The sun was warm on his skin, and the air smelled of grass and blooming flowers. Nick stood at the edge of a park, watching her run ahead, her laughter bright and unburdened. Her feet barely touched the ground as she twirled, her arms wide and her dark hair spinning in the sunlight. It was a kind of beauty he could never look away from, a moment frozen in time.
“Hey!” she called over her shoulder, her voice light as air. “Are you still here?”
“I’m here,” he replied, a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.
He was always here. He always came back.
Forever.
She giggled, spinning faster, the hem of her dress a blur. The world felt soft like it was holding its breath watching her dance. Every moment stretched, comfortable and warm, the kind of peace you don’t realize you need until it’s there, filling the empty spaces you didn’t know existed.
But the world rejects perfection. Comfort is sinister because it makes you forget how quickly it can be taken away.
The sun dimmed, just a little at first, like a candle flickering in the wind. The shadows lengthened, crawling across the grass. Her spinning slowed, her giggles softened to a whisper. Something in the air shifted, the warmth cooling as if the wind had changed direction.
Nick sighed, yet he refused to look away. Hell demanded at least that much respect.
She stopped, mid-twirl, and turned to face him. The light should’ve caught her face… but her eyes… they weren’t right. Where there should have been laughter and warmth, there was something indescribable. Something cold. Her eyes, once full of life, now glowed violet.
“Are you still here?” she asked again, but this time her voice was smaller, quieter, like she wasn’t sure what the answer would be.
Nick tried to move toward her, to say something, to do something, but his feet were stuck. He wasn’t allowed to change this. Not even in his dreams. He opened his mouth, but no sound came. The words—the ones that should have brought her back—were taken from him.
And then, just like that, she started to fade.
First, her hands, dissolving like mist, then her body, her hair… until all that was left were those violet eyes, hanging in the dark like two small, cursed lanterns.
They lingered. Watching him.
Nick jolted awake, the cold air of the campsite biting at his skin. He blinked against the pale morning light filtering through the trees, trying to shake off the dream. It clung to him like the last traces of fog, fading but stubborn. The fire had burned low, its embers glowing faintly beneath the morning chill.
Sitting across from him, near the edge of the dying fire, was Ray.
Her violet eye glowed softly in the dim light, a haunting echo of the dream that still tugged at the edges of his mind. She sat with her knees pulled close, staring at something in front of her—a cooking pot, or maybe just the empty space around it. Her expression was blank, as though the gears inside her head were turning but hadn’t quite caught onto anything yet.
He rubbed a hand over his face, trying to steady the thudding in his chest.
‘It was just a dream…’ he reminded himself.
That’s all it was. A dream, and nothing more. But as his eyes drifted back to Ray, still lost in whatever world she was trying to piece together, the weight of it lingered.
“You trying to stare a hole through that pot?” he asked, his voice rougher than he intended. He cleared his throat.
Ray blinked, her gaze shifting slowly from the pot to him as if she had to remember how to focus. She didn’t speak, didn’t move. Just stared.
Nick sighed and pushed himself up, the stiffness in his legs protesting the movement. He crossed the campsite and crouched beside her, reaching for the pot. She didn’t resist when he took it, her eyes simply following his movements.
“It’s for cooking,” he said, turning the pot over as though he was explaining something incredibly complex. “You know, food. It’s kind of important for most people. Not sure how it works for you, though.”
Ray’s gaze followed his hands as he set the pot over the simmering embers. He grabbed a flask of water and poured it in, followed by a few pieces of dried meat and some spices.
“There,” he said. “Now we wait a few minutes and we have breakfast.”
For a moment, Ray simply stared at the bubbling pot, her face unreadable. Then, slowly, she looked up at him. “Thank you,” she said, her voice barely louder than a breath, so quiet that it could have been covered by the wind.
“Don’t mention it.”
Her violet eye glowed faintly in the dim light, and Nick shuddered.
Even though this was a new world and a new life…
Nick crouched beside the fire, stirring the pot absentmindedly. He glanced at Ray again, forcing his thoughts to take a different direction.
She was too different from the other version of her, but he had a feeling that some things still had to be the same. She was dangerous, no doubt about it. Before she wiped her memory, she presented herself as if she were powerful.
That strength… was probably still there. Raw power bottled up with no memory to temper it. This young girl was a blank slate. Quiet, waiting for guidance.
He shifted uncomfortably as he realized that, yet again, the world asked him to fulfill this role. In a way, this was worse than escaping hell for a while longer.
“What are you thinking about?” The question came out a little more gruff than he intended. He hadn’t meant to engage her, but the silence was pressing on him, and he had to admit that he was curious.
“I don’t know,” she replied, her voice uncertain. “Everything feels… distant. But this is real, right?”
Nick nodded. “As real as fantasy gets.”
She frowned slightly, her hands resting on her knees, gripping her clothes as if trying to touch something to keep herself grounded. “I don’t know what to do. I have nothing. No thoughts, no dreams, no purpose. I’m nothing, and I don’t know what to do.”
Nick raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t that fine? Sure, your starting point is a little empty, but the rest of what you said applies to most people.”
Ray nodded slowly, and there was a flicker of something in her gaze—something cold, and hungry. “Maybe. But I don’t understand it.”
He dipped a bowl into the pot and filled it with broth before offering the bowl to her. “I can’t tell you what your purpose is. You’ll need to figure that part out for yourself.”
She hesitated before accepting the steaming bowl. “How do I do that?”
Nick shrugged. “I dunno. Let’s focus on what you can do for now.”
She furrowed her eyebrows. “And what’s that?”
He leaned back, crossing his arms. “Let’s start with you showing me your stats. Can you see them?”
She nodded. After a moment, a window appeared in front of both of them, revealing her status.
===Status===
Name: Ray
Age: 7602
Race: Vampire Progenitor
Health: NaN
Mana: 100%
Magic Systems:
Echelomancy
Mind: 15 | Body: NaN | Soul: 15
->Echelomancy
->Skills: Vampiric Bite (1/100)
->Bloodline: Vampiric Strength, Summon: Vampiric Familiar I (1)
->Traits: The First Sin, Immortal Mind, Immortal Body, Immortal Soul
Nick stared at the window, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the details. “NaN…?” He wasn’t sure what to expect from a vampire, let alone one who went through whatever that ritual did to her.
But stats that weren’t numbers?
He rubbed the back of his neck as his gaze moved to the other part of her status that stood out to him.
“Those traits,” he said, pointing at the glowing lines of text. “Can you see descriptions of their effects?”
Ray tilted her head, her fingers twitching slightly as she focused. A moment later, the descriptions popped up. Nick’s eyes flickered over the words, his mouth going dry.
=Immortal Mind=
-Passive Trait-
->Mana: N/A
->Rank: Quasi-Divine
->Description: Complete immunity to mind control, mind-affecting curses or diseases, and any other form of mind-affecting ailment or illusion.
=Immortal Body=
-Passive Trait-
->Mana: N/A
->Rank: Quasi-Divine
->Description: Complete immunity to all forms of damage and pain. Complete immunity to fatal damage. Injuries will regenerate passively over time.
=Immortal Soul=
-Passive Trait-
->Mana: N/A
->Rank: Quasi-Divine
->Description: Complete immunity to instant death magic and harmful effects that target the soul.
He let out a slow breath. “Holy shit…”
The words slipped out before he could stop them, but there was no point in holding back. Ray was… he wasn’t sure how to describe it. Unkillable, maybe? More than that, she was basically immune to everything.
“You’re…” Nick paused, shaking his head as if trying to clear his thoughts. “You’re practically invincible. Can’t be mind-controlled, can’t be hurt, and your soul’s locked down, too.”
Ray blinked at him, clearly not fully grasping the gravity of her traits.
He stared at her, running his hand over his face. He expected her to be powerful, but what the hell was this?
His eyes landed on the last trait, and the moment he read the description, the knot in his stomach tightened.
=The First Sin=
-Passive Trait-
->Description: Damage received from Holy-attribute magic is increased by 500% and ignores resistances. When the First Sin kills a target, they gain a temporary Aura of Bloodlust. If the First Sin is killed, all individuals who contributed to their death will receive a debuff increasing damage taken by 500% from all sources for 7 years.
*Aura of Bloodlust: A magical manifestation of murderous intent that assaults all allies and enemies within ten meters.
Nick swore under his breath. “You’re like a walking disaster waiting to happen.” He shook his head. “If anyone tries to take you down and somehow succeeds then they’re still screwed. Seven years of a 5x damage multiplier from all sources?” His voice lowered to a murmur. “And Aura of Bloodlust… you could turn an entire battlefield into a bloodbath just by existing.”
He leaned back, letting the implications sink in. “You’re overpowered, Ray. Way, way overpowered.”
Ray’s expression was unreadable. She tilted her head slightly like she was trying to make sense of what he was saying. “So… what do I do?”
Nick took a deep breath, his mind racing. She had no idea how dangerous she was, how much of a target she would become if anyone found out about this. She could be a literal walking apocalypse. He clenched his jaw. He couldn’t afford to get involved—he couldn’t afford to take responsibility for her. But looking at that status, leaving her unchecked wasn’t exactly an option, either. If she snapped, no one would be able to stop her. He exhaled slowly, trying to sound nonchalant. “Look, you’re strong. Too strong, maybe. But you don’t have any control yet. Someone needs to teach you…”
He ran a hand through his hair, his frustration barely masked. He didn’t want this. He didn’t want to be the one guiding her—he didn’t want the attachment, the responsibility.
But what choice did he have?
“I’ll teach you,” he promised.
His chest tightened with the realization that he was stuck with her, whether he liked it or not. Just like how it always happened.
A sound cut through the stillness—a crash of a branch, faint but too deliberate to be natural.
Nick stiffened as he glanced around the campsite. The woods around them were quiet, and something about the silence set his instincts on edge.
“Ray,” he muttered, his voice barely more than a whisper. “We’ve got company.”
Her status window and skill descriptions disappeared. “Is that a bad thing?”
He motioned for her to stay still, his heart quickening as he scanned the edges of the trees. His ears caught a soft murmur, the sound of footsteps moving carefully through the underbrush. He cursed under his breath and shifted closer to Ray.
“Listen,” he whispered. “There’s more than one of them out there. Probably armed. We don’t know how many, and I doubt they’ll be friendly. No matter what happens, you need to stay calm, got it?”
Her expression didn’t change. “Sure.”
Nick clenched his jaw. He wasn’t sure of their motives, but he doubted many people ventured this far into the woods without some kind of motive. He opened his mouth to say something when a voice cut through the trees, low but clear.
“Spread out, there’s signs that someone’s been here recently. The quest said the vampire should be around here.”
He inwardly groaned.
“Damn it,” he muttered. If he were by himself, he would just wait for them to show up and blow them all to pieces with fireballs, but that wouldn’t be good for Ray’s education…
A man in gleaming silver armor stepped into the clearing, his sword resting heavily at his side, a broad shield strapped to his arm. He moved with purpose, every step radiating confidence. The morning light caught his polished armor, casting long shadows as he advanced into the clearing.
Another figure moved into view on the knight’s left—a woman draped in flowing robes, her hands already crackling with purplish energy. A mage, of some sort. The way her eyes scanned the area told Nick that she was prepared to blow everything up at the slightest hint of danger.
On the knight’s right, a third figure appeared, cloaked in greens and browns, her eyes sharp as she surveyed the surroundings. Her fingers twitched as the ground beneath them began to stir, vines and roots shifting at her call.
A knight, a mage, and something resembling a druid.
The knight raised his sword, his voice booming. “Surrender the vampire. I have no intention of sending a fellow human to the cathedral today.”
Nick stepped between Ray and the armored man. “Sorry, you’re about 5 minutes too late—I literally just decided to be her mentor.”
The knight narrowed his eyes, his sword still raised. “Mentor? I don’t know what whim Mumblegrumble cursed you with to find yourself in this situation, but we’ll take care of the rest. Step aside.”
“…Mumble-what now?”
“I won’t warn you again.”
Nick chuckled, though he wasn’t smiling. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I’m going to take the side of the scared teenage girl over the scary armed people.”
The mage to the knight’s left laughed in disbelief. “You’re being serious, aren’t you?”
The ground shifted as the druid muttered under her breath, the vines responding to her quiet command. They twisted, curling through the dirt as they inched closer to Ray.
“Stay sharp,” Nick muttered to Ray.
She hadn’t moved, simply watching how he handled the situation.
The knight took another step forward, his sword gleaming in the morning light. “I gave you a chance.”
For a moment, no one moved. The tension was thick enough to cut, the knight glaring at Nick, the mage’s hands glowing brighter, and the druid’s vines creeping ever closer.
The mage’s hand’s short forward, sending a bolt of crackling energy directly toward Ray.
Nick barely had time to react before the vampire moved. With an eerie calm, Ray raised her hand to catch the bolt. The energy seared into her palm, purple arcs of magic sizzling and hissing as they ate through her skin, the flesh bubbling and blackening. The acrid stench of burning flesh filled the air.
She didn’t flinch, instead staring at her hand, her gaze transfixed on the melting skin. Purple light pulsed through the wound, veins of electricity crawling up her arm, but she didn’t recoil. Instead, she turned her hand, watching as her palm sizzled and curled, the muscle beneath exposed and raw.
For a moment, nothing but the crackling energy and the soft hiss of burning flesh filled the clearing. Then, Ray’s lips parted, her voice detached, distant.
“This… burns.”
Nick’s stomach twisted as he watched. “Ray—”
“This is… pain,” she continued, her voice soft but filled with strange fascination. Her eyes, previously devoid of emotion, sparked with something new, something alive, as she observed the destruction of her own flesh. The corners of her mouth curled slightly, almost in wonder.
And then, with a flick of her wrist, she casually tossed the bolt aside, the crackling energy fizzling out as it hit the ground, leaving only a smoking patch of dirt.
Her hand, still charred and blistered, began to shift. The scorched skin bubbled, twisted, and then reformed, knitting itself back together. Within moments, the flesh was whole again, unblemished and pale, as if nothing had ever touched it.
A heavy silence fell over the clearing.
Nick’s breath caught in his throat. Ray had not only taken the hit, but she’d welcomed it—embraced the pain like it was some kind of new sensation, and then healed from it like it was nothing.
‘She’s going to be more of a handful than I thought…’
Project Knightfall 