Shadow Blood and Fire

The world dissolved into a symphony of blinding white, Eli's consciousness adrift in a sea of light. Panic clawed at him, memories flickering like dying embers. His parents' faces, his adoptive parents, Zoe, Cartl, searing pain... darkness. Then, silence.

Memories flooded back to him, overwhelming his senses. He remembered the tragic day when his parents were taken from him, the sight of his mother restricted by blood vines- Mrs. Starie - using a mysterious device to erase his memories, and the rage he felt towards the hooded figure responsible for their deaths.

He awoke, not as a terrified boy, but as a swirling ball of luminescence. Confused, he tried to grasp at his form, but his fingers passed through the light. Panic threatened to drown him again, but then, a presence.

A red ember materialized, coalescing into a figure of breathtaking beauty. Dressed in a gown woven from firelight, she stood tall, her eyes pools of molten gold. A strange language flowed from her lips, yet it resonated deep within him, unlocking memories long buried.

She raised her hand, and with a simple wave, Eli's form shifted once more, now appearing as an ethereal version of his former self. The goddess spoke in a foreign tongue, yet Eli comprehended each word, as though the language itself was innate to him. His heart raced as recognition dawned upon him – this was the very language his mother had endeavored to teach him during those cherished moments spent together.

"Hello, Eli. I'm glad you finally woke up. I've been waiting for you for a long time. I'm your system. The demon blood system. I've been bound to you since you were born. But I couldn't communicate with you, because your memories were erased five years ago. And I didn't have enough energy to restore them. You see, I need your energy to function. And you need my guidance to survive. We are a symbiotic pair."

"Demon Blood?"

"A direct descendant of the primordial demon, Dengare, who bestowed power upon the first vampires. Every 5,000 years, a new demon blood is born, inheriting the shadows and hellfire within. Their role was to enforce the laws of Dengare, to act as punishers for rogue vampires."

"Punishers? 

"Not merely that," the Goddess hummed. "Demon bloods held a unique power – the ability to instantly kill any vampire, even the mighty Lords. Their existence kept the vampire clans in check ensuring a fragile balance."

"Why are you telling me this?" he asked, his voice laced with suspicion.

"Because, you are more than just vengeance. You are the heir to a legacy, a protector. Within you flows the blood of Dengare, the demon who granted vampires their power, and the lineage of the 14th Demon Blood. Your potential is limitless, but remember, power must be wielded with responsibility."

"Responsibility?". Eli scoffed. 

 "Are you here to take me away? To the afterlife? To hell?"

She shook her head. "No, Eli. I'm not here to take you away. I'm here to bring you back. Back to life. Back to the world. Back to your destiny. You are in a state of transition. A state between life and death. A state that only demon bloods can enter. A state that allows you to choose your fate. You can stay here and die. Or you can go back and live. The choice is yours."

Eli was shocked by her words. "How can I go back? How can I live? Eli just like every other man will never chose to die.

She waved her hand and Eli felt his form change. He was ethereal, translucent, radiant. He looked at himself and saw that he was wearing a black and red armor. He felt a pair of wings on his back. They were made of flames. He felt a surge of energy in his veins. He felt fire and shadow and blood coursing through him. 

"What is this? What have you done to me?"

 "I have shown you the true form, a state you must reach, in other to avenge your parents."

Eli felt a surge of emotion as he heard her words. He remembered his parents. He remembered their killer. He remembered his hatred. "Who are they? Who killed my parents? And why?"

 "They are the vampires, Eli. The enemies of the demon bloods.The enemies of your clan. They killed your parents because they wanted to end the bloodline of the fourteenth clan."

She continued. "Your mother was the last of her kind. The last demon blood of the fourteenth clan. The last ruler of the fourteenth castle. The last punisher of the fourteenth law. She was a legend among the vampires. A legend that they feared and respected. A legend that they tried to kill. Five Thousand years ago, they launched a war against her. All thirteen clans united against her. They attacked her castle with their full force. They fought her with their best warriors. They challenged her with their strongest lords. They failed. She defeated them all. She slaughtered them all. She burned them all. She devoured them all. She was unstoppable. She was invincible. She was glorious. She was the queen of Shadow and Hellfire."

She paused. "But she was also lonely. She was also tired. She was also sad. She had no friends. She had no family. She had no love. She had only enemies. She had only duty. She had only pain. She wanted to escape. She wanted to rest. She wanted to live."

"She left the Crimson world and came to the human world. She disguised herself as a human and lived among them. She met your father and fell in love with him. She married him and gave up her power to be human to bear him a child she placed the power in a pendant. "

She sighed."But she was also careless. She left her power in the pendant and gave it to you. She thought it would protect you. She thought it would hide you. She thought it would guide you. She was wrong. The pendant was a beacon. A beacon that attracted the vampires. A beacon that they couldn't ignore shortly after they found out she was devoid of her powers they sent a vampire lord who had been scarred by your mother to retrieve the pendant.

She pointed at the projection of a hooded woman and said: "She is the leader of the eighth clan. The clan of the dawn. She was a beautiful vampire. A beautiful vampire who was burned by your mother's hellfire. A vampire Lord who wears a hood to hide her scars. She is the one who stabbed your mother in the heart. 

Eli felt a surge of rage as he heard her words. He looked at the hooded woman and felt a burning desire to kill her. He looked at the system and felt a burning desire to use her. He looked at himself and felt a burning desire to live. "I don't care if you are a friend or a foe. I don't care if you are a system or AI. I don't care if you are a devil or a goddess. All I care about is my revenge. 

The system smiled and said: "Very well, Eli. I accept your terms. I accept your choice. But before we can go back to the world and begin our quest, we need to do one more thing. We need to complete the transition. We need to become a true demon blood. Are you ready, Eli? 

Eli nodded

 "Vengeance is a powerful motivator, but remember, Seraphina is a Vampire Lord and you not strong enough to face her but if you do listen to me in time your strength will supass the level of a vampire lord.

"I am ready," he declared, his voice firm. 

A satisfied smile graced the system's lips.

*********

Eli stretched, feeling the surge of power coursing through him. The world seemed sharper, clearer, as if a veil had been lifted. He could sense the hidden currents of energy that flowed around him.

Eli stirred, emerging from unconsciousness to find himself engulfed in a radiant white light. For a fleeting moment, he wondered whether he'd simply experienced an extraordinarily lucid dream. Then, without warning, a sharp digital tone pierced the air, giving rise to a sleek notification panel hovering just beyond his field of vision.

Ding!

[Demon Blood System successfully Integrated]

[Host: Eli Dengaré]

[Race: Half-Demon]

[Strength: 10]

[Agility: 10]

[Stamina: 10]

[Precision: 10]

[Energy: 100]

[Level 1]

[0/100 Exp]

[HP 100/100]

[Affinity:Blood, Shadow, Hellfire]

[Skills: Hammer (Lv.1), Phantom Step (Lv.1)]

[Shadow Skill: Scout (Lv.1)]

[Blood Skill: Blood Claw (Lv.1)]

[Hellfire Skill: Demon Wing (Lv.1)Locked(Lvl 10)]

[You have received Gift Pack]

[You have received 1 Stat Point (+1 Agility)]

Disbelief dissolved into understanding as the surreal eventuality solidified. No longer immersed in fantastical imaginings, Eli acknowledged the tangible transition that had occurred. Gazing around the stark white space, devoid of any distinguishing features apart from the sterile gleaming surfaces, he entertained the possibility that this environment mirrored a hospital setting.

However, nothing prepared him for the appearance of a small rectangular box positioned near his bedside. Adorned with festive ribbons and wrapped carefully in shiny silver foil, it seemed wholly incongruous amidst the clinical surroundings. Oblivious to its contents, Eli cautiously lifted the present, feeling the weight balance perfectly in his hands. Gradually, he unwrapped the exterior layer, revealing a rich purple card underneath. Embossed upon its smooth finish was an ominous skull design, framed elegantly by stylized lettering identifying its classification: Rare.

Another contraption situated nearby drew Eli's attention - a rotating disk fitted with a single compartment intended to accommodate the freshly obtained treasure. Mechanisms hummed quietly as he inserted the card, initiating a spinning motion until finally coming to rest. Mesmerized, he awaited the outcome of this random selection process. Time ticked away before settling on the final result.

[Time Skill (Rare): Time Freeze - Slows down time for 3 seconds.]

[Daily Quest:]

[Press-up, 100 times: Incomplete (0/100)]

[Sit-up, 100 times: Incomplete (0/100)]

[Squat, 100 times: Incomplete (0/100)]

[Running, 10 km: Incomplete (0/10)]

[Consume blood, 20Cl: Incomplete (0/10)]

[Lift, 100kg: Incomplete (0/100)]

Eli stared at the notification on his screen, his mind racing with questions. The System's directive urged him to consume blood, doesn't that makes him a vampire, a character reminiscent of legendary creatures depicted in ancient folklore. Yet, simultaneously, it described him as a demon - an entity entrenched in mythological narratives and spiritual beliefs. Could these disparate entities exist symbiotically within him, or would they collide, locked in eternal conflict?

Eli shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. It was stupid to think about the process it took to power the system. After all, countless others engaged in far more horrific practices. 

 He needed to focus on getting strong enough to repay Cartl for killing him. He would repay Cartl's mother, Starie, the leader of the Starry Group and the 8th house of noble, for erasing his memory. Although it was obvious why she did it - five years ago, the Starry Group was partnering with his mother's Amari Dengaré, leader of Dengaré Group, who at that time was the 3rd house of noble. The Starry Group hadn't yet become a noble and only had a broad transportation system. They were partnering to distribute zasthastium, the strongest metal solution in the world, and Dengaré's sole product. After the incident with his parents' death, the Starry Group started producing zasthastium only 35% as good as the one produced by Dengaré Group, which got them an 8th seat of noble. Although he wasn't sure if his mom died, since only his father's body was found, but since the hooded person came for revenge, his mom should have had the most painful death. He would not forget what he made his main quest - to kill the hooded figure that killed his parents.

Eli stared at the pack of blood, Grasping the plastic connector securely, Eli severed the seal, allowing crimson liquid to flow freely. Anticipation built as he brought the substance closer, preparing to swallow the first mouthful. But almost immediately, revulsion overwhelmed him. Never had anything tasted so foul, synthetic and metallic. Confirmation arrived swiftly via the system alert.

[Fake blood Consumed]

Eli was surprised. "Fake blood? Is that even a thing?"

It took Eli a minute to come to the realization of what the system meant. It wasn't called fake blood, but synthetic blood.