Flashback to the previous day

"You're a heretic right? Half vampire half witch" San asks hesitantly.

She inches closer to him, resting her weight on her table. "Who wants to know?"

"I was wondering, do you know how to... revive a vampire?" He mutters, very much unsure of himself. He didn't even know if what he was saying made any sense or if it was possible. But he knew one thing for sure black magic exists and with that alone anything is possible. He had to try.

The half vampire half witch immediately halts, stopping completely from the stack of papers she was flipping through. She stares at him for a moment with no expression. Her grey eyes even more grey and lips a loose line as she held the nearly finished cigarette up to her mouth but froze at San's question just as she was about to take a drag.

"Nevermind" San was quick to counter already turning to leave.

"Wait" Her voice halts him and San turns back only a little. The secretary looks around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. "Who are you trying to revive?" She inches closer on the desk, her voice much more quiet than before. They were separated by a glass pane with a small opening for minor transactions but San could still hear her fine.

"You didn't answer my question" He says dryly. If she was just gonna waste his time he'd much rather be on his way.

"And you didn't answer mine" Her brow raises daringly and she takes a last puff of the tobacco stick and tosses the rest in the small ashtray next to a cup filled with pens and an inkpad.

"I asked you first"

"Do you want my help or not?"

San rolls his eyes and turns to leave. He'd been down this road before. So desperate and longing to see Wooyoung again. Even if for a moment. He had gotten scammed or sent on a wild goose chase and each time it happened he'd feel more and more hopeless. He was tired. But also.. too scared to die. At least not again. The first time was traumatizing enough.

"I know someone that can help you" She quickly blurts and San paused, his back still turned to her.

He turns back to her, urging her to continue. "But you have to tell me who you're trying to revive. I can't just give info to any random crazy that walks through those doors"

San sucks his teeth in annoyance. "Why does it matter?"

"That spell isn't..." She mutters with a hushed tone then sighs loudly. "Can you just come closer? I'm not yelling across the room" She flicks her hand ushering him to come closer. San obliges and walks back to her. This better be worth my time.

"As I was saying, a revival spell isn't just some backyard little party trick. It requires a lot of magic and a strong witch" She says in a matter-of-fact composure.

"I know that already" He says tonelessly. "It's black magic not many witches practice it anymore or know how to. Am I up to speed?"

She smirks at him then looks around one more time before standing up and walking around to open the door on the side leading inside the collection office. "Come in" She gestures to San who was standing in front of the opening she was just sitted at. He follows her inside a part of him having a bit of optimism at the fact that she might actually be of help to him.

Inside were rows of old wooden shelves with stacks of paper and aged books. Empty blood bags littered here and there. The walls were a pasty yellow and the room smelled intensely of cigarettes. It looked like how he suppose an underground cage fight collection office would look.

She goes digging in her purse which sat by the desk she usually was situated most of the day. "There's a werewolf-witch hybrid that I know. He'll be able to help you" She says as she continues digging through her bag for a particular object.

San perks up a little at her comment. Only a little. "Where is he?"

"Tell me who you're trying to revive" She answers with a smug expression while standing straighter. Now having retrieved the small item she was looking for, she had it stuffed in the pocket of her pants.

San grumbles in annoyance. "And don't lie. I can tell" She adds, her eyes flashing a mytical purple for a second.

"I lost someone really important to me. He was murdered" San swallows hard. No matter how long it's been it'll never stop hurting that he could've done something to save Wooyoung. He blamed himself and hated himself for it every single day. "I want him back"

The woman, shorter in stature, steps closer to him and with her head cocked to the side. She gently takes his hand and places the object she was hiding in his palm. A bright red stone with a swirl engraved in it. San looks at with confusion then back up at her.

She had a small smile on her lips. A genuine one. "His name is Taemin. I don't know exactly where he stays but it's around Rowdows Covert. When you find him show him this" She lifts his opened palm with the stone on it.

"Tell him Hwasa sent you"

San wasn't sure what to say. This all seemed a little too good to be true or maybe it was his trust issues talking. But no one ever shows this much kindness unless they wanted something in return. "Why are you helping me?"

"You remind me of my brother" She shrugs. "He joined the royal guards and I haven't seen him a while but you have the look in your eyes that he used to have"

San just stays quiet then slowly closes his slender fingers over the stone. Could this be it? Could this Taemin person really bring him back? Rowdows Covert..

"Wait did you say Rowdows Covert? That's.."

"In Boulia. Aka werewolf territory aka.."

"No vampires" San completes with a down-hearted expression dropping his arm to his side. Vampires and werewolves were banned from entering each other's countries. No surprise. Once spotted they were arrested or killed on the spot. Stupid war. "Damn"

"Oh don't be so down" She waves her hand in dismissal and goes to sit down on her wooden creaky chair. "I wouldn't have told you anything if I didn't think you could find him. You've got those normal looking eyes, your ears and that streak in your hair. They won't tell you're a vamp... or whatever you are" She reaches for a pack of cigarettes to light another.

San subconsciously pushes the streak behind his ear, bringing some black locks forward to further hide it. Once upon a time he despised vampires and was proud of being a drow but now he's hiding among vampires, pretending to be one of them while hiding his dark elf features. It was all almost laughable.

"Half drow half vampire" He says, a sureness in his voice. "I'm half drow half vampire"

She releases a short laugh. "Oh? You don't say.. Kinda odd match up not gonna lie. Your parents must've been star-crossed lovers or something" She mumbles through the cigarettes between her lips while trying to light up the end.

I wasn't born a hybrid. I was turned. San almost corrected her. But decided against it. She already knew too much about him. And he didn't even quite understand it all himself. Vampires are born. People don't just die and come back as vampires, it sounds absurd. And he promised he would figure out what exactly happened that night. But only after bringing Wooyoung back.

"So lover boy, are you gonna tell me your real name?"

"It's Mujin"

She shoots him a 'seriously' look. "Now I'm not actually magically powerful enough to see through lies but I can tell when I'm being lied to. It's called people skills"

San turns to leave. "I'm leaving"

"Wait!" She says with a lighthearted laugh. "Fine don't tell me. Here" She takes out a piece of folded paper and hands it to him. "It's a map of Boulia. You'll probably need it"

He takes it. "Thank you" He says earnestly, squeezing the stone in his hand which was buried in the pocket of his hooded top. "Really I- I don't know if I'll ever be able to repay you"

"You don't have to. And hey, after you bring your little boyfriend back make sure you both come say hi. Yeah?"

San couldn't help but crack a tiny smile. "Yeah"

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