To say that having your senses amplified without any proper preparations was overwhelming. Aldrin's head was on a swivel with each unfamiliar noise, whether it was from a bug singing their nightly song or from an animal bolting away from him. He had estimated he could hear and see up to a mile away, but he assumed that was because his senses were being overloaded. Add to the fact that his new night vision made things look like it was a sunny day made trying to focus an even worse nightmare.

  Every so often, the same silhouette of white with a red rhythmic pulse from one animal that was in the distance would draw his attention. He learned that by blinking with the intent to see prey as he resorted to calling them, had activated it. Of course, stalking an animal was no easy feat, since animals could sense when a predator was afoot. Not to mention Aldrin didn't know shit about tracking to begin with; let alone tracking as a Vampire, nonetheless.

  "I wish there was a guidebook to this so I at least could survive until I find a cure," Aldrin muttered to himself as his latest attempt to sneak up on an animal resulted in it immediately dashing away from him.

  With an exasperated sigh, he slumped against a tree trunk as the burning, gnawing sensation in his stomach grew more intense. He knew if he didn't get lucky soon that he would have another episode of "Vampire Gone Wild," which he knew he couldn't last another round. The mental struggle between him and whatever lurked underneath the surface of his face had been exhausting.

  A twig snapped, making Aldrin's head whip in the direction. Squinting, his new eyes zoomed into the area of the sound. Seeing nothing there, he blinked, activating his predatory vision. The glowing white silhouettes of two upright walking beings shimmered into view.

  "Well, that's just too lucky, ain't it," Aldrin warily glanced around for a trap.

  “Are you sure there are more bodies?” One of them asked as they stalked around as Aldrin picked up the question.

  “You mean more loot? Yes, there has to be,” the other answered.

  “But what could take out five adventurers and just leave all the gear? Hell, something drained one of them to a husk, and I know only a few things capable of that. So I’m just gonna say it! it’s a giant spider!” One bandit proudly said.

  “Are you joking, Jared? A spider? Way out here in what’s supposed to be Undead territory?” The bandit stopped, glancing at his partner.

  “Well, what else would it be then, Pierre?” Jared accused, placing his hands on his hips.

  “Oh gee! I dunno, a vampire maybe!?” Pierre gestured around the empty woods.

  “Like you said, we are in undead territory,” He emphasized.

  “Fine, let's make a bet then,” Jared suggested.

  “I’m listening,” Pierre stopped.

  “Whoever is right gets all the loot on the next body, alive or dead,” Jared said, wiggling his eyebrows as he stuck his hand out.

  “Deal.” Pierre shook his hand.

  Aldrin had snuck up on them, which surprised himself knowing how well sneaking up on other animals had been tonight. Staying out of view and in the shadows, he Identified them first.

  They were both dressed in mismatched leather armor, attempting to look fearsome, but it was obvious it was all stolen gear. Pierre at least had the decency to keep his blue-black hair pulled back into a small ponytail, giving him the air of an aspiring model turned bandit. Jared still talked animatedly, waving his hands around as he explained his thought process to Pierre, who half listened to him. Jared paused once he figured out Pierre wasn’t listening to him.

  “What’s going on?” Jared asked

  “There is something here,” Pierre said, his deep brown eyes looking around carefully as the forest stilled.

  Jared ran his hands through his short sandy brown hair, his brown eyes also darting from tree to tree. “Do you know what it is?” Jared asked again.

  Pierre tore his eyes away from searching. "No, but stay alert, because something made the woods quiet," he cautioned.

  Aldrin clicked his tongue, “Well I have to be careful here,” He thought to himself before taking a deep breath.

  “Ah, hello?” Aldrin greeted them hidden behind a tree.

  “Well, shit a brick Pierre! It’s one of them forest spirits talking to us!” Jared said, looking around at all the trees in the area.

  Pierre gave Jared a dead look and shook his head. “It is not a forest spirit. It’s literally someone hiding behind a tree talking to us,” Pierre said, activating one of his skills to pinpoint the general area.

  “Come out! I have a Skill to see you,” Pierre bluffed.

  “I don’t think that’s wise,” Aldrin shouted back.

  “And why not? Friend,” Pierre drew his two daggers from his back, nodding towards Jared to get his bow out.

  Pierre listened, and only silence greeted him. Not even the leaves danced to the gentle breeze that drifted above. No insects made their chittering known and the air around them felt stiff and cold. Pierre’s instincts told him to leave immediately and looked behind him to see Jared missing and his bow on the ground.

  “Fuck!” Pierre whispered to himself as his eyes scanned everything around him. He picked up Jared’s bow carefully to not make a sound.

  “I hope you’re a bandit, otherwise this is going to be really awkward,” Aldrin said behind him, making Pierre whip around with a slash only to be met with air.

  Pierre searched around frantically before finally landing on glowing green eyes peering at him from the darkness of trees. Aldrin stepped out, leaving only his face covered in the shadows. Pierre licked his lips as a bead of sweat trailed down the side of his face. He identified the thing in front of him that eyed him like a piece of meat.

  Pierre’s eyes bulged at the line that read his race. Warily taking a step back, the figure in the shadows narrowed his eyes at him.

  “I would not do that if I were you,” The figure threatened, “I am still trying to figure out how to get my impulses under control and you making a run for it will not only make things worse for me but make things ten times worse for you so if you could kindly listen to what I have to say we can all leave here without any bloodshed please and thank you,” He added, releasing his predatory vision as he stepped out of the shadows into the little moonlight that filtered through the canopy of trees.

  Pierre tried to control the slithering feeling that went up and down his spine like a relay race. All the hairs on his body stood up when his heart threatened to burst out of his chest, as the ghastly visage in front of him would haunt his dreams and nightmares for the rest of his life.

  Matted, dark brown shoulder length hair framed a dried blood-smeared face with fangs to match. His soul stopping green eyes met him, pinning him in place. What wasn’t covered in blood, he could see that the man in front of him had copper colored skin like those who lived in the Sand Sea. The rags of the clothes he wore had dried blood either from wounds or things he killed, leaving little to imagine as flecks of the dried blood dotted his hands and forearms.

  “Please, calm your heart down before I do something we both regret,” Aldrin subconsciously licked his fangs, unaware of the effect it had on the man in front of him.

  “What’s your proposition, then?” Pierre asked, trying to sound confident and strong in the face of a predator, suppressing the shudder that tried to wreck through his body.

  “All I want is some clothes, a weapon, and for you to forget this meeting afterwards,” Aldrin stated matter-of-factly.

  “And my partner?” Pierre gauged, tensing every muscle in his body to defend himself.

  “Will be returned to you unharmed,” Aldrin scratched the back of his neck, unsure if knocking the man out had been considered unharmed.

  “Do we have a deal?” Aldrin pressed.

  Pierre lowered his weapons, but still kept his guard up as he thought about the deal. “What if I can’t do one of those things you ask of me?” He asked.

  Aldrin sighed deeply, feeling a little weird that his lungs no longer needed air to function. “Then, I’ll have to kill you and probably take your gear and the gear of your partners, but I really don’t want to do that even if you’re bandits,” Aldrin said, taking a step forward.

  Aldrin paused and realized that he could accomplish two things at once. He noticed the bandits were not the type who would attack first, so he could negotiate with them and possibly spare them.

  “Better yet, take me to your leader as a prisoner,” He suggested, as the idea formed in his mind at being brought back to their camp to help feed himself.

  “Excuse me, what?” Pierre sputtered out.

  “Take. Me. To. Your. Leader,” Aldrin enunciated slowly, cackling to himself on the inside.

  Pierre opened and closed his mouth as he thought it through,”They aren’t going to believe that I captured a sane vampire, nonetheless the Progenitor Vampire at that,” Pierre said.

  “Well, we can make it believable, can’t we? I can pretend to be weak,” Aldrin suggested as he paced back and forth, never taking his eyes off of Pierre.

  Aldrin eyed the moons above briefly, checking to see how much time he had left. “How far away is your camp?” Aldrin asked, looking back at Pierre, tilting his head to the side.

  “Not far from here, but I want to see Jared first,” Pierre said, sheathing his daggers.

  “He is behind me around the tree, knocked out only,” Aldrin stepped aside, gesturing to the tree that hid Jared’s unconscious form.

  Pierre slowly stepped forward, never taking his eyes off of Aldrin as he rounded the tree, seeing Jared’s slumped form. Bending down to place his hands on Jared’s neck while checking his pulse, Pierre breathed a sigh of relief as his friend still took in air.

  “We have a deal Mr. . .?” Pierre said, standing up from the kneeling position to face Aldrin.

  “That does not matter,” Aldrin said, flicking his gaze between the two men in front of him.

  Pierre grunted in response as he picked up Jared’s form and slung him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. “This way then, Mr. Mysterious,” Pierre said and walked away from Aldrin.

  “Oh, thank goodness that worked,” Aldrin said to himself, relieved he held onto the little control he had. He knew as soon as he got into camp that he could let loose somewhat, or at least get a handle on his new abilities like he had originally planned.

  His System Alert chimed again, reminding him of the choice he had to make if push came to shove. Ignoring it again, he followed Pierre at a healthy distance as they trekked through the woods.

  Every so often Pierre would gaze back, checking if Aldrin was still behind him as his footsteps were silent. He flinched every time he met the glowing green eyes of Aldrin. The aura surrounding him felt cold and dead, fitting the legend about vampires. The sweat kept rolling down his back in rivulets the longer he walked. He wasn’t sure what would happen once he got back to the camp, but he knew one thing, he would get himself and Jared the Oblivion out of there one way or another.

  “Oh no, it was supposed to be a simple life, they said, pillaging and raiding on the outskirts of the kingdom, looting and leveling easily from all the undead in the area. Of course, my terrible luck succeeds at dicking me over again.” Pierre grumbled to himself as the first of the campfires came into view.

  “This is your camp?” Aldrin inquired at the obvious display of the camp.

  “The campfires are meant to lure unsuspecting travelers, adventurers, merchants, and other things. The rest is hidden behind the wards,” Pierre answered, hoping the truth would spare him and Jared.

  “Interesting.” Aldrin rubbed his chin.

  A sharp whistle rang as they got closer to camp, signaling they knew who had entered their radius.

  “Do you have rope?” Aldrin asked.

  “Rope?” Pierre repeated.

  “For my bindings?” Aldrin clarified, raising his hands in front of him.

  “Oh! Uh! Right, let me just place Jared down before we head in,” Pierre said, placing Jared down gently afterwards his gaze lost focus as he scrolled through his inventory finding rope and a spear before dumping them both in front of Aldrin.

  Aldrin inspected the spear before him as he picked it up,

  Grunting, Aldrin placed it in his inventory for later. Pierre slowly walked up to Aldrin as he gestured for Aldrin to grab the rope, not wanting to get any closer than he needed to.

  “I will not drain you. I am still freshly fed,” Aldrin lied.

  It was meant to placate Pierre’s fears, it didn’t, as it only amplified them to new heights as he remembered what exactly stood before him; a monster wearing the face of a man.

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  “I am not an idiot,” Pierre refuted.. It

  “No, but you led me back to your camp, so what does that speak of you?” Aldrin shot back.

  “As someone who wants him and his friend to live,” Pierre said.

  “Then you will,” Aldrin stated as he bound himself.

  Once he got to where he could no longer do it himself, Pierre timidly stepped forward to finish the rest. Aldrin had taken the moment to glance up at the moons that were making their way over the horizon as the familiar itch permeated his skin.

  “Not long now until the sun comes up, hopefully I can finish this before it does and not to mention the burning in my stomach hasn’t stopped,” Aldrin thought to himself, feeling the burning forming into gnawing as it knew it was about to feast again. Still trying to play, the calm, cool, and collected vampire Aldrin continued to seem unaffected, however deep down the beast was rousing from its slumber and that thought terrified him.

  With the bindings done, Jared stirred, making Pierre and Aldrin snap their attention to him, one with dread and the other with hunger alighting in his eyes. Jared awoke bleary-eyed as he tried to regain his bearings. He attempted to sit up, but his limbs protested in response, making him stumble back over. Pierre rushed over to him before he could make any noise.

  “Jared! Stay still and don’t move until I tell you to!” Pierre hissed at him.

  “Pierre? What’s- Ow my head!” Jared said as he rubbed the spot Aldrin had hit him.

  “We may have a bit of a problem but I got us out of it,” Pierre reassured him, giving a small smile, placing his hands on Jared’s shoulders to help him sit up.

  “We have company coming, Pierre,” Aldrin said, snapping his head toward the footsteps rushing towards them. He blinked again, activating his newfound power of eyesight as glowing white silhouettes dotted around his vision.

  Pierre’s eyes widened further, looking back and forth between the oncoming people and Aldrin as he once again licked his fangs in anticipation. The realization that he had basically led a fox to the henhouse was an understatement. Pierre had a choice to make as Jared groaned again, still feeling the spot.

  “Great grandma’s tits!” Jared said, looking at Aldrin as he Identified him. Terror danced in his eye as he tried to scoot back.

  “HELP!” Jared shouted, unaware that help, also known as food for Aldrin, was on its way.

  Pierre clamped his hand over Jared’s mouth as the mounting terror that was about to be unleashed kept him from speaking. The same cold dead wind settled over the area as the trees stopped swaying and the insects stopped singing.

  The smell of different foods wafted into Aldrin’s nose as his control over himself snowballed out of control. Quickly flexing both his wrists, the rope that bound them together snapped, causing Pierre’s eyes to become saucers. Low growls escaped from Aldrin’s mouth as his fangs elongated and claws formed at his fingers.

  The first white light came from the right of them as an Archer came upon them, stopping dead in his tracks as he took in the terrified look of Pierre. Jared's head started forming a bruise from the injury as he held completely still, with Pierre's hand still covering his mouth, while his eyes remained fixed on the last being standing with them.

  The Archer had no time to react as Aldrin was on him, his fangs plunged deep into the neck of him. Crying out in pain, the Archer pushed off and away from Aldrin, not registering that at the same time Aldrin had pulled back, ripping a chunk out of the Archer’s neck. He gasped as the sudden shock and pain ignited along his body. Pulling back, he covered the wound and his hands became wet and bloody. He looked at Aldrin, who had a similar look of horror on his face. Stumbling backwards, he tried to get away but his legs wouldn’t cooperate, causing him to fall back. Weak and dying, the Archer gasped for air, his own blood drowning him as he gazed at his last remnants of the night sky.

  The System Alert chimed again, shocking Aldrin out of his trance. It was one thing to not be in control when he killed those adventurers, but it was another thing to be in a little more control this time. It didn’t help that the man in front of him smelled of freshly peeled oranges and that included the taste of his blood.

  The mumbling and squirming of Jared drew Aldrin’s predatory gaze towards them, making Pierre take in a sharp breath and Jared become stock still.

  "Do not move," Aldrin warned them before stalking off towards the rest of the footsteps.

  Moving around his fresh kill, Aldrin stepped over the boundary that held the wards, alerting whoever they belonged to. Aldrin rolled his shoulders as the beast inside him grew more alert.

  "Alright, let's see what I can do while in control," he said as he heard more footsteps and shouts in the distance, awakening the camp.

  The iron spear he had in his inventory materialized into his hand as he mentally called for it. Giving a slight twirl of the spear, he noticed his improved reactions, as it was easy to handle the spear. “I hope to god my little training with a spear is enough,” Aldrin pleaded with himself.

  A group of three were the first to intercept Aldrin. He quickly Identified them as Humans, two Fighters and another Archer.

  "Hey boys, look what we got!" One Fighter laughed as he eyed Aldrin.

  "And he fancies himself a spear user! HA! This is gonna be easy!" The same Fighter added, pulling an identical spear from his own Inventory.

  Aldrin smirked slightly, revealing the tips of the bloody fangs. Using his Shapechange as the familiar disorienting feeling came over him as he turned into a swarm of bats. The three bandits in front of him gasped in shock when Aldrin flew through them, appearing behind them. Transforming back into his body, quickly thrusting his spear through the chest of the Archer.

  "As I thought, my Strength stat was higher than his Vitality," Aldrin grinned at the same time the beast inside him was pleased at the carnage.

  The Fighters flinched as the warm and thick liquid sprayed on their back. Aldrin ripped the spear out of his victim, lowering it to the two in front of him. The two were in a daze as their companion lay dead at their feet with a gaping hole in the center of their chest.

  Aldrin took the chance and threw the iron spear in between the Fighters before rushing in with his claws bared. The spear wielding Fighter rolled out of the way of the incoming spear, letting it glance off his lone shoulder plate. The other Fighter wasn't so lucky as Aldrin tore through the leather armor that protected his stomach. A grave slash formed, making the Fighter fall to his knees, but it wasn't enough to immediately disable him.

  The spear Fighter that rolled had recovered and brandished his longsword at Aldrin as he rushed in. He seemed to move in slow motion as he lunged at Aldrin.

  "My Dexterity is higher than his luckily," Aldrin grinned again.

  Noticing his spear buried in the trunk of the tree, Aldrin rolled beneath the lunge, taking out the spear Fighter's legs. A surprised yelp escaped the spear Fighter as he landed on his back with Aldrin coming up into a dead sprint for his spear. Yanking it out of the tree, Aldrin whipped around to see the Fighter taking a health potion that immediately worked on closing the gash on his stomach.

  Clicking his tongue, he used Shapechange again, blowing past the spear Fighter that was getting up and appeared in front of the other Fighter. Shocked at the abrupt appearance, he had no time to react when Aldrin drilled his spear into the head of the bandit, killing him instantly and stopping his regeneration from the potion.

  Taking the opportunity, the spear Fighter swiped at Aldrin, giving him a shallow cut on his leg. Aldrin barely felt it as he turned to the spear Fighter that eyed him warily before breaking off and running towards the rest of the camp. “Shit, now why did you have to go and do that?!” Aldrin yelled at the runaway, his impulses to hunt and chase overriding any sensible logic.

  The spear Fighter had barely gotten close to the camp as a piercing pain welled up in his neck, making him let out another yelp of surprise and pain. Arms wrapped around him, holding him in place as Aldrin drained his life force. Futile attempts to dislodge himself from Aldrin’s grip became weaker as the spear Fighter turned into a dry husk.

  Releasing him with a thud, Aldrin raised his bloody mouth to the night sky, letting out an animalistic roar of triumph, letting the blood fuel his body, instantly regenerating the shallow cut on his leg. Pierre and Jared watched Aldrin take down three of their “comrades” with ease. The mounting horror they both felt slowly crept up and overrode any thoughts of running away from the monster. Aldrin's approach made them flinch, as if they had been slapped, forcing an involuntary scoot backwards. Jared let out a whimper when Aldrin stood in front of them, peering down his nose, fighting the urge to rip them apart.

  The three bodies around them had stopped leaking their life onto the forest floor as their bodies cooled. Aldrin twitched his nose when the excrement from the three made itself known.

  “Get up slowly and walk away from here where I can’t see you any longer,” Aldrin growled out, fighting his instincts.

  Pierre nodded slowly, releasing Jared from the death grip he had him in. Jared, on the other hand, flooded with fear as another whimper escaped him. Pierre helped him up as best as he could.

  “Jared, we need to go,” Pierre forcefully demanded, jerking Jared back to whatever little senses he had left.

  Jared let himself get dragged away by Pierre. The green eyes of Aldrin glaring at them with every step, making his mouth salivate even more. “Feast on their life,” the beast inside him demanded, fighting for control over Aldrin once more.

  Tearing his gaze away from the two retreating figures, he turned himself towards the rest of the camp, hoping that he could at least aim where his carnage would begin. Part of him was revolted by how easily he had accepted his new nature. He was no stranger to killing other people, but killing them brutally was something he had never done.

  Picking up the spear he used, he stepped further into the camp of bandits as the shouts grew coherent to him. Soon, a group of five arrayed themselves in his path. Aldrin identified them briefly; three Fighters, a Rogue, and a budding Mage stood before him. Without further ado, the Mage released a small Fireball in his direction. Panicking, Aldrin rolled to the side, right into the Rogue’s daggers, swiping at his neck. Eyes bulging at the speed of the Rogue, Aldrin used his Shapechange again, this time turning into fog as the blades passed harmlessly through him.

  “They all must be using night eye potions to see this good in the dark,” Aldrin thought to himself when he reformed back into his body, thrusting the spear through the leg of the Rogue.

  The Rogue screamed out in pain at his pinned leg. Aldrin stood, angling the spear towards the ground and forcing the Rogue to scream out in more pain. Pushing further into the Rogue’s leg, Aldrin felt his spearpoint breach the earth, signaling that it was buried in the ground. Flexing his claws, Aldrin swiped at the Rogue’s neck, silencing his screams that turned into gurgling sounds.

  Violently yanking the spear back out, he put it back into his inventory. Quickly grabbing the Rogue’s dropped daggers, he rushed towards the three Fighters, two of which were holding the classic sword and shield combo. The third held a great war hammer meant for breaking bones. The Mage that had thrown the Fireball prepared another one, chanting to it as it grew in his hand. Aldrin knew he had to end the Mage’s life quickly or else he would be a newly barbequed undead.

  The Fighter with the great war hammer bellowed out a roar as he thundered towards Aldrin, winding up his hammer for a powerhouse hit. Unsure if Aldrin could take it, he danced around the wild swing. The Fighter deftly used the momentum of the hammer to go straight into another swing. Ducking beneath it, Aldrin saw the Fireball coming straight for them, splashing on the earthen floor, washing them both in flames. The Fighter cried out as burns marred his skin. Aldrin looked down on himself as the flames licked his body without hurting him.

  The flames themselves felt like he was taking a nice, hot shower back home. The thought of home made his stomach lurch again when he realized he could never go back there. Shaking his head, the wall of flames that engulfed him and the Fighter blocked the view from the other three alighting the forest. The Fighter had recovered as red marks receded from his body.

  Mentally sighing to himself, he noted the bandits at this camp were going to be the annoying kind that had potions for every situation. Potions they more than likely looted from their victims over however long they have set up here. Curious if he could actually take a hit from the Fighter’s great war hammer, he let himself get hit square in his chest. A dull ache followed as both he and the Fighter stared aghast at the minor damage he had done.

  “But how? My Strength is 17?! It should have knocked you on your ass!” The Fighter said in disbelief as they both glanced at Aldrin’s chest.

  “Well, that’s both disappointing and relieving,” Aldrin said to himself, looking back at the Fighter that was winding up another hit.

  Narrowing his eyes at the display, Aldrin danced around the Fighter’s swings, keeping his eye on the other three as the Mage prepared a third Fireball.

  “Oh come on, is Fireball the only thing you know?” Aldrin said to himself as he glared at the Mage from his peripheral vision.

  When the Fighter had his back turned towards his companions, Aldrin flicked his hand, throwing one of his daggers directly in the Fighter’s direction. Barely able to dodge, the Fighter jerked his head to the side, letting the dagger sail through the air towards the Mage. One Fighter with a shield saw it coming and swatted the dagger away, letting the Mage continue to concentrate on the Fireball.

  Feeling like he had got the hang of his new body and stats, he went on the offensive, lunging and stabbing at the Fighter. Unprepared for the explosive offensive, the Fighter struggled to block as the dagger nicked minor cuts on the unarmored parts of his body. Not one to be outdone, the Fighter’s great war hammer glowed with a threatening red light. With a desperate swing, he landed the blow on Aldrin’s side as his dagger slide in between the chink of his leather armor burying deep into his bicep.

  Aldrin’s world rolled once before he landed on his back, away from the flames. The Fighter jumped out the flames with an overhead strike poised to finish off Aldrin. Using Shapechange again, he turned himself into a swarm of bats surrounding the Fighter as he swatted away at them. Aldrin flew up and over the canopy of trees away from the camp, hoping they wouldn’t follow.

  The Mage had thrown his last Fireball at Aldrin’s fleeing swarm of bats missing by a hair. Aldrin had to escape when he heard more of the camp running toward the flames. Way too many to handle on top of the four he had encountered. Vowing to come back the next night, he had accomplished what he wanted to do, or at least partially what he wanted to do.

  He had figured out the limits of his new body, a slight grasp on his Shapechange skill, a weapon, subsided the burning, gnawing sensation in his stomach, the location of the bandit camp for both free experience to level and feed, however he didn’t get a new set of clothes or at least armor to cover the bloody rags he still wore.

  Flying toward the cave, his temporary home away from home, he pondered over his new abilities and stats, figuring if he wanted to survive he would at least have to take some Skills that would allow him to do so.

  The sun turned the night sky into dawn. He felt weaker and his Shapechange forcefully canceled at the effects of the sun beginning to rise. Falling from the sky prematurely, Aldrin did his best to contain the scream that bubbled to escape his mouth. The trees that he had flown over grew larger as he plummeted to the forest floor. Unsure what to do, Aldrin covered his face hoping that his body could take some damage from the fall, hoping that he wouldn’t die.

  Branches snapped as he fell through them as dull aches and thuds thundered through his body from the impacts. Grunting in discomfort, he fell, landing on the compacted dirt floor of the forest. Groaning, Aldrin picked himself up and inspected himself. His body slowly healed the bruises that were forming. A slight soreness was present, but that also receded as his vampiric healing took over.

  Aldrin stilled when a fire cracked and popped behind him. Turning around slowly, Aldrin came face to face with Pierre and Jared, both of whom were in the middle of enjoying a steaming stew. With a spoonful frozen near his mouth, Jared was the first to let out a bloodcurdling scream, throwing his steaming stew toward Aldrin and running off in a random direction.

  “Jared! Wait!” Pierre ran after him.

  “Well, that was unexpected,” Aldrin said, watching Pierre chase after Jared, who ran with utter fear in his bones.

  Sighing in defeat, Aldrin turned and ran as fast as his body carried him to the cave. Luckily he wasn’t that far but unluckily the morning sun had shone through the trees, making Aldrin form small red welts that threatened to become bubbles. The pain that came with it was unlike anything Aldrin ever experienced, minus being reborn a few days earlier.

  Back in the shadows of the cave, his skin returned to its pristine condition, making his shoulders relieve the tension that held within him. The infamous System Alert chimed again, making Aldrin jump at the sudden sound in his head. Grimacing at the deeds he was going to be reminded of, Aldrin braced himself for the information dump that was about to begin.