As I stare at my reflection in my father's blood splattered on the floor, I try to feel something, yet tears won't fall from my eyes, as if this were the punishment for the monster I've become. I simply can't feel the pain of what I've lost. I know he's my father, I know he's dear to me, but I feel nothing, my heart won't beat.
I stand up and look around; it's a cave, probably where the bear the village chief killed lived. I head for the exit, the sunlight hits my skin, but I don't feel the heat. My skin shines as if tiny, glistening stones are encrusted on my body. Something so unnatural, but it doesn't matter anymore.
I smell blood and follow it, before I know it I'm at the camp, bodies scattered on the ground, limbs torn apart. I wanted to look away but I couldn't, as if my own nature compelled me to look.
I felt the craving for that red liquid, but not as uncontrollable as at the beginning, hunger hadn't yet overtaken me.
I buried all the bodies, including my father's. I buried him at the spot where I shot the wild boar, in front of the stream where we shared our last intimate moment as father and son.
I approach the stream and look at my reflection; the white hair that was fading to gray is now whiter, purer. My eyes are blood red, and my skin is even paler than my hair. Something beautiful and otherworldly, but there was no joy or sadness, only emptiness.
What should I do now? Head to the village? No. I gaze at the horizon and continue on my way, with no destination in mind.
1000 Years Later
I learned the hard way how uncontrollable hunger is over the years. I want to believe there's still something human left in me, so I refuse to kill innocents. I've been feeding on criminals and the dead for years. At first, I refused to feed myself, but it was worse, and innocents died because of my stubbornness and stupidity.
With so many years that have passed, humans have evolved. The villages are no longer so small and can sustain themselves without needing to hunt every day; they plant and grow their own food, something fascinating, actually. I still stay away from the villages most of the time. Despite my control, my appearance is very striking, even without considering my hair.
While wandering in search of my next prey, I smelled a different scent, not so attractive but very present. I approach calmly, until we are face to face. Red eyes, long black hair, and skin as pale as porcelain. A monster, in 1000 years I had never encountered one since that fateful night.
-Hunting? (says the unknown entity)
I silently continue to stare at the figure, thinking about whether to confront it or simply avoid it. In the end, I decide to respond to avoid a fight. I've never fought one of these monsters and I don't know its capabilities compared to mine.
"Just keeping my hunger under control," (Kael)
I say with as little dialogue as I could think of.
The figure extends its hand with a calm and serene smile. And without reason to refuse, I extend mine. When I touch its hand, I feel my life flash before my eyes as the creature smiles.
"Hello, it seems you are much older than me, but also much more naive and weak. My name is Aro," (Aro says as he withdraws his hand)
In a panic, I look at Aro and quickly back away.
-You don't need to be so scared, I don't bite, most of the time. (Aro says with the same calm and irritating smile)
-It was a pleasure, my name is Kael. Since this is your hunting grounds, I'll retreat. (Kael)
Aro seems like he's going to say something, but Kael quickly disappears. Aro thinks about following him for a moment but quickly forgets. The Vampire doesn't seem worth the effort.
I stop almost half a day's journey from the city where I met Aro. The hunger is almost unbearable, and I hold back so I can find a target. I see a man, with worn clothes and a dagger smelling of blood, clearly a bandit or thief. Due to hunger, I don't think much. I sense two presences, the man's and someone inside the cart, but their vitality is weak, an old man or someone near death. Maybe a companion who was injured in the last robbery. I quickly approach the man and kill him with a single blow and begin to drink his blood.
As I drink the blood, I hear a rustling noise and a small hand emerges from the cart. A pale, malnourished child looks at me.
"Dad?" (the child says)
In a panic, I look at the child, not knowing what to do or say. The child is clearly near death, but those innocent eyes looking at me give me chills and fear. They remind me of what I am.
The child is beyond saving, without family and on the verge of death. Should I curse her like myself? NO.
I approach the child slowly and notice the fear in her eyes.
"It's alright." (Kael)
I gently wrap the child in my embrace. Her heart is weak. I feel her pain when I look into her eyes. For the first time in 1000 years, I feel something beyond emptiness, perhaps compassion.
The child's expression relaxes, as if she were in the happiest moment of her life. There was no pain or sadness, only peace. Then her body began to slowly decay.
I look at my hands, is this something akin to Aro's ability? Now with my hunger satisfied, I can better think about the moment I touched Aro; it was as if he saw everything I am.
I take the man's body and what remains of the child, and bury them.
Just like that day, I look at the horizon, and without a destination in mind, I continue my journey.