Eternity is boring (ZeeNuNew FF)

Eternity is Boring

Transylvania, November 2000

A dreary Romanian castle looms above a dark ancient forest and desolate moor, with no signs of any life, its imposing silhouette shrouded in mist and darkness. The Carpathian Mountains that provide safety for the fortress are also a deadly trap to those who dare to approach them. People avoid this godforsaken place at any cost, and it is heard that those who ventured there, never return.

The old wives from nearby village sometimes tell stories about a cruel Count who lived there few centuries ago, and to this day haunts the halls and towers of the castle as an undead creature that sucks life out of the poor wretch who stand in his way. There is no proof of it, and local people are unusually tight-lipped about the mystery of the mountain castle. Only sometimes you could hear screams coming like an echo from the mountains, making your skin crawl and hair stand on end.

That November night the sky is dark and stormy, a foreboding sign of the horrible things that lurk in the ancient castle. Neither the moon nor the stars dare to shine their light to old brick walls as if afraid they would reveal something dreadful and gruesome.

Indeed, there is no living soul in the castle, but... that doesn't mean the fortress is empty.

In the great hall that once hosted all noble aristocracy of Europe, the most prominent and distinguished vampire society from all over the world is having a Centennial Gathering.

The presence of the vampire class is a closely guarded secret. The are not many humans who know about them and live. The vampires exist alongside other races almost since The Beginning, but they're so low populated due to difficulty of creating other vamps, that they must keep a low profile.

Vampires may be immortal but that doesn't mean you can't kill them.

They're also scattered all over the world, so it's important to somehow stay in contact. Hence the Centennial Gatherings in Count Vlad Dracula's castle in Romania in the last weekend of November.

The King of Vampires, as he's called by his kin, always organizes the most lavish feasts. He spares no expenses and brings to his mysterious castle the finest blood from the farthest corners of the world.

The soft tones of the harp fill every corner of the ballroom. The tables are bending under the weight of crystal chalices filled with chilled blood provided by not-so-willing donors and variety of hors d'oeuvres made by the best chefs. Food is not essential for vampires, but they certainly like to indulge themselves and enjoy the taste.

There's no electricity in the castle, candles are also pointless as vampires see in dark even better that in broad light, that's why they can have such grand parties without worrying about drawing humans' attention. A sudden stir in an old castle would be too suspicious, a long distance from the nearest village is enough to keep them safe.

The party is in full swing. Numerous vampires and vampiresses are milling around, chit-chatting and gossiping. Many of them are dancing, some are minding their own business. One of them, Chaophraya Rai Pruk Panich, commonly known as Zee, is leaning against a marble pillar in the farthest corner of the hall, hiding from the others. The noble representative of Thai aristocracy is dressed in elegant black tuxedo with strikingly blue sapphire pendant and golden snake-shaped ring on his index finger. He's sipping a fourth chalice of his favorite AB Rh- type. He loves it unique taste, but because of its rarity, he doesn't indulge himself in it often.

He is quite bored to be honest. These gatherings are always the same. Almost the same vampires, almost the same stories. You would think that after a hundred years they would have many new things to share, but nothing could be farther from the truth. Aside from technological progress, all they talk about is themselves. When your age is measured in centuries and you've been in every corner of the world, you can say you saw everything. And everything is so tedious, so monotonous, so awfully dull.