Around the worlds 1 - A tale of vampires

Michela made another disgusted noise. Church, religion... in the end, every world was the same. People always let themselves be brainwashed by those kind of institutions. And for what? Eternal life? Forgiveness for your sins from a deity that didn't exist? Whatever. "Can... can they still think in... that state?", she asked carefully.

Cathy's eyes watered rapidly, and her words were chocked in a sob.
"Yes," answered Karl in a soft voice. "This is why miss Cathy is at least looking for a way to grant her family's last wish."

Michela nodded, absent-mindedly. She looked at Cathy. 'I can't even imagine what she is going through.' She stayed silent, out of a sudden uneasiness towards that whole situation. Also because she didn't honestly know what she could've said. It had always been difficult to her, to reach out to someone who is suffering... She looked at Karl instead. "Do you think that artificial bodies would actually work?", she asked in a quiet whisper.

Karl's expression was for once... Actually full of lots of things. Fear, guilt, uneasiness perhaps? He gently grabbed Michela's arm, and guided her a bit away from Cathy. "... I know Cathy's grandfather more than she does. He wishes to die, not to live on in another body. This... this is partly why I made sure the transfer to my body failed."

Michela nodded, a grim expression on her face. "You know, back in my world... I've met some people that had been changed into vampires against their own will. They considered it as a terminal illness, only that you couldn't die from it. They tried to die countless times. By starving to death, by drowning... to no avail. There are only a couple of ways to kill one of my kind, and they are extremely painful." She looked at him. "How can you kill your vampires, if you can do it at all?"

"We don't know yet, but I think that if they found a way to get less sensitive to the stone, or if they could leave this world for a brief second, they might all die. Most of them are really old," admitted Karl. "That must be why Zahir wanted to talk to your magician friend." Karl gave her a long look, and seemed... concern. "Are you thinking about dying too?"

"That's what they want then. I get it", Michela murmured, thinking out loud. "I wonder if getting changed in vampires of MY kind would do any difference at least for the pain... but well, if they want to die..." She was used to think in every direction, she had been taught to. Then she looked back at Karl, blinking surprised at his question. Then something flashed in her eyes as she averted her gaze to the side. Guilt, maybe?
"... I would lie if I said I haven't thought about it. But I gave up on that by now."

Karl kept looking at her, and raised his arm, as if he wanted to touch her, but stopped in his motion. "... I have to admit I don't understand it."

"Well, it's... complicated, I guess." Michela sighed and looked back at Karl again. "You see your relatives get old and die... you get pointed out as a monster, hunted down in the name of God, or forced to withstand experiments on yourself... you have to live hidden during the daylight, like a rat. Not everyone is strong enough to live like this." She shrugged. "By now I just decided to find a place that will accept the way I live. I got tired of hiding", she threw him a smile.

Karl smiled back. "You might not find that place here, sadly. But I hope you will find it soon. Wherever that may be," he added, as he lowered his gaze. He straightened up and stepped further away from her though, since Cathy was now moving back their way.

Michela smiled at him once more and then looked at Cathy, making space for her as she got ready to head back. "You know, he doesn't seem very dangerous in the end", she tried to say, looking back where the 'vampire' was still sitting. "Just a bit lost."

"Of course he isn't dangerous. Nobody is dangerous there," Cathy said to her. "They're just hurt and lost people. Except Zahir," she added with a sneer, as the man and Neos were finally back in sight.

Michela lowered her voice to a murmur. "Why except Zahir? What's up with him?" She asked curiously, but stretching a bit to see if Neos was still in one piece after the talk with the other man.

"He's a mad idiot," Cathy gritted between her teeth.
Neos seemed alright, yes. But he seemed to be arguing with Zahir, and the man was almost ready to pounce him down on the ground again.
"I've told you, I don't care about any of you, so I'm never going to guarantee you a safe way to another world! Heck, I can't even cross the In-Betweens without almost getting killed myself !" he shouted at Zahir, who grabbed him by the throat.

Michela hurried towards the two men, putting on what she liked to call her 'you're-in-deep-shit' expression. Her lips curled in a menacing sneer, she stood before Zahir, brows furrowed. "Put him down THIS INSTANT", she growled lowly.

"Or else what," spat Zahir as he lowered Neos a bit, nonetheless. "We finally get a chance for our pain to come to an end, and I should let it go because you friend is SELFISH ?"

"Do those horns cover your ears? He just told you he could DIE every time he crosses the In-Betweens and you call HIM selfish? Listen. I don't know what is up with this sickness you have, and I don't know what kind of pain you feel, but to choke Neos is not going to solve it. Put him down and we'll talk." Michela tapped her foot on the hard ground nervously, ready to bare her fangs. She couldn't get Neos killed by a swarm of angry vampires! Where was she going to find another magician? And one that was NICE to stay with?

Zahir frowned, but finally released Neos, who coughed as he found air back again. "I only need him to open the door, and we'll figure the rest out later."
" 'We'll fi-'? Oh, screw this," spat Neos, his voice hoarse. "I told you the In-Betweens is constantly shifting, I'm not even sure where we'd end up to, or if we could actually make it to another door without falling down !"

Michela didn't really know how that whole In-Between enchilada worked, but she had spoken with lots of magicians during her travels, so she felt entitled enough to give a piece of her mind. "It is as he says. Travelling alone is difficult, travelling in two is even worse. You can never tell where you'll end up, or if you'll actually make this without dying."

Zahir frowned even deeper. "So what. Half of us here are willing to die, I don't see why that would be a problem. Whether we die or get to another world, that's fine by me. Got any objections to that ?"

"It's not only about you, but also about who makes you travel", Michela explained, trying to be patient. "I can't exactly blame him if he doesn't want to get himself killed. You know, humans can be pretty attached to their life, seeing as they only got one and they're pretty fragile. Have you got no other sure ways to die? I am an expert on that. I can give out some suggestions, or even try and kill you myself." She crossed her arms, lifting her chin proudly. "Just a tip for the future: menacing people in order to get something is not a good way to ask for help, /sweetheart/."

"You know what ? Fine." Zahir gave Michela a toothy, mocking smile. "Kill me. Here and now. Show me the extend of /your/ strength."

"Wait wait wait, we're not going to fight you! ... Are we?" Asked Neos a bit hesitantly, as he looked at Michela.

Michela didn't flinch. "We aren't", she reassured her friend. She looked at Zahir straight in the eyes. "Kill you. Are you that sure? Maybe we can try something else before." She really didn't want to kill anyone, despite the facade she had put on. She looked at Cathy briefly. She was sure she wasn't happy at all with how things were evolving. She would've had to go with improvisation.

Cathy seemed really uneasy indeed, and was hiding herself behind Karl, who just stood tall, emotionless.
"And what do you wish to try before that ?" asked Zahir as he crossed his arms once again.

Michela tried to look very sure of herself and careless. She really should've gone for an acting career, because she was quite panicking in that moment. "You see, sometimes people with terminal illnesses, illnesses that destroy their body cells, would go look for a vampire, back in my world. They did that because, transforming, they would've got to be healthy again. Even if there were other consequences and restrictions, they were desperate enough not to care. Maybe that could help."