The morning sun was bright, making the expensive cars in the driveway shine. I stood just inside the open front door, the cool morning air feeling fresh on my skin. Alistair was there, holding a silver tray.
"Your letter, Master Alex," he said, his voice as formal as ever.
I took the envelope. It was thick, expensive paper. I tore it open. Inside was a stack of papers full of numbers and official language.
"It's just the quarterly statement from the bank," I said, more to myself than to him. I skimmed the first page. The numbers were absurdly long. My parents had left me with more money than I could ever spend.
I made a quick gesture with my fingers, and Alistair was already offering me a sleek, black pen. I scribbled my signature on the marked line without really reading the details. What was the point? To waste time on reading this useless document. I handed the signed document and the pen back to him.
"Thank you, Master Alex," Alistair said, placing them back on the tray.
"Welcome. Anything else?" I asked, hoping there wasn't. My mind was already racing, wanting to get back to my room to test more of my new abilities.
"That concludes the morning's business. With your permission, may I take my leave?" he asked. As he spoke, his eyes did that thing again—a quick, sharp look that scanned me from head to toe. He was trying to figure me out.
"Sure, go ahead," I said, trying not to sound too hurried.
Alistair gave a short, perfect bow, turned, and walked away, his shoes making no sound on the marble floor.
I closed the heavy door and immediately used my speed. The grand hallway became a blur, and in less than a second, I was back in the middle of my bedroom. The silence felt heavy.
"Okay, system.Hello?" I thought, concentrating hard in my mind.
Nothing. No voice and response at all. It was like the thing that had given me this power had just vanished after doing its job.
"Useless," I muttered to myself. "What's the point of having a system if it doesn't talk?"
I focused again, and this time, the status screen flickered into view in front of my eyes.
Life: Eternal
I stared at the word. Eternal. It sounded amazing. No sickness, no old age. But then a cold thought hit me. What if I was alone forever? Everyone I might ever care about would grow old and die. I would just… continue. I shook my head. That was a problem for later. Right now, power was more important. I had already tested my strength and speed. But one thing remained.
The transformation.
I didn't have a button to press. I just had to… want it. I pictured the giant snake from my visions. I imagined the scales, the powerful coils, the feeling of raw, ancient strength.
And then it happened.
A wave of energy exploded from inside me. I heard a loud ripping sound as my clothes tore apart. I felt my body stretching, growing, changing. My skin hardened into interlocking plates of smooth, black scales. My perspective shifted, the room suddenly seeming much smaller. I had to lower my head so it wouldn't hit the ceiling. My body was now as thick as the large wooden cupboard in the corner, and so long I could have wrapped myself around the room twice.
In this form, the power was insane. It was a physical pressure inside me. I felt a raw, primal urge to just… lash out. A single flick of my massive tail could probably smash through the wall. The fancy furniture, the expensive paintings, the million-dollar wallpaper—it would all be dust in seconds.
Of course, I didn't. I wasn't an animal and controlled my impulse. This was my home, and a very expensive one.
I pictured my human self again, and the process reversed. My body shrank back down, the scales melting away into smooth skin. In a few seconds, I was standing there, human again.
And completely naked.
My clothes were lying on the floor in tattered rags. I looked down at the shredded fabric and sighed. "Well, power comes with a price."
I walked over to the giant walk-in closet. It was filled with expensive, stylish clothes. I picked out a simple white t-shirt, a dark red coat, and a pair of blue jeans. I got dressed and looked at myself in the full-length mirror.
The guy looking back was a stranger—handsome, confident, and radiating a quiet strength. I looked good and felt good.
Then my eyes drifted to the digital clock on the bedside table.
"Ah, damn it," I muttered. "I have to go to school."
The thought was ridiculous. Here I was, with the power of an immortal serpent inside me, and I had to sit in a classroom and learn about algebra. My body was seventeen, even if my mind felt a lot older. I was a junior at Mystic Falls High.
In my memories, the old Alex was a nobody at school. He was the quiet, rich kid who sat in the back. He didn't have any friends. It turns out, when you're a teenager, having a giant bank account doesn't automatically make people like you. They care about sports, and parties, and who is dating who. Friendship matters more than money.
But now, things were different.
"Fine," I said to my reflection. "Let's go to school."
After all, that's where everyone was. Elena Gilbert, the sweet girl who was the center of the coming storm. Bonnie Bennett, the powerful witch who didn't know it yet. Caroline Forbes, the ambitious future vampire. And soon, the Salvatore brothers. The whole story was about to start right there, in those hallways and classrooms.
I grabbed my backpack from a sofa, slung it over one shoulder, and tided myself in the mirror before going out.
I turned and walked out of my room, a small, excited smile on my face. It was time to see this new world for myself.