POV: Nero
The sun had already gone down.
I was deep in the woods, leaning against a tree. I had tried my best to find a place far enough away that no one would wander into it. If someone did come out here and got killed… well, that would be on them for being stupid.
Eventually the moon began to rise higher and higher until it reached its apex.
That was when I felt it.
First it was my left leg.
Snap.
The bone broke clean in half.
Then my right leg followed.
I collapsed to the ground, screaming as every bone in my legs began to crack and twist. The pain was indescribable. Then it spread upward—my spine, my ribs, my arms. Every single bone in my body shattered and reformed like someone was rebuilding me piece by piece.
I screamed until my throat felt raw.
Eventually the changes continued.
My teeth sharpened into fangs. My body began to grow thick fur. My muscles expanded and twisted until my human form was completely gone.
And then… it was over.
I was a full werewolf.
My fur was black, thick and dark like the night itself, with a white spot over my right eye. Even in this form, I was fully conscious. I could feel everything.
I felt the wind rushing through my fur as I ran through the forest with inhuman speed.
I felt the taste of blood on my lips when I hunted animals.
My senses were overwhelming. Every smell, every sound, every movement in the forest was clear to me.
Then suddenly…
I smelled something.
Blood.
Fresh blood.
My head snapped toward the scent, and I ran toward it without thinking.
When I reached the source, I saw a man on the ground. He had tripped over a log and cut his leg on a jagged branch. The wound wasn't fatal, but the smell of blood was strong.
I tried to hold myself back.
I really did.
But this was my first transformation, and I didn't fully have control over my werewolf instincts yet.
So I lunged.
Even as I attacked him, I tried to make it quick. I didn't drag it out. I ended his life as fast as I could.
After that… the beast took over.
I ran through the woods the entire night until eventually the transformation ended.
When I woke up, I was naked and lying on the forest floor.
My torn clothes were scattered beside me.
"Great," I muttered as I slowly sat up.
The morning sun filtered through the trees as I looked around to make sure no one was nearby.
That was when I noticed something on the ground beside me.
A ring.
It was silver with strange black and bluish veins running through the metal.
My eyes widened.
"No way…"
It looked exactly like the rings from the show.
Then I heard a familiar voice.
This is my gift to you, my child.
I looked around quickly.
"Jesus?"
This will be the last time I intervene in your life, the voice continued. From this point on, you are alone.
My eyes went back to the ring.
The ring I have given you allows you to use your werewolf powers in your human form. However, it will not stop your transformation during the full moon.
"Damn it," I said, rubbing my face.
But it made sense. There had to be a catch.
Good luck, my child.
And then the voice was gone.
I picked up the ring and slipped it onto my finger.
The change was instant.
Power flooded through my body like lightning.
My strength skyrocketed.
My speed increased.
Every sense I had—hearing, smell, sight—became far sharper.
I could hear animals moving hundreds of feet away. I could smell water somewhere deeper in the forest.
I slowly clenched my fist.
"This…"
This instantly made me stronger than most vampires.
A normal werewolf was already physically stronger than a vampire when transformed. But now I had the full strength of my werewolf form while still being human.
And I didn't have to break every bone in my body to use it.
A grin spread across my face.
"Alright," I said.
"Time to start looking for a witch."
Two Years Later
The world of the 1300s was brutal.
I learned that very quickly.
Traveling across Europe alone wasn't easy, especially when you didn't have money or connections. But thankfully, strength solved a lot of problems.
And I had plenty of that.
Over the past two years, I had built a reputation as a traveling mercenary. I fought in small conflicts, escorted merchants, and occasionally hunted bandits.
The money from those jobs allowed me to build proper gear.
Now I wore dark leather armor reinforced with metal plates. A longsword hung at my hip, while a dagger rested on my belt. A crossbow was strapped across my back with a quiver of bolts.
Mercenary gear.
Nothing fancy, but reliable.
During my travels, I also learned something important.
Vampires existed everywhere.
My first encounter with one happened in northern France. At first, I thought the stories were just rumors. But when I saw a pale man move faster than humanly possible and rip a man's throat out…
Yeah.
That confirmed it.
The fight that followed was brutal.
Even with my enhanced strength, the vampire was fast. But once I got my hands on him, it was over. I snapped his neck and burned the body afterward just to be safe.
Since then, I had encountered a few more.
Some were old.
Some were newly turned.
But every time I fought one, I learned something new.
Most vampires were stronger than humans… but they were nowhere near the strength of a full werewolf.
Which meant with my ring, I had the advantage.
Still, I didn't take unnecessary risks.
Because even if I could beat them, they could still kill me if I got careless.
Eventually, after gathering enough money and information, I set my sights on my real goal.
Salem.
More specifically…
Salem in the New World.
According to several rumors I had heard over the years, powerful witches from the Bennett bloodline had once lived there.
And if there was one thing I needed…
It was a powerful witch.
The journey across the Atlantic was long and miserable. Months passed as I worked aboard a merchant ship to pay for my passage. Storms nearly sank us twice, and disease killed several sailors along the way.
But eventually…
Land appeared on the horizon.
The New World.
Weeks later, after traveling inland through dense forests and small settlements, I finally reached my destination.
A small town surrounded by thick woods.
Salem, Massachusetts.
I stood at the edge of the settlement, looking at the wooden houses and dirt roads.
After years of traveling…
I had finally made it.
Now all I had to do was find a Bennett witch.
And convince them to help me.
I adjusted the sword on my belt and began walking toward the town.
_
The first thing I did was head to an inn. Once I got there, I paid for a bed and went up to my room. I set my bag down on the floor. It only held the essentials—most of my important things were stored safely in my infinite storage.
Over the past two years, I had made a lot of potions. Healing potions, mostly. Some were meant for combat, and then there was my personal favorite—the ones that could compel people to give you information.
I reached into my storage and pulled one out before leaving my room and heading downstairs.
The inn was lively enough. A few travelers were drinking, some merchants were talking business, and a couple of mercenaries were loudly arguing over something that probably didn't matter.
I sat down at the bar.
"Aye, barkeep. Some ale," I said as I flicked a coin her way.
She caught it smoothly. "I'll be right with you, sir," she said before turning to serve a few other customers.
While she was busy, I used my speed to slip behind the bar for just a second. Quick and quiet, I poured a bit of the compel potion into the supply of ale before returning to my seat like nothing had happened.
A moment later she came over and placed a cup in front of me.
I took a sip… then made a face.
"Excuse me," I said, holding the cup up. "Does this taste funny to you?"
She frowned and took the cup, taking a quick sip herself.
"Yeah… now that you mention it, it does taste strange. I'm so sorry, sir."
"It's no problem," I said with a small shrug. "I wasn't planning on staying long anyway."
She looked worried, like she thought she had done something wrong.
"It's not because of the drink," I added with a small smile. "I'm actually looking for someone."
"Oh?" she said. "And who would that be? Lots of people come and go around here."
"Well," I said casually, "their last name is Bennet."
She paused, thinking for a moment.
"I do think I've heard that name before…" she said slowly. Then her eyes lit up with realization. "You know what? You should ask Benny."
She pointed across the room at a man sitting alone at a table. He wore a long brown cloak and had a small eyeglass perched over one eye while he wrote something in a journal.
"The man knows everyone around here," she continued.
I followed her gaze and nodded.
"Thank you," I said, sliding five gold coins across the counter. "For your generosity."
Her eyes widened slightly at the coins.
I grabbed another cup of ale before walking away.
When I reached the table, I placed the cup down in front of the man.
"On me," I said.
The man glanced up at me, sizing me up quickly before returning to whatever he was writing.
I sat down across from him.
"Listen," I said, leaning back in the chair, "it's rude not to accept a drink from a stranger."
"I'm pretty sure it's the complete opposite," he replied dryly without looking up.
"Oh, so he does speak," I said with a small grin. "Come on, drink up."
The man sighed, glanced at the cup, rolled his eyes, and took a sip.
"Happy now?" he asked.
"More than you know," I said.
"You see, I heard you had a knack for knowing people. And I'm looking for someone."
"And who would that be?" he asked, still writing.
"Well," I said, "their last name is Bennet. That's all I know."
The moment I said the name, Benny stopped writing.
Slowly, he looked up at me.
"Why do you want to know?"
"Let's just say I need their help with something."
He stared at me for another moment before closing his journal and slipping it into his coat.
"Alright," he said, standing up. "Follow me."
Perfect.
I stood and followed him outside.
Salem wasn't a bad-looking place, to be honest. There were no proper roads yet, just dirt paths running between wooden houses. But the people seemed lively enough, and the town itself had a certain energy to it.
After a short walk, we stopped in front of a small house.
Benny walked up to the door and knocked once.
I frowned slightly.
Normally someone would knock at least a few times unless it was some kind of code—
But before I could finish that thought, the door suddenly opened.
A flash of magic hit me straight in the chest.
The last thing I felt was my body going limp as sleep overtook me.