'Right, here we go,' Encre thought the next morning as he entered the training arena. Dawn was only a few minutes away, and a group had already gathered for the tryouts. Encre breathed in, and out, calming himself down. His combat skills were exceptional, at least he hoped they'd be to Eterna, but he remained positive. If he didn't get into the guard, meh, sucks for them. He was a pretty good fighter, so they would be missing out.

His confidence dropped considerably when he saw Eterna suplex a guy almost one and a half times her own height, and Encre gulped. Cinnamon, who had followed him, pawed at his leg. Encre looked down and grinned.

"It's alright, Cinnamon. Eterna's a friend, I'm sure there's nothing to worry about-"

"ATTEEEEEEENTION!!!"

Encre jumped when the order was sounded. He raced to the end of the line of potential guards, and stood at attention as Eterna paced in front of them.

"ALRIGHT, YOU SISSIES!!! LISTEN UP! YOU AREN'T HERE TO WAVE AROUND SWORDS LIKE BATONS, YOU AREN'T HERE TO DRESS UP LIKE PRETTY PINK PRINCESSES IN ARMOR, AND YOU'RE NOT HERE TO LAY DOWN YOUR LIVES OR THE LIVES OF YOUR COMRADES TO THOSE FILTHY BEASTS! YOU'RE GONNA LEARN DISCIPLINE AND TEAMWORK, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU'LL LEARN HOW TO KILL A VAMPIRE! AM I CLEAR??!!"

"YES MA'AM!!!"

"Good," her voice grew quieter for a moment, and she motioned for Azure to come forward. "This is Lieutenant Azure. You will go to him with questions about drills, schedules, and weaponry. You come to me with questions on how to take down our opponents! Now, form up into groups of two!"

They did as asked, and Encre ended up with a cat monster missing an arm. He eyed him curiously, wondering why a monster missing a limb would want to sign up for the guard. But then, the cat monster pulled a prosthetic arm out and attached it to his stump for an arm. Encre watched in admiration as the arm moved in tandem with its organic twin, and he couldn't help but be impressed.

"Quite the technology you got there, Mr...?"

"Neil. My name's Neil."

"Nice to meet you, Neil! I'm Encre."

"Nice to meet you, too."

They didn't get much more time for conversation, because Eterna began handing out silver swords. She then had each person grab a set of armor and put it on.

"ALRIGHT!" she commanded, pulling out her own sword. "FACE YOUR PARTNER, AND HOLD THOSE SWORDS STEADY! YOU'RE GONNA LEARN SOME BASIC JABS AND SWINGS, AND YOU'LL TRY 'EM ON YOUR PARTNERS! KEEP IN MIND THAT ARMOR IS ONLY GOOD FOR KEEPING THOSE BEASTS AT BAY, NOT PROTECTING YOU FROM A POORLY AIMED STAB! NOW HUSTLE!"

Four hours later....

Encre wiped his forehead and drank some cold water. The recruits were taking a well-deserved break, cooling off in the autumn sun. Neil came over and sat next to him, drinking some water, himself. He wiped his mouth, then turned to Encre.

"Pretty good for your first day, newbie."

Encre raised a brow.
"Not so bad yourself. But aren't you a newbie, too?"

Neil shook his head with a cheshire grin.
"Nah, kid. I was once in the Royal Army. I fought in the war dividing the mortals and vampires, so I know a thing or two about fighting them. They are real strange creatures, those vampires. Cutthroat and bloodthirsty one minute, then cool and calm the next. Makes you wonder what goes on inside their heads. What kind of magic they got hidden up their sleeves."

Encre turned to fully face Neil.
"Wh-what kind of magic do they have?"

Neil chuckled.
"The kind that makes you question your entire existence. I don't know much about it, but it can make you go crazy. I've seen it happen. Just don't believe everything you see, and I think you'll be ok."

Encre nodded.
"Thank you for the advice, Neil."

The cat nodded, and they returned to training. Cinnamon had heard their conversation, and wondered. He hasn't seen much for magic besides that Gaster and his ring, so this could be a community of nonmagic monsters. Ironic, since he had gotten so used to seeing monsters use magic, mostly on him, and it felt wrong seeing so little of it. Nevertheless, he was grateful he wasn't being marked down for death by anyone who saw him. That was a nice change.

Ten more hours passed, and Eterna finally dismissed them. She went off to gather a patrol, and Azure was about to join her.

"Hey, Azure!"

The guard stopped and grinned as Encre and Cinnamon approached him.
"AH! ENCRE, HELLO! I WAS JUST ABOUT TO JOIN ETERNA FOR THE NIGHTLY PATROL. IS THERE SOMETHING YOU NEEDED?"

"Yes," Encre looked down briefly at Cinnamon, then met Azure's gaze.
"I'd like to know if you need any help."

"WITH THE NIGHT PATROL? HMM.... I'LL HAVE TO ASK ETERNA IF SHE WANTS AN EXTRA HAND, A RECRUIT AT THAT, SO JUST WAIT HERE. BUT KEEP YOUR GUARD UP."

Encre saluted as Azure walked away, and Cinnamon sat next to him, patiently. A chill ran through the air, and Encre rubbed his arms to chase the cold away. He looked around idly, but his eyelights landed on his ring. It shone brightly in the moonlight, reflecting back an iridescent glow. He wondered again how it worked, but suddenly, a rustle in the bushes made him whirl around. He drew his dagger, and prepared for combat.

"Who's there?!" he yelled, sounding far braver than he felt. He swore he saw a faint glow in the bushes, and Cinnamon began barking. Slowly, he made his way toward the bushes, intending to force whatever it was to show itself. Cinnamon growled and followed him, and together, they drew closer.

Suddenly, a shot rang out, and Encre looked behind him. Eterna and Azure stood behind him, Eterna with her silver flintlock drawn. Time seemed to slow down, and before he could react, something pinned him from behind. The smell of blood and dust inflamed his nose, and he coughed and struggled to get himself free. He looked up and met the eyes of the creature who'd trapped him, and he gasped.

A blood red cloak, orange silk shirt, a snowy white cravat, maroon silk pants, a pair of dark boots with gold buckles, and a golden clasp made up the creature's outfit. They were a skeleton monster with smooth, black bones, their eyesockets accentuated with blue markings. Their eyelights were a deep yellow, one mysteriously being surrounded by blue. What made Encre struggle more in fright was the creature's mocking smile. Two long, sharp canines poked out beneath their skeletal lips, and Encre was sure this was a vampire. Before the beast could do anything to him, they cried out in pain as Cinnamon sunk his teeth into their arm. He held on for dear life as the vampire tried to swing him off, and Encre took the opportunity to twist around and kick the creature off of him. Cinnamon let go and landed right next to Encre, standing his ground and growling menacingly. The creature growled back, but Cinnamon would not back down. The vampire noticed they were being overrun, so they retreated quickly into the night.

Encre frantically scooted back as Azure and Eterna ran up to him.

"ENCRE!" Azure cried as he helped his friend to his feet. "ARE YOU ALRIGHT?"

"I-I'm fine... I think...." he breathed shakily, feeling almost lightheaded from fear. Azure patted his shoulder and pulled him away from the bushes. Encre allowed himself to be pulled away, and he couldn't help but stare where the creature had disappeared. He had been that close to being vampire food, and it was terrifying, to say the least.

"Damnit," Eterna cursed under her breath, putting her flintlock away. "I almost had him. You're lucky to be alive, Encre. That particular vampire has been a pain in the ass to deal with, what with being the king of vampires and all-"

"Wait," Encre spun around to face her fully. "That was the king of vampires???!!!!"

Eterna nodded solemnly. "Yeah, I recognize his ugly mug anywhere. I'm kinda surprised he'd be bold enough to to venture this close to town. This is really bad news."

"REALLY BAD NEWS, INDEED," Azure chimed in. "FOR NOW, I THINK ENCRE SHOULD GO HOME FOR THE NIGHT. HE NEEDS TO RECOVER FROM THIS ORDEAL IF HE EVER WANTS TO FACE THAT CREATURE, AGAIN."

Encre sighed and looked to Eterna. She nodded, and he nodded back.

"It's decided. Encre, go home and rest up. Tomorrow, I'll be teaching the recruits how to kill those beasts. Then you can take your revenge on that bastard!"

She slammed her fist into her hand, smiling with confidence, and Encre grinned. Maybe she was right. Maybe he could take down that vampire! All he needed was a little confidence! He waved to them as he started for his house, and called to Cinnamon to follow him.

Cinnamon, however, hesitated near the bushes. He had gotten a good whiff of the creature's scent, and the scent was gone. He hoped that was a good sign, because he never wanted to see that creature, again. They reminded him of himself, and he didn't like it. He couldn't have found another version of himself already, could he?! Regardless, he found himself thinking about that vampire. At length, he joined Encre, and headed home for the night.

... ... ...

The next day, Eterna stayed true to her word. The recruits were run through many scenarios involving contact with one or more vampires. Some of the recruits did quite well, including Encre, and were given very unique silver amulets. They were fashioned to protect the wearer's neck so a vampire couldn't bite them. Encre studied his amulet excitedly.

"Alright! Next drill, you sissies! Come on, let's go, hustle, hustle, hustle!"
Eterna broke them up into groups of two once again, and again, Encre landed with Neil. Eterna stood before them, hands on her hips and a vicious smirk on her face.
"Now, here comes the fun part! Face your partner, and I'll teach you a vampire's weak spot."

They faced each other, and she instructed them to draw their swords.
"A vampire is usually indestructible, right? Wrong! They have one major weakness that you can exploit with a simple sword. Now, watch this!"

She swung her sword and plunged it right into the chest of a training dummy - Cinnamon flinched, hoping there wasn't a ghost monster in there - then tore the sword out. Encre watched with avid interest, until Eterna instructed them to try it on each other. He turned to Neil, who grinned.

"Hey, don't worry, kid. I won't hurtcha."

Encre gulped and nodded, settling into a defensive position. Neil lunged at him, and he dodged. They circled each other, and Neil made another jab at Encre's chest. The artist blocked the hit, then made one of his own. Neil dodged as well, and this continued for a few minutes. After a particularly aggressive jab from Neil, Encre was able to counterattack and get him right in the chest. Eterna had watched the whole thing, and went over to congratulate them.

"Good job, Encre! Now all you haveta do is do that with a vampire, but go for the kill. Got it?"

Encre nodded with a grin.
"Got it!"

"Good, cuz you're on the roster for night patrol. I selected a few recruits who did pretty well today, and you fit the bill. It's almost sunset, but you got a few hours to prepare yourself. So get going!"

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am!" Encre saluted and gathered his equipment. Guess he was on night patrol, tonight. "Come on, Cinnamon. Let's go home!"

Cinnamon trotted after him, and they reached the house. Going inside, Encre dropped his equipment next to the couch and sat down, rubbing the tiredness out of his eyesockets. He felt the cold metal of the ring rub against his face, and he looked at it again. The little tendrils locking it onto his finger hadn't disappeared, and he was starting to get nervous having it on. Once again, he tried to remove it, but the thing stuck on quite stubbornly. Cinnamon jumped up and sat next to him, watching as he failed to remove the strange ring. Finally, he groaned and gave up.

"Hmph, so much for finding my soulmate," he grumbled, staring down at the ring. "It hasn't even done anything! Not one lady has approached me since I've had this thing, and I'm starting to think this was a scam! Ugh, curse my impulse buying!"

He sat there petting Cinnamon for awhile, before his nonexistent stomach growled. He got up and went to the cupboard, pulling out some bread and slicing a chunk off. He went over to the couch again, and broke off a piece for Cinnamon, who ate it eagerly. They enjoyed their meal, not knowing this could be their last.

... ... ...

Encre sighed resignedly as he walked into the barracks. Azure was already there waiting for him, along with the other recruits. Unsurprisingly, Neil was there too, and he and Encre got paired up for patrol.

"YOU TWO WILL COVER THE EAST SIDE," Azure told them, and they headed off to the east side of the village wall.

Encre shivered as he caught sight of the bushes where he'd been attacked. Neil noticed his anxiety, and patted him on the shoulder.

"Hey, I heard about the attack. Don't you worry, you've got a veteran to help you out."

Encre smiled gratefully.
"Th-thanks Neil."

They climbed the watchtowers on either end, and lit up their lanterns. Cinnamon had followed Encre up, and sat slightly shivering in the cold as Encre kept watch over the forest below. It was all quiet for now, but Encre knew not to get cocky.

Hours passed, and Encre was starting to get tired. To get his mind off the fatigue, he studied his ring, again. For once since he'd gotten it, the ring was doing something strange. Inside the middle, an unsettling purple light swirled around, and Encre stared at it in amazement.

While he was distracted, Cinnamon looked down to the forest between the floor boards. He thought he saw something moving in the trees, and the familiar scent of... something, headed toward them. He began barking, alerting Encre to the potential danger.

"Wh-what is it, Cinnamon?" he looked down to the forest, but he saw nothing. He petted the small dog, trying to calm him down. "Hey, hey, it's ok. It's probably nothing, sh sh sh, calm down, boy."

Cinnamon finally did calm down, but he was still skittish. He swore he saw something, he was sure of it! Whatever it was, it had been moving fast, and that smell...!

He shook his head and laid down. Maybe he'd been seeing things. His nearsightedness was pretty bad, after all. He took a deep breath, then looked around the small watchtower. His little eyes widened as a figure materialized behind Encre. He began barking frantically, getting Encre's attention.

"What is it now, Cinnamon?" Encre asked in frustration. He tried petting the dog, but he backed away and went up to the figure. Encre turned around and gasped. Before he could call for help, the figure knocked him out cold. The figure snarled as Cinnamon hopped in front of Encre's limp body, and they tried stomping on the tiny dog. Cinnamon jumped out of the way, then nipped at the figure's heels. The figure kicked him away, and Cinnamon whimpered as he landed close to the edge. He watched as the figure picked up an unconscious Encre and, struck by an idea, Cinnamon jumped into one of Encre's pockets.

He settled in comfortably, flinching as the figure jumped off the watchtower. Cinnamon closed his eyes tightly, thinking they wouldn't land safely. There was no painful landing, though. He opened his eyes and discovered they were now flying through the air. Cinnamon held his breath as they flew, and looked up at Encre's captor. His little eyes widened at what he saw. He knew the scent was familiar!

It was the king of vampires.

... ... ...

Fallacy groaned in annoyance as he threw his prey into the dungeon cell. Why had he spared them? To save for a snack later? No, that can't be it. He could so easily take someone from one of the outlying farms surrounding the village, so why? Why did he spare the life of this guy?

The king rolled his eyelights. Oh yeah. Now he remembered. Some part of him wanted to get even with this guy for getting away, the first time. That, and something about this particular skeleton was... attracting him, somehow. No, not that kind of attraction. One does not simply catch sight of another and fall for them instantly. No. This was something else.

Furious with his unanswered questions, Fallacy stormed off to his library. Perhaps one of his books held the answer. He didn't bother acknowledging any of the servants as he passed them, but someone did catch his eye. Jasper smirked as his father passed him.

"So, Father, how was your trip?~"

"Not now, Jasper," he finally reached the library, and began searching through his books. Jasper rolled his eyelights and shook his head in amusement. Fallacy had been slightly... off, since his encounter with the skeleton now in the dungeon. Jasper had noticed, and he was curious about this random... guy Fallacy just decides to bring home. It was very unusual, and Jasper wanted in on it.

"Aw, c'mon, Father. I just wanna know what's going on. Why'dja bring home some random guy? Do you liiiike him?~"

Fallacy stiffened and turned to Jasper with a growl. "No, I do not 'like' him. There is something about him that called to me, and I want to know what it was."

Jasper scoffed in disappointment, then leaned against the bookshelf. Fallacy noticed his son pouting, and sighed. He rubbed his forehead, trying to dispell the headache forming, and turned to fully face Jasper.

"Look, I know you miss your mother, but you're not getting a new one. I can't do that, again. Especially not after... what happened."

Jasper looked down and nodded. Yes, he knew what had happened. He'd only been twenty years old when his mother, Calamimi, had died mysteriously. They never figured out who or what was the culprit, but it was still quite fresh in their minds. Jasper was turning one hundred in a few weeks, and he still couldn't stop thinking about his mother. It had happened without warning, and he never got to say goodbye.

Fallacy turned away, still looking through his books. He hadn't cared too much about Calamimi at first, since she was just a servant, but his view was changed when he found out she'd had a son under his very nose. The other servants, fearing he'd kill the child and the mother when he found them, kept her pregnancy a secret until a few weeks after Jasper had been born. Fallacy had wandered into the servants quarters to finally figure out what they were hiding from him, since they were keeping uncharacteristically quiet about something, and he found Jasper sleeping peacefully.

The king had fallen in love with the child almost instantly, and demanded to know why they kept him a secret. Calamimi bravely admitted that it had been her idea, even as the other servants tried to stop her. In a rare and unexpected moment of gentleness, Fallacy picked Jasper up, and told Calamimi the child they'd made was beautiful. She had smiled with relief, and from that moment on, she took great care of Jasper. In that time, Fallacy had grown deeply attached to Calamimi, going so far as to show her more affection than to his other servants. He did soften up on them too, but Calamimi received more love the longer they stayed together.

A month after Jasper's twentieth birthday, tragedy struck. That morning had started like any other. Except, Calamimi never came down for breakfast. One of the servants had gone to check on her, and when the scream rang out, it was too late. Fallacy and Jasper had raced up the stairs to find she'd dusted in her sleep, and they both were shocked beyond reason.

That was a sad day for everyone in Fallacy's castle. The king locked himself in his bedroom for a week, and didn't leave for anything, not even Jasper. The young prince tried everything to get Fallacy to at least come down to get something to eat, but nothing worked. Jasper began to harbor feelings of resentment, and they have festered for decades.

Now, those feelings were taking hold once again, and Fallacy could feel the hostility radiating from his son. At length he sighed, putting his books back.

"I didn't ask for a new mother," Jasper began, venom dripping from his words. "I only want to see you like you were when Mother was alive. Laughing, smiling, enjoying yourself. Genuinely happy. It's been too long since that's happened, and the last time Grandfather and Granddad visited, they were worried."

"Ah," Fallacy smirked, earning a slight grimace from Jasper. "So they are the ones who set you up to this. How amusing. They should learn to mind their own business."

"But they're right, Father! They are worried, I am worried, we're all worried! Why can't you just move on?!"

"Says the one who's trying to play matchmaker by bringing up the painful subject of his mother to try and guilt trip me into dating."

"Wha-?! I-I wasn't-"

"Save it," Fallacy raised his hand, cutting off anything Jasper was going to say. "This discussion is over. You are dismissed."

He turned away, and Jasper growled. He punched the bookshelf in frustration, then stormed out of the room. Fallacy shook his head at his son's outburst. He looked down and saw that a book had been knocked down when Jasper punched the shelf, and he picked it up to put it back. He hesitated when he saw the cover.

'Enchantments'

'Hmm,' he thought as he thumbed through the pages. 'Could it be...?'

-----------------------------------------------------------

Hello! I am le back!

So, as I was writing Fallacy's bit, I suddenly realized he's a lot like Nightmare. He's a king, he's smart, he's got a giant library, he has a bitchy attitude-

Anyway, what do you guys think "attracted" Fallacy? What could it possibly be?

And yeah, I have a headcanon that Fallacy's parents are two male vampires. One a nobleman, one a peasant. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, cuz I still got so much inspiration, it's taking over mah mind!

:D