Chapter 30.1: Not everything is as simple as it seems

Charlotte's point of view:

As I took a step forward, the sound of my bare feet splashing in the water echoed; the resulting coldness clarified my thoughts. This entity's silence was judging, and I realized my response would be the end of the test, or at least a part of it. 'As if there was any other answer.'

"I... I want to always be by his side." I lowered my gaze to look at the liquid ground beneath me. With my eyesight, I could barely see the water below me, but as if following my thoughts, I could suddenly see more clearly. I could finally see my expression after the ripples caused by my previous movement stopped. I still had the appearance of my former life; I was beautiful and mature. I bared my teeth in a maniacal grin. My green eyes flashed intermittently red, as if trying to reveal my true thoughts. "No, he will always be by my side." I declared. I lifted my head and looked around, my smile still stretched. "Whether or not he wants it." Yeah, like I'm going to abandon him because he doesn't love me. I have the rest of my life to make him mine.

Cold rage and carrion jealousy had previously caused me to hesitate. Would my older brother love others more than me? When the voice said it, I felt like killing someone, no, killing everyone. Slit their throats and listen to their pitiful cries. It felt great to think about how their expressions writhed in pain and anguish, their superb features deformed by my own hand. But I wasn't thinking clearly; envy would get me nowhere.

"Your mind is twisted more than I thought." The voice admitted, interrupting my train of thought, which was already planning to pounce on my big brother when I got out of here.

The perpetually dark place cracked, and reality itself was shattered into countless fragments. Many colors appeared, swirling downward like a kaleidoscope, illuminating everything like neon lights. At that precise moment, the floor on which I was leaning gave way, and I experienced a brief sensation of floating. Despite my best efforts, a scream escaped my lips when the instinctive panic of humans when falling from great heights manifested itself.

Even though I was falling at breakneck speed, there was no wind, just the unusual but constant sensation of falling. My high-pitched scream was cut short by the impact of something hard on my back. The journey ended with me lying on a rocky surface, the previous color kaleidoscope replaced by a greyish stony ceiling illuminated by green moss.

"Let's start here."

I was still feeling dizzy from the fall, but I jumped in my place. It was the voice of the being in the darkness, but it wasn't a disembodied voice that came from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. It felt more substantial this time. It was a low but seductive tone coming from the left side of my body.

When I quickly turned my head, a tall figure with blond hair and red eyes stood majestically with a confident smile. As an ornament, a golden chain crossed from his shoulder to the other side of his waist on his black vest. His appearance was given a mysterious touch by the fluorescent green light. He was good looking, but I was not attracted to him.

"Are you the voice?" I inquired cautiously.

"Superb deductive skills." He chuckled. "My name is Geneviève Dieudonné, little girl."

After rising from the floor, I frowned. "Don't call me like that."

"Don't you like it, little girl?" He smiled, his canine teeth protruding proudly to show off his breed.

"Primordial Vampire." I whispered.

I frowned as I found myself in this situation. I hadn't considered it before because I was baffled, but didn't Charlotte from the game awaken her bloodline quite late in the game? Why was I awakening a bloodline at the age of ten? Did that make sense?

The vampire's voice jolted me out of my reverie. "More like the spirit of a primordial vampire." He sighed deeply.

Then he shook his head, his blond hair slicked back and swaying slightly. I kept an eye on him; despite his somewhat playful demeanor and smile, he exuded a seductive yet magnified aura, but now that he was physically present, I was a little uneasy, but I hid it behind a wall of curiosity.

'Like an open book.' I thought, but there was nothing; I even tried spamming, but it didn't work.

His attack was lightning fast. A firm hand wrapped around my neck, lifting me off the ground and applying pressure before I could react. The vampire's perfectly sculpted face was just inches away from mine. "I don't like having my thoughts read."

My eyes widened like saucers, and I struggled with my hands in his firm grip, the discomfort inside me growing. Following a period of struggle to get the words out of my choked throat. "How?!" I finally managed to say something, but when I saw a smile spread across his face, it hit me. "My memories."

He claimed to have observed inside my mind and that of my big brother. He obviously knew about my skill; I grimaced at my stupidity. I could only hope he wasn't too upset; what would happen if I failed the test?

The man moved his face close to my ear in response to my pained and terrified expression. "I'm not upset." I flinched as he whispered. "But I'm the only one who can read minds here." He declared. He stroked my hair with his pale hand after that. I shivered and squirmed at his touch.

I wanted to form magic in my hand, putting what I had learned in the lessons into practice. I only had to direct the energy I felt within myself, shape it, and expel it. I thought I could do it, but nothing appeared in my palm or in my surroundings. The hellfire that was supposed to scorch and melt this man's face did not appear. I felt more disgusted and weak as he stroked my hair. I realized I was vulnerable until now; my terror and anger manifested as uncontrollable trembling.

"What makes you so afraid?" He inquired, a smirk on his face. "So vulnerable and weak. Is it possible for someone so pathetic to have such twisted thoughts? What good is power if you don't have the courage to use it?"

For some reason, feeling helpless in front of this man made me terrified. He squeezed my neck once more before releasing me. I collapsed to the ground, coughing and gasping, my trembling legs doing little to stop me. I looked up and gave the man a sour expresión.

He paused with a laugh, giving me some space. "Attack me." He said this while opening his arms as if to welcome me.

I rose but did not attack. I just stood there watching, wanting to summon magic and pound him until he was pulverized, but for some reason I couldn't. I had no way of attacking him. Every second I spent near this man, I felt the discomfort of being helpless.

"Attack me!" he urged.

"I can't!" I shouted in frustration.

"Hit me with your fists." He gave the order, but the mere thought of touching him repulsed me. "Don't hide behind magic to conceal your flaws." The vampire reprimanded. "You can't touch me, and you have no idea why."

Was I really that vulnerable? I just wanted to get out of here now that I realized how helpless I was. It was ironic how my thoughts shifted from killing people to fleeing like a coward, but all I wanted was to see my big brother again. I wanted to feel safe; after all, my big brother and I had only been separated for a few minutes in the two years we had been in this world. If I didn't get out of here...the thought of not seeing him again terrified me.

As if disappointed, the vampire shook his head. "Maybe this will jog your memory, little girl."

My world was turned upside down when he snapped his fingers. I felt a force pulling at me, and I closed my eyes due to vertigo. Even though I knew it was a test, I couldn't help but feel terrified. That man's grip on my neck had made me realize how vulnerable I was, and without big brother by my side, I felt as if all my strength and will had been taken from me. I couldn't play hard to get any longer. The only thing keeping me from collapsing into a ball of tears and trembling was the prospect of meeting him again and feeling his warm touch, but still...

'I'm scared, big brother.'

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I had a writer's block, so I got a little behind, but I'm back!

Also, I know that many people don't like the separation, but Charlotte's character needed that separation to grow, and not only her, all the characters will grow in some way.