I: The Sweet Dreams of Crimson Nectar

'Chop, chop, chop,' John stood at the counter, painstakingly preparing lunch. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his finger. Glancing down, he faced his worst fear - his finger was bleeding. John knew he needed to dress the wound, but his head began to spin, and before he knew it, darkness engulfed him.

Laughter filled the room, piercing John's ears. "Who dies like that?!" a voice taunted. Confused, John searched for its source. Standing before him was a figure of angelic beauty, with flowing blonde hair and majestic wings. John recognized this creature as an angel, but he was certain he wasn't dead. It had to be a dream, he concluded.

"Alright, kid," the angel composed herself, still feeling a twinge of pain in her side, "as an apology, I'll transport you to a magical world. After all, you weren't meant to die."

"Okay," John responded, still convinced he was dreaming, "then how about you transform me into a captivating vampire girl? And I don't worry about the downsides of being a vampire, like blood-drinking or sunlight avoidance!" John continued, conjuring up more desires in this fictitious dream. "That's all I want."

The angel stared at him, astonished by his audacious request. "So you want all the perks without any consequences, huh?"

John proudly turned around, reveling in the moment. "Exactly!"

"Life is about compromise," the angel's mischievous grin grew. She had just realized that John believed he was dreaming. "You and your creations can bask under the sun, but others will be restricted. A bloodless diet is what you seek, but on the blood moon, you must feast. You will possess the power of a vampire, but I ask that you refrain from evil acts and pursue justice." The angel pondered, 'I mean, I'm giving him exactly what he wants, so why not have some fun by throwing in a few twists?' With a wave, the angel bid farewell, as a cloud of dust enveloped John. "As my parting gift, I shall grant you my name from when I was alive: Veronica von Dracula, the illustrious vampire queen!"

As John drifted off, his very essence underwent a transformation. 'But wait, she was a vampire queen,' he thought, 'Count Dracula was always considered male, and a Count isn't the same as a king or queen; isn't it all just a legend?' A refreshing coolness caressed his face. Although his body felt lighter, he sensed a newfound weight pressing against his chest and the ground. Opening his eyes, John found himself in the heart of an enchanting meadow. Strands of lustrous white hair framed his face. 'I wish I could see myself,' he muttered, brushing away the locks.

A pool of blood materialized before John. Panic consumed him, until a mirror rose from the scarlet liquid. Gazing at his reflection, John saw a captivating girl with dazzling blue eyes. She possessed long, flowing white hair, almost translucent pale skin, and a graceful figure beneath her Victorian-style dress. Placing a hand on her chest, John realized he and this girl were one and the same. Countless thoughts swirled in his mind, but one stood out among the rest. 'I suppose I'll accept that gift, dear angel,' he smirked to himself. "It seems I am now Veronica, the vampire queen!"

Veronica brushed off the blades of grass clinging to her dress. "I have no idea how to be a woman," she began stretching, "but dreaming of being one has its own allure." She acknowledged her instincts beckoning her forward, as a sweet scent filled the air. As if guided by an invisible force, she followed the intoxicating aroma.

It led her deeper into the enchanting meadow until she stumbled upon a small clearing. Emerging from the shadows were a group of creatures, their menacing grins and glowing eyes betraying malicious intent. Veronica sensed their evil intentions, but couldn't deny the surge of excitement coursing through her veins. As the vampire queen, she felt an unfathomable power and a hunger for justice.

With a confident smirk, Veronica elegantly approached the creatures, her flowing white hair trailing behind her. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" she purred, radiating confidence. "It seems you all have ulterior motives. Perhaps it's time for a taste of justice, don't you agree?"

The creatures hissed and snarled, their eyes brimming with anger and fear. They had never encountered a vampire before, let alone a being with such strength and determination. But Veronica was undeterred. She knew she possessed the power to vanquish them.

Drawing upon her newfound vampire abilities, Veronica unleashed a mesmerizing display of speed and grace. She moved with unparalleled elegance and precision, effortlessly evading their attacks and retaliating with lethal finesse. Her supernatural strength and agility allowed her to overpower the creatures one by one, leaving them bloodied and defenseless.

As the last of the creatures fell at her feet, Veronica stood tall, her chest heaving with exhilaration. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, and she could feel the darkness within her. Veronica also noticed the sweet scent growing stronger. A newfound craving consumed her as she fixated on their blood. Without hesitation, she found herself drinking from the veins of one of the fallen monsters, feeling a surge of strength and curiosity brewing inside her.

But as she surveyed the now tranquil meadow, Veronica couldn't shake the feeling that her role as the vampire queen encompassed more than dispensing justice. She was destined to safeguard the innocent, to maintain harmony in this new world.

As her stomach grumbled, Veronica spotted a horned rabbit. Remembering her earlier actions, she quickly snatched up the rabbit and drained it of its blood. While enjoying her meal, the sun bathed her face and a thought struck her. Vampires were supposed to be able to fly. She had a fear of heights, but Veronica yearned to see the view from the sky. "If I fall, I'll just wake up," she said, attempting to figure out how to fly. For some reason, the image of a bat flooded her mind.

Dust swirled around Veronica, eventually bats started to fly off her. As the dust swallowed her, Veronica herself turned into a swarm of bats. While she still felt her body she also felt like the bats were apart of her to. She couldn't hold her self back anymore, and took off to the sky. As her swarm of bats darted forward it felt more like she was gliding through the air. The forest was more like a mystical sea of trees. As she glided over the tree tops she heard a distant roar. The sight she seen fueled her delusions that this was a dream. A real dragon flew over head. 'No way this is real.' She thought as she smirked.

Veronica heard a rushel below the trees and grew curious. As she broke through the tree line what looked like a grizzly bear with a unicorn horn was traversing the forest floor with her cub. The mother horned bear lead Veronica to a peaceful and sarene waterfall. The bears quickly moved on, but Veronica felt inclined to stay.

Veronica returned to her human form as she touched the ground. "It's not like I'm hungry," she whispered to herself, "but I feel like to should eat while I can." She approached the waters edge taking in the magical waterfall. "Plus I can use this opportunity to scout the area. I'll use the bats, and make sure not to attack any people along the way."

Even though the swarm was about half the size Veronica felt like it would be enough, and with a flick of her wrist they scattered throughout the forest. When Veronica opened her eyes she felt the world had gotten bigger somehow. She summoned her mirror to be safe. A cute child stared back at Veronica. "I guess the bats arw tied to my physical for," a frustrated look grew on her face, "but did I have to turn to a child?"

Veronica, frustrated and tired from her situation, happens to find a rose bigger than a grown man. She decides to rest under the giant flower. The sounds of the waterfall almost has a soothing tone, and Veronica soon finds herself fading off to sleep.

The warmth of the fire caressed her cheeks as she gradually awoke. A woman wearing practical attire added another log to the flames. Her long jet-black hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and her voluptuous chest was partially visible through her armor. She stirred the contents of a pot sitting on top of the fire.

She said excitedly as she filled a bowl, "Oh, you're awake! I'm Lilith, an S-ranked adventurer. Do you have any idea where your parents might be?"

Veronica seized her opportunity when Lilith wasn't paying attention and transformed into a swarm of bats. "I'm not a kid," her voice reverberated through the trees, "but you're pretty so I'll let it go this time." Veronica materialized on a branch at the edge of the glade. A bat was clasped in her finger. "Do me a favor, my small companion," she looked back, preparing to take off, "I would like to see what an S-ranked adventurer is made of."

Veronica soared through the night sky, her eyes drawn to the eerie glimmer radiating from the forest below. She changed her direction and began to descend, eventually catching sight of a castle nestled amongst the trees. Captivated by the structure, she drew closer, taking in the intricate detail of the walls. Finally, she touched down near the entrance, where a symbol was engraved above the gate. Veronica stepped through the doors and immediately was overcome by a pleasant aroma.

Driven by the enticing aroma, Veronica soon discovered herself in a banquet hall. The floor was covered with vines and the beams of moonlight made it feel like she was in a meadow. In the center of the room was a massive flower, with a bulb underneath it. As Veronica got closer to the flower, the vines began to move towards her. She was now standing in front of the flower, and the vines started to coil around her in preparation to strike. Veronica quickly bit into the bulb and a loud screech came from the flower and a sweet liquid started to spray. The vines then started flaying around, and Veronica felt no pain as the fluid healed her instantaneously. The plant then became limp and Veronica wiped the liquid from her face. She then noticed scattered human-like skeletons on the ground, and the realization of what she had drunk sunk in. After her long journey, Veronica was exhausted and decided to rest on the giant petal. She found it to be surprisingly comfortable and was almost lulled to sleep. 'Too bad this dream has to end', she thought as she drifted off.

Veronica awoke to the gentle touch of the sun on her face, which stirred her from her slumber. As the rays of sunlight filtered through the ceiling, she could see the remains of the creature she had defeated the night before. If this were real, she would have been relieved to have killed it.

Feeling slightly surprised that she found herself back in her dream world, Veronica's instincts kicked in as she heard the sound of a twig snapping. Without thinking, she defended herself against a charging horned rabbit, momentarily forgetting her own abilities. To her surprise, the rabbit became entangled in vines that burst through the ground. As she wondered why this rabbit was more aggressive than the one she encountered previously, she witnessed the vines draining its life force. The realization of her newfound powers momentarily distracted Veronica.

A loud roar erupted from the woods, providing Veronica with an opportunity to test her abilities. Transforming into her bat swarm form, she scattered throughout the forest in search of the source. Before long, she came face to face with a grizzly bear.

Seeking cover on a branch, Veronica was astounded by the immense size of the bear. It stood as tall as a three-story building. Keeping the bear surrounded while hiding her bats, Veronica observed as it scratched its back against a tree. Taking advantage of the distraction, she used her vines to tie the bear to the tree and drained its energy. Meanwhile, her bats launched surprise attacks from the shadows.

As she fed on the bear's energy, visions of a dragon and a nest flooded Veronica's mind. Memories of the dragon chasing her while she inhabited the bear's body replayed in her thoughts. Then, a vision of a bear cub emerged, igniting a small flame of empathy within Veronica. Releasing the weakened bear, Veronica transformed into her adult form and set her sights on the nearby mountain.

Despite her ability to fly, Veronica chose to experience the sights from the ground this time. Walking through the dark forest floor, occasional beams of light broke through the canopy, illuminating her path. Along the way, she stumbled upon a brook and instinctively took cover behind some bushes. There she saw a mystical horse with snow-white fur, a flowing golden mane, and a majestic horn on its head. It could only be one thing - a unicorn. As her curiosity about its taste grew uncontrollably, Veronica sent one of her bats for a stealthy attack. However, as she tasted the familiar sweetness, another vision crossed her mind - a child being targeted by the same creature. The unicorn toyed with the child before eventually taking its life. Filled with rage, Veronica ensnared the creature in her vines, causing it to whine and cry for help.

"Didn't that child cry for help as well?" the unicorn's desperate pleas echoed through the forest. "Since you showed her no mercy, I shall show you the same." As the unicorn grew silent, Veronica saw the dragon once more. A burning castle and the screams of people reverberated through the forest. A fiery rage consumed Veronica, prompting her to transform into her bat swarm form and head towards the mountain.

Veronica descended into a crater on the mountainside upon her arrival. As she attempted to revert back to her human form, a dragon lunged at her bats, attempting to consume them. Determined, Veronica swarmed the beast, her bats desperately trying to drain its blood, but the dragon's thick scales prevented their success. Reacting quickly, Veronica split her bats in half. Half of them continued to distract the dragon while she transformed into her child form on a tree branch.

Searching the terrain for any advantage, Veronica noticed that the dragon was smaller than she had anticipated. She also discovered a narrow canyon leading to the dragon's nest. Utilizing her bat form, Veronica swiftly made her way through the opening. Along the way, she strategically set up a surprise trap underground.

Having her bats lead the dragon towards the canyon, Veronica listened to its menacing roar, which sent shivers down her spine. She saw her bats swiftly retreating towards her as the dragon drew closer. In an instant, Veronica transformed back into her adult form as the vines trapped the dragon, causing it to struggle and claw its way towards her. Inches away from Veronica's face, the dragon thrashed and snapped its massive jaws, unable to escape. Seizing the opportunity, Veronica swarmed the dragon once again in her bat form, draining its life force. As she continued to siphon its energy, she noticed an improvement in her control over the bats and her overall flight. Finally, with the dragon lifeless, Veronica returned to her human form and felt a sense of satisfaction at her victory. Although she found it unusual to treat a dream world as reality, she believed she was doing the right thing.

"You are a peculiar creature," a booming voice echoed through the crater. "I was considering leaving the forest, but perhaps we can have some fun instead."

Against her better judgement, Veronica turned around and gazed upon an unimaginably colossal creature. She finally realized that what she had just slain was no ordinary dragon - it had to be a wyvern. This creature before her, defying the limits of her dreams, was the dragon from her visions.

"Let us have a race," the dragon declared, flames flickering at the corners of its mouth. "There is a castle nearby. If you can reach it before I incinerate you, you shall live another day."

Swiftly transforming into her bat form, Veronica narrowly avoided the dragon's attempt to burn her to a crisp. She quickly darted into the canyon in hopes of buying herself some time, only to have flames cascade down upon her. Escaping the canyon, Veronica dispersed her bats as she reached the safety of the forest. Though the dragon attempted to consume the forest in flames, it seemed to resist the fire's destructive power. Veronica gathered herself once again in the castle courtyard, closing the decaying doors.

The dragon loomed over the castle, threatening to burn the entire forest if Veronica did not return to its nest when the sun reached its peak. With a sense of foreboding, the dragon departed.

Realizing the need to gather strength in order to defeat this formidable foe, Veronica reflected on the feeling of triumph she experienced after defeating each creature. Returning to the soft petals that served as her bed, Veronica assumed her child form and sent her bats to search the forest for powerful creatures, capable of rivaling the strength of the wyvern. "Find something that can match the wyvern's power," she commanded her bats, watching as they flew off into the forest. "Today, I shall rest then follow up on leads." Veronica had grown accustomed to the softness of the petals, despite it only being her second visit to this dream world. As she laid there, she found herself swiftly drifting off to sleep, wondering what the night would bring.