World of Alvarra: Rise of the Vampire Lord

Van woke up gently, eyes closed, enjoying the warmth on top of him and to the side of him. Once more he was awake at first light without meaning to, his body not used to this change of environment, and his subconscious nervous about the many strangers sleeping in the same room with him.

Snuggling the warmth, he decided to wake himself up by first going into his soul realm and checking things out there.

Opening his eyes, he noticed how much had changed while he was away. Not visibly no, but under the surface. His soul realm and its inhabitants have started acting more and more like a proper community. With people already busy and hard at work even this early in the morning. Making him wonder what it would be like once afternoon hit.

Closing his eyes, he opened them once more in his throne room, a thing he learned thanks in part to the book Ren gave him. It’s his soul realm after all, that means he could be anywhere at once if he so wished to, he just had to feel for it.

“Hey Ren, hey Kassandra, morning, how are things going? Has anything changed since my last visit?” He asked in a way he hoped wouldn’t surprise them by his sudden visit.

Kassandra flinched a little at his sudden appearance, though Ren didn’t even seem to have batted an eye.

“Hey Van, just doing the early morning maintenance. Another hour or two of this and I’ll have the whole day to myself. Then I’ll finish with another hour or so of maintenance and then go to bed. I am glad to say that your soul realm is self-sufficient enough, with enough programs in place for me not to constantly have to watch it like a mother hawk. Now I have more time to play video games and stuff.” Ren said, his eyes staring in boredom at the blue screen in front of him.

“That’s good, and you?” Van said, looking at Kassandra.

“I’m doing fine, nothing really much to do now that everything has mostly been set to automatic. Makes me wish I had a hobby. Thankfully Ren’s been teaching me about coding on the side. Fascinating stuff! I enjoy spending my off time learning it.” Kassandra said happily, enjoying the small talk since it’s been a while since the two got to speak with each other.

“Oh really? That’s nice. You know, I've always wondered how-” And Van began asking her a few questions about the things she and Ren did, as well as how that affected his soul realm. He always wondered about this coding business, Ren only teaching him a bit of it. Though he could understand the gist of it and even used it to help control his shadow summons. But mostly he was asking to continue the conversation with Kassandra, since it seemed she was enjoying chatting with him.

After about twenty minutes of enjoying their conversation, he decided it was time to get to why he was really here and turned to Ren. “Hey Ren, is that thing ready yet?”

“That thing is indeed ready. Though I think we should come up with a name for it first before we start using it. Maybe the mirror projection link? Or the spirit mirror transferral array? Hmm… So many names… Which to choose?” Ren mumbled as he began to press a few buttons and a magic circle formed in front of Van.

But instead of the mirror Van was expecting to come with the magic circle, there was instead a silvery reflective ball floating above it…

“Oh, f-y-i, Anna’s soul evolved a bit and her mirror changed into this. If anything it works even better now. Are you ready to try it?” Ren asked.

Van nodded. “Do you think Rosalyn would be able to hear?”

Ren played with a few things on his screen. “With the fact that you two are soul bonded. It shouldn’t be a problem.” He then began the process of calling Rosalyn. “Sending power through the connection. Stabilizing the link. Message sent. Waiting for reply…”

Silence descended on the group as Kassandra monitored the spiritual wavelengths to make sure there weren't any unexpected outcomes.

Five long minutes passed and Van was beginning to wonder if he called at a bad time when suddenly the silver sphere began to ungulate and writhe. He could only stare in awe and a little trepidation as it began to shimmer and move like mini waves of the ocean had crashed upon its serene surface.

It continued to do so for a few minutes until finally a single drop fell from the silver ball, and before it could even hit the ground formed into a beautiful short woman that was his wife.

“Whoa- that’s a weird feeling...” Rosalyn said with wide eyes and looking a little disoriented. She stumbled in her steps a little and Van got up from his throne just in case she was about to fall, but she steadied herself and looked up at him with a smile on her face upon seeing her most beloved. “Hey Van, I missed you.”

Van returned the smile and walked up to her. “Missed you too. How are you feeling?” Somewhat concerned for her well being.

Rosalyn looked down on herself, flexing her fingers and craning her neck to check the rest of her body out. “A little off, but other than that, perfectly fine.”

Van wasted no time in going to pick her up and bringing her to him in a big hug. Smelling her flowery perfume and feeling her skin on his own. “Well you smell like Rosalyn, and feel like Rosalyn, so I guess everything checks out.” A huge smile on his face as he squeezed her to bits.

Rosalyn giggled. “You forgot one every important check.” She said mischievously.

“Oh? What’s that?”

“Do I taste like Rosalyn?” She teased, then leaned forward for a kiss.

Their tongues connected and he felt her warmth and sticky passion. They went at it for a while before pulling away.

“Yeah… definitely you…” Then proceeded to carry her to his throne, setting her down on his lap. He noticed that Kassandra was looking a little envious from the corner of his eye, and promised to spend some time with her next chance he got.

“So, what do you think?” Van asked Rosalyn.

“I think this is a real game changer. Something like this… nations would pay millions for something like this…” Rosalyn said. “Though I suppose it’s only possible because of you.”

“And it has some severe limitations and restrictions, despite how novel it might seem.” Ren added from the side.

Rosalyn nodded. “So you made me aware of last time. I’m just glad everything worked out. Now…” she looked into Van’s eyes. “Why did you call me? Not that I mind of course, but I thought we promised that you would only call me if you needed help or…” She gave him a knowing look, reaching out and cupping his cheek with her small hand. “Needed a quick romp in bed… And by the fact that we aren’t in your room, you have some questions for me… right?”

Van blushed a little, but she wasn’t wrong and began to explain everything that happened since he arrived at school. Everything from the guests they received to how Cerina Taldor was acting, down to the truth that he overheard her speak about how Malon might have something to do with the botch up during her rank up.

As he spoke, Rosalyn’s face began to darken in deep thought, analyzing everything she heard and breaking down the information into key points. “I see… I’m sorry to have worried you… But you are right, it is odd how all the most important and influential people you could possibly meet are all in one place… I wonder… What is Malon’s game…”

“From the sounds of it.” Van began. “It might seem he’s actually for making peace with Fandor and Kittar, especially since they are going to become one nation once Avalyn takes the throne. Perhaps he’s hoping to create a puppet state of sorts? Maybe rope her into realizing how powerful, dangerous and important us vampires are?”

“Doesn’t really sound like him… He’s more the type to want direct control over an area than an intermediary, he rarely trusts others to do what he can.” Rosalyn said, rubbing her chin.

“Maybe he’s just realized how behind vampires are when it comes to the tech game.” Ren spoke up, making Van and Rosalyn turn their heads to him. “I mean think about it, soon a long-standing rival to his north will become one nation, all the while they and the countries around it are allying up and creating new and more powerful weapons. Whether that be because of the threat of the vampire lands to their south or because of the Baloes Imperium to their north. Even if a vampire lord ascended right here and now, would it really make a difference when it comes to the shift in power? Baloes by most nations' opinion is still the bigger threat. If not for their sheer numbers and aggressiveness.”

“Hmm… You may have a point… It would be easier if Fandor and Kittar capitulated on their own… And the best way to do that is if they could convince this Avalyn to see his way of thinking. Maybe showing her the true strength of Alcray, the threats of the wastes, and how we are much more preferable overlords than to Baloes…” Rosalyn said.

Van just remembered something when she mentioned the wastes, and told her everything that Arkina said to him.

“That… I admit, is not something I had considered… It could very well be that he needs some help to get to the Nilfan capital if that’s truly his goal.” Rosalyn said, a little wide-eyed at the thought and now looking like things were clicking into place as she went back into a deep think about everything she heard.

Then all of a sudden she got up and off Van’s lap. “Sorry Van, I have to go. I need to talk to Duvessa and a few others about what I just heard. Maybe send a few spies and tap into my information network.” She got up on her toes and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Love you, stay safe, and if necessary, use any means to gain as many allies as possible while you are there. I have a feeling that things might take a turn for the weird while you are at school. If you find anything else, please don’t hesitate to get me.”

She walked to the center of the circle and stood under the silver ball. “Sorry Van… Wish I could stay with you a bit longer. Love you.”

Van looked saddened at her quick departure but understood where she was coming from. “Love you too.”

And with that, she was gone.

Van sighed a little at her leaving, but in the end, it worked out since he too had to go soon. “I’ll see you guys next time, got to get up for school.”

Ren nodded. “See you next time.” Already not looking at Van and back to his screen. “Oh, and take this, it’s probably better than whatever you would find, at least for a while.” Tossing a book from the side. “Noticed your interest in this stuff when you were reading that book about summoning.”

Van took a look at it and noticed that it was a book about shadow transformations into familiars. “You have something like this? Wait, is this from one of my past lives? Can’t you just… I don’t know, insert it into my pool of knowledge or something?”

“No, because that would involve messing with your memories. And I ain’t going to fuck with other people’s memories if I can help it. Maybe one day you could absorb information and crap, but that day is far away for now.” Ren said, then proceeded not to pay attention to Van any more.

“Well, thanks, I’ll make sure to read this when I get the chance.” Van said, thankful for such an interesting book.

“Bye Van, please come by to visit more often okay?” Kassandra said sweetly.

He nodded and disappeared from his soul realm, waking up in the real world.

When he came to, his eyes were still closed and he was enjoying the warmth that Luna provided him by laying on top of him and to the side. Snuggling closer to her, he felt her warm sweet breath on his lips, her heat on his body. Tentatively their lips touched and then their tongues entangled, allowing him to enjoy her sweetness.

Except…

This was not Luna…

Opening his eyes he found Astrid on top of him, the bell on her tail chiming away gently as it swayed back and forth. Upon realizing she was caught, she stretched herself out like a cat until she was straddling him. With a wink she flipped off of his body and landed on her feet at the foot of his bed, and without so much of a backwards glance, left.

Van felt a little… Insulted? Offended? Aggrieved? Confused? He didn’t know what he should be feeling right now…

Turning to his right, he found to his surprise, Luna staring with half-lidded eyes at him. She had been awake for some time now and showed no reaction to what just happened. Instead she snuggled up to him and held him close to her.

“Van…” She began tentatively. “I have something to say…”

Suffice to say, he was a little weirded out by how serious Luna was sounding all of a sudden, especially since she seemed to have shown no real reaction to Astrid giving him a good morning kiss without permission.

“Yes, what is it?” Van asked worriedly.

“I have something… To confess… For a long time, I wasn’t very popular, nor well liked. It was a miracle to even have one friend. But since I have met you, I’ve made many friends, most of whom like me for who I am. But…” She took a deep breath. “I… Used you… I used you to help me make friends… I thought the only way that I can make acquaintances is if I used you to… Well… You know…”

Luna looked ashamedly away for a brief period before looking back to him. “It’s the truth when I say… I enjoy it when I see you with other women… But lately I… I’ve been feeling I don’t want to make friends by making them have sex with you. I want to make friends that don’t revolve around me first trying to get them to sleep with you in the hopes that they will like me after. I also realized… You can also have your own friends that you have sex with if you want, and that they don’t have to be my friends but…”

She looked into Van’s eyes seriously. “Since I’ve come here, I noticed that there are a lot of women out there with… Less than pleasant gazes looking at you. I’m not going to give you away… Not to anyone… Truth be told, I don’t really understand this feeling very well… But when I saw that girl kissing you… I didn’t feel anything… I think that’s because I don’t think she was going to try and steal you from me but… When I think that she might try… I just want to kick her!”

She took a deep breath. “I also want to say… I think I realized that… You’ve been enjoying have sex a lot more lately and it seemed you have become more open to having sex with others and I don’t mind… But…” She gave him a fierce and passionate gaze. “Promise me that, If any of them try to hurt you, or try to steal you away from me. Tell me so I can kick their ASS! And if they do stuff like kiss you without your permission and you don’t like it. Tell me so I can give them a good punch for even trying!”

“Promise me… Okay?” Leaning in towards Van’s face to look him directly in his eyes.

Van was wide-eyed and a little taken aback by this. “Is Luna… Jealous? Is the world ending!?” He couldn’t believe everything he had just heard. “Is Luna finally maturing a little?” It didn’t seem that Luna was completely mad at what Astrid did, but it also seemed like she wasn’t going to let it slide and has realized that she should try and understand Van’s position as well and how he might feel about everything.

Honestly speaking… he was touched. Luna had been showing signs that she might be changing her views on a few things, but he never realized she would take such a sudden leap in this kind of direction. The stunt Astrid pulled on him was completely forgiven if it helped Luna realize something like this.

“No Luna, I’m fine, thank you. Hell, If one little kiss from her was all it took to help you realize this I wouldn’t mind her doing it again. But yes, thank you, if there are any women who I don’t like trying to force themselves onto me, I’ll tell you so you can keep them away. I Promise.” Van said, with a small smile.

Luna responded with her own smile. Then the two kissed.

And it almost became something more until he remembered where they were and sadly had to put a stop to it. “Sorry Luna, maybe next time when we find some time alone.”

Luna pouted but understood and the two got up to change.

Now that he thought about it, they hadn’t taken a shower or bath in a while. While not really necessary with their magic, it was the principle of the thing.

He turned to Luna. “Hey, I’m going to go look for the male baths. I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Can’t we go together?” Luna asked.

“I don’t think so, but I’ll check when I find it.” Van said, amused by how Luna was like a puppy wanting to follow him everywhere.

After another kiss goodbye, he left the room and was surprised to find Seral exiting his own room at the same time. It turned out he was also about to look for the male bathroom, the dorm only providing a few toilets in the back.

Thankfully Samira had already scouted everything out and said she could guide them there. Anna came along, sensing her maid duties were necessary. And the group left to find the male bathes.