Chapter 3 （Caleb）Wishing Well
Chapter 3 (Caleb)
Wishing Well
A few gray feathers were still scattered around the room. Memories of the goddess’s body haunted my mind. The pain of her magic piercing my soul would stay with me forever. But at last, I was born again, son of the goddess. Her powers coursed through my veins, even stronger than my bloodlust, mingling with my vampiric magic.
Being bonded to the goddess annoyed me somewhat. I didn’t want to obey anyone, but it was a strategic move I had made deliberately. She was using me, and I was using her. As long as I kept my freedom, I was okay with it. The new powers coursing through my veins would be useful. I was yet to discover the extent of it all .
Nathan is in Mytvathyr . That’s all the letter Erendriel had sent contained. I knew the elven king was determined to have the hybrid killed. I had felt it the day he hired me. Nonetheless, I was glad to finally know where my target was hiding. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on more gold. I remembered my encounter with him. Despite the poison, I couldn’t kill him. Now that I was Aeris’s son, I would win against the bastard.
? Walking or flying to the elven city would probably take several days. I couldn’t afford to take that long to get there and for him to slip away. I wanted to kill him and be done with it.
? I felt the cold flow of my new enhanced magic pulse inside me. A thought suddenly occurred to me—audacious and unbridled. Was I strong enough to fly to the elven city in one trip? It was outrageous and beyond the reach of any vampire. Yet, since I could draw on both my vampiric bloodlust and my godlike powers, could such a feat be within my grasp?
? My lip curled up at this thought. I loved a challenge. I ate breakfast and put on a nice shirt. I stared in the mirror to check if I was stylish enough and stopped when I caught sight of my silver eyes. I missed the blue they used to be. It would take some time to get used to them. Feeling I looked the part, I headed out of my house.
I contemplated the incredible beauty of sunlight now that my new powers amplified the colors. It was like nothing I’d seen before, and I took a breath of admiration. The street was deserted, and I smiled at my good fortune. I could take flight without prying eyes. It was still early, and I imagined most people were still asleep.
I took a deep breath and launched myself into the sky, high enough to avoid people noticing me. At this height, I would only cast a small spot of shadow on the ground, small enough that people would think it was a bird.
The wind felt great against my skin. I was impressed by the ease with which I flew and my speed. I knew I was more powerful, but I’d never imagined I could go as fast as this. The landscape flashed by, houses quickly giving way to forest trees and surrounding fields.
If my powers kept me going long enough at this speed, I’d be in the elven city by evening. I was delighted.
I’d been flying for hours and was finally starting to feel tired. It seemed my powers weren’t infinite, but it didn’t matter. On the horizon, I could finally see the elven city. The sun was beginning to set on the horizon, draping the sky in red and orange as if paint was spilled into the clouds. I inhaled a deep breath, a feeling of satisfaction filling me. The journey had taken about as long as I’d expected, and I was sure I’d be able to find Nathan.
I stopped at the edge of a forest close to Mytvathyr. Arriving by air would have alerted anyone, so it was better to keep a low profile, an art I’d perfected over the years.
My body felt heavy as I hit the ground, and I realized how exhausted I was from flying here on one trip. I was hungry, and I needed to feed. Like all vampires, eating food would restore me, but to a much lesser extent than blood. I much preferred the latter. I replaced my shirt’s collar before venturing forward.
I stared at the elven city and wondered if I should find a woman to please me and to drink from. I had never had an elf before, and I was sure they were as voluptuous as the other races.
A cold shiver ran through my veins, and Aeris’s playful voice resonated through my mind. “ Now, my child. Time to do my bidding. Spread chaos throughout the city. Kill them! ”
I froze. I didn’t realize that the bond with the goddess allowed her to communicate with me through thought.
“How does it work?” I asked out loud. I waited but didn’t get an answer.
No matter, my lip curled up at the order from the goddess. Killing people was what I liked the most. I’d just kill the girl after I was sated. How delightful to think I could rejuvenate myself, have a good time, and please my goddess all at once.
“Hum, such a good boy ,” commented Aeris. I froze at her voice again.
“Will I get a reward?” I asked, testing the link.
Still no answer.
Another question rose through my mind: could she hear all of my thoughts? I was linked to her, but to what extent was she present in my mind? Even as her son, I still wanted my privacy and wasn’t okay with her prying on my thoughts.
This was frustrating. I’d have to ask the next time I saw her. I brushed it off. I needed to feed first.
I walked to the elven town. The city gates were closed, and two guards blocked the entrance. Even a few meters away, I could hear their hearts pumping blood, a sound so tantalizing and luring me into a trance. Either one would do. As long as I got to sink my teeth into their neck and bleed them dry, I’d be satisfied. I plastered a fake smile I had mastered over the years for my work.
“Good evening, gentlemen,” I greeted. I tried to hide my canines, which had grown due to hunger.
“Who goes there?” asked the first guard warily.
“Only a lone traveler seeking refuge in the great elven city.” I imbued my words with magic, hoping it would be sufficient so they wouldn’t ask questions about my eyes.
The guards didn’t react to my powers. Their stares were cold and hard. I swore inwardly and realized that my god-enhanced abilities didn’t work on mind-bending. Elves were more resistant to magic than humans.
“The city is closed to the likes of you.”
“Since when? Mytvathyr has always been a friendly town. I was hoping to find respite and enjoy the hospitality of the elves.”
The first guard stated, “There’s been a lot of your kind in our city lately. Things have started turning sour. The king has ordered that we don’t let any vampires in. It will be good riddance once the ones in the city leave.”
I feigned offense and sent a wave of persuasion powers. “How can you say such things? I only seek refuge after a long day of travel.”
The first guard had the same hard face, but the second one hesitated. “He seems okay.”
The other gave him a wondering stare. He continued, “Maybe we could let him in.”
My lip curled up, and I pushed another strong wave of vampiric powers toward the second guard, the one already influenced by my magic. I needed him to let me into the town. My divine powers suddenly surged, making me lose control. I unintentionally sent a massive wave of persuasion. It was a force I’d never seen before, way too strong for the task at hand. From how he looked, he was just a mindless puppet now, and I felt disgusted. I usually preferred to leave them in control, especially when they were women I wanted to have a good time with, but at least it would serve my cause.
“Are you nuts?” asked the first guard.
“Good, I’d love to get in the city,” I added.
The one under my control repeated slowly, “Good.”
At the incredulous look on the first guard’s face, I sharpened my nails and jumped on him. Despite his elven resistance to magic, the guard was no match for my godlike powers. I slit his throat with my sharp nails, preventing him from calling for help, the cry he wanted to utter sounding more like a gargle from the blood that filled his mouth and bubbled out. I hurried to finish him off before the eyes of the second guard, who watched numbly, caught in the grip of my power.
I turned to the remaining guard, who was waiting for my order.
I spoke more to myself than anything else. “Well, now. This was quite unexpected. I’ll need to be careful when using my power if I don’t want to end up with a useless vegetable like you.”
The guard nodded, dazed. I loved it when men fought back desperately, trying to escape death. It was so much fun to chase and toy with them. I would learn to master my new magic so it wouldn’t happen again. What good was my reputation as an assassin if I had no challenges when killing my victims?
I shrugged. “Oh well. We’d better get done with it. I’m thirsty anyway.”
I sank my teeth into the guard, the taste of his hot, spicy blood on my tongue strong. He didn’t struggle as I drank sip after sip, quenching my thirst for every drop of stolen life.
His thoughts mingled with mine as my heart beat in unison with his. I saw his wife and daughter, running happily through a large garden full of flowers. He was reliving his happiest moments, and I was living them with him, giving peace to his soul as his body lost strength. I took him in my arms to keep him from collapsing, not wanting to break the bond, drinking more.
An intoxicating sensation washed over me, brushing me with a desire as I drank, and I regretted not having Aeris with me. When I finally sensed that he was approaching the fateful moment when he would die, I withdrew my fangs from his neck and laid him on the ground, not wishing to be dragged down with him to death.
Sated, I felt my body rejuvenated from the blood, ready to tackle what came next. I looked at the bodies and remembered the words of the goddess. Spread chaos throughout the city. It pained me to do so, every fiber of my being begging me to hide the corpses and dispose of them properly. I took a deep breath and pushed the massive wooden city door, ignoring the assassin’s instinct. The bodies would be found in the morning. That ought to bring chaos to Mytvathyr.
I was surprised when the doors opened. They didn’t make a single sound. For wooden doors as massive as these, almost twice as tall as me and each wide enough for large wagons, I expected the wood to creak, the metal hinges to screech, or any sound. I figured they were imbued with magic. The street was deserted, and I closed the doors behind me.
I walked on a small street that went to the right, finding myself up in a winding street lined with broken houses. The neighborhood was less affluent than other parts of the city, but I felt like I belonged there. I stared into the night, wondering where the nearest inn was and asking about Nathan’s location .
My breath caught as I approached an old wooden well beside a large tree, bringing me a flashback of my childhood. Sure, I’d grown up in the vampire town, and the details were slightly different, but I felt I was back in time to when I was just a kid.
I could see myself again, a young vampire, playing under the tree. There was an old stone well. It was in poor condition, and some stones had fallen out, but the wooden frame was still holding, and the bucket was still attached to a long rope to draw water from it. In my childlike mind, I was sure it was magical. It was my wishing well. I’d throw small, smooth, round stones into it, wishing to find happiness far from my father’s wrath. I was alone, my only refuge from my father.
I dreaded the hour when the sun dropped over the horizon. I knew I had to get home before the last rays disappeared. I wasn’t even sure why, but it was the rule, and my father made sure I followed the rules— his rules.
? I never knew my mother and was an only child. My father, Stefan, said she left us shortly after I was born. I remember thinking she didn’t love me as a child, but I didn’t care now. Still, my father raised me and used to say I should be damn grateful he didn’t abandon me. He was harsh and severe. He’d beat me if I made the slightest slip or goof. I was forbidden to cry or laugh and always had to keep a cold and neutral face; emotions were for the weak. Over time, my little vampire body hardened under the blows and bruises my father inflicted on me.
? Somehow, my father prepared me for my work as an assassin without even knowing. He dealt with dark people and introduced me to the Thieves’ Guild early. They were the only family I’ve ever known, but I knew their actions were wrong.
Taking a deep breath, I suffocated these thoughts where they belonged, as I had learned to do all those years. I moved away from the cursed well that had brought them to the surface.
The small street opened onto a larger one. There were barely any people. I walked past stalls closed for the night. Some offered bracelets and artifacts. Another had a large, intriguing display case where I could see all sorts of metal objects, statues, and strange mechanisms embedded in the walls. I was suddenly curious to return during the day to see what I could find at Ye Olde Atelier . I continued further, seeing signs that made me realize I was on the artisans’ street. I stopped suddenly at the sight of the blacksmith. The black anvil was outside with instruments to work with the hot metal beside it. I felt like it was calling me. I took a sharp breath, invaded by thoughts of the past once more. I didn’t want to follow in my father’s footsteps. I once wanted to be a blacksmith.
? When I was just a hundred years old, not yet an adult, but still not a child, I secretly trained with the blacksmith, becoming his apprentice unbeknownst to my father. I spent years battling the hot metal, learning how to craft weapons with blades that would last through the battle. My master was proud.
I was almost of age, preparing to leave this forsaken place, when I met Sophia under the tree. She had just moved in with her family and felt out of place to be a human surrounded by vampires. I immediately fell in love with her. I’d spend all my days with her, sitting under the tree, chatting. For the first time in my life, I felt loved. I didn’t waste time, as I knew humans lived less longer than vampires.
? My father was killed in one of his shabby deals shortly after. I didn’t have the hassle of presenting my human girlfriend to him—he would have disapproved, and I didn’t even want to imagine what he’d have done.
Good riddance.
? There I was, thinking I could finally become a blacksmith and live happily. It was all I ever wanted .
I walked away from the blacksmith, shaken. How could this city pierce me like that? It was incomprehensible. I’d waited so long to get to Mytvathyr, and now I was lost in thought rather than concentrating on my goal. I huffed in annoyance.
I quickened my pace, wishing to get away from my past. I needed to find information about Nathan. Although I was the son of the goddess, he was still my main objective. I still intended to claim my gold for killing him, my path to freedom.