In the country of Albion, formerly known as the United Kingdom.
In the northern part of the country in a district known as the Shields.
The Shields came into existence as any further north became a wildland.
Rebels, ghouls and many other worse abominations lived in the cold north, ruined cities and the mountains.
The Shields main purpose was a massive wall that kept them two places separate, though it was a thriving city in its own right as it was ruled over by an Elder Vampire.
Further south just past the river sat one of the many human slums that kept most of the second class workers.
Moving up to the coastline a small shanty pub was one of the few things still active during the evening, inside three people drinking together with a slightly sombre mood.
"Here Here, To Darien!"
Darien smiled lightly, raising his pint glass, the watered swill they drank sloshing about as he took a small swig from the glass, coughing as the stuff burnt on the way down.
The man looked like a twig, tall but very thin as he looked malnourished with a pair of glasses repaired many times on the end of his nose as he pushed them up. His patchwork clothing repaired many times as he was a rather odd fellow with sunken eyes and a look of needing something to eat with his black ruff hairstyle and his deep navy blue eyes making it only worse. He was rather attractive if not for his body's state.
Darien looked at the man giving him the cheers, His vision looking onto Jon.
Jon, on the other hand, was much different. He was as tall and rather well built, the muscle built on muscle type though his eyes held clear intelligence as he knew this celebration was mainly a way for them to put some fake joy into the rather miserable news they had gotten.
"It's actually not that bad. Vampires are actually really nice and I bet you will meet some stunning women!" Finished Sharon
"Thanks, Sharon…" Darien spoke lightly.
Jon and Darien both looked at the final member of the group, A blonde-haired woman, as pale as Darien for different reasons. The clear mark of bite marks on the woman's neck as she simply smiled. Her hair quickly tussled and moved to cover them as it was clear she was self-conscious about the whole idea of them looking at her neck.
The boys had a clear sceptical look, They both had heard the rumours of when one got bitten by a vampire they became clearly infatuated by the vampires who addicted them to the life of becoming nothing more than a blood bag.
They were tools, simple and yet a normal thing in this world.
If you were a magic caster it was a guarantee that eventually a vampire would grab you and claim you.
You were property in the end. Nothing more or less.
It was the reason that both Jon and Darien had a rather sombre smile.
"Who would have thought. Darien awakening to Light Magic. We all knew that you would only be in the Lesser Academy with us mere mortals. Moving up to the Greater Academy to learn all your magical spells."
"Please Jon, we both know I'm not looking forward to it. Light magic is the only way one can deal with vampires… I'll be a pawn at best… dead at worst."
The group became rather silent as even a few pity filled looks from the other patrons around stared at them.
A few men and women raising hands as Darien was soon given enough drink to put him under.
It was the only thing they could do in this world.
Darien, Jon and Sharon began to drink, taking up huge amounts of the swill they called alcohol.
Eventually, as the night began to wind down, Darien split from Jon and Sharon as Jon began to take the drunk girl home.
Darien taking some time to be alone now as he walked along the beach, holding the letter of invitation to the Greater Shield Academy.
He felt rather numb in the cold air as the waves crashed against the cliffs to the south of him, water rushing up and eventually past him as his feet became soaked.
He began to cry as he had already lost so much and now he was losing even more.
When one awoke to magic, they normally lost something depending on the power level of the magic.
Jon awoke to earth magic, he lost the feeling in his right thumb because of it.
Sharon awoke to air magic, she lost the ability to smell because of it.
Darien had gained light magic, something very rare and normally powerful. He had lost all his memories. He knew nothing. He simply had appeared in the streets with a Lesser vampire testing him to find his light magic. He was transferred up north to the facility and given this slum house.
For the past six months, he had learned all about his supposed place in the world. He did not know if he even wanted his memories back at this point.
"Why…"
His only words to the air as he pulled his hand forward, light forming into a small but beautiful wall of wonder that seemed to dance in the palm of his hand. In his mind, this power felt rather weak, not even strong enough to fight against the vampires.
Frustration, weakness, shame and defeat.
His emotions not helped by the fact of his drunkenness
Looking out at the sea he finally noticed something, his vision flickering as he felt his body shaking as his body went numb and cold.
The normal empty horizon at this time had a single figure standing at the edge of his vision.
He felt his heart pounding away madly as the person came closer and closer. It was almost like a spectator coming for him.
Soon enough the figure came into view, a timeless beauty that seemed to look around the late twenties, early thirties.
She was slightly smaller in height compared to himself, though her red glowing eyes, white flowing hair and snow perfect skin easily suggested her nature to him.
Vampire, a powerful one at that.
His words catching in his throat as he stumbled back, only to find his feet rooted in place as Ice covered the entire beach, the sea had frozen as far as his eye could see.
Impossible, he had never heard of such magic before.
"I've finally found you, I've wasted hundreds of years."
She spoke softly, eyes filled with Sadness as she approached him, raising her hands up as she cupped the man's cheeks like he was a delicate flower.
"I will make things right, we will become one again."
As she spoke, her smile broke as her mouth opened.
Two massive fangs poking out as she had the strength to hold the man, though the Ice did it's just as it held the man perfectly in place.
The sound of sinking fangs, screams before deathly silence fell once more in the night.
No one would come…
No one ever came.