Authors Note:

Tw: If you are sensitive to blood, gore and violence exit this episode.

I looked at my medicine on the nightstand. It was completely empty.  I need to buy supplies to make it from the apothecary.  As I walked through the street. I got dirty looks as I passed.  Everyone I got near gave me a wide berth as I walked to the apothecary.   I handed the woman running it the small list of herbs I needed. “Do you have any of this? I need enough to last a month.”

“I’m sorry, we don’t have those herbs in stock. Nor is that tonic already made.” 

My eyes flickered around the shop. Many herbs or dried flowers hung or were in baskets. Nightshade petals, the main ingredient. She’s lying. “Ma’am there’s nightshade petals right there, a basket full.”

“We don’t have the rest of them.”

I glanced again, I saw valerian root, and chamomile flowers. “If I don’t purchase these herbs it will be worse for my health. Do you want that in your conscience not helping someone in need of goods you promised to provide to anyone who needs them?

Her polite demeanor slipped. “I will not do business with Hireath's emotionless doll. Go somewhere else. “ I turned and walked away with flickers of irritation inside.

A child running too fast slipped and skinned his knee. I walked over to help him up, holding out my hand he grabbed it.  “Thanks mister.” 

The child’s mother and soon ran up to him. She grabbed him and pulled her close to her side. “Don’t talk to him, George, we don’t want to be associated with odd people.”

…

We approached the  abandoned manor, overgrown with ivy and weeds in the front. The group I’m a part of were given the task of  investigating the place for vampires that were rumored to be residing in.  The inside was immaculate. The wall paper not even the slightest bit tarnished from neglect. Not a single dusty surface. 

“This place isn’t abandoned.” I said. 

“Everyone keep together. We don’t want someone to get killed.”

They wouldn’t be on the ground floor. They’d be on the second or third.  They’re aware jägers might come eventually they’d be too vulnerable and on the first. While everyone was busy exploring the first floor I walked up the stairs. I spotted blood on the railing. I’m getting close.  I opened the door and the bedroom was clean. The bed made fresh roses in a vase.  Next door opened to a  servants  quarters. Just like the other rooms, it is perfectly clean.  

A gust of wind blew past me as hands gripped at my shoulder, highlighting the sharp pain running through it. The vampire kept drinking blood. 

Her voice ran through my mind, causing a sharp pain in my head.

Your blood is so tasty, Stock 73. I'd drink you dry if it didn't mean I would lose my supply of mage blood. You truly are a delicacy.

I felt a cold sweat down my back followed by a chill run through my spine. If I wasn't paralyzed I would undoubtedly be shaking. 

I  can get out of this, I thought to myself. Just gotta cast a spell quietly.

Small sparks ignited by my fingertips, causing tiny embers to spring to life, dancing as they grew bigger and brighter. Heat permeated throughout my body as I let the fireball explode, violently launching the vampire to the other wall. The numbness in my body was gone, but I still had trouble moving my limbs. I tried to flex my fingers experimentally. They barely moved, twitching as I unsuccessfully tried to bring my arms up.

Instead, I silently conjured two streams of wind by my arms. It wasn't perfect, lacking a lot of control, but it would allow me to move until my limbs regain mobility.

The vampire wiped a crimson drop from her mouth, leaving a trail of blood smeared across her cheek. "You should have just let me suck you dry; what a pity it is that I'll have to spill your blood instead of drinking it. What a shame indeed."

She lunged at me with her claws extended. Had I not enhanced my sight in time, I would barely have been able to register her as nothing more than a blur. Luckily, the wind carried me out of the way before I was skewered. I tried to use another fireball, but it was too hard to aim; the wind would interfere with the trajectory.

"Tch," I clicked my tongue. If I had to guess, it would be at least another three minutes before I would be able to use any precision in my spells.

Footsteps echoed through the chamber as other vampires rushed towards the room.

As the vampires poured in, I gritted my teeth and my lips tightened. My head began to spin and the voice ran through my head again.

Truly a delicacy. Drink you dry.

"I'll hunt you all down. You might kill me, but you'll all die. I'll make sure of it!" I hissed.

"How?" the vampire smiled smugly. "You're paralyzed, little jäger.”

My enhanced sight caused the world to slow around me. Frosty air came out of my mouth as I breathed. The temperature in the room dropped, causing the numbing feeling to creep back. Massive brilliant blue spikes of ice rained terror from above, impaling three vampires mid-lunge.

The rest of the spikes caused panic throughout the ranks of the filthy abominations. They looked at one another and dashed from side to side, hoping that they wouldn't meet the same fate as the first three, narrowly avoiding being stabbed.

"You little-" the vampire hissed at her, her voice dripping with malice. 

I forced my foot down, sending a cold shock throughout my body, all the way down to my fingertips. My arms shivered from the shock, but I ignored it. I had pledged to slaughter everyone present at this gathering of anathemas, and I was willing to die for it. 

Water spouted from geysers throughout the room, rising with incredible speed. The streams of wind around my arms carried me up, leaving me hovering above the water. I clenched my fists as I tensed my body. 

"Three minutes is up."

Lightning struck three times, crackling through the water and shocking the monstrosities. The water slowly began to swirl around the center, picking up speed until it became a vortex of water and electricity. A massive ice spike erupted from the center, freezing the whirlpool and its prisoners.

I could clearly see the scarlet liquid permeating throughout the otherwise crystal blue ice. The smell of iron wafted through the air.

"What the devil, Xiongyan ?" I turned in the direction of the voice. One of the recruits of the group stared wide eyed in shock. 

"Is there a problem?" I asked.

"You weren't supposed to go alone!"

"I found and killed them," I muttered. 

"Our orders were to stay together!"

I turned and blasted the block of ice with an inferno. The ice melted near instantly, steam hissing and rising throughout the chamber. The smell of iron got stronger, causing the young recruit to double over and vomit. I walked past him, leaving the scene of a massacre behind me.