Blood and Magic

Chapter Eight: Tears of Zaphiropoulos

Tears of Zaphiropoulos

Flashback...

Before the creation of Etherezereferera, the vampire clans lived peacefully and happily in a distant village. Zaphiropoulos' family had been the leaders of each vampire clan since time immemorial. Lorenzo and Erlinda, the parents of Zappheous and Zaphiropoulos, were respected by all as their wise and just leaders. They were strict with their rules, especially their prohibition against killing humans. Lorenzo preferred his kind to sate their thirst with animal blood, in order to maintain harmony between humans and vampires. Nonetheless, there were still some stubborn individuals who refused to abide by their leader's directives. These vampires would venture into the nearby town to feast on human blood, but they would never kill their prey. Instead, they would turn them int vampires, causing their numbers to proliferate.

However, chaos is often the twin of peace. When the townspeople discovered the vampire village, they took action to rid the world of what they deemed to be a scourge. They burned down the entire village, and many vampires perished in the flames, including Lorenzo and Erlinda. As the eldest son, Zappheous took over as the new leader of the surviving vampires, and led them on a journey to a far-off place, away from humans. It was a peaceful and idyllic paradise, where they could live without fear of persecution.

From that tragedy, Zaphiropoulos slowly developed a deep hatred for humans. He couldn't help but blame his parents in his mind for the damage their clans had suffered. He could vividly remember that even during the moments when their homes were being burned by the humans, the two remained steadfast in their belief that there would eventually be a peaceful world where creatures like them and the humans could live freely and interact normally. They strongly commanded not to fight back in order to prove to the humans that they had no malicious intentions and, just like them, they just wanted to live in peace. But despite all of this, the cruelty of the people still prevailed.

The tragedy of the vampire village's destruction was a poignant reminder of humanity's fear and intolerance towards those who are different. It was a loss of innocence, a shattering of a world that had existed for generations. The image of the burning village was seared into Zaphiropoulos and Zappheous' mind, a symbol of the fragility of peace and the destructive power of hate. Yet, in the face of such adversity, Zappheous remained steadfast in his leadership and his belief in a better world, where humans and vampires could coexist in harmony, just like their parents' belief.

"This place is perfect for all of us," Zappheous remarked as he surveyed the surroundings, watching his companions busy themselves with preparing their new home.

Days turned into months, and months into years. The vampire race once again lived peacefully in their paradise. However, one day, Zaphiropoulos decided to return to their burned village to commemorate their happy memories with his parents. To his surprise, he discovered that some had already taken up residence there. Based on their attire, he could tell that they were a group of powerful witches. As he quietly observed the area, he caught sight of a breathtakingly beautiful woman. Her beauty was blinding, and her every smile was enchanting. Zaphiropoulos was about to leave when he heard a soft voice from behind him.

"Are you one among of the vampires who lived in this village before it got burned down by humans?" the woman asked.

She was even more beautiful up close. Zaphiropoulos was left speechless, lost in her stunning beauty, and failed to answer her question.