The Nominon thought process was a curious thing. Despite appearing as primitive flying squids, these demons were capable of all of the same intelligence (and all of the same cruelty) as their human counterparts. One such Nominon was present when a swarm of monsters invaded a nearby human village.
Most of townspeople fled into their homes and boarded their windows in terror, but there was a single young woman who stayed in the streets and defended against the invasion. With long black hair, a sleek dress, and runes painted on her arms that enabled her to summon weapons and spells out of thin air, she appeared to be some sort of witch. Even with all of her abilities, however, she was simply outnumbered in the surprise attack. She was so distracted with vampire bats and zombies that she didn't notice the squid-shaped shadow swooping down behind her. All she would have been able to feel was a set of oozing tentacles descending over her head as her world went dark.
The Nominon held its captive steady by wrapping its two largest tentacles under her arms while its gaping mouth engulfed her head and much of her shoulders. It didn't intend on beheading her, however, as the Nominon diet was more metaphysical in nature. These beasts thrived by feeding on the memories of their victims, using dark magic to extract their thoughts and emotions directly from their minds.
Even when her head was fully enclosed in the Nominon's circulatory system and the only thing she could breath was its toxic vapors, the captive continued to put up an usually strong fight for someone of her stature. It took a paralyzing stab from the creature's stinger arm to finally put her appeals to rest. After she let out a final smothered groan and the rest of her body went limp, the Nominon floated higher into the air, lifting her by her shoulders well out of the reach of anyone who could rescue her. Now the feast could begin.
Young human women usually provided Nominons with some of the best meals. Most of them filled their thoughts with town gossip, and love letters, and marriage arrangements, and a constant stream of emotions. It was all nonsensical chatter from a Nominon's perspective, but it made for a very filling dinner once it was able to crack open their mental defenses.
This girl's mind was completely empty.
This was something this Nominon had never encountered before. There were times where it had fed on more narrow-minded prey, but this case was different. Even the most sheltered nobles and isolated hermits offered some morsel of a human soul and provided the Nominon with nourishment. This victim didn't seem possess any human qualities aside from her outward appearance. Reaching deeper into her consciousness, it found nothing but hallow space.
It was then the Nominon realized this could only mean one thing: The girl was meant to be a vessel for Dracula's power. Purging a hapless maiden's soul and offering her vacant shell as a sacrifice to the Dark Lord's resurrection was an ancient concept, but something must have gone wrong during the ritual for the sacrifice to still be alive in her current state.
This particular prey provided the Nominon with a unique opportunity, as it now had a means to escape its pitiful existence and become part of the mortal world. While the usual victim would be left as a dead withered husk after their thoughts were drained, this one's mind was available for lodging while her body was still strangely full of life. The Master probably wouldn't care if the Nominon imprinted only a tiny portion of itself on the girl's mind, as long as it was careful to preserve the rest. Maybe it would even be praised for taming his livestock.
The demon could sense this girl already possessed the ability to absorb the powers of Dracula's other minions. Entering her thoughts and corrupting her soul was just a matter of using the same magical pathways in reverse.
Shanoa awoke on Wygol Village's cobbled street. She spent several moments in a fit of coughing as the toxins left her lungs and she was able to breath clean air again. Thick Nominon slime was still smeared across her face, her shoulders, and through her long black hair.
As she regained her bearings, Shanoa saw almost all of the monsters had already retreated from the human settlement. The only evidence that remained of the attack was a lone deceased Nominon laying on the ground just a few feet away from her. She must have struck the monster with a fatal blow just as she lost consciousness, but she was surprised to see there were no signs of injury on its corpse.
Then the craving crept into her thoughts. At first she wasn't sure what she hungered for, but she could tell wasn't for any kind of physical food, and it wouldn't be sated with any type of potion. She was developing an appetite for something... different.
Something drew her to glance at her hands. In the center of each palm was a Glyph she didn't recognize and couldn't remember absorbing from any monster she had fought. The markings were shaped like two circular mouths lined with jagged teeth, and they seemed glow brighter by the second.
The craving slowly continued to grow.
As she climbed to her feet, she spotted a couple of villagers coming out of their hiding place to greet her. The local jeweler, Laura, and the town chef, Aeon, soon stood on either side with concerned looks on their faces. Aeon leaned forward to get a better look.
"Are you alright, Miss Shanoa?"
When Shanoa's craving became unbearable, instinct took over.
She impulsively threw her arms outward and grabbed Aeon and Laura each by their forehead. The Glyphs on her palms glowed with an intense light as they began draining the souls of her two captives. Their memories and emotions came flooding in to fill a place in her mind that had previously been empty. When the process was complete, she let go of her prey and quietly lowered her hands back to her sides. The decayed bodies of Aeon and Laura collapsed to the ground like two human-sized prunes.
After standing for a few seconds in ominous silence, Shanoa stepped back in shock. She stared at her hands, hardly believing her own actions. As she stood there trying to piece together what had just happened, something in the back of her mind managed to calm her thoughts and bring her to accept her new cannibalistic tendencies. It slowly became a part of her natural thought process, pushing her already traumatized and amnesia-ridden mind closer toward insanity.
A relieved smile crossed Shanoa's lips while she spoke softly. It was the first time she could remember feeling any sort of emotion.
"I'm just fine."
She calmly continued down the street. With any luck, the rest of the villagers would make a decent second course.