Bonds of Friendship

Gerard struggled under the weight of the troll.

[Something I never mentioned, is that now you're half-human, you gradually absorb mana from your surroundings. Would you like to heal again?]

*No need.*

Gerard took a bite from the troll. Blood filled his mouth, sour, like underripe berries.

*Gross.*

Gerard felt his body repair itself. The longer he drank, the better he felt and the better the blood tasted. The overwhelming need to feed crept up on him.

[Blood Frenzy has activated.]

He awoke to find the troll entirely sucked dry. His head spun, and he fell onto his back.

*At least I didn't wake up in the village as a bloodthirsty monster.*

Exhausted, Gerard passed out.

---

"Mister!"

Gerard's body shook violently.

"Mister!"

Gerard swung his head forward, smacking into a solid object.

Roderick, the farmer, lay motionless beside him. Laughter ensued, Fletch's laughter.

"Gerard, what kind of head do you have? Poor old Roderick," Fletch said, trying to rein in his laughter.

"Oh. Oh no! He's not dead, is he?" Gerard asked.

*I didn't get any experience. I guess not.*

"Surely not. You've just knocked the poor man out. He was worried about you after he went looking for you at the inn and then asked if he could come with me to look for you."

"Ah. I'm glad."

"So, this troll? You killed it?" Fletch asked, looking over the corpse.

"Yeah, it was a tough battle."

"It looks like you've already bled it..." Fletch said, looking around for signs of blood.

"Yes, can we eat it?" Gerard asked, trying to catch his attention.

"Sadly not. I'm afraid you've wasted effort in bleeding it. Troll meat is slightly poisonous, but we can use the hide for various things in the village. I've heard it makes sturdy leather armour when boiled."

"Poisonous? Let me take some with us. I'm pretty resistant to poison, so I can eat it without affecting the village's food supply for a while."

"Resistant? If you say so..." Fletch looked back and forth between Gerard and the monster.

*Immune, more like, but that would probably sound abnormal.*

Gerard noticed the other hunters behind Fletch and smiled. The hunter brought anyone he could to look for Gerard.

---

For days, Gerard scoured the forest in the middle of the night in secret, coming back with more experience, more kills under his belt, and his armour in gradual disrepair.

[You've reached level 15. Your base stats have increased. 90,000 more experience until your next level.]

*I really can't evolve anymore, can I?*

[Dhampir was the final evolution on the path you chose. You'll have to manage without evolving.]

*It will be enough. It has to be. Status Screen!*

[Gerard Blythe - Level 15 Dhampir]

[HP: 1320]

[MP: 835]

[Strength: 28]

[Dexterity: 34]

[Defense: 22]

[Resistance: 175]

[Mana Conductivity: 750]

[Skills: System Access, Evolutionary Tree, Mind's Eye, Leech, Blood Frenzy, Vampyre Regeneration, Acquisition]

[Spells: Compulsion, Divine Ray, Transference, Fires of Hell, Vision of the Night, Cleanse]

[Resistances: Sleep, Exhaustion]

[Weaknesses: Fire, Holy (Lesser)]

[Immunities: Poison, Disease, Fear, Paralysis, Decay, Confusion, Blindness, Intoxication]

*These values are starting to look pretty good. You said fifteen was the average status value for humans, right?*

[I did.]

*Then I have much higher stats than the average humans of this world. I wonder how I would fare against those adventurers now.*

[I do not know.]

*I think I should have enough mana now.*

[For what?]

*It's a secret.*

[Does it have something to do with that drawing you've been working on?]

*You'll find out soon enough. For now, I've got to revisit a quaint little village for my nest egg.*

Gerard walked back into the village in the cover of night and heard a window snap open.

"Gerard!"

A red-headed woman popped her head out of the workshop window. He'd seen her around the village. The blacksmith's daughter, Rena.

"What?"

*Come on. I just want to sleep.*

"Get over here, now."

"Okay, okay."

Gerard pushed his feet against the ground. His entire body craved rest.

"Why do you go out every couple of nights and come back looking like this?"

"Like what?"

"Your armour in tatters, your clothes soaked with blood, and you look and smell of death."

"If you can keep a secret..."

She nodded energetically. If only Gerard could have a small portion of that energy.

He felt his fangs burn with a desire to sink into flesh. Calmly, he took a deep breath and responded to her enthusiasm.

"The monsters are moving closer to the village. I'm going out to destroy them before they do any damage."

"Monsters? Like goblins?"

"No. Much, much worse."

"We should tell-"

"Nobody. We tell this to no one because I would prefer that no more lives be lost in this village. One troll ended up killing two of our hunters and injuring more. If that happens again, I would blame myself for not stopping them from getting hurt."

"But your life..."

"I was given a second chance. This village is my home, Rena. Nothing will stop me from trying to protect it."

"Come inside. The least I can do is repair your equipment and wash you down."

"I can use magic to clean-"

"No. I'm trying to help you."

"I couldn't-"

"I insist!" Rena opened the workshop door, grabbed Gerard, and dragged him inside.

*Headstrong women. I don't know why, but I've never been able to say no to them.*

She removed his armour, piece by piece, and his undergarments. She sat his sword carefully by his armour. She tried her best not to look his body over as she handed him a washcloth to hide himself.

"I don't like owing people anything."

"If you think about it, you already owe my family your life at this point."

"How so?"

Rena pointed to the sword he was given.

"My mother forged that sword for my father. Your having this means that you need it and will use it well. Has it saved your life in battle yet? Then you owe your life to this sword and the craftsman who made it."

"I didn't know the sword was that important. You can have it back."

"Don't be silly. You don't truly owe me or my mother anything, and you won't owe me for helping you. Just make sure to keep coming back alive."

"And if I can't?"

"At least try."

"Of course."

"Just a minute."

She left him alone in the room, and the furnace's fire kept him warm. He closed his eyes and drifted off.

"C'mon. I wasn't gone that long."

Gerard awoke to unexpected warmth and reached for his sword, but Rena placed her hands on his.

"It's okay. It's just some warm water. Let me wash you off."

Without speaking, Rena rinsed a cloth in a small wooden tub and wiped more blood and dirt from Gerard's body. She repeated the process several times.

"You seem to be used to this," Gerard said, examining her technique.

"My mother used to do this for my father before he died. He was an adventurer, a pretty famous one, too. I would watch him return from quests and battles, completely covered in grime!" She laughed, thinking fondly of the past.

Rena moved the bucket and positioned herself behind Gerard to continue her cleaning.

"My mother would simply smile and wash him clean every single time. I think she was just happy he returned alive."

"I'm sorry. I did hear that your father had died."

"It's okay. It was a long time ago, now. Mother and I are happy these days, and I help her with her work. I just wanted to know what it was like, to care for someone who fights for this village."

"Thank you, Rena."

With that, Rena circled Gerard twice before smiling and nodding.

"I'll get some of my father's old clothes. They should fit you."

She rushed out of the room. Gerard heard a few loud noises before she reappeared with what seemed like half of a wardrobe.

"I couldn't decide on what to give you." She laughed cheerfully.

"Let's find something together, then."

They looked over the clothes, and Gerard tried several outfits before they decided on one.

Gerard looked over himself. A brown shirt covered by a long-sleeved green tunic fit tightly on his body. He wore matching green pants and pair of leather boots.

"You look great." A tear streamed down her face.

"What's wrong?"

"I... I know you look nothing like him. Your hair is dark, while his hair was blonde, his skin was tanned, whereas yours is as pale as snow, but..."

"I'm wearing his clothes and have his sword; I understand."

"May I?" She reached out her arms.

"Of course."

Rena embraced him.

"Just for a little while, I promise."

She repeated those words as she cried for at least an hour. Gerard slowly moved back against the wall, slid to the floor, and allowed Rena to sleep, still embracing him.

*I don't know what I'm supposed to feel right now. But this is nice.*

[You like this girl?]

*I'm not sure. This body is younger than what I'm used to, but to me, she's around the same age as my granddaughter.*

[There are no records of dhampirs having children with humans. I'd be interested in knowing if it's possible, so please try and get over your mental age and embrace your physical age.]

*Sprite?*

[Yes?]

*Shut up.*