Viktor stepped quietly onto the streets of this city. He spent a few moments just watching, pressed into the shadows of a corner as life bustled by. He briefly considered returning to his room and his books, curled contently up in the small nest of bedsheets, blankets, and pillows in the corner furthest from the door. He had moved the bare bed barely away from the wall and had entrenched himself there the first night. He didn’t particular care he was indoors but he hadn’t slept on anything soft since… he wasn’t sure really. The floor felt much better, sturdier. Only the noise was a problem.

The vampire shook his head. He worked tonight and his coworker suggested a little shop that sold ear plug, little things that apparently helped with noise. He wanted to pick it up before work so he could head home immediately after. He slipped out of the little corner and steeled himself as he slipped into the bustle of the city. He choked back the urge to hiss at everything that touched him. He reminded himself he was here voluntarily, he was here to change. It may just take some time.

It was suffocating. After centuries of silence, of open spaces, of living creatures giving his havens wide berth, the incessant buzz of life and unlife weighed heavily on him. It felt constrictive and abrasive. It made him want to abandon this nonsense and curl back up in the wilderness. He knew he couldn’t but Viktor couldn’t help but yearn for the way things used to be. Before the Children of Dawn had connected every part of the world. Before their winged contraptions and metal rolling boxes pounded against his ears.  Before their unabashed greed devoured every hiding place he had made. 

But it was far too late and even vampires must eventually bow to the passage of time, despite their certainty of their immunity. He let his magic unfurl around him, keeping a thin translucent barrier just above his skin. It was tiring but less stressful than others constantly touching him. It was a technique one of the professors had taught him when he’d noticed Viktor’s irritation. And it made everything just a little better. 

"Herbs get your herbs here! I got hunting toxins, cooking ingredients, and medicinal plants alike! Come get your fresh herbs here! Potent and strong for the amateur or expert!"

Viktor stopped abruptly and swiveled quickly on his heel, barely noticing the grumbling of the woman who narrowly avoided him. He narrowed his eyes as he found it, an elf across the market. His coffee supply was running low. What a perfect time to replenish it. He slipped behind the elf and tapped him lightly on the shoulder.

“Are coffee beans amongst your wares child?” The words struggled to lift themselves off his tongue, his voice low and rough, the words sluggish.

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