The Bite

He was trained by his father, and by the time he was eight years old, he had been officially declared a priest. Since his father was powerful enough to battle and defeat vile demons, he didn't have to rely on prayers to increase his favor with his Goddess. His father and his friends would frequently travel to evil creatures layers and eradicate them, taking Aitres along. Generally, they were quite successful and would return home unscathed. This constant war between evil creatures and the priests began to take a toll on Aitres. He would sporadically have a slight inclination to do evil acts of murder and terror. The moments of anger and hatred would not last long, and therefore had no effect. The demon slaying continued for many years without any major problems. But there was one time however, which would disrupt this pattern of demon slaughtering forever.

A few months after Aitres turned 16 years old, a call came from the priests. They spoke of a terrible creature, one more dreadful than any encountered before, residing in the City of Shadows. Aitres' father, devoted to ridding the lands from evil creatures, decided to gather all priests of the village and Eria to battle it. Several days of preparation and holy rituals to bring good luck, commenced after the news. Eighteen priests, including Aitres, and several other warriors devoted to goodness, were gathered outside Eria. One final prayer to their deity and they were off to the City of Shadows.

Traveling was easy, and proved to be the easiest part, thanks to helpful fly and float spells. As the company approached the City, they were assailed by many shadow creatures. Each of the priests were protected with many defensive spells. Many of them were armed with fire shield and ice shield spells, which effectively destroyed many of the shadows as they attacked. Aitres had cast a sanctuary spell on himself to offer protection, the first time he had ever successfully cast it. He was also attacked by a shadow and destroyed it with several well placed bashed with his mace. He was convinced that his skill in fighting could take down much that he fought, and therefore didn't need a fire shield spell. The battle lasted only about 5 minutes, none of the company were injured in the fray. Many of the priests were convinced of an easy victory against the creature due to the ease of this fight...but they were wrong.

The company entered the city in supreme confidence of victory. They strode in standing tall and gleaming in holy light, but all was still, and no shadows creatures anywhere. Then suddenly, in the front of the company, a shrill death cry was heard as one of the priests were slain. Then another...and another...the company was dropping like flies. The priests would occasionally catch a view of a mist shrouded figure, seeming to blink in and out of existence. A quick bite on the neck followed by the beheading of the priest seemed to be the routine for the creature...but they only knew by the wounds on the dead.

Aitres caught sight of the figure, and attacked, only to receive a punch in the face, as fast as lightning. Aitres flew back and landed against the wall, temporarily unable to do anything as the creature continued its rampage. The creature then turned to Aitres' father. He fell back against the opposite wall and cowered before the creature. "Please do not harm me!," he screamed, "I will do anything you wish, just don't kill me!" The creature looked at him for a few seconds, then in the blink of an eye, bit him on the neck and turned to walk away. "Oh, thank you wondrous creature for sparing my life," Aitres' father said to the creature. He began to continue, but the figure within the mist whirled around, and in a red swirling blur, sliced off his head in one clean stroke. Aitres screamed out at the creature for killing his father, and the creature turned to regard him. He stood up slowly, regaining his footing, and let out a scream of pure rage and hatred. One so powerful, that the dormant abilities inside of him erupted out. All of the shadows in the area swarmed up to shroud and protect Aitres until he appeared to be merely a twisting and writhing shadow.

He charged at the creature, but it proved to be an incredible adversary. It took a step to the side, tripped Aitres, and punched him in the ribs while he was spinning in the air. Aitres flew 10 feet into a nearby wall and fell to the ground in a pile of rubble. The creature was at him in an instant, scimitar glaring dangerously in his hand. He lifted his scimitar and motioned to behead Aitres. The scimitar swung down at an enormous speed, but did not change the look on the young priest's face, not even a flinch. His eyes burned with hatred, and they stayed that way. The scimitar stopped, and rested less than an inch from Aitres' neck as the creature stared into his eyes. It was met with a nearly equal stare by Aitres.

"Wont plea for your life?" the dark figure said, in a cold voice that pierced the air. "Your father was a fool! He should of plead for his death, I did him a favor."

Aitres screamed and attempted to lunge at the figure, yet the figure merely grabbed his collar and launched him into the opposite wall, breaking it. Before Aitres hit the ground, the figure was standing next to him again and grabbed him. The figure sunk his teeth into Aitres, and fed from him. A few moments later, he dropped Aitres onto the ground. The surrounding shadows still swirled, wreathing around the young priest, who's white cloak was now stained with blood.

The creature turned around and began to speak. "I'll make this decision for you. You'll be dead either way." said the figure, and turned around.

Aitres erupted into a fit of convulsions as his body took over the characteristics of a vampire. Once it had stopped, Aitres calmed down and stared at the creature in slight confusion. The creature let him drink blood from his wrist and Aitres feasted for a moment then the creature raised him to his feet.

"You will be called Zant," the creature spoke in a cold, deathly voice, "for that name suits you." Aitres, or now actually named Zant, followed the creature as it walked through the city. "What is your name?" Zant said to the creature in awe and astonishment.

All goodness that Zant had before the fight had instantly vanished as soon as he was bitten. The powers he had as a priest he had forgotten and the love he had for his old family and friends had left him. He only desired pain and punishment to those who opposed him, and reveled in slaying those good aligned beings. Zant would travel by the shadows, shrouded within their presence, until he learned to control them on his own. At times he would appear completely shrouded and then, a moment later, be strolling down main street in with superior confidence. Usually though, he'd be seen sneaking through the shadows of dark alleyways. He learned the ways of a vampire from the creature until he could train on his own.

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