Inside an undefined place, swallowed by absolute darkness within the confines of a small chamber, lies a man. He appears to be somewhere in his thirties, bearing a short beard and cropped hair in a wild, untamed mess, as though it had never once met a comb. His hair is pitch black, as if forged from the deepest void in the forgotten reaches of the universe and yet its ends are a light blue almost turquoise shimmering faintly as though they emitted a soft glow when observed closely.
His skin is utterly pale, corpse-like, and he is clothed in a black toga which, despite being oversized and worn by time, radiates an air of sanctity and authority.
This merciless silence is broken when the man suddenly opens his eyes in shock and astonishment, as though waking from a terrible nightmare.
"Alive once more… or perhaps not," he said, stopping halfway as he remembered that his body was dead, preserved in that state for centuries.
"Ah, fuck it," he muttered under his breath, beginning to observe his surroundings.
Stone walls, no light, silence, and I'm not restrained. So, not a prison. Although with that old geezer you can never be sure, he thought with a trace of optimism.
Approaching one of the walls, he placed his hand upon it, gathering magical energy in search of something.
"A barrier but no curse, no seal. More of a subtle enchantment to dissuade ordinary people from coming near," he said, pushing harder against the stone.
The wall could not withstand the pressure and cracked open, revealing channels beneath.
Strange construction. Looks like an aqueduct… but underground, he noted, comparing it to ancient structures he had once seen before falling into slumber.
After some time, he found a steel ladder and climbed it to the surface where something unexpected awaited him.
Tall, towering buildings, wide black strips, he thought, before finally looking up and noticing something familiar.
Ah… at least the moon and stars remain the same.
A faint smile touched his lips, only to vanish as swiftly as it appeared.
"I must find a mortal. Through them I'll acquire knowledge about these… different times," he murmured while searching for a target.
After a moment of consideration about how to proceed, a strange metal object appeared before his eyes, moving along the long black path stretched between the buildings.
"Humans tend to be more willing to offer help when it's a woman."
No sooner had he spoken the words than the transformation began. Using his powers, he shifted his form into that of a woman. His primary features like hair color remained, the only changes being the feminine silhouette, the absence of a beard, and long flowing hair.
The steel construct rolled closer, and from it stepped a man whose speech she could not comprehend, thus she simply did what she had lured him for.
With a speed no mortal could ever hope to perceive, the woman seized him and sank her fangs into his neck, draining the precious blood. After a brief moment she withdrew, staring directly into his eyes in which her own inhuman gaze was reflected. The whites had been replaced by a darkness black as shadow, and her pupils seemed to glow with the same blue light as her hair.
Within a mere second the man stopped struggling and fell still, staring ahead with empty eyes.
I was worried about using hypnosis. There's always a chance someone might detect it… but it seems there's nothing to worry about, the being reassured itself.
The ability she had used would ensure that the man forgot everything that had happened and soon returned to his usual self.
Hm… poor-quality blood. Seems ordinary humans have grown weaker. Still, it's enough, I've fed. Oh… so that's how the human world and society work now. Interesting, she thought as she processed the memories she had taken along with the man's blood.
Wanting to blend in better among humans, she used her magic to change her clothing, returning to her male form in the process. It was the form he preferred; he had been born a man and, out of habit, felt more comfortable that way.
"Ah, right," he said, conjuring a pair of sunglasses to hide his eyes.
"Almost forgot about the eyes."
Taking advantage of the moment, he climbed into the taxi the man had arrived in and drove off toward his next destination.
"I'll need paperwork. An ID, a passport, documents of some sort if I'm to function properly," he said, heading toward the office guided by the knowledge he had obtained from the unfortunate taxi driver.
On the way, a woman waved at him, clearly in need of a lift.
"Good evening, madam. How may I help you?" he asked, as the woman entered the back seat without even waiting for permission.
"Drive, for fuck's sake! Faster! Just leg it!" she screamed at him.
Only now did he notice that the woman was running from the police after committing robbery and theft.
Well… I suppose I need to run anyway, seeing as I'm technically in this country illegally…
With a troubled expression, he sped forward. Fortunately, his victim had known the city like the back of his hand, and thanks to that knowledge, he managed to shake off the pursuit with ease.
Glancing at her through the rear-view mirror, he inspected her with curiosity.
Red skin, two horns on her head… a demon? But out in the open like this among humans? Odd, he commented inwardly.
Perhaps I should've drained that taxi driver completely. Or two more people. The knowledge I took from him is clearly incomplete.
Yet as soon as the thought appeared, he shook his head and dismissed it.
No. I promised Seth I wouldn't slaughter his children without reason. I'll keep my word.
After some time, when the chase had finally subsided, the woman stepped out of the car and placed a hundred-dollar note into his hand.
"Thanks for the help. You fucking saved my arse," she said crudely before walking off.
Just an ordinary piece of paper, and yet one can buy so much with it…
Casting a final glance at the banknote, he drove on toward the government office.
Once there, he parked—only to realise he had overlooked one rather important detail.
"It's the middle of the night. Of course it's closed!"
He decided to wait until morning. However, he abandoned the car, knowing the police might trace it back once the taxi driver regained consciousness and reported the theft.
What he did not know, however, was that his awakening had already caused panic among many circles…
In a dark basement, a man wearing Lennon-style glasses and a hat sat watching television on a fifty-inch screen, sipping a drink.
Suddenly, in shock, he set the glass aside and switched off the TV, breathing heavily.
"Ah… ah… what the—" he muttered, trying to make sense of the strange sensation that had washed over him. After a moment, however, he realized what it was and quickly reached for his phone.
But before he could dial the number, the very person he intended to call rang him first.
"Erm… Police girl said that something's happened. She says she feels tingling as if like something's calling to her," said a woman's voice.
"Yes, I know. Keep her where she is. She mustn't go anywhere," he replied. He then heard hurried instructions being given to someone else on the other side of the line.
"All right, what's going on? From your voice I'm guessing it's serious," the woman said, now sounding sharply focused.
"Erm… Remember those old notes and the emergency codes I came up with long ago with your predecessors, yes?"
"Yes. One of them?" she asked, her curiosity rising.
"Exactly. Code—"
After he said the code wat remained was the sound of pages frantically turning on her end. After a brief pause, she responded:
"Oh, fuck all kinds of duck!"
In a strip club, a man in a suit with black hair and a yellow streak in his fringe was enjoying a rather high-quality service when suddenly his phone began to ring.
The ringtone, a remixed techno version of a religious hymn. It immediately told him who was trying to reach him.
Must be something important, he thought, and answered.
"What's up, Mike?" he said mockingly, trying to lighten what he assumed was a tense situation.
"He's awakened."
That was all he heard before the call was abruptly cut short.
It was enough. The smirk on his face vanished, replaced by a look of utter seriousness.
"Oh, bloody hell."
He raised his voice and shouted:
"Everyone, quiet!"
The music stopped instantly, and everyone, from dancers to customers stared at him in confusion.
"Fun's over. There's something you need to check. Immediately!"
A blonde superheroine delivered a final punch to the last of the criminals. She looked around the bridge where the chase had led her, noting the traffic jam that had formed.
Before she could begin helping the civilians, she heard a message in her earpiece from someone of higher rank.
"Return to SDN. You're needed."
'Sounds like trouble'
"What's going on?" she asked, still trying to assist the stranded drivers.
"We've received intel that there will be increased vampiric activity. Your abilities might be crucial if some of the older ones appear," the voice explained.
"All right, I'm on my way," she replied, then took off, soaring toward headquarters with the help of her powers.