…eh?

A few moments ago, I was captured by two humans in search of a reward.

I learned that I was not a human myself, rather, a red scaled infant dragon. An apparently extinct species.

I then learned of a man that effortlessly slaughtered the man and woman responsible for my capture. Who drained them of their blood until they were but husks of skin and flesh. That monster of a man, with pitch black hair and glowing red eyes. Now knelt before me.

What did you call me?

“Roarurhaor?”

Right. This mouth isn’t good for talking. Reptiles aren’t exactly known for their conversation skills. Even so, this man did not seem to be a threat to me. At least, for now. The pale man himself raised his brow at my attempts at speech.

“Ah, I see you have not yet gained your telepathy. It is only natural, given that you had just hatched. Please, do not be alarmed.”

When he rises from his knee, his size towers above my four legged stance. Tall and lithe, his black cloak covering every bit of his features from below the neck. Despite taking a bullet to the head, there was no mark upon his face. The only signs of the slaughter he gave to the ones known as Dana and Shulk was the dried blood that had died on his right hand and sleeve. A word came to my mind, looking upon him and everything I have seen him do.

Vampire.

“My name is Kane.” He says with a small bow of his head. “From here onward, I pledge myself to your service, Son of Calamity. I shall be your faithful attendant, forever forward.”

I’ve been alive for ten, maybe twenty full minutes. Yet so much has happened, so much to take in. Son of Calamity, My King, Faithful Attendant, Vampire, Telepathy. I wanted to ask him everything, to make sense of all of it. No matter what I wished to ask, there would be no words to speak. I could only communicate in growls and whines. Though, my face perhaps spoke to my confusion more than I thought. The man known as Kane furrowing his brow and nodding.

“…My sincerest apologies, My King. You have just hatched. I should not be expecting you so much from you so early. Please rest within the Sanctuary, I shall rid your home of these bodies, and bring fresh food to you.”

His bloodied arm outstretched towards the open doors of the dilapidated Temple’s hall. There was much and more I wished to know, but his words rang true. My own stomach rumbling softly underneath me. Not to mention how terribly weak I felt after the collar’s shock. I was in no place to object to his assistance. It was far more preferable to the treatment I would get from those two. With a nod, I followed his direction into the temple. Walking on fours instead of my two hind legs. It felt odd, but right at the same time. Another circumstance of this strange life I find myself in.

Down a set of stairs brought me to this Temple’s vault. A storage place for the wealth of the faith. Yet its rooms lay empty. Not a single piece of wealth inside its stone confines. Cobwebs and dust line the corners of the room. With a single wall opened to a secret passage. This was my first time seeing this place, but as I walked into the passage. I felt more at home than I did before. A large pedestal sat at the center of the marble chamber. Its face curved inward, as if to hold water in its place. Or perhaps, an egg. This is where I sat, for who knows how long. Cradled in the dark, surrounded by warmth. It was all I ever knew, and it was right here in this crumbling, ancient temple.

There wasn’t anything to do now, only to sit and wait. The one known as Kane would be back soon, hopefully with food.

Kane…just who was Kane exactly? A powerful man, it was near effortless for him to dispatch two full grown humans. Not just any humans either, both were lightly armored for combat. With weapons ready, one had a revolver fully loaded. Regardless of their skill or equipment, he took them bare handed. Six bullets did nothing to stop him, even when one went straight through his skull.

An immortal body, pale skin, sharpened fangs, immense strength and speed, red eyes, sucks the blood of his prey…

He had to be a Vampire!

Denizens of the night, the immortal undead, with large fangs that suck the blood of humans that are unfortunate to cross paths with them. A creature of great power, like Dracula!

Dracula…?

…I suppose that a Vampire wouldn’t be a threat to someone like me. Not because I could take him on in combat. In reality, I should be safe because I am not his food. He would hunt humans for their blood if he was a Vampire. A dragon’s scales would be too inconvenient for a meal. Rather than a threat, he seems to make himself to be my servant.

King, Son of Calamity, faithful attendant. There were so many questions I needed to ask. Whoever Kane is, he knows more about all this than anyone else I know. Which happens to be two dead corpses.

The dragon’s stomach happened to rumble at that very moment. Bringing with it a long sigh.

I hope he gets here soon. “Aoroaror…” The dragon then laid on his stomach, and curled up tight. Waiting for his “attendant” to arrive.

____

I don’t know when it happened, but I found myself back in that simple, eternal darkness. Nothingness, for every direction. It was like greeting an old friend, a friend I had thought I lost. Maybe I could go back to it, this simplicity?

“Now, who here can tell me about Vampires?” A voice came from the empty void. This was the first time I've ever heard this voice. A man, a gentle and kind tone, that invited those around him to speak up in turn.

“Yes, you, right here!”

“They are monsters who eat people!” Another voice, smaller, more excited. A child’s voice.

“Close! They do not eat people, but they do…Yes!”

“They suck blood!” A different child chimed in

“Correct! They are monsters in literature that suck the blood of…?”

This time, multiple children spoke at once. Making the answer he sought from them a cacophony.

“Humans!”

“Very good!” He said, a new sound entering my ears. A scratching sound…Chalk. Chalk against a flat surface, a chalkboard. The man was writing on a chalkboard.

“Vampires are monsters…that suck the blood…from humans! Can anyone here name me a popular Vampire? Susie I see your hand, go ahead!”

“Dracula is pretty popular!”

“Correct as well! Count Dracula was a Vampire created in the 1890s by author Bram Stoker. Many would credit his writing to be the reason why we depict Vampires the way we do today. Pale, beautiful men and women, with large fangs in their mouths and a penchant for stalking their prey in the night.”

While he continued talking, his writing on the chalkboard continued onward. I could only hear his writing, for no matter how hard I listened, there was no vision to this sound I heard. He continued onward, all the same.

“Today, we’re going to learn about Vampires. How they came to be known today, and many other fantasy creatures including…”

Try as I might, the words that followed escaped my ears. His gentle voice fading to nothing. Only followed by my own consciousness fading into the darkness.

____

“..-y King, please awaken. Your meal is ready.”

The voice of Kane returned to me. My eyes fluttered open to his hand gently shaking me at the shoulder. Then raising my gaze to meet his own. The glow of his red eyes seemed fainter than it did before, its intensity faded. I uncurled myself and got back up to my feet, the pale attendant stepping back and opening his cloak. Reaching into its depths to take out the corpse of a large brown furred rabbit. A clean line through its neck.

“I apologize sincerely, for I do not have the tools to prepare a proper meal. Forgive me.”

Kane then gently placed the dead rabbit in front of me. At first, I felt repulsed by its sight. Another corpse to add to this man’s pile. At least this creature died swiftly. I couldn’t think of eating this animal as it is now. Raw, with skin and bone. It didn’t feel right!

My stomach rumbled still despite my protest, and as much as my mind fought against it. I was salivating at its sight. This was normal for Dragons to eat, wasn’t it? My thoughts as a person don’t apply, and if I don’t eat this, when would be my next meal? Kane had brought me this, whether I liked it or not, I had to try it at the very least.

Reaching down, I took a piece of the rabbit’s flesh in my jaws. Tearing it cleanly from its body. Far more easily than I had expected. Maybe if I had attempted to, I could have done far more to that woman than simply biting down. The rabbit was chewy, bloody, and full of its own fur…I enjoyed it all the same. This was how carnivores normally ate, who am I to complain?

While I continued to pick through my meal. The pale attendant had taken a seat on the ground across from me. Legs crossed, and back straightened. Watching me intently while I ate my first ever meal. Only when I had gotten through most of it, did his gaze break off to look at the chamber surrounding us.

“When you awoke, this place was meant to be your beginning. Filled with the wealth those of this temple accumulated…” His head bowed low in shame. “I was not able to interfere with the men that have picked this vault clean. To kill even one of the men who have entered this place would have brought unwanted attention to you. I could not risk you being found.”

A break from my meal gave me the chance to look at Kane. To see the mournful gaze he cast over the barren room. The guilt that lay beneath that blood red hue. Just how long did he watch over this place, over me?

“Even though men have taken what laid here, none found your resting place. Until today.” That mourning quickly turned to anger, eyes narrowed, teeth clenched. “To see them place their filthy hands upon you, to chain you like some common dog. They deserved no mercy.”

“I can only beg forgiveness for what was lost here. However, now that you have awoken, My King, we may begin again. To that end..” From his cloak came his outstretched hand, in his palm sat a beautiful ring. It's a brilliant gold, with an emerald gemstone set into its face. That golden emerald ring, he held out to me.

His words were sincere, pained. Emotions long held seeping to the surface for this man. I couldn’t begin to understand his motives, or why he fretted over my safety. What I could understand was his sincerity, above all else. He was speaking from his heart. Whatsoever his reason may be, it would be rude of me to ignore him.

With one of my large paws, I reached out and gently took the ring from his palm. Careful not to scratch his skin with the claws. It truly was a beautiful ring.

“I must beg your forgiveness once more, for this is all I can offer to you as of now.”

“…You apologize too much”

Surprise flashes over Kane’s features, before a simple smile graces his lips. “I see, I will refrain from doing so in the future.”

“Wait, did he understand me?!”

“I did indeed, My King. You are using your telepathy.”

“My Telepathy?”

He nods. “With your first piece, your first ever power has been acquired as well. Your ability to communicate with the likes of men. I did not think this would be enough. I am glad to be incorrect.”

With a single ring in my paw, it was enough to give me the power to speak. No words came from my lips, rather, my own thoughts became my speech. Was it my wish to communicate to him that made Telepathy activate?

No matter, I could talk! What do I say first? What should I do? What do I ask? There’s so much I want to know!… Though I suppose there is one way to start.

“I understand. Thank you, Mr Kane. For the meal, and for saving my life.”

“It is only natural, My King. However, I request you to merely call me Kane. You may also call me Attendant, if you do not wish to use my name.”

“Kane then, it would be rude to not use your name. I have many questions I wish to ask.”

“Of course, I have answers to give.” His smile faded, leaving behind his resolute, focused gaze upon me.

“I suppose, if there is anywhere to start. Why is it you call me King?”

There was a moment of pause from the pale attendant. He promised answers, yet the first was the one to make him think of an answer. I believed it would be the easiest for him, but maybe it was a question he needed an answer for as well? That wouldn’t make sense, surely. He would know why he calls me his King. Perhaps the real reason he lost himself in thought, was to find the right words to explain it to me.

“To answer that question, it will require me to explain a history that has long since passed. If you are accepting of a long winded story.”

“Of course, please, go ahead.”

“Then allow me to tell you the tale of the former Dragon Queen, your Mother.”