I stand there, my hands resting on Alice's back as she cleans the blood from my chest and neck. The pill I swallowed slowly burns in the pit of my stomach. I collapse to my knees', except alice catches me and slowly lowers me to lay on my back. My vision swim's as I look up at the ceiling. I read the notification out to Alice, "System download in progress... 12 hours remaining."
"I will await your return, Master." Alice say's, her hand sweeping my eyes that I strained to keep open, closed.
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I wake up to my alarm, my hand slapping down on it to turn it off. I sit up and look out the window at the sunrise, and get ready to leave. I head to the entrance to the mall that Isabella and Isaac choose to meet at for their birthday.
"Hey Ezekiel," Isabella smiles hugging onto my arm. Isaac patting a hand on my other shoulder, with a wave.
"Goodmorning," I flash a smile to Isabella, glancing at Isaac with a nod. 'he's being strangely quiet today.' I ponder, "Everything alright Isaac?"
"Ah, you see I've got a date to get to man. Sorry to ditch you with her like this but..." Isaac shrugs.
"Haha, No worries, you should spend your birthday doin' what you want to. Just try to behave, we don't need mini Isaacs in the world yet.
After separating me and Isabella go through a couple different shops. As always she's dragging me around by the hand. Through books stores, clothing and bathing stores. The collection of bags hanging from my hand starts to grow.
I suddenly plant my feet at the next store she tries to pull me into, "That's a lingerie store."
"Yeah, come on we're just window browsing it's fine." Isabella smiles up at me.
"I mean, that's a place you'd go to with the girl's, or your boyfriend." I scratch the back of my head.
"It's Fiiiiine," She pulls at my hand, "Besides, I don't have a boyfriend," Isabella tilts her head at me.
"Just because it's your birthday. Alright?" I ask with a raised eyebrow, as she pulls me gleefully into the store.
After flashing me with the different styles of lingerie for almost half an hour we move on to the movies. We sit down with the popcorn, having left the bags in the car. As the horror movie Isabella picked plays on the screen.
"Ahh," she yells clinging onto my arm, looking up at me with tears in her eyes.
"You really baffle me, Why'd you pick a horror movie when you can't handle watching it?" I shake my head with a forced laugh.
"Well.. akldjvavrub" she mumbles.
"What was that?" I ask leaning down to listen.
"It's because I feel secure around you...That's why I thought I could watch one." Isabella say's with a bright red face.
After the movie, I walk her to her car. Having said our goodbyes, I turn and walk towards my car when Isabella cries out, "W-Wait!"
"Is something wrong," I ask turning around, The sky rumbles as a light drizzle falls down.
Isabella walks up to me, taking her hands in mine. "I - uh I have something to tell you."
"Okay," I nod, "I'm listening."
"So um, Listen! Thanks so much for today, and for always being there for me and my brother..." She trails off looking off to the side.
I raise a hand to place on her shoulder, "Isabella, look at me," I met her gaze with a smile, "That's not something you need to thank me for. It's natural, it's what friends do, Right?"
"Y-Yes, but That's not all I wanted to say!" Isabella says meeting my gaze, and taking a deep breath. "I really like you, Ezekiel. You're always kind, you're always there for us. I know you probably don't see me like that but, I love you."
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*Ding*
System download completed...
Generating Status display....
Measuring body parameters'....
Measuring affinities...
Generation of status display compiled....
Ezekiel Kaburagi
Title: Gluttonous one
Level 1
Race: Vampire
Strength 20
Dexterity 25
Intelligence 30
Endurance 26
Mana 500
Spirit 500
Luck 5
Charm 27
Passive Skills
Hunger Pain Immunity
Void Stomach: Blessed with a never-ending hunger
Void heart: As an entity that has never known the warm embrace of love, you find it impossible to comprehend the feeling
Evolutionary Eater: When eating your body may gain status point's, skills, and energy. The rarer the delicacy the more powerful the boon.
"Ugh," opening my eyes, I see Alice smiling down at me.
"Welcome back Master." Alice trails her hands through my hair, "Your body has changed quite a lot while you slept."
I take a deep breath, sitting up slowly. The first thing I notice is my hands that were once darkened with a gentle tan, now a silky white like that of freshly fallen snow. My hair hanging down into my eyes, once a dart brown, but now a shimmering blonde like it was when T was a child. "Am I... A Vampire now?" I inquire, as I take a deep breath, the scent of the forest and the animals around flooding my senses. The sounds of the forest animals, their breathing and heartbeat filling my ears.
I suddenly hunch forward, my hand covering my mouth as fangs pierce through my lip, a low growl comes from my throat. My body moves on it's own towards Alice in a flash, although she nimble moves away into the forest. "My my, let the chase begin," Her light laughter flits through the night as we crash through the underbrush at insane speeds.
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Deep within the palace, a shimmering portal opens in the summoning classroom. Elaine lands nimbly on her feet. Beginning to run for the kings private chambers, she halts as a sudden voice greets her.
"Welcome back, Elaine." King Jacobs stern voice calls out from the seats of the classroom. "Have you any Idea how long you've been on this expedition for?"
Elaine quickly stops, turning and kneels on the ground bowing her head to the King, "My apologies your majesty, I'll be honest, I have no idea how long we were gone or what the time distortion has been. I sincerely apologies for the my negligence of my responsibilities."
"I understand, leaving the matter of your duties aside, what is the status of Ezekiel. He has been the most driven of the summoned individuals." King Jacob waves his hand for Elaine to raise her head.
Elaine stands, hesitating before she gives her vague answer. "He remains resting in the spiritual world after consuming an artifact of unknown origins... Alice believed his body is going through an evolution to best accommodate the power of the artifact. I entrusted his life to her, as she has formed a slave pact with Master Ezekiel, and therefore her life is tied with his own. In order to return and report the situation."
"I think I understand, however are you capable of returning to the plain Ezekiel brought you to?" King Jacob sighs, a tired look crossing his face for a brief moment. "If not then we must pray he returns unharmed in due time. While he wasn't the most powerful, his effort has always bore fruit. Losing a talented youth like him would be detrimental to protecting the kingdom from the looming war."
"I understand, I shall attempt to reach the same plane once I've recovered my Spirit energy from transporting back." Elaine hangs her head in contemplation. "If I may be so presumptuous might I ask to pass my instruction courses onto me second inn command for a further bout of time. In order to expedite the process, Your Majesty."
"You are free to do as you need in order to bring him back to us." King jacob slowly raises to his feet, "I shall take my leave now. I expect nothing less than good news from you on this matter, Elaine."
"It shall be as you desire." Elaine bows briefly before leaving the room shortly after the king.
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Saint Rani sits surrounded with Isabella and Isaac, slowly sipping from her tea cup, before delicately setting it down. "I must tell the two of you the truth of the matter regarding Ezekiel..." She says with a light sigh.
Isabella looks down at the mug between her hands, while Isaac's eyes widen. "Has something bad happened to him?"
"The truth is we do not know of his status, he left to form a spirit contract alongside Elaine. It seems they discovered a consumable artifact, and it has caused him to evolve. We know not what the result will be, however the time between that realm and this one differers by a vast amount. it seems half a day there amounts to roughly six days of our time." Saint Rani levels her gaze with theirs. "This is not cause to panic, your friend my come back different. However he will still be alive and well. He could become something with a monstrous form, a being devoid of rationality, a ravenous beast... there are endless possibilities. From Elaine's report last night, he still had a human form by the time she left."
Isabella's breathing turns ragged, her cup clattering to the floor as she runs from the room, a tear falling through the air as she runs into the garden.
"Isabella, wait!" Rani calls out, raising to her feet to stop her, when Isaac's hand catches her elbow.
"You must let her work through this..." Isaac looks to the side after releasing Rani, then raises his gaze to meet hers, "It doesn't matter if either of us go, only Ezekiel's return will help. Is there something I can do to help locate him?"
Rani moves back to her seat, her hands clenching her dress. "However much it pain's you, you must swear not to try and go after him. As I said he could become an extremely dangerous being." She meets his gaze with her own, "We cannot afford to risk losing two of you due to this incident, please understand, our hands are tied here."
Isaac slumps back into the couch, "I see," His small voice drifts through the silent room. "Thank you for informing us, you must be tired. You should return to your lodgings." Standing he walks to the garden, I will ensure my sister doesn't try to chase after him." The door closes with a resolute thud as he walks into the garden.
Rani's hands move to her chest, clutching the fabric as she leans forward. she remains in this position for a long time, the only sound in the house her ragged breathing. Eventually she gathers herself, and returns to the church's lodgings.