Flashback
1100 years ago.
The Tribunals Castle.
The gigantic metal doors of the hall of the castle broke apart.
"Please, help us." A feminine voice yelled.
The elders turned to the door.
Behold, it was Ava and Akotal. They both look younger, like teenagers.
"What happened," Silvanus, the oldest of the elders, asked.
Aaron was there. Allegra, Ava's mother was there too.
Allegra had a deep frown as she saw Ava with Akotal. She had always warned her of seeing the two together, she never liked Akotal and the thought of the two ending together activates her murderous intent.
On the contrary, Aaron's neck was high and his lips had a slight smile on it. But that smile disappeared when he scented blood.
Swoosh!
In a second, he appeared before them.
His eyes widened when he saw the large gash on Akotal's chest.
"What happened?" Aaron asked with his eyes widened.
"We were wandering the woods when he strayed into the forest of the old." Ava's face was all drenched with tears.
"What?!" Silvanus shrieked with shock and sprang up.
The forest of the old is a place of death, even for Primordials Vampires. A hit from any of the trab there causes nothing but death if it's not attended to in time.
"He's struck by the Ash-tipped-spear trap in the forest. His life will be shortened by the second and within an hour, he will be dead." Aaron analyzed with dread on his face.
"Bring him, now!"
Quickly, Aaron grabbed Akotal from Ava and rushed him into an inner chamber in the hall.
Silvanus and Viktor followed.
However, Allegra stayed and an uncaring look was on her face. Among all the things she cares about, Akotal is the least. Her fierce gaze met Ava's and the latter trembled.
"Mother, it is not what you are thinking." Ava spread her palms, still smeared with Akotal's blood, together with a pleading look.
"Indeed. All I requested from you was to stay away from that parasite of a kid."
The rest was a story of punishment.
Apparently, Akotal had taken Ava out of the castle so they could have time to themselves, but now, it has proved to be a mistake.
For days, Allegra wouldn't let Ava near the chamber Akotal is being taken care of.
But one day, Allegra had to deal with the work Silvanus gave her so she left, after giving threats to Ava, that she shouldn't go to Akotal's chamber in her absence.
But Ava didn't buy that.
Akotal was in the chamber having a nap when Ava entered.
Akotal slowly opened his eyes. His dry lips broke as he saw Ava. He was pleased more than ever to see her. He felt alive after days of pain from the gash that's slowly healing.
"Hello, love." Akotal muttered with a smile.
Ava just stared at him without replying.
Akotal grunted and struggled to sit upright. Even though the gash is almost healed up, the poison was still in his blood and it is going to take even more days before it goes away.
"What is it, love?" Akotal asked with a worried gaze when Ava didn't reply to him.
Ava sniffled and looked away.
"Oh. That I don't want to see, love." Akotal warned as he sensed that Ava was going to cry.
Ava sniffled, closed her eyes then sighed heavily. By the time she opened her eyes, all the incoming tears were gone.
Akotal grinned at this."Now we are as good as ever."
"Why would you risk your life for me?" Ava asked. "If mother knows that you sustained this poisoned wound because of me, she would be very mad."
"Well, I can't help it, love. If I can't fight for you, what's the essence of being alive." Akotal smiled like what he just said was nothing. His lips curled into a much bigger smile as he said, "however, that lie of yours was good. Such accord, the poison from the spear of is truly the same with the Ash tipped spear of the forest of the old. Congratulations, you are a good liar, love."
Ava smiled bitterly.
"You shouldn't worry about me, I'll be fine." Akotal nodded, reassuringly.
"No, I will not be fine." Ava shook her head.
"Why?"
"Knowing that you got hurt because of me. I will not be fine."
"Oh, love. You shouldn't be like that. I told you, I'll do anything for you. Don't be like this." Akotal pleaded with his eyes glinting.
"No, I hate seeing you hurt. Especially because of me."
"Then, let's go to a place where we can't be hurt," Akotal suddenly said.
Ava paused with her mouth ajaw. Even though she knows what Akotal meant, she still couldn't believe it.
However, Akotal nodded at her with a firm gaze.
She bit her lower lips and her eyes glinted with fear.
They are not allowed to leave the castle completely, because not everyone in the world knows of their existence and the exposure might cause trouble.
Not that they will be hurt if they are known, but there are just some things best hidden.
Ava stared at Akotal for almost thirty minutes.
"I will take my leave now, before my mother comes back. Get well soon, Akotal." Ava only said that and she left.
From that day onward, she worked hard with the warrior vampires of the Tribunals, she became too busy to even go out with Akotal again or be that close to him again.
She never answered Akotal's request to leave with him.
****
****
****
End of flashback.
Woodhaven.
Akotal was all smiles as he stepped into the hospital.
He was clad in a black suit and black Italian shoe which always took away his smile anytime he looks down at it,
He had gotten the outfit and the footwear from a store at Brooklyn while he was wandering around and killing or compelling any vampire in sight.
As he trotted through the hallways of the hospital, his eyes scanned around.
Getting to the lounge, his multicolored eyes glinted as he saw a woman in her fifties sitting on one of the lounge chairs, tapping her feets on the floor and anxiety dripping off her.
Akotal walked to the place and settled his butts beside the woman.
The woman was none other than Sheila.
She had brought Miranda to the hospital so her abdomen can be attended to.
"Her spleen is floating in her belly, detached from its hold among other organs, if I am right. And considering the infection of a slash from a vampire to a normal human, her life is in extreme danger." Akotal began.
Sheila lifted her red swollen eyes to look at Akotal.
"I compelled a crowd and a priest to conduct the funeral of your coven members. Leaving them under a cloaking spell isn't a solution, the cloaking spell was not even stable. Shows how shaken you are right now." Akotal had a look of pity as he continued with a serious gaze. "I made sure it was a befitting funeral so you don't have to worry."
"Who are you?" Sheila's voice was hoarse as she asked.
"I'm a friend who knows what you are going through."
Sheila noticed his accent and a frown appeared on her face. "You are not from this age, are you?"
"Yes, I'm not. I'm a Primordial Vampire and 1200 years old."
Sheila's eyes dilated in surprise. As a witch this old, she had heard the words Primordial Vampire countless times, but she never imagined she would see one.
However, that surprise and disbelief soon changed to calmness that wasn't on her face minutes ago as she rested her back on the lounge chair and looked away.
Instead of her heartbeat racing, out of fear, it slowed down with peace.
"I will heal the girl and save her life from danger and I'll give you the revenge you want." Akotal promised.
Sheila turned to Akotal and replied like she had expected it. "I know."
"But I want something in return."
"I know too." Sheila said. Akotal grinned.
"Two resuscitation spells. One for me and the other for a woman, whom I loved so much that I placed a dark spell on her that dessicated her when I saw that I had lost her." Akotal's eyes went all distant as he muttered. "She hasn't answered my question and I figured she might have still had a place for me in her heart." Akotal sighed and his lips curled into a grin as he said. "Can you do that?"
"Anything in return for the revenge I want."
Akotal smiled and said, "Old witches are the best option, I suppose."
***********
Ruined Sarai's safehouse.
"Uh?!"
"Uh?!"
Hector and Benzo were both shocked.
"What do you mean by your coven members fled, Caius?" Kylian wasn't left out too as frowned hard.
"Not just only that my coven members fled. Most vampires in this city are either dead or off to another city, even some are not in the States anymore as they had fled to nearby countries. Akotal has been quite busy since he left us here last night." Caius sighed.
Kylian's eyes were wide and he didn't even realize it when his hand clutched Christa's shoulder.
Adrian, seeing this, looked away. He couldn't help the flush of jealousy that flooded his senses.
Bellerin patted his shoulder and sighed.
However, Adrian shook off Bellerin's hand and walked off from them. Caius watched Adrian walk off and casted Bellerin at a glance. Bellerin nodded and went after him.
"Akotal is making his move." Caius turned to Kylian who still had Christa beside him but was surprised to see the two whispering to each.
"Oh, sorry." Kylian apologizes. Then his eyes narrowed as he said, "Christa here says she's seen Adrian before."
"I bet she has." Caius didn't even know when it got out.
Kylian gazed at Caius for a while, as he pondered on those words 'I bet she has'.
Of course he isn't a fool to not know that Adrian and Christa must have met before for him to know she's his soulmate.
"You should go see him, talk to him and see you truly know him." Kylian turned to Christa and suggested.
Christa smiled and nodded. "I'll be right back."
Then she walked away in the direction Adrian and Bellerin went.
"Do you think that's a good idea?" Caius asked, to be sure Kylian knew what he was doing.
"Yeah. She's going to be fine. Only that your son will have to work his way out of his fantasy since Christa doesn't feel the same way for him." Kylian's eyes flashed with murderous intent for a second but came back to normal.
Caius had told him not to cause any further trouble about the soulmate issue, just as he would tell Adrian not to, too.
And Kylian has no intention of breaking that peace promise.
"Now, you were saying something about Akotal making his move?" Kylian began.
"Ahem. Yes." Caius nodded. "When Akotal wants to prey on an enemy and destroy him, he isolates every source of help."
Kylian was deep within his thoughts at this.
Hector and Benzo had already settled their butts on the ground. Even Mac had a glint of surprise in his eyes.
"Is there something he's planning other than getting Christa, having his ritual, healing himself for the next three centuries and killing us all afterwards?" Hector couldn't help it.
Caius didn't reply, he only casted a glance back at Bones-the-old and the latter moved forward. "This is Bones. He's a true born vampire whose special ability is foreseeing the future."
Hector had a slight glint of surprise in his eyes. Benzo on the other hand, doesn't know much about vampires and Kylian knows Bones-the-old before.
Bones-the-old did the rest himself. "When I tried to foresee what would happen in the near future, all I could see was a very powerful witch beside Akotal. He will decimate all supernaturals in New York and subsequently, the entire country and then build a new line of vampires from every part of the country who would listen to every order of his'. He's a madman."
"I bet he is," Caius said.
"Who's that witch?" Hector asked.
"I don't know." Bones-the-old replied.
"It can't be Anna or one of the two Dark Witches?" Kylian's eyes shone with terror.
"Adrian killed one, the second killed herself and Anna has been stabbed by the Chain of Dracula. So it can't be them."
"And maybe it's someone else."
Someone said and they all turned to see Sarai.
She's back with the others, Mei Li, Heald and another person, a lady, Melissa.
"Maybe it's someone else." Sarai repeated again.
"You are back." Hector stood up from the rubble he sat on.
"And why would you say that?" Kylian frowned hard.
"Ask Heald." Sarai said and together Mei Li and Melissa, walked past Kylian to the center of what was the living room before but now is not more than rubbles.
Kylian blinked and turned to Heald. "What's that all about?"
"You don't wanna know, friend." Heald winked and walked away, disappearing behind a half broken wall.
Kylian and Caius exchanged looks, then turned to Sarai.
Sarai dropped the Registro on the ground. She sighed and announced in a loud voice. "Here is the Registro."
"Thank God." Hector sighed. His nose sniffed something and his brows furrowed as he said, "I smell blood and ashes."
"Ask Heald too." Sarai nodded at him.
Then, Kylian's eyes flashed with realization and he understood what happened.
He sighed and placed his two hands on his waist. His heart felt like it was crushing and his face flashed with guilt.
He knew it would come to this. Blood will surely be on the hands of another of them, apart from himself. Something he never wanted for them.
Kylian has done a lot of bad things in the past. Every path he has passed through is always always left with blood and bones.
And he never wanted the same for the people he considers his friends.
But now, things are getting out of hand. There's a countdown banging for them and there's pressure. There's desperation and there's fear, fear of death if they don't get what they need to secure their lives.
And if wishes were horses, Kylian would ride along and joyously wish that all the blood that might be spilled to get whatever they will need for survival should be on his hands.
But wishes aren't horses.
"Can you continue with that, I'll be right back." Kylian said then, walked away, going after Heald.
Sarai watched him leave then casted Melissa a glance. The latter looked away, obviously not satisfied yet.
Sarai was doing all the hostility thing with Heald because of Melissa. Those witches considered Melissa a friend and she feels like she betrayed them by bringing death to them. It's only because of Sarai that she hasn't burned Heald with her hot red orbs, regardless whether Heald did what he did for the survival of them all.
Sarai sighed and looked down at the Registro.
"Now what?" Benzo asked.
"I will open the Registro and find the balance." Sarai said.
Mei Li lifted her hand and gazed at the screen of the watch strapped to her wrist. She then turns her gaze to Sarai.
"No worries lady, the sun is just getting down. We still have some time," Hector said.
Caius and Bones-the-old exchanged looks and they both gulped at the same time. Their coven is gone and their fate is unknown. Akotal is a thousand times more powerful than they are and even though he can't hurt Caius directly, he can kill all those closest to him and devastate him with sorrow. The Casal coven has no power against Akotal and whatever can be found in the Registro is their last hope.
Sarai sighed and cleared her mind. Her eyes slowly closed as she chanted the spell that every Armadi learns from their birth, natural, without being taught. It's like a family anthem, or a trademark spell.
"Ello Armadi fuetosh ashpura! Ello Armadi fuetosh ashpura!!"
*********