In the streets of Zorne, blood was spilling.

A policeman in a matte helmet screamed as he was downed by a huge red spike. Upon transfixing the body to the wall, the sanguinous spear deformed into tendrils of blood, swirling together and coming back to the owner.

As the blood, red blood, delicious blood, entered Axel through his split fingertips, the Dhampyre smiled.

“Halt!”

As the ravenous predator looked up from his latest victim, eyes flashing like balefire. A figure in a long black coat stood up the street, lapels billowing behind him like the wasted wings of some skeletal raven. “Subject D-1447, you have sinned against the Blood Archon by interfering with the transformation experiments and killing your handler, High Academician Delphurg. As of now and always, you are the property of the Republic of Zorne. I, Arbitrator 401, put you under indefinite arrest.” Axel smiled raised his hands, generating a red mist that seeped into his immediate surroundings. Moved by the droplets of blood in the surroundings, pieces of rock leapt up into the grounds as if they had a mind of its own, then launched themself at high speed towards the Arbitrator.

The man threw out an arm, forming a flowing red cloak of blood the wrapped around his body, emerging from his shoulder. It caught Axel’s bullets with ease, absorbing the impact into its soft, supple, surface. At a thought, the cloak rapidly changed form, pushing the rock out of itself and forming a gauntlet around its owner’s right hand as the Arbitrator charged at Axel. Rather than moving aside, Axel simply stood as the punch, red-clad death, sped at him.

Wham!

Axel reeled back, his jaw crushed under the tremendous force. However, apart from swaying, he did not move whatsoever, instead snapping straight back up.

”You’re strong...”

Axel’s managed jaw rapidly reformed, sticking back into place. With a light chuckle, he dodged the roundhouse kick aimed at his head and threw a half-hearted punch in return. The Arbitrator easily evaded and grabbed his arm. Axel smiled amiably and jerked himself to one side, breaking his own arm. The jut in the snapped limb rapidly swerved towards the man, catching him in the face. Axel quickly followed up with a knee to the crotch, throwing the man into the air and emitting a disturbing squish noise. “Gah!”

“...But not that strong.”

Axel slipped to one side, a long sword shooting out from the sole of his palm. With a blur, his arm shifted in a long arc, slamming through the body of the unfortunate victim.

Snick

“Sgguurg”

A fountain of vitae spurted out from the bisected halves of the man. Axel retrieved his blood and stared at his broken arm. “I can’t fight like that.” He broke into a jog, knocking aside the occasional passer-by and quickly slithering into the nearest building.

Lamiar Orphanage

Axel was greeted by a crowd of crying children, huddled against the wall. A vampire crouched over them, spikes protruding from her shoulders.

“Get way from them!” The woman, no, the thing, hissed. “Protecting your spawn. Seeing you monsters play house makes me sick.” A ball of blood exploded from Axel’s right forearm. Rapidly solidifying into a wrecking-ball, it slashed forward on a muscular tendril, dashing the vampires head into the wall. “I need food, now...” Axel mused.

Turning to the children, Axel saw a muddle of confused and sobbing orphans. “You guys are just like me, huh?” His face softened, then broke into a happy smile.

Axel strode out of the orphanage, arm healed, chuckling. “I guess that’s what happens to weaklings like me.” Turning his blood-spattered face to the orphanage, his gaunt visage jerked into a satisfied, loving grin.

Another spell-chariot of Arbitrators was pulled up.

Turning to his new adversaries, Axel silently thanked the children, his benefactors.

”My thanks for the meal.”