[ Asher's Perspective]
I was brought back from the dead.
I was the only one to make it out alive out of my family and friends… my fiancé… they're all gone.
Well, more like… they're not them anymore.
Are they still out there, I always wonder.
How did I suffer for so long and yet still survive, I always wonder.
I also wonder…
Since I'm 'Ascended' now, does that mean…
I'm immortal?
So how am I any different from a
pure-blood Noble Vampire?
So what, I was created by technology?
I once was Human, in my past life, before I was turned into that thing. And now, a millennia later…
I wake up invincible.
Yet still… I am denied the luxury of a good life, like the Nobles? I'm brought back to life as an immortal just to be condemned to a life of poverty?
Forced to live a life of doing the higher-up Vamps' dirty work?
What a joke.
My eyes snapped opened, and I was immediately wide awake. A small gasp left my lips, but I was comforted by the moonlight coming in through the cracked window. I was in my living room, on my couch, my only piece of furniture besides my coffee table. Looking down at my coffee table, I let out a sigh as I realized there was paraphernalia strung about.
"I fell asleep without realizing," I mumbled to myself, sitting up on the couch with a grunt. "I always do that after work."
My roommate, or rather, the tiny pest in my house, chimed in from the top of the ceiling fan.
"You should really find something better to do than just get high all day, Asher," the dark fairy remarked, her black wings shimmering in the faint light as she rolled her glowing, violet eyes. "You're squandering your potential, you know."
I scoffed, stood up, and stretched. Felt the durability of my cyber-arm, the enhanced vision from my ocular implants, and the seamless connection of my neural interface throughout my body.
"Celeste, we agreed that my hobbies are my business, yeah?" I replied coldly, walking into the kitchen and opening the refrigerator. There was only one thing inside: a bottle of Best Blood supplements, government prescribed. I grabbed it and twisted the cap open to reveal the thick, red pills inside. I shook one out the bottle, and popped it in my mouth, then swallowed.
All Vampires took these to survive. Funny how the Vampires went from natural feeding to… this. I considered it lucky timing, because I could never imagine myself actually feeding from a Human. I'd rather starve to death.
"Did you already forget about our mission, Ash?" Celeste accused, her eyes scrutinizing me through her black hair.
"No, no, I didn't forget about my mission," I assured her, putting the pills back in the fridge and shutting it closed. "How could I? I'm the one who pays rent here."
Celeste glared, prompting a chuckle from me.
"How are we even supposed to identify these… thieves?" I said, leaning against the wall and crossing my arms. "They're obviously not amateurs, if they're able to sneak inside a Best Blood Corp. building. They were wearing skeleton masks, could hack into security cameras, and were capable of solid Anti-Detection Magic, according to our files. This'll be an interesting gig, I think…They're paying me double the amount they usually pay."
Celeste continued glaring. "Just don't get yourself swept up in somethin' else, like with-
"Yeah, yeah, like with Franky. Still irks me I wasn't the one to put a bullet in that bastard's skull. Tsk tsk tsk.
"You're so violent," Celeste said, flying down and perching atop my shoulder. Her soft purple skin stood out next to my pale complexion.
Suddenly, my phone rang. I opened it up to see the Caller ID: Seraphina
"Better get that," Celeste whispered beside my ear.
I picked up. "Hey."
"We have a few possible suspects for that heist."
I blinked. "Well, shoot."
"A Noble Vampire by the name of Iris. She's from the House of Umbra. She works at the same facility that was robbed. Interestingly enough, she's been seen with Lucius Vain, a Noble Vampire as well, a couple times. They're old friends from the Academy."
"Okay. You said 'a few.'"
"I'm getting to it. Secondly - big surprise here - Lucius Vain. Son of a Cauldron Member, and an Academy alumni. He's never really been the rebellious type, but he's been on Bloodguard's radar ever since… well, that's all you need to know."
"Okay… didn't think the kid of a member of your great council would be a target, but sure…"
"Suspect. Not target." Seraphina's voice came out direct and stern.
"Yeah. Whatever. Any more details I should know?"
"Yes. Lastly, the final suspect is someone who we have no confirmation on whatsoever. It's not even within our knowledge of whether she is alive or not, but it was Queen Hundred herself who had this theory…"
"Yes…?"
"Princess Darcia, the daughter of Queen Hundred. We have to keep in mind that she could still be alive out there."
"So what is it that The Cauldron would have me do? If they're just suspects, like you say-
"Of course, The Cauldron wants the perpetrators killed," Seraphina interrupted. "But Queen Hundred will not have innocent blood on her hands and have her public image tainted, nor will she be responsible for your negligence. I called to give you information, and that's all I have for you for now. Be a good boy and sit and wait for orders, can you do that?"
"Urgh…" I grumbled, hanging up the phone.
"She's kind of bitchy, don'tcha think?" Celeste said beside me, still sitting on my shoulder.
"Come on, let's go," I groaned, walking towards my bathroom.
"Go? Go where?" Celeste said, hovering beside me.
"To see the suspects. Think I'm gonna wait around for a buncha Nobles' permission?"
I looked in the bathroom mirror, the dim light casting a play of shadows across my face.
Running my fingers through my hair, I noted the subtle gleam of my ocular implants, a glow amidst the chocolate-brown strands of hair. My cybernetic eyes glowed softly, a vivid crimson that pierced through the semi-darkness. They held a certain luminescence, almost like coals burning in the depths of the night. The tattoos on my skin, a tapestry of circuitry and serpentine patterns, caught the dim light, pulsating with a muted vibrancy. My cyber-arm seemed to hum with latent power. Flexing my fingers, I marveled at it.
"Celeste."
"Yes?"
"You know, sometimes I get this feeling like… I'm already caught up in somethin' else, and I just don't fully realize it yet… Y'know?"
The dark fairy returned an empathetic look, her black wings flitting slightly. "I'm right here with you."