8 Chapter 8: The Wisdom of a Blind Old Man

"So as you can see, it is thanks to the Celestials that the human race even exists to this day." An elderly voice concluded.

The class was silent. A vast majority of the students had bored expressions on their faces, while the more daring were sleeping.

Ancient History, also known as Mythological History, was not a course many students took because they were actually interested in the material. The only reason the class was consistently full each semester was because it was the easiest elective in the entire academy. The tests were all multiple choice and the answer would always be the most outrageous sounding option.

For example, if the question was what was the strongest predator in all of Earth's history, and the options were dinosaurs, tigers, snakes, or death-defying battle ox, the answer was going to be the death-defying battle ox.

"Now then, does anyone have any questions before I dismiss class?"

One student raised their hand.

"Ah yes. Nath, what's on your mind?"

Rel smiled as he put down his hand.

"Sir, you always talk with alot of passion and enthusiasm when it comes to ancient history. However, the types of things you talk about, alot of it seems fake. The Celestials, the Vampires, all the various supernatural creatures, but it sounds like you really believe it."

Rel was the model student in his Ancient History class. While he usually showed minimal effort and low enthusiasm in his other courses, he was always actively engaged in Ancient History. This was because Ancient History had a lot of personal relevance to him, being a class that contained vampires as part of the curriculum.

The elderly lecturer smiled. He didn't seem insulted by the question, but judging by his face it seemed like it was one he had heard many times before.

"Haha. I knew that question was going to come eventually. And I always give the same response. The truth is Nath, I don't really know myself. Many perceived supernatural phenomena has been debunked by modern science, but there are still some things that they cannot explain."

He took in a deep breath, his eyes filled with contemplation and thought.

"Perhaps everything is fake and that science just hasn't discovered the answer yet. However, I just feel somewhere deep down that I'm right. That I'm on to something. That there is some truth within the ancient texts of the past, even when it comes to the supernatural."

Most of the other students rolled their eyes at this response. Considering how their teacher was an old man, many assumed that he was just going crazy from old age. A few of them shot impatient glares at Rel, subtly telling him to stop talking so that they could be dismissed.

"I see. Thank you sir."

The old man acknowledged Rel with a kind nod and dismissed the class.

Within seconds, the room emptied. Rel, on the other hand, walked up to the teachers desk as the old professor started to pack up.

"Lunchtime doesn't last long Nath. You should go get something to eat so you'll have energy for your next class." The professor said with a gentle smile.

"Dr. Doyle, you told me before that you've studied Ancient History all the way up to the doctorate level. And just now you've said that some of the supernatural aspects might be true. Can I ask which part of Ancient History you think is the most believable or has the most evidence?"

"Hmm... Based on my research, I would say the stories about the Vampires and Celestials are the most believable."

Rel expected this response. While many mythological topics were covered in Ancient History, the most looked upon were the Vampires and Celestials.

"What makes you say that?"

"Just everyday comparisons and observations I've noticed throughout my years. It's kind of funny though. Some of the most convincing and applicable theories I've seen reference books I've read at a church a friend of mine works at. Actually, to my surprise, the church possessed some of the most accurate documentaries of ancient history I've ever read. A few are even more complete than ones you can find at top level universities! If you're interested you should go check it out."

Rel politely waved his hand in refusal. If what Dr. Doyle's said was true, that was a church he was going to be sure to stay clear of. The church he spoke of clearly had agents of the Holy Order hidden within.

"Haha... Pretty strange. I mean the church has been around for a while so I guess it shouldn't be that big of a surprise right?" Rel half-joked.

"I was wondering this though Dr. Doyle. What is your opinion on Vampires and the Celestials the church worships?"

Unlike most other teachers, Rel was very fond of Dr. Doyle and had an attachment to him. As a human who studied Ancient History, he knew more about vampires than most others of his race. While he could never really determine for sure whether the supernatural really existed, Rel was surprised with many of his theories. Despite being completely blind to the world of vampires, he was able to pick out what was true and what was false from literary texts that actually contained true facts about them with perfect accuracy. This astounded Rel so much that he even checked if Dr. Doyle was secretly a vampire at one point. The results turned out negative and Rel gained great respect for the old professor.

However, Dr. Doyle never once stated his own personal opinion about vampires in class or in private. While Rel would never think about revealing his identity to him, he genuinely wanted to hear his opinion.

Dr. Doyle put an arm around Rel's shoulder and escorted him out the door.

"Come, it's already ten minutes into lunch. Let's go grab something to eat and talk along the way okay?"

The academy had a bunch of food establishments operating within their jurisdiction. Like housing, the three standard meals of the day were free and students only had to pay if they wanted more.

Rel gave his voucher to the cashier and after waiting for about a minute, received a hot dog. He then met up with Dr. Doyle, who was sitting on a bench outside of the store. He did not buy lunch and instead drank soup from a large bottle he brought from home.

"So you asked me what I think about the Vampires and Celestials right? Well, as you already know, in the books the classifications are pretty black and white. The Vampires are the evil conquerers who wanted to enslave the human race, while the Celestials are the paragons of justice who defended them. As a doctor of Ancient History, I would have to agree with what is stated within the books. "

Rel nodded between bites of his hot dog. He had read the class textbooks and the portrayal of Vampires in them was very biased in favor of the Celestials. As a scholar of the doctorate level, it was only logical that Dr. Doyle would share the same views. He was still somewhat saddened though. This meant that there would always be a divide between him and his favorite teacher. That their close connection could easily be severed with a simple reveal of identity.

"Of course, that is just the professional answer of a doctor. My personal opinion on the other hand, is a bit different."

Rel lifted an eyebrow.

"They say that Vampires were once human. That an evil god simply corrupted and transformed them into monsters. Of course, alot of those humans were already evil from the start. Those people were already monsters and simply had their negative traits magnified even more."

"However, I personally don't believe all vampires are bad. According to the legends, the vampire armies of old were vast and many. There had to have been some with good hearts that were merely dragged into that life without a choice. I might be wrong, but I believe in the goodness that exists within their humanity."

"You really have an open mind Dr. Doyle..." Rel said quietly.

"Haha. Don't get me wrong Nath, I have a feeling that if Vampires did exist, most would be wicked and selfish. It's just that I don't think the same can be said for every single one. In fact, if I were fortunate enough to meet one of these kind and open-minded vampires..." Dr. Doyle paused for a moment.

"What would you do?" Rel asked hastily.

Dr. Doyle looked at Rel for a moment. He saw the eagerness in the young man's face and a warm smile appeared on his face as he spoke.

"I'd like to have a peaceful conversation with them, just like the one we are having right now."

Rel eyes widened. He didn't really know what to think of the answer Dr. Doyle just gave.

Dr. Doyle sank back onto the bench and crossed his arms behind his head.

"Yes, all I'd want would be to talk with them. I'd ask them about their day, what they like to do, their favorite foods---"

"But what about the main questions like what is it it like to be a vampire, or do they really hunt people at night like the legends say." Rel interrupted.

"Nath, Vampires are stereotyped to be vicious evil creatures with no care at all for the human race. Do you think an undercover vampire who has been living with that classification their entire life would appreciate questions revolving around things like that? No, unless a vampire brought up that topic to me first, I would not press so much as a single question in that direction."

Rel looked down with a bit of shame on his face. He felt like he had just underestimated and insulted his favorite teacher.

Finishing his bottle of soup, Dr. Doyle stood up and stretched his body.

"Anyways, it looks like lunch is almost over. I forgot my bag in the classroom and need to go get it. You should be getting ready for your next class too Nath. We can talk some more another time. As long as I'm not busy I'll accept, I really do enjoy our conversations."

Waving goodbye, Dr. Doyle left for the History Building. Rel did not leave immediately for his next class and stayed on the bench. His teacher's words lingered in his mind and gave him alot to think about.

Back in the classroom, Dr. Doyle was searching all over the teacher's desk for his bag. He normally kept it in a lockable compartment in the bottom corner of the desk, but when he checked it wasn't there.

"That's weird, I always put it in this compartment. I'm the only one who has the key too."

Slam~

Suddenly, the classroom door slammed shut. The sound startled Dr. Doyle, who turned his head quickly in fright. He moved towards the door and tried to open it, but it was locked. He looked at the lock on the door and his eyes narrowed. The inside lock was still unlocked.

"Why are you trying to leave, don't you need your bag first?" A voice called out.

Dr. Doyle turned to see a man wearing a black cloak sitting on top of a desk at the back of the class. The cloak masked most of his facial features and he swung a brown bag in his right hand.

"Dr. Adrian Doyle. You are the Head of the Ancient History Department of Levin Academy and widely known to have a keen interest in the mythological."

Dr. Doyle walked slowly to the center of the room. A drop of sweat dripped down his neck.

"Who are you? Are you a student? If so, I'm afraid cloaks are a violation of the uniform policy."

The cloaked man ignored the question and took out a tiny sewing needle. He pulled up the sleeve of his cloak and revealed an extremely pale hand. Prickling his finger, a tiny drop of blood fell onto Dr. Doyle's bag. As soon as the blood made contact with the bag, the bag started to disintegrate as if acid had been poured over it.

Visibly shaken, Dr. Doyle took a few steps back. The hooded man let out a chuckle and began to walk towards him.

"You are to be respected doctor. Being born an ordinary human, you are introduced to this world blind and unaware of many of it's truths. However, despite these setbacks you have learned much through your study of historic texts. You have an impeccable intuition that can distinguish between fact and fiction, and I feel that if our ancestors were careless even once with the knowledge we allowed to humans to know, you could have eventually exposed us."

"You're a... vampire!" Dr. Doyle spluttered.

The man pulled back his hood, revealing the face of Livac underneath. His pale skin and crimson eyes were revealed proudly to the frightened educator.

"That's right, doctor. You are in the presence of Livac, a vampire of one of the Six Great Clans. I must say I am quite lucky though, killing you will not only fulfill my main objective, but also keep the secrecy of our race intact... until we are ready..."

"Vampires actually exist... All my theories... I was... right..." Despite Dr. Doyle's face being filled with horror, a trace of relief and pride could be heard within his voice.

"Correct, vampires do exist. You may die without regret knowing that everything you have researched and dedicated your life towards wasn't a mere fairy tale."

Livac lunged forward and Dr. Doyle did not resist. With his knowledge on vampires, he knew it would be futile. He closed his eyes peacefully and embraced death knowing that he would die as, in his mind, a wise and accomplished man.