Sleeping in an inactive ice box is not something I’m proud of… Not even if the outdated cans of beer were even still good. Not like I could drink them anyways as I wasn’t fortunate enough to be blessed with the ability to consume food and drink. With the Scag earlier part of me was fearful of trying to sleep but thankfully there was enough stuff to pile in front of the cooler to keep anything out long enough for Nala to sic em. I would need to make sure to provide some vitae to her to keep her under contract because this would have been a lot harder without someone to have my back. Sleeping was the time when we were most vulnerable and while I was confident that I could instinct myself way through a torpor disrupted induced Frenzy I didn’t want to test it with the sun out.
Waking up for a Cainite was not like waking up for humans. We didn’t have an in between period of sleep and waking, it was pretty jarring. Our bodies forcefully burn a bit of Vitae and compel us to continue. I don’t remember the first few times I woke up from Torpor. I didn’t exactly have the best early undead existence. My first pack was the stereotypical Sabbat Gangrel pack and my frenzy marks were duly earned. Night in and out they would starve me before tossing me a homeless person who I would kill like a frenzied beast. By the time my Sister’s found me I was less than human and only by their mercy was I dragged from the dark. Now here I was again sleeping in abandoned buildings but unlike last time I wasn’t weak. First of the day's events was to pet Nala before cutting my palm with one of my permanent fangs. Then I offered her the dark thick vitae as a snack in order to extend our contract another week. Once the timer was reset I allowed her to fade back into the Umbra and await my needs.
Next was whether to continue my trip south or deal with the wyrm taint in this abandoned town. Did I want to wander a mine looking for the epicenter of the infection? Hell no, why not leave it for those whose job it was? Then again part of me felt like it was my job too… I had the power to cleanse the freaks and it would be a good mark on my Karma if I did so. My conscience told me to do it as well as I would be upholding the Harmony of the area by clearing it of the filth and corruption. The Beast though told me it was none of my business and it would be a waste of resources. My hunt was elsewhere. Both were right of course but it would be a sin against my Path to leave this place in the hands of the Corrupter so with a bit of reluctance it was time to hunt down and devour the source.
“Nala, stay on the lookout. Looks like we have a side quest.” My shadow nodded and I started to get ready for the purge. Heading out of the gas station and towards my bike I would need a few things first. Remember when I said I had a few bound artifacts? Well I had eight of them but most wouldn’t be useful. First was my sword, then was my wedding ring, third were my boots, then I had a pair of biker gloves with steel plates on the back of them, my cellphone was enchanted, I had a book of rituals that continued a spirit of knowledge, my bike had a spirit of wind, and finally the last item I pulled out of my saddle bag. It was a Japanese made Kitsune, almost like my mom would let us wear during festival season. It’s purpose was to obscure my identity when I readied for war and a fight with the wyrm counted right? It was black with gold outlining and decorated with red ribbon looking rather stylish when worn with my hood up like I was some kind of anime protagonist. Yes I do play into my own stereotype, the other Ductus claimed I was naive and childish but jokes on them I’m alive and they are ashes right now. Guess I did win in the end despite my loss at being a Bishop.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Gloves pulled on for defense, sword sheathed and ready, my boots double tied to provide additional mobility, and my mask pulled over my face I was ready. All 5’1 of me decked out in black and red were ready to take the fight to the Wyrm and then we could move on to killing other vampires. So activating Hermetic Sight I let my will overlay the world with technicolor to better track the corruption. While it was great the stuff was easily track-able since the sludge stood out against the backdrop of American decay, I would need to journey a bit to find where it seemed to gather.
“As predicted… it’s the coal mine.” Talking to myself helped a bit as I looked at the entrance to a hole in the side of the hill. It didn’t seem to be a main entrance and judging by the way the corruption sat the sludge was pouring out from inside. The air was heavy with negativity and the perversion of nature made even my undead body want to vomit. “I hate this… I’m gonna need a new change of clothes after this.” It was childish to complain but when I look like a freshman in college for eternity you can get away with it… Least that is what I tell myself. Astrid found my antics adorable, and now that she was gone I found no reason to stop.
“Nala, watch my back please. Let’s finish this and find ourselves a motel with a pool in the next town. What do you think, girl?” My shadow responded with a nod but I swear I could hear it purr. I honestly didn’t realize cougars could purr but they sure could. It was comforting in an eat your face kind of way. Together we entered the deep dark hole filled with who knows what sort of supernatural nightmares. Least I could eat them… Gotta think positive lest the Beast drags you into the abyss.