Three Years Later and Mystic Falls

Three years had passed since I'd cleared that Ghoul nest and I'd just turned 17 a few days ago. During these years, I'd been training my ass off. Not just my skills and physique either but also cramming as much knowledge into my head as possible.

The main event that had happened over these few years, is that there had been a mini-war in Europe. The Ghouls rose up, showing that they weren't the mindless animals most thought they were and a few other races showed up to back them up. Trolls and Werewolves, mainly. It meant the Jäger Family was being looked down upon...and we all know that wasn't gonna fly.

So, we went to war. A cold and brutal war that put the one I'd thought in my past life to shame. It was what you'd call a hidden war with most battles being fought behind the scenes and in small numbers. It wasn't a war where two armies fought against one another until the other side fell down and died or surrendered. No, this was guerilla warfare. Supernatural guerilla warfare, which is even worse, honestly.

I was placed in a squad of elites, tasked with taking out high value targets. Commanders for the rebelling force, basically.

It was bloody and it certainly wasn't nice. I even had to show my superhuman physical prowess despite not wanting to. If I hadn't, I'd have either died or gotten my squad killed. I simply explained it away as me being a Hunter and had to have a known hunter come and look at my Mark, which they did and confirmed it.

After that, I was seen as one of the best hunters in the Jäger Family and all it's branch families. Mainly because I had the skills necessary to take out supernatural creatures and now I had the physical strength needed to put up a decent fight without my skills. Put them together and you get a world-class hunter. Or at least that's how my dad explained it to me. I didn't really care. I was off fighting a war, after all.

Sadly for the rebelling force, my family's resources and connections were simply too much for them to fight against. Two years in and the war was dwindling to an end. Most of the commanders had been wiped out and those that were left were open to peace talks.

It was pretty much over.

And at the age of 16, I was a war hero. To those who knew about the supernatural anyway. A prodigy who had a long history of successful contracts and a 100% success rate on my missions.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't proud at the level I'd gotten to in such a short time. But even with all that recognition, I didn't let it get to my head. I was soon back to training, even more intensely than before and with even more fire inside me to spur on my determination. I'd gotten a taste for what strength could do for me, and I knew this was only the cusp of what I could be.

So, along with my training, I began to take on the more deadly and dangerous missions.

Trolls, Ogres, Kitsune, High-ranking Witches, Low and Middle-ranking Demons--I went after all of them. As long as they'd done something egregious, I was on their case.

With my experience from the war, my training throughout the war and the year after it, and all the missions I'd done in the year up till now...I was like a changed man. Completely different in terms of skill and strength.

I don't know my level of strength exactly but I know for sure that I can take down any Vampire less than 700-years-old with nothing but my brute strength and physical prowess. With my skills and preparation...well, I could definitely give one of the Originals a run for their money. Not saying I'd win or anything but I wouldn't be completely useless against them either.

Giving a sigh, I looked up at the sky as I walked through the streets of the town I would now be calling home.

Mystic Falls...Haah~ What a place. Founded in 1860 AD by the founding families, though the first people here were the Natives who also happened to be Werewolves. They were here around 1000 AD or over a thousand years ago. This is also the birth place of the Vampire race and where Klaus had his Werewolf side sealed by his family which was caused by his mom cheating on her husband...Family drama, huh?

Why was I sent here? Because I'd asked to come here. Also because the Jäger Family wanted to expand their influence through the Americas. We, or more specifically I, took missions over here all the time but the lack of any real influence was starting to bug some of the elder family members or whatever.

I don't know. I just know they wanted me as the poster boy for the whole thing. The 17-year-old war hero who took out most of the commanders on his own...yada yada yada, you get the point right? I was pretty much like Captain America in his first film for the MCU. A figure head, I guess.

Not that it mattered to me. I wasn't about running the family or what direction it went in. I only did my best to make sure it was about taking out bad nonhumans instead of taking out ALL nonhumans. I really don't want any genocide to happen, honestly.

But what the higher-ups and my dad didn't realize, was that I knew this place was gonna become a supernatural hotspot within a few days anyway. Damon was coming back to Mystic Falls to torment his brother Stefan while also trying to free Katherine from a sealed place...even though she wasn't there anymore and never had been. Soon enough, other Vampires would come to Mystic Falls, followed by Klaus and the other Originals.

Plus, the introduction of other species would also add to this supernatural free-for-all. I wouldn't be surprised if a pack of Werewolves shows up, honestly. Or a new Coven of Witches.

So, while I could relax more so than I could during the war, I'd still have my hands full.

Scratching at my cheek before reaching into my pocket and pulling out a lighter and a cigarette, I put the cigarette into my mouth before lighting it and taking a long drag. Letting out another sigh, I left the cigarette in my mouth as I put my lighter back in my pocket.

What? Just because I'm 17 I can't smoke? I mean, legally, yeah. But I know a few dozen people who've done much worse substances at my age. Also, with my physiology, I doubt it actually does anything to me negatively. I have a healing factor, after all. All of my cells are dying and regenerating into new ones anyway, so cancer wouldn't even have a chance to form.

Just as this thought came into my head, I felt a shift in the air currents around me and I curiously looked over my shoulder at a light blue 2008 Toyota Prius as what looked like a dead crow fell out of the sky and onto the windshield of the car.

The girls inside both screeched and the car's brakes slammed down on the wheels, leaving some stains on the road behind it. Just as the car was coming to a stop, the back end of the car swung out a little, leaving the car horizontal across the lane.

Feeling moderately surprised about this timing, I took another drag from my cigarette before taking it from my mouth and walking over to the car.

Letting out a puff of smoke, I bent down and rapped my knuckles lightly against the window of the door on the right side of the car. My action and the sudden noise it created made the girls jump again and their reaction made me chuckle somewhat. As they recovered, I got a better look at them.

The girl nearest to me was a beautiful girl with long dark brown hair and similarly chocolate brown eyes that looked both inquisitive and also so very sad. I guess the show wasn't playing it up too much after all. Anyway, from what I could see, she had a lithe and athletic figure befitting of someone who did acrobatics or gymnastics along with light olive toned skin. Overall she was a very attractive young lady. Then I looked to the girl who was driving the car.

She had similarly brown hair but hers didn't reflect the sunlight nearly as much as the previous girl's. Her eyes were also different: They were a brilliant olive green and if it weren't for the surprise and somewhat fearful look they currently had from her brief run-in with a crow hitting her windshield, they'd have looked stunningly beautiful. They were also a stunning contrast with her skin tone which was a warm light brown. She also seemed shorter than the previous girl, with a more full figure though it was still athletic. Maybe even more so than the previous girl's figure who had the slender body of a model.

All in all...they were both quite pretty.

Finally, the two of them looked to me with a 'deer in the headlights' expression plastered over their face. Seeing this, I put on a friendly smile before speaking loud enough for them to hear me through the glass, "You two ladies okay? Nearly crashed your car there," I said and instantly they were either slightly curious or slightly caught off-guard by my English accent.

I wouldn't say I sound posh or snobbish but I sound more gentlemanly than rough, I will admit. The 'proper' way of speaking and the Queen's English were practically forced on me since I was a kid.

Luckily I was English in my past life, so it wasn't that hard. God help me if I was an American though.

Gaining back her composure, the girl driving nodded with a somewhat unsure smile, "Y-yeah, we're fine. Right, Elena?" she looked to her friend who still looked a little out of it and nudged her before gesturing to me with her head. It...wasn't a very subtle action, I have to admit. But it was a harmless gesture, so who cares?

Getting the message and looking to me, Elena, as I obviously knew the girl was called, looked up to me and got a little flustered before rolling her window down and hurriedly saying, "Y-yeah, yeah, we're fine. Some...bird just came out of nowhere and hit the windshield..." she trailed off and I put on a bewildered face.

"Weird...well, you girls have a safe drive to wherever you're going, yeah? Try not to hit anymore birds while you're at it as well," I winked to the girl driving and she got slightly flustered and looked away but couldn't hide the small smile growing across her face.

Another count of my handsomeness being truly effective, huh?...I'm kidding. Or am I?

I backed up and off the road and the girl driving gave me a small wave, which I returned before putting her car in reverse, correcting the direction of her car, before pulling away, I saw her looking at me in her rear view mirror, so I smiled and waved at her, only to chuckle when she quickly averted her eyes. Man, I love enhanced senses.

...Though, speaking of enhanced senses, I looked up to where I felt the disturbance in the air currents around me. Then I looked down to where the crow now lay, dead.

That wasn't an accident. Wasn't a case of a stupid bird swooping too low at the wrong time and getting hit by a car. No, this was a deliberate case of bird suicide. The disturbance I felt was it abruptly changing direction and divebombing the car.

Discretely looking around, I tried to look out for Damon but I couldn't see hide nor hair of him, so I just let it go for now. I don't care if he wants to torment Stefan but if he goes after humans again, I'm gonna be forced to stop him. I'll try my best not to kill him because deep down he is a decent enough guy...but if he forces me, I'll do it nonetheless.

Shame if it turns out like that. I actually feel like me and him could be pretty good friends.

Getting on my way, I walked toward Mystic Falls High. So many kids complain about highschool (or secondary school if you're from the UK) but when you look at it, it's really not too bad. Pretty relaxing when compared to real life or College or University...or, you know, fighting in a supernatural war. Am I gonna keep bringing that last part up? I don't know. Probably. Has a pretty badass vibe to it, honestly.

As I got on my way, I brought my cigarette back up to my mouth, re-lit it, and took another drag before chuckling to myself.

Who knew I'd meet some of the main cast before I even stepped on school grounds? Kinda fun.