Introduction

The snow storm howled against the walls of the ancient castle.

Abandoned in the frigid plains of the north, the gray structure stood as a testment to humanity's will to conquer nature... albeit this frozen wasteland proved to be of no value, some ancient kingdom thought it necessary to stake it's claim upon this barren earth.

Some very smooth hills dotted the scenery. A river made of ice marred the valley, guiding the winds from the mountains in the far horizon, and the few animals that dared to defy these wastes.

And atop it's greatest tower, humming a song while leaning to the window, stood a fair maiden.

It's maid apron neatly tied to her body, the broom stading by the side, as she watched the snow fiercely cover the fields below.

A very keen archer would be capable of observing her crimson red hair, standing mere inches away from the glass.

"Another quiet evening..." She thought to herself.

Her name was Alaria.

"Master must still be in his study." She pouted.

Maid to the ferocious, vicious and... somewhat unknown, Vampire lord of the northern wastelands.

"Master Less!" She darts into the study room, as if in a hurry.

"Hm?" The figure, hiding behind the shadow of his chair, only grunted in response.

"Master Less, I have something important to discuss with you." Alaria said.

"No, not again..." He says, begrudginly. A loud thud came out as he closed his book.

"Yes, we are going to discuss that again. How is it so that a great vampire lord such as you live in this frozen wasteland without wealth or luxury?" Alaria said, menacingly resting her hands on her waist.

Less slowly rotated his chair to her direction, revealing a somewhat pale but vigorous form, holding a book in his hands. His short black hair waved slightly with the movement.

"I don't need those kinds of things, I'm better off without them." He sighed, looking disaprovingly to his young maid.

"How is that so? Do you wish to live in this frozen wasteland forever? Closed behind those creaky wooden doors of yours, while I get to clean the dust of this whole castle alone? Waiting for the time some random adventurer wanders inside and kill you in the spot?" Alaria proclaims.

"Not forever." He scratches his head. "Just until I finish reading my books."

"And when you are planning to finishing reading THAT!" Alaria pointed out to behind him.

Indeed, his 'study room' was nothing more than the hidden library of this ancient castle, quite extensive and certainly with more than a thousand books stored in it.

"You aren't finishing this anytime soon!" Alaria shouted.

"What's gotten to you, recently?" He says. "Always angry at your work. Do you want me to hire someone to help you out?"

"Not hire someone, but I'm tired of cleaning this castle that is falling pieces by pieces!" She demanded. "Can't you find a better place to live? It's frozen cold out here, not a single flower blooms, we eat the mushrooms growing in the stone walls and the meat of whatever your traps gets on the dungeons below... this isn't a life worthy of a being like you."

"Grr..." He gritthed his teeth. "I'm definitely not becoming a tyrant, those pesky individuals who enjoy debauchery and sinful living."

"I'm not saying for you to become like your kin, I'm just begging you to find a better place to live." She approached, putting her hands on top of his desk. "Look at my fingers! They are all frozen from this cold! You are the only one who can live in here without feeling it!"

"I... actually kinda feel it." He said, adjusting his robes a bit. "But I find it cozy."

"Stop finding excuses, master Less! You know you aren't finishing these books before I die." She protested.

"Hm..."

"C'mon, see, I'm really grateful for what you have done for me. I wouldn't be alive if it weren't by you..." She fidget with the hem of her dress. "But you need to understand it. You got all this power and knowledge, but you won't put it to good use alone in here." She emphasized, but lightly punching the desk.

Less sighed, as he placed his book upon the desk.

"Fine... you just want a warmer castle, right? We will search for it when the ice thaws, so we can leave the valley." He said.

"Really? Are you telling the truth?" The young maid almost jumped from happiness. "Yes, finally, an adventure!" She said.

"I'm not adventuring! We will just look for a other castle, allright?" Less said, trying to take control of the situation.

"I will get our luggages ready! When the ice thaws, we depart!" She exited the room, jumping from feet to feet, leaving Less astonished as she didn't seem to mind leaving her master without proper orders.

"She doesn't understand with who she is talking to..." He said, as he opened his book once again.

The shadows in the room twirled around, making weird shapes. Although there was only one source of light, a far away candle, it's seemed like a entire tempest was inside the room, the air heavy with mana, resisting it's flow inside the doors and windows of the castle.

As he started getting engrossed in his reading again, Less let's out another sigh, his eyes deep into the words engraved in it.

"I wish death would come sooner rather than latter."

His whisper faded in the empty room.