Dear Journal,
I no longer write on your pages physically, so these are my genuine and unfiltered thoughts that are confined to the cage that is my mind. It is the only thing that I deem normal in the world of the bizzare. There is still so much to discover.

- 𝓔. 𝓢𝓽𝓮𝓮𝓵𝓮
(1605)

"What?" Emma asked, dubious at the possibility that such information was visible on the scroll.

"More vampires" Elias said as he stared at the scroll.

"A vampire.. is that what you are?" She queried hesitantly.

Elias nodded his response, causing Emma to frown as she turned away from him. She had heard stories from the elders of Gandalwell about this kind of monster. They were described as hideous and untamable humanoid creatures with a thirst for blood.

Elias, ofcourse, was a terrible example of this definition, for his appearance depicted that of a celestial origin. He was infact, an exemplar of an advanced human being. Despite this fact, she was sure that an abundance of creatures like him would be a danger not just to the kingdom, but to mankind.

"Really?" She said hesitantly as she stood up from her stool to sit by her dressing table.

Elias noticed she was barefoot, wearing a white, silk night gown. He watched her as she sat down before her mirror, staring at her own reflection with her face strained and melancholic.

"Your father died... what will happen now?" Elias said as he recalled the events of the night.

"Baltazaar and I will marry soon. We will become the King and Queen of Gandalwell. A report of the incident will be sent to the four prominent kingdoms" Emma said as she brushed the curls out of her hair.

"Are you.. alright?" Elias gulped. He was not new to empathy, but he was rusty after so many years.

"I am fine. He was not necessarily a good man Elias. He was easily angered and just as easily influenced by the his son's wishes. Because of that, Baltazaar had been the king long before he actually died" she told him, growing more despondent.

"Where is he? Baltazaar?" Elias questioned as he stood up from the bed. He placed the grimoire and scrolls on the left bedside table as he stretched his legs.

He had a dull ache in his head which he tried to ignore. It was almost as if someone was calling his name.

"He is trying to fix this mess. The great hall was destroyed, so we will need builders to repair it. He intends to have a calling of the council tomorrow to discuss the arrival of the magical beasts and what it means for the kingdom. He, ofcourse, already knew of the existence of these creatures" Emma said as she finally turned to him on her stool.

"How do you know so much? I do not recall you two speaking much after the.. incident" Elias asked her.

"I am the princess. Ofcourse I know what will happen in times of war" she said simply.

War, Elias thought. He recalled Baltazaar's words whilst they were at the top of the keep. He had said that a war was coming, and he would need people like him to win it. Was this what he had meant? Had he known all this time that an attack was imminent?

In addition to this, Elias had yet to piece together why Odelina had shown herself tonight as well. Was it a coincidence or was she in some sort of allegiance with the monarch? Baltazaar had seemed genuinely surprised by the beast's sudden arrival so Elias's intuition did not ring at the prince's involvement.

But how did Odelina come by Genevieve's necklace? She was already buried when he had died since she had been nothing but a box of old bones when he pulled her from the earth. How could she possibly have gone to retrieve it?

His mind was swimming with questions and possibilities of what exactly was going on but his knowledge of the situation was much too vague to arrive at any realistic conclusions. He needed to speak with Baltazaar since it was evident that knew more than he was letting on. The situation had grown more grave and he needed answers.

"What does your brother keep in his dungeon? I went there once and a prisoner told be about a wolf. Is it anything like the beast I fought?" Elias asked.

"I did not get a proper view of the beast but I did glimpse it one night when I followed him into the woods behind the castle. It was terrifying. It was the reason I tried to run away... among other things" Emma told him.

The hairs on the back of her neck raised as she remembered the night she decidedly she wanted the leave the castle.

"This prophecy does not sit well with me" Elias admitted.

"Peace will reign through betrayal" he recited. "Just who will be betrayed?" Elias said to no one in particular. "Why does this prophecy seem so specific?"

Emma was quiet as she watched him. Though he raised some valid points in his concerns, she ignored it all as she admired his bare chest.

"I must go, Emma. Keep the grimoire and the scrolls from prying eyes. Do not let anyone else know of this" Elias said as he donned his boots. His black, silk shirt was torn to shreds, so he had no choice to but to wear only his jacquard jacket.

"No, please do not leave as yet" Emma begged, snapping out of her lustful gaze. She rose from her seat to face him, taking his right hand.

She had placed her hand on his thigh when he sat in her bed, but he had thought nothing of it as his mind was riddled with other issues. Now, here she was touching him once more. He glanced down at their joining hands before looking at her.

"What is it?" He asked curiously.

"I would like to say something else" she said as she dropped her gaze to her bare feet.

He noticed the sheerness of her night gown and that her teat was visible through the thin material. The curves of her body was neatly accentuated by the tight fitting piece of clothing. Her heart pounded clamorously as she held on to him.

She was nervous, and it took a moment for him to realize that he too was experiencing the same emotion.

He ran a hand over the silver necklace he had made for Genevieve, ignoring the burn of the metal against his skin.

"I'm taking this" he said softly, using his other hand to unlock it from her neck. He then placed it into the inner pockets of his jacket, his eyes never leaving hers as she gazed up at him.

He then gently caressed her bare neck, letting his hand linger over her pulse. He could not help imagining himself being lost in her neck whilst simultaneously being lost in her.

He tensed when his body began to react to his lascivious desires. It was a normal biological reaction, but he had not experienced it in 7 years, so he was surprised that he actually still had the ability.

He withdrew his hand from her neck, parting with her as he sped over to the door.

"We have time" he said simply. Without looking at her, he left her alone to her own thoughts.

Emma sighed as she sat on her bed. She had only been 15 years of age when she had first met Elias. She thought he was handsome in a rugged way as he confronted her in the Marewood market for her petty theft. At the time, she wished her life was simple enough to deserve a simple man like him. So for seven years, she thought of the stranger she had stolen from.

She believed it to be a blessing that they had met again seven years later, even if she did not even recognize him at the time. It was obvious that something burning within the depths of her heart had never forgotten, for he had found her even in death.

She could not help but believe that a higher being who resided in the stars were aligning their destinies. Now, he was even more beautiful than when she had first saw him. Her heart would flutter by just the mere mention of his name.

She was ashamed that the feeling that came to her mind knowing his wife had passed was that of relief. It was a selfish desire, but she was glad that she had a chance. Though it was obvious that he still loved her, she still hoped that she would one day become just as worthy of his affection. She wanted to have a place in his heart...or whatever strange mystical organ kept him alive.

She wanted him to be her diamond in the rough, she wanted him to see only her in a room full of people, she wanted him to adore her like he did Genevieve, she just..wanted him. But alas, she was a novice to love. She had no idea how to tell him of her carnal and emotional afflictions and she was barely sure if he even shared a smidge of the same sentiments.

She heaved a sigh as she fell backwards unto her bed, relishing the touch of his hands against her neck and imagining the feeling of his fangs sinking into her flesh.

As he came around the corner of the hall, Elias caught Baltazaar and his father speaking in hushed tones at the base of the stairs.

Doubling back, he hid himself behind the corner to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"This is a declaration of war" King Koren told Baltazaar.

"It is. I still cannot believe they would be so bold" Baltazaar responded.

"Is Damien's transformation perfected as yet?" Koren asked his son.

"Not quite. He still needs to learn how to shift without the full moon's aid" Elias heard the prince reply.

"What of Eli? Have you gotten him on your side as yet?"

"I'm not quite sure. He does not seem to trust me" The prince said.

"We need him Baltazaar. Selvalley is not backing down. Also, did you hear the rumors of Odelina's return? Things are not well in Asphal, my subjects are terrified because of the disappearances and attacks. There has been several attacks in Pretvar as well, be sure to question Alice of this. We are running out of time" Koren urged his son.

"I am working on it Father, this could not have happened at a more terrible time. We wanted to keep the people in the dark for as long as possible but for that- that monster to just appear out in the open like that... Selvalley is getting serious. I guess the talks of them being under a new ruler is true" Baltazaar said.

"We will have to visit Damien tonight. We need him to begin creating his pack. Your marriage and coronation will be sped up, this is good. You will now have access to Evans's wealth and army" Koren told his son.

"What is happening?" Elias asked, interrupting the two men as he descended the stairs.

The men looked as if they had seen another wild beast. Elias's body ached with every step he took, but he did well to hide it. His ears rang as the feint whisper called at him.

"Eli..." Baltazaar said.

"I heard everything. You want me to trust you, do you not?" Elias asked as he looked at both men. "Tell me what the matter is and do not lie to me"

The three of them were quiet for a moment before Baltazaar broke the silence.

"Let us go somewhere more private" the prince suggested and with that, they walked off.

Together, they headed to the top of the keep where Elias and Baltazaar had their first real conversation. It was almost morning now as the roosters crowed vociferously in the distance. The soldiers that were present bustled about the courtyard below them as they tended to the destroyed portcullis along with the help of the professional craftsmen and builders.

King Koren was the first to speak.

"As you may already know, there are four kingdoms. Pretvar, Asphal, Gandalwell and Selvalley, Selvalley being the first kingdom to be established. After a century of peace, they have decided to revolt. They began to dabble in dark magic which gave birth to the creature responsible for banquet's destruction. This beast was a declaration of war against us" he finished.

"Revolt? Why?" Elias asked.

Baltazaar glanced at his father before answering.

"We have yet to find out. I sent a few of my trusted men to investigate. The body of the man you defeated was one of them" Baltazaar said.

Elias clenched his jaws as he recalled the lifeless face of the scar-faced knight. No wonder he had not seen any of them around the castle since he arrived, the prince had sent them to Selvalley.

"They turned him into that creature?" Elias inquired.

"It is called a werewolf. Half man, half wolf. Though, they seem to have taken it a step further. The knight obviously had no recollection of his human life. He was incapable of intellectual thinking, thus they created an emotionless and uncontrollable beast. It is to send us a message" Baltazaar said.

"Why do you know its name?" Elias asked, his eyebrows raised in wonder.

"Stories of such creatures have been told for generations" Koren answered for him.

The King and Prince's anxiety was palpable even in an open space. Elias could tell that they were not being entirely forthcoming with their story but he did not want to raise suspicions by asking too many questions. Baltazaar sounded as if he was comparing the werewolf to another similar creature. He had heard them discussing that they would be visiting someone by the name of Damien. He planned to follow them on this trip.

"Before we answer anymore of your questions.." King Koren said to Elias. "We would like for you to answer some of ours"

Elias was not fond of being questioned, especially about himself. He had to be mindful of the things he disclosed to others as it could be detrimental to his wellbeing and survival. He folded his arms across his chest before agreeing.

"What are you?" The king asked, his expression serious.

Elias thought about the question. He wondered if it was wise to answer truthfully. It was also possible, that they already knew what he was but was not sure because they had never seen someone like him in person. Afterall, Baltazaar had a grimoire, and they both seemed knowledgeable on the topic of mystical creatures.

"I am a vampire" Elias said finally.

The men glanced at each other before looking at Elias.

"A vampire?" King Koren reiterated in disbelief, regarding him from head to toe as if he had never seen him before.

Elias nodded as he stared at both men.

"B-but how? You do not look like any of the descriptions of the..." Baltazaar started to say when Elias finished his sentence.

"Vylisians?" He questioned, glancing at them both.

"You know of them?" Koren asked incredulously.

"Not really" Elias said truthfully.

Odelina had mentioned it to him when he had asked her what he was. Once again, Elias was upset that she had not told him anything about himself. A scene from his fight with the werewolf replayed in his mind, causing his irises to flash red for a moment and then back to their gold colour. Elias whinced at the drumming pain in his head, turning away from both men.

"Are you alright?" Baltazaar asked as he glanced at his father, their eyes fearful and hesitant.

"I am fine" Elias said as he shook off the feeling, turning back to face them once more. "I have a very important question however, how do you two know about Odelina?"

Both men fell silent. It was as if they were trying to decide how much to actually say. After a moment, Koren spoke.

"The monarchs of the four kingdoms are all told...stories about her. She is a feared legend" he said solemnly.

"Stories? What stories? And why is that?" Elias questioned.

The sound of his name being called grew louder in his mind, his head throbbing with pain. His spirit tugged at him to go back down the stairs.

"There is a prophecy..." Baltazaar started to say.

"I know it" Elias interrupted.

He looked at Elias strangely and then muttered, "Emma" under his breath whilst shaking his head.

"You are a fae?" Elias asked him.

"I am and so is Emma. However, she has yet to unlock her powers"

"The prophecy is about us then?" Elias questioned.

"Perhaps.. though I do not think we are the only ones involved"

Elias was restraining himself from answering the call of the strange voice. He fought the urge to follow the sound ringing in his head as he whinced again. He could see that Baltazaar and King Koren were regarding him strangely. They were probably wondering what was the matter with him.

"I saw Odelina tonight" Elias confessed.

Elias could hear both their heart rates increase in speed. He could also smell the blood pumping through their veins. This made him realize that he was weakened and hungry. He would need to feed soon or things would get out of control.

"What? When?" King Koren demanded but soon stood down as he realized the glare in Elias's eyes.

The sun had began to rise causing to Elias become perturbed by both its light with addition of his headache.

"I saw her after the werewolf entered the great hall. She gave Emma the necklace that I..." he said stopping himself. He did not want to blow his cover despite Emma screaming his real name in the great hall. There were plenty of Elias's afterall.

"....that I liked" he finished.

"This is not good" King Koren said in a panicked tone.

Elias could no longer fight the urge to stay and talk.

"I must go now. Baltazaar, send someone to my chambers as soon as possible" Elias said as he rushed down the stairs.

"The door is sealed!" Baltazaar tried to call at him but Elias was already gone.

The calling grew louder. What is that? He thought. He followed the sound to his chambers.

Unbolting his door, he felt an invisible force retreat into the floor. His head was throbbing now more than ever. He quickly sped inside closing the door behind him, leaning against the structure as he tilted his head to the ceiling while his breathing became ragged. He had never felt like this before, even as a human.

"It is rude.." he heard someone say from his bed. His eyes shot over to the familiar face of the woman. "....to not immediately answer the calls of your maker" Odelina said as she sat on his bed.

"Young spirit" she called at him, her mouth stretching into an diabolical smile.

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Sorry for the late update!

Hope you are well 😊