NOVEL NEXT 37. Cruelty
It was odd, really. It was like… blinking, except my eyes never closed. They didn’t have time to close, after all; it was instantaneous. In one moment, I was standing within the confines of our manor, and then there was the flash of darkness, and then… there was light! As my senses readjusted, I was beginning to get a grip on our new surroundings…
The first thing I noticed was that we were outside. Clear cerulean skies watched us from above like a reflection in a still pond. The sun shined warmly, though I realized it felt… different, in a way? It didn’t have the same vibrancy or life to it like it did in the garden, but perhaps that’s simply because the garden is special. Unlike the manor, we weren’t surrounded by a forest, though I could see mountains and a large body of water in the far off distance… which also let me know we were on some kind of plateau. It was all an amazing sight, certainly an environment that I had never seen, but what really surprised me was…
“T-There’s so many buildings below!! They’re like… everywhere all around us! Are they made of stone?! I can’t tell, there’s just so many and they’re so small from up here!!” I squealed in excitement as I held mother’s hand.
“Indeed,” she agreed with a smile that perfectly understood my childlike wonder. “Walk with me. We’re on the southwestern end of the Ab’Haima’s estate. They’ll be expecting us on the northeastern end, or rather… they won’t be expecting us at all. Nonetheless, please come along.”
“Okay!” I nodded, following her. As we stepped out from where we had arrived, I took better notice of our immediate surroundings. It seemed like we appeared in the center of a small circular structure. The flooring was a patterned marble with a green hue while several white columns held up a roof that seemed to mirror the floor. Huh.
As we stepped forward and onto a chiseled stone path, I could see a large temple of sorts up ahead, likely our destination. Mother spoke up as we walked towards it.
“I take it this is your first time seeing a city? I admit it can be both intimidating and wondrous to see one for the first time.”
“Yeah!” I responded. “It’s so much bigger than I could have ever imagined, I mean… it’s like a town but infinitely bigger!”
“An accurate comparison,” she gently laughed.
I then had a sudden realization. “Wait, so… there are people living everywhere here? Are they like… I mean this might be a weird question, but like… are they all normal people? Like, um, humans?”
She continued walking, unfazed by the question. “No, actually...”
As we approached a spot on the path that gave us a better view of the city, she stopped, looking out.
“This is the one and only city belonging solely to myths. An idea founded by the original Ab’Haima duo, this city has only ever known peace. Humans cannot find it, for it is an artificial abnormality. This whole city is, simply put… a replica. It took the combined forces of all four houses to create, and without magic, one cannot reach it. The name of this city, you ask? It is Snetha.”
“Wow…” I said, completely engulfed in amazement. A whole city for myths. “How come we don’t live here, then…?”
She seemed slightly surprised at the question, but smiled and shrugged it off. “Too stuffy. My predecessors and I all seemed to agree. There are plenty of wealthy families that live in the city, though… such as the Louve and Sky families,” she said with a wink.
“Oh! Millie and Amber’s families live here?” I asked excitedly. I remember their last names!
“That they do,” she said. “While myths are spread throughout the world here and there, this is by far the largest concentration of us. You certainly won’t be finding many humans here.”
“Wait, wait wait, what do you mean by that? I thought only myths lived here?” I asked with justifiable confusion.
“Many myth families, especially when it comes to vampires given that we cannot exactly give birth, are split into two sections: the main and branch families. The main family consists of those who become myths, and the branch family consists of humans descending from the main family’s ancestors. Take the B’Krov and A’Ketsueki families, for example. If they converted their entire family into vampires, then they would be doing nothing more than ensuring the end of their bloodline. This is why branch families exist; to continue the line with humans.”
I tilted my head. “But… I thought the four royal vampire houses turned people once every 100 years? Like, I’m not from a branch family, but we’re family? And we don’t have a branch family, right? So why…?”
“Unfortunately,” she started, “we are the exception to the rule. O’Sangs choose strangers for successors while the others prefer family already related by blood. This is partially why, as O’Sangs, we have faced… unique difficulties. Beyond royal vampires, second generation vampire families and so on also usually prefer to have a branch family.”
Ok, she lost me. “Second generation families? Huh…?”
She looked at me, lifting a brow. “Ah… I have not explained, have I? Well, if you consider us to be first generation vampires, also known as royal vampires, then those we turn outside of the comet’s duration become second generation vampires instead of first. Second generation vampires can only make third generations and so on, the difference being a very large drop in magic potential starting with just second generation vampires. It may seem convoluted, but I assure you it is simpler than it seems.”
“I-I see…” I said, my head still turning. I think Amber mentioned something about this kind of stuff before…
“But we can talk more later. I believe we came here for a reason, yes?” she kindly reminded me.
I looked at her, slowly nodding as I remembered. “Right. Let’s… go.”
She nodded in return and continued to lead the way up the stone path until we stood before a great marble archway: the temple’s entrance. It felt rather open compared to our manor hidden in a forest.
A man wearing a plain white toga stood under the archway. He seemingly recognized us at once, or at least mother. “Lady O’Sang? I do not believe Lady and Lord Ab’Haima are expecting you right now, I am not sure if-”
“It is urgent,” mother interrupted. “If you would be so kind as to…”
“Still,” the toga man continued, “I cannot simply let you enter without explicit permission. We are not receiving guests at this time, so I am afraid I must turn you away until my Lady or Lord says otherwise.”
Mother sighed. “I understand that, however, as I said, it is quite urgent. So, if you could simply let them know we are here, then…”
“And as I said, I cannot allow entry without-”
“What’s with all the commotion out here?” a woman’s heavenly firm voice could be heard shortly before stepping out from the archway. She stood at a height equaling mother, and she wore a far less drab version of the guard’s toga. The dress was primarily a silky, sheen white that came down to her ankles. A long, shimmering gold piece of silk was draped over and pinned to her shoulder with a small golden emblem sporting the image of a lustrous sprout. Her pearly grey hair was tied back in a long, braided tail, and her head was crowned with a golden laurel wreath. The momentary worry on her face eased into a calmness as she narrowed her fiery golden eyes which seemed to glow with sunset’s final breath. “Ah… Magnolia O’Sang. Of course it’s you.”
Mother smirked, looking back at her. “Evangeline Ab’Haima.”
The woman, presumably Evangeline, turned to look at me, almost seeming… surprised? “And who might you be?”
I gulped. U-Uhhh, right, I practiced for this! “I’m Lily O’Sang, p-princess and heir to House O’Sang!”
“Princess? Really?” Evangeline rolled her eyes. “O’Sangs and their oddities…”
Oh. Did I… say something wrong…?
Mother’s smirk faded rather fast. She cleared her throat. “I’m here to perform an autopsy on the body of the man that attempted to shackle Evander. My heir is here to observe.”
Evangeline stared at mother, going quiet and thinking. “Fine. We’ve hit a dead end trying to figure out how a human managed to attempt such a thing,” she sighed. “Come in.”
The guard stepped to the side, allowing us passage. Mother gave me a soothing look before stepping forward, certainly expecting me to follow. I did, but… I don’t know. I wasn’t feeling very optimistic about all this, especially with Evangeline’s… attitude. Maybe I had just gotten used to people being nice. Never thought I’d feel that way.
Walking inside, it felt about as much as I expected: very open with a prestigious feel. Numerous columns held up the roof, and a pleasant draft seemed to keep it cool.
“The body is in a coffin in the chamber down the hall and to the left. Your heir can go ahead, but you are coming with me to fill out the proper paperwork first, Magnolia. Tiger would at least have the decency to give a warning.”
“Very well,” mother shrugged, seemingly having no reason to argue back with. She turned to me. “You… may go ahead as she says, but…” she paused, considering how to word around the fact that I’m supposed to be seeing a stranger’s body, not my father’s, “...make sure you only observe. I will be with you shortly.”
I nodded, understanding that I need to refrain from… getting emotional. Getting upset like when I looked in the mirror would be… questionable. Even I knew that much. “Ok.”
She comfortingly squeezed my arm.
“I don’t have all day, O’Sang,” Evangeline impatiently tapped her sandaled foot.
Mother was the one to roll her eyes this time, though her back was turned so only I could see. I couldn’t help but smile at that. “Coming,” she said before following Evangeline.
And… they walked away into some other chamber to do paperwork. I walked down the hall, facing left until I saw the open chamber as directed, and inside it was… a coffin.
This was it. He’s right there in that coffin. Dead after trying to do to someone else what he did to me…
I felt adrenaline start to pump through my veins as anger mixed with fear. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes to calm myself. I considered waiting for mother, but… no. I can handle this.
I stepped inside, each foot forward heavier than the last until I eventually reached the coffin. I bit down on my lip, reaching over to lift the top half up, revealing…
Him.
It was actually him. He was just… laying there. He was as still as night, and his face seemed… pallid. Lifeless. His chest didn’t rise or fall as one would expect. No movement. So signs of life or warmth. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
He was dead.
I just found myself staring at his corpse. I… I don’t know what I felt. It’s funny, really, I mean… the whole reason I went so long not knowing how to enjoy life is just… half of it is right here. And the best part?
He won’t look at me even in death.
…
At least it was over.
“Cruel, is it not?” a man’s gentle voice ripped through the silence.
“H-Huh?!” I squeaked, startled at the interruption.
I turned around to see a stranger appearing to wear a more masculine fit of Evangeline’s attire. A golden laurel wreath sat upon his short, pearly grey hair, and his eyes were a fiery gold, just like Evangeline’s.
“Ah, forgive me,” he said, throwing his hands up with a guilty smile. “I did not mean to startle you. I am Evander Ab’Haima.”
Realizing it was just one of the Ab’Haimas, I managed to calm myself down. “Oh… Hi. I’m Lily O’Sang. Pri-” I paused, looking down and feeling disheartened from earlier. “Just Lily O’Sang.”
“It is nice to meet one of my fellow heirs,” he said with a kind smile. “Judging by your expression, my sister has gotten to you. Don’t mind her, Lily, she’s just a little cranky with everything going on.”
That cheered me up a bit. He certainly seemed nicer than Evangeline, at least. “It’s nice to meet you, too,” I honestly said. But wait, did I hear that right? “Your… sister?”
“Indeed,” he confirmed. “Not every royal family has a parent-child relationship, after all. We consider each other brother and sister. We each share an equal half of the Ab’Haima essence, after all.”
“...Oh. Huh,” I huh’d. I guess… that makes sense? Though… what was their relationship before Evander was turned? Like, was he part of a branch family? Would he technically be like a great great great great great grandson? But if not, then I mean… I guess it would be up for interpretation? There’s a lot to consider there.
“Curious, I imagine? Well, I would hope so,” he winked. “Our branch family is our most well-kept secret, though of course that is true for every house, royal or not. While I shan’t reveal our exact blood ties, I will say I have known her for quite a long time.”
“I see…” I quietly muttered. He definitely looked old enough for that. He looked older than Evangeline, even. I was kind of expecting him to be around my age as a fellow heir, but I guess it can just line up like that since um… we don’t age very much once turned? Mr. Batler looks really old, too.
I went silent until I remembered his first question. “Um… what did you mean by it being cruel?”
He stepped forward, looking over my birth father’s body. “I simply meant that life is cruel, is it not? One must wonder what drove this man to shackle me, or at least attempt to. What goals did he have? Did he have dreams? Aspirations? A family? A reason behind it all? Did he have love? Someone he wanted to protect, perhaps? Each person has a story, Lily, and we will never know this one. That is why I find it cruel.”
I listened to his words, looking down at the body. “Yeah, I… I guess it is cruel.”
…
“Did… Did he say anything?” I tentatively asked.
Evander lifted a brow. “Why? Did you know him?”
I didn’t really feel surprised at that question, and… after taking a moment, I decided to speak the truth. “No… I didn’t.”
“I see…” my fellow heir responded. “Well, he did say one thing shortly before he passed.”
I turned to look at him, shocked that my birth father ever said anything at all. “Really…? What did he say?”
He glanced at me with his fiery golden eyes before looking down at the body. “Previously, I mused whether or not he had family: motivation. While I cannot be certain if he spoke the truth, he did say…”
“...I hope my son can forgive me.”
Oh. “He… said that?”
Evander looked me straight in my scarlet eyes, dead serious. “He did.”
Oh.
…
I felt something in me completely snap. My heart pounded as a burning rage fused with pure hatred in my soul. I did nothing to stop it. The air around me seemed to heat up as instinct took over. Two things flashed in my mind: Millie using magic to reheat my food, and mother demonstrating her magic. If magic is all about intent… then I want him gone. Completely and utterly gone.
I raised a hand, my face brimming with absolute scorn and contempt. An intensely focused flame erupted from my palm, streaming out and igniting the coffin and its contents on fire. The center of my ire was engulfed in fury manifest.
And… I just kept going. Searing embers continued to pour out, concentrating on the coffin and body for what felt like a hellish eternity. I wanted him gone. I wanted him to burn. Burn. Burn! Burn!! Burn!!!
“BURN!!!” I screamed, my voice shrieking out wildly.
I started to feel tired, and then… the fire stopped. I found myself panting, drained both emotionally and physically, but I felt impossibly elated. Elated beyond words.
I looked down at the destruction I had caused. Fortunately, the floor and walls were stone, so they were fine if not a bit charred. There wasn’t a coffin anymore, and there wasn’t a body anymore. Just… ashes. One of the two people that caused my suffering was now nothing more than smoldering dust, and that’s exactly how I wanted it.
“What in the world?!” I heard mother’s voice yell out as she burst into the room.
I turned to look at her and noticed a pitch black leathery wing that seemed connected to my back. Huh.
“Lily, are you alright?! What happened? Why is…?” she asked in a panic, seeming to pick up on the fact that I was the one that did this.
I set a new record for how wide I could smile. “It’s okay, mother. It’s over now.”