The path to his castle was long and treacherous, but I never wavered. How could I, when knowledge, true and untainted knowledge, was within my reach? The villagers spoke his name in whispers, warning me that no good would come of seeking out Vlad Dracula. But they were bound by fear, clinging to their superstitions like a child to a blanket. I, however, had no such luxuries.

My heart pounded as I stepped into his domain. The air was thick with something unnatural, something ancient. Shadows moved along the grand stone walls as if they had a life of their own, flickering in the dim candlelight. The castle loomed over me, its towering halls carved with symbols and sigils I did not recognize.

And then, he was there.

I had read of him, of course. The immortal man, the feared vampire, the monster who ruled from the darkness. But standing before him, I saw none of that. There was power in his eyes, yes, an unsettling weight to his presence, but he was not the beast the villagers described. He was something else. Something greater.