Chapter Text
Tall, imposing trees that are slowly losing their leaves and thick bushes and brambles make it near impossible to move quietly in the forest that’s so unnaturally silent that even an intake of breath would be noticeable to a trained ear. Yet somehow the white-haired man manages to walk through as silently as a wandering spirit. Ironic, given that is what he’s on the hunt for.
Nobody from the village nearby dared to venture into the dense wood themselves. For good reason, too. After arriving at the small and defenceless village with nothing but a bag around his hip and a sword on his back, he immediately noticed the odd looks shot his way by the residents, some with faces full of fear, yet many also carried a hint of hope. Curious about their behaviour, he’d decided to stick around and figure out what had them so ill at ease. He first found a nice cafe and ate a filling meal after his long journey, then asked if there was a place to stay for the night before he would depart the next day. Finding that there was no inn in the village, he simply stated he’d camp in the forest nearby.
That earned him a shocked gasp and pale face from the waitress.
‘D-don’t do that,’ she’d insisted. ‘There are other places you can shelter, m-maybe the farmer nearby will let you rest in his barn!’
Phainon kept his face neutral and didn’t press her. She would only continue to avoid whatever it was that had her so fearful. But he was still curious. Something had these villagers afraid enough that even a stranger wandering through had them paranoid. So, he kept wandering the village, taking in sights, looking at whatever shops they had, with much the same looks and reactions to his presence as always.
Finally the pattern broke. While sitting on a bench near the exit of the village sorting his bag as if preparing to leave, someone was brave enough to approach him to ask for him to do what they could not.
‘You can fight, can’t you?’
While the man had a larger frame than him and looked just as capable of combat, his voice was small and his hands fidgeted in his anxiety. He shifted on his feet, anticipating a demand for compensation that he couldn’t give.
‘I can indeed,’ the stranger replied.
The nervous man’s eyes lit up, hope overshadowing his fear. Though he spoke with a stutter, he continued. He told him there’s something in the forest. But the villagers never go up there, not since last year. Horrific cries, screeches and crashes had sounded from deep within for a full day and night, suddenly followed by complete silence. Nothing ever came out, and they never heard anything from there again, but those sounds haunted them every day and night, a deep fear preventing them from even looking its way most days.
But only a week ago a teenager was foraging for fruit in the late evening and had wandered to the very edge of the forest in her absent mind, and that’s where she saw them. The corpse of a deer, and in the short distance what looked like a pale man in rags, but its movement said otherwise. It shuffled and stumbled as a monster imitating a person would, unsure how to properly use its limbs. The nervous man and a few other brave people made a brief investigation, only at the edge of the forest, and found that the deer wasn’t the only corpse. A few more lay within, and day by day they would check back and see the number had grown, lying deeper within, too far for them to brave any further.
But the hunter was unafraid. He ventured in, analysed the corpses, and found that they had no external wounds, and each had died in the midst of fight or flight, some with legs posed as if they’d been running when their bodies fell, and others with faces contorted in an expression ready to bite.. That pale being could have been a spirit that had made its way out from the Sea of Souls,mercilessly siphoning their lives. But… usually there is reason behind their chosen targets, typically vengeance or to protect a loved one still in the mortal realm. What vengeance would one want on animals? Was there even anyone living in the forest for a spirit to protect? Even so, what danger did the prey animals pose to them?
While the circumstances and spirit were certainly unfamiliar to him, his curiosity and desire to help were strong. The more he could learn of these spirits, the better he would be at slaying them. With that decided, he set off alone that same night. The villagers were far too fearful to venture a few feet beyond the edge, let alone send one of their own to assist him. But he wasn’t upset, he’s used to it, fighting alone and being sent into danger as an expendable stranger.
Who else but him, a man who’s faced the unknown and come out alive again and again, could relieve people of their fears?
And so, he finds himself on his second hour of combing through the forest. Just as the villagers claimed, it’s completely silent. No sign even of any wild animals. Perhaps they’re all dead now. But what isn’t dead is the forest itself. He finds himself fascinated by the wondrous colours of the trees and plants, vibrant as a carefully curated garden, and autumn leaves floating down to glitter the muddy ground with gold. Perhaps the forest thrives in part thanks to its lack of visitors, unblemished by humans, though the overgrowth could do with some sorting to allow the smaller plants to grow to their fullest. But given there are still many just about surviving, maybe someone did take care of the place before being abandoned out of fear.
After a while, he finally finds the first sign of something strange. A piece of metal. It’s warped from a heavy impact with sharp and jagged edges as though it had been torn off something bigger. He turns it around in his hand carefully, but finds no indication of its origin. But… maybe this was a part of the screeching the villagers had heard a year ago.
Suddenly, the hunter is taken out of his thoughts by the first sound he’s heard in all this time. Rustling of leaves, the snapping of branches and shaky laboured breaths. He quietly stashes the piece of metal away in his bag, and starts to stalk silently toward the source of the sound. Expecting to find the terrifying ghoulish thing the young girl had seen, he’s surprised to instead find the most beautiful man his eyes have ever been blessed to see. Long, tousled golden hair with crimson ends spill over his shoulders, and bright red markings decorate the exposed pale skin covered only by torn clothing. But as quiet as he’s tried to be, a tiny gasp escapes him as he marvels at the image before him. The figure’s head snaps to turn and face its hunter. He’s struck then by how despite appearing as a human wrought with illness with its gaunt cheeks and sickly skin, its eyes shine in an inhuman amber, and he finds himself held still by its piercing and powerful gaze, a gaze focused with a resolution to fight, even hunt him if need be.
Instinct kicks in and the hunter makes the first move, rushing toward his prey, but instead of pulling out his sword he elects to fight hand-to-hand given his opponent’s weaker state. But his choice to save his sword from being worn down needlessly quickly proves to have been wrong. While the hunter puts up an incredible fight, even managing to force his enemy backwards, this monster is strong, even feral in the way it fights. Claws slash and tear through his clothes and steel-covered legs kick him so hard he has to keep catching his balance.
It’s one of those devastating kicks that nearly spells his end. He’s hurled into a tree and crashes to the ground like a discarded doll. But undeterred by the sickening crack his back had made on the impact, he rolls to the side and prepares to reach for his sword, but just before his hand can touch its hilt he’s pounced on by the monster, both his arms pushed up and gripped in one hand’s bruising grip.
Cracking his eyes back open, he looks up at his soon-to-be deathbringer. That golden hair is completely wild now, flying in all directions. Its pupils are in straight slits, staring intently at the choker that barely covers the hunter’s sun-shape marked neck. It shakes as it looks down at him, and pants with a wheeze as it stares down its prey. And in that heavily breathing mouth he sees something unexpected: fangs, glinting in the moonlight.
But before he can take that information in fully, it snarls and tightens the grip on his pinned arms and its free hand roughly pushes his head to the side to expose his fragile skin. He has no time to react as the monster plunges down toward his neck, those sharp teeth suddenly closing in to pierce his flesh, only... The bite never comes. The would-be prey stares bewildered up at the falling golden leaves. His blood should be dripping to the ground with them, but he remains nearly untouched, only feeling the tickle of hair brushing his chin and throat, the sharp points of those fangs grazing his skin and equally sharp gasps and exhales of breath against his neck. He realises then the being above him is shaking. Hesitating.
No… Resisting.
That's all it takes for the hunter to regain advantage. He yanks his arms free, grips the creature's shoulders, then uses a leg to wrap and pull his prey off balance and flips their positions. He stares down at the predator's shocked expression, watching those slitted eyes flicker into a rounder, calmer shape then back to sharp lines again as laboured breath comes out in heaves, still holding something back. And when the hunter looks down, sees the lack of resistance even when he loosens his own grip as a test, he realises this isn't a cruel monster. It's– He is just... hungry.
With the clues all pieced together, he decides to do something admittedly reckless. With great swiftness he pulls out a small blade from his bag, slits his palm and presses it to the open mouth below.
Fiery eyes widen in shock, and his startled face tries to pull away, but when a hand just as quickly comes to grip the mess of his hair to keep him in place he relents, and his pupils round out into something soft again as he gulps down the warm, fresh blood he's so graciously been gifted.
The hunter's suspicion was right. He's not a malevolent ghost, but a vampire, all alone out here with barely anything to feed on. He's never encountered one; he even thought they were a thing of fiction. But here he is, feeding one in the flesh. They're supposedly tainted people who tried to gain immortality by venturing into the Sea of Souls before their times had come to be welcomed by the stream, only to instead live a half life dependent on the blood of mortals to maintain their lives in the realm of the living. All this time he thought it to be a tale that came to be from the misunderstanding of what happens when spirits drain the energy of living things, but perhaps it's the other way around, vampires being dismissed as mere myth because they sound so similar to ghosts already. He'll have to ask the vampire how many of the myths are true, assuming he's as willing to speak to the one willingly bringing life back to him.
But while his thoughts flow and function easily, his body does not. He's weakened both from battle and blood loss. Before he can prepare himself for their roles to reverse, his hand is removed from the vampire's mouth and his world spins as their positions are flipped once more, the vampire now straddling him and holding each wrist on either side of his head.
'Saving your natural predator, human?' the vampire goads him. His accent is unfamiliar, and his voice is gruff and raspy as though it's not been used in a long time.
'Just showing you the power a hunter has over their prey's life,' he fires back with a grin, though his voice holds little heat, airy with exhaustion. 'Though, that's not what you are, are you? A being as sickly as you were, energised now only after the blood of one man… you couldn't have been the one bringing death here and fear to the village nearby.'
The vampire pauses, brows furrowing. 'What makes you so certain of that? Even at my weakest I'm as strong as a hundred men, a thousand at my best.'
The man beneath him chuckles and can't help but tease him for latching on to the comment on his strength of all things. 'Yet, one hunter was enough to best you. Or maybe I'm superhuman myself.'
The vampire snarls, but he concedes with a sigh. 'Indeed you did. It's hard to believe you are mortal.’ His eyes flick to his split hand, then back to the hunter’s eyes. ‘But given your blood is the same colour as mine, maybe there’s truth to your superhuman claim.'
The hunter smirks. 'I can’t say I understand the significance of it, but… All I’m certain of is I’m different from other people. Bled gold since I was born. Only knew one other who did the same, but…’ He shakes his head. ‘Well, we never found out what it means.’
‘Hmm. Shame. A mystery for the future, if you’ll still have one.’
The hunter laughs hard. ‘I have a feeling I do. You see, I’m very determined. Not only to do my job, but ensure it's done right. As I said, you aren't my prey, that I'm certain of now that I've fought you. Not only does your fighting style differ far too greatly from what was done to the victims I seek vengeance for, you surely wouldn't have looked so unwell had you killed and taken your fill from all those animals. Especially given how all it took was my blood to give you strength and a healthy glow back to your skin...'
It’s certainly true. The vampire’s skin nearly appears gold in the little lighting of the moon, and even his cheeks warm to a light red as he gulps at the thought of that delicious blood again. He remains silent and looks away.
‘Anyway… given you haven’t bitten me with all the opportunities you’ve had, even after I instigated our battle, I can also assume I’m right in thinking you aren’t a bloodthirsty and heartless monster, either. So… would you mind getting off me, o merciful vampire?’
The vampire looks back down at him with a scowl, but he sighs. He releases his wrists and slowly backs off to crouch on his heels to allow his hunter to sit himself up. As he moves he looks dizzy as his body tilts, but the vampire leaves him to get up on his own.
After a moment of silence and contemplation, the vampire speaks. ‘Mydei.’
‘Huh?’
‘Mydei. My name.’
‘Hmm. Mydei…’ He says the name like he’s tasting and savouring the way it sounds and flows from his lips. ‘It’s a lovely name. Better than “vampire” or “monster,”’ he snickers.
Mydei rolls his eyes.
‘Phainon.’
‘What?’
He laughs. ‘My name. Better than “human” and “prey”, is it not?’
Mydei smirks. ‘I don’t know about that. But maybe you’ll prove yourself to me.’
Phainon chuckles. ‘Maybe that time will come sooner than you think. Now that you’ve been ruled out, I need to continue my investigation. I’d be grateful if you’d join my hunt and witness my skill firsthand.’
Mydei hums. ‘Alright. Where do you propose we start?’
‘How about you come with me to look at the corpses? Perhaps you’ll have a better clue than I of what could be lurking about.’
Mydei’s grin falls into a frown. ‘You came from the village, correct? It may be best that I don’t appear there.’
Phainon shakes his head. ‘The victims have been found on the outskirts of the forest, and there are corpses far in enough that the villagers won’t see you… again, anyway. Even if they do venture in with some miraculous bravery emboldening them, you’re far from the ghoulish thing I met only minutes ago. You look just as much a man as me.’ He shamelessly eyes him up and down, adding, ‘Absurdly gorgeous, too.’
The faint warm blush on Mydei’s cheeks brightens at the comment. ‘...Alright. As long as we remain in the forest.’
Phainon nods and with that agreement he makes to get up, only to become dizzy again. But this time, when he begins to stumble, he’s caught by Mydei before he can fall. His warm hands holding him brings a blush to Phainon’s face with what little blood he has left in him. ‘Thanks…’
Mydei’s eyebrows furrow as Phainon removes himself and straightens, noticing the slight tremble he has now. ‘You should eat and drink something before we go,’ he says, voice softer now, both from its use and out of concern. ‘It would be unfair on you to keep up with me at my full strength…’
‘If you could survive gods know how long without blood, I can get by a few more hours without one meal.’
But as stubborn as the lone hunter is, a glare from Mydei is enough to make him concede. Mydei guides him to a stream with clean water nearby, and there Phainon opens his bag and picks out a box of mixed fruit and salad.
‘...You sure that’s enough?’
‘I’ll be fine.’ Phainon flexes his arm. ‘This has kept me strong enough to keep going all this time.’
Mydei huffs and rolls his eyes, but he doesn’t argue further. ‘Don’t cry to me when you faint from hunger later.’
Though as they make their long trek to investigate the corpses, Phainon could swear those piercing eyes stayed fixed on him.
As the unlikely duo arrive near the edge of the forest two hours later, Mydei’s footsteps slow. From here, he can see past the treeline, make out the outlines of buildings, hear the clatter of dishes as the early birds of the village start their day before dawn breaks. Noticing his complete silence and stillness, Phainon stops and turns around, and seeing the conflicted expression on his face, he just smiles and approaches him, grabbing his arm in a firm hold to pull him along. ‘You’ll be fine. I can, and will, calm things down if anyone comes near and grows suspicious.’
‘Hmph… Thanks…’ He looks away, but not before Phainon noticed how his eyes softened at the reassurance.
Still a little reluctant, Mydei allows himself to be guided by Phainon to one of the corpses he found on his way through. A wolf almost as large as himself, frozen in its death, posed as if it were mid-leap when it was killed.
Mydei leans down and studies the corpse, humming in thought. ‘Hmm… I recall a similar phenomenon when Castru– when I lived near some mountains. Goats and birds had fallen still and lifeless, just like this. It was a bad omen supposedly, so we left. But it didn’t leave my mind for a while, so I did some research. I’m certain sudden deaths like this are caused by ghosts that are unable to move on, purely in denial of their own deaths. They freeze the lives of the living, spreading their own pain and anguish to them, and use their souls to sustain their forms. But… I didn’t find out much about how they look or how to slay them. Only warnings to run as fast as you can.’
Phainon hums. ‘I’m surprised I’ve never come across such types. Usually the spirits I come across merely wail and stalk to unsettle their targets, but rarely anything more. Even then, the murderous spirits I’ve encountered have had some kind of reason for their actions. Typically vengeance and protection. To think some could become so bitter as to take the lives of innocents just to continue such a hollow existence…’
‘Overcome by grief of losing their own life,’ Mydei says. ‘Or… maybe some souls are tainted by something else.’
‘Yeah… In any case, it should be dealt with. For its own sake, too.’
Phainon pauses in thought. With the way this ghost has been killing its prey, hunting them when they’re all alone, he realises it’s unlikely it will show itself when they’re both together, but they’re unlikely to survive if they split off completely. The best option is to take it on together, and the best strategy for that is… dangerous. He hesitates on sharing his idea but ultimately Phainon is no stranger to risking his life, and surely his hunting partner will see the logic behind it.
‘I can be bait.’
Mydei gapes. ‘Are you mad?!’
‘Quite sound of mind, I think.’
‘Says every madman,’ Mydei sighs, exasperated by the man already. ‘At least explain your borderline suicidal thoughts before I dismiss you entirely.’
Phainon chuckles, then his face hardens as he begins to elaborate. ‘Everything so far has been targeted alone. The few that are close together are in much different states of decay. All have died in different but strange positions, likely taken by surprise or caught during their escape attempts, possibly unable to fight back against the spirit as much as some clearly tried to. But if I’m targeted and have backup hidden among the leaves? We’ll have a good chance to turn the tables.’
‘Hmm.’ Mydei still looks uncertain. ‘I understand. However, our roles should be reversed. I’m… more likely to survive if the ghost does target me.’
‘But that’s precisely why it should be me. As strong as I am, I’m completely mortal. It’s more likely to go after one with their own fresh blood, rather than one whose life is something borrowed… No offense.’
‘None taken.’ His brows furrow further, and he looks away. ‘Just be careful. Don’t try to grapple with it like you did me.’
Phainon chuckles. ‘Of course.’
Mydei doesn’t believe him.
After insisting and failing to convince Phainon to get some rest before putting their plan into effect, Mydei finds himself crouching hidden behind large bushes, following Phainon quietly as he wanders deeper into the forest. Given how the most recent corpses are a little further in, they concluded the spirit is making its way deeper in to avoid being confronted by a group of villagers finally retaliating. Phainon still has his sword on his back and his knife is strapped to his thigh for easier access now, too. While they aren’t certain how to go about slaying the spirit, they revealed to each other beforehand that they both have experience in slaying other types. If they could be killed by physical means, surely this ghost can be too.
An hour since the start of their hunt approaches, and while Mydei continues to stalk after, as much as it’s all a part of a greater plan, his heart throbs with a desire to sneak up and claim this prey for himself, but he simply ignores that vile thought. That’s just the vampiric hunger talking, not what he truly wants. Even so, he licks his lips at the memory of that sweet blood. He could swear the taste lingers in his mouth, and he hums. It’s easy to push away such greed when he was left so satisfied after starving for so long.
He returns his full attention to his saviour as he turns his back and stops for a moment, looking around for the best path forward that won’t trap him if he needs to run. But as Phainon is still contemplating silently, a nearly transparent form resembling a cloaked person floating behind him, closing in.
Before Mydei can make a move, Phainon beats him to it. Sensing a chill at the back of his neck, he whips around and swings his knife, but it slips right through the body, but when Phainon swings his weapon back back again his hand he makes contact with something. A tear appears in the ghost’s arm and it screams at him, and faster than Phainon can react the hand on the arm he just slashed quickly catches his hand, and he hisses in pain. It’s the same hand that had bled for Mydei. Mydei sees him wince and drop his weapon from both the renewed pain and notices him start to shake as a bone-chilling cold starts to run through his body, and Mydei immediately leaps into action, bursting out of his hiding spot and ruthlessly slashing at the corporeal hand that had grabbed his hunting partner. It screeches loudly as it’s forced to release Phainon, and its body becomes near-invisible once more in its retreat.
Noting the ghost’s movements, Mydei adjusts himself to keep both it and Phainon in his line of sight. His eyes flicker to Phainon, crouching and shivering on the ground, eyebrows pinched in pain. ‘You alright?’
‘Ha… never b-better,’ Phainon replies with a shivering stutter. Fighting through his own discomfort, he picks up his knife and stands back up. ‘Usually spirits have one corporeal spot to take advantage of, but this one can phase between corporeal and incorporeal wherever it pleases. But it has to be able to t-touch in order to kill…’
‘Let’s not find out how long it takes for that to happen.’
Phainon nods. ‘Let’s not let this thing escape.’
After confirming the ghost’s location, the pair once again split off, Mydei returning to the bushes as Phainon faces the spirit head-on. With careful steps he approaches it, goading it to try and get him again, but he doesn’t anticipate it being able to move so quickly, suddenly getting up close and swiping its hand for him again. Phainon reacts fast, slashing at the hand and stepping away, tuning out his own sounds to focus on keeping his eyes trained on its movements and feeling any sudden chills. As the deadly dance continues, Phainon begins to stumble as he walks, waving his weapon sloppier than before, and suddenly he’s on the floor, heaving and panting, shaking from the cold. The ghost quickly appears close, looming over him as its entire body becomes clearer, completely corporeal, ready to envelop and devour his life–
Only to be stopped by Mydei jumping out from behind and viciously ripping and tearing the body apart. While it doesn’t bleed, it shrieks in agony as the constant assault prevents it from moving between realms, until finally Mydei finds something deep within it. A strange fleshy object was nestled near its chest, pulsing like a heart. This is probably where its victims’ lives fuel the ghost. Looking at the parasitic thing that selfishly takes lives for the sole sake of continuing a hollow existence enrages Mydei, and with a shout he crushes the mass of flesh with one hand, and with one final scream the ghost is vanquished.
The souls that had been stolen to be fuel for the spirit are released, and with no living bodies to return to they disperse in a soft and misty wave, falling to the earth below. Perhaps those souls will find their way to the afterlife in peace, unlike their assailant. At peace with that thought, he turns his attention back to the one in front of him, no longer obscured by their target. Some of that soft mist settles on Phainon, likely the life that had been siphoned from him going to its rightful place. But still, he’s surprised to see Phainon lying on the ground, staring up at Mydei. No, with the way his eyes are wide, and his body is stiff, it’s like he’s still seeing the ghost.
Rather than comment on this, Mydei snaps his fingers in front of him, snapping him out of his fear-induced stillness. Mydei turns his hand over for Phainon to take it, and just like that he’s all smiles again.
‘How chivalrous. Thank you, my dear,’ Phainon jokes as he takes his hand. Once he’s stood up again he nearly falls once more as his legs tremble, but Mydei maintains his grip and his other hand catches him by the shoulder, keeping him upright. ‘Ha, seriously, thank you…’
Mydei averts his gaze and grumbles. ‘No need to thank me. We’re even now. You saved my life, I saved yours.’
Phainon’s too tired to even make a snarky remark on him thinking to keep track of debts in such a way and just nods with a tired smile. He allows Mydei to help him walk, not even questioning where they’re going. He just trusts that wherever it is, it’ll be somewhere safe.
A few hours of traveling has Phainon dragging his feet more than walking, but that’s no problem for Mydei carrying half his weight with the strength that very man had given him. Instead of worrying about pulling his own weight, Phainon’s eyes wander as they get deeper into the forest than before. Along the way, he notices more and more pieces of metal like the one he picked up before, and now, approaching the destination Mydei had set on, his eyes widen in surprise.
Standing before him is what appears to be the ruins of a fortress of steel. Parts of it still stand tall, but many of its buildings are littered with holes and tears. The structure is tilted slightly, and he can just about see what looks like a broken mechanical leg peaking from beneath, and another part behind it folded neatly. Maybe this strange place was in the midst of movement when something had destroyed it. But what on earth could have caused all this carnage?
While Phainon takes in the sight, Mydei remains silent with a blank face. Phainon respects that and lets him pull him inside one of the buildings near the edge of the fortress’s platform. Inside he is led to a surprisingly comfortable cushioned seat by a small table where Mydei asks him to wait as he walks to the other side of the room. It’s a kitchen, Phainon slowly realises. Mydei had left him to rest as he went to the cooking space. Phainon leans on the table, head resting on his arms, and watches Mydei pull out some cooled meat, herbs and spices.
‘Didn’t know vampires could eat,’ Phainon says mindlessly.
Though Mydei’s back is turned, Phainon can practically sense the roll of Mydei’s eyes before he replies. ‘I can enjoy food. Meat can sustain me for a while, too, but I’d need a lot. I’d rather not ruin the ecosystem when drinking the blood of animals need not be fatal. Even this venison comes from a deer I’d drank from a few times before finding him near its own natural death.
‘But why didn’t you eat it earlier? With the state you were in surely it would have helped? And here you were, scolding me for my eating habits!’ Phainon pouts, and while Mydei can’t see it, he too can just tell.
‘I… prefer company when I eat food,’ Mydei admits. ‘And I was a little… preoccupied. My hunger was inconsequential in my mind.’
Phainon opens his mouth to continue scolding him, but as Mydei turns to pick up dishes and cookware, he sees the solemn expression on his face. He closes his mouth and just hums in response, then lets Mydei continue to cook in silence. Once it’s done, he brings a plate of spiced venison over.
Phainon raises a brow. ‘You’re not eating?’
‘Still full, thanks to you,’ Mydei grins.
Phainon chuckles. ‘Still, make the most of having company for dinner won’t you?’ He pierces a piece of meat and takes a bite, then passes the rest of it over to Mydei. ‘Here, have some.’
Mydei sighs, but he obediently opens his mouth and takes it off the fork, closes his eyes and savours the taste before swallowing. ‘Thanks.’
Phainon smiles, then continues eating, making a habit to pass a piece to Mydei every few bites until he refuses to take any more. About halfway through his meal, Phainon resumes their conversation. ‘So… You said you were preoccupied?’
Mydei hums.
‘Might I ask what with?’
Mydei grumbles.
Phainon sighs. ‘I might be of help, you know.’
‘...You might, but there’s no reward in it for you.’
‘Helping can be rewarding enough.’
Mydei laughs. ‘So you’re a cute, reckless little hero, huh?’
Phainon blushes, swallows his food, and looks away, but… rather than just embarrassment, there’s a sadness in his eyes. ‘Guess so,’ he mumbles.
Mydei chooses not to press him at that reaction. Seeing how Phainon continues to prove himself to be genuine, he decides to elaborate. ‘I’m investigating something, too. The things that destroyed this place.’
Phainon faces him again and raises a brow. ‘Any leads to go on?’
Mydei shakes his head. ‘I killed them before they could retreat to wherever they came from. Hunted every last one of them trying to escape. But I know there are more, somewhere. I… I can sense them.’
Phainon gulps and his left hand goes to rub the marking on his neck. It already sounded oddly familiar. ‘And… What are they?’
‘...I don’t know. Monstrosities. Heartless dark beasts. Creatures that know nothing but destruction for destruction’s sake.’
His heart sinks. Even without a clear description of their appearances, the weight of such an impression on another supernatural being tells him a lot. ‘That sounds… familiar. We may be more alike than I expected.’
Catching the implication, Mydei’s silent for a moment as he debates on whether to press. He decides soon that he doesn’t want to ignore that comment. ‘What was your home like?’
Phainon is silent for long enough that doubt and regret creep into Mydei’s heart, but thankfully Phainon’s lips start to curl into a faint smile. He eats the last piece of his gifted meal, and he shares a part of his life with him again. ‘Beautiful. A little village called Aedes Elysiae. Far away from other towns and cities, but it had everything we needed. Plenty of space for us to maintain farmland, gentle streams near enough to walk to for fresh water, a pretty lake and the great ocean to fish in, fields of golden wheat… As kids, we’d chase each other through those fields, or even roleplay, hide and pretend we’re wild monsters coming to invade… Thought it’d be like that forever. I’d work the farm, hunt for meat nearby, keep the village safe and fed without a worry in the world. But at least in my memory it can stay that way.’ He sighs, then nods toward Mydei. ‘How about yours?’
Mydei shifts in his seat and averts his eyes for a moment, looking around slowly before meeting Phainon’s eyes again. ‘Castrum Kremnos, the name of this place. It was less a home and more a fortress, as you can already tell. All mechanical, built to change shape and move wherever we needed to go, be it to gain better ground against invading enemies or close in to pressure our targets. All the life I’ve spent here has been nothing but endless battle. But for once, we were in a time of peace. We were relocating to neutral and uninhabited ground to settle and enjoy this time, just further north from here, before battle found its way to us as it always does. The fortress was overcome by a wave of darkness: shadow creatures that morphed, joined and separated like waves. They crashed down on us suddenly like a tsunami, tearing through our steel walls like they were nothing. The only warning I had was these red marks burning as the wave came into view.’
Phainon’s eyes widen. That description is… also unsettlingly familiar.
‘It came far too fast for the fortress to even stand up, let alone outrun, and even too powerful for it to withstand the assault. And… needless to say my people suffered much the same. We fought well but many of my men and… some of my dearest comrades… fell.’
Mydei pauses, lost in the memory of strife. His eyes turn glassy, but tears never fall. Phainon swallows a lump in his throat, his heart tightening at the sight of this powerful man turned so vulnerable…
But then Mydei looks his way again with a small but proud smile. ‘The efforts of the fallen won many their survival. I led them to Okhema in the east for refuge until our fortress can stand strong again.’
‘You didn’t want to go to safety with them?’
‘...I am the only vampire of the Kremnoan people. We’re already seen as bloodthirsty brutes. If I were discovered, things would worsen both for my people and their reputation, and for the fearful and paranoid Okhemans. All they’d see in my Kremnoans would be monsters in human guises.’
Phainon winces at the word. Monster. It was only about a day ago that Phainon thought of Mydei in such a way. Even without knowing him. No, especially because he didn’t know him yet. It was so easy to lump him in with the many strange and cruel things he’s encountered since leaving his home behind.
‘Well… It wouldn’t do harm to drop by now and then, surely?’ Phainon presses gently. ‘Maybe if I go with you, you’ll blend in easier.’ He flashes a friendly and reassuring smile, and for a moment Mydei feels he could be safe with him.
‘I’ll consider it… thanks,’ he mumbles.
Phainon smiles even brighter. But contrasting that brightness, his voice is low and serious when he starts to speak again. ‘For now though, I’m certain we have a common enemy from what you just shared. Those shadow creatures… They took my home, too. Though it sounds like they were more coordinated in your case, their pure drive for violence is unmistakable. Even that ghost we hunted had some level of reason, as selfish, disagreeable and condemnable as it was. Those things are different. All they are is destruction. They need to be stopped.’
‘Agreed,’ Mydei says. ‘So, hunter, what do you want to do?’
‘Well, my job is over, so I’m completely free to start a new hunt together. There’s sure to be some more monsters lurking about, hm?’ Phainon looks pointedly at him, and Mydei laughs softly. ‘So my current plan would be… charm you into allowing me to team up with you? Our causes are aligned, we’ll find and take out far more of them if we fight together. And… I can sense them a little, too. Just not that strongly. But I swear I am good at killing them. I won’t drag you down.’
Mydei chuckles. ‘Didn’t say you would. Very well. I don’t have much space for you to stay here comfortably for now, but for tonight you may use my bed since it’s the only one I’m maintaining right now. I’ll soon have another room ready for you to rest in comfortably whenever you need it. In the meantime, you need to go and put those villagers at ease right? Go get your well earned reward in the morning, and return well in two days.’
Phainon nods and smiles. ‘Alright, then. It’s a date.’
He then starts to get up and request help to his room, only to hiss when his hand touches the table for balance. The cut split back open, coating the wood in blood. Mydei’s eyes widen, pupils expanding at the sight, teeth aching at the smell. But he snaps out of it fast, taking Phainon by the wrist to the sink to rinse the wound. Phainon remains silent just as he had on their walk back while Mydei’s gentle hands hold his palm still under the steady stream of water until the bleeding subsides enough for him to wrap the wound with a scrap of cloth, tying it tight enough to stop the bleeding and loose enough not to be too uncomfortable. Phainon flexes his hand slowly and smiles at how little pain he feels from it.
‘Thanks… and sorry.’
Mydei hums and nods. ‘Can’t let my comrade’s injury bring him down.’
‘Right…’ Phainon blushes a little as he realises one of Mydei’s hands is still gently circled around his wrist. Phainon’s other hand comes up to touch Mydei’s and he slowly releases him with a soft surprised noise. ‘Thanks again.’
‘...Mm. Given how fast it’s been healing already, your hand could be completely fine tomorrow if you don’t strain yourself. I’ll escort you to the forest outskirts in the morning so you can avoid unnecessary combat if anything finds its way to you.’
‘How kind of you,’ Phainon chuckles. ‘But… You’re right. Now, take me to your bed, please.’
Mydei chokes, then clears his throat to cover it up, and takes Phainon to his room. Between the temptation of his blood and his playful remarks, Mydei feels his restraint tested for the first time in years. Yet, looking at this strange man, looking so relaxed with someone who could easily have killed him mere hours ago, he finds his resolve to restrain himself from making a mistake strengthening far more.