Trill wasted no time. He dashed out through the same door the orcs had taken to fetch their "toys." The elevator wasn't available, and even if it had been, it wouldn't have been wise to use it at that moment. Luckily for him, he reached a room where he found his beloved trench coat, his pants, and his leather boots. The latter looked somewhat stretched, as if the orcs had tried to put them on without success. Despite the unpleasant stench they now carried, Trill couldn't help but feel relieved to have recovered them.
He took a moment to breathe and think while checking the hallway that led back to the castle. He noticed the structure was very different from the stone vestibule he'd entered through or from the young woman's room that still lingered in his thoughts."You came to save me," he remembered her words. But that wasn't his mission. In fact, his purpose was the exact opposite. He had come to end her existence for the good of the people.
The hallway was long and made of wood, as if it were part of a mine. However, something disturbing made it stand out: hanging sacks filled with meat, covered in flies, swayed as if preserved. Beneath them, jars collected thick, dripping blood."So they play with their food. How rude," he muttered under his breath, pulling a small vial with a needle from his case.
Without hesitation, he injected its contents. Within seconds, he had fully caught his breath and declared:"A bit of medicine for daddy."
He looked at his right hand as if expecting a reaction, but the large eye embedded in it remained inert. No matter how much he called it "Skipper," it ignored him entirely. Trill clicked his tongue in resignation.
Still, he had already identified his target and the possible enemies. He didn't rule out the presence of more orcs, though he didn't consider them a major problem. The real challenge was the vampire known as Lord Cel-Rua.
His first encounter with that being had been… peculiar. Trill was certain the princess in the castle was the vampire's most prized possession. He couldn't help but think how convenient it would be to capture her, yet the idea also felt unpleasant. After all, she had helped him, and had given him something as valuable as her cross.
Without realizing it, Trill held the cross between his fingers, contemplating it with a thoughtful expression."What should I do, mom?" he whispered to himself.
A noise interrupted him. He quickly hid among the bloody, foul-smelling sacks. The pair of orcs had re-entered the area, both carrying huge machetes easily the length of a human arm.
Still a bit dizzy, Trill had no interest in fighting. Instead, he decided to slip away up a small wooden staircase that led to a pantry.
To his surprise, the room was full of fine cuts of meat cooling in compartments with ice blocks. At the back, dozens of barrels of strange human-made alcohol were fermenting slowly."Damn, we're out of liver. Good thing that intruder showed up, huh?" said an orc slicing meat at a table."How many livers does a human have? Two, four, maybe six? I dunno…" replied the other thoughtfully.
The first shrugged, uninterested in the conversation. At that moment, the large orc who had accompanied the young woman entered the kitchen."Is dinner ready? The master and the guests are growing impatient.""Almost done. We just need to cut some colorful vegetables for garnish," replied one of the orcs, plating the food. "Could you bring us some, boss?"
The big orc nodded and headed straight for the pantry. With nowhere to run, Trill went on guard, gripping his knife tightly. However, before the door opened, a sweet voice—not at all like that of an orc—whispered from the other side:"Don't be afraid, I'm on your side."
Trill lowered his knife, still somewhat wary, and let her in. The orc walked right past him, ignoring him entirely, grabbed some eggplants, and left the room as if nothing had happened.
After that, the orcs in the kitchen finished plating and went off to serve the food in the dining hall. The large orc, taking advantage of the moment, returned to the pantry and tossed a servant's uniform to Trill."Follow me."
With little choice, Trill put on the uniform and followed the massive creature. Despite her appearance, which had little femininity beyond her chest, the orc had something peculiar about her. Her mossy skin, like the bark of a tree, and her coarse features didn't help, but there was a certain elegance in her gait—something unsettling to admit.
As they walked, Trill couldn't help but grow impatient."Why are you helping me? Or is this a trap? Because if it is, I warn you I'm not that stupid. I can tell what you're thinking even right now."
The orc, without turning to look at him, calmly replied:"Oh, really? Then, Mr. Hunter, what am I thinking?""It's obvious. You can't decide whether to roast me over a fire or sauté me in garlic."
The orc stopped dead in her tracks and gave herself a loud smack on the forehead.
"It's always the same. For the last time: we don't eat meat. It harms us. We don't have the enzymes to digest it. You humans label us as carnivores and cannibals without even knowing our cuisine. For your information, I was wondering if the laundry I did this morning had dried yet. It's hard to get things dry underground, you know?"
At that answer, Trill could only apologize for his comment.
"Don't worry," the orc continued. "I mean, you saw my companions carrying dead men in their arms, bleeding them dry to make wine for the lord of the house, and you yourself were almost tortured by the twins. I'm not surprised you think that way. But that doesn't make human prejudice any less annoying to me. You people are more unpleasant than we are, you know? If it weren't for our lord, we'd live in peace in our village, but…"
The orc suddenly turned to face Trill. Her expression, surprisingly tender for someone of her appearance, seemed almost tragic as she said:
"If there's anyone who fears our lord more than you do, it's us."
Trill finally understood. The orcs were nothing more than pawns working for the enemy. If the vampire—this being they called Lord Cel-Rua—were to fall, perhaps the orcs could leave in peace. The possibility crossed his mind, though it was far from certain.
The orc resumed walking as she spoke.
"You know, I was really surprised when you arrived. You were unconscious for two whole days. I'm sorry; I think I hit you too hard that time."
"It was you who knocked me out?" asked Trill, keeping pace with her.
"Yes, sorry about that. But tell me, how did you expect a housekeeper to react, seeing a total stranger walk into my lady's room while she was changing clothes?"
"I have to admit, you've got a point."
"I was really scared. I thought I'd killed you. Still, the young lady panicked and ran to help you. You know, you smell like a guest, so she genuinely thought you were her fiancé."
"Fiancé? I remember she mentioned something about that," Trill commented, thoughtful.
As they spoke, they stopped in front of a balcony overlooking the dining room. From there, they could see three people seated at the table: the elegant man who had slapped Trill, the beautiful silver-haired young woman, and an older man, possibly the eldest of the three.
The orc sighed and murmured with a trace of sadness:"Too bad you weren't the lucky one."
The orc kept walking until, without Trill realizing, they ended up in front of the door to the young lady's chambers. She opened it and invited Trill inside. They both sat down in the room and, after closing the door, she continued speaking:
"Let me explain. You see, the young lady is going to be sold to that old man."
"Well, it's normal among nobles to marry their children off to other nobles, isn't it? Besides, they're vampires—appearances can be deceiving," Trill replied, disinterested.
"The master isn't the young lady's father; he's her uncle. Maybe you don't care about what I'm about to tell you, but about twenty years ago, our former lord, Rudo Cel-Mare, died, leaving the estate at the mercy of other noble vampires who seized it. Lord Rudo was kind, gentle, and generous. For centuries he helped the neighboring villages, and in return, the villagers would offer him blood as tribute for his consumption."
The orc stood and began walking around the room, stopping in front of a portrait on the wall. It depicted a beautiful black-haired woman, a man with noble, masculine features, holding a small child in the woman's arms. The orc caressed the portrait before continuing:
"Lord Rudo was so kind that he once took in a street maiden and made her a servant of the mansion. Day after day, she worked with dedication, and over time, they fell in love. Although he was immortal and she a mere human, their love was mutual. In time, she agreed to abandon her humanity and transcend so she could be with him for eternity."
The orc paused, looking at the portrait with nostalgia.
"What they hadn't realized was that she was pregnant before the transformation process—a vampire cannot give birth. She is undead, incapable of creating life. Despite that, they did the impossible to allow the child to grow in her womb. And although they succeeded, the price was immense. The birth was extremely difficult due to the methods used to sustain the fetus; the mother perished shortly after giving birth to my lady. She was born healthy, like any other living being."
"That's all very nice and touching, but… what does that have to do with me?" Trill asked, crossing his arms.
"That she's unique. She… is a vampire with blood in her veins."
"With blood? You mean…?" Trill froze as he understood.
"That's right. She is the only vampire—possibly the only undead—that ovulates. Male vampires can reproduce, but females cannot become pregnant. Yet this girl can."
The orc stepped away from the portrait and turned to Trill with a serious look.
"When her father discovered this miracle, he kept it secret for years, fearing what might happen if other vampires learned of it. But when he died, the young lady was left at the mercy of her uncle. And now that he knows her secret, he wants to sell her to the vampire with the purest blood, so that together they can create a new breed of vampires—vampires who can reproduce, pass on their genes, and grow more powerful."
Trill remained silent, processing the information, while the orc continued:"That's why I'm asking you—don't let them take her away. You, as a hunter, know what it would mean for the world. If vampires, who are already a problem even in small numbers, were to become a population… it would be the end of humanity."
Trill pondered for a moment. It was hard to believe a vampire could reproduce naturally. The thought of a world overrun by vampires was personally unbearable to him. Finally, he replied:"You know the simplest solution would be to kill her. If she lives, sooner or later someone will take her and create that new breed of monsters. No matter how well she hides, it's inevitable. And even knowing this, you choose to tell me—me, a hunter."
"Precisely because of that. Of all those who could have come, you're the one who built a bond with the young lady, and she firmly believes you're the hero who will take her out of this inverted tower. That's why I'm asking you."
Suddenly, the orc dropped to the ground, kneeling before Trill, pleading with tears in her eyes:"Save her from her uncle, please. Don't let her fall into anyone else's hands. I beg you—even if you think the only solution is to kill her. But please, don't let them harm her."
Trill looked at the massive creature before him, her words filled with pain and supplication."Your way of loving and protecting is strange. You ask me to protect her, but at the same time, to kill her. Make up your mind already. And I warn you, I'm not doing this for you. I came for your lord's head, not for the castle's princess. If I save your dear lady, it'll only be a side effect."
The orc lifted her gaze with a smile full of gratitude."Thank you very much, hunter. Thank you."
At last, the eye had opened, and the time to begin the hunt had come.