When you're a 700-year old creature, attempting to fit in with the modern lifestyle may be a bit of a drag. Perhaps you'll make new friends, find a wonderful career, a nice place to settle down in, or manifest true love with someone. Maybe you'll be...
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"Say, Eris," Friedman looked down at his wrist. "isn't Gwyllomay Polidori coming here very soon?" "Yes, yes he is. I might get to defeat him this time." "But, Sir Bathory, isn't Gwyllomay... unbeatable?" "Hmph! How funny that a man of your stature would consider anyone 'unbeatable'. Friedman, don't you have any pride for those muscles of yours?" "Eris, this isn't about who can throw the toughest punches. Gwyllomay is the founder of Polidoria, is he not? He's-" "Was the strongest vampyre, Sir Getchuglz. I had more faith in your faith than this, quite frankly. Lord Quilke has been running experiments, and 'creating' things. New creatures. New philosophies. New laws. New ways... of life!" Eris ran a long nail, drifting from his forefinger, down his white blazer. "Pimalygos-" "Pimalygos was defeated, Eris!" Eris chewed on his bottom lip, his carmine gaze growing wide. "Wh- What?" "Y- Yeah! What do you mean 'what'? You d- didn't hear about it?" "No, no I didn't. The news didn't reach my way, unfortunately. My most recent of days have been spent being caressed in... dark chambers. I've been Quilke's... 'test subject' for a little while. It gives him company... and it gives me company, too." "Oh? Uh. Oh." Friedman looked down at Eris's black shoes, the laces old and worn. "Mhm. The way he's touched me has felt like the very grace of heaven itself! The way he takes whiffs of my scent, the way his nose drives down my neck... makes me feel like a real prince. The way he-" "Eris. Are you -- um, you know --, if just a little, into dudes?" "Hmph! Friedman, I'll have you know that I always found women to be much more trouble than they were worth." "Uh, alright." "Yes." "Y- Yeah." Eris crossed his arms, his red eyes flashing. "So, Eris," Friedman crossed his arms, a vein pulsing over his dark wrist. "I have to ask one thing. What is your... motive here? For joining the coups under Master Quilke, right?" Friedman's short, red hair ruffled like Fall leaves over a hot plate. Eris licked at his own lips. "Well, I've always valued family, y ou see. As a 'Royal', I've never had to worry much about the 'real world'. I've lived under the lucky charity of Cyra and Kantrio Bathory, my parents, as well as all the other honorable citizens... who make up the House Bathory. And by the way, we've certainly name-dropped quite a few people since we've started talking, haven't we? Oh, the name-drops!" "Ha, yes! We really have!" "Ah, names." "Yes, yes. Names." "I like names." "I like names too. They're so... namey." "Hm. An interesting thing to share in common amongst ourselves, Friedman." "Yes. And names, themselves, are also... interesting." "Names." "Names!" "Alright, new topic." Friedman cleared his throat. "F- Fine, but I want some closure on this theme before we continue on. So, you're saying that you're joining the side of Lord Quilke because you wish to keep your family 'eternal'?" Eris shook his head. "Vampyres live for a long time, but not forever. And we are weak, you understand, to a small number of things. These things could be our untimely undoing!" "Yes, I'm well aware. So-" "So, Friedman, I speculate an odd future for this world of Polidoria. With Gwyllomay having gone down to the world of humans, and attaining an odd kind of compassion for them, I suspect hunting humans for food will become quite difficult. He'll... harm us. His former kinsmen!"
Friedman let a rush of air out between his lips. For Gwyllomay to have fallen in love with a human... means that humans are a lot more dangerous than I thought.
"His former subjects! His... citizens!" Eris's fists clenched as he spoke. His irises shrunk, cascading into a reptilian shape. "He... HAS ABANDONED US! We will DIE! We will die out if we do not suck the love and sanity-- THE LOVE AND SANITY... out of the humans' hearts! My family, the ones who raised me, will suffer at his neglect. Gwyllomay has... forsaken us. The former King of Polidoria has left us all to die. So, I take up arms with this 'Master Quilke', who promises a life in eternity with those of whom we cherish." Friedman Getchuglz nodded slowly. His gaze rolled down to the dark floor, the stone and granite shifting on its own by the minute. Red hues and circles, shapes resembling the outer cosmos, spun around and danced upon the hallway. Eris's little library was quite the trippy experience. Friedman bit his bottom lip and chuckled some, breathy giggles escaping his mouth. His laughs were as full of vocal-fry as a torn, dismantled radio.
"You know... they say Master Quilke's wife... died in a fire."
