Chapter 25: A Silver Secret: Silver's Struggle

What the hell is going on? I don't understand. Why can I become a Fallen? Doesn't a Vampire become a Fallen when they drink blood...? What am I? Am I a Vampire, a Fallen, or an Ancient? What was my mother? Was she really a Vampire? Why can't I remember?

All these thoughts started to flood my mind. It felt like I was going insane.

"Silvey... Hey... Silvey, are you okay?" Lily asked after she gently shook me to get my attention.

"Yes, I'm fi—"

Before I could finish speaking, I felt a jolt go through my body. I saw that Lily also felt it as she flinched, taking her hands off my shoulders.

My whole body started to discharge magion for a few seconds until it stopped.

"What just happened!?" she exclaimed.

"I don't... know."

I said so because, at first, I only felt a small shock, and after, it felt like nothing was happening, but I could feel the magion leaving my body.

"Silvey, I think we should go to a magion researcher. Maybe they will know what's happening to you."

"Yes, I also—"

It happened again—that feeling as though a shock was going through my body. Magion, like previously, discharged from my body. I knew that if I didn't do anything, all my magion would disperse.

"Coachman! Go to the palace!" Lily ordered.

The carriage started to move forward, its destination—the royal palace of Drayula, where all the members of the royal family stayed.

I had one immediate thought when I heard where we were headed—the words the Tree Sentinel said, that I would find a clue about my mother. Finally. Although I didn't expect it to happen like this.

***

A few minutes had passed since we left Noble Square, and in that time, my body had discharged magion at random intervals. But I ignored it all to ask Lily a question.

"Lily, why exactly are we headed to the royal palace?"

"We are actually headed to Eclipsys."

"My third brother has the same magical element as mine," she added.

"What!? Does that mean we'll use teleportation magic?"

"Yes, my third brother is considered a genius at using teleportation spells."

"Wait... does that mean your brother is that famous Shifter?"

She nodded with a proud look on her face.

The Shifter—his real name is Roi—is the best when it comes to using and creating spells of the wind element, specifically teleportation spells.

I didn't know he was part of the royal family. If that's the case, then I don't have to worry about arriving at Eclipsys.

The palace... I've never been there before. I wonder what it's like.

***

A few more minutes passed until we arrived at the Drayula palace. It was a beautiful place—the golden gates leading into a yard lined with different types of trees on the sides. We drove through this tree garden and arrived at the front of the palace.

Large white doors led into a giant white-and-gold palace that looked as if it was shining as it reflected the rays of the sun. I did want to admire it more, but I didn't have time as my magion was starting to get extremely low.

Lily also noticed, and we went straight through the corridor inside. The inside was also beautiful—a giant red carpet and white walls decorated with paintings of beautiful places, like a giant lake, a flower garden, and such. Two sets of stairs led to an upper level, and the audience chamber was directly through the middle in front of us. But we headed left through a door and went through a corridor with paintings of people hanging there. A painting of Lily also hung there, so it was probably of all the royals.

We walked a few minutes until we went through a door that led outside, where a small cabin made of wood stood. A Vampire was there, cutting wood with an axe in his hand, which was, in fact, his Bloodless Weapon.

"Third brother!" Emily yelled toward that person.

He turned, leaving his axe behind, and approached us with a big smile on his face. He looked very muscular and handsome. He wore pants that looked like they were made of monster fur, and he was shirtless. Sweat dripped from his body with every step he took.

Was this really how a royal would act? Not that I found it a problem—it was just weird seeing such a Vampire. All Vampires that are royalty have that elegant air around them. He, too, felt elegant, yet he also felt... normal.

"Little Lily, where have you been? I haven't seen you in a while," he said, towering over her. He was truly large.

"Third brother, step back a bit! You're full of sweat," Lily said, holding her nose.

"Lily, you visit me after so long, and that's the first thing you say? You didn't even give me a hug," he said, spreading out his arms.

"No!!! Brother, get away from me!!" Lily screeched with a smile on her face.

I could see she was enjoying her brother's company.

They went back and forth for a while until her brother became more serious.

"So, why did you come here? Let me guess—you want my teleportation magic."

"Yes, we need to head to Eclipsys now."

"Why?" he asked.

"My friend needs to go there."

"Oh, I was wondering who that little missy was behind you," he said, staring in my direction.

But... Little missy...? Really?

I looked over to Lily. I could see her giggling as she looked at my dumbfounded expression.

"Hello, my name is Silver, Your Majesty."

I spoke formally—because why wouldn't I? The person I was speaking to was one of the rulers of Drayula, after all. I didn't even bother trying to explain that I was a boy.

He laughed. "There's no need to be so formal. Everyone just calls me Roi."

He then looked at me with an intense gaze. "You... what are you?"

"What do you mean?"

He walked closer. "You remind me of that woman—the silver-haired Vampire," he said in a serious tone.

Huh? Silver-haired woman? Who's that? I thought that only I had silver hair... or did my mother also have silver hair? Wait—do I have silver hair? My heart started beating, like it was trying to escape from my chest.

A sea of pain started to flood my head. My body again started to release magion, but this time it was accompanied by an ice-like pain, as if my body was freezing from the inside out.

My breath became visible, and the ground beneath my feet froze. Ice crept along my skin, trying to consume me. It was like all the cold in the world had started to gather around me, trying to freeze me over.