Chapter 24 — The Vampire's Confession
Kai leaned against the railing, the cool night breeze tugging at his hoodie. Beside him, Elias stood motionless, his pale face illuminated by the dim crimson glow of the sky.
"You know," Kai said, breaking the silence, "I think you could take on anything that's coming. Whatever's in the water, whatever's above. Pretty sure about that. Isn't that your strength?"
Elias turned his head slightly, his crimson eyes catching the light.
"Yes," he said. "I am strong. But not because I was born strong. I trained to become this way."
Kai raised an eyebrow. "How?"
Elias leaned back against the railing, his posture relaxing slightly. "That's not a short story."
Kai gestured at the empty horizon. "Time is all we have out here. Until something dangerous shows up and we have to fight for our lives again. Until then… I can hear your story."
Elias was silent for a moment. Then he smiled—a thin, almost wistful expression that did not reach his eyes.
"Alright," he said. "But don't blame me if it's not as exciting as you expect."
"In this world, you're new," Elias began, "so let me explain something. Vampires are… quite racist. Not in the way humans use that word—not about skin color or gender. But we have a rigid social hierarchy. Elves and dragons have similar structures. Old bloodlines control most of the artifacts, the powerful techniques, the resources. Lower families? They get the scraps."
Kai studied him. The vampire's attire—the high collar, the tailored black coat, the gleaming artifacts—spoke of wealth and status.
"Let me guess," Kai said. "Your clothes, your artifacts, your way of walking and talking… it all screams noble."
Elias laughed—a short, genuine sound.
"No, no. I'm not a noble. But I can see why you'd think that. I came from a lower family. A very low family."
Kai's eyes widened slightly. "Wait. You're telling me you come from a low family? With your strength? Don't tell me there are vampires even more powerful than you. That would be terrifying."
Elias's smile faded.
"There are a few who are stronger than me. Not many. But a few." He paused. "I grew up on the outskirts of the vampire kingdom. My father was a gardener for a royal family. Not a grand one—just a minor noble house. He worked hard, earned enough to put food on the table. We lived in a small house in the woods. It was peaceful."
He looked up at the red sky.
"I had a pet. A bat. Cute little thing. Drank blood, obviously." A dark chuckle. "I still remember the first time I found him. He was sucking the brains out of a human corpse. Sorry for that image."
Kai shrugged. "I've seen worse. I'm getting used to it."
Elias nodded. "So, I was in my human form—not transformed—and this bat came at me after draining that poor soul. I shifted into my vampire form, full fangs, the works. And that little creature just… stopped. Made this cute face. Like he recognized me. Like he knew I was family."
He touched his chest absently.
"After that, he followed me everywhere. Took some time to train him. But I think he just liked me."
---
"I had three sisters," Elias continued. "One of them is Seraphina—the one you've met. Another is… elsewhere. And the third…" He trailed off, then shook his head. "Anyway. My life was good. I worked as a teacher—instructing young vampires about human anatomy, how to drain blood efficiently, how to capture prey, how to build castles, how to rule the world. You know. Normal stuff."
Kai snorted. "Normal."
"For us, yes." Elias's eyes grew distant. "Good times. Good work. Then one day, the vampire lord my father worked for was attacked by another house. A single man—incredibly strong—destroyed most of the family. After that, there were heavy layoffs. My father lost his job."
He paused.
"He found new work eventually. With one of the oldest vampire families in existence. The clan leader there is ancient—some say he was turned by the first vampire himself. That man is so old, so powerful, that his family is considered untouchable."
Kai leaned forward. "And?"
Elias smiled. "One time, I went with my father to see the estate. It was… unimaginable. Massive. I can't even describe it properly. I don't read many novels, so I'm not good at storytelling."
Kai smirked. "I can see that. Or rather, hear it."
Elias chuckled. "Fair enough. So, I'm there, wandering around, and I see their artifact collection. Huge. And in the hand of a young noble—a red-haired bastard with nail clippers and a smug face—was a sword."
"A sword," Kai repeated.
"A sword. And the sword didn't accept him. It never glowed for him, never responded. But when I walked past it… it started glowing."
Kai's eyes narrowed. "Let me guess. Red hair. Arrogant. Evil?"
Elias laughed. "How did you know?"
"Just a feeling. I've had bad experiences with redheads. Also, I read a lot of manga."
Elias looked genuinely amused. "I see. Yes, he was an evil bastard. So, the sword glows when I'm near, and he thinks it's his power finally awakening. He raises it triumphantly, declares himself worthy… and the sword flies out of his hand and lands at my feet."
Kai blinked. "What did you do?"
"I screamed. I didn't pick it up. I literally backed away and said, 'Please don't attack me with it.'" Elias shook his head. "The red-haired idiot—his name was Aldric, by the way—he didn't attack. He just stared. He thought the sword's rejection was because of my 'ugly face' or something. Powerful family, stupid guy. A rare mixture."
"So what happened?"
"We became friends. I visited his estate often. Every time I came, the sword glowed. He thought it was responding to his growing power. I never told him the truth—I didn't understand it myself. But I could feel the connection. The sword wanted me."
Kai leaned in. "Where is the sword now?"
Elias held up a hand. "I'll get to that. This is a long story."
---
The Tub of Blood
"Our friendship continued. We trained together. I got stronger, but Aldric was always ahead—artifacts, potions, everything the rich families have. And there was this… tub. A tub filled with blood. Not human blood—something else. Something so alluring that I could barely control myself around it."
He shivered.
"Aldric drank from it every day. I never found out what it was. The big families use something else—something that accelerates their growth massively. I think it's shady. That's why they don't tell anyone."
Kai frowned. "And you never tried it?"
"I wasn't allowed. It was for nobles only."
"One day, I invited Aldric to my home. I'd been to his estate so many times—it seemed only fair. But the moment we left his castle gates, he sneered. 'Oh my God,' he said. 'It's so dirty here. How do you live like this?'"
Elias's voice hardened.
"Spoiled brat, as you'd say. He never came again. But then… one day, my sister came to visit me and my father. She was beautiful—kind, gentle, everything good in my life."
He stopped.
Kai waited.
"Aldric saw her. The moment she walked through the door, he was on her. Like a beast. Right there on the ground. He ripped her clothes off. He… did unspeakable things to her while I stood there, frozen."
Kai's fists clenched.
"My father tried to stop it. He ran forward. And the next thing I knew… his head was flying through the air."
Elias's voice was flat now. Empty.
"Everyone else just watched. The guards. The servants. They continued working as if nothing was happening. My sister screaming. My father's body crumpling. And I couldn't move."
He took a breath.
"I don't remember exactly what happened next. I know that I approached Aldric. Guards tried to stop me. I took one of their swords, spun it, and drove it through their skulls. I buried them in the ground with my bare hands."
His eyes grew distant, unfocused.
"I dug my nails into Aldric's body. I ripped his heart out. I grabbed his brain, split it in two, and drank the blood from it. I tore off his skin and wore it like a coat. I crushed his ribcage between my teeth."
Kai said nothing.
"More guards came. I grabbed one man's eyes—ripped them out of his skull—and shoved them into his mouth. Then I punched his face so hard that he swallowed his own teeth."
He was trembling now—not with fear, but with the memory of rage.
"I killed everyone. Everyone who tried to stop me. They ripped me apart—my hands, my heart, my eyes, my head, my brain, my legs, my nails, my skin, my skeleton. Every piece of me was scattered across that castle floor."
He turned to look at Kai directly.
"But I didn't stop. I couldn't stop. Even as they tore me to pieces, I kept fighting. And then… I woke up. Naked. Standing in a lake of blood. The castle was flowing with it. And my body was whole again. Like I had been reborn."
"The moment I stood up, they attacked again. More guards. More nobles. Everyone wanted me dead. I fought for a year. A full year of nonstop battle. I pushed past every limit. I broke through every ceiling. And at the end of that year… there were only two great clans left."
He held up his hand.
"I had killed the entire third clan. Every single member. And the sword—the one that had glowed for me—it came to me. It accepted me. That's how I got my artifact."
Kai was silent for a long moment.
"You said the third family's elder is still alive," he said finally. "The ancient one. Why doesn't he come after you?"
Elias laughed—a bitter, hollow sound.
"He does. He's been hunting me for years. But he can't find me. The world is big, and the vampire kingdom is far, far away." He paused. "But he took his revenge. He killed my entire family—everyone except my sisters. My parents, my cousins, my aunts and uncles… all dead. Only me, Seraphina, and my other sister remain. Three of us left in the world."
He looked out at the dark sea.
"And I am wanted. A criminal to some, a hero to others. Because I destroyed one of the great powers of the vampire kingdom. That shifted the balance of power. A lot of people owe me favors. A lot more want my head."
---
Kai's Response
Kai was quiet for a while, processing the weight of what he had heard.
"That's a dark story," he said finally.
Elias nodded. "Yes. It is."
He turned to Kai. "What about you? What's the most brutal thing you've ever done?"
Kai thought for a moment.
"I beat a man so badly that his entire body broke down. He's been in a coma ever since. Still is."
Elias raised an eyebrow. "That's not dark."
Kai shrugged. "I just fight. I don't… do what you did."
Elias studied him for a long moment. Then he smiled—a real smile, warm and almost human.
"That's impressive," he said. "And also dark. In its own way."
Kai met his gaze.
"Maybe we're not so different after all."
Elias said nothing. He simply turned back to the sea, and the two of them stood in silence, watching the horizon, waiting for whatever would come next.