Set Free (Rayne’s POV)

After we had gotten home, we all started talking. I could stay in my vampiric state for as long as I wanted since nobody here would consider it a problem. Elliot was under my mother’s reign, so she couldn’t pass out information without her permission anyway.

After about 10 minutes of talking, I got bored and began to sit down next to the boulder, picking through any ideas that I had for my skills.

I wonder what happens when a skill hits its maximum level… That would be something interesting…

I meditated, beginning to overcharge my mana. All 102 of my mana was turned into orbs as I activated [Mana Condensation]. Fluctuations of the mana circled around me, becoming a ring of spinning mana. A [Mana Wave] with all the mana I had regenerated constantly pulsed out from me like a heartbeat, wrapping around the orbs. A minute later four of them had gotten to the maximum 1.5 mana. I slowed the moving mana enough for those four to be absorbed into me. With the extra 6 mana, my waves had become a single entity, constantly watching over my mana orbs. They hit 1.5 one by one, my mana overseer wave, as I liked to call it, becoming closer to God’s eye, able to predict them before it even happened. I could freeze every mana orb accurately within .0001 mana of the limit.

My 102 mana had become 153 within 10 minutes, 6 mana from upgrading my maximum capacity. 4 orbs were produced in my wave, it sending the information about these directly to my brain. Only 20 seconds passed before all 4 of them were absorbed back into me, increasing my mana by 1. 100 mana exploded from me, rocking the room slightly. I heard a slight creaking, knocking me out of my meditative state. I looked to the source of the noise and found it to be a board in the ceiling. Just a small thing to note, the boards in the ceiling are both sharp and heavy. Each board was over twenty pounds, even more after soaking up some water. They were also rotting and splintering at the same time, meaning it was even heavier and sharp. If it fell it would hit very hard, before then shattering into thousands of pieces. It would hurt if not severely injure somebody.

It was knocked out of place from the blast, only one rusted nail holding it in place now. I understood immediately the dangers and was up and moving before I could fully process what I was trying to do. Avalina looked towards me as I barrelled towards her, both of us unsure of what the other was doing. The board fell silently, the rust on the nail weakening the metal too much for it to hold it anymore. Every single piece of the mana in my body exploded from me as my body and brain worked in tandem without my permission.

Not that it needed it. Unconsciously coming up with a plan to save her, my body charged forward at greater speeds than I could make it go on the broken ground. Nimbly placing my feet at places of least resistance, my mana softened the blow to the ground while simultaneously pushing my foot upwards for the next step, leaving small mana infused footprints behind me. Was the house always this much effort to cross? I certainly don’t remember it being this big either…

Mana loss. My body collapsed at the feeling, becoming weak and unresponsive. My mother was thrown to the ground with the force of a charging rhino, sliding back a few feet. I would have to apologize later, but I couldn’t move my body at the moment. The board clattered to the ground, exploding into splinters. I felt two of them hit me in my back, another three spread between my feet. One in my right arm, pushing it forward even while my body locked up. I landed on the ground. At least, parts of me did.

I was on top of my mother, her being sprawled on the ground, arms away from her core. Legs bent naturally, slowing her slide. My right arm was thrust to the ground next to her head. My left leg was bent and pressed against the hardwood floor, allowing me to keep enough balance to stop myself from crashing atop her, albeit rather painfully. Our faces were close. Too close. I could feel her breath swaying over my cheek, nice and steady. My breath came in ragged pants, having overexerted myself in more ways than one.

Our eyes connected, and my skill activated. A mental curse was all I could manage before I found myself entranced. There is no more vivid color than the eyes and the blood. How intriguing that this body of mine has a way of controlling people through both of them.

Her icy blue eyes. Deep and magnificent. They didn’t reflect light like a gem, all fractured and prismatic. No, her eyes reflected the light like a glass ball, smoothly expanding the light throughout. The blues that made up her eyes were smooth but sharp. Enveloping and welcoming, but sharp and painful. A warm hug of ice. The small icicles that were sharp enough to cut you.

The sharpness faded somewhat as time went by, and I was dragged deep into the same trance that I had gone through with Elliot.

A cave. Icy blue extended throughout, extending a few feet past the semi-opaque walls. Stalactites and stalagmites of ice were spread throughout, icicles hanging from the ceiling precariously. I was pulled towards a shivering bundle in one of the many crevices in the cave. As I came closer, it ran away, leaving an image of a large white furry creature in my mind. Small blue trails, darker than anything else, trailed behind it. I instinctively knew that I had two options. I could use my [Mana Forge] here, or I could race after that creature.

It took me a second to decide. But I was inside of somebody, inside of the world in their eyes. That creature seemed afraid. I had to chase after it, find out what was wrong. I sprinted after the quickly dissipating trail, burning dark blue on the icy background.

A minute passed, but the trail seemed to have no end… It even split off at times, making me unsure of which one was a false trail. This small creature was deathly afraid, and very, very good at hiding itself. While following it, I had a lot of time to think and hypothesize. This creature obviously represented my mother’s fears, or maybe her insecurity. The fact that it could hide so well probably alluded to the fact that my mother was also good at hiding it.

I checked my blood levels in my status.

Name: Rayne

Level: 3

Experience needed: 302/600 (49.67%)

HP [110/110]

MP [???/60] (???)

SP [89/89]

Race: Vampire

HP [0.1/sec]

MP [0.026/sec]

SP [0.2/sec]

Blood [-%]

Strength

15

Endurance

25

Luck

10

Perception

40

Dexterity

18

Agility

18

Intelligence

26

Wisdom

28

Leadership

8

Vitality

11

Faith

-10

Willpower

80

Something interesting, it seems that I don’t have any of my skills in here, which helps me figure out why it took so long to forge that bracelet in the last world. I also had no mana or blood levels. It seems I could easily track this creature with the perception boost from my vampire body.

I felt a surge of mana consume me, rising like I was on fire, as I let my vampiric side take over my body. Running full sprint at the dark blue path, I let my instincts tell me of the creature’s location. But once I had gotten within 100 feet of it, I forcibly removed my vampiric transformation. I walked over to its shivering form once more, making sure to not make any sound.

Creeping ever closer, I locked eyes with the fluffy animal in front of me. It wasn’t shivering anymore, so I could only smile. Whether from fear or from the cold, the animal had been shivering even through its fur the entire time. It looked at me with a sort of fearful look in its deep blue eyes. I sat down about 10 feet away from it, holding out a hand as I did my best to ignore the freezing cold that was seeping through my pants. Something was telling me that I could not touch this animal. It would have to come to me of its own will for anything to happen.

I began to speak. I didn’t know what I was saying, I just felt like speaking would help. It seemed to, as the animal took a few steps towards me.  My mana began to race within my body, slamming against my skin. I held it in as best I could. A small amount of mana leaked out and the animal took two steps back in surprise, destroying more than half of my effort. I tripled my efforts on keeping it inside.

A step a minute. Every minute the animal, a fox, took a step towards me. I was three steps away at the moment, but if I let out any mana it takes multiple steps back. And the closer it gets, the harder it is to stop the mana from bursting out of my body. My arm is still extended towards it, as an offer of friendship, but it’s shaking from the strain.

Finally, the animal pressed its head against my head. I slowly let my hand down, allowing the animal to feel my ‘weight’. I doubt it’s ever felt the warmth of a human, as it’s pressing its head against my hand with all of its strength like it’s trying to fuse with it. I let out a slight chuckle, shocking the animal. On a closer inspection, it really was a fox. A tiny fox, it’s fur giving it the image of being much larger. I pressed my hand to its cheek, watching its reaction closely.

A small purr, the vibration going up my hand and arm, all the way to touch my sealed-off heart. The chains that I had put there so long ago, as a self-defense mechanism, melted along with the rest of my heart. I slowly pressed my other hand under its chin, scratching it softly. The ice fox let out a small yip, leaping into my outstretched arms. I laughed as he pushed me to the ground, his four little paws attempting to find purchase on my oddly shaped body. I wrapped my arms around the tiny animal, hugging it close to my chest. My heart gave off a feeling I had never felt before. It was cold, but warm at the same time.

It rocked my entire view of the world. It seemed to shift under my gaze, before coming back into focus. It looked the exact same but felt completely different. A grin on my face that I couldn’t hope to erase spread across my face as I hugged the small fox. It let out a small yip of surprise but soon snuggled closer to my body. Its body was cold, but not uncomfortable. Like the chill of the morning air in fall, it was calming and invigorating. Either way, the warmth in my heart blew away any uncomfortable chills, filling me with a feeling I couldn’t quite describe.

I played with the fox for a few minutes. We played hide and seek and tag. Childish games, but I wasn’t one to care anymore. This fox brought out a feeling I had never felt before, it deserved a reward. The fox tackled me to the ground, barking happily. I was laughing as well. The fox stopped but didn’t get off. It stared at me, the mood growing solemn. It made a series of barks and yips. Somehow, I could understand what it was trying to say.

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It wanted a collar. It wanted me to make it a collar. I was astonished, understandably, but I nodded, letting out only a small amount of mana so I didn’t scare the fox away. This time it didn’t even flinch, but it got closer to me, sitting beside me. I could feel the pressure building. This little tiny fox had such heavy expectations.

But that was fine. I love a good challenge. But do you know what I love even more than a challenge? Doing better than what the challenge specified, so I leave the audience speechless. I grinned widely as I came up with a plan to put into action.

I meditated, falling into such concentration there was nothing but the ‘collar’ and the mana that made it. There was no ice cave, there was no boulder, there was no city, there was no lusty maid, there was no Avalina, there were only the collar and its owner, the fox.

It took me 45 minutes of nothing but that feeling, meticulous effort, and concentration unavailable anywhere else, but the result was nothing less than stunning.

Please name your creation:

[|_______]

A minute passed as I thought of the name for the creation in front of me. I had to make it memorable. After all, this little fox actually managed to break down my self-defense mechanism all on its own, without trying. I typed in the name.

Inspect

Zinnia of Unbroken Bonds

Owner: _______

Co-owner: Avalina Gold

Creator: Rayne

Description: A ‘collar’ requested by an animal who finally found the strength to stop running in fear.

Effects: WPR +20, INT +4, WIS +3, All mind-affecting effects have a 50% chance to be nullified.

I smiled as I looked at the necklace I held in my hands. Made of pure mana, it almost seemed to pulse as I watched. The mana was silver at first glance, but with a closer look, you could see the icy blue mana deep inside the chains and necklace as a whole. The chains, made with painstaking effort, linked with each other perfectly, no welding marks on any of them. The clasp was a working mechanism, where you would push a chain into a very small carabiner-type hook. The main ornament, directly opposite of the clasp, was a zinnia flower. This had no silver, just the icy blue mixed with medium amounts of darker blue. Each petal was gradiented with a soft medium, making them seem soft and smooth. It was meticulously crafted to set lightly just below the collarbone. On each side, there was a ring. These were each made from all three types of mana, gradiented together with precision unavailable with human tools. Each type of mana flowed beautifully, into both each other and into the shape I had molded them into.

I turned to where the fox was last sitting, to find a sight that shocked me into awareness, out of the world inside my mother’s eyes.

The fox was gone.

Status update:

PER +12

WIS +6

INT +4

END +19

STR +13

WIL +6

VIT +2

FTH -7

Due to special actions, you have discovered the branch skill of [Advanced Meditation], {Cryo Meditation}

Due to special actions, you have discovered the branch skill of [Mana Construction], {Mana Familiar}

[Advanced Meditation] has leveled up! (21/100)

[Advanced Meditation] has leveled up! (22/100)

[Advanced Meditation] has leveled up! (23/100)

[Mana Construction] has leveled up! (11)

[Mana Construction] has leveled up! (12)

[Mana Construction] has leveled up! (13)

[Mana Construction] has leveled up! (14)

[Mana Construction] has leveled up! (15)

[Mana Construction] has leveled up! (16)

[Mana Condensation] has leveled up! (2/5)

[Bewitching Gaze] has leveled up! (5/10)

[Mana Sense] has leveled up! (6/100)

[Mana Wave] has leveled up! (3/50)

[Mana Wave] has leveled up! (4/50)

Barely reading the update, I swiped it away. However, I had to use the same arm that I had been using to hold myself up to do that.

My body hit the floor, the strain of holding myself up in the same position hitting me all at once, stopping me from moving. I barely felt the floor, the shock from the sight in front of me overruling the shock from the impact. A small animal was cowering in the middle of the room, the previously white fur shining a light blue. I would have laughed if not for the fact that the maid was approaching it, a mischievous glint in her eyes. She was definitely going to bother the animal. I tried to move, if not only to stop her, but I didn’t quite manage. I summoned a mana ball instead and propelled it towards Elliot. It hit her right on the forehead, making her fall backward. It was very over exaggerated, but I wasn’t one to complain if it stopped her from touching my little fox.

Speaking of which, the fox was curiously examining the small ball of mana, before wildly looking around. Chuckling slightly to myself, I floated the mana up in front of the small fox’s face, making sure it noticed it, before floating it slowly back to me. The fox obediently followed it to my still body. Casting [Mana Wave] with some of my mana, I closed my eyes as if unconscious or dead.

‘Seeing’ everything through my mana, I watched as the fox found me. It leaped upon me, yipping and barking in worry. It was… endearing. Having enough, I opened my eyes slowly, as if I had just woken up from a nap. Sitting up, the fox had crouch down to gain enough balance to stay on my chest. The necklace in my hands wrapped it’s way around its neck, giving it quite the shock. The fox was probably confused as to how I managed to bring it out of that dimension. I glanced down into its mana filled eyes, deep blue in color and shifting rapidly.

My eyes were glued to the fox’s as its eyes slowly changed color, becoming warmer in color. Yellows were poured in like water, dying its eyes green. More came, making it a yellower color, barely any green floating around. Then it seemed to darken as if light browns were being poured in. More yellow, more orange, more brown. It poured warm colors into its eyes until it huffed, satisfied. Its eyes were a light golden, shimmering in the light.

I bet this was as close as I was going to get to looking in a mirror. As a vampire, I’ve noticed I don’t have a reflection. Quite disturbing, and quite possibly the easiest way for me to get discovered. I smiled down at it, amused at its antics. Then I realized that I still didn’t know its gender. I decided to ask.

But I couldn’t, not without turning into a vampire. The only person I’m comfortable with asking if I can suck their blood would be my mother, and she happens to be unconscious at the moment. But I need to know my fox’s gender! Such a predicament calls for extreme measures!

I floated my mana over to Elliot. ‘May I suck your blood?’ She looked to me, then back at the letters a few times. I thought quicky. The letters changed. ‘I’ll reward you with whatever you want.’ She nodded vigorously, beginning to take off her maid outfit. My letters changed, trying to stop her. Alas, I was too late. Her outfit was already over her head, coming off quickly.

“Please give me 30 minutes alone with you later!” She asked selfishly with an energetic tone, showing me her neck for ease of access.

I shrugged before coming up to her, barely managing to stand. I set my vampire state to the smallest possible terms, trying to still be able to control it. It didn’t really work. My bloodthirst exploded from me full force, my 65% full blood meter appearing at the side of my vision like a health bar.

My body lunged forwards, mouth open, fangs out. I caught the look in Elliot’s eyes. Not one of disgust or fear, but one of pure… seductiveness? Why in the seven hells is this woman attempting to be seductive to a vampire drinking her blood?

I sank my teeth into her neck, listening to her breathing as I filled the storage. I would need to be more careful about it from now on… She moaned softly into my ear, melting into my embrace. The meter on my left was nearing its filling point, so I stopped drinking so much. Elliot placed her hands on the back of my head, pulling it closer to her.

I’m not really sure if I want a harem of older women, though… I’d rather have some more my age… Oh well.

God, damn these vampiric thoughts out of my head. Oh well is not the correct response to that thought train! At least show some aversion, you perverted vampire!

My thoughts were ignored as I continued sucking, even though my bar was full. From a third perspective, my eyes were probably filled with a lust that rivaled even Elliot’s. For some reason, that gives me the chills…

Eventually, my Vampiric state wore off, the lustful vampire retreating into my body. I pulled my teeth out of Elliot, licking the wound to heal it, causing another handful of moans. With that, I came to a realization that even I was surprised it took me so long to find out.

Is a vampire actually the most erotic race?

…

I shook my head, clearing it of all the happenstance situations with my erotic powers. I tried to remember my original purpose in doing this. I know for certain that it wasn’t just to fill my blood. I took a step back, leaving Elliot on the floor. I saw the fox, and my memory rushed back to me.

I knelt down to it and looked it in the eyes. I spoke my mind.

“What gender are you? Tap the ground once for male, twice for female.”

She tapped on the ground twice.

“Alright. Do you have a name? Tap once for yes, twice for no.” I waited for her tap. “Would you like me to give you a new one?”

She hesitated. She seemed conflicted. I chuckled, attracting her attention.

“Don’t worry about it. I just couldn’t think of a way to learn your name, so I offered. Sorry.”

She seemed worried, even more so than she just was. I began to laugh, finding her expression funny. She began yipping and barking at me as she realized that I was making fun of her, but that only made me laugh harder.

I sat in a broken house, laughing my heart out next to my unconscious mother and half naked maid.

Something is wrong with this picture…

A small hint… (Rose’s POV)

The door opened up. I wasn’t sure who it was at first, but then I realized it was my mother. Stowing away the kitchen knife, I ran to jump into her arms. Her hood fell off when I hit her, revealing her pure white fox ears, twitching rapidly to the fresh air. As a beastkin in a city of humans, you always had to keep your identity hidden. I kicked the door closed, making sure no passersby could see either of us as I cuddled into her chest.

“Welcome home!” I said, the words muffled a bit.

I could hear a chuckle from somewhere above me.

“I’m home.” A comforting voice, like a warm drink in the middle of winter.

I smiled, her voice running like water through my ears. I always loved my mother’s voice. But today she sounded a bit… worried? I should ask.

“Mother, what happened? You sound… different than you usually do.”

Another chuckle. “I saw something unbelievable today! I know how hard you have been practicing your magic, so I’ve been on the lookout for a suitable teacher! I’m not all that great at it, I know, but on a carriage towards that old abandoned house, I saw a huge mana wave come from it! I think that whoever on that carriage should be able to teach you magic. I’ll ask around with my coworkers and the guards. With luck, I’ll be able to get you a teacher just for working some!”

I was both glad and depressed at my mother’s choice of words. I would love to learn magic, but I hate having to make my mother work for my failures. I have no talent with magic, so I need a teacher. I’m a beastkin, so my mom needs to work to get me a teacher. Most people treat us beastkin no better than slaves, if not worse.

As I think this, I remember that one vampire. After that incident, I spent quite a few hours at the library, trying to find out what he was. If it could give me even the slightest hint at finding that vampire…

The memory hit me like a brick. Three boys. My wounds. Two broken legs and only one arm total. They boy’s silhouette. His golden eyes. The explosion of mana when his eyes turned red. The… explosion of mana…

“Wait. Mom, did you say you saw a huge wave of mana?” She looked confused but nodded.

“Did anything else… unusual happen lately?” She nodded once more, her face going into ‘rant’ mode.

“Yes, in fact. There was this maid pinning a boy to the ground! I think she was even moaning, right outside the city! You could have heard her from the road! I wonder what she saw in that golden eyed boy? It must have…”

I wasn’t listening anymore. My mind was stuck on how she had described the boy.

Golden eyes… It’s him! It’s definitely him! I can see him again!

“I want… No, I need that person as my teacher! Please bring me to that shack!” My body was shaking, in excitement and fear in equal amounts.

I could see him again. I studied all about vampires and anything I saw, trying to find any last piece of information that would bring me to him. But now I had hope. This time, I would not be letting my prey go free.

A little hint, rev. (Freil’s POV)

I arrived home today like normal, right on time. I heard the sound of Rose putting away the knife as I took off my shoes by the door. I turned to catch my flying child, my hood falling off during the impact. I shivered slightly as my ears adjusted to the fresh air. I had kept them cramped up in that cloak for too long. I cuddled my child and said my greetings.

She must have heard the edge in my voice. I was still a bit distracted from seeing that carriage going that way. Nobody went to the ‘witch’s house’ anymore, thinking it to be cursed somehow. Even worse, the carriage that went that way nearly dropped off the road from a blast of mana. The mana had come from inside the vehicle. Remembering Rose was looking for somebody to teach her magic, not having much luck on her own, I decided to find out who could have made that mana wave.

I finished explaining my idea, but Rose looked depressed about it. I didn’t say anything, but it was clear on her face. Then she surprised me by clarifying something I had said just a few seconds ago. She looked excited, to say the least.

To accurately describe it, she was shaking enough for me to feel it without holding her. Her eyes were shining with so many expectations, and her smile had taken a small edge I wasn’t sure I liked. It seemed almost… possessive. Like a predator to prey. She asked if anything else had happened recently.

I remembered the sight I saw before the carriage. A maid atop a small golden eyed boy, moaning like a demon in heat. For a second I had assumed they were doing something indecent, but I was incorrect. The maid was just moaning, rising in volume, as she stared at the small boy under her. I was ranting, I could tell.

I was about to stop when Rose interrupted me, shocking me once more. She seemed even more different today than I did. As if something had taken over her body and willed her towards that house. For a few minutes, I had wondered if she was, in fact, being possessed, but her ecstatic face when I told her about the golden-eyed boy was unmistakably hers.

Now, what has this child done to my adorable daughter? I remember the other day when she came home with the oddest of faces, like she had just been to hell and back, and thoroughly enjoyed the journey. She had a rivulet of drool dripping down her face, her hair was everywhere, and she was holding on to her right arm like she was glad it was still there. Her steps were shaky, and I asked her if she had been assaulted. Her response was the oddest part.

“Ah? I did get assaulted, in more ways than one…” A seductive grin and a small knowing chuckle completed the response, thoroughly making me rethink if I had gone wrong in teaching her to stay away from men.

I pray to the gods that she is still pure. It’s the only thing left I can do...