From within his seal space, Gavin sensed his clone as it leaped back into the valley, carrying the Snow Cat's corpse.
As soon as the clone placed the body on the snow, something unexpected happened.
The clone watched intently as the Snow Cat's blood began to flow, pooling onto the cold ground.
But rather than soaking into the snow, the blood started to gather—whirling, cycling around itself until it formed a floating sphere.
The ball of blood spun in the air, shrinking smaller and smaller with each passing second.
Then, at last, all that remained was a six-pointed blood gem, glowing faintly.
Without warning, the blood gem shot into the air, streaking across the valley—heading directly toward the statue at the tribe's center.
The clone did not follow it. Instead, with the matter settled, it began consuming the Snow Cat's remains.
At the same time, Gavin focused on comprehending the Snow Cat's ability through its blood.
Once the clone had finished its meal, it sent a voice transmission to Gavin.
"I'm returning to my new territory to examine it."
Gavin, too immersed in his study, merely replied with a low hum of acknowledgment before continuing his deep analysis of the Snow Cat's power.
Elsewhere – The Harbor of Gate City
The freezing night winds howled through the streets of Gate City, as patrolling guards moved cautiously along the port.
Two of them, walking together, stopped near a bonfire left burning by the previous shift.
The guard teams had set up these fires across the city, small beacons of warmth to protect themselves from the bitter cold.
As they rubbed their hands near the flames, the sound of carriage wheels echoed through the quiet streets.
One of the guards muttered, "Who the hell would be traveling on a night like this?"
His companion said nothing, only nodding in agreement as he watched the approaching carriage.
It was made of black wood, sleek and ominous, pulled by a horse as dark as the abyss itself.
His eyes fell on the crest engraved upon the carriage—a bat emblem, stark against the polished black surface.
Recognition flickered in his mind.
A noble family.
But which one?
With over a hundred noble families present in Gate City—from the lowest lords to the princes of the Empire—he had no way of knowing which one the carriage belonged to.
The carriage rolled to a stop beside them, its side facing them directly.
Before they could speak or inquire anything, the curtain parted—and in an instant, a flash of red light filled their vision.
A chilling sensation swept over him.
His body froze, and then—against his will—he felt himself moving.
He watched, helpless, as he and his partner turned away from the fire and began walking toward an empty dock.
Their hands moved without their command, reaching out to unhook the chains that blocked access to the port.
A few minutes later, through his hijacked senses, he saw it.
From the vast expanse of the Siren Ocean, a large black ship emerged, gliding toward them.
Its blood-red shrouds billowed against the cold night air, draped over the masts of an ancient vessel.
A wave of disbelief crashed through his trapped mind.
A decade-old ship…? Impossible.
For years, all ships had run on steam cores, their chimneys releasing thick plumes of smoke as they powered forward.
Sailing ships, reliant on favorable winds and manpower, had become obsolete.
And yet, here it was.
As the ship drew closer, rows of massive oars extended from its hull, rowing the vessel toward the dock with unnatural precision.
The ship docked silently, and from its depths, ten figures emerged, all clad in flowing black robes.
A few moments later, four more men followed, carrying a coffin on their shoulders.
The coffin was placed inside the waiting carriage.
One of the figures from the ship spoke, his voice low and indifferent.
"What do we do with them?"
He was talking about them—the guards.
The guards remained frozen, unable to move, unable to resist.
They already knew their fate.
They would be drained dry, their lifeless bodies discarded into the ocean.
The clues were all there.
The otherworldly appearance of the figures.
The coffin, likely carrying a high-ranking vampire.
And, most telling of all—the spell that had seized their bodies.
A female voice, sultry and amused, broke the silence.
"Leave them to me," she purred, licking her lips and revealing razor-sharp fangs. "I've been craving fresh human blood."
But then, a voice from inside the carriage spoke firmly.
"No. I'll erase their memories. No need to alert the dogs to investigate."
Darkness swallowed them.
The ship silently left the dock, vanishing into the vast ocean.
Meanwhile, the carriage turned back, retracing its path through the city streets.
Two vampires stayed behind, working swiftly to restore the dock to its original state.
One pair secured the heavy black chains, ensuring there was no trace of their removal.
The other pair carefully placed the unconscious guards back beside their fire, making it seem as if they had simply fallen asleep on duty.
Satisfied, the vampires melted into the shadows, moving unseen as they followed the carriage from a distance.
The guards patrolling the streets noticed only the carriage, completely unaware of the silent figures gliding through the darkness behind it.
The carriage made its way through a wealthy district, where elaborate mansions stood behind high iron gates.
As it approached a particular estate, guards stationed at the entrance took notice.
One of them—a young man—narrowed his eyes at the approaching vehicle.
"Why is Duke Sturdza's carriage returning at this hour?" he muttered.
His older companion immediately smacked the back of his head.
"Never question noble families, boy," he warned in a hushed tone. "Unless you want to end up rotting in a ditch."
The young guard swallowed hard and said nothing more as they watched the carriage pass through the gates, entering the Duke's grand estate.
The carriage rolled to a stop in front of the main entrance.
Two figures—a young man and a young woman—stood waiting at the door.
As the carriage door opened, a middle-aged man stepped out. His piercing crimson eyes swept over them.
"Sterza, Stern—is the blood pool ready?"
Sterza, the young woman, nodded. "Yes, Father."
Her attention quickly shifted as the vampires emerged from the shadows, carefully lifting the coffin from the carriage.
This was the first time she had seen them up close, yet she felt no fear—only curiosity.
To other humans, vampires were terrifying creatures of the night.
But to her, they were almost like distant cousins.
After all, her family's lineage could be traced back to the Blood Race—a superior race from which all vampires were descended.
Unlike ordinary vampires, the Blood Race could produce offspring with humans.
Meanwhile, the vampire race itself had come into existence when the Blood Race transformed humans through magic.
Sterza watched as the vampires silently carried the coffin inside, following her father and brother into the estate's grand hall.
The Awakening
At the center of the hall lay a large blood-filled pool, its surface thick and dark with fresh vitality.
Without hesitation, the vampires lowered the coffin into the pool.
Immediately, the coffin began absorbing the blood, draining the pool dry within seconds.
A tense silence followed.
Nothing happened.
Uneasy glances were exchanged.
Then—
The coffin suddenly burst open.
Everyone in the room instantly fell to their knees, heads bowed in reverence.
From within the shattered remains of the coffin, something stirred.
A large bat—its skin a deep crimson, its eyes glowing red like burning embers—shot into the air, its wings unfurling with a powerful gust.
If Gavin had been present, he would have immediately recognized the bat's aura—a presence eerily similar to his own.
Then, in a smooth, fluid motion, the bat's form twisted and morphed.
When it finally settled, standing before them was a breathtakingly beautiful woman.
-------------
A rough shove jolted one of the guards awake.
"Wake up."
His eyes snapped open, his mind suddenly alert.
Blinking rapidly, he saw the replacement guard standing over him, frowning.
Confused, Ben sat up, rubbing his temple.
He muttered hesitantly, "What… happened?"
His mind struggled to process. Did I fall asleep?
Turning his head, he saw Gary waking up beside him, wearing the same bewildered expression.
The two stared at each other, unspoken questions hanging in the cold air.
A sharp voice interrupted their daze.
"We should be the ones asking that."
Ben looked up to see Tom, one of the replacement guards, frowning down at them.
"If the captain finds out you two fell asleep during the patrol, you'll both be punished."
Ben quickly shook his head. "Tom, I swear, Gary and I were patrolling. We just stopped to warm up by the fire." He gestured to the extinguished fire beside them. "I don't even remember falling asleep."
As he spoke, his gaze drifted down to his hand—and his breath caught.
A black mark stained his palm.
Tom noticed it too. Grabbing Ben's wrist, he examined the dark imprint closely.
Ben, Tom, and the other replacement guard, Dew, turned toward Gary, who slowly lifted his palm.
The same black mark.
A tense silence settled between them.
Then Dew's eyes flicked toward the docks. His face darkened.
"No… a chain was removed."
The three followed his gaze. The heavy black chains, normally locked in place to prevent unauthorized docking, had been disturbed.
Tom's expression grew grim.
"Let me get this straight—you two don't remember anything after warming yourselves by the fire?"
Ben and Gary slowly nodded.
Tom exhaled sharply. "Then we have two possibilities." He glanced at Dew.
Dew took over, his tone sharp and analytical. "One—you're both lying. You removed the chain to let a smuggler's ship dock at night."
Ben and Gary opened their mouths to protest, but Dew held up a hand.
"But…" Dew continued, "you both know those chains are soaked in a special liquid to prevent them from freezing in the cold. Anyone who touches them leaves a stain on their hands."** His eyes narrowed. "If you were lying, you would've washed the mark off before we found you."
Ben felt his pulse quicken.
His mind raced, piecing together the second possibility.
"The second option…" Ben said slowly, feeling a chill creep down his spine. "We did remove the chain… but after putting it back, our memories were erased."
A heavy silence fell.
Gary swallowed hard, his face pale. "That means… we were close to dying, weren't we?"
Neither Tom nor Dew answered.
Tom clapped a hand on Ben's shoulder, his voice firm but quiet. "Don't think about it too much. Whatever happened… they chose not to harm you."
Dew nodded. "Go home. Get some rest."
Ben and Gary hesitated, but they knew there was nothing else they could do.
Exchanging uneasy glances, the two rose to their feet.
Without another word, they silently left, their minds a whirlwind of fear and unanswered questions.