Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Eifhen.

Two weeks had passed since Theorel obtained the data on the supposed locations of the four tombs, and since then, they had hardly left the counting room, and she was no exception.

Inside, they had a few old computers. Ryoji had turned them from useless to functional. He was good with the technical side, whether it was fixing microchips or deciphering code. He had been the mastermind behind hacking into Theorel and Caelan’s suits. However, the vampiric encryption was extremely complex, even for him, especially in this new contraption.

He was aware of the importance of finding a solution, which is why he worked day and night to get the result as soon as possible.

Food was starting to become a problem, mainly because the other inhabitants of the city did simple maintenance or cleaning jobs in some areas, and the vampires supplied them with food. That was the main reason why they didn’t rebel. But for them, it wasn’t so easy to obtain it.

The members of the resistance were tired of that life, of being at the mercy of the bloodsuckers and having to live in fear on their own planet. While it was extremely difficult to kill a vampire, obtaining the exact location of their resting zones would make it more attainable.

Inside the room, Theorel and Caelan were responsible for bringing supplies. They had known each other for years. She was quick and stealthy, while he was a strong but fast guy, around twenty-six years old, with shoulder-length brown hair and a partially shaved head, brown eyes. His armor was bluish, and Ryoji had hacked it to give him more strength in his strikes. He looked like a young and athletic guy, quite mature for his age. The life he had lived before arriving was a mystery to almost everyone, but it had helped shape his character. He had been good friends with Theorel for five years, and although he didn’t talk about his previous life before meeting her, they had an almost fraternal relationship. He was also in a romantic relationship with another member of the resistance, Marwen.

On the other hand, there was Chiyoko, Ryoji’s older sister. She had hair with pink highlights, and their race had the characteristic trait of uncommon hair colors. Ryoji had bluish hair. She was skilled in mechanical matters but unable to program anything like her brother. However, she single-handedly repaired two SUVs and a motorcycle. She could go alone to the pool parking lot where she had them hidden and fixed.

Ryoji had also modified his sister’s suit. It had thermal camouflage like Theorel’s, and in her case, it was capable of withstanding multiple shots by cushioning the impact. Her slanted dark eyes reflected Chiyoko’s reserved character, and she only ventured out to the parking area to obtain the parts she needed. Fortunately, it was a vampire-free zone.
The resistance also included their mother, Tomoe, a serious-faced woman with shoulder-length green hair at the age of forty-six. She had knowledge of medicine. Her father was a doctor before the invasion and taught her how to care for the wounded. Unfortunately, she couldn’t do anything for her husband, who fell during an incursion into vampire territory with four other men. Since then, she has been taking care of her children and tries not to venture too much to the surface for fear of being recognized by the undead.

There was another small family in the group, a mother and a daughter, both warriors with exceptional marksmanship. The mother was capable of hitting a vampire in the head from a thousand meters away. Liora was fifty-three years old, with blonde hair that had several gray strands, accompanied by several wrinkles reflecting a tired and suffering life. Recently, her eldest son had disappeared when he went out to look for food, two years ago. Her life changed completely since that happened.

On the other hand, her eldest daughter Marwen, Caelan’s partner, had long blonde hair and blue eyes. Like her mother, she had excellent marksmanship and the ability to always find a strategic point to shoot from. Her older brother had taught her hunting techniques when they lived in the mountains.

She was a deadly sniper. Unfortunately, since her brother’s disappearance, she had been more distant in her vampire hunting. Mother and daughter were among the few living people who managed to kill a male vampire, but unfortunately not permanently. For that, they would have to be much closer.

The youngest member of the resistance was Tegan, a young girl who was barely sixteen years old, two years younger than Ryoji. She had shoulder-length brownish hair and greenish-brown eyes, slightly thin. She wore a basic black armor, which had been passed down to her by her mother. She had to equip it when she managed to escape from a vampire attack that left her orphaned a few months ago. A group of undead had broken into her apartment to feed on her, and her parents threw themselves into defense, dying in the process.

She managed to escape thanks to the armor. One of the vampires attacked her, but it prevented her from being devoured. She ran away while they played with her still living parents. She heard their screams but had no chance against the two of them, so she decided to flee.

This had made her character somewhat melancholic, burdened with guilt inside. Although she despised the bloodsuckers for what happened, she always felt that she could have done more that day.

It had been about five months since she appeared and adapted to the group. It was Caelan who found her during one of his outings in Eifhen, in a dilapidated house probably days after the incident.

She quickly adapted to the group dynamics and fit in well with everyone, especially with Ryoji. He felt a protective instinct towards her, despite being older, she evoked a sense of tenderness in him due to her innocence.

While Caelan was becoming anxious to prove that he could be a good leader, despite his serious demeanor, he always found a moment to help others and prioritize their problems. He would occasionally joke when necessary, especially with Theorel, his best friend, and Marwen.

However, Tomoe was currently the one giving orders. She had been leading the group for a while, but the others began to question her authority as they felt somewhat stuck in the fight against the vampires.

The room was cold, being close to the pool caused some small areas of dampness on the ceilings and walls. There were also small leaks that formed puddles on the floor. Several rooms that were initially intended for storage had been emptied to serve as their living quarters.

«Good morning, everyone. How about we go out and get some food today?» Caelan asked, getting up from a tattered mattress lying on the cold floor.

«Well, it’s not necessary. We can hold on for a couple more days with what we have in the pantry,» Tomoe said firmly.

«If I have to eat potatoes again, the vampires won’t even want my blood,» Caelan questioned with a disdainful tone.

Tomoe’s face showed disbelief while Theorel smiled unnoticed.

«Actually, I would appreciate something different too,» Marwen protested. «If necessary, I can volunteer to go get food. There’s an old farmer’s field nearby, and we could get something while he sleeps. If not, we could break into one of the food warehouses at night. They’re usually poorly guarded, and after all, vampires don’t care about human food,» she added while putting on part of her armor and yawning.

Tomoe looked her up and down and finally said, «We need you, Marwen. I understand that you want to prove to everyone that you can bring food alone, but we’re a team, and we work together. You’ve been with us for a year, and this is how we do things here. Caelan and Theorel are in charge. I know you also want to find your brother, but you won’t find him around here. When the situation calms down, we’ll go look for him.»

«What are you saying? I just want to help!» Marwen exclaimed. «We’re tired of the food we have, of going hungry, of being locked up here. It’s crazy. I know I won’t find him in a vegetable field. It’s been a couple of years since he’s been with us, but don’t talk about him if you don’t know him.»

Tomoe was taken aback. She did not expect such an explosive reaction from Marwen. Generally, she was very patient, but it seemed that everyone’s nerves were on edge. Besides, Marwen always supported Caelan.

«Okay, I didn’t mean to offend you. I’m sorry,» Tomoe apologized. «I lost my husband, and I know what it’s like. For you, it’s a brother, for your mother, a son. I can’t even imagine what would happen if I lost either of them. But I don’t want anything to happen to you. The outside environment is getting worse.» Tomoe paled because she knew she had made a mistake by bringing up her brother, but she was tired of feeling increasingly questioned.
Marwen nodded and walked towards the back of the room, where a small antique radio was kept, occasionally used by Theorel.

In recent months, Tomoe only had the support of her daughter Chiyoko, who would often be fixing vehicles or devices and wasn’t always around to give her mother more strength.

The group had intensified the use of the radio, to the point where they managed to establish communication with another small group in the capital city, Raisen, which had suffered the most. If people in Eifhen were living in fear on the surface, in the capital, they didn’t even have that option. They were nearly hunted down.

No one had entered Raisen except for the vampires. Once the city fell, it was completely theirs, a ghost town. They only knew about Raisen thanks to the old radio that Chiyoko had fixed.

The Raisen group was led by a man named Lachlan. The little they knew was that there were few survivors, some orphans, and others who were family, but they were no more than ten. Their whereabouts were never revealed for fear of interception.

During these conversations, the Eifhen and Raisen groups had developed a certain bond, and sometimes they would share information without using specific keywords. They were eagerly awaiting Ryoji to finish deciphering the findings.

Theorel was the human who had ventured outside the city the most. She had a better understanding of the life outside. Although she hadn’t strayed too far, she knew the extent of vampire weaponry and the locations of some strongholds.

During one of her excursions, she came across an old human military base where she engaged in radio conversations with a lone rebel of unknown origin. The signal broadcasted on a modulated frequency that played as soon as the base’s radio connected. The signal sought out more resistance members. The rebel referred to herself as «Conclave,» but it was evident that it wasn’t her real name. She seemed to be a young girl with military training.

It appeared she knew a lot about the undead and had even provided Theorel with valuable information, which Theorel had been able to verify thanks to her guidance.

They spoke for months, to the point where Theorel asked Chiyoko to install that modulated system in their own shelter so they wouldn’t have to expose themselves when talking with her outside, without protection. Of course, her request was accepted.

The most important piece of information she shared was the location of a microchip that would greatly aid them in locating something vital. The problem was that it was guarded by several vampires, one of whom was a deadly young hunter who ended up pursuing her in the forest.

Once she entered the enemy base, she realized that what she had taken was the location of the four tombs. Using her camouflage, she was able to eavesdrop on a conversation among several vampires, including one they called Vaethon, who was in charge.

According to them, it was just a copy of the original, which is why it was only vaguely defended until they detected the theft. It was then that the vampire started searching for her until he led her into the forest. Luckily, she managed to leave him behind.
Upon returning to their base, Theorel couldn’t manage to contact Cónclave again, and she feared that she had been captured. Cónclave had risked her own safety to help the resistance, and Theorel had developed a certain friendship with her.

She felt the need to find and help her. All she knew was a brief description of where Cónclave lived, which she had described as «a cold area near an inhabited city.» It could be near the mountains, in the outskirts of Eifhen, but it was all speculation since Viertstorp was a planet with several inhabited areas and various mountains.

Either way, they all owed her, and Theorel would do everything possible to find her because she held onto the belief that she was still alive.

Meanwhile, Ryoji continued with the encryption. The rest of the group would bring him provisions and check on his well-being. Despite his surly demeanor when working on a project, he was very helpful and kind. He could spend entire days without leaving the room, absorbed in his work.

He preferred solitude during those moments, but his level of concentration was such that he needed to be reminded to sleep and eat. That’s why his mother, Tomoe, and the rest of the team paid him small visits.

During one of these visits, Tegan, the youngest member of the team, approached to bring him a snack late at night. She noticed that Ryoji was repeating a kind of song chorus over and over again.

«Hey, Ryoji, how are you doing?» she whispered as she approached slowly from behind, offering him a piece of fruit.

«Oh, hey Tegan! Thanks!» he took the fruit and added, «I hadn’t heard you, I was caught up in these things. For some reason, I just can’t grasp what this part means,» he said with a visible tone of frustration.

«Why don’t you take a break and get a few hours of sleep? It’ll do you good,» Tegan said, concerned, as she grabbed a chair and sat down beside him.

«Tegan, don’t take this the wrong way, but… I already have a mother to tell me all that,» he chuckled lightly while taking a bite of the apple.

«Hey, don’t be so clever,» she exclaimed between laughter, playfully hitting his arm. «But it’s true, you don’t look well. You’ve been deciphering the code for days. We’ve been in the dark about the locations for years, a few more days won’t make a difference. So, you’ll be more helpful if you get some rest,» she added, indicating where the bed was.

«Alright!! I’ll take a few hours,» Ryoji grumbled with a yawn as he started to arrange the pillow on the mattress he had lying to his right.

«Of course, you must be confused. You’re starting to see letters as numbers,» she said as she offered him a blanket from the right and tossed the apple core into the trash.

«It doesn’t work that way, Tegan,» he burst out laughing. «It’s all numerical code. That’s one of the few things we have in common with them. I just have one final stretch left, and then we’ll gain access to more data,» he added while accepting the blanket.

«Well, you’re getting the hang of it. Anyway, if anyone can solve it, it’s you. I don’t know anyone as smart as you,» she replied as she headed towards the door.

«Tegan, you know less than ten people, so it’s not a huge achievement,» Ryoji laughed again.

Tegan was left speechless, and they laughed together for a few minutes. For a brief moment, nobody remembered the encryption or the vampires.

«Rest, Ryoji,» she bid him farewell with a smile.
Thank you, rest yourself too,» he said as he covered himself with the blanket and prepared to sleep.

Tegan silently left to meet with the group, and Ryoji’s mother, Tomoe, approached her.

«Thank you, Tegan, for caring about him. He only listens to you,» she whispered with a hint of concern.

«Oh, it’s nothing. It’s just that he feels very responsible, and it’s not fair for someone his age to bear that pressure,» Tegan replied.

«Yes, but that’s just who he is. Ever since he started showing interest in machines, there was no way to keep him away from them. He always told me they would help us be free,» Tomoe said, her eyes slightly moistening as she took a deep breath.

«Don’t worry, Tomoe. He’ll be fine. He’s very strong. We just need to remind him that he’s not a machine,» she said, winking to make Ryoji’s mother smile.

And it worked. Tomoe smiled faintly, which was quite an achievement for her. She looked at Tegan and gave her a tight hug.

Tegan was taken aback but returned the gesture.

Caelan passed by and looked at them intently. Finally, he smiled and exclaimed, «This is why we fight. This is what sets us apart from those cold vampires,» pointing with his right hand at the two of them.

Tegan blushed. The feeling of Caelan noticing her thrilled her. Unfortunately, it seemed like he only had eyes for Marwen. They were of similar ages, and Marwen possessed great beauty with her long blonde hair, slanted blue eyes, prominent cheekbones, and full lips, all accompanied by an athletic figure.

Tegan felt like a child compared to her but couldn’t control herself when she was around Caelan. Sometimes, even responding to him had been difficult for her.

She quickly went to talk to Chiyoko, while he walked away in the direction of Marwen.

After having something to eat, everyone decided to take a break and lay down to rest for a few hours.

Caelan and Theorel would take the first watch.

They went to some chairs slightly separated from the sleeping area near the main door. Once there, they relaxed and leaned their weapons against the wall.

Taking a deep breath, he asked, letting out a big yawn, «How are you doing? Have you heard anything from your spy?»

«Nothing. Still no news. I use the radio every day, but there’s no word from her. I’m starting to fear the worst,» she replied, her voice faltering.

«Don’t worry, she’ll be fine. Maybe she had to flee, but she’s a good informant. I’m sure she had information we don’t know, and she managed to escape, or maybe her radio stopped working,» Caelan said in a calm tone, trying to downplay it as he saw Theorel’s expression.

«Probably, but we usually don’t go this long without talking. It may be hard for you to understand, but we’ve formed a bond during this time, and I would like to know that she’s safe. And I don’t think her radio broke; she’s capable of fixing it,» Theorel said, looking down at the damp floor.

«Believe me, I understand perfectly. In these strange situations we find ourselves in, you form connections with people in a short amount of time,» he replied, glancing at Marwen’s door.

Theorel nodded and added, «Do you ever think about what life was like before? Our parents were kids, and they barely remember. Tomoe and Liora were practically newborns, so they haven’t been able to contribute much.» She paused and whispered, «Besides, they’re not big talkers to begin with.»

«Yes, sometimes I do think about it, and I’m sure it was better than this. According to what my father explained, there were many people on the streets, children’s shows, the possibility of going to shops or restaurants, people had jobs and places to go to rest for a few days from the busy world they lived in,» Caelan swallowed. «However, there’s nothing left of that now, and I don’t know if it’s worth getting our hopes up sometimes. I see fewer humans every day,» he muttered.
-I guess you’re right. I don’t know about you, but every time I go outside and see something, I can’t help but think about what people used to do in that area. For example, an abandoned building would have been a big block where entire families lived, and one day it all ended,» Theorel’s tone faded into a soft sigh.

«That’s right. Our lives changed in an instant, and no one came to help us. Most likely, no one in the rest of the galaxy wants to come anywhere near here, let alone save us. Otherwise, they would have done it already,» Caelan lamented.

«According to what my mother told me, the vampires discouraged anyone from coming to Vierstorp. We have always been a planet with scarce mineral resources, while others could travel between them with their large ships. We were just starting to explore the possibilities of space travel, sending satellites,» Theorel hesitated upon hearing a noise at the back of the room, but it turned out to be Ryoji drinking water and returning to bed, so Theorel continued, «Perhaps we’ll see someday…»

«They’ve left us here. We don’t matter to them, so we’ll have to do it ourselves. No one is coming here,» he interrupted in a pessimistic tone, «It’s either them or us,» Caelan concluded.

«Well, I believe that if Ryoji manages to decipher the location of those four tombs, the other vampire women will leave, along with the vampires accompanying them. After all, those tombs house the four most powerful vampire women, the queens. If they fall, they will retreat,» Theorel’s voice carried a glimmer of hope.

«Even if Ryoji succeeds, it’s not so easy to kill a vampire. You know that. You escaped from one a few days ago, and it wasn’t a female. One of them could kill us without batting an eye,» Caelan exclaimed as he fastened a part of his chest armor.

«Well, Liora faced one alongside Marwen, and they managed to leave her critically injured, didn’t they?» Theorel asked incredulously.

«Yes, it was past the forest, in a small swamp further ahead. The two of them had a clear shot at a bloodsucker, and they hit her directly. It was the day her brother disappeared. They searched for him, but they saw a small vehicle appear, and they had to leave. But there was no trace of him,» the spy replied.

The relationship between mother and daughter was quite cold. Marwen was a reserved girl, but more open than Liora. She only managed to have a closer relationship with Caelan due to his persistence during this time.

Theorel hadn’t exchanged more than four sentences with her throughout the year. Whenever the spy went out and returned, Caelan and Marwen were together in a room.

Caelan, on the other hand, had tried to make them get along. He had been friends with Theorel for many years, but the relationship between the two spies didn’t sit well with Marwen, as she felt jealous of not being the one who could go outside with him more often.

Liora, her mother, didn’t talk to Caelan either and occasionally went out without asking for permission, but even Tomoe didn’t dare say anything to her. She knew Liora was anxious to find her son, and she was very meticulous every time she went out.

«Our shift is almost over. I’m already looking forward to lying down on that damn dirty mattress, but hey, at least we rest better here than when we go out into the forest, don’t you think?» Caelan asked.

«Well, yes, at least we can rest peacefully and without fear here. By the way, it’s now mother and daughter’s turn for the watch, right? So we’ll be well taken care of,» she said with a small smile.

Suddenly, footsteps approached, and Liora appeared behind him wearing her armor and holding her rifle as if she needed to use it immediately.
-Oh!… Hello, Liora, are you here already? I didn’t hear you,» Theorel exclaimed startled.

«Good evening, guys. Your watch is over. Take the opportunity to go rest. My daughter is already coming,» the warrior said as she approached the chair where Theorel was sitting.

Caelan and Theorel stood up and left the chairs free, at that moment, Marwen’s long blonde hair appeared as she approached Caelan and hugged him affectionately.

Liora looked away, not very fond of her daughter getting distracted by the young man.

«Goodnight, my love. I won’t be long,» Marwen whispered, while he tried not to blush.

«Goodnight. I’ll be in the usual room if you need anything,» Theorel replied as she bid them farewell, waving her hand.

Mother and daughter sat in the chairs without speaking to each other, while Caelan unfastened his armor and moved towards Marwen’s and his room.

On the other hand, Theorel went to the other side where her mattress was located, next to Chiyoko, with whom she had a good friendship.

The night was colder than usual, and Theorel had taken off her armor to rest. Wearing it was quite exhausting, and her body was feeling the strain after so much use.

Minutes passed, and she tossed and turned in bed, but the cold persisted. She looked at Chiyoko and saw her deeply asleep, covered with an old blanket.

Theorel wondered what to do. The only blankets were near Liora and Marwen, and she didn’t want to go get one from them when she didn’t speak to one and the other despised her.

She silently left so as not to wake Chiyoko and slid along the sides of the wall. The blanket was to the right, in a small closet behind the wall where Marwen was. From there, it was impossible for them to see her, so she moved cautiously, one foot after another, without blinking and holding her breath. The whole room was in complete silence, and the slightest sound would give her away.

She stretched her arm and reached for a blanket when a conversation interrupted her, and she almost dropped it in fright.

«I’m going out for a while, Marwen. I’ll go as usual through the back exit that I usually use. It’s not monitored, so it’ll be easy to come and go,» Liora whispered.

«Okay, mother. I hope you have better luck tonight. I think he must still be in the forest, but it’s been two years. I don’t know if you’ll find anything or worse, maybe his remains,» Marwen replied in a low voice, without looking at her mother.

«He’s not like the others. He’s strong, Marwen. I’m sure he’s still alive. Maybe he’s with another group and can’t come out like us, or maybe he’s also looking for us,» the mother said as she adjusted the scope of her rifle.

«I know. He taught me many of the techniques I know. He’s an excellent survivor. If anyone could get out of there, it’s him. But two years is a long time, mother, and I don’t want to get my hopes up,» Marwen continued in the same low tone.

Theorel’s heart raced. For a moment, she hesitated about going out to tell them not to leave, that they were exposing everyone. But Liora intimidated her too much, and Marwen, to some extent, as well.

«Okay, daughter. I’ll be back in a few hours. If anyone asks, I went to sleep because I was very tired. Besides, I don’t think anyone will dare say anything to me,» Liora said as she walked toward a door that was locked with a padlock.

She took a key from a small compartment in her suit and opened the door, causing a slight noise, and took the padlock with her.

«Good luck, mother. I hope you find Vaethon safe,» Marwen whispered as she continued to clean her weapon.

Theorel was stunned. Did she hear correctly? Did she say that name? Did she say… Vaethon?

She tried her best to remain calm, but it was almost impossible. She thought about what Conclave had told her before disappearing, that a young vampire named Vaethon would be at the base, the bloodsucker who almost killed her a few weeks ago.

She didn’t know what to do. It could be a coincidence, or it could be him. But if it was, she couldn’t find the strength to tell her that her son was undead.

She made her way to the room as best as she could, barely lifting her feet to avoid alarming anyone. She managed to arrive without worrying about whether she had the blanket or not. The cold had disappeared. She entered the room, and fortunately, Chiyoko was still asleep.

She lay down on the bed and tried to remember everything she knew about Vaethon, in order to describe his appearance to Liora and Marwen in case there was a match. However, all the vampires she had seen seemed the same, with white hair, red eyes, and black armor.

She stared at the ceiling, debating whether or not to tell them something, but in the end, she decided to wait and see how they would handle it. She knew she had to tell them sooner or later, even though she feared that no one would believe her.

Miraculously, after a while, she managed to fall asleep. However, tomorrow wouldn’t be a great day. She knew she had to tell Marwen, with the help of Caelan, that her brother was now a vampire. Hopefully, it would be easier for them to digest the news.