Ercale couldn't shake the feeling that something was awry from the moment he entered Moonveil, but he couldn't put his finger on it. As he gathered more information, the puzzle pieces began to fall into place. It had to be the vampires; they were the source of that unsettling sensation he felt when observing the townsfolk. What cemented his suspicion was Mari, the young girl. There was something different about her. Moreover, her mother didn't exhibit the same fear that gripped the others when they gazed upon him.
Ercale couldn't muster any empathy for the townsfolk; their lives held no significance to him. However, an unexpected reason to get involved had presented itself, one that he chose not to reveal just yet.
*What? Vampires exist!* Xain's voice echoed in his head with incredulity.
Ercale sighed in exasperation. *You know about Gods and Demon Lords, but vampires boggle your mind?* he retorted, despite knowing Xain's idiocy already.
Xain defended himself, his mental voice indignant. *Hey, how am I supposed to know which supernatural creatures are real when I heard about them as bedtime stories when I was a kid?* He had a point, but Ercale wasn't about to let him off the hook that easily.
*I don't know,* Ercale replied, his mental tone dripping with sarcasm. *But if I went my entire life thinking gods and demons were fiction and then found out they were real, I'd think that the other creatures I've heard about might be real too.*
Xain didn't push the issue further and returned to their current predicament. *Alright, back to the vampires. What's our plan?* he inquired.
Ercale sighed softly, his mental voice contemplative. *We can't do much right now, but perhaps we should locate thralls and interrogate them,* Ercale suggested.
Xain was curious. *Could you clarify what thralls are? Because they can have different meanings in different stories,* he pointed out.
Ercale explained to Xain, *Thralls are humans who have been subjugated and are controlled by vampires. They often possess valuable information about their vampire masters,* he clarified.
Xain nodded, understanding the concept. *Are they easy to find, though?* he inquired.
Ercale considered for a moment. *It depends on how experienced their vampire masters are. Judging from what I've observed in this town, I would say these vampires are quite experienced,* he replied.
Xain's curiosity was piqued, and he asked Ercale, *Could you explain what exactly you saw that gave away the fact that this place is run by vampires?*
Ercale responded by instructing him, *Move closer to the people just walking on the street. You should be able to tell.*
Xain shrugged and followed Ercale's advice. He positioned himself in a busy area where numerous pedestrians bustled about. As he observed them closely, he noticed something peculiar, something that only a discerning eye might detect.
Their appearances were almost too perfect, their movements a little too rehearsed, and their expressions too uniform. It was as if they were trying hard to emulate human behavior but were missing some essential quality that made it all seem natural. Their eyes held a certain emptiness, devoid of the spark of genuine emotion. It was like looking at humanoid puppets going through the motions of life.
As Xain noticed the strange behavior of the townsfolk, he couldn't help but take a cautious step backward. He questioned, *What's going on with them? And how did Zee and Larkin miss this?*
Ercale, analytical as always, provided his insights, *You seem unusually observant, unlike those two. Regarding what's happening to them, I have a few theories, but I can't be entirely certain. It's likely they're under some form of mind control.*
Xain felt a mixture of emotions. On one hand, the realization that these people were under the influence of vampire mind control was deeply unsettling. On the other hand, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of validation at Ercale's compliment, kind of.
*So, what's our next move?* Xain couldn't help but be somewhat irritated with himself for relying so heavily on Ercale's expertise. After all, he used to be just some thief before all of this, and while he wanted to contribute somehow, he felt powerless in the face of these supernatural challenges.
Ercale's mind worked quickly, and he explained, *Considering it's too early for the vampires to be active, and the likelihood of finding a thrall in this town with the citizens' peculiar state is slim, I've come up with a plan.*
Xain was eager to hear the details. *What's your plan?*
Ercale, hummed in thought before responding, *It's something I can use, thanks to your existence.*
Xain couldn't help but feel a surge of warmth at the unexpected compliment, and he found himself blushing slightly, especially after grappling with his self-doubt.
Xain couldn't help but clear his throat, despite the fact that he and Ercale communicated within his head. *So, um, what is it that you can use because of me?* he inquired, his curiosity taking the forefront.
Ercale, with a patient tone, elaborated, *Some magical abilities become inaccessible after becoming a Demon Lord, but there's one specific ability that could be exceptionally useful for locating our thrall.*
As Xain listened intently, he couldn't help but ask the obvious question, *Will you be using it now? And... um, will it hurt?*
Ercale's response was both cryptic and straightforward, *Maybe, but I suppose we'll find out, won't we?*
Xain felt a peculiar sensation, akin to the one he had experienced when Ercale had summoned lightning from his hand while dealing with Malvin. But this time, the energy seemed to be converging around his eyes.
As the energy gathered in Xain's eyes, he waited with anticipation, unsure of what to expect. At first, it seemed like nothing was changing, and he began to wonder if the attempt had failed. Just as he was about to voice his concerns, Ercale posed a peculiar question.
*What do we want to find?* Ercale asked.
Confused but willing to trust Ercale's guidance, Xain replied, *A thrall?*
Ercale provided further instructions, *Then think of the thrall, envision someone being controlled by a vampire in Moonveil. Not one of the typical townsfolk, but someone more integral, more trusted, closer to the vampire's inner circle.*
Xain concentrated on the image, fueled by his determination to assist the people of this town. Suddenly, it felt as though his vision had been yanked from his body, propelling him high above the town, leaving him with no control over this strange new perspective. His gaze darted around, searching for something specific until it homed in on a man inside a Moonveil tavern. Then, as abruptly as it had begun, this odd experience ended, leaving Xain feeling an intense disorientation and nearly causing him to stumble.
As Xain struggled to regain his balance after the disorienting experience, he couldn't help but ask, *What just happened?*
Ercale, wearing a faint smile, responded simply, *We found our thrall.*