Princess & Cyberserk

Invitation to the Vampire Dungeon

Dan took a couple of dozen minutes and took a full look at the collection of vampire trophies. They were great items but nothing special the young man saw.

"Junk. Ordinary artifacts. Taking an item like that won't gain us anything. Only acquire powerful enemies," Dan wrote.

"In that case, the enemies won't just be vampires. The previous owners of the artifact won't give us peace either," the clone agreed.

The friends wanted to leave the council chamber. But suddenly an old vampire entered the room. The unknown patriarch of the Draco clan grinned and greeted the two unseen captors softly.

"I wonder who hired you. Gnomes or elves. I don't think the short ones would pass up an opportunity to muddy the blood in a healthy body," the vampire laughed softly. He walked slowly along with the table while glancing carefully at the walls of trophies. The vampire stopped and nodded his head when he saw that one artifact was missing.

"Dwarves of the Grab clan. Miserable losers. Are you miserable losers like that too? Perhaps you wish to keep me company on a fun adventure? I sense one of you already. The one marked with the mark of Kor," the vampire approached one corner of the Council Chamber. "Come, child. You need not fear me."

"Child-level provocation," the clone wrote in the chat. "Shall we kill him?"

"No, he's weird. I got a quest," replied Dan Raven quickly.

The player didn't expect the game system to respond to the vampire's words. But the message was clear.

[Attention. Orange Rank the Second Well quest is available.

Quest Details: Find the Second Well.

Quest conditions: the composition of the group: 3.

Reward: The entrance to the Second Well of the Vampire Nation.

Do you accept the quest? Yes/No]

The description of the quest gave Dan no clear information about the nature of this challenge. He had never heard of vampire wells. Why did he need the entrance to the second well? The whole thing looked strange and not very attractive. But Dan took his time and simply renewed the Phantom spell.

For a moment a clone appeared beside him who gave a quick nod of his head to the vampire.

"Greetings Lord of the Draco clan. My master wishes to remain in a more secret and protected state. I am interested in taking part in your challenge. I am also curious to know why you do not care about our bad deed," the clone spoke softly with a smile.

The vampire scrutinized the interesting interlocutor.

"A truly special case of the will of the gods. You are a spirit incarnate. Your corporeality is drained of blood. Amusing research material," the vampire grinned. "Your work for the gnomes does not concern me for one reason. Do the gnomes want to aggravate the relationship? The vampires are willing to drink the blood of these insolent shortlings. Are you both willing to take part in a difficult affair? Or will your master continue to hide under the cover of elf magic?"

Dan was in no hurry to remove his invisibility. If one vampire walked into an important place, new unpleasant inhabitants of the castle might enter the hall. But the vampire acted decisively. He walked to the very corner of the hall and quickly ran two hands along the walls. At that moment a passage opened in the wall into a small secret room. The vampire stepped inside and the young man realized that the elder was waiting for them in a more private place to continue their conversation. Dan hurried into the secret room. He saw that Tom was already hidden in the corner of the council chamber.

There wasn't much place inside the small room. But a peculiarity of the place caught the eye immediately. On one wall of the room was a portal to a dungeon.

Dan tapped his friend on the shoulder and lifted the invisibility spell.

"Greetings Lord Drarred. I am human Dan Raven," the young man nodded his head.

"An apprentice of Kornelius. Who has picked up the best skills from his teacher? I will enjoy remembering swordsmanship against that style," the vampire grinned.

"Not with me. My clone has better abilities in martial arts. I want to learn about what the Well is. And what is my interest?" Dan immediately started talking about important things.

To his surprise, the vampire began to consider the clone again.

"A clone that has more power than a summoner? This is a savage mockery of your kind by the gods," the vampire could not believe such a perversion.

"Humans have long had their faults," Tom chuckled. "Makers of things quickly become slaves to irrelevant and temporary things."

"A vampire will never be a slave to bloodlust," the ancient patriarch said sternly.

"I'm happy for vampires," Dan smiled. "I am pleased to do business with your kind."

The old gent grinned and wagged his finger in the young man's direction.

"You don't make a strong impression. I won't answer your silly questions. Your clone strikes me as a more worthy interlocutor and opponent."

"Stop! A lot depends on Master Dan. Our connection is too complicated a part of the world. Dan, it's simple. The well is the definition. It's the name for the vampire portal to the new world. The Mine in the dwarves. A campfire is for orcs and a trunk is for elves. With mice it's complicated. These little bastards know how to store information in this world, too. There's one thing I don't understand. Lord Drarren, why exactly are you inviting us on this undoubtedly interesting adventure?" Tom turned toward the vampire.

"It is simple. Only an ancient master like me can immediately unravel your childish wiles and tricks. I've even put a mark on dragons! You have done a couple of good favors for the nation of the Children of the Night. You are easy to identify and are a brave person to deal with," the patriarch stopped smiling and looked at Dan. "Do you realize that such a place as the second portal to the new world cannot be trusted with anyone? I can't even use the help of my descendants."

Dan understood the value of such a place and such a game-changing opportunity. He didn't understand why the old vampire wasn't willing to trust his descendants. But he wasn't interested in vampire problems. He cared about his advantages. And the young man saw no advantages for himself.

"I'm not afraid to appear foolish and naive. I see no reward for myself. Why do I need your transition to the new world? I can have my transition to the new world. I've already been offered a quick exit from this world and not to make a mess of your cozy and orderly life," Dan confessed.

"Help me and you will gain the very valuable knowledge and skills of the vampire race," grinned the patriarch.

"Beyond the boundaries of this world, your knowledge will lose value. I can buy them from any mage's tower. In the new world are those whom you consider ancestors. It makes no sense for me to hurry. I have enough trouble regaining the power of my old skills," the young man objected. "I don't understand why you're so determined to find out the second entrance to the new world. Why aren't you satisfied with the first Well?"

At that moment, Dan became frightened. The vampire's eyes changed color, and the atmosphere in the small room became different. The primordial darkness separated from the walls and surrounded the two of them. Dan realized that he had touched on a dangerous subject in the conversation. The danger made him quickly draw his blade and prepare for battle. He saw Tom draw his blade and stand in a position that would allow him to attack at any moment. The vampire stared intently into the young man's eyes. His face took on an expression of cruelty and self-confidence.

Lord Drarred showed no obvious desire to start a fight. He whispered quietly and angrily.

"You ask the wrong questions, human. And you don't know the right answers. You don't know the price of going to a new world. Your kind doesn't have the ability to leave this place. Do you believe in the kindness and nobility of other nations toward the weak savages who first entered the borders of the gods' world?"

Tom's soft voice echoed in the tense silence of the room.

"These are the words of a wise person to whom it is important to heed. Dan, we have a chance to be free to leave this world. I'm sure that in any other case we will be bound. I do not wish us to serve anyone in the new world. There will be enough strong local pretenders out there who will be willing to give us trouble."

Dan Raven shook his head. This whole quest situation was too unexpected. He had not yet had time to realize all the peculiarities of the local passages to the new world. But the words of the ancient creature made sense! For a beginner, no one will do anything for free. Everything will have to pay its price. Making the transition to the next level of the game was important! There was only one question before the young man. Why doesn't this vampire want to go the normal way for all other vampires?