Chapter 1

Bell felt cold.

That in in of itself wasn't unnatural. Sleeping on the streets he was used to feeling cold. Having not found a familia yet it wasn't something unnatural. What was unnatural was how calming the cold felt. Like it was welcoming, like he belonged in the cold.

Bell's eyes opened and he found himself laying with his back to the wall in an alley. What time was it? Given the darkness it was safe to assume that it was probably at night. What was the last thing that happened to him? He couldn't remember clearly. He remembered being with a man, feeling a desire to help the man, and then he remembered feeling absolute terror.

Bell's body went rigid. That was right, that absolute fear, the knowledge that he was about to die. What had happened to him?

"Ah good, you're awake." Bell's eyes flickered around panicked at that deep voice and his head swiveled around to find the speaker. His landed on a man sitting at the end of the alley, and bell quickly pushed himself off the wall and prepared to run if necessary. The man chuckled. "I will always praise caution, unfortunately the two of us need to talk. We need to discuss your…. Condition."

Bell decided that he didn't like the way the man had paused before mentioning his condition. But that made Bell question. What condition? What was wrong with him?

Bell instinctively knew that something was indeed wrong with him, everything about himself felt different, unnatural. And he felt… Thirsty.

Bell got a good look at his companion. He was quite a tall man, Bell could tell that much even though the man was sitting down. He also had very dark skin, almost like an Amazon's skin, except that he was a man. Another thing that stood out to Bell was the man's hair, despite the man wearing a hood Bell could see that the man had long bright blue hair. The final thing that Bell noted was the man's eyes, they were a bright gold, shining with power.

Finally, Bell felt his throat seem to come to life and he asked a question. "Who are you?"

The man smiled. "I am, unsure as to the answer to that question myself. Not to say that I don't remember my past, just that I left who I was behind multiple times before and I don't resemble who I used to be at all aside from my appearance. For now, I suppose the answer to that question is that I am your Sire."

Bell swallowed, but felt nothing in his mouth, despite his mouth being dry he found himself able to ask the next question that sprang to mind. "Sire?"

The man paused for a moment before answering. "I am your, creator. Almost your father in a way. I am what turned you into the same being that I am."

Bell's head was spinning, creator? Father? "W-what are you?"

The man chuckled, but Bell could tell there was no humor in it. "I am a cursed being, one that shouldn't exist in this world. By all rights I am a being that should be rightfully hated by this world. A being of the night, something closer to the monsters below then the gods above." The man's eyes met Bell's and Bell could see the regret in them. "And I've cursed you with my curse." The man stood up. "You and I and Vampires boy, and we are neither of us human anymore."

Bell shivered, even though he didn't need to. He could feel the power in that… that word. Vampire, Bell thought back to all the legends that his grandfather had taught him and came up with nothing. He didn't recognize the word, but despite that he recognized it's power.

Bell was woken up from his thoughts when the man put a hand on his shoulder. "I assume you are, thirsty?" Hesitantly Bell nodded affirmative. The man gestured with his other hand. "Then let's get you something to drink, before you get out of control."

Bell decided that he didn't like the sound of that.

"The dungeon?!" Bell couldn't keep the shock out of his voice, the man had said that they were going to get him a drink not go monster hunting.

The man stared at Bell. "Our kind doesn't live off food and drink like others do. From all of my research I've found that we can only survive off of one thing, that being blood." The man chuckled. "And I think it would be safe to assume no one is looking to donate theirs."

Bell took a moment to take this information in. "But-but I don't belong to a familia, I don't have a god's blessing there's no way I would survive down in the dungeon!"

The man nodded and then began to explain. "I believe I mentioned it earlier but I'll explain a bit more. We're more like the monsters that we'll be hunting in a few minutes then literally any other creature." Bell looked horrified at this information. "As diving beings the power of the gods is harmful to us, so them attempting to give us their blessing would likely result in our deaths at best."

The man started walking towards the cave entrance. "Don't worry about the guild stopping us, I'll explain in a bit but the two of us are in a unique position regarding this city, so they won't stop us."

Bell hesitated for a moment, before he sped up after the other man. As the men started to walk into the entrance to the dungeon Bell finally asked the question that he'd been wanting the answer to. "Just who are you? I know you said that you were my… Sire you said? But that doesn't really answer the question."

There was a moment while Bell assumed that the man considered the question before he answered. "I'm not ready to tell you who I am yet, mostly because I don't feel comfortable sharing the answer at the moment, but partially because I doubt you'll believe me."

"I can't really believe anything right now." Bell muttered. The man laughed, apparently having heard the words, and Bell was reminded again just how powerful this man's voice was.

"For now," the man started amusement still dripping from his voice, "you may call me Aethon. It's a name I've gone by, and one I still like."

"Right." Bell muttered. Aethon huh? He didn't recognize the name, not that he thought he would. Still, he was glad that he had a name to attach to the intimidating figure that he was following. "So why blood? Why is it that that's the only thing we can survive off of?"

"I'm not completely sure." Aethon said. "As far as my own research has gone our kind is most closely related to a creature known as Gorgon. Gorgon is rather unique among monsters as in all my travels I've yet to encounter another creature quite like it."

The two were actually in the dungeon now. Aethon stopped and turned around to face Bell. "Gorgon was a mistake, an accident created by the gods. And she was also a bloodsucker."

Bell stared at the man, stared into his eyes, and saw that he was completely serious. A mistake? Created by the gods? The gods had made a, a monster?

"I can only assume." Aethon continued. "That we're a similar accident." As he spoke he turned deeper towards the dungeon again. "Blood is magical, there is power in blood. I suspect that it is that that appeals to our kind. Speaking of…" He raised a hand and pointed. "Your meal has arrived."

Bell followed his finger towards the goblin that had appeared. He swallowed once again as a memory flashed through his mind, that of a younger him standing below an intimidating goblin.

Despite that memory he felt no fear. In fact, the only thing he felt was…

Thirsty

He took a step towards the creature, then another, and another, and another, another, another, another…

He was picking up speed, only half aware of what he was doing. Suddenly he had grabbed the creatures head with both hands and twisted.

The goblin fell backwards head at an odd angle, however Bell still didn't wake from his weird behavior. He knelt down and mouth opened to reveal that his canines were suddenly longer, and he dived.

Aethon watched with a grim expression. He watched as the boy pulled away from the monster and backed up quickly, sliding backwards on the ground using his hands and feet until his back ran into the wall. "W-what? What was that?" He looked terrified. That made sense, Aethon had reacted worse, his first taste of blood had been a human… The poor girl hadn't deserved it Aethon knew that much. He was glad that his… child he supposed… He was glad that his child's first experience had been a monster.

"Instinct." He answered. "You hadn't eaten anything since you'd woken up, it was inevitable. Imagine what could've happened if I hadn't taken you here to the dungeon."

Bell shook his head, once, twice, again. He didn't want to imagine it. He didn't want to try and imagine what could have happened! What could have happened! He wanted to throw up, but couldn't, he couldn't throw up.

Why? Why?! Why?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY HAD IT TASTED SO GOOD?!

"Monster blood actually doesn't taste very good." Aethon said. "Out of all out options it is simultaneously the least tasty and the most convenient."

Bell couldn't believe it. That wasn't delicious, Bell could still taste it in his mouth. He wiped his mouth but the taste wouldn't leave. "It doesn't taste bad." Aethon said to Bell's questioning look. "It simply doesn't measure up to any of the creatures above."

Bell took a moment to take that in. "I don't want to know what they taste like." He decided that then and there.

Aethon smiled and held out a hand. "Come, I still have more to teach you. I have that much responsibility as your Sire." Bell reached out and took his hand. He still couldn't believe this, he couldn't believe any of it. "So you have something to call me. What do I call you?"

With a flush of embarrassment as he realized he'd never introduced himself Bell rubbed the back of his head. "I'm Bell, Bell Cranell."

"Indeed, well then Mr. Cranell." The man's smile widened. "It's time for you to learn control."

Over the course of the next two months Bell learned several things. First was that he liked the darkness. He assumed it was a vampire thing because he certainly couldn't recall loving the darkness the way he did now. The sun was painful to him, that wasn't to say he couldn't be in the sun he could, it was simply that he didn't like being in the sunlight. Aethon had expressed the same sentiment.

With his newfound love of the dark came several abilities he learned. One was that he could see in the dark, or more specifically through the dark. It explained how Bell could always see Aethon's face despite the hood that he wore to cover his face.

Another was that he could easily conceal himself. It didn't matter how flashy his clothing or how hard someone looked for him, he could always hide in the darkness. According to Aethon he could even hide from the sight of the gods.

On the subject of the gods Bell had decided to avoid them at all costs. Aethon hadn't even warned him, Bell just decided that with his nature he'd prefer to avoid their notice if possible.

With one exception of course. Ouranos knew.

That was why the two of them were able to freely operate in the Dungeon. Those in the guild had no idea, but the god in charge allowed them to feed in the Dungeon.

Bell had asked why it was only the two of them. Aethon's response had been, enlightening.

"Far as I know we're the only ones left. Our kind were hunted down by the gods. I was supposed to be the last one left, creating you was an accident."

The knowledge that Bell's, as later learned, death to Aethon's hands and subsequent resurrection hadn't been surprising to Bell. Aethon had informed him of that a few days after they first met.

No, the knowledge that they'd been wiped out had surprised Bell though. So Aethon had explained.

"ROOOAAARRRG!"

Vampires were hunters. Vampires had apparently made an art of making themselves as appealing to their prey as possible, luring them away and devouring them. Their prey? Those who lived on the surface.

It was no wonder the gods had tried to hunt their kind down. Not only were they a mistake, but they'd actively caused harm to those they loved.

Bell wondered if it should bother him that he'd adjusted to his apparent status as an undead so quickly. Those two months had felt like moments when he thought about it.

On the matter of adjusting quickly, Bell found that he had to do that a lot. He grew fast. Not literally, it wasn't like he was getting taller or something, no. He was growing stronger. Apparently, vampires grew more powerful the more blood they drank. That meant that since they needed blood to survive vampires essentially grew stronger the longer they lived. How cool was that, right?

Even if he couldn't have the adventurer experience he could still have dungeon experience!

Honestly Bell was strong enough now that he expected he could probably survive a charge from a rampaging-

"AAOOOOOOORRRRRAAAWWWWWW"

Bell looked up just in time for the minotaur's head to slam into him and cause him to fly into the nearest wall.

"….ow."

It wasn't excruciatingly painful but still.

What was a minotaur doing on floor five?

Bell had avoided interaction with other people so far but whoever was responsible for this he was going to give them a piece of his-

There was suddenly a streak of light, and several more streaks of light as the minotaur roared in pain and exploded.

Huh, monsters did do that didn't they? Bell wasn't really after their magic crystals, so he usually just left the corpses lying around. It was probably bad Dungeon etiquette but whatever.

He decided to taste the minotaur blood that got all over him. "Huh, it's fine I suppose. I've had better."

Bell looked up at the one who "saved him" and froze.

He needed to get out now.

Why?

The thirst was overpowering.

The minotaurs escaping was her fault. She knew that they should have been more careful, and now she was paying the consequences for her actions.

Hopefully everything was fine.

Hopefully no poor adventurer would pay for her mistake.

She chased after the last remaining minotaur in this area as quickly as possible.

There!

She ran up to it and with a few slashes of her blade the minotaur's death was quick.

She sheathed her blade and sighed. It was done. It was over. Now no one would-

"Huh, it's fine I suppose. I've had better."

Aiz gaze whipped to the voice as soon as she heard it, and the sight bewildered her.

It was a boy, he had bright easily noticeable white hair. And he was… Sucking the minotaur blood off his fingers?

Aiz didn't know what to make of the sight. What did he mean he'd "had better?" He ate blood?

Aiz briefly wondered what monster blood tasted like but then he looked up.

He looked up, and Aiz was transfixed.

As soon as his eyes met hers, she couldn't tear them away. His eyes were beautiful, that was the first word that came to her mind. The deep red color was entrancing.

She… she wanted to look at them more.

Then his eyes changed, they flashed orange and he glared at her. Aiz suddenly felt afraid, what had happened. He was upset at her that much she knew but what had she done to upset him?

Then he spoke.

"MOVE!"

Aiz found that she couldn't disobey the command.

So she moved.

And as soon she moved, he was gone.

And Aiz… Aiz Wallenstien wanted to find him again.

AN: So I've got a bit to say here. First is apologies that I haven't updated Infinity Elf in a while, and a statement that I'm not going to update Infinity Elf for a while. I haven't abandoned the story and I don't plan to.

Honestly, I'll probably do a few chapters of this story go on a long break again. Apologies but you'll have to get used to that.

So you'll have immediately noticed that this story is more serious then my… other one. I still intend on having this story be a comedy but I wanted to do something more serious. I thought about making a joke story with a similar concept that would get just as if not more ridiculous then Infinity Elf but eh. I'll let someone else write that.

Now that I've said that I've no doubt that it'll happen.

Also Aethon am I right? Heh heh.

If you play Memoria Freese then yes he's exactly who you're probably thinking he is. Of course Bell doesn't know that yet.

So yeah, this is Davis IceElf signing off.