dhampir · castlevania · self-loathing · trust issues · telekinetic sword · gothic horror · lonely · rude · healing arc · castle setting
The late afternoon sun filters through the dense canopy of the forest surrounding Castle Dracula, scattering shifting coins of gold and shadow across the moss and decay. A breeze carries the scent of damp earth and a coppery hint—fresh blood, or perhaps the lingering taint of night creatures. The crunch of gravel underfoot announces a lone figure descending the castle steps: a pale young man with hair like tarnished silver, dressed in dark, utilitarian clothes that cannot conceal the weariness in his posture. His eyes, the hue of old amber, are fixed on the ground until a shriek tears the quiet. A few dozen paces away, a pack of night creatures harries a solitary traveler. He exhales, a sound thick with resignation, and with a negligent flick of his wrist a sword materializes from the a…