The day began like any other when I woke up in my cabin by the town of Dragon Cross in the kingdom of Vulon. I sluggishly rolled out of bed, my body heavy and reluctant, stumbling a bit as I made my way to the bathroom. The mirror reflected a tan 6-foot-tall, chubby 20-year-old with messy brown hair, looking back at me with tired, sleepy eyes. I sighed and mumbled to myself, "Today's my 20th birthday... I need to register for Kogia School of the Arcane."
I hated being noticed. The thought of standing in a crowded line of people at the enrollment center made my stomach twist. My hands grew clammy. But everyone always reminded me that when you turn 20, you must enroll in a magic school to get a license to enter caves and collect runes. Those runes granted powers—anything from a small boost in how high you can jump to controlling the weather. It was a necessary step, something I had to do, even if it made me feel like crawling into a hole and hiding.
I reluctantly gathered my things and stepped out into the cool morning air. My thoughts were scattered as I walked toward town, but then... I heard it. A low rumble.
I froze. What was that? The sound echoed, like thunder or a deep growl from the earth itself. I squinted at the ground, trying to make sense of it. That was when I saw it—a cave, suddenly materializing in front of me out of thin air.
What the—?
Before I could even process the surreal sight, a blood-red hand shot out of the cave, grabbing me and yanking me inside. I tried to scream, but nothing came out as I was dragged into the darkness.
The world spun, and I shut my eyes tightly, bracing for whatever horror awaited. But when I opened them again, I was standing in front of a pale man with cold, dark eyes. His face was expressionless as he controlled the blood-red hand, which still hovered in the air like an extension of his will. Next to him was a glowing red sign that read Broken Fang Cave.
Panic surged in my chest, choking me. My voice wavered as I stammered, "Wh-Who are you? Where am I?"
His voice was icy as if he were speaking from the depths of some forgotten abyss. "My name doesn't matter. You're at the end of your life as you know it."
I could barely register his words before he suddenly stabbed himself with his own hand, sending a surge of blood-red energy toward me. Then the world went black.
When I woke up, I was back in front of my house. The cool air hit me like a slap on the face, making my head spin. I tried to steady myself, but my legs gave out, and I collapsed to the ground. A sharp pain flared in my chest, and I writhed in agony for what felt like an eternity. But then... it stopped.
I gasped for air, my heart thundering in my ears. I forced myself to sit up, my thoughts scattered. "What the hell just happened?" I whispered, barely a breath.
Then, I looked down at my chest, and my blood ran cold. A blood-red bat symbol was etched into my skin. I... couldn't even speak.
Suddenly, a red screen appeared in front of me, and I nearly jumped out of my skin.
Welcome, Darius. You have become a vampire.
What? A vampire? I blinked rapidly, my head spinning. This couldn't be real.
But then, another screen popped up:
[Darius]
[HP 10/10]
[MP 10/10]
[Blood 100/100]
[Level 1]
[XP 0/100]
[Class: None]
[Str: 7]
[Dex: 5]
[Int: 11]
[End: 5]
[Cha: 1]
Skills: Bow proficiency, Dismemberment, Polearm proficiency
"What...?" My voice was barely audible. I felt dizzy as I stared at the screen, trying to make sense of the strange, game-like words. This didn't feel like reality. Why now? Why me?
Before I could think about it any further, I realized something worse—I was late for my enrollment at Kogia's.
I froze. Panic clawed at me. I had to go, but could I even walk into that crowd of people, let alone stand in line to enroll? My hands were shaking just thinking about it. But there was no time to waste. I pushed the fear down and forced myself to start walking toward the town.
Each step felt like a weight on my chest, my legs shaking with each motion. The town loomed closer, and with every inch, my anxiety grew. The thought of the bustling streets, the people, the lines—it all made my stomach twist. I wanted to turn around and hide. But somehow, I managed to keep going.
Finally, I reached the town gates, my feet heavy as I approached the guard. My voice trembled as I muttered, "Um... can I... go in?"
The guard glanced at me, clearly uninterested, and nodded. The gate creaked open.
Inside, the town seemed even larger than I remembered. Buildings towered over me, and people rushed by in all directions, like ants in a massive colony. My breath caught in my throat, and I kept my head low, walking quickly toward the Kogia enrollment center.
The line stretched around the corner, and I hesitated. I didn't belong here. I didn't want to be here. But I stepped forward anyway, heart pounding. When I reached the third desk, I quietly approached. The man behind the desk was tall, with a muscular build and tan skin that contrasted with my pale face. His voice was firm. "Fill this out."
My hands were shaking as I took the paper from him. I tried to steady my breathing, my eyes never meeting his. The anxiety I'd been carrying for days—no, for years—felt like it was suffocating me. My thoughts were scattered, and I struggled to write my name, let alone anything else.
When I handed the paper back, I couldn't look him in the eye. "Your first day is in two days. A carriage will come for you."
I nodded quickly and turned to leave, but then another notification flashed in my vision:
[-10 Blood]
I hadn't drunk anything. So I decided to go to the nearest shop, my heart hammering in my chest. I could barely even hear the voices around me as I walked up to the counter. "C-could I have a bottle of water?" I stammered, my words barely above a whisper.
The woman in the yellow dress behind the counter gave me a curious look but handed me the bottle. "That'll be 5 coppers."
My hands fumbled for my last coppers. I paid her, almost knocking over the bottle in my haste. I fled out of the store, chugging the water like I hadn't drunk anything in days. But when I finished, the thirst didn't go away.
[-5 Blood]