The mountains northeast of Ize Bay.
The mood in the mountains was much better than it had been a few days earlier, all thanks to the Vampire vaccine Annan had brought.
Behind the thousand people who had fallen ill were a thousand families. Free City had kept those families from being torn apart, and won their wholehearted loyalty in the process.
Quite a few patients developed side effects after they were cured: aversion to light, a thirst for blood, inhuman features... But at least they were alive. They might even live longer than before.
A few lucky young people had discovered unexpected changes. One had grown stronger, another had sprouted fangs, and one could even turn into a bat—except he couldn't turn back.
"Wood, are you ready to be an Executor?"
In Free City, Executor was the title for the leader of a people, much like a Clan Chief.
There was Dole, the Goblin Executor, Gar, the Orc Executor, and Copperbeard, the Dwarf Executor. After the rescued Dwarves decided to stay in Free City, Annan had given Copperbeard the title, though she wasn't particularly fond of it.
"I... I can try." Wood gathered his courage.
Annan patted him on the shoulder. "Think about it. You were one of the first friends I made. Running a tavern is a waste of your talents."
"Talents? Me?" Wood pointed at himself.
"Don't forget our connection to the Land of Eternal Night. Once the war is over, I plan to send you there to keep in touch."
The bright future Annan described left Wood in a daze. He couldn't help looking forward to it, even as he doubted himself.
Wood returned to Free City with his Vampire followers. The only ones left in the mountains were the several hundred members the Blade of Freedom