Emma picked herself up from the snow and grabbed her trusty Karlack. She realized that she could see a faint hue of red coating the clouds in the distance. It made her wonder if she was the type of vampire that burned in the light or if she was a light walker.

  However, she was ill inclined to test it while standing out in the open. She decided to follow the river, taking the small trail of descending elevation. She noticed that the trees began to gradually get more numerous as she climbed down the slope.

  By the time the sunlight began piercing the world, she’d hidden herself beneath a canopy of trees.

  “What do you think, Karlack?” She asked as she tilted the sword. “Do you think this sunlight will kill me?”

  She remembered portrayals of vampires who would instantly turn to ash after the sunlight struck their skin. Emma shook her head and willed herself to push her small hand into the light.

  What accompanied was a burning sensation that felt uncomfortable. However, her hand didn’t instantly turn to ash. At the same time, the feeling within her dwindled in the light. If her mana was like the light of a candle, during the daylight it became more dim.

  Emma summoned a small ice dagger in her hand, but she noticed that the pull on her well was even worse while the sun was out. Moreover, the dagger seemed to slowly melt in the light.

  It was silly to the vampire. The permafrost surrounding her was stuck to the ground, hardly melting in the light. Yet, her dagger—maintained by mana—was slowly melted away in the sun.

  She hesitantly forced her entire being out into the light, but there was only a small accompanying pain. It reminded Emma of the feeling of sunburn, spread across her entire frame.

  Emma smiled at her sharp friend. “Hey, isn’t this great, Karlack!? At least the sunlight doesn’t kill me.”

  Of course, the sword provided no answer. The only answer was the swaying of trees in her surroundings.

  She frowned at the wordless sword. “I guess I should make you a sheath for times like these.”

  Emma wondered how she’d even go about making a sheath, but she did remember she could produce clothes from ice magic. Miraculously, the clothes she wore didn’t seem to be melting like the dagger she’d summoned before.

  “I don’t get it,” she said, tugging on her jacket’s fluffy collar. “How come you are the same as before?”

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  She didn’t continue to complain about it, especially given the fact she had no memory of being a nudist. Instead, she summoned a crude sheath on her waist. It was clear to her that she wasn’t a fashion designer in her past life.

  Emma grumbled and sheathed the sword, but as she did, she noticed a faint blue glow emanate from the sword. It resonated with the vampire, creating a feeling of warmth inside of her chest.

  “Are you happy?”

  However, once again, she got no response.

  “I guess you can stay in there then!”

  As Emma pouted, she began to wonder what she’d do next. She realized she had no friends as she was now. There was also her hunger situation. She’d not feed on upstanding citizens if she could avoid it.

  It wasn’t out of an emotional response to the thought of doing so. Rather, it was her logical brain telling her the consequences of such actions would be dreadful. If she became a wanted criminal in all of the lands, living anywhere in the world would be a challenge.

  She wasn’t so naive to believe she’d not be able to be killed. If the fight against the troll taught her anything, it was that she could be hurt, and the blood consumption had something to do with her constitution.

  The matter of her magic was a curious one. Initially, she thought that all of the magic was the same, but producing clothes for long term use was different than producing a weapon.

  “What if I produce a long term use weapon!?” At her exclamation, a sharp blue glow shot from Karlack, piercing her side. “Ow! Okay, I won’t produce another weapon!”

  Instead, she produced another short-term dagger to be vanquished slowly by the sun. “Oh, but you’re fine with this!? What’s the difference!?”

  The only answer she got in response was a small blue glow, but for some reason, she could feel a sort of smug energy radiating from the sword’s presence.

  “Rude! What if I want to be a spell caster, hmm? What do you say to that?”

  This time, the answer she got was a curious blue glow. She realized that each time the sword ‘spoke’, there was a resonance of emotions that came with it.

  “Are you saying that you can cast spells?”

  Emma felt yet another glow synchronize with her mind. It was the affirmation of the sword.

  The vampire unsheathed the sword and smiled at it wryly. “How are you supposed to cast magic as a sword? You can change shape? How is that possible!? Close my eyes? Okay! But don’t even think of doing anything weird! Ow! Alright, I’m closing them, I’m closing them!”

  Emma closed her eyes and felt herself growing more in tune with the sword. Despite the fact that the sword attacked her, she was feeling pleasantly happy with this development. At least now she had a friend she could converse with!

  “I’m not getting distracted!”

  The vampire sighed as she began channeling her meager amount of magic up the sword. She slowly felt the grip transforming in her palm as she formed a picture in her mind. After she finished, it was almost like a small voice entered inside of her head, telling her that she could open her eyes.

  When she responded to the request, she was pleasantly surprised. What was once a sword had become a long ice staff that was almost transparent. At the end of the staff was a glimmering snowy sickle that curved inwards, and inside the small half-ring was a floating blue orb of ice.

  “Whoa!” Emma exclaimed. “You can even do something like this!?”

  A smug glow answered her from her newfound friend.

  Karlack: My pronouns are sword/staff. You will worship me, silly vampire.