It was a memorable evening. The moon hung high, casting powerful supernatural energy as well as illuminating the grand event about to unfold.
The first phase was a great success, with Josie taking her inaugural steps as heiress to one of the most powerful vampires in the Mid-world. Lucy, a young girl in her late teens, physically anyway, felt pleased with her introduction into the Mir sister's lives. She lived for the most dramatic and most memorable appearances. Her work too, had ways of leaving everyone speechless but today she couldn't take all of the credit.
"You can stop pretending now, they are both- well, you know. The point is no one's really paying attention. So come on out and let's have a nice chat." Lucy spoke with a hint of amusement. "Don't you want to bask in the moment? After all, nights like this don't come by often." She glanced around, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction as she gestured to the scene around them. "Or are you not pleased with the result? Look at them— one is dead asleep, while the other is, well, traumatized. And who wouldn't be, after turning their lover into prey?"
She slowly sauntered, her hazel eyes locked on the white wolf lying next to the sleeping sister. "Come on are we really going to play a game of hide and seek?" The white wolf looked at the girl now towering over it for a moment then looked back to the sleeping sister as if it was readying to protect its master. "Are you really that afraid of prodding eyes? Fine let me fix that." And with a wave of her finger, the newly made vampire become a sleeping sister too.
"Now can we talk?" she whispered as she stretched her hands out to the wolf. A gesture that was both inviting and commanding. The wolf in responds bent and twisted, her transformation was beautiful yet horrifying to witness. Bones crackled and shifted beneath fur like breaking ice, each snap and reform drawing anguished cries that pierced the forest's silence.
The haunting symphony of her metamorphosis echoed through the trees, until finally, like snow melting under spring's first touch, her pristine white fur dissolved into alabaster skin that seemed to capture and hold the moonlight itself. Platinum waves cascaded around her face, nature's curtain partially veiling features that held an otherworldly allure. Her partial obscured expression spoke volumes in its silence - dangerous, beautiful, and utterly untamed.
"Well, well. And here I thought I was the beautiful one." Her voice a velvet tease, each word dripping with confidence. "What do you say we take this further? Once we're finished, of course. Normally, I keep business and pleasure separate, but... who am I kidding? I love mixing the two. I'd be thrilled to explore you— as a specimen, naturally."
"Are we done here?" Jasmine's tone a cool contrast, cutting through the tension.
Lucy smiled, an edge of indulgence in her expression. "Not even close. We're only getting started." she replied smoothly, gesturing. "Your clothes are over there, darling. While I appreciate the art of exhibition, I can't quite focus. So, please."
"You must be the first Petal of the Blue Rose- Lucy the fatal allure."
"Straight to business, I see." Lucy chuckled, dark amusement gleaming in her eyes. "No introductions, then— Jasmine of the White Clan."
"You know of me?"
"Oh, I know all about you." Lucy's smile widened, chilling and knowing.
"I suppose you would."
"Well, I am here now, so tell me what you wanted too."
"What do you mean?" Jasmine tilted her head, feigning innocence.
"Come on we don't have to pretend anymore. I clearly got your message so let's get on with it."
"You caught on?"
"Is that really a question, it couldn't more obvious. You really overestimate your abilities."
"Oh, is that so?" Jasmine retorted coolly. "In that case— can I have my moonstone back?"
"Are you talking about this little gem?" Lucy asked mockingly while a sapphire necklace dangled between her delicate fingers "And why should I? It's not really yours, is it?"
"The engravings beg to differ."
Lucy's expression darkened, her voice turning grave "You do know what having this sigil means right?"
Jasmine's gaze hardened. "I take my work as the royal guardian very seriously thank you very much."
Lucy let out a dry laugh, eyes gleaming with quiet menace. "Do you now, and why were you not able to protect these two from my grasp?"
Jasmine's smile, a sharp glint. "…Because at the end of the day, I am aware that you and I have the same task but unlike you, I take my work very seriously."
Lucy's jaw clenched, her amusement slipping. "Is this what you call serious?"
Jasmine leaned forward, unfazed. "Come on you had your fun, now you turn to me to blame? I think it's time we change the script."
Lucy's laugh was low, mocking. "Change the script? Cocky, aren't we?"
"Can't your vampire eyes not see them?" Jasmine's voice a cold taunt.
Lucy's eyes narrowed, her patience thinning. "Are you mocking me? Is a pack of weaklings really something to brag about?"
"You underestimate my kind." Jasmine retorted, her gaze fierce.
"No" Lucy replied, her voice deadly soft. "It's you who underestimates my authority, how can a simple clan pose a challenge to me, A vampire holding ducal authority."
"Care to, see? FATHER, BROTHERS, Our enemy stands before us! She might be a vampire of noble blood but the moon rides high tonight – the odds bow to us! ARISE, my clan! Show this trespasser the fury of our pack!" A chorus of primal howls shattered the forest's silence, echoing like battle drums through the trees.
"Such stirring words," Lucy's lilting voice cut through their rallying cry, each syllable dripping with venom. "But aren't you forgetting one small detail?" She twirled something between her fingers, moonlight dancing across its surface.
"The moon stone can only protect so much of you..." A guttural snarl rippled through the air. "TEAR HER APART! Our fangs may not pierce her defences, but they'll make her feel our fury!"
The earth itself screamed as fifteen savage wolves thundered forward, their combined force making the ground quake beneath their rage-driven charge toward their lone prey.
"How delightful." A cruel smile played across her lips, eyes gleaming with dark anticipation. "I am aching to see just how many I can take at a time."
What followed was nothing short of a massacre. While the wolves retreated with bones cracked and spirits shattered, Lucy stood untouched, pristine as freshly fallen snow. Every savage bite, every desperate lunge – all traces vanished from her skin the instant they were made
"My, how disappointing." Her voice dripped with ice-cold mockery. "That must be the legendary frostbite your pathetic clan is so proud of. Tell me – are you done or do you have another round of flies for me to swat."
"That?" Jasmine's eyes glinted with knowing satisfaction. "That was merely the appetizer. The main course has just arrived."
"Bold words from you," Lucy sneered. "I haven't even touched my seed's power against these pups. What makes you think you'll fare any better?"
"Oh, I know I'm no match for you," Jasmine's lips curved into a mysterious smile as she pointed up. "But she certainly will be."
A commanding presence materialized in the night sky, her silhouette casting an imposing shadow over the battlefield below. Like a dark goddess descending, she glided downward, moonlight caressing her form. Her obsidian skin gleamed like polished onyx, every curve a testament to divine perfection. Thick, spiraling curls danced in the night breeze like a crown of shadows, while ash-grey eyes, sharp as steel, dissected the scene beneath her.
Well, well..." Her voice carried the weight of centuries. "Werewolves, vampires… I guess now that I am here it's a true congregation of the trinity."
"Ah," Lucy's lips curled into a knowing smile. "I see the wolves were nothing more than a mere distraction. A stalling mechanism to give time for your main challenger to arrive. How calculated of you Jasmine. Guess I really have to get serious now, don't I?"
"You sure do."
As Elise's feet touched the earth, power rippled through the clearing. Her voice, though calm, carried an edge that could slice through steel. "So which one of you triggered the safety spell." The forest held its breath, every leaf and branch frozen in fearful silence.
"Do, I have to repeat myself?" A dangerous undercurrent crept into her tone. "I asked which one of you tried to kill my sister." Her voice now leaking hints of agitation
"It's me your royal highness" Lucy's voice rang out with calculated confidence. "Well not directly but it's my very handiwork."
"And you are?" The question cut through the tension like a blade.
"Lucy of the Blue rose."
"Ah, the infamous Fatal Allure herself." Recognition flickered in Elise's steel-grey eyes. "Quite the name you have made for yourself but even that won't save you from me... Ok Lucy of the blue rose you have the right to remain silent, anything you say or do will be used against in the court of law."
Lucy tilted her head, amusement playing at her lips. "Aren't we forgetting something?"
Elise narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"
"I am a vampire and you are witch so we abide by different laws."
"Do we?" Elise challenged, her tone unwavering. "The accords still apply, so I can charge you under those."
Lucy's smirk grew. "I don't think so."
"You have the courage to challenge me?"
"Of course. In my world, only the strong have a say."
"The strong… Do you not realize who I am?"
"Oh, I know exactly who you are, Your Highness." Lucy's eyes gleamed. "That's why I intend to challenge you."
Elise chuckled, a low, dangerous sound. "You think you're strong enough to stand against me? And for what- just some thrill?"
Lucy's smile was fearless. "Who wouldn't want a shot at the famous Calamity herself?"
Elise's eyes narrowed, her voice a soft, deadly whisper. "… Is that what they call me?"
"Every vampire has heard of you, despite your age."
Elise leaned in, her gaze piercing. "And yet here you are. Do you really still want to test the waters?"
"Nothing would make me happier." Lucy's confidence was palpable. "I'll be the first vampire to survive—and defeat—the Calamity."
Elise's eyes glinted with dark amusement. "You have grand dreams, but they'll remain just that—dreams."
"Dreams?" Lucy's gaze sharpened. "I'll show you."
Elise's voice was as cold as the edge of a blade. "Ok, then I give you the first move."
"You really don't think that much of me, do you?"
"Actually, I do and that's why I am giving you the first move, I want to see where your courage is stemming from."
"Ok then" Lucy replied, her voice steady, resolute. "I won't waste a Second and Give it my all. -I call upon my authority as a Duke of the Mir bloodline. ORDER OF DESIRE – The path of pride."
Once Lucy evoked her order, the world between the two shifted dissolving the forest around them into the grand opulence of an 18th-century throne room, bathed in an eerie crimson glow. The towering walls dripped with shadows, and through the tall windows, a blood-red moon hung low in the sky.
Elise's lips curved in a dark, satisfied smile as she took in the scene. "Interesting… a Vampiric Dominion. It seems you really are giving it your all."
Lucy's expression was steely. "Of course. I wouldn't want to insult someone of your caliber."
"Good. Then let's begin."
"Fine by me."
With a flick of her wrist, the red rays of light washing over the throne room coalesced into sharp projectiles, all aimed at Elise. But as they made contact, they faded harmlessly away.
Elise chuckled. "Were those supposed to do something?"
Lucy smirked, unbothered. "Oh, they will."
In an instant, the throne room dissolved, replaced by the familiar setting of Elise's childhood home, the renowned Tima estate. Before her stood her mother, a perfect mirror of Elise, her gaze surprisingly soft.
"My child," her mother murmured, voice uncharacteristically tender. "You've worked hard, and I have seen the fruits of your labor. Rest now; I am proud of you."
Elise felt her heart lurch. It didn't sound like her mother, who had always been cold, curt, and indifferent to any bond between them. Everything Elise had done was to earn even a shred of her affection, but it had always felt like an endless climb. As this dream played out in front of her, she knew it couldn't be real.
Her eyes narrowed. "Is this an illusionary realm? You almost had me. Now it's my turn."
With that, the world shattered like broken glass, leaving only darkness between them.
Lucy's voice trembled, stunned. "But… how? The laws of an Order are absolute."
Elise's gaze sharpened. "Surely you jest. Have you forgotten what my gift is? Allow me to remind you—I manipulate space itself. That means if it exists within my realm, I control it."
In a blink, they were back in the forest, Lucy now vulnerable, her ultimate weapon stripped away with ease.
"Is that all you've got?" Elise taunted, her magic gathering. "Now, let me show you what true power looks like."
"Wait—Your Highness!" A voice interrupted, trembling with urgency. Jasmine stepped forward, pleading. "Please, have mercy."
Elise's glare bore into her. "And why should I? I intend to teach this vampire a lesson."
Jasmine lowered her head, her voice steady but respectful. "Your Grace, I understand your anger, but there's been a misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding? You call an attempt on my sister's life a misunderstanding?"
"Yes, I understand the gravity of her actions," Jasmine replied, her tone earnest. "But they were for a greater cause."
Elise's gaze remained hard. "A greater cause? What could possibly justify this?"
"It was for the preservation of the last witch of the Mir bloodline."
Elise's eyes narrowed, disbelief flickering in them. "The Mir bloodline? You can't be serious."
"You may come and see for yourself," Jasmine replied.
"A witch—reviving the royal family—is that truly possible?"
Jasmine nodded solemnly. "She is the daughter of Rose Mir."
Elise's expression darkened. "Rose Mir, the infamous Grim Reaper?"
"Yes."
Elise scoffed, dismissing the idea. "Then we have no use for her. She's tainted with vampiric blood."
"But she isn't," Jasmine insisted.
"What do you mean?"
"You may inspect her yourself."
Elise's eyes shifted as realization dawned on her. "It appears you're right. How could this be?"
"I am unsure myself," Jasmine admitted, relief in her voice.
"What a miracle…" Elise murmured, a glimmer of hope creeping into her gaze. "At last, the royal house may rise again."
Jasmine took a cautious step forward. "Lucy was only trying to protect the witch from her turned sister. Unfortunately, Victoria was caught in the crossfire."
Elise considered this, her expression pensive. "I understand the situation, but this cannot go unpunished. However…"
With a flick of her fingers, Lucy's body suddenly fragmented into several sections, each suspended midair. It was a grotesque sight.
"She is a vampire; she will survive." Elise's tone was cold, almost indifferent. "Take care of the royal witch, Lucy. And your name?"
"Jasmine, Your Grace."
Elise nodded curtly. "Then see to it that you protect her, Jasmine—and let this serve as a warning to anyone else who may harbor similar intentions."
With that, she disappeared, her form melting into the shadows.
Once the silence settled, Lucy, now reduced to just a floating head, smirked. "Quite the spectacle, Jasmine. Was this all part of your plan?"
Jasmine glanced at her, unbothered. "It was a simple test of strength, Lucy. We can't have a weak bodyguard, can we?"
Lucy rolled her eyes, or what was left of them. "So, did I pass?"
Jasmine tilted her head, giving a faint smile. "I suppose… you'll do."
"Glad to meet your standards," Lucy quipped dryly. "So, what's next?"
"We're heading to the academy," Jasmine replied calmly.
"You realize what you're getting into, right?" Lucy asked, her tone tinged with caution.
"Don't worry. You handle their protection," Jasmine said, her voice unwavering. "I'll manage the politics."
Lucy's smirk returned, more skeptical now. "You really do overestimate your abilities."
Jasmine met her gaze, steely and confident. "Then let my actions prove otherwise."