With a heavy heart and aching body, Fang eventually tore his gaze away from Arasha and turned to leave the room. He couldn't bear to watch over her at the moment, his mind plagued by questions and uncertainty. As he stepped out, he spotted a gang member leisurely enjoying a drink. In a burst of frustration, Fang grabbed the man by the scruff of his neck, his nails digging into the human's skin.
"Go sit and guard Lady Arasha, you waste of space," Fang growled, his voice dripping with irritation and urgency.
The gang member, startled and terrified by Fang's sudden outburst, quickly abandoned his drink and scurried toward the room where the unconscious elf lay. "Y-yes, boss, of course," he stammered, eager to comply with Fang's command and make amends for his momentary lapse.
The gang member, his irritation apparent, reluctantly walked over and stationed himself next to Arasha. His fingers grazed the still-bleeding wound on his neck, a stark reminder of Fang's earlier attack.
As he looked upon her delicate and alluring form, a sinister desire kindled in his eyes. His hand, tainted by the blood trickling from his neck, trembled as he extended it towards Arasha's face. His intentions were far from noble, and his predatory instincts took hold.
But fate had a different plan. Arasha's eyes snapped open with a jolt, her irises blazing a malevolent shade of crimson. In her newfound state of torment and hunger, she reacted with a feral aggression.
Arasha's sudden awakening took the guard by surprise, and he was ill-prepared for the nightmare that unfolded before him. Her eyes, once a serene shade of dark, now blazed with an intense crimson, a stark contrast to the peaceful elven gaze she usually wore. Her canines elongated into menacing fangs, akin to those of Elliot's, but her features twisted in a grotesque display of rage, torment, and an insatiable hunger.
The gang member's desire and ill intentions were met with a harrowing transformation. Arasha's once-docile demeanour had been replaced by a nightmarish hunger for blood, leaving her assailant to face the horrifying consequences of his actions.
Before the guard could react, a shrill scream pierced the air as Arasha launched herself at him. Her slender hand shot out and gripped his arm, forcefully bringing his neck closer to her predatory face. With a quick, savage motion, she sank her newly formed fangs into his flesh.
Pain and terror coursed through the guard's body as Arasha fed upon him, her instincts overriding any sense of rationality. His futile struggles and muffled cries filled the room as the elven woman siphoned his life force, her thirst for blood insatiable.
Fang and Brutus burst into the room, their eyes widening in shock at the gruesome sight that unfolded before them. Arasha, her eyes burning with an unnatural crimson hue, clung onto the gang member, her teeth sunk deep into his neck as she drained his life force.
"Arasha, snap out of it!" Fang's voice trembled with a mixture of concern and horror. He rushed forward, grabbing Arasha by the shoulders and attempting to pry her away from the hapless gang member.
Brutus, his face etched with worry, joined Fang's efforts, trying to force Arasha's grip to release. "Come on, Arasha! Fight it!" he urged, his voice filled with desperation.
But Arasha remained unyielding, lost in the relentless grip of her vampiric hunger. Her crimson eyes glared at them with a terrifying intensity, her grip on the gang member's neck refusing to relent.
The gang member's life began to ebb away, his struggles weakening with each passing moment. Fang and Brutus exchanged desperate glances, realizing that their pleas fell upon deaf ears. Arasha was consumed by her insatiable thirst for blood, and there seemed to be no way to break the hold her bloodlust had over her.
As the gang member fell lifeless on the floor, Arasha's eyes briefly reverted to their usual dark color. She muttered incoherent words, her voice filled with desperation and confusion. "Need blood, where is Master," she mumbled before her gaze once again turned scarlet, and she thrashed violently in her restraints.
"She's infected!" Brutus shouted, struggling to keep Arasha under control.
Fang's face contorted with rage and frustration. "The demon, the demon did this to her! We need to find him!"
Together, Fang and Brutus managed to chain Arasha down, careful not to hurt their comrade while desperately seeking a way to save her from the vampiric curse that had befallen her.
Meanwhile, far away in the realm of dreams, Elliot remained blissfully unaware of the unfolding events. As Elliot slumbered peacefully in his apartment, his mind drifted into the realm of dreams. Deep into the night, a subtle mental presence, the ever-watchful system within him, stirred with a newfound purpose. In the depths of his subconsciousness, the system's voice resonated, delivering a message that would reshape the trajectory of his journey:
"New Family Member created.
Family Member status: incomplete, require Host's blood to complete transformation.
Currently unstable, estimated survival time - 7 days.
New Quest Created:
Quest Title: Save your First Family member!
Rewards:
- All stats + 10
- New loyal follower
- New ability
Penalty:
- All stats – 10
- Death of follower
Quest requirements:
- Requirement: At least Lesser Vampire
- Host: Dhampir/Half-Vampire
- Requirements not met – Quest hidden
Quest status: - Hidden but still active."
In the quietude of his apartment, Elliot remained blissfully unaware of this inner message, a mysterious quest encoded in his very being. Little did he know that this quest would soon compel him into action, setting the stage for unforeseen challenges and revelations in his unfolding journey.
As the first rays of dawn filtered through the cracks in his apartment's curtains, Elliot stirred from his slumber. These days, he found himself more energetic, a side effect of his evolving nature. With a yawn and a stretch, he called out to the familiar presence within him, "System, show me my status."
Race: Demonic Dhampir (Part Demon, Part Vampire, Part Human)
Level: 10 Experience Points: 9/150
Free Stat Points: 6 (1 per level)
Strength: 32
Agility: 72
Endurance: 47
Intelligence: 22
Health: 200
Charisma: 7
Luck: 6
Blood Energy (BE): 75/200
Abilities:
Crimson Acceleration - C tier (100 BE)
Lesser Blood Control - D tier (growth) - (1 BE/second) (Previously was Minute Blood Control - F tier)
Titles: None
Adventurer Rank: None
Weapons:
Arth and Lily (Twin Swords)
Boosts: +25% Strength, +25% Agility
Abilities:
Crimson Cross Slash: Use 75 BE to execute a ranged cross-slash attack by channeling your blood energy through the swords.