Chapter 134: Magical experimentation

Excerpt from an unnamed geographer's book of wonders of the world

Some biomes are only found in the most extreme circumstances. These are my favorite, as they are often undiscovered, or at least unexplored. “The best things to find are where no one else will step.” That is the mantra I spoke over and over as I braved the eternal blizzard, stepped over the infernal plains, and ran over the corrupted lands.

Within each, I found something truly special. The blizzard held a statue of ice, a woman of unknown origin. Touching the statue I got the blessing of cold. The infernal plains held a creature that had the most succulent meat in this world. The corrupted lands held an untouched ruin from before documented time.

I leave these here, not for places to look for, but as examples. These are things I found, and you too can find your own magical places. Brave the most dangerous seas, the hottest, the coldest, the most hostile environments, and you might just see something out of this world.

The night will descend soon; I best make the most of what remains of the day. Walking towards my kitchen and preparing some snacks for myself. Dried fruits and nuts with some smoked cheese on crackers; all things I love.

With snacks sorted, I pull out a big book. A fantasy story, a guilty pleasure from earth I’ve kept. Flipping through the pages with startling haste, “I don’t recall reading this fast?”

Well, just means I can read more. After night falls, I will check the vampires, do some farm maintenance and then return to humans for more energy experimentation. It will be a long time before I’m able to use that energy. My energy control is terrible, I struggle to stabilize mixed energies and I don’t understand them.

I do wonder what I can do with those energies with a bit of practice. Immortality means I have no need to rush, but I can’t help myself. It has a kind of allure – magic. This is true magic, not this false foci-based magic.

Mystical energies are manipulated to produce magical phenomena. “Sounds like magic to me.” Although, the light energy is pretty much just elemental manipulation. The most boring form of magic is known. The others, I think I can do some exciting stuff with.

Seeing the light dip into darkness through my window, “damn, I need to finish this food.” Hastily chugging half a pint of milk and scoffing my cheese and crackers. “Should have put butter on the crackers,” I sigh.

Heading into my shell storage, I switch into my vampiric body. Stretching, feeling the contained strength in every muscle. Running around my island to get used to the body once more.

Clones are like cars; each car needs a bit of practice for you to get used to it. Now, if you have driven a few dozen cars? You can just jump in and start driving; no practice is needed. Same theory with bodies, every new one I get a little quicker as I acclimate to the flesh. On paper, easy; sadly real life is less simple.

Ignoring the waves of nausea as I flex my vampiric body. I try to ignore it usually, but today it is pretty bad. Eventually, the symptoms subsided, leaving me happy and ready to go about my day.

Which starts with me nabbing a nice-smelling person from the streets. Enjoying a strawberry-flavored blood source, topping me off. If a dragon flies by, I am totally gonna try and drink its blood.

“I wonder what elves taste like?”

Now I have had the thought, I can’t resist. Slipping into the Elves camp silently, I stalk a slumbering member. Under invisibility, I take a sip of this fellow. “Tastes like blood, maybe a little rich and aromatic.”

Slipping away, I take the time to see what they are up to. Mines are currently being dug, mana is being generated too. Looks like they will turn that portal on soon, given that they are moving the mana to the portal.

The scientists who did the testing while I was traveling are directing everything. Wires and connections are attached to the wooden portal, creating wiry threads of metal throughout the wood.

Mentally noting to watch it when they turn that behemoth on. Shaking my head, wondering if it will work. The whole thing looks like a dimensional disaster waiting to happen.

Maybe I shouldn’t have situated them next to my base. That was unwise.

Having had a look, let’s go to the cult hideout. Teleporting in, I see the building abuzz with activity. The anxiety I didn’t know was there disappearing. Waving to the passing vampires politely while walking through.

Helt is sat on the couch; he looks exhausted. No, he is exhausted, not even noticing my approach. Lightly hitting him on the head, “not got any survival skills huh?”

“No, I just trust my family.” He says in annoyance.

“What’s got you so tired?”

“I wonder why?” He says sarcastically.

“You gonna have to tell me, I am bad with subtle cues.”

“The logistics of organizing a bunch of vampires to different areas, making sure we stay hidden, keeping them all in line, and a whole host of other tasks. I have had to stay awake during the day to get everything done.”

“So, you have too much paperwork and organizing. Why not get help from your family?”

“I can do that?”

“What! So you have been slogging your ass off and didn’t think to get help? Are you stupid?”

“Well, no, I… Thought… Erm.” Stuttering and slurring his words like a drunk.

“I am not going to eat you,” I say flatly.

He looks down and sighs, “you didn’t say I could.”

I lightly facepalm. “You could have asked me, you have an ender letter. Not only that, you could have just done it. Have I ever come off as unreasonable?”

“No… No, you… Haven’t.” He looks like he is in a panic.

“I am not your boss. What are you afraid of?”

“I… Don’t know.” He says in resignation.

“Look, if you need help, ask. Stop being stupid and bottling it up. I would only do something distasteful if you started mass murdering people.” Mostly just forcing them to be cured. I am not interested in killing people.

“We would never.”

“Good. Now, pick out 2 people you trust. Your left hand and right, give one of them the logistics and the other organization. And keep an eye on them for the love of Lilith.”

With energy returning to him, “yes, I will get it done.”

“I will be back tomorrow; if you need help, ask!”

“Yes.” He says, a slight shade of red.

Not leaving immediately, I socialize with the family. Enjoying some vampiric company. It is different from human companies. A bond like dear friends with people you don’t know, along with an instinctive trust. Being the progenitor of the bloodline, I seem to have some ability to compel them. The power isn’t potent, more like a poor man's hypnoses. If I ask them to wash some pots, they are more likely to get it done.

I don’t really have a use for said power, but it is nice to have.

I spent some time speaking with Jena, who has made a lot of progress as a vampire.

“Being immortal, I now have so much time to work on my projects.”

“Right, it is amazing.” I agree. “How are you earning money to fund your experiments?”

“Unlike some of these hussies, I sell my mind. Advising the rich in exchange for money, tutoring young nobles; good money. I also get some funding from Helt and his money farm you left him.”

“How is he using the farm anyway?”

“He sells its products and uses the money to help us. He gives us a dash of pocket money based on how much we help the family. Aside from that, he either saves it or invests it in businesses for vampires.”

“What businesses?” I ask in great curiosity.

“Two, a hospital and a tea house.”

“Why those two?”

“The hospital involves blood and has night staff. The tea house because they are sources for information to be bought and sold. Being immortal, we are naturally quite suitable for the information business. Of course, the natural-born hunter thing helps too.”

“I see, that is interesting. Thoughts on the project?” I ask her.

“Both are good ideas but need better planning. I am doing my best to help out here and there, but Helt doesn’t ask for help. I would say; 1 of them will work, and the other fail.”

“Which ones?”

“Too early to tell. We shouldn’t be attempting two at the same time.”

“Well, he can do what he likes. As long as nothing bad happens, I am neutral.”

“And if something bad does happen?” She enquires.

“I will fix it,” I say in a strong tone.

“I see.”

“How has everyone else been?”

“Only two people have had issues, but in general. Everyone is so much happier than before.”

“What happened to those two?”

“One has a family, yet he can’t have them turned. They are suspecting something strange is up, and he won’t cut contact. The other person is just too clumsy to hunt. They walk into walls, hurt themselves, and just generally struggle. From what I hear, they were chronically clumsy before they had superhuman speed.”

“I feel for them both. I personally am pretty clumsy, although it has gotten much better as of recently. Family wise, nothing I can suggest will help.”

“How recently? 3 centuries?”

Laughing, “not telling.”

She pouts, “no fair.”

“I am the only person who knows how old I am,” I say, sticking my tongue out.

“I tried looking up who you are, you know.”

“And what did you find out?” I ask her, in genuine curiosity.

“Not much. The first record of your appearance is a few months ago. You just appeared out of nowhere, and no one questioned it for some reason.”

“People travel often, you can’t document them all.”

“Needless to say, I assume you are pretty old.”

“You may think what you want.” Smiling and enjoying being mysterious.

Straightening my back and looking into her eyes. “Now, onto a more important topic. Did anyone get caught? Anyone told others?”

“A few close calls have happened, but I haven’t heard of anyone getting directly caught. I can promise you some of them have told their respective families.”

“I am not surprised if they did tell other people they are close to. Yet, it is a bad idea. If vampire hunts start, they will be the first to die.”

She seems a little taken back by my comment. “Are you not scared of vampire hunters?”

“Not at all,” I say with a toothy smile.

“I see.” She simply replies.

“Thank you for your time. And congratulations on having a steady income; it is not easy as a vampire.”

“Nah, lots of the people here have a steady income.” She says offhandedly.

“Good to hear; see you soon.” Waving her goodbye.

She waves back, “see you soon.”

I spend the next hour just generally socializing with the other vampires. They truly come from a range of sources, a failed blacksmith, a crippled soldier, an abused medic, a lost orphan, and a whole host of other dramatic roles. Truly, life is unfair.

And that is the point of this cult, to help people. Well, of course, it had the selfish intentions of my quest, to begin with. But it has blossomed into a safe haven and a second chance for those who deserve it.

I slowly left the cult hideout, aimlessly roaming the wilderness. Out of curiosity, I searched inside for energy. All I could find was mana and a formless crimson mist. “Something else to play with,” I say, laughing to myself. I suppose that must be the energy brought by vampirism, how curios.