[Asher's Perspective]
I opened my eyes, blinking at the faint blue glow in the Veiled Caverns. Sitting up, I took in the beautiful crystal stalagmites lighting up the caves. It was a sight unlike the city I was used to.
"Where am I?" I murmured. "Some kind of cave?"
I stood up, and realized that I didn't have the magical suit on anymore. I felt a gnawing pain in my back, and winced.
I grimaced, knowing that Ascended Vampires did not have the special regeneration abilities that Nobles did. This would take much longer to heal. "Tch. That bastard cut me."
"I need to get back to the city," I groaned. "To Celeste."
Celeste popped into view, wings fluttering gracefully. "Told you it was a bad idea."
Grinning, I retorted, "You came as soon as I said your name. How convenient."
Scoffing, she said, "Let's go back home, please."
Standing up, I agreed, "Alright, alright. Fine, I screwed up. Got a little too curious. But hey— I still got you."
"Oh, please, put a sock in it, wouldja?" Celeste rolled her eyes. I chuckled. Celeste teleported us, and in an instant, we were both back on the couch in my living room. I lied back and sighed. Celeste immediately went behind me, and began using her magic to heal my injury with just the palm of her hand; I rambled as she did.
"I need to find out who made that device. I know for damn sure it wasn't that masked chick. She's all body, and no brain. And she's a bitch! How dare she talk to the Queen the way she did?"
"And that stupid, fat elephant… I'm glad I killed him. Serves him right for messing with one of the Ascended."
"And that kid… Kaizer… what's his deal anyway? Is he a Vampire or a Human? He doesn't look Vampire; his eyes are black. And what's with the seal guy?"
"What did you see in there?" Celeste asked, landing on my thigh. I felt that my wound had healed.
I waved my arm. "I don't know, a whole lot of stuff. Some kinda secret lab, and there were a lot of screens, and empty rooms. There was even a room with this cool ass… black, metal suit. I put it on, and Celeste, let me tell you, it was amazing. I was so powerful. My Shadow Magic was infused with the suit, and I could do anything. It makes you feel unstoppable—"
"Asher, you're creeping me out," Celeste said casually. "Secret labs and powerful supersuits? It's a lot to process."
"Oh, I processed it, alright," I said, chuckling almost like a maniac. My crimson eyes flashed with pleasure. "I even fought someone powerful. I mean, this guy had moves! I wonder how he got his strength… maybe he's a Noble? No way a Human could use those kinda moves, so that's where things don't add up. I'm stuck!"
I leaned back and groaned.
Celeste flew into the air, towards the open door. "Well… next time you find evidence, just give it to Bloodguard."
"Yeah right," I mused. "Oh, here you go, a teleportation device that takes you to other dimensions! It's probably worth trillions of Bluds but you can have it!"
Celeste rolled her eyes. "You're so stupid."
I smiled in reply. "You don't mean that. You're glad I made it back alive."
Celeste nodded and shrugged, blushing. "Yeah, duh, so? Of course I'm glad you're back alive. You're my roommate."
"Best roommates for life?" I said, balling my fist for a fist bump.
Celeste scoffed. "Not that again—"
"Come on, do it!"
"Fine." She bumped her tiny fist against mine. "Best roommates for life."
I laughed, then took a long sigh. I looked up at the ceiling. "Hey, Celeste… if I died.. what would you do?"
Celeste let out a small gasp, taken aback. "Okay, now you're really scaring me."
"I'm not going to die, I just… wanted to know."
"Well… I would cry… a lot. And I wouldn't know what to do. I am banished from the Black Forest, not even the Fae, my own kind, want me. You're the only one I've ever even known outside of that forest…"
I smiled warmly. "I think I'd probably feel the same way if you died. Since I woke up… drenched in that weird slime, people in masks surrounding me… you're all I've had that's been even remotely close to a friend. The Vampire Society threw me out into the city, brought me back to life just for me to fight for my life, and make them money… and the only reason I work as a mercenary… is because I'd rather kill the monsters than act like I'm one of them."
I was becoming emotional, my anger building up inside my throat and chest. I swallowed. "I miss my Human life. I wish I didn't remember it, but I do. I had a fiancé. I had loving parents, and grandparents. I had a career…"
"Then, one day, your whole town gets blown up by some Vampire who just wanted to see blood spilled. Queen Hundred… she killed my fiancé in a massive attack that took out everyone in the whole town in a single blow… except for me. I was right outside the radius of her attack, coming back from a trip out of town. I showed up in my truck, and… just a massive crater was left in the Earth. I swore to Queen Hundred that I'd kill her, and for some reason, she thought that I showed promise. She tried to turn me into a Noble Vampire, but the transformation failed — my body wasn't capable of handling it. I became a Common Vampire… and I wandered through the Overworld, feeding on Humans. I took so many lives… eventually, I found my way to Sanguine by accident, and… well… a few thousand years later, here I am. Turned from a beast to… a Vampire. But yet still… I am at the bottom of the barrel. And they have the nerve to call us Ascended!"
Celeste fluttered up to my face, hesitated, but then softly planted a kiss on my cheek. "You're not just an Ascended Vampire, Asher. You're a Human too, with Human feelings and emotions. That part of you may have felt like it died, but it's still there. And… I love you. No matter what happens, I'm… always gonna have your back." Her light purple cheeks were blushing a deep red now.
I smiled warmly, looking out the cracked living room window, to the bright lights of the city. "I love you too. And I know… at least I know that."