章 17: XVII: Unveiling Shadows
In the dimly lit dormitory room, Kaizer, Lucius, and Alaric huddled together, their minds filled with unsettling revelations about the Vampire Society. The weight of newfound knowledge pressed upon them, and a sense of unease hung in the air like a shroud.
As the silence stretched on, Kaizer's thoughts raced, each revelation adding to the ever-growing list of questions he needed answers to. He had crossed the Barrier between the worlds, witnessed its true nature as a machine infused with magic, and somehow, he had gained the ability to control it and transport between realms at ease. These revelations shattered the foundation of the society he had known all his life.
Lucius finally broke the silence. "So, what does this mean, Kaizer? What can we do?"
Kaizer looked at his friends, his eyes reflecting a mix of determination and uncertainty. "I'm not entirely sure, but one thing is certain—we can't continue living in ignorance. We need to uncover the truth about The Vampires, the Elephas, about Queen Hundred, and about the Barrier itself."
Alaric nodded in agreement. "But how do we do that? Who can we trust?"
Kaizer thought for a moment. He wished he still had his tote, for it still held inside the journal of Grant Anderson, which he hadn't taken the proper time to read in the chaos of the labyrinth. He chastised himself, for he knew that crucial answers to the questions he had were in that journal.
Kaizer shared with his friends the knowledge he had acquired during his time in the labyrinth beneath the Bazaar. He recounted the story of Grant Anderson, the enigmatic White Knights, and Alessia—the name that had been synonymous with cannibalistic horror among the Vampire community.
Lucius interjected with a note of disbelief. "Alessia? You mean the cannibal? She was in love with a Human? Now on that, I'm certain that no one ever mentioned that before."
Alaric furrowed his brow in contemplation. "We all know the legend. Alessia turned into The Scorpion after consuming too much Vampire blood, with her parents' blood being the final catalyst. But there must have been a reason beyond just gaining power. If what you're saying is true — if we can trust the knowledge of this Roshan character — then she loathed Vampire hierarchy, so she wouldn't have done it for the sake of obtaining more power."
Kaizer nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Grant and Alessia had a different goal— they wanted to close off the Overworld from Sanguine. So, whatever Alessia's specific reason was for drinking all that blood, it had to be related to that objective."
"But what kind of feat requires so much power that she would need to massacre hundreds of thousands to achieve it?" Lucius wondered aloud.
A heavy silence settled in the room, and they exchanged bewildered glances. None of them had a clue about Alessia's true motivations, despite the dark legend that surrounded her.
Then, it struck Kaizer, a chilling realization born from his conversation with Thalia and Justice in the Midnight Catacombs.
"Genocide," he whispered, the word hanging in the air like a dark omen. "The killing itself was the goal all along. She wanted to annihilate the Vampires completely, taking the entire population down with her."
"An act of passion." Alaric said knowingly, nodding.
"Something provoked her," Kaizer said, scratching his head. "That has to be the reason. No other reason makes logical sense. She was a woman in love—someone like that wouldn't go through so much trouble just to murder a lot of people for the sake of power. She didn't care about any of that, but she did care about…"
"Grant Anderson." The three of them said in unison, their eyes wide.
It was all starting to come together like puzzle pieces. Kaizer rubbed his chin, deeper in thought than he'd ever been in his short life.
"Alessia… did she ever conceive children, I wonder?" Alaric let his thoughts spill from his mouth. "You know, with Grant…"
Lucius shook his head. "No, now you're making things up. Half-Vampires aren't real. Human and Vampire DNA don't mix — it would just result in an ugly abomination."
"Is that what the Professors at the Academy taught you?" Kaizer asked with a cold, knowing stare.
Lucius paused, and his shoulders slumped. He sighed. "So what? Even if they did have a kid, why is that important?"
"My last name is Anderson, Lucius," Kaizer reminded him.
Lucius looked at him, his eyes slowly widening. "No way. Could you be—"
"A distant descendant of Grant and Alessia? There's a good probability that that could be the case." Kaizer nodded, his eyes scanning the floor.
"Then that would explain—"
"Yes, my unusual affinity for magic," Kaizer confirmed again. His eyes darted left and right, not looking at anything externally, but scanning the contents of his inner world. "Grant Anderson and Alessia… what was her Noble House name again?"
"Her mother was Lady Gertrude of Noble House Ashkin," Alaric stated factually. "So, by tradition, since she was a female Vampire, she would've been considered a new member of the House of Ashkin upon conception."
"Alessia of Noble House Ashkin," Kaizer said, now saying anything that might help jog his memories at the sound of it. "If she were to conceive, and somehow she was able to successfully give birth to a healthy Half-Vampire baby, what then?"
"I imagine," Alaric replied. "That the Cauldron would seek to eliminate it."
Kaizer replied, "We don't ever hear much about this Cauldron that apparently runs Vampire Society behind the scenes, and I think I'm starting to get why. And I'm starting to get why they're lying. There's something in Alessia's story specifically that they don't want anyone to remember."
"We must delve deeper into this mystery," Alaric agreed, crossing his arms. "My conscience has now been compromised, and I refuse to rest until the answer is discovered."
Lucius nodded. He planted a firm hand on Kaizer's shoulder again and looked him in the eye. "Me too. Whatever happens next—whatever you plan to do next, Kaizer—count us in."
Kaizer nodded pensively, his eyes trailing off to the window, setting upon Queen Hundred's palace in the distance. "I have one idea, actually."
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