The following night as Ranloo went to meet his friends in the backstage room, he only found one of the twins, Diquarl, and Listarl. They talked about what they'd obtained the previous night and what they intended to do next. Listarl showed off a new two-handed sword he'd bought and the others watched as he swung it around, demonstrating it.

´That's a bit big for you, isn't it?` Ranloo commented as he approached, making them turn.

´This blade'll cut you in half, elf.` Listarl took a ready stance.

Ranloo waved it off with a hand, smirking. ´Not if you can't handle it,` he teased.

Listarl laughed and handed it over. ´Can you handle it?` he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Ranloo took the sword and tested it. It felt light enough. Though a two-handed sword, he could easily lift it with one. He tested a few swings in the air, careful not to hit anything. The well balanced blade felt good in his hand. He returned it to Listarl who wore an impressed look on his face.

´Did you forget that I'm stronger than you?` Ranloo asked with a grin.

The big man shook his head and sheathed the sword. ´It's not right,` he grumbled and the twin laughed.

Ranloo studied him with a frown. The twin looked back, an amused expression on his face. He said nothing, waiting for Ranloo to come to a conclusion about who he was. Ranloo desperately tried to figure it out by just looking, but after a moment he gave up, took a few steps closer and drew in a breath. ´Good evening, Aedil.`

The twin laughed out loud.

Diquarl gave them a curious look. ´What's so funny? Have I missed something?`

Aedil nodded, a broad smile on his lips. ´He's learned to tell us apart.`

Diquarl eyed Ranloo thoughtfully.

Ranloo sat down on a chair, looking up at his friends. ´Where's Pei?` The twins were rarely separated after all.

´He went out earlier,` Aedil replied. ´I'll meet with him later.`

´Have you seen Sern or Felisei?` They hadn't been in the diner or their rooms.

His friends gave him surprised looks and he realized he'd missed something. ´What? Did something happen?` He almost rose from the chair when Listarl answered.

´They were a bit disheveled yesterday,` he said. ´We thought you knew what had happened.`

´Are they hurt?` he asked, suddenly distressed and cold with guilt. He had left them alone. But the others shook their heads and he relaxed somewhat again. So, nothing serious then.

´They both came back separately, looking like they'd taken a bit of a beating,` Diquarl explained. ´But they didn't say anything about it. We assumed you'd know.`

Ranloo shook his head. ´I had no idea anything had happened. I...` he hesitated for a moment. ´I left them a short way off from the guild. I had to do something,` he said vaguely.

They didn't comment, each having their own guesses as to what he might have done.

´I'll go check on them.` He stood and left the room, worried about what had happened.

* * * * *

A pounding on the door woke Sern up from a deep sleep and he groaned. He didn't want to wake up yet, he was still tired, his head pounded, and his entire body was stiff and bruised. The pounding continued.

´What?` he mumbled and the insistent banging stopped.

´Are you alright?` Ranloo's voice asked from the other side of the door.

Sern smiled despite his weariness and groggily sat up. So, Ranloo had realized something had happened the other night. He put his feet down on the floor and plodded to the door, feeling somewhat stupid as he thought about the fight. As soon as the door opened, Ranloo swept past him into the room.

´Yeah, good morning t' you too,` Sern mumbled and closed the door behind his friend. Ranloo stood in the middle of the small room, arms crossed and a furrowed brow as Sern turned around.

´What?` Sern asked, curious and bleary-eyed. It wasn't like he'd been severely hurt or anything.

´What happened? I heard you and Felisei came back separately. Did someone attack you?`

He looked worried, Sern thought and smiled. ´Nothin' serious happened, don't worry. I'm just really, really tired,` he said dismissively.

Ranloo tapped his fingers on his crossed arms, but a faint smile touched his lips.

´Alright, we had a fight,` Sern admitted.

´You and Felisei?` Ranloo asked, arching his eyebrows.

Sern nodded and blushed at the stupidity of it. He ran a hand through his hair, grabbed his tunic and pulled it over his head.

´So I worried for nothing?`

Sern grinned foolishly, secretly happy that Ranloo had come to see him first. It gave him a slight feeling of victory. ´Yes, you did.`

Ranloo sighed and sat down heavily on the bed as he waited for Sern to get ready. ´Are we going to the market again tonight?`

Sern nodded. ´We gotta! There's still much t' see an' do.` Excitement filled him at the thought. They talked about it for a while before going to the dining room and meeting up with Diquarl. Felisei made a quick appearance and greeted Ranloo and the chemist with warm smiles before leaving on her own, never once looking at Sern. She carried a bruise on her chin, and Sern became acutely aware of his own aches and stings. Ranloo gazed after her with a thoughtful expression but turned back to Sern when he asked where he'd run off to the other night. Ranloo told him of his encounter with the kidnappers, surprising both him and Diquarl.

´You're like a true hero,` Sern laughed after a moment's silence.

Ranloo dismissed the remark with a headshake, his ponytail whipping about. ´Some hero,` he snorted. ´A hero who kills people and drink their blood?`

Unfazed by the comment, Sern gave him a long admiring look, unable to hold back a smile. Ranloo looked away after a moment, squirming in his seat. Sern laughed at his obvious discomfort and started talking about other things, even as Felisei's remarks last night nagged in the back of his mind.

As soon as Sern and Diquarl had finished eating, they left the guild for another night at the market. Sern stole things whenever he got a chance and Ranloo shook his head at him every time. Diquarl said nothing, as long as it didn't interfere with his acquiring of strange bottles, herbs, and liquids from foreign merchants. Ranloo was amazed to see people from his father's country, Shintas, among them. Their dark skin, brown eyes, and black hair more similar to himself than most of the people in Jaris. They were humans, but just like the desert-elves, adapted to strong sunlight. Sometimes they greeted him as one of their own to his delight, even if he didn't understand them.

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The crowd thinned out much earlier this night since people weren't free from their jobs the next day, and Sern and Diquarl insisted to go to a tavern for a late drink. Ranloo protested but was soon coaxed into going despite his promise.

´Don't be so scared,` Sern teased and pulled him along.

´I'm not scared,` Ranloo objected. ´But I don't like being close to lots of people. The market is quite enough.`

Sern laughed and poked him in the side. ´You're spooked, admit it,` he chuckled.

Ranloo huffed. ´Yes, I'm scared. Happy?` He tried to sound angry without much success. ´I don't want to end up killing everyone,` he finished in a more serious tone.

Sern waved it off as of no importance.

Diquarl eyed him with a slight frown, however. ´How likely is that to happen?` he asked. ´Last time you seemed fine.`

´Ha!` Ranloo burst out loudly, making the chemist jump back from him. ´I was not fine. I was hard-pressed to not attack everyone.` He grimaced at the thought.

Diquarl studied him with cautious interest. ´But you managed. And you seem better at it all the time.` He sighed in relief as Ranloo nodded.

´I'm getting better at it, yes.`

Sern patted him hard in the back with a grin. ´You're such a good vamp,` he said in a condescending tone.

Ranloo smacked his arm away with a light backhanded blow. Sern sucked in his breath and grimaced, shaking his hand in the air.

´Don't patronize me,` Ranloo snorted and gave him a sideways glance, lifting one eyebrow.

´I didn't,` Sern protested, but his wide smile betrayed him.

Ranloo laughed. ´You're an idiot as usual,` he commented as they approached the tavern.

´Can you please not cause a scene?` Diquarl begged before he opened the door and entered. Ranloo and Sern both grinned wickedly, making him roll his eyes with a loud sigh. ´You are horrible people,` he muttered as they entered.

The tavern was busy, if not crowded, and as some other customers left Sern quickly slid down on a bench, claiming the table.

Unomfortable in the crowded room, filled with smells and sounds and other triggering factors, Ranloo carefully focused on their conversation. They ordered drinks, and Ranloo was given a glass of wine which he slowly sipped on. It wasn't as bad as last time, he thought. Maybe he could get used to it? He liked the way the red wine smelled and memories of its taste made him sigh. It wasn't the same anymore, but maybe he could learn to like it again? He studied the deep red liquid in the glass. It had an appealing look, he thought as he spun the glass between his fingers.

Ranloo kept glancing at the crowd, not trusting anyone. But nobody seemed to take note of him and most were drunk. They spent quite some time in the tavern, drinking, talking, and listening to music. But eventually, the friends made their way back to the guild.

´Hey, what did you and Felisei fight about anyway?` Ranloo asked as they walked and studied Sern. He seemed unusually unstable considered the amount he'd drunk. He hadn't gotten as much as the last time but still seemed as under the table as he had then.

Sern laughed and stumbled, spinning around to walk backwards. He lifted a hand, seemed surprised about it and studied it for a moment before pointing at Ranloo. ´We fought 'bout you,` he slurred and giggled.

Ranloo lifted an eyebrow.

Sern turned about to walk forward again, unsteadily swaying from side to side.

´About me? Why?` he asked after a moment.

Sern huffed and shook his head, causing him to stumble sideways. ´You!` he said loudly and laughed. ´She's in love with you, an' it got me fumin' 'cause you're my vamp' an' she can't have you,` he slurred.

Ranloo laughed out loud at the stupid comment. ´That's not for you to decide.`

´'Course it is,` Sern replied and gave Ranloo a long stare, forgetting to walk. ´I found you!`

Ranloo grabbed him by the shoulders and turned him in the right direction, forcing him to move again. ´Actually, no. And you're drunk, even though you didn't have that much. Are you alright?`

Sern nodded and smiled blissfully at him. ´I'm fine,` he said. ´An' I'm not drunk...`

Diquarl and Ranloo both laughed. ´Of course not,` Ranloo mumbled with a headshake. ´I'll better get you home before you collapse.`

´That's a good plan,` Diquarl agreed, not entirely stable either. But at least he seemed aware of what he was doing.

Ranloo left Diquarl to care for Sern, not trusting himself if the boy were to get too clingy in his drunk state. Gesald could also help, he supposed. He was good at being useful, even if he was annoying.

Too restless to stay at the guild, Ranloo decided to go back out and practice his powers by himself. He still had some time left and hoped to master turning into fog faster. He really needed to get the hang of it. It would be immensely useful, especially if he got into a fight and couldn't defend himself or run away. This night wasn't foggy, but it wouldn't stop him from turning.

Walking with decisive steps towards the park, he avoided people if possible. When footsteps approached from ahead, he didn't pay them any mind. Without looking up, he steered away to get to the other side of the street. It had almost become reflex by now, made easier since his hunger wasn't pressing after the previous night's feeding. He passed the other person by, eyes glued to the cobbles.

The footsteps faltered and stopped behind him, followed by scuffing and shuffling of clothes. A wave of anxiety made the hairs on his neck stand on end. Wanting no trouble, Ranloo lengthened his steps.

´Vampire,` a male voice called.

He tensed, cold hands grasping and squeezing his heart. Pretending not to have heard, he kept walking, his breathing suddenly quick and shallow.

´Ranloo!`

This time he couldn't ignore it. How did this stranger know his name? He froze, like a statue in the street, unable to turn around. Who was it? How did he know? His fangs throbbed and his chest constricted with dread. Looking over his shoulder, the hood partially obstructed his line of sight. In the street stood a lone city guard. Ranloo stared in confusion. He hadn't seen him before. Narrowing his eyes suspiciously, he turned around to regard the man. What was a city guard doing here all alone? They always moved in pairs or more for their own safety. And what did he want with him? Why?

´Who are you?` he asked in a hoarse voice. Realizing it might be a trap, he surveyed his surroundings. But no, he'd have heard them. Confused he looked back at the guard. The man was fairly young, and deathly pale. Dressed in typical city guard garb and armed with a sword and a long knife. No halberd luckily. He seemed distressed, Ranloo thought as he focused on him. His heart raced and sweat beaded on his forehead.

´I have a message for you,` the guard said, swallowing audibly.

Ranloo's eyes narrowed. He didn't like the sound of that. For a moment, they stood still in the dark empty street, both equally scared of the other. Dried leaves rattled softly over the cobbles as a chill wind pushed them around. The two moons shone through the thin clouds overhead. The pale light glinted off the guard's chainmail and helmet, and reflected in the vampire's eyes.

´From who?` Ranloo hissed and took a step forward, anger building up inside him. He thought he knew the answer already, and it scared him. He didn't like being scared.

The guard's eyes widened as Ranloo moved but he stood his ground. ´From the vampire hunters.` A slight quiver in his voice betrayed his fear.

Ranloo's lips pulled back in loathing, baring his fangs.

The guard stepped back in alarm, blanching. ´Stay back,` he cautioned and grasped the hilt of his sword.

Ranloo snorted. ´If you think you can hurt me with a sword, you're gravely mistaken,` he threatened in a low voice. ´Say what you want, or leave.`

The guard swallowed, licked his dry lips and took another step back, but didn't let go of the sword hilt. ´I'm supposed to tell you they have Minira.`

Ranloo's throat constricted and his heart almost stopped as he heard her name.

´Unless you want your family to pay for the crimes you have committed, you'll meet them two nights from now at Doseix Hall in the Upper Quarter by midnight,` the guard continued in a demanding voice, emboldened by Ranloo's expression of utter terror.

´No,` Ranloo whispered in despair. It couldn't be. It was impossible. ´No.` He couldn't breathe. The ground shifted beneath his feet, unbalancing him. ´NO!` The scream tore out of his throat, his voice close to breaking. His vision darkened, narrowed into a tunnel. The pain inside was too much to bear, he couldn't take it, couldn't contain it. His entire body trembled and he doubled over. They couldn't know, they couldn't find out. It was his only consolation, that they didn't know about him.

´No! They're not supposed to know!` he roared.

Ranloo flew at the guard with a wail, hands stretched out, eyes like fiery pits, and fangs bared in a fierce grimace. The man flinched and stumbled backwards.