Vampire Reincarnation

The sun shone through the tree’s thick canopy, bouncing off of Léandro’s golden armor into the surrounding foliage. His blue eyes shone with a mysterious light as he watched Kai and Onyx interact from afar, and a soft smile formed on his lips as he turned around. However, it quickly faded as pairs of footsteps quickly approached him.

A small group of people rapidly made their way toward Léandro, knocking away the leaves and disrupting the bushes before finally stopping in front of him. Clicking his tongue at the sight, he crossed his arms while looking at the five people following him around.

“Hah… your majesty can you stop… running away?” A man of short stature, wearing loose, plain clothes that hid his rotund body asked. Sweat dripped down his forehead, passing by his brown eyes before stopping on his moustache, right above his dried lips. “My old bones can’t take it anymore.”

Léandro’s eyebrow rose, looking strangely at the man while asking. “Jerry, you’re only thirty years old, what do you mean ‘old’?”

“Haha…” the man laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head with a half smile on his face. “Your Majesty, we were assigned to protect you, please understand that we must be with you as much as possible.”

“Assigned? As if my father would ever care enough to assign guards. My meddling uncle just ordered you to follow me around, and even hired a mercenary because everyone else refused.” Léandro said, a hint of anger hidden deep within his voice, and scoffed while glaring at a tall man standing behind everyone else.

He looked to be middle-aged, his tanned skin speaking of his experience spending hours in the sun, and he wore a red scarf that complimented his dark clothes. They were lined with white thread, and on his left chest lay embroidered a symbol of an olive branch. A large, thick, and wide sheath hung on his back, its holster strapped around his body. At first glance, no sword seemed to be present in the sheath, as the hilt fused perfectly with it, however, keen-eyed people would be able to sense a dangerous, deadly aura sipping off from within. He wore a ring on his index finger, the stone decorating the golden base sharing the same symbol as the one on his chest. Opening his eyes, the man briefly looked back at Léandro with a deadpan expression before shutting them again, not paying the young man any attention.

“What a rude fellow…” a woman’s sharp voice rang in the mercenary’s ears, however, he turned a deaf ear to it, but not before taking a better look at the woman. She wore a dark green shirt, and pants of the same color with black shoes, and her brown hair was tied in a ponytail. A bow wrapped around her chest, and strapped to her back lay a quill filled with arrows. Her emerald green eyes matched the foliage surrounding them, and faint sun freckles covered her pale face. Turning toward the prince, she wore an expression of annoyance. An angry voice escaped her rosy lips as they parted, “Prince, you can’t keep running away from us! If something happens to you…. We… we’d be done for!”

Léandro scoffed, rolling his eyes as he turned toward the merchant organization, looking at the two bandits he killed before switching his focus to Kai and Orphelia. Why are these two staring at each other… Shrugging off that thought, his lips parted as he said toward the entourage, “I can take care of myself just fine.”

“Why are these two staring at each other?” Léandro jumped and turned his head toward the third man following him. A man of average height, whose age seemed almost ambiguous, sharing the short, white hair of an old man but the slim and lean body of a young man. “What? It seems weird.” His voice which seemed neither feminine nor masculine rang in the prince’s ears, and the only answer he gave was a short shrug.

“They seem to be… communicating?” The brown-haired woman walked closer to the edge of the forest, pulling her long hair over her ear to have a clearer view. “Mhm, looks like the staring contest stopped. God, that’s hard to watch. Don’t you agree, Zeliph?” She said, turning toward the androgynous man, whose yellow eyes looked at Kai and Orphelia with curiosity.

“That kid isn’t normal, is he?” He remarked, playing with the wand tied to his waist.

“Mhm… your eye technique came in handy for once. That kid’s mana core is almost broken, and his mana veins… are even worse than mine.”

“Worse than yours?!” The girl exclaimed, staring at Kai with widened eyes.

“Lilith,” Zeliph said, “Keep it down.”

“Sorry…” Lilith lowered her, pouting as she murmured under her breath.

“That kid’s aura feels off,” Zeliph remarked, rubbing his chin while curiously watching Kai. “At first glance, it seems normal, but there is something weird, almost foreign mixed within it. There’s also the aura of a Fifth Star mage lingering around him…”

Léandro’s eyes widened upon hearing Zeliph’s ramblings, and his eyes shone once again as he focused his gaze on Kai. However, he blinked rapidly after a few sec, and the luster in his eyes gradually disappeared. “I don’t see anything else besides the mage’s aura…”

“That’s normal,” Zeliph chuckled. “Your Mystic Eye is in its earlier stages, as time goes by you’ll begin seeing more and more things. Even I’m not sure what they will be as each Mystic Eye is different.” Having explained that, he took one last glance at Kai, a soft smile creasing his lips as he walked toward Jerry, the mercenary and the last of their group - A large, bulky man with short black hair and eyes of the same color.

He wore simple linen clothing, on top of which he had an apron covered in blood, a mixture of different liquids and spices, and a few pockets with which he held a multitude of cooking utensils. A large backpack filled to the brim with plates, pots, ingredients, and other kitchenware was strapped to his back, held upright by two harnesses wrapped around his chest.

“Melon…” Jerry whispered to the man as he made his way toward him, which prompted Melon to turn his head and grunt as if asking ‘What is it?’

“When’s the next meal? I’m already hungry…” He asked, licking his lips in anticipation as his stomach let out a low growl.

“When the sun sets,” Melon answered, his stoic voice and emotionless bearing making Jerry open and close his mouth, before quietly retreating. Damn Melon, he has plenty of snacks but I can’t even dare ask for them.

While Jerry sulked, Melon clicked his tongue as he looked at Léandro. That boy should eat more, he’s all skin and bones! What would his mother say? He used to eat everything I gave him but ever since she… A light sigh escaped his lips, and he shook his head as he stood there, waiting for the prince’s orders, or attempts to run away.

…

The sun began to set as the group marched through the forest, and it didn’t take long for the night’s darkness to completely envelop them. Immediately setting up camp and lighting up a large bonfire, Melon pulled out a pot and some basic ingredients, placing them above the fire in a sort of makeshift stove. The mercenaries blended perfectly with the shadows, watching from a distance while vigilantly watching their surroundings.

Lilith, Zeliph, and Léandro stood next to the fire with Jerry right in front of them, watching the flames eat away at the dried wood as smoke rose high into the sky. The crackling of the fire rang within the silent night, each member of the group seemingly deep in thought as they waited for the food to be done.

Léandro bit his lower lip, anguish apparent on his face as he stared at an old piece of paper with a long list of items. Some of them were crossed out, but a majority of them remained unmarked. They had no description of anything of the sort besides some names written next to them. Among them, a plant called “Mogerth’s Lips” was written in larger letters compared to the others. Next to it “Death’s Hollow” was marked in squiggly, uneven letters.

“Young Prince, shouldn’t we give up by now?” Jerry said, approaching Léandro, who only looked up at him with an annoyed expression. “Death’s Hollow isn’t a place we can just casually walk in…” he continued, unbothered by his prince’s demeanor. “They don’t have it in Nivero either… what makes you think Brysthel has them? What if they don’t? Will you go and look for them yourself?”

Léandro's blue eyes glared at Jerry for a brief moment before they switched back to the piece of paper. Folding it and carefully placing it in his pockets, he turned toward the rotund man and said, “Yes, I have to.”

“Prince, she-”

“Shut it,” Léandro ordered in a cold voice before Jerry could even finish his sentence, causing the man to gulp and swallow whatever words he wanted to say.

“Prince.” Zeliph lip’s parted, watching Léandro through the fire. “Jerry isn’t entirely wrong. Nivero is known for its commerce… Brysthel is known for its violence. Do you think a city like that would house such delicate plants?”

“They have to, otherwise… I can’t even think about it.”

“You can’t be seriously thinking to search for it yourself?” Zeliph said, a hint of surprise hidden deep within his voice, however, his eyes gleamed with intrigue.

Léandro didn’t answer, instead, he let out a light scoff before getting up, his golden armor rattling as he stepped toward a makeshift tent made out of dirt and branches. “I’ll sleep early, I overexerted myself today.”

The others kept going about their work, not paying him any mind. A sigh escaped Melon’s body, his eyebrows arching downward upon hearing Léandro’s words That boy… what am I going to do with him…

“I don’t think he’ll go too far…” Lilith said to no one in particular while biting into a ripe fruit. “Not even his brother dares go into Death’s Hollow, why would he do so?”

“He isn’t his brother,” Zeliph said, a soft smile creasing his lips. “Regardless, our job is to follow him and to make sure he’s safe, nothing more, nothing less.”

“How do you reckon we do that when he disappears? I don’t even know where he got the stamina to run away from us, considering he only has half the mana veins.” Jerry commented, picking his teeth with his fingers as he looked toward Léandro’s tent.

“Who knows?” Melon quietly said from the side, not once taking his eyes off the pot above the fire. “Come on, food’s almost ready.”

The three got up and began setting up a small table and chairs made out of logs and large stones. The mercenary watched them from afar, hidden deep within the shadows. A cold expression rested on his face as he pulled out a piece of what seemed to be animal skin, and began chewing on it while eyeing the prince’s tent. Flicking his wrist, a small knife manifested in his hand. Closing one eye, he carefully aimed at the tent, and with a short, smooth motion, the knife silently swished through the air. The sound of flesh being cut open rang in the air, along with a brief hissing sound that disappeared as soon as it appeared.

Fresh blood dripped down a tree close to the tent’s entrance, along with the corpse of a Giant Violet Python. The group accompanying the prince didn’t notice anything as they ate around the fire, the sound of their chatter drowning out the quick assassination. Clicking his tongue, the mercenary resumed chewing on his snack and closed his eyes while steadying his breath.

…

The rest of the evening passed uneventfully. The group retreated to their tents after cleaning up and putting out the fire, leaving the tanned man alone to guard them and Léandro. The mercenary sighed as he leaned against a tree, sleeping in bouts of 30 minutes to an hour and guarding the camp for two to three hours, the night quickly passed under his protection.

As the sun rose and its rays made their way through the forest, so did he. Jumping to his feet, he rubbed the ring around his finger while inspecting the surroundings. After making sure there was no danger, he woke everyone up and waited for the prince’s further commands. The birds chirping accompanied the four as they got out of their tents, yawning and stretching their bodies.

Léandro’s stomach let out a loud growl as he put on the golden cuirass, strapping it tight around his body before walking toward what remained of the campfire. Taking a brief look at the ashes, he let out a light sigh. He glanced at the mercenary before turning his attention toward the group employed by his uncle.

“Zeliph, how long until we reach Brysthel?” He asked in a coarse voice.

“Hmm… We’re at the middle point between Brysthel, Limmin, and Nivero… I’d say it should take us three more days if nothing unexpected occurs.” Zeliph said after pulling out a map of the small part of their kingdom. “Our supplies should last us until then, but we better forage for some extra, better be safe than sorry.”

“Mhm,” Léandro grunted in acknowledgment, walking closer and studying the map alongside Zeliph. “Do you think we’d be able to find some of the medicine on the way?”

Zeliph rubbed his chin, inspecting the map while making some mental calculations. “Ambhrosia, it should be located somewhere close to Brysthel, although it’s usually protected by beasts. It would not be easy… and no one in that city bothers to gather it because it has so few uses. It would also delay our arrival by half a day to a day… But it doesn’t hurt us that much.”

“Then it’s agreed,” Léandro said, turning toward the others. “Once we reach the hotspot for Ambrosia, we’ll start looking for some. In case you don’t know what it looks like - It’s a small purple plant with a small face patterns on its surface. They usually grow in large quantities next to each other, so they should be easy to find. The biggest problem will be the monsters protecting them… They can range from one-star monsters to three-star monsters, and I’m not sure we’re equipped to deal with that.”

Léandro’s voice carried a hint of worry and anxiety with it. Zeliph rolled up the map and shoved it into his clothes, a helpless expression decorated his face while looking at the prince, who began rolling up the tent and gathering whatever belongings he had. Doing the same, Zelpih and the others hastily packed up their stuff and followed Léandro, walking even deeper inside the forest.