The dim glow of early morning light filtered through the thin curtains of Dante's small apartment, casting long, tired shadows across the room. The man lay on his bed, a deep, restless sleep overtaking him after the disappointment of the night before. His body was still, but his mind churned with frustration. He had consumed the blood of dragons, phoenixes, and vampires, and yet no change had occurred. There had been no sudden surge of power, no magical transformation—nothing at all. His desperation had blinded him to the reality that he had been tricked, and now he was left to grapple with the bitter taste of failure.
But unbeknownst to him, the events unfolding beyond his consciousness were far from ordinary. Far from his lonely apartment, deep within the folds of a hidden world, something far more complex was taking place.
As Dante slept, unaware, the old man who had sold him the mythical blood vanished. His presence in the city, so mundane and inconspicuous, evaporated like smoke in the wind. In an instant, the old man was no longer there. The shadows that had clung to him melted away, revealing a form much more dignified, regal even. His tattered clothes were replaced with finely tailored garments, the fabric rich and dark, the cut sharp and precise. The transformation was so swift, so complete, that it would have been hard to recognize him had anyone been around to see it.
The once feeble, bent figure of the old man now stood tall, radiating an aura of authority. He looked every bit the part of a servant—a butler—yet there was something in his eyes, a hidden depth that betrayed his true nature.
He found himself standing at the entrance to a massive hall, one unlike any Dante had ever seen. The hall was vast and luxurious, reminiscent of the grandest palaces in the world—smooth marble floors, towering columns, and walls adorned with golden sconces that cast a soft, warm light across the space. Everything about the room screamed wealth and power, as if the very air was soaked in centuries of opulence. At the far end of the hall was a grand set of double doors, behind which a mysterious figure awaited.
The butler, now in his new attire, walked with purpose, his footsteps echoing off the polished marble floor. He moved with an air of quiet confidence, his head held high, as if this space were his domain. He approached the grand bed, its thick velvet curtains drawn tightly around it, enclosing a space that looked more like a private chamber than simply a place to sleep.
And then, from behind the veils, a voice came. It was soft and seductive, like silk being slowly unraveled, a voice that could only belong to someone with immense power.
"Butler, you have returned," the voice purred, a note of warmth and curiosity in it.
The butler stopped in his tracks, bowing low, his posture flawless. "Yes, my lady," he responded with a respectful, measured tone. "I have completed the task you set before me."
The voice behind the veils seemed to hum with quiet interest. "And what news do you bring?"
"A young man bought all three bottles," the butler answered without hesitation. "The blood of the dragon, the phoenix, and the vampire. All three. He did not hesitate, despite the prices."
There was a pause, a flicker of surprise in the woman's tone. "All three of them? One is enough, surely."
"Yes, my lady," the butler agreed. "One would have been sufficient, but the young man… he was eager. I did not press him for details, for I was in a hurry, and he did not seem to question the offer. He simply accepted it."
The woman let out a soft laugh, her voice taking on a slightly amused tone. "How curious. So eager, and yet he doesn't even know what he is stepping into. You didn't investigate him further, then?"
The butler stood tall, his gaze unwavering. "I did not, my lady. I can go back and gather more information on him if you wish, but the time it would take—"
"No need," the woman interrupted, her voice carrying an edge of finality. "I will know everything when he awakens his power anyway. There is no need for haste. The power will reveal him in time."
"As you say, my lady," the butler replied, his head bowing slightly.
"Very well," she said, her tone once again smooth and cold. "You may return to your duties."
"Yes, my lady," the butler answered, stepping back from the bed and turning to leave. His footsteps were soft, calculated, and he made no sound as he exited the chamber.
As he moved away, the woman behind the veils sat up slightly, her silhouette becoming more distinct. Though her face was still obscured by the soft fabric, her eyes gleamed with an unnatural glow. She gazed at the spot where the butler had been, and a slow, almost imperceptible smile crept across her lips.
"Interesting," she murmured to herself, the sound of her voice like a faint whisper in the vast hall. Her smile deepened, and she leaned back against the pillows, her mind working with thoughts that no one else could understand.
In that moment, everything seemed to fall into place. The game had just begun.
---
Meanwhile, in the small apartment, Dante was lost in the throes of sleep. The night had been long, his dreams plagued by visions of power he could never seem to grasp. His limbs felt heavy, as though something was weighing him down, something he couldn't comprehend. His body tossed and turned restlessly, trying to shake the grip of the dream that held him captive.
Yet, despite the emptiness he felt in the waking world, deep within his subconscious, something stirred. There was a strange energy beneath the surface, something that had been triggered the moment he consumed the blood. Perhaps it was the blood of the dragon, or the essence of the phoenix, or the dark vitae of the vampire—he didn't know. But something within him was starting to awaken.
It was faint at first, like a flickering ember in the darkness, but as the minutes passed, the sensation grew stronger. He could feel it in his veins, a warmth that spread from his chest to the tips of his fingers and toes, a pulsing energy that he had never experienced before. It wasn't immediate, and it wasn't obvious. But it was there. Deep within him, it was beginning to unfurl.
Dante's breathing hitched, his chest rising and falling with each breath as the energy intensified. He felt his pulse quicken, his body responding to something beyond his understanding. It was as if his very cells were shifting, adapting to the new force coursing through him. But still, the change was not visible. There was no dramatic shift in his appearance, no sudden transformation of his body. Instead, it was subtle, like the quiet awakening of a beast lying dormant.
Somewhere deep in his mind, Dante realized what was happening—he was changing. The blood had worked. It had done something to him, something beyond his comprehension. He had been foolish to doubt it, foolish to think that nothing would come of it.
But as his consciousness drifted between sleep and wakefulness, the moment passed, and he fell deeper into his slumber. The sensations faded as quickly as they had come, leaving him unaware of the profound changes happening inside of him.
The next morning, when Dante finally awoke, the room felt different. There was an unfamiliar heaviness to the air, a charged energy that seemed to hum just below the surface. His mind was still clouded with the remnants of sleep, but the events of the previous night flashed briefly in his thoughts.
His body felt stronger, more awake than before. The aches from his earlier disappointment had dulled, and for a moment, Dante felt a surge of hope. Maybe he hadn't been entirely fooled after all. Maybe the blood had worked, in its own way.
But even as he rose from his bed and moved toward the mirror to check his reflection, he had no idea what was truly happening to him. He couldn't know that the woman in the hidden palace had already begun to observe his every move.
The pieces were being set in motion, and Dante's life was about to take a turn he could never have anticipated.
As he stood in front of the mirror, staring at his own reflection, he felt something stir deep within him—a power, a presence, waiting to be unleashed.
And so, the game began.