1 Awakening

A gorgeous woman with pale skin dragged a giant casket, her breath laboured as blood dripped out of her chest. In the place her heart out to be was a hallowed space, her death imminent.

Her crimson eyes shed tears, her fingers cascading over a casket she dragged, the gentleness in her action implying the dearness it held to her, arriving at the edge of a cliff, staring at the river flowing deep below.

"My lord, we got betrayed by the very people we trusted. I'm glad to have accompanied you this far, but unfortunately, my time's up, Please forgive me that I am not going to accompany you when you are going to open your eyes and leave your slumber in future" She whispered, hugging the casket with a longing gaze.

The faint wind unfurled her hair, brushed aside to reveal scars riddled all across her pearly skin, her tone one of nostalgia, "It's been thousands of years since we first met. Time sure flies pretty fast, it been a long journey for me but for you I am sure it was a blink of an eye for you," She muttered as she caressed the casket and after displaying momentary unwillingness she pushed the casket over the cliff in resolve, watching it plunge into the river and be rowed downstream, "May you reign once more." she said and with those words She collapsed to the ground, staring at the sky as the crimson shade in her eyes began to lose colour, gradually turning lifeless. "So, this is my end. It's…lonely my lord."

"Don't you think you deserve it, Layla?" A calm but distant voice resounded, soon accompanied by a flurry of footsteps.

At the sound, intense hatred brimmed from Layla, bellowing in rage, "It's you that betrayed William, you half-blooded bastard."

"It was William that betrayed everyone. All I did was reciprocate in kind. That's all, my Lady." The owner of that calm voice wore jet-black attire, mixed with bright reddish strips, as if blood veins were embroidered into it. His silver hair fluttered with the wind while his eyes observed with ridicule, staring at the pair of crimson eyes way past their prime.

"You'll never live in peace, Michael. He'll haunt you in sleep, during the day, and through every second of you, your family, and your clan's existence. None will be spared!" Layla said, her tone indignant, cursing with the last vestiges of her strength.

"Yes, he would indeed do everything you said, but that is in the case if he manages to return. Unfortunately for him, I interrupted his Awakening Ritual and caused him to suffer from the backlash. Without the destroyed altar, he's just a lifeless body. It's impossible for him to return." Michael spoke calmly.

Layla craned her neck, veins protruding on her skin as she groaned in hatred, "you sure are an ignorant bastard, dont you aware who he is, He's the first vampire with the greatest origin? When he returns, he'll slaughter everyone. Your friends, comrades, family, kin, every single one of them, And when you are going to face him you'll know the meaning of despair…"

Unfortunately, Layla wasn't given time to complete her statement as a sword pierced through her throat. Her body convulsed in pain as torrential fire burned through her, vaporising her in a matter of seconds, a minute later making it seem like she never existed.

"May your soul find its peace, lady Layla. I'll await his return and conclude this never-ending tale but I dont think he is going to make it and even if he somehow managed to come back alive, I'll make sure everything he loved will perish from the face of lords realm" Michael muttered, his tone calm, staring at the starry sky as his figure dissipated like a ghost.

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Meanwhile, the casket travelled downstream in the river, plunging into an ocean, carried by its currents as it moved from one water body to another. Days turned into months, months became years but the casket remained underwater and continued to be moved by the ocean currents.

Five hundred years passed in such a fashion. It would have continued to be the same if not for the interference from two fishermen who caught the casket in their nets.

"Brother Yuan, what's this? I've never seen something like this before. I assumed it was a fish, but it's unlike anything we've encountered here." One of the fishermen tilted his head in confusion, staring at the other fisherman that was observing the casket, sporting an expression of curiosity.

"I don't know, brother Xin. It's my first time seeing this too, but I think this will fetch us a lot of money. Why don't we sell this in the market?" The fisherman named Yuan examined the casket, trying all the methods at his disposal but failed to open the casket.

"This damn thing doesn't budge no matter what we do." yuan exclaimed, kicking the casket with furiousness.

"Forget it, let's leave this place. It's already evening." Xin said upon observing how frustrated yuan was. The other party nodded in response to his words as both loaded the casket.

"This thing looks somewhat ancient. So I'm hoping it sells for a fortune." Xin stared curiously at the casket while the horse cart began to move as yuan drove the horse cart.

Hearing him, Yuan took a deep breath before sighing, "I hope so too. Things are already hard for us. Both my wives are pregnant and I already have six more children to feed. Living inside the city is not easy, what with the constant war and inflation."

"Yeah, you're right." Xin nodded, letting out his worries, "My wife keeps yelling at me every time I return home. I am barely making any money selling fish, so she wants me to change jobs and earn some real money."

"Thankfully, lady Baroness is a humble lady. She does the best for Solana City despite receiving no support from the Kingdom. People trust her and believe things will turn for the better for us and the city as a whole." Xin said, "Also, I heard the border is going to open soon…"

He stopped speaking all of a sudden, staring pale faced at the casket, confusing Yuan.

"What happened?" Yuan asked as he saw a slightly confused look on xin's face.

"Ahh! It's nothing. I thought I heard a sound from this box,but I guess it was misunderstanding" Xin responded, scratching his bald head in confusion, wondering if his ears were playing tricks on him.