The Inventor's Secret

Arfield Industries was a place where inventors and scientists collaborated to create innovative ideas for a new world. Drake Arfield was the CEO and the top inventor of the company. Many inventions were brought to life, thanks to Drake and his ingenious team. One of their most successful inventions was the Winged Mopedair. It was basically a flying moped scooter and their first flying machine.

It was shortly after midnight, and Drake just finished 18 hours of work at the building. He entered the parking lot to move toward his red 2022 Mustang. Abruptly, he paused after he noticed someone was moving on the ground.

A badly wounded vampire was laying on the ground. His eyes were fixed on Drake who stood before him. He pointed at him and whispered, "You… please come here."

Drake was taken aback by the sight of the creature before him, but he composed himself and approached the vampire cautiously. "What do you want?" he asked, unsure of what he was getting into.

The vampire coughed, blood trickling from his mouth. "My name is Victor Blade. I really need your help," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Drake leaned closer. "What kind of help?"

"I need a time machine," said Victor. "I need to go back in time and meet Vlad the Impaler. I need to make him like me, so that we can create an army of vampires to rule this world."

Drake raised an eyebrow. "And why do you need my help with that?"

"Because you are an inventor and one of the top ones in this country," said Victor. "You are capable of building me a time machine."

Drake shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I cannot do that. Time travel is just a theory, there's no way to actually build a time machine."

Victor's eyes narrowed. "I don't believe you. I've heard rumors that you've built all kinds of things that nobody else thought were possible. You built a flying bike, for God's sake."

Drake sighed. "Yes, I invented the Winged Mopedair. But time travel is a whole different ball game. It's not something that can be done with gears and pulleys."

"I don't care how you do it. Just build me a time machine, and I'll pay you whatever you want," Victor growled

Drake shook his head again. "I'm sorry, but it's impossible. Even if it were possible, why would you want to go back in time and create an army of vampires? That's a dangerous and reckless plan."

The vampire sneered. "I'll tell you why. Because vampires are the superior race. We're immortal, we're powerful, and we're beautiful. Humans are weak and pathetic. We should be ruling over them, not the other way around. Centuries ago, I fought side by side with Vlad. He was one of my closest friends. I knew so much about him as if I was in his head. He practiced vampirism by drinking the blood of his enemies. However, he was never an immortal vampire. I'm sure deep in his heart he wanted to be one. Unfortunately, I was captured by the Ottoman Empire and tortured for days. A mysterious vampire actually rescued me from captivity. The vampire bit me. Hence, what I am right now. By the time I got back to Vlad's castle, I learned that he was already killed. I want to go back in time to not only save Vlad but to save myself. Only a vampire can save another vampire. I am the last of my kind. If I turn Vlad, his blood can save me. That is how powerful vampires are. As I said, we should be ruling over the humans."

Drake crossed his arms. "That's a very interesting history you have. And that's a very narrow-minded and selfish way of thinking. Just because you're a vampire doesn't make you superior to anyone else. We're all equal in the eyes of God."

Victor snarled. "God has nothing to do with this. I'm talking about power. And I need your help to get it."

Drake shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I can't help you. I'm a man of science and reason, not a man of fantasy and delusion."

Victor groaned, clutching his chest. "Please, I am the last of my kind," he gasped. "I don't have much time left. You're my only hope."

Drake hesitated, looking down at the dying creature before him. He knew he could not help the vampire with that request, but he would feel guilty about leaving without helping him.

"I'll tell you what," said Drake. "I can't build you a time machine, but I think I can still help. I can help you find a way to make peace with your mortality, so that you can die with dignity and acceptance."

Victor scoffed. "Why would I want that? I don't want to die. I want to live forever."

Drake sighed. "I understand that. But it's not really possible to live eternally. Over the ages, you have witnessed the world's evolution. You have witnessed the birth and demise of countries as well as the rise and fall of empires. Do you really want to live through all that for eternity?"

Victor hesitated, his eyes flickering with uncertainty. "I don't know."

Drake saw the flicker of uncertainty in the vampire's eyes and continued, "Living forever also means seeing the people you love and care about age and die, while you remain the same. It's a lonely existence."

Victor looked away, his eyes filled with sadness. "I never really thought about it that way," he said softly. "But I still can't accept my mortality. I can't just let myself die."

Drake nodded. "I understand. But there's a way to find peace in death. It's called acceptance. Accepting that death is a natural part of life, that it's inevitable, and that it's not something to be feared."

Victor looked at the inventor, his eyes searching for something. "And how do I do that?" he asked.

Drake thought for a moment. "I can help you with that. I can teach you how to meditate and find inner peace. It won't make you immortal, but it will help you accept your mortality and find peace in death."

Victor considered Drake's words, his mind weighing the pros and cons of living forever versus finding peace in death. Finally, he nodded. "Okay," he said. "I'll try it."

Drake helped Victor sit up, and they began to meditate. The inventor guided the vampire through a series of deep breaths and visualizations, helping him focus on the present moment and find inner peace.

As they meditated, Victor felt a sense of calm wash over him. He felt his fear of death dissipate, replaced by a sense of acceptance and even gratitude for the time he had lived.

When they finished, Victor looked at Drake with a newfound sense of respect and gratitude. "Thank you," he said. "You have convinced me that it is possible to find peace in death, which I never believed I could."

Drake smiled. "I'm glad I could help. And remember, just because you're mortal doesn't mean you're powerless. You still have the power to make a positive impact in the world, even if it's just in the time you have left."

Victor nodded, a newfound sense of purpose and determination in his eyes. "I will remember that," he said. "And I will make the most of the time I have left."

With that, Drake and Victor parted ways. Victor knew that he would eventually die, but he was no longer afraid of it. He had found peace in acceptance, and that was worth more than any amount of power or immortality.

As Drake walked away, he could not help but feel a sense of pride and satisfaction. He may not have assisted him with a time machine, but he had helped the vampire find something even more valuable - inner peace and acceptance. And that, to him, was the true power of science and reason.

But was there really a sense of integrity within him?

About thirty minutes after his encounter with the vampire, Drake walked into his laboratory and closed the door behind him. He flicked on the lights and surveyed the room, his eyes landing on a particular machine in the corner.

The machine was a sleek, three-foot-wide, silver contraption that stood about six feet tall. It was made of a smooth, metallic material that gleamed in the light and had a cylindrical form with rounded top and bottom. This marvel was Drake’s time machine.

The time machine's surface was covered in numerous intricate dials, switches, and buttons, each of which had been precisely calibrated to allow for exact control of the machine's time travel. There were also a number of large, circular displays, each one displaying a different aspect of the time period the machine was presently in. The center featured a sizable, open compartment that was encircled by numerous metal pillars and supports. A person would be standing here, shielded from the time stream's intense heat and radiation by a number of energy shields and a dense layer of insulation. It was a magnificent creation, something that had taken Drake years to perfect.

He knew that telling the vampire about the time machine that he had already built would alter his longtime plan. There was a part of him that felt guilty about hiding this secret, but he came to terms with how selfish he can be.

He was finally ready to use the machine, so he walked over to it and ran his hand over the smooth metal surface. He had built it with a singular purpose in mind - to go back in time and meet Vlad the Impaler himself.

Meet Vlad the Impaler? All along it was his plan, and Victor never knew that the whole time. No one knew of his immoral intentions.

But first, there was something he had to do. He walked over to his desk and pulled out a vial of the vampire's blood. He had collected it during their meditation session, and he had been waiting for the right moment to use it. He thought back to when he discreetly pulled out an empty vial and captured some blood that was dripping from the skin while the vampire had his eyes closed during the meditation. He remembered when he safely put the full vial away just in time before the vampire opened his eyes. The deceiving inventor was indeed proud of his accomplishment.

He uncorked the vial and poured the blood into a glass, taking a deep breath before he drank it. The taste was sweet and metallic, and he could feel the power coursing through his veins as he swallowed it. He felt his body changing, his senses heightening. He was becoming a vampire, just like Victor. And with his newfound power, he would be able to go back in time and change history.

After he bit himself to fill the vial with his own vampiric blood, he walked back over to the time machine and inputted the coordinates for Vlad the Impaler's castle. As the machine hummed to life, he felt a surge of excitement and anticipation.

A succession of high-energy fusion reactors that could each produce enough power to propel the time machine through space and time powered the device. A number of control systems and backup generators meticulously regulated the reactors to make sure the machine could keep running even in the event of a catastrophic failure.

As Drake was about to step into the machine, something caught his eye. There was a portrait on the wall. It was a painting of a man, tall and imposing, with piercing dark green eyes and a mane of black hair. The man in the painting was Vlad the Impaler… and he was also Drake’s ancestor.

“Am I destined to do this all along? Was it fate that brought Victor to me?” Drake wondered. He stood there for a moment with a sadistic smile on his face, his mind filled with visions of a new world for vampires.

Drake entered the machine, his mind racing with possibilities. He could go back in time and meet Vlad the Impaler, but he could also change history in other ways. He could prevent wars, save lives, and reshape the course of human history. There was a moral side to him after all.

As the machine whirred to life, the inventor felt a sense of purpose and determination. He was going to change history, but he was going to do it with caution. He could not help but wonder what the future held.

Suddenly, he felt a sudden jolt as the machine began to transport him back in time. The world around him blurred and twisted, and he felt his body being stretched and pulled in different directions.

When the machine finally came to a stop, he stumbled out, gasping for air. He looked around, disoriented and unsure of where he was. But as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw the towering castle of Vlad the Impaler in the distance, its jagged walls looming high above him.

He took a deep breath and began to make his way toward the castle. He had studied the history of this place extensively, but nothing could have prepared him for the sight of it in person As he drew closer, he saw that the castle was surrounded by a moat filled with jagged spikes. He could see the shadows of soldiers patrolling the walls, and he could hear the faint sound of metal clashing against metal. He knew that he had to be careful. He could not risk being caught or discovered by Vlad's soldiers.

He waited until nightfall before making his move, using the cover of darkness to sneak into the castle. He moved quickly and silently, avoiding the guards and slipping through the shadows.

As he made his way deeper into the castle, he saw the horrors that Vlad was famous for. The walls were lined with spikes, each one impaled with the remains of a captured prisoner. Blood dripped from the walls, and the air was thick with the stench of death. Even as a vampire, he felt his stomach turn, but he pushed on, determined to fulfill his mission. He finally reached the inner sanctum of the castle, where Vlad himself was waiting.

Vlad was even more terrifying in person than Drake had imagined. He was tall and muscular, with a stern expression and a commanding presence. His eyes were like ice, and his voice was cold and cruel.

"What do you want?" Vlad demanded, his hand hovering over the hilt of his sword.

Draker took a deep breath and stepped forward, holding out the vial of his blood. "I have something that you might be interested in," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "This potion can grant you immortality."

Vlad's eyes narrowed as he took the vial from the Drake's hand and examined it closely. "Immortality, you say?" he said, a hint of interest in his voice. "And what do you want in exchange?"

Draker took a deep breath and spoke the words he had rehearsed so many times in his head. "I want you to become a vampire," he said. "And I want you to help me build an army of vampires, one that will rule the world. I am not from this time. I had to come here in a time machine to find you and help you build an army of vampires."

Vlad's eyes widened in surprise, and Drake could see the wheels turning in his head. For a moment, he thought that Vlad might refuse, might see through his plan, and turn on him. But then, to his relief, Vlad spoke.

"I accept your offer," Vlad said. "But first, I want to test this potion for myself. I want to make sure that it is as powerful as you claim it to be."

Drake nodded, relieved that Vlad had accepted his offer. He watched as Vlad drank the potion, his body writhing and contorting as the magic took hold.

When the transformation was complete, Vlad was different. He was stronger, faster, and more powerful than before. He was a vampire.

Drake grinned, feeling a sense of triumph and excitement. With Vlad by his side, he would be able to accomplish anything.

But then, as they were preparing to leave the castle, Vlad turned to him with a glint in his eye. "There is one more thing I want," he said with a sneer.

Drake felt a sudden chill run down his spine as Vlad spoke those words. He was not sure what else Vlad could want, but he knew he could not refuse him. "What is it that you want?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly.

"I want to know who you really are," Vlad said, his eyes narrowing. "You come here with this potion and this time machine, claiming to want to build an army of vampires. But I can sense that there is something else, something more personal motivating you."

Drake hesitated, unsure of what to say. He had been so focused on his mission, so determined to change history and create a new world order, that he had not thought about the consequences of his actions. But now, as he stood before Vlad, he realized that he could not keep his true identity a secret any longer.

Vlad took a step closer to Drake. “And I want you to tell me the truth.”

"I am a descendant of yours," Drake said, his voice barely above a whisper. "My name is Drake Arfield."

Vlad's eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment, Drake thought he might be in danger. But then, to his surprise, Vlad's expression softened.

"Drake Arfield," Vlad said, the name rolling off his tongue. "I had always questioned whether I would have offspring and whether my heritage would endure after I was gone. And now, here you are, standing before me."

Drake could see Vlad deep in thought, and he realized that he had an opportunity. With Vlad on his side, he would be able to accomplish his mission even more easily. But then, to his surprise, Vlad spoke again.

"I will not help you build an army of vampires," Vlad said, his voice firm. "I have witnessed far too much devastation and mortality, and I will not take part in anything that will only increase suffering in the world."

Drake felt his heart sink, but he knew he could not give up. He had come too far to turn back now. "But you don't understand," he said, his voice pleading. "Humanity will destroy itself. Wars will continue, and the world will be plunged into chaos."

Vlad shook his head, his expression resolute. "I cannot help you," he said. "But I will not stand in your way. If you choose to go down this path, then I will not stop you. But know that there will be consequences."

Drake nodded, knowing that he had to continue on his path, even if it meant going against the wishes of his own ancestor.

As he and Vlad parted ways, Drake could not help but feel a sense of unease. He had the power to change history, to create a new world order. But at what cost? He knew that there would be no turning back, that his actions would have far-reaching consequences that he could not even imagine. But he also knew that he could not give up. He had a vision, a dream of a world ruled by vampires, and he would do whatever it took to make that dream a reality.

As he stepped back into the time machine and prepared to return to his own time, Drake could not help but wonder what the future held. But one thing was certain: he was proud of his work and his most special invention. After all, the time machine was a marvel of modern technology, a testament to his genius, and a symbol of his relentless pursuit of knowledge and power. With this machine at his disposal, he was capable of accomplishing great things, even if those things came at a great cost.