Vampire Reincarnation

Kai woke up just as the sun hit its midpoint, rubbing his eyes and yawning while getting up, he glanced at the notebook resting on the desk. Onyx snored lightly next to him, his huge head resting on the bed, along with his front paws. Smiling softly to himself, he donned his mask and the hoodie, took a few pieces of silver from his pouch, and tiptoed out of the room to not wake the Obborik up.

“Good morning, sir.” The man at the front desk greeted Kai as he walked into the lobby, a deadpan expression still resting on his face as he watched Kai walk over to him.

“I’ll buy one more night.” He said, placing the silver coin on the desk before walking away. The man picked it up with a grunt and threw it in a small box under the desk, his gaze fixated on Kai’s back.

The sun’s harsh rays of sunlight landed briefly on Kai’s exposed hand, a sizzling sensation instantly spreading all over it as the smell of burnt meat permeated the air. It’s gotten worse and worse, especially since the necklace incident… so it has something to do with mana and blood? Otherwise, I can’t explain this hypersensitivity I have to it… Luckily, I bought this hoodie, I’m not sure that shirt could have protected me well enough.

Hastily hiding his hands in the hooded cape and rubbing them together to alleviate the pain, he slithered through the city’s shadowy parts. I need to buy more food, maybe some materials as well. I have a theory… if I’m right… I could heal my mana veins, or at least repair them to some extent. But first, food. With that thought in mind, Kai rushed toward the place where he had purchased the meats from yesterday night. Located in a smaller part of the city, the stand’s appearance seemed like any other, ordinary. Four wooden bars held up a large sunshade, below which lay a table of some sort filled to the brim with product.

The man holding the front looked to be in his fifties, he wore a head full of gray hair, and a large mustache sharing the same color. His plain linen clothes, ripped and dirtied by a crimson paint, along with an intense, smokey smell mostly gave away his profession, were it not for his merchandise.

Meats of all types, from animals Kai had never even read about, filled his small wooden table, their smell leaving one with a drooling mouth even after long passing by.

“Oh? Young man, you’re back already?” The old man asked, a faint smile manifesting on his face as he watched Kai appear from behind a corner.

“Yeah, my stay here has been prolonged, I’m not sure how much for. How have you been?” Greeting back, Kai pulled out two pieces of silver, leaving him with only three to use to buy whatever materials he needed. “Give me ten of the Smoked Lokemi Ribs, as well as ten of the Pulki breasts and with whatever remains… smoked vegetables.

“Right away, pleasure doing business with you. May I ask, what brings you here?” The old vendor said, quickly filling up three bags and handing them over to Kai.

“I need to go somewhere and only planned to stay for the night, but something came up so I’ll be staying a bit longer.” Having said that, Kai bid farewell and went on his way, this time looking for any medicine shops whilst his head raced with thoughts.

Compared to the nighttime, this city’s daily life bustled with activity. The busy main street echoed with the voices of countless ages and races, some of which Kai had only ever read about. The river running right next to it sang a song of moments old, although its lyrics remained a mystery to those who could not understand it. Just like Nivero, this city housed various merchants, although at a much bigger scale with more inferior products. Of course, the prices were steeper as well.

Along the entire street, a soldier was stationed every twenty meters, protecting the few merchants that kept the already dwindled economy steady. Basic commodities such as bread, vegetables, fruits, and mushrooms, as well as cutlery and kitchenware, could be found on their wooden stands. Some of them only had a tower on top of which lay whatever they harvested or gathered yesterday. The merchants, or vendors, were mostly human, with only a third of them belonging to a different race. A fifth of those different races were elves, a third dwarves, and the rest a mixture of Mnatu - Humans with animal-like features, such as ears or tails, but also Bipedal animals with human features, such as limbs.

Kai grimaced at the latter’s sight, his expression a mixture of disgust and wonder. Stopping in front of one such creature, Kai kneeled, inspecting the different wares laid before him. Plants of a multitude of shapes and colors, each of them with a unique fragrance, mixing in a bitter-sweet aroma that inundated his nostrils. Carefully scanning them, he recalled the information he wrote down, as well as the descriptions of the plants from the books he read, including the old, archaic one.

I need plants that provide life force and plants that work as mana supplements. It doesn’t matter how little they provide, the more the merrier. With that thought in mind, he picked up a few of them and brought them to his nose, before placing them to the side after smelling them. The Mnatu selling the plants didn’t say anything and only watched Kai with little interest. It seemed to be a male, his large, muscular upper body exposed to the elements, and his head seemed to be that of a Scarlet Bear. However, his arms, albeit muscular, stood in large contrast to the rest of his body. Compared to his furred chest, head, and legs, his hands were that of a human’s, and if one looked closer, he had a second pair of pale ears hidden behind a large tuff of hair.

Kai tried not to stare too much as he picked the last of his plants. However, before he could pay for them, a bunch of saliva landed on a herb right next to him, accompanied by a deep voice. “Fucking abomination.” Turning back, he saw a man stopped a few inches behind him. With short brown hair and a missing eye, he stared at the vendor with his other one. Not bothering to hide the hatred and disgust from his face, he prepared to walk away. However, before his feet even touched the ground, the vendor, along with three other Mnatu leaped at the one-eyed man.

His miserable screams were drowned out by the sound of punching and kicking as the four relentlessly beat him up. Kai watched with a bewildered expression, and he wasn’t alone, as no one, not even the soldiers, bothered to help the one-eyed man. Some of them even worse smirk on their faces, basking in the man’s stupidity. A few seconds later, the Mnatu dispersed, leaving the man spasming on the ground. The vendor returned to his seating position in front of Kai as if nothing had happened, despite his blood-soaked hands. Kai coughed lightly, “I’d like to purchase these herbs. Please.”

“That’s fifty copper coins for all of them.” He said, his human voice barely fitting the shape of his head. He handed one silver over and placed the plants in a bag before carefully placing the change in his pockets.

As he walked on, he stopped at every stand that had some sort of medicinal plant, whether they were manned by humans or by other races. However, as time passed, a strange thought popped up in his mind. It seems like most of the medicinal plant vendors are Mnatu, more than that, Mnatu with human hands and animal heads. The few that didn’t have those features only sold some third-rate, damaged plants… Could it be, they lack the dexterity?

However, Kai did not forget to take a look at the other merchants, and he quickly noticed a pattern. Most medicinal plants are sold by Mnatu. Magical-related items like books and weapons are mostly sold by Elves… specifically male Elves, I think they’re male at least. Normal weapons and ores are sold by dwarves, however, something seemed off about them… and none of them spoke even a single word. God- ahem Goddess… it feels really weird to be stared at by such tiny men.

…

By the end of the day, Kai’s bag was full, and his pockets were empty. Returning to the inn, he quickly dashed toward his room, where Onyx patiently, and hungrily, waited for him.

“I’m sorry boy, I- I got… lost?” He said as he took off his mask, an apologetic expression etched on his face. Onyx looked at him with big, puppy-like eyes, a seemingly devastated expression manifesting on his face as he yelped at Kai. Quickly pulling out the food he purchased, Kai immediately gave half to Onyx, who immediately began devouring it, wooden sticks and all. I feel like he’ll end up eating me at some point. Chuckling to himself, he rushed over to the desk, a piece of meat stuffed inside his mouth. Pushing the notebook aside and laying the plants before him, he arranged them between Life Energy and Mana.

After around thirty minutes, he finally finished sorting all the plants and sighed upon noticing how little he had despite the amount of silver he spent.

“I don’t have many plants that can supplement me with Life Energy… at least I don’t lack in Mana plants… hopefully…” He sighed once again as he picked up the notebook and scribbled the amount and brief description of each one.

Category: Life Energy

Moonbloom Vine (Q:8)

A vibrant, winding vine with silvery-blue petals that glow softly under the moonlight. It's known to thrive in the presence of strong life energy, providing a soothing aura.

Vitalis Fern (Q:3)

Delicate, heart-shaped leaves with a faint, calming fragrance. A rare find in the forest, this fern is believed to invigorate the spirit.

Eternal Willow Branch (Q:6)

A resilient tree with cascading leaves that never wither. Its presence signifies the enduring strength of life energy.

Luminous Petunia (Q:1)

A solitary flower with petals that emit a gentle, ethereal glow. It is said that a mere touch can restore vitality.

Serenity Lotus (Q:4)

A water lily with pure white blossoms. It's known for its calming properties, easing both the body and mind.

Category: Mana

Astral Iris (Q:7)

A cluster of iris flowers with shimmering, multi-colored petals. They resonate with mana, enhancing one's magical abilities.

Elemental Oak (Q:2)

A sturdy oak tree with leaves of varying colors, reflecting the elemental spectrum. Practitioners of magic seek its wood for wands.

Arcane Thistle (Q:6)

A purple thistle with silver thorns that can absorb and store mana. Alchemists and wizards value it for their experiments.

Enigma Moss (Q:4)

A carpet of green moss that conceals ancient secrets within its threads. It's favored by scholars for its ever-changing nature.

Phantasmal Orchid (Q:1)

A single orchid, found only in the deepest and darkest parts of The Dark Forest. Its nectar is rumored to boost one’s magical abilities and act as a second core when filled to the max.

Celestial Blossom (Q:5)

A radiant flower with petals that reflect the night sky's constellations. It is said that it can increase one’s affinity with Light Magic.

Voidroot (Q:7)

A pitch-black root, hidden underground, with the power to absorb excess mana from the environment, making it an essential part of Mana Regeneration Potions. They can also act as a Mana Capacitor.

“The Phantasmal Orchid and Luminious Petunia cost me one and a half silver alone… However they are slightly damaged, I’m lucky I even have them though.”

After having finished taking inventory, Kai leaned back on his chair and closed his eyes. In theory, this is all I need… now I just need to figure out a way to incorporate my theory into practice. I have a feeling… it won’t be without pain.