The creatures circled him, claws scraping against stone, fangs glinting in the twin moonlight. Their bodies were twisted, part-beast, part-man, with eyes glowing a sickly green.
Kaito's breath came shallow and fast. Fear gnawed at his mind, the same fear he'd known all his life — being outnumbered, outpowered, helpless.
"You're not in your world anymore, runt," the largest of them growled, stepping forward. His voice was gravel, thick with hunger. "Out here, we eat the weak."
Kaito's fists trembled. He stumbled back, heart pounding in his ears.
But then—
"You have been chosen. Blood of night, fire of ancients."
The voice again, deep and ancient, whispering through his bones.
"What does that even mean?" he muttered, eyes darting for a way out.
The biggest creature lunged.
Instinct took over. Kaito twisted, barely dodging the swipe of deadly claws. He stumbled but didn't fall. His foot caught a loose rock, and he hurled it at the beast's face.
It bounced harmlessly off its thick skull.
The others laughed — a low, menacing sound that sent a chill through the air.
"Pathetic," one sneered. "We'll make this quick."
Kaito's mind screamed for escape, but something deeper stirred. Not fear — rage.
The years of beatings. The laughter. The feeling of being nothing. The last look in Riku's eyes as he fell. The weight of sacrifice.
Something inside him snapped.
The beast charged again.
Kaito didn't run.
As the claws came down, time seemed to shatter. A flash of red — not from outside, but from within. His skin burned, not with pain, but with energy. His eyes widened as his hand shot up, catching the creature's wrist mid-swing.
The beast froze.
Kaito's hand — it was glowing. Veins pulsed with a dark crimson light.
With a shout, he pushed back.
The creature flew — slammed into a tree with a sickening crack.
Silence.
The other beasts stared, no longer smiling.
"What… what was that?" Kaito whispered, looking at his hands. The glow faded, but the heat lingered.
"You've felt it now, haven't you?" the voice returned, clearer.
"Who's there?" Kaito demanded.
"You are of noble blood. Vampire — ruler of the night. Dragon — fire of the ancients. Awaken."
The beasts recovered, growling low.
"You'll pay for that, freak," another snarled.
Two attacked together this time.
Kaito's body moved, as if something else guided him. His senses sharpened — he could hear their footsteps before they landed, feel the air shift with every movement. He ducked, spun, and kicked one aside, his strength unnatural, fierce.
The second clawed at his back — he cried out, but before he hit the ground, he twisted, catching the creature's throat.
His grip tightened. He could feel something — a pulse, a beat beneath his fingers.
"Feed."
A sudden hunger, sharp and cold, rose in him.
"No!" Kaito screamed, releasing the creature.
He stumbled back, gasping.
The remaining beasts hesitated.
"You… you're one of them," the leader hissed. "A vampire."
Kaito's eyes widened. "No, I'm not—"
"You reek of ancient blood!" the beast spat. "But you're untrained. We'll feast before you awaken fully."
Kaito's body ached. His vision blurred. The earlier surge was fading, leaving him cold and drained.
He couldn't fight them all.
The beasts closed in, snarling, their confidence returned.
"Run," the voice urged.
Kaito turned, legs barely holding, and dashed into the forest. Branches whipped at his face, roots clawed at his feet, but he didn't stop. The creatures roared behind him, crashing through trees.
"You can't outrun them forever," the voice warned.
"What do I do then?" he panted.
"Awaken."
After what felt like hours, Kaito stumbled into a clearing. A river flowed nearby, moonlight dancing on its surface.
He fell to his knees, exhausted.
"Why me?" he whispered. "Why this?"
"You were chosen because you defied fate," the voice answered. "You died saving another, expecting nothing. Such a soul is rare."
Kaito shook his head. "I didn't ask for this power."
"But it is yours," the voice said. "You must learn to wield it, or die."
The growls returned — closer now.
Kaito struggled to stand, but his strength was gone.
The first beast burst into the clearing, eyes wild with bloodlust.
"End of the line," it hissed.
Kaito closed his eyes.
But then — a flash of silver.
A blade sang through the air, and the beast collapsed, lifeless.
Kaito blinked. A figure stood over him — tall, cloaked, eyes glowing faintly in the dark.
"You're late," the figure said, voice amused.
Kaito could barely speak. "Who…?"
"No time," the stranger said, lifting him easily. "If you want to live, you'll come with me."
As Kaito faded into unconsciousness, the last thing he heard was:
"You're not alone in this world, Kaito. Not anymore."