Stairs were dug on the side of the hill and railings were set up at strategic locations. It didn't help, I felt like I was an interloper, in a place where I was supposed to remain untamed and untouched.

We soon arrived at a small drop point. Nestled between the two planes of the mountain is a cottage. It was nothing more than a shelter, and as we went inside, I noticed that it barely could hold the three of us. A crib and a cupboard were pushed against the farthest wall. Most of the single-story floor is stacked with alchemical toolboxes and a table made of paper. I had them walk around and quickly found something I knew would be there: a research journal.

The book is thick, so I'll mostly skim through it. The cult leader's writing is organized, and more importantly, it's not coding, so my reading is fast and unimpeded. I soon learned that Abernethy had found this place three years earlier at the tip of a Creek guide. He immediately discovered something he called a temple and studied the inscriptions that had been left behind. Apparently, some of them contain European-style alchemy annotations to the art of blood magic. He gathered a few rogue mages and followers and moved in.

A little over a year ago, someone broke into the temple and destroyed the laboratory and many notes, and since then, Abernethy has started his activities and started kidnapping people for blood experiments. At the same time, he acquires what he calls the "source". He believed that he could create an elixir of life without the drawbacks of being sensitive to sunlight and bloodthirsty. The attack on the laboratory is believed to have been carried out to prevent him from attaining enlightenment.

We've got to go up.

Dalton and Bingle joined me, but their efforts were ineffective. Without saying a word, I handed the adventurer a piece of paper I had copied from my lab notes.

"Subject: Flora Schaefer, female ......"

He continued to read, his voice getting quieter. Of course, I already doubt that she will die. This only confirms this.

My courtiers and I respectfully and silently waited until he was done. The sadness on his face was palpable.

"Forgive me, I need a little time."

We walked outside, closed the door, and waited. I was a little shocked when I realized that this was the first time I had seen this fearless adventurer with such a desperate look on his face.

"Madam, I want to ask you something." Dalton said.

"Really?"

"What the hell are you?"

I turned to him dumbfounded.

"You decided to serve me, but you didn't know who I was?"

"I know enough, now I want to know everything."

I took a few minutes to tell him about my strengths, but also about my weaknesses in the presence of fire, silver, and the sun. It only occurred to me after I did it, and I didn't even think he would betray me. My instincts told me he wouldn't. We're on the hook now. His loyalty is infallible.

Bing will join us soon.

"Please forgive me for delaying. I. I'm ......"

I put a comforting hand on his arm and spoke to him in a comforting voice.

"There is nothing to apologize for, sir, and I can only offer you my condolences. I know that this consolation is not enough in the face of such suffering, but I must remind you that without our timely intervention, those unfortunate souls behind us will suffer the most cruel fate. ”

Bingle seemed surprised by my touch; His honest face was filled with emotion.

"Yes, you're right. Thank you very much, Miss Delaney. We did a good job tonight, and while I couldn't save it, we made sure revenge didn't happen. I said, it's a worthwhile ending!"

"Definitely. The nasty person's notes mentioned that there was a temple up there, and I wanted to see with my own eyes to see if anything was moving. ”

"Of course, Miss Draenei!" Your tenacity and rigor are an inspiration! We will leave no stone unturned until we are sure that evil has been conquered!"

Right.

"Then I'll lead the way, go forward!"

Wait, what's wrong with me?! Why do I say that?

Impossible......

Can this person be contagious?

Of course I don't want to. I don't want to be a righteous person.

My hearing has recovered enough to hear Dalton's laughter. I'll probably never forget it.

We walked up the hill for ten minutes at a well-proportioned pace and climbed up a natural ridge. Finally, the road turns right and ends on a small plateau.

Pine trees and knee-high shrubs grow luxuriantly in this place, sheltering it from the fiercest winds, turning it into a refuge. I noticed that the regular shape looked so perfect that it didn't look like a masterpiece of nature. More precisely, someone planted a garden here and left it there for at least ten years. Further up, the valley disappears between two cliffs.

It feels very familiar.

Oh.

Oh!

I think about it now. "It's not where, it's when. A few months ago, Nashoba said in that dream.

I found it! A place for dreams!

As I remember, the blocks of buildings clinging to the rocks, as if they had been dug up. There are two lion statues on each side of the main entrance, which are somewhat dilapidated. I didn't hear anything suspicious.

"Let me go in first, Miss Delaney."

We entered the so-called temple and looked around. The men took out lanterns and lit them up.

Abernashi mentioned that the place had been ransacked. This is incorrect. The single room was destroyed by an incredible force. The stone beds and fire pits by the door are intact. Further up, the ground was littered with debris, and the opposite wall had been completely shattered.

On the side of the road, I saw a bare alchemy station under a strangely arranged pile of rocks. I got closer.

Someone collected stones with inscriptions. I know his tongue.

"Dalton, I need your lantern."

Of course, this is a lie told for the benefit of Bingle.

Despite the bad situation, I read a few runes. Unfortunately, there is not enough evidence to infer a meaning unless......

I walked towards the broken wall, dodging the off-course stone.

Something smells good. I know a very similar smell from a long time ago. It's on the tip of my tongue......

I approached the point of impact.

Either someone brought a small cannon, or ...

I pressed my fist against the hole in the middle and pushed it in. When I got to elbow depth, I hit the rubble. Well.

I looked inside. The origin has a single black dot.

It will be .... Is it?

I reached back and fumbled for a few seconds, finally touching something. When I retracted, my index showed a hint of a tar-like substance. I rubbed my fingers and tasted the taste.

A wave of excitement overwhelmed me. There is no vitality, but the scent is unmistakable. Stunned, I took a step back and realized that there were other runes around the crater. I connect facts to facts.

"Miss Delaney, what's that?"

"An Akkadian poem. It says:

The bird flies low and high

Against the rocks and the sky

The birds fly far and wide

But always one step behind. ”

"I don't understand."

"It's a mockery."

My master came here a year ago. He didn't find what he was looking for. Someone took it and hid it.

That's why he came to this remote place.

That's how he found me.

As for what his goal is, I don't know. If we can find a container, maybe we can find a clue. I decided to keep looking. I was particularly interested in where this precious scent came from.

I turned left and walked to the wall. A particularly well-preserved stone cabinet survived the disaster.

It's suspicious.

"Help me move this, I think there's something in there."

Both of them rushed past me, trying to make sure I didn't need to work. Okay, so there are some benefits to being a woman. I'd still rather be allowed to go bounty hunting.

Dalton and Bingle effortlessly pushed the piece of furniture aside. Light shines into a small bathroom with a stone pipe and a storage shelf. What's even more interesting is the person lying on the ground. That's where the alluring smell comes in.

I couldn't control myself. I walked past my companions, ignoring their warnings. I knelt in front of the humanoid monster and lifted its chin.

Two amber eyes opened and winked at me. They are too big to fit in a human face. The characteristics of this thing have a strange sense of distance to them, different and alluring. I think it's male, then he. I got closer. He smells so good and so delicate. This floral scent, this vitality...... I showed eight fangs in one mouth. The man shed a tear as he showed an acceptance born from the abyss of despair.

He knows who I am, he knows what I'm going to do, and he's given up. Great, now I just need to...

"Miss Delaney?"

With a click, I shut my mouth.

If I do this now, I'm going to have to kill Bing. I don't believe I can hypnotize him into forgetting someone's death.

I don't want to kill Binge. No. I don't want my instincts to get in the way of my long-term plans. So I slowly forced myself away from the most powerful and delicious blood I ever had......

Wait, that's it.

The blood provided by this entity saved my life the night I escaped. Or not. He has a slightly different taste, spicier and more mature. However, I feed on his kind.

"Miss?"

I finally forced myself to turn around.

"He's alive! We need to release him. ”

I forced myself to take a step back from that enticing, delicious smell. Bingle walked past me and knelt down. I noticed that he also had the keys he used to free the other prisoners, and luckily, the keys were suitable.

Wait a minute, he'll find out something is wrong!

I turned around in horror and saw a completely normal person, and if it wasn't healthy, I left the strange creature there. A quick study showed that there was a flash of light around his eyes and ears.

"Can you speak, kid?"

“…… Yes. ”

"Where are you hurt?"

"No... It's just that my whole body is sore, thirsty and hungry. ”

But not dirty. How can a dirty person have such a great perfume!

"Don't worry, lad. Your worries are over! We will take good care of you. You have Cecil Rutherford Bingle's assurance!"

Take care.

"Ma'am, you're drooling." Whispering Dalton. "Do you still need a blood transfusion?"

"Thank you, I'll be fine."

What's wrong with me? Nothing but the heart that has recently been strung together. I don't even feel thirsty. The blood of this creature is irresistible to me.

I don't bite.

I don't bite.

Maybe just a little bit...... No! I don't bite. Calm down, Ali, it's not like you. Breathe deeply.

Well, that's a terrible idea. How could this person smell so intoxicating! Hi!

"Are you alright, Miss Draenei?"

I looked away so he couldn't see the fangs.

"I'm sorry, I'm just, I'm sorry, I need some fresh air."

I stumbled outside. Here, a cold wind blows down from both sides of the mountain, taking away traces of pine trees. I began to feel better, or at least more in control of myself.

After a while, the three of them left the building. In public, the temptation is not so strong.

Bingle looked at me sympathetically and led me downstairs. When Dalton supported the strange creature, I followed him. I didn't dare to come closer. In fact, Bing had his back to me, so I thought I could indulge a bit......

No. No! Oh yes. Hold yourself, Ariana! It's ugly! I'm not a slave to impulse.

As I slapped my cheeks, the soft breeze caressed my ears, as if something was whispering to me.

"Why did you spare me, Nightcrawler?"

"Wow!"

"Lover?"

"Miss Delaney?"

"Hmph, I'm sorry! I'm sorry guys, I just missed a step. ”

Dalton hesitated, and Bingle worried.

"Miss Delaney, I apologize! I should remember your suffering! Stupid me! You, um, if you, um, if I'm not too presumptuous, you can take my arm. I'll take you to safety!"

Yes, let me go with the wind until I do something that we will all regret.

"If it's not too troublesome......"

I approached him and grabbed his muscular arm. Hum! It's not entirely unpleasant. This man was full of pride, and it seemed that my trust was important to him. Maybe I shouldn't have turned my back on this guy. It makes it clear that it knows what I am.

"Is this a cruel trap, Nightcrawler?" The wind whispered again.

"My name is Ariane." I muttered in reply, too low for humans to hear.

"Very well, since you are polite to me, I will repay you. I'm Sinid. ”

We continue our conversation in the same way.

"What are you?"

"Do you really not know?"

"Otherwise, I wouldn't have asked for it!" I booed softly.

"You say we are trespassers or people who have gone astray. We come from far away......"

"How far is it?" India? Japan?"

"We're from another dimension."

"Ah...... Really?! How did you get here?!"

The wind sighed annoyancedly.

"My kind of people love to play games. Sometimes we slip and fall into another world. If your plane isn't that heavy, that's not a problem. ”

"Huh?"

"Your reality is rigid. We can't get through it. It's too resistant to us. We couldn't go back, so we got lost and became invaders and prey. ”

"Prey?"

"You must be young...... You have captured us and harvested our immortal blood. It is kept in a safe container for drinking in case of emergency. We are your slaves and animals. Not much better than animals. He added resentfully.

I understand now. Six months ago, I should have died from a wound on Ximena's hand. Only a miracle can save me, and this miracle is his bloodline.

"I don't understand! I thought I had to suck blood on the spot!"

"We are immortal. We don't get old, so if collected properly, our blood can stay alive indefinitely. ”

"I never knew ......"

"It's weird, I want the clan to tell their members about our existence, so you know that if you meet one of our people, don't eat us right away. I think such a fate is too merciful......

Our essence is still bound to blood, so only a limited amount of elixir can be obtained from the same captive, and then it is necessary to keep him alive. My people have been reduced to impounded property and fugitives like me. ”

If what he said was true, and I believed him, then Shimena gave up an incredible treasure to help me. The thing I used to run home could have been used to save her life in battle! My gratitude to her grows day by day.

Why didn't she mention it? I'm not surprised that my friend would try to hide the extent of her sacrifice, but there may be other reasons. Vampires may try to cover up the existence of this powerful secret weapon. I have to be cautious.

"I don't know what your plan is," said Sinid, "so I'm at the mercy of a creature of the night......"

He said this for a while, and I learned something interesting. His race is known as the Lika, and they are powerful users of magic. In their homeland, they can manipulate the essence of reality in the same way that great painters manipulate color. Here they can only play tricks and illusions. I also learned that Sinid was the default leader of his kind, the most powerful Rika here, and that he had a similar deputy. I finally learned that Sinid was an absolute theatrical queen.

Honestly, I'm impressed.

Great proclamations, lamentations and demagogic words poured out of his mouth without ceasing. Some even rhyme! He kept talking and talking, cursing the planet and its inhabitants, cursing his fate, cursing the moon and stars, and cursing the neighbor's dogs. Everyone. What's worse for me is that he didn't even think about running away. We were outside on the dark path, in the night, he was not tied, and we were obviously tired and wounded, but not once tried to steal the knife! If it were me, I'd at least give it a try......

Wait, won't he keep playing tricks on me!

I turned away in a panic, but no, he was still hanging on Dalton's shoulder, looking into the distance like the protagonist of an opera. I could still smell him when the wind stopped for a while.

I believe that if his race had half the drama of his, it would not be surprising that they were exploited by vampires. We all have one thing in common: callousness.

We walked slowly along the path, and I continued to meditate. Under Bing's guidance, I was able to stop paying attention to my surroundings and Cineid's constant complaints.

He is clearly the source mentioned in the notes of the Abernethy workshop. If I understand correctly, the cult leader has been using his blood to gain eternal life.

Maybe that's why I feel so wrong.

Likaea

The blood is precious. It shouldn't be wasted by a bumbling idiot with no talent and experience. A few scratched symbols are not enough to achieve the virtuosity required to brew the elixir of eternity. I remember the woman I saw in the vision, I drank blood from the master and became a vampire. What is written on her tanned human skin. It's a complex recipe, a work of art, far more than anything I've ever seen in Loth's studio.

It is impossible for this person to achieve his goal in three lifetimes. He only created an impure mixture with a transient effect at the expense of man's free will.

How he is

aïve, even thought that our whining rescuer might be a powerful enough source of power. Here he is weak and wretched. He is not enough, no. It takes something incredible to change a person on such a fundamental level. This requires God's help.

Really, the whole project was doomed from the start. I'm glad that at least we cleaned our own backyard.

We also saved some humans and that weird alien. I think it was a success.

"Tell me, Son of Darkness, tell me why you're playing with me like this?" What a perilous fate I have, now that I'm free......"

Sinid's rant has grown to the point where it needs attention. Good.

"I haven't decided yet."

"Forgiveness?"

"I said, I haven't made a choice yet. Now please don't bother me, I'm tired of this kind of conversation. ”

I don't want to deal with this person today. I'm not thirsty, I'm tired, and his survival depends on a whole bunch of commitments and rules, which I don't want to think about before having a good rest.

We soon arrived at the cave again. I went to Loth and was still busy taking care of the wounded. It seems that some of them will not succeed.

"Dalton?"

"Mistress?"

"Please take care of me, I need to rest my eyes for a while."

"Very well, ma'am."

Yes, there's a lot more to do. I just need a little time.