1. Fire

In the dark forest where silence reigned, Axel Blackwood advanced with silent steps. The moonlight made him even more mysterious as it fell upon his skin. He pondered on how merciless time had been; his family's death had chilled him to the bone. His emotions had frozen, leaving his heart ice-cold. The depth in his eyes bore the scars of his pain.

He wasn't alone. Beside him were Felix and Maxwell Blackwood, individuals who shared the same surname but not the same familial ties. They silently moved forward, each fighting their own battles.

Taking a deep breath, Axel surveyed his surroundings. The forest was quiet, yet it held numerous dangers within. Years of experience had taught him to always be vigilant. Now, he sensed the dangers concealed in this silence.

Axel glanced at the blood in his hand. He loathed it, yet he needed it to survive. In this dark world, one couldn't exist without blood.

As he moved forward slowly, he noticed Felix and Maxwell stoking the fire. It was not a ritual but a tactic to destroy their enemies. For Axel it was merely a display. True power came from the coldness and determination within.

Turning his gaze to the fire, Axel contemplated the blood in his hand. He was tired of being subjected to these damned things. He did it because he didn't want others to live their fate. For him, everything had to be under control. Hence, he treaded carefully and made every decision meticulously.

He washed the blood off his hand with water. The smell of blood filled his nostrils, intensifying the coldness within him. However, he refrained from showing it externally, as he didn't want to appear weak. He noticed his clothes had suffered during the process, but he didn't care. His appearance already reflected the darkness within his soul.

He looked at Maxwell and Felix, seeing their fatigue and boredom. It was not physical but rather spiritual exhaustion. Yet, they didn't complain because they believed in the righteousness of their actions. Axel trusted them because they shared his convictions. After enough wood had been gathered, they turned back and rested together on the ground.

Axel, Maxwell, and Felix left the fire behind and silently ventured deeper into the forest, each lost in their own thoughts.

That night, they had killed two vampires. Axel had deceived them both before killing them alone. They had also burned their bodies. Although these two vampires were of the same species, they had been killed because they were child abusers and murderers.

Living in the city, they couldn't find animals, so they would get blood bags from the hospital. Getting blood bags was simple for them because Axel owned his own hospital.

Occasionally, they glanced at each other along the way, but they didn't speak much. Each of them was battling the ghosts of the past in their own world, a shared struggle keeping them together.

Finally, they reached the edge of the forest, and Axel's mansion loomed in the distance. As they approached, the atmosphere lightened slightly, but there was still tension within them.

Breaking the silence, Axel spoke. "Tonight, we need to plan our next move. We might need to take more security measures."

Maxwell nodded. "Yes, the number of our enemies has increased lately. We need to be more careful."

Felix added with a smirk, "More enemies mean more fun."

Axel smiled faintly; Felix always managed to lighten the mood. "Of course, we can take a break for a while."

They slowly made their way to the mansion, supporting each other as they continued their inner battles. The night ended as they quietly returned home, preparing to face the challenges of a new day.

Maxwell patrolled the area around the mansion, checking security measures. With the sunrise, people would start waking up, so being cautious was crucial.

Meanwhile, Felix set up the music system to lighten the mood. Music served as a way to rest their souls for a vampire who worked tirelessly through the night.

After drinking some blood at breakfast, they prepared to face the day ahead. They were ready to fight together against the challenges the new day would bring.

The next morning, Axel, Maxwell, and Felix moved silently within the mansion. Having stayed awake all night, they didn't need sleep as vampires. They emerged from their rooms with the sunrise.

Axel smiled quietly. "Perhaps today we can venture out a bit. Seeing new places might do us good."

Maxwell, still grumpy, remarked, "Traveling? What's the point for me? Especially at this early hour."

Felix started laughing.

"Come on. What does the time matter for a vampire?"

Ignoring Maxwell's grumpiness, Axel and Felix began preparations. They gathered the necessary items for the trip and prepared to leave the mansion.