New Me

Edward sat beside Vulen's bed, sleeping on his crossed arms. Edward hadn't left his side for the past three months, even when Vulen's room smelled like the town's waste due to his body expelling poison. The school faced heavy scrutiny from parents and Aflair's community. No one could understand how a student was kidnapped from the school. It had never happened since its founding, but the voices and protests stopped abruptly when Vulen's social class was exposed. No one cared for the commoner. James caught wind of the news and as soon as his mission was finished, he went to check on Vulen who had not awakened. He relayed the message to Riggard using a carrier pigeon and he responded.

" We don't care for weaklings."

That was it. He had to leave for another mission, but he left a note of his own before departing. Vulen himself slept peacefully. His mind replayed the vision of Eowyn and Callon over and over again. Those faces made him feel warm inside. They were his parents in this dream and it felt good for somebody to love him unconditionally. In the real world, Vulen had outgrown his bed. His head was at the top and his legs dangling over the edges of the twin-size bed. His markings had started connecting like a large rune. His waist-length hair color was that of a bright moon. His shoulders were broader, his muscles were ripped and his abdomen looked hard enough to shatter rocks. The appearance of a child was long gone. His jawline was chiseled and defined. He'd also grown a bit of silver facial hair.

Though he slept the last three months, his mana core and body healed fully, but he didn't wake up until today. Edward went to get breakfast for himself and applesauce for Vulen. Vulen woke groggily soon after. With a few grunts and rubs of the eye, Vulen sat up against the headboard of his bed.

" Fuck my head hurts," he rubbed his temples, before stopping abruptly. He looked around the room for somebody else. His eyebrows furrowed.

' Whose voice was that?"

His room door opened and Edward's eyes went as wide as saucers.

" Aaagh!" Edward yelled.

" Aaagh!" Vulen yelled back and slapped his hand across his mouth.

" Is this my voice? Why is it so deep?" Vulen knitted his brow at Edward.

" You're awake!" Edward dropped the food, tackled him, and squeezed him hard enough to break. Vulen stared ahead blankly.

" What happened Edward?" Edward released the hug and tilted his head in confusion.

" You don't remember what happened to you." It was clear that Vulen hadn't lost his memory, but how could he forget something so traumatic?

As if reading Edward's mind, Vulen gripped his head in pain. His memory filled in what happened three months ago. Edward could see beads of sweat forming on his head and could hear his breaths become shorter and shorter.

" It's okay buddy! You're safe now." Edward rubbed his back to soothe him as his mother did him when he had panic attacks. " Breathe with me. Inhale slowly. Then Exhale."

Vulen copied Edward until his heartbeat steadied. Edward tried to look into Vulen's eyes to comfort him, but Vulen's pupils were erratic.

" I promise you're safe now. My broth- " Edward let out an awkward cough. " My brother didn't mean for it to go so far. He didn't want to kill you. I promise." The images of Noah flashed through his mind. He could see his broken bones and blood. He could smell the metallic scent of blood. Still, he kept breathing as Edward told him with his eyes closed. Vulen heard muffled sniffles from Edward and as his eyes opened, he saw Edward's glassy eyes shed tears. He had an idea why Edward was balling so. Vulen wrapped his arms around Edward like the woman in his dreams did him.

"Don't blame yourself, Edward." Vulen awkwardly rubbed his hands through Edward's hair, which didn't feel the same way it did when Eowyn did it to him.

"Uh Vulen, I don't swing that way." Vulen released him and the pair broke into a burst of loud laughter.

" I was just copying the woman in my dreams. It felt good when she did it to me."

Edward was curious. Vulen was already a weird case, but he knew how naive Vulen was.

" Who was this woman? Have you met her before?"

" Her name was Eowyn and she claimed to be my mother with a man named Callom claiming to be my father. The dream was realistic because the man looked like an older version of me."

Edward couldn't help but think his friend was a complete dumbass. " Did he look like this?" Edward pointed toward the window and Vulen got closer, his eyes grew wider.

" How did Callom get here!? How can you see him!?" Vulen raised his hand to point at his reflection and ended up staring at newly enlarged hands and arms.

"That's you, you big dummy. Look at yourself!"

Vulen took a good look at himself. His stocky short build was gone. His limbs were long and lanky, in direct contrast to himself months ago. He touched his light facial hair and goatee in admiration and turned to Edward with his mouth wide open and his eyebrows raised.

" I finally grew! That means my body is fixed. He got out of bed and immediately noticed how close he was to the ceiling and how far away his head was from his bed.

" I'm tall! I really do look just like the man in my dreams." Edward stood and their height difference was put on full display. Edward's head barely came to Vulen's collarbone.

Vulen let out a few chuckles and Edward gave him a look of defeat in return.

" Why the fuck are you so tall Vulen." Edward put his hand on the crown of his head and then into Vulens's body to measure his height.

" I don't know why." Vulen flexed his arm back and forth. " The only other elves I've seen this large were the ones in my dream."

Edward sighed." Vulen, bring your head to my level, please." Vulen bent over until he was head to head with Edward. Edward raised his hand and smacked Vulen on the back of the head.

" You idiot! Those are your parents. I pray to Drac that you start using whatever is in between your ears." Edward said while rubbing the bridge of his nose.

Vulen rubbed his stinging neck. "That's impossible! I never met my parents. How could I create them in my mind?"

Edward held back the urge to smack him again. " It's called repressed memories. They can resurface when someone is going through something traumatic and what you went through-"

Edward looked away. He could feel the tears coming back around.

"Look Vulen, tell me everything you saw in your 'dreams'." As Vulen spoke, Edward's jaw went lower and lower. Life on other planets was already theorized, but intelligent beings had come through a rift alive and unharmed! There was so much to take in. Vulen hailed from a strong royal house and was destined to be the next patriarch and it dawned on him that Vulen wasn't from this world. He wasn't even the same species of elf on this planet. Edward paced back and forth. Vulen was someone who was prophesied to become a god. Not just any god, but a god of death. He stopped his pacing and gave Vulen one good look. Vulen was going to be strong physically and from what he remembered of Vulen's weird interaction with Alton, his mana was probably special. Vulen was dangerous. Probably the most dangerous person alive, but Vulen was his sword.

"Listen here Vulen or Naralis." Edward put on his most serious face possible. " Don't ever speak of this to anyone else. Do you understand me? No one at all. Vulen, those are your memories. You are Naralis. You are royalty. Those weren't dreams."

Vulen deep down inside felt this, but he couldn't accept it. His parents were probably dead and his siblings would kill him if they had the chance. Learning his origins meant nothing. He had two friends who liked him and that is all that matters.

" Naralis Zinyra is a strong name. You should use it."

The sound of it stirred something in him. A presence in him, urging him to accept his past and it craved for more than that.

"Something is telling me I should. I'll use Vulen as my middle name." Edward gave him a grin which he returned. Their moment was ruined by the thunderous sound of Vulen's stomach growling.

" Let's get you some fries buddy." Edward gave him a light punch on Vulen's chest and they left for the cafeteria. Vulen couldn't distinguish the gazes students gave him. Some looked jealous. Others were surprised at his new self and women were oogling all over the place. Edward couldn't help but smile at how dense Vulen was.

" I see you eyeing everybody. Dude, you're sexy and tall as hell. The chicks dig it." He picked up some hashbrowns and sausage.

" Does it mean they like me?" Vulen picked up tons of french fries which made Edward giggle.

" Like is a strong word, but you could probably bang most of them with ease. Are you still a virgin? Edward tilted his head at Vulen." I don't usually judge, but no friend of mine will be womanless!" Vulen laughed.

" Yes, but I'm ready now. I feel weird around all of these beautiful women." Vulen's cheeks turned a couple of shades redder than usual.

Most seats were filled, so Vulen and Edward headed toward the least crowded one. The only people at the table were dragon-kin women. If Vulen didn't notice before, he noticed now.

' Women are sexy! Look at those bodies. Those lips. I can't wait until I-.'

Vulen's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Edward's snapping

" Vulen, stop staring at the women. We have important shit to discuss. My apologies Luna. My friend is suffering from the effects of puberty." He bowed his head slightly but was surprised when Luna got up to sit closer to Vulen.

Vulen and Luna stared at each other. Vulen could not help but search her body with his eyes. She smiled, exposing her long canine teeth. Luna's milk chocolate skin was smooth and creamy. Her horns curved up and out of wavy, platinum blonde hair. Her wide eyes were honey yellow, and her body pushed the school's uniform to its limits. Vulen could see how big she was sitting down. She was taller than Edward by a bit but didn't come close to him.

" Who's your friend here? I don't think I've ever seen him here." Luna and Vulen continued eye-sexing each other.

" This is Vulen. He finally finished puberty so he looks a bit different."

Luna's ears perked up. " The boy who was kidnapped and tortured by your brother? You look a lot different than people described, but silver hair and maroon skin are hard to miss." She giggled, but

Vulen stared daggers at her and then at Edward.

" Don't worry, elf. Edward and I are childhood friends and our families are close. I know everything. Maurice didn't mean for it to go that far."

Memories of his capture flashed in his mind. Edward could see the panic attack coming, but Vulen used Efward's breathing technique to calm down.

"Let's drop that subject, you wench. What do you want?" Edward eyed Luna who ignored him and focused on Vulen.

" As you know, Vulen was the talk among royal families. His blood holds special healing properties. I want to ask a favor from you Vulen." Luna got a bit closer Vulen could see her cleavage.

" What's in it for him?" Edward's tone held venom. He didn't tell Vulen about royal families wanting his blood. The only reason why Vulen wasn't bled dry now was because of Adam's protection.

" So protective of your sword Edward." She threw him a sly grin. " Vulen gets to do whatever he wants with my body. It's clear we both want it and I can see virgin all over him. He needs experience with women. Better I do it than someone from an opposing family taking advantage of his naivety."

" Your choice Vulen. I'll tell you if it's a bad deal."

" Oh, please. Are you still upset that you were a minute man with me?" Luna grinned and her friends giggled on the other side of the table. Edward frowned in embarrassment.

" Now you." Her eyes landed back on her prey. " My grandfather was poisoned and he's been sick for almost five hundred years." She leaned in and grabbed both of his hands. Vulen couldn't help but stare at her breast, but he tried his best to look her in the eyes.

" Please give him some of your blood. This may not even work, but you are currently our best bet. I promise that your reward is worth it. Just ask your vampire boy here."

" Is that okay Edward?" Vulen coughed out. He could barely talk with Luna so close to him. Her vanilla scent was driving him crazy.

"It's fine. Me and her grandpas are good friends and Alucard has been depressed without his drinking buddy."

Luna jumped up out of her seat." Let's go now!"

" Wait! I need to bring him to see father." Edward said.

Both of them looked to Vulen for answers, but he could only get out a few studders.

" Ehm. c-can I change my name first? And then I will heal her grandfather."

" Selling your friend out for vagina isn't cool, Vulen." Edward folded his arms like a disappointed father but he understood what was happening. Vulen needed to see the power of women.

Edward sighed. " Fine, but let's make this quick. I'm going to get in trouble when my pops find out that I haven't brought you to him."

The trio headed towards Mursha's office where the green beauty was knee-deep in papers.

"Sorry Ms. Mursha. Can I change my name?" Vulen asked. Mursha lifted her head and almost choked on her spit.

" Vulen!?" She eyed the boy in front of her like a piece of meat.

" That's me. I came here to change my name." Vulen sat in the chair in front of her desk.

" Changing your name is a serious thing. You could be a spy or fugitive from another city or country."

Mursha rummaged through her desk and pulled out a clear orb.

" This is an orb of truth. I'll ask you questions and if you tell the truth, it'll glow green. If not, It glows red and I kill you in front of your friends." She pointed toward Luna and Edward. She handed Vulen the orb and asked the standard security questions which Vulen passed.

" Why do you want to change your name? Mursha asked.

" My repressed memory showed me my true parents and they didn't name me Vulen, so I want to carry my family's name."

The orb glowed green which meant his dream or visions were true. He wasn't from this planet and he was royalty elsewhere. He didn't believe that he was a god, but everything else was true.

" What social class was your family in?" Vulen felt his heart drop and as he turned toward Edward, he saw that he didn't look much better than him. Edward gave him an up-and-down nod.

" Yes, they were royalty."

The orb flashed green once again and Mursha stared daggers into Vulen. There was no way he was royalty, but the truth orb can't be wrong. It was created by runic mana and the universe doesn't lie.

" Hand me your ID and fill out these papers."

As soon as he was done, Vulen handed Mursha the papers. She did something with her aura and transferred the information from the paper onto a gold ID card. She then pointed a copy gem toward Vulen, who was prepared for the flash. Minutes later, his ID was done and he was Now Naralis Vulen Zinyra.