Wakemear

The cool night air and rhythmic thumping of the carriage along the old dirt road put Dagon and Dan and Gothru into a deep sleep. I was siting at the front with Clif in silent awe at my surroundings, I watched as the shadows cast form the torches of the carriage danced across the tree line making it look both menacing and beautiful. I began to wonder what secrets lie in the forest, what was hiding out there just beyond the vail of darkness. Seeing the concern on my face, while I was staring at the side of the road, "don't worried nothing should attack us now, as we are too close to the city" Clif spoke softly in order to provide comfort and reassure me. I smiled at him. "Also" He continued, "we have these", he lifted his arm holding the strange crystal from earlier. It was glowing a crimson red and had a simplistic rusted metal perch the lead down to a worn leather handle. "All missions into the forest are loaned one in order to detect monsters". He explained that in this world there where many races but not all races had the power to feel and understand complex emotion, that was not to say they didn't have any, but it was mostly tided to their survival instinct, whereas some races like humans and elves could build massive cities others like the snow bunnies we caught today are just trying to survive. "If the crystal is blue it means there are no monsters around and if it is red there are monsters around and it doesn't detect the dead". His words snapped me back to reality as I stared into his hazel eyes, a cool wind swept between us. "Clif…" I spoke slowly unsure of what was about to happen, "the crystal is Red".

"So, it is", He stated, a hint of sadness in his voice. Then the realisation hit me after being reincarnated into this world I might not be human anymore. Fear began to build up in my stomach, is he going to kill me, everyone is asleep so no one could help me. "It is" He said again breathing out a puff of breath "The dumb thing broke", he exclaimed while shaking the crystal, as if that will get it to work, I said to myself, "I swear they built these things to break, now we won't get are deposit back from the Guild". He put the crystal back onto a little stand behind him.

Slowly the forest receded to a massive open plane with farmland off to the side and in the centre, built around and up a hill, glowing with the torch light stood a magnificent City. "Welcome to Wakemear" Dan said, poking his head up front after waking from his nap. "make sure you wake u-", I could hear Clif barking orders, but the sound was like a distant wind for my attention was captured, ensnared by Wakemear. Even in the darkness of the towering shadows cast by the wooden torches burning on the old stone wall that circumference Wakemear the city was nothing like the modern cities of my past life, the lower area of the city had building where mostly comprised of stone and had wooden roofs, winding streets that snaked around weaving in between the houses. In the centre of the city stood a massive building that was made from brick and slate, it made the lower area look tiny in comparison, and at the upper level stood, atop everything else, a cathedral looking building with ornate designs made from stone. "That the crown jewel of Wakemear" Dagon, who had woken up and move to the front with out me knowing, made me jump. "The Academy" Dagon continued leaning further towards the front of the carriage "millions come from miles just to try and attend there. Infamous for breading heroes and great mages, why Clif himself used to go but left after only one month to help his family". Dagon Finished a smile appearing on his face as he looked at Clif "I did what I had to in order to help my family, I don't regret my choice, but it was an amazing place to be if only for a short time". Clif trailed off looking up at the sky lost in the joy of past memories.

As we approach what I'm informed is the south gate, we can hear the sounds of livestock calling to each over, I look at Clif perplexed. "They keep livestock near the gate so the farmers can move them easily, and don't keep the outside so monsters won't eat them" Gothru informed me after finally being awoken from his slumber, his shaggy pale blond hair sticking out in every direction, he doesn't look happy about being woken up. In front of the gate a guard appears from a side door in the wall, as he closes it a magic circle appears on the door assumingly locking it. The guard, a man clad in metal armour rimmed with animal fur to keep out the cold, slowly mad his way towards us. As he drew closer, I could tell instantly it was better quality and of superior craftsmanship, it also shined the indication of magical enchantment most likely to make it stronger. On his hip there was a sword with a golden hilt inserted into a sheave with a wooden and leather design. He stopped just before the carriage and spoke to Clif "Papers please sir", He spoke with polished educate and authority.

"Of course," Clif responded replicating the same speaking pattern, He reach down next to him and produced some rough looking papers. "As you can see, we have been commissioned to hunt in the forest and bring back the spoils". The guard took the papers from Clif hands and inspected them carefully, returned them to Clif and thanked us for are cooperation. He raised his hand to signal to the two other guards on the wall to open the gate, it made a horrific clanking noise as it was raised. Then we entered Wakemear.

After entering the town, we decided to split up Clif would take me to the in to find me a place to stay and Dan, Dagon and Gothru would go get their payment then Dan and Dagon would meet us at the inn, Gothru was just going home as he was only hired for the one task. As Clif and I walked to the local inn, he asked me about my past, where I come from, who my parents are, and I replied with the story I had been concocting on the way here. "I don't remember, the first thing I remember is waking up in that forest chasing a bunny and meeting you". Clif didn't seem completely satisfied with my answers but he didn't press the subject. "Well, here we are". The bumpy cobble stone road ends in an abrupt stop and before us lies an old building made from stone with exposed wooded supports. As we approached, I could see an old, crocked, worn down sign saying Welcome to Wakemear Inn. As we entered through a wooden door, that creaked on its hinges, a blast of hot air slams into my face from an open fire. "Close the door you're letting in the cold" said a female voice sharply from behind a counter at the back of the room. "You need to loosen up a little said another voice coming from the same place. I looked around the room the best way to describe it was cosy. Everything from the rustic wooden décor, to the old leather on the chairs were place around tables. "What can we do for you?" My attention snapped back for the room to the counter there stood a young woman with pointy ears and a thick blind fold over her eyes. "Clif who is your young friend" the other voice spoke again. Another head popped up from behind the counter. She looked a lot younger than the other one and had teeth tiger. "What's your name little one?" She asked in a sly voice, "Demo" I replied approaching the counter, "what's yours?"

"Demo", She said repeating me, "What a cute name I'm Mindrid the tiger". She grinned at me bearing her fangs. "You don't have to tell her that", her friend said glaring at her.

"Oh, and this lovely person full of spirit is Elda, the ELF", Mindrid retorted with an even bigger smile on her face. Elda rested her face in her palm, "Clif would you like to rent a room for tonight-". She was cut off by the sound of Dan and Dagon cheering as they entered the room. "Woooo" Mindrid mimicked joining in "If we are celebrating let's all have drinks" she motioned towards the table in the corner of the room. "Fine but let's make it quick" Clif and Elda both retorted.

After a long time of drinking and showing off to the ladies, mostly Elda because it annoyed her, we got back to business, "So you found Demo in the woods that's so cool" Mindrid responded.

"What do you plan to do with her from now on" Elda responded,

"Oh, oh you could enrol her in the academy" Mindrid said basically jumping up and down, "the entrance exam is next week". I couldn't take it anymore and blurted out "I'm a boy". The look of surprise on every one's faces was stunning, "Ok" Clif was the first to respond, "But that isn't really a problem if you want to go to the academy you need to have a few skills and magic do you know any?" I shuck my head, no way I was telling them about aura of decay, "I can teach her <Appraisal> and the rest she- sorry HE can learn in the library" Mindrid responded,

"Ok so Demo do you want to do it" Elda Said steering the conversation towards me. I smiled and said "Yes". After that Clif paid for one week saying if I got into the academy I wouldn't have to stay here anymore, I thanked him from the bottom of my heart, and now me and Mindrid are in my room and she is teaching me <Appraisal>. "Look at the object you want to use the skill on and move the flow of magic through you body to your eyes, once you learn the skill you will do it unconsciously" Mindrid wined, her preferred method of teaching, I stared at the cup <Appraisal> instantly the cups stats appeared:

<Health: 100>

"You did it finally" Mindrid Screamed. After she had calmed down, she gave me a gold ring embroidered with magic and told me to put it on.

<Effect: Will cancel the use of the skill <Appraisal> on the user>

"This will stop any one from getting any ideas", Mindrid told me, "oh, but be carful it makes you invisible to the monster detection crystals, so if you go adventuring don't wonder off or you own party might kill you". I nodded in response and she left the room with me sitting on the bed. Some time had passed, and I had just been using <appraisal> on everything when my eyes fell onto the mirror in front of me. I decided to use <Appraisal> on myself. I removed the ring and stood in font of the mirror, my yellow top covered was in mood, <Appraisal>

<Demo>

<Race: Vampire>

<Health: 12,345>

<Level: 1>

<Title: True Vampire <grants the user the ability to walk in sun light, increases resistance to holy water, removes the lust for blood>>

<Skills: Appraisal Lv1 <Look at any object or person and view their stats to a degree>

Aura of Decay Lv1 <Race Ability, everything within the radius of the aura will decay leaving nothing but death>

I'm a vampire, like a I want to suck you blood, vampire. My eyes widen at the thought of drinking someone's blood. Wait my title is True Vampire, yay I don't have to drink blood. The mental imaged of me in place of Dracula disappeared, and I can walk in day. Well, I already knew that otherwise I would have died instantly. Ok so tomorrow I will research everything I can about vampires, in the library. I started to form a plan in my head which started now and ended with me enrolling in the academy, granted it wasn't a detailed plan as I realised, I know next to nothing. I grasped my head in frustration I should have asked more questions, well nothing I can do now and with that statement is tucked in under the nice white bed sheets and fell into a dreamless sleep waiting for tomorrow.

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