Michael stared at the wall for what felt like forever, knees drawn to his chest. He was so cold now, everything was cold… He hadn't seen Hoplite in days, or Cat, anyone he'd set off on this mission with. He knew not how long he'd been stuck here, he had no way of telling the time, his concrete cell had no clocks, no windows, and worst of all… no light. When he'd first woken up, he'd screamed so much that his vocal chords had been permanently damaged, his mouth stuck open in a silent shout as he attempted to batter his way through the solid steel door.
When that didn't work, he returned to screaming, his vocal chords having regenerated from the damage he'd just put them through, for hours on end. Once he'd grown tired of that, he'd been reduced to weeping, endlessly for days without an ounce of rest. Strangely he hadn't felt tired at all, unfortunate because at least if he could sleep, he wouldn't be aware of the darkness surrounding him.
Strangely enough though, he could see perfectly in this dark, yet he was still aware that there was no light. For some reason this didn't make him feel any better… he could still smell the rot, feel the filth of his fallen comrades on his skin, the suffocation of decay was all around him, despite not being there. Where was Thirty-Seven? He had to be on the way by now, ready to bust him out.
Suddenly, glorious white light flooded his chamber, and he stood, eyes wide. He stared at the caged camera installed in one corner of the ceiling, an intercom just beneath it. Is this the day they finally talk to him?
"Michael was it?" A deep voice crackled, "Congratulations, Long Lord Telegad has seen fit to raise you above your mortality, you are a vampire now, one of us. You may refer to me as Long Lord Megad, I will be your caretaker, as well as the one testing your capabilities. See, there has not been one recorded instance of an Outworlder becoming a vampire, you are unique in this respect. I wish to find out how this changes Outworlder biology, and also if you would be able to utilize Foundation now that you've been blessed with vampirism. Please do be cooperative with our demands, things will go well for you if my orders are followed."
Michael scowled, "I'm gonna kick your ass."
"That's quite inappropriate language, young man. Be glad you are in my care and not my brother, Long Lord Lagoma's, he'd not tolerate such a thing, Outworlder or no." Megad told him in a frustratingly patient voice.
"I don't give a damn, let me out of here, reverse the vampire-stuff too!" Michael shouted, approaching the door.
"Oh young man," Megad tsk'd, "The transformation is done, it is impossible to reverse. Your body is already dead. Well, as close to dead as it can be, anyhow. See, our kind exist on the border of death, we are not fully on the other side of that threshold, rather we exist within it. Now, let us move on to the changes you will experience. Your heart does still beat, but only once per day. You may attempt to eat food, but you will extract nothing from it, it will purely be for the tastes and nothing else, though thankfully alcohol still is intoxicating, if you're a good boy I will even let you sample some of my famous blood-wine… I'm sure you're feeling parched."
He hesitated. Michael was feeling thirsty, but not for water, for something else. The sharp fangs in his mouth seemed to ache at the thought.
"Other changes, ah, you will be glad to know that your body will not change so much outwardly, your skin will become more pale, your eyes are no doubt already crimson, but you won't become wrinkly like us. When we elect a dwarf to become vampiric, the closer they are to their natural deaths, the more powerful a vampire they will be, that is why most of us are a tad… pruny." Megad explained, "The younger you are turned, the longer it will take to reach your full potential, though in truth a vampire's potential is limitless, given he is not slain." He continued, "Like a good brew, vampirism only gets better with age, you will mutate, change, grow stronger throughout the years, but slowly… that is unless you overfeed."
"So you made me a mutie freak!?" Michael shouted, "What the hell is your problem!?"
"Long Lord Telegad has shared his plans for you with me, you will be very useful to our future goals. See, Outworlders are the opposites of Pillar-Born in every way, your people are typically loved the world over, if we have one among us who is both vampire and Outworlder? Well, safe to say it will be easier to win the trust of the slave-stock- ah, people I mean."
"I ain't working with no damn mummy!" Michael frowned, presenting his middle finger to the camera.
"I don't know what that gesture means, but I am certain that it's nothing good." Megad sighed, "I had hoped that you would work with me willingly, but I can tell by your poor attitude that you have no intention of being cooperative with us."
"Damn right." Michael told him flatly.
"Which is why, unfortunately, I will need to force you to do so." Megad said regretfully, "Your friend, the female Outworlder, she is also within my care. If you do not follow my instructions like a good pup, I will have no choice but to torment her over the intercom, and make you listen to every second of it."
Michael's eyes widened, "Don't you touch her, you damn raisin!" He shouted, baring his fangs instinctively.
He couldn't let Cat be hurt, both because she was a fellow Ternan, and because Nasty Nate would be devastated if anything ever happened to her. The thought of telling Nate that Cat died was unbearable, as was letting a fellow soldier be tormented. He hated it, but he'd need to comply with Tool Lord Me-bad's orders for now, at least until Hoplite could come kick his ass.
"Just follow my instructions, listen, and no harm will come to her. Do not misunderstand, I don't have any ill will for you two whatsoever, but I must have you obey." Megad told him.
He clenched his fists, "Fine." He said through clenched teeth, still staring at the camera.
"Excellent. As I was saying before, your biology is completely different now, I suspect you may even be able to utilize Foundation. You could grow into quite the force one day, especially with Telegad as your father- ah yes, the mutations you go through will mirror those Telegad went through when he was blessed with immortality, he is a warrior through and through, your physical prowess will be your most powerful trait as a result." He explained, "The sunlight will likely be able to kill you at this point in your life, but as you grow older you attain a resistance for it. It will never be comfortable to exist in the sun however, and you will be horribly weak compared to when the night rules."
Michael's jaw dropped. He wasn't gonna be able to see the sunshine anymore? The one time of day where darkness has no presence… was lost to him for good? Before he could process that, a tray appeared through the slot of the steel door, a long round metal cylinder atop it.
"I want you to try and bend that bar." Megad told him, "I don't expect much, even though it is low-grade steel. You are still a baby, after all."
Michael grunted, approaching the door quickly before swiping up the bar from the tray. The slot was already closed by time he'd reached the door, but it wasn't like he could do anything with it anyway, not with Cat's life on the line. He gripped the bar with both hands, jaw clenching as he struggled to bend the steel.
It felt impossible at first- but much to his shock, it slowly began to give beneath his strength. Michael, with eyes wide, bent the cylinder into the shape of a U. He was dumbstruck by this display of power, not believing it to have been real steel. This was something that only a Hoplite should have been able to accomplish, or a man wearing an exo-suit.
He held it up to the camera, "This can't be real metal." He told the camera in disbelief.
He heard clapping from the intercom, "Good boy!" He praised, "So strong already, most vampires need at least a year of life to grow that power. I wonder if it has something to do with your humanity, your kind are always closer to death when mortal than ours is, as the typical dwarf can live to be three-hundred years of age. As I recall, humans are lucky to make it to seventy, yes?" He asked, "Or is that different for Outworlder humans?"
Michael bit back an insult before replying, "Back in the day it used to be that short, now folk can live to be a hundred n' twenty."
"Fascinating." Megad said in a genuine tone, "How is it that this was accomplished?"
He hesitated before saying, "Better medicine, along with enforced eugenics."
"Eugenics?" Megad asked.
He didn't want to tell this freak anything, but until he knew Cat was safe, he better cooperate, "Basically, if ya got bad genes, you can't have kids. Our Lord Jyn enforced that as soon as he came to power back on my world, nowadays it ain't really a bother for most people, but back then a lot of folk weren't allowed to have kids."
"I see, a fascinating similarity to ourselves. Those born with hereditary diseases are allowed to live, but not allowed to reproduce, as a result we've eliminated dozens of defects from the gene pool. Your people have also learned about genetics?" Megad asked.
Michael nodded, "Yeah, for a long time actually. Couple thousand years I think."
"And this, Lord Jyn, how long has he ruled your planet?"
"Couple thousand years." Michael waved dismissively, not remembering the exact number.
"I see, so Outworlders have vampires as well. Fascinating." Megad said.
Michael glared, "Lord Jyn is human."
Megad gave a small chuckle, as if he were shaking his head, "No human can live for that long, don't be ridiculous. Your people must have been lied to by your rulers, or by Jyn himself. It is no surprise that vampires from the Outworld would keep their existence clandestine."
"Lord Jyn ain't a liar!" Michael shouted, "He's a one of a kind human, the best ruler humankind has ever seen!"
"I hate to be inappropriate, but that is maggot-dung, do you really believe such a thing?" Megad asked, perplexed. "No mortal, no matter how powerful, cannot live so long.
"I do believe it, because it's the truth." Michael shot back, his frustration growing.
"Surely if this were the case, there would be other men that would have also lived for so long, where are they?" Megad asked.
Michael shook his head, "There ain't none, only Lord Jyn, he's one of a kind."
"Perhaps 'Lord Jyn' is more of a title given to their rulers, write that down please Dundale." Megad said.
"No, it's the same man!" Michael shouted, frustrated, "It ain't no title!"
"Let us move on," He said suddenly, "I do not have much time left in the day, my rest fast approaches and I wish to glean as much as I can from you before I let young Dundale take over."
"Hold on, where is Cat?" Michael asked, "Is she here?"
"I'm keeping her in a separate facility, only known to me and a few others, just in case. Know that if you do attempt an escape, she will be put through The Thousand Agonies, remember that in case you find the opportunity to be free." He told him, "Now, I want you to jump as high as you can."
"Why do you keep asking me to do all this crap!?" He spat, "There ain't no order to none of it!"
"I have a large list, I'm simply going through what I have written, now be a good dog, and jump." Megad ordered, tone taking a dangerous edge.
Michael frowned, but did as he was told. He jumped as hard as he could, flying through the air before cracking his head against the ceiling. Everything grew dark for a moment, and before he knew it, he was laying face down on the ground, a pool of dark blood surrounding his head.
"...What the hell happened?" He asked, slowly standing from the ground before looking up.
A spot of dark blood coated the ceiling where he'd made impact. Had he really just hit his head on there? It was at least ten feet up.
"Marvelous, it seems that you are a tad more advanced than standard Newbloods, I think you've earned yourself a reward after that little accident." Megad told him, the steel door opening.
A dwarf with a shaved face was forcefully shoved in before the door shut behind him. The guy was wearing old ratty rags, and was barely able to stand on his own power.
"This dwarf before you will be your first meal. A criminal who's sins require that he be unmade as a dwarf and shaved. He is less of a person than slave-stock, do not feel pity for him. Drink your fill." Megad ordered.
"Please… mercy." The dwarf wept, falling to his knees, "I won't do it again, please…"
Michael just stared, keenly aware of the dwarf's heartbeat, the sound of blood rushing through his veins, the salty sweat in the air. His fangs ached at seeing the prey before him, a feeling that revolted Michael to his core. He wasn't really tempted to bite into this prisoner was he? It couldn't be, he wasn't a monster! Yet despite the thought, his instincts pushed him to take a step toward the pleading dwarf, his fangs bared.
Michael regained control of himself, shaking his head, "I can't." He muttered.
"Oh thank you!" The dwarf said gratefully, "Thank you so much for your kindness!"
"You deny my gift?" Megad asked, "This fool will be killed anyway, it does not matter if you do it, or another vampire does. Take a drink."
Michael licked his lips, the prisoner falling back on his palms, "Wait, please, I will serve loyally, I can give you bloodbags twice a month, just please don't kill me…" The dwarf pleaded.
"If you will not drink him, then I will sample your precious Cat. I wish to know the flavor of an Outworlder myself." Megad said casually, "Your decision, Michael."
He hesitated, before taking another step toward the dwarf. The prey shrieked, scrambling at the door in a fruitless attempt to pull it open.
"I'm sorry." Michael told him with a frown, "I don't wanna do this…"
"Then don't!" The dwarf screamed, "Please, I have a daughter!"
"Had a daughter." Megad's voice crackled hatefully, "This creature deserves not your pity Michael, he strangled his offspring in her crib, we would not feed you an innocent dwarf, our beloved citizens are far too valuable to be used as mere feed."
"She was Pillar-Born!" He screamed, skinny hands shaking, "The Gods told me so! I was saving New Romai by doing what I did! I should be the one made into a vampire, I'm a hero!"
Michael moved faster, eyes going wide. It wouldn't be bad to kill someone like this… right? He didn't have to drink him, but Michael was going to snap his neck- bite into it, drain every drop- no! Michael snarled as he bore down on the prisoner, grabbing him by the back of the neck before snapping it with a single hand.
The prisoner twitched like a mouse in a cat's mouth as Michael bit into his neck. Warm sugary-sweet copper filled his mouth then, and he couldn't contain himself. He drank greedily of the dwarf, crimson eyes going wide as the blood washed down his throat. The ache in his fangs began to recede, his body felt warm again, just for that brief moment of feeding. Strength filled his limbs, he knew that if he desired it, he could bend even Tungsteel were it presented to him.
Before he knew it, nothing remained in the corpse, and he dropped it like trash, blood spilling down his chin. When the high of consumption left him, Michael was left staring in horror at the body, realizing what he'd just done… terrified that he wanted more.
"You are a natural, almost as if you were born to be one of us." Megad told him, "You are a killer." He said with praise.
Michael shook his head, stepping back from the pale body until his back hit the wall on the other side of the chamber. He didn't want to live like this, to have to go on for all time drinking the blood of others to survive, to live in darkness for eternity. Wouldn't it be better if he was just dead? He shook his head, he couldn't die yet, there were people that needed him right now, Cat especially.
After they escaped though, what would he do then? Could he really continue on like this, knowing he'd never see the sun again? The very idea of it filled him with a horrible sense of dread. Maybe there was a way to cure him out there somewhere? This planet was magical right, there had to be a way to reverse this!
"We aren't done yet, gather yourself and prepare for more tests. Dundale, you're free to ask the subject whatever questions you have… I feel the fatigue coming on now, I will see you in one month, do have fun. And Michael, listen to Dundale as you would to me, for to defy him would be to defy my will itself."