The year was 1732, and the moon hung low in the sky, its pale light casting long, eerie shadows across the cobblestone streets of a bustling human city. The air was thick with the mingled scents of humanity—sweat, ale, and the tang of blood faintly discernible to those who could sense it. Among the mortals, moving like a ghost through the throngs, was Lord Urd Geales, the Second Progenitor of the vampires, his cold crimson gaze fixed ahead as he made his way toward the entrance of an underground stronghold under construction.

Dressed in a tailored black coat that barely whispered as he walked, Urd exuded an air of otherworldly authority. Humans instinctively parted in his path, their animalistic instincts recognizing a predator in their midst, even if they couldn't comprehend it.

Following not far behind, with a grin that promised trouble, was Ky Luc, the eccentric and irritating Fifth Progenitor. He was tall, with short brown hair that fell in uneven layers, his mismatched bangs framing a face that perpetually wore a smirk. Though Urd moved silently, Ky Luc's boots clicked loudly against the cobblestones as he made no effort to be inconspicuous. His energy was irreverent, cocky, and loud—a stark contrast to Urd's quiet power.

"Lord Urd," Ky began, his voice carrying a playful edge that was almost sing-song, "you've got the whole city trembling, and yet here I am, still standing close enough for you to strike me down. Why is that?"

Urd didn't respond, his stride unbroken.

"Oh, come on," Ky pressed, trotting after him like an overeager hound. "We've been playing this little game for centuries. You must admit, I've been persistent. Resilient. Maybe even a bit entertaining?" He punctuated the last word with a mocking laugh.

Urd's only answer was the faintest tightening of his jaw.

"I'll take that as a yes," Ky said, falling into step beside him. He adjusted the collar of his coat and glanced at the humans bustling around them. "You know, I've never seen you feed directly. Not once. Sure, I've seen your victims, but they're always alive. That's... peculiar, wouldn't you say? I mean, it's not exactly our style to leave our prey breathing."

Urd's gaze remained fixed ahead, but there was a subtle shift in the air around him—a warning, like the calm before a storm. Some vampires liked to talk about this topic others didn't.

Ky Luc's grin widened as he sensed the unspoken tension. Oh, this was getting good. He wasn't stopping now.

"Do you do it in secret? Somewhere no one can catch you?" Ky's voice was laced with mock curiosity. "Or maybe..." He leaned in slightly, his voice lowering conspiratorially. "Maybe you're a monster when you do it. Is your regal front gone then? Or—and here's a fun thought—you don't feed at all. Maybe you nibble on human food, pretending it works while your body screams for blood."

The silence that followed was deafening. Urd's footsteps slowed, and for the first time, Ky felt a flicker of unease. Then Urd stopped completely.

Ky paused, his smirk faltering as he realized he might have pushed a little too far. The Second Progenitor stood still as a statue, his back to Ky. Then, slowly, Urd turned, and the expression on his face was not one Ky had ever seen before.

"There is," Urd said, his voice soft but edged with steel, "a limit to how much insolence I can tolerate from an individual."

Ky's instincts screamed at him to run. His body felt the familiar urge to back away, to put as much distance as possible between himself and the predator in front of him. And yet... his pulse quickened in excitement rather than fear. Would this finally be the moment? Would Lord Urd retaliate?

"Punish me, then," Ky teased, though there was a nervous edge to his voice. "I mean, after all these years, you deserve a little fun. Isn't it boring that you just take my actions and never do anything?" If Ky knew what absurdity awaited him he might have not said that but it was too late anyway.

Without a word, Urd stepped forward. His movement was so fast, so fluid, that Ky didn't register what was happening until an iron grip clamped around his wrist. Before he could even think to pull away, he was being dragged forward with an almost casual force that made it clear resistance was futile.

"What—" Ky began, but Urd's cold glare silenced him.

They stopped in front of a small, dimly lit tavern, its windows fogged from the warmth within. Urd pushed the door open and stepped inside, still dragging Ky with him. The scent of roasted meat and stale beer hit Ky like a slap, making his nose wrinkle. Humans turned to glance at them, but quickly averted their eyes, instinctively recognizing the danger that had just entered their midst.

Urd disappeared into the back for a moment, leaving Ky standing awkwardly among the mortal patrons. When Urd returned, he carried something in his hand—a small round pastry, steaming faintly in the chill air as they stepped back outside and away from human eyes.

Urd held the warm food out to Ky, his crimson eyes boring into him. "Eat it."

Ky stared at the offering, then at Urd, his expression incredulous. "You're joking."

Urd didn't answer. He simply stood there, the pastry in hand, his expression as unreadable as ever.

Ky laughed nervously. "Vampires don't eat human food, my lord. Our bodies reject it, violently, in case you forgot." Oh well, Ky just suggested that Lord Urd was nibbling on human food instead of drinking blood. It was a joke. Seems like Lord Urd's sense of humor was a bit twisted if he even had one.

Urd tilted his head slightly, the barest hint of a smile curling at the corners of his lips. And that smile was infinitely more terrifying than any snarl or glare. "Then eat it quickly," Urd said, his tone light but with an undercurrent of command. "Or I'll force-feed it to you."

For once, Ky didn't know what to say. Fight? Run? He was paralyzed, caught between curiosity, fear, and some twisted sense of amusement. Finally, he took the pastry with a dramatic sigh.

"This is vicious," Ky muttered, staring at the food as if it might bite him first. Then, reluctantly, he took a bite.

The moment the warm, buttery pastry hit his tongue, his body rebelled. His stomach twisted violently, and his chest burned as though he'd swallowed fire. He barely managed a second bite before he gagged, his hands clutching his middle as he doubled over and retched onto the cobblestones.

Pain lanced through him, worse than any wound he'd ever suffered in combat. He dropped to his knees, panting, the taste still lingering like a curse. "Is this some kind of torture?" he gasped.

Urd stood over him, utterly unbothered, his hands clasped neatly behind his back. "A lesson," he said simply. "There are lines you should not cross, Ky Luc. Now get up."

Ky glared at him from the ground, his body still wracked with pain. "You're insane," he rasped.

"Perhaps," Urd replied, already turning to leave. "But I've made my point."

Ky struggled to his feet, his pride bruised far more than his body. As he staggered after Urd, he couldn't help but laugh, albeit weakly. "So, that's what happens when someone crosses the great Lord Urd, huh? Threatening to be force-fed human food? I'll remember that."

Urd didn't respond, his gaze fixed forward once more, but there was the faintest flicker of amusement in his crimson eyes.

Ky learned something that night. Urd, for all his stoic calm, was not someone to be underestimated—or crossed. And even as his body screamed in protest, Ky couldn't help but admire the Second Progenitor a little more.

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

Later that night, in the quiet desolation of a chamber in the vampire stronghold, Ky Luc lay sprawled on a worn chaise, his body still wracked with aftershocks of the punishment he'd endured. The room was stark, its only decoration was the faint etchings of cracks that ran through the stone walls like veins. A single dim lantern cast a weak glow, the flickering light painting Ky's pale skin in shades of gold and shadow.

"Never again," Ky muttered to himself, clutching his stomach. His voice, though weak, carried a wry tone as he considered the absurdity of what had happened. "I rather die..."

He laughed softly, the sound bitter and incredulous, as he dragged a hand through his messy brown hair. He could still feel the phantom ache of his body rejecting the food, a visceral reminder of Urd's power and, perhaps, his peculiar sense of justice.

And yet, despite the pain, Ky's lips curled into a grin. "He's a monster, alright," he murmured. "Not the kind that tears you apart, even though he could. Is he the kind that toys with you, lets you think you're untouchable, and then reminds you exactly who's in charge? Probably..."

The creak of the heavy oak door interrupted his thoughts. Ky straightened instinctively, his smirk fading as the imposing figure of Lord Urd entered the room. He moved with his usual predatory grace, his coat billowing faintly as he approached the small table in the center of the room. Without a word, Urd set down a polished carafe and two goblets.

Ky sat up, his sharp eyes narrowing as he watched Urd pour two glasses of blood with meticulous precision. The crimson liquid shimmered faintly in the lantern light, the scent rich and intoxicating. Urd seated himself across from Ky, sliding one of the goblets toward him.

For a moment, Ky hesitated, his mind racing with questions. Was this another test? Another twisted lesson? But Urd's expression betrayed nothing. Calm, composed, inscrutable as ever.

Taking the goblet cautiously, Ky cradled it in his hands but didn't drink. Instead, he leaned back, tilting his head as he regarded Urd with a curious smirk. "So," he said, breaking the silence, "to what do I owe the honor? Mercy from the great Lord Urd, after all that?"

Urd's crimson eyes locked onto Ky's, their intensity as unnerving as it was captivating. "Mercy," Urd repeated, his voice as smooth as silk, "is not the word I would use."

Ky chuckled, swirling the blood in his goblet. "Oh, I disagree. Letting me already drink blood after tonight? Letting me continue in one piece? That feels like mercy."

Urd's gaze didn't waver. "You're mistaken if you think my actions were motivated by kindness."

"Then what?" Ky pressed, his grin sharpening into a taunt. "Why not finish me off? After all, you've endured centuries of my antics. I wouldn't hold it against you if tonight was the breaking point."

Urd remained silent for a beat, his crimson gaze unwavering as if weighing Ky's worth in the moment. Then, with deliberate grace, he leaned forward, resting his elbows lightly on the table, his fingers steepling beneath his chin. "Because, Ky Luc, for all your vexations, you manage to serve a dual purpose—both as a thorn and... a tool."

Ky arched a brow, feigning offense. "A tool? Well, don't I feel flattered."

"You should," Urd replied, his tone cool and measured. "Your persistence, while maddening, has its uses. You remind others that even the Fifth Progenitor—despite his insufferable arrogance—knows his place beneath me. A message that strengthens my authority without needing to utter a word."

Ky tilted his head, his smirk widening as he lifted the goblet to his lips. "So, I'm your accidental enforcer? That's rich. Shall I wear bells and call myself your jester too?"

"Call yourself what you like," Urd said, his gaze narrowing slightly. "You're also perceptive enough to understand boundaries—and clever enough to rarely overstep them. Until tonight."

Ky lowered the goblet, his expression sobering as he placed it carefully on the table. The usual spark of mockery faded, replaced by something faintly introspective. "And here I thought you hated me."

"Hate," Urd said evenly, leaning back in his chair, "is reserved for those who matter far less. What I cannot abide is blatant disrespect. But you, Ky Luc, have an irritating talent for toeing the line without completely crossing it." He paused, his crimson eyes locking onto Ky's. "Until now."

Ky winced theatrically, placing a hand over his chest. "Noted. I'll keep my comments about your eating habits to myself from now on."

"See that you do," Urd said evenly, though there was a faint glimmer of amusement in his eyes. He raised his goblet, taking a measured sip before setting it down. "Consider tonight a lesson. Not just for you, but for anyone who might think to test me."

Ky's grin returned, this time softer, less biting. "Lesson learned. Loud and clear."

The two sat in silence for a moment, the tension between them dissipating like mist. For all his bluster, Ky knew he had skirted closer to death tonight than ever before. Yet there was a strange comfort in Lord Urd's presence, a certainty that even in his punishments, the Second Progenitor was measured and just.

"Tell me something, Lord Urd," Ky said, breaking the quiet. "Why didn't you kill me? Truly. After all these centuries, all my provocations... why keep me around?"

Urd regarded him for a long moment, his crimson eyes unreadable. "Perhaps," he said finally, his voice low and thoughtful, "because you remind me that even perfection requires friction. A blade dulls without resistance."

Ky blinked, then laughed softly, shaking his head. "You know, you might be the most terrifying creature I've ever met."

"And you," Urd said, his lips curving into the faintest of smiles, "might be the most irritating."

For a moment, they held each other's gaze, the silence between them filled with an unspoken understanding. Then, with a fluid motion, Urd rose to his feet, his coat sweeping behind him as he moved toward the door.

"Rest," he said without turning back. "We leave at dawn."

Ky watched him go, the grin lingering on his face long after the door had closed. "A blade dulls without resistance," he muttered to himself, leaning back against the chaise. "You really are something, Lord Urd."

And for the first time in centuries, Ky felt as though he understood just a little more about the enigmatic Second Progenitor—and perhaps, about himself.

-END-