The Crypts
Chapter Summary
A new life has arrived to the world... while an old soul rises.
3 Months Later, in the Island of Mercedes. "Come now! The newborn is about to arrive and so is he," She whispered loudly at Lieutenant Isaac who had difficulty in fitting through the hole. Lady Amiraneed turned her head to look at him then heaved an exasperated sigh.
"Hurry up! Or I'll leave your sorry butt here," She warned. Isaac gathered enough effort to be hastier than a second ago. Eventually, he wedged through the thin opening of the cave. Isaac's eyes spotted a stick sleeping on the ground, he crouched down and lifted it up.
"Do you have any heating source to transform this into a torch?" He asked. Lady Amiraneed checked her pockets then pulled out a lighter.
"Give me the stick," She instructed and he did as followed. Nearing the lighter to the stick, she narrowed her eyes and activated it.
Finally, there was light eating away the darkness. Tightly gripping the torch, Margaret Amiraneed strode down a painfully long stone tunnel, Isaac trailed after her. "So this is the crypt." Isaac said in astonishment as he looked around.
"Amazed? Be prepared to see his literal tomb," Margaret let out a short and low wicked laugh as they reached the end of the tunnel.
They reached the tomb of The First. It was massive and intricate with carvings on the exterior. Margaret neared the torch to the carvings so she could read them. "He was beheaded for an erroneous crime." Her eyes skimmed the eerie symbols on the stone.
"What exactly was his crime?" Isaac raised an eyebrow, bending down beside Margaret and allowed his fingers to roam the exterior.
"His crime..." Margaret narrowed her eyes and studied the next symbol. "He eloped with another kind..." She gasped in surprise. "So the legend is true." She slowly swiveled her head at Isaac with a slow sinister smile spreading across her face. "The First had his head cut then his blood was spilled. Yuck. He was terminated from existence."
"That seemed violent back in the day especially in a witness' perspective." Isaac replied, folding his arms.
"Indeed," She nodded before rising back up and stepping backwards. "Now we wait for the newborn to arrive which should be done in minutes."
---
Sweat formed and trickled from Sabrina's forehead as she continued pushing the newborn out of her. "Hraaghrh," She struggled with pain.
"Keep going, Sab. You're almost there," Doctor Leandro told her. Sabrina kept pushing as pain lanced throughout her body.
Sabrina's hand tightly grabbed Divinity's. She cried out as she continued until a minute passed by. She stopped. Doctor Leandro hastily took the cloth in and instant and swaddled the newborn. He held the newborn up and declared, "It's a girl, a healthy hybrid," He smiled at Sabrina and Divinity.
Tears streamed down Sabrina's cheeks as Doctor Leandro unhurriedly gave the swaddled newborn to her. Now safe and secure in her arms, Divinity and Sabrina gazed at their little daughter wrapped in cloth. She looked at him before peering at the baby with a huge grin.
"Her name is Priyanka," She said then carried the newborn close to her chest. "Isn't she a beauty?"
"She is. She'll grow beautiful like her mother," Divinity said as he gently stroked the head of their daughter.
Snowdust slowly moved closer to examine the newborn then a smile grew on her face. "She's a gift." She gazed at Divinity and Sabrina. "I'm proud of you both. You two would make great parents."
"Thanks, mom," Sabrina said before planting a long kiss on Priyanka's forehead. Divinity followed suit and continued stroking her forehead. They stared at Priyanka in awe, she was mesmerising.
Then, Snowdust jerked up, her attention ripped away from Priyanka as she heard familiar eerie whispers from the past.
Head be cut. Blood be spilled. Truth be told. From lies within.
Snowdust tore herself away from her spot and out of the room then sprinted down the hallway. She quickly navigated through the palace and raced through the library doors. She covered her ears as the whispers remained travelling to hears, growing more dissonant than the last.
Then, the whispers abruptly stopped and gave way to a man's voice flooding through her ears. "You are one of the beacons of my return. Thank you for your service," He ended with a wicked laugh.
Her gaze darted at the mannequin that plummeted against the floor by itself. The beads on the necklace detached then rolled across the floor in multiple directions. Her eyes shifted teal as she sniffed peril then recalled a divine being.
Kismet. He has the answers to all of this. She thought.
Perturbance coursed through her blood as she pictured how immense the danger and destruction Vladimir could bring to her den. "Sabrina and Divinity must know..." She said to herself, holding her hands together.
---
A thunderous roar menacingly streaked across the sky and pierced through the Island of Mercedes. Isaac and Margaret watched in astonishment as the tomb slowly crackled with energy, with power, with menace.
Then, the stony exterior disintegrated to gray powder, revealing a skull separated from its bony body. Slowly, flesh began wrapping around the ribcage, the bones. The corpse levitated then regained what it lost, skin and blood.
A loud and deep growl escaped from its lips before its feet landed on the ground. As the last of the lights that carried it crumbled away and vanished, Vladimir examined himself with wide eyes.
"I have returned," Though he knew that fate would be there to pull him back to existence, he was still surprised at his physical appearance. He looked just like what he appeared to be during the beginning of Blood World. A young and pure face, with pale soft flesh.
He was fixed. His eyes travelled up to gaze at Isaac and Margaret, who were both stunned at his presence. Then, Margaret nudged Isaac to kneel down and lower his head. Vladimir studied both of them and lifted an eyebrow.
"So, I take it, you two are wolves?" He asked.
A loud long cackle exploded from Isaac's mouth at the mention of wolf. "Oh, my, goodness. You got humor, my dude." He continued cackling which vexed Vladimir. Vladimir raised a palm up and snapped his finger, a swirling red glow flickering on his palm.
"Who are you?" He narrowed his eyes with a hiss.
Isaac tugged himself up to his feet and bowed down then introduced himself. "I am Isaac, a Lieutenant of the one and only Margaret Amiraneed, one of the superiors of the four vampire dynasties."
Vladimir flitted his eyes at Margaret, who smiled politely and curtsied. "You are one of the dynasties that I have published? It seemed that you have remained loyal after all these centuries."
Margaret smirked, "Of course, your royal blood. Why would I betray my ancestor, my creator, my deity."
Vladimir inhaled and exhaled deeply, lifting his chin up. He circled Margaret, lulled by the sculpture of her body, then he halted behind her back. He arched his torso, causing his hot breath to hit her neck. "Would it please you if I announce you as my..."
"Wife?" Margaret eagerly completed but Vladimir chuckled.
He shook his head. "More like a cohort, my right hand. Your loyalty never fails to please me. Now, I want to know where my palace has gone. I am sure it has moved away from this island and across distant lands."
Margaret swallowed the lump in her throat. She felt anxious about something she didn't do. "Your palace... has been demolished by the lycanthropes by the year 1987. Though, your kingdom was rebuilt... It was abandoned by the current heir. His name is Divinity, he married a wolf."
A slow sinister smile broke across Vladimir's face. He held his hands behind his back and stared at his crumbled tomb. "Ah, the recent heir of the Caldwell Clan. I appreciate his betrayal as it was the cause of my return. And... who is this wolf he married?"
Margaret responded like a servant, "Sabrina Rectores, the heir of the Lycan throne. Her mother, Snowdust, was the cause of your kingdom's downfall."
"The Caldwells have carried most of my bloodline making them more vulnerable under my control but it seems that Luxverre was the last of the frail men to succumb under unconsciousness. Choosing them was the right decision, otherwise, I wouldn't be here. But, there are other decisions that branch out to shifting destinies but this one seems to be the best timeline of them all." Vladimir spun around and faced Isaac.
Then, he shot his icy gaze at Margaret. "Bring me to the ruins of my palace. I want to see the damage they created."
Margaret cast an anxious glance at Isaac, her knees trembling under his ominous presence. Then, she managed to straighten her back and stare at Vladimir in the eye.
"Your wish is my command," She bowed down again, Isaac followed suit.
---
Sabrina rested on the mattress with the newborn still in her arms. She wouldn't cease to let go of Priyanka, not even for a second. Divinity laid down next to her, his arms behind his head. His eyes stared fixedly at the empty ceiling, deep in thought.
Then, the silence that fell over them, was shattered as Snowdust burst through the room with rapid breathing. Sabrina sat up, careful in her movements so as to not awake the baby. She shot a worried look at her mother as she sat on the edge of the bed.
Snowdust's eyes moved back and forth between the two of them. Divinity quickly sat up and looked at her. "He is back. The First Vampire has returned," She said.
Sabrina furrowed her eyebrows in concern. "How? Is this true?"
Divinity's eyes moved everywhere, refusing to meet Snowdust's. Snowdust gazed at Divinity then asked him, "You must have known about this right? Your clan is his favorite."
Then, a flash of remembrance illuminated Sabrina's mind as she gasped. She recalled slipping into a cave which was situated beneath the corporation building. She remembered the word, Kismet, and about that Kismet consuming his pain and that he had to make a pledge. Her mind ached as she kicked her mind to remember everything.
"Kismet. Kismet." That was all that Sabrina could say.
Snowdust's eyes slid away from Sabrina. "Kismet, the holder of fate."
Sabrina widened her eyes at her mother's words. "You know him?"
"Kismet is not a him or her. It is a powerful being who is the physical, emotional, and spiritual embodiment of fate or destiny itself. It has the power to carve a new path of destiny or change it, and the only payment is the sacrifice of a soul." Snowdust explained. Then, she scratched her chin as she contemplated Vladimir and Kismet's relationship. "There is a possibility that Vladimir pledged a shift of fate. That he will return under some sort of condition."
"It's possible," Divinity replied. "If we are looking for answers, we must visit Kismet itself. You know where it is located right?"
Snowdust faced the two with a firm expression on her face. "Yes, though the trip may be perilous. But before we could get to Kismet, we still have a celebration to undergo. Let's all just weigh in the positive side for now before completely diving into peril."
"Mom is right. Let's all just have fun for now. It's not a bad thing." Sabrina agreed with her mother. Snowdust shifted her gaze at Divinity, expectant of an answer.
"I understand. We can put the trip on hold. For now, we'll allow the celebration." Divinity said.
"Good. The Tundra Den and Agnes Den will visit tomorrow afternoon to pay their blessings to the newborn." Snowdust sauntered towards the door and twisted the knob, "Oh, and who will babysit Priyanka when the two of you are not there for her?"
Sabrina and Divinity held each other's gaze. "Tatsuya. He volunteered to babysit. He has experience." Divinity answered.
Snowdust nodded slowly. "Then, it's settled." Afterwards, she quietly slipped out of the room, leaving Sabrina and Divinity to themselves.
"So, after the celebration, we will safely leave Priyanka to Tatsuya, and maybe, Lisa, she has to stay here. And then we can travel with mom... To Kismet," Sabrina sketched out the draft plan.
"But, I'm not sure about leaving Priyanka here. I mean what if the kingdom gets attacked? " His eyes looked down on Priyanka, sparkling. "We can't lose her, Sabrina." Divinity caressed her cheek gently with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"I know, we can't. But, I trust Tatsuya, I trust that he'd be able to keep Priyanka out of harm. If something happens, I'll inform him to flee the kingdom and drop by The Tundra Den or Doctor Leandro's, whatever works best." Sabrina placed a palm on top of Divinity's while her other arm carried the light swaddled newborn.
Divinity and Sabrina spent the next hour watching over Priyanka before Divinity slowly and carefully placed his daughter in the crib. A proud slow smile formed on his face, he felt accomplished. Really accomplished. He had come so far. He wasn't sure of his future but when he was with Sabrina, he was certain that there'd be a crack of light that would guide him the right path.
For him, Sabrina was his fate.
Before walking through the doors that led to the balcony, he gazed over his shoulder to make sure Sabrina was sound in her slumber. She snored at a generous volume. The crib was situated close to her. Divinity strode out towards the balcony, awashed by the sapphire moonlight cuddling The Tundra Den.
He unhurriedly crossed his arms while they rested atop the railing with his back bent. He swept an amazed gaze around the den, awoken with bright life. He decided to sneak out of the palace and spend his free time on exploration.
Away from the palace and immersed in civilian villages, he stopped by a market stall lit up by beaming lanterns. The vendor jerked her head up at him then a warm smile creased her face. "What exactly can I offer you at a late hour like this? Is there a souvenir you'd like to gift to the Queen?" She asked in a sweet voice.
Divinity examined his options. There was a wood carving of a little wolf with its mother wolf then his gaze shifted at an ice pendant. He pointed at the pendant resting on a black velvet fabric. "I'd like to know about the ice pendant."
The vendor clapped her hands together in delight, eyeing the ice pendant laying on the dark cloth. "This pendant offers protection and luck to its owner. Within the ice crystal is the essence that shields owner from danger."
It's captivating in terms of appearance, and Sabrina will need some sort of protection if I won't be there for her, He thought.
"Okay. I'd like to buy this one," After making payment, the vendor took the ice pendant and contained it inside a magnificent bijouterie box before handing it out to Divinity.
"Here you go," She smiled. Divinity politely claimed the pendant and carefully put it in his pocket before striding away from the market stall.
---
Vladimir gave interesting information about the world's beginning to Isaac and Margaret, telling them his perspective of the legend they always heard. "... And then the gallow chopped my head off." He ended. Isaac covered his mouth with wide eyes while Margaret kept her cool.
"I knew it. I knew that scheming liar had something to do with your demise. After all, you were smart enough to encounter Kismet." Margaret's lips graced with a polite smile, one so rare, Isaac is so captivated gazing at her.
Vladimir gasped as he recalled the words of Kismet. "I must replace the soul." He faced Isaac and Margaret. "I used my soul as a payment to the change of fate. Kismet said that once I return, I need to replace the payment with another soul."
"What happens if you don't?" Isaac questioned, lifting a curious eyebrow.
"Kismet did mention a deadline. I have fourty days to find another soul to sacrifice. The soul must lull my emotions or else the spirit I pay is no value to Kismet." He explained. "And if I don't, expect my ashes on the ground," He added.
A sinister smile widened across Margaret's face as she stared at Vladimir with danger in her eyes. "As your announced consort, I have a suggestion. You said this soul must lull your emotions right?"
Vladimir narrowed his eyes, inching closer to Margaret. "And who should that be?"
"Sabrina Caldwell. You can kill her then all is well. It's a two birds and one stone kind of situation. You get to save yourself from death of no payment, and you also get to take down your target." Margaret elaborated, and the more she dived into it, the more the wicked sneer played with Vladimir's lips.
"That idea was hidden within my mind, and you, Margaret, helped me find it again." The dark rims surrounding his eyes darkened menacingly. "I will find that wolf and burn her kingdom to the ground. For now, take me to the ruins of the first Caldwell Palace. I'd like to visit the graves," A smirk curled his lips.
Isaac and Margaret nodded at his command then knelt down on their knees. "At your service," The haunting dissonance in their voice startled a nearby spy hiding within the shadows, watching the scene before him.
Vladimir stared down at them with content, then signaled them to rise up to their feet and lead him to his destination.
They'd have to cross a bridge, Serpentinople. I must warn The Chief. The spy thought before turning around and bolting back home, which was hidden inside the mountains.
Then, on the way home, the spy encountered one of its common exasperating foes, the corrupted werewolves. The corrupted werewolves lingered around the island which was dangerous, especially when night bit into the world.
The spy ducked an incoming punch from a corrupted werewolf growling sinisterly at him. The corrupted were wolf's lips twitched as it took damage from powerful sharp knuckles. The spy spat before his bones began shifting to a different form, his skin quickly growing fur. Then, as he went down on all fours, he transformed into his werewolf form.
A roar erupted from the spy before he tackled the corrupted werewolf, pinning all four paws against the ground. He snapped his jaw at the head of the corrupted werewolf before biting it off, dismantling the joints of the head from the body.
The werewolf victoriously howled at the full moon glowing brightly on the sky above. Then, he changed back to his human form and continued his walk towards the mountains.
His eyes were greeted by familiar spikes, an entrance embellishment to scare away unwanted visitors. Then, the spy raced through the opening he saw. He finally returned home. A couple werewolves passed by him, rolling their eyes. The spy strode towards The Chief studying the shrine. The Chief spun around and faced the spy before narrowing his eyes.
"Hunter," He called his name.
"Chief Serrina," Hunter greeted, "I am here to deliver news after my watching session and it involves three vampires."
Chief Serrina arched an eyebrow, slightly puzzled. "Vampires? But, why? They already left this island centuries ago."
"Well, to simplify. The First Vampire has returned," Hunter informed. Chief Serrina clutched her chest, taken aback by the news.
"Is this true? I will have you imprisoned if you go beyond boundaries to improve your reputation as a spy. Know that as a chief, I can charge you for falsified delivery of message, and threats-"
Hunter held a palm up, halting her from speaking further. "Chief. Why would I lie if I don't want my reputation damaged. As I have said, The First has returned with sinister plans for the wolves situated back in another island."
"The Island of Meline." Chief Serrina mumbled the name.
"It appears they are headed that way, crossing the bridge, Serpentinople, the city of snakes." Hunter bound his arms behind his back, staring solemnly at Chief Serrina. "Know that I take my job as a spy seriously and would do everything to protect our home. We can't fall extinct, our race must carry on and survive the next generations."
"Then, we must track down the wolves living in the Island of Meline. But, was there any mentions of a name?" Chief Serrina asked, her strong facade breaking into worry.
Then, Chief Serrina wiped the cave with a gaze of examination. "Wait. Let us discuss this somewhere more private." Then she suddenly dragged Hunter into one of the cave's chambers. She looked around for possible eavesdropping ears before facing Hunter, gripping his shoulders tightly.
"Now tell me. Did they mention a name?" She repeated.
Hunter inclined his head and answered her. "Yes. Sabrina Caldwell. She is the main target of the vampires. Basing from what I've heard, their possible goal is to exterminate the entirety of wolf kind."
"Caldwell is one of the names of the four vampire dynasties. Why does a wolf have this name? Unless..." Chief Serrina tore her gaze away from Hunter with widened eyes. "She is bound to a vampire, the heir of the Caldwell throne."
"That seems to be the case and somehow the return of The First might be linked to their marriage. The First also had mentioned Kismet."
"Kismet... is the embodiment of fate, one that we could encounter and ask to change our destiny. Maybe The First did pledge for a fated resurrection, and Sabrina marrying the vampire triggered this." Chief Serrina pieced the puzzles together. Then, she massaged her forehead and groaned.
"Let's resume this discussion tomorrow, my head aches after everything that happened today. The corrupted werewolves are relentless ferals." She breathed out a heavy sigh with slumped shoulders. Chief Serrina ran a finger along the wall before casting her gaze at Hunter who rocked in his feet.
Hunter's cheeks flushed as Chief Serrina stared at him. He sneaked a glance at Serrina who had both unwavering eyes on him, the atmosphere was electric. There was this simmering sensation in both of their stomach, something that resembled of hunger.
Hunter took three steps backwards and scratched the back of his head, "I'll, er, see you tomorrow." He refused to meet her eyes.
Chief Serrina couldn't place her gaze anywhere but his eyes. "Hunter, er, I'll see you tomorrow. Good night!" She waved goodbye before scurrying off to another chamber, away from Hunter's earshot.
She leaned her back against the wall with a sweet smile. "He's so cute," She closed her eyes and imagined the two of them together. Not long, her daydream was interrupted by a young boy looking at her. Chief Serrina bent down and embraced the young boy. "Percival! How was hunting with your friends? Did you have fun?"
Percival beamed up in reminiscence of recent memories. "Yes." A dreamy expression, an almost staggering Percival caught the full attention of Serrina.
Serrina narrowed her eyes at her little brother. "Oh my goodness. Did you kiss Reza?" She rose up to her feet with a sigh before placing both hands on her hips. "You are far too young to kiss a girl, Percy. When you're older you can make out for sixteen long hours if you wanted to. For now, I ban kissing, understand?"
Percival nodded, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. He ran off to meet up with his friends waiting for him outside the chamber. Serrina watched them shrink away into distance while shaking her head. "The youth are so different nowadays. I'm glad I grew up differently. Kissing is absurd," Then, her mind drifted back to the imaginary world where she captured Hunter in a long kiss.
Hunter's warm hungry lips were pressed against hers. Judging by the passionate touch, she could tell Hunter had been longing for a kiss like this. Serrina wrapped her arms around Hunter's neck and relished every second of the dream. Knowing that it wasn't real, there was a glimmer of hope in her that one day, the two would confess their mutual feelings to each other.
But that day seemed impossible. For now, at least.
---
Sabrina and Tatsuya were deep in conversation regarding Priyanka's safety. Sabrina held Tatsuya's hands with warmth. "If something ever happens to me or Divinity, or that we're both gone, I'd want you to be a brother to Priyanka. Okay?"
Tatsuya stifled a sob. "Oh god. No time to get sappy. Stop making things sappy, Sab," He wiped away a non existent tear and smiled at Sabrina. "Rest assured, I will do my duty as a babysitter. Sue me if Priyanka gets in danger because of me."
Sabrina chuckled and nodded. "I will."
Tatsuya gasped in shock, "You'd never," He said in a tone of disbelief.
"Calm down, Tats, I was kidding. Though, I'm serious. I'm sure you'd make a good brother to Priyanka." Sabrina said and slowly let go of Tatsuya's hands. "The future of my daughter is in your hands," She imitated a salute.
Tatsuya did the same.
Sabrina yawned and stretched her arms. "I'm pretty beat. Maternal instincts call for sleep. There's a big day ahead, and I don't wanna come across with a bad impression."
Tatsuya bobbed his head and bid good night to Sabrina before sauntering out of view. Sabrina sighed as she hugged herself while walking back to her bedroom. She entered the room and ambled towards the crib then checked Priyanka. She was sleeping in a cute way, causing Sabrina's lips to turn up to a smile.
She reached down and planted a kiss on Priyanka's forehead. "Good night sweetie. We have a bright new tomorrow ahead of us." She whispered in a soothing and sleep-inducing voice. Sabrina flopped on her mattress, her body bouncing before everything went still then her eye lids descended, welcoming pitch black.
Soon, she dozed off to sleep, anticipating a better tomorrow.