Casted out

Elias staggered through the gates of Hallow's Rest, his cloak wrapped tightly around him. The fever inside him burned hotter with each step, but the sight of the familiar town gave him hope.

He had made it back.

Two guards at the entrance recognized him. Gareth, one of them, frowned. "Elias? You look—"

"Like hell, I know," Elias muttered. "Just let me through."

The guards exchanged a look but stepped aside.

The town was just as he had left it—lanterns glowing, the scent of fresh bread in the air, voices of merchants haggling. It should have comforted him.

Instead, the heat under his skin only grew.

He needed rest. And answers.

A Place No Longer Safe

He went straight to Rustwood Tavern, where he had spent countless nights drinking and laughing.

The moment he stepped inside, warmth surrounded him—firelight, familiar faces, the smell of roasted meat.

A voice called out. "Elias!"

He turned as Selene Voss rushed over.

Her auburn hair was pulled back, and her eyes widened in concern. "You were gone for weeks! We thought you were dead."

Elias forced a grin. "Not yet."

Selene frowned, stepping closer. "You're pale."

He didn't answer. He could barely focus. The noise in the tavern was too much—every conversation, every scrape of a chair, every heartbeat—

Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump.

His hands clenched. His throat was dry, but not with thirst. It was something worse.

Selene placed a hand on his arm. "Elias?"

He pulled away. "I—I just need rest."

Her frown deepened, but she nodded. "Alright. Just… promise me you'll see a priest in the morning."

Elias gave a short nod and walked away.

But deep down, he knew—no priest could help him now.

The Truth Revealed

That night, the fever consumed him.

His body twisted in pain. His skin burned cold. His senses sharpened until the darkness of his room was clearer than daylight.

And worse—he hungered.

The next morning, he stumbled toward the Sanctum of the Dawn, desperate for answers.

The priests welcomed him at first. They sat him down, examined him—then, as they looked closer, their expressions changed.

The High Priest stiffened.

His fingers trembled as he touched Elias's wrist. "His pulse… it's fading."

Silence filled the chamber.

Then—they grabbed him.

Silver chains wrapped around his wrists. He struggled, but he was weak.

Selene burst into the chamber. "What are you doing?!"

The High Priest turned to her. "He carries the Dark Blood."

Her breath caught. "That's not possible."

The priest's grip tightened. "It is. And there is only one cure."

The dagger in his hands gleamed—etched with holy runes.

Elias's eyes widened. "Wait—"

The blade came down.

Dracula Watches

Far away, within the ruins of his castle, Dracula watched.

Through swirling shadows, he saw his blood being dragged to slaughter.

His fingers curled into a fist.

"Fools."

He did not intervene. Not yet.

Elias had to see the truth for himself.

The Awakening

As the dagger neared his chest, something inside Elias snapped.

The chains shattered.

The next second, he was on his feet.

The priests gasped. The High Priest stepped back. "It's too late—he's already turning!"

Elias's chest heaved. His vision blurred. The hunger was unbearable.

Then, instinct took over.

His body twisted—wings burst from his back, his form shrinking into a black bat.

Gasps turned to screams. Holy arrows flew—but he was already gone.

The Forest and the Beast

Elias woke up hours later, collapsed in the forest. His body ached. His stomach twisted with an unnatural hunger.

Then—the growl.

A massive wolf—three times the size of a man—emerged from the shadows, eyes glowing red.

Elias scrambled back. His body was weak. He had no weapon.

The beast lunged.

Elias screamed.

A blur of darkness swept past.

The next thing Elias saw was Dracula standing before him, the wolf's corpse at his feet.

Dracula's crimson eyes flickered. "You should have known, boy."

Elias panted, staring at the monster before him.

But deep down, he realized—he was one too.

——

Elias sat on the cold stone floor of Dracula's castle, his body still trembling from his transformation. His breath was ragged, his mind clouded by what he had just witnessed—his own town, his own people, had turned on him without hesitation.

He lifted his head and stared at Dracula, who stood by the massive windows overlooking the darkened land. The vampire lord's crimson cloak billowed slightly, and his sharp eyes glowed in the candlelight. He seemed almost… human.

And that made Elias's stomach churn more than the hunger burning inside him.

"A true monster wouldn't have saved me." Elias's voice was hoarse but steady. "You're not the beast they say you are."

Dracula didn't turn, his gaze fixed on the storm clouds gathering above.

Elias pressed on. "I can feel it. The blood—it's making me see things. Your thoughts. Your memories. You're not as dark as they claim."

At that, Dracula's shoulders stiffened.

Elias clenched his fists, forcing himself to ignore the gnawing hunger inside him. "You don't hunt humans. You don't drink their blood. Why?"

Dracula exhaled, a long, tired sigh.

He finally turned to Elias, his expression unreadable. "Because I am not like them."

"Them?"

Dracula stepped closer, the weight of his presence pressing down on Elias like an unseen force. "The ones before me. The true monsters."

He gestured toward an old portrait on the wall. It depicted a family—a man, a woman, and two children, all painted with warmth and love. The dust and cracks on the frame told of time's cruelty.

"This was my family," Dracula said quietly. "And we lived as men, not beasts."

Elias frowned. "Then why does the world call you a demon?"

A bitter smile crossed Dracula's lips. "Because humans are fools. They let their fear consume them. When they saw what we were, they assumed we were like the others—bloodthirsty creatures of the night."

His eyes darkened. "So they burned our home. Slaughtered my wife. My children. They showed no mercy."

The air in the room grew heavy. Elias swallowed, his hunger momentarily forgotten.

"And now," Dracula continued, voice low with quiet fury, "they will pay for their sins."

He turned away, walking toward a nearby table. A golden chalice sat upon it, filled with deep red liquid. He picked it up and extended it toward Elias.

"Drink."

Elias hesitated. The scent was rich, almost intoxicating. His body ached for it.

Dracula's gaze bore into him. "If you let the hunger fester, you will lose yourself. Your mind will break, and you will become nothing more than a rabid beast."

Elias clenched his jaw. "Is this… human blood?"

Dracula smirked. "No. The blood of the wolf that would have torn you apart."

Elias looked down at the cup, then back at Dracula.

This was it.

His first real choice as something no longer human.

And he had to make it before the hunger took control.