[Main Pov]
I glance to the side and realize the sound came from a bee buzzing around inside the house. Sometimes, having super-sharp hearing can be really annoying. In the movies, it seems like an amazing power — and it can be — but in real life, it's not always that great. Sounds that used to go unnoticed or wouldn't even reach your ears now bother me all day long.
Like this little bee flying around here. I've always had a soft spot for them. There are tons around the house, probably because I've always been obsessed with flowers — even back in my previous life. So, when we built our little castle, I filled the place with blooms.
Thanks to that, a bunch of bees come by to pollinate. Whenever I hear their steady hum as they work, I feel completely at peace. Bees really are magnificent creatures. Someday, I plan to have my own apiary.
Actually, in the future, I want a lot of things. I want to live freely and do everything I couldn't in my past life. And to do that, I need to become strong — not just in power, but in influence too.
That's why I've been getting more and more serious about turning that old idea into something real: building a clan made up of the greatest minds in history. When the idea first came to me, it sounded like a joke... but after I got back home, it started making more and more sense.
They always say knowledge is power. And, really, if I had the brightest minds humanity's ever known as allies and advisors, I'd probably have the greatest power in the world. If I can pull that off, I'll have nothing to worry about.
Even in a worst-case scenario — like humans discovering the existence of vampires and starting to hunt us down, like in those Underworld movies — I'd still be fine. With minds like Socrates, Plato, Newton, Darwin, Albert Einstein, and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe by my side... modern military power would mean absolutely nothing. With the knowledge I bring from the future and my eidetic memory, combined with their genius, we could create weapons and technologies hundreds of years ahead of today's.
Sci-fi stuff like warp drives, intergalactic ships, and so on... could totally become real. Men like Einstein were always limited by their human bodies and short lifespans.
Take Einstein, for example. Within just 200 years of his birth, you had men and women like Isaac Newton, Émilie du Châtelet, Charles Darwin, Gregor Mendel, and Marie Curie — they could've worked together, enhanced each other's research, and pushed science way further than they ever could alone.
Because let's be honest: when it comes to scientific research, collaboration often leads to the most extraordinary breakthroughs.
The biggest limitation for many of them was time. But as vampires — children of the wheel of time — with lifespans that stretch thousands of years... just thinking about it gives me chills.
We could build the true House of Knowledge. I picture it, and I can't help the excitement bubbling up in me:
— Intergalactic Vampire Pirates!
[General Pov]
The young vampire, who just moments ago had slaughtered his enemy in a terrifying and merciless fashion — leaving not even the slightest chance of escape — now looked like an excited child, dreaming about the possibilities of exploring space and countless worlds alongside the very people he had spent so much time studying...
In the southern region of Greece, on the famous Peloponnese Peninsula, where the Alagonia Waterfall now stands (in Greek: Καταρράκτης Αλαγονίας; Katarráktis Alagonías), there sits a small castle. Small, at least compared to the massive medieval fortresses of old — yet it still retains all its beauty and sense of grandeur.
Inside the castle, two figures can be seen — a man and a woman. The man, a young one, is lying on the second floor in his room, a smile on his face. The woman is downstairs, wearing a stern expression, as if something has clearly irritated her.
Morpheus, the young man resting upstairs, had no idea what was about to happen to him at that very moment.
[Amun's Pov]
A few months ago, I received word from a friend about the possible formation of a new coven. It was the kind of rumor we heard at least once a year, nothing too alarming at first. But something about this one bothered me. This coven was different—it kept gnawing at me for weeks.
And now here I am, traveling at full speed for the past few days to see it with my own eyes. I left my homeland in Egypt and made my way to a peninsula in Greece, where I stand now. I came to the place they said this new group had settled. It's weak compared to other covens, but my survival instincts forced me to come—and in my 1,200 years of existence, they've never failed me.
Every time I think about this new coven, I get a strange feeling. A deep unease that I can't shake. Not even the Romanians made me feel this way—and I've stood face-to-face with Stefan, right at the gates of his castle. The discomfort he caused was nothing compared to what I feel now.
Because of the risks this trip might bring, I decided to leave Kebi at home and brought along my loyal companion, Kéfera.
Kéfera's powers impress the entire Egyptian coven. Even though she's only 300 years old—practically a child by our standards—she's already become one of the most important figures in our group. A true genius, who strikes fear even in the most powerful among us, all thanks to her electrifying ability to control lightning.
She's an exceptional warrior, and when she combines that with her electric powers, she becomes even more formidable. I was lucky to have her under my guidance from the very beginning, back when she was still a fledgling vampire.
Kéfera pulls me from my thoughts when she says,"Lord Amun, by the scent... I think we've reached their border."
I listen carefully. She's right—I can already smell the presence of new vampires. As soon as the scent hits, my senses go into high alert. I don't know if they'll be hostile or see me as a threat. I just hope not. All I want is a short conversation and to assess the situation.
I've got over a thousand years of experience brokering peace—I'm hoping that'll be enough. If it isn't, then I can only hope Kéfera can buy us enough time to escape.
After considering that, I respond,"Kéfera, stay sharp. From this point on, things get uncertain. If the situation turns dangerous, we run—no hesitation. We're not here to fight, not under any circumstances. Got it?"
I emphasize that last part because I know her too well. She's always itching for a fight, but this situation is far too fragile.
After a brief exchange of looks, she nods, and we continue toward the new coven.
As soon as I cross the invisible line that marks their territory, the sense of danger spikes dramatically. My instincts scream at me to turn back, but I keep walking, stubbornly, for a few more seconds—until something surprising happens, to both me and Kéfera.
The temperature begins to drop, and before long, I see snowflakes falling from the sky. The ground quickly becomes coated in white. It spreads with unbelievable speed—even by vampire standards. Trees and plants turn pale under a fine layer of frost. Icicles start forming around us.
Kéfera, fascinated by the scene, smiles and tries to catch snowflakes in the air. She plays with them for a bit. One of her most curious traits is this—despite being a ruthless warrior, she has the soul of a child.
I spin in place, surveying the scene, and I have to admit: it's beautiful. But there's a danger in this snow I can feel in my bones. That's when a voice suddenly pulls me out of my thoughts and catches me off guard.
"Hello. To what do I owe the honor of your visit, my dear guests?"
I turn quickly toward the sound and see a man who appeared out of nowhere, standing right behind us. His appearance is so bizarre, I don't even know where to begin.
He was tall, with a powerful voice. His skin had a bluish-gray tint, and his hair... His hair looked like strands of blue fire, as if it were burning. He looked like a demon.
Kéfera, seeing him, immediately shifts into a combat stance and sparks of electricity begin to crackle around her body. Knowing her, I quickly step in front and say,"Stand down, Kéfera."
Then I turn to the strange man and speak,"I apologize for her disrespect. We didn't mean to offend you by stepping onto your lands."
I bow before him. We've already trespassed, and now that Kéfera has displayed her powers, things are even more tense. He could easily believe we're here with hostile intentions. I notice, however, that he completely ignores my words and simply says,"Follow me. I'll take you to our home."
At his words, I call Kéfera to my side and give her a silent look. The kind of look that, millennia from now, would become famous among mothers across the world—a look that says, "We'll talk about this at home."
We walk slowly—at human pace—with him leading and the two of us following close behind.
This man is strange in so many ways. Not just in appearance, but in existence itself. He has no scent. He's not a vampire, not a human, not even a shapeshifter. Whatever he is, he isn't alive—I can feel that in the absence of a heartbeat.
Another bizarre detail: his legs seem connected directly to the snow, as if he were a part of it. I try to make small talk a few times along the way, but he doesn't respond to any of it. Realizing he doesn't want to speak, I stay quiet and just follow.
With time, the feeling of danger begins to fade, which brings me a bit of relief.
I notice the entire path we walk is covered in snow—but after a while, I realize something peculiar: only the path we're walking on is snowy. The rest of the forest looks untouched.
I'm pulled from my thoughts again when I hear something I've been expecting for a while. The man, who'd maintained an unnerving silence until now, finally speaks:"We've arrived. This is our home. Now you may speak with me."
I don't quite understand what he means, but we continue walking for a few more minutes until a beautiful structure comes into view. It's not as grand as our pyramids, but it's stunning nonetheless.
In front of the building sits a man on a throne made of ice. A young man, with long black hair and eyes that shone with intensity—one red, the other blue. It was a vision that left me speechless for a few moments.
The young man rose from his throne and walked toward us. Slowly, the glow in his eyes began to fade. He stopped just a few meters away, opened his arms and said,
"Welcome to our humble home."
I was completely lost, unable to make sense of anything I was witnessing.
[General Point of View]
A few moments earlier.
[Main Point of View]
Intergalactic vampire pirates… now that would be awesome. Looks like I've got a new goal: advance our technology enough to explore outer space with my army of super-intelligent vampires.
But my daydream came to a sudden end the moment I sensed something. I got up from bed and started sniffing around until I picked up the presence of two vampires near my house. Just my luck—today of all days, it's just me and Sulpicia here. Really, the worst time to be invaded.
My first concern is Sulpicia's safety. I use my superspeed to rush down to where she is. She shoots me an angry glare—still mad I ran off earlier—but before she can say anything, I cut her off with a serious tone:
— Save the complaints for later. We've got intruders. Please, head to the panic room and stay there until I open the door. I'll check out what they want. If they're a threat, I'll deal with them. It'll be fine. Trust me.
I made sure to explain things and calm her down. I may not love Sulpicia the way she loves me, but I still want her safe—she's part of my family, after all.
Thankfully, our house was built with situations like this in mind. Secret passageways, underground tunnels—stuff that not even vampires would be able to find. So, even if I'm defeated, she'll be safe. That's what matters most.
Not that I have a death wish—but being defeated and being killed are two different things. Even against a large group of vampires, I'm confident I could at least escape. So I stick to the old rule: "as long as you're alive, there's hope."
After a split second of thought, Sulpicia stares at me for a moment, nods, and takes off running. Halfway through, she stops, turns back, and asks:
— Do you promise you'll come back?
I hear her question and respond:
— Of course I'll come back. I'll always come back to you. That's a promise.
I say it with a confident smile, certain that I'll be fine. I can't say the same for the ones who dared trespass on our territory.
I leave the house and walk a few meters ahead. My right eye begins to glow in a bluish hue, and behind me, an ice throne begins to form—I sit down. I had no clue who the intruders were or what they wanted. Over the past few years, I've hunted many vampires… but I've never been the hunted. And honestly, it gives me a little chill.
In my hunts, I always studied my targets beforehand. It was easy to pass as human, so I'd watch them for a while, assess the threat level, then strike. In other words—I always fought with the upper hand. After all, I'm a hunter, not a warrior. Honor may send many warriors to an early grave, and I just got started in this life. I'm in no rush to end up in a coffin.
Not to mention… dying hurts.
That uncertainty, that fear of dying again, made me decide to give it everything I had. I braced myself to unleash my ice and fire powers at full force, if needed. I placed my hands on the arms of the throne and channeled all my energy into that moment. My right eye glowed brighter in blue, and my left began to shine red.
The glow in my eyes became so intense it could be seen from afar. I was about to use my most complex technique—one I'd spent seven years perfecting.
It involves using ice and fire simultaneously—a "simple" process of freezing and thawing ice rapidly to create snow.
I came up with the idea a few months after my reincarnation. At first, it felt dumb—maybe even impossible. But after a lot of training, I managed to create my first snowflakes. Once I nailed the timing, the process got a lot faster.
At first, I thought snow would be useless, just a silly little trick. But over time, I realized its true potential.
It's way more flexible to control. Maybe not as strong as solid ice, but so much easier to manipulate it actually takes less effort than fire. Because of that, I could do almost anything with it. And the possibilities kept growing.
After just a few days of training, I was already making snowmen and controlling their movements with ease—something that's still hard to do with ice.
Eventually, I created my first snowstorms—beautiful and deadly. The ice in my storms was fully under my control. A single flake could become a lethal weapon.
But my favorite part? My golems. Nowadays, I can make them almost identical to real people—still a few limits, mostly with skin tone. That's why I always use my favorite: Hades. And he's the one I'm using now.
With everything ready, the snow begins to fall around me, and my eyes shine even brighter. The enhanced perception the blizzard gives me washes over me completely.
I can feel the snow as an extension of my body. And with it, I sense everything around me. Every plant, tree, or object touched by the snow appears in my mind. At first, the 360-degree vision was disorienting. Now, I'm used to it.
Of course, processing this much info comes at a price. Luckily, I'm a hybrid with a superhuman brain. If I weren't, I'd probably be collapsed on the ground, bleeding from my ears and nose.
I focus again as I feel their footsteps, and I redirect the storm toward their location. Within seconds, the area around them is buried in snow.
They're surprised. The man goes on high alert at the sudden change, while the woman seems enchanted, trying to catch the snowflakes. The scene amuses me.
I get curious about what they look like. I can see them, but my vision right now is kind of like Daredevil's—not super clear.
I use my powers again to create a snow collar around my neck. It picks up the vibrations from my vocal cords and transmits them to the golem's mouth, mimicking my voice through those same vibrations.
It still sounds a bit distorted and weird, but it's understandable. I'm working on it.
With the collar ready, I create a snow golem in the shape of the animated version of Hades and say:
— Hello. To what do I owe the honor of your visit, my dear...?
To be continued...
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[N/A] If you've read this far, thank you! And since I'm terrible at handling compliments, please, insult me instead!