The Immortal | Prequel Story |

Chapter 7 ~ Reborn

Patches of sunlight broke through the darkness. Its warm touch cut into his skin like a thousand knives, making Iérti scream in agony. He moved out of the sunlight, retreating to a shade that felt like an oasis. He struggled to make sense of what happened, having suddenly woken up by dawn's approach.

The crisp morning air felt like a cool breeze, the land and grass just waking up. Iérti dared to venture out, only to be burned once again. He stared in shock at his burnt hand, realizing he was a creature of the night now.

I'm a vampire.

The realization struck him cold. Iérti looked out at the early morning, heartbroken that he would never see it again, nor would he feel the warmth of sunlight ever again. What was once gentle and welcoming was now deadly and violent.

A million different noises hit him all at once, astonishing Iérti in that he could hear and differentiate each sound. He heard birds singing and small forest animals walking as if hearing them for the first time.

His sharp eyes were keener than an eagle's eyes, able to see more than a vast amount of distance. He could see thermo body heat from the living and sense their emotions. He could see perfectly in pitch black darkness, his vision at its clearest.

He breathed in the cool air, feeling reborn even though his life just ended. A horrible sensation started to burn in the back of his throat. Iérti knew exactly what it was and used every ounce of his will to ignore it, to instead focus on what he saw with his new eyes.

Everything was clearer than ever. Tiny particles of dust, the slightest leaf movement, the footsteps of every creature, every bird call, and every animal noise, all of it was a new hearing experience. His sharp vision caught everything, perceiving it in ways he never even imagined was possible.

The beauty of it was indescribable. He saw things in a different light. Even decaying tree stumps and dirt had a beauty of its own. Water running down streams and rivers abounded full of life, freely giving to all who yearned for it.

Iérti came forward, crouching at the water's edge in the forest. He could feel it teeming with life, life he wanted so badly. He cupped his hands and dipped them in the water, feeling the cold on his skin even though he was already cold to the touch. He drank some of the water and let it run down his face. His heart fell when the water didn't cool the deep burning in his throat. Iérti felt nothing from the water, which was as bland as air to his new vampire senses.

Despair gripped Iérti, frightening him. I can't even enjoy the simplicity of water anymore, he thought, absolutely crushed.

He tried a few berries from nearby bushes, but Iérti immediately spat them out, repulsed and shocked by how they tasted like crushed insects. A wild thirst taunted him from within, making him groan in misery. The need for blood was the most agonizing thing he had ever felt. It burned him like fire, turning his eyes red the more his body ached and thirsted for it.

had become the very thing he hated. He spent his entire life killing vampires only to become one in the end. All his raw emotions, his thirst, the realization of what he had become and what it meant for his future, resonated into a despairing scream, a cry that shook the land around him. Birds scattered, trees shook, flowers hid inside themselves, and animals scurried away.

Several distances away, Mallen smiled smugly, reveling in his work. He waited until nightfall to check up on and see how he was doing.

The former general of the East lands was seated atop a hill overlooking the mountains in the distance. His eyes were dark, his body tense and hard as stone. Tears flowed down his face like silvery moonlight, pearls of it dripping onto his clothes. He was mortified at what he had become.