Landen has always been humanity's symbol of last hope. Home of the vampire hunting association, the founding place of industrial technology, Landen is seen as the representation of human perseverance through nature's cruel challenges. Ironically, it is also the front concerning the ongoing Hunt: since most of the humans reside in Landen, it is a vulnerable city concerning vampire attacks, and its effects are well shown. In the trains, the tramways, the shops, all the papers have but one headliner: "Vampire attack". Be it a simple bite, a swarm of hungry imps chomping on unsuspecting bypassers, or even a small group of vampires having caused a few murders, each one sets a good amount of fear and despair inside the people's hearts.

Around Landen's central train station, connecting with every other city on the continent (not that the vampires left many), one young man sits outside the large steel gate separating Landen and the inside. Standing on the white marble steps, wearing a noticeable attire consisting of a white buttoned shirt with suspenders, a black denim jean, shoes and overshirt, and a top hat. While a lot would immediately think of a gravedigger or a funeral office manager, one thing makes the distinction between them and...

Random kid: Look Mom, a vampire hunter!!

Mother: Goodness Mathieu don't just blurt stuff out! People can hear!

Random kid: But Mom, look how cool he looks! He even has a silver pendant, like in the books!!

The silver pendant, just as the kid said, while the young man looks annoyed with the fact other people notice he exists. Silver pendants are a vampire hunter's prize possession, indicating their status and bringing hope to the traumatized victims.

The young man is tall and fairly built. With his light brown hair cut like a wolf, and some small scars resting on his face, he could be a middle-class dweller. However, these rather handsome characteristics go to waste. His posture leads nothing to be desired, standing like a crooked tree waiting to fall and his expression only shouts one thing... "Why am I here?"

Flashback to a few hours ago, the young man is "conversing" (rather getting hammered on) by a hulking man with orange hair, dressed like an adventurer would: cloth armor except the right hand and a brown cape covering his left side. His right hand is saved for holding an iron flask full of any alcohol he can fit at that moment...Inside the room, the names "Aaron" for the young man and "Shroud" for the old Hulk can be heard...

Aaron: Is it necessary for me to get another teammate? Url's just fine, we get along great!!

Shroud: Of course, you do, you've known 'im since trainin'. The thing is, Aaron, you guys are the worst at cooperatin'...

Aaron: The hell you are talking about, we never fight!

Shroud: Correction, URL never fights!! He stays at home patching you up while you go taking on patrols and missions requiring three people and then some!!

Aaron: Aaaandd I always manage!

Shroud: while half-losing your life in the process, putting victims' lives at stake and destroying property. Which means my sorry ass has to stop relaxing and drinking to do paperwork!!! You need another partner, someone to keep you on your toes. How does Url even manage to live wit' ya...

Aaron: guess I'm not as awful as you think, Shroud...

Shroud throws a piece of paper that he takes off his hidden bag, indicating where to pick up the new arrival. We return to our current setting...

Aaron: So.. I'm looking for a 19-year-old Japanese prince with a topknot...How stereotypical...

Aaron sulks for a moment...

Aaron: What the hell does a prince from the Asian empire want to do by playing vampire hunting? God, he's gonna step on my fuckin'-

While Aaron is lost in a vicious cycle of negative thoughts, the train has already arrived. As the doors open, a figure steps out with two suitcases. With two katanas on his side, the figure sports a white top/black bottom kimono, clad in small armor plates. With black raven hair, tied in a topknot, the man seems stern but quite approachable. Aaron notices the topknot and slowly approaches him...

Aaron: Are... you mister... Akira Suiga?

The man salutes and bows immediately...

SUIGA:My deepest apologies for any type of inconvenience my arrival has posed!!! My name is Akira Suiga , son of the Akira family, vampire hunter. Pleased to make your acquaintance!! And what could your name be?!

Aaron: (I stumbled upon a chatterbox, huh...) My name is Aaron Willheart, your... highness. I'm a vampire hunter too. You are my new partner.

Suiga: Aah, wonderful news, that is. Please take care of me, I will try my best to not be a hindrance...

Aaron: (You being here is already a hindrance). Just focus on the job and everything's going to go smoothly...Shall I help with the luggage-

Before finishing, Suiga picks up all his luggage and rests them on his shoulder.

Suiga: No worries, my friend. I said I wouldn't be a hindrance to my new senpai!!

Aaron: (Ohhh no...) Eeeh, senpai?

SUIGA:Yes, my senior, to say. Landen is at the forefront of the Hunt against the vampires, I can only suppose you have the most experience in this team.

Aaron: Ohh ok, let's calm down here, we are pretty much on same level the both of us. And don't call me senior, it sounds like I'm 30...

Suiga : Then chief?

Aaron: No

Suiga : Commander?

Aaron: Uh, no?

Suiga: Leader of our merry band?

Aaron: The hell's with you and authority!? Partner, I ain't no one's leader.

Suiga: Very well, partner it is.

Aaron: Great. Now let's go to the hideout, I'll explain our situation down the road.

As they prepare to leave, sounds of panic can be heard towards the east corner of the station... A crowd is seen forming around a group of people with wooden panels, and a woman screaming...

Woman: This cannot go on any longer. Saint-Louis first, which area's next?? Vampires are going wild in our poor neighborhood, victims are only rising every week, and our hunters aren't doing a thing!!! Three months since we heard about a vampire killing that's not from the already failures of expeditions in the old forests!! Tell me, how long!!

Half of the crowd screams along, while the rest stay neutral, but concerned...

Suiga: What is she saying??

Aaron: Uh, leave it alone...It's been a few rough weeks...

As they start their route, Suiga notices a lot of interesting elements in the cloudy city. People rather prefer transport instead of walking, a lot of horns sitting ready on electrical poles, and mysterious amounts of blood sprayed on various walls. Aaron starts talking...

Aaron: So, as you already know, our job is to chase vampires. We either take cases of continuous, unexplained attacks and sightings around the city, patrol some nights, and/or MAYBE an expedition or two. Right now, most of our forces have left for an expedition in the south, so we are short-staffed, which is already troublesome since vampire hunting isn't a profession that pulls a lot of candidates.

Suiga: I see, that's why my application procedure was that fast. Is this cut on forces related to what we heard earlier?

Aaron: Pretty much...The expedition was sudden because Saint-Louis has been a hotspot for vampire attacks lately. The higher-ups decided to send some people down south to see if any cult has set camp, but because of that, the last weeks have taken a large toll on our performance...

SUIGA:How many hunters are there in the city, right now?

Aaron: Well... you, me, and the other guy who's with us, Url...

SUIGA:Everybody else left?

Aaron: Well, I mean, most of them are already on other expeditions, so there weren't enough to begin with. My senior already left to rejoin the south, so we only had three hunters and what was left of the general army to patrol at night.

Suiga: Sounds somehow dangerous. But that must mean that you and this Url must be amazing to hold on by yourselves like that!!

Aaron: (Shouldn't tell him about our team's lose streak, establish dominance) Exactly why I didn't need another partner!! You came here for nothing!!!

Suiga: Oh, well, I'm sorry about my inconvenience...

Aaron: Aaah, I didn't mean it like that! You just wanted to

Suiga: As punishment, I shall now and here, commit seppuku to restore my-

Aaron: Nooo suicides!!! (Aaron tries to take the knife out to of Suiga 's hands).

Aaron: (Uuh, why am I paying for this?) Welp, here we are. Your new home and my favorite place.

The boys stare at a small pub, blinders closed, door locked. Suiga grabs his partner's shoulder...

Suiga: A hidden watering hole, to drown one's troubles away in the joy of alcohol. I now understand this city's situation-

Aaron: I'M NOT A DRUNKARD, IT'S JUST THE BUILDING!!!!!!

As Aaron unlocks the heavy wooden door with a large key, the boys enter a salon filled with wooden barstools, a large table, and lots of accessories. Maps, schemes, potions, barrels full of aging alcohol. Candles and low-quality lightbulbs provide some light. The wooden floor cracks as they walk towards the main bar, where our Suiga is interested in a certain accessory. The statue of a plague doctor, mask cloak and all, standing behind the bar.

Suiga: Amazing taste, Aaron. He looks quite lifelike.

Statue: And I am!!

Suiga stumbles from fear and falls to the floor. He quickly backs up and draws his sword, a katana made of polished silver.

Suiga: Aaron, behind me. A vampire has used spell craft on this poor piece of art.

Aaron stops him from attacking.

Aaron: No, no, no, you got it all wrong... Url, goddamit, stop scaring the fuck out of people like that!!!

URL: Sorry, but the setting and context were just an opportunity not to miss!

Suiga: This is our other teammate?!

Aaron: Uuuhh, Suiga , meet Url Schellinger. He's our other partner, and now ironically this team's doctor. He's pranking people cause staying hours cooped up in here turns people mad. He's not mean, just maladjusted.

URL: The recruit I see. Sorry for this small piece of amusement, Your Highness, the last few weeks have been rough for us. I hope this doesn't encourage you to leave us earlier than expected, considering the first Landenian you had to speak to was Aaron.

Aaron: Who's cooking your food and housing your creepy bird ass, again?

Suiga: Aaah, no worries, my friend. And it's Suiga, no highness with me. I hope we can get along just like this if it means bringing you joy.

URL: Oh, a weird one. Sounds like you Aaron. Did he meet Shroud?

Aaron: No, not yet. Luck favors him.

URL: And did you fill him in on our little situation?

Aaron: Yes

Url starts taking out a bunch of plans and schemes from under the counter. He leaves them on the grand table and calls his allies around to look at what he just brought...

URL: So, since Suiga 's caught up, I can explain today's case-

SUIGA:Eeeh, excuse me sir Url, but shouldn't you-

URL: Take off my mask to see better? No worries, I am well adjusted to reading and conversing with this.

Suiga: How did you-

Aaron: Not the first and not the last to ask this question, topknot.

URL: Getting off topic...One of our bigger problems the past week has been imp sightings. I don't know if they've been present in the empire, Suiga.

Suiga: Oh, you are talking about the lesser vamplings. Disgusting little creatures, thank the Sun Lord we don't have many of them.

URL: Well, today's mission is sort of a blessing and a curse. These little scamps have been seen scouring the city during the nights by homeless people in parks. We managed to trace their paths and apparently... they're stealing graveyards.

Aaron: Huh? Like, bones and stuff?

URL: Specifically, bones. They even managed to break the seals of the mausoleums. We have no idea why, but the higher-ups are afraid this might be some preparation for a spell.

Suiga: But vampires don't use bones for spells. What could they need them for?

Aaron: You'll be surprised by what vampires can consider "useful" from us humans. Probably statues to pray to that bat god they love...

URL: Well, whatever it is, it must end today. We must follow them from the graveyard, up to whatever lair they lead us to. And of course, by us, I mean you two.

Suiga: You are not joining us?

Aaron: Url's our doctor, can't have him dying on us. Central Vampire Hunter Hospital services are usually crowded with vampire victims and other stuff, so we best keep him safe.

URL: I do, however, have a new batch of potions for you to replenish your supplies. No idea what you will encounter...

Aaron: Well, best start preparing soon, the night's approaching. Aaaah, finally after weeks, we get a chance to cut some bat head.

Suiga: My first mission, I shall not mess this up!!