Alexander looked at me, clearly eager to be brought into the fold, as though some ancient secrets were about to be revealed.
Marie on the other hand was timid and fairly silent. It was clear that she did not desire any of my attention and perhaps she even thought it unbearable. She feared me and that was acceptable.
"I want to acquire properties. Buildings and estates that can be turned into schools and guilds." I spoke clearly, slowly and carefully to make sure that my words left no room for interpretation. "I want you to find children who are downtrodden, the homeless, those who have no background, ones no one would notice if they disappeared."
"My Lord, this is within the realm of possibility but a school? Considering your position and stature, all this seems a little....normal."
I could not help but let out a small chuckle. "Yes, it does, doesn't it? The truth is children are malleable. Their loyalty comes from those who protect and care for them. I will take advantage of this and build a janissary core disguised as what others will deem an act of philanthropy."
"This will take both time and money." Alexander stated but his mind was already working out some of the details.
"We lack time but I still I want it done. This will be the Devshrime program. Do not worry about teachers. I will supply all of them. The worthy students will be taken under my dark wing and Gifted while those that do not make the cut will be turned into spies and mercenaries. This will be a huge undertaking so I will leave it in what I assume to be your capable hands."
I opened my dimensional storage and took out a black book with golden lining and sigils.
"This is a grimoire from my personal library. It is part of vampire heritage and history from a time when we were at our peak. It is written in High Calari, the language of the Crimson Empire. This is the downpayment for your services."
I placed the book on the table then stood up to leave but not before noticing the greed in Alexander's eyes when the book touched the table.
"One more thing, Alexander." I turned my head toward him. "I need a list of races with useful and powerful abilities. I will be back here tomorrow for it.
"By your will, my Lord." Alexander bowed. My gaze shifted toward Marie who scurried in fear and quickly bowed as well. I paused for a moment to observe them.
This is what the experiments of my life had come to? Vampires who were not vampires. Barely better than the Inamatus. Weak, scared, desperate to cling to someone strong and lacking in every aspect that would have made them a citizen of the Crimson Empire, the Calaris, the Children of blood.
I left the bank, giving my back to a so called, Grand Duke, not feeling much more than a great pretender myself.
Dark Radiance? In the eyes of the Calaris, I was infallible, all knowing, all powerful but to get the strength I possess, I made mistakes, I fought hard, I suffered so much that I lost my own mind and found it again more than a hundred times.
I remember it all even when I try not to...
The pain...
The loneliness....
The fear...
[Warning! Warning! Host's stress levels are rising! Mental energies are surpassing containable range!]
I grasped my head as I walked into the light and noise of the Capitol of Saras.
[If preventative measures are not taken the chances of soul damage: 99.3%]
I could not save them. I could not save myself. Why did they believe in me? Why did I let them? I could not save her! I failed...I failed...I failed....
'You are a disgrace.' Samael's voice tore through the violent images of the gory past that were being replayed in my head.
Fights I had when I was weak. Monsters and sentient beings I killed to evolve. So much chaos. So much death. So much loss.
'You did this!' I roared in my own mind but all I got in return was laughter.
'You cannot remove yourself from the truth. I may be a different and superior personality but I am still, regretfully, you.'
[IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY ENERGY PULSE RELEASE ADVISED!]
I fail...fail....fail...
'Yes, because you are weak!'
[RELEASE OF SAMAEL IMMINENT IN 5...4...3...]
Suddenly time stopped. All the energy that was building up became compressed and pulsed inside my body before shooting up into the sky, dying the world black and white for four seconds.
I immediately lost my balance and almost hit the ground. Time resumed but the sky was a dark hue of purple for a while and all the shocked residents looked up unaware of the cause behind it.
[Clostra integrity compromised. Seal cohesion: 82%]
The system's final notification came through before I had the chance to reign in my thoughts.
[Enoch: Sorry, Val, your emotional level had reached a dangerous level. I had to act without your consent. Val, you need to deal with your PTSD.]
My breathing was strained. Sweat covered my face and shirt. I could not help but force a smile, ready to answer Enoch when a new voice drew my attention.
"You! What are you doing?! You are blocking the Crown prince's way into the bank! What rights do you have to be so arrogant?"
I steadied myself and looked ahead in the direction the voice was coming from.
A blonde youth, dressed finely in aristocratic garb and jewels, stood inside a group of knights ten metres away.
I did not reply. They were ants after all. Bugs whose lifespan was insignificant and negligible.
"You dare ignore us?!" Swords got drawn. "Who are you? How can you dare?!"
But then again, when bugs became too much of an annoyance, a higher being would not hesitate to squash them!
"How can I dare?" I laughed a little. "I dare because I am strong and you are weak."
My fangs grew, my eyes glowed blood red and I hissed with ferocity.
"Vampire!" A knight shouted. "There is a vampire in the capital!"