Following the guard's announcement, three figures entered, all clad in black and red, their garments exquisitely tailored. Where Werewolves favor utility and simplicity, Vampires embody grace and refinement. The trio consisted of two guards and a lady, the highest authority present. The Vampire clan has been matriarchal ever since the original progenitor was slain. By their very constitution, male vampires became weaker than their female counterparts, whose own progenitress remains alive, albeit sealed.
"Greetings. Thank you for receiving us in your dog kennel," the lady began.
She didn't seem to have come to negotiate, but rather to pick a fight.
"Welcome, undead one," the Alpha replied. Vampires loathe being categorized alongside ghouls and zombies. They drink blood to understand and maintain the law of life within their bodies, which are naturally more compatible with the law of death. Conversely, Werewolves possess immense vitality and must counterbalance it by devouring only dead creatures, which are close to the law of death. This is why the two groups are interdependent, yet natural enemies.
"I see you still haven't learned to hold your tongue, Jessica," he continued.
"This is Isaac Garro, the one who represents our galaxy. To represent us, he must carry at least one bloodline. He says he needs both of ours."
"Young man, why do you wish to sully our noble bloodlines with the blood of dogs?" Jessica asked.
"Well, it's a System quest, but also a way to represent both leading figures so that neither feels left behind in our goal to save the universe."
"A noble idea," Jessica retorted, "but who's to say your goal isn't to find a weakness in our family to help the Werewolves subjugate us?"
"I cannot make a distinction between your two races because, currently, I belong to neither. But after the bloodline transfer ceremony, I believe I will be simultaneously human, werewolf, and vampire," Isaac replied.
"Very well. We shall see if you are capable of receiving both powers at once," the vampire conceded.
"For that, let us head to Mount Djoli-Kourou (the Bloody Mountain in Malinké)," Gilgard proposed.
This mountain was the site where the two races had fought the most, turning it red with the blood of their fallen kin.
With a wave of his hand, Gilgard transported them to the summit where Synthia was already waiting. For a bloodline transfer, one does not need to receive the highest rank, but the purity of the blood is vital. Isaac sat upon an altar built for this purpose by the two sovereigns.
"Welcome, Isaac. I am the Empress of the Vampires, Synthia Chyroptera Tepes. I have already been informed of your arrival, so we shall proceed quickly. Time is of the essence, and for us, 200,000 years pass in the blink of an eye." The figure speaking to him was visible only as a tangible, yet indefinable shadow.
Isaac bowed to the two sovereigns, understanding the stakes and their willingness to set aside their differences for the sake of the universe.
Gilgard and Synthia extracted three drops of blood essence from their chests and sent them into Isaac's heart. He felt a wave of heat surge through his entire body, and the System window appeared before his eyes:
[Congratulations on completing your mission!]
[Reward obtained: 10 travels to secrets realms.]
[Your bloodline has partially activated. You have unlocked the skills: Fusion and Evolution-Regression.]
Fusion: You can merge bloodlines if your understanding of them is sufficient and there is a certain balance between them.
Evolution-Regression: Allows an acquired bloodline to evolve into its future version if its current state is unsatisfactory, or regress it toward its most powerful ancestral version.
Isaac was stunned by the reward. During the assimilation, black tattoos resembling bat wings appeared on his back, while white claws manifested on his arms, representing the vampire and werewolf bloodlines respectively.
"Now, it is time to send you to the mortal realm," Gilgard began.
"But before that, know that a delegation of young vampires will follow you as well," Synthia added. "You will be sent to one of our planets where the mortals are primarily human. You will be able to develop yourself more easily there."
"Also, here is a gift to mark your arrival." Synthia handed a sword to Isaac. It was long, with an elegant scabbard and hilt.
"This sword is not sentient. Its uniqueness lies in being forged from the strongest materials in our galaxy, including werewolf bone, vampire blood, and myrtle."
"Now, the member of our delegation accompanying you is Victor, the only competent male of the younger generation." With a flick of her hand, Synthia summoned a young man with an effeminate appearance—possessing a beauty rather feminine for his gender. He had a cold gaze and hadn't deigned to speak to anyone since his arrival.
Isaac checked his status window:
[ STATUS WINDOW ]
Name: Isaac Garro
Age: 19
Race: Human; Vampire; Werewolf
Qi Cultivation: Uninitiated
Affinities: [Access Denied]
Magic Heart: [Access Denied]
Mana Cultivation: Uninitiated
Spiritual Roots: [Access Denied]
Bloodlines: * Lineage of ####
Nosferatu (untitled vampire)
Fenrir (Omega Wolf) [initial form]
Bloodline Skills: Fusion; Evolution-Regression
Constitution: #### physique
Shop: [Locked until you have people to protect! 😈]
Omnipoints: 100
"By the way, what are the Omnipoints for if I can't use them to improve my constitution?" Isaac asked the System.
[Omnipoints are used in Secret realms to allow temporal variations during visits, should they require a time extension.]
[You may use them to subordinate allies and friends, to make purchases in the Shop for them.]
"Oh, I didn't see that! And what's with this stupid emoji?"
[Oh, I thought you lacked a bit of a sense of humor and were too deep in your own mind to even smile, which isn't good in the long run. 🙃]
"Yeah, you're right. I need to calm down and think positive!" Isaac managed a small smile.
"Right then, we are going to open the portal to the planet Huang. It was given to the humans of the Eastern side for diplomatic reasons. They cultivate Qi and have many sects; when they must transcend, they return to their own galaxy."
"Now open the portal..."