02

"Victim, hey, were you human before?" she asked again, her voice softer, yet still firm. She watched Kai's every move, every change of expression on his young face. "I've never heard of something called half-human and half-vampire. Perhaps you have never drunk human blood? Impossible. Humans who become vampires cannot survive without drinking human blood. Their bodies will weaken, become fragile, and eventually die." The girl emphasized every word, making sure Kai understood the consequences of her choice.

Kai fell silent, his eyes staring at the ground. Images of his past, images of the destroyed village and his dead family, came back to haunt him. The memories were so real, so painful. "I never drank human blood," he finally replied, his voice hoarse. "It makes me remember the stupid things I did long ago, so I survive on... rat blood."

Seraphina raised her eyebrows, slightly surprised. "Rat... blood?" She repeated Kai's words, trying to digest the information she had just received. Kai nodded, "Yes." His answer was short, he looked away from the girl. "I don't care about that, my only resolve is to survive and get my revenge on that damn vampire." His fists clenched tightly. Anger, sadness, and regret mingled within her.

Seraphina smiled slightly, trying to hide her surprise. "Heh... vampires fighting vampires, it's quite ironic," she said, her voice sounding amused. However, she soon turned serious. He knew Kai was struggling with his emotions.

"I'm serious!" Kai exclaimed, his voice rising. "Those vampires have destroyed my village, killed my family, and... although this is partly due to my stupidity, they are the ones who made me this way...!" He pointed at himself, the pain and anger still burning in his chest.

Seraphina nodded slowly, understanding Kai's pain. She hid her mulik weapon behind her back, a gesture of trust. "Interesting," she said, her voice calm. "My name is Seraphina. A Hunter, I'm 17 years old this year. How about you?" She held out her hand, an offer of friendship in the midst of a dangerous situation.

Kai looked at Seraphina's hand, then at her face. He saw sincerity, not just curiosity. "My name is Kai. I think I'm 16 this year," he replied, accepting Seraphina's hand. The touch of their hands was brief, but strong.

"Alright, Kai, then how about you come with me?" Seraphina glanced at the surrounding bushes. Her subordinates, about three Hunter peeked out from behind the leaves. With a subtle hand gesture, she signaled them to leave. The situation was safe.

"Being a Hunter, don't you want to take your revenge on those vampires? At the Acies academy you can train to defeat vampires." Seraphina stepped forward, leaning slightly forward, her eyes looking directly into Kai's with a gaze full of understanding and conviction.

"This isn't an alibi to catch me is it?" Kai asked cautiously, looking at Seraphina suspiciously. She backed away slightly, keeping her distance.

"Of course not," Seraphina stepped forward, trying to approach Kai calmly. She raised her hand in a gesture of peace, a faint smile gracing her face, her eyes radiating sympathy and understanding. "How do you take my offer?"

"Very well. If this can help me to avenge myself then I'll go along." Kai nodded slowly, his hesitation still visible on his face, but his determination was starting to show.

"The journey takes about 4 hours, are you up to it?" Seraphina observed Kai closely, assessing his physical condition. She frowned slightly, showing concern.

"I do feel tired but, I think I can do it." Kai replied hesitantly, looking down slightly, showing his fatigue.

"Interesting. Alright, that robe of yours has a hood, right? Please wear it during the journey, your eyes are very characteristic that you are a Vampire and, I hope you do not speak during the journey." Seraphina pointed at Kai's robe, giving instructions firmly, but still maintaining a safe distance.

"Does it have to be that hard?" Kai asked in slight protest, showing his discomfort.

Kai put on his hood, the dark cloth covering most of his face, leaving only a small part of his nose and mouth visible. His red eyes, which characterized vampires, were well hidden in the shadows. "Oh yeah I almost forgot, you can ride a horse?" Seraphina asked. Kai clenched his hands and averted his eyes, "No." He replied shortly.

"Is that so? Well, you can ride a horse with me. Here, get on," Seraphina said with a smile. Kai snorted, then somewhat reluctantly got on the horse. Their position was close together, making Kai feel a little awkward. Seraphina gently patted the horse's waist, starting the journey towards the city.

The midday sun stung Kai's skin, but he endured it tenaciously. The long journey made his body feel increasingly tired. Seraphina occasionally looked back, her hand ready to reach for the pistol hilt hidden under her cloak. Her horse stepped lightly and alertly, following the rhythm of her skillful steps. Kai, behind her, was trying to maintain balance on the same horse. The horse looked exhausted, its stride heavy, yet it tried to keep in sync with Seraphina. Only the hoofbeats of their horses broke the silence.

They passed through a dense and secluded forest, adding to the sense of tension. The shadows of the tall trees danced on the ground, creating a gloomy and mysterious atmosphere. Suddenly, the sound of another horse's hooves could be heard from behind the trees, approaching quickly. Seraphina stopped her horse, she drew the pistol inside her cloak silently, preparing for a possible ambush.

From behind the trees, two Hunter men appeared, riding their horses. They wore uniforms covered by cloaks, they looked tough and alert. Seraphina, calmly, put the pistol back into her cloak, but remained vigilant, observing the two Hunters.

.

"Captain!" greeted one of the Hunters, "What's wrong? Who is this guy?" Asked the hunter in surprise.

"Oh it's Asher and Zeyn. He's Kai, I found him while on a mission." Seraphina introduced Kai calmly, but her eyes remained alert. She placed her hand on Kai's shoulder, a gesture of ownership and protection.

"Captain, isn't he strange. Why is she covering her whole body, isn't that suspicious?" Asher asked, looking at Kai suspiciously. He stepped back slightly, showing his doubt. Zeyn nodded in agreement, showing the same attitude.

"Relax, I've already investigated his background. So I've confirmed that he's not an enemy." Seraphina smiled slightly, showing her confidence. She raised her hand, a gesture to calm them down. Her gesture was firm and reassuring.

After traveling for about 4 hours, Hunter's army, with Seraphina in front and Kai behind her, entered the city gates of Narnia. Medieval European-style buildings loomed around them, with gabled roofs and narrow cobbled streets. The scent of spices and baked bread filled the air, mixing with the smell of horses and dung.

Asher, who had been hesitant, now brought his horse closer beside Zeyn's. He occasionally glanced at Kai, still a little suspicious, but no longer showing blatant distrust. Zeyn, more subdued, observed the surroundings with keen eyes, his hand always close to the hilt of his sword.

On the way, they passed by a bustling market. Merchants offered a variety of goods, from jewelry to weapons, while the townspeople bustled about. Kai, who was used to darker and quieter surroundings, seemed distressed by the hustle and bustle of the market. Seraphina dismounted from her horse, then she noticed Kai gently holding her hand to calm her down.

Kai took Seraphina's hand then dismounted. Seraphina felt Kai's body stiffen under her touch. It wasn't just the crowded marketplace, but something else. She felt Kai's quickening pulse, his labored breathing. This was vampire desire residing in Kai's body.

Kai tried to hold it back, his teeth clenched together, his hands clenched into tight fists. He looked down, trying to avoid the stares of the people around him. The smell of fresh blood from the meat sold in the market made him suffer even more. He could smell it, a scent that was both tantalizing and horrifying.

Seraphina realized what was happening. She quickly pulled Kai into a narrow, deserted alley. "Kai," she whispered, "Calm down. Keep doing this, I'll get my troops out of here." Seraphina directed.

Kai just nodded, he tried to hold his body. The rat blood he used to eat usually lasted about 10 Days but now it can only last 5 hours, is this because of that trip?

"Asher, Zayn, Report to the commander of our mission today. Then disperse the troops and take this horse to its stable, it seems I have to accompany it for a while. The sound of this man's hungry stomach is starting to sound, perhaps I'll take him for a meal first and tour the city of Narnia." Seraphina turned to Asher and Zayn, who were standing a few paces behind her, their faces still filled with worry at Kai's almost uncontrollable condition moments ago.

Asher and Zayn nodded respectfully, then directed the troops to disperse because their mission this time was over. Meanwhile, the two of them went to report to someone Seraphina called the Commander.

Seraphina sighed, then pulled Kai's hand into a narrow alley. Arriving at the narrow alley, she opened the hood that covered Kai's face.

"Wow, it's really bad, it looks like your energy is exhausted, look at your fangs coming out like that." Seraphina reached into her pocket and took out a bottle of potion. She offered the potion to Kai, but Kai rejected it rudely. Kai thought it was a bottle that Alfred's subordinates used to carry.

"No... I don't want... I don't want to become a monster," he muttered hoarsely.

"Take it easy, this isn't Blood. This is a potion made by Alchemists to calm Vampires." Seraphina opened a small bottle made of crystal, the clear liquid inside glistening in the sunlight that penetrated the cracks of the building. A delicate herbal scent wafted faintly from the bottle. With a gentle gesture, she thrust the bottle in front of Kai, adding, "Drink it. This will help you."

Kai hesitated to take the bottle, but there was no other choice. The scent released from the bottle began to enter his nose.

Hesitantly, he raised the bottle to his lips. The clear liquid felt cool and refreshing as it flowed down his throat. It tasted slightly bitter, but was followed by a calming sensation that spread throughout her body. The tension in her muscles began to ease, her pounding heartbeat began to slow down. His burning thirst began to subside, replaced by an unexpected sense of calm.

He looked up at Seraphina, his eyes showing genuine gratitude. "Thank you," he whispered, his voice still a little hoarse.

"You're welcome." Seraphina smiled at Kak, "It's a good thing I brought this potion. If I didn't it would have been a disaster." She wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, showing how tense she was just moments ago.

"Sorry..." Kai bowed his head, his shoulders drooping slightly. He bit his lower lip, showing deep regret for what almost happened.

"No matter, if that had happened then I would have finished you off right then and there." Seraphina said as she winked once, a mischievous smile etched on her face. Kai was surprised to hear that from Seraphina.

"I'm kidding, idiot! Luckily I have that potion." She chuckled, showing that she was only joking.

(To be Continued)