A New Day

It was a fine, cool midnight. The moon shined onto the dark ocean, reflecting its moonlight.

Wind breezed past the children as they saw all their pursuers, who seemed keen on hunting them down, disappeared underneath the weight of the black, purple, and red mud.

The Chaos Tide, which is the muddy water, receded around the children, and continue to due so until it was absorbed back into the ocean.

Tiamat reverted back to her normal, human self as she floated over the Chaos Tide, her Primordial Sea, and onto the sandy beach.

Her horns, tail, and red eyes disappeared. Her long, sky blue hair shortened by a feet, only reaching her waist, and she smiled like she always does. Even her clothes seemed to have returned back to its normal self. Perhaps it was part of the magic?

This, however, made the children more apprehensive. Well, mostly the children. The older ones seemed to be more cautious, which were only two of them. One of them, Shouri, the oldest, was a ten year old boy; he had amber eyes and long black hair with brown tips, most of which is pulled back in a ponytail. He was standing in front of all the orphans, his stature calm, yet protective. Meanwhile the second oldest, a grey haired girl, who was the second oldest, looked to be more curious than wary.

She stepped from behind Shouri, but he immediately reacted, holding her arm.

"Kishuu, you don't know if she's still Mother Tia. We have to to be cautious," he said softly, glancing at Tiamat.

"Shouri, we have to assume she's still the same Mother Tia, otherwise what else can we do? We have to take risks, or else we'll suffer. Also, we also have these other children with us as well," the girl named Kishuu said, glancing at the children behind Shouri, and then at the one year old baby Shouri was holding on his other arm.

Although Shouri face looked to be calm, inside he was conflicted, and yet...

Sighing, he let go of her hand. Kishuu nodded at him, and then turned to face foward, taking a few steps until she was a few feet away from Tiamat.

Their mother figure literally turned into some kind of monster-demon, could they really trust her?

Still, with the conflict, they would have time for questions.

Hopefully. Although Shouri was still wary, he knew that a risk must be made in order to know. He himself wanted to take that risk, but he knew that Gui was more suited for it, as she has more wisdom and intelligence then himself.

They know so little, and that could be detrimental to their survival. So, Shouri could only look at his friend, who he knew for a lifetime, walking forward to the unknown that stood a few yards away, smiling kindly. Her sky blue hair illuminated from the moonlight that shined on her back, and with her hands placed on her stomach, she looked so much like a goddess...it scared him.

Still, Tiamat wasn't paying attention to him, as she was focusing on this young, brave girl, who stepped forward with determination.

Although she felt saddened that her children feared her, she understood. It was a part of human nature after all, and she loved that part.

It's a part of life, after all, and Tiamat couldn't help but feel appreciation over the courage of this young, human girl.

'What a lovely child.'

"So, who are you, Mother Tia?"

"I am...your Mother...and caretaker."

"Why are you here?"

"I am here...so that I can...protect you all, and raise you...with the greatest care...a mother can give."

Kishuu paused, and when Tiamat thought the questioning would stop, she continued.

"What is...a Seraph of the End?" Kishuu asked, looking at Tiamat in the eyes with as much seriousness as possible.

Tiamat looked back at her calmly, but for another reason. She had no idea what this 'Seraph of the End' was.

'Perhaps...it could be another title for a Beast?'

After thinking for a bit, Tiamat then gave an answer to the girl who was patiently waiting. The children behind her also seemed to be curious.

"A being...of immense power."

Kishuu blinked at the answer, and nodded, but judging by the look on her face, she didn't seem convince. Tiamat didn't give another answer. How could she? She doesn't even really know what these so called Seraph of the End are.

"Then, Mother Tia...will you always protect us?"

Tiamat smile shifted a little, but otherwise remained the same.

"I would always be there...for you children. No matter what."

"...I see..." Kishuu said, lowering her head, her grey hair covering her eyes.

Seconds passed, and the children behind Shouri became restless. Before they actually started to really make noisee, Kishuu raised her head again.

"Let's go back home, Mother Tia," the girl said, smiling brightly.

Hearing this, Tiamat also smiled brightly.

"Yes...let's go...home."

Kishuu walked back happily to the group of children, who were rightfully confused. While Tiamat watched them talking, she had only one thought in her mind.

'I will protect you all, as you are all my children...no matter what.'

With this finished, and with the vampires as materials, she can finally enact her plan.

...

The group made it back to the orphanage, where it was eerily quiet. Although the lights were working, the radio and TV only made buzzing noises.

Well, the lights would soon stop, since it depends on electricity. Electricity, which the adult humans provide.

Use to provide.

Still, that did not stop Tiamat and the group of orphans to gather all the dead caretakers, and buried them in a spot a bit farther away from the orphanage.

There, they held a silent vigil for them amidst the cries of younger children.

While they were holding the vigil, Tiamat glanced at the older two orphans. They were both calm, yet they held sadness in their gazes as they silently grieved, closing their eyes as they put their hands together in prayer.

Tiamat was quite curious.

'Were human children always like this?'

Tiamat thought they were usually rash and arrogant, as well as a curiosity that could get them killed. Perhaps she doesn't know humanity as well as she thought she did.

When that thought came across her mind, she became slightly depressed, but jumped right back into her usual motherly self.

She can learn.

...

"I think I can fix it."

Tiamat blinked at Kishuu's self-confident words. Even Shouri, who was beside her, had his hands behind his back as he glanced at the girl blankly.

Minutes later, the burial and grieving done. Although it ended quickly, children were still children after all, and so they need sleep. With that knowledge, Tiamat prepared the children for bed, getting their pajamas, which were all white buttoned up shirts and pants, and were sent black to sleep...

Well, most of them. The two oldest ones were staying up, both looking at the buzzing radio.

'What would be the point? If I thought correctly, weren't most, if not all humans above the age of twelve died of this magical disease.'

After thinking for a moment, she gave permission to Kishuu, who seems overly eager at fixing and making things.

Tiamat thought it would be best to give the child a distraction from the thought of their dead caretakers.

That girl seems well educated and skilled enough. Even if she is a ten year old child. But that thought didn't cross her mind, as Tiamat didn't know, or rather did not care to know where her skills came from.

They have a lot of time to figure that out.

...

Making sure all the children were in bed, she sat down in the dark main room, on a chair. The flickering candle light illuminated Tiamat's face as she flip the page of the book her human self read.

A book about herself. Her Beast self.

It felt weird, reading about herself, as Tiamat sat within darkness. She felt as if she had all the time in the world, to think on what to do.

To do what she wanted to do. It felt weird, thinking about the future with worry. Especially when her thoughts turned towards her love for humanity, as well as her hate for them.

She love humans, but why?

Tiamat loves them...because they can change. The other, 'certain,' children, however...they don't change to how Tiamat want them to change.

They're like young children, curious about the world. Just more...primal and instinctive.

Humans, however, are developed, and she loves them the way they are. They learn, and come up with many wondrous ideas, such as food, cars, television, and food.

Did she say food?

Back to the topic at hand.

Even if Tiamat loves them dearly, she knows there are a few bad eggs among them. How could she not know? She experienced it herself.

Still, their life, their thoughts, and their hearts...they are truly worth loving over.

As humans can change, so to can the bad eggs become good eggs.

Sometimes.

That's what Tiamat believes in them wholeheartedly. It just requires more...'extensive' persuasion. If that doesn't work, than she must do what she must do...

Thinking that, she yawned, and closed her book. She then hid it in its usual place. It was already an hour past midnight. It was a new day, and she feels tired. It was to be expected, as she was in a human body.

Therefore, she needs sleep.

After making sure everything was in place, Tiamat then started walking towards her room, her footsteps quietly echoed down the wooden floors of the hallway.

For some reason, it was a bit louder than usual.

...

While the orphanage incident seemed to have calmed down, it was the complete opposite compared to the Vampire community, which was in an uproar.

More specifically, the city of Sanguinem, the third largest vampire city in the world. An important place for politics and discussion amongst the vampire nobles.