Board Thread:What Would You Do?/@comment-45114654-20200225024715/@comment-44464716-20200225175008

I am John My family story is that my ancestor fought monsters, and was one day hired to deal with a vampire that had become a ruthless tyrant. Allied with him was the vampire's daughter: a Dhampir. When that job was over, they continued journeying together and eventually became lovers.

Growing up, I was never one to seek out trouble, but the occasional fight happened anyway. I always had a knack for fighting; especially against monsters. I was never anything special physically, but I was agile, I could read a monster's instincts at a glance, and they were always a little wary around me, as if they were nocturnal and I was pure sunlight.

I decided to put my skills to work and became a... mediator of sorts for disputes involving mamono. I suppose a better term would be monster hunter, but I never killed or intentionally harmed them; I was there to defuse the situation, not stir up trouble. I ended up quite liking this career choice; I could use my swordfighting hobby and the traits I inherited from my Dhampir ancestor. But, within my mamono-friendly hometown, the people grew wary of me; especially the mamono.

One day, I enter the tavern after a difficult job of getting a hellhound to stay away from a very much non-consenting young man. I'm just looking for a quiet drink, but I get glares from the mamono there, including the Satyros Bartender.

"Oh, look; it's the bane of mamono." She sneers. I merely shrug.

"Look," I tell her calmly, "I just want a quiet drink after a difficult day. Can I have that? Or do I need to tell the manager that her best bartender's been sneaking drinks?"

At that, the Satyros reluctantly agrees to take my order. I look around; a lot of the people there are people I know, and they're all giving me an odd glare every now and then. But one person at the very back isn't; someone whom I've never seen before. She wore a black dress and a big hat, and she had long red hair tied up in a braid. She was as beautiful as she was mysterious, and she was looking right at me. Unlike everyone else, though, she wasn't glaring at me; she seemed... curious. In a moment, she got up and sat down next to me.

"Is it true?" She asks me, "Are you the Bane of Monsters?"

I answer her, "I'm not sure about 'Bane', but I have this... instinct. I know what a mamono's instincts are, and I can guess how they're going to act."

"Really?" She asks me; leaning close as if I were a gripping chapter in a book she was reading. "What does that instinct of yours say about me?"

It is then that I realize, "You're a mamono." Sure enough; her red eyes were a clear giveaway. But, outside of that, she looked and seemed so... human. It is then that I get a sense of her instincts. "You have two instincts at war with each other; that of a human, and that of a mamono. You have the same base desire as any monster, but you also want... more. You want love; not just lust." It is then that I realize what she is. "...You're a Dhampir."

She grins. "Well done." She then explains her curiosity. "There's a vampire hiding in a villa outside of town; this one's powerful, and I'll need some help defeating her. You in? I'll make sure to reward you."

Even though I'm weary from my last job, I can't help but be intrigued by her. So, I accept the job. Long story short, history repeats.