After the three spent an hour walking around town, exploring and observing, Elena received a mental message from Anna. It was time for them to leave. They went back to the carriage where Anna was already waiting inside.
"Did you three have fun?" Anna asked, smiling faintly.
"Yes, Grandma, I would like to come to town again to explore the other places," John said, taking a sip of the strawberry milk he had bought from a dairy store. The simple, sugary flavor was a welcome taste of the familiar amidst the new.
"I would also like to come with John!" Carmilla shouted, her initial boredom forgotten. "It was very nice spending time with my cousin."
Anna was very happy that her two grandchildren had enjoyed themselves. She then looked at Elena. "Did you also enjoy yourself, Elena?"
"This one enjoyed herself with the two young masters very much," Elena replied, giving a genuine, lovely smile.
Anna, John, and Carmilla got into the luxurious, black carriage. Following Anna's earlier instruction, Elena joined them. The four of them—Anna, John, Carmilla, and Elena—were the only occupants as the carriage began its two-hour journey back to the castle.
When they arrived back at the castle, the man named Carlos Decker had already departed. John and Carmilla separated to go to their own rooms to rest after the long trip, but John was too energized. He noticed two knights in the training yard swinging large swords and immediately changed his direction.
John walked up to the knights. "What's up, Crimson Knights, will you guys train me with the sword?"
The two knights were shocked by John's casual tone and immediately bowed. "It will be our honor, my lord," they both said simultaneously.
John smiled at them both. "Get up and let's get started."
Before the knight could show John anything, a crucial detail came to John's mind. He stepped out of the castle's shade and looked up at the midday sun.
"Wait, how are you guys able to stand in the sun?" John asked. "You guys don't have the Crimson blood, so how are you alive? Is it because Grandfather turned you, and that's why you are able to walk in the sun?"
The first knight then explained, "The reason we are able to stand in the sun, Young Master, is because we have magical rings that allow us to." The knight held up his hand, revealing a plain silver ring with intricate, glowing inscriptions. "This is called the Daywalk Ring, Young Master."
"So that's how it is," John mused, touching his own hand. "But is it possible for a vampire to inherit the ability to walk in the sun from his master or creator?"
The other knight then spoke. "Yes, Young Master, we do have knights here that inherited the ability to walk in the sun. Some of them are also stronger than us and are usually asleep."
John held his hand to his chin. "Asleep?"
"Yes, Young Master. We have many more vampires who are asleep underground and will be awakened when needed. However, when they are awakened, they will be very weak as they need a significant amount of blood and time to get back to full power. They are kept in stasis to preserve their strength for major conflicts."
"Damn, there are a lot of stuff that I do not know," John sighed, shaking his head at the layers of new information.
John then took the heavy claymore sword offered by the knight, gripping it with both hands. "Okay, now show me how this works."
The knights systematically showed John the components of the greatsword: the blade, the sharp point, the quillion (the crossguard), and the heavy pommel at the bottom of the hilt. They demonstrated the proper grip—both hands centered on the hilt—and showed him the basic motions.
John practiced downward and diagonal slashes on a wooden dummy for an hour before calling it a day, his arms already aching from the unaccustomed weight.
In the next couple of days, John practiced sword slashes and thrusts diligently. Sometimes he would spar with some of the guards, but most of the time he practiced alone, focusing on muscle memory and the sheer power of the weapon.
After a week of intense training, John called over one of the guards. When the guard arrived in front of John, he bowed by bending his knee. "What is Young Master's command?"
John felt a flash of embarrassment and helped the guard up. "I am not that good with great swords; they feel too slow. Do you guys maybe use other weapons?"
"Yes, Young Master, we do use other weapons. We have a full armory for all types of combat."
John felt a surge of hope. "Then show me."
The guard led John toward a secluded section of the castle, stopping outside a massive, steel-reinforced door. Inside, a middle-aged man with brown hair, a meticulous mustache, and a pointed beard that followed his jawline was polishing a shield.
"Welcome, Young Master, my name is Porto. How may I be of service?" the man greeted him, his hands pausing in their work.
John smiled, looking past Porto at the racks and shelves that disappeared into the shadows, lined with every type of weapon imaginable.
"Swords, lots of swords," John said, his eyes shining with anticipation.