Moonlight cascaded across the obsidian tiles of Ser Vermont's research facility as Victor found his seat among the the most advanced mages in Yirius, poised to witness a revolutionary new restorative magic's reveal. Vermont had been in hiding for the past several months, only showing himself in Yirius square when his appetite forced him to restock his preserves, or his appetite for knowledge pushed him to perform questionable activities. Today he would showcase the fruit of his labor, that being, as he so bluntly put it, reanimation. Such a terrifying sort of magic was frowned upon as a theory, but with his apparent success, the high counsel of mages in Yirius had no choice but to acknowledge what he was about to show them.

At victors sides sat his parents, garbed in robes of purple silk alongside their son and peers. Helga VonLanmire and her sheepish husband, Victor the first. Quiet murmurs were exchanged between the 10 onlookers, but Victor's parents were uncharacteristically silent. Truth was, they weren't particularly fond that the counsel had decided to allow Vermont's work to go uninterrupted. This was an abhorrent practice, and the corpse he'd chosen to demonstrate this on was unsightly.

Vermont took his place in the center of the darkened room, and lit the torches that lined each end of his room, giving it a deathly purple glow as it refracted off of the obsidian flooring and mixed with the pale moonlight beams. He stood next to a small operating table made of hardwood, several steps away from the room's only entrance. He cleared his throat as he faced the 10 people before him, with his back to the exit. The show was about to begin.

"Ladies, gentlemen... I assure you that this will not be another waste of your time.. Investigations in the realm of restorative magic are... Poor, and limited. But I have brought progress to this rare science, to which few understand, and even fewer can perform." Vermont started, adjusting his golden-framed glasses with his index finger. The man was decrepit, almost comparable to the corpse that lay bare between him and those he was presenting it to. As always, his black robe was torn, and loosely clung to different parts of his body, stained with ink, dirt and sweat. "I will be bringing this man back from the dead."

Victor was out with his mother and father at a demonstration, but there was a tension in the air, he could feel it like a blade pressed softly to the skin of his neck, like something abhorrent was about to happen. The silence coming from his mother and father made this feeling all to clear.

There were about 10 people there in the demonstration hall and all of them were prestigious mages of great knowledge. Many boys Victor's age might not have even noticed the people around them but Victor was a cunning and intellectual young man, always keeping himself up to date on the mages and their society. He did this simply because if someone discovered something new, he wanted to know about it then and there.

The torches were lit turning the room purple and the odd smell of a decay twisted throughout the room Victor simply took it all in as he did often, his mother always said he observed things much to long but alas this was his nature.

As the odd old mage Vermont spoke victor felt his stomach turn, displeasure filled the boys body along with a feeling of intrigue that he couldn't explain. The word "Another" stuck in his mind as the old man spoke, but Victor said nothing. However when the old man said his last line, Victor leaned forward in his seat completely enthralled as to what this old man was about to do.

'Preposterous' Victor's mother hissed under her breath. The mere thought of Resurrection was crossing into a realm of magic that nobody understood. It exceeded the very prospect of arcane theory! The soul was not so easily measured, so how was one to reanimate a body? Vermont's last attempt left the audience with a zombie, easily agitated, and without drive that went beyond pure instinct. 'Victor, be ready to dispatch of this abomination,' Helga muttered to her husband. She looked forward at her son and cringed at his reaction. 'Sit down, Junior. This will not be anything special.'

Vermont glared at Helga. He knew she was doubtful, regardless of whether or not he heard her cruel remarks. The old man cleared his throat to regain the crowds full attention, and placed his hands flat on top of his subject's corpse. "Observe carefully... I shall tap into a magical force that transcends our research. I will draw upon this man's Ki, and pull it back from the void," Vermont claimed confidently. The collection of mages before him let out a mixture of chuckles and doubtful groans. Ki? Ki was a fairy tale. All in the universe derived from the arcane, from the clouds in the sky, to the rocks in the earth. Ki was the weak man's way of describing unknown factors in the study of a human's brain, and by extension, their arcane network. Vermont was spouting nonsense, yet again. But as his audience simmered down, Vermont did just as he said. A glow unfamiliar to any of his colleagues began to emanate from his palms, and into the body laid before him. "Nay, I should not refer to it as magic..." Vermont stared into the eyes of each mage in the stands individually, almost like he was addressing their doubts individually. When he reached Victor though, he smiled and closed his eyes.

"This is not magic."

Less than a minute passed, and Vermont was already finished. The glow subsided and he stepped back carefully. The corpse took no time in rousing from its slumber. Its eyes shot open, its skin filled with a flush of color, and it rose forwards in a split second of panic. Many people there recognized the man as Alfredo Thio, missing for only 4 months and presumed dead. Alfredo looked over at his fellow mages and felt his chest over. A heartbeat. He could breath. The decay in his corpse had vanished, and he was conscious. This was not merely the forbidden act of necromancy, this was true revival.

"Alfredo, are you with us?" Vermont inquired quietly. Alfredo shuddered away from his touch, but nodded shortly afterwards.

"What happened to me?"

Helga reeled back in utter shock. What in the hell had Vermont discovered in his time alone?

Victor never took his eyes off the old man even when his mother reprimanded him and he sat back in his chair, he never once broke his gaze. He knew deep in the pit of his stomach that something unbelievable was about to transpire.

When Vermont spoke about Ki and almost everyone groaned or let out a soft laughter, Victor simply nodded to himself and continued to watch with intense intrigue and fire within his young eyes, if what the old man was saying was true then he had opened up a whole new world of magic, and this new world would bring the old man fame and riches not to mention how much the world would change, if people no longer were bound by death.

The glow that emanated from Vermont's palms and into the corpse was a foreign one that Victor did not recognize and from the light gasps of the other mages, Victor gathered that no one else recognized it either. The old mans gaze seemed to be piercing into all the other mages but when it came to Victor it seemed almost as if the old man knew Victor's thoughts. The words, "This is not Magic..." hung in the air and sent chills up and down the boys spine.

Only a moment had passed but for Victor it had been an eternity waiting for the corpse to move and when it did it sprang to life in almost shock. A gasp escaped Victor's lips, but not one of shock or horror, this was a gasp of pure admiration for the feat Vermont had just completed. It was amazing as life seemed to flow into the corpse turning him back into a man Victor recognized, Alfredo, But when Alfredo spoke Victor knew there was no denying it. That old man had just changed the world forever.

There was a brief silence before Vermont spoke again. "I have revived you from death, Alfredo. You are back in Yirius," he said quietly. Alfredo didn't respond. He looked at Vermont, pointed at his face, and fell backwards. His eyes rolled back into his skull and he lost consciousness. Vermont rushed to his aid and breathed a sigh of relief. "He is merely asleep, the shock might've been too much for Alfredo to bear. Unfortunately, although I can call back souls, I do not know what trials they might've gone through in the void," Vermont explained briefly. "I am willing to share my discoveries, but this demonstration is far more exhausting than it might appear. For now, I ask that you leave my premises, and look to inquire further on the morrow."

Several of the onlookers took their leave within moments, either with their pride torn asunder, or their curiosity piqued. Wait an entire day for answers? It may as well have been a year! Helga grabbed the scruff of her husband's shirt, and pulled him across Victor's seat in a hurry. She didn't bother rushing her son out. He wasn't a child, after all. She'd never given her husband much room to think for himself, though.

Vermont gestured towards the exit, where two people stood at the ready. They made their way over to Alfredo, and carried him out of the room when nearly everyone had left. Victor would recognize them as part of the local hospital's staff. Vermont sighed loudly, but stood patiently, and waited for everyone to take their leave.

Victor was completely enthralled in what he was witnessing, it was true he had done it, the old man had truly done it. But then for a split second, Victor thought everything was about to go wrong, because Alfredo suddenly collapsed. However his sudden fear was answered quite quickly as the man was simply unconscious, he had not returned to death. Victor breathed a soft sigh of relief, though he knew not why, for some reason he wanted deep in his very being, for Vermont to be successful in this endeavor and now there was no denying he had been. If nothing else the old man had earned a life long admirer of his works, not to mention just how famous and wealthy the old man was about to become.

As the people made their way out Victor remained seated, even when his own parents left he continued to wait, none of them mattered right now Victor's interest had been more than piqued, he wanted to speak with the old man alone even if he did need rest. Victor would congratulate him in the very least.

When everyone had left Victor stood and made his way down to Vermont, he couldn't help himself from smiling, so with a smile he approached and offered his hand politely for Vermont to shake, "Congratulations Sir..." While still young, Victors voice always seemed distant like was not completely rooted in the world, it was just the tones of his voice however. "What you did today was, dare I say, just shy of a miracle!" The excitement and amazement was evident in the boys voice and eyes, "Not to be forward...but..." He swallowed the lump starting to form, he knew what he was about to say would be insulting to his mother who had staunchly disliked Vermont's practice but it didn't matter, Victor was not going to miss this opportunity, "If you're ever looking to take on an apprentice...Please consider me." It was strange Victor was gifted with destruction and conjuration magic and he was ahead most boys his age in both schools, being able to form fire and summon small animals like mice, but he had never felt a calling for something so deeply.

Vermont looked at victor with a wholesome smile but shook his head, rushing the boy out with his hands as quickly as possible. "No, no, Victor. I appreciate your praise, but I must ask that you abandon this idea of yours. I work alone for a reason, and I really must get some rest. This ritual has put quite a bit of stress on my arcane network, and I'm very tired. Tomorrow, I will gladly be explaining the process behind my restorative progress to anyone who approaches me... But, if you'd like, I can save you a key meeting at 6 AM," Vermont urged, ending with a calm offering, albeit only to get Victor to leave. He'd acknowledged the boy's potential in the back of his mind, but was awfully eager to have his study empty as soon as possible.

The moonlight glistening tiles went dark for a split second as something shuffled past one of the windows. There was nothing there, but the occurrence made Vermont visibly startled. He stepped back and grabbed his chest, breathing deeply. "I'm awfully excitable, right now."

Victor might have noticed something strange in the passing shadow. It was played off as if it were a crow or some other animal, but there was a distinct purple glow that flashed into his peripheral vision as it happened. Something familiar. Something like.. Eyes.

Victor nodded in understanding, it was a long shot to think that the elder mage would take him on as apprentice, but he was glad he had taken the moment to inquire about this, now there would be no "what ifs" gnawing at the back of his mind. "6:00am I'll be here on the dot." When the shadow passed by Victor glanced to the source quickly only seeing a flash in the corner of his eyes which struck him quite deep in his stomach, suddenly he couldn't help but feel like they were being watched, though he saw no one.

However seeing how worked up Vermont was he decided to give him his peace, "Do try to get some rest sir. You seem quite exhausted. We shall speak in the morning." And with that said Victor began walking out as he had nothing else to say and wasn't someone who enjoyed idle chit chat. The old Mage was very interesting and in the morning Victor was going to attempt to learn everything he could from him, But for now the boy needed to rest as well and so he buttoned up his jacket and set out into the streets of the city and towards home.

Vermont waved Victor off, smiling ear to ear. But as the boy left the room, he released a surplus of air from his chest and shuffled over to the bleachers where his peers sat just a few moments earlier. Vermont took a seat and leaned into the rough leather behind him, letting every stress flow from his body. Just as soon as victor was out of sight though, Vermont's eyes flickered, glazed over by a distinctive purple flash. From the corner of his eye, he noticed a figure in the window, but wasn't disturbed or frightened by its presence. He smiled and nodded happily, and was returned with a devilish violet glare.

---

As Victor made his way down the dimly lit central road of Yirius, it seemed awfully abandoned despite the obvious fact that each and every building was filled with prospective mages or grateful civilians. The arcane lamps were set lower before midnight, since the moon had a habit of lighting the way. Clouds were rare, and rain was scarce, which didn't bother the mages who could simply conjure their own nourishment on a whim. But the night felt off. It almost felt like something was keeping a watchful eye on victor from behind the housing. Was it to his left? Or his right? Perhaps it was nothing, but most knew better than to stay out after dark on their own. Despite its reputation, Yirius did have the occasional criminal who used the moonlight to their advantage. With his parents already so far ahead, and with little concern for his well being, he was ultimately alone.

Something clattered to Victor's left, behind the house three doors down from Vermont's laboratory. It was behind Mino's alchemy lab, which also doubled as his house. The front window, where he usually displayed his more popular concoctions, was closed already. Was he simply taking out the trash? Again, clattering, but this time from the house opposite to Mino's alchemy shop. That couldn't have been the same noise. What could move that quickly? What a strange night indeed, and with over a block to go before he reached his home near Yirius' edge, Victor was stuck smack dab in the middle of whatever kept jostling the nearby trash cans.

Victor felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up as something clattered to his left, his gaze went to Mino's shop window thinking perhaps the alchemist was taking out his garbage for the evening. He was about to speak when he heard the same sound, but from the opposite side of the street.

Victor let out a breath and his palm came to life with the dim glow of one of the few battle spells the boy knew, it was his pride and joy, based off the simple frostbolt spell, his variation looked much like its predecessor, a spike of ice about the length of ones arm that could be fired at about the speed of an arrow, Victor had added a nasty surprise to this spell for when it hit it's target the spell would explode and send icy shrapnel into it's victim.

The spell could easily be blocked by any ward as it was still just a variation of a Magus-School level spell, but still it was likely to deter an attempted mugging which at this point Victor believed was about to happen as multiple sounds meant multiple attackers.

While obviously spooked Victor kept his pace walking as if he hadn't noticed the sounds, giving his attackers one more chance to turn back from their foolish venture. If they did attack he would hit them with his FrostBolt and if they were simple humans then they would die there in that dim street, however if they were Mage's Victor knew he was well in over his head. At the same pace he had started with Victor continued walking towards home.

Victor was well prepared, but nothing showed itself quite yet. He made his way further down the street. Further and further, but nothing popped out to attack him. More clattered sounded from the backs of houses, all the way up until he reached the intersection of Yirius. Something new sounded this time, as he was crossing the cobbled road. A hissing laughter, snickering in the distance. It echoed from three directions at once, finally stopping between him and his home at the end of the road. But there was nothing there. Was it a phantom? That seemed unlikely. Ghosts couldn't be real! Then again, with so much magic, and the ability to bring people back from the dead, anything could be possible at this point.

"Hello!" A shrill, yet decrepit voice called out to Victor from behind, and a hand gently patted his right shoulder twice, "What a wondrous coincidence, though coincidence may be overstating my presence, albeit from the perspective of a silly boy, it's less than coincidental, my friendly magic companion!"

If Victor were to turn around, he would bear witness to a man standing slightly taller than himself. The stranger's skin was pale like the moon, and his body was draped in a cloak of black cloth. What stood out through, were his crimson-red eyes, and pointed canines, which defined the sharp contours of his thinly framed face. His hair was light, like silver thread, and tied into a long braid that hung behind his shoulders, with only a few collections of bangs framing his delicate jaw. He smiled ear to ear, a smile of madness, and his eyes were slightly narrowed as he gazed upon Victor with great hope. The man placed the tips of his hands together near the center of his chest and tapped his index fingers against one another, patiently waiting for the boy to react to his startling introduction.

Victor was on guard ready for an attack that never came, the continued clattering and sounds made him sickeningly uneasy, yet he saw no one. However when he heard the shrill laughter his heart sank, this wasn't just some mugging, the deep twisting chills that ran up and down Victor's back assured him that his fears were quite warranted.

The moment Victor was touched on his shoulder, he spun to attack only to come face to face with something that dropped his heart into his stomach and suddenly Victor was frozen unable to attack and unable to run, he was simply frozen in place staring at the source of his terror. The man in front of him was pale like the silvery light of an autumn moon, but the thing that kept Victor's gaze were the man's crimson eyes brimming over with true madness and the sharpened fangs that rested waiting to strike. Victor swallowed and attempted to speak, "Why are you following me?..." Victor's voice trembled yet he dared not attack for he knew that if this creature was angered he himself would never make it home. "I will defend myself if I must..." The boys eyes spoke his bluff, he was overcome with fear, but yet still there was a feeling as if the boy was fascinated even now in the face of true fear.

"Why, but how? Would be a much wiser question, you don't think, but why would he now, only if only, I am here to speak with you, Vee vee, Victor! Why else? I assure you there will be no need, not a single requirement, for you to defend yourself. I mean no harm, not yet, so please relax yourself! And allow me to introduce you to a gaze that you won't soon regret exchanging on this fine night, with this fine knight," The stranger sung, madness ever present in his voice. He then bowed forward to match Victor's height and stare deeply into his eyes. "Take a look, don't be shy, into the eyes of Damien Valefor, or simply Vale, lest you mimic the unrighteous mockery that my bloodline begs to taunt me with so vividly."

From the corner of his eye, Victor might have seen another purple flash from somewhere behind a nearby house on his right. Vale seemed to notice it as well, shifting his gaze for a moment and cringing profusely before his smile and focus returned to Victor. "Pay me some attention, please, your fear, although warranted and flattering to no degree, in unnecessary, for now." He paused and frowned for a moment before speaking again. "Look into my eyes and see god, or what passes for god in these ill-begotten times."

Victor kept his hand raised the spell twisting in his grip, his body was shivering softly now with fear and anticipation of what came next. But the man spoke instead of attacking, but his words were that of a madman...a madman that knew his name. Victor didn't speak the entire time the madman talked, instead he decided to take in what the man was saying, examining every piece of information as it came to him. This "Man" was a knight? Surely not, But then, he had said it. The man's name was Damien Valefor or Vale for short, But it was when he told Victor to have a look into his eyes that Victor took a brief moment to weigh his options,

1: he could cast his spell but at this range the shrapnel would likely kill him as well,

2: He could attempt a different spell that might bring someone to his aid but probably not in enough time to save him,

3: He could just do what was asked of him and believe that he wouldn't be harmed in the process.

Victor had again noticed the flash of purple, yet he still saw no savior or rescue so After his brief moment of silence Victor slowly let his spell fizzle out, his arm fall to his side and with distrust (and obvious curiosity) he brought his eyes up to meet the man's. "Show me God."

"Ahhh~" Vale breathed and smiled wide, revealing every one of his teeth to Victor. "A king! A King! Lord of chaos, lurking beyond the greatness of our sky in his tower up high, vicious, vicarious, vividly vintage in his venue, ah verily... A woman! Yes, she lurks near, offering the promises, more willing to suck blood than, dare I say it, even I! You see, young victor, my eyes hold a secret for few to fully understand, frivolity is not in my nature, no, not at all. Destiny and time, it is unchanging, and I see it so clearly, beyond the fabric that binds our world, safe from the void beyond its walls. Did you really think revival of the dead was possible?" Vale ended his rant with a gruesome, disgusted looked, and spun away from Victor, heading towards Vermont's house. As he turned around, a blade was visible, sheathed and attached to his back. Vale reached for its hilt and pulled the ebony weapon from its casing, revealing his killer intent.

"I wonder, I wonder! How does she taste? Will she allow me to get close enough, this time around? A gamble! A gambling man, I am! I see fragments, mere fragments of providence, but I live without fear, as I should, for I am immortal! Ahahaha!"

As soon as the man had turned away from him, Victor let out a soft breath. His heart pounded in his chest and his throat felt dry as his lungs clawed for air. This red eyed psychopath had let him live. But that didn't change the fact that Vale was about to go and do something violent.

Now Victor was met with a choice that a boy shouldn't be forced to make. He could go home and forget this had happened and deal with the consequences in the morning. Or he could quite sneakily make his way back to Vermont's and attempt to warn him.

But there was something bothering the young mage, Vale had spoken of a King and then of a woman, but...who could he possibly mean? However he had ended speaking with a dark revelation and suddenly Victor was questioning everything he had witnessed earlier. "Did you really think revival of the dead was possible?"

This creature spoke in nothing but riddles and while terrified and in shock, Victor was still so Very intrigued. As soon as Vale had disappeared Victor took one more look towards his house trying to decide what he should do.

He could go get his parents help? No that wouldn't work, convincing them he wasn't crazy would take to long. And even if he did, he knew not the abilities of his newfound problems and putting his mother in danger...or worse...No. He would have to do this alone.

He took one deep breath before taking a back alley hoping to avoid running back into the vampire and perhaps maybe get to Vermont's home first. Though he knew not what he planned to do when he got there.

Victor's path lead him to Vermont's building quicker than he might've expected. The Alleys were clear at night, save for a stray cat or two, and there wasn't much to impede his path. He ran, the cool morning air slowly fading at sunlight crept past building silhouettes. The air might've gripped others, but Victor seemed adamant in his resolve. Something was about to happen, and it wasn't going to be pretty.

Upon arriving at Vermont's home, everything seemed calm. Though, the front door was left unlocked, and ajar. Vermont was known to air out his lab from time to time, but this early in the morning? This was suspicious. There were not many civilian mages out and about yet, and it would offer Victor plenty of time to sneak his way into Vermont's home without being detected if he wished to do so. But looking closer, he may have noticed a thin trail of blood starting just within the doorway, underneath the bottom of the door. Even worse, something peeked around the door frame ever so slightly.

A limp hand.

Victor had moved like the wind was fueling his steps. In a short matter of time he arrived at Vermont's house, the sun was just begging to kiss the tops of the houses as morning broke. When he finally took a good look at his destination he realized the door was open, but what really dropped his stomach was the blood under it.

As Victor's eyes scanned the whole door frame his heart skipped a beat and his breathe caught in his throat as he spotted the limp hand. "My Gods" he whispered softly to himself, what in the hell was he about to get himself into? He knew not but he still wanted to know what lay inside, what awaited him in this new bizarre situation, curiosity killed the cat or so they say...but they often forget...satisfaction brought it back.

~"A good mage knows no fear, for everything in life is explainable. A great mage knows when he's in over his head and proceeds with caution."~ Victor said to himself in his own head, here he was reminding himself of things he learned in prep-school, anything to cut down some of this fear running through his body. It helped somewhat, as his breathing slowed down and he put things into a logical perspective, "Someone has to do something now." With that final whisper to himself Victor charged one of his frost frag spells and went to the door, pushing it open softly if only to see what lie inside.

Shock and terror, the body was none other than Vermont's laid limp before the entrance-way in a sloppy manner. The old man's neck was torn wide open, and blood was still spreading rapidly across the hardwood floor. The cut was precise, aimed to open his jugular without damaging the tissue that held his head in place, and around where the skin was parted with a sharpened blade, four small holes pierced Vermont's flesh, akin to that of a bite mark.

"Oh, he's coming inside~" A woman's voice reverberated through the front entrance hall, emanating from the testing chamber that Vermont had used the night before to demonstrate his abilities. It was unfamiliar to Victor. Who was that?

"Of course, so foolish," Vale's voice rung out. It was him, after all! "I smell his blood, oh yes, so youthful, would it be a sin for me to partake? Just a handful, oh though you can't really stop me, can you?" The two voices came from inside the chamber, but before Victor could respond or retreat, the woman called to him:

"Come on in, little boy! There's no need to fear this roundabout little vampire!"