Fates of Grenora: Return of the Night

Moving around his fresh kill, Aldrin stepped over the boundary that held the wards, alerting whoever they belonged to. Aldrin rolled his shoulders as the beast inside him grew more alert.

"Alright, let's see what I can do while in control," he said as he heard more footsteps and shouts in the distance, awakening the camp.

The iron spear he had in his inventory materialized into his hand as he mentally called for it. Giving a slight twirl of the spear, he noticed his improved reactions, as it was easy to handle the spear. "I hope to god my little training with a spear is enough," Aldrin pleaded with himself.

A group of three were the first to intercept Aldrin. He quickly Identified them as Humans, two Fighters and another Archer.

"Hey boys, look what we got!" One Fighter laughed as he eyed Aldrin.

"And he fancies himself a spear user! HA! This is gonna be easy!" The same Fighter added, pulling an identical spear from his own Inventory.

Aldrin smirked slightly, revealing the tips of the bloody fangs. Using his Shapechange as the familiar disorienting feeling came over him as he turned into a swarm of bats. The three bandits in front of him gasped in shock when Aldrin flew through them, appearing behind them. Transforming back into his body, quickly thrusting his spear through the chest of the Archer.

"As I thought, my Strength stat was higher than his Vitality," Aldrin grinned at the same time the beast inside him was pleased at the carnage.

The Fighters flinched as the warm and thick liquid sprayed on their back. Aldrin ripped the spear out of his victim, lowering it to the two in front of him. The two were in a daze as their companion lay dead at their feet with a gaping hole in the center of their chest.

Aldrin took the chance and threw the iron spear in between the Fighters before rushing in with his claws bared. The spear wielding Fighter rolled out of the way of the incoming spear, letting it glance off his lone shoulder plate. The other Fighter wasn't so lucky as Aldrin tore through the leather armor that protected his stomach. A grave slash formed, making the Fighter fall to his knees, but it wasn't enough to immediately disable him.

The spear Fighter that rolled had recovered and brandished his longsword at Aldrin as he rushed in. He seemed to move in slow motion as he lunged at Aldrin.

"My Dexterity is higher than his luckily," Aldrin grinned again.

Noticing his spear buried in the trunk of the tree, Aldrin rolled beneath the lunge, taking out the spear Fighter's legs. A surprised yelp escaped the spear Fighter as he landed on his back with Aldrin coming up into a dead sprint for his spear. Yanking it out of the tree, Aldrin whipped around to see the Fighter taking a health potion that immediately worked on closing the gash on his stomach.

Clicking his tongue, he used Shapechange again, blowing past the spear Fighter that was getting up and appeared in front of the other Fighter. Shocked at the abrupt appearance, he had no time to react when Aldrin drilled his spear into the head of the bandit, killing him instantly and stopping his regeneration from the potion.

Taking the opportunity, the spear Fighter swiped at Aldrin, giving him a shallow cut on his leg. Aldrin barely felt it as he turned to the spear Fighter that eyed him warily before breaking off and running towards the rest of the camp. "Shit, now why did you have to go and do that?!" Aldrin yelled at the runaway, his impulses to hunt and chase overriding any sensible logic.

The spear Fighter had barely gotten close to the camp as a piercing pain welled up in his neck, making him let out another yelp of surprise and pain. Arms wrapped around him, holding him in place as Aldrin drained his life force. Futile attempts to dislodge himself from Aldrin's grip became weaker as the spear Fighter turned into a dry husk.

Releasing him with a thud, Aldrin raised his bloody mouth to the night sky, letting out an animalistic roar of triumph, letting the blood fuel his body, instantly regenerating the shallow cut on his leg. Pierre and Jared watched Aldrin take down three of their "comrades" with ease. The mounting horror they both felt slowly crept up and overrode any thoughts of running away from the monster. Aldrin's approach made them flinch, as if they had been slapped, forcing an involuntary scoot backwards. Jared let out a whimper when Aldrin stood in front of them, peering down his nose, fighting the urge to rip them apart.

The three bodies around them had stopped leaking their life onto the forest floor as their bodies cooled. Aldrin twitched his nose when the excrement from the three made itself known.

"Get up slowly and walk away from here where I can't see you any longer," Aldrin growled out, fighting his instincts.

Pierre nodded slowly, releasing Jared from the death grip he had him in. Jared, on the other hand, flooded with fear as another whimper escaped him. Pierre helped him up as best as he could.

"Jared, we need to go," Pierre forcefully demanded, jerking Jared back to whatever little senses he had left.

Jared let himself get dragged away by Pierre. The green eyes of Aldrin glaring at them with every step, making his mouth salivate even more. "Feast on their life," the beast inside him demanded, fighting for control over Aldrin once more.

Tearing his gaze away from the two retreating figures, he turned himself towards the rest of the camp, hoping that he could at least aim where his carnage would begin. Part of him was revolted by how easily he had accepted his new nature. He was no stranger to killing other people, but killing them brutally was something he had never done.

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Picking up the spear he used, he stepped further into the camp of bandits as the shouts grew coherent to him. Soon, a group of five arrayed themselves in his path. Aldrin identified them briefly; three Fighters, a Rogue, and a budding Mage stood before him. Without further ado, the Mage released a small Fireball in his direction. Panicking, Aldrin rolled to the side, right into the Rogue's daggers, swiping at his neck. Eyes bulging at the speed of the Rogue, Aldrin used his Shapechange again, this time turning into fog as the blades passed harmlessly through him.

"They all must be using night eye potions to see this good in the dark," Aldrin thought to himself when he reformed back into his body, thrusting the spear through the leg of the Rogue.

The Rogue screamed out in pain at his pinned leg. Aldrin stood, angling the spear towards the ground and forcing the Rogue to scream out in more pain. Pushing further into the Rogue's leg, Aldrin felt his spearpoint breach the earth, signaling that it was buried in the ground. Flexing his claws, Aldrin swiped at the Rogue's neck, silencing his screams that turned into gurgling sounds.

Violently yanking the spear back out, he put it back into his inventory. Quickly grabbing the Rogue's dropped daggers, he rushed towards the three Fighters, two of which were holding the classic sword and shield combo. The third held a great war hammer meant for breaking bones. The Mage that had thrown the Fireball prepared another one, chanting to it as it grew in his hand. Aldrin knew he had to end the Mage's life quickly or else he would be a newly barbequed undead.

The Fighter with the great war hammer bellowed out a roar as he thundered towards Aldrin, winding up his hammer for a powerhouse hit. Unsure if Aldrin could take it, he danced around the wild swing. The Fighter deftly used the momentum of the hammer to go straight into another swing. Ducking beneath it, Aldrin saw the Fireball coming straight for them, splashing on the earthen floor, washing them both in flames. The Fighter cried out as burns marred his skin. Aldrin looked down on himself as the flames licked his body without hurting him.

The flames themselves felt like he was taking a nice, hot shower back home. The thought of home made his stomach lurch again when he realized he could never go back there. Shaking his head, the wall of flames that engulfed him and the Fighter blocked the view from the other three alighting the forest. The Fighter had recovered as red marks receded from his body.

Mentally sighing to himself, he noted the bandits at this camp were going to be the annoying kind that had potions for every situation. Potions they more than likely looted from their victims over however long they have set up here. Curious if he could actually take a hit from the Fighter's great war hammer, he let himself get hit square in his chest. A dull ache followed as both he and the Fighter stared aghast at the minor damage he had done.

"But how? My Strength is 17?! It should have knocked you on your ass!" The Fighter said in disbelief as they both glanced at Aldrin's chest.

"Well, that's both disappointing and relieving," Aldrin said to himself, looking back at the Fighter that was winding up another hit.

Narrowing his eyes at the display, Aldrin danced around the Fighter's swings, keeping his eye on the other three as the Mage prepared a third Fireball.

"Oh come on, is Fireball the only thing you know?" Aldrin said to himself as he glared at the Mage from his peripheral vision.

When the Fighter had his back turned towards his companions, Aldrin flicked his hand, throwing one of his daggers directly in the Fighter's direction. Barely able to dodge, the Fighter jerked his head to the side, letting the dagger sail through the air towards the Mage. One Fighter with a shield saw it coming and swatted the dagger away, letting the Mage continue to concentrate on the Fireball.

Feeling like he had got the hang of his new body and stats, he went on the offensive, lunging and stabbing at the Fighter. Unprepared for the explosive offensive, the Fighter struggled to block as the dagger nicked minor cuts on the unarmored parts of his body. Not one to be outdone, the Fighter's great war hammer glowed with a threatening red light. With a desperate swing, he landed the blow on Aldrin's side as his dagger slide in between the chink of his leather armor burying deep into his bicep.

Aldrin's world rolled once before he landed on his back, away from the flames. The Fighter jumped out the flames with an overhead strike poised to finish off Aldrin. Using Shapechange again, he turned himself into a swarm of bats surrounding the Fighter as he swatted away at them. Aldrin flew up and over the canopy of trees away from the camp, hoping they wouldn't follow.

The Mage had thrown his last Fireball at Aldrin's fleeing swarm of bats missing by a hair. Aldrin had to escape when he heard more of the camp running toward the flames. Way too many to handle on top of the four he had encountered. Vowing to come back the next night, he had accomplished what he wanted to do, or at least partially what he wanted to do.

He had figured out the limits of his new body, a slight grasp on his Shapechange skill, a weapon, subsided the burning, gnawing sensation in his stomach, the location of the bandit camp for both free experience to level and feed, however he didn't get a new set of clothes or at least armor to cover the bloody rags he still wore.

Flying toward the cave, his temporary home away from home, he pondered over his new abilities and stats, figuring if he wanted to survive he would at least have to take some Skills that would allow him to do so.

The sun turned the night sky into dawn. He felt weaker and his Shapechange forcefully canceled at the effects of the sun beginning to rise. Falling from the sky prematurely, Aldrin did his best to contain the scream that bubbled to escape his mouth. The trees that he had flown over grew larger as he plummeted to the forest floor. Unsure what to do, Aldrin covered his face hoping that his body could take some damage from the fall, hoping that he wouldn't die.

Branches snapped as he fell through them as dull aches and thuds thundered through his body from the impacts. Grunting in discomfort, he fell, landing on the compacted dirt floor of the forest. Groaning, Aldrin picked himself up and inspected himself. His body slowly healed the bruises that were forming. A slight soreness was present, but that also receded as his vampiric healing took over.

Aldrin stilled when a fire cracked and popped behind him. Turning around slowly, Aldrin came face to face with Pierre and Jared, both of whom were in the middle of enjoying a steaming stew. With a spoonful frozen near his mouth, Jared was the first to let out a bloodcurdling scream, throwing his steaming stew toward Aldrin and running off in a random direction.

"Jared! Wait!" Pierre ran after him.

"Well, that was unexpected," Aldrin said, watching Pierre chase after Jared, who ran with utter fear in his bones.

Sighing in defeat, Aldrin turned and ran as fast as his body carried him to the cave. Luckily he wasn't that far but unluckily the morning sun had shone through the trees, making Aldrin form small red welts that threatened to become bubbles. The pain that came with it was unlike anything Aldrin ever experienced, minus being reborn a few days earlier.

Back in the shadows of the cave, his skin returned to its pristine condition, making his shoulders relieve the tension that held within him. The infamous System Alert chimed again, making Aldrin jump at the sudden sound in his head. Grimacing at the deeds he was going to be reminded of, Aldrin braced himself for the information dump that was about to begin.