《Evelyn's Great Hunt: The Paragon》 CHAPTER 1 Evelyn Myers. I parked in a free space outside the lot and turned off the engine. I exhaled. Today had been a tough day. Very. Looking through my windshield, I stared at the apartment complex and wondered what I was gonna do. It didn''t come as a shock to me that reporting my boss''s son for money laundering was bad. "I guess I should be grateful they didn''t turn it around and pin it on my head." That was society for you¡ªme being glad that losing my job was the worst thing they''d done. I got out of the car and shut it. Locking it and making sure it was firmly locked, I turned to cross the path. Saxon High was the safest neighborhood I could think of in the city. That was why I was always shocked when I spotted the black-hooded dude standing by the side of the street. Don''t look. Don''t look. Staying in a safe street didn''t mean I didn''t know danger when I saw it. "Pssst." I heard and ignored the call, keeping my face forward and my eyes on the gates to my apartment complex. At 9 p.m., it wasn''t that crowded out here. Even during the day, it was hard to hear cars in here. So it was easy to hear the footsteps coming behind me. I cursed and took off in a run. The curses and shouts behind me were ignored as I rushed for the gate. Unfortunately for me, I''m not that good of a runner. At 5 ft 6, I didn''t have that long of legs. At least not compared to the dude chasing me. Solid weight rammed into my back just as I got to the gate and knocked me face-first into it. I saw stars. Pained bloomed on my face and I swear I saw words in my vision. I was on the cold ground and I tried to move for the gate again. Crawl in. Where was the goddamned security? I knew the answer. He was there to protect the house and not stop muggings outside it. He was no saint, and considering this dude could be holding guns, I understood he wouldn''t poke his head into this matter. "Please..." I tried to speak when a boot, it had to be a boot, slammed into my face. My head whipped back and slammed into the gate again. "...don''t be begging after making me run sweetheart. Dude, the keys". "Got em, bro" " No. Not the keys. Not the car. Please. I need it". Another kick to my ribs sent pain through my body. I''d never been kicked like that before. I moaned and tried to breathe. " I need it to feed my...". A boot to my face shut me right up. " There. Now you quiet''. "Let''s go bro. We got it". "Aye. Aye". I choked on what was definitely blood as I tried to move. I needed that car. At least with it, I could go back to being an Uber driver. If I didn''t even have it, I was toast. Not being able to take care of your children in this cursed country meant losing them. It was probably the kicks cause gods knew what I was going to do with grown men bigger than me and probably with weapons. I stood anyway and tried walking to the car. I didn''t know if I was crying from pain or from losing my last means to try earning while searching for another job. Or was it for the possible danger this risked of me losing Kayla? Either way, I wasn''t seeing that happen, and so I got to them. The car was already on, and the driver, whichever it was driving back. "No...come...back". I stumbled into the lot and pushed my feet to chase them faster. I could hear my car revving back as I got out of the lot and turned to walk to them. "Get off the streets bitch".My car moved swerving to avoid me. I didn''t get to see clearly but I was certain the other male grabbed the wheel and swerved it right back. My eyes widened, poor decisions catching up to me. I tried to back off. My side tugged at me with fierce pain. Force took out my legs and I hit the car front and then rolled to the side. The car was still moving as the inertia threw me off and to the side of the lot where I was sure my head cracked against something. I could hear it in the distance. My car. Getting driven off. I gulped for air. Tried to stand. Why are my legs not working? No not my legs. I can''t... It was definitely delirium. I may have hit my head hard. I was seeing words. Speaking words. My hair felt damp. My legs hurt. I tried to top, to move. I couldn''t. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Kayla. Her name sent a spike of anger through me. I should have thought of her and not the car. I refused to believe my thoughts. I was thinking of her. Without the car. No money. I tried to stand again. My body didn''t even move. I felt stuck. Trapped. Heavy. Be a dream. Please be. a dream. It has to be. No way I lost the car, right? My thoughts were getting harder to form. Harder to form. Please, stand up. Kayla. At home. Those words were still there. They were shaking now, my mind was too muddled to understand them. Too far. The words got larger. Brighter. Hurting my eyes. My eyes were open. I reached for the words. Go away. They flashed more. Erratically. Like strobe lights. Am... I ...runk i...n t....he c...lu..b. I hoped I was. I hoped I was. Pl...e...as...e b.....e.....e. ..e. The lights were still erratic but I was losing sight of them. It was getting darker. D....a...rk.....e...r. The lights flashed even more. I felt like the darkness was dragging the lights away. No, they weren''t lights. Words. They were words. What words? My words. Kayla. Be Kayla. I wanted to see them again. I tried to reach for the words. To have them be Kayla. To agree to them and see Kayla. I felt a cold grip on my insides. It was the last thing I felt before I lost thought. _ I gasped awake with a forceful gulp of air. My lungs burned and my heart beat fast. I glanced around frantically searching for something. My body was acting instinctively and my brain had not caught up. I blinked again, my eyes rolling around. I felt cold and yet I didn''t feel discomfort from the cold. My brain locked in like a gear, and memories flooded my mind. I looked at myself. Blood matted my body and hair. There was a sticky puddle on the ground, but it was not yet dry. I wasn''t unconscious for long. I turned and used my left hand to push myself up. Standing up fully I turned to the apartment building. I need a bath, then I''ll call the cops. Or I''ll get that bastard to do it. I staggered ahead. I didn''t exactly feel tired or weak, just ... hungry. I must have lost a lot of blood. I paused in the middle of the street noticing something crazy. There was a light blinking in the left corner of my vision. Weird. It was probably some after-effects of hitting the ground hard. Ignoring it I focused on placing my foot ahead of the other. Getting to the gate I pushed it open and stepped in. I kept walking to the entrance, and then inside, I paused. There he was, the bastard. Frightened brown eyes stared at me. I stared right back. "At least be useful and call the police". My voice was silky sweet and withholding the anger and pain in it. His head bobbed sharply and then he picked up the telephone to the side and dialed quickly. "I hope those cameras got everything?." I pointed to his monitors and he nodded before quickly looking away and talking into the phone. Why he hadn''t called them the moment he saw the altercation or the men I didn''t know. I left him and staggered to the elevator. Entering I poked the button for the 8th floor and leaned back as the elevator dinged and the doors closed. I stayed like that catching my breath and feeling the slight vibration of the elevator ascending. "My legs don''t hurt anymore". I could swear they hurt when I tried getting up before. " Do I she spent head trauma?. I can''t feel the pain in my side anymore". The ding of the elevator shook me out of my thoughts. Stepping out I walked on to my door. I knocked. It was very late and the nanny was supposed to have gone home earlier but ... she''ll understand once she sees me. I knocked again and then stopped. My head tilted. I could hear footfalls coming to the door. I blinked sharply and staggered back. The sound of iron against iron scraping made me wince and hiss. My eyes shut open. Did I just hiss? Bertha, the old lady who watched Kayla, stood at the door looking at me. Her eyes had the horrified gaze I expected. " What happened to you?". I flashed a smile as she was at my side and holding me. I wasn''t going to fall but I was thankful. My stomach was now biting. "Got robbed. Lost the car". "What!. Where?". "Outside". I winced as a sound echoed in my ears. "Are you okay?. There''s blood all over you. You need to go...". *Already called the cops. They should get an ambulance when they come. I have to see Kayla" Her head was bobbing. I could hear the rustle of her hair but I wasn''t looking her way. She helped me inside and to the couch but I shook my head. " Kayla". I needed to see my baby girl. Bertha could only help me through the rooms as I stumbled. I got to my child''s room and stopped. She was asleep, tucked in with her teddy held tight. What am I gonna do now? As I stared at her I wondered what and where to start finding jobs. I exhaled and just turned to find my room. "The cops are coming, so let them in if they arrive, Bertha. I''m sorry you overstayed your time too". "Nonsense". The lady waved it off. " You need to get your injuries looked over". "I''ll just get a bath first. There''s nothing serious". I got into my room and began getting the bloody clothes off. Piling them to the side in case the cops needed evidence I got into the bathroom. Getting the water to hot I stood under it and let it flow down my skull. Red trickled off me and flowed down the drain. I stood there for a good while until I heard Bertha knocking. "The cops are here". Her voice came. "I''m coming". I got out and dried up. In my room, I pulled on my nightgown, and, wrapping my head in the towel, I moved to the door. That was when I froze. " Didn''t I have a head injury?". I pulled the towel off and began patting my head. No pain. No burns. Nothing. But...the blood. Where... I looked down to my side and pressed. There was no pain from anywhere I got kicked. I kicked my legs where I was certain I had gotten hit by my stolen car. No pain. Shit. CHAPTER 2 ¡¤I stepped out into my sitting room where cops stood. Two of them in uniform and two in normal attire. Detectives?. "Mrs Myers?". A tall sky blue-eyed male with a bald head asked. "Yes, please. Forgive my rudeness, but please be less audible; my girl is asleep, and she doesn''t know anything about what happened". He nodded and then took a glance around. "I''m Detective Camp Aston. We heard you got seriously injured?". His eyes went over my body and not in a creepy way. "Yes". I didn''t know or understand what was happening. " I was foolish. You have to understand I lost my job today. So I was hoping to fall back on being an Uber driver till I got some better jobs. That, coupled with the kicks, must have done shit to my brain".I paused. It was the truth, but I didn''t know how to explain being unharmed now. The man nodded. " I chased them. One was just trying to get away. The other, he was pissed; he was the one that kicked at me. He was the one that pulled the car''s wheel to hit me too". The man nodded but I could see his eyes still searching for injuries." I..." A third uniformed cop poked his head in. " Got the CCTV. It''s...well, come see". The man turned. "Alright. O''Malley will get your statement and I''ll be back after I''m down reviewing the tapes". I nodded and watched him leave with the female who''d said nothing. The uniformed cop for closer and nodded to me. " Sorry for your night, mam. If I may have you recount everything, I''ll put it down". I nodded at him and waved at a couch. Looking at the other, I also offered a seat, but he shook his head. Sitting I began recounting everything. _ The cops took my bloody dress but I swore the detective was holding himself back from asking why I didn''t have a hint of any wounds on me. His shaking eyes and the females as well told me they''d seen the attack and had it corroborated my story. Which meant both were wondering how I was up and running. That makes three of us. "We''ll put out an alert for your car mam. Rest assured you''ll have it back. Please try to rest up and see a doctor tomorrow".Yes. They saw the CCTV and maybe the blood on the street. "I''ll be leaving as well Miss Evelyn. Please do as the officer says". I nodded with a smile. "Uhm sir". The man turned and I gave a forced smile. "Would it be too much to ask if you could please escort Mrs Bertha home. She''s only here because of my delay and she has a family to get to. I don''t feel safe having her go home this late. Please". The detective nodded and glanced at Mrs Bertha. I could drop you off personally". "Oh no. You have important things to do Detective. I can find my way home". "Mrs Bertha...". "Mam. Miss Evelyn is right. I''d not feel settled having my mother out by this time. Let me take you home". "But...". "Why don''t I take her home. That way you get to do your important work". The female detective spoke up. Mrs Bertha had a defeated look and I smiled in relief. I watched as the cops left and I locked my door behind me. Then I grabbed my stomach. The pain had increased and I didn''t understand it. Walking to my couch, I collapsed into it. Shutting my eyes in a sigh I noticed the still blinking light there. My pains were gone, but my stomach hurt. And there''s a light in my eye. What is going on? I rose and went to the kitchen. Maybe I was just very hungry. I made instant noodles quickly and sat at the dining to devour it. The first sign of trouble was the scent. It didn''t give me that eager-to-devour feeling it had before. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Then I tasted the first fork. It was good. But it wasn''t food. Huh. It''s not food. How?. I didn''t get my Mental processing. How wasn''t it food? I wolfed all of it down and couldn''t shake the feeling of it all just going nowhere. Light flashed at the corner of my eye. That same light dot. Blinking erratically. Was this still a head trauma? Focusing on the light and wondering what it was I jumped when words suddenly appeared in my vision. [Race Change Complete] [Consume Life Source to gain energy] [Harmful Toxins purged] I blinked. What the hell was going on? I remembered seeing words while I was getting attacked. Seeing them while I was unconscious. Unnerved but curious I tried to see more words. [Log of Activities opened Message - Entity 000001 of the Terran World - Earth. Welcome to the Collective. You have been assimilated as a Paragon class holder. Entity 000001 taking damage Entity 000001 critical. Paragon class holder deemed important. Rescue Avenues sought. Entity 000001 facing imminent death. Avenue found. Racial Change option - Vampire. Vampire-Terran Myth provides an avenue to both save and make Paragon Class Holder Entity 000001 undying for the avenue of her task. Unable to implement without consent. Consent required. Consent given. Racial Option - Vampire activated. Humanity Lost Vampirism Gained Racial Change Complete Consume Life Source to gain energy. Harmful Toxins purged] I shook my head. It was a mind trick. I was going insane. I hit my head on the ground after all. I do have to see that doctor. I blinked, glaring at the words. I wanted them gone. The words vanished. I exhaled in relief. The light was still there. The blinking had gone down but it was still. What was it for now? Was I really going insane? Calm down, Evelyn. I focused on the light dot again. Like the first time words spawned into my vision. [Greetings Paragon Class Holder Evelyn Myers. You have been selected by the collective to perform the task of leading your people into the collective. This task, while hard, has been decided to be best suited for someone like you. Questions like why you were chosen have a simple answer. We at the collective require those who have an emotional investment in the well-being of their world, either for a reason or not. For Evelyn Myers, your daughter Kayla is a good reason why you will have to take this task seriously. Your world has been subjected to the energy known as the Aether. Your planet has begun evolving and will complete this evolution in Four Earth Months. During this time, dungeons - spatial locked zones holding dangerous monsters will spawn on your Earth. The animals will mutate and you will have to grow. Your Records hold the collective data of your power, capabilities and growth. Please take this message and task seriously. Worlds have been known to lose all life before their terraforming is complete due to the dungeon creatures breaking out and wiping it off the map. The Collective has granted you, Paragon class holder, the tools to grow and build a haven for your people. Not everyone will be saved nor will the number of those you will be able to reach be adequate. As such, we have granted Paragon Classes to hand to one entity for each continent in your world. Rest assured, you have only your continent to save. Please say records, access your map to find dungeons and a marketplace to buy things. Grow and prosper. For your Daughter] "A message. From the collective. Am I crazy?" I shook my head. The message warned me to take it seriously. "Let''s see. Records". The vast list that appeared had me taking a step back. I could see my name. My race. It was all frightening. I moved and took a seat back on the couch, took a breath and began reading. [RECORDS] [ENTITY - 000001] [NAME - Evelyn Myers] [RACE - True Vampire] LEVEL - 0 [CLASS -1st Paragon of Earth: You are the first on Earth to be granted a class by the Collective. Your class, unlike others, is a jack of all trades and a master of them all. You can learn everything and do anything within reason] [TITLES - First True Vampire: You are the first true vampire in existence, created from the Earth''s myths of vampires. This title grants you the Special Skill ¨C Blood Magic. Original: You are the one vampire made without drinking the blood of another. Your blood is special, capable of healing all vampire afflictions and negating curses. Grants Special Skill ¨C Immortality. Progenitor: This title hints at your capability to create more of your race. (Note: Advised to use this in preparing your people). Grants Special Skill ¨C Vampire Genesis] --- [LEAGUE] (The measure of your existence and your effect on the world) [Physical Force ¨C 10(5%)(x3): As a vampire, you start strong and always remain strong. Mental Force ¨C 9: As a vampire, your mind has known death and is therefore strong. However, this does not make it invincible and unspanning. Your mind holds the weight of your magic. Spiritual Force ¨C 5: Your spirit is one with your body, eternally fueling your Physical Force. While unable to use your spirit externally, you are immune to spiritual or soul-based attacks. Magical Force ¨C 10: You wield power over Life Force, a rare and special energy. Wielding it would make you a formidable enemy] --- [RACIAL ABILITIES] [PASSIVE ABILITIES] [Blood Digestion: You drink blood for sustenance, gaining life energy and power from it. Vampiric Might: You possess superhuman strength, capable of exerting a force 3x your Physical Force in both strength and speed. Enhanced Perception: Your senses are honed to superhuman levels. You can see through illusions, track prey by scent, hear sounds from distances equal to 2x your Mental Force in miles, and perceive magical or spiritual energy] [ACTIVE ABILITIES] [Bite and Rend You sink your fangs and hooks into prey, causing Physical Force damage equal to 2x your Physical Force and draining blood from them. Your claws are just as lethal for a fight as your fangs are for a hunt causing 2x your physical Force in damage and leaving a bleed effect] Sprint: You are a natural-born hunter. To catch prey, your body can move at high speeds of up to x3 the power of your physical Force without stopping or needing rest. You can perform sharp dashes without having to bother about inertia or wind resistance. Life Force Manipulation: You wield the potent energy of Life Force, allowing you to drain, transfer, or restore life energy to heal yourself or allies or drain enemies to increase your power. This boosts your Physical and Magical Force temporarily] --- [SPECIAL SKILLS] [Blood Magic: Control the life force within the blood to manipulate it, enabling you to perform powerful rituals and spells. As a vampire, your mastery over blood magic is absolute. Blood Magic potency is enhanced by your Magical Force and works in synergy with the racial passive "Blood Digestion." Immortality: You''re invincible, unkillable, and beloved by death. Nothing can kill you, and you can come back from many attacks, healing from any injury. Vampire Genesis: As the First Vampire, you can make others in your image or customize them as you see fit. All vampires created by you are loyal] --- [CLASS SKILLS] (Note: You can learn any skill from any class without restriction). [Martial Prowess: Unrivalled in physical combat, you can wield any weapon and master any martial technique from any combat class at its current level. Your strength and reflexes allow for unparalleled skill in battle. To acquire a new skill, simply drink the blood of or battle the host. Arcane Adaptation: As a master of magic, you can learn and convert any non-elemental spell from any magical class into your school of magic. Your connection to Life Force grants you deeper access to unique and powerful spells. Potency and control are directly tied to your Magical Force. Spells can be modified or enhanced to suit the situation. Combat Reflexes: Your body responds faster than the mind can register, allowing you to react and counter any attack with precision. This boosts your survivability in battle and amplifies your adaptability to different threats] CHAPTER 3 I felt the changes the moment I was done reading. It was like a dam had held back everything or the collective wanted me to sort myself out first Sounds filled my head and I had to hold my ears with my palms. I could now feel the hunger in my belly as what it was. Blood. All the changes I had undergone had taken lots of life force. Life force I needed to replace. I wouldn''t die though. No. I could not and never die. I was immortal. Starving for too long would just make me wither into a desiccated corpse. I didn''t like the mental image of that as much as I hated the idea of leaving Kayla on her lonesome. I paused. The world was about to end in four months. The Collective wanted someone who would drag and lead humanity to safety and prosperity. I lost my job and my car the same day I was given this message. Fate. Or the Collective messing around me. Focus. Focus. Kayla. I thought of my little girl. My hearing swapped over to her. I could hear her breathing, her heart beating in her chest. Her blood rushing through her veins. The sounds calmed me. I opened my eyes again. I sighed relaxing back on the couch. My stomach still stung. "There''s two things involved. I''m either crazy. Or it''s all real". I hated to admit I was sticking to the second. I had bled over the street. "My wounds and all the pain suddenly gone when I woke up". I stood quickly and rushed to the wall mirror. I looked, the same. Nothing different. "One way to find out". I walked into the kitchen. Immortality made me invincible. Unkillable. I grabbed a knife and stood there for a good minute in hesitation. "Am I really doing this?". I have to know. If it''s all true then I need to work to keep my baby safe. I cut my arm. Just a bit. Enough that it was visible but wouldn''t hurt me much later till it healed normally if all this was just ...oh shit. The wound closed within three seconds of making it. It took even the blood back in. "Its bloody real. What do I do?. What do I do?". My stomach stung again. Strangely that worked to calm my panic. "I need to quell .this pain first. Second, I''ll have to figure out how all this works". I was back in the sitting room. How do I quell this pain?. The answer was obvious to me. Blood. But from where. I paced across the room for a while. Then I paused. I had an idea. A risky very dangerous idea, but still an idea. I hurried up to my bedroom and threw off my nightgown. I put on jeans, a nice looking top and boots. My phone. I found it on the table. Bertha must have gotten it out off my clothes. Smiling at the thought of the old lady I took some cash I had in the house. I have to figure this out and then know what I''m doing. I left the house at exactly 11 pm. _ I arrived at the club I wanted to test things in. The flashing strobe lights were hidden by the layers of security they had. I couldn''t remember if this place was legal or not. I didn''t care for that. It was a club. A place where shit happened. The walk here had been safe, with no random mugger on the street to try and rob me. I was both relieved and disappointed. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The club entrance had the bouncer dude. Without a word I showed the ID. Sometimes these things didn''t matter and the bouncers just made you leave. Please let me in. Keeping a straight face I waited. The huge dude nodded me in. The sound of partying and disco rock filled the night outside as the door was opened for me. I watched it shut behind me as I was drowned in the sound. Even with the sound proof walls I could still hear from outside. Could still hear my house and my baby sleeping. Get this done fast and go home before Kayla''s midnight snack. I had an hour or two to run home. I had not tested it in the hopes of getting down random criminal to see me. The club was parked full and I had to remind myself it was a Wednesday and not a Saturday or Friday club night. Lots of people without a care in the world. For a second I wished I was like them. Then I shrugged off the feeling. I loved my Kayla so it was no. I looked around the room. What was I looking for. The bad boys of the room. I didn''t have a heart to pull my plan off any nerdy guy I saw. Keep away from those with their girlfriends. Avoid those with large friends. Which leaves.... My eyes zeroed in on the one guy leaning against the wall and bobbing his head. Long dark hair that stopped at his jaw. My eyesight could see his face, his eyes clearly from over here. The stove light smad wit hard to pinpoint but I could deduct them being gray. Forgive me. I walked over, wading through the ride of bodies. I moved fluidly, not managing to avoid all the sweat soiled forms but doing a surprisingly good work at not getting pushed or carried through the maze. Halfway to my target a pair of hands snaked around my waist and tugged. I didn''t budge though. Damn. I''m strong. I turned to the perpetrator and found a very drunk, lusty eyed boy. My eyes narrowed when his hands began moving over my body. Okay. Make this easier for me. I put my hand sober his shoulders and began dancing as well. I noticed the look of triumph on his eyes and stiffened as his hand cupped my ass. Oh, I''m not gonna regret this one bit. But first. I shook my head looking over the club. Searching, I tried to listen but the sounds made me wince. Not ready yet. I stuck with my eyes. Turning and turning. I froze. His hand had gone inside my shirt. Lord help me. With a tight lipped smile I brought my face closer. Rubbing my cheeks on his cheek I then moved down his face. Holding back from the scent of his cologne mixed with sweat. The hunger pangs won. Or maybe it was the decision that he had gotten himself a reward. A reward of being the first to be drained by a vampire. I kept my eyes peeled on the club. Everyone was so into the music and grooving. Are those fuckers having sex right there?. I shivered in disgust and then nearly jumped at the hand that grabbed my breast. I felt my canines lengthen and grow, felt the incisors right next to them follow and curve. I bit down sharply. My left palm quickly going to his mouth and covering the gasp that almost escaped. Blood gushed into my mouth and for a brief second I almost forgot where I was. It was like drinking juice, but even better or more heavenly. I couldn''t stop, I didn''t want to stop. I had no intention on stopping. White light to the corner of my vision made me grumble. I caught a whimper but I wasn''t sure with my hearing not focused here. [Lifeforce gained] The hunger pangs in my stomach diminished and the lack of it made me stop. The club was still wild, and when I focused my ears on his heartbeat the male was still living. Instinctively I knew that my saliva would heal the bite would leaving none the wiser. Helping the hunter hide its prey. I did so and then quickly wiped both blood trickle and the spot off with my kerchief. I held him by the shirt and let him hang on the dancing bodies. Quickly I slipped in deeper amongst the bodies. With the lack of wound, he would be seen as drunk if he dropped. Which he was. Looking around I spotted a sign for the restroom and hurried off to it. The music cut off inside here and I exhaled as I realized just how much my hands were shaking. If the boy died then it was murder. Strangely, I was okay with it. Him or Kayla,a choice I didn''t have to think. I looked at myself in the mirror and nodded. You got this. Bringing up my Records there was one change. A new meter had been added to my records. [Life Force - 100/100] This shows the amount of life force energy you can store in you. As your Magical Force rises so too does your storage limit rise. I sent the records away and stared at my hand. There was a reason I was here. To test out things. If I could learn something, then I had a bar full of Lide Force to utilize. I skipped some things that I could practice at home and that didn''t need life force which left me with Blood Magic and Life Force Manipulation. One I would test later inside the club. The other I would know now. I learned something else though. Willing my fangs and claws to change was all it took. I could control which fingers and hands I wanted. The black and long claws looked frightening and like something from a movie set. Before I did anything I looked at the restroom door. Anyone could work in now. I picked a stall. They were fortunately clean. Entering I closed and bolted it then turned back to my palms. I slit my claw. Blood rolled out. It was dark red, very dark red. But that wasn''t what I was drawn to. Life force. I could sense the life force in my blood. I ignored the wound and focused on the blood that dropped on my palm. I really wanted it to rise up and it did. I wasn''t controlling the blood, but the life force in it. It as the same reason I drank blood. To get the life force in it. But can''t I just drain and call it a day?. The question had an instinctive answer. Draining life force was not effective which was why drinking blood was the best way to get it all. Where drinking blood gave me 100% , draining only gave half or quarter which was why it would never completely heal me when used like that in battle. "That was a good point to know now rather than later". I missed. Still I knew it was a good way to weaken or even kill people. I had to be careful when using it out there. For now I turned back to the blood floating in mid air. My palm has healed up already and I knew I would have to get over that quickly. How do I use blood magic?. What spells are there and where do I get them?. A blinking light at the edge of my vision signaled a notification. I''ll have to get used to that too. Focusing on it brought it up. [Greetings Entity 000001, Evelyn Myers. The Blood Magic school does not exist in the wider universe. Vampires are entities newly realized in your Earth myths. The Collective always tries to create powers in each planet to avoid one race holding on to an entire power. As such you will have to create all the spells from your magic shook. Life Force Magic is not a new school though. As an incentive, any Blood Magic spells made will be rewarded with 1 gold coin and of course since all spells are sold on the Wider Net you''ll gain 50% royalties from each sell and a 80% tax cut for it. Be creative] The text winked out. "Be creative". I sighed. Like I''ve been making spells that I would know how to make one. CHAPTER 4 ¡¤Can I at least know what spells are?". The blinking light filled me with relief. [Greetings Entity 000001, Evelyn Myers. Spells are structured invocations of magic or supernatural forces, typically using specific words, gestures, intent, materials, or symbols from a magic school to produce a desired effect. Spells can range from simple actions like lighting a fire to complex rituals involving time, space, or other powerful forces. For Blood Magic, all. Spells are drawn upon the life force within the blood to carry out an effect that uses the blood as a catalyst] I got the gist. Blood was a catalyst, conduit, a source. Ife force was the activation z the spark. Blood was the tool as well to direct an effect. I was manipulating this blood by controlling the Life Force in it. What is stopping me from controlling it within a human body? "I''ll test that outside. First let''s see what spell I can create with this blood of mine". I whispered. How did you create a spell? Words, gestures, intent. But since this school doesn''t exist I''ll have to make all of this. I inhaled sharply. Let''s go with intent first. Its easier. I focused on the blood drops. I formed an image on my head and willed the blood to become the same. It did, the dripps stretched and joined to form a needle. It was larger than a needle would be but too small to be a spike. Shoot down the toilet and impale. The spike oriented itself, tip pointing down and shot off at a sharp speed. [Blood Magic - Spell: Blood Spike(Common)] [Create and shake a spike of blood at an enemy for 2x your Mental Force] [Cost - 5 Life Force] [Cast Type - Intent] [Reward - 1 Gold] I heard the sound of coins clattering. I shook my head. Opening my records, I found a new tab below Life Force. Currency. There was a whole series of them and then gold. [Currency - C: 0, B: 0, S: 0, G: 1, P: 0] Light blinking to the side again. [Greetings Entity 000001, Evelyn Myers. As a Paragon Class Holder, you are allowed to transfer your currency into a local Bank account. This applies only for the four months before the Planetary Collective Initiation. Standard rates are : 1 Copper = $0.001 1 Bronze = $0.10 1 Small Silver = $1.00 1 Silver = $10.00 1 Small Gold = $1,000 1 Gold = $10,000 1 Platinum= $1,000,000 100 Copper= 1 Bronze 10 Bronze= 1 Small Silver I0 Small Silvers= 1Silver 100 Silvers = 1 Small gold 10 Small gold = 1 Gold] I stared at the rates. Then I went back to stare at my records. That should be the warning that it is all a scam, eh? My eyes went to the red-colored toilet water and the mess happening on the floor. I got out of the stall, and fortunately, no one was in. I got into another stall and locked myself in. Ten thousand dollars. I shook my head. "How do I connect a bank?". The light was back and then I was looking at a blank space with two words above. [Greetings Entity 000001, Evelyn Myers please fill in the space below with your bank details: _ _Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. _] I filled in everything, social security numbers, bank number, account name, and even the bank name. The text vanished once I was done and then there was another light to the side. [Greetings Entity 000001, Evelyn Myers. Fill in the corresponding number of coins you would like withdrawn. After this, a + song will be set next to your currency bar for any withdrawals you wish to make. Please fill in the coin amount: _] My greed nearly spoke but I clamped down. Having 10,000 suddenly appear in my account wasn''t something I wanted to explain to the IRS. I put in five small pieces of gold. [Greetings Entity 000001, Evelyn Myers. Tax cuts of 20% from all sales of Blood Magic Spells have been deducted. Your 80% tax allowance has been deducted: Tax - 2 Small Silvers/$200 Withdrawal - 4 Small gold and 8 Small Silvers/$4800] The text vanished and my phone beeped in my bag. I was in pilot mode as I searched for that phone. I had it out and stared at the latest notification.$4800s. I crouched down, my legs felt weak. I had made in a minute of thinking what had been my four years salary and that was just the withdrawal. I checked my bank app to be sure and it was there. Quickly I sent money to my online store and made orders. When the debit went through I put a call through to customer service. I winced as I saw the time, knowing I might be disturbing someone, but I had to be sure the money was real. "Yes hello". "Good afternoon, mam. How can I help you?". Ah, it''s afternoon there. That helped my guilt. "I made a payment for an order, but I''ve been having some issues. Please can you confirm if the payment went through?". "Ok. Can you send me the receipt and your bank receipt as well?". Quickly I sent it over. I stayed put for a good thirty minutes before she confirmed it. Thanking her I cut the call. It''s real. It''s real. Call me materialistic or whatever x, but the money, more than anything else, proved that I wasn''t having a Meltdown. Well, maybe I am, and the money is part of it. I chuckled and stood up. Pocketing my phone I turned and exited the stall. It was stone to party and get blood. _ I left the club in a hurry apologizing to the bouncers. I took off down the street in a run till I cleared the club''s view. I pushed my feet. 3x my physical Force was 30 PF. I wasn''t flash fast, but I was definitely past Olympic levels. My hurry? Kayla was awake and looking for me. I raced through the city and back home at the top speed I could go. Sprint did its work of letting me keep running and running. I had a full life force and a bottle of blood in my bag that I would use later. I winced at the memory of the man I took it from. Unlike the first pervert, he didn''t do anything. Sighing I turned the corner and slowed down into a normal run. I was home. I turned the key and got inside to a near hysteric Kayla. "Mama!Mama!". "Baby. Baby I''m here. Sorry. Forgive mommy". I had her in my arms and patting her back. Her pigtails looked scattered and she hadn''t bed wetted. That''s my good girl. "Sorry baby. I forgot something at work and had to rush to get it. Are you hungry?". Her tiny head bobbed in a nod on my neck and I smiled. "Me too. Come let''s go make some cereal". I set her on the island and went through the cabinets for her cereal. I''ll have to stock up, or I''ll get Mrs Bertha to do it. Setting a plate I poured in the cereal then went for the milk on the fridge. I felt a sense of relief and joy again at the thought of the money. As I walked back to the fridge a cold resolve settled over me. My eyes on my darling as she watched the milk pour into the plate I mentally spoke my promise. If I have to drag Humanity to prosperity kicking and screaming I will. Not for them or for me. But for you. I watched her eat with my jaw on my palm. As she ate I just had to speak. "Kayla". "Mummy". I smiled. When I had her I had been so angry with the world and the bastard of a boy. Now, I loved for her calling me mummy. "You know mummy loves you right?". She frowned wide showing off her teeth and half eaten cereal while nodding."Always remember. Mummy will love you forever and ever". "Kayla love you too".she left her chair and went round to hug me. It was all I needed. Maybe it was evil to use a child as the resolve for all the crimes I would commit but I knew she wasn''t just my resolve. I used to think it cool when I watched movies and read books. Now. It was scary. Just thinking of anything hurting her. The mere thought of her or the world involved a sense of rage within me at the absurdity of the question. "Once you''re done go sleep okay. You''ve got school tomorrow". She nodded again and went right back to eating or drinking. Whatever happened with it. I stood and grabbed my purse. Turning I headed to the sitting room. Making sure the door was locked I made sure the key was out of reach. Checked the balcony again before I headed to my room. I left the door open of course so as to know when she tucked herself in. I changed our of my clothing first before taking out the bottle of blood. Setting it to one side I sat on the ground and stared into space calling up my records. [RECORDS] [ENTITY - 000001] [NAME - Evelyn Myers] [RACE - True Vampire] [LEVEL - 0] [CLASS -1st Paragon of Earth] [TITLES -First True Vampire, Original, Progenitor] [LIFE FORCE - 100/100] [CURRENCY - C: 0, B: 0, S: 0, G: 0.5, P: 0 +] --- [LEAGUE] [Physical Force ¨C 10(5%) (x3): Mental Force ¨C 8: Spiritual Force ¨C 5: Magical Force ¨C 10] --- [RACIAL ABILITIES] [PASSIVE ABILITIES] [Blood Digestion, Vampiric Might, Enhanced Perception] [ACTIVE ABILITIES] [Bite and Rend, Sprint, Life Force Manipulation] --- [SPECIAL SKILLS] [Blood Magic(Blood Spike), Immortality, Vampire Genesis] --- [CLASS SKILLS] [Martial Prowess, Arcane Adaptation, Combat Reflexes] I''d learned some things about Life Force Manipulation. First, I couldn''t take more than my storage had. Second, the First didn''t stop manipulation just the storage. Third, taking Life force weakened drastically. Something I was certain the only cure too was to give life force back. I had not made any other spells before I left but that was why I took blood while returning. I wanted to see what I could do with not just my blood. But first I took the blood and kept in my fridge, high up from Kayla''s reach. Next I brought my laptop and powered it on. Going online I began browsing on magic. Earth had created a lot of media on magic so why wouldn''t there be some ideas on making my own. I read up on various systems in stories, the kinds depicted in movies and some in animes and manhwas. I copied and pasted ideas into a file and searched for more ideas. Finally I found a pattern. "Blood Magic are all similar. There''s no different use no different end result. Just different methods".It was the same things you could do with water magic but then with differences. "Let''s see". Spells could be made in many ways. I''d used intent of the Spike. "But what if I focused on everything. This Blood Magic school is non-existent so I can make it all". I looked up spellforms. It was something I''d heard in many books and stories. Spellforms are specific, structured arrangements of magical elements, symbols, or runes used to create and shape spells. They serve as "blueprints" that organize magical energy in a particular form, allowing the caster to achieve consistent and often complex effects with greater precision and stability. In essence, spellforms help translate the caster''s intentions into reality by channeling, focusing, and directing energy according to predefined patterns. "So with spells I could make simple magic. I could even try for making and getting huger effects. But with a spellform I could make even better effects". But I needed a lot to make a spellform. I need to make blood runes. The very thought showed me a way. To make a blood rune I needed to give each rune its intent and meaning. Which meant I couldn''t do it on my laptop. But I knew what to do first?. I created a second file and began working. I made a symbol and wrote the intent or meaning next to it. It was easy to form as I thought of all the things I wanted to have in a spell and made it. Protection for Kayla, Vitality for her, Strong skin, and on. I worked on and on and when I finally found my mind blank off things I slid into the Internet again and searched up possible things to be used in spells, both words and objects. I copied and pasted to the file and ten worked on arranging it all, making symbols for them and writing out their meanings. CHAPTER 5
"Symbols are runes without power. They''re called symbols because they show the shape and design of a rune without its power. It becomes a rune when it holds power within it." - Evelyn Myers
My fingers never cramped, and I didn''t get tired. When I felt I''d done enough, I stood up and set the laptop to the side. I began searching for a book in my room. There were papers, but no books to use. "Wait. There''s a marketplace, right?" Thinking of it brought up a box in my view. [Marketplace] [Skills] [Spells] [Weapons] [Materials] [Gears] [Blueprints/Recipes] [Miscellaneous] I tapped on "Miscellaneous" when I didn''t see a description for what I wanted. In "Miscellaneous," a whole list of nonsense appeared. Luckily, there was a search button at the top-right corner. Tapping it, a black space for words appeared. Thinking of the words showed me what I wanted, and I tapped "Search." [Blank Books and Tomes] 1. Leather-bound Tome 2. Cloth-wrapped Journal 3. Hardcover Book with Metal Clasps 4. Marbled Cover Ledger 5. Embossed Hardcover Grimoire 6. Vellum-bound Logbook 7. Worn Traveler''s Diary 8. Ancient Script Tome with Blank Pages 9. Gilded Page Manuscript Book 10. Dusty Leather-bound Archive Blank Grimoires 1. Ornate Grimoire with Silver Trim 2. Dragonhide-bound Spellbook 3. Midnight Black Grimoire with Embossed Symbols 4. Mystic Gem-embedded Cover Grimoire 5. Oak and Brass-bound Ritual Book 6. Ember-stained Pyromancer''s Grimoire 7. Frosty Leather-bound Cryomancer''s Tome 8. Illusionist''s Prism-bound Spellbook 9. Bound Book of Runes 10. Elderwood Cover Ritual Grimoire Blank Scrolls 1. Aged Parchment Scroll 2. Magician''s Seal-bound Scroll 3. Heavy Linen Scroll with Brass Caps 4. Delicate Silk Scroll 5. Runic Bamboo Scroll 6. Scroll with Gold Leaf Edging 7. Bone-tube Case Scroll 8. Scroll with Ink-splotched Fibers 9. Ancient Papyrus Scroll 10. Wanderer''s Travel Scroll Blank Parchments and Loose Sheets 1. Unblemished White Parchment 2. Charcoal-stained Parchment 3. Gold-tinted Papyrus Sheets 4. Thick Hide Parchment Sheets 5. Pressed Flower Parchment 6. Salt-and-Ash Treated Parchment 7. Ink-resistant Leaf Sheets 8. Thin-cut Birch Bark Parchment 9. Herb-scented Parchment 10. Powder-blue Alchemist''s Parchment The word "Dragon" caught my eye. Focusing on it expanded the details. [Dragonhide-bound Spellbook - An imposing tome wrapped in the thick, textured scales of a dragon, adding a mystical aura and robust durability to the book. The cover is deep, smoky black with hints of iridescent sheen, reflecting subtle colors under the light. Embedded along the spine are enchanted iron clasps that secure the pages within, each fastened with Draconic runes that enhance its resistance to elements like fire, ice, and magical corrosion. Inside, the pages are made of fine vellum, smooth and slightly warm to the touch, each one ready to capture the essence of powerful spells, incantations, and mystical diagrams. The book, when written in, offers the Wisdom of the Dragons, allowing its user to remember any spell needed at the appropriate time while also boosting the spell''s power with Magical Force from the tome itself.] - [Cost: 2 Small Gold]Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. I winced at the price. That was almost $2,000. The tome looked good, though, so yes. The added Magical Force and memory were good bonuses. "Buy, please." The words shrunk back, and a prompt asking for confirmation appeared. Accepting, I watched as light flashed in front of me. A book appeared midair, and I caught it before it hit the ground. The book was thick, with a belt strap that locked it, four iron edges, and beautiful scales. Unstrapping it, I opened it and admired the ancient-looking pages. I set it on my table and went back to the marketplace. This time, I went to "Materials" and used the search icon again for writing materials. [Silver Inkbrush ¨C Delicate brush with silver bristles, excellent for detailed work] - [Cost: 10 Coppers] Paying, I caught the inkbrush when it appeared. For the next thing, I went back to "Miscellaneous" and found something that caught my attention. [Bound Book of Runes - An enigmatic volume bound in rich, dark oak wood with brass corner protectors engraved with nature symbols of warding. The cover is adorned with intricate runes carved into the wood, inlaid with silver and copper that glimmer faintly. Along the spine, additional protective runes are etched deeply, serving both as decoration and a shield against unwanted magical influences. Inside, the thick parchment pages are slightly rough, made to handle the weight of runic inscriptions without wear. Each page has faintly embossed grids, guiding the writer to place each rune with precision. The book usually takes on the aura of the magic school written in it and, when better runes are made, replaces the original book wards with them. The Bound Book of Runes connects to its writer with a mental link, offering memory of each rune written within its pages and their intent.] - [Cost: 1 Silver] [CURRENCY - C: 90, B: 9, S: 98.49, G: 0.2, P: 0 +] The Bound Book of Runes appeared. "Alright. Ignoring that breakdown of my coins, let''s get this started." I arranged my laptop on the table, left the Spellbook aside, and set the Bound Book of Runes on the table. Heading to the kitchen, I found a plastic can in my trash bin. Growing an incised claw, I ripped through the can. Hmm. Disposing of the unneeded top side, I went back to my room with the base. Stopping at my baby''s room, I opened the door and peeked in. I didn''t see when she passed out. She was asleep, so I tucked her in and covered her with the blanket. Making sure her windows were open just slightly, I left her room. I set the can base to the right of my table. I slit my left palm open with my claw and watched my blood drip in. I could have used the blood I got before, but my blood was tagged as special. I slit the palm again when it healed and again. I didn''t stop until I had blood in the can to the base. I felt my life force diminish. Luckily, the life force stayed in my blood. I went back to the kitchen and took out my blood bottle. It''s one thing biting a guy; it''s another thing drinking it like it''s water now. I inhaled sharply. "It''s my life now. I''m stronger, faster, and can do magic. I''m gonna keep my baby safe in this madness coming." I opened the bottle and tipped it over into my mouth. The blood was cold but still sweet. I didn''t exactly like it. It was like drinking cold tea or coffee. The lifeblood was still in it, which was what mattered. I set the blood back and headed upstairs. Time to work. Taking the brush, I used my left hand to scroll up on my laptop to the top. I dipped the brush into my blood and tapped a bit to avoid excess. "Hmm. The brush absorbs the liquid." I brought it to the book, and before I wrote, I shrugged and decided to start with an appreciation. From Evelyn Myers - The First Vampire. This took a lot of work. I hope it helps. For my Baby Kayla. On the second page, I paused. I won''t let the world burn. Not when my precious child still stands on it. If I have to drag everyone to good times, then I will. Evelyn Myers, The First True Vampire I turned that page and looked at the third one. I remembered Vampire Genesis and had a thought. To all the vampires who read this. I hope you learn well. Evelyn Myers I turned the next page and then another. Here, I redipped my brush and looked up to the laptop. I wrote. I bore my intent and will, the meaning for the rune, as I wrote. Taking my brush up, I stared at the rune. It was a dark red, with a pulse of silver flowing through it. My intent and will flowed back into my mind. I shuddered, then smiled. I leaned forward and kept writing. --- [5:00 AM] I stood up and stretched. A human thought. I didn''t feel any stress. I shook my head and looked at all my work. I''d written pages of runes and even added more to the original ones on the laptop. While working, I had the brilliant idea for a first spell, one that I wanted to try now before anything else. What if my book got lost? Or I needed it in a jiffy? Taking the Dragonhide Spellbook, I skipped six pages before stopping. I marked the rune for one at the left top edge of the page. I moved my brush to the center. "Calm down, Evelyn. Be careful." Any work I imprinted on the page would be stored and empowered. I drew the first symbol like I had done in the rune book. It was memorized already, even without the book''s memory aid. A disc, then another thick circular band around the first disc. On the first disc, I drew the blood rune for Bind. The first rule of Blood Magic, one made on its own by the virtue of my existence, was simple: Any rune that needed to use Blood Magic must be written in blood. The second was that the rune must be one I''d given intent to serve as the Blood Symbol. So, when I wrote the first symbol and imbued my intent into it, it shimmered with silver light. On the circular band, I created three bridges, splitting the band into three spaces. In the first space, I drew the rune for Lifeforce. In the second, I drew a rune for Call. In the third, I drew the rune for Summon. I created another thick band of blood. This one I didn''t divide. Instead, I created a twisting vine of blood around the band. This signified the last band in a spellform and the kind of band it was. For this spellform, it was a locking band. I drew the rune for Seal on the band and stopped to watch the spellform shimmer. Below, I wrote the next part of the spellform. This was a permanent spell that couldn''t be broken unless you drained all the blood in your body. It was giving me ideas for curses and what to do with people who I needed to punish but not kill. The incantation was an activation matrix, a way for the spellform to understand you knew what you were doing. This was something I did due to the permanence of this spellform. [By the blood of my essence, I bind this item to me, Through my lifeforce, let its power flow free. When I call upon it, let it come to my hand, When I summon thee, by blood shall it rise. Guard this spellbook, my lifeforce allow only, as I command shall it be, till the blood in my veins run no more, and the spark of life shine no more.] The incantation held the secret to the final rule of the spellform. While my blood was the ink used to write it, Blood Magic saw it as a catalyst, a link, not the activation. Meaning to activate it, I needed to drop my blood on the bind symbol and then speak the incantation. [Blood Magic - Spellform: Blood Binding (Legendary)] [Use the Sigil of Interconnectedness to bind an item to your blood permanently and summon it to your hand when needed. Locks your spellbook unless your lifeforce is detected.] [Cost: 10 Lifeforce for Binding, 1 Lifeforce for Call, 10 for Summon, 5 Lifeforce/day for Seal] [Cast Type: Incantation, Intent, Runic] [Reward: 1 Platinum] Spellform Details: Effect 1: Bind an item to your blood, creating a permanent connection. Effect 2: Summon the bound item through your blood when casting the spellform, and to your hand with intent. Effect 3: Lock your spellbook, allowing access only when your lifeforce is detected. There was a flashing light again to the side. Another message came up when I focused. [Greetings, Entity 000001, Evelyn Myers. We congratulate you on the creation of a powerful spellform. Through the aeons, no magic has been able to bind anything to one¡¯s lifeforce¡ªonly to one¡¯s magical force. Your creation is a very powerful thing, as while magical force is a good way to bind items, it can be overloaded and the item unbound. With this spellform, the Collective will begin changing many bindings to utilize it for security. Currency notifications will be disabled to avoid distractions. Note that an additional reward of voiding all taxes on the sale of this spell has been given. Warning: Your spell has caught the eyes of some individuals. Rest assured, until the five-year buffer for allowing newly integrated worlds peace expires, no higher lifeform can disturb you. This does not mean other means won¡¯t be taken to reach you. It is advised you make haste to grow in power to avoid falling under the whims of the powerful.] I blinked away the notifications as a bit of worry filled me. I wasn''t stupid enough to ignore what anyone who wanted me would use to get to me. Kayla. For a split second, I had the thought of changing my baby. There¡¯s nothing bad about being a vampire. Would there be any negatives to changing my daughter? The light was back. [Greetings Entity 00001, Evelyn Myers. While there are no visible negatives to changing your daughter, the Collective will pause any physical changes. This will ensure that she grows at a standard pace. Immortality will set in on her 16th birthday, and aging will stop on her 18th birthday. This is the age deemed appropriate for newborns and children to be initiated into the system, both now and in the future. If you wish to change your daughter, special packages will be granted to her to boost her survival, giving you peace of mind to focus on your task.] I liked how they added why they were doing this. It was as they explained before¡ªmy daughter was the reason they knew I would push to succeed. Keeping her safe and alive was in the Collective''s best interest if they wanted me to work for mankind''s safety. Well, my continent''s safety. Was it playing favorites? Maybe. Did I care? No. If it was for Kayla, I didn''t mind. "I can''t just change her though. I need to know what she thinks about all this."