17. THE VAMPIRE'S VOW

Ever since Klara and Akito moved to Henford, Akito had been spending many nights hunting vampires.

During one of his outings, he caught a glimpse of Mrs. Zadecka riding her bike, which seemed very suspicious... What was that elderly woman doing in the vampire lair just as dawn was breaking? Alas, it will likely remain a mystery forever.

Usually, the battles ended in victory, though there were times he faced defeat. Thankfully, he always wore his protective ring.

Knowledge gained from the latest books on vampirism helped Akito improve his combat techniques and increase his chances of victory. Even though he discovered the location of the Original Vampire—the source of all evil on Sim land—he didn’t yet feel ready to make a move and confront the ancient vampire.

One day, he ran into an old "acquaintance."

André: It’s you again!

Akito: Still the same bloodsucker, I see. I ran out of stakes today, but don’t worry, I’ll hunt you down next time.

André: Until next time, Vampire Slayer...

Akito, however, had no idea that such "unfinished business" came with consequences.

André: Master… Things are spiraling out of control. The Slayer is wiping out our brothers and sisters.

Vlad: I want to know everything.

André: …And that’s how it is, Master. We need to act.

Vlad: The Slayer dared to attack my vampire children; he must pay. But my revenge will not be ordinary—oh no. I will wait, and I know how to wait. When his bloodline has grown, and his children are adults, then will come the time for my revenge. That is when we strike.

André: A brilliant plan, Master!

Vlad: Hahahaha!

Meanwhile, completely oblivious to the plotting, Akito received an invitation from Markus to the Flea Market.

Markus: Hey, want to go to the Flea Market?

Akito: Good idea! Maybe I can sell some furniture or at least make some connections!

Vendor: Hello, sir, can I help you find something to buy?

Akito: Actually, I’d prefer to sell. Do you know where I could set up my furniture?

Vendor: Oh, it doesn’t work like that. You can only buy things here. Over there are stalls for selling crafted goods, but furniture won’t fit there...

Akito found an empty stall and set up his wooden sculptures for sale. Unfortunately, no one even asked for the price. Eventually, it started raining, and Akito had to pack up quickly to keep the wood from getting wet.

Klara received an unexpected—and downright chilling—phone call!

André: Hey, want to meet my newly adopted baby?

Klara: WHAT?! NO! I DON’T! WHAT BABY?! HOW DID YOU EVEN GET MY NUMBER, YOU PSYCHOPATH?!

(I dare say this might be part of André and Vlad’s twisted and sinister plan. Dragging a baby into this is just downright immoral!)

Akito gave the market another shot, this time heading to the newly opened marketplace in Windenburg. And this time, things went much better! Interested customers showed up every now and then.

More buyers arrived, and soon Akito sold nearly all his sculptures.

The next day, Akito returned to the marketplace to sell more.

Alika (another vendor): Hey, those wooden sculptures are great! You’re really good at this. Do you make anything else from wood?

Akito: Thanks! Yes, I also make furniture. Let me show you.

Akito: This is a set I recently made—a dining table and chairs.

Alika: OMW, that’s amazing. Have you tried using the Fabricator?

Akito: No, what’s that?

Alika: Come on, I’ll show you.

...And here it is. Nothing too hard for a skilled Sim like you. All you need are bits and pieces to craft something. The best way to get them is by recycling items you find in the dumpster.

Skeptical but curious, Akito decided to try dumpster diving. Surprisingly, he managed to find a fridge and an oven! Old and worn out—perfect for recycling.

With the materials in hand, Akito got to work. However, crafting with the Fabricator didn’t bring him as much satisfaction as woodworking. And to top it off, the machine malfunctioned, leaving Akito covered in paint! His first impression of it wasn’t the best.

Sometimes I love watching my Sims take care of themselves. I adore catching them initiating interactions on their own.

And here I caught Klara looking at Filip. She’s probably thinking about how tomorrow is her little Filip’s birthday—he’ll become a child and soon start school. Sim time really flies. Akito will probably miss these sweet moments too.

The next day, the whole family was bustling from the early morning because it was Filip’s birthday, and it coincided with Harvestfest. A small group of friends was also invited.

Happy Birthday! Filip is now a child, and he loves nature. His aspiration is Little Explorer. He did look a bit too much like a ventriloquist dummy from a horror movie, so I quickly gave him a makeover.

Akito: I see the Narrator already gave you a new hairstyle. That’s good; this one suits you much better. How does it feel to be a child?

Filip: It’s great! And guess what, Dad? I’m joining Scouts. It’s part of my aspiration. Did you know I can have aspirations? I didn’t have any as a toddler.

Klara: That’s because you were still too little. And since you mentioned Scouts, we have something for you. Here, your Scout uniform and your very own badge board.

Filip: Awesome! Thanks, Mom! Thanks, Dad!

The guests started eating at the table, but as Sims tradition dictates, they soon moved to the couch or stood around eating. Even little Piotr was enjoying the cake (and looking again a bit like one of those creepy dolls from horror movies... especially in this shot).

Klara: Zoe, why the long face?

Zoe: Ugh, I envy you. You’ve built a wonderful family, and I haven’t even found love. The life of an unplayed Sim is so pointless.

Klara: Don’t give up. Even if neighborhood stories fail you, we still have the Watcher. Maybe she'll come up with something.

While the group was enjoying themselves, eating and chatting, they didn’t realize they were being watched.

André: This is the place...

Vlad: Just wait, Slayer. My revenge will be sweet. You won’t know the day or the hour...

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