The wind whisked through the trees, the branches twisting and moving with the gusts.
The sun was setting over the small pocket of Frail Forest; despite the name, the forest was ancient and strong.
At the back of the forest was a large cliff, juttering up into the sky. The Cliff looked over a small patch of meadow in the forest, with a large fallen tree laying across a small nook in the cliff face.

A figure dozed in the large fallen tree, his mid-tanned skin glistening in the specks of setting sun. The figures eyes started to open, his body stirring as he moved to sit up properly.
He gave a large yawn, showing sharp teeth; reminiscent to his beastial side. His Deep Golden Eyes scanned his meadow quietly, moving to pull himself out of a hole in the log.

He vaguely remembered what time it was, and moving to stretch with another yawn.
The Council said that someone was heading into his territory due to some stupid mission. Which meant that any Vampires that entered his territory he couldn't flat out kill or attack, he had to ask them a stupid... Riddle of some sorts.

A small breeze swept across the forest playing an orchestra of leaves and branches. The forest was alive with activity under the bright golden sun that shown through the thick green canopy. Between the trees, a figure stood admiring the surrounding area. His reddish-brown hair stood out against the forest floor but was balanced by his tan skin. At his side was a large messenger bag and a long sword strapped to his waist. His footstep was gentle, barely making a sound as if to not disturb the forest critters.

He made his way through the forest when a small bird landed on his shoulder, carrying a stick, as it tried to build a nest on his shoulder. “Sorry little friend but I’m not a tree. Though could you please point me in direction of the largest beast in the forest,” the little bird stared at the man's red eyes before flying off into the distant. He quickly followed which led him into a small clearing with a large fallen tree.

“Thank you. You may leave now,” the bird did no such thing and only made herself more comfortable on his shoulder.

He smiled and didn't complain. “Hello my name Alister Goodman the vampire you’re supposed to meet,” his voice was loud and filled with poison.

He hated werebeast but orders and orders. He was supposed to work with a one on a special case regarding some disappearances. As much as it made his blood boil, he wasn't going to complain.

Drake's nostrils flared as he turned to face the vampire; jumping from the log with a frown on his face. He stepped forward until he was about a metre away from the Vampire.
He flexed his nose; "Do you understand how many vampires have come saying the same thing over the past week?" He rumbled, his voice deep and hiding anger, "I don't very much like the idea of travelling with a Leech- much like you probably wish not to travel with a 'beast' like myself." He held his hand to his chest before he looked to Alistar with narrowed eyes.

"Do you have the code?" He asked before falling silent. He was ready for if he didn't know it; as he had done since the damn elders mentioned this stupid mission. A few Vampires have come into his territory and attempt to trick him into thinking they are the one- all of which has ended in dead vampires and a few battlescars.

“A drop of blood burn in the glory of the sun. And you’re spot on, but I wouldn't have said it out loud,” Alister kept his voice monotone and his expression blank. His hand rested on his blade, ready to strike if necessary. The werebeast had an aura that he has never felt before which was unsettling.

“You need to leave little Birdy,” Alister said but the bird wouldn't budge. “Please?” After a moment of staring, she flew off into the trees leaving the two alone.

“So other vampires came to you and claim to be me?” Alister dropped his bag and held out his hand. His eyes flashed red before blood exploded from his bag. Strands of crimson liquid surround his arms forming gauntlet like armor.

“Only a selected few know about this meeting so either we have a security breach or you’re not who you say you are Drake Blade.” Alister drew his blade and took a battle stance. Blood coated his sword forming a thin layer of deadly poison. He knew there was corruption in the hierarchy, but never did he imagine that it went this deep.

"unless you explain your self Drake Blade, I will kill you."

Drake only smirked at the fact the vampire got defensive. He stepped forward slowly, keeping his hands behind his back, a relaxed stance. There was no need for him to get defensive or Offensive right now.

"There had been whispers in the trees." He said calmly, "I'm sure it was the stupid Werebeasts that came to tell me about it." He continued, "The Elders are too afraid to contact me directly, so they thought it was a good idea sending a couple young werewolves. But of course they talked about it as they left, and word got out."

He closed his eyes and moved his hand to grip his bridge of his nose, "They never claimed to be you persay-" He started, "They claimed to be the one said to help, in order to get me out of my territory and take over. Which just ended up in a few, say a handful, of killed Vampires entering my territory with the intent to murder me."

Drake looked over his visitors armour, tilting his head with a smirk.
"Is that sufficient for you, Alistar?"

“Really afraid? How dangerous can an old dragon be? I thought every old man knew each other or something,” Alistair said with a little smirk. He sheathed his blade and retracted the blood forming a small red bracelet that looked like rubies. He didn’t like the lack of security the werebeast had, it was nothing compared to the secrecy of the vampire lords. He was basically kidnaped just to be informed of the mission.

“Well if you’re up to it old man, I have a few leads to go off of. One of the missing werebeast was spotted in a nearby town which should be our first priority. There are also some rumors of a group of hunters that are hunting vampires. And a few other leads but those two are the most promising nearby.” Alister used the blood as a second hand and picked up his bag. He pulled out an old stopwatch to check the time before looking up at Drake.

“We don’t have much time before nightfall and I rather not sleep in some cave in the middle of nowhere. So shall we go old man?” Alister asked. He turned to leave when the little bird returned and perched on his shoulder one again. He smiled then looked back at Drake to see if he was coming.

Drake could only laugh at the Vampire calling him an old man, a rumbling laugh that seemed to echo from his chest around the area.
"My Soul may be old." He started, "But the Fangs and Claws of a large dragon is not what people; even werebeasts themselves, really want to face off with."

"Leads are always good." He started with a nod, "Two pretty strong leads from the sounds of things." He paused, thinking to himself. "I would presume you would rather not go near those hunters." He said with a smirk, 'I'd hate to lose my companion so quickly. We'll go for the missing werebeast. Any idea what sort of werebeast?"
He wanted to make sure what exactly he was dealing with.

Drake nodded at leaving, "Let's head off. I know a nice hotel in one of the close cities." He started, "Run by an Elf. She'll allow us to stay. Rooms are big enough for me to even rest in beast form."
He chuckled as he stretched, his shoulder blades clicking as he looked to the setting sun. Moonfall will be upon them soon, and his feral form will become restless and break though. Luckily for him it was only a waxing moon, his instincts will stay quiet while he can nap in his feral form.

Alister checked his stopwatch once again and sigh. Rummaging through his bag, he pulled out a syringe labeled BLS-GN-004. He stared at the injection for a second before taking a deep breath and injecting himself with the substance. A wave of dizziness washed over him but quickly passed. “Well, as long as you’re useful in a battle I don't care how old you are.”

“As for the werebeast. My source told me that she is 29-year-old weretiger recently seen in an underground fighting ring for exotic animals, a disgusting little place,” Alister said. They might be his enemy but he still has sympathy, unlike many of his kin. If it was anyone else they might find this type of entertainment enjoyable.

“So old man do you know the way to the main road? Because I barely manage I get here without getting lost,” he lied. It took him the entire day just to find the location after hours of aimless walking. If it wasn’t for the bird and a nice bear he would’ve never find his way here.

Drake raised an eyebrow at Alister stabbing himself with a Syringe, although he never commented on it.
He listened to the Vampire with a small smile.
"Definitely interesting." He commented before he looked around. He stretched slightly before he grinned at the Vampire's mention about getting lost.

"The Frail Forest isn't too big." He said with a glance behind him, he looked at his cave with a small sigh, "So long Stone Cave. I hope that no one takes you while I'm away. I'd hate to cause Bloodshed here."
He looked forward as he thought, "I know the way to the main road, yes." Drake said, closing his eyes before he breathed in.
There was silence before he lifted his chin and spat out a small ball of plasma into the air.

The blob of Plasma shot upwards before seeming to explode like a firework.
The shards hit the ground; seeming to sink into the roots and ground. There was silence around the two of them. The since echoed for minutes before the ground seemed to glow.
The glow moved along much like a trail; the lower leaves of the trees along the trail glistened the same blue as Drakes Plasma.

"We follow the trail." Drake said with a small smirk. He moved to step in front of Alister and glance back with a glance back, "Shall we?"

“Isn’t too big my ass,” Alister whispered under his breath.

He watched as the small marvel played out in front of him. The very ground and plants glistened a mysterious blue hue. Alister stood there at awed for a moment before bringing himself back to reality. He was impressed but didn’t mention or showed any sign of it.

“Y-yeah.” Alister moved along the trail gazing at how everything glowed, like a child at a candy store. He always had a fascination about the mysterious and magical side of the world. His magic was limited and the Ancient Ones rarely show their power, unless absolutely necessary. A part of him wanted to ask questions and study the little phenomena but he kept his composure and moved along the glowing path.

Forgetting about Drake, Alister made it to the main road, still amazed by the trail. The road was quiet and empty, just how he liked it. Looking around, Alister found a motorbike parked Little ways away. It was an old black Yamaha VMAX with a few modifications. As he got closer, the machine roared to life and drove itself to him.

“Hey girl,” Alister greeted with a smile.

The bike roared in response. “Crap, how is the old man going to——”

Drake watched the glowing as he went, he kept his senses keen and ready just in case. He breathed out when they entered the main road, he raised his eyebrow at the bike but he said nothing.

As they left the forest, the blue hue slowly faded away, he glanced at the cliff before he closed his eyes, feeling the energy of the place change as he left. He was the protector of the forest, he hoped that it would be safe without him.
His energy was still in the area, he could feel that, hopefully that would keep away any other Unknowns who thought they would be brash enough to take his place.

He turned back as Alister seemed to talk to his bike, he furrowed his brow slightly before he took a few steps back. He breathed in before he focused on his energy, he funneled it through his body before he allowed it to overtake him.
"I suggest you look away" He mentioned to Alister before he changed; his wings clicked out of his body, fanning out to look bigger than what they should be for his body.
The sound of bones clicking echoed from his body, his clothes seemed to crack and snap at his body changing. His tail snapped into view and thrashed around before his arms seemed to twist. His legs twisted at the same time, causing him to fall onto all fours. His skull transformed last- juttering forward and changing shape before his horns twisted from his head.

Drake transformation only lasted about 2 minutes, once it finished he fanned his wings out and let out a low rumble.
He looked towards Alister with a small grin over his large muzzle. "Ready." He rumbled.

Alister watched in utter fascination as Drake shifted. Once the transformation was complete, he pulled out a camera from his bag and took a few pictures. “Well, you don’t see that every day.”

Leaving the camera dangling around his neck, he got on his bike. “See you in town old man.”

He checked his mirror, shifted gear, then accelerated down the road. The surrounding scenery turned into mere blur as he continued to pick up speed. Adrenalin rushed through his veins as the wind pound against him, rocking the bike in an almost rhythmic pattern. He loved the feeling of the wind against him, the strange silence caused by the air, and the rush of energy that surges through his veins. There isn’t anything quite like it anywhere in the world.

The forest quickly faded away, reveling lush meadow overlooked by a large cliff. “Rose take over,” Alister said letting go of the handle. The bike balanced its self, reaching a constant speed. Alister grabbed his camera and took pictures of the surrounding area. Once he was satisfied, he returned to the bike and continued down the road.

It didn’t take long for him to reach the city, trees turned into buildings, grass to concrete. Driving down the road, Alister sensed a familiar soul and made a pit stop. He casually walked into a small dinner and headed to the front counter. He ordered some food then sat down at a nearby table. Once he was seated, a woman walked past him dropping a small flash-drive into his bag, then disappeared. Alister received hi food then headed back to the road

He imagined the worst when his informant went missing, but his worry was all for nothing. She was a master at her trade, one truly adept at espionage.

“Wait, where’s the hotel?” he said, noticing that he was lost. It took him nearly haft an hour before he finally what he was looking for. He parked his bike and took a minute to breathe. ”Stupid hotel.”

Drake only smiled at the Vampires admiration; it wasn't everyday Vampires were curious and willing to learn. He knew the young vampire had questions to ask, but theu could wait for now.
When Alister hopped onto his bike, Drake took to the air with one flap of his wings.

The beast twisted in the air before stabilizing and zooming off after the bike. It didn't take long for him to overtake the bike; the young Vampire would find his way, and it would give Drake time to talk to his friend who ran the hotel.

Drake dove down slowly, nearing the hotel, before he quickly changed back to human form and pulled out the baggy clothes he had there.
"You're early." A familiar female voice echoed to him, Drake turned to smile at the Auburn haired female elf watching him.
"Becca." Drake said gently, "I need to pull some favours."
"If you need a room you're going to have to have a Stable, I'm all booked out for a wedding currently." Becca said quickly, opening the door for the male to walk inside.

They talked for a little before Drake lifted his head, he heard the motorbike and moved to the door.
Drake opened the door and walked out to see Alister, smiling a little. He wanted to comment on him taking so long, but refrained. "You find here okay?" He asked. He had managed to change into more familiar clothing while talking to Becca, he wore dress pants and a dress sure, with a vest overtop.
"It's warn inside; I got us a room." He said, opening the door for Alister.

Alister blushed slightly at the question and kept silence. He didn’t want to admit that he had a bad sense of direction, but he deep down he knew it was the truth. Alister walked inside, getting a wave of warmth and comfort. He didn't notice how tired he was until he was inside and his face reflected that. His eyes were droopy with bags under them.

“Well, I hope you’re hungry because I brought us some food. You better like fried chicken and baked goods,” Alister said holding up the three bags of food he bought at the dinner. One bag was chicken the other two was filled to the brim with different kind of baked goods.

“So where is our room?” Alister asked. The entire day’s stress and tiredness dawned on his when he thought of sleep. He wanted to crash and hibernate, but there was still work to be done. Sleep wasn’t an option just yet.

Drake raised his eyebrow at the Vampire, "A food offering for an Old Dragon? You sure have some manners." He teased before he looked back to Becca.
The Elf stood up properly from behind the bar, placing down the mug of drink she was drinking from when she talked to Drake.

"And you must be Alister." She said as she jumped over the bar, fixing up her jacket as she stepped towards the vampire. She held out her hand gently, "I name is Rebecca Stirling." She said, "I can show you to the room. As I mentioned to Drake I only have a large stable available, but it's decked out with a comfy bed for you- as per Drakes instruction."
Drake smiled softly, moving to gently take one of the bags from Alister to make sure he didn't drop it, "I love both of those things." He said before he stepped towards a door, presumably towards the stables.

Becca smiled at Drakes teasing, before she looked back to Alister; "Don't worry about the room being the stables, we haven't had any animals board for a while so it's being remodelled slowly into more rooms. We're expecting a few Riders in the next season and we need to have enough space for large scaled beasts. You guys can test run our room." She added with a glance to Drake.

“Nice to meet you, Rebecca,” Alister said as he shook her hand. He was about to head for their room when a familiar presence showed up outside.

“Here old man you can take the food to our room I need to grab something from my bike,” Alister said handing over the food to Drake. He didn't give him a chance to respond before he walked outside. The cool night breeze hit him sending shivers down his spine. For a moment, he stood there admiring the night sky. He then walked over to his bike which was parked next to a black car that wasn't there when he came.

“What happened Vanessa,” Alister asked as he pretended to look for his laptop.

“Complication. Here is the last of the information I got before I discovered. Korgen is missing as well as Micheal. Just a heads up they are dangerous. The one behind this,” Vanessa said handing Alister another flash drive. “I’m going to go radio silence for a while so don't look for me.”

She closed her window then drove off. He stood there for a moment watching the car as it traveled down the road disappearing into the darkness. He sighed then grabbed his laptop and headed back to the hotel. His hand clench on to the little flash drive in his pocket. Worry flooded his mind once again, not knowing who they were up against.

Drake took the food without question. He watched the Vampire leave before he gave a small sigh.
"Old man?" Becca asked with a smirk.
"Hush." Drake replied calmly, "He's a kid, It happens." He said with a laugh.
"He's also a Vampire." The Female Elf spoke quietly, moving back to her bar before she moved to lean against it.

"What do you mean by that?" Drake said with a furrow of his eyebrows, Becca only grinned.
"It feels like you're getting soft darling." She said before she waved her hand, "Either way, I hope you two get along."
Drake grinned as he walked to the door, "We'll be fine. As long as he doesn't try to fuck me over, I'll be fine." He said with a grin, moving to pull open the door as Alister re-entered, "Ready for food and some rest?" He asked with a smile. "Just tell Rebecca what you'd like to drink and she can whip it up for you."
Becca smirked and grabbed a cup and twirled it in her hand.
"They don't call me the Alcholomist for no reason." She said with a wink.

“Can I have a bottle of whatever your strongest is,” Alister said. Alcohol had no effect on him, but he wished that it did. He liked the taste, but that’s about all it did for him. The moment the substance entered his bloodstream, it will immediately be metabolized, essentially wiping it from his system. This is useful against poison and other harmful substances, but on the down downside was that he couldn't get drunk.

“Yeah food and rest sounds really nice right now. Also got a few some-more information on our case,” Alister said plugging the flash drive into his computer. The flash drive had one file label ‘NULL’ and when he opened it, an animated video of a cat started playing. He let out a loud sigh and slam the laptop shut.

“Make that two bottle please,” Alister said. The file was unscripted by one of the best hacker he knew. He dreaded working through it, but it was essential to their mission. This was protocol, but he wished it wasn’t since it made more work for him.

Rebecca nodded at his request.
"I'll see what I have out back; I should still have a couple bottles of Silver Speck out back." She said as she walked past the bar and out to her cooler. To her surprise she found an entire crate of the aformentioned drink.
She moved to grab three with one hand and closed the cooler, locking it with her free hand before she walked back.

"I see you've raided my cooler." She said towards Drake, who grinned and shrugged.
"Donno what you're on about." He said as he moved into the room they were staying in, flexing his legs before he placed the food on the table.
Rebecca rolled her eyes before she shook her head.
"Of course you have an idea what I'm on about..." she trailed off, "You're the only fucking source of this stuff." She moved to offer Alister the bottles. "Two for you, one for Drake." She continued, "This stuff packs a massive punch if you're not a beast like Drake. I warn you now."

Once Drake had put the food down he stretched, taking his spare clothes off before twisting back into his beast form. He fanned his wings out with a yawn and a sway of his tail.
He moved to pull a large stack of hay over to the table and shoved it onto the floor to make a makeshift sitting area for him.
He rumbled happily as he started to settle; having soft hay like this was nothing like his makeshift bed in the cave...

“Don't worry I can hold my liquor. Thank you,” Alister said. He took the bottles and headed to the stables. He didn't know what he was expecting but he was still surprised that it was an actual stable. He didn't really care as he’s slept in worst conditions.

“Here’s a bottle for you,” Alister said setting the alcohol on the table. He then grabbed his bag and pulled out another syringe. He gave a long sigh before injecting himself once again. A wave of dizziness washed over him much worse from last time. He stuttered almost falling but caught himself just in time as the dizziness passed.

“I’ve got us tickets to see ‘a once in a lifetime exotic fight between earth’s most dangerous creature’. Not my words. This will allow us to check out if my lead is correct or a false alarm,” Alister said as he chewed on a large piece of the pie. After he was done he moved on to the many different kinds of cookies be brought.

“Any questions,” Alister asked.