It was a little surreal, getting pulled into what looked like a completely ordinary bedroom, furnished for an older teenager, by a vampire, only to notice movie posters that, quite prominently, featured characters that were, at least according to my sketchy pop-culture knowledge, vampires. Coincidence or fate? I couldn’t even begin to guess.

There was a brief moment of contention when Lia shut the door in Chantalle’s father’s face, keeping him out with the excuse that she needed to change, while pulling me in with her. Not that I really minded, but I had no interest in any sort of suggestive behaviour, so I simply turned around and walked back out, waiting with him.

If the looks he gave me were any indication, he couldn’t decide whether to be grateful or hate me, turning his face into an impressive study of expressions. He switched from scowling to a resigned smile every couple of seconds, to the point that not all of his features were always in sync. A frown between his brows, while his lips were in a gentle smile, making it rather disturbing.

I considered trying to calm him down but decided to wait until Kira and Lia could join that conversation, mostly because I wanted to impress upon them that what had happened to Lia was akin to a miracle, not something that was easily repeatable, maybe even entirely impossible. I didn’t need the emotions that came with the possibility of people getting put together again after they became Shattered. People would both revere and hate me, likely with equal measure, until they realised that I couldn’t save their loved ones. Then they would just hate me.

By the time Lia was done changing and called us back in, Kira had joined us, noticing the whole commotion and deciding that she needed to put her word in.

“We need to talk about what happened to Chantalle,” I began, once we were all inside the girl’s room. “I don’t think we should talk about it, partially because I’m not certain it is permanent, partially due to the danger she would be in if people find out about her. I have no doubt that countless people all around the world would love to get their hands on her, if only to find out how to put together their loved ones. They wouldn’t care if your daughter gets Shattered again, or if they have to kill everyone involved,” I let out a sigh, not sure how far to twist the truth. For now, I was relatively certain that I was powerful enough to keep her safe, simply due to my personal power, but I couldn’t be certain it would last.

My power had grown fast, incredibly so, thanks to my area of effect abilities, the teaching I had done and the miracle I had pulled off creating the first Vampire. I had no idea if the teaching would continue to give the same amount of EXP, if it would give any, or if I could find any enemies that gave EXP when I killed them. I had yet to figure out the formulae to know what level my enemies needed to have, but when I was level twenty, nothing with a single-digit level had given me EXP. If that now jumped to fifteen, with a simple ten-level gap, I would be hard-pressed to find enemies that gave any EXP, let alone enough EXP to level.

Until stronger enemies appeared, my levelling would slow down, allowing others to catch up, at least to a point. I doubted that anyone would overtake me, not without coming across equally lucky chances, but if a group of five, or ten, with somewhat decent levels managed to corner me? It could be dangerous.

But luckily, from the looks of it, neither Kira nor her husband needed to be convinced, they were looking at Lia with worry as if their darling would vanish the next moment.

“Mother, as I told you, I’m not whole. Not yet, maybe not ever. Jade gave me a part of herself, it is what allows me to think, to keep my mind together. Without that, without her presence, I’m not sure what would happen. I need to follow her,” Lia spoke up, causing a sad look to appear on Kira’s face.

“But why can’t you stay here? Why do you need to follow her, go out there?” her father asked, focused on me.

“Many reasons, mostly because I need to accomplish something. A goal, a dream, whatever you want to call it, it already pulls me away from here. I will happily let her follow me,” I nodded towards Lia, “but I can’t stay here. I will watch over her and I believe at least for a time we will remain in the area but long-term, we will move somewhere else. Where, I cannot even tell you yet, but we will be travelling. There’s a whole new world out there and I want to see it,” I added, remembering the drive to explore and travel I had felt on Mundus. To find out what was behind the next bend in the road and how far away the horizon was.

Chantalle’s father wasn’t happy with that and began to argue. Her mother and Lia joined in, bickering back and forth, while I leaned back, making myself comfortable against Silva and mostly zoned out, letting the three come to their own decisions. Or rather, give them the illusion that they did, at the end of the day, Chantalle was dead and I was quite certain Lia would come with me.

“I’m afraid there is very little that can actually be argued,” I finally spoke up again, after their arguments had circled the room thrice. “Chantalle is no longer who she used to be. I can only vaguely speak about the experience of becoming Shattered, but I doubt that any earthly experience can compare. She was changed, beyond anything you can see on the surface, regardless of how extreme those external changes are. It would be foolish to believe that she will allow herself to ever be in such a vulnerable position, where her very existence is twisted by forces beyond her control. If a survivor of sexual assault would seek training in martial arts, to gain the ability to defend themselves, would you think it foolish?” I asked, looking at the two older people. Neither of them could meet my eye at that moment, so I looked over to Lia, who had her shoulders pulled together in a somewhat defensive posture.

“That would be an assault on their body, a scar on their mind. Horrifying and nothing I would ever wish on a person, and yet, I believe that becoming Shattered is worse because it not only involves an assault on their body and mind but a twisting of their very soul. Chantalle will come with me, she will learn how to defend herself and until she can stand proudly before all who would seek to harm her, I will keep watch over her as if she was my own child. Does that assuage your worries?” I asked, laying it on thick even if there was a kernel of truth to my words. She was my creation and I wanted her to thrive, not just survive.

Looking at her, I had to fight to keep myself from bursting into laughter. She looked just too adorable, with her tall, lanky frame and large, crimson eyes, looking at me all hopeful. Reaching out, I gently petted her head, similar to the way I would pet Silva, only for Lia to lean in and curl against me.

Looking at us, her father seemed to age a decade, his head dropping defeated.

“I hate this,” he admitted, though there was only desperation in his voice, no aggression or anger, “I hate that this happened to my daughter, I hate how our world has changed,” he began to ramble, only for his wife to reach out and take his hand in a show of support and comfort.

“Please, take care of her. And visit us, whenever you can. As long as I’m alive, you’ll have a place here. Both of you,” he promised, trying to push past the despair and find hope in the future.

“Please, take care of my baby. I’d rather have her fight out there, to learn whatever you can teach her than have her waste away in the cellar,” Kira said her own piece, wiping away a few tears that escaped her eyes.

“And baby, if you ever want to return and simply live here, we’ll welcome you, any time, no questions asked. Just, be well,” she added, reaching out to hug her daughter’s body, while Chantalle’s father wrapped both of them in his arms. Trying to keep his family together, even if he knew it was impossible.

Quietly, I stood and left the room, allowing the three of them a bit of privacy, before Lia would join me to head out into the night. Guiding the five people from the gym back to safety. It would be interesting, to travel in such a large group. But I had no doubt I’d manage to keep them safe, though I would have to look into training for Lia, maybe one of the people at the Gym could help, while I taught the spellcasters.