Bab 13: The Monarch
The years flew by like a fleeting whisper, as time slowly meld into the wind. The empire changes and so do its people. Leon missed his old friends; he wished to see them if it wasn't for the circumstances.
Still, he visited his sister's grave, making sure that there would always be fresh flowers at her gravestone. It was bittersweet, the memories of her death still weighed heavily on his mind.
He couldn't change what had happened. Leon had watched the seasons change, time had passed and life had moved on.
Even if he hadn't.
Leon would promise to avenge her sister. An inkling of him was relieved that she couldn't see how much he had changed. To see the truth behind his identity and existence.
Her death must have been mercy. For her but not humankind.
Leon could care less about them.
CLICK
Heeled shoes echoed on the marble floor, and Leon could recognize who it was. He turned his head to face the person who entered his room.
"Dione." He greeted them with a smile.
Dione, the embodiment of beauty itself. Her white hair swayed gracefully with each step, meticulously styled and filled with intricate gems. Her eyes were the perfect almond shape, accentuated with her blue eyeshadow.
"Greetings~" she chuckled, fangs poking through her lips. Dione's pale blue lipstick suited her pale skin and black dress.
Her tastes were quite eccentric, just like her.
Dione pressed a soft kiss on Leon's cheeks "You've been moody lately." she mused, placing a gloved finger at the corner of her lips "Are you bored?"
"Bored? I'm not a child, dear sister."
Dione chuckled as she slowly walked over to the window, twirling as she did so. Her ruffled skirt melded with the shadows that surrounded her like a halo.
The sun was beginning its descent, casting long shadows across the sprawling city below.
It was quite ironic, they moved into a residence among humans, their manor built on a hill overlooking the city. They were merely playing around with mortals, taking advantage of their naivety.
"It's an amusing sight, isn't it?" Dione's fingers trailed on the curtains as she gazed outside the window "Always in a hurry, their lives so short and fleeting." she hummed, an eerie fascination in her eyes.
"I find beauty in their change, Dione."
His sister laughed "Like little ants constructing their hills. In the end, we watch everything they built all crashing down." a smile curled at the corner of her lips.
"What persistent little insects," she sneered, her voice dripped with detachment and cruelty as she watched the city lights start to flicker.
"Hmm." Leon stepped beside Dione, leaning closer to his sister "You seem quite upset." he remarked. It was easy to see the change in Dione's face, the way she radiated anger the moment she had stepped in.
Dione turned her gaze to meet Leon's eyes. A dangerous glint danced in her mirror-like eyes, a tint of blue in her irises.
"Oh~ You know me so well." she purred, tone dripping with sarcasm "Well, those little pests dare destroy one of my covens."
And so it begins.
Leon raised an eyebrow, unfazed by Dione's words "Oh?" he titled his head slightly to the side.
"Seems like there's a hunter capable of destroying my covens." Dione dug her gloved hands into the window sill, sharp nails damaging the expensive wooden frame.
Leon could only frown at the heinous sight.
"I thought you were the only one capable of doing something like that, dearest brother~" Her smile was dangerous, not hiding the venom in her words. It was evident that she was riling him up.
Leon could only sigh, amused by Dione's words "Well, I couldn't let them beat my record." Leon said with a smug smile.
Dione snorted "Don't you think it's time for you to return?"
Well, Leon never meant to hide his identity in the first place. In fact, he thought it would be better that way. But he had been busy re-adjusting back to his old identity.
He never had the opportunity to reveal himself. Even if he did meet humans, no one was spared to ever tell about his existence.
It was obvious that Dione was upset, she was fond of her subjects, after all.
Leon considered Dione's words for a moment. It had been five years. Maybe it is time to return to the forefront.
He held a sharp breath as he smiled at Dione "Perhaps you're right."
***
"The Vampiric Monarch.
It was a title that spread through the busy streets of the empire. A name that hunters and vampires alike feared the most.
Legends and ancient sacred texts coming from the continent's history said that purebloods were gone. All were hunted down during The Holy War.
They were a threat to humanity.
The strength of their blood was too potent for any vampires or humans to survive. Still, the rumors burned through the empire, fueled by tales of hunters who had watched their comrades suffer under a pureblood's hand.
They tried to refute the existence of the purebloods but even vampires were too scared to utter its name. The purebloods had thralled every single one of his subjects to keep their name a secret, if they tried, it would just result in their death.
The Monarch treasured his fellow purebloods, his siblings. The fact that he protected the identity of his siblings could only mean that in some twisted way, he revered them, beings that defied the laws of God, himself."
Alexander folded the tabloid paper with a sigh. It was early in the morning and the first thing he read only made his headache worse.
Hunters in the order had become paranoid after the circulation of such rumors and it lowered their morale, seeds of doubt and fear were already evident in the eyes of his comrades. Anxiety and tension hung heavy in the air as they awaited their orders, the looming existence of the purebloods made everyone tense.
He was thankful that in this place, everyone was equal; they all were willing to risk their lives for the sake of the empire's citizens.
His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden arrival of the team's captain, a well-seasoned hunter, Quinn. The captain was a dedicated hunter who sought nothing by eradicating vampires.
The viscount was a kind older man, always determined to save as many people as he could and would always put his comrades before him.
Alexander couldn't help but notice that the captain was hiding something from them as if what he was doing now was retribution for a mistake he did in the past.
Captain Quinn was the son of the late Commander Percival. It must have been hard for him to have his father slaughtered by such cruel creatures.
Under the dimly lit briefing room that they built in the forest, Quinn greeted them with a bright smile "Good morning, team." he greeted. Despite his kind smile, his aura was dominating and his mere presence commanded attention.
"I've received the reports of vampires at the empire's outskirts. These vampires were not the ones we were used to hunting, they were much more vicious. Various politicians have been reporting numerous deaths of their citizens and even the hunters who were assigned to the cities have gone missing as well." The captain looked upset but it was obvious his will was unyielding.
"The civilians are our top priority. Make sure to keep them safe."
The briefing was different this time, it was more meticulous as they were preparing against stronger and more malevolent forces "Tracking down the vampires come in second, make sure that we eliminate them completely or else those demons will come back for us, understand? If you cannot defeat them, you have to escape and find backup."
"We do not want lives lost in this pointless battle." A hint of unease evident in his voice, Alexader didn't dare ask.
"My friends, we are the last defense of the empire against these demons. Our blades serve a purpose to protect our family and friends. The Empire relies on us for the future of our descendants."
His words brightened up the team and with newfound determination, they were ready to fight once more. Alexander vowed that he would never succumb to fear, he would face everything with all he got.
He promised that he would not falter— never at the hands of vampires.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
summer_cicada
summer_cicada Thank you so much for reading! I'm a new author so please be kind to me. I would greatly appreciate comments, suggestions, votes, and reviews about my story~
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