, I don't have time to explain, but listen carefully. Scott, Owen, Pyro, and Shelby—all vampires! We saw them! We saw them at the castle, trying to desecrate the beacon!"

"What?!"

"Yeah, Owen and Shelby disappeared,  Scott and Pyro stayed to fight. We didn't even stand a chance. I tried my fire, I tried my silver weapons, but Scott shook them off like they were nothing. Oh Spirits, I left Cleo there!"

His staff hit one of the many potholes around town, and Martyn stumbled hard, falling flat on his face. Apo rushed over to help him up, and as he got to his feet, he saw a familiar pair of brown boots approaching. He looked up and nearly melted into the cobblestones when he saw Cleo looking down at him.

"Oh, thank the Word, Cleo!" he pulled himself to his feet, still leaning a bit on the staff to try and get some weight off his now bad leg. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"Yeah," Cleo replied, albeit shakily. "Yeah, I'm alright. What about you? I saw you go down."

"I got him back to town," Apo reported, looking over Cleo carefully. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I will be," she assured them. "I managed to get away by the skin of my teeth, but I escaped. I was hiding in the woods to make sure they didn't give chase, then I came back here once morning came."

"I'm just glad you're alive," Martyn said, choking on a relieved sob. "What about the Doctor? Did you see him?"

"No." Cleo shook her head. "I don't think he came in with us. I think he hung back, so he might have run into either Shelby or Owen when they were fleeing."

Martyn cursed under his breath at that. Was the Doctor one of them? A vampire? He shook his head at the thought, not wanting to jump to conclusions. Besides, they now had definitive proof that at least four vampires did exist, and they needed to let the town know. That was their priority right now. The Doctor could wait until he showed his face again; then Martyn would punch him and demand answers. But until then…

"We need to tell everybody," he declared, straightening up as best he could. "It doesn't matter who knows now, or who's a vampire. They know we know, and we need to make sure everyone is on the same page." 

"Right, I agree." Cleo's eyes then locked onto the fact that Martyn was visibly limping. "Are you okay? You do not look good." 

"Apo used some healing magic on me, but it wasn't perfect. My leg hurts badly." 

"I'm sorry I couldn't do more," Apo apologized, looking genuinely upset. "I would if I could, but I can't." 

"Soldier girl," Martyn cut off, shaking his head. "You literally saved my life. I can work on this limp and get it manageable. I'm not about to look this gift horse in the mouth."

Apo nodded at that, though she still looked sad and nervous. Martyn left her alone on that one, hobbling down the street to where he could hear people.

Shelby pulled herself back up to the top of the castle cliffs, groaning softly as she finally collapsed onto the grass below. Her clothes were badly singed from the ordeal, and she was soaking wet from the river. Despite having long since healed from her terrible fall, her entire body throbbed with pain. She lay there for a moment, staring up at the drifting clouds in the sky, the full weight of what had just transpired pressing heavily on her mind.

Everyone knew now. Everyone knew that she was a vampire. The thought alone made her feel exposed and vulnerable. She knew that once Martyn and Cleo made it back to town, the secret of her true nature would be revealed to all of Oakhurst. The fact that Martyn had attacked her—had set her on fire, and caused her to tumble down that treacherous mountain—hurt more deeply than the physical wounds she had received. Those wounds she could heal from; betrayal by those she once called friends cut even deeper. Her throat burned with tears threatening to spill over, tears she desperately tried to hold back. She covered her eyes with her trembling hands, fighting to stall her sobs.

As she lay there in the silence, she heard footsteps approaching. Her heart jumped in surprise, and she quickly turned her head, only to relax when she recognized Owen's figure. His expression was unusually gentle—so soft and reassuring compared to how he usually appeared. When he reached out carefully to wipe away one of her blood-tinged tears from her cheek, she was taken aback by how tender and caring his gesture was, a stark contrast to the harshness of her recent experience.

"I'm sorry," he said as he sat down next to her. "I know what it's like, being shunned by the people who should have been your friends."

"I…" she hiccuped, hugging her knees to her chest. "I didn't even do anything. I haven't hurt anyone, and Martyn just…"

"That's what humans do," Owen said, shaking his head in disappointment. "Anyone different, anyone who doesn't fit their perfect image, they feel forced to erase. They cast them out and shun them as if they are... infected."

"I can't go back…" she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "That's not my home anymore."

"I'm sorry, Shelby," Pyro chimed in gently, moving to sit on the other side of her. "Losing your home is... It's tough to process."

"But you're not alone," Scott added warmly, prompting all three vampires to turn toward their elder. "My castle is open to all of you. It's going to take some work, and it's definitely not in the best shape right now, but I want you to know my door is always open for you."

"You mean it?" Shelby asked quietly, a flicker of hope lighting her eyes.

"I told you before that you were welcome if you ever needed a place to stay," Scott reminded her softly, his expression kind and reassuring. "I really meant it then, and I mean it now. Besides, we're roommates, right?"

That got a soft laugh out of her, and she gave a nod. "Right."

Slowly, all of them got up, dusting themselves off and taking stock of their outfits. Scott, on top of having his outfit torn to shreds by weapons, had now lost his cloak to fire. Shelby's clothes were badly singed as well and torn in various places from her fall. Pyro, thankfully, didn't have any major tears, but the water had done some damage to his clothing, and his coat was already likely to shrink from the cold water. The only one who was still untouched and generally unruffled was Owen, by some miracle.

"Well," Owen let out, observing the three. "That could have gone better."

"To put it mildly," Pyro agreed, laughing. "By the way, I'm sorry that I got overzealous again. Everything that had happened, and the attack, I was very much not in the right headspace at all. I did not mean to turn Cleo the way I did."

"You turned Cleo?" Shelby let out, looking shocked.

"Oh yeah, she's part of the fold now, too," Scott confirmed with a nod. "She's going to be an interesting one, to say the least. I'm curious to see what's going to happen with her."

"What are the chances that the town knows about her and apo?" Pyro wondered aloud.

"I highly doubt either of them will be spilling the beans," Owen replied, rolling his eyes slightly. "They'll probably pretend to be human for a while, at least until they can't anymore. Then, they'll join us, once they realize we're the only place they have left."

"For now," Scott spoke up, turning toward the beacon that was somehow still holy, "come help me turn this. I'm sick of that holy energy polluting my home."

"You mean our home?" Shelby tentatively asked.

"Yeah, our home. Now let's go."

The four approached the beacon and placed their hands on it to start the desecration.

Most of the town was gathered up in the building that Avid had designated his Vampire Wellness Center. That's where Martyn, Apo, and Cleo found Avid, Drift, and Abolish. They called an emergency meeting right then and there, needing to spread the word quickly.

"Alright, listen closely," Martyn demanded, getting the three's attention. "It doesn't matter who here now is a vampire or not. I'm glad you two got out of there when you did, because things got messy. Like really messy."

"What happened?" Drift asked, sounding genuinely scared.

"Yeah, we saw Scott in there, and we ran into Apo for a bit, but we didn't see anyone else," Avid reported.

"Well, Scott wasn't alone when we went and fought him," Martyn replied, his hands still shaking a bit as he tightened his grip on his staff. "He had Owen, Pyro, and Shelby to back him up. All of them are vampires!"

"What?" Avid shrieked. "No! Not Shelby!"

"I'm sorry, but she was there," Cleo confirmed, shaking her head sadly. "She and Owen flew the coop when the fight started, but Pyro stayed to back up Scott." 

"We tried fighting him with silver weapons, but it barely did anything. Not even my fire spell was enough to take them down. I know it's a bit cliché, but I think the only way to end them permanently is with a wooden stake."

"And garlic!" Avid shouted, swiftly grabbing about five bulbs from a large sack on his belt. "You need to keep garlic on you!" 

Martyn quickly reached out and grabbed one of the bulbs, carefully tucking it into his pocket as a precaution. He was no longer willing to take any chances, not after everything that had happened. As he did this, Cleo looked around nervously, appearing visibly panicked.

"Where is Pearl?" she demanded anxiously, her voice trembling slightly. "Why isn't she here with us?"

"I think she went out," Abolish responded calmly. "She mentioned something about Oscar wanting to play."

"No, no, no! Pearl, now is not the time to be playing with the cat!"

Without hesitation, Cleo ran off to look for her roommate, her mind racing with concern. Martyn watched her go, feeling a twinge of sympathy and understanding. He didn't blame her in the slightest for the urgency she felt, knowing how important Pearl was to the normally stoic woman. And as she ran out of the town like the bats of hell were on her tail, Ren came in, likely having been drawn by the panic. 

"Specs!" Martyn shouted, quickly running to greet the man. "Listen, we know who the vampires are."

"Do ye now, Mr. Woodhurst?" Ren was immediately all focus. "Young lad, ye not be looking well. What happened to ye?"

"A fight. One I lost miserably. I'm still human, don't worry about that, but Scott, Owen, Pyro, and Shelby are all vampires."

"Shelby?!" Mr M cried, having followed Ren into town. "No, she's my biggest fan! She can't be a vampire!"

"She is," Martyn replied, shaking his head. "I don't know how long, but she has one. Me and Cleo saw her and the others trying to desecrate the castle beacon. We confronted them; Owen and Shelby fled, but Pyro and Scott fought us. I got thrown off a cliff, and Apo had to pull me out of the river, and Cleo just barely escaped with her life. But listen, we all need to gear up, fortify the town, and make sure everybody has silver weapons, silver armor, and stakes. Especially wooden stakes, because while those silver weapons are still good to have, they won't do shit against the vampires."

Everyone was nodding in agreement, the ones without weapons quickly heading back to their homes to try and craft more. Apo slipped away quietly, discussing plans to follow Cleo and help find Pearl. Everyone let her go, understanding that their priority was to locate all of their friends. Martyn continued searching around town, trying to find out where the Doctor had gone. He remained somewhat annoyed that the Doctor hadn't come after them back at the castle. Thankfully, the Doctor eventually decided to show himself. He shambled into town like some zombie, his face pale, his hands shaking.

"Doc!" Martyn screamed, running as best he could right up to him. "Where the hell were you?!"

"I… I followed Owen," the Doctor replied, his voice hollow and shaky. "I chased him behind the castle."

"You what?!" Martyn exclaimed, drawing the attention of a few others. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. He didn't hurt me. I just chased him around the back of the castle. I had him pinned for a bit, but then he turned into a bat and flew off."

"What about Shelby?" Martyn remembered seeing her running away as well. "Did you see her?"

That made the Doctor visibly flinch. "Yeah… yeah, I saw her. I saw her burning in fire as she fell down a cliff." He closed his eyes, his fist clenched. "I don't think I'm going to forget the sounds she made as she fell."

Despite the earlier reveal of Shelby being a vampire, Martyn actually felt bad upon hearing what had happened. Considering his own fall off the cliff and how badly that had injured him, he imagined Shelby wasn't doing much better. Add that to the fire he had apparently caused her, and there was a very good chance he was going to face a very upset vampire the next time they met. 

"So," Avid crossed his arms and looked at the Doctor with a glare, "still think my reasoning is bullshit?" 

"No, you've been proven very clearly right," Legs admitted, clearly annoyed at having to do so. "I get it, vampires are real. Now, we need to prepare." 

"We're already working on gathering as much silver as possible," Abolish reported, pulling a small cart filled with smelted silver blocks. "We should place these in front of all the houses, around the gates, on the streets, and definitely around the beacon."

Unfortunately, before they could begin their fortifications, a chilling sensation swept through all of them, carried by the wind. It was then that they realized, with sinking hearts, that the castle beacon had finally fallen. The news struck like a blow, especially after their recent harrowing defeat at the hands of the vampires. Several townsfolk immediately rose to action, their fears and anger evident as they voiced their outrage and concern. Martyn, slowly regaining his footing despite his limp, swiftly moved toward the gate, determination firm in his stride. Drift, Avid, Mr. M, and Ren weren't far behind, each propelled by a sense of urgent purpose as they hurried to respond to the town's darkest hour.

"We must get to the castle at once!" Ren declared, already drawing his sword. "We have not a moment to lose!"

"Right," Martyn agreed, marching straight out of the gates. "No sneaking this time. We are charging into that castle, and we are going to show those vampires that we're not afraid of them!"

All five of them cheered, ready to face the vampires once more.

Cleo had not been going after Pearl. In fact, she wanted to get as far away from Pearl as possible. If she were somewhere playing with Oscar the ghost cat, then that meant she was far from the vampire's sight, and that is precisely where she needed to stay. Cleo knew it wouldn't last long, but the longer she could keep her roommate safe, the better. For now, she needed to have a word with the vampires who had turned her. So, transforming into a fluffy bat with an orange tinge, Cleo made her way to the castle.

 She touched down quietly on the walls surrounding the castle, observing the four vampires gathered around the glowing beacon. As expected, they were there to desecrate it. Upon hearing her approach, they immediately turned to greet her, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Well, hello there!" Owen called out, giving away with his free hand. "Come to join the festivities?"

"Among other things," she answered, sliding among the four and placing her hand on the beacon. With her energy on it, the neutralized beacon was desecrating even faster. "Pyro, what the hell?"

"Hey, you're the one who attacked me," the former scholar countered defensively. "Plus, I had just been pushed off of a bridge by Apo, so I was already a little hot under the collar."

The sound of leathery wings drew their attention toward the back wall, where five sets of eyes noticed a dark red bat landing on the broken parapet. As it transformed into a human, Cleo couldn't help but groan in frustration. She realized that she was not the only vampire who had been turned today, a fact that would surely complicate things in ways she had not anticipated.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me!" she rubbed her face with her free hand. "Really, Apo? You too?"

"I should be saying that to you!" Apo exclaimed. "You're the one who got turned?"

"Blame him!" Cleo pointed right at Pyro. "He's the one who turned me!"

"I was in a frenzy!" Pyro defended yet again. "Trust me, once you get thirsty enough, you'll understand."

"Oh, trust me, I'm already thirsty!" Cleo snapped back.

"Oi!" Owen shouted, his eyes never leaving Apo as he ignored the discourse between Cleo and Pyro. "Get down here and help us!"

"What? No!" Apo immediately shook her head. "I'm not helping you!"

"You're one of us, whether you like it or not!" Owen snarled in annoyance. "Do they know about you? Either of you?"

"No," Cleo answered, shaking her head. "None of them knows about me. Thankfully, Pyro bit me on the arm, which I can cover up. As for her," she pointed up at the glaring soldier woman still perched on the wall, "I didn't even know she was a vampire until just now. So I highly doubt the town knows."

"They don't know," Apo confirmed, tensing at the very idea. "And I plan to keep it that way."

"Probably for the best," Scott admitted. "Honestly, having some eyes and ears in the town will be beneficial for us. So you two just keep pretending that you're still human, and you can serve as informants."

"What part of I'm not going to help you makes you think I do any of that?!" Apo exclaimed. "The only reason I even asked you to turn me was so I would sate your hunger, and you'd leave the town alone!"

"And you thought one person would be enough to say an elder vampire?" Cleo couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Honestly, how stupid can you be?"

Apo gasped sharply at the open hostility radiating from Cleo, but by now she was beyond caring. Her new hunger was relentless, gnawing at her limited reserves of patience, and a single glance at the former soldier made it painfully clear that Apo was going to push her over the edge. To keep both of them alive, Cleo knew she would have to protect the fool, a task she was not particularly eager to undertake.

Finally, the beacon's light shifted to a dark blood-red hue, signaling its complete desecration. As this happened, a dark wave of energy surged over the castle, causing all the vampires present to feel a significant increase in their strength. They now controlled four beacons once again, giving them a majority over humanity. This added power would be a valuable advantage, and it was hoped that it could help keep the hunger at bay, at least for a bit longer. 

"Listen, the only reason I came here was to check on Cleo," Apo declared, glaring at each of the vampires. "Let me make it perfectly clear; I'm not on your side, and I will never be on your side. My duty is to protect Oakhurst and every human living there."

"Sure, sure." Owen waved a hand dismissively. "We'll see how long that lasts once the hunger sets in, once you start looking at your so-called friends and seeing them as food."

"I'm not going to see them as food!" Apo was shaking violently at this point. "I can barely even stand the sight of blood, so there's no way I could ever feast on someone!"

"A soldier who can't stand blood," Pyro quipped, chuckling in amusement. "I'm starting to see why they kicked you out."

"I wasn't kicked out! I was assigned here!"

"Didn't the doctor call it something?" It tilted his head back, trying to think. Then he snapped his fingers. "Right, a joist stint. Where they get rid of all the useless ones and send them off to disappear. For all you know, maybe they knew about us vampires here and figured you'd make a good snack for us."

Apo looked like she wanted to argue, but from how red she was turning, she had nothing to say in her defense. After a moment, she just turned away.

"Whatever. Just stay away from me. All of you!"

She then turned into a bat and flew off, clearly done with this conversation. Cleo went to shout at her, but that's when Owen began shushing everyone. When they all quieted down, they heard it, hurried footsteps storming the castle.

"Back already?" Scott hissed. "Unbelievable."

"Scatter!" Pyro cried.

Almost all of them immediately transformed into bats, with Cleo quickly heading back to Oakhurst. The last thing she needed was to get caught out here with all these vampires. If and when she revealed herself, it was going to be on her terms, not being lumped in with the castle brigade.

~\~/~

Martyn was once again at the forefront, charging forward with unwavering determination. As he caught sight of movement ahead, he unleashed his Holy Word, the power echoing through the air. He couldn't tell if anyone had gotten caught in it, but he still had to try. The beacon had already turned blood-red, signaling that it was too late for salvation. Yet, this knowledge did not deter them from their resolve to eliminate the vampires while they still had the opportunity. 

Chaos erupted the moment they made their presence known, and a flood of bats erupted from the castle in a frantic, swirling mass, obscuring many faces and making identification nearly impossible. Amidst this turmoil, one figure lingered, a solitary presence leaning against the desecrated beacon. A feral snarl curled on his lips, revealing a wild, unhinged intensity as he remained in the shadows, defiant and unyielding.

"Oh, hi, Owen!" Drift called out, sneering Owen's name.

"Hey there, Owen," Avid mimicked, brandishing a wooden stake like it was a dagger.

"You're not welcome here," Owen told them all, not moving from his spot, not even as the five of them surrounded him. "The castle is no longer a safe place for you."

"So you're not even pretending anymore?" Martyn asked, pointing his staff right at Owen. "No more lies or gaslighting?"

"What's the point?" Owen replied with a shrug. "You all clearly know what's going on. So I see no reason to keep up the charade."

"Yeah, we know." Mr M crossed his arms. "30 to 40 years ago? I'd say it's more like 200, right?" 

Owen chuckled at that, nodding slightly. "You catch on quick, Mr M. Yes, I am over 200 years old. 225, to be exact."

"So much for not ever being taught to count," Martyn muttered.

"So that last massacre," Drift recalled, "That was you, wasn't it?"

Owen nodded once more, straightening up a bit as his face grew serious. "There was a massacre, and it was at the hands of humans… in a sense. I was sick. I had some sort of plague, some sort of leprosy, I don't know. And you… You took away my one chance at a life where I wasn't constantly… shunned away, ostracized." His fists tightened, and were he strong enough to have claws, they would have pierced his flesh. "The human race is to blame for what happened to Oakhurst."

"Okay!" Avid exclaimed. "Alright!"

"And here you are, trying to tear all of us apart," Drift remarked, hiding slightly behind her shield as she spoke.

"All I wanted was to live!" Owen snapped, slamming his fist down on the beacon. All five of the humans jumped when he did that. "I didn't need another one of you!"

"You're the one who keeps turning us!" Avid screamed.

"Because you keep hunting for us!!"

"Was Shelby hunting for you when you took her?" Martyn demanded, gritting his teeth. "She was innocent! None of us ever did anything to you!"

"Yeah, we're not even from here!" Drift pointed out. "We all came here trying to live just like you. You started all of this!"

"This all stemmed from you," Martyn continued. "One became many, and that's not on."

Owen just shook his head dismissively. "It's a good way to live."

"Really?" Avid scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"It doesn't seem that way," Drift commented, actually lowering her shield a bit. "You seem pretty depressed."

"Yeah, why are you always so sad?"

Owen turned away sharply. "Because you took the one thing-"

"We?" Avid interjected.

"No, the human race! All of you! You took him from me!" Owen was crying now, bloody tears streaming down his face as he stared them all down. "You took him, and you killed him! And he did nothing to you!!"

Everyone took a tentative step back, recognizing the dangers of an angry vampire. Still, they couldn't back down completely.

"That was 200 years ago," Mr. M said quietly, and with evident hesitation. "That wasn't us. None of us was even born yet."

Avid took a step forward, clearing his throat in an attempt to appear braver than he was. "Look, clearly you have a lot to say. So why don't you come back to town with us? We've got a nice little room for you. And, we'll think about hearing you out after you've had a chance to calm down."

Wiping his tears on his sleeves, Owen just laughed mirthlessly.

"I think we're happy here," he replied. "And I think you should all leave. As I said before, the castle is no longer a safe place for you."

This time, it was Avid's turn to laugh. He stepped forward, spreading his arms out as he gestured to the other four with him.

"Oh, really? Five of us, and one of you. What are you going to do?"

That was the wrong thing to say. Immediately, any trace of humor that Owen had on his face was gone. In a flash, he lashed out, grabbing Avid by the front of his shirt and pulling him closer so the two of them were nose to nose. The other humans immediately jumped, but none dared act, afraid they might hurt Avid in the process.

"2,799 people I felled with my bare hands, and you think that five of you can stop me?" Owen clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "Oakhurst's soil will be enriched with your blood, Avid, but not before you see every single person you know in Oakhurst die!"

Avid was absolutely shaking now, his eyes wide and nothing but threaded wimpers escaping his mouth. That was when Ren, silent Ren who had done nothing but stand there silently this entire time, finally decided to act. He stepped forward, raising his sword and pointing the tip right at Owen's throat.

"Those be fighting words, lad."

 Owen spared the older man a sideways glance, then finally dropped avid.

"I'll leave you some of the cattle," he declared before dissolving into a flurry of bats.

Abolish didn't like the chances that Oakhurst had given their current circumstances. Both he and the Doctor could agree on that much. Watching everyone charge out of the town the second the castle beacon fell, despite not knowing the strengths or actual numbers of their enemies, had been more than a little jarring. Both of them had refused to take part in that suicide mission, with the Doctor nearly having a complete mental breakdown over it. Abolish didn't blame him in the slightest. Honestly, if it weren't for his years of training, he would have gone with the Doctor. 

"I came here to heal," the Doctor lamented as they began working on smelting all the silver they had in store. "I came here to help people, not to take part in another war."

"I came here for my parents," Abolish let out, allowing some emotion to taint his typical monotone. "I came here for closure. I didn't want it to come to this."

"No one wanted this."

Some of the silver was ready to be shaped into blocks, which the two of them quickly did. Their first step was to take it over to the watchtower, where the beacon was located. They did not want a repeat of what had happened before. So, they made their way there, but stopped when they heard the frantic mooing and the sound of an ax cutting through flesh. At the same time, the two of them turned toward the cow pen, where they could only watch as Owen brought his ax down on several cows. 

Blood was already dripping from his mouth, evident that he had gorged himself on several of the bovines already. Other chunks of raw meat have been tossed aside, like they were being gathered up or something. The scene was so animalistic, so gory, that neither of them knew exactly what to do.

"Owen?" the Doctor called out tentatively.

"I'm not taking them all," Owen shouted, bringing his ax down on another one of the cows. "This is just enough for me and the others to get by."

"Owen," the Doctor tried again.

"It's this or people, Doctor! Take your pick!"

Owen continued his slaughter, never once looking back at the pair. Abolish took note of that, keeping his weapons lowered.

"You don't want to kill people, do you?" he wondered aloud.

Finally, Owen stopped. His ax was raised in the air, blood dripping from its blade, but he didn't bring it down again. Instead, he turned his head to look at the butler and the Doctor, his usually brown eyes now a piercing red.

"I will if I must."

He then tossed the ax aside, taking a deep breath as his hands extended into claws. He stretched and rotated his shoulders, and the pieces of silver armor he had been wearing to blend in with humans were tossed aside. He likely had no more need for it. Owen then stepped out of the cow pen, gathering up the carcasses he had left behind, binding them with some rope he had draped over the fencing earlier. 

"I'm not greedy, though. I'm leaving you a few." He threw the hastily tied bundle over his shoulder, giving the two one last look. "When we come back, I promise I'll give you an opportunity to run."

Then, with one mighty leap, he easily cleared the town walls, vanishing over them as quickly as he'd come. Then, as if to further hammer home just how screwed they were, a new sensation was felt on the wind. The darkness had reclaimed the lake beacon. The town now had only two beacons to its name, with the majority in the hands of the vampires. Abolish looked at where Owen had disappeared to, then turned back to the now half-empty cow pen. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, steadied himself, and turned to the Doctor.

"We need to defend this place. now."

Chapter Text

Days went by, stretching into weeks, as both humans and vampires prepared for the inevitable. The humans remained in Oakhurst, cautiously venturing into the fringes of the surrounding forests to gather materials. They were always in pairs and rarely strayed far from each other. No one dared to explore too deeply, not even to search for the magical tomes. They were all still processing the shock and trying to make sense of everything they had learned. For many of them, their entire world had been flipped on its head, and for others, they were still trying to come to grips with the new horror story that was their life.

Despite the stillness, the townsfolk kept busy. The residents dedicated time to reinforcing the walls of Oakhurst, constructing additional watchtowers, and installing gates. Abolish even placed silver markers around the entire town as a precaution, aiming to establish safe zones in case the vampires decided to launch an attack. There was also a sign erected near the beacon tower listing all the known vampires.

Of course, there were those amongst the townsfolk who were struggling more than others. Apo and Cleo, both recently turned vampires, were struggling with their new abilities and limitations. Apo, after a desperate feeding attempt on the pigs that she and Pyro had once kept, almost turned her fangs on her beloved pet, Truffle. The breakdown that followed nearly resulted in her being exposed and expelled from the town. Cleo, aware of the soldier girl's plight, was forced to step in, convincing Apo to remove the pig from the situation if Truffle's presence would be a problem. Apo couldn't fully get rid of her cherished pet, but she did move him to a secluded pen hidden within a mossy cave. At least there, he wasn't an immediate danger.

As for Cleo herself, she had her own problems to deal with. The town, desperate for some leadership and stability, had decided to elect her as mayor. She had to hold back a laugh, wondering if they would still think she was a good mayor if they knew exactly what she was. She had been careful to make sure she ate in the privacy of her home, avoiding Pearl's gaze for the time being. Unfortunately, she knew it wouldn't last long. She would need to tell someone about what she had become and get someone on her side before her identity was revealed in the wrong way. The only problem was finding someone she could trust, someone who wouldn't just stab her.

~\~/~

Meanwhile, the other vampires were also staying within their territory, needing to establish their own base of operations after being unceremoniously ousted from town. They traveled in pairs as well, venturing into Pyro's mine to gather as much deepslate and blackstone as they could need. They built smelters and furnaces, turning the once-ruined area into, at the very least, a livable camp. They cleared away some of the debris and did their best to prevent a siege like the last one from happening again.

One part of this plan was to make them all stronger. They didn't have to worry about hiding themselves anymore, so there was no reason to hold back. They gathered as many animals as they could, feasting on them while also doing their best to maintain their numbers. By now, all four vampires were much stronger, their red eyes revealing their inhuman nature. Shelby no longer needed her glasses, though she wore them on her head, perhaps in a naive hope that she could still be the same Shelby she had been before.

Aside from the physical upgrades, after the last fight, everyone decided to upgrade their wardrobes as well. Three of them had torn and damaged outfits, and Owen, after his slaughter of the Oakhurst cows, was practically covered in blood. Scott, being the generous elder vampire he was, opened his secret stashes for the fledglings to use. After all, he needed a new outfit too.

Shelby managed to find a beautiful, gothic-style dress. It was white at the top, with a high collar and a ruby choker. The bodice was fitted, with puffy sleeves and lace around the cuffs. The skirt was a lovely wine-red color, layered to look fuller than it was. She even found some long stockings and nice, laced boots that were quite comfortable. Scott, being a somewhat doting grandfather, had found a cute ebony tiara shaped like a bat for her to wear, but she hung it on her belt for now. She couldn't wear it and her glasses at the same time.

Pyro had gone for a much simpler transformation. His pants and shoes were still usable, but his shirt and jacket were beyond saving. So, he ditched them both, choosing a dark red shirt from his sire's wardrobe. He slid it on and paired it with a long black coat that seemed to enhance his more villainous appearance. It almost made him wish he could see himself in a mirror, curious about how he looked now.

Scott himself underwent a complete wardrobe change, grabbing one of his favorite white shirts and pairing it with a blood-red waistcoat. He took his favorite, long black cloak and draped it over his shoulder, fastening the golden clasp so it sat properly. As he popped the collar so it stood up as it should, he finally felt like himself again—a true vampire in all his glory.

The only one who didn't participate in the raid on Scott's wardrobe was Owen. He had no wish to wear the clothing of some older vampire he barely knew. Instead, he retreated to the lower part of the tomb, grabbing the bag that held the shirt he had taken from the ruined lumbermill. He rubbed his thumb over the red fabric, then finally started to remove the light brown shirt he had been wearing. Sliding into Louis's old red shirt, Owen couldn't help but tremble slightly. Even though the fabric had long since lost the smell of his beloved sire, it still felt right to wear his clothing.

(He did steal one of Scott's black waistcoats, but he would deny it vehemently.) 

A new day dawned in Oakhurst, with the town remaining as quiet and somber as usual. Faint construction sounds persisted, with Abolish working on installing silver in the beacon tower and Ren finishing the roof of his tavern. Mr. M stepped outside, gazing at the pile of items he had removed from Owen's room. It had become a smoldering heap after a bonfire had long been lit. He still felt guilty about his roommate's vampire identity throughout this time, and he couldn't reconcile the friendly lumberjack he knew with the monster he saw back at the castle. Shaking his head, the author made his way down the street, sparing a glance up at Ren.

"Morning," he called out, trying to at least pretend to sound jovial.

"Ah, good mornin' to ye, Mr. M." Ren slid down the ladder to his roof so he could properly face the man. "How did ye fare, last night?"

"As well as could be expected. Hey, I have a quick question. You were the last one to check the town crypt, right?"

The town crypt was the only one that any of them were willing to visit right now. The other ones were too deep into the woods, and the chances of running into a vampiric ambush were just too high. So, every morning, a new person would go down to check the crypt for any new books. Most of them have been your generic spell books (with the Bane of Arthropods book they'd pulled out being used as a toilet paper substitute in the town outhouse). However, Ren had managed to get his hands on a Way of the Lumberjack spell, which had helped out, given that the town lumberjack was a vampire.

"Aye, I be the last ta pursue the bounties of the crypt. If ye be needin' ta see if there be anything of use, then I say off with ye, dontcha know." Ren took down the ladder and set it aside. "When ye be finished, come and join me inside for a meal, so that we may be discussin' the happenin's about Oakhurst."

Mr. M cracked a smile, nodded in agreement, then headed toward the crypt. He descended the spiral staircase and reached the chest at the end. With a sigh, he reached up and lifted the lid, seeing the book waiting for him in the center. He picked it up, initially giving the cover only a quick glance, but then he stopped. He blinked, then reread it.

"The Cure… Volume 2 of 3…" Curious, he opened it, but wasn't engulfed in light as he had been on all the other occasions he'd read a magical tomb. Instead, he was met with beautiful writing in an elegant cursive. After skimming the pages, Mr. M closed the book, his brow furrowed in thought as he tried to understand its meaning. Clearly, he needed to show this to the others. So, for now, he tucked it into his satchel and made his way back to the town center. He could already see a small group heading toward Ren's tavern. He spotted Ren himself, along with Abolish and Dr. Legundo. All of them were rational beings, and if this new book were some cure, showing it to the Doctor would be helpful. Just as he was about to step inside, he noticed Avid and Drift heading toward the town gate.

"Hey, you two heading out?"

"Oh," Avid let out, jumping slightly when he had been addressed. "Yeah, Drift and I… we're getting a little tired of being scared. We're going to go out and look for more books. The town crypt hasn't exactly been providing a lot of good stuff lately, and if we keep staying in town like a bunch of cowards, we might as well just hang up a sign and invite the vampires to come eat us all."

"Yeah," Drift agreed. "We were also going to try to reclaim at least one of the beacons for the town. Right now, they have way more than we do, and I think that's part of the reason why we've stayed in town. If we can get at least one back, maybe things will turn around."

 Mr M nodded at that, seeing the logic behind their reasoning. He was glad that someone was finally finding the courage to venture out again and that they were at least smart enough to travel in pairs.

"All right, just be careful, you two. Make sure you have your garlic, and keep your silver on you."

"Oh, trust me," Avid replied with a mirthless laugh. "I'm eating garlic with every single meal at this point."

"Me too," Drift said with a laugh of her own. "My breath is horrible, but at least I'm safe."

Mr. M saw them off and then headed into the tavern. There was no alcohol available yet, which was probably for the best. They couldn't afford to get drunk, and as much as he would love a glass of mead, he knew he needed to stay sharp—especially in these turbulent times. However, he could smell some food being cooked. Sniffing the air, he could recognize the familiar scent of corned beef hash, heavily seasoned with garlic. Mr. M felt his stomach rumbling, a reminder that he hadn't eaten breakfast yet. So, he stepped inside to see Ren standing over his stove while Abolish and the Doctor sat at one of the tables.

"Hey," Abolish called out, giving the author a wave. "Guess you're here for breakfast too."

"It will be ready in but a moment, dontcha know," Ren announced. "Go on and make yourself comfortable, and I shall be servin' up the grub here soon."

Mr. M sat at the table next to where the Doctor was sitting, noticing the bags under the man's eyes. He looked like he was gazing off into nothing, lost in his own thoughts. Concerned, Mr. M reached out, and as his hand touched Legs' arm, the Doctor reacted suddenly. His arm shot up, fist clenched, as he turned around, eyes wide and panicked. Quickly, Mr. M pulled back, raising his hands in defense.

"Whoa, easy doc. I'm friendly."

Legs sat there for a moment, hand still raised, before forcing himself to take a deep breath and slowly lowering his fist.

"My apologies," he muttered, sounding almost as tired as he looked. "It has been… a rough couple of nights."

"Hey, don't apologize." Mr. M lowered his arms. "Believe it or not, I get it. I don't think any of us have been sleeping well since this whole mess started. And I was sharing a house with one of them."

"Speaking of, have you seen Owen at all?" Abolish questioned.

"No." Mr. M shook his head. "I think the vampires are doing what we're doing, laying low and hunkering down. I mean, we did invade their castle twice. If I were them, I'd definitely be shoring up my defenses."

"I just don't like how quiet it's been," Abolish admitted, sounding a little apprehensive. "It feels like the calm before the storm."

"Aye, I be agreeing with ya, Mr. Abolish," Ren chimed in, holding a few plates of the corned beef hash. He placed three plates in front of the three men, and took one for himself, sitting across from Mr. M. "It makes me wonder how long this calm will last before someone makes the first move."

Everyone began eating, trying to enjoy their meals. However, Abolish stared at his plate, his eyes narrowing a bit before he set down his spoon.

"Can I ask you guys something?" He waited until the three men were looking at him before speaking again. "Have any of you seen Cleo eat anything since the night of the castle siege?"

That got him many a raised eyebrow, including from Mr M himself. It was such an out-of-pocket question that they genuinely didn't know what to make of it. Apparently sensing they're confusion, Abolish continued with his line of thinking.

"Doctor, you said that when you, Martyn, and Cleo were attacking the castle, the three of you got separated. Right?"

"We did, yes," the Doctor nodded once. "I chased Owen around the castle, Martyn faced Pyro and Scott, and apparently got thrown off a bridge. And Cleo, I think she managed to escape unharmed."

"Yeah, see, that's the thing." Abolish straightened slightly, speaking more confidently. "You chased Owen, and he turned into a bat and flew away. He didn't want to fight, as he claimed when he visited town, so that makes sense.

"Ah, Young Abolish," Ren interjected. "I fear that I must argue against yer comment about Owen's desire for human lives. For ya see, I myself was privy to the most terrifyin' spectacle of me life when the vampire gloated about the deaths at his hands."

"2,799 people," Mr. M recalled, that number practically burned into his skull after hearing Owen practically spit it out.

The Doctor seemed to let out a harsh breath at that, his expression unreadable. Ren just continued to speak.

"More than that, he declared before us all that he would strike down everyone of Oakhurst, and fertilize the soils with our blood."

"Right…" Abolish cleared his throat and pressed onward. "As I was saying, Scott made it clear that he was more than willing to fight to defend his castle. So how did Cleo manage to escape unharmed? I mean, don't get me wrong, she's more than proven herself as a capable fighter, but vampires aren't known for just letting people walk away."

"You think she's a vampire?" Mr. M questioned.

"Abolish," Legs interjected before the conversation could continue, turning to the butler with a serious expression. "I appreciate your desire to try and protect the town, but now more than ever, we can't afford to be fear-mongering or spreading mistrust and unproven speculation."

Abolish put his hands up quickly. "This isn't me trying to cast her out of town or start any kind of witch hunt. What I am saying is that I've been keeping an eye on everyone since that night, and I've noticed some things about Cleo. She's stopped wearing her silver armor, she's handed over every piece of silver she owns to me, supposedly so I can handle the fortifications, and while I've seen her working on the fields, she lets Avid deal with the garlic. She won't touch it anymore."

Before the conversation could continue, there was a knock on the door. Everyone turned to see it open and reveal Apo. She looked a little paler than usual and seemed particularly nervous. Unfortunately, that had been her constant state since this whole mess started. Like Mr. M, her roommate had been turned into a vampire, and because of that, she had been spending most of her nights in her watchtower rather than going back home.

"Ah, Miss Apo," Ren greeted. "Come and join us. Would you care for some corned beef hash? Fresh off the fire and full of garlic ta ward off the creatures of the night."

"Oh, uh…" Apo shook her head. "No, thank you. I already ate. I just… heard voices and wanted to see what was going on."

"We were discussing a potential vampire among our ranks," Mr M. answered, which immediately got him a glare from Legs and a sharp gasp from Apo.

"A-A vampire among us?" the soldier girl stammered, sounding utterly terrified. "W-who?"

"Speculated," Legs was quick to clarify. "We're not accusing anyone, right, Abolish?"

"All I am saying is what I have observed, and if there's one thing we need right now, it's trust." Abolish looked at all four of them, his expression grim. "If we want to survive, we must be aware of the dangers around us. I know that if someone were hiding a secret like that from me—especially if they were knowingly allowing me to walk around with a potential enemy—I would never forgive them."

Legs huffed slightly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "And I get that. Believe me, I get that. But until we know more, we cannot just be sitting here judging and second-guessing everyone."

"As I said, I'm not trying to start a witch hunt. I'm not saying to ostracize anyone." Abolish was beginning to sound frustrated at this point. "What I am saying is that if you see something, say something. Don't just hold on to it, because that might be the one thing that keeps someone from walking off with a potential enemy and becoming a potential enemy."

"Aye," Ren agreed, nodding his head. "I am sure many of us felt a dread in our souls when we observed those among us who were revealed to be vampires, and yet, nary a peep was heard about it. As such, we did not suspect that Owen was a vampire, not 'til he revealed himself. We did not expect that Pyro was a vampire, despite his clear decline in health." The older man's face then fell visibly. "And… we did not expect that Shelby, the sweetest of all the Oakhursters, was a vampire. But, she is."

Unfortunately, none of them could argue against Ren's point there. The signs have been evident, from Owen's vague timelines and his uncanny ability to appear out of thin air to Pyro's visibly ailing health after his trip into the woods with Owen and Scott. And Shelby, had she not withdrawn into her home more often after she returned from the fishing trip? And how many other signs did they miss in their blindness?

"They may be vampires," legs spoke up, his tone measured, "but they're still themselves. Shelby is still Shelby, Pyro is still Pyro. Who they are didn't change just because they became vampires."

"I mean… are you sure?" Apo asked, fiddling with the hem of her blouse.

"I think it's possible," Abolish allowed. "I mean, I don't think that all vampires are evil. No one is inherently evil. And you said Shelby ran when you were attacking. Clearly, she didn't want to fight, so I'm more than willing to believe that she's still the same Shelby we know."

"Vampires aren't that different from us," the Doctor continued, his fists clenched slightly. "I've seen firsthand what hunger does to someone, witnessed what it can drive a person to do. This is no different."

"Aye," Ren allowed, nodding once. "But ye be forgettin' one important fact, Doctor. This be a hunger for blood they feel."

Mr. M tapped his chin briefly, considering. In all the vampire lore he'd studied, it was often described as a kind of disease. And Legundo happens to be a doctor... "Well, here's an idea. What if we manage to catch one of them? We catch them, bring them back to Oakhurst, and probably lock them up. I mean, Avid built that jail cell in the Vampire Wellness Center—"

"If you are suggesting what I think you're suggesting," Legs interrupted, looking absolutely furious, "then I recommend you stop. Now." 

"All I'm saying," Mr. M continued, keeping his hands up, "is that if we want to help them, we need to know more about them. And you're a doctor, so maybe you could—" 

"I will not be performing any sort of non-consensual experimentation on anyone!" The Doctor was now on his feet, looking absolutely livid. "While I have every intention of trying to help our friends who have been turned, I will not go against the oaths I swore to uphold when I became a doctor. I am here to provide care, not treat my patients like animals or prisoners!"

"I know it's not ideal, but we need to know more. And the only way to know is to get one of them and experiment. Isn't that how you learned how to be a surgeon?"

"I didn't bolt someone to the table to learn, Mr M." Legs forced himself to sit back down, not meeting the author's gaze. "I don't intend to start now."

Ren let out a sigh, then lifted his head to speak.

"My dearest Doctor, if I may present ye with some logic. When ye gets hungry, what does ye do? You hunt."

Legs looked almost sick at that question, his gaze falling on his plate of hash. He pushed the plate away from himself with a grimace.

"Trust me, I know. Probably more than most."

"It be the same for vampires," Ren continued. "They must feed, and blood is all they can feed upon. And each of us is a sack of blood, dontcha know. Ripe for the picking."

Apo looked ready to throw up at this point, covering her mouth and shaking her head. However, the Doctor just met Ren's eye with a determined expression.

"Then, for now, we make ourselves the least appealing option. That's why we've been fortifying the walls; that's why everyone is wearing silver armor now. That's why you put an entire bulb of garlic into our breakfast, and why all of us have been on our toes. And it's worked so far. The vampires have stayed away, and we haven't lost anyone."

"Aye," Ren nodded. "That be true."

Legs seemed much calmer now, his hands relaxing as he finally lifted his head. He turned to Mr. M with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry for yelling. That was uncalled for."

"Apology accepted," Mr M quickly dismissed. "I was beyond out of line with that anyway. I've just been so scared, and I don't want to lose any more friends."

Silence settled over them once more, though by now, everyone had lost their appetite. Their plates of corned beef hash remained untouched, having long since gone cold while they sat in uncomfortable silence. Desperate to break the tense atmosphere hanging over them, Apo cleared her throat loudly.

"So, Mr. M," she began with a clearly forced sense of nonchalance, "you were the one who went down into the town crypt this morning, right? Did you find anything of use?"

"Oh, right! I'd almost forgotten!" Mr. M reached into his satchel, pulling out the Cure book he had found. Pushing his plate to the side, he placed the book on the table. "This is what I found today. It's not a spell book, but it's also not an enchanting book. It's something completely different."

"The Cure…?!" The second he read the title, Legs immediately snatched the book off the table, nearly ripping it open in his haste to read it. He scanned the entire thing, muttering it under his breath as his eyes bulged. "Know, seeker, that this sacred knowledge forms but the second pillar of the Trinity of Restoration. As the ancients decreed, no single tome holds the complete path to salvation. Blood calls to blood - the vampiric curse endures while the sire lives. Only through the maker's true death can the progeny find release."

"This…" Ren swallowed hard. "Spirits, this be a cure indeed. A remedy for the scourge of vampires!"

"That's what I was thinking," Mr. M leaned in, pointing to the page. "If what I've read in the stories is true, then the sire is the main vampire—the one who turned all the other vampires. If we manage to find the head vampire and take them out, then that means we could cure anyone they turned." 

"We could save everyone," Apo gasped. "Cure everyone." 

"Now, hang on," Legs quickly spoke up, albeit breathlessly, as he closed the book. "This book is number two of three. That means we're missing the first step and the final step. We can't afford to just run in half-cocked on an idea. What we need are the other two books."

"Well, Drift and Avid were already going out to try and find some more," Mr. M reported. "I ran into them on their way out of town. They were also talking about getting some more beacons back." 

"That's good," Abolish said with a nod. "We've been idle for far too long. We need to start acting. If this book really is part of a set of three, we need to find the other two, and we need to find them soon. Hopefully, before the vampires do." 

"Right," Apo agreed. "They'd likely try to destroy the Cure books to make sure we can't use them." 

"Or," Legs countered, "or they could try to use them themselves. We don't know how any of them truly feel. We don't know whether they wanted this or would accept a cure. But I do agree. We need to find them, and we need to find them fast."

"Then it would seem we have a new mission before us, lads." Ren stood up, reaching behind the bar to grab his shield, now emblazoned with the banner of Oakhurst, and his silver sword. "We must head out at once!"

Chapter Text

Shelby yawned deeply and stretched her arms as she sat up in the bed she had crafted for herself within Scott's family tomb. With the castle/manor still under construction, all the vampires had settled into makeshift rooms carved out of the empty crypts. Shelby had happily chosen her spot not far from the main crypt where Scott had once been laid to rest, with Pyro just across the hall, and Owen having found a secluded corner for himself. After running a brush through her hair and smoothing out the skirt of her dress, Shelby exited the crypt and stepped into the ongoing construction zone of the castle. 

As she moved into the daylight, she couldn't help but wince at the warmth of the sun on her skin. Fortunately, it wasn't too overwhelming; it reminded her of hot summer days rather than being thrown into an inferno. It was uncomfortable, certainly, but not life-threatening. Thankfully, the castle had at least one room with a proper roof—the grand dining hall—where their little makeshift coven would gather to share meals and discuss plans. Entering through the open doorway, she saw everyone already assembled around the long table, cuts of raw meat laid out on fine, carefully selected tableware that Scott had unearthed from his seemingly numerous stashes. Shelby quickly took her seat, hunger growing as she prepared to eat her raw steak, the meat still a bit warm after being taken fresh from the cow.

"Morning," she greeted everyone, savoring the taste of the beef. 

"Morning, Shelby," Pyro returned the greeting, lifting his fork with a piece of raw pork on it. "You seem as chipper as ever." 

"Well, why shouldn't I be? The castle's coming along great, we've got plenty of livestock now, and hopefully we can start getting some bedrooms ready." 

"I will admit, I am looking forward to having a bedroom again," Scott chimed in, delicately cutting into his raw breakfast with the air of a refined gentleman. "I'm not exactly keen on continuing to sleep in the place where I was in prison for 600 years." 

"Hey, I'm working as hard as I can," Owen snipped, pointing his knife at the manor lord. "Pyro's been decent help, but it still takes time to build a castle." 

"This is not me disparaging your work," Scott assured the lumberjack, gently waving the irate vampire down. "You've been doing an excellent job, and I'm grateful, truly."

Owen lowered his knife, his expression one of vindication. Shelby, having grown accustomed to such disagreements between the two elder vampires, ignored the tension and continued eating without concern. 

"Apo came by this morning," Scott reported, to which Owen rolled his eyes. "She's continuing with her little plan to blend in with the humans and not be on our side."

"And yet she came here," Owen commented, shaking his head. "It's been, what, a month? How long does she think she can last?"

"I think she's starting to get desperate," Scott admitted. "She tried to make some sort of bargain with me, offering me the rather lovely spread we have with us right now."

"Oh, these are town cows?" Shelby asked, looking down at her plate. "Nice!"

"Let me guess, she tried to set up some kind of trade? Livestock for livestock, in a sense?"

"Spare the humans, and she brings us food," Scott smirked. "I reminded her that we had done literally nothing to them, and that they were the ones who invaded our house twice. But I told her I would consider the offer just to make her go away. Besides, I wasn't going to turn down free food."

"I wonder how she and Cleo are doing," Pyro commented. "I went to spy on them a while back, and Apo didn't look like she was doing well. I couldn't see Cleo, but I imagine she's not doing any better." the former scholar then perked up, as if remembering something. "By the way, sire, I actually found out something that might be pretty useful to us. Apparently, any beacon that we have managed to desecrate, we can use to almost teleport across the land."

"Really?" Scott raised an eyebrow, looking genuinely intrigued. "Now that will be an interesting tool to use."

"We can teleport?" Shelby squealed, looking very excited at the idea. "Oh, that is so cool!"

"Yeah, I figured it out by accident when I was trying to get out of town before being spotted." Pyro elaborated further. "All you need to do is just focus on where you want to go, and should that beacon be one of ours, it will pull your essence toward it, and there you will be. It's a great way to escape back to the castle if you get ambushed."

Shelby gave that idea some thought, setting down her fork for a moment. She had been a bit fearful of the humans, especially after nearly burning to death and falling off a cliff. She'd been staying close to the castle since that night, afraid of running into the people she once thought were her friends. However, there were some things she'd left back at her house that she wanted to collect. She wanted to get some of her personal belongings, including her journals and travel notes. She's been afraid to go, though, fearful of being discovered and getting staked. But if there was an option to teleport away if things got too heated… maybe she could try.

"You alright there, Shelby?" Owen spoke up, pulling the girl from her thoughts. "You seem rather quiet."

"Oh, I was just thinking..." she fiddled with her napkin slightly. "Well, I wanted to try and go back to town. Maybe get some of my stuff from my house. Provided they haven't burned it down or whatever." 

"Ah, a little bit of espionage," Pyro quipped. "A risky venture, but I can understand wanting to gather your personal effects." 

"Well, now that you're a higher-level vampire, that shouldn't be too hard," Scott informed her. "After all, you can just turn invisible."

Everyone, including Owen, for some reason, immediately turned to Scott with surprise. Scott, upon seeing their disbelief, laughed and stood up. He made a flourish with his arms, as if presenting something, then began to fade from view. Shelby actually jumped out of her chair in shock, trying to see if there was any sign of the eldest among them. She sees nothing, but she does feel the sensation of his hand in her hair, ruffling it the way he always did. She jumped at the touch, turning around just in time to see Scott manifesting once more, a cheeky grin on his face.

"This is news to me!" Owen exclaimed, sounding genuinely upset. "Why didn't you say anything sooner?! I could have done so much with this!"

"I thought you knew," Scott replied, rolling his eyes. "You're 200 years old, surely you experimented with your powers."

Owen's eyes darkened in that dangerous way they did when something was about to turn violent. Not wanting to get involved, Shelby quickly grabbed her plate, shoveling the rest of the raw meat into her mouth in a very unladylike manner, then promptly turned to Pyro. 

"Well, thank you for breakfast. I'm going to hunt. Pyro, do you want to come help me?" 

"Oh, absolutely!" Pyro quickly agreed, also shoveling his breakfast down fast before wiping his hands on his napkin and jumping to his feet. "I'll make sure to grab some more deepslate on my way home!" 

And the two quickly made their way out of the castle before a fight could break out. 

Cleo threw back a bottle of blood that she had managed to squirrel away from one of the cows. Bottled blood wasn't usually the freshest, but it would do in a pinch, and she could pass it off as either wine or juice if she needed to. Unfortunately, it was getting harder and harder to hide what she was, and she knew that the longer she went without telling someone the truth, the more likely she was to be revealed in a way she really didn't want. And when that inevitably happened, she knew she would need people on her side. After a month of careful observation of the town, she had finally found the ones she wanted to tell, and thankfully, she had a valid excuse to do so.

"Pearl," she called out, seeing her roommate getting ready to head out. "Where are you off to?"

"Oh, well, everyone seems pretty gung-ho about trying to get the beacons for once, so I thought I'd go out and see what I can find. Oscar's been good at warning me about danger, so I think I should be okay."

The ghost cat manifested itself on Pearl's shoulder, meowing as if to agree with its owner's declaration. Cleo couldn't help but chuckle, reaching over and scratching the ashy cat behind the ear. She wasn't quite sure how she managed to do it, but she did. It purred into her hand, and Cleo sighed.

"I'll come with you," she declared. "I kind of need to talk to you about something anyway."

"Oof, I don't like that tone. Please don't give me another lecture about wandering off."

"No, this isn't a lecture. I promise it's just… I've got something I need to talk to you about."

Pearl was looking visibly skeptical, but she didn't argue. The two of them made their way out of the town gates and toward the forest. They noticed movement from one of the mineshafts right outside the gate. Both of them turned, seeing Martyn emerge. He was looking much better than he had a month ago, though he still walked with a slight limp now. At least he was no longer hobbling or needing to use his staff as a crutch.

"Oh, hey, you two," he called out, giving them a wave as he brought his sack of silver ore to the town gate. "You two off on an adventure?"

"Cleo's got something she wants to talk to me about," Pearl answered. "She's being all cryptic and spooky."

"Actually, Martyn," Cleo interjected, eyeing the man with a guilty expression, "you should come too."

"Oh gosh." Martyn hissed a breath through his teeth. "I feel like we're in trouble. I feel like I'm back in primary school, being called out by the teacher."

"You're not in trouble," Cleo insisted, feeling her annoyance rising. That was the problem with being a vampire—emotions were harder to control. "I just… please, just come with us into the forest. It's important."

She watched her two companions exchange nervous glances, but neither of them argued any further. They followed her down the path and into the forest, away from the prying eyes of the town. From there, they branched off the path, heading for a more secluded part of the forest. It was here that her companions began to grow a bit more apprehensive, understandable given everything that had happened. They soon found a place where a tree had fallen over; the moss growing on it suggested it had been there for a while. Cleo sat down, her hands in her lap as she sighed.

"Pearl, I know that everyone's been trying to keep you up to date on everything that's been going on. But, what do you make of everything?"

"You mean all the vampire talk?" Pearl crossed her arms, her brow furrowing a bit. "Honestly, I still find it pretty hard to believe. I mean, one minute we're all friends, and the next four of us are suddenly living in some derelict castle? And apparently, we're dealing with bloodsucking monsters? I mean, it just feels so sudden. Like, I know Pyro was acting weird for a while, and I know that Owen can be a bit creepy, but... I don't know, it just feels wrong that we're just shunning our friends out of nowhere."

"So you think they can be reasoned with?" Cleo probed gently.

"I mean, they are still our friends, right?"

"I mean, I think at least Shelby is," Martyn answered, leaning against a tree. "Scott's always given me the creeps, same with Owen. But Pyro, he was pretty cool until he started getting sick. And Shelby, honestly, if I hadn't seen her turn into a bat that night, I would never believe she was a vampire."

"Look, here's what I'm saying," Pearl interjected, putting her hands together before pointing them at Cleo. "I've seen plenty of monsters in my time, and sometimes, they don't want to be monsters. Sometimes they're just people who need help. Sometimes, they're just trying to make the best of a bad situation. And I'm willing to bet there are those among the vampires who are like that. I don't think they should be just cast out because they're different from us."

"Yeah, I can get behind that," Martyn agreed. "So long as they weren't coming for my neck, I'd be willing to hear them out. However, I draw the line at Scott and Owen. Those two are wronguns, through and through."

"That's fair." Cleo leaned back, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath through her nose. As she exhaled, she slowly steeled herself. "Okay. Okay…”

"Cleo?" Pearl said softly, sounding concerned. "Are you okay?"

Cleo couldn't help but laugh at that, shaking her head softly.

"No. No, I'm not okay. I haven't been okay… since the fight at the castle."

She fell silent afterward, letting the two of them process her words. Martyn was the first to catch on, his eyes widening as he took a stumbling step back. He pulled his lantern staff off his back, holding it in his hands but not pointing it at her. Not yet. Pearl, for her part, just let out a soft "oh" before simply standing there. Cleo didn't move, and she kept her hands in her lap.

"You didn't escape the castle unharmed, did you?" Martyn whispered.

Cleo shook her head slowly. She pulled back her sleeve, holding out her arm to reveal the bite mark. It had faded, but it was still visible. "Pyro got me. He sank his fangs into me, and he turned me. I never saw it coming."

"Are you with them?"

"No!" Cleo had to physically grab the log to keep herself sitting. Now was not the time to be making any threatening gestures. "No, I'm not with them. I didn't ask for this!"

"But, they turned you, right?" Pearl asked, sounding more curious than accusatory. "I'm not sure how it works, but wouldn't you have to like obey the one who turned you?"

 Cleo scoffed at that. "No. They can create monsters, but they can't control them. I'm still me, I'm still Cleo. That hasn't changed. It's just… what I am that's changed."

Martyn's hands were shaking, his knuckles white against his staff. She could hear the sound of the lantern swaying on its hook.

"How?" he swallowed audibly. "How have we not noticed this? It's been a month. Have you… How have you been… Are you…?"

"We can feed off of animals," she clarified quickly. "I've been carefully draining blood from the livestock and keeping it in bottles. I also have some raw meat at the house. It's… It's not as filling as human blood, but it's better than the alternative." She lifted her head, meeting their eyes. "I don't want to hurt anyone, and I know that sooner or later, the truth is going to get out. And when it does, I need people on my side. People who know it's still me… fangs or no."

Silence fell over the three of them for a good long minute. It was hard to tell what to say. What could you say after a reveal like that? Cleo remains sitting on the log, just waiting for someone to say something. After a moment or two, Pearl came and sat down next to her. She reached over and took Cleo's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"Hey, be careful," Martyn warned.

"Oh, come off it," Pearl snapped at him. "I've been rooming with her for a month, and she hasn't so much as looked at me funny. If she wanted to hurt me, she would have a long time ago, same with anybody else in town. Like she said, she's still Cleo. She's still our friend."

Martyn hesitated on that for a moment, then visibly deflated. He lowered his staff, then came and plopped down onto the log on Cleo's other side.

"All right, you got me on that one," he rubbed his face, then looked up at the sky. "I just, I can't believe it. I thought you made it back, that I hadn't completely screwed up by letting Scott get the best of me. If I'd been stronger or faster... If I had been able to stop Pyro from getting you…"

"This isn't your fault," Cleo told him, taking his hand in her free one. "Don't blame yourself for this. The only one to blame is Pyro, and whichever one of those vampires turned him."

They sat there for a bit, just processing everything together. None of them moved or took their hands back.

"How many people have you told?" Martyn questioned after a moment.

"Just you," she replied. "I'm thinking I might try and talk to the doctor later, and maybe Apo?" The inclusion of the soldier girl was mostly so it wouldn't be entirely out of left field if she decided to start sticking her nose into Cleo's business. "But other than that, I'm going to try and keep the number of people who know to a minimum."

"That's probably smart. Knowing this lot, I can already think of a few who would absolutely freak out and jump to the wrong conclusions." Martyn paused for a moment, then stood up. "Well, we should try to find some books. If we come back empty-handed, people are gonna ask questions."

"Yeah, let's get moving," Pearl agreed, also getting up. "You got our backs, right, Cleo?" 

Cleo looked up at both of them, finally allowing a smile to grace her face. Looks like she had chosen the right people to trust. She nodded, then stood up as well. 

"Always."

Despite occasionally clashing with Scott, Owen discovered that he was actually beginning to enjoy his time with this unusual little vampiric coven he had been welcomed into. Scott was a bit haughty and elitist, but he genuinely understood what it meant to be a vampire and embraced his gift with pride. Pyro, though a nervous and sycophantic yes-man to the elder empire, was proving to be dependable when it counted. And it was a relief to send him off into the mines to gather all the deepslate needed for the castle project. Shelby, meanwhile, was quickly becoming someone Owen genuinely liked. She brought a sense of warmth and cheerfulness to the castle that Owen found comforting. Her bright disposition made him feel… less isolated, less alone.

Is this what it would have been like? If Louis had survived, if he had been able to form a coven with him? Sharing meals, engaging in playful banter, and experiencing a camaraderie so utterly foreign to Owen. It was the happiest he had felt in what seemed like forever—since that fateful day two hundred years ago.

"So, I have to ask," Scott spoke up, dragging over a large pallet of deep slate bricks that he had carved on their stonecutter. "What exactly happened to my castle while I was asleep? I know it's been 600 years, but I would have thought somebody would have lived here. It was a beautiful castle."

"I'm sure it was at some point," Owen said, placing the bricks in quick succession. "However, there were some rather… shall we say, unsettling rumors about the place."

"Let me guess, something about the previous owner sleeping in the basement and just waiting to rise and eat everyone?"

Owen couldn't help but laugh at that, genuinely amused. "Among other things, the castle itself eventually crumbled, and they built a public house in its place. Of course, that place was made out of wood, so when the townsfolk came here to seek shelter during my massacre 200 years ago, I simply torched the place."

"I was wondering about all the skeletons I had to deal with when I woke up." Scott then shrugged it off. "Still, I'm sure they deserved it. I'm not exactly going to judge you for slaughtering a town. I've slaughtered more than a few during my lifetime."

Owen raised an eyebrow. "Oh, what did they do to deserve it?"

"Oh, the usual," Scott began thinking back. "Attempting to rise up and rebel against me, failing to provide me with enough blood when I needed it. Sometimes, it was because a disease was spreading through the town. Often, it was a combination of both. That's just how I maintained order and discipline in my own way, by keeping everything under control." 

Owen tensed up at that last comment, a flicker of offense crossing his face. He understood Scott's reasoning, yet he couldn't help but feel personally slighted by the implication. Sensing Owen's unease, Scott noticed and gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. 

"Things were different back then," the manor lord elaborated, his tone tinged with nostalgia and lingering disgust. "People were so filthy, there was no hygiene or cleanliness at all. They were disgusting, and because they were so filthy, they frequently fell ill. Sometimes, the sickness was so severe that entire towns would become infested, and we couldn't risk it spreading to the rest of the humans. Of course, we tried to help them, but some would refuse to listen." 

Owen nodded slowly, a grim understanding settling over him. 

"Yeah, that sounds just like humans—wanting to ignore the problem or cast it aside," he said, his tone sardonic. 

At that moment, he tightened his grip on the brick in his hand, and with a loud crack, it exploded into shards.

"Hey, watch it!"

"Sorry, sorry." Owen let the pieces of the brick fall from his hand. "Sore subject is all."

 Before the conversation could continue, they felt a change in the wind. One of the beacons had fallen. Owen perked up, and then a smirk spread across his face. The humans were finally making their move.

"If you will excuse me," he said as he straightened up. "I think I'm going to go have some fun."

"You do that," Scott told him. "I think I'll be staying here for now. Someone's got to keep working."

Owen nodded, then turned his gaze toward the source of the change. It emanated from the pale oak forest to the north-east, indicating exactly where he needed to head. With a mighty, vampiric leap, he surged into the air, transforming seamlessly into his gaunt bat form. In a swift, silent flight, he soared off toward his prey. 

In the pale oak forest, Avid and Drift had made their way up the tower that housed the beacon. At the moment, both of them were sitting around the beacon, their legs crossed as they had their hands on it. They had managed to neutralize it, and we're now trying to fully consecrate it. Unfortunately, because it was just the two of them, it was taking a very long time to do so. So, to pass the time, they talked, just trying to keep the conversation going.

"Hey," Drift began, fiddling with her monocle. "Do you think… there's a chance that some of the vampires could be good?"

"In the beginning, absolutely not," Avid answered immediately. "I told you about my old partner, Elle. How she was turned, and I had to defend myself, right?"

"Yeah, I remember."

"Well, Shelby brought up a good point," Avid went on, his expression contemplative. "She said that there was a chance that they could be good, that maybe they were just trying to live their lives. And when she said that, I think she may have already been turned into a vampire. Maybe it was her way of trying to see if we could accept her."

"I mean, it is Shelby we're talking about." Drift looked down at her hand. "I don't think Shelby could hurt a fly, and she wasn't at the castle when we went to confront Owen. And Martyn and Cleo said she ran away the first time, too. Maybe she doesn't want to fight. Maybe she's still the same girl obsessed with finding Bigfoot."

Avid kept his gaze on the middle distance. "I miss her… and I'm worried about her."

"I'm worried about her, too," Drift agreed. "I want to help her, if we can."

"If I can avoid having to put a stake in her, I'm willing to do whatever it takes." Avid clenched his fists. "I don't want to kill any more friends."

Drift grimaced for a bit, then she got an idea. "What if we try to talk to her? Like, we could try and invite her back to town. None of us has been attacked, so clearly the vampires have a way of feeding that doesn't involve us. Maybe the animals? Maybe if we tell her she can come back and that will feed her and keep her safe…"

"I think out of all of them, Shelby is the only one who'd be willing to hear us out," Avid agreed. "We should try to find her today. We can go to the castle, try to see if we can find her." 

That's where Drift visibly tensed. "Go to the castle? Are you insane?" 

"I'm not saying go across the bridge!" He held up his free hand, careful to keep the other one on the beacon. "Just-just check the surrounding forests. I highly doubt they have many animals over there on that tiny castle island of theirs, so they have to be hunting nearby. They've probably been doing what we've been doing, sticking to the outskirts near their territory. If we go there, maybe we can find her."

"But what if you run into one of the others?" Drift thought back to Owen's threats about what he would do to all of Oakhurst. "I mean, you remember what Owen said. All that stuff about Oakhurst soil being drenched in blood."

Avid let out a very obviously scared laugh. "Oh, trust me, I haven't forgotten. That's why I've eaten so much garlic that my body's practically saturated in the stuff. They're not going to want anything to do with me."

"I mean, technically, if Owen has his way, he's going to save you for last. He kind of wants to see you suffer, so in a way, that gives you a bit of a shield. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's terrifying as all get out, but you are safe, in a sense."

Avid gave a slight shrug to that, seeing the logic behind the statement. However, before the conversation could continue, a strange sound reached their ears. A subtle click on the stones just above their head. Both of them froze, knowing instinctively this was not the sound of the building settling. That was the sound of a foot coming down on the stone.

"Did you hear that?" Drift whimpered, already shaking with fear.

"Yeah, I heard it." Swallowing hard, Avid reached for the stake on his belt.

"Would you bet your life on it?" Owen's voice inquired, echoing around them ominously. "How safe do you think Avid is?"

Forgetting the beacon, both of them jumped to their feet, the holy light fading away as it was neutralized. Avid put himself in front of Drift, holding onto her with one hand while brandishing his stake in the other. He turned sharply, scanning the edge of the tower to try to find where Owen was. But there was no sign of him anywhere, just his voice taunting them.

"Show yourself!" he snapped.  

"Where are you?" Drift shakily demanded.

"I was wondering how long it would take for you humans to regain your courage." Despite his remaining out of sight, the two could practically imagine Owen waltzing around the tower's edge, mocking them as he spoke. "I thought you'd all have learned your lesson after what happened the last time."

"You mean where we had you surrounded, and then you flew off like a coward?" Avid knew it was stupid to try to bait a vampire, but he was done being afraid. He had to be brave, especially if you wanted to protect his friends. "Seems to me like you and yours have been rather cowardly yourselves. When was the last time you ventured out?"

"Oh, we haven't been nearly as contained as you might hope." Suddenly, Avid felt hot breath on his ear. "We've been everywhere."

 Avid screamed, grabbing Drift as they both ran down the steps of the tower. Owen, now completely visible, was cackling as they ran. He leapt from the top of the tower, landing on the awning that covered the tower entrance. Perched like a gargoyle, he smirked at the two as they turned back to face him.

"How long have you been there?!" Avid demanded.

"Long enough." Owen straightened up, balancing on the lip of the awning like it was nothing. "You don't know what you've unleashed, do you? We were just waiting for you humans to be stupid enough to come out here. Hope you had time to prepare, because I'm getting tired of animal blood."

"Oh, we're prepared!" Drift retorted, trying to be brave herself. "We're prepared, and we have each other. Where are the rest of your vampire buddies?"

"They're around." Owen examined his nails with a bored expression. "Which reminds me, don't get your hopes up about Shelby. She's one of us now. She's stronger, faster, and doesn't even need her glasses anymore. More than that, you've burnt that bridge, quite literally. But if you're so eager to see her again…" he let a grin spread across his face, revealing his fangs, "we'd love to have you for dinner."

"You're lying…" Avid hissed. He threw his stake at Owen, who effortlessly dodged it with a cock of his head. "You're lying! Shelby's our friend! And we will get her back! Just you wait! We'll bring her home, one way or another!"

Owen scoffed at that, his grin morphing into something much deadlier.

"No, you won't."

The vampire then launched himself off the tower, claws bared and ready to strike. The two narrowly avoided the attack, diving to the side before scrambling to their feet and running. This time, they didn't turn back. This time, they kept running down the path and away from the tower. Owen let them go, straightening up before sneering in the direction they'd gone.

"I won't let the humans take anyone else from me," he swore. "Shelby is a vampire, and she belongs with us."

Apparently, vampires could still sneeze. Shelby was caught off guard by a rather violent one that hit her, which startled the chicken she was attempting to catch. Thankfully, Pyro was able to catch it in her stead, holding it out for her by its legs.

"I didn't know vampires could get hay fever," he quipped, letting her take the chicken.

"I don't think so," Shelby replied with a wave of her free hand. "Someone was probably talking about me."

"Right, I'm sure we're the talk of the town." Pyro pulled a bottle from his coat, removed the cork, and held it out. Shelby used her claws on the chicken's head, severing it from the neck and letting the blood pour into the bottle. "Speaking of talk, we haven't had much time just to talk—just the two of us. We've been pretty busy with the castle, the hunting, and all that."

Shelby gave a slight shrug. Things had been hectic, and she hadn't been in the right headspace to have meaningful conversations. Getting almost burned to death and thrown down a cliff would do that to a person. Even though a month had passed, she still felt a bit weary of what had happened. Still, she didn't object when Pyro decided to speak his peace.

"Listen, I don't know if you were there for the talk, but that night… the night everything changed, the doctor was speaking with Owen. He mentioned wanting to help us, and he was… heavily suggesting that… there might be a cure of some sort."

That made Shelby's head snap up. "A cure? Like, to being a vampire?"

"I mean, it's possible." The chicken was now fully drained of blood, so Pyro placed the cork back in the bottle. He then held it out for Shelby, who took it for herself while tossing the now-empty chicken carcass over her shoulder. "Vampirism does have its ties to various bloodborne pathogens. Perhaps there is a chance that a cure could be found. And, if I know the doctor as well as I hope I do, he does not strike me as the kind of man who would sit idly by while people were suffering."

"Are we suffering?" Shelby asked, rubbing her arm slightly as she slid the bottle onto her belt. "I mean, sure, getting turned was scary, and I still haven't quite forgiven you for that, but…" she turned her gaze skyward. "This past month, I've gotten to do so much. I've gotten to fly, I've pulled off tricks I could never do as a human. I don't even need my glasses anymore! More than that, I finally have proof that my father wasn't some drunken idiot who abandoned me."

"Perhaps," Pyro allowed, sitting down on an outcropping of rocks. "But what bugs me is how Owen turned down the cure for us. He may be happy with who he is, but… but I had a life outside of Oakhurst. I want to return to the capital to publish my research. I… don't know if I can do that as a vampire."

"Well, I didn't have much of a life." Shelby sat down next to Pyro. "I never had many friends, and the last time I talked to my mom, she was talking about sending me away, telling me I was crazy. I ran away, and Scott… he accepted me. You all did. For the first time in a long time, I have friends."

"Either way, wouldn't you feel better if the choice were available?"

Shelby paused for a moment, giving the question some genuine thought. The idea of having the option to choose whether she wanted to stay a vampire was enticing. And perhaps there was some merit in becoming a human again, but there was just as much in staying a vampire. She was still very conflicted, and she couldn't help but growl, massaging her temple as her brow furrowed. As if sensing her distress, Pyro began rubbing her back soothingly.

"Hey, no one's asking you to choose now. Heck, right now, this so-called cure is just a theory. Though maybe now that things have had the chance to cool down, we could try and speak to the doctor. I know I would like to go back to being human, and if you want the option, befriending the man currently making it would be to our benefit."

"That's only if we can catch him alone," Shelby reminded him. "Every time we've caught a whiff of humans, they've been traveling in pairs, and very heavily armed with silver and garlic."

That's why I've been carrying these bottles with me," Pyro told her, opening his coat to reveal five bottles of crimson liquid tucked inside. "I can feel myself getting close to my final form. So, my plan is that if I get into it with the more violent side of Oakhurst, I can drink one of these and become a fully fledged vampire. Sire said that it would bring a drastic physical change, one that I'm almost certain will scare even the bravest of souls."

Shelby's eyes narrowed slightly. "You confuse me sometimes. I mean, one minute you're talking about wanting a cure and going back to the capital, and the next you're talking about how you want to enter your final form and scare the humans."

"What can I say?" Pyro held up his arms and shrugged. "I'm a complicated man. Besides, I have to keep getting stronger; otherwise, sire might get upset with me. His patience for my missteps is rather low, and while my standing with him has grown over the month that we've been working on the castle, I'm well aware of exactly where I fall in his eyes."

That was one thing Shelby had caught on to quickly. Scott was not above playing favorites, and apparently that is exactly what Shelby was. he would doubt on her, be physically affectionate with her, and had even started to comment on her fanfiction and offer some pointers. as for Pyro, Scott treated him more like a servant than a fledgling, often giving him chores with only minimal positive feedback and a heavy dose of criticism. Most likely, he still hadn't forgiven the younger vampire for what happened when Shelby had been turned.

"Do you think he'd be upset? You know, if he knew we were contemplating a cure?"

"With you?" Pyro pointed at Shelby. "he probably would be a little upset, but he wouldn't be angry. Me? I kind of get the feeling he wouldn't care. Or, he'd be angry at losing a servant and forbid me from speaking with the doctor ever."

"Fair enough." Shelby then stood up. "Speaking of Scott, we should probably get back to the castle. We don't want to make him worry."

"Right, you go do that." Pyro stood up as well. "I wanted to go and pick some of those black roses that we saw when we were in the deadwood. You know, the ones that seem to sting anyone who touches them."

"What, why?"

"Didn't you feel it on the wind?" Pyro turned his head toward the sky. "The humans are growing bolder. They tried to take one of the beacons; I assume Owen probably scared them off. I think they need to be reminded of how dangerous these lands can be, and those roses would be a perfect way to show just how fragile they can be. Think of it like… like setting up a barbed wire fence around a cow pasture."

Shelby didn't look convinced, but she didn't argue either. There wasn't much she could say, anyway. So, instead, she just gave him a shaky thumbs-up before focusing on the beacon back at the castle. Already, she could feel its essence pulling her away, summoning her home. Then, in a sudden wave of black energy, she was gone.

Apo sat on the ground outside the secluded pen where she had placed Truffle. The pig, utterly unaware of the threat her master now posed, snorted happily, nosing at her hand to demand the carrots she always brought. She had come to see the pig every day since bringing him out here, always afraid that one day she would go down into that cave and find the pig gone or, worse. The worst part was knowing that she was the biggest threat to Truffle. Even when Pyro had been in town, masquerading as a human, not once had he laid a hand on the pig. However, it had only taken her one night before her bloodlust consumed her and almost ended her beloved pet. Even now, she could feel her desire to feast on the pig, which was her sign that it was time for her to go.

Bidding her farewells, she made her way out of the secret pig pen, returning to Oakhurst. It was already starting to get late, and a few venturing parties that had gone out had already come back. She could see that the doctor and his crew were among them, and from the look on their faces, they hadn't found anything useful. She had been hopeful when there was word of a cure, but she knew that killing Scott wouldn't be easy. After all, she had tried three times to do it, and he had just shrugged off her blows like they were nothing. And that was only one step out of three. If step two called for the death of the sire, who knows what the other two steps would involve. A human sacrifice? Some painful ritual? It terrified her to no end. 

Unfortunately, the alternative wasn't much better. Living as a vampire was hell. She could only eat raw flesh, which was utterly disgusting and addictive at the same time. She couldn't sleep, and every time she ran into someone, she could hear their heartbeats flooding in her ears, as if reminding her of what her true prey should be. Had this been what Pyro was living with? Is that why he left? Why he sided with the vampires? Had it been too much for him, just like it was too much for her?

How long until she broke, too?

Returning to town, Apo spotted her old house over to the side. She hadn't had the strength to go near it since learning the truth about Pyro. The pigs inside were long gone, eaten by her weeks ago. The partially finished floors were covered in mud and leaves, the door was open, and the place was completely empty. It didn't feel like a home anymore. It felt like a reminder, a mocking presence lingering in the corner of her vision.

It needed to go.

"Abolish!" she shouted, heading toward the butler's house. He possessed a Lantern Thrash spell, and she had seen how adept he was at using it. Hopefully, he would be willing to oblige her selfish request. "Abolish, can I come in?"

The butler opened the door when he heard her shouting, the work apron and rolled-up sleeves of his Butler uniform suggesting he was in the middle of another smelting session. There were stacks upon stacks of silver everywhere, with some blocks neatly piled on a pallet just waiting to be taken away. In another lifetime, the man would probably be rich enough to never have to work a day in his life again, and yet here he was, turning it all into weapons and defenses.

"Can I help you?" Abolish asked.

"Grab your Lantern," she commanded, putting as much authority into her tone as she could. "I need you to do something for me."

With a single raised eyebrow, Abolish slipped out of his work apron, grabbing the lantern hanging from a hook next to his door. He walked out of his house, following Apo over to the property that was once her home. She stopped in front of the door and pointed at it.

"I want you to burn it down."

Abolish raised a single eyebrow, and that's when Martyn came running over.

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa," he interjected, almost skidding to a stop in front of them. "What are you burning down?"

"This." Apo continued to point at her former home. "I want it gone."

Initially, Martin looked confused. Then, he seemed to remember who else had lived there.

"Oh, right, Pyro, yeah, I guess that you can't exactly live here anymore. Not when a vampire has a standing invitation into your home."

"Exactly. I don't want to see it anymore. Burn it. Get rid of it."

 Abolish looked at her, then at Martyn. He shrugged and stepped into the house, holding the lantern up. He swung it quickly above his head like a rancher with a lasso. Flames erupted from the lantern and immediately caught onto the wooden walls of the house. The fire spread almost instantly, and as the butler stepped outside, he turned around and joined the others as they watched the house burn. Martyn held his staff over his heart and began to recite a poem of sorts. It reminded Apo of a funeral pyre and someone offering a eulogy. Fitting, in a way.

"Through the ashes of a home, a town overthrown. Vampires are lurking, ne'er to wander alone. Friends unto enemies, neutrals to meals. Drama unfolds… and our lives, it doth steals."

Chapter Text

Owen sighed happily as the pale oak forest beacon returned to its Unholy form. Feeling the dark energy wash over him, he let go of some lingering anger toward Avid and Drift's little bravado display and their promises of reclaiming Shelby for humanity. He couldn't help but scoff at the very idea. She was a vampire now, and even if she hadn't quite embraced the need to kill humanity, she was at least growing into her power. Give her a bit of time, and maybe another bad encounter with more violent humans, and she would come to learn that coexistence among humans was impossible.

Stepping away from the beacon, he felt another start to fall. This one was the obelisk, as far as he could tell. It was probably Shelby herself, or maybe Scott decided to leave the castle and get a beacon because he was bored. Either way, if this kept up, they would have six of the seven beacons. That would definitely be fun, especially if they managed to get their hands on the town beacon. But all in due time. Let them keep their one light of hope in the darkness; it would make extinguishing it all the more satisfying. 

Still feeling relatively light on his feet, Owen decided to check one of the crypts. If the humans were getting bolder, they might try to come out and find some valuable books. He definitely wanted to get those before the humans did. Plus, their future hearth room would need some kindling. Turning into a bat, he quickly made his way over to the one nearest to where he was. He slipped inside and threw open the chest, curious to see what he would find.

And immediately, his eyes went wide.

The book lying in the chest wasn't some magical tome or even one of the enchanting books. Instead, it was something different. It was titled "The Absolution" and was apparently volume three of three. After doing a quick scan to make sure there was absolutely no one around, he grabbed the book and slammed the chest shut. He stumbled backward, pressing himself into the corner of the crypt, his hands shaking as he opened the book.

"Know, seeker, that this sacred knowledge forms but the third pillar of the Trinity of Restoration. As the ancients decreed, no single tome holds the complete path to salvation."

He immediately slammed the book shut again. The Holy Spirits were making their move, attempting to provide some sort of cure for vampires. Just thinking that word made him remember the doctor, how he had promised that he would never stop looking, never stop trying to" help". If he found this book, if any of them saw this book…

If the fledglings found this book…

No, they weren't going to find it. They didn't need to know about this. Gripping the book tightly in his hand, he shot into the air, transforming into his bat form before heading toward the nearest body of water. He found a small lake, which he knew was deeper than it looked, and hovering above the water, he dropped the book, watching it sink beneath the surface.

He couldn't rest just yet. It had said volume three of three, meaning there were two other books. He needed to find out whether the humans had one of those books and whether they knew about this cure. If they did, that could explain why they were suddenly mobilizing again, and if they did have it, he would need to take it back.

Legs had honestly hoped that he had left this life behind. After he was finally discharged from the army and burned his military uniform, he thought he was done with that life. Unfortunately, he just couldn't run from what they had turned him into. Still, he refused to go down that path completely. He was a doctor, not a soldier. The cure books were a good start in the right direction, a way to help people and hopefully prevent needless bloodshed. Unfortunately, he knew that bloodshed was inevitable. The town was already claiming they were at war with the vampires, and he genuinely didn't know if they were ready for what that entailed.

Returning home from his attempt to locate the other books, the doctor decided to focus on making some medicine. He could already tell that the town was starting to grow more weary, especially as the vampires reclaimed the Pale Oak Beacon. He didn't know who among them had reached it, suspecting that it had been Avid and Drift, but they had clearly met opposition and lost it before it could be brought to the holy light. He could only hope that when they returned, they were uninjured and… unturned.

The smell of smoke hit his nose, and his heart immediately lurched. He quickly turned toward his front door and threw it open, just in time to see a house on fire. Panicking, he ran toward the blaze, thinking it might be some siege or attack. But instead, he found three people standing there, staring at the fire, along with a furious Cleo, practically yelling at the house's owner.

"Apo, what the hell?" the redhead shouted, gripping the young soldier woman by her blouse front. "Why would you do this?!"

"One less place for the vampires to enter," Apo replied, her voice oddly emotionless. "Besides, I'm living in the tower anyway, so what was the point?"

"By the word…" Cleo shoved the soldier woman back hard, then pinched the bridge of her nose. It was clear she was struggling to keep her emotions in check. "Why do you have to be so dramatic?! You lot are all nothing more than just big emotions and drama! I swear!"

"Don't pretend you're any different," Apo growled, giving Cleo a pointed look.

Cleo appeared increasingly agitated, her body tense and her eyes flashing with anger, as if she was prepared to strike out at someone, possibly with deadly intent. Recognizing the potential for violence, the doctor swiftly decided to intervene. He calmly stepped between Cleo and Apo, his hands raised in a placating gesture to prevent any further escalation.

"Let's concentrate on the current issue. We must contain the blaze before it reaches other houses or, Spirits forbid, the wall."

"Oh, there's no danger of that," Abolish spoke up, as calm and collected as he always was. "I wouldn't have set the house of Blaze if there had been any danger."

Cleo turned sharply to the butler, her eyes wide with disbelief and shock. "You set it ablaze?! I thought you were supposed to be one of the same ones!"

Abolish just responded with a shrug. "She asked."

"Oh Word…" Cleo forced herself to take a deep breath. "Right, I'm stepping away before I do something I'm not so sure I'll regret. Doctor, can I have a word with you?"

"Yeah, absolutely," the doctor nodded before turning to Abolish. "Can you make sure this gets put out once Apo is satisfied with her mental breakdown?"

"I will," the man promised with a nod. 

Leaving the somewhat chaotic situation and the growing crowd gathering to watch this spectacle, legs followed Cleo away from the chaos and out of the town. It was getting late, with the sky beginning to darken ever so slightly, but he trusted Cleo, and it was clear she needed someone to vent to. As they reached a secluded part of the path, Cleo paused, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, seemingly.

"Sorry for just dragging you out here like this," she apologized, not looking at him just yet. "Things have been… difficult for me to say the least, and I could really use Medical on my side for this."

"I'm here to help," he told her, not a trace of judgment in his voice. "I have been since day one. I can't offer much in the way of therapy, but I can at least be an open ear."

At the mention of therapy, Cleo let out a loud snort. "Oh, Doc, the kind of therapy I need? I highly doubt there's a professional alive able to help me."

She still wasn't facing him, and Legs began to feel an uneasiness in the pit of his stomach. The way Cleo was holding herself, the tension in her shoulders, this wasn't just accumulated stress, though it definitely played a part. This seemed more like fear, like someone bracing for something. When she finally did turn around, she looked hesitant, guarded in a way he hadn't quite noticed before. She'd always been closed off, but this felt… like more.

"So…" she began. "My feeling on you is that…That you have conflicting feelings regarding vampires."

The doctor raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" 

"Back at the castle, the night everything fell apart. You didn't go in with Martyn and me. You said you were chasing Owen, and I'm willing to bet you were. But… I don't think you tried to pin him down. I think… You were trying to reason with him because that's what you would do. And honestly, I can respect that. It's a moral choice, and you seem no worse for wear for it."

At that, Legs just let out a breath, looking down at his hands. "I promised myself a long time ago that I wouldn't do that again."

Cleo's face became scrutinizing, her guarded demeanor hardening visibly.

"Explain," she demanded. "What is 'that' and what did you do? ‘Cuz I need to know." Her tone then softened slightly. "Just you and me here, Doc. I'm not going to hurt you."

Despite the tension in the air, the doctor couldn't help but laugh at that. After all, this was the same woman who had quite literally shouted, "Murder it is! Everybody run!" when unwanted visitors had invaded her home. While he knew he had done nothing to earn her ire, the idea of her being harmless was far-fetched, to say the least.

"Out of everyone in this town, believe me, I expect you to be one of the most capable to do so. You have proven that, time and again."

That got a laugh out of Cleo, who seemed to be recalling her earlier outbursts, her face coloring slightly with embarrassment. "An unfortunate combination of bravery and stupidity. And perhaps some unchecked anger issues. In all honesty, I've never really been that good at fighting."

"Maybe so…" The Doctor smiled a bit longer. "But I wouldn't call you stupid." 

As the laughter faded, Legs fell silent for a good minute, then he slowly reached into the pocket of his apron. He pulled out his Golden Cross medal, looking at it with a haunted expression. The precious metal felt tainted in his hand, and there were days he wished he had thrown it into the fire with his military uniform. But he couldn't. He held on to it because he had to remember. They deserved to be remembered, even if it was by someone like him.

"Do no harm," he said softly, running his thumb over the medal.

"The Hippocratic Oath," Cleo surmised.

"Yes… and a personal oath." He turned his hand so she could see the medal. "Before I was a doctor, I was a soldier, like Apo. I was conscripted, but unlike her, I was good at it."

"Hopefully a bit more stable than her, too."

Legs didn't answer that one.

"I did my time. I followed my orders." He didn't miss the way she stiffened when he said that. Anyone with half a brain knew what he meant by that. "I did what was asked of me. I fought, I killed… and they gave me this."

Closing his hand around the cross, he put it back in his pocket.

"I've seen what hunger can do to people, I've seen people's lives cut short ‘cuz they stepped in the wrong place." He placed his hand over the pocket, willing himself to breathe. "And I will never be that man again."

Cleo remained silent, staring at the doctor with empathy. Looking at her, Legs felt like he was gazing into the eyes of a fellow soldier—someone who had also followed orders and done what was asked of her. It made him wonder what she had been through, if she had been a soldier too. Was that why she was so hard on Apo? Why she seemed so quick to anger? She claimed not to be good at fighting, yet showed no hesitation to do so. He wouldn't cry, though. He let her tell him at her own pace.

"Thank you, doc." Her eyes were closed for a moment. "I trust you. Out of all the people in town, you're one of, like, three that I trust. And regardless of your history, because Spirits know I've…" She paused, still keeping her eyes closed. "Regardless, we need to protect the rest of the idiots in this town."

Legs let out a soft snort at that, nodding in agreement. "You will get no argument from me on that one. That has always been my mission, to help as many people as I can."

"Unfortunately…" Cleo pressed on, "I have a slight problem."

Finally, she opened her eyes. Gone were her normal emerald-green eyes, replaced by blood-red ones that seemed to glow in the moonlight. Legs couldn't help the sharp intake of breath at the side of them, but he didn't take a step back. She had trusted him, so he was going to trust her.
"How long?" he asked.

"Since the castle," she answered, rolling up her sleeve to reveal the bite mark on her arm. "Pyro."

"How have you managed it?"

"Animal blood. Raw meat. I haven't touched anyone. I refuse to." She pulled her sleeve back down, blinking once as her eyes returned to their usual green. "I've been struggling with who to tell for… well, since it happened. I've told Pearl and Martyn earlier today, and you… You're the last person I plan to tell. At least for now."

For a moment, neither of them moved. Then, Legs took a step forward, reaching out for Cleo. He placed a hand on her shoulder, meeting her eyes with what he hoped was a soft, understanding expression.

"I am sorry this happened to you," he told her with genuine remorse. "And I am sorry you've had to suffer this alone since it happened."

Cleo just sighed and seemed to lean into his hand unconsciously.

"I know this will sound weird, especially with how I've been acting regarding the vampire threat up until the castle incident. But, this… isn't new to me. This is my first time experiencing it personally, but I…I had an idea of what to expect. I kind of grew up around this sort of thing. My mother, adoptive, was from here… and all that entails."

"Far enough back to have been privy to Owen's outburst?"

Cleo had to actually think for a moment. "I think so. I think my grandfather was even further back, but I don't know the exact dates. But that's why I came here. I came back to put the nail in the coffin, so to speak."

"Both literally and figuratively," Legs surmised.

"Yeah," Cleo nodded. "It happens sometimes. Sometimes you've got to cut out the infection to save the leg."

"We have to cut to heal." The doctor took a moment to compose himself, rubbing his face and adjusting his monocle. "I won't judge you for what has happened to you. I won't call you a monster or label you as some creepy thing. You are, and I don't mean to say this in any way, afflicted. I'm trying to help, and I don't think you're alone in your opinion of what's happening here. I think there is potential to help, but I also think that there is potential to take advantage of the situation."

Cleo almost seemed to sigh in relief when he said that.

"You're not wrong on that one, Doc. See, here's the thing. When you turn, you're still you. But if the you that you were was damaged, and afflicted, and-and traumatized... You act as any human would, but more."

"No, I believe you." the doctor nodded once. "I've seen it. The entire time he was here, Pyro spared Truffle. You, you're still you. And Owen… he let me go. He could have turned me, but he didn't."

Cleo perked at that. "What happened when you went after him? What really happened?"

Legs shrugged. "We talked. I was honest with him; I told him I wanted to help. He told me he didn't want it, that he was happy with who he was. He offered to turn me, I turned him down, and he let me go. I could not tell you why, but he did."

"So the so-called Manor Lord and his unhinged boy went feral and attacked, while the lumberjack who has been creeping around and getting his rocks off scaring the pants off everyone, has a cordial conversation." Cleo rubbed her face. "I will never understand vampires."

"I think…" Legs paused, choosing his words carefully. "I think that the reason Pyro is unhinged is that he did not choose this. As you said, they feel everything, and more. I very highly doubt his turning was calm, and from what I observed at the castle, I don't think he wants to be a vampire."

"Well, unfortunately, he doesn't have much  of a choice."

"What if he did? What if you all did?"

Cleo turned to the doctor with an incredulous expression until he pulled the Cure book from his apron. The second her eyes landed on those golden words, she gasped. 

"Mr M found this in the town crypt this morning. It's one of three books that contain what we believe to be a cure for vampirism." Legs paused for a moment. "But I think we need something from the vampires to make it work."

"And what's that?"

"To start? Trust. Past that… blood."

"My blood?" 

Cleo was already lifting her arm, but Legs stopped her.

"No. No." He shook his head. "I need to set up a place to prepare, to experiment, to research what I can. I think, and this is the catch, I don't think it's the humans' trust you need to garner right now."

Cleo laughed lightly at that. "That shouldn't be too big of an issue. I haven't spoken to them in a while, but I'm under the impression that they seem to want to welcome me and anyone else they've turned into their ranks. They seem to think their little coven is a family of sorts."

"My suggestion is this," the doctor told her. "I think that you should play your angles. You've already been picking and choosing the humans you want to trust, and I recommend you do the same with the vampires. The more we know, the more we can do."

"What do you need to know?"

"Anything and everything. I'm treating this like a new disease. I need to know the signs, the symptoms, what works, and what doesn't. And in this case, you need to know what the plan is, what their goals are."

"Plans?" Cleo scoffed. "I don't think any of them have any plans. I think Scott plans to build his castle and hopefully rebuild his rain. Owen, I think all he wants is to make people suffer. Pyro, he wants what Scott wants, and Shelby… honestly, I don't know what Shelby wants. Probably something to do with Bigfoot, I don't know. What I do know is that they're not exactly the most organized bunch."

"Well, that makes both of us," Legs exclaimed, having to laugh at that. "Have you seen this town? We were literally just watching our armyman set fire to her own house because she was angry about her roommate. We have the floweriest author in existence, a man with an accent that is hard to decipher on the best of days, the madman proven right, and like four sane people among all of us, and I use that term very loosely."

The two of them shared a much-needed laugh after that, the tension around them easing as they came down from their brief hysterics, wiping tears from their eyes. Cleo straightened up and faced the doctor.

"Look, I will do what I can, but should things go sideways, should the town try to turn against me, I need you on my side. I can fool people; I've had to do it in the past. I can lie to vampires, and I can lie to humans. But the thing with lying is that it has a bad habit of catching up to you."

"Should it come to that," Legs replied, meeting her gaze, "I will do what I can. I want to help everyone, including you."

Cleo seemed to almost sag in relief, wiping her face to hide the tears running down her cheeks.

"Thank you…" she whispered. "Thank you, doc."

~\~/~

Near the edges of the forest outskirts, Owen leaned against a gnarled tree trunk, his fists clenched in frustration. The humans possessed one of the books, and naturally, it was in the hands of the doctor. However, that wasn't what truly fueled his anger. No, his fury was directed at Cleo. She had spoken so openly about betrayal, about lying to humans and vampires alike. She was a treacherous snake, someone who couldn't be trusted. Owen had suspected as much when she never bothered to visit them during the month they had been lying low, but seeing it confirmed only intensified his rage. He refused to let her tarnish his coven, to try to lure the fledglings away. They didn't need some cure—they were fine as they were.

Knowing that losing his temper now would only do more harm than good, Owen closed his eyes and focused intently on the castle. As Pyro had explained, he felt the pull of its energies, and with a moment's concentration, he was whisked away, his form shimmering as he materialized within the castle walls. To his surprise, he found Scott there, and he looked markedly different from before.

The man now had stark white hair, the same snowy white that Owen remembered seeing on Louis. His eyes were an even brighter, more intense shade of red than before, almost luminescent. His skin appeared as smooth and pale as marble, giving him a nearly statuesque appearance. And to add to his inhuman appearance, his ears now possessed an obvious point. Owen blinked several times, rubbing his eyes to ensure he wasn't hallucinating or seeing things. As if finally taking notice of his arrival, Scott raised a hand in greeting, a subtle smile forming on his face.

"Ah, there you are," he called out. "I assume the pale oak forest was you?"

"Yeah…What happened to you? Why is your hair suddenly white?"

"Oh, this?" Scott made a show of fluffing his hair. "Well, I got a bit bored, and I decided to go and reclaim that Obelisk Beacon for us. Managed to find some food along the way, and it gave me the strength I needed to transform fully. Honestly, I was looking forward to this part. We would have thought that one impulsive choice to dye my hair blue would mean I'd be stuck with it for the rest of eternity. Luckily, once you get to a high enough level, your hair turns white. Frankly, so much better."

"Huh." Owen had always assumed that white hair was just a sign of aging. But apparently, it was something that happened when a vampire got strong enough. Did that mean his hair would turn white once he got enough strength? If he did, would he look like Louis? "Good to know. Have you seen Pyro or Shelby around?"

"I actually ran into Pyro at the obelisk. He helped me finish desecrating it, then said something about harassing the town with wither roses. I think that's probably where he's going. As for Shelby…"

"I'm right here!"

Owen actually jumped, turning around to see Shelby suddenly manifesting behind him. She snorted and laughed hard, something Scott began to copy as Owen took a moment to regain his composure.

"Looks like someone's been playing around with her abilities," he said, a small smile on his face despite the brief start. "That was a good one, Shelby. Good job."

She beamed happily at that, looking so much like a little kid. "Thanks. I'm trying to make my room look a bit nicer. I know it's technically a crypt, and I also know that it's temporary, but I like nice things. If you want, I can see what I can find for your room."

"I appreciate the offer, but I prefer it if my room remains my room," Owen politely declined.

"Suit yourself! I'm gonna keep working!"

She sauntered off happily, humming under her breath as she took the stairs down into the tomb. The two elder vampires watched her go, then the eldest spared Owen a glance. He scrutinized the lumberjack, then let out a hum of curiosity.

"You doing all right?" he asked with a single raised eyebrow. "You seem more irritated than usual. I mean, you're always a bit testy, but this is extra."

 Owen gave a slight shrug to that, deciding it might not be a bad idea to say at least part of what was bothering him. "The fledglings that are still in town, I don't think we can trust them."

"Yeah, I'm kind of getting that impression, too. But when the time comes for them to be ousted by their so-called friends, they'll come here because they have no choice. But I'm not going to just blindly trust them. I didn't live as long as I have by being stupid. They'll have to earn their place."

"Fair enough." Owen wouldn't argue any further. There wasn't any point to it. At the very least, he had been heard out, and that was more than he expected. "Well, I'm going to keep working on the castle while the Moon is up. I don't want to be caught up on the roof when the Sun rises. Gives me one hell of a sunburn."

"Oh, that reminds me," Scott looked down at his hands, flexing his fingers as if to test their strength. "Now that I've fully evolved again, I should be able to do it… won't be able to do it often, but it should at least help with the Sun problem."

"What is 'it'?"

At that, Scott just gave a cheeky smirk. "You'll see."

The fire at what was once Apo and Pyro's home finally died down. Martyn, who had stayed to watch the spectacle, had been roped into making sure the fire was completely out. Now, the only thing left of the house was the remnants of a furnace and an empty lot. Nothing more remained. It almost felt poetic, even cleansing. Apo looked at least a little better in the wake of the fire, like it had at least taken the edge off of her mood.

Considering the late hour, Martyn intended to return to his home, feeling the fatigue of the day weighing on his bad leg. Though a month had passed since the initial injury, Martyn still bore significant scars. He had to rest more often, and extended exercise would put strain on him. Still, at least he could move on his own, no longer needing to rely on his staff as a crutch. He would call that a win. 

As he was passing by Ren's tavern, which had somehow acquired the rather intriguing name of "Dontcha Flow," the tavern owner unexpectedly opened the doors to greet him, offering a warm welcome. "Ah, Mr. Woodhurst. Just the man we wanted ta see. Would ya care ta join us in this here tavern?"

Before Martyn could ask what Ren meant by we, he spotted Mr M sitting at one of the tables. The man gave a wave with his fingers, and Martyn returned it with one of his own. Now curious, he stepped inside, taking a seat across from the author.

"Love what you done with the place, Specs," he complimented. "Can't wait until you get the brewery ready."

"Aye, I be working on a fresh batch of blueberry ale, should be ready in but a fortnight." Ren's face grew serious. "However, I did not call ye here to speak of drinks. Nay, I called ye here for something far more important. All we be needing is one more to join our ranks."

"And here she comes now!" Mr M cheered, hopping up and going over to one of the tavern windows to open it up. "Apo! Quick, come join us!"

The young soldier girl looked surprised at being called out, but she followed the summons and stepped into the tavern. She looked confused and a bit nervous. Understandable, given she had just committed a small case of arson.

"Do you need something?" she asked tentatively.

Martyn held up his hands. "Hey, I just got here."

"Yeah, pull up a chair. get comfortable."

Mr M got up, about to offer a chair to Apo, but that's when Ren stepped in. he held up a hand, shaking his head.

"No, where we're going, we won't need chairs."

With that cryptic declaration, the older man beckoned his three companions to follow him behind the bar. There, they discovered a trapdoor cleverly hidden next to the stove. It blended in almost perfectly with the wooden floor, making it well hidden from prying eyes. Opening it, he revealed a long ladder that seemed to lead deep underground, farther than any cellar would be. He went down first, sliding down the ladder with practiced ease. The three left behind exchanged looks, then one by one, they climbed down after him. Mr. M, who took up the rear, made sure to close the trapdoor behind him.

As they reached the bottom of the ladder, they entered a large room carved from stone. It was bare at the moment, with some basic construction equipment to the side and some lumber, probably meant to create a meeting room down here. For now, all it had were a few lanterns hanging in the corners and a row of shields lined up against the back wall. The shields each bore the Oakhurst Banner, and Ren immediately walked over to that wall, grabbing one of the shields. 

"Me friends," he began, holding the shield aloft. "Allow me to welcome ye to the headquarters of the Oakhurst militia. Here, far from the prying eyes and ears of the vampires that lurk in the woods, we can plan on how to deal with the scourge that has plagued these lands. I have already spoken at length of this to Mr. M, and we have agreed that forming such a group is something Oakhurst most desperately needs. That is why I have called you here, Miss Apo, and you, Mr. Woodhurst."

"Wait, hold on," Apo quickly interjected, holding up both of her hands. "I've said so many times, I'm an architect, not a fighter."

"Aye, that you have," Ren agreed, giving her a nod. "However, joist stint or no, this still be your outpost, and as the only military presence within these borders, your inclusion was mandatory. We hope ye can at least share what ya know from yer time in the army; strategies, blueprints, anything at all that could be of use."

Apo couldn't argue against that one, and she knew it. So, with a visible hesitance, she gave a nod. "I can't promise much, but I do agree that Oakhurst does need someone to defend it. So, count me in."

"And as for ye, Mr. Woodhurst." Martyn turned back to Ren, surprised at being addressed. "Ye have faced down these fiends not once, but twice. Despite bodily harm done upon ye, ya pushed through yer pain and stood your ground against the fiends. I can think of no braver man that I would have stand by my side in the fights to come. And so I ask, will ye join the Oakhurst militia?"

Martyn didn't even hesitate. "I will."

Ren smiled at that, then began to pass out shields to all of the members, giving them a moment to strap them to their arms before he spoke again.

"Come close into the center," he urged, gathering everyone in a small circle around the middle of the room. "And let us all speak openly with one another. Let it now be known to us all if any secrets are within any of ye hearts, for at this very moment, the Oakhurst militia shall be formed, and the fate of us all will rest upon our shoulders." He turned to Martyn first. "Mr. Woodhurst. Have ye anything ta confess?"

Immediately, his thoughts turned to Cleo and her confession. However, she had shared that with him in confidence, and as much as he wanted to trust the militia and make a good start, he couldn't betray her. So, with every ounce of conviction and the best poker face he had probably ever managed before, he shook his head.

"No. All I do know is that the vampires out there… they're a threat to us. One of them threw me off a bridge, and another threatened to make the streets run red with our blood. They need to be stopped before we're all killed, or worse."

"Aye, that be true." Ren nodded slightly, then turned to Mr. M. "And what of ye, Mr. M? Have ye anything ta confess?"

"No, The only secret I have… is that I am a vam-" Mr M couldn't even finish the sentence before absolutely breaking out into laughter. "No, I'm just playing. I'm just playing. I'm not a vampire."

"Whoa, hey there!" Martyn exclaimed, unsure whether to laugh or threaten the man, so he settled on both. "You can't be saying stuff like that!"

"Indeed, ya can't be pullin' our legs like that, Mr. M!" Ren agreed, a hand to his chest. "Me old heart can't take a scare like that!"

"I'd have killed you where you stood!" Martyn snapped, pointing his finger straight in Mr. M's face.

Unbeknownst to any of the three men as they argued and bantered with one another, Apo was now staring in pure terror. Her ears were ringing, and she was utterly lost. She had been hoping to find people she could trust and confide in, but hearing Martyn threaten to kill Mr. M where he stood just as a joke… she knew she couldn't tell anyone. She would have to keep it a secret because if she didn't, they would kill her or worse.

"Miss Apo," Ren called out, making her attention snap back to him. "Have ye anything to share with the militia?"

After a long moment of hesitation, she shook her head. "No. No, nothing."

"Well, I have nothing to share either," Ren announced, raising his shields. "And so I say, here and now, the Oakhurst militia has been formed, and our pact is sealed. From this day forth, we shall stand side by side to defend the citizens of this great town, and the legends of Oakhurst will spread beyond the vampires that lurk here. Nay, one day they shall speak of us, of the militia that rose up to defend the innocent, and who drove back the forces of darkness once and for all!!"

Everyone raised their shields, cheering loudly in agreement. Only Apo remained still, somewhat hesitant, hiding her face behind her shield. Hopefully, when those legends became known, they would not include tales of a traitor among their ranks…

Chapter Text

Avid and Drift slowly made their way back to town, both feeling more than a little exhausted. After fleeing from Owen, they had taken shelter in a tomb for about an hour, hoping to avoid his gaze. They found a new book while they were there, with a power that caught their attention, but neither of them had absorbed it yet. They wanted to show it to the town to see what they thought. After finding the book, they stopped by the castle bridge, hoping to find any sign of Shelby. They still held onto hope that they could talk to her and convince her to return to town. However, she didn't seem to hear them, and they couldn't see her in the nearby woods, so they decided to retreat before it got too late. 

As the two entered the town, they were greeted by Martin, Mr. M, and Apo, who emerged from the tavern. All of them had shields strapped to their back, and when they saw Avid and Drift, the two men immediately brightened.

"Oh, hey, you two," Mr. M greeted, flashing his signature smile. "Where have you two been?"

"We tried to reclaim the pale oak forest beacon," Avid replied, his tone solemn and remorseful. "Unfortunately, Owen met us there and stopped us from fully consecrating it."

"Yeah, he came out of nowhere, just like he always does," Drift groused, feeling some anger replacing the fear coursing through her. "Like, we didn't even hear him coming. We didn't even see him until he attacked us."

"Oh yeah," Abolish spoke up, walking over to them. For some reason, he had a black rose in his hand, one that seemed to emit rather ominous particles. "Turns out vampires can go invisible."

At this rather abrupt revelation, one that lacked the emotion for such a monumental reveal, everyone gathered was immediately in hysterics. It was bad enough that the vampires were stronger and faster than them, not to mention being able to turn into bats, but now they could apparently turn invisible too?! The odds were really not in their favor for this one.

"How do you know this?" Martin demanded. "And why are we just learning about this now?" 

Abolish held up the strange flower. Mr. M, ever the curious one, leaned in to try and smell it, only for the butler to pull it away. 

"I wouldn't if I were you. This is a Wither rose. It's highly toxic, and even touching it is not recommended. They're often used to ward off predators in some rural towns." 

"Then why are you just holding it like that?!" Avid exclaimed, gesturing wildly toward Abolish's hand. 

In response, the butler simply gave him a deadpan stare before holding up his free hand. This revealed the white gloves he had been wearing since day one, the same gloves he was wearing even now. In other words, he wasn't technically holding the flower. Avid let out a small, embarrassed squeak, shrinking back at that. Abolish lowered his hand, then continued talking.

"I saw Pyro lurking around and trying to plant these nearby. Not exactly sure what his game is, but he mostly just planted them around the gate and offered me one. I figured I might as well take it."

"And you just let him go?!" Martin snapped, sounding almost panicked. "Are you saying that there is a vampire potentially standing among us, invisible, overhearing everything we're saying?!"

"I mean, it's possible. He wasn't hurting anyone, so I didn't see a reason to attack him."

"That's true," Drift allowed. "I mean, he used to be one of us. Maybe he doesn't want to be a bad guy. What if he was planting these flowers to try and protect us?"

"Eh, I wouldn't go that far." Abolish twisted the flower between his fingers. "He was pretty upset about Apo burning the house down and Truffle being missing. And he was saying something about barbed wire around a cattle pen."

Drift's face visibly fell at that, feeling disappointed. Maybe Pyro really was a lost cause. 

"Well, if he's still here, maybe we could try and catch him?" Mr. M suggested. "Don't you guys still have that cell setup in your weird vampire Wellness Center?"

"At this point, should we just turn that into the Oakhurst jail?" Martin quipped, "Somewhere we can actually keep these vampires until we figure out what to do about them? I mean, Apo already got started on some town renovations."

"Town renovations?" Avid questioned.

Abolish pointed with his thumb toward the now-empty lot that had once been Apo's home. The former homeowner herself just glared at the lot, not even trying to hide her disdain.

"I burned it down," she said simply. "I was sick and tired of looking at it. It needed to go."

"It was home to a vampire," Mr. M remarked. "Honestly, I considered moving myself, but I worked really hard on my house. I don't want to leave. Plus, I think since Owen officially left, this place isn't his home anymore—it's mine." 

"I don't know if that's how the invitation thing works," Drifts commented, looking a little concerned. "Then again, I'm still new to this whole vampires-are-real thing." 

"Speaking of homes, what should we do about this one?" Martin took a few steps around the corner to where Scott and Shelby's house stood. "Should we burn it down, too? Or maybe renovate it into something new?"

Immediately, Avid began loudly protesting, waving his arms and shaking his head violently. 

"No! No, no, no! We can't burn this one down, we can't change it, please!" 

"Young Avid," Ren spoke up, stepping out of his tavern at the sound of the young man's almost hysterical protests. "What is with all the shouting and denying? I would have thought you'd be the first to insist on ridding ourselves of any potential weaknesses, don'tcha know." 

"No, I do know, it's just…" Avid bit his lip for a minute, then tugged on his sleeves before finally managing to continue. "I think we may have a chance of getting Shelby back."

Unsurprisingly, this earned him more than a few incredulous looks. After all, he had been the loudest voice against vampires of all kinds, so having him suddenly seek the return of one to town was surprising, to say the least. The first to point this out was, of course, Martin.

"You do remember that she's a vampire, right? You know, sucking our blood and all that? Why would you want her to come back to town?"

"Because she's Shelby!" Avid ran his fingers through his hair. "Look, I think we've all figured out by now that she wasn't a vampire when she came here. She had to have been turned at some point, and given who we now know as a vampire, it was likely during that fishing trip. The one she took with all the other vampires. And yet, even when she came back, she was still Shelby."

"Maybe," Apo admitted, sounding reluctant, "but that doesn't change what she became."

"Yeah, I know, but she's still Shelby. And I think that out of all the vampires, she may be the only one we could possibly get on our side."

"Avid, she's been over there for a month." Mr M's face was grim as he said that. "A lot can happen in a month, especially with creatures who have had literal centuries to master the art of gaslighting and manipulation."

"Look, all I'm saying is that when she was here, she was preaching about how there could be good vampires among them. and I think she may have been right." Avid straightened up, taking a deep breath. "I know that I have been going on and on about how vampires are irredeemable monsters, but that was before I got to see them up close and personal. Yes, some of them are monsters like Owen, and some like to cause trouble like Scott and Pyro. But, there are also ones who just want to live their best lives, like Shelby."

The others took that in, giving it some genuine thought. Even the most skeptical among them had to admit that none of them liked the idea of hurting Shelby. The others had fought back or made threatening gestures, making it easy to see them as enemies. But when it came to Shelby, all they could think of was the smiling young woman who was obsessed with Bigfoot and wanted to prove the supernatural existed. Even after a month, they couldn't see her as some monster.

"Well…" Apo let out, sucking a breath through her teeth. "I mean, if I were a vampire, I'd probably be feeling really scared right now, especially after the attack on the castle. I'd be afraid of coming back to town, afraid of how I'd be treated. Shelby came back the first time, yes, but she didn't tell anyone what she was. Likely because she knew that if she did, everyone would immediately call her a monster and be afraid of her."

"And the other vampires are likely using that to their advantage," Drift surmised. "Plus, wasn't she there when you guys attacked?"

She pointed at Martin as she said that, who let out a guilty grimace. "She was, yeah. She didn't fight and ran off, but… the doc said her escape wasn't… well, let's just say that I may have burned that bridge, quite literally."

"I have to believe there's still a chance," Avid insisted, clenching his fists tight. "Maybe if we talk to her, if we apologize for what happened at the castle and invite her back, she might be willing to listen. We could offer her our cows or, I don't know, a chance to drink from us as long as she doesn't turn us."

"Is that even possible?" Ren wondered aloud. "I have never heard of such a thing."

"I have read about vampires who would keep humans as pets, feeding off of them constantly without turning them," Mr M chimed in. "So, letting her drink from us as long as she doesn't turn us could be a possibility. I'd be willing to volunteer if nothing else."

"And it's more than just Shelby," Martin chimed in, feeling a little braver now. "I'm sure there are some vampires who haven't been revealed yet. I highly doubt just those four. But just because they're a vampire doesn't mean they're not on our side. So maybe we shouldn't do what we did back at the castle again. If someone gets turned, we try to keep them on our side rather than ostracize them and send them running to the castle."

"That all depends on who it is," Avid insisted. "Like, I get not wanting to lose anyone else, but we should still be careful about who we trust. Otherwise, we leave ourselves open to the possibility of getting stabbed in the back or, worse, added to the vampiric ranks."

"Indeed, Young Avid has a point," Ren agreed, stepping forward with conviction. "I believe that for the time being, we should focus our attention on gaining Miss Shelby's allegiance once more, dontcha know. Having her back amongst our ranks would allow us eyes and ears within the castle. If we know what those blood suckers want, what their plans be, we could strike fast and ensure that this darkness plaguing Oakhurst is beaten back once more."

The tavern keeper's words sparked a memory in Avid. Quickly, he scrambled for his bag, pulling out the book he and Drift had found in the tomb.

"Hey guys, speaking of fighting back the darkness, Drift and I found this new book out there in the tombs." He held it up. "It's called Blessing, and get this, this is what it says. It says, 'Render Holy Light upon cleansing waters.'"

That sent a ripple of murmurs around the group.

"Holy light on cleansing waters…" Mr. M's brow furrowed for a second before his eyes widened. "Holy water… That book lets you make holy water!"

"Never a greater bane against vampires have I heard of, save for the garlic and the stakes in the silver," Ren mused. "Why have ye not consumed this tome already, Young Avid?"

"Well, I wanted to see what you guys thought of it first. And if you thought someone else would benefit more from it."

"Honestly, just go on and consume it," Martin insisted. "Most of us have a way of fighting back or defending ourselves against the vampires. I don't think you do, and given Owen's little speech about saving you for last and making you watch everyone die, you may be the best choice to have that, cuz you'll last the longest."

Unable to refute that logic, Avid quickly opened the book, letting the magical light be absorbed into his body. Immediately, the warmth that washed over him made him sigh in almost euphoric relief. He took a breath, let it out, then began patting down his pockets to try to find anything that could be used to hold water.

"All right, so here's what I know. I don't think I can do anything too big, like consecrating an entire barrel or the town fountain or something like that. However, I think I can bless like a small bottle or something? Something that can be used as a projectile against the vampires. However, it's going to be a bit taxing, so I don't think I'm going to be able to do it very often."

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Mr. M remarked. "Of course, one of the most powerful weapons against vampires would have some sort of catch. They can't make it too easy on us."

"I thought The Holy Spirits were supposed to be on our side," Apo groused, sidestepping away from Avid in an attempt to appear subtle. "So why wouldn't they make it so that you could just bless an entire fountain so we have an endless supply of holy water?"

"Maybe it's more to do with human beings being unable to handle all that divine power," Drift surmised. "It could be the same reason why we can't have more than one book every day or two. Too much divine power, and we could spontaneously combust."

"It's like when you enchant an item," Martyn added. "You have to be careful if you try to put more than a few enchantments on a single item. If you overload it, the weapon could become unstable and break easily. It's probably the same thing with humans." 

"Does anybody have a bottle?!" Avid exclaimed, having found absolutely nothing on his person. "Seriously, I just realized that the entire time we've been here, I don't think I've seen anyone with any glass."

"Shelby and Scott have glass," Apo pointed out, gesturing to the house and its glass windows. "Maybe they have some sand we can smelt into some glass?"

"I would be more than happy to make some for you, young Avid," Ren offered. "As it so happens, I did dabble a little bit in the glassmaking. It will be far from pretty, but it will be functional."

"Thanks, Ren, truly."

Despite the earlier somberness from the Fallen beacons, everyone felt a bit more hopeful now. With their plans for Shelby and Avid's new power, perhaps they stood a chance. Perhaps now, they could regain some of their fallen friends and truly protect themselves against those who had forsaken them.

~\~/~

The rather impromptu town meeting ended as everyone scattered to do their own thing. Ren chose to fulfill his promise to Avid by blowing some glass bottles in the furnace left over from the burnt remains of Apple's old house. Meanwhile, the rest of the militia decided to take the opportunity to refurbish their meeting room. It was late, but none of them could sleep, not with their thoughts buzzing about the idea of getting a vampire on their side. For one member in particular, this train of thought was very personal, especially considering her own standing as a hidden vampire.

"Do you really think we can do it?" Mr M asked, setting down the hammer he was using to construct a work table. "Do you think we can get a vampire on our side?"

"I think it's less about can we get them on our side and more about will they stay on our side," Martin replied, laying down some proper flooring on their headquarters floor. "You have to remember, these guys are creatures that have to suck blood to survive. If they get hungry enough, there's no telling what they'll do to try and satisfy that hunger."

"That's true," Apple said with a nod, feeling her own insatiable thirst welling in her throat. She took a moment to pull out a hip flask she had started carrying, drinking the chicken blood inside. She gagged slightly at the taste but couldn't deny how good it made her feel. Quickly closing the lid before anyone could see what it really contained, she put it back in her pocket and got back to work. "A vampire's thirst can never be truly sated. It's always going to be in the back of their mind. And if they get hungry enough, well, it's like what Ren said this morning; we're all big sacks of blood just waiting to be drained."

"I think it can be managed," Mr. M insisted. "I mean, it took us days before we actually caught on to the vampires being among us, and that was only because a few of them were acting really weird. Not 'I'm hungry-I want to eat you' weird, but 'there's no way you're human' weird. Somehow, they kept themselves in check and blended in with us."

"They also turned two people," Apo reminded him, a hand unconsciously reaching for her throat. "Maybe more. I wouldn't exactly call that managing it."

 Mr. M couldn't really argue with that, giving a helpless shrug before returning to his work. Martin looked between the two, thinking about Cleo and how she was doing. He trusted that she hadn't turned anyone, especially with Pearl vouching for her, and knew that managing the thirst was difficult, but possible. With some help and a steady supply of animal blood, it would be easier.

"Can I ask you two something?" he proposed, feeling curiosity nagging at him. "Do you think… Do you think becoming a vampire changes who you are as a person? Like, I know we were arguing about how Shelby is still herself and all that, but Pyro changed pretty drastically after he got changed."

"Maybe it has something to do with who that person is," Mr M suggested. "Like if you're a good person like Shelby, then you're going to be a good person as a vampire."

"Pyro was a good person," Apo muttered under her breath.

"Apo, no offense," Martin interjected with an incredulous expression, "but you knew him for like a day or two before he was turned. I don't think you ever truly got to know him. For all you know, he had some secrets he wasn't telling anyone."

"Maybe," Apo reluctantly allowed. "I guess I just… this has all been way too much. It feels like everyone is lying, and I don't know who to trust, and I'm terrified that if somebody does get turned, that they're going to become something… evil."

"You just got to have faith," Mr M told her, walking over to the distraught Soldier to give her a reassuring squeeze on her shoulder. "Trust in your friends, and trust that even if we do get turned, that Shelby is right, that there are good vampires out there. And that, when the time comes, they'll feel secure enough to trust us with the truth."

Apo cringed hard, turning away and returning to her work. She wanted so badly to tell them, to feel secure, but she didn't. She was still so afraid, so ashamed of what she had become. No, she had to keep this to herself, for as long as she could. Besides, the doctor was working on a cure. Once it was done, she could take it, and no one would ever have to know about the stupid choice she had made at that castle. She knew she was deluding herself, but she continued to do so. 

~\~/~

Avid stared at the bottle of water in his hand, barely able to comprehend what he was looking at. He still couldn't get over the fact that they now had holy water in Oakhurst. Considering the church was nothing more than a husk, one that had been converted into a watchtower, he had assumed that holy water and similar relics would be impossible to find here. Yeah, technically, the tombs were providing holy spells, but at most, they served as detectors or defenses, with only the Lantern Thrash ability being an actual, practical offensive skill. Now, with holy water, they stood more of a chance.

"So is that really holy water?" Drift question, adjusting her monocle so she could take a closer look at the bottle. "It doesn't look any different to me."

"Oh, it's holy all right. I can feel the power in it. All we need now is a vampire to test it on."

Unbeknownst to either of the two humans, Pyro was standing atop part of the walls surrounding Oakhurst. He narrowed his eyes as he stared at the bottle in their hand, not liking what he saw. While he had always had an affinity for more academic texts, he also knew the stories of vampires and holy relics. He didn't want to know what would happen if they managed to use holy water on him, but at the very least, he could report this back to Scott. Hopefully, his sire would be pleased when he returned with this helpful information.

Unfortunately for Pyro, that's when his invisibility failed him. He flickered into view, and though it was only for a second, Drift immediately clocked him.

"Pyro!" she shouted, pointing at the wall where he had been. "I just saw him! He was just standing right there!"

Cursing under his breath, Pyro tightened his grip on his invisibility, knowing he couldn't afford to reveal himself again. It was much harder than you might think, especially since he was only a mid-tier vampire; he could feel his control slipping, and he knew he would be exposed once more. Hoping to scare off the humans, he landed gracefully outside the gate, planting his wither roses. Of course, they could see the soil being disturbed and rushed to catch him, but he slipped past them, ducking back into Oakhurst.

"Aw, how cute." Avid's voice was dripping with condescending cheer. "The vampire's planting flowers."

"Why don't you come out, Pyro?" Srift taunted, a far cry from how cowardly she had been earlier. "Abolish told us about how you gave him a flower."

"I am merely trying to remind the cattle of where they belong," Pyro retorted. "It's clear that you have forgotten your place and need to be kept in your pen. It's not exactly barbed wire, but it will do."

He began climbing the wall again, but he quickly realized he couldn't focus on both climbing and maintaining his invisibility simultaneously. His control over the latter faltered, and he became visible once more. Almost immediately, he was spotted.

"There he is!" Drift shouted. 

Pyro swiftly turned around, his eyes locking onto her pointing finger. Simultaneously, Avid hurled something directly at him with deadly intent. The glass shattered violently upon contact with his face, the water inside splashing across his skin, feeling almost like fire searing his skin. He let out a sharp scream of pain, losing his balance and tumbling off the wall, falling into the open plains beyond them.

He hurriedly wiped his face with an angry swipe, only to be stunned by the sight of blood smeared on his hands. His trembling fingers traced his face, and in that moment, a wave of shock washed over him as he grimaced at the fresh cuts still etched into his skin. 

It was then that he realized—he wasn't healing. His vampiric regenerative powers, which he relied on so heavily, were failing him completely. 

Frantically, he attempted to activate his abilities, but each attempt was met with failure. He tried to turn into a bat, but nothing happened. He tried to vanish into invisibility, yet the power eluded him once more. Desperately, he sensed the pull of the beacons, but it was gone—the water had severed him from that connection entirely.

Gathering his strength, Pyro staggered to his feet just as two figures emerged from the shadows—his would-be hunters. They were charging at him with determined fury, each brandishing a stake, their eyes burning with resolve. It was clear they intended to finish what they had started, leaving no room for mercy.

"End of the line, Pyro!" Avid shouted with pure joy. "You've got two choices; you can either come with us and be our prisoner, or you can do this the hard way."

Pyro was panting heavily, trying to shake off the lingering holy water that dampened his abilities. He quickly adjusted his coat, feeling the bottles stored inside shift and clink against each other. Without hesitation, he reached into his coat pocket, grasped one of the bottles, and used his teeth to rip the cork free, then spat it aside with a quick flick.

"I think I'll choose option three."

He then threw the bottle back, the contents spilling into his open mouth and cascading down his cheeks. He quickly gulped down the blood, savoring its taste as if it were fine wine. As he greedily drained the last drop, he cast the bottle aside, and it shattered against a nearby rock with a loud crash. An unexplainable sensation washed over him, causing him to stumble forward a step as he clutched his chest. He could feel his body transforming, similar to the change he had experienced when he was turned. The surrounding world seemed to sharpen; his senses intensified. From the sudden shouts of terror emanating from his two would-be hunters, he realized that he had also undergone a significant physical change.

Avid and Drift could only stand there, staring at the monster now towering before them. Its appearance was chilling: pale white skin stretched taut over its frame, long jagged claws glinted in the light, and shaggy white hair hung in a fringe, obscuring part of its face. Its eyes were entirely inhuman—pitch-black sclera, blood-red irises, and slit pupils that narrowed menacingly. Nearly all traces of Pyro had vanished from this creature, leaving behind a terrifying, almost unrecognizable form. As it turned and ran off into the woods, neither Avid nor Drift felt any urge to pursue it. They watched as the creature disappeared into the shadows, then retreated safely back into Oakhurst. 

"What… the hell… was THAT?!" Drift shrieked.

"I have absolutely no idea!" Avid street right back. "Did you see the way he just turned like that?! he didn't even look human anymore!"

"They're changing," Drift realized, horror washing over her. "That bottle, it had to be full of blood. And he goes down enough that he transformed."

"The more blood they drink, the stronger they get," Avid said with a nod. "And if that could happen to Pyro…"

"I get the feeling the others aren't going to be far behind…"

The two exchanged terrified glances, then, in almost perfect unison, turned around and ran back toward the main group. They needed to get back with more humans, let them know precisely what they saw, and the actual dangers that they were facing out there.