The vampires had always talked about how important the armor was, and Gary had seen its power firsthand. Without it, he doubted Edvard would've been able to hold his own against Lupus. Gary didn't really know the true extent of Edvard's strength, but judging from how everyone spoke about the battle, it sounded like the armor had done most of the work. Which made Gary wonder, what if he had worn it? He understood just how much equipment could amplify someone's power. The Ironfang members all used weapons and specialized items in combat. And while Gary hadn't been able to use his own gear properly yet, he could already imagine just how much stronger he'd be once he finally did. So, if there was a piece of equipment this powerful, and if Gary could somehow harness it… maybe it could make the difference. Whether it was against Lupus returning, or worse, if the Vampire King himself turned against them, it might be exactly what he needed. "If you really want to try it out, go ahead," Edvard said casually. "But I'm just giving you a heads-up, it hasn't worked for anyone else so far." Gary stood up from the table and walked over to the pieces of armor scattered across the room. He picked up one of the pieces that looked like it belonged around the forearm. As he held it up, he realized it was too big, clearly made for someone with larger arms than his. Still, if the way it worked was like he'd seen, then it should activate as soon as it got close enough. But nothing happened. As Gary moved the armor piece toward his arm, it remained dormant. No glow, no reaction. It didn't open up or change shape. It just pressed against his skin, heavy and unresponsive. "Is there a trick to this? Some kind of way I'm supposed to activate it?" Gary asked, glancing back. "I told you, it's not going to work on you," Edvard replied. "When I use it, it's like… it responds to my thoughts. It opens up and wraps around me on its own. That's how I draw out its power." Gary raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't make sense. Did you design it to work with your blood or something? Like, did you make the armor bind to you alone?" Edvard couldn't help but laugh. "In the past, I've heard of techniques like that. Binding a weapon or item to its user with blood, so it can't be used by anyone else. But there's a catch, if the item's too powerful, that kind of binding renders it useless to even the original creator. "As for this armor? No, it doesn't belong to me. You know, you're actually the first person who's shown this much interest in it. Usually, when people realize they can't use it, they give up. Some tried to unlock its secrets, but no one's ever succeeded." Edvard leaned back, then spoke with a more serious tone. "I'm going to tell you a story. Whether you believe me or not… that's up to you." Gary didn't interrupt. He was curious, even if this did start to sound a little like a fantasy tale. "That armor," Edvard began, "is said to have been made from a terrifying beast that once lived long ago. A creature stronger than any Altered you can imagine. Stronger than even the peak of their kind. A true apex predator, of its own species." He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "The materials were scattered and used to make weapons, strong ones, used by humans in the great beast wars. But then… the original owner returned. He gathered all of those items and reforged them into what you see in front of you now." Gary looked down at the armor. The idea that it had once been many weapons made from a single creature was hard to imagine. "The original owner used that armor to fight a great evil. He battled to the brink and managed to save the entire land with it." At this point, the story sounded like something out of a children's book, but Gary didn't say anything. He just listened. "And after all that… do you know what happened to him?" Gary smirked. "He died? Got betrayed and killed by his best friend?" Edvard grinned. "No. He vanished. Just disappeared without a trace. The armor remained behind, kept as a sacred artifact. But over time, kingdoms fell, and the memory of its value faded." He sighed. "There were still some who tried to protect its legacy. There's a lot more to the story, but I'll give you the short version. "One of the people guarding the armor was a close friend of the original owner. This guy… he was unusual. Skilled beyond what most people can comprehend. Have you ever met someone whose powers just made no sense? Like, you couldn't even begin to understand how they did what they did?" "Powers? You mean like superpowers?" Gary asked. "Yeah. You might've seen some of that already, from the ones who came with the king." Gary nodded slowly, remembering. There was that strange vampire who used those thread-like attacks, and Innu with his telekinesis. Kai had even mentioned someone who could change their face completely. "There's something I probably wouldn't say if you weren't an outsider," Edvard continued, his voice lower now. "But the truth is… there were thirteen of us. Thirteen original vampires. That's how it all began. Just thirteen, and from us, the entire race spread out. "We didn't always have the powers you see today. Back then, we were alone, surviving on instinct. Then one person, he found us. He knew what we were… and what we could become. "He told us we would each be granted special abilities. But later on, I discovered something else, something deeper about those powers." Edvard's gaze grew distant as he remembered. "He showed us these crystals. Strange ones. He called them beast crystals, but not just any beast crystals. These were different. He said they came from a creature that existed above even the strongest of beasts. He claimed they came from a dragon." **** For updates on MWS and future works, follow me on my social media: Instagram: [jksmanga] Patreon: [jksmanga] Be the first to hear about My Vampire System, My Werewolf System, or any upcoming series. You're always welcome to reach out, if I'm not too busy, I usually reply.