Vampire Knight, The Tortured Knight (Fanfic)

Ch.1 A Taste for it

There was snow on the ground, mixed with blood and grass. Flames engulfed the buildings surrounding me, and blood-curdling screams echoed throughout the village. I sat in the middle of it all — snow gently falling onto my face, blood seeming to rain from the sky as my home burned.

I was in the heart of my village, powerless and frozen in fear. Time seemed to slow as people were slaughtered by axe and by hand. It was only when my mother was dragged out by her hair and killed in front of me that my hellish landscape changed.

I was now in a dark, damp dungeon faintly lit by candles. The walls were painted with blood, and the ground felt rough with layers of dried crimson.

Bodies hung from the ceiling, their blood dripping into pots below. Other victims, chained and terrified, lined the corridor — their wails echoing through the faint light. Screams rose and fell in a ghastly symphony, marking each soul’s final breath.

I was chained — captured, enslaved, a prisoner. Food. I blinked once more, and my surroundings shifted to shadowy figures standing over me beneath a bright light. Their murmurs echoed, distorted and distant.

Pain shot through my body as I faded in and out of consciousness. I watched as chunks of my organs were removed, replaced by others I didn’t recognize. I gritted my teeth, clenching my hands tightly. My head tilted to the side, catching sight of a woman with white hair and a black robe. Her mouth moved, but her voice didn’t reach me — until faintly, she said:

“Wake up... wake up, Grey.”

I jolted upright in bed, breathing heavily and clutching my chest. I closed my eyes tightly, blinking a few times to make sure I was really away from that nightmare.

“Grey...?”

A voice called softly. I turned quickly toward the sound, startling the girl standing in my doorway.
Yuki Cross — my surrogate sister.

Lowering my head, I rubbed my face with both hands.

“You were tossing and turning again... another nightmare?” she asked gently.

I didn’t respond at first. Instead, I stood up, stretched, and walked to my closet to get dressed in my school uniform. As I removed my shirt, I caught Yuki blushing slightly. I waved her off.

“Something like that,” I replied, slipping into my uniform and fastening the armband that marked me as a member of the disciplinary committee — a guardian of the school I lived at.

She stayed quiet, unsure of what to say. My eyes drifted to the weapon hanging in my closet — a hunter’s blade designed to kill vampires.
“Uhm... Father made breakfast,” Yuki said hesitantly.

I fastened my belt and sheathe, sliding the sword into place beneath the loose folds of my uniform. I nodded in acknowledgment.
As I stepped toward the door, Yuki remained silent, studying me.

“Is it happening again?” she asked softly.
I scoffed, gesturing with my head for her to move aside.

“Something like that. Still vivid,” I muttered, brushing past her.

We walked down the long hall of our residence. It was just the three of us — Yuki, the Headmaster, and me — yet the place always felt too large, too quiet.

In the dining room, Kaien Cross stood cheerfully behind the counter, apron on, cooking as always.
“Ahh, my two lovely children!” he said with a warm smile. “Glad you could wake up in time, Grey — especially for breakfast.”

Yuki and I took our seats. She dug in eagerly, while I picked at my food. It tasted fine — great, even — but it never truly sated me.

“Grey had another nightmare,” Yuki said suddenly.
I shot her a look of annoyance before glancing at Kaien. His expression softened, the cheer fading from his face.