Crimson System of Vampire Prince

"Hahahaha, Luna, you can't catch me. You can't catch me!" A little boy ran through a garden, and a little girl chased him.

"Vlad! Slow down!" A stern female voice echoed in the flowery garden, but the little boy didn't slow down.

He yelled, "Mother, I can't. Luna will catch me."

"Hahahaha, Yes, Yes!" Luna shouted back.

Victor's eyes fluttered open. He got out of bed and mumbled, massaging his temple, "Another weird dream about Vlad."

He glanced at the window covered in drapes, and a dim sunlight passed through it. He ran his hand through his disheveled dark hair and walked out of the room. He stepped into the restroom and washed his face at the washbasin. After washing, he glanced into the mirror; his eyes widened. He took a few steps back in a daze. Then, with fidgeting hands, he touched his face and then touched the mirror. He can feel both, but why can't he see himself in the mirror?

"Are those myths about a Vampire true? The curse of Vampires that they couldn't see themselves in the mirror?" he whispered. After staring into the empty mirror for a few moments, he exhaled, shaking his head, and walked out of the restroom. He moved toward the main hall.

Click-clack!

His shoes made a sound against the stone floor and echoed in a silent corridor. He observed the walls, made from the grey stones, giving off an ancient aura. A thought came to his mind, the curiosity he had suppressed a while ago.

'The Military Academy doesn't feel like 1000 years old, it seems much older. Not only these corridors, their size, even the dorm gate leading into the dorms are specific to a God. They can't be normal. There must be a mystery behind it. And finding that altar just outside of the Academy, hidden under the forest, was it a mere coincidence? His thoughts were interrupted as he reached the gate of the main hall.

As he stepped through the gate, the warm air filled with the aroma of all kinds of food enticed his oversensitive nose. Ignoring the smell that drifted around the buzzing hall, he located Luke sitting on the black faction table, Zara on the blue faction beside Kate, and Feena in the golden faction.

Kate seemed bored with her food, her eyes darted around the hall, and she took sips occasionally from the grape juice. Her eyes met his, and a wide smile appeared on her face. She winked at him and giggled, covering her mouth. Victor smiled at her antics and sat beside Luke.

Unbeknownst to the two love birds, a boy sitting in the corner of the blue faction noticed all that. His brown eyes returned toward his plate, and a smile appeared on his refined face. The girls sitting around him squirmed at his smile.

"Aslan, don't tease us like that." A girl whispered, leaning over.

Silver-haired boy turned toward her female companion and whispered back, "Shaila, I think you're the one teasing me. My smile is always innocent."

Shaila blushed, her legs quivered as she felt his warm breath wafting against her ear. Her breath hitched, and she leaned back on her chair.

Aslan smirked at her and gazed toward the other end of the table. He licked his lips as his eyes scanned Zara from head to toe.  'A Holy Priestess candidate, this mission will be quite fun.'

Zara furrowed her eyebrows as she felt a menace directed toward her. She looked around but couldn't see anyone in particular staring at her, and it vanished.

"What happened?" Kate asked.

Zara shook her head and replied, "Nothing."

"Didn't we say we'll have lunch with Victor?" Zara asked, glancing at the black faction table.

Kate shook her head and whispered, "We can't, maybe a secret lunch, but not open. People will start causing problems for him if we do that."

Zara nodded with a smile and whispered back, "Then we should plan for a secret dinner or lunch then."

Kate smiled and leaned backward, "Let's find a good place, I heard this castle has many secrets."

"Princess, you're quite right, this castle was built before the invasions, and my father said it was called Castle of the Gods." Vladiyus chimed in as he heard their conversation.

"Castle of the Gods, why was it called that?" Zara asked curiously.

"Their followers lived here and worshipped them. And in return God blessed them with power and protection." Vladiyus replied with a wide smile.

"He is right, this castle was chosen as the Military Academy because it was under the protection of the Gods themselves. No chaos alien can step inside it." Kate whispered in a thoughtful voice.

Zara fell into a thought as she moved her fork around the food on her plate. 'So that notification about being chosen one, it was because I entered into the place of Goddess Gaia's domain and she noticed me?'

Zara's blue eyes darted around the main hall's high walls, and she noticed the torches burned on the tall pillars. And the windows were decorated with many different forms of art. Light rays passed through the glass. Her high eyes drifted toward the wall behind her. Few glass windows stood; each window was decorated with a woman in a blue and golden dress, head covered under the veil, and hands clasped before her chest. Her hair was golden in one, and in the other, they were blue.

It was the depiction of Goddess Gaia, a savior of humanity. Zara knew that her destiny was not in her hands, and by being here in the academy, she was defying it. But she also felt the Goddess was watching over her. She wasn't angry at her. She was just waiting for her when Zara felt ready.

Zara's eyes drifted toward the black faction table and were glued to Victor. She felt warmth bubbling in her heart. A warm and peaceful smile appeared on her face.

'I know my destiny always pulled me away from you. I always felt a love for you, and I don't think it'll ever vanish. I still remember the first time you made me smile. Whenever I felt lonely, you gave me the warmth of companionship. When I got angry at you, you never hated me. Despite your pain, you always cheered me. I love you and that is the only truth I know.'

Zara smiled at him and whispered to herself, "My love for you is a promise to my soul."

Unbeknownst to her, Kate heard her words, and an immense guilt rose in her heart. She felt her breath stop for a moment. And Zara's words were like thunder, reverberating in her mind. Kate's tear-filled eyes turned toward Zara, and through her hazy vision, she noticed her intense gaze directed at Victor. Kate clenched her fists and stormed out of the main hall. She reached her dorm room and slumped on her bed. She screamed into her pillow.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" tears soaked the pillow wet, but her muffled wails didn't stop. A few moments later, she calmed down and sat up on the bed, her gaze blank, directed into space.

"I should leave the Academy; I don't want to stay here. And I need to get free from him." A hoarse voice escaped her throat.

"Maybe…maybe the love I feel for him is only because of the connection. Once it's gone, the affection will also vanish." She whispered, her fists clenching, nails drawing blood from her palms.