****(POV)

He asks me many questions. About the magic I used, about how to get out of here, also how I can keep the castle clean. It seems he is purposely not asking anything related to my race.

This is surprising. Usually we vampires usually provoke either extreme fear or fascination. The way we appear alive yet are actually undead intrigues or scares many. No, this man is referring to me as a friend. How long has it been since I have heard this word? Far too long.

He has plenty of weird ideas, most of them about how we should start a business together. How silly! But I like it! I show him the rooms of my humble stronghold. When we reach the reading room, he starts going on about how it would be the perfect place to play chess.

At first, I am lost, but then he explains it to me. This turns out to be a really fun yet complex game. I use some magic to create the board and pieces according to his directions. It takes me a long time but he doesn't complain.

Then he explains the rules and we start playing. Very quickly I find myself drawn into it. Surprisingly …he is extremely bad at it.

He manages to take a huge lead at the beginning due to my unfamiliarity with the game. Soon enough I have him drawn into a corner, however.

The only issue is I barely have pieces left myself thus making the checkmate extremely hard. Add to that how he keeps running away instead of surrendering.

This can be great for training commanders. All the logical thought process that goes into this game would work wonders on the battlefield.

I will teach it to my underlings for sure! I finally defeat him. Then I start playing against the small wolf. Wolfie, she is called.

Having her as an opponent only shows me how unordinary she is. I am not able to gain a single advantage over her. At all!

My human friend leaves and comes back. He asks me something about the portal again and I tell him that I'll open it for him in 20 years.

He raises his hand I'm not sure why. Oh? That means he has a question?

Apparently that 20 years timeframe will be an issue…. they are human after all. Then again, I am sure Wolfie and my human friend will be fine somehow seeing how powerful they are. Still, that means the mercenaries are doomed, doesn't it?

Oh well, I'll put their blood to good use for sure. They ask me to cast an illusion over them to make the end peaceful. I can do that for sure. If that weird human coming here was unexpected, what comes next is even more so.

From nowhere appears a unicorn that starts rushing through my castle. But there is something weird about it, it shows signs of corruption. This in itself should be impossible?! Unicorns are being that simply stop existing once they lose their purity. How the hell is this one still alive?

This doesn't make sense. Then this not unicorn proceeds to insult me, dash away with the weird human apparently saving him, only to come back not long after acting as if nothing happened.

For a moment I'm wondering if I have turned crazy from the lack of contact with others. Nope, but these guys are for sure.

Apparently, this newcomer can open a portal to this place whenever. Would a unicorn agree to help a vampire? Looking at the way it is glaring at me I'd say no.

Still, it is good news for my friend. He will be able to save his companions. They exit this place, he surprisingly stays behind.

He says he wants to train against the skeletons.

Then for about a month, we talk a lot while he goes about his business. He looks extremely inelegant as he is moving about, but I am guessing he is using some magic to restrain his own movements or something. It is the only explanation that can explain his apparent lack of skill and power.

Until finally it is time for him to leave. I already knew this, but it does feel weird. I will be back to slumbering for who knows how long. It won't be as fun for sure.

I hesitate for long, but I do ask him if he couldn't give me a bit of blood. As long as I can revive one underling it won't be as lonely. I'm ready for some backlash. I'm ready for him to be disgusted and angry at me.

Surprisingly he agrees as if giving out blood was something normal. How?! How did this go so well?!

I bring him to a room so he can put some of his blood into a bathtub. Then he leaves for real. I am left behind. I am kinda scared of trying this. He left quickly and didn't look any different than usual.

There probably isn't that much blood In there. What if I don't even manage to save one of my brethren?

Worst case it will be back to slumbering. I take a step inside the room and …...

WHAT?! HOW?!

…. I see a huge bathtub completely filled with blood.

There is more blood in here than could ever fit inside a being of his size! This is illogical! Highly illogical! If I didn't know better, I would say someone bled out a dragon to death in here.

Yet…he was fine. Completely fine! I guess I will take a small sip. If I manage to strengthen my powers I should be able to ….

*Lick*

What is this?! Is this blood?!

*Sip*

There is no way something so delicious and divine is blood?! Every single drop of the liquid fills me with power. No, it is even more amazing than that! I can feel my old wounds getting healed. Wounds that were deemed impossible to cure.

*Gulp*

HAHAHAHAHAHA this is some divine nectar!! With this, I will be able to return to my peak state!!!

*GULP GULP GULP*

With this, I will be able to revive all of my underlings!

*GULP GULP GULP GULP*

With this, I will have the energy to open the portal leading out of this world whenever I please!

*CHUG CHUG CHUG*

With this, I can send my legion to dominate the earth realm! Ah, this feeling is the best! My eyelids are getting heavy for some reason. Oh yeah, it's been so long I forgot how sleepy I get when I drink too much.

It's fine. I'll recuperate for now. When I awaken again it will be time for world domination.

Also, actually no, this should be my main goal.

No matter what ….

Absolutely no matter what ….

…. I will find that human again!