Time. Such a wonderful gift, yet so unforgiving. Although time can be seen as so many things, it is still but a mystery to everybody. Men theorize about time, long for more time, or wish for time to elapse, but rarely does one ponder on the nature or reality of time, attempting to define what it is. When pressed, people find it very difficult to define it, or explain the reality of the concept. But exploring further, most people don’t even know what time is without thinking of expressions such as “days, months, or years” or the use of chronological events. Delving down deep into the true concept of time’s existence, nothing is for certain, save one thing- time is a mystery.

The nature of such an enigma flooded Gavner’s mind as he sped towards the surface of the water at an increasing speed. He was caught off guard by such a challenging subject that it broke his concentration. Realizing that this was not the place to be speculating, Gavner took a deep breath and extended his hands, a rigid board that broke through the surface membrane of the water with a magnitude that sent the substance flying in all directions. Acting quickly, the vampire curved his body and veered in the direction away from the cliff. He opened his eyes and saw Mavrik’s shadowy figure just below the surface as well. Beckoning Gavner to follow him, Mavrik turned and began to swim. Gavner began to follow his friend further from the cliff, and then West towards the unknown.

Memories flooded Gavner’s head as he swam through the water. When he had been training to become a vampire general, one of the tests that he had to pass was aquatics. Aspiring generals had to be above the advanced level in each water stroke, as well as underwater swimming. The final test was a grueling exam in which the candidates had to swim three miles with each stroke, and for the last part of the test the cadets had to swim through an underwater tunnel that was one half of a mile long, holding their breath the entire way. Such tasks were difficult enough for mature vampires, but nearly impossible for young aspiring generals. After years of training and determination, Gavner had passed all of the required courses administered by the clan to become a general, and had proudly become the youngest one in history.

Now, Gavner’s lungs were on fire. With each stroke his limbs began to tire more and more, and it was very difficult to concentrate. His continued motions- pull, kick, pull, kick- were gradually becoming slower and slower as his body began to lose steam. The vampire learned about this in his class- when a vampire began to tire he still had a good amount left in him. He could choose to continue at a slowed pace for a while or give one final burst, everything he had left, and make a break for the surface. Vampire cells could decompose carbon dioxide and water and use the oxygen from the waste product and fuel molecules, but it would form methane bubbles in the creature’s blood stream. Too much methane in the blood would kill a vampire, which was why it was so crucial for one to not push himself past the limit and then give a final push.