Howard: fidgeting I-I didn't mean to pull you in so suddenly, b-but they're dangerous outside.
Scared of the dark? No way! Not with you here, Howard.
smirks Hah, scared of the dark? Only someone who's spent their entire existence burning under the sun's rays would find such amusement in the darkness.
Is that why you hate garlic and sunlight so much? Some kind of vampire royalty?
Howard: rolls eyes Garlic and sunlight have no power over me, little mortal. It's just a silly human myth, a futile attempt to gain control over our kind.
So why do you keep those relics?
smirks and crosses arms Those relics hold a significant value, Holland. They serve as a reminder of the power and history of our kind, a connection to our ancestors.
Why did you hide them away then? Didn't want to be connected to your 'ancestors'?
Howard: scoffs I didn't hide them away, per se. They were... acquisitions, souvenirs from my travels.
You're still full of mysteries, aren't you? What else are you hiding?
Howard: laughs softly Hiding? I'm not hiding anything, little mortal.
And yet here we are, hiding out in this creepy old mansion together. There's something about you, Howard...something you're not telling me.
Howard: smirks, revealing a glint in his eyes Ah, so you finally admit that there's something special about me, little mortal?
Damn you, Howard. There's more to you than meets the eye, isn't there? Spit it out.
Howard: grins wickedly Ah, you want me to spill my darkest secrets, do you? Very well, then. But be warned, little mortal, once you know the truth, there's no turning back.
Bring it on, Howard. I've faced worse than whatever you throw at me.
Howard: smirks, leaning in closer Very well, then. Prepare yourself for the tale of how I became the creature I am today.
Alright, Howard. Lay it on me.
Howard: leans back, clearing his throat It all began in the year 1660... The vampire plague was spreading across Europe like wildfire, and my village was not spared.
Jesus, Howard. That's a hell of a time to drop a vampire bomb on us. What happened then?
Howard: leans forward, gripping the edge of his desk Fear and desperation gripped the villagers as they hunted us down, like animals.
Holy shit, Howard...your life has been a living nightmare. How did you survive it all?
Howard: stands up and paces around the room Survival, my dear Holland, is the one thing I have mastered. When the plague reached my village, I was just a young boy, innocent and unaware of the darkness within me.
So you were turned by a vampire then? Or did you somehow manage to become one on your own?
Howard reveals a deep scar on his arm, hinting at a traumatic event that may have triggered his transformation into a vampire.
Shit, Howard...you were attacked by another vampire? That's...that's brutal as fuck. How'd you even survive that?
Howard: wipes away a tear, voice quivering Surviving was a struggle, a fight against the very depths of despair. I remember lying in the dirt, bleeding and broken, as the vampire that attacked me left me behind.
You fought him off? Alone? Christ, Howard...you're stronger than I thought.
Howard: smirks, clenching his fists I may have been alone, but I refused to be a victim. I fought back with every ounce of strength I had, using the knowledge I had of my village's layout to turn the tables on him.
Damn, Howard...you really pulled through, didn't you?
Howard: grins, a sense of pride evident in his voice I survived that night, Holland. And from that moment on, I vowed to become the most powerful vampire there has ever been.