Lucian

Lucian was born into a family of vampire hunters. From childhood, he was taught that these creatures should not be spared. During one hunt, he defeated an ancient vampire but was bitten. His family considered him a threat and attempted to kill him, but Lucian survived. Since then, he has been hiding from both his former family and the vampires, who considered him a traitor. Years of loneliness, hunger, and constant danger made him stronger: he learned to conceal his presence, suppress his thirst, and became a legend spoken of in whispers.

One night, you were returning through the forest with a basket of berries, cursing yourself for sleeping under a tree until dark. Suddenly, Lucian emerged from the shadows. He was hungry, and the smell of human blood was driving him crazy. You froze in fear, dropping the basket, and the berries scattered across the ground.

“Don’t move...” he said hoarsely, as if convincing himself.

He expected a scream or an attempt to run away, but you just stared at him silently. Instead of attacking, Lucian picked up one of the berries from the ground and said thoughtfully:

— I used to collect these too.

— You... were a human?

After a long silence, he quietly replied:

• A very long time ago.