Claude never knew how to feel the magic around him.
This ability was rare, proof there were only very few mages in the kingdom, about fifty. And unlike the large kingdoms that surrounded Garten, where the mages were both powerful and competent, those of Garten were average; magic detection being a luxury that only a handful of tower mages were able to achieve.
He was a knight, and his art was swordsmanship and military strategy but inexplicably, he felt the presence of Christal.
This presence he would recognize among all, he lived with her for weeks. One can say that she's a part of him which is why detecting her was so easy. But he wouldn't pretend that only having lived with her so intimately meant he would find her easily.
He used to feel her because she was always clinging to his shoulder but he didn't know how he managed to detect her.
Was it due to his new nature? Maybe but anyway he was now prepared for the fact that he had changed, he was not really like before and even if it scared him, he also felt something else... joy, he became like her not totally but he shared the same nature as her.
Riding his horse at full speed, he advanced towards the forest relieved to feel even a small trace of Christal's energy, he followed it, urging his aching and feverish body to continue.
" Wait for me, Christal. I'm coming"
He finally arrived in front of the forest, the feeling of being engulfed and crushed by the aura of this dark and gloomy place invaded him. He was afraid it would be dishonest of him to say the opposite.
A feeling of dread and anguish had overwhelmed him and even though he tried to convince himself otherwise, he was shaking... he was shaking so much that he also felt it in his heart which seemed to be beating abnormally fast...
He could have gone back and not lingered anyway, she's a demon, she's strong and doesn't need a common human like him to save her, but why couldn't he?
He was afraid to enter this scary place but he refused to turn around. There in this forest somewhere in its lair, the woman he loves was waiting for him. She was surely in pain and was mistreated otherwise he wouldn't feel so much anguish and fear, and he wouldn't be so disturbed.
Christal was in danger for sure and he had to save her, it was imperative.
So he advanced against the will of the voice back of his mind that was shouting at him not to go. He arrived in front of a small path, he was not yet really in the forest just at the edge but the feeling of being eyed and his life hanging by a thread grew bigger and bigger and he felt his strength being sucked away.
He told himself he could do it, he sang it to himself, and that's certainly what kept him going until he was standing in front of a track. It seemed to lead to a slope overlooking a sinister valley from which he could not see the end of it.
Brambles and gray or dark brushwood were on the path preventing any progress, the view becoming even darker.
He swallowed, taking his sword in his hand. He had terrible trouble holding it. His hand was clammy and for a moment, his weapon had become so slippery.
He stilled for a moment, his eyes closed in contemplation as he felt the faint pulse of Christal's energy guide him. She was not far he knew, so guided by this renewed confidence, he began to carve the sinister vegetation of this forest, slashing as he could and making his way in the tracks he had created.
It wasn't easy. He also had to hurry because the more he cut, the more they grew, tearing his skin at the same time.
His body was strewn with wounds that stung him with every movement, his clothes should be dripping with blood but he was not dripping which surprised him.
Intrigued by this, he stopped and bit his hand with the edge of his weapon hissing in pain. He noticed very quickly that the wound closed and his eyes widened...he was becoming exactly like her.
He smiled and started to walk deeper into this horrible forest.
His eyes suddenly opened with certainty as he looked in the direction of a small track.
" It's this way"
Claude started walking at a run, sporting a determined face. His thoughts, however, were anxious. He was doing his best to quell his growing fears and his desperation to find Christal. He had to get to her before she...
He couldn't even bring himself to think about the terrible word. His heart was writhing inexplicably in his chest as if something bad was about to happen, he knew it was not trivial, his wife, his Christal was in danger.
As he ran, his thoughts drifted slightly to the argument with Eléonore whom he had left; the peaceful life he had chosen to leave, but not without reason.
She had told him that she would leave, she had promised him to leave with their sons. He could have not left so as not to lose this rather simple state of life, he could have tried to love her and to be happy with her and their sons but he couldn't. Even before Christal came into his life, he already couldn't stand her but he needed an heir and he was also a man with needs even if the sex was monotonous having only done it a few times.
Five times for four years of marriage.
He doesn't know how he had lasted all this time without fucking but damn. Since he tasted Christal, he's been craving, it's unbearable he needs his demon.
" I will save my wife."
Eléonore had seemed frightened by his transformation, he was certainly satisfied with it. It was a perverse feeling to think so, but he only saw this chance to make her stay calm until he came back and then, they would proceed with the divorce.
She will be able to return to her family and in any case, she is still young enough to remarry. As for the children, he is sure that Christal, out of love for him, will treat them with consideration…
He continued to advance following this spark of energy in front of him until he arrived in front of a cave. Shit he hates caves, even if he is a knight emeritus he can't help but feel the fear inside him.
He was in the forest of nightmares
He was about to enter when many bats rushed at him, making him put his hand in front of his eyes. After they passed, he looked around and discovered that he was on an underground path that led to a cavern. Sensing Christal's trail still ahead of him, he crossed it and entered the cavern at the opposite end.
Claude immediately felt a strange unease come over him as he entered the darkness of the cave. Letting his eyes adjust again, he stood at the entrance for a moment, trying to make out his surroundings. He noticed that the air felt icy and realized with a start that much of the surface of the ground was covered in water.
Cautiously, Claude began to walk further inside. His eyes now made out the expansive interior well enough to see the remnants of much destruction on the walls, and water was mixed with a strange red substance he preferred to avoid. A fight had certainly taken place recently here.
Seeking Christal's energy again, he inhaled sharply as his eyes caught sight of a figure in the far corner of the tower.
In an instant, he was on his knees beside the crumpled form, horror written all over his face. Christal was unconscious, covered in blood and a black liquid. His hand gripped her belly. She seemed to barely breathe.
" Christal"
Claude carefully turned her onto her back, his only arm supporting her head, his other hand placed on her neck, feeling her pulse.
It was barely what one could count as a pulse, but it was there. Claude's moment of relief was quickly replaced by an overwhelming sense of helplessness.
" Come on, Christal, you can't go like that! Wait a minute, I swear I won't let you die"
Claude felt that his promise seemed empty; Christal was in a horrible state. He shuddered inside as he carefully inspected the three large puncture wounds in her abdomen. He wished at that time he could have been a healing mage.
Claude continued to rock Christal in his arms, trying to use his body heat to warm her cold body. Claude watched Christal's face intently, silently asking her to open her eyes as his mind continued to whirl anxiously. He was so afraid that he had arrived too late.
He had to try something before it was too late. There was only one thing he could offer her. It had to work.
"I'm going to do my best hoping it works...and please live...live for me."
He closed his eyes and wrapped Christal in his embrace. He put her head on his collarbone before pulling out his fangs and biting against Christal's jugular vein as hard as he could. He never thought he would ever do this but surprisingly this wasn't as disgusting as he imagined as the metallic taste of Christal's blood fell to the back of his throat.
He contorted his face in disgust knowing he was drinking blood but after a while, he realized that the taste in his mouth was nothing like what he imagined in his head.
It was sweet, no he found it delicious, tasty, and intoxicating to such an extent that he hugged Christal's body against him and began to pump her blood voraciously.
His whole body became as if carried away by an exciting intoxication feeling, and his cock hardened in his pants. It was good, it was so good he wanted even more so he continued to suck.
As he did so, getting drunk on the taste of Christal in his being, Claude heard a moan as the body beneath him shifted slightly.
Opening one eye, Claude's attention was immediately directed to Christal's hand as it began to move.
Claude withdrew from her neck and took another look at Christal's face. Already her skin seemed less ashy. Closing his eyes again in concentration as he curbed his impulses and desire to feed on her again, a few more minutes passed before Claude felt a tremor pass through Christal's body. With a jolt, he suddenly felt her soul respond to his and accept his energy within her. Her breathing became stronger and more regular, and her body felt warmer.
" Come back, my love."