Floating at the top of a city, the vampire king stared aimlessly at the people who were walking the light-filled streets.
"We have scanned Taron's citizen record as well as scanned the nearby areas, master," a man beside him spoke.
Sighing, Ciaran massaged his temples as he was also starting to get slowly frustrated because he could not find a single person. He even had dead spirits searching for tombstones with the name of the person he needed to look for.
"What was Pier doing back at the palace?" He inquired.
"..." Fluffy paused for a second as he pondered over the thought and answer he should give to Ciaran.
Should he tell Ciaran that his lover was mentally torturing a lady from Taron? He was hesitant to do so.
The vampire king turned to look at him with a cold gaze making the fairy immediately answer.
"His majesty has started moving again, master," He spoke.
They could not remain stagnant now and rest forever. True, Mir had paused its invasion in Cresencia because Belmaid might interfere if there was no clear agreement between them. That's why they opted to talk with Belmaid's rulers first before completely terrorizing and taking over Cresencia.
But as time passed by, the threat of war was starting to get stronger once more. The smell of blood was close to filling the air as the days passed by.
Cresencia is an empire that occupied the largest portion of land on the continent. That meant their resources are also wide. Despite taking a massive downfall against their invasion from both Taron and Heron, any moment from now they would have the capacity to wage war again.
That's why Pier had taken the first step again into their games with Cresencia.
"I see," Ciaran turned to look back at the city with an observant gaze. Grabbing a stick from his pocket, the vampire king bit one end while lighting the other with his dark magic.
The initial reason why Pier wanted to invade Cresencia was to capture the Marquis and the Headmistress who had gone to hide there. One way to lure them out or make them act out was in Pier's hands.
The Marquis' daughter, Elena.
Since the Marquis was one of the two kings Cresencia planted in Taron then one of the best ways to get to him was through his daughter which he held dear.
"But who is the man you are looking for, master?" Fluffy asked.
Inhaling the smoke that came from the cigar, the vampire king then released a breath of it.
"A man who has been terrorizing him," he responded with coldness in his voice.
Alerted, the dead fairy immediately became alert.
"Terrorizing his majesty?!" He exclaimed with utmost surprise.
He could not believe what he had just heard. A man was terrorizing the young king and whom the vampire king was having a hard time looking for.
Who could even do that? Kings and Emperors alike pose no threat to them yet an unknown man was causing the white-haired king distress.
"A person frequently appeared in his dreams and Pier is becoming more and more restless as the days passed by." Ciaran clicked his tongue in annoyance.
On the other hand, Fluffy paused his thoughts.
"Dreams?" He asked again.
Nodding his head, Ciaran leaned his back on the chimney of the roof they were on.
"Every night when he goes to sleep, he would have the same dream of seeing his mother and..." He trailed off. Fluffy patiently waited for the additional information.
"And his twin brother, Silas." With wide eyes, Fluffy took in a deep breath.
A twin brother.
It was big news even for the dead fairy who now ruled an entire kingdom.
The white-haired king who was a genius in war tactics, who was feared by countless enemies, and who possessed a godlike beauty had a twin brother?
"Silas... I see, the name you were looking for," Fluffy lowered his head while contemplating the scenario.
Ciaran could find any person in the shortest amount of time. Whether it'd be dead or alive, he can locate their places through his shadows and the dead spirits that roamed the earth.
Yet he cannot find the man named Silas.
"Maybe he changed his name, master?" Fluffy tried to reason out why Ciaran could not find Silas.
Every record in Taron's library had been checked by the dead fairy who specialized in working in the temples and managing the records of ancient kingdoms.
"One cannot legally change their name unless they turn of age. If Silas had been born in Taron, his name would be listed in the records in the past years before it changed," Ciaran took in another inhale of the toxic smoke.
He's a vampire and a lycanthrope that cannot easily get sick unlike humans does anyway.
"We also searched for other kingdoms. Heron does not have the name Silas written on its records. I apologize, master," Fluffy spoke wherein Ciaran simply nodded his head.
He did not want to see Pier in distress. Aside from the fact that it always upsets Pier, Ciaran does not want to see the frustrated look on his lover's face every time they wake up.
Slowly, black smoke appeared from his feet until it started to cover him.
"Continue searching the records of other territories you can get into and report back to me immediately," he left the commands to the dead fairy before disappearing.
---
Black smoke appeared in the room and then, a man wearing an all-black attire appeared. Ciaran's gaze immediately drifted to the slumbering person on the bed.
His gaze softened as his body wanted to be beside the young king.
Taking large strides towards the bed, Ciaran smiled gently when he saw Pier's peacefully sleeping face.
Technically if he were to evaluate it, the dream does not cause any fear or anxiety towards Pier but the ones who were involved in it.
Silas was an unnamed man that always appeared in visions that he cannot comprehend.
It was as if Pier had been taken into the past while he slept.
The bed's edge dipped when the vampire king sat on it. His hands darted towards Pier's hair and he started caressing the young king's head.
It had almost been a year now since they first met.
Unfortunate series of events that happened to them respectively led them together in a rollercoaster ride of emotions. They laughed, fought, and cried. But the most important thing of all is that;
They learned how to love.
Ciaran who grew up without the guidance of his parents and was given the burden of a thousand at the age of three never knew how to appreciate things.
Pier on the other hand grew up in one of the most horrifying things that could happen to a child in his past life. The young king always had issues whether it'd be with himself or the others.
They were broken in their own ways yet they had found their broken pieces fitting each other.
A man who sought the light and the man who sought the darkness. They both had what the other needed and they were willing to risk it all.
Even if they had to go against the world just to fulfill what the other desired, may the world be damned within their hands.
The vampire king's eyes turned crescent when he smiled while looking at Pier.
Even just lying on the bed, he seemed like an otherworldly being that possessed extreme beauty.
"Well, he technically is," He chuckled.
Worlds apart, each of them fought their own battles. It was until fate mended the broken strings of their destiny.
Ciaran was glad he got to meet Pier but deep within, he was sad that his lover had come to such extreme measures before Pier met him.
"If only I could have been there for you," He whispered and laid beside Pier. His viridescent eyes scanned the young king's ethereal face.
He wondered what Pier looked like in his past life. The young king did mention before that many called him handsome too.
"Mhm..." Pier groaned in his sleep wherein the vampire king sighed before embracing the white-haired king's head in his arms.
"I love you," He whispered and pecked Pier's forehead.
"I love you..." Ciaran repeated.
"Pier, I love you." His words were full of devotion. Not a single word was half-meant.
Right now, Ciaran could not wish for anything more. He could leave everything behind and be with Pier for eternity. They can travel the world and do whatever they wanted.
But the young king still had a few things left to do and Ciaran had one task left too.
Pier needed to capture the Marquis and Headmistress while he needed to become the sovereign of darkness. It was such a big dream for him to become the ruler of darkness but he needed the strength.
The vampire king was completely devoted to the white-haired king that he desired to be the strongest as to defeat any foe that comes in his lover's way.
Pier was strong, he knew that too. But at times, the young king cannot handle the emotions that drifted in his body and that would lead him to his own downfall.
Ciaran needed to be strong so he could serve as the pillar on which his lover can rest on.
"When all of this is done, let's go on a journey together and explore the world, okay?" He chuckled before closing his eyes and letting himself go to slumber too.
---
'It's the same scenario again,' Pier kept silent as he watched the old house from the outside.
Entering the house and climbing the steps that he was too familiar with now, Pier was already expecting the same thing.
Every night when he drifts off to sleep, he would always appear in this specific place and the same events would ensue. He would watch as the woman with snow-like hair cradled two infants in her arms.
He stood at the entrance of the door where the woman sat on a wooden chair while overlooking the scenery. Her hums resonated around the room as she gently rocked the two babies.
He was able to identify which was which after seeing them over and over again.
The one that always cried was Pier while the other, Silas, was always quiet.
"Your father will be home soon, don't worry," she gently whispered and cooed to her two children.
Another thing that bothered Pier was the father that she would always mention. Father.
Before the man she always speaks off with such a loving voice could return home, Pier would always wake up in reality too.
'I wonder if I'll see a younger version of Ronnovian,' He thought and proceeded to walk in front of the window where the white-haired woman was situated at.
Even the sunlight that streamed through the windows passed by him. As if he was a transparent ghost that could not do anything aside from making the floorboards creak, he was invisible.
He then watched as baby Pier was laughing while playing with his mother's hand.
"Goo! Gaa!" Baby Pier spoke incoherent noises wherein the already adult and invisible version watching him smiled as it was too cute.
Even his blue eyes matched well with the current Pier's eyes.
His mind then wandered back to the time he had to let go of his past so he can move forward when he became unconscious after saving Gideon.
It felt like the same scenario.
Chase talked to him in both his younger and older form. Pier's chest tightened at the memory of his sweet little brother whom he was so fond of.
His eyes then wandered to the silent baby beside Pier.
Silas was peacefully sleeping and was cuddling a piece of cloth in his small hands.
"It's time," Pier spoke. The dream would soon end because, by the time Silas woke up, he would return to reality.
He does hope that the dream would be longer so he can find out more about the story of Pier's life.
What were Silas' eyes like? How did Ronnovian look in his younger years? He wanted to know all of them.
But another thing crossed his mind minutes before the dream would end.
The house was too dusty and old for anyone to live in. Yet Pier's mother along with Silas was here to reside.
'Do they really live here?' He questioned himself as he looked at the surroundings. Cobwebs were situated on each corner and streaks of dust tainted the shelves and windows.
It was as if they recently lived in an abandoned house that no one used for decades.
"Well, I can't find out even if I wanted to," He shrugged his shoulders and gave up.
When Pier saw Silas stretch his arms, he knew only seconds were remaining in the dream. He could not even see Silas' eyes.
"Goodbye, Pier, Silas," He waved his hand and turned to look at the setting sun on the horizon.
Closing his eyes, Pier was ready to go back to reality.
"..."
"Gaaah!"
"Silas, you're awake!"
Thump!
Pier's heart pounded in his chest loudly as he knew it was already past the usual time where the dream ends.
'He's awake?' His eyes remained closed while contemplating.
The dream had become longer.
But that did not end there. The stairs he took earlier started creaking again as feet trudged across the wooden platforms.
Thump!
His heart echoed once more.
"Oh, your father's home!" The white-haired woman spoke.
Pier instantly opened his eyes and turned to look at them. No, he did not look at Pier nor the white-haired woman.
He immediately turned to look at the child that was now silently munching on the cloth that he was holding in his sleep.
Thump!
'What...' He could not believe what he was seeing.
One ocean eye and another was golden were staring back at him as Silas bit the end of the cloth.
"Gaa..." Silas murmured as his hand reached out to him.
Was it him? Pier knew there was no one else who stood by the window except for him.
Thump!
His heart was pounding in his chest ceaselessly.
"What is it, Silas? Are you excited to see your father?" The woman spoke but Silas paid her no attention. The small child continued to reach out for Pier who stood stiffly near the window.
But Pier's surprise did not end there.
The door that he had closed before coming inside the room opened.
Thump!
His eyes widened and he held his breath as a man came in.
Thump!
"How was your day?" The woman asked.
Thump!
"It was good! I recently found a new home where we can move!" He exclaimed with joy in his voice.
Thump!
Pier observed him.
Thump!
"My little children!" The man exclaimed.
Thump!
Raven-black hair.
Thump!
Sparkling streaks of contrasting blue and golden eyes.
Thump!
"Have you been naughty again, Pier?" He asked while biting baby Pier's cheek.
Thump!
"Gaah!" Baby Pier responded with laughter.
Thump!
"How about you, Silas? Hmm? Are you still as quiet as ever?" He cheekily asked. Yet Silas paid him no attention just like what he did with the woman.
"He had been staring at the window a few minutes ago," The woman chuckled.
Thump!
"Are you seeing ghosts, Silas?" The man asked.
Thump!
Pier cannot maintain his composure as he was watching the family gather in the room and fill the space with laughter.
'This... This is not Ronnovian...'
The dream then ended.