Unsettling Sign

After leaving the ferocious beast area, Cesar found solace on a roadside stone bench, taking a long moment to shake off the dread induced by the monstrous creatures.

"Come on, brother, it wasn't that bad, was it? Sure, those creatures were scary, but you're tougher than that, aren't you?" Dorothy offered a comforting smile, tenderly wiping the sweat from Cesar's brow with a tissue.

"They... they wanted to kill me! Their malice was palpable. If not for the protective barriers and magic tattoos, I'd be torn limb from limb. They weren't just regular beasts; they recognized me, distinguished me from others," Cesar's voice trembled as he rose, anxiety etched across his face. "Something's wrong. It could be an awakening talent or something in my bloodline, but the threat was real. It felt like a knife poised at my throat, and I was powerless."

"Are you feeling any better now?" Dorothy asked, her voice laced with concern.

"Once we're through the exit, I'll be fine." Cesar rummaged through his backpack, retrieved a water bottle, and took several large gulps, seeking solace in the mundane action. He turned to Dorothy, offering a faint smile, "You've had a tough time too, haven't you? We're alone here; have another pack, I'll watch for you."

With a nod, Dorothy took out a packet of blood, bit it open, and drank deeply. The color returned to her cheeks, making her seem more vibrant, almost as if rejuvenated by exercise.

"Shall we head home, brother?" Dorothy's small voice barely masked her reluctance, observing Cesar's pallor.

"No, let's visit the paid exhibit; it might help clear our minds. I've heard they have dancing grass and musical flowers there." Cesar, trying to rally his spirits, rubbed his face in an attempt to refresh himself.

"Great idea! It's this way." With youthful enthusiasm, Dorothy hopped off the stone bench and, following the signs, scampered towards the Special Creatures Exhibition Hall.

After parting with a hundred dollars, the siblings entered the cooler confines of the paid area. This section, smaller than the immense Ordinary and Ferocious Beast zones, housed an array of peculiar and treasured beings, primarily smaller creatures like insects and reptiles. It was less crowded, offering the pair a peaceful respite.

"Look, a Crystal Spider!" Dorothy exclaimed, mesmerized by the creature behind the glass-like barrier.

The spider, a translucent blue, showcased its internal workings, suspended on a web as stunning as a crafted jewel, with two crystalized insects ensnared.

As they moved forward, Cesar kept his sister company, exploring various unique creatures. They all posed a potential threat to him, not with the same malicious intent as the magical beasts, but with an inherent, instinctive caution toward anything unfamiliar.

"Check this out, brother! It's the Sawtooth Ironback Mantis from the ferocious beast area," Dorothy said, recognizing the creature from earlier. "Imagine, a mere mantis grows to rival lions and tigers in size when demonized. What about those demonized field mice we encountered?"

"Those are nothing here. We're in Arken City, one of the empire's grandest cities. The creatures here are far more formidable," Cesar reassured, motioning for Dorothy to step away from the barrier, which she was tapping incessantly.

"But I thought I could handle a demonic creature," Dorothy frowned, disappointed.

"Read the sign, Dorothy. The Mantis doesn't like vibrations."

Undeterred, Dorothy continued, curious about the creature's reaction. The previously immobile mantis suddenly sprang to life, striking the barrier with force, causing it to resonate with green ripples.

Dorothy stepped back, startled, while Cesar muttered, "Incredible, that shade of green..."

The siblings learned the barriers' colors indicated the impact levels, with green signifying substantial force. Cesar marveled at the mantis's potential strength if demonized.

Continuing their exploration, they found themselves entertained by dancing grass and musical flowers, each requiring a dollar for a brief performance. Near the playful flora, Cesar discovered a group of small, delicate-looking leprechauns with enchanting wings.

"Dorothy, look at that one with the blood-colored hair. Doesn't she resemble you? Maybe she's a distant relative of Nicole's," Cesar joked.

"She does look a bit like me, but I'm prettier," Dorothy chuckled, delighted by the comparison.

The blood-haired leprechaun seemed to sense Dorothy's presence, approaching the barrier and pointing pitifully to the 'Ten Dollar Food Drop' sign.

"She's hungry. Let's feed her," Dorothy pleaded.

Cesar complied, and soon, a food pellet dropped into the enclosure, causing a frenzy among the creatures. The scene quickly turned macabre as the leprechauns tore the food apart, splattering blood.

Stunned, Cesar and Dorothy could only stare as the leprechaun that resembled Dorothy dined on a heart, smiling sweetly at them afterward.

"They're carnivorous?" Cesar asked in disbelief.

"You didn't read the sign, brother. These are Black Goblins," Dorothy pointed out.

The sign revealed a grim nature beneath their delicate appearance, detailing their carnivorous diet and the fatal end they brought to many unsuspecting maidens, laying eggs within those they seduced.

Shaken, Cesar urged Dorothy away, unsettled by her innocent interaction with the creature.

"Goodbye, my love! I'll never forget you!" Dorothy called out, waving back at the goblin that was now desperately hitting the barrier, creating waves of cyan ripples.

Cesar, bemused yet concerned, steered Dorothy away, whispering, "You're too young for this heartache, especially over a goblin."

"But we're in love!" Dorothy protested.

"You don't even know her name!" he retorted.

"Her name is Celina!" Dorothy claimed defiantly, improvising.

Cesar could only shake his head in exasperation, guiding his spirited sister away from the complex feelings and potential dangers, back into the simplicity of their world.

"Stop your fussing, and brother will take you to see the void creatures—your favorite ones!" Cesar said, trying to pacify Dorothy, who lay on the ground in a mini tantrum. With an exaggerated eye roll, he dragged his sister to her feet.

"Really? Void creatures are here too? Do they have goldfish?" Dorothy asked, her voice rising in excitement.

"No goldfish, but they do have a void octopus, even rarer than a void goldfish," he explained.

"Let's hurry, then!" she exclaimed, a renewed spring in her step.

Void creatures were unique sea beings that had adapted over time, evolving the ability to float and meander through the air—enigmatic and fascinating entities. They weren't particularly rare; they floated everywhere in the sky. However, humans, being earthbound, seldom encountered them, only occasionally discovering remnants brought down by storms. Their dreamy essence didn't stem from their beauty or strangeness, but from their coveted ability to soar—something humans had yearned for throughout history. With the invention of airships, airplanes, and hot air balloons, humans had discovered and captured more of these creatures.

Dorothy had been smitten with a void goldfish the previous year during her transition to elementary school. Regrettably, someone else had purchased it before the Count could, leaving Dorothy with a longstanding disappointment. Now, the prospect of seeing a Void Octopus had her chattering excitedly.

"Why do void creatures float?" Dorothy queried, her eyes shining with curiosity.

"In the fourth-grade textbook, it mentions that they generate a sort of black sphere within their bodies, controlling gravity," Cesar began, delving into a detailed explanation. "This black sphere lets them float or land anywhere in the sky. Some advanced species even create a white sphere to control their speed, soaring at will. They don't need to land throughout their entire lives—they live and die in the sky."

"I wish I could float by implanting a gravity sphere in myself," Dorothy mused.

"That's impossible," Cesar replied. "Past experiments showed that only a few unique bloodlines could assimilate these spheres. Infusing a void creature's bloodline doesn't work either."

Dorothy, somewhat disheartened, glanced at the batwing pattern on her clothes. "Flying is exhausting. I can only glide for now."

"At least you can glide. I haven't even done that," Cesar retorted playfully.

"I'll take you flying next time!" Dorothy declared, thumping her chest in a gesture of assurance.

Laughing, Cesar waved off her offer, doubtful due to his weight. Their banter continued as they ventured through the exhibition, stopping at various enclosures to observe venomous snakes and blood bats. Despite Cesar's apprehension around these creatures, the snakes seemed inexplicably drawn to him.

Ultimately, they arrived at the 'Magic Palace Spiral Fly' enclosure. Something profound pulled them to a halt, a mysterious call resonating with their very essence.

"A fly?" Cesar muttered, scrutinizing the swarm of flies. Their presence wasn't threatening but strangely comforting—a feeling of inexplicable familiarity. He noticed Dorothy, usually so animated, silently observing the creatures with the same intense concentration.

The Magic Palace Spiral Flies, known for their aggressive carnivorous behavior, carried deadly toxins and thrived on living flesh. Despite their dangerous nature, Cesar felt an odd sense of security, an emotion he'd never associated with such menacing beings.

Drawn into this peculiar connection, Cesar gestured with his hand, and to his astonishment, the swarm responded, mirroring his movements. Dorothy, catching on, initiated her interaction, eliciting a similar response from a segment of the swarm.

"They're behaving just like when I control the blood bats," she whispered in awe.

Captivated, Cesar focused on the swarm, deciphering faint whispers that reached him. The urgent messages warned of lurking hunters and imminent danger. Overwhelmed by the intensifying voices, he grabbed Dorothy's hand, bolting towards the exit.

"What's wrong, Cesar?" Dorothy asked, alarmed by his sudden urgency.

"Just run! My head is pounding. We need to leave, now!" The distance from the swarm didn't alleviate the piercing whispers in his head, urging them to flee the danger.

As they neared the exhibition hall's exit, a collision jolted them—a tourist had crossed their path. With a painful 'oomph,' chaos ensued, underlining the urgency of the mysterious warning they'd received.

 "What's the matter little brother? Scared by what's inside?" A gentle voice entered his ears, a man with emerald-colored pupils, around thirty years old. He was ordinary-looking but kind-faced, with a unique affinity.

 "Ha, I'm really sorry for bumping into you, I was too scared just now and forgot to look at the road." Cesar, who was only thirteen years old, scratched his head and pretended to be cute with that tender little face.

 "It's okay, you're still young! This little girl is your sister?" The green-pupil man pointed at Dorothy behind Cesar, who had a timid expression.

 "That's right." The young Shadow Emperor patted the even younger Shadow Queen.

 "You're amazing, bringing your sister to the zoo at such a young age, don't your parents worry?"

 "They're just resting outside, letting us meet up over there after we're done strolling around." Cesar, who looked like a third-grade student, ghosted, "That, bye uncle!"

 "Bye!" The man waved his hand at Cesar, then blew out a breath without a trace. A handful of black dust circled the air a few times before quietly attaching itself to his and Dorothy's backs.

 "Treacherous thing!" Looking at Cesar's distant back, the man sneered.

 "What, you recognize it?" A crow descended from the sky and landed on the man's shoulder, opening his mouth to ask.

 "Hmph, what a coincidence, I didn't expect that just after arriving in Arkan City, I would run into Markas' children. Fourteen years and he already has two children, great, really great!" The man who walked towards the interior of the exhibition hall had a bone-deep hatred in his eyes.

 "Are you sure those are his children?" Raven asked suspiciously.

 "Still need to be sure? That stench is proof! Can't you see those two little things communicating with the flies? Silver Dust Holy Sword, I'm back, wait for the gift I've prepared for you!" The man gritted his teeth and said, "How did the business talk go?"

 "Those goblins are asking a high price, the creatures in the exhibition hall are at your disposal, only one technology is needed from you." Raven reported.

 "What a dream! These dwarves really think they have a hard backstage? How dare they negotiate with me. However, the things in here are indeed complete, many rare varieties from different continents can be found, they've really put in some effort!" The man looked at the creatures imprisoned within the rows of barriers and marveled, "How many kinds of contraband! I can't believe no one cares."

 "They also know it's impossible, so their tone is very low ... As for these things, Arkan is after all one of the largest cities in the empire, there's no way they'd ever get some trash to show off." Raven added.

 "Tell them, ten million dollars, I'll pick away ten materials, no negotiation. Also, I'll privately offer a million dollars to get me all the dust-carrying insects they have on hand, not a single one!" The man threw a piece of white paper to the crow and proceeded to walk towards the exit. On the way out, he revealed a nervous smile again, "Lord Earl, how should I greet you? So agonizing ah ... Right, let's start with those two little guys!"

 ...

 "Flies?" Sitting on the bus home, the extremely poorly mooded Cesar muttered.

 There were just too many things that happened today, first he was irritated by those magical creatures, which gave him a helpless gripping feeling. Afterward, before he could ease up much, he ran into that group of Demon Palace Flies that were inextricably linked to him. Then came a sense of extreme foreboding, as if his life from this moment onwards was sliding towards a dark abyss. Finally, he understood the language of those devil flies again, and was told that he was in danger and had to flee. Until now, his mind was still in chaos and seemed to be about to burst open.

 "Brother, are you alright?" Dorothy asked again, her eyes filled with worry.

 "Much better ...," Cesar leaned back in his seat and breathed deeply.

 "Was it those magic flies?"

 "Pretty much, what did you feel then?" Cesar pricked up his ears and waited for his sister's answer.

 "How can I put it, it was subtle and weird. If my body was a locker, it felt like a lock had been opened! Letting go of what ... before I wasn't sure what a 'gift' was, after all, I hadn't awakened it yet. But when I saw those magic flies, I suddenly felt a pain in the back of my neck, and there seemed to be a little something extra in my body that was definitely not a talent! At the same time that thing appeared, I also felt the yet-to-be-formed talent, which seems to be awakening this week!" Dorothy recalled carefully, not missing a single point.

 Hearing Dorothy's account, Cesar unconsciously touched his chest, the place where the 'blood nectar' was stored. Previously, he had only noticed the overwhelming sense of foreboding and the incessant whispers, and had not paid attention to the changes in his body. But after Dorothy's reminder, he recalled that his chest also ached for a moment, and a wave of something similar to the 'gift' was gestating in his chest, and it wouldn't be long before it was born.

 "This matter, tell father when you get home." Cesar, who didn't know anything about his own life, was completely unable to analyze the current situation, and could only wait for that filtered and simple answer from the Count.

 "Oh ..." Seeing that Cesar was unwilling to say more, Lori could only sit on the sidelines and obediently responded.

 "Dorothy, do you know what father is capable of? Has Nicole ever mentioned it to you?" After a long silence, Cesar spoke again.

 "Pops, huh? Mom seems to have mentioned that father is good with swords and seems to be able to manifest silver battle armor." Dorothy laboriously recalled, and with half a day's effort, she could only recall this much.

 "Any fly-related abilities?"

 "Nope!" Lori shook her head, stating that such a gentlemanly father would never get involved with something as dirty as flies, although she wasn't repulsed by those magic palace flies.

 "That's so... ..." faintly answered, Cesar fell back into contemplation.

 ...

 That night, Dorothy told the Count all about her experiences during the day, while Cesar selectively said a part of it and didn't reveal the unsettling premonition. This fact was so bizarre that he now thought back on it and felt that it was just an illusion he had created. But that kind of glance through the trajectory of life, see the endless darkness of the depressing feeling, but also real hovering in the heart.

 Hearing his children's complaints, the earl unconsciously furrowed his eyebrows and did not utter a sound. After pondering for a long time, he did not explain more, but let Cesar's siblings rest early. When the siblings were about to leave, the Earl stopped them again.

 "Well, there are some things that I didn't intend to hide. It's just that you guys are too young and shouldn't know too much, but it's time to tell you. Let me prepare myself, and I'll talk to you in detail after you two awaken your new talents. Cesar, you don't have to mess with your head, I'll tell you everything you need to know. Dorothy, get some early rest and study for the weekend, the exams are next week." Earl said.

 "Know ... what ... I know ...!" Hearing review and exam, Lori pulled a long face, like a female ghost like a ghost said.

 "Hahaha ...!" Seeing his sister's dead face, Cesar, who was only waiting to get his graduation certificate, was greatly relieved, and the melancholy that coiled around his heart dissipated. His own 'second talent' will be awakened in a few days, and by then all the mysteries will be cleared up.

 After the two siblings left, Nicole looked at Earl with a worried expression, "Dorothy that child ..."

 "You guessed right, it should be that. It's been thirteen years, I didn't expect to still be involved with them! This is the curse of the bloodline!" The Earl let out a deep sigh, then looked down at Nicole and pressed, "Your dad is really calculating, even I wasn't sure that Dorothy would turn out like this. Hmph, that was your purpose for contacting me in the first place, wasn't it?"

 "Would you believe me if I said it wasn't? Over the years, aside from the holidays and the family festivals that I had to participate in, did I ever bring Dorothy home? If I had known of my father's plans, would I have allowed Dorothy to stay home and be educated by you? I'm not sure what deal you had with my father in the first place, but I really hate him! I hate the whole 'Van Drew's'! Isn't the 'Silver Vein' behind you? If you can't trust me, send Dorothy there." Nicole replied coldly.

 "Don't mind if you do, I was a bit confused for a moment after suddenly exposing so many things. Looking back now, it seems like everything is not quite right. You go contact the teacher and tell him to hurry up and get here, it's time to add an insurance policy for Cesar and the others. Everything in this world is false, only power is real." The Count wrapped his arms around Nicole and comforted her.

 "It's Mr. Augustine?"

 "Uh-huh! It's time for him to see his grandson." The Count replied lightly, his eyes filled with regret and memories.