A few years ago, if someone had mentioned dragons out loud, people would've thought they were completely insane. But Gary had met one. He had fought against one back in Havor. So now, hearing talk of dragons didn't seem so ridiculous. It made him wonder, how long did vampires actually live? In the stories, they were said to have long lifespans, but what did that really mean? Could Edvard have lived long enough to actually be there during the age of dragons? And this stuff about vampires gaining powers… what exactly did that mean? "A little history lesson for you," Edvard said, leaning back as he cracked open another drink. "When the land was crawling with dragons, every single one of them had a unique ability. A power that was entirely their own. They varied in strength, sure, but each one had something special. "Well… except for one dragon. That one was considered truly different. Truly dangerous." Edvard paused to take a drink before continuing. "Now, I don't know whether the man who told us all this was lying or not, but he claimed every single beast crystal he had collected came from dragons. That's how the thirteen of us, myself and the original vampires, were able to obtain our unique powers." On the surface, their powers had looked completely different. Some were incredible, bending the rules of nature. Others seemed like nothing more than party tricks. But as time passed, each of the thirteen had refined their abilities, shaping them into something personal. Something powerful. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢 Gary listened intently. It was an interesting story. And while he had no way of confirming whether it was all true, there was one thing he did know, he had gained power from consuming Havor. Even though Havor didn't leave behind a beast crystal, Gary had grown stronger by consuming beast crystals in special lessons before. He wondered if his own forms, and the special traits he had developed… could they have come from a dragon as well? "So, what does any of this have to do with the armor?" Gary asked. "I mean, it's cool that you guys have powers, and I do want to ask about them. But something tells me you're not going to give me any answers." "Haha, you might be right about that," Edvard chuckled. "It's not really my place to share everyone else's secrets. But as for my power… I think it's the reason I can use the armor." He raised his can slightly, grinning. "It's luck. That's your answer. I'm just lucky enough that it works." Gary sighed, shoulders slumping as he sat back down. "So you won't tell me your power or how the armor works?" "I already told you," Edvard replied, still smirking. "My power is luck. I wasn't joking. But luck's a tricky thing to explain. Our powers, they're not unlimited. They're bound by rules. Limitations that vary from person to person." He took another long sip before going on. "In my case, my power's at its strongest when I'm not using it too much. But when I rely on it, like to use the armor, it drains. Second by second, my luck fades. Eventually, it drops so low that the armor won't even respond to me anymore." He stared down into the can, the carbonation popping softly. "That's just one small example of how my power works," Edvard said. "Some of the others? Their powers are incredibly powerful, scary even. And I only understand the surface of what some of them can do. Whether our powers really did come from dragons… I can't say for sure. But I can confirm one thing: dragons do have powers." The two of them sat in silence again, each focused on their own thoughts. Gary wanted to ask more, especially about the current state of the vampires, but he figured it was best to wait until the others were around. That way they could ask their own questions and ensure nothing important was missed. Eventually, as Gary watched Edvard down can after can of alcohol like it was water, curiosity got the better of him. "So… you guys don't get hungry or something?" Gary asked. "No food cravings? Is the whole blood-drinking thing real? How do you even pull that off without people noticing? Or… do you only drink from people you kill?" Edvard set his can down on the table, looking Gary dead in the eye. "That's a bit personal, don't you think?" he said coolly. "How about I ask you something? Have you ever eaten anyone?" Gary immediately broke eye contact, shifting uncomfortably as he looked off to the side. He didn't answer. That silence was enough. Now that they had eaten, and with sleep not coming anytime soon, all they could really do was pass the time. Edvard was lying down, clearly needing the rest with the state his body was in. Meanwhile, Gary flipped through his messages and turned on the TV. The news was still running a story about the Ruin City lockdown, but no real details had emerged. It was clear the situation was being covered up. When Gary checked the time again, night had started to fall, and there were still a couple of hours left before the planned meetup. "This place of yours…" Edvard muttered. "It better have some real alcohol. When I asked for a drink, I didn't mean flavored water." Just as he finished complaining, his ears twitched. "You've got a visitor." Gary heard it too. The footsteps were faint but clear. But the only people who knew about this place were his allies. Walking over to the security screen, Gary checked the display to see who it was. "…Blake?" he said, surprised. "What the hell is he doing here?" **** For updates on MWS and future works, follow me on my social media: Instagram: [jksmanga] *Patreon: [jksmanga] You'll get first-hand updates on My Vampire System, My Werewolf System, and future series. 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