Closing his eyes he savored the taste, forming an image in his mind, a connection not imagined but felt. Without seeing the pool of blood, he reached for it, not with his hand but a similar kind of instinct that one would use to flex a muscle.
And the blood answered.
It contracted. A ripple like a wave ran through the puddle.
Hero steadied his breath, his curiosity prodding the blood. He leaned into the feeling and followed the thread.
The blood felt as though it wasn't separate from his body, but an extension of it. He tugged the thread, testing at first, but now firmer.
The blood lifted, ropes of red floating up at his command.
Hero opened his eyes and smirked. "Hah. That wasn't that hard."
The Watcher's voice echoed, "Not hard for one of your blood, no. But for another more average, this would be impossible to even conceive. But still amusing to see you crawl before walking."
When bloodspawn first learned how to manipulate blood, it would take them a year in seclusion for the average. If you were a genius, the least it would take them is a month. But a first try would be far fetched for any proud vampire.
Raising an eyebrow, "Really? I want to know more about the power structure in this world, the norms and oddities, you want to fill me in?"
"No." The Watcher said.
"Tsk. Figures." He clicks his tongue, 'Lousy God...'
Hero focused once more on the blood, he tried shifting it into shapes - clumsy, uneven daggers that struggled to hold their form and collapsed back into dirt. Still, he connection never wavered. He felt like his body knew this game, but that his mind was catching up.
'Feels like trying to move a dead arm,' He thought. 'I'll need to practice.'
He decided to not use his blood manipulation until he could control it a bit better, it wouldn't be much help in a real fight at the moment.
With that said, he looks to his sword. "Looks like it's you and me for now, bud." He gave it a few untrained practice swings.
The silver blade felt like it was made for him. A perfect weight, length and balance that was in tune with his body.
"One day, I'll be able to use you properly." He said, "Let's go find that dog."
After walking for a while, he doesn't come across any other bodies for a while, but the trail of prints keeps going until at one point, they just stop existing.
'Huh.' He stands there in thought. 'Where could it have-' He feels a shiver down his back, 'Above!'
He jumps backwards as a paw narrowly misses him. Landing on the ground is a wolf that looks like it's been through hell.
Its fur was patched with blotchy spots of gore, its ribs visible and guts half hanging out. Flies swarmed around it's decomposing body. It was dead, yet it was still moving.
What's strange is that a name hovered above the beast in red lettering.
[Ghoulish Wolf - Tier 1]
"Tier 1? You're telling me I'm below a rotten dog? Ridiculous." Hero frowned.
Standing before this wolf akin to a corpse, he felt anything but inferior. How could this be considered a higher tier?
There was an energy about the wolf he couldn't quite place. It didn't feel part of this world is the only way he could describe it.
'My first fight is against roadkill that outranks me. Typical.' He thought as he narrowed his eyes, holding his sword with both hands ready for an attack.
The ghoulish wolf lunged aiming for Hero's shoulder. He sidestepped and kicked the wolf away, the wolf gave no reaction, making it feel like he was hitting sack of potatoes.
He pushed forward and swung with his sword, the silver edge carved deep into it's shoulder, black ichor sprayed out - but even then, the beast hardly reacts.
He stepped back, grimacing more at the smell than the danger. "Disgusting."
The wolf lunged again with more power, surprising Hero as he tried to move out of the way again, it's teeth tearing through his the wrap on his forearm and grazing him.
The wound wasn't much, just a drip of blood, but in a whim, he flicked the blood outward in a jagged spike, piercing it into the wolf's side as it leapt by.
Both of the staggered bag, Hero tried to check the wound on his forearm, however when he looked all he saw was it closing rapidly on it's own.
'Seems my own blood is easier to manipulate than others.' He thought before refocusing, 'No time to lose.'
Hero surged forward, his sword flashing in a clean arc. He felt as if his body was remembering more than he currently knew: weight, angle and force. The blade hit it's mark, slicing the wolf's head from it's shoulders, kicking the body aside for good measure.
Plop.
The wolf's head and body fell to the floor. Hero smiled. 'Messy, but it'll do for a first time.'
The red letters above the ghoulish wolf flickered for a moment, before they flew into the runestone in the back of his hand.
[You have killed one Tier 1 Ghoulish Wolf. Crypt energy gathered.]
'Crypt energy? Do all beasts have that, or is it just those like that wolf?' He wondered.
He thought maybe that crypt energy must be why he felt the beast was off despite it's appearance.
The Watcher scoffs, "To actually get hit by that mutt."
Hero's eyebrow twitched, "That was my first time fighting something. Or at least the only time I remember. Give me a break."
He didn't get a response from the Watcher. 'What's with these inconsistent responses.'
It felt like he just wanted to say his piece then dip out like he never did.
That fight felt way too natural for Hero, he felt no fear from the beast when he probably should have, but he could feel he could kill it with his sword.
Leaving the carcass where it is, he continues his walk along the dirt path.
He noticed that after this fight, his throat was drier, and felt a tad weaker than he did before.
'Is this because I'm a quote on quote, starved state?' He pulled up his status to check something.
[Satiety: Starved (Dormant)]
"What does it mean by dormant?" Hero wondered.
"It means that you still have your wits about you. as there is no human blood in the near vicinity there's no real sense of hunger and desperation pressing down on you. Starved vampires in an 'awakened' state are more... feral, let's say." The Watcher answered.
"That's not exactly thrilling to here, so what am I going to lose the plot at the first whiff of blood?" Hero asked
"Yes." The Watcher affirmed.
'Brilliant.'
Hero kept on the path, it felt like he was in a tunnel, the red shrubbery around him so dense he can't see past it.
Not so far in front of him, he sees remnants of what seems to be a camp, or what used to be.
'Finally. I was going crazy seeing nothing but this dirt path.'
He approaches the camp with the same caution he came here with, he sees four makeshift tents, a few hitching posts, and a put out campfire in the middle.
Crouching down over the campfire, he hovers his hand over the ashes.
He frowns, 'Still warm, must be recent... which means they shouldn't be-'
His words were cut short. And suddenly, his eyes are close, his nostrils flared.
He swallowed as his frown softened.
'T-that smell... it's unmistakable, ah.'
The scent sends shivers down his spine. Metallic, alive, and so very sweet.
Hero's mouth began to salivate.
The Watcher's presence intensifies.
His eyes shot open as he sniffs the air sporadically, his body twitching in excitement, 'B-blood! From humans, I smell blood! Nearby, so close I can taste it!' his mind was clouding, hands shaking.
There's no sight of his calm to be seen.
Hero breaks out into a deranged sprint, following his nose for the scent of blood. The closer he gets the more a wide smile creeps onto his face, showing his two pointy fangs.
"Aaah~ There it is, the ugly beast is rearing it's putrid head. Poor souls." The watcher looks on with interest.
Hero roared, eyes shining crimson, the forest around him faded away, his thoughts collapsing onto one blazing desire.
"Blood."