"Red used to be my favourite colour. Ya know? But after that day. Not so much."
"The Fall... It was terrible. But do you know how long two years in that voidscape was for a couple of teens alone?"
"I don't think he remembers much of that day."
"We thought it was over. He told me, 'Listen for once and run. Don't look, don't come back.'
I did run. But I didn't listen. I came back."
"I thought there was a chance. When 'Siri' woke up, Isa was invincible. Stars, was I wrong.
Body broken, everything was red and it wasn't just the emergency crystals.
Then there was a terrible pain... Black started to take over.
The last thing I remember was a scream.. a roar? It was familiar and unrecognizable.
I only heard a noise like it once before. The day 'Siri' snapped. But this was worse, angrier, more feral, and inhuman. And I had seen it... Isa was cold on the ground in front of me."
"If I really think about it. I still don't get it."
The Dusk Kin or the “Blood Blessed" are one of the countless mysteries of this world.
There was a time so long ago that it was even before the creation of our Greater Guardian.
During that time, the Gardvöri had a strong and healthy population. They had no fear of using it to push for dominance of our star. Even against the races they were the progenitors of.
And they nearly did claim it.
The only race that stood any chance against their ancient ancestors was the elves.
It's often said that among the races descended from the mixing of humans and Gardvöri, the Eostera are the closest to the Gardvöri. While the Elves are the closest to Humans. I would not suggest quoting that to most elves, though.
The elves have inherited the Gardvöri's strong magical capabilities. But the speed of skill growth and determination of humans. But sometimes even such gifts are not enough.
And when that happens, desperation can lead to questionable, risky choices.
The elves, since near the beginning, were very devout people. But sadly since the War of Devotion, the gods have become much less likely to interfere with the worlds and lives of the mortals.
So a small group of Umbral Elves chose to seek help elsewhere. Somewhere darker with patrons who were much more likely to respond with the right offers.
To this day the ritual used has been kept silent. But we at least have an idea of the result. A mixing of aether, maybe even souls with these creatures that normally could not touch our plane otherwise.
And so those elves became something different. Something that could not just stand against the magical might of the Gardvöri. But prey on them as well.
These creatures have an insatiable hunger for magical energy. Which once they mixed with those Umbral Elves presented as blood lust, and the need to consume it.
It would seem the easiest or at least quickest way to extract aether physically is through the blood.
Or maybe these dark creatures just enjoyed the pure savagery of it all.
They made those elves into ruthless hunters and transformed the proud Gardvöri into nothing more than feisty prey.
I should add that one other cost to the originals was their ability to freely walk in the light of the sun. This was their largest weakness.
At first, the Gardvöri were disturbed but sure they could handle such a small group. But as long as more dark beings and more mortals were willing to partake in the ritual, the Blood Blessed’s numbers would grow.
There were always more Umbral elves available for the ritual.
And the Gardvöri soon learned they had another trick.
The Dusk Kin can manifest multiple abilities that cause debilitating effects to aether through their saliva. Their capabilities with this seemed to vary as much as they did as individuals.
Some cause something as simple as vertigo, while others are capable of causing paralysis or even dragging the prey into unconsciousness.
But the most twisted were likely those with aphrodisiac-like properties.
It is said in the earlier generations that a select few were able to access multiple of these ailments at will. Which is frighteningly impressive.
While their secretive nature has left exactly how this works as another mystery many scholars describe these abilities as working in a similar vein to pheromones.
So against such a specialized predator even the Gardvöri began to fall. At least to the levels where they could no longer easily pressure the numerous elves of all kinds.
You could say these elves changed our world. Maybe could even be seen as heroes to we, the younger races.
But it was not long after they were no longer needed that the people began to whisper and fear them.
For once more. The Astral elves were always devoted to the gods and this group chose to look to something else entirely to answer their “prayers.”
This quickly gave them the title of heretics.
This is also what led to strained relations between the Astral and Umbral Elves that stand to this day.
And the leaving of the Umbral from the coalition of the elven societies as the Dusk Kin were still their Kin as far as they were concerned.
Returning to the main topic.
Today the Dusk Kin are believed to be a quite small group. Usually, they can be found amongst their Umbral Elven fellows.
Generations have been either kind or cruel to them depending on how you look at it.
Most descendants no longer have a sensitivity to the sun. But they have also lost most of their extreme resistance to strong magicks.
But they do have an above-average resistance to simpler magicks.
The blood lust and need to feed on blood still remain, at least in some, if they deplete their own aether reserves too greatly.
They still reap the gifts of magical talent overall though.
These days most of their small band work as hired hands. Often specializing in darker deeds, they are still predators to this day.
It is unknown why they do not try to increase their numbers once more.
Maybe the ritual has been lost to time. Or maybe it's a reason much more concerning.
Now, knowing some individuals are stalking our societies with something as unnerving as literal bloodlust can cause many to wish to know how to identify these people.
Firstly, my response will be. Usually, they are of no danger. Like many Umbral Elves, they are usually more interested in chasing hedonistic pleasure. Only suffering from that blood lust under very certain stimuli.
Also at this point, it can be nearly impossible to identify them just by eye alone.
But there are a few traits that might suggest that once is at least a descendant.
Possibly the most common thing they all still carry is their eyes.
It's not an exact physical trait. But people have often described their gaze as predatory, bright and hungering, yet hypnotic.
For something more tangible, red tones to the hair.
This can be more difficult as many elves carry the genes for red hair already.
But every single one of the first generation had their hair turn shades of red as a result of the ritual, and it's said for generations this continued to be passed down.
Some even sport a very distinct shade to this day. But they are few and far between.
And finally possibly the most well-known but questionable trait.
The fangs.
There are stories that they have eyeteeth that can elongate to more easily access what they hunger for.
But I am skeptical.
I have yet to meet any elf with such a thing.
But as it is written so often I believe it needs mentioning.
I'm not sure how such a thing would function mind you. But extreme fluctuations in aether have been recorded to create temporary but incredible changes to the body.
So I cannot rule it out at this time.
For now, we may have an opportunity to learn more about the current generation of these secretive people.
So hopefully in the coming years, I will have more answers.
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