A droplet of blood like a bright red pearl blossoms on the baby's pale skin. Sunggyu staggers back, stifling a small cry. The child’s eyes fill with tears, and Sunggyu braces himself for the onslaught of noisy weeping. He despises the sound of crying because it’s a characteristic very close to human nature.

Vampire babies don't cry very often. Inherently, they are predators. But when its life is at risk, when its turned to prey instead of hunter, vampires can sense it. The baby can probably detect the smell of its own blood or feel the pain of the cut. Whatever it is, Sunggyu doesn't know why he has stopped after inflicting only shallow cut.

The blade should have cut through the baby’s skin and flesh, causing a flood of blood. Yet the child lies there virtually unharmed. Somewhat shocked, he looks at the weapon in his hand. With this very blade he's cut off the heads of countless creatures – he's gone to war and killed shifters with this magnificent sword, culled werewolves and other vile species, and yet this child, this vampire, remains untouched.

What invincible power does this new-born child possess that has saved him from the sword?

For the first time in many years, he feels afraid. Not afraid of the Renegade but afraid of himself.

Afraid that he may fail. This should not be...why did he hesitate?

The vampire takes another step back. Fear and confusion flood him and he staggers a bit in his stance. He waits with bated breath to be found once the child’s screams begin. However, it has been more than a few seconds since he attempted to slaughter the child and apart from the tears that has formed in its eyes, the little creature has shown no other reaction. Sunggyu wonders if maybe his imagination had played a trick on him; perhaps he had struck the death blow. It is the only explanation for the silence. He takes two steps forward to the spot where the child lay. He is greeted by the same wide, curious eyes, a singular tear drop rests almost dream-like on the baby’s lily white skin.

Why are you still alive?

Sunggyu’s mind is filled with questions, the most important being why has he not attempted to finish the job? He has no idea what has happened, but the drive and desire to end the tiny youngster has completely died. That is the most confusing stance of all.

Why does he not want to kill him?

He’s a vampire; all he knows is killing - there is no remorse before or afterwards, no feelings or emotions attached. Killing is merely a means to an end, a lesson to the weak that only the strong will survive. But here in this room with sword in his hand, Sunggyu cannot bring himself to raise the weapon once again.

The child makes a sound—a laugh?

Does he know he has defeated me?

Before he can control it, another memory invades Sunggyu’s vulnerable mind.

She is smiling again

He wonders silently as he falls into the vision if she smiled this much in real life.

“Omma,” he reaches out again trying to touch.

She reaches back never touching.

He misses warmth.

She smiles wider and continues moving further away. She beckons him to follow.

The child’s giggles pull him back. He leans forward a bit to examine him, The Renegade. That’s when he noticed it, the mark. Sunggyu has to blink to make sure he saw it correctly.

How is it possible?

On the child’s torso just above his hip bone is a birthmark. Birthmarks are not unusual in themselves, but they are in the case of a natural born vampire. Birthmarks are a human trait. Natural vampires are born with illogical beauty and flawless, unblemished, unmarked skin.

While the blemish on the child is out of the ordinary, it was not what struck Sunggyu’s core. What caught the man’s eye was the mark itself, because it was as familiar to him as his own skin, perhaps because he bears the same mark in the exact same location.

On examining the spot closer, he realises it’s not exactly the same, but similar. However, it seems to jump up at him and he can’t understand why. There is no time to ponder on the matter. He’s a man – a vampire – with a mission.

“My lord,” he hears a small voice behind him. Jimin has probably come to check up on him; the usual ritual of blessing doesn’t take very long. “Is everything alright?”

He repositions himself in order to block the baby from Jimin’s view. The drop of blood is still very prominent, so is his sword.

“Why are you disturbing me?” he barks at the unsuspecting vampire. With the back of his hand, he wipes the sweat that had gathered on his forehead.

“Apologies, my lord. The lady was wondering when you’ll be done. She’s eager to hold the baby.”

“I’ll be done soon,” he replies coldly.

“And we’re due back at the house, my lord. The party will start soon.”

Oh, the party. He’s forgotten it’s his birthday. Since it’s the day he’d been turned many years ago, this day is celebrated as his birthday by his vampire brethren. The actual day he was born – he doesn’t remember the day anymore – it’s of no significance to him anymore.

With a start, he apprehends that The Renegade and he share the same birthday. A mere coincidence of course. He has no time to ponder these things. The mother is anxious to hold the baby no doubt and the father will be here presently. Sunggyu’s running out of time and something akin to anxiety begins to form, he pushes it down – he has no time for human emotions.

his lips, he turns his head to the problem at hand. The gurgles of the happy baby cause a strange tingling sensation to run down his spine. And suddenly, he has a splitting headache. He leans forward, feeling an angry pulsing in his temple. It dawns on him at some point that the pain is not in his head, but it’s above his hip bone. His hand clasps over the place, he holds back a gasp at realizing the pain is emanating from the site his birthmark.

He grips the handle of his sword tightly; it’s now or never. Raising it over his head, he brings it down. The shadow of the mighty sword probably scares the baby, who starts to whimper softly, breaking Sunggyu’s concentration. The mark burns like fire under his clothing, and he realizes with horror that he cannot do what he has been sent to do.

I cannot take his life.

The next course of action is to bring the baby to the Court of the Elders, where someone else will finish what he’s started. Replacing the sword in his bag, he picks up the baby, his hands shaking. The moment he touches the baby, he stops whimpering and smiles at him. Sunggyu feels something heavy settle in his heart, like a fiery arrow piercing his soul. The baby’s heartbeats are loud in his ears, like the constant ringing of church bells.

Without further hesitation and very little actual thought, he wraps the baby in the cloak he has around his shoulder and steals out of the alcove. He can hear Jimin talking to the mother in the other room. He has to ditch Jimin here – he can’t take him to Court. Stealthily, he walks out of the house and into the dark moonless night.

A small scratch at the bottom of his neck starts to itch. Ignoring it, he focuses on the road and breaks into a run. At top speed, he’ll reach the Court within minutes. The Court will gather tonight, to celebrate the end of The Renegade. He was supposed to bring them good news but instead, he brings them a burden.

No matter what, The Renegade will meet its end today.

He is two miles from the Court when he stops suddenly. The baby’s heartbeats are thunderous against his absent ones. Soon, they will be gone, stopped forever.

There is an invisible force pulling at him. The feeling is so overwhelming that he is breathless from it. In a split second, he makes up his mind. Turning on his heel, he speeds back to the house, the baby’s house. He can hear loud voices issuing from inside. He recognizes Jimin’s voice, and a male and female voice that could only belong to the baby’s parents.

In a feverish pitch, he arranges everything with speed. Time is of the essence. The longer he spends here, the more anxious the Court will go and will likely send someone to check on him. When everything is ready, he creeps up to the house and locks the door, ensuring no one will get out of this house tonight.

Taking a deep breath, he lights the torch and flings it towards the house. With zealous eyes, he watches the tongues of flame erupting and dancing in the wind. Soon, they engulf the house so that nothing is visible. Sunggyu watches with selfish pleasure – the screams within not touching him. He has poured quick salt ensuring that the fire would be lethal to the vampires. No one will survive this tragedy. The fire turns purple, the quick salt taking effect. He looks down to find tears in the baby’s eyes. Does he know that his blood is burning not far away from him?

With a jolt, he remembers that the screams he hears are from innocent vampires; one of them has been his faithful servant for a long time and the other two have done nothing more than bring The Renegade to the world. The woman’s cries tear at him the most.

“Omma?”

She screams a long drawn-out scream that rips apart his soul. He tries to claw at her but he can’t see her face.

“My son?” her eyes are wide with disbelief

It’s a question...a confusion.

He turns away from the fire, ready to move on to his next destination.

It’s not the Court.