Alex was conflicted about the situation. The woman in question was Judith's aunt, and the quest he received from Judith herself was to go there and ensure her aunt's well-being.
But things didn't seem right. Mikkel was living in a nearby cave and feeding on her!
"Why didn't she run?" Alex questioned.
With a sense of pride, Mikkel responded, "You will learn how to control their minds, and the more you train, the better you will become. Come with me, I will show you."
As they approached the cabin, Mikkel knocked a few times until a woman answered. She shared the same red hair as Judith, but their facial features were dissimilar.
"Hello? Can I help you?" she inquired.
Judith's aunt sensed that the men before her might be trouble, and cautiously moved her hand toward her back, gripping a hidden knife.
Mikkel seemed prepared to use his mind powers, but Alex spoke first, "We are here because of Judith. She did us a favor, and we are returning it by checking on you. She wants to know how you are doing and when you will visit her."
Upon hearing Judith's name, the lady relaxed, and her hand released its hold on the dagger.
"Is that so? Come in, you two. I just made soup, you can have some."
They entered the cabin, and its simple yet cozy interior unfolded before them. Small dead animals hung on the walls, and wild herbs were scattered about, suggesting that Judith's aunt was a skilled huntress capable of surviving in the wilderness.
The cabin had a fireplace, and a cookpot filled with mushroom soup, complemented by rabbit meat. The food looked tempting, and when Mikkel accepted a bowl, Alex followed suit, reasoning, "If he is accepting it, then it is safe to eat, right?"
Seated around the fire, they engaged in conversation.
"How's Judith? Are you a friend of hers? I am Samantha, by the way," Samantha said.
"Not a friend, no. She actually gave me a map for free, and I had to repay her somehow. She seemed worried about you," Alex replied as he enjoyed the soup.
Samantha appeared visibly sad. "I was planning on seeing her sooner, but the situation here in the forest is strange. You may not believe me, but I was once a vampire hunter when younger, and something is happening around these mountains, I am sure of it!"
Although Alex unconsciously glanced at Mikkel, he chose not to voice any suspicions. Instead, he focused on Samantha's words. As he observed her, he couldn't help but notice her attractive figure and youthful appearance.
"Younger? You still look young to me."
Immediately regretting his words, Alex worried that he had unintentionally flirted with an older NPC. To his surprise, Samantha blushed at his comment.
"You think so? Thank you, young man. Anyway, you two must not linger too much around these parts. There is something big happening with the vampires, and I believe they are back to haunt us!"
After a brief conversation, Mikkel intervened. He moved his hands in a peculiar manner, seemingly hypnotizing Samantha. While it looked amusing to Alex, Samantha stopped talking and moving, turning into some form of vampire thrall.
"Did you see how I did it? Now all I need to do is feed on her and erase her memories."
Mikkel approached, bit Samantha's neck, piercing his fangs and draining her blood. Though there were visible bite marks, she seemed unfazed. Mikkel then erased the memory of the feeding and manipulated her mind to overlook the bite marks.
"This skill is pretty useful!" Alex mused.
A notification popped up, revealing a new skill.
[Vampire Seduction (LVL 1): Use your vampiric mind powers to hypnotize a victim, allowing you to erase, change, or add new memories.]
[Cost: 10 Blood Points.]
[Cooldown: 6 hours.]
The skill had a lengthy cooldown, but its versatility made it incredibly useful for Alex to feed on others discreetly. He appreciated that.
"Now, you try," Mikkel suggested.
Following the same movements he observed in Mikkel and focusing on the skill, Alex successfully cast Vampire Seduction on Samantha.
[Vampire Seduction Used]
[-10 Blood Points]
Samantha appeared disoriented, and Alex seized the opportunity to approach her, sinking his sharp fangs into her neck and draining her blood.
[Blood Drained]
[+20 Blood Points]
[Hunger is full]
The blood tasted like nothing, just like last time.
After feeding, Alex whispered to Samantha what he wanted her to forget. Then, he and Mikkel left the cabin, leaving Samantha with no recollection of the encounter.
It was already night when they left the cabin, and the power of the moon surged through Alex's body, enhancing his attributes. Even his senses seemed sharper, and the sensation of having the moon's power with him was exhilarating.
"What was she talking about? Vampire movements happening in this area?" Alex inquired.
Before becoming a vampire, Alex had heard rumors of vampires attacking villages, and at that time, vampires were considered enemies. However, his perspective had changed after his transformation; he was now one of them.
"I am as clueless about it as you. That's why I am here," Mikkel responded as the two ascended the mountain. "Remember, I just woke up from my slumber."
"Oh, right. And for how long were you in this slumber of yours?"
"According to my math, 400 years. I know, I look quite young, right?"
Mikkel, despite having a youthful face with no imperfections and soft blond hair, was ancient.
"Damn..."
As they conversed on their way up the mountain path, there were moments of silence. Alex took advantage of these quiet intervals to check other things. The quest he received from Judith had been updated, and now he only needed to return to her to share the information he obtained from Samantha.
Another noteworthy topic buzzing in the game forum was the fact that FriendBaconInTheMorning was closing in on level 10. Everyone was eager to witness the impending conflict within the major city—FriendBaconInTheMorning versus Shadowborn!
"This will be interesting," Alex muttered. "But I will be much stronger than them!"
Soon, a dark cave came into view, and Mikkel said, "This is my home. It is your home too! Come, let us talk further inside."