Chapter 22: Vincent's Requiem

Amidst the darkness that lurks around the castle, loud cries can be heard in one of its chambers. Voices of wailing children surrounding its four corners.

One of the maids rushed outside, heading towards the figure who's been walking left and right.

"Your majesty!" The maidservant panted, "Twins... You've been blessed with twins!"

Upon hearing the good news, the king immediately headed straight to the room where he was greeted by three other maidservants.

"Your majesty!" They bowed and presented the two babies.

"They're healthy boys..." Said the woman lying on the bed.

Tears welled up the king's eyes as he gazed at the two babies. Then, he planted a soft kiss on the forehead of the woman.

"Well done, my love."

Seeing this, Rae felt like it was a perfect portrait of a happy family.

"I know what you're been thinking..." Said Vincent who was standing beside him, "This may look like a picture-perfect of a fairytale. But it's actually tragic." He took few steps forward as the whole surroundings changes.

"It all started when we were born..."

Rae heard some giggling sounds, when he turned around, he saw the twins running around the meadows as they were being watched by their mother from behind. Then, they saw a carriage passing by with a familiar symbol of Trident* and a sea serpent.

Knowing this, the two boys exchange glances as they both recognize who is coming.

"It's Uncle Henry!" They said in unison and rushed towards the entrance where the carriage stops.

A man who appears to be in his 30s stepped down and was greeted cheerfully by the twins.

"Uncle Henry!"

"Ahh~ my lovely nephews..." He gazed on the left, "Victor." Then he gazed on the right, "Vincent."

But the one called 'Vincent' crossed his arms to his chest, "You're wrong again, uncle! I'm Victor, and this is Vincent."

"Oh, my bad!" He laughed, "You two looked so alike that it's hard to tell you apart."

Victor pouted.

"Hendrickson, my friend! It's nice to see you again!"

"Vladimir!" The two men, or should we say, vampires, shook hands and hugged each other.

"Come along now, boys. Your father and uncle have some important matters to discuss."

"Yes, mother." The twins ran towards the woman as they head back to their room.

"That vampire... is he my..."

"Ancestor, yes. To be precise, that's Hendrickson Van Helsing, your great great grandfather. Our families used to get along, and our lands are not divided but count as one." Vincent explained further.

'What could possibly be the reason for these two clans to tear each other apart?' Rae thought.

"There's only one way to find out," Vincent replied as if he heard what's been on his head.

He spreads his arms and the lad can feel the dark energy flowing from those hands. Then, the place surrounding them shifted as they transferred inside the palace.

"My memories don't hold any information regarding this matter. But with my power, I can make it possible." The prince said as he lowered his arms.

He might try to hide it, but for a brief moment, Rae saw how those cracks spread his hands as well. But he chose not to say any word. Because he knows no matter how much he insists on it, Vincent seems more eager to show him the truth.

"You have such wonderful children." He heard King Hendrickson said.

King Vladimir agreed, "Indeed. They're my most precious treasure. Which reminds me, how is Erickson? He's still small when I last saw him."

"Ah, my son's working hard as ever. He now knows how to wield a sword, his skills matched with our best knights. Who do you think he inherited those traits?" Hendrickson proudly said.

His friend chuckled, "That may be true. I just hope he doesn't get your barbaric way of fighting."

"Hey! We're best friends! You should be praising me too!"

And both kings laughed at their silly jokes. But after a while, silence has come their way. And that moment, Rae felt how the next matter will get serious by the look on their faces.

"You must've heard the rumors, right? The Wolf clan is planning a revolt against us." Hendrickson said in a low voice.

"I've heard it... But we do not trust rumors without basis. We've been brothers since the old times. They won't turn their backs so easily for such petty reasons."

"I'm not doubting them too, Vladimir. But I just want us to get ready no matter what happens." Hendrickson held his friend's shoulder, "We shouldn't let our guard down. And to do that, we must build more power by raising potential in our heirs."

The gazes in King Vladimir's eyes tell that he doesn't oppose the idea of his friend. Indeed, the rumors about the Wolf clan's rebellion are yet to be proven. Yet he can't deny the possibility that it might be true and so he needs to prepare his own clan for the worse things that are about to come.

Then, the whole place changes once again. This time, they're inside the training grounds. Panting and grunting can be heard in the midst as one knight swings his sword at the young lord who looks around 10 years old. He jumped and swung the heavy sword and the young boy defended himself with a sword which is twice smaller as the knight was holding. But that doesn't stop the young lord to gather all his strength and pushed the knight with all his might. Caught him off guard, the boy swung his sword which broke the bigger one to pieces. With no more weapon on his hand, the knight raised his hands as a sign of admitting defeat from a young vampire.

"That was amazing, Victor! You managed to defeat our best knight!" Vincent clapped his hands in awe.

"Thank you. I know you can do it too, Vincent." He took a towel to wipe his sweat.

"B-but I'm not as strong as you, brother. I don't think I can."

"Don't say that. You are strong too, Vincent." He patted his brother's shoulder.

But as much as he wanted to say more, he was being called now. And with that, he finally stood, took his sword as he walked in the middle. He gazed from a distance where the king is watching them.

'I can do this... I can make my father proud too!' Vincent took a deep breath as he firmly tightened his grip on the sword.

Soon as the signal's been heard, he immediately rushed towards his opponent and their swords clashed. Preparing to strike again, the knight was fast enough and made the first move. He kicked his stomach and then swung his sword next. Good thing, Vincent managed to block the attack using his sword. The knight kept swinging in such strength and speed. This goes on until the boy's sword is torn apart.

'Ahh... Just as I thought... I can never be like my brother...' He thought and was about to raise his hands, thinking the training is over. But all of a sudden, the knight still swung his sword which almost hit his neck.

"Wha-!?"

"My apologies, young prince. I was commanded to go on."

Upon hearing this, there's only one vampire that comes to his mind. For a brief moment, he glanced at his father who gazed at him with a displeased look on his face.

"What's wrong? Why aren't they stopping? The battle's already over." Victor complained, "Vincent!"

Soon as he heard his brother's voice, he came back to his senses and managed to dodge the sword in a nick of time. But Vincent fell out of balance and his body hit the ground.

The knight raised his sword once again, ready to slice him in half. In fear, all he can do is to shut his eyes closed not until he heard Victor's voice.

"I said... THAT'S ENOUGH!" The boy rushed towards them as dark shadows surround his right arm which he used to block the attack.

"Don't you dare... lay a hand on my brother!" Victor's eyes turned bright red as he swung his huge hand and sent the knight flying.

Everyone was surprised at what they witnessed, even the two boys.

"Well done!" King Vladimir stepped forward, giving applause to his son, "You've passed the trial, Victor! Congratulations to your newly discovered power."

"My power..? Then, what happened earlier..."

"It's part of the plan to awaken your powers. As for Vincent, he failed the test. But he can retry as much as he wants. And Victor, since you passed, I want you to come with me."

Delighted by their father's praise, Victor smiled and followed him in glee, unconsciously forgetting his brother's existence.

And as for Vincent, he can hear a shattering sound as pain emerged within his chest.

It was his heart, being torn to pieces. It wasn't because he failed the test. No... it's more than that, something way heavier... Something he realized at that very moment.

"For most of them, everything is just a test, nothing to be serious about..." Vincent scoffed, "But back then, for me, it felt so real... The menacing eyes of that knight trying to kill me if it wasn't for my brother..."

He held his neck and flashed a sad smile, "I really thought it was the end of me back then..."

Seeing that look on his face, Rae's heart began to sink. He has finally understood what it means.

'Ah... so that's how it is...' He thought.

The realization of the young prince had which broke his heart to thousand pieces was the fact how his father, his own flesh and blood, desired to dispose of him.

Was it because he failed?

Was it because he's weak?

Was it because he's not like his brother?

At that very moment, his heart fell in despair and sank into darkness.

But of course, they don't have time to deal with sadness. They have to move forward to get to the bottom of it. After a moment in the darkness, the place shifted outside the castle grounds. They're surrounded by vampire commoners, doing their daily lives working in the marketplace. And it wasn't for long when Rae spotted the young prince roaming around while wearing a hooded coat. It was evident in his face how mesmerized he was while gazing at every little thing around him.

"After the trial, my father paid no attention to me but focused all his time on my brother. It was something half bad and good. I was able to gain more freedom since no one would really care." The Vincent beside the lad began to explain as they were watching his younger self.

"I was able to go outside the castle which I haven't done before. It was thrilling. Because something even better actually happened." A smile was slowly drawn on his lips which he hasn't seen before. This convinced Rae that something good is about to come.

"I'm sorry! Please don't hurt us!"

The young prince heard as he happened to pass by the alley. Three boys are surrounding a girl with her younger brother. And they seem to be in trouble.

Vincent gulped, 'W-what should I do? Surely if I interfere, I'll face the consequence!' He bit his lower lip, watching how the girl cried and pleaded in front of those boys.

The young lad clenched his fist, 'Don't cower now, Vincent! You're worse than a scum if you turn a blind eye on this!'

One of them grabbed the girl's hair and was about to beat her when the Prince shouted,

"HEY!"

They all gazed at him with those fierce red eyes.

"Y-you shouldn't... hurt the weak... and take advantage of them..." Bullets of sweat formed on his forehead as his legs won't stop trembling.

Noticing this, the boys laughed at him mockingly.

"And what are going to do? Beat us with that thin limbs of yours?"

"Don't make us laugh!"

"Or maybe... He wanted to take their place instead." One of them suggested.

"That's a pretty good idea." He suddenly grabbed the prince's collar, "You'll regret disturbing us, kid!" He swings his arm and his fist was about to hit his face when suddenly, someone walked in their direction.

It was then they only realize the stranger's presence as he passed by. Hitting the boy's shoulder which he went out of balance and fell on the ground.

"What the-?! HEY YOU!"

Even he called for him, the stranger doesn't seem to get affected as he continued walking.

The leader got up furiously, "I said YOU!" He rushed towards the stranger and pulled the hem of his hood.

Revealing his head, they have never seen someone who possessed red hair, as red as blood. And all of them were stupefied for a moment. But it's only a matter of time when they came to their senses.

"You dare to make fun of me? You'll pay for this!" The moment he swung his arm for a punch, the boy with red hair quickly docked and leaned closer to him.

Using his head, he hit his chin by the time he got up. This knocked the leader out.

As for the two, they were surprised at how things turned out. But it wasn't enough for them to give up.

"You'll pay for what you did to our leader!"

"We'll never forgive you!"

They rushed towards the stranger, not noticing there's another one standing by the side. Everything happened so fast, stretching one leg which tripped one of those boys. As for the other one, he was quickly out of the cold when the red-haired boy hit his stomach with his knee.

"Geez! You always cause trouble whenever you go." Said the other stranger, removing the hood.

That's when he realized she was a girl, with her luminous blue hair tied in a ponytail. Their gazes met for a moment, but she quickly turned to the girl and her brother.

"Are you alright?"

The girl nodded, "Thank you so much! We don't know how we can ever repay you..."

She shook her head, "There's no need for that." She grabbed something from her pocket and handed a small bag to the girl.

"Here, take this."

The girl took and opened the bag, it was filled with gold coins.

"B-but..."

"It's yours now. Please use it well." She smiled then glanced at her brother.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" The girl cried and bowed her head.

Soon after, they left and went home.

"Acting all generous, eh?" The red-haired boy scoffed, "How I wish they knew your true co--"

He was interrupted when the girl suddenly grabbed his collar. Her cute and calm facade suddenly faded and was replaced with a terrifying expression.

"One more word and I'll hit you!" Her eyes glowed in red as she glared.

But instead of flinching, the red-haired boy chuckled, "Go on. But know that I have a witness." He grinned devilishly and pointed at the young prince who's still sitting on the ground, staring at them.

It was then he noticed how their gazes landed at him, he blinked fast, finally grasping the situation.

"And who might you be?" The girl asked, frowning at him, "Are you one of those lubberworts?"

Young Vincent shook his head, "C-certainly not, m-my lady! I am nothing but a passerby, a-and..."

"Let me guess..." The red-haired boy continued, "You planned to rescue them, but couldn't even save himself."

The prince looked down in such shame. In the end, he felt useless after all.

"Ugh! Stop it, Azeklis! What he did was better than not doing anything at all." The girl walked towards him, "I admire your bravery, what's your name?"

"V-Vincent..."

She smiled, "I'm Ember, and this is Azeklis."

The boy called Azeklis stepped closer, "You have raven hair, dark as the night... You're an Alucard."

Young Vincent nodded, "How about you? I've never seen any vampire with red hair like yours."

Azeklis smirked, "That's because I'm special." He proudly said.

Ember rolled her eyes, "It's basically like this, even my family name is Flanery, I belong to the house of Van Helsings. And as for Azeklis, he belongs to a different tribe."

"That's right, I am Azeklis Renfield." He proudly said.

"R-Renfields... the Masters of Blood Art? B-but the records say they don't exist anymore."

"Well, to simply put, we don't like much attention. That's why we are living farther than the other clans." Azeklis explained.

Watching this, Rae became speechless for a moment.

"I can't believe it! You've met my great grandfather. And... Ms. Flanery!"

Vincent scoffed, "I didn't just meet them, they became my precious friends." He smiled, "Knowing Azeklis is your ancestor, I wouldn't be surprised that you know him. But as for Ember..."

"Well... I met her unexpectedly and in an unwanted situation..."

The prince chuckled, "I guess we'll save that story for later. For now, let us proceed..."

The lad nodded, 'I can't believe it... Those strong vampires I've met were actually connected to me...' He thought.

The place surrounds them changed into the palace chamber. Rae saw the twin princes who are now in their teenage years. Perhaps they're around 15.

But setting that matter aside, the lad saw the king and queen getting in the carriage together with Prince Victor.

"Will you really be fine? Why don't you come with us, Vincent? I can talk to father about it."

He shook his head, "It's alright, brother. I don't think I would be much help joining you in the congress of 'The Diablos'. Besides, I won't be lonely, my friends will accompany me." Vincent smiled reassuringly which convinced Victor.

"Alright. Take care then. We'll be back in a week." After that, the carriage started moving. The prince is waving his hand until it was nowhere in his sight.

"The congress of The Diablos?" Rae echoed.

"That's right. Annually, a meeting between the creatures of the night takes place in the center of this Underworld, it's called Erebus*." Prince Vincent waved his hand and a map flashed before them, "It was located in here. This is where the powerful rulers of each clan used to gather, discussing matters concerning anything that could benefit the Underworld."

"Hold on," Rae interrupted, "Did you just say... 'was' and 'used to'?"

The prince nodded, "Yes because Erebus has been erased in the face of the map. And you'll soon find out why. Let us continue..."

Looking ahead, Rae saw the young prince going out of the palace grounds. Then, he meets up with his friends. They're waiting beside the lake in the nearby forest.

"You're late!" Azeklis crossed his arms to his chest.

"Said someone who just arrived." Ember glared at them, "You should be ashamed of yourselves, making a lady wait!"

"Tsk! You're not even a lady to begin with..." Azeklis mumbled, but of course, Ember heard it.

"I dare you to say that again, you skelpie-limmer!"

"Oh? I can say it as much as you want, my lady!"

Vincent can imagine flames surrounding these two as they glare at each other. And before these burning flames could get any worse, he stepped forward and created a distance between them.

"T-that's enough! We shouldn't be fighting... We're still going to the human world, right?"

After being reminded of this, they exchanged glances and sighed in defeat.

"Fiiiine..." They said in unison.

"Which reminds me... How are we going to reach there?" Asked Vincent, "And why are we in the lake?"

"Fool! Of course, we won't get there without any special trick." Azeklis took a pocket knife and wounded his palm. He let his blood dripped on the lake's water.

Even it's just a small amount, the water suddenly turned bloody red. Then, Azeklis kneeled and leaned forward, "To the human world..." he whispered as if talking to the water.

All of sudden, the red water glowed, forming a circle.

"There you go! Our portal to the human world."

Vincent's eyes twinkled in awe, "H-how did you do that?!"

Azeklis smirked, "Because I'm a genius!"

Ember rolled her eyes, "How insolent."

And before they could start another fight, Vincent held their hands as they jumped together inside the portal.

Rae chuckled, "They kinda remind me of Cal and Aunt Lucy."

"Indeed." the prince chuckled as well, "It just so happens that Azeklis has a foul mouth compared to Calcifer."

"I couldn't agree more. He used to nag me every time I commit mistakes in my training with him."

"So he never changes, huh..."

For a brief moment, Rae saw Vincent flashed a sad smile. When he finally thought he has lifted his mood now, why does it feel like he's still missing some pieces of the puzzle?

Looking ahead, their surroundings shifted to a merry night filled with bright lights, lively music, and laughter as they were surrounded by humans in every corner. There are stalls and stores on every side, selling different goods they've never seen before. Looking above, colorful lanterns are hanging which illuminates every area.

"They must be celebrating something," Azeklis mumbled.

"Then we came at a perfect time! Let's go and take a look." Ember excitedly said, pulling the two boys towards the stalls filled with humans.

They tried different foods, tried different outfits, and looked at the unique items they have.

While the two were busy with the other stalls, Vincent was mesmerized by the new surrounding he's seeing. He has never gone this far away from the castle. It feels like he has gained freedom for a while.

Walking a bit further, he came across a shop painted in green with cracks on the brick walls. Even he wanted to ignore it, there's something on the old building that made him reached for the door and opened it. The sound of the bell rang as he entered a candle-lit room.

"Welcome."

He heard a voice of an old woman who seems to be the owner of the shop.

As his curiosity strikes, he looked around and saw how it was filled with such strange crafts. There are beaded curtains where unique charms are hanging, filled with different symbols. There are also preserved animals kept in a jar, skull decorations, tea sets with strange carvings, some scrolls, and more. But what caught his interest is the old black book filled with black pages.

"Ahh... you've got a good taste, young vampire." said the old shop owner.

"H-how did you know I'm not human?"

"Isn't it only normal for the dark creatures to recognize one another?"

As the prince walked closer, he saw the old woman's necklace with a familiar insignia: an eye inside a star mark.

"Y-you're a witch..." he mumbled, almost like a whisper.

The old woman chuckled, "I won't be asking what brings a young vampire here in the human world. But rather, the book you're holding..." she gazed at it, "It has the answers you seek. But be wary, once you started, your life would never be the same again."

"W-what is this book? I feel there's something more to it."

"And you're not wrong, young vampire. It's black magic." she grinned, "It will give you power, the one you solely desire. With that, you can do anything."

Vincent blinked fast, "Power..." he mumbled and gazed at the black book.

"But be warned, if you choose this path, there's no going back!"

The Prince gulped, he can feel chills running through his spine. But before he could ask the old woman about her words, someone suddenly grabbed his shoulder.

"Here you are, idiot! I've been looking everywhere for you." Azeklis sighed and grabbed his arm, pulling him away, "Let's go! We should look for Ember."

"W-wait!" Vincent didn't get the chance to ask the old witch given the circumstances.

It was a brief encounter yet he felt he gained more than anything.

"Black magic?" The lad gazed at the prince beside him, all flustered.

"Indeed." Vincent raised his hand, a dark ominous aura suddenly surrounded it, turning into black fire or anything he likes.

"That fateful night changed my life. By reading that book, I've managed to cast spells, and I became the very first vampire to learn black magic. I couldn't even believe I was capable of doing so, after all, I'm just a talentless child." He flashed a sad smile while watching his younger self, studying at the contents of the book.

"And when I thought I can finally find myself useful, something unexpected came ahead..."

A roar of thunder came as the rain poured out from the window. The young Prince was rushing towards the entrance door, sensing his brother's presence. Together with Prince Erickson, Vincent was appalled to see them in such a state: their bodies are filled with blood - the smell reeks in them. And their faces, it was as if they've seen something horrible by how they trembled.

"Brother... what happened?" He finally managed to ask, "Where's mother and father?" He gazed behind them but found no one else.

"They're dead..."

It was nothing but a whisper yet he heard it loud and clear. It feels like time has stopped temporarily the moment he heard those words.

He wanted to ask more but his brother was taken away by the servants, so is Prince Erickson.

Days have passed, but he hasn't seen his brother come out nor talk to him. It was only then he gained the courage to ask Prince Erickson on the day of mourning.

"They betrayed us..." in a gloomy voice, the prince responded.

"Who?"

"The wolves..." Erickson gazed afar as if reminiscing what happened on that dreadful day.

"The gathering... it was meant for alliance... But the wolves... they want a bigger portion of the land, but father and uncle strongly opposed. The Underworld is for everyone after all." Then, the Prince started to clench his fist, "But these wolves... they're so selfish and persistent! They kept demanding until it ended in bloodshed. We were unaware... the other creatures are waiting for this opportunity to come and take down our clan... They too wanted a bigger land for themselves... Uncle was good enough to let us escape as they both perished in Erebus..." Prince Erickson wept bitterly.

After everything he heard, finally, everything makes sense to him. He now understood his brother's pain. And suddenly, a pang of guilt came to him, realizing how he enjoyed the human world that day, yet his brother was suffering. What's worse, even he managed to learn black magic, it cannot comfort nor take away his brother's sadness.

"cent... VINCENT!"

He came to his senses when he heard Azeklis calling out to him. He realized he's been spacing out in a while in such an important event.

"P-pardon me... did you say something, Azeklis?"

The red-haired prince sighed, "I said... congratulations on your brother's coronation! Have you eaten these days? You look skinny and it's perturbing." He crossed his arm to his chest.

"M-my apologies... t-there are just some things on my mind lately..."

"Oh dear Vin, you shouldn't dwell on stressful matters and enjoy this event. After all, you should be happy for your brother." Ember gently patted his shoulder as she flashed the brightest smile.

"You seem to be in a good mood, eh? How intriguing." Azeklis gazed suspiciously at her.

The young countess giggled.

"That's creepy. What's got into you all of a sudden?"

"Shut your mouth! I have the right to celebrate too because I..." Ember showed her left hand with a ring on her finger, "... am going to get married." She proudly said.

"WHAT?!" Azeklis exclaimed, "Since when and to whom? Don't tell me..." he suddenly lowered his voice and whispered, "You're planning to marry that human whom you danced with at the festival?!"

She giggled, "As always, you have great instincts, Azeklis."

"But you just met him few times! Marriage doesn't work that way!"

"Oh, now that makes you a 'love expert' just because you're going to get married soon? You can't fool me! You don't even love your fiancee."

"It was for the benefit of our families."

"Clearly, a political marriage. While I'm going to marry the one I love. He accepted me for who I am, despite being a vampire. "

The red-haired prince frowned, "Ugh! What have you done? Vincent, say something! Are you just going to let her marry a mortal she barely knew?" he glanced at the flustered prince who's still in shock of what he heard.

But despite all this, a smile slowly drawn on his lips, "Azeklis, don't be like that... Let's just be happy for Ember."

"Thank you, Vin!" She smiled at him which usually gives warmth to his heart.

But right now, all he can hear was the shattering sound of glass into tiny pieces. A void that is slowly forming on his chest.

Rae knew that feeling than anyone else. The expression, the fake smile, and the white lies... he knew the truth behind all of those. And now, he's gazing at the prince with a painful expression.

"Don't give me that look... It was all in the past now..."

"But Primo, I-"

"It wasn't long when my friends got married as they should. It was then followed by Victor's, wedded to one of our cousins. The same goes for Erickson who married his fiancee. After all, we're in the right age to start a family, to preserve the lineage." Vincent chose to ignore Rae's words and continued his story, "But it was still a mystery to me... it couldn't be all coincidences how the Alucard and Van Helsing started a family at the same time. Thus, Serafino and Anderson came to life. Even everything seems fit like puzzle pieces, being naïve as I am, I chose to ignore it. Until the day I've found the truth from my brother's lips..."

"Brother, you called?" The Prince entered the room.

This time, his appearance has changed. He became taller and mature. His skinny figure is no more but a perfect build of an adult man. It was the same image of the prince who's been beside him all along.

"Vincent..." Victor, who's now called King Alucard stopped writing and rose from his seat.

"How's Serafino's training?"

Vincent smiled, "Better than before. He's grown stronger and a genius in swordsmanship, like you."

"Has he taken the trial?"

The Prince blinked, "Not yet. He's still young to--"

"There's no law in our family that says about age limits when it comes on the trial. Am I correct?"

"T-that's true but... he's still--"

"You said he's already a genius in swordsmanship like me, then he's ready to take the trial." Victor's voice dominated the room, "Besides, we don't have much time to waste."

Vincent frowned, "What do you mean, brother? Why are you so obsessed with exposing a young vampire in combat and fighting? In his age, he's supposed to be having fun."

"Because that is his purpose!" Victor raised his voice that made his brother flinched.

"Purpose? What exactly do you mean by that!?"

"Vincent, listen to me..." His voice became deep and serious, "If you think my purpose of marrying is to start anew - you're gravely mistaken. I haven't forgotten a single thing that happened back in Erebus years ago. That's why Erickson and I planned our revenge..."

The prince's heart made a loud thump soon as he heard the next lines.

"We're going to rage war."

"Brother, have you lost your mind? Do you even know the weight behind those words?!"

"I am perfectly sane, Vincent. In fact, since our reign as the new kings, Erickson and I planned to strengthen our military forces. We prepared everything until the awaited day has come. We are going to make them suffer and take back what's rightfully ours!"

As he gazed at him, it seems like his brother has become a total stranger, someone he has never met before and who has gone mad!

"B-but brother... how can you be so sure we'll win this war? What if we lose? What if instead of gaining, we'll lose so much more than what we have?" He firmly held Victor's shoulders, "Brother, please think this over again... We're living in peace now... I don't want to lose this, to lose any of you..."

"Vincent, you're my brother... You should be the one who understands me the most." He removed his brother's hands, "Don't you still get it? There is no such thing as peace! The only thing matters in this world is power! If you're weak enough, you'll suffer and die. That's why I have to get stronger to dominate those bastards and avenge our parents! And if I ever fail in this war, Serafino will be there to continue what I started. After all, this is what I've prepared him to do - that is the only purpose of his existence!"

There was a moment of silence between them before he began to speak.

"How cruel of you, brother..." Vincent furrowed his eyebrows, "How could you use your own child as a weapon for revenge? He has nothing to do with this!" He was about to leave when Victor called,

"Vincent, are you going against me? Are you going to turn back on me, your own flesh and blood?"

"I was completely conflicted, I thought I've grown strong enough. But I was wrong..." Another crack appeared on Vincent's other cheek, "Realizing we only have each other, I chose my brother over thousands of lives from our fellowmen. I studied the most dangerous and deadliest spells and joined him in the war..."

The place shifted and brought them out in the wasteland. On their left, covens of witches and sorcerers riding their magical brooms were approaching. On the other hand, armies of demons were marching on their right while some are flying above. And in front, there are packs of wolves and beasts heading in their direction. While mermen and sea creatures are on the vampires' side, more specifically, allies of the Van Helsings.

Seeing this, Rae gulped as his heart sank and felt the ominous aura within them all. Their menacing gazes, their animosity, their greed - he can sense all of it.

And at the sound of the horns and howlings, the battle began. War cries echoed as they shouted in their own way, in their own language.

Limbs were broken, bodies were torn, heads were slain, and bones been crushed. It was total bloodshed he has never seen in his entire life. If he doesn't know better, he could've thrown up on everything he's witnessing. The awful smell of blood reeks everywhere.

"I know this is too much for you," Vincent said, "But you have to know... the atmosphere of war. Avoid it at all cost."

Seeing the desperation in his eyes, the lad nodded as a response. Then, another crack appeared on his hand. Rae was about to ask him to stop when they suddenly heard someone wailing.

"BROTHER!" The prince quickly rushed towards the King's body when a wolf gauged his heart.

"All hail the wolves!" upon making a loud howl, the wolf lord crashed Victor's heart in his hand.

"NOOOOOO!!!" Vincent cried as his brother's body turned to ashes right before his very eyes.

"It's the King's brother!"

"Kill him!"

The wolves and beasts surrounded him. But much to their surprise, some dark particles formed and emerged from his body. Their senses tell them how dangerous it can be.

"Don't let him get stronger! Finish him!" the wolf lord commanded and they rushed towards the Prince.

"An eye for an eye... a tooth for a tooth..." Vincent mumbled before his body was swallowed by darkness. A glowing circle filled with symbols appeared. Then, a strong gust of wind came as this vast darkness became taller and bigger, forming a bat shape.

The lad's eyes widened as he finally witnessed Primo's true form.

In just a single flap of his huge wings, the beasts flew and were torn by the sharp blades of wind. This caught everyone's attention and without knowing, the other clans worked together just to take him down. But in just a wave of his arm, a single wag of his tail, hundreds were crushed and killed. In a single breath, black flames came out that burned thousands.

He was unstoppable.

Unbreakable.

No one was left alive even his own kind. It was a hellish nightmare - one could say.

"When I came back to my senses, there was nothing but ashes, blood, flesh, and bones... And I realized, I can no longer go back to my original form. I stayed in that monstrous appearance..." Vincent paused, turning his back as if concealing his painful expression, "That's when I decided to hide... Away from everyone, from any soul... not until the day when Anderson found me..."

The place changed once again. This time, they're inside a cave somewhere desolated in the forest. There's a vampire who looks like in his mid-20s, who took a step inside.

"Do you have a death wish, you wandought?" asked a deep grave voice, coming from a huge dark bat.

But the young vampire shook his head, "None at all, mister demon." he smiled, "I needed a place to stay for a while. I've lost my men in the forest, the mist has gone thick, it's hard to find the exit."

It wasn't the reaction he's expecting to see. No, it's not the usual too. Rather, it's different from those who have seen him.

The vampire with silver-white hair looked around, "Do you live here by yourself? Isn't it a bit cramped in here?"

The demon bat narrowed his eyes, "Impudent! Looks like I have to remind your place, such an insignificant foolish worm!" A dark aura surrounds him as he spreads his huge wings, making the ground shake.

But instead of being afraid, the vampire gazed at him with his green eyes.

"I'll devour you!" the demon bat raised its arm and was about to harm the lad when he suddenly mumbled,

"You're in pain..."

He froze as if a spell was cast upon him.

"Rage, hatred, revenge... all these negative energy flow within you." the vampire continued, "But the greatest of them all is... Loneliness..." his brows furrowed as if he can feel it too.

"And? What does it have to do with a worm like you? Don't speak rubbish as if you know me!" The dark particles appeared, floating in the air.

"I don't, but I want to help you."

The demon scoffed, "Help me?" then, he laughed as if it was the most absurd thing he has ever heard.

Suddenly, he leaned closer to the young vampire with his big glowing red eyes, "And how can a fopdoodle like you help me!?"

The silver-haired vampire scratched the back of his head, "Well, to start with..." he stretched his arm and offered his hand, "Let's be friends. My name's Velkan Anderson. You can call me either of those names." He smiled warmly and genuinely.

"You..."

It seems like the demon bat was speechless. He has never met anyone who behaved like this in front of him, a monster.

"Are you stupid or crazy?"

"Eh?"

"No one in their right mind who'll ask a demon to be their friend!"

Anderson blinked and tilted his head to the side, "Eh? Why not?"

"Aren't you scared? Do you not fear death in me?!" the demon raised his voice. Clearly, he's finding these things hard to believe.

"Why would I ask someone to be my friend if I fear them? I don't feel such a thing." Anderson shook his head.

Then, he gazed at the demon, "Let me say it again... I want to be friends with you, Mister demon. And I'm not afraid of you... Rather, I want to save you." He smiled and offered his hand once again.

And without knowing, the demon bat finally gave in and shook his small hand.

"Grandfather..." Rae mumbled as he gazed at the scene before him. But then, it slowly faded as he heard Vincent coughing vigorously.

He was already kneeling on the ground as his body slowly breaking into pieces.

"Primo!" the lad rushed towards his friend and carefully held his body close to him.

"Don't worry... this is just the price I must pay... for using black magic..." He coughed again, "It's a miracle... how I've managed to live this long... by feeding all negative energy around me... I've managed to... sustain this form!" His legs started to give in and break, turning into dust.

"Speak no more, Primo!" Rae cried, "Please... I don't want to lose another friend! Is there anything I can do?" Tears welled up his eyes.

But the prince flashed a sad smile, "Young master... I just... wanted to rest... for so long... Please don't make it... hard for me to leave..."

"Primo... I'm sorry for being selfish... I'm sorry for misunderstanding you..."

He chuckled, "Don't be... You reacted to what your heart feels... There's nothing wrong with that... Just promise me, Young master... that you'll put an end to this... Please, end their sufferings..."

Rae nodded as tears fell from his eyes. Then, half of his torso slowly breaking to dust and fading away.

"Ah, that reminds me... before I completely disappear... I'm giving you, one last vital piece of information... A gift of knowledge to save the future..." Even feeling weak, Vincent raised his right hand and his index finger glowed, tapping it on the lad's forehead. After that, his whole body turned into dust and vanished without a trace. Then, the darkness disappeared as well, where he was sitting in the same spot where the prince began attacking him.

There was nothing but lull silence as Rae gazed at his hands, where he was holding his friend earlier. It wasn't as painful as the way he lost Ren. It's a different kind of pain, way heavier and sadder. There's no anger nor remorse. Just pure sadness of losing a dear friend. A silent weep that only tears can tell.

'Truth does hurt...' the lad said to himself, 'Primo used all his remaining power to reveal all the bitter lies of the past... Why does it feel like the more I learned something, the more I feel confused and lost?'

Rae gazed at the dark gray clouds, "Regardless, I have to end all of this... Rest well, my dear friend."

***

Author's Note:

*Trident - is a three-pronged spear, the weapon of Poseidon, or Neptune, the God of the Sea in classical mythology.

*Erebus - in Greek mythology, Erebus was often conceived as a primordial deity, representing the personification of darkness.