Lee
Perium city
Kettlia Region,
Kingdom of Ashtarium
October 9th 6414
4:30 pm
Lee moved with an almost playful air around the torn and bloodied remains of the hackers—a grim tableau of bodies he'd shredded and fed upon. The exhilarating rush that had been pounding through his veins only moments ago was fading, leaving him with a faint dissatisfaction. He hadn't obtained the information he was looking for, but at least the feast had dulled the sting of disappointment. It had been two long months of hunting, tracking down the girl he'd been hired to retrieve, and he was no closer to his goal.
The first step in his search had been to locate Richard Sanders, the former Director of R.E.T.U. Perium, a sprawling city in the Kettlia region, had been the logical place to start. The city was a notorious human stronghold—a place most vampires avoided unless they were desperate or had no familial connections to rely on. Perium's reputation was built on its dungeons, a lucrative lure for adventurers of all kinds, but even so, vampires who braved the city were usually outcasts or fortune-seekers rather than established members of the Houses.
That had begun to change. With Count Orlock's rise to power, Perium's demographic had shifted. Other races had started to establish a foothold. For Lee, this shift in power dynamics had offered a rare opportunity, and he had seized it. The Mother's favor had been with him that day, guiding him to an apartment building where he'd found what he needed—at least, a piece of it. He'd left behind a "gift" in her honor, a twisted token of gratitude for her grace.
The girl he sought had been there, with Sanders, in that very building. That much he was certain of. The trail was faint now, but it was still there. His task was far from over, and the disappointment gnawed at him, even as the taste of fresh blood lingered on his tongue.
Find the captain; find the girl.
It had taken Lee some time to figure out what Sanders was doing in Perium City of all places. At first glance, it seemed like a sensible choice for hiding—off the radar, far from the prying eyes of most Ashtarmel loyalists. But it wasn't a long-term solution. Sooner or later, the R.E.T.U. would catch wind of their presence and send someone to sniff them out. Staying here too long would only invite trouble.
Then there were the other problems. Tensions between humans and vampires were on the rise, and Perium wasn't immune to that strain. The city was a melting pot of various races and factions, but humans still dominated the population. Any misstep could draw unwanted attention, and the balance was fragile at best. Sanders knew that if he wanted to disappear for good, he couldn't just keep lying low. He needed something more—an unassailable cover, a new identity, a clean slate that could stand up to even the most rigorous background checks.
And Perium City, with its infamous black-market underworld, was one of the best places to get it.
Lee had figured that much out, at least. If Sanders was in the market for a new identity, he would need hackers—those elusive rats who thrived in the digital shadows. Humans were experts with their electronics, and the city's criminal underworld was teeming with tech-savvy outlaws who specialized in forging false lives. That was why Lee had hunted them down, one by one. It hadn't been easy. Hackers were notoriously slippery, always scurrying into the cracks whenever danger loomed. Lee had spent weeks tracking them, following every lead until he finally cornered a group in their neon-lit den.
The room was cluttered with tech: uni-monitors flickered with code, discarded data drives littered the desk, and the faint hum of servers filled the air. The bright neon lights bathed everything in an unnatural glow. Lee had left the place in chaos, blood splattered across screens and walls. The bodies of the hackers he'd fed on now lay still, the smell of rot beginning to settle in the confined space. Yet, as he moved to leave, something caught his attention.
A sound.
It was faint, almost imperceptible. A shift in the air. A heartbeat.
Lee froze, his instincts sharpening. His own heart stilled, the flow of blood through his veins slowing as he extended his senses. His hearing expanded, reaching beyond the limits of human perception. He pinpointed the sound—a faint thudding, just behind a door at the back of the room. Slowly, a smile crept across his face. Someone had survived.
How could he have missed it in the chaos of his feeding? A single heartbeat, steady yet laced with panic. The Divine Mother had blessed him once again, granting him this unexpected gift.
Lee approached the door with measured steps. He opened it gently, peering inside. There, trembling behind a cluttered pile of brooms and cleaning supplies, was a woman. She was small and frightened, her wide eyes brimming with tears. Her breath came in shallow, rapid gasps, and she shrank back as his gaze fell on her.
The fear radiating from her hit him like a shot of adrenaline, lighting up every nerve in his body. He crouched down, lowering himself to her level, his smile widening. Her tear-streaked face stirred a mix of disgust and amusement within him. The saltiness of her tears, the pitiful sound of her sobs—they made him sick, but they also fueled him.
"Shh," Lee murmured, his voice low and soothing. "It's okay. It's okay."
He reached out and patted her hair gently, brushing it away from her face as if comforting a scared child. His touch was light, careful, every move designed to lull her into a false sense of security. Her eyes darted to the carnage behind him, the mangled remains of her colleagues still scattered across the room. Lee noticed and slowly guided her head away, redirecting her gaze so she wouldn't have to see the bloodshed.
"Don't look at them," he said, his voice almost tender. "It's a pity they had to die, really. But they were so… uncooperative. They thought themselves brave, standing up to me. But you see, bravery alone doesn't protect anyone." He shook his head, feigning regret. "All I needed was a little information. That's all. But they wouldn't give it to me."
The woman trembled under his hand, her tears still falling. He tilted his head, his smile never wavering. "Tell me, what's your name?"
"S…Sienna," she stammered, barely above a whisper.
"Sienna," Lee repeated, rolling the name off his tongue. "That's a lovely name."
With his cybernetic right arm, he activated a built-in hologram projector. A flickering image appeared before her—a photograph of Richard Sanders. The man's face was unmistakable. Lee leaned in, watching Sienna's reaction closely.
"Tell me, Sienna," he said. "Do you recognize this man? Has he been here?"
She hesitated, her lips trembling as if struggling to decide whether to answer. Finally, she gave a small, fearful nod.
Lee's smile widened. "Good girl."
"Good. Good girl." Lee's voice softened as he patted her head, wiping away her tears. He grimaced at the contact—human tears were always such a nuisance. "What else can you tell me about him?"
"He… wanted new identities. As clean as you can get," she said, her voice steadier now. The tears had stopped, her trembling subsided, and she seemed to understand that cooperation was her only way out.
"And did you provide them?" Lee pressed. She nodded quickly.
"And how did he pay for it?" he asked, watching her carefully.
"He paid with clean credits," she said, her voice more confident. Clean credits. The same currency he'd used to pay for the apartment. That meant Sanders had a reliable source of income, something beyond the typical desperation of fugitives.
"I can send you everything we have on him. All the data," she offered. Her voice was tense but eager, desperate to prove her usefulness.
"That would be good," Lee said, flashing her a faint smile. He watched as she fumbled for a sleek silver uni-tablet. Her fingers moved over the screen, half-frantic, half-methodical. He saw her breath hitch as she worked, a hint of hope blooming behind her wide, watery eyes.
"There," she said at last, the device emitting a soft ping as the data was sent. "It's all there—everything we did for him."
Lee's inbox chimed, and his smile widened. "Thank you," he said gently.
Then, without hesitation, he snapped her neck.
The woman's body crumpled to the floor, and Lee took a deep, deliberate breath. The scent of death filled the room, a familiar aroma that stirred a deep satisfaction within him. Six centuries he had done this, hunted and killed, yet it never quite filled the void he was chasing. He had hunted humans, wolves, Fae— even his own kind—and every time, they had met the same end. Their bravery, their resistance, their arrogance—it all crumbled before him, leaving him the sole survivor. But none of it had given him what he sought: an opponent who could truly challenge him, someone who could push him to the brink.
In truth, the monotony was beginning to wear on him. Fewer jobs were coming his way these days, but when they approached him about this one—when they showed him the girl—he'd said yes before he'd even realized why. Something about her had sparked a primal response, something he hadn't felt in years. She looked ordinary, like a human girl. But centuries of experience had taught him to recognize the signs of a killer. Beneath her facade was a predator, just like him. The hunt was finally getting interesting again.
"They couldn't stay hidden underground as instructed, could they?" came a voice from behind.
Lee turned sharply. Leaning against the doorway was a tall woman, her chocolate-brown hair tied back into a bun. She wore a long black coat, her fair complexion accentuating her sharply defined features. Her posture was relaxed, but her presence was anything but. She exuded confidence—no, more than that. She radiated power. The air around her practically vibrated with it.
Lee rose to his full height, his predatory instincts taking over. His true face emerged, fangs glinting as his eyes burned with hunger. "Nice fangs," she remarked, entirely unruffled. Her tone was casual, as if she were commenting on a pair of earrings rather than the predatory form of an ancient vampire.
There was no fear in her voice, no hesitation in her movements. Instead, there was an unmistakable scent—one that stirred an old, buried memory. It was the smell of magic, the raw, electric essence of a powerful Witch. He hadn't encountered someone of this caliber in centuries. While wolves had retreated to their hidden sanctuaries in the South, Witches had scattered across Ashtarium, their once-mighty covens all but destroyed in the Relic Wars. What remained were shadows of their former selves, weak practitioners whose powers barely scratched the surface of their ancestors' glory. But this one—this woman—was different. She reeked of old magic, the kind that carried weight and history.
She withdrew a silver dagger, its edges gleaming with a faint shimmer that told Lee it was no ordinary blade. He felt a sudden pull, a shift in the atmosphere, as if the very air around her carried death. The spell was silent, her incantation unspoken, and yet Lee felt its power crackling around her. His instincts screamed, and he moved just in time to avoid the fire spell that burst from her hand.
The closet he'd just been standing in exploded into a shower of flames and debris. Sienna's body was reduced to nothing more than scattered chunks of gore. The ceiling above Lee groaned, then collapsed in a shower of rubble. He rolled out of the way, his supernatural reflexes saving him from being crushed. Dust and ash swirled around him, but he could still see her standing there, unflinching.
Lee's eyes narrowed. The raw energy flowing off her was immense, far beyond the capabilities of the weak Witches he'd encountered before. This woman had reached a level of mastery few could achieve. She wasn't merely talented—she was old. And the older a Witch was, the more powerful their cultivated soul became.
It was the same for every race. True power came from cultivation—years upon years of refining one's essence, saturating the soul with Spirit essence until it overflowed with Spirit energy. That energy was converted into Mana, which flowed through the body's circuits and became magical power. Magic users refined that power through incantations, gestures, and sheer force of will, turning it into devastating spells. The fact that she hadn't uttered a word or raised a hand told Lee all he needed to know. She was beyond the need for physical or verbal focus—her will alone shaped the magic around her.
A semi-saint at least, he thought grimly. She was a rank above him, her soul more saturated, her mana circuits more refined. A duel with her would not be easy. And yet, as she stood there, her dagger gleaming and her magic crackling in the air, Lee felt something stir inside him—a challenge. Finally, something worthy of his skill. Finally, a hunt that might truly test him.
A blast of fire seared past Lee, close enough that the hair on his arms stood on end. The scorching heat consumed a nearby uni-monitor, reducing it to a molten, sparking ruin. Even as the flames licked at the edges of his awareness, a chill ran down his spine. One direct hit and he wouldn't just burn—he'd be utterly obliterated. Not even the Divine Mother could save him from a magical fire this potent.
Lee roared, his voice a deep, guttural sound that reverberated through the room. In a single fluid motion, he launched himself at the Witch. She stood calm and steady, her hands rising almost lazily. The very air around her shimmered, glowing faintly before solidifying into a barrier. The wind surrounding her lashed out like a living thing, catching Lee mid-leap and sending him careening across the room. He collided with a table, the impact splintering it into a thousand pieces.
Coughing, Lee pushed himself to his feet, his glowing red eyes locked on the Witch. She was formidable—far more skilled than he had anticipated. Silent casting, dual-element manipulation, and the sheer ease with which she repelled his attack all pointed to a magic user of rare power. He hadn't faced someone this capable since the Relic Wars, and even then, few Witches had mastered more than one elemental force. The possibility that she might command all six elements was a chilling thought. The odds were not in his favor.
"Fuck," he muttered under his breath. Just his luck to come across someone like her.
Flexing the fingers of his cybernetic arm, Lee activated the integrated laser blade. The blade ignited with a sharp, almost mechanical hum, casting an ominous red glow across the room. Lowering his center of gravity, he crouched slightly and then launched himself forward. The floor cracked and splintered beneath him, the sheer force of his movement sending shockwaves through the room.
Lee was a body cultivator, and that meant he used Mana to augment his physical abilities. His entire body became a weapon—muscles hardened, reflexes sharpened, and his speed approached the limits of what most beings could even track. As the energy coiled around him like an invisible shroud, his aura flared with a bright, pulsing intensity. He closed the distance in a blink, his laser blade slicing downward with deadly intent.
But she wasn't caught off guard. With a subtle flick of her wrist, her blade intercepted his, and lightning crackled along its edge. Sparks burst from the clash as tendrils of electricity whipped outward, illuminating the room in brief, blinding flashes. Their blades locked, and the force of the collision sent a wave of pressure outward, shaking the walls and rattling loose pieces of debris. Lee's snarl was guttural and fierce, his fangs bared as he tried to press forward, but her strength held him back.
Vampires were naturally stronger than humans, Witches, and most other races in their raw, unenhanced forms. But Lee was beyond that—his Battle Aura, a manifestation of refined Mana, should have given him overwhelming physical superiority. Yet she didn't falter. Her own strength was reinforced by magic, and the air around her hummed with barely-contained energy. She was matching him blow for blow, and that frustrated him to no end.
Lee grimaced as a new wave of magical energy pulsed through the air. He sensed it too late. Spikes of earth erupted from the floor beneath him, jagged and deadly. They shot upward in rapid succession, each one aiming to skewer him where he stood. Reacting on instinct, Lee twisted his body and somersaulted backward, narrowly avoiding the lethal barrage. The ground where he had been standing was now a forest of sharp stone, glinting menacingly in the neon light. He landed lightly on his feet, his eyes darting back to her.
This was no ordinary encounter. The Witch's mastery over the elements, her ability to combine strength and skill so seamlessly, placed her far above the usual prey. Lee tightened his grip on his blade. He couldn't afford a single misstep.
"Barqa'rum!" The Witch's voice rang out sharply, and in that instant, the lightning around her coalesced into a spear of pure, crackling energy. The air was thick with static, the hairs on Lee's body standing on end as the spear's lethal intent bore down on him. He felt death looming, an almost palpable force rushing toward him.
Before he could fully react, the lightning spear struck. The impact was devastating. The electric blast surged through his body, every nerve alight with searing pain. He was hurled backward, crashing through walls and landing hard in the next room. The air stank of burnt ozone, and his limbs felt sluggish, unresponsive.
Her spells were in another league. Both her offensive and defensive magic were unlike anything Lee had encountered in centuries. He didn't stand a chance in a prolonged fight against her. No, a direct confrontation was suicide. He needed an out, a way to escape before she finished him off.
Despite the agony coursing through his body, he managed to channel his Battle Aura at the last moment, reinforcing his defenses just enough to survive the attack. His energy shield had absorbed the brunt of it, leaving him battered but still in one piece. Lee collapsed to the floor and forced himself to stay still, feigning unconsciousness. He heard her footsteps—light, deliberate—as she approached to finish him off.
That's it. Come closer, you bitch. Just a little closer.
His breath was shallow, controlled. Every muscle in his body was tense, ready. As soon as she stepped into range, he made his move. In a single fluid motion, his cybernetic right arm shifted, the panels sliding apart to reveal a hidden plasma cannon. A whirring sound filled the air as the weapon charged, and then it unleashed a pulse of ionized energy straight at the Witch.
Her reflexes were impressive. With a single gesture, she summoned a thick wall of earth, the barrier forming just in time to absorb the brunt of the plasma blast. But the force was enough to send her careening through the wall behind her, the sound of shattering wood and stone echoing in the wrecked room.
It was now or never. Lee knew the window of opportunity would be brief. He forced himself to his feet, his battered body protesting every movement. With a burst of speed amplified by his remaining Mana reserves, he leapt through the shattered window. The cold night air hit him like a shock, but he didn't slow. He pushed his Mana to its limit, channeling it through his body to propel himself through the air. His figure blurred as he streaked away from the ruined building, retreating into the night with lightning speed.