I hear the cool breeze before I can feel it. Getting goosebumps all over as the wind flows over me, a cold sheet of air, yet I can also feel warming sunrays.
I open my eyes.
I'm greeted by a beautiful sky, a flock of birds flying just above me. I sit up slowly, reeling from a sudden wave of nausea. "Where...?"
I start to look around me. Tree's as far as the eye can see. Swaying branches in the wind. They feel so familiar but so foreign when I study them. I shake my head. 'Not what I should focus on right now. Where exactly am I?'
I try to remember how I got here but it comes up blank, only a brief image of me falling comes to mind, but nothing else.
I hear water flowing in the distance. An memory flashes though my mind of a woman telling me that if I could find a flow of water I could follow it I could find my way back to town. I close my eyes and start walking towards the sound of flowing water.
I find a beautifully clear stream and quickly realize how unbelievably thirsty I am. I immediately drop to the water and begin greedily drinking handfuls of water. To my surprise it barely quenches my thirst and even though I can't drink anymore I'm still thirsty.
I wipe my face and stand up. I start walking downstream, hoping to find some kind of city or town so I can try and find my way home.
.
.
After a few hours of walking I see someone fishing in the distance. 'Fishing in a stream?' They're wearing ragged clothes and seem to be...less fortunate. As I get closer I see that it's a man in her 30's atleast, he notices me approaching and gives me a concerned look. "You okay boy? I haven't seen you around here before and you're ghostly pale."
"I'm fine a think, just a bit thirsty and hungry. Is there a town around here by chance?"
I stiffen up a little. Another memory of that woman, this time telling me to always be wary of strangers.
He straightens his back and getsures towards the stream. "Yeah just keep following the stream and you should reach Hollingston in about a half hour or so."
I nod, "Thank you, I'll be going now." He waves goodbye to me. "Sure kiddo, see you around. Try not to get lost and just keep following the stream." I realize that he's been tense this whole time because he seems to relax a lot as I leave.
I give him a wave back and continue walking. After a few mi utes of walking a stop at a more still part of the stream and try and look at my reflection. 'He said I look ghostly pale, am I really?
As soon as I see my reflection my heart drops. 'This isn't me! Black hair, red eyes, poited ears, even sharp fangs! I look like a vampire!'
I freeze up and start to breathe heavier, my thoughts racing. 'Am I really a vampire? Are vampire's actually real? Who am I? Where am I? What's happening to me?.'
My thoughts are interrupted by a soothing memory of that woman again. A smile crosses her face as I ask her a question, "Always try to think calmly Rael. If you can remember to take deep breathes and slow your breathing you'd be able to deal with problems under even the greatest pressure."
I close my eyes and take deep breaths. 'Is she my mom? She called me Rael right? That must be my name then. If I'm only just remember this then do I have amnesia? What really happened to me?'
I shake my head and stare down at my reflection again. 'So many questions but no anwsers.'
I start following the stream again, 'Let's just find a town first.'
.
.
I finally start to see the town in the distance, although the houses look...different to say the least.
As soon as I enter the town people seem wary of me. I don't blame them though, I look like a vampire. I manage to stop one of the people and ask where I should go If i was lost. She directs me to a 'Lord Everich'. She points to the biggest building in town.
She waves me off leaving me extremely confused. 'Lord? Did I somehow get put in a fantasy world or something.' Although I said it as a joke, for some reason I felt like I was right.
I knock on the door, and almost instantly someone dressed in heavy armor greets me face to face. "What do you need stranger?" He says harshly. I almost can't believemy eyes when I see him but keep cool. "I'm lost and I think I've lost my memories, I asked someone where I should go for help and I was directed here."
He stares at my quietly for a few seconds, "One moment." He says before shutting the door.
I hear the loud klanking of his armor as he walks away from the door. After a few minutes of waiting I hear him klanking his way back to the door. He opens the door swiftly and steps out next to me, a man in his 20's dressed in fancy clothes steps out behind him. Brown hair and green eyes, somehow glowing.
"I'm the Lord here, Lord Everich. You are?" He says politely. I'm overwhelmed by his presence, I can almost see power emanating from him. "Rael...I'm Rael." The guard immediately grunts, "Show the Lord respect! Bow immediately!"
Lord Everich puts up his hand quickly "No need, you've lost your memory right? It only makes sense you aren't accustomed anymore."
The guard straightens his back, "Yes my Lord, my apologies." Everich laughs, "You're forgiven. Now...Rael right? Please follow me inside to talk further, I have some questions myself." He gestures for me to follow him while he walks inside. The guard staying behind him so I cant be close to him. 'They seem wary of me too.'
He sits me down in a spacious room and steels his gaze as he sits down across from me. "First things first, what are you? You definitely aren't beastkin, elven, dragonewt, or anything of the like."
I flinch a little. "I...I'm a Vampire my...my lord."
He seems puzzled. "A vampire? What it hells name Is a Vampire?"
My heart drops. 'Somehow a dragon and a beast is normal here but a vampire isn't? Where the hell am I?