[ Chapter I (1): "THE MAZE-LIKE MANSION, AND OLD-MAN KLAUS: THE HEADBUTLER" ]
[ "There goes months of work..." ] Mikhael sights to himself, having ran out the door, he was able to notice his little Golem zigzagging pass the antiques in the dimly lit hallway.
He was happy with it having the ability to run, parkour even, adapt on the fly. About to give chase, he wasn't able to, as the said Golem gets cut in half by a set of axe wielding enchanted iron armor. [ "This sucks, right Cojo?" ]
[ "Myhaw..." ] He asked, Cojo replied, before then curling back on the corner of his neck.
Mikhael who's somewhat hopeful, but somewhat disappointed watches as the said Golem who's split in half, lays there. Seemingly one contemplating about life while staring at the ceiling of the mansion, without eyes that is.
[ "You good, bud?" ] He poked the said expensive toy using his hands, hoping for it to move. [ "Miao!" ]
But no matter what he does, it doesn't jump to it's feet or even give a single response. [ "Yeah, no, I was just checking." ]
[ "At least we can confirm that the thing can actually functoon." ] He gently picked his project up, careful, not wanting to drop it and causing even more damage. [ "This... this'll need a few rune stitching, repair here and there..." ]
Mikhael kept touching the Golem, which is his magnum opus at the moment— one which is destroyed. But he believes with a few fix here and there, then it'll be better than before.
First on the list, he needs to re-carve the tiny ruins which was destroyed in the body of the said toy. Apparently, the runes for "chest" (kista), "move" (raidho), "think" (hyggja) and some others that he couldn't see clearly was broken. Completely at that.
You see, runes are easy once you understand the geez of it, he had spent months on nothing but learning from books. Runes being his favorite with old viking being one that he is best at, something he uses in turn.
[ "This is, uhh- actually easy, let's fix this before goi-" ] About to run back into his room, he immediately paused when he heard his stomach grumble, quite loudly at that. [ "Not before grabbing a bite." ]
[ "Miao..." ] So does the stomach of his best friend, which is near Mikhael's ear. [ "Yeah-yeah, I'm hungry too, I wonder what's cooking?" ]
So with the both of them hungry, he quickly readjusted his steps as to move further into the hallway, away from his room/laboratory. Though the estate is a maze, he having spent a year in it, have actually memorized some parts.
He hadn't memorized the whole layout of the estate, of the castle, of the grounds. But he knows just enough to navigate his way from room-to-room, floor-to-floor, place-to-place. This includes the stairway which will lead him downwards to the dining hall.
Yes, a dining hall. You had heard it correctly, even he was surprised when he heard that the house he'll be livng in, has one, not just one, but three. From an poor oprhan, to a rich boss overnight. Who would believe this story?
Oh, uhh- definitely the Outcast Society, especially if that said individual is apparently a Vampire and the sole descendant of a long standing family that is practically out of touch with the 21st century. Weird family, really.
But the treatment Mikhael had been receiving from the servants of the place, is more than enough for him to like it better than an weird orphanage, with people in it not at all worried about the state of the children inside.
The bonus of him being able to grab his furry friend was also a huge PLUS in his books, so, yeah, no regrets. He just hopes that the donation that Old-Man Klaus told him is being properly handled by the orphanage, if not...
[ "Wait...?" ]
Pausing in the middle of an intersection, he snapped out of his stupor as he realized almost immediately that he doesn't recognize the layout of the place that he is in.
So with a worried look, he glanced at his cat, which also realized that something is wrong. Sensing that something is not quite correct, sniffing the air as he does.
[ "Are we actually...?" ]
[ "Mhaw..." ]
[ "Yeah, we are lost..." ]
[ "Where even is this?!?" ]
He glanced at his left, then at his right, then at the front, then finally at the back where he came from. All hallways seemingly looking alike aside from the paintings, vase of dead flowers, and old wallpapers.
So with trusting his luck, he instead did the next best thing and flipped a coin... [ "I've no coin." ] Scratch that, doing the next best thing and instead placed the right part of his Golem in the middle of the intersection, spinning it .
Cojo merely grumbled, hungry, about to eat a horse if given the chance. Mikhael too, but he is great at holding his hunger, so he didn't grumble like a certain someone, instead waiting for the Golem to finally stop spinning.
[ "I know, I know. I'm hungry asw- okay, this way it is then!" ] The Golem pointed to the left, so he went to the left hallway without at all bothering to check the other hallways.
And luck seems to indeed favor him, as pass the oil paintings of someone with his right hand tucked on the inside of his vest, is another hallway, this hallway leading to nowhere but a wall. That's not important.
Instead what Mikhael noticed even though it's dark, with practically no light at all, is the sizable stairway leading to either upward or downward. So with a glint to his eyes, he then moved, [ "See, I told you my luck is great!" ]
[ "Maoh..." ]
About to argue with his cat, he couldn't, as another voice echoed into his ear; this one deep, old, wise, and came out of nowhere whispering into his ear. [ "Luck?" ]
[ "Huh...?" ] He glanced around, now thanks to the candle lights and enhanced vision that he has, he could very well arguably see better in the dark about 40-50% of the time.
And in thanks to that, he was able to quickly notice an old-bat hanging by the roof of the first floor corridor. This one looking at him confused, before then speaking in perfect english with an slight accent, [ "Hello, child." ]
Mikhael in seeing the bat spoke, smiled in return, his fangs which are not fully grown opened to all those who can see. [ "Klaus!" ]
[ "The one and only." ] Skilled Vampires, or at the very least those who had lived for hundreds of years can turn themselves into Bats without losing their sanity.
Some could even speak, as shown by Klaus the Headbutler and only Butler of the Flameboot Estate. And also the co-guardian of the 8-year-old Mikhael, heir to the family.
At the moment, Mikhael who's only a babe, actually, more like a month-old child to the other Vampires, is fragile. Someone who is still most sensitive to the sun, someone who haven't fully grown his fangs yet, or have taste buds to appreciate stronger flavors of blood.
The Bat smiled at him, before then flyind down from where it was hanging. Finally turning back into human, olden, slick-suited, butler of a human at that. [ "I-I, you need to teach me that!" ]
[ "Perhaps in the future, child. When you are older than..." ] The red-eyed man tilted his head to the side, one brow raised seemingly confused. [ "Is it just me, or did you perhaps grew shorter than before?" ]
[ "And what is... this, young Lord?" ] About to answer the first second, and also the second question. He wasn't given time, as the broken Golem in his hand levitated, floating freely into the hands of the hundreds of year old butler.
[ "That-that is uhh- the latest version of my alchemy product." ] He felt proud of his work, wanting to explain everything, but knowing that he couldn't clearly.
He instead prompt with a short introduction of the product instead, smiling brightly as he watches his friend look at his invention with great interest— like a man with fire, or a kid with a phone for the first time.
[ "It's a sentient Golem. Capable of basic thoughts at the least east, like the uhh-" ]
[ "Like the 49 stationed suits of iron armor stationed all-around the castle. Bravo!" ]
He clasp the said product, proud of it, especially because the creator of it is the grandson of the previous master that he was serving. Now, is the one he is serving. If he wasn't wrong, merely an 8-year-old child.
And also because out of the many versions of the Golems he had been shown, this being the latest, this looks the least likely to blow up. The added bonus that it is capable of thoughts are there, but still, it doesn't blow up. A win!
[ "Yeah-yeah, uhh- but at the moment it's... broken. Yeah..." ] Mikhael pointed out, which the white-haired butler seems to finally notice— at first he thought the open torso was a fashion statement, but apparently not. [ "Oh. That explains." ]
[ "Miao." ] Cojo getting impatient scratched his shoulders lightly, claws out, meowing and reminding him about the primary objective.
[ "Oh, yeah, that." ] Mikhael then remembered, his attention turning to the confused Klaus who's trying to understand the small bronze contraption in his hand. [ "Klaus, can you please lead us to the Dining Hall." ]
[ "Absolutely," ] Hearing those words, a command. His eyes shined brightly in the dark, before then smiling warmly, ready to lead. [ "Right away, young Lord. Please follow my lead." ]
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[ FUN FACT: Outcast is the term used for people with special abilities— this varies from physical, mental, and supernatural. The species of Outcasts varies but mainly they include but not limited to: Vampires (Fangs), Psychokinetics (DaVincis), Werewolves (Furs), Gorgons (Stoners), and Sirens (Scales). People without powers on the other hand are called Normies. ]
[ 09/14/2025 ]
[ 09/15/2025 ]