"I will conquer the Tower!"

A clinking of chains. Eduardo stared at Vast, a young man who stared back at him as his hands almost tore themselves apart trying to break free from the chains.

The vampire laughed. "Any problem? You seem a bit affected."

The prince's black eyes gleamed intensely, but far from beautiful. A thirsty glow, a star longing for the death of the one before him.

"What do you want to do at the Tower? What would a vampire want there?" he said, still under the effect of Eduardo's sniff.

The vampire smiled, closing the hatch with another snap of his fingers. After ceasing to shine like a disco ball, he replied:

"You humans are fascinated by this Tower, aren't you? It's full of mysteries. What's inside? Is it possible to grant wishes? Is it the origin of the world? Does the Eternal King really exist?"

The last question was more special. Eternal King, a name that circulated on the lips of everyone who dared to go to the Tower — none of them returned. A shadowy figure that served as the foundation for the Ghost Church.

The greatest mystery surrounding the figure's existence was the "selectivity" of the Tower. Not everyone who reached it was able to enter. The most common case was of people who entered and then quickly left, claiming to have been lost for hours in a dark labyrinth. On other occasions, people simply didn't return.

Amid the vampire's excitement, the inconvenient questions continued.

"Why don't you go in there? You're always close to the Tower."

Common knowledge. The Original Vampires made their homes near the Tower, each respecting their area of dominance.

"It's quite simple..." He buttoned his shirt, an act hitherto unthinkable. "I'm afraid."

Lack of power, some Curse in the Tower... these and other answers were what the prince had been waiting for since the beginning of the conversation.

"Something —" he continued — "there's something there that prevents me from going further. An aura I've never felt before. So oppressive! I never even imagined myself going against someone with such presence!"

The way Eduardo squirmed — and groaned between some words — made it clear that he was telling the truth. Vampires, proud as they commonly were, would never let something like weakness show to just anyone, let alone for any reason.

After long gasps and an ecstatic expression that made Vast fear for more than just his life, the Original finished:

"If I master the sun, it means I am also capable of overcoming this fear of advancing against that aura. Victory against one suggests the overcoming of the other, but I don't think you're interested in hearing more about that."

The prince waited, and seeing that his mouth was back under his own control, it was time to ask what really mattered.

"Aren't you going to kill me? Wasn't that the goal from the beginning?"

The iron door squeaked, locked from the outside after the vampire stood in the hallway.

"Your blood acted strangely on the vampires who drank it. I'll keep you alive to study this issue further. Time is limited because of your Curse, so you'll only be executed in public square shortly before this time runs out. I want to make sure it serves as an example for other idiots who show up."

Tucking the keys into his pants, Eduardo left without another word. His steps slowly fading down the endless corridor, until silence reigned once again.

***

A long time passed, how long was impossible to say. No natural light reached the cell, and the guards who took turns watching over the prince and/or collecting his blood for studies never commented on the time.

At times he sought information about the studies Eduardo was conducting, but the obedience of the lackeys proved much greater than expected. They wouldn't even look him in the eyes when they appeared, let alone speak.

When the moment came when he was sure that more than two days had passed since he was handcuffed, he concluded that idleness would be his greatest enemy. Immediately, he assumed that meditation was the best training for the moment. Taking control of every muscle in his body was the priority for now.

And so time passed. Lesser vampires appeared and collected his blood, Eduardo showed up from time to time and flaunted his abs, sniffed Vast's neck, and took some information. It ended up becoming routine.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Gradually, Vast recalled the previous events to organize the passage of time, and in what should have been enough to pass a whole day, he came to a conclusion. "Two days, that's what I have left. Maybe one, it will depend on what time it is now."

Between 24-30 hours was a more accurate threshold. The worst-case scenario would be to be in the morning; the last day before the curse struck him.

Eduardo obviously wouldn't risk letting Vast leave with plenty of time left. The most likely plan was to wait until the last five minutes of his life, and only then take him to the public square and execute him.

"Depending on where I am, I should be able to reach the Tower in five hours, maybe less. First, I have to get out of here today."

Daily observations allowed him to notice patterns. The guards changed shifts and never appeared after their hours (the type of worker who disappears when they clock out). Some were Indulgent Vampires, one or two Descendants. Other cases were humans, a great chance of being Cursed. But that gap, the absence of more than one person watching over him, was important.

The guy in charge this time was a man, his aura revealing.

Wandering Vampire

Strength 22/100

Agility 15/100

Intelligence 10/100

Capable only of following orders, but still possessing a small sense of free will. The ideal target for a simple and easy-to-perform plan.

"Hey! Don't you get hungry?" he asked, his face in pure neutrality.

The vampire glanced at him, confused.

"Shut up! I don't want to catch flak because of you."

"Do you want to suck me?"

"What?"

Unsettled! Of course, Vast knew a vampire would be surprised to hear a human offering himself to be bitten willingly. It usually happened by force.

"You've never tasted royal blood, have you? It's a great opportunity to try it, and it will help me stay alive."

"What are you talking about, you lunatic!? Your blood is poisonous, isn't it? I heard the higher-ups talking about it!"

"You're wrong!" The firm statement made the vampire's eyes bulge. A bit of saliva could already be seen dripping from his mouth.

"They say that so only they can have my blood. You understand, don't you? The higher-ups say something so their lackeys don't do something inconvenient for them. Even I have used this tactic before."

"But what does that matter?" The clear hesitation brought a smile to the prince's face.

"The truth is, my blood is special; for you, I would say it's a luxury delicacy. Humans produce blood constantly, you know? And if we don't get rid of some of it from time to time, the excess can cause health problems." The serious look focused on the vampire's soul. "Why do you think we donate blood? For convenience? Of course not! It's all a survival technique!"

"It can't be!!" And indeed it couldn't be. The Vagrant struggled not to fall to his knees. Was it all a lie!? The story that the prince's blood was poisonous and would be studied... It was a deception!

The irritation was more than evident on the vampire's face. Vast didn't hesitate to continue.

"So, you'll be punished if I die, won't you? I think my blood is almost at its limit." With effort, he used his mouth to tear open the collar of his clothes, revealing his neck. "Could you help me with that?"

Saliva now covered the floor at his feet. It was too tempting a situation to bear, so much so that the keys to the padlock fell from his trembling hands five times before the Vagrant finally opened the gate.

His steps were short and quick towards the prince, totally unable to move. If it were a trap, it was a very foolish one. Even when approaching, it was impossible for Vast to attack, even with his feet, as the doubled strength of his Curse had been nullified by another skill.

"You... You just need to..." Each breath brought hot air to Vast's face, the smell of blood coming from that saliva-filled mouth. "Just need to stay alive, don't you?"

He didn't even have time to agree; the Vagrant practically leaned over him. The bite wasn't even on the neck. He was so hasty, he bit a more challenging part: the prince's left shoulder. Tougher flesh, but the fangs were still able to penetrate, only stopping when they hit bone.

He sucked forcefully, as he had never done in his life.

Vast felt every drop of his blood being sucked out, two needles pulling his life away rapidly. A shiver ran down his spine, and sweat began to drip from his face immediately. But not from the force gradually draining him.

With difficulty, he murmured, "You... made me tear my clothes."

Huh? The vampire didn't see it, but he could feel it very well. The lacerating pain in his neck, one that only caused in others, but he never thought he would feel.

The prince's teeth voraciously tore his flesh, a true predator who, after waiting so long, found the only opening he needed to end his prey.

"YOU...!!? WHAT ARE YOU DOING??"

The Vagrant recoiled, covering the hole in his neck with one hand. He moved his legs, wanting to move further away. A futile effort; his body no longer obeyed him.

The blood that escaped from the wound, a certain amount of it began to flow in an unusual manner to Vast, accumulating at the prince's feet and condensing slowly. A strange shape appeared before the vampire's eyes.

"But the Curse! It was supposed to be deactivated...!!"

"For everything there is a way. The doubled strength really doesn't work, because otherwise, I would have freed myself already. The crucial difference between one Cursed and another..."

The form on the ground was finally complete, a key. The blood that still flowed returned to Vast's body, stopping only when the intense healing aura reached the vampire, closing the wound completely.

"It's the custom one has with their own power!"

Recovered, the vampire was finally able to step back, the bars preventing him from going further than he wanted.

Damn it! He wanted to advance, but how? What other tricks could the prince have up his sleeve? The doubt gnawed at him. However, instinct told him it was better to be punished by his superiors than by the human in front of him.

He didn't waste any more time, he began to go outside the cell. He had to shout for the Descendant Vampires or anyone else who might be nearby. Who knows, maybe Eduardo would hear him too. However, his legs were already useless.

He collapsed suddenly, with his body still intact on the outside. What really shook him was the burning sensation, the hell that settled in his stomach.

"The blood...! So it really was poisonous!!"

A hole appeared in his stomach, corroding his chest, heart, and everything else gradually. Meanwhile, Vast grabbed the blood key with his own mouth, easily opening the only chains that held him.

The Vagrant's legs melted, then his arms and his body. In a few seconds, only the head remained, still with his eyes fixed on that figure standing next to him.

With a gaze from above — the King —, Vast asked one last question, simpler than any he had asked before.

"No matter if it's Indulgent, Vagrant, or Descendant, just tell me: What is the number of Vampires and Cursed in this place?"

After so long, the time for cleaning up had come.