Chapter 190 Approaching Danger

"What's your name by the way? I don't think I ever caught it." Lukas glanced at the Vampire beside him as they put on their long sleeved clothes and cloaks.

"Um, it's Matthew Williams, sir. A pleasure to be acquainted with you." The young man introduced with an awkward smile.

After the incident with Iolathane in the workshop hall, a number of people did leave disgusted, but the Vampires in front were more or less unaffected. It now led to the woman having to accept that she'd bring a number of them to the Dark Woods beyond Nyx.

"Nice name. You can call me Lukas, maybe big bro works out too." Lukas hummed aloud, much to the confusion of the younger man.

"I see, I think Lukas would be fine, sir." Matthew said.

"Okay?" Lukas scratched the back of his head and felt a bit sheepish. He really didn't know what had gotten to him at the moment, but since he did feel responsible towards the young man—he should at least have the title, right?

"If everyone's properly dressed, please head on over to the van located outside." One of the Vampire officers called out to everyone changing.

Lukas glanced at the others who actually strapped on armor above their long-sleeved uniforms and tried not to whistle.

'I don't think Lux ever had something like that or Theodore would have worn something like that. Does that mean that Lux is just really that broke of a city compared to others? I would have assumed that it being border to human lands makes it valuable since they're the ones who probably capture humans, but I don't think that's the case.' Lukas thought silently to himself.

Lukas cued up with Matthew and others as they one by one entered the van. It was actually designed the same as the one that Lukas and the others traveled in, if only a little more humbler.

Before they all stepped in, the officers distributed necklaces that had a singular white bead on them. "Please wear this at all times and activate the bead if you were to be at any time separated from the group."

Lukas accepted his gingerly and took a good look at it.

[Bead of Beacon]

A bead filled with advanced technology that allows the administrator to find it within a certain radius. Operated by the Durand House and provided by the Argenti Inc.

"This is…" Lukas assumed that it could have been something magical, or from the beast resources that the Vampires captured, but instead, it was just ordinary tech in Lukas' eyes.

'Something like this can be found in my city for parents who want to track and locate their children alongside nurses and doctors when it comes to their patients. This… this has to be a coincidence or something right? Because if it's not…' Lukas thoughts spun as he sat down on the chair and folded his hands together, stuck in deep contemplation.

He had always accustomed himself to the idea that the world that he previously lived in and the one he was in right now was separate all together. Could be similar, but not one and the same.

'Why did I think of it like that? So I wouldn't feel good for drinking blood and stuff?' Lukas ran his fingers through his hair and sighed inwardly. He was supposed to look out after himself and it wasn't his fault that Vampires needed blood to live—so whatever happened, happened.

But then Lukas remembered the body in the crate when he went to the bar, or the people that were captured and brought in during an anniversary of sorts that was headed by the city council of Lux.

These were things that troubled him before and he just chose to not care if he wanted to be at peace with himself. Out of sight and out of mind kind of deal.

'Ah, fuck it. Lily and Chaerin comes first alongside me just staying alive and getting the good life that I've never had before. I'm not some kind of hero or activist that wants to change how the world works. That's too much to expect from me.'

"—weapons will be distributed once we arrive at the Dark Forest, but that is no invitation for any of you to simply run off and do what you want. It's meant to be used as protection and self-defense only." Iolathane called out from the front row of the van.

Lukas nodded alongside others, and before they knew it, they were about to leave the city of Nyx. Since Lukas already knew what to expect, he looked away from any windows and pulled down the blinds.

"Best to squint your eyes or shut them all together." Lukas whispered to Matthew, and luckily the boy did just that.

When Theodore first drove off from Lux, it was still morning and the sun's rays weren't that terrible—but the one that came after their van stepped out was thoroughly blinding. It was no doubt closer to noon than anything.

"Agh!"

"This is—ugh!"

Some of the Vampires wore shades and weren't affected, but the clueless ones were struck by the first light. And Lukas saw that Iolathane wasn't really guilty about it, that in some ways, he was reminded of Emerys di Verdant.

"I doubt either of them will take it as a compliment."

"Sorry what did you say?" Matthew asked.

"Nothing. I'm just excited to get to the Dark Forest, I've been to the Veiled Forest before and it was a thing all together." Lukas said.

"Veiled Forest?"

"Yeah, before you get to Nyx, we also had to travel through a desert, grasslands and then this forest. Not much creepy fungi stuff, but it was pretty dangerous too." Lukas explained, and noticed that there were a few others who looked at him in interest.

"Why was that?" one of the people asked, then coughed. "Sorry for eavesdropping, but it's interesting. Didn't think we'd have an outsider with us."