Cyril pov

"Ugh my damn head."

I wake up in a daze. My surroundings cold, back stiff, ground rough, head pounding. Where the hell am I? It looks to be a cave. Stalactites hanging from the roof from which water drips onto stalagmites. How the fuck did i get here? Wait last thing I remember was...

"Oh finally awake are we? Well you sure took your time. What was it agin? Something like two days?"-???

"Eh?"

I hear an unfimiliar voice echo as I start to remember what exactly had happened before I lost councisness. It's snappy. Like what you'd expect an evil gnome to sound like. I hop to my feet and look around frantically trying to find the owner. I have had enough of disembodied voices.

"Who's there!"

"Is that how you speak to your host?"-???

"Host? So this is your-"

"Mhm you're in my home. Shouldn't you show some respect?"-???

Did I get abducted by some sort of cannibal? Who the hell lives in a cave?

"Why so nervous? Scared I might pop out at you? Heheh that would be funny. I doubt it would scare someone with such a high mental resistance though."-???

"How do you know about that! Show yourself already!"

"Oh~ Touchy touchy! You don't like that you can't see me? Does it maybe remind you of a recent event?"-???

Damn, he hit the nail right on the head. This fucker is mocking me! Not to mention he knows things he shouldn't know about.

"Fine. I'll let you see me. Just look behind you."-???

I whip around as fast as possible to see who exactly has been messing with me. However, all I see is more rocks. Am I still being messed with?

"Down here."-???

I follow the instructions on where to look and spot the strangest sight I have seen since coming here. A god damn talking weasel. Snowy white fur covers his whole body. His tiny eyes not black like a regular weasel, but a peircing red.

"I know I know I'm adorable. Want to cuddle? Heh name's Ambrogino."-Ambrogino

"Cyril. You can call me Cyril."

Despite this being the strangest thing I've seen these past two years I refuse to let this effect me. Without a doubt there will be stranger things than this.

"Oh I already knew that. Considering Tayrn sent me to watch over you since day one, I know everything about you."-Ambrogino

What! That shit head is still watching me?

"[Bolt]"

Not letting him have the chance to say another word I cast [Bolt] straight at his fuzzy face.

*ZZzzzZZZ*

Dust clouds the area I shot at, covering my view of the weasel. Did I get him?

"A natural reaction to such a horrible person's name. But-"-Ambrogino

Behind me!

"[Fireball]"

Out comes a blazing how ball of fire. Damn another miss!

"Do you really have to take it out on me?"-Ambrogino

This time he appeares on my left shoulder. Using his scarlet eyes to stare deep into my eyes.

"Ugh forget it. Just tell me what you are. And get the hell off of me."

There's no way I could fight this thing if I can't even keep him in my sight. Besides who am I to kill the messenger.

"Of course!"-Ambrogino

He says before leaping off me before landing back on the ground.

"As I said before, my name is Ambrogino and this is my home."-Ambrogino

"Weasels don't usually live in caves. Why do you live here?"

"What made you think that this is my true form? No, I am a Vampire. More specifically a Bajang. I can just turn into a weasel."-Ambrogino

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

So just a regular Vampire except it can turn into a weasel instead of a bat. That sounds...Very lame.

"My class of Vampire mainy feeds on children. Oh! They tast much much more delicious than any of those dirty adults!"-Ambrogino

As expected of one of Tayrn's henchmen. Disgusting.

"Not even surprised huh? That mental resistance sure is convenient."-Ambrogino

"You know, I don't even know how actualy number. Just that it's really high. No one ever wants to tell me."

"Hmm I think Master Tayrn said it waaaas 94%"-Ambrogino

"Damn. That really is impressive. So? Can you do anything else? I'd like to learn all I can about the species of this world."

I really do have a genuine interest in learning this sort of thing. If I am going to live here I might as well learn about the things that can and can't hurt me.

"As expected. Just as curious as you were the day you arrived here. Ahem I have incredible physical strength as you just saw earlier. Even in this form I can move so fast that  I am invisible to the untrained eye. Pair that with my vast amount of mana, it makes me one of the higher teired Vampires."-Ambrogino

So Vampires have a sort of ranking system huh? I rub my chin as I listen to Ambrogino's lesson on his kind.

"My special abilities include spreading madness and disease. If the latter is not treated properly it could be extremely deadly. Even to the strongest of warriors."-Ambrogino

"How could such a fluffy furball be such a horrid creature?"

"Heh only in this form am I cute and cuddly. I make grown ass men shit themselves in my true form!"-Ambrogino

 A monster that eats children is bound to be hideous. Hearing what he actually is there was no way I could really fight him. I may not scare easily but I sure do have a short fuse. If he had not been sent from Tayrn to watch over me there is no telling what he would do to me after I attacked him. I need to be more careful in the future.

"Alright. Now can you explain how I got here? Last thing I remember I was having a hissy fit in the middle of the forest. Now I'm here. Why did you take me here instead of just taking me home? Or at least somewhere close?"

"Take you home? After that happened? You really do not understand a single thing that is happening, do you?"-Ambrogino

"If you're refering to that black sphere that formed around me then no. I just want to head home to my family."

After that scene with Lucas I just want to head home and try to patch things up as soon as possible. He may have said he no longer thinks of me as his brother, but I know him too well to know that is not true. That kid is way too sweet to say something like that and not regret it.

"Kid, I saved your life by bringing you here. Not to mention I nearly lost my own doing so."-Ambrogino

"What do you mean?"

Perhaps a beast was chasing me. Or humans?

"No you idiot! That black sphere was the darkness within you! A darkness that has not been seen for eons!"-Ambrogino

God damn cryptic bullshit.

"I don't like playing the pronoun game Ambrogino. Say it in a way that makes sence."

"What I am saying is that you are a very special breed of Dragon! Most people of your species would have to go through the threat of fighting their inner demons to gain their Dragon form or go berserk. However, this does not apply to you because your particular breed is a special case. You don't need to go through a ritual."-Ambrogino

"if I don't need a ritual how come this has never happened before?"

"Kid, your breed is known as a Black Dragon. Black Dragons are fueled by negative emotions such as grief and hatred. From what I have seen, you haven't really had many bad experiences since coming here. You just needed a push to trigger it. Not to mention their unnaturally incredible thurst for battle. In fact, the previous Black Dragon would destroy entire cities just for fun!"-Ambrogino

Hmm so I am constantly in danger of this. Was that voice just a manifestation of my inner termoil? Did Tayrn have a part in this as well? No, there's no way he would have known something like this. Was it just a coincidence then?

"So what you're saying is that I need to get my emotions under control or else I become a horrible monster? That doesn't really explain why I am here."

"Sigh~Your predecessor was known as the most evil being to walk the planet since the devil himself. Do you know what I saved you from? I saved you from your own kind! Dragons!"-Ambrogino

"What?!"

"Did you really think that old bastard would not have people watch you just because you no longer bear the blessing of my Master? The people assigned to watch you probably recognized what took place and wanted to kill you while you were just a child. Before you could grow up to be a walking apocolypse."-Ambrogino

This means I won't be able to go home without someone trying to kill me? I can't believe Elder would order something like this...That's just one more person I've lost!

My brows furrow as I think about how much I have lost in such a short amount of time. I always thought of him as a Grandfather and he does something like this!

"Hey hey hey! Don't go doing what you did back there! I live here you jackass!"-Ambrogino

Ambrogino noticed I was getting riled up again before he shouts at me to stop what I'm doing before I destroy his home.

*Inhale~*

*Exhale~*

Calm down. I can't lose controle again. I don't know if I'll be able to stop myself the next time that voice shows up.

"What about my family? What has happened to them? Do they know where I am?"

"How should I know? One thing for sure is that you most likely have many Dragons looking for you now. And if I had to guess theat old fox probably did not tell your family what you really are yet. More that likely, he will tell them you are just missing so he can kill you without them knowing. You would just be "lost" until they find and kill you. Afterall, there are many dangers this deep in the forest."-Ambrogino

That does sound like a good plan. My parents are the strongest people in the village though. Certainly they will both be part of this search team. It makes me wonder. Would they kill me if Elder orders it or would they protect me...?

"...Hey. What was the previous Black Dragon like? Before he gained his Dragon form, I mean."

"What was he like before? I do not know. I may have been alive at the time, but I did not know him. Legend says he was worse than scum even before he gained that form."-Ambrogino

"Well I know one thing. I am not evil! I am not like him! And I am certainly not worse than scum! My reputation may be tarnished all because of my predecessor but I will prove this fact! Then I can return to my family!"

"Then why would you beat a goblin to death?"-Ambrogino

Remembering what I did to that goblin makes me grit my teeth. I don't know why I did that. It felt like I would go insane if a hadn't.

"Don't take it personally. It's just a fact that all Black Dragons crave battle. I believe that you can prove others wrong. Prove to them that you are not evil. I'm just pointing out that you have the potential to be as wretched as my Master wishes you to be. Although I had to hold back from eating you these past couple of years, I also grew quite fond of you."-Ambrogino

Hah seems like I've found a new friend. Even though I'm being hunted.