The first thing Azel Raen felt was cold.
Not the familiar cold of void or chaos, but something gentler — the air of a hospital room, filled with light and human warmth.
He didn't remember how he got here. His thoughts were fragments, shadows of another life — of thrones, fire, and silence. Then pain. Then… this.
A cry left his throat, instinctive and human.
The nurse lifted him carefully, wrapping him in a white cloth. Her professional smile faltered the moment she saw his face.
Her breath caught.
"His hair…" she whispered.
It wasn't the pale fuzz of most newborns. His hair gleamed a clean, unnatural white.
And his eyes — barely open — shimmered red like twin embers.
The doctor frowned. "Must be albinism," he said, but his tone wavered.
The second nurse, a younger woman, stepped closer, curiosity mixing with unease.
"I've never seen a baby with eyes that color…"
"Don't stare," the doctor murmured, snapping them back into motion. "Give him to his mother."
---
The woman on the bed stirred as the nurse approached. She was young, beautiful — her long golden hair clinging to her cheeks with sweat, her blue eyes filled with exhaustion and warmth.
"Is he alright?" she asked softly.
The nurse hesitated, then smiled. "He's perfect."
The mother took him gently into her arms. Her trembling hands steadied as soon as she felt his warmth.
A faint smile crossed her lips.
"White hair… red eyes… You're really something special, aren't you?"
Azel blinked up at her. He didn't understand her words, but he felt something strange — comfort.
Her scent. Her heartbeat. It pulled him from the chaos inside his mind.
> This feeling… it's warm… strange… human.
The nurse and doctor exchanged uncertain looks but said nothing. The tension slowly melted as the woman cradled her son close, humming a soft tune.
---
A few hours later, the rain outside had stopped.
The hospital's halls echoed with the quiet sound of new life — crying, laughter, the shuffle of shoes.
Azel's father arrived soon after. He was tall, with sharp red hair and a composed expression that softened the instant he saw them.
"You did well, Lena," he said, kneeling beside the bed. His voice was deep, steady, filled with quiet pride.
She smiled tiredly. "Meet our son."
The man leaned in to look. His expression flickered — surprise, then curiosity.
"White hair? Red eyes…? That's rare."
"Do you think it's bad?" Lena asked softly, tightening her hold on the baby.
He chuckled and brushed a finger through the infant's soft hair.
"No. It's different. Maybe that's a good thing."
> Different… yes. Always different.
The thought came and went like a whisper.
---
By evening, they left the hospital.
The city lights glowed softly through the car window as Lena held Azel close. Her husband drove silently, humming an old tune under his breath.
At home, they stepped into a modest, warm apartment.
The air smelled faintly of rain and fresh flowers. Lena laid Azel gently in a small crib beside her bed.
For a long moment, she simply watched him — her golden hair falling over her shoulders as she smiled faintly.
"Sleep well, my little star."
Azel's red eyes slowly closed. His breathing steadied.
And in the silence of that moment, the world itself seemed to hold its breath.
A faint sound echoed, mechanical yet distant — something no one else could hear.
> [System Integration: Initiating…]
[Synchronization Progress: 1%]
The newborn's tiny hand twitched.
A faint, crimson light flickered deep within his pupils before fading entirely.
The rain began again outside, tapping gently on the window.
> [Welcome, Azel Raen.]
[System Type: Vampire God System]
[Integration Complete: 3%]
Lena hummed softly in her sleep, unaware that destiny had already taken root beside her.
And as the night deepened, a forgotten god dreamed within the fragile body of a newborn child.