Understanding what I said, he simply nodded. After finishing the roasted rabbit, I told Drake to get some rest — after all, he was still human, and humans need sleep to function. His face showed a tiredness he kept trying to hide.
When Drake finally fell asleep, I climbed to the top of a tall tree. The rough bark scraped against my hand as I settled on the thickest branch. From up there, the sky looked endless: millions of stars shimmered in different colors, as if someone had scattered glowing dust across the world. The night air was cool and quiet.
I murmured to myself,
"This world is better than my old one in many ways. I hope I can find happiness in this new life."
The night passed slowly, wrapped in thoughts. I listened to the distant sounds of some animal hunting, the wind rustling the leaves, and the gradual retreat of darkness. Dawn painted the horizon in orange and gold, the light spreading across the fields like a warm carpet waking everything around us.
I climbed down from the branch and woke Drake with a gentle touch on his shoulder, saying we needed to follow the road toward our destination. He yawned, stretched, and walked beside me, still half-asleep.
Along the way, we came across a group of merchants transporting exotic and rare animals — an extremely fortunate coincidence. Their wagons were covered with heavy tarps, and a faint smell of hay mixed with the rustling of small creatures inside the cages.
When I lifted the cloth slightly, my eyes caught a pair of illusion bats. Their wings shimmered with a faint glow, as if made of smoky light, though they were physical creatures. I felt an immediate interest, but since I had no money, I simply asked about them.
The merchants sighed in annoyance when they saw us approach, assuming we were thieves. But when they realized we only wanted information, they relaxed. One of them explained they were heading to the Kingdom of Magic and Alchemy, which lay close to the great Stone Mountain — exactly where we were going as well.
Since the group traveled nearly unprotected, **I offered the services of two bodyguards — Drake and me — until they reached the kingdom. In return, I asked for the illusion bats.** To my surprise, the merchants agreed quickly; apparently, hardly anyone wanted that type of creature.
Still, they underestimated us. Because we looked young, they assumed we wouldn't be able to protect them. One of the merchants even suggested we prove our strength, so they sent one of their three guards to face me. A single well-placed strike was enough to drop him to the ground, unconscious, a dark bruise already swelling around his eye.
Drake, on the other hand, was dismissed as a burden. They didn't even complain when I asked for two of the smaller animals as extra payment — creatures they considered worthless.
Of course, they had no idea I was a vampire, naturally able to control those bats. Illusion bats were impossible to tame for most races… but for mine, they were a rare and valuable treasure.
Drake climbed onto one of the wagons and stayed quiet almost the entire time. I watched the tension in his shoulders, his restless fingers, and the quick glance he threw at one of the guards — a look filled with fear and anger. I noticed it immediately, but chose not to interfere yet.
Once the merchants finished resting their horses, we continued the journey, with Drake and me now acting as their protectors.