Re-Vamp

Chapter 2: An Unknown World

Arnaud was accustomed to sleeping during the day, but after a restorative slumber of several centuries, his body refused to rest. As he waited, he crawled towards the deer carcass, his eyes scanning the remains in search of any usable morsels of flesh.

Arnaud's metabolism directly utilizes living tissue as a source of energy, but it only accepts cells with a collagen-based structure. Although he does not recognize that distinction in scientific terms, at least he knows he cannot consume insects, plants, or fungi.

Since most of his clothing did not survive the long hibernation, the vampire tried to salvage the skin to use as a replacement. Tearing and detaching the skin proved to be a laborious task without the proper tools. His cold, bony hands struggled against the stiffness of the dry fur. Nevertheless, he managed to obtain a piece of the supple leather, perhaps enough to cover a portion of his body.

He can move in the sunlight as long as his body is completely covered, and while dangerous, it is very useful in certain situations. Arnaud will only suffer burns when the sunlight that strikes him reaches a certain intensity.

After recovering a small usable piece of skin, he remained silent, patiently waiting for night to fall. In the meantime, his senses sharpened, perceiving subtle differences in the surrounding environment. The sounds, scents, and even the texture of the air seemed slightly distorted compared to what he remembered from his home in Gascony.

When the darkness finally covered the sky, Arnaud ventured out of his refuge. Slowly, he slid through the narrow opening, cautiously poking his head out into the exterior.

What he saw next left him perplexed. The forest surrounding him was different from any he had seen before. The trees, tall and robust in Gascony, here had thinner, more twisted trunks, with leaves of a more intense and vibrant green.

And the sounds... A concert of chirps, shrieks, and crackles filled the night air. Cautiously, Arnaud took a few steps, observing how many parts seemed familiar, yet distinct at the same time. There was something subtle but unsettling in the way the darkness seemed to come alive. Fortunately for him, the darkness did not imply impaired vision.

As he explored, he noticed unknown plants, with strange forms and textures, covering the ground and climbing the trees.

Arnaud paused, feeling overwhelmed by the strangeness of this new world. It bore little resemblance to what he remembered. It was as if he had been transported to a different place, perhaps far from Gascony.

The sounds of the forest, mostly unknown and disturbing, kept him constantly alert. Every creak, every whisper made him startle, fearing that some threat lurked in the darkness.

But despite his cautious movements during the night, he managed to find traces of some small animals. The scarcity of life in the surrounding area stressed him even more; the deer tissue would sustain him for a good while, but it would not last forever. If he were to fall back asleep due to lack of food, he might not wake up this time. Arnaud realized that the deer that had revived him was a rather fortunate encounter.

Defeated by the lack of prey and answers, he returned to his hideout before dawn.

Days later, he was able to find some small mammals that inhabited the trees, but they were more elusive than he had expected.

One of the main contrasts Arnaud has experienced is the difference in the abundance of large prey, such as deer and wild boars, between the two environments. In medieval Gascony, these animals were a constant presence and a vital source of food for Arnaud as a vampire.

Once accustomed to the abundance and familiarity of the Gascony fauna, he now finds himself in an environment where the scarcity of large animals and the presence of unknown, potentially dangerous life forms, leave him in a precarious situation.