Todor was seven years old. Not a baby, practically a grown up. But he didn't look forward to going home from school. How is he going to explain that he got yet into another fight? But I didn't start the fight, they did, he thought angrily trying to think of an excuse for why is his hoodie torn again. And not to mention how will he manage to explain his rucksack with very expensive books ending up in the river. He was angry at the group of bullies, he was angry at his parents because he knew they will punish him for fighting and losing books. Most of all, he was angry at himself for being too weak to stop them. He winced at the pain where one of the older kids punched him.

Suddenly he was at home and his father was kneeling next to him. Mom was at work so her yelling will come later. His father looked worried and that blunted Todor's anger.

"I am alright, dad. They didn't hurt me," he said in his tiny boyish voice.

"Hey boy. What did I tell you about fighting?" his father asked in a gentle voice.

"Only as the last resort," Todor answered a bit of anger returning, "But dad, they ..."

"Shhh," his father put an index finger on his lips, "I know. They started it, they didn't listen to you and all that."

"Yes, but they were hurting Molly," he responded petulantly.

"And you couldn't watch them hurt your friend."

"Yes."

There was a smirk on his father's face.

"You are my son alright. Ok. If you have to fight, fight, but don't be consumed by it."

"What does that mean?"

"It means you shouldn't fight because you enjoy fighting. Fighting is only the last resort. Don't fight to punish or just to say you returned as much as they gave you. Fight to protect yourself or someone else. Understood?"

"Yes, dad."

"Now let us see how we will present this to your mom."

The pain came back. It shot through his arms, legs, back, and head. Everything hurt. But he knew he could endure it. That pain was nothing compared to the pain of losing the world.

He opened his eyes and saw the unfamiliar ceiling.

"Sorry dad, I might fail to follow your advice," he whispered.

"You are awake," Irry's voice came from somewhere, "What did you say?"

"Nothing, it was just a dream," he replied trying to get up a bit.

"Don't move. The doctor said you should stay a night at a hospital," Irry said and Todor looked at her.

"Why are you here?" he said surprised at her presence.

"Agent Hillard called me and told me everything," she said with a shrug, "You leave my place and get snagged by bloody tooth fairies, where else would I be than here?"

Todor was forced to snort a chortle which didn't hurt as much as he feared.

"Thanks for keeping me company," he said lamely with a groan, "And I wish they were tooth fairies. These guys knew how to lay on a hurt."

"No problem. And they are tooth fairies to me, they have large teeth right?"

"Stop making me laugh, it hurts," Todor said trying not to chuckle.

"Hey, sorry," she said putting her palm on his arm, "If I didn't invite you and paraded you like a walking beefsteak in front of that toothy bastard you wouldn't be here with a concussion and bruised ribs."

They stayed quiet for a while. There was no reason to talk. Just scaring away the loneliness in companionable silence.

"I need a weapon," Todor spoke finally. Irry looked at him from a chair where she was sitting and rose one eyebrow.

"A weapon you say? What, like a firearm or something?" she asked curiously.

"I don't know. A gun? A sword? Both?" he shrugged which got his bruised back in a fit of pain. He grimaced and continued, "I don't even know how hard it is to get a weapon now," he admitted.

"Not hard if you know who to talk to," she said with a smirk and from somewhere procured a pistol. Todor wasn't knowledgeable about firearms but it looked like every gun he saw in movies and games.

"I am three centuries into the future and they still use gunpowder firearms? Where are blasters, laser guns or plasma shotguns?" he asked with a smirk, "And what does an elf such as yourself doing with a gun!"

"Well somewhere in Humanity First Alliance you can get some sparkle gun or whatnot," Irry said amused, "But this is Moriganhold, and it's me you are talking about. So I might know the man who can hook you up with some apeling gizmos," she shrugged and hid her pistol somewhere, "And besides, I like annoying my folks by showing to archery competitions with a nine millimeter."

"Awesome. Tomorrow, when I am out of here you will introduce me. Somehow after you get kidnapped by a group of bloodsuckers being unarmed doesn't sound so appealing."

Before Irry could say anything knock came from the door. Both of them turned to see Mab standing at the entrance of the room.

"What happened?" the boy asked, his tone indecipherable.

"I got snagged by a group of vampires after the party," he said flatly, "How did you know something happened?"

Irry fidgeted uncomfortably.

"I answered your phone messages. I am sorry, I thought your friends shouldn't worry and I didn't know how long you are going to be out," Irry said uncharacteristically apologetically.

"That wasn't alright at all, but I am ok with it," Todor said with a smile.

Irry let out a relieved sigh. "Oh, good, for a moment there I thought you were going to be a boob about it."

"I am ok as well Mab. Don't worry, your possible source of magic tutoring is not gone ... yet."

Next hour and a half they spent retelling their stories. Todor talked about his clash with a Midnight Breeze and his vampire brood. How his goons caught him in the alley and beat him half to death. How agent Hillard tried to stop them and got captured as well. Then how the agent blunted vampire lords anger with a strategy of pitting two other powers in the city against him. Irry smirked and rose her eyebrow at that.

"Agent tight butt did that? Oh my, I might give him a call sometimes," she said tapping her lip with an index finger, "Oh sorry, continue."

And Todor told the rest of it, with a strange tribe of highly trained barbarian vampire killers showing up in search of their wayward daughter.

"Are you saying people from Ledenah Soozah rescued you?" Mab said with glee.

"Yeah, at least that is what they told me. I never heard of them," Todor said amused by boys reaction.

"They are like a legend! A lost city under the ice fighting their eternal battle for survival against the vampire hordes!" Mab said walking around his bed, "There was a movie about it, you sure you haven't seen it?"

Todor shook his head regretting that decision right away.

"Alright kid, calm down," Irry said with a chuckle, "Let's talk about why did that dusty plasmavore snatch you like that. Did he mentioned something?"

Todor thought for a moment and carefully shook his head again, not careful not to agitate his sore muscles too much.

"Something about smelling that I am different or dangerous or some lunatic talk like that," he said staring at the IV drip in his arm.

"Vampires are a dying breed. They can use blood from modern humans to survive but they can't make new vampires from us," Mab said suddenly serious, with a posture that belonged to someone far older.

"Why?" Todor asked right away.

"Well, for a human to become a vampire he must be able to metabolize mana," Irry began while caressing her chin, "No known modern human can do that. So magical virus that is vampirism can't actually infect modern humans since it doesn't have a way of entry."

"I get it," Mab nodded vigorously, "Vampires would benefit a lot from human magic returning since then they would be able to make new vampires. And he sniffed it on you since maharoon bonded with you."

"Midnight might have seen the potential for that in you," Irry agreed.

Todor let out a loud sigh then winced at the pain.

"Great. Just great. More reasons to get a weapon and sleep with it under the pillow," Todor said lightheartedly.

"Funny you should say that. I just picked up a pair of daggers for myself," Mab announced getting a box out of his jacket.

"I got them from the greatest blacksmith I know," he added opening a wooden container which contained two silvery blades laid out on a red silken inlead of the box.

"Great. Outstanding. Fantastic. Marvelous," Todor babbled on as he admired the finely crafted poniards, "I will arm myself to the teeth and wait my entire life for vampires to come knocking."

"Or, you could work on actually getting magic back to humanity," Mab said slowly.

"Yep, I agree with a little twearp here," Irry said tussling boys hair. Mab sent her a poisonous glare as he closed the box with his daggers.

"You know I am not some kid, you darn busty bunny!" Mab said stepping away from her.

Irrys eyes widened before she bent over the chair laughing uncontrollably.

"Oh, by the Mealstrom you are a hoot," Irry said through chortles and giggles, "Guess you are going into puberty soon since that was what you noticed the most about me," she added jumping up and down playfully.

"Gods, I don't know who is showing more maturity between us," Mab said shaking his head, red ponytail swinging behind him.

"Well, I am thankful that you two reached an agreement," he proclaimed trying not to laugh, "But before I do anything I want to at least feel an illusion of safety."

"Fine, I'll take you to Uncle Carl. He will fashion you a powerful blade," Mab said still giving Irry a stink eye.

"And I'll introduce you with Mick Micron. I bet he has some of those geek weapons you want," Irry added her giggles dying down.

Todor looked at the two people at his bedside and smiled.

"Why are you two helping me? It's not like you owe me anything?" he asked confused.

"I don't know about the midget over there, but I am not helping you for your sake, buddy," Irry said clasping his palm, "I just think being around you will make for some good times soon enough. Plus, you were seen with me on the ball. You dying somewhere would reflect badly on my image."

"Well, I want my birthright and to knock down this arrogant pureblooded long-eared stiffs a peg or tow," Mab added eying Irry.

"How lucky of me that I met both of you. People who just know the right places where I can get what I need right now," Todor pondered out loud.

"Hey, don't look gift crocodile in the mouth ... or however the saying goes that you apelings are so fond it," Irry said letting go of his hand and walking to a chair elegantly crossing her legs.

"Maybe it's coincidence or maybe the universe is trying to fix a constant that has been damaged for so long and we are just the instruments for the job," Mab gave an explanation.

"Oh, so it's destiny now," he replied sarcastically.

"Laugh at it all you want and believe whatever you want but I will have my own views," Mab responded peevishly.

"So we just need to play as best as we can with cards that are in our hands," Irry added. Boy and an elf looked at each other for a second. Then Mab rolled his eyes and Irry shrugged.

"Alright. Right now I am pulling the card of being injured and wanting a good rejuvenating sleep," Todor said closing his eyes.

Todor fell asleep as soon his eyelids blocked the light.