"Old Stan is right, I am indeed a 'monster', I am Sir Morphy's monster, but I am also your protector, just like Lord Kudel."
"Ah, but Lord Kudel is a vampire!"
A little girl with twin tails raised her head and said:
"A very powerful vampire! Are you going to become a vampire, Uncle Mark?"
"Yes, tonight."
Maxim laughed, he told the children:
"Not all vampires are bad, at least Sir Morphy and Lady Cui Si are not."
"And neither are you!"
The little boy shouted:
"Dad says there are good and bad people in every race. Uncle Mark will protect us even if he becomes a vampire! He'll fight those scary monsters that come out of the fog!"
"Ha ha ha ha, yes, fight them."
Maxim laughed heartily.
He stretched his body to bid farewell to the children, then walked under the purple glow of the moon toward his own guards.
They held in their hands Maxim's armor and weapons.
They all knew that their commander was going to accept his fate tonight, to become a blood descendant of Sir Morphy.