A small sigh echoed throughout a short space within a copse of trees as a large and pale skinned Goliath sat sweating up against an unknown tree that resembled an Oak, but was called a Siriin Tree. Here, the man wiped some of the moisture away, the feeling of exhilaration filling the void within the slow beating heart within his chest. For another had filled his body, or rather, released all of his energy as it was exhaustion.

To which he grinned, and Little Mother who sat upon his right knee did her best to mimic the expression. Thus leading him to chuckle whilst the other squeaked with happiness. Afterwards, he sighed once more, but longer and more slowly before exclaiming, “Ah, what a wonderful feeling this is. Though it is distasteful, and will have to be regulated, I do not hate it.”

Little Mother squeaked in response as she fluttered up and attached herself to his face, resulting in many joyous giggles being resulted from his breath brushing up against her small front. “Hey,” he exclaimed with a smile as he gently pulled her away, “None of of that.” Whereupon her beady red eyes glistened as she took up her own version of a “Puppy-Dog Stare”, which he was not impervious to and was exploited often.

Thus resulting in him giving her a little more attention than what was necessary as another sighed with envy nearby. This noise did not stop his fingers from lightly dancing upon and around the little Demon as he voiced his opinion, “You could always join us, you know.”

“[Yeah,]” drawled the voice of Azazel, “[but I'd rather not alert anyone that I am down there where they can see me. Not right now, anyways.]” Within his own mind, he saw her leaning up against himself with a dejected look upon her features.

This all began after she howled out the word “fuck”, and cut the connection between them in order to rampage within her own Void Space. Though he was not privy to this tantrum, he was there when she finally returned. However, she made no mention of it, and had come to him seeking comfort in the form of an embrace. Although he could do nothing physically, he did send along their connection the image of himself carrying her around as a parent would with their child. Which also included a back rub an a light kiss on the top of her head.

Though he did feel her grin, and tried to shift her head so that he could give her a better kiss, it was denied due to him believing she was nothing more than a child who was curious about such things, instead of being the aged Goddess that she was. Thus resulting in a pout and a blush as she was given a head pat whilst burying her face into the left pectoral of his chest.

As to the reason why he had been sweating? It was due to him traversing, somewhat poorly, through the Forest of Nu'Bai, with direction from the white-silver haired girl, and towards the community of houses that was connected to a farming village nearby. He had learned, after the first break, that his stats had been drastically reduced due to his desire to not be seen as a monster of legend at such a young level. Therefore, it was dropped to one that was closer to those who were around his level.

However, though he was given the appearance of a Goliath, he did not gain their racial stats upon leveling. Instead, it was for those of the rare breed of Vampires, which were more devoted around INT, WIS, and CHA scores rather than their Sanguine counterparts. What is more, due to the uniqueness of his Enchanter Class, he'll be gaining an extra point in his CHA stat every two levels. When asked to see what they looked like, he was readily shocked at the odd numbers and words, but grinned ear to ear and knocked the knuckles in the centre of his hands together with glee.

For the time being, though, his thoughts drifted more towards the amount of time that shifted between his death and the land of the living. Of which came in the form of a joke when Azazel spoke in a matter-of-fact tone, “[One hundred years.]” After which she giggled herself into oblivion after the look upon his face, and explained that it was only a couple of days. Thus leading him to wonder what Brutus had believed when his “Majeek Man” did not return the next day.

“[I'm sure he's upset, but he's a simpleton, so it'll be easier to tell him what happened easier.]”

“Hey,” growled Karastak, who was echoed by Little Mother, but cuter, “Don't talk about him like that.”

“[Meh,]” she shrugged her shoulders before standing tall and stretching her body, “[You'd better start moving if you want to get to that farming community's collection of houses before sunset.]”

“For someone who's supposed to be an Undead,” stretched Karastak as he stood up then brushed off the front and backside of his pants, “I do sweat a lot.”

“[Well,]” she stretched out the word just as Little Mother crawled upon his left shoulder, “[You're not technically Undead. I mean,]” she noted the raised eyebrow and curious squeak from the duo before her, “[you are, but you're not. Ummm... You've a heartbeat, is what I'm trying to say.]”

“Huh...” His eyes drifted downwards as he placed his fore and middle finger upon the left side of his neck. Where, after waiting for a couple dozen minutes, felt a small thump. Of which led him to widen his eyes greatly at the discovery. “I've a heartbeat?”

He couldn't believe it, and waited yet again before feeling another small thump before staring off towards the little girl inside his mind with many questions. To which she sighed and explained, “[Vampires aren't the same as all other Undead. They're more intelligent and don't have the same basic needs as Zombies or Skeletons. Instead, they just need some sort of energy source, else they'll fall into a more chaotic and instinctual nature called a Ghoul. When they reach that stage, there's no coming back.]” She ended her brief explanation with a small shrug.

“[For yourself, I'd suggest 'eating' that tree,]” her finger pointed towards the same tree he had been resting against, “[You'll need your strength, after all.]”

“Okay.” His eyes then shifted over to his Energy Sight, and with an agape mouth with four elongated canines, bit into the tree. Whereupon she and Little Mother watched as it shriveled up before becoming dust. Thus leaving him to stand up straighter with some fire in his eyes as he wiped away a few droplets of thick amber from his lips and sighed with content.

“[Better?]”

“Yep.”

“[Then onwards!]”

*

The giant moved as silently as he could through the thicket, but the world around him, though containing the sounds of creatures desiring food or a mate, was interrupted by his body falling over the many roots which grew haphazardly throughout the path set by the little girl in his head. Of whom had giggled in the beginning, but was now berating him for his clumsiness.

“Well it's not my fault I can't see this in time to stop my footing. Not to mention I was just revived. Pretty sure there's some sort of sickness that comes with that,” he grumbled as his fangs bit into another tree, draining it of energy and reducing it to dust and ash. Whereas his little bonded Demon lapped at the amber liquid near the corner of his mouth with a silent squeak. When she finished cleaning the area free, his breath softly blew over her body, resulting in her tumbling away and drifting onto his pale shoulder.

Though such an antic was done in a playful manner, she still squeaked with indignation, and lightly bit into his flesh until a bead of his dark crimson blood appeared. After which she lapped that up whilst trying to maintain eyes contact with himself to show her dominance. Unfortunately, this act caused her only to yawn, and her body sluggishly crawled into his hair where she fell asleep almost immediately.

And yes, the pair did release a cooing noise towards the little Demon, but this vanished when Azazel turned her attention back towards her charge with her hands on her hips. “[We don't have resurrection sicknesses, Karastak, and yes it is your fault. You wanted your stats to be normalised like everyone else, and not an overpowered beast's. Therefore, you're stuck like that until you learn some common sense. Such as watching where you step.]”

To which he growled in response as his body stood tall once more, but instead of continuing onward, flung his hands outward and called upon the words imprinted in his flesh, “To the earth, I greet thee, and ask for your assistance. Bring forth a staff of stone as tall as I am standing, as smooth as marble, and as tough as granite.” Each word spoken glowed a soft golden colour, whereas the words repeated changed their colour to a darker shade until they became as black as pitch.

From the ground beneath his bare feet, came a gentle rumbling that caused Little Mother to squeak awake. Her tiny head poked out from behind his right ear, an cocked itself to the right whilst her ears twitched with some curiosity. Of which then hid behind the same ear as a pole of stone shot itself into the air, leaving the pale man to clumsily catch and examine it after rubbing his forehead. This was due to his head catching the object before his strange, clawed hands could grasp onto them.

“Ow,” he grumbled, sitting down to better examine the object just as a small wave of lethargy enveloped his body.

“[You wasted too much energy, Karastak,]” frowned Azazel with drooping eyes, “[Be more careful next time.]”

“Wasn't I supposed to have something which will allowing me to cast spells with a slight percentage of the cost removed?” His hands rubbed the smooth staff made of granite in a slow and methodical pattern as his eyes drifted up and down its length.

“[You were, yes, but you were revived and won't gain that until next level.]”

“A pity,” his voice came out in an absentminded fashion, then used his new staff to stand tall, but found the movement a little too taxing. Of which led to him hobbling over to a nearby tree, and immediately biting into its trunk, draining it to ash and dust. After which he stood tall once more, and set out with a small smile. For it was not the new object which made him gladdened, but Little Mother, who snuggled into the right side of his neck, tickling it ever so softly.

However, although the journey was a little better with him not falling over as much, it was slow going and darkness was soon to come. Even though it would not mar his sight in the least, it was still rather annoying to his mind, as he was forced to switch to his energy sight in order to continue his trek through the forest.

Of which was when he heard a small scream, followed up by a soft thump of a body impacting the earth. Frowning to himself, and keeping his Energy Sight active, he moved his body forward until he came upon a curious sight. An unknown person was struggling to stand whilst covered in lichen, twigs, dirt, and grass stains. With his Sight, he was able to determine that they were alive from the way his eyes focused on the beating of what could only be a heart beneath their energy-like flesh.

Upon turning it off, however, he noted that it was someone familiar, and after stepping towards this unknown with the dying light all around them, extended a hand towards the unknown with, “Let me help you up.”

Of which led to this other giving a small squeak of surprise, as she, as it was determined by her dress and long, dirty blonde hair, scurried away before looking upon his half naked form. Whereupon her eyes widened greatly as she exclaimed, “Pretty man!”