In the year 2076, humanity as we knew it fell. It wasn't the robotic uprising the First Fathers had prophesied, nor was it Mother Nature's attempt to purge the Earth of humanity's destructive tendencies. No, it was something far more sinister. The Evergreen School of the Knights, a mysterious organization, successfully prevented the sun from rising every morning, plunging the world into eternal darkness. There was no better way to put it. The sun simply did not rise from the east or the west. This was how my mother had whispered The Tale of Beginnings to me.

This catastrophic event created a perfect environment for the creatures of the night: vampires. Who had been gathering their numbers and strength since the beginning of time. The aftermath of this event was nothing short of chaotic, with humans leading several revolutions. There arose a dark cult of the night walkers, this faction had claimed that Aaron Von Ichi was the Messiah that was promised by the Christians.

It took 200 years for humanity to crumble, but not in the way the ancient prophecies had foretold. Instead, humanity's values and morals disintegrated under the decadence and vanity of the Nightly Creatures. The vampires didn't destroy the existing structures; they merely added to them, creating a new world order. They added a matriarchy to the democratic system, ensuring that all humans were governed by the Queen and her husband, Aaron Von Ichi, the Prime Minister.

My name is Astorine Vaughn Alder, the Second Majesty to the Earthen Empire. I'm about to share with you the story of my becoming and my unbecoming, while I struggle to give you the details of the long long life I have lived.

Winter, December 2176

"Don't touch her!" Eldren screams as Lucienne gets on top of me. He pulls his hand back and smacks me heavily across the cheeks. I grit my teeth as he pulls his hand back a second time and smacks me again. My little hands struggle to push him away, and I continuously squirm from under him, defiant gaze unflinching. He pulls back his hand when Eldren runs towards us and pushes the little monster from on top of me.

My mama runs out, feet struggling to keep up in the winter cold, her little hands covered in a mitten are outstretched. She comes closer and pulls me by my ears, "Astorine, you hardly listen." But this is hardly my fault! The little monster had called me a worm. "Little Lord, are you okay?" She helps the monster to his feet and turns to my brother, by this time I had started to tear up at the injustice. He had bullied me, and all I did was stand up for myself. Why couldn't my own mother stand up for me?

Mama turned towards Eldren and smacked him on his back, "Don't you know any better? I've warned you to protect your little sister," saying this, she turns her attention back to the little monster, his face red from the exertion, and nudges him towards the direction of the mansion. He trudged forward, going the opposite direction from which mama came, while I try hard for my tears to not fall. He had called me a worm, insulted my pale skin and pale hair, yet I was the one to get beaten? I walk over to my older brother's side, Eldren, completely ignoring mother, as him and I walk the opposite side which the Monster took. This was our life, three children with interwoven fate but walking different paths.

When I was this age, I hadn't understood why The Little Monster, Lucienne, never got hit by mama, given that she was his proprietress and guardian, but we did, even though she was our own mother. But I came to understand, slowly and the hard way.

I barged open the door and walked into the warm kitchen, snow dusting off the wooden floor. Eldren rushes to the fireplace, removing his muffler and his mittens in one breath, stretching his hands towards the fire. "Come!" He beckons to me, "Come warm your hands." My hands fisted by my side, as I walk back and forth in the warm kitchen, as I begin to think over how to exert my revenge on Lucienne.

Eldren walks over to me, and takes off my mitten, warming my hand with his warm breath. While he warms my hands, a loud cry comes from upstairs, followed by the sound of furniture breaking against hardwood. Another cry followed by a shriek, and I look towards Eldren, holding the sleeve of his shirt. Mother walks into the kitchen, her red hair messy and her cheeks flushed, a loud thud sounds from the west wing of the mansion, and another shriek. Mama holds me up. ooking at my flushed swollen cheeks as she tries to kiss me across me the face.

Still angry at her I struggle with her, "why do you always take his side?"

"Oh my dearest sweetest child!" My mama chokes as she buries her face into my shoulder.

The sounds from upstairs stopped a little while after mummy began rocking Eldren and I for comfort.

While mama sang, we heard another voice singing along with us.

Mama holds me up, looking at my flushed, swollen cheeks as she tries to kiss me across the face. Still angry at her, I struggle with her. "Why do you always take his side?" I ask.

"Oh, my dearest, sweetest child!" My mama chokes as she buries her face into my shoulder. The sounds from upstairs stop a little while after Mummy begins rocking Eldren and me for comfort. While Mama sings, we hear another quiet voice singing along with us.

Eldred hold mama's hands as her singing turned into hums.

Now that I look back at this moment, with the knowledge of all that was to unfold, I should have held on to this moment longer. I should have clung to it. But always the headstrong woman I was, I couldn't see much past my own illusioned suffering.