Yay! It's chapter 2!
I don't have anything to say. (Scratch that, I have many thing I wanted to say. And I just realized that Paladin, as in the title, have a same/close meaning as knight... -_- )
Beta'ed by Oracleshadow
Enjoy!

Chapter 2 : His Mission.

"No...Mother.." Kuroko muttered. He wiped his tears and straightened up his back. He looked around, and noticed that he was in a forest. He stood up and began walking, in search for a river. He soon found it, and started to wash his face. He also washed his robe, since it was drenched and the bottom was bloodstained.

He caught a fish, and started a fire, so that he wouldn't be too cold and would be able to cook the fish. He laid down on the grass, looking at the clear night sky with numerous thoughts on his mind. He then stretched out one of his hands and chanted one word. Suddenly, the forest was surrounded by a thick fog. He smiled meekly as he closed his eyes.

"Your destination is the capital."

"The innermost row, last shelves to the right, second book from the left, at the top, there's one book that could help you in understanding more about us and our enemies"

"Don't give up"

"This is our fate"

"Go and find allies. Your power is nothing if you're alone."

"Kuroko Tetsuya, my son. I'm proud of you"

"You have to be...strong"

"I...love you."

Kuroko wake up with a jolt as a tear slid down his cheek.

"Mother..."

Before the sun had rise, Kuroko had already began walking. It's not a forest he knew, so Kuroko figured that this forest must be pretty far from his house. He walked for hours, stopping once in a while to rest. Just like what his mother had told him, he can't stop. His enemies might have started searching and tracking for him.

Days after days passed, but he never met anyone, no human life could be found in the forest. He just walked straight, to an unknown place with every step he took. Even if he doesn't know the way, whether the path he had chosen was right or not, he continued moving forward. Because in the end, whatever path he choose, he will still arrive at the capital. That was how the forest works.

Since he was young, he had been educated by his mother. The map to the capital was one of the things he had to remember. All kinds of spells he had learned. Either from his mother or what he learnt by himself. Numerous ancient books and scrolls he had read from his house's library. Knowledge is what makes us, a Kuroko. That was what his mother always said.

After a few weeks, he finally reached the busy capital. As what his mother said, Kuroko went straight to the library and looked for the book she had told him. He found it soon enough, and read the book. Every sentence, every word, every syllable, he read carefully. Organizing the new facts, he closed the book and took a deep breath.

Kuroko Family is an old family that are rarely known by a normal person. They said that it was just a myth, others said that it was real. But, nobody knows the truth about us. Because, anyone who knew the truth about us will be killed. That's how it goes within our family.

The Kurokos are something that others said aren't human. The Kurokos are a being that they would call, a vampire. An immortal being that live by sucking the blood of others. In other words, a threat to normal humans.

But no, we are not like that. The Kurokos are vampires, but we are not a real vampire. We are a branch family of another family. We just have half of that family's blood inside of us. We call ourselves half-bloods.

We are still a vampire. We have the characteristic, the inhuman strength, and magic power. But what we don't have is the only power that only the real family has; that power is the power to change a normal human to a vampire and a need for blood.

Normally, a Kuroko doesn't need blood to live. But, if we used a spell too much, we end up having to drink blood to live. There are also cases where a Kuroko summons too much power or some unearthly beings, the Kuroko's body couldn't stand the pressure and had eventually died.

The Kurokos are not pure blood vampires. It will always stay that way even when one of us took a person from the main family as their mate. We are not immortal. We just cannot die because of old age, an illness, and mortal wounds. There are a few things that could harm us. Could lead us to our death.

Because of that, we are vulnerable. And a few people outside from our family knows about it. They are our enemies, The Vampire Hunters. They know our weakness, and they can take advantage of it.

But we are strong. We are still a vampire. Our spell could counter-attack them. Not all spells, but we are a knowledge seeker. We always seek for new knowledge. Knowledge is what makes us, Kurokos, become stronger.

Usually, the Kurokos have no compability with summoning magic. Since we are a half blood, the Gods and Goddesses didn't acknowledge our existence. But, if one of us has a good compability with the magic, we are unbeatable.

Their aim is our blood. Our blood that could be converted into magic energy. We are the easiest target for them. Since we are the weakest vampire in comparation with another branch house. We are a shadow and we could hide from them.

Kuroko continue reading the rest of the book. The Kurokos' weaknesses, the numerous spells written in there, The Vampire Hunters' ability, and many other crucial thing. One thing he doesn't understand though, was why a secret book like this was in a public library? But he just dismissed the thought, and thought more about himself.

"So...This is what I am..." Kuroko whispered to himself. He returned the book to its original place and searched for a new book that might help him more. Finding two books about summoning magic, he read it. Any kind of Gods or Goddesses, any kind of power he could summon.

'Since I am strong in summoning magic...'

The sun was setting when Kuroko exited the library. He found many books he could use to make him stronger, but time was not going to wait for him. The library was closing, and he had to read it tomorrow. Kuroko sighed, and bumped into a stranger.

"I'm sorry" Kuroko apologized.

"You!" The man Kuroko bumped said dangerously. "Wait...light blue hair and eyes? Haha...you must be a person from the Kuroko family then" The male that bumped into him said again. "Then, sorry but I need your blood!"

A Vampire Hunter!

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