CHAPTER 13:Not a Monster Anymore

From a distance, a gaze as sharp as a honed blade sliced through him. It was Mira.

She always looked at Jack that way… as if probing, as if she could see something deep within him.

Could she sense the anomaly? Could she recognize… the simmering thirst?

Jack followed behind, his heart heavy with a vague unease.

What will you do next, Jack? When the hunger returns… No, I can't. I won't go back down that path again…

He shook his head, swallowing the dark thoughts. Next time… it will be different.

John and Mira led the way, venturing deeper into the ancient stronghold of the Solar Order.

Though time had draped the place in a thick shroud of dust, its former grandeur hadn't completely vanished.

Mira rolled her eyes at the cobweb-laden walls, snorting. "Old man, what do you expect to find to eat in this place? No one's been here for centuries."

John chuckled softly, not replying. He simply continued his brisk pace, holding an old oil lamp, its flickering light illuminating the ancient bookshelves.

Suddenly, he stopped. "Ah, here it is."

John brushed away the thick dust from a weathered book, then gave it a gentle tug.

CLICK.

A sound echoed. A false wall slid open, revealing a hidden passage.

Mira stared in astonishment.

Inside was a vast storage room filled with supplies: canned meat, pastries, fruit, wine… everything was abundant.

"What the—" Mira's jaw dropped.

John burst into laughter. "I told you to keep your eyes peeled, didn't I?"

Mira still looked incredulous. "But… how is all this still intact? How could food be preserved until now?"

John narrowed his eyes, his gaze distant. "Magic, my dear. There's a kind of enchantment that freezes time within a certain area. It keeps everything as if it were just stored yesterday."

"Wow… that's seriously impressive. These hunters were no joke." Mira murmured in awe.

John picked up a bottle of wine, examining the label with eyes that seemed to recognize an old friend. "Just the vintage I like. Now Vampires hunt the hunters. Well, their era has ended."

Without another word, he tilted his head back and gulped down the wine.

"Hey, are you alright?" Mira frowned.

John just waved his hand, still chewing on a drumstick, enjoying himself as if he hadn't eaten in ages.

"I'll take a bottle too," Jack said.

John glanced over, gesturing towards the wine racks with his meat-filled mouth.

Mira stared intently at Jack, curiosity piqued. "Wait… you can drink wine? I thought Vampires only drank blood?"

Jack was about to answer when suddenly…

A hazy fragment of memory flashed through his mind.

A large man, his eyes red but kind, sitting opposite Jack…

"Huh, you can drink wine? I thought Vampires only drank blood?"

The same question. The same voice. The same intonation. Everything… as if it had just happened.

"Who… was that?"

The image shattered. Jack returned to the present.

John tilted his head, observing him. "Did you just remember something?"

Jack rubbed his temples, shaking his head slowly. "I'm not sure. It's just… Mira's question… sounded so familiar. Maybe… I asked someone that once. Maybe it's a lost piece of my memory."

He reached for a bottle of wine, uncorked it, and took a sip. "Ah… Good wine. It's been a long time since I tasted this."

Mira frowned, looking at him with suspicion. "Are you kidding me? Or did that sword change something in your body?"

Jack shook his head. "No, you misunderstand. Vampires don't drink wine the way humans do. We can't taste the sweetness or bitterness. The only thing we feel is the spiciness and warmth. It helps us… feel more comfortable, like a unique 'flavor' of sorts." He looked at the bottle, a faint smile on his lips.

Mira narrowed her eyes at him again, this time with a hint of anger. "You seem pretty proud to call yourself 'one of them.' Have you ever regretted it? The people you've drained, the people you've killed? You probably don't even remember their names or faces, do you?"

The atmosphere suddenly chilled.

John placed his wine bottle down, his gaze hardening.

Jack froze. A moment of silence stretched out.

He stared into the empty space, his eyes heavy. "…You're right."

"I can't remember their names or faces."

"I've killed too many people. And I regret it… deeply."

"But perhaps, fate has given me this chance to make amends."

"Even though I know I'm not strong enough… I will try."

John interjected, cutting through the silence. "I believe you, Jack. There's something very… decent about you. I think, when you were human, you were a good person. A very good one."

Mira coldly turned her back, not looking back. "I will never believe that. Vampires can't be saviors. They plunged this whole world into darkness."

"I'm full. I'm going to find a place to rest."

"Mira—"

Jack called out, but she had already disappeared around a corner in the base. Only the echo of her footsteps remained.

Jack stood there, silent.

John suddenly clapped Jack on the shoulder, his voice low, more serious than ever. "She'll understand eventually. When you truly stand up for humanity… you must come with me to The Mountain."

Jack frowned. Those words caught in his throat. "Then… what about my family?" Jack asked, his voice hoarse, clinging to the last fading sliver of hope.

John looked at him for a long time, his gaze still. "Jack, wake up. How long do you think you've been a Vampire? Even you don't know. Do you really think your family could have survived all these years? They… might have been gone a long time ago."

Jack staggered, clutching his head, collapsing to the floor. "I don't know anymore… I don't remember anything… All that's left is that damn name… Jack the Butcher. That's what the Vampires called me. I… can't even remember my real name."

He slammed his fist into the stone floor. "No! I'm not him! I'm not a bloodsucking monster…!"

John gently knelt beside him, reaching out a hand towards Jack. "Then are you willing to prove it? We'll find out who you are together. Jack… humanity is waiting for you at The Mountain."

Suddenly, a single tear escaped the corner of Jack's eye. He looked surprised, quickly wiping it away. "What's this…? Tears?"

Vampires didn't have tear ducts. They couldn't cry.

But he did.

He stood up abruptly, gripping John's hand, his eyes burning with a renewed fire. "Alright…! We'll go there. I'll atone for everything. Even if it costs me my life."

John smiled, patting his shoulder gently. "Rest assured. We'll make it."

…

A while later, things had quieted down. The underground chamber was now filled only with the soft whistling of the wind and the flickering light of the oil lamps.

John yawned widely, then collapsed onto a dilapidated sofa. "It's much safer down here. Up there, the Vampires have probably taken the city." He rubbed his neck as he spoke. "I'm exhausted. Let's get some sleep, and then we'll talk more about the plan… Yawn…"

Jack sat beside him, silently looking up at the cobweb-covered ceiling. "So, those people who didn't follow us… perhaps… they knew their fate." He spoke softly, as if whispering to himself.

John closed his eyes, his voice fading. "That's fate, destiny already decided… This is the Post-Apocalypse. And we have to learn to accept it…" Then he drifted off into silence, a soft snore escaping his lips.

Jack stood up, slowly walking towards a nearby room. He placed Last Light in a corner, his eyes thoughtfully fixed on it. Recalling the moment the sword had shone in his hand, that light… had been so warm. Unlike anything he had ever felt as a Vampire.

He sighed, brushing dust off a decaying bed. Then he lay down, closing his eyes…

For the first time in a long time, Jack slept peacefully.

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"The sky is usually calm before the storm." (DraculaVN93)