Chapter Text
At the threshold of dawn, when night still whispers but no longer reigns supreme, Tissaia was standing by the window on the second floor of the mansion, which had become her refuge from the endless conflicts between unhuman races, the sordid political games she had been involved in for centuries, and from her own memories. Lately, she rarely used the nights for sleep.
Fog was creeping slowly around the bases of the silent forest giants, which were reaching into the sky, their bark etched with age-old patterns. Immortality dulls the sense of time as something measurable, yet Tissaia found herself genuinely curious whether any tree in that forest had witnessed something she had not.
For over five hundred years, the Original vampire had inhabited this world – a kaleidoscope of hopes and disappointments, a crumbling cycle of meaningless expectations – and she was deeply convinced that nothing could truly surprise her anymore.
Eternity reveals the essence of things: the void within grand words uttered too loudly.
Vampires possess a multitude of extraordinary abilities and distinct advantages. They are physically powerful, capable of self-regeneration, and their bodies maintain an unnaturally low temperature, allowing their appearance to remain unchanged over time. One must not forget about supernatural speed and the ability to subjugate the will of humans through eye contact and voice – known as compulsion. While every vampire can master it, only an Original is capable of exerting it upon another of their kind.
Sense organs and perceptual responses to the surrounding world are significantly heightened. However, unlike their flawless vision and ability to see in complete darkness – which require no particular effort – achieving enhanced hearing demands silence and mental focus on a specific place or object.
A rare ability unique to Tissaia is thought transference – an intricate and exacting skill that allows her to transmit a message, be it a few words or a full sentence, directly into the mind of another vampire within a limited range, without using voice.
The silence of the house served as a reminder that there was an inevitable stability in solitude – but today, that stability was disrupted. Tissaia heard a car approaching, having turned off the main road several kilometres from her estate. Peculiarly curious. Knowing that the road led exclusively to the mansion, she chose to remain where she was, observing.
Though she had long withdrawn into seclusion, attempting to escape a life saturated with events, Tissaia never feared the unknown – especially when it was unavoidable.
The feeling of fear fades when one is immortal and possesses no weaknesses.
For years, the Original had been shaping her existence to ensure she had none. There was no creature in this world capable of harming her – nor any through whom harm could ever be done to her – neither physically nor, even more so, emotionally. Not anymore.
“Triss…” she whispered as the car came to a stop in the driveway. The young woman lying in the back seat had not gone unnoticed.