Nelapsi

**Nelapsi** *(血液イーター, Ketsueki ītā; Krv jedák, lit. "Blood Eater")* are a type of feral, vampiric creatures who predate vampires themselves and were the first supernatural creatures to have ever achieved immortality by the means of blood consumption. A Nelapsi can be distinguished from a vampire by it's appearance and feeding habits. They are also known as **Nachzehrer** *(オフ生活の後, Ofu Seikatsu no Ato; lit. "After Living off")* due to their ghoulish behavior.

## Conversation

Nelapsi's are unable to convert people into Nelapsi as they lack the typical vampiric virus that is present in the fangs of an ordinary Vampire. As such, the only way to become a Nelapsi is to be born as one. Unlike Vampires, Nelapsi's have a functional body and can reproduce and aren't "exactly" classified as the undead. As such, they can multiply by mating with each other, though they seem to be unable to mate with a Lycan or a human being and it is currently unknown if they can mate with any other known species. However, Nelapsi's are born as human-like beings with two hearts, enhanced lung capacity; due to the presence of both normal lungs and four air sacs, smoother joints and more developed muscles with higher myoglobin count. Their true Nelapsi form is a result of activating their meta-gene that's found in almost all Nelapsi children; though females are mostly carriers. This gene can be activated by undergoing their tribe's ritual of inhaling the "mist of freedom"; which is basically a supercharged vaporized form of holy water that causes their genes to be activated.

Upon activation, they gain their infamous, sharp, pointed, retractable teeth that emerge from their gums and extend beyond their human teeth. This set of fangs descend at the Nelapsi's will, usually when about to feed, or when threatened or attacking. As well as the ability to grow out their fingernails, that naturally secrete a form of venom, which can extend to the victim when said victim is cut by the claws; that for some strange reason is a lot like Scytovirin but more aggressive with scytovirin being an antiviral protein. They further gain enhanced strength, speed, reflexes, and pain tolerance as well as enhanced senses. Nelapsi children generally undergo the Freedom Ritual when they turn 13. After becoming full blown Nelapsis they are taught how to control their enhanced body, how to hunt, be stealthy and blend in among humans. The meta-gene activation takes some time and as such, is not instant. It varies from one person to another and depends on how much resistance their bodies possess to it and how much mist they have been exposed to.

## Physiology

### Behavior & Nutrition

Nelapsi's are capable of sleeping like humans and of eating and gaining nourishment from both human food and blood though they prefer blood, particularly human. However, they can live on blood from anyone and anything. They also require blood to maintain their strength and immortality. However, Nelapsi's are also ghoulish in nature as they feast on rotten flesh as well and prefer to rot their victims before eating them. They also have a particular preference for the flesh of the undead and claim that, they prefer zombie-flesh over vampire-flesh as their cousin-species tastes 'weird'.

The Nelapsi doesn't need to kill a human by draining them completely off of their blood in order to survive, they can go on for weeks or even months without blood; about 35 days before their bodies start desiccating then they are required to feed on at least a small amount of blood. Nelapsi's have complete control over their hunger like humans do. Seeing blood would not make them instantly hungry and if they are full, they do not bother to feed.

They seem to dislike their younger cousin species and completely refuse to accept them or even hunt with them. Nelapsis are about as old as Lycans; making them older than both Vampires and Zombies. Nelapsi's like hunting in groups called a 'Nest'; consisting of at least 5-7 Nelapsi's who hunt together during the night and are the antithesis of vampires. Much like Werewolves, they are very loyal to their Nest and treat them like their extended family. They do not think much of humans or other creatures; except considering all of them as a potential food source. A Nelapsi is vicious and feral and does not attack people for food but rather for sport; with an insatiable killing instinct that often causes them to go beserk and not stop for hours or even days until they have killed everything in their path.

### Powers & AbilitiesEdit

Nelapsi's have a list of unique powers and abilities that are common among all of the Nelapsis and although the Alpha Nelapsi possesses the unique ability to mentally communicate with all of the other Nelapsis and read their minds, he is only about as twice as strong as a regular Nelapsi; meaning if they were to actually group up on him/her, they can overwhelm the Alpha. Unlike their cousins, Nelapsi's do not grow stronger with time. They grow stronger with training and exercise like humans and have a well defined upper limit which they cannot cross without damaging their bodies. A Nelapsi who consumes the blood of another Nelapsi is likely to become stronger, faster and more durable for a short amount of time.

* **Animalistic Rage**: Nelapsi's possess an animalistic rage which allows them to tap into a primal, unstoppable fury that grants them temporarily increased strength and a greater threshold for pain.
* **Auxiliary Hearts**: Nelapsis have two hearts which do not require to function in synchronization and grant them a higher than normal heart beat and increased blood flow, thus allowing them to think and process information faster than usual and boost their dexterity slightly. Also, if one of these hearts perishes (seemingly impossible due to their healing and durability), a Nelapsi won't die. As long as a Nelapsi has at least one heart intact, they can continue to live on.
* **Fangs & Claws**: Nelapsis possess a set of retractable fangs; around 30 of them. Their teeth are superhumanly strong and can rip open a human's neck easily. Their teeth in a combination with their strong jaw muscles can easily deliver a bite force of 880 kgf at canine teeth and 1082 kgf at carnassial notch; giving them the ability to pierce the steel-like skin of a Vampire as well, thus allowing them to feed on their cousins. However, their salivary glands lack the ability to host the vampirism virus. They also possess retractable claws that are sharp enough to slash/slice through wood and human flesh with a little to no force behind the slashes. Their nails also contain a toxin that is similar to scytovirin that can kill viruses and can be used to cure or, at least fight off several viral infections. They generally use this against humans by injecting them with this virus, to keep them healthy and provide them with food as well; this is all part of their version of "fattening up the cow" for slaughter.
* **Enhanced Senses**: Nelapsi's have extremely keen senses that are superior to those of humans. They can see in the dark, hear a human's heart beat, and possess enhanced sense of smell that allows them to smell blood about 1.6 miles away. They also possess a better clarity/visual acuity during the day giving them 42/8 vision and also have a slightly enhanced sense of taste due to their unique tongues. It is likely that a Nelapsi also possesses a better sense of equilibrium than a human being.
	+ **Forked Tongue**: Nelapsi's have a receptor system build up in their forked tongues that are akin to several lizards and snakes. Most of the tongue is hidden inside of a sheath in the lower jaw when it is retracted so that only the forked ends are visible. When a Nelapsi's tongue is flicked out into the air, receptors on the tongue pick up minuscule chemical particles, which are perceived as scent. When the tongue is retracted into its sheath, the tips of the tongue fit neatly into the unknown organ present in their bodies sending the chemical information that has been gathered through the organ and to the brain, where the information is quickly processed and analyzed so a Nelapsi can act. Their fork tongues still contain all of the receptors like a human being and can distinguish one taste from another; even better than a human can.
	+ **Echolocation**: A Nelapsi's sense of hearing is so acute that they can use sound waves and echoes to determine where objects are in space like bats. To echolocate, a Nelapsi sends out infrasonic sound waves from their mouth. When the sound waves hit an object they produce echoes. The echo bounces off the object and returns to the bats ears. Nelapsis listen to the echoes to figure out where the object is, how big it is, and its shape. As it's in the infrasonic spectrum, only certain animals and creatures can hear it and not be alert.
* **Vitamorphing**: Using unique magical energies emitted from their bodies, a Nelapsi can biologically transform morph into any individual human they want, regardless of gender, age, appearance. However, this means giving up all of their abilities and powers as a Nelapsi. A Nelapsi who has morphed is doomed to be stuck in that human body forever and can never use magic again, as the transformation requires a vast amount of magic; that can only be supplied by giving away the very magic that makes them Nelapsi to begin with.

* **Enhanced Condition**: Nelapsis are glaringly and supernaturally superior to humans and other creatures and their physical condition is maintained entirely by supernatural or magical means; giving them several borderline superhuman capabilities.
	+ **Enhanced Strength**: A Nelapsi possesses more than enough strength to break through two layers of steel restraints and chains, they can toss fully grown humans several meters away, punch an immortal away hard enough to draw blood, overpower a transitioning or a young vampire, overwhelm a triggered Lycan and break the bones of an enhanced human with their blows. They can easily rip out people's hearts or stab them clean across their chest with their fist or kick their heads off of their necks. They are strong enough to rip open a magic car's door, kick down a steel door off its hinges, snap a hunter's neck easily, break through bullet proof glass like it's nothing and through a man into concrete wall with enough force to shatter it completely. A Nelapsi can hit with more than enough force to shatter barriers made of brick or concrete; including the ones that are reinforced with a thick two-inch steel layer. They can equal 260+-year-old vampires in battle though are weaker than the likes of Ekaterina. They can lift heavy objects such as a dustcart; which weighs in excess of 11.75 tons, with some visible effort. According to Shin, a Nelapsi's strength should be sufficient enough to bench press something as heavy as 14 tons. This would mean that an Alpha; who is stated to be twice as strong would be much stronger than an evolved-Lycan and even stronger than a 500+ year vampire. Like humans, Lycans and vampires, their strength tends to increase a little under the influence of rage. This strength also allows them to leap as far as 36 yards.
	+ **Enhanced Speed**: Nelapsis are slightly faster than most Vampires and are able to understand how to run at superhuman speeds and their bodies instinctively learn to react to high-speed situations. Older Nelapsis appear to be faster than young ones. Nelapsi maxed speed of 1240 kmph which is just below sonic booms allowing them to react to situations without causing civilians undo stress. However, at such speeds, they are capable of moving so fast that their voice cannot be heard as they are constantly moving with speeds around 344.44 m/s (speed of sound in air is 343.2 m/s) and appear only as a blur while moving. This speed seems to be enhanced (about 360 m/s) when used in short bursts. However, at speeds above 345 m/s, they can create sonic booms, that cause thickening of heart tissue, can cause heart attacks immediately and temporary hearing ailment. They can easily run on the surface of water or on buildings if they wish to. Their reaction timing seems to be equally enhanced as they can avoid a projectile shot fired at them with the speed of 662 m/s. Nelapsi's are also excellent swimmers, giving them the ability to swim with a constant speed of 200 knots for several minutes without showing any sign of exhaustion, even when they are traveling against the stream.
	+ **Enhanced Reflexes & Agility**: Nelapsi's possess great equilibrium and bodily coordination along with lightning-fast reflexes. They have shown the ability to easily regain their balance after having lost it or balance themselves on uneven regions. They also have shown that they can move quickly, jump very high, climb, perform flips and run incredibly fast without visibly experiencing any form of stress. Their reaction timing is fast enough for them to dodge projectiles traveling with the speed of 1480.86 mph.
	+ **Peak-Durability**: Nelapsi's can take a great amount of physical damage without being slowed down. Their skin is about as five times as harder and more elastic than humans and their bones, muscles and other tissues are nearly three times denser than human beings, granting them enhanced durability. Though, they are quite not one the level of evolved-Lycans or older Vampires. Even when weakened, a Nelapsi will kill coming and continue fighting unless he/she has been stabbed by a sword in both of their hearts or have their brain blown to bits or have been decapitated. They tend not to get dazed by strikes and trauma and have shown a great tolerance for it.
	+ **Enhanced Stamina**: Despite their hunger, Nelapsi's don't tire easily. Their advance musculature still produces fatigue causing toxins; albeit at a slower rate and they seem to handle fatigue with some sort of enhanced endurance or are at least resistant to succumbing to fatigue immediately. Their bodies can also excrete these fatigue producing toxins directly from their pores; relieving them of their stress and tiredness quickly. Their lung capacity is at possibly at the very peak of human conditioning, allowing them to hold their breath for 7 minutes and 10 seconds, under water, though this number may vary a little from one Nelapsi to another. And when their lungs stop working, they can maintain his life by cutaneous respiration for several minutes (around 10), before finally starting to drown and die out.
	+ **Enhanced Pain Tolerance**: Their tolerance for pain and resisting the urge to think about their pain or injury is quite remarkable. This combined with their healing rate makes them one of the most dangerous creatures to have ever walked the earth.

* **Semi-Immortality**: The very magical blood which flows into the veins of a Nelapsi can neutralize several existing detrimental contaminants in one’s body; as such, they only need to feed on people since they lack the ability to naturally produce more of these magic infused blood and by consuming other's blood, the Nelapsi can assist their body to create more of these blood by using the blood cells of their victims as a medium. Their blood not only gives them the immunity to toxic substances (including gases) but also grants them about 15 times greater immunity against drugs, alcohol, and other foreign chemicals. Additionally, their bodies can infinitely regenerate the length of their telomeres; that is, they virtually can never grow shorter and such, a Nelapsi never ages from the moment they activate their meta-gene. This combined with their accelerated metabolism and enhanced homeostasis gives the illusion of immortality. Even though a Nelapsi possesses a great immunity to all known diseases to mankind, they are not completely invulnerable and they can be kill by decapitation or dual heart extraction. However, they do possess an accelerated healing factor that can get rid of most of their injuries; though, it is not as impressive as a Vampires' regenerative capabilities. It is likely that their stomach acids can kill any bacteria or virus as it can almost instantly digest just about anything. Nelapsi's are also immune to all known allergens, which makes it impossible for them to be poisoned.
	+ **Accelerated Healing**: For a Nelapsi, large cuts and bruises heal within minutes and even fatal gunshot wounds and fractures will mend within 1 or 2 hours. They can recover from stab wounds and slash wounds within a few minutes as well. Most injuries heal and regenerate rapidly and perfectly without leaving a trace of injury. However, if the injury is far beyond the limits of his healing factor, it cannot help them.

* **Holy Water Immunity**: Due to not being creatures infused with demonic particles or being transformed by the work of Dark Arts. Unlike Vampires, Nelapsis are immune to Holy Water Magic in general. In fact, within their society, they make fun of it.

### Magic

#### Nelapsi Ocular Magic

The **Nelapsi Ocular Magic** *(血液イーター目の魔法, Ketsueki ītā me no Mahō)*: This is an eye magic that allows the Nelapsi to inflict psychological pain on their victims by looking into their eyes. A Nelapsi can send off waves consisting of magical energies that induce their victims with mental pain; an unpleasant feeling of a psychological, non-physical, origin. This pain can be of varying degree depending on the caster. The magic is obviously a Caster-type magic and is unique to their kind. The pain induced is mostly psychic and emotional and as such, is referred to as, algopsychalia. A Nelapsi for some reason requires a direct eye contact to project these waves directly into the brain of their victims; tormenting them or even crippling them in the process.

## Weakness

* **Decapitation**: A Nelapsi can be killed pretty much by having their heads severed from their bodies. This is something their healing cannot repair; even if the head is manually attached to their bodies again.
* **Drowning**: It is actually possible for a Nelapsi to drown if he or she stays under water for over 18 minutes. But seeing how they are excellent swimmers, this is unlikely.

## Vampires vs Nelapsis

A Nelapsi's skin color is extremely pale, paler than a Vampires. In fact, the myth that vampires have pale skin comes from the encounter with these Nelapsi's and humans confusing them for Vampire. Even though their heart beats a lot faster than humans and have higher than ordinary body temperature, for some unknown reason, Nelapsi have an usually pale complexion. Nelapsis also have a total set of 30 retractable fangs that look a lot more like teeth of a piranha; but longer. The that are an entirely separate set from their human teeth, while a Vampire has only four retractable canines and four retractable incisors; which is just a magical modification to their human teeth.

A Vampire has a taste for blood and possesses great bloodlust and while Nelapsi's need to consume blood to survive, they do not NEED to go on a feeding frenzy or be affected by bloodlust at all. Vampires also tend to work alone and only work with a partner, if that person was either turned by them or turned them. Nelapsis' travel, live and hunt in groups where each Nest has their own leader who bow down to an Alpha.

Unlike a Vampire, a Nelapsi's skin does not burn or feel irritated when it comes in contact with sunlight or UV radiation. They are also immune to the effects of the Oak stake that has on a vampire when stabbed through heart. However, they can be killed by the means of decapitation or by extracting both of their hearts. Nelapsi's lack the amazing regenerative powers and survival skills of a Vampire.

Nelapsi's can enter and leave a human home as they please while a Vampire needs to be invited in. A Vampire has better sense of smell and sight than a Nelapsi. Nelapsi's are much stronger than young Vampires. On average, a Nelapsi can overwhelm a 260-year-old vampire with some visible effort; though, most of them don't stand a chance against Ekaterina; a 336-year-old Vampire. Nelapsi's also don't grow stronger with age, they can only become strong by training.

A Nelapsi is much more feral when compared to their cousins and have a particular taste for the flesh of the undead. Their stomach acids can almost instantly digest the flesh of a Vampire; which naturally takes about 50 years to decay by the action of microorganisms. Nelapsi's can consume alcohol and become intoxicated by it while Vampires can drink and not be affected by it; though, it helps them cope with bloodlust. However, on average, a Nelapsi possesses about 15 times more tolerance to alcohol and drugs when compared to humans. If a Nelapsi goes for too long without blood, it will desiccate and wither away; the latter occurs a few weeks after desiccation, about 17 days or so. While a Vampire does desiccate in the same way but it roughly takes them about 100 weeks to die out after which the bacteria and fungi will start decomposing their flesh and will continue to do so for 50 years.

Interestingly, Nelapsi's are also known to turn cannibalistic. The Nelapsi who are thrown out of the Nest tend to develop cannibalistic traits and may start feeding on his brothers and sisters. Feeding on Nelapsi blood gives a Nelapsi even greater physical strength and tolerance to pain and heightens their sense of smell.

In their true form, Nelapsi's also have bright, blood red eyes that flicker (glow and then turn back to normal) every third of a second. While a Vampire in it's true form has pitch black eyes that do not flicker. They also lack the power to enter the thoughts or dreams of a human being like a Vampire and cannot talk to animals either.

Finally, unlike a Vampire who has a flawless, radiant skin, a sweet scent, and an alluring charm, Nelapsis not only lack a body odor but are more like savages and uncivilized; though, they can hide well into the modern human society.