I awoke in the confines of a sleek flying vehicle, its brand model unknown to me. Weak and disoriented, my vision and hearing seemed faded. Lucius, Kaizer's best friend, occupied the driver's seat, steering us toward an unfamiliar city. His gaze never shifted my way. He looked different; his once flowing, golden-blonde hair was now black and cut short, and there were strange lines of what looked to be metal engraved into his arms.
"Morning, sunshine," Lucius greeted casually, a cigarette dangling from his lips. "Where ya been? You kinda dropped off the face of the earth for a bit there. No worries, I've done it too..."
"L-Luc...ius..." I mumbled, finding it hard to speak. My words slurred. "Thank... you."
He shook his head. "No need for that. Save your breath. We're taking you to LifeSustain... right, you don't know what it is. You have a lot to catch up on, Darcia."
"Relax, girlie. We're almost there. Just hang on," A voice, which I recognized as the Serpentine girl, Isyra's, echoed from the backseat, sounding older and more mature than I remembered. I struggled to comprehend the changes as I weakly nodded, my mind grappling with the overwhelming sensations.
The flying vehicle descended, and the city below became more defined. It was like no place I'd ever seen—buildings reaching toward the ceiling of Sanguine, bright neon colors, and bustling activity. I felt a mix of awe and confusion.
As we landed, I realized that my journey was far from over. I silently cursed my own existence, and the pang in my heart returned when I realized I would have to continue life without Kaizer. I dreaded the thought even more than the physical pain I felt. A part of me wished I had died in that canyon.
The aircraft came to a halt at a landing station outside a towering building with a massive, glowing blue sign: "LifeSustain Hospital." Lucius, with a familiarity that hinted at his own experiences, stepped out and circled around the vehicle. Gently, he scooped me up in a bridle hold, his muscular arms providing an unexpected comfort.
Through my blurred vision, I could see Isyra's toothy, reptilian smile from inside the car as the doors whirred shut. Lucius began to move, his steady footsteps echoing as we entered the building.
As we stepped inside, Lucius's voice cut through the air. "Level 5 Client! Get me a goddamn doctor!"
Nurses rushed to our aid, transferring me onto a stroller and swiftly wheeling me away. Lucius followed closely behind, determination etched across his face. "I'm not leaving her side until she's better," he declared.
I drifted in and out of consciousness as the doctors worked on me. The sharp prick of needles and the distant murmur of hushed voices were the only anchors to reality. The pain surged through me with every cut and stitch, a reminder that my body, neglected for centuries, was now paying the toll for my self-imposed hibernation. Yet still, the pain I felt now was a fraction of the emotional anguish that had driven me to this.
I could feel their hands, gloved and clinical, probing and mending. The cold, metallic tang of the operating room filled my senses, mingling with the faint scent of antiseptic. The rhythmic beeping of the monitoring devices echoed.
The blood transfusions were administered through a series of tubes connected to an intricate apparatus, some thing I had never seen before; some kind of large, cylindrical container filled with blood. The cold sensation of the needle piercing my vein marked the beginning of each session. It brought both relief and a peculiar sense of violation. The surgeons' faces remained hidden behind masks, which made it feel all that more surreal.
In a particular moment of grogginess, I found myself catching a glimpse of my own insides. Struggling to focus, I saw a doctor at work, tools in hand. To my shock, they had cut me open, and I watched as a doctor carefully removed one of my lungs, placing it on a tray. It looked deteriorated, covered in a thick layer of red dust.
The sight overwhelmed me, and the emotions proved too much. Of course, I slipped back into unconsciousness.
The next time I woke up, I was in a different room that looked to be designed for luxury. It was dark, filled only with the muted sounds of the hospital—the gentle, steady beeping of a heart-rate monitor and a quiet stillness. I touched my face and felt the cold metal mask still in place. With cautious movements, I sat up, wincing at the pain that surged through my body. The room came into focus, illuminated only by the subtle glow of city lights filtering through the curtains. In the dimness, I spotted a figure seated in the corner—a silhouette against the soft radiance.
Using my enhanced nocturnal sight, I discerned the familiar outline of Lucius. He sat there, stoic and vigilant, arms crossed, and his gaze fixed on a point in the room. For the first time in ages, a glimmer of joy warmed my heart—I was genuinely glad to be in the company of my friends once more. His presence was a comfort.
"Atta girl," Lucius said quietly, his deep voice cutting through the silence and the rhythmic beeping. "I knew you'd pull through." I took a deep breath and let out a long, satisfying sigh. Finally, I had the strength to stay conscious for more than 30 seconds.
"How did you find me?" I asked, my voice hoarse but curious, as I looked at him from across the room.
"I didn't find you. Isyra did," Lucius replied, his voice calm. "She's been going to the Red Desert pretty frequently for a while now. For business reasons. She said a flock of Avian Sylvari told her they'd seen a 'sleeping Vampire in the canyon' from high up. She called me right after, and we drove to the canyon together. Purely a hunch. I'm actually kind of surprised at our luck."
I nodded, taking in the information.
I asked, "Where am I?"
Lucius gestured toward the air nonchalantly. "Well, right now, you're in a hospital room on the fiftieth floor of the LifeSustain building. We moved you up here after we were sure you'd be okay. It's meant for the rich clients."
Then, he gestured to the window with his hand. "And outside, that's New Sanguine City. We got an entire infrastructure-overhaul in the past 500 years you were gone."
I let out a small gasp. "500 years? Really?"
Lucius nodded. "Yeah. You were gone a long time, Darcia. Even by Vampire standards. Humans aren't our food source anymore, they're just... regular citizens."
My face scrunched. "What? Vampires don't drink blood anymore? How?"
Lucius replied, "Tsk tsk, no, we still drink blood. We have to... but it's not Human blood. I don't know what it is, Darcia..."
There was a silence as I tried to comprehend what he was saying.
"So... where's the blood coming from, then, if not Humans, Lucius?" I tried to hide my discomfort, but it came out in my tone.
Lucius was silent for a moment, and his hesitance hung in the air. Then he said, in a grave tone, "I... don't know. One day, The Cauldron came out the closet and made an announcement, and revealed their identities. With them, they showed us some kind of new blood... they call it 'Best Blood.' Queen Hundred said it would revolutionize our society and bring about a new era for supernatural kind, some shit like that. She said some things... that I'd thought I'd never hear... words about unity and peace, and prosperity for all supernatural creatures and Humans alike... something changed, Darcia. I don't know exactly what changed... but something changed. And the result is what you see around you. Blood Tech. Not only is this "Best Blood" a food source, but it's also able to be used as energy, power. It powers our lights, our cars, our phones; hell, it powers our whole lives... something happened, Darcia."
His words seemed too surreal, as if I was listening to someone speak to me in a dream. I took a deep breath, trying to process it. I felt the strong urge to go talk to my mother about what had become of Sanguine City. "My mother... have you seen her at all?"
Lucius shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, she's around. But, Darcia, things are... different. She's not exactly the same. Nobody is. The Cauldron, Best Blood, this whole new world... it's changed everyone. You need to prepare yourself."
My eyes fluttered. I was at a loss for words in response.
"Once you step out of this hospital, it's going to hit you like a ton of bricks, even if you think you're prepared. I remember how shocked I was when they began making Vampires rely on supplements instead of traditional drinking. With your case, the mask... you'll need to take injections."
Again, speechless. This new information was a lot to take in. I had missed out on 500 years of Vampire Society's evolution, and now I'd have to play catch up. On top of that, I was expected to inject strange, alien blood into my body to survive? I sighed deeply.
"When can I get out of here?" I asked.
Lucius, drawing a pack of cigarettes from his trench coat pocket and lighting one, replied, "Your heart rate's steady. You can stay awake for more than 3 seconds, and it's looking like all that beauty sleep has paid off, despite not being able to see your full face..." I let out a breathy chuckle, but then winced at the pain.
Lucius leaned forward in his chair, smiling warmly as he took a drag from the cigarette and blew out a puff of smoke. "And you're smiling again. If you're up for it, we can get you out of here tomorrow morning."
I nodded, and I swore I saw a hint of flirtatiousness in Lucius's eyes. "Yeah. I'd like that."