Chereads / Hunting Darwin I: Blood Winter / Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: The First Bloodbath Eclipse

Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: The First Bloodbath Eclipse

Darwin looked up and down, following his sight to the flickering images right before his eyes. He flinched his eyebrows in curiosity as he tried to reach out his hands to a picture of a very familiar face.

Ae cleared his throat.

"Ok let me take you to a short history visualization", Ae snapped his fingers and the whole room warped over them. A force pulled their bodies afloat in the mid air as lights started bursting around them.

"This is the Golden Dawn Realm, the place where first civilizations of magical beings dwell"

Darwin's jaw dropped in awe as he travelled his eyes down the magical land beneath them. Castles towering almost kissing the sun popped above the mystical land. He looked up to the sun and the moon gazing down the world behind it. Mythical creatures walking and flying across the land. And he even saw humans running and exhibiting magical demonstrations with one another.

"I can't believe my eyes", Darwin looked at him with a hint of happiness but Ae returned it with pitiful pout.

"That's until we finish this class", Ae patted his shoulders and dragged him along with him. They were walking in the air like clouds dancing the blue sky.

"The Golden dawn realm was divided into three districts: Juda, Selena, and Incanta. Juda is where the Witches lived, Incanta, dwelt by the enchanters and Selena is where you can find the casters", The world beneath them warped as Ae explained.

Another light engulfed them and popped them behind the council meeting of the elders inside an old majestic hall.

"This right here is where the supreme leaders of each clan held their meetings together with their advisors and governess.  Talking stuff like "maintaining the harmony and balance" and other bluff", Ae let out a snort as he rolled his eyes.

"As the world goes unpredictable each passing day, we need to have the champion that will carry the entire responsibility of protecting the realm on his back. Someone who will wield the power of the eclipse eye, harnessing the power of the Great Coro Mageia of the coordinate clans", someone sitting on a platform blurted out.

"What were they planning?", Darwin looked at Ae behind him with a confused look.

"Clearly you aren't listening. They are in a brink of a war for who will get the so called eclipse eye", Ae replied.

"The witch clan should be able to harness its full power. We have the blessing of the primordial gods and spirits and undoubtedly more powerful than anyone in this room could be",  the supreme leader of the clan proposed. His words were followed by series of grunts and commotions in the name of offense and disrespect.

"I beg to disagree, Lord Western but what exactly do you have that would take to be viable candidate in that role", the governess of the enchanter supreme leader spoke on behalf of him.

"The Azure Serpent, yes. The Blue Hollow. We, the witch clan has the spirit of the great blue snake with us. For ages we have conquered infinite battles and resolved conflicts with the help of its blessings. That in the future will be a vital and potential weapon we can use to protect the entire realm of threats from the outside world", Lord Western replied.

"From what exactly are we protecting ourselves for? Is it really from the threats coming from the outside that's for centuries proven to be just surreal or from ourselves, from the greediness that is just like the "uncertainties" that comes each day, gradually grows in our hearts?", Lord Strikerealm questioned as he flipped a book with his fingers without looking at them.

"This whole idea of "one true power" will only stir us up altogether. With this happening, the Golden Dawn Realm will fall into destruction as the clans wage civil war and come for each other to go after the same goal. It's only gonna be a bloody battle royale of  the clans. In the end we gain nothing and lose everything. That's the only future I can see", Lord Riverlight commented.

"It will take an iron hammer to break the walls", Lord Western snapped.

"Yet it will only take rust to destroy the iron", Lord Riverlight returned.

"It's getting hot in here, don't you think?", Ae playfully fanned himself as he looked at Darwin narrowing his eyes through the scene.

"How did they come up with such an idea? How did they know about the eye? the eclipse rock?", Darwin interrogated.

"Eclipse Eye", Ae snorted as he gestured his hands. The world around them warped once again.

Darwin looked up as images and scenarios popped upside down and around them. Another blinding light engulfed them.

"A little birdy whispered the council about the potential of acquiring the core magic of all three clans", Ae snapped his fingers and an orb popped before them. Showing the scenes where the council of elders are having a very deep discussion about something.

"During the times of the ancient Golden Dawn, people who possessed exceptional intellectual abilities were given privilege to work for the royal families for lodgings, clothes, food, and even partners. This in exchange for their knowledge and innovations. Since then these people worked as a system for decision support for the ruling families. Serving them will the newest forms of innovations and discoveries which can be vital to the future. Upon discovering the tendency of the universal law of core magic of the three clans, they immediately propose the search for the viable candidate to possess the ultimate power of the eclipse", Ae explained as they both looked at the orb flickering.

"How powerful could it be?", Darwin asked.

"You wanna possess it?", Ae returned.

"I don't think so. I mean I don't think I can", Darwin let out a fake smile.

"You were originally a witch, no?", Ae asked.

"Two hundred and I don't remember years ago", Darwin shrugged still looking at the orb.

"Hughes. I see.  You came from the poorest family lines of the witch clan", Ae pouted at him.

"Thank you", Darwin rolled his eyes.

"But the smartest", Ae added.

"Did you really go...you know...deep into this thing under my skull?", Darwin wasn't impressed.

"A. I'm a demon. B. You can find me almost everywhere and C. I wasn't able to go that deep. I only read the memories of the wind. Asked them a few questions about what happened to you two hundred and I don't remember years ago", Ae popped his tongue and bit his lip.

"But that doesn't make you a candidate nonetheless. Only someone with the blood of all three clans will be able to capture the eclipse eyes. Something they didn't knew before which resulted to a bloody fray", Ae threw his hands up and the ground shook. The world around them warped and the sky turned red. Ashes circled around them and another blinding light engulfed them once again.

Darwin opened his eyes to see a view bloody combat in between clans. The sky roar from the exchange of blows and the ground tremble at the impacts of the brawl. Their eyes glowing like marbles in space in between dark mists and their overwhelming magic power weighted the atmosphere.

"What you are seeing now is what known in the history of Golden Dawn Realm as the Bloodbath Eclipse, the civil war between clan. For what? To obtain the allegedly powerful eclipse eye. Little they know they are fighting for nothing. Poor souls", Ae playfully shook his head.

"Why didn't you do something about it?", Darwin turned to him.

"Because I simply don't care about these people. Greed was what drove them to this. Why mess with source of life?", Ae returned.

"And besides, I'm not some sort of a god to show mercy and rain them with blessings", He added with his eyes rolling.

"Maybe you're right. Greed won't take you to a good place", Darwin lowly voiced as he remembered his past life. In his head, he's in between blame and guilt of what his parents have to do in order to save them. Yet it didn't save them at all.

"It wasn't greed in your case. I may not clearly read your mind but I can decipher your emotions", Ae commented.

"You don't know anything", Darwin returned with a low voice.

Ae cleared his throat and gestured his hands. The view around them changed into the sight of what looks like a post-war scenario. Bloody and ghastly look in the faces of what's left met Darwin's eyes. Screams and cries filled the thick atmosphere echoing to and from the bloodstained sky and back to the shattered earth. 

"In the end, only death was served", Ae commented on the picture.

"What happened after this", Darwin asked full of confusion.

"With rage ringing in their hearts, the three clans were disbanded and cursed each other. Despised each other because of something they didn't understand. After the first bloodbath eclipse, the Golden Dawn Realm was torn apart. Which then leads to another conflict in between clans. Of who will be strong and powerful enough to raid and own the land of magical beings. For ages this conflict has lived among the lands in the realm. Some people stay into it and some people chose peace and just and scattered all around the world. The only known noble families left was the Riverlights and the Strikerealms. Which until now, in the name of blood and war never ceased to surrender to each other", Ae explained as they both looked around.

"First what? First Bloodbath Eclipse? You mean there's still a chance that it will happen again in the future? In our time?", Darwin blasted his questions.

"Here. As you remember, no one captured the eclipse eye despite fighting and losing from each other. Second, the bloodbath eclipse can happen anytime and maybe now it will bloodier and more gruesome because almost every supernatural creature knows about it and wanted to capture it", Ae answered without looking at him.

"I see. So why hasn't it happen yet? I've been living for two centuries now and I've never heard a war in between species for a certain eye. I mean if there was I could have taken it singlehandedly by myself, I mean my former savage self", Darwin gave him a shrug in his shoulders believing it was just a bluff.

"It wasn't called Bloodbath Eclipse for nothing, idiot. The only time the eclipse eye resurface in  the world is when it meets the shadowed eye of the universe, a total solar eclipse. Which only happens once in every two millennia. Luckily for us, we are in the second millennia since the first so there's a bigger chance that we can capture it", Ae explained with a hint of smile.

"I have no interest in having it too. I have my own agenda. So you wanna have it? That's why you're showing it to me so you can use me?", Darwin tried to catch him off guard.

"I failed. I thought you wanted it. I was willing to help though", Ae closed hands and the orb disappeared. The room warped and their feet landed back to the house where they came from.

"No thanks. I'm too lazy to play the hero though", Darwin threw himself to the couch.

"I see. I didn't want it too. I am on to something. Since we both don't want it, let's just work together to help someone have it", Ae rested his face in his palm above the table looking at him with interest.

"What's that suppose to mean?", Darwin returned the look.

"The reason why I showed you that fragment of history is Hubert. We were only in the introduction and we are going to the best parts soon", Ae rested his back and extended his arms.

"So you want Hubert to possess it, huh? That's why you are looking for him. I know how this thing works. You use me to find him and then you use him to get that thing. No. I'm not walking with your crusade. I'll save them both and bring them home. And you will never touch them, over my dead ash body.", Darwin threatened.

"I can really burn you down to ashes right now if I want to but that will only spoil the fun. Just stick with me and we will help each other. We are the vilest villain in the narrative and together we shall conquer the enemies", Ae playfully responded.

"You're bluffing", Darwin gave him a middle finger.

Between their conversation, a beeping sound broke in the air and television flashed open followed by and emergency broadcast. They both turned to the screen as the screen displayed Darwin's face with a headline saying "Nation's Enemy For Hunt"

A voiceover went on...

"Good day, good people of Godiel Country. This is not a test. This is an emergency broadcast system announcing to the public about the nationwide manhunt movement imposed by the Goverment of Godiel in coordination with The Colossal, the biggest bounty hunting institute in the city of Glidehaste for the person named Darwin Frost, 19, image shown in your screens. Two Million Gold Scales for someone who can bring him to The Colossal, dead or alive. This broadcast will be repeated everyday of the same time until the Government acquires what it seeks. May the heavens bless the good people of Godiel.

The light will protect us. "

The screen went black.

"That was funny if you ask me", Darwin let out a snort.

"No guy with lighting reflexes, no bestfriend support. Only a vampire tortured by his humanity. Hunted everyone under the sun. Yeah,sure you don't need my life", Ae tilted his head and playfully read Darwin.

"I can handle them myself. Been doing that ever since", Darwin rolled his eyes.

"Ok. Anytime now people will be crashing on your front yard and into this house. Who knows if they'll be just normal people. Anyways, good luck. Imma get some relaxing massage from my beautiful succubus girls back to my fully furnished hell bent apartment", Ae gave him a wink before vanishing.

"Fuck wait", Darwin heard his own whisper.

All of a sudden a gunshot blasted outside his window and breaking the glass. The bullet his his shoulder knocking him down the floor. He hissed at the pain cursed under his breath. He looked up to the crack in the door to see some people coming to his front yard.

"I've never been afraid of people but damn...fuck!", He cursed.

"Ae!!!!", He screamed at the top of his lungs.

The room went dark and the last thing he heard was the sound of people scramming and screaming their lives off.