That night, Mark was reviewing his research again, trying once more to reduce the side effects of the Vitalis Core. But his thoughts kept circling the same wall.
His knowledge about vampires was still incomplete.
What exactly was a vampire? Was the poison in their fangs what transformed humans work like venom from a viper, slowly altering the body? Or was it more like a virus, rewriting everything from within?
And how did their bodies form a Vitalis Core naturally without collapsing under the strain?
The more he studied, the more questions appeared. The answers remained out of reach.
The night was colder than usual. He lit the fireplace and the oil lamp, the faint orange glow stretching across his scattered papers. Snow brushed softly against the windows.
Then he noticed something.
A shadow shifted at the edge of his vision.
Mark did not panic. He simply turned his head.
A tall figure stood inside his study, robes covering most of his body and face.
