He awoke in a damp cardboard box, his eyes heavy and his body cold. This was the place he had always called home, nestled between the dark, cold alleyways of Lumoria Avenue, which were covered in rainwater and morning dew.
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He stood up and rubbed his arms, trying to chase away the goosebumps. He was used to it—the cold of the morning, the craggy, uncomfortable touch of the rough ground, and the unwelcoming stares of those who crossed his path.
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This was the only life he knew, the only life that made sense to someone who grew up without a home.
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Since the beginning of his time on the street, Kaden Hamilton had always wondered what it would be like to have a home—a place to rest, to feel safe, to not always be hungry and thirsty. It was a nice thought, but one he tried not to dwell on.
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Kaden stood up and yawned. He patted down his dirty black jacket and wiped the dirt from his ripped pants. With a tired expression, he began to walk down the sidewalk, his hands in his pockets.
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He had a destination in mind, one that took him through block after block. After almost a mile of walking, he stood before the place he wanted to see: an old bookstore on the corner of Clement Street.
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"Finally here," Kaden said, brushing off the sweat from his forehead as he looked up at the sign that read "Backward History."
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Kaden opened the door, hearing the loud creaks from the old hinges. "This place has seen better days," he said as he walked into the small store.
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"Nonsense... this place has character and is more valuable than gold itself."
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Kaden turned and saw her behind the front desk beside the door. She was the only person he trusted, the only woman who seemed to see him as a person at all.
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Her name was Jeena Hendrickson, a woman with long blonde hair that always rested in a ponytail, wearing a white button-down shirt, black leather pants, and black boots. Glasses rested on her face as she held a small, brown-covered book in her hands.
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"Another story, huh?" Kaden asked as he walked toward Jeena with a smile.
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Jeena chuckled to herself, her eyes still focused on the book. "What can I say? I have nothing but love for a good story."
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Kaden chuckled to himself. "Speaking of stories, what small tale are you going to tell me today?" he asked as he walked behind the desk and sat down on a small stool next to Jeena's chair. "I hope it's a little more unique than the last one."
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"What? I thought you liked the last one I told you," Jeena said, taking off her glasses.
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"Hey, it wasn't bad, but I think you can do better," Kaden said, crossing his arms.
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Jeena smiled as she looked down at the book on the desk. "You always had an adventurous spirit," she said. "Ever since the moment I met you."
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Kaden's cheeks began to turn a barely visible red as he thought about the past. He remembered the death-bringing chill that sought only to weaken his body, his growling stomach that called out for food and nourishment, and most importantly, he remembered Jeena standing over him wearing her long brown coat. He remembered her eyes filled with concern and worry. It was a look he had never forgotten.
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"I'm afraid I've already told you all the stories I know," Jeena said, breaking Kaden's memory of the past.
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"That's too bad," Kaden said, his voice low. "Your stories were always the highlight of my day."33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmw6v83T6U
Jeena looked at Kaden and saw the sad look in his eyes. It was a look he always tried to hide from her, but never succeeded.
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"I might have one more story to tell you," she said as she leaned back in her chair, gripping something that rested around her neck.
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"Oh yeah? About what?" Kaden asked.
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"This," Jeena said, revealing a small crimson red stone tied to a golden chain that wrapped around her neck.
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Kaden's eyes widened. "What is that?"
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Jeena smiled as she looked down at the crimson stone in her hands.
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"It is an old relic that has belonged to my family for a long time," Jeena said, her eyes never leaving the stone.
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"You see, there is a legend in my family," she began, stopping short of her sentence. "A legend that talks about great warriors who could break rocks with their bare hands, warriors wielding weapons of pure black steel—weapons that flowed like shadows."
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Kaden said nothing as he continued to listen to Jeena's story.
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"These mighty warriors honed their skills, becoming absolute beasts in combat, all just to fight their true enemy," Jeena said, letting go of the crimson stone and allowing it to fall and rest on her neck.
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Kaden raised a single eyebrow. "Their true enemy?"
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"Vampires," Jeena said with a smirk. "My family's enemy is vampires."
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Kaden looked into Jeena's eyes, which seemed to shine with a light he had never seen before. She was more serious than she had ever been when she told a story. She spoke as if all of this was real.
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"A thousand years ago, a great war raged between humans and vampires," Jeena continued. "Countless lives were lost on both sides. Entire villages were decimated, and the land was soaked in blood. In the midst of this chaos, my ancestors fought valiantly. They discovered a way to turn the tide of battle by capturing and sealing a powerful vampire artifact—the crimson stone."
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Kaden leaned forward, enthralled. "So that stone is a vampire relic?"
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Jeena nodded. "Yes, it is. It's said to hold the power to destroy the world itself."
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Kaden leaned back in his chair, his hands behind his head as he began to laugh. "That's some story," he said with a smirk "What kind of power does that little stone have that it could destroy the world?"
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Jeena looked at Kaden, her smile gone. "The kind of power that doesn't belong in human hands."
***
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Author notes: Please support my work on Patreon for early access to new chapters. https://patreon.com/DarkMatteromniverse
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