Chapter S7V7N: The Fated One of Drakheholt

Outside the young man's room, the woman he was with was still there. She was standing naked and didn't care even if the servants looked at her. Not far away, Elizabeth could see the naked woman. She approached her and looked at her from head to toe. After that, her right eyebrow rose and her mouth twitched as if she was insulting him with her gaze. The woman immediately frowned as if she had no interest in the person in front of her. She held onto her waist while her wild eyes glared at Elizabeth.

"Oh, Selene, did you have fun?" Elizabeth asked insultingly.

"Oh, yes, Elizabeth, Lord Draegon really enjoyed having sex with me," Selene boasted.

"Really? Why did he leave you here?," Elizabeth said.

"Oh, why do you say that? Did Lord Draegon leave you after having sex with you?," Selene said insultingly.

Elizabeth frowned at the young woman before her. She didn't like her, and to make matters worse, she was her rival in love. Both of them were infatuated with a young man who treated them with cold indifference. Even though he had no interest in them, they remained blind to their feelings. They would do anything for him, even if he only saw them as mere distractions.

As the two women bickered and argued, they failed to notice a figure standing behind them. This figure clutched their arm and glared at them with irritation.

"Enough! You two are making too much noise," the figure snapped, clearly exasperated by their squabbling.

The figure, whose pale, clouded eyes gleamed with annoyance, raised an elegant golden eyebrow, exuding authority. Their once rosy cheeks flushed red with frustration. Pouting slightly, their soft pink lips curled in displeasure.

"Can you two just stop already?" the woman said, her voice laced with irritation.

The two women turned to her, startled. They hadn't noticed her approach.

"Sophie? What are you doing here?" Selene asked.

"Obviously, I live here, which is why I'm here," Sophie replied sarcastically.

"You haven't changed, Sophie… still as sharp-tongued as ever," Elizabeth remarked.

"Listen, both of you," Sophie said firmly. "Stop fighting over my brother. He will never love either of you. Instead of wasting your time, you should accept the truth—his fate has already been sealed with another."

Elizabeth hesitated before asking, "Then… does that mean you're siding with us?"

"Oh, you're mistaken, Elizabeth. I'd rather acknowledge the one who is destined for him than waste my time with gold-diggers like you," Sophie retorted sharply.

The two women frowned, offended by her words. Sophie, unwilling to engage further, walked away. For a thousand years, she had known these two women, mere playthings to her brother, and she despised them for their selfishness.

Sophie entered Lord Draegon's chamber to wait for him. When she saw him fully dressed, she suddenly embraced him with joy.

"Ağbi! (Big Brother!)" she exclaimed excitedly, wrapping her arms around him.

"I told you to wait for me outside," Lord Draegon replied coolly.

"You act like you don't want to see me," Sophie pouted.

"Ağbi, aren't you excited to finally meet the one destined for you?" she asked eagerly.

"No," was his short response.

"Ugh! You're so frustrating! How can you not be eager to meet her? I can't wait to see your amore (beloved)!" Sophie said with delight.

"Don't worry. I will find her… so I can make her suffer," Draegon said coldly.

"You're impossible! Shouldn't you at least say something like, 'My love, I've been waiting for you'? Ağbi, you really haven't changed," Sophie sighed, fixing her golden hair.

"Don't worry, Ağbi, I'll pester Tuwa (Grandma) until she tells me who your amore is. I heard she has already arrived in Drakhenholt (Dark World)," Sophie added with excitement.

Lord Draegon's lips curled slightly upon hearing this. His destined one had finally entered Drakhenholt. He already knew where to find her—he could read the schemes of the Seventh Tuwa, Grandma Morwenna. Without hesitation, he headed for his black, modern vehicle.

The car had two large wheels at the front, a unique symmetrical design resembling a high-speed racing machine. Its front glass was reinforced, and every part of the car was bulletproof.

Sophie watched in confusion as her brother suddenly left. Curious, she quickly followed him. She saw him enter his car and rushed over, knocking on the glass. But he ignored her and drove off without a word. Sophie frowned. Was he ignoring her because of her persistence?

She placed a hand on her temple, thinking hard.

" Aha! I Know now where he's heading, wait let me follow him," Sophie declared.

She rushed outside the palace, climbing to the highest rock formation. At its peak, she pulled at the tendrils of a massive flying creature behind her. With a loud thud, the creature—a giant airborne crustacean resembling a shrimp—landed on the rock. Unlike ordinary shrimp, this one didn't swim in the ocean; it soared through the skies.

Sophie mounted the creature and commanded, "Udang (Giant Shrimp), follow my brother's vehicle!"

The creature ascended swiftly, its many limbs propelling it forward. From a distance, it spotted its target. Sophie, now close enough, leaped into the air, spreading her arms as if embracing the wind.

As she neared the moving car, she landed smoothly onto its roof. Crawling forward, she peeked through the windshield and saw her brother, silent and focused on driving.

She knocked on the glass, but he ignored her.

Frustrated, Sophie clung to the side of the car and found an arched door. She pried it open and climbed inside, taking a seat beside her brother, pouting.

"You're so mean, Ağbi! You didn't even stop for me," she whined.

"Why are you following me?" Draegon asked icily.

"I know you're going to find your destined one, and I want to come with you to see her!" Sophie answered enthusiastically.

Draegon remained silent. He knew there was no stopping her once she set her mind on something. He continued driving toward the palace in Obsidian Belsic (Death in the East), where fate awaited him.

- - -

In Obsidian Belsic (Death in East), a mysterious sound echoed from the ocean. The night was calm and silent, but then a beautiful melody filled the air. It was like an angel singing—a voice so sweet and full of love, like a lullaby soothing a crying child. The enchanting sound was so captivating that every creature who heard it wanted to listen again and again.

The mermaids woke up upon hearing the song and started searching for its source. But just as they neared the location, the song suddenly stopped.

When they arrived, they found no one singing. Instead, they saw a floating water bubble, swirling in the air. It shimmered with rainbow-like colors, glowing brightly like a light in the darkness. Without hesitation, the mermaids who served as guards took the bubble and returned to their palace.

News of this event spread quickly throughout Vlood's kingdom. For centuries, they had been searching for the key to ending an upcoming war—a war that would begin when the moon was swallowed by darkness. It was a battle between vampires and werewolves, and the only thing that could stop the werewolves from fighting was the voice of a Salimbarut (human bird).

Because of this discovery, Vlood immediately called for a royal gathering. He needed to inform his cousins and prepare for an urgent meeting. He sent messengers to deliver the news.

After his men left, Vlood placed the water bubble, given by the Taw-na-ig (gray mermaids), into a golden flower with broad leaves, which served as a holder for a crystal orb. The moment the bubble was placed inside, it transformed into a large pearl, glowing with radiant colors. It no longer floated but rested motionless in the container.

Vlood gently touched the pearl, lost in thought. His face showed sadness, as if he was remembering something painful from the past.

From a distance, Elysia noticed him. She was puzzled by the sight of Vlood stroking the crystal ball with a sorrowful expression. Curious and concerned, she decided to approach him.

"Vlood… are you okay?" she asked softly.

Vlood turned to her, his once sad expression replaced by an emotionless stare. He stopped touching the pearl and stood up straight.

"I'm fine," he replied coldly.

"I just thought you looked sad… Maybe I was imagining things. Oh! Can I go outside with Betül?" Elysia asked.

"Sure," Vlood answered, his tone indifferent.

Elysia beamed with excitement. She quickly turned to Betül, who had been standing behind her, and eagerly pulled her along. The two of them rushed out of the palace as if setting off on an adventure.

Once outside, Elysia requested to visit the island where the mermaids of Betül's kind lived. They headed toward a mansion reserved for guests, separate from the palace. There, they passed through a magical passageway leading to a hidden cave. The cave was surrounded by shimmering blue-green water.

Betül handed Elysia a ring—crafted from silver and adorned with tiny diamonds. In its center was a pearl that glowed like the ocean.

Elysia looked at it curiously. "What is this, Betül?"

"This is a ring from my island," Betül said with a smile. "When you wear it, you'll be able to breathe underwater. Don't worry, there are many like this where I come from."

"Wow! Let's go, Betül! I can't wait to see your home!" Elysia exclaimed excitedly.

She put on the ring and immediately dove into the water. Betül, now in her mermaid form, guided her through an underwater passage.

Elysia was mesmerized. Schools of vibrant fish swam gracefully around them, while colorful coral reefs spread across the ocean floor like blooming stone flowers.

Her eyes widened in wonder—it was her first time witnessing the ocean's beauty up close.

Suddenly, Seraphina, another mermaid, tapped her shoulder and gently took her hand, guiding her toward the surface.

As they emerged from the water, Elysia saw the island Betül had told her about. It was surrounded by towering rocks covered in lush trees, resembling small mountains. The golden sunlight reflected off the waves, and above them, the clouds painted ever-changing shapes in the sky.

They stepped onto the shore, and Elysia marveled at the breathtaking scenery. Betül simply smiled, amused by her friend's reaction.

"Come, Elysia, I have someone I want you to meet," Betül said.

Elysia followed her and soon stood before a beautiful woman with long, orange-colored hair. Her deep blue eyes were framed by thick, arched lashes, and her lips remained delicately pressed together as she observed them.

Slowly, the woman smiled.

Betül introduced her. "Elysia, this is Fuentes. She is the leader of the Taw-na-ig (gray mermaids), just like me."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Elysia," she greeted with a friendly smile.

Fuentes studied her carefully, as if trying to read her thoughts.

Noticing this, Betül frowned and nudged her. "Come on, Fuentes, don't stare at her like that. She's my friend!"

Fuentes chuckled. "I know. I was trying to read her mind, but I couldn't. You're wearing a necklace, aren't you?"

"Uh… yeah, how did you know?" Elysia asked in surprise.

"As the leader of the Taw-na-ig, I can recognize it. That necklace comes from our island. I assume Grandma Morwenna gave it to you?" Fuentes asked.

"Yes, she did… She said it was for protection," Elysia confirmed.

Fuentes nodded. "That necklace isn't just for protection. With it, no one—not even vampires—can read your thoughts. I'm certain you have a special gift, which is why you were given that necklace."

Betül interrupted, "Fuentes, that's enough."

"Do not take off that necklace from your neck because the moment you fail to wear it, you will be in danger, especially since you are a mortal," Fuentes said.

"I will follow what you said. Thank you for the warning," Elysia replied with a smile, even though her nose and mouth were covered with a scarf.

"Come now, the others are waiting for you," Fuentes added.

Elysia and Betül followed him. In the distance, they saw women sitting on rocks, appearing human, engaged in conversation. As they got closer, the women stopped talking and turned to look at them. Suddenly, a smiling child ran toward Betül's direction. The child clung to Betül's waist, seemingly overjoyed to see her. The child had golden hair and ocean-colored eyes, just like Betül.

Betül pinched the child and scolded them to stop clinging to her waist. The child furrowed their brows while looking at their older sister. Elysia couldn't help but laugh at the two, who seemed like a pair of bickering cats and dogs. Meanwhile, the women invited Elysia to sit on a long rock and talk with them after their leader introduced her.

"Have you heard about what happened at the palace?" one of their mermaid companions asked.

"What Happened?" Elysia replied.

"What happened?" Betül asked.

"Huh? You don't know? Weren't you staying at the castle?" another mermaid asked.

Elysia and Betül looked at each other, confused about what the mermaids were referring to. Fuentes glanced at them and spoke.

"There was chaos because they heard a voice, and now they are searching for that being," Betül said.

"Why are they searching for it ???" Elysia asked in confusion.

"Because they need to capture it to use it," Fuentes answered.

"Use it?" Elysia frowned, puzzled by Fuentes' words.

"That voice is so powerful that it can tame any creature—even wolves, who are the enemies of the vampires," one of their companions explained.

"To this day, they are still searching for it," another companion added.

"Elysia, do you want me to tell you about that voice ???" Fuentes asked.

"Oh, absolutely!" Luna interrupted excitedly.

"Luna! Be quiet, or I'll pinch you again," Betül warned, trying to intimidate her sibling.

"Big Sis, come on," the child pouted.

"During the time when the Delume Minarch family ruled… they were appointed as the Four Kings after they killed the first king of Drakhenholt (Dark World). The Salimbarut (human-bird hybrids) had a strong alliance with the Four Kings. The bird-people helped the vampires eradicate the wolves using their enchanting voices," Fuentes narrated.

"But they disappeared," Elysia said in confusion.

"Yes, they vanished, leaving the vampires without aid to eliminate the wolves. Because of this, war erupts at a set time when the moon is shrouded in darkness," Fuentes explained.

"So, Fuentes, does that mean they need the being they are searching for ???" Betül asked.

"Yes, they need to convince it to stop the impending war because if they fail, many creatures will be caught in the crossfire, especially the mortals who live peacefully," Fuentes responded.

"In this era, the bird-people no longer exist. Surely, the Four Kings—especially King Vlood—will take an interest in this," Fuentes whispered.

"Elysia… we need to leave now; you might be searched for at the palace," Betül said.

"You should return. I'm sure the other kings are already there for a meeting," Fuentes interjected.

Elysia and Betül did not stay long on the island. They returned to the palace so the king would not question where they had wandered off to.