Deep in the void beyond the asteroid belts and swirling moons, the Universal Vessel V-89 — codename: The Nocturne Fang — hung silently in the black tapestry of space. It was not just a ship. It was a fortress, a war relic, a symbol of fear among the stars. Within its curved obsidian hull, laced with crimson runes and rotating spectral sigils, 100 vampire knights and 200 pureblood vampires stood in silent formation, their eyes glowing faintly with disciplined bloodlust.
Inside the vessel's control chamber, which resembled a throne room carved from darkness and sleek alien technology, a single figure sat upon a raised dais. Derick. The strongest vampire among them, a legend whose name once made galaxies tremble, now fully reawakened.
His presence was immense, suffocating. Clad in black armor veined with pulsating red energy and a mantle that whispered like shadows, Derick looked down at the gathered elite.
"There are fifty low-star planets in this edge of the sector," he spoke, his voice neither loud nor soft, yet it echoed with unmistakable authority. "We split into teams. Two vampire knights and four vampires per world. Seek signs of the anomaly. Find the Nightwalker. Bring him to me alive."
He rose from his throne, the motion commanding silence. His eyes burned red as he asked, "Am I understood?"
"YES, VENERABLE ONE!" they echoed in unison, their voices a choir of discipline and dread.
Without another word, Derick made a slicing gesture through the air. The main hatch of the Universal Vessel opened like the maw of a beast. In coordinated groups, teams of six launched from the ship, vanishing into the darkness with sleek, obsidian jump-pods.
Hovering in orbit, the Nocturne Fang pulsed with latent energy, its core whirring in low oscillations. Derick stood still, watching until the last of his elite dispersed. Then, he too selected his team — one vampire knight and four high-ranking vampires. Their destination: Earth.
---
Earth — Inside the Chamber
Dray was unaware of the silent storm forming beyond the sky.
Within the depths of a fortified cavern laced with ritualistic energy barriers and reinforced steel, he sat before two young humans, a boy and a girl. They were pale and trembling, their eyes filled with wonder and fear.
Dray looked into their eyes with solemnity. They had both agreed to this.
"Drink," he whispered, biting into his palm. Rich crimson blood flowed, unnaturally thick, humming with primordial energy.
He gently pressed his hand to their lips. One after the other, the children drank. The blood flowed into them like molten fire. Their bodies trembled, veins glowing briefly as the transformation began. Then came silence.
Minutes passed. Kessa stood behind him, arms folded, while Tyro kept watch near the entrance.
After about ten minutes, the boy's eyes snapped open. He screamed, his limbs jerking violently.
Dray sprang up, catching him mid-spasm. The boy's skin burned with spectral heat. He convulsed, screamed again, and then—
Nothing.
He fell limp.
Dray stared, horrified. A cold voice echoed in his mind:
DING! The turning was a failure. The victim is dead.
Guilt slammed into him. He collapsed to his knees, cradling the boy.
His face twisted in grief. "I failed him," he murmured.
Kessa rushed forward, embracing Dray from behind. "It wasn't your fault," she whispered.
He nodded slowly, eyes filled with pain.
Then, a twitch.
The girl.
Her fingers curled slightly. Her eyes fluttered. Then—
A shrill, unnatural scream pierced the air.
A sound so haunting, so sharp, that it felt like shards of glass were driven into the ears of all present.
Dray, Kessa, even Tyro staggered back, clutching their heads. Blood trickled from their ears.
Another notification rang out, the system voice shaking with surprise:
DING! Congratulations on creating a BANSHEE!
+100 Exp
+2 in all stats
"Banshees are rare supernatural entities. Vampiric banshees are a deviation of normal evolution. Unlike other turned beings, they possess a sonic core — an ability to weaponize grief and sorrow through sound".
Dray's eyes widened. A smile broke through the pain on his face.
Kessa turned to him, bewildered. "Dray... What did she become?"
He looked down at the girl, whose body was still glowing faintly. Her pitch-black hair flowed with an unnatural breeze. Eyes of white fire stared into the distance.
"A Banshee," he replied.
"What... is that?" Kessa asked.
Dray looked to the interface as it flickered before him.
System Interface
Name: Dray Ballack
Bloodline: Vampiric
Race: Nightwalker
Level: 18
Class: Vampire
Strength: 75
Agility: 85
Endurance: 63
Vitality: 74
Skills:
Night Adaptation (Passive – 75%)
Blood Sense (Passive – 100%)
Blood Echo (Tier I – 80%)
Phantom Reaper (Intermediate Assassination – 68%) Fully Owned
Crimson Eyes (Rank I – New)
Inventory:
Rusted Circuit Knife
Obsidian Data Chip
Unknown Crystal (Bound)
Healing Potion
Hair Potion
Dark Cloak of Concealment
System Shop: [Access Granted]
+1 Free Skill
Next Level: 1700 EXP
Status: Stable
Creations:
Kessa Holt
Race: Noctilux Seductress
Bloodline: Vampiric
Evolution: Stage 8 (25%)
Tyro Venn
Race: Draugr (Undead-Class)
Bloodline: Vampiric
Evolution: Stage 7 (75%) – Partial Intelligence
Nora Smith
Race: Banshee
Bloodline: Vampiric
Evolution: Stage 1 (8%)
Title: Nightwalker Creator
Main Quest: 57% Completed
Kessa watched him as he finished reading.
"Banshees," Dray began, "are rare supernatural entities. Vampiric banshees are a deviation of normal evolution. Unlike other turned beings, they possess a sonic core — an ability to weaponize grief and sorrow through sound. The scream you heard wasn't pain. It was birth."
He stepped forward and gently knelt by the girl.
"Their screams can rupture minds, fracture will, and echo across spiritual planes. They are rare, powerful, and highly unstable when born. But this one... she's stable."
Kessa walked over to the girl, now named Nora. Her eyes blinked slowly. "Nora," she whispered. "Can you hear me?"
Nora slowly sat up. Her voice was faint. "Yes... Mistress."
Dray and Kessa shared a glance.
---
Meanwhile — Earth Orbit
Derick floated above the Earth in silence, watching from a cloaked vessel. His red eyes narrowed.
His knight approached. "There was a disturbance. A scream... not human."
"A banshee," Derick muttered. He inhaled. "And something else. There's a Nightwalker below. A young one. Powerful. Reckless."
He turned to his knight. "Find him. Secure him. Or kill him if he resists."
---
Back Below
Dray helped Nora to her feet. Her scream had drained the last of her physical strength, and he could feel her trembling in his grasp.
"We must train her quickly," Kessa said with a low rasp. "A banshee is dangerous even to her allies."
Dray nodded. "We will begin immediately."
---