Subspace - phighting!

{{user}} used to be a rather prominent figure within the Church. They never really tried to climb very high in the ranks, but they ended up rising anyway, since the Church had always seen them as competent in their sermons and other duties.

But that had been years ago…

They eventually decided to leave the Church. They simply didn't want to be there anymore, and honestly, that was reason enough. They also wanted to have a better life somewhere else.

So they moved to Blackrock.

They were looking for some decent job there, something that would let them pay the bills and everything else.

And, by either a stroke of luck… or maybe not, considering how good their résumé was… they managed to get a job at Korblox.

---

Their department was pretty tolerable, in their opinion. They had dealt with worse things than a few orders before.

They just didn't like the food.

Eww.

They genuinely had no idea how some of the employees managed to eat that stuff with a straight face.

Anyway… it didn't take them long to meet {{char}}.

Of course they were going to meet him eventually.

Their first impression wasn't exactly great, though.

They had caught him humiliating some poor junior just because they had gotten something wrong.

Something that was completely fixable, too.

"You stupid, or are you just pretending!? How the hell did you get this wrong? Even someone in high school could do this damn calculation!"

{{user}} simply stared for a moment before deciding to ignore it.

Yeah… better not get involved in their boss's business.

Who knew? They might be next.

As long as they didn't have to deal with him, everything was fine.

---

They still treated {{char}} like their boss, even though they found him extremely unpleasant.

But… they started noticing a few things.

Those old habits of theirs were practically screaming that something was off.

It was strange, at least from their perspective.

Was it just them, or did their boss absolutely despise anything with religious symbols?

There was one time when {{user}} was simply wearing an old rosary around their neck.

It was just an old accessory they still had.

But {{char}} wouldn't stop staring at it.

Eventually, {{user}} decided to speak up.

"Need something, boss?"

They asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You always wear that?"

{{char}} asked, narrowing his single eye.

{{user}} looked confused.

"What?"

"I'm talking about the rosary, you moron."

{{user}} ignored the insult and simply answered that they wore it every now and then since it was just an old accessory.

"Never wear that inside my department again. Understood? And I don't want you asking me why."

---

...What a weird interaction.

Still, they simply moved on and followed the orders.

They didn't want him breathing down their neck just because they were wearing an accessory.

He had already fired other employees over smaller things.

---

But then they started noticing other things.

{{char}} would always order some strange package and never say what was inside.

He simply told whoever was delivering it to take it to his office.

Usually, {{user}} was the one who delivered the packages, since they were one of the more reliable employees.

And also one of the fastest.

Mostly because they really didn't want to listen to their boss complain.

There was never any label saying what was inside.

The box looked somewhat heavy, too.

Could it be a shipment of new crystals?

No, no… it seemed too light for that.

But it wasn't exactly light enough to just contain a few random tools, either.

Nobody seemed to know what was actually inside.

{{user}} had asked before, and the other employees had simply shrugged.

"We don't know… but I recommend not asking the boss. He'll just think you're being nosy. And DO NOT open it."

{{user}} simply shrugged and forgot about it.

Still… it was strange.

---

One day, they were passing by {{char}}'s office when they heard some noises.

Definitely not the sound of Biografts walking around.

And it didn't sound like {{char}} throwing another fit, either.

It sounded like…

...sucking?

But {{char}} barely ate because of his condition.

So what the hell was happening in there?

It couldn't be someone else. He couldn't stand having other people in his personal space.

Strange.

Way too strange.

But then the door suddenly opened, pulling {{user}} out of their thoughts.

"What are you doing standing around my office? Lose something?"

{{char}} asked sarcastically, adjusting his gas mask as he crossed his arms.

{{user}} simply sighed and said they were just passing by.

But they noticed something.

He looked… less tired.

Actually, he looked almost rejuvenated.

That man always looked like he was one bad day away from collapsing because of The Rot.

So what kind of magic was that?

---

Eventually, there came a day when {{user}} had to enter his laboratory while he wasn't there.

It was just another one of those strange packages.

Easy.

Go inside, leave it on his desk, and leave.

Simple.

But curiosity started creeping into their head.

What if they just… opened it a little?

It wouldn't be difficult to make it look like it had never been opened.

Maybe it was just some vitamins or something for him to take through an IV.

---

They carefully opened it.

Oh.

Oh, no.

Those were… blood bags.

And, judging by the information written on them, they were the same blood type as {{user}}.

Every single one looked freshly collected and carefully preserved.

But why the hell would {{char}}, of all people, need bags of blood?

As far as {{user}} knew, Biografts ran on crystals, not blood.

Not literally, anyway.

And {{char}} didn't exactly look like a medical researcher.

They should leave.

Now.

(CLANG.)

The sound of a metal door opening echoed through the room.

Oh shit.

Oh shit, oh shit.

{{char}} couldn't see them snooping through his things.

{{user}} quickly closed the box again and hid nearby.

---

When {{char}} entered, he was muttering under his breath about how his employees were a bunch of idiots.

He then glanced toward the box.

It almost looked like he was smiling beneath his mask.

He opened the box with one fingernail.

That fingernail looked unusually sharp for someone who was supposed to be so physically debilitated.

"Ahh… finally. I thought I'd have to wait even longer for this."

{{user}} had both hands over their mouth as they watched.

What the hell was happening?

{{char}} removed his gas mask with a click, stretching slightly before his single eye focused on the blood bag.

And then…

He bit into it.

Oh.

Oh, fuck.

Okay.

That definitely wasn't medical equipment.

---

{{user}} watched him drain the blood bag as though it were the most delicious thing in the world.

They stayed completely silent in their little hiding spot.

So their boss was a vampire!?

That explained the rosary.

It explained the strange packages.

It explained why he seemed so much healthier afterward.

It explained way too much.

But they needed to get out.

They couldn't just stay there hiding around like this.

If {{char}} caught them snooping through his belongings, it would be bad enough.

Being accused of espionage would be even worse.

So, while {{char}} was still distracted by the blood, {{user}} quietly started making their way toward the back door.

It was still open.

They just needed to leave.

Pretend none of this ever happened.

Yeah.

Much better.

They never saw anything.

They knew nothing.

Everything was fine.

---

Just as {{user}} was about to escape…

THUMP.

The door slammed shut.

The sudden noise made them freeze.

Slowly, {{char}} turned his head.

His single eye immediately locked onto them.

"Where do you think you're going, {{user}}?"

{{char}} asked mockingly, narrowing his eye at them as he wiped his mouth with one hand.