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Chapter Text

"I'm so hungry..."

Martin takes a step back in terror. Apo can see the fear sharpen into cold white across his face. The smell of Martin's blood leaks through the thin barrier of skin, Apo can taste the arteries pumping from where she's standing across the table. She clenches her jaw and holds her breath until the feeling passes.

"I-I meant to say something sooner, but, everything going on in this town just kept escalating and escalating and-"

"Stop! Please."

"I know we made that pact when we first formed the militia, I'm so sorry. I just- I wasn't ready! I was - still am - terrified of what would happen to me when I reveal it."

"How can I believe a word you're saying!"

"Martin..."

"Just shut up! I can't deal with this right now. The vampires, how am I supposed to believe that you haven't been working behind our backs this entire time."

"I haven't, Martin! You know me, I would never do that!"

"How well do I know you, huh? Apo? Have you ever been on our side!?"

"I am on your side, please. I'm telling the truth!"

"I-!" He takes a deep breath, "I'm sorry Apo, I'll be back later once- When my mind is clearer and I've ensured the town is still safe."

Martin turns his back to her and reaches for the ladder.

"Wait!" Apo reaches for him desperately, but her actions are halting with the casting of a divine spell.

"I'll be back soon, Apo." Martin says in a wavering voice still facing away from Apo. Within moments his form disappears up the dark passageway leading back to the tavern.

After 30 seconds Apo darts forwards, reaching for the ladder, only to be flung backwards into the opposite wall. A glimmering white barrier blocking the only exit.

"No, I- I don't have a pickaxe. I can't get out.." Apo says to herself hopelessly. She reaches towards the silver block in the ceiling only to flinch back with a hiss at the burning hot metal. Retreating back, as far away from the painful barrier's aura as she can get, she starts pacing.

"I need to get out- he's going to tell everyone- what do I do?-" She tries reaching for the pickaxe that'd been left discarded on the floor after it became too hot to touch, but hesitates from the painful memories.

Her arms wrap around the void that is her stomach as it growls out a reminder of its emptiness. Supporting herself on the dead-cold stone walls, she sinks down to the floor. A feeling of hopelessness growing in her gut. She brings her knees to her chest and wraps her arms around them, chasing any kind of warmth her body may still have left in the monstrous body her soul now inhabits.

"I'm so hungry..."

Chapter Text

It's been a few days now. Apo's still down there, as far as Martyn knows. But he still doesn't know what to do. Should he tell everyone and let them decide or should he just let them go and maybe just maybe he can believe that she's still herself. Maybe she has some sort of explanation, but, he just can't gather the strength to face her again - after finding out... everything.

He stops his pacing around Apo's watchtower when the doctor walks into his path. Martyn stumbles back abruptly and almost falls if not for Legs catching his arm.

"Thanks..." Martyn says still distracted by his spiral. He sees Sausage and Renhardt standing behind Legundo with concerned expressions on their faces to match Legs.

"Martyn, I need to talk to you."

"Yeah, uhh. Sure, whats up?" He shakes his head quickly to declutter his mind.

"Have you seen Apo at all these past few days? I haven't seen her in a good while and I'm starting to fear the worst."

This is Martyn's chance, all he has to do is tell Legs and he can go do the rest. No more worrying and spiraling, but... Is this the right thing to do? For Apo? He clenches his fists and takes a deep breath.

"Legs, Apo's one of them."

"One of who?"

"Them! A vampire, they've been hiding it from us for weeks!"

He hears gasps from nearby and his breathing starts to pick up again. Leg's hand on his shoulder reminds him to take a deep breathe. Martyn looks up and sees Legs looking at him with a serious expression on his face.

"Martyn. What did you do to her?"

He hears footsteps run off towards the board in the background, but he can't avert his frightened gaze from Martyn's intense one.

"She- She's still in the meeting room, I think.. That's where I left her after she told. I just, I couldn't deal with it at the time! I needed to make sure the town was safe!"

"Martyn! How long has she been down there?"

"Only a few days. I swear I was going to do something, I just needed a bit more time-" Before Martyn can finish Legs turns to Sausage.

"Can you bring me there?" He says in a hurried voice. Sausage nods with a look of concern in his eyes and runs off to the tavern with Legs hot on his tail. Martyn shakes himself out of his stupor and runs after them alongside Ren.

By the time the other two enter the tavern, Legs is already making his way down the ladder with a silver axe in hand. The others quickly follow suit, Martyn pushing his way ahead of Sausage to start descending into the secret basement. Once he gets down there he sees Legs pausing behind the silver block on the ceiling. Martyn follows Leg's gaze to the left corner of the room opposite the ladder where a shadowy figure can be seen curled up in the dark.

Legs takes a step through the barrier just as Ren and Sausage finish climbing down as well. Immediately, glowing red eyes lock onto Legs and a low hissing sound emanates throughout the small space. The figure slowly stands up, bones cracking from staying in one place for too long. Their head tilts inhumanly to the right as if intrigued.

Suddenly, Apo launches herself towards Legs in a fit of insanity. He immediately flinches back behind the silver block. Apo slams into the now visible barrier and lets out a snarl in pain, being flung back onto the ground. In the better lighting Martyn can see the way Apo's limbs are trembling and that her bloodshot eyes seem to be glazed over in some kind of daze.

"Miss Apo's turned into a monster as clear as the night sky she now lurks beneath. We must slay the beast before they can harm another human soul." Ren says, pushing Legs back behind him as he draws his sword at Apo.

"Don't! She isn't in her right mind right now." Legs defends Apo, moving to form a human shield between them and Apo. "I've known what she is for a short while now . She's been starving herself for weeks and being trapped down here with no food is what finally pushed her to the brink."

"I think Legs is right," Sausage steps forwards, "I mean, this is Apo we're talking about. And look at her right now! Although she looks gone, she's still holding herself back. For us. The bonds formed between us all are too strong to break, even now!"

Martyn looks over to Apo only to see they've retreated back to the corner again, curled up in the darkness. He can just barely make out her biting into a hand with their fangs in restraint.

"Ren, go find Apo some food." Martyn says, not moving his eyes from where Apo cowers. Ren doesn't voice any objections and soon Martyn hears the ladder creaking as he leaves the room.

"We don't need to wait for Ren. I volunteer myself to her sucking my blood." Sausage says dramatically stepping forwards. He's stopped by Legs putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I wouldn't recommend that right now. Possibly later after she's in her right mind once more. We still don't know exactly how vampires turn as well, so it's safest to hold off on that for the time being."

He groans in disappointment, "Fiiine, if you insist. I'll hold back my fantasies just this once."

Martyn pulls Sausage back as well, "I'll be keeping an eye on you, Sausage."

"Oh come on!"

Just as Sausage opens his mouth to keep ranting the ladder creaks again and several chickens fall down from above. Ren quickly follows, holding another two in his arms.

"We are low on livestock currently. However, luck has it that I managed to spot these feathery poultry pecking around in the fields just over yonder."

Legs nods his appreciation with a relieved smile and looks back over to Apo. The chickens in their panic had crossed the invisible border and into where the vampire lurks. Apo's bright red eyes glisten in the dark as she stalks towards the unaware birds drooling. In a flash she lunges at the first one, biting into its neck and snapping it instantly. Within seconds its blood in completely drained and she pounces on the next.

Within a few minutes all the chickens are lying dead on the ground. The only birds still left alive are the ones in Ren's arms, now silenced from their squawking in terror. While sucking the last bird dry, Apo's eyes finally start to clear and return to their natural dark red colouration.

Legs crosses the barrier as Apo wipes their face clean with their sleeve. He smiles warmly down at them and holds out his hand.

"Good to have you back, Apo."