Exploration into the eastern continent has been unsuccessful for decades. Sea transport has been impeded by the calamities wreaking havoc in the ocean. Flight technology is currently being developed as avian threats pale in comparison to the terrors of the sea. The only successful excursion into the mysterious continent was led by a team of powerful mages that utilized unique technology and magic artifacts that allowed them to fly the absurdly long distance; which has been reported to be over ten thousand kilometers judging by the speed at which the team flew and the time. Upon confirmation that the team had reached land, all modes of communication had gone silent. The teleportation markers that the team had brought were never set, suggesting that the mages perished. The Idil Empire has begun a tentative collaboration with Elway to find a way to the new continent, although progress is slow.

~Snippet from ‘Age of Discovery’ by George ‘Sandman’ Paul

Damien opened the door, revealing a fashionable, blonde man at his doorstep. His eyes gleamed with recognition; this was the same man he had seen headed to the Lanes Auction House.

It didn’t take him long to connect the dots.

“...Chester?”

The blonde hair faded, and his facial features had shifted back into their original state. Pale skin turned to olive, and his sky-blue eyes became brown.

“Move. I gotta get ready!”

He pushed the boy away, dumping a bag full of clothes onto the bed. Chester had bought a few outfits, which had cost him two gold in total. In return, the clothes were beyond extravagant and provided some buffs.

SILK LONGCOAT

- Made with the silk from a rare, elusive Cloud Spider. It has low durability.

- +5 to CHA

- Weight: 1kg

The one he wore currently, was a navy blue long coat that reached to his knees. A silken, black, short-sleeve tunic underneath gave him a classy, noble look not too different from Damien’s own clothing. It was luxurious enough to give him a boost in CHA.

He quickly stripped down to his underwear, and headed to the bathroom.

“What’s the matter with you?”

“I’ve got a date in a couple hours. I still need to go ahead and look for a gift.”

“A date?!” Damien spluttered. “Weren’t you planning your heist?”

“Just because I'm a criminal doesn't mean I devote myself to doing criminal shit everyday! Stop stereotyping me.” Chester shot back. “Kidding, this is part of it. I’m grabbing dinner with the auction owner’s assistant. She’s smoking hot, by the way.” The Attainium quickly began to meld itself in his hand, turning into a razor-sharp blade. He then used the rare metal to carefully shave his facial hair, trimming it into a nice, fashionable stubble.

‘I should look for a barber shop, if they exist here.’

The vampire rolled his eyes. He returned to the table, where a canteen lay full of dark, viscous liquid inside. He sipped it, forming a red, mustache-like mark above his lip.

“Did you get the items we need?” Chester asked him, turning his face to the side. He did a double-take after seeing the vampire's red-stained lips. “Is that blood?”

“Yes to both questions. I got the necessary items. Although, there was a slight problem…”

Chester motioned for him to continue, doing his best to line up both sides of his face evenly. Damien began to tell him about the instant cube he had seen, and its general features.

“Oh, that sounds perfect for our needs. How much? I pawned off the stuff from that guy who tried to mug us, so we got about forty fi-”

“One hundred gold.”

The words died out in his throat, and Chester almost nicked himself in surprise. His entire body froze, before resuming what he was doing.

“Guess we’re going to steal it. Tell me, where’s the shop?”

“No!” Damien said, alarmed. “You are NOT going to rob an innocent shopkeeper!”

“Innocent?! That bastard’s robbing us! I don’t think I’ve even spent more than five gold since I got here!” He raged. The idea of spending all his gold at once made him queasy. His former lifestyle as a criminal had netted him some good money, and more than enough to afford great luxuries at times, but he was still a shrewd person due to his less than ideal upbringing. The lifestyle he'd led for the past four months had activated his long-forgotten survival mode; one that he hadn't used since he was a homeless child.

“That’s because it's a luxury item shop! They have to make a living, Chester!”

“Then how the hell are we going to afford that? You don’t have money, I don’t have money, but I really fuckin’ want that! And there’s a very reliable way I can get it without having to spend a dime!” The man argued. He had taken off his underwear, shaving his pubic hair to a manageable length. The vampire was unaware of this as they argued back and forth from separate rooms.

Damien hesitated. It was true that he also wanted to have a more comfortable journey to Garbrandt, but the idea of living off of stolen goods and money gave him a great sense of guilt.

“I-I’ll find a way to get some money!” He proclaimed. “But no theft, please!”

Chester put his face in his hands. He really felt like he had no time to argue for this, but he relented. “You know what-fine! If you can find some way to scrounge up even fifty gold, we’ll do it your way. I’m too busy dealing with this right now.”

Satisfied, Damien breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t want to cause great inconvenience to people for his own good. But it added more pressure to his task of finding a way to make money.

‘I could do quests…but there’s definitely nothing that could make such money in such a short span of time.’

“I’ll be going now.” Chester’s face began to shift into the blonde disguise, but this time a touch more attractive. Damien could partially see through the disguise, and seeing him transform made it look like as if he was wearing a disguise instead of a completely different person. Traces of his facial features remained despite the change in skin, eye, and hair color. “Let me know about any plans you’ve got, and I’ll see if I can help make it work. But otherwise, expect to be on your own for now.”

He put on his clothes, looking like a regal noble. The man did a quick check in the mirror once more, before leaving the boy alone with his own thoughts as company.

Damien decided to explore the city for any opportunities. He figured being proactive would help him come up with more ideas. The sun was overhead, adding a slight sluggishness to his moves. The vampire had grown used to it; such was the sacrifice of being a nocturnal creature living amongst diurnal beings.

The boy traveled through the streets of Elway, dressed in more inconspicuous clothing. He still earned some more stares, and he briefly wondered why. From what he could see, it was not ones with malicious intent; closer to curiosity and...admiration? Damien looked down at his current outfit; a white, long-sleeve linen shirt and black slacks that cut off at his ankles. He decided to stick with his original dress shoes; enchanted to have increased durability and resistance to the elements.

The vampire shrugged, deciding to move quickly to avoid wasting any time.

The crowds had changed; shadier and more dangerous than before. People from all walks of life could be seen as he traversed through the adventurer's district. The vampire entered a building called ‘Echo Adventurer’s Guild’, and went to the front desk. He dropped his adventuring license on the desk; an item he got from their time in Pesodonia.

“May I see the quests available? Preferably short-term quests within the city?”

Not even bothering to ask questions, the receptionist; a chunky, aged dwarf bent down underneath the desk. His meaty forearms lifted a massive pile of papers and placed it onto the desk.

Muttering his thanks, he quickly scanned the papers for any worthwhile quests. Many were pest extermination quests, or bodyguard missions that would take at least a day to complete. None paid more than a piece of gold, much to Damien’s frustration. He moved away to secluded spot, further in the corner of the guild building. Some noted the presence of a child, but simply assumed it was an employee's son or a potential customer looking to post a request.

The building had two floors. The main lobby had a bar, an urgent request board, and several empty tables for people to lounge and dine. Its interior was crafted with fine hardwood and the lighting was warm and subtle, giving the adventurer's guild an atmosphere of relaxation. Damien could see the stairs leading up to the second floor, where several people in pajamas went down to greet other adventurers. He assumed the upstairs was living quarters exclusive to the adventurer's affiliated with the guild.

“Prince Damien?” A soft whisper caught his attention, and he saw a pale man approaching him.

“Joseph?” Damien could hardly believe it. He hadn’t seen the man in almost two years. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m an adventurer. Currently in Elway for a bodyguard detail. What about you? Wow, you’ve grown so much! Have you finally graduated from basic training?”

He could tell the years have been kind to Joseph Devon; his hair had grown to his chin, slicked back with a loose strand on his forehead. The equipment he wore was top of the line, and a sheathed blade was attached to his hip. Like most vampires, his hair and eyes were jet-black. Joseph was a handsome man. A chiseled, but craggy face due to his age. The man’s lips were larger than average, but suited his face well. Damien was surprised to see the man in the Elway Kingdom.

“Yes, it’s been a few months since I’ve left Wisperium. It’s been…interesting, to say the least.”

“I suppose you’re here to find a quest? Echo is a good guild to register with. I can vouch for their benefits and bonuses, they treat their adventurers fairly.”

“Yes, but I’ve run into a problem.” Damien ran his fingers through his hair, somewhat distressed. “You wouldn’t happen to know any ways to make a decent amount of gold in a few days, would you? These ones are paltry sums.”

Joseph cupped his chin, deep in thought. “Well…I suppose there’s the casino. But I wouldn’t really advise it. I’ve lost more than my fair share there. Haha!”

The younger vampire had almost given up right then and there. Nonetheless, he was happy to see a familiar face, and paused on his job-search.

The nocturnal creatures of the night had a pleasant chat by the bar; Joseph ordered an alcoholic beverage, whereas Damien had fruit juice. Upon hearing about Damien’s monetary needs, the elder had been perfectly willing to give him a considerable sum of gold. He mentioned his high standing as a skilled adventurer, and his work had earned him a considerable amount of wealth.

Damien had refused, thanking the man for his kindness but didn’t want to exploit his relationships to solve his problems. Joseph was persistent; and the boy relented and accepted ten gold from him, instead of the original thirty he was going to be given. Damien thanked him profusely, bowing deeply for the man’s generosity.

“I see you almost like a nephew, Prince. Family is meant to help during times of need. My job as an adventurer is very profitable.” His smile was bright and optimistic.

Their conversation went on for a long period of time, and it quickly turned into a rant about the boy’s eccentric companion.

“He’s a fool with a penchant for trouble. It’s honestly amazing. I think he was cursed by a higher power in all honesty. The first time we met, a small bandit army had come to raid the village we were both staying in.”

“Oh, I suppose they were no match for you?”

“Well, I’m confident I could’ve taken them all; I was aiding the town soldiers. But Chester had intervened, making the battle a one-sided slaughter. On our first day here, he picked a fight with a gang. By the next afternoon, he went to their base and trounced them! He brought me with him!”

“Is there a reason why you’re traveling together? Surely it’d be easier to go on your own. You both seem to mix like oil and water from what you’ve told me.”

Damien leaned into the bar, sipping his drink. “Ha, I’ve considered it before. But despite it all, he’s versatile and capable. I’d credit our progress to Garbrandt to him for the most part. He’s not that bad of a guy.”

The vampire had seen many bad people in his life. Intruders looking to kidnap vulnerable vampires to sell as sex slaves, or those who wanted to harvest their organs for various rituals and experiments. The bandits who tried to rape and pillage in Pesodonia, they all showed an ugly side of humanity that made the boy want to rip and tear, despite his reservations about killing.

His father had always warned him how treacherous humans could become, and to always remain vigilant. Although he remained kind and honorable, the child always kept a certain sense of caution when interacting with strangers. He had heard far too many horror stories about gullible vampires being tricked into horrible schemes.

He never felt that from Chester. Nothing pointed towards him taking pleasure in hurting others. He never attacked anybody unless they attacked first. Despite his grievances with the man’s personality and way of living, Damien couldn’t call him evil.

“I bid you luck on your journey, young prince. Garbrandt is a very treacherous city, there is a reason why many call it the City of Sin. I advise you to be careful while you’re there.”

The vampire shrugged. He had heard it all before. Even his father confessed his reservations regarding the shady kingdom. The man was greatly confused upon learning his esteemed son, Braham, had decided to call that place his home.

“Although I don’t know why Braham would make his home there. Is there anything truly worthwhile in that lawless area?” He asked himself quietly. The older man could only guess, just as clueless as Damien.

“Your brother’s journey was quite…infamous. Every once in a while, I would still hear stories about the bloodthirsty vampire that wreaked havoc on Pearl Island. The bounty on his head is still active, you know? Four-thousand gold pieces for him, dead or alive.”

“Father was livid, yes. Great-grandfather had the opposite reaction. He almost seemed proud. Said that he would bring infamy upon our bloodline.” He chuckled at the memory.

His great-grandfather, the progenitor of the vampire race; Dracule Rose. He remained the stalwart figurehead for Wisperium for almost a thousand years, creating a safe haven for vampire-kind. His presence had single-handedly warded off any with ill intentions, and those who were foolish enough to attempt some sort of foolish crusade in eliminating the nocturnal creatures had been destroyed. Thoroughly.

Damien always remembered him as the cheery grandfather figure who spoiled him and his brother as children. The times when Damien and Braham were whisked away from their daily lessons under the guise of ‘secret training’ which always ended up as family bonding sessions. He always looked back on those memories fondly.

His great-grandfather had never shown anything but a cheerful exterior when with his descendants.

The boy wondered how everything was going, and began to feel homesick. From the mad ramblings of their resident fortuneteller to his father's incessant lectures. He despised the fact that he was not allowed to return for at least four more years.

“I suppose if his Majesty is alright with it, then so am I. I pray that he is safe in Garbrandt, whatever he may be doing.” Joseph said softly.

Damien turned his head, dismayed to see that the sky had already gone dark. He didn’t realize just how much time he had wasted catching up with his vampirekin.

He bid his farewell to the adventurer, telling him that he’d be in the area for a few more days and hoped to meet again sometime soon. Damien left the guild, frustrated at his lack of results.

His mind was distracted as he continued to venture further away into unfamiliar streets. He was so absorbed in his own thoughts that the surroundings seemed to fade away. Damien was not keen on allowing Chester to rob a store if he could help it.

The boy heard shouting from a great distance away that ended his thoughts; a man was yelling at people from the entrance to a massive coliseum. A banner above its metal gates billowed proudly in the air, with a symbol of a sword and shield.

"LAST CHANCE FOR REGISTRY! FINAMORE TOURNAMENT, TEST YOUR METTLE AGAINST OTHERS IN A BLOODY ROYALE!"

“Finamore Tournament…?”

Damien took a step forward, sensing an opportunity.