"Do you agree, John?"
The question awoke the young man from his stupor, forcing him to look at the man by the side.
"Excuse me?" The boy blurted.
Smiling, Alaric repeated his words, "Would you mind taking a tour around the school with Hope? I'm sure she can help in convincing you about the good things you will experience enrolling here."
"No, not at all." The boy replied, retreating his gaze back to the girl.
"Good." Alaric nodded. "Then you two can go. I would recommend having breakfast first." He said, gesturing for them to shoo away.
"Ready to go?" Hope asked, standing by the door.
John nodded. "Ladies first." He gestured towards the door.
Hope's lips curled up slightly. Though for what reason the boy didn't know. "How gentlemanly." She said, walking out of the room.
Following her, John passed under the doorway before closing the door behind him, leaving Alaric alone in the office.
Things seem promising. The principal thought, opening a leather smile as he focused his eyes on the paperwork in front of him. Now, let's work.
…
"So… you will be the one to give me the tour."
"Yes, you bothered by it?" Hope asked over her shoulder, as she walked one step ahead of the boy.
"No, not at all." John replied, his words leaving his mouth a little quicker than usual. "I didn't even know I would be given a tour. I was just… surprised, that's it."
"I see. You weren't expecting it." Hope said, retreating her gaze to look forward. "I wasn't as well. I usually help with a few things related to the school, but Dr. Saltzman asking me to tour someone around is a first."
I know, the twins usually do it. John thought, taking two steps ahead to catch up to the girl. "Will that be a problem for you? I mean, you will probably lose some classes because of me, right?"
Hope glanced up at the boy for a moment. "Dr. Saltzman will solve these things for me." She returned her gaze forward.
… "And you? Are you bothered by giving me this tour?" John asked.
"Why the question?" Hope answered with another question. She continued walking without breaking her pace.
"Hm… you don't seem very 'enthusiastic'?" John replied, slowly.
"Quite the perceptive one, aren't you?" She said, raising her eyes to him. "I have nothing against you. It's just that I didn't expect to spend my morning this way. It's just not my thing."
"I see." John nodded, going silent for a few seconds. "Then, what is your thing?"
"Quite the curious one too, don't you?" Hope's tone was severe, but lacking any animosity. Just her usual response.
John chuckled at that. "A little."
At his response, Hope stole a glance longer at the boy, the very phantom of a small smile threatening to appear on her lips. "We'll have breakfast, then we'll talk, curious boy." Saying that, she fastened her pace a little.
"By your orders." The boy replied, following the girl to her destination.
…
A myriad of odors of freshly prepared food and the bustling of dozens of voices filled the dining hall of the Salvatore School early in the morning.
For a school with fewer students than any public one, the Dining Hall of the Salvatore School was at a minimum large. A dozen long tables were thoroughly organized in six rows and two lines, each side of the table having wooden benches capable of having at least a dozen students sitting on it in comfort.
Lined up, kids, teenagers, those who approached the date of becoming adults, all of them walked along the long metal trail where they rested and moved their plates, picking the food of their interest.
"You still didn't tell me what you did during…"
"I heard he is from…"
"Can't believe I lost 50 bucks on the…"
Dozens of conversations intertwined across the Dining Hall, the cacophony of voices making it difficult even for the young members of the supernatural society with an enhanced hearing to spot a specific voice amongst so many.
Fortunately, at the moment, no one had the desire to indulge in someone else's conversation. Right at this moment, those present wished to enjoy the beginning of their day with their friends, sharing about the trivialities or more secretive things of their lives before heading to one more day of studying and work.
But as one individual made her way through the Dining Hall's doors, the sum of the voices of the room toned down by a certain margin.
But as the next individual, following the girl, stepped into the room, certain conversations suffered a shift in their topics.
As he followed Hope, one step distant from the girl, John's eyes roamed every detail of the place, a little awed by the Dining Hall.
He was not only impressed by its size, comparable to that of a gymnasium, but also by the thick wood tables, wood he easily recognized as his father's table was also made of it – American Walnut. The same material was used for the sitting benches.
Both wooden furniture were of excellent work, carved beautifully and polished almost perfectly.
I wonder if the Salvatore Manor was this big or if they did more than some adjustments in the rebuild. John thought shallowly, stopping by the beginning of the line of the tray slide.
Getting his plate and cutlery, John turned to Hope who was ahead of him in the line. "Are we allowed to serve ourselves only once or as many times as we can?"
"As long as there is food available, you can eat as much as you want." Hope replied, putting on her own meal. "I've never seen us run out of food at any meal, so I think you won't have a problem there."
"I see, thanks." John said.
Quietly, Hope nodded her head in recognition of his words.
Walking along the line, John observed the options ahead of him. And deep inside, he appreciated the food with his eyes, also savoring the odors through his enhanced sense of smell.
The food looks amazing. Though I don't feel hungry, I'm eager to eat something after more than one day without food. John thought, picking up some bacon and putting it on his plate. Now I am wondering, can I reproduce taste in my world as well? He silently wondered, following the line. He stopped for a moment to pick up a few fried eggs.
While he put the pieces of food onto his plate, John's ears perked up when the whispers of a distant conversation reached him.
Abomination… Among the words the wind carried, this was the one his mind highlighted.
And more soon followed. Must… the… ter's idea.
Though some words were lost or muffled by the cacophony of other voices scattered across the room, their entirety was clear to guess. Even more so when the words were directed at John's way. Or more exactly, the person standing by his side.
Taking a peek at Hope from the corner of his eyes, John observed no reaction at all from the girl. Not even a flinch or the blink of her eyes.
She is hurt. But even if nothing resurfaced on her expression, the young man could tell how she felt.
I guess it's better to say nothing for now. Let's… make her open up or get herself to ignore it. Was the boy's conclusion, and seeing the girl's next actions, he knew how to begin.
"Oohh… Coffee." John cheered at the sight of the hot drink, looking at Hope preparing a mug of coffee for her.
Taking a look at him, Hope grabbed one more mug. "Here." She handed it to him. "I will be heading to my table. Will you still put something else on your plate?" She eyed his plate, or more exactly the small mount of food in it.
"Just one more thing." The boy said, getting a slice of cake. It had no cream or filling, a cake to not weigh in the stomach during the next few hours, perfect for breakfast.
"I should've guessed you are the type to eat so much." Hope said, conscious of the boy's size.
John smiled at her comment. "Where do we sit?" He asked.
"Follow me, there is a table which only I use." Hope said, walking away with her plate. The boy followed her accordingly.
Crossing the Hall, Hope and John found themselves by the tip of one of the tables in one of the room's corners. Or more exactly, one located nearby the room's entrance, to the left of it.
Seeing Hope sit down on this corner of the hall, where no one sat around it, John sighed internally. Well, she was not someone of many friends before the start of the series.
"Hm… is it too much to ask if you have any friends who will sit with us?" John questioned, though he already knew the answer.
"For the best or worst, no." Hope answered, her tone casual – nonchalant even.
However, looking at the girl, John could feel it – even see it – a tinge of sadness escaping her.
I think more of them are awakening. John thought, experiencing things he wasn't accustomed with. Let's turn it off for a moment. It's bothering.
Holding down her cutlery, Hope looked up at John. "Will you sit down or keep standing up like that?" The girl asked, slightly bothered by the boy staring down at her as she prepared to eat.
Putting his plate down on the wooden table, John sat down on the wooden bench, sitting opposite to the girl.
With a certain delicacy to her movements, Hope ripped open a sugar pack she brought along, pouring it down into her coffee. "So, Dr. Saltzman told me you were new to this, to this side of the world. Alongside touring you around the school, he also asked me to explain a little bit of how the supernatural society works."
Right to the point, hm? "Okay, thanks for that." John replied, cutting a piece of bacon. "Then, what do you have to explain to me?" He asked, sticking his fork into the piece he cut and bringing it to his mouth.
Hope, mixing the sugar into the coffee with a small spoon, promptly replied. "Let's get started with something basic: What species exist and their origins."
That is, the history of your family. John thought. If not for the bloodbaths and betrayals right and left coming with it, it sure would be cool as hell to have the blood of two species' progenitors running in your veins.
"Nowadays, the supernatural society is mainly divided into three species. Witches, werewolves and vampires. There are others, but these three sum up 99.9% of the supernatural beings." She took a sip from her coffee, giving off a satisfied smile at the taste.
Sip. "What species are you?" John asked, putting down his mug of coffee. But then he thought of something. "If my question was too rude, forget it."
"No problem in it." Hope said, pursuing her lips. "I am a witch." She replied.
"Should've guessed so. I can sense a little bit of magic flowing out of you."
"Sense? Don't you mean see?" Hope asked, raising her fork to her mouth.
"I guess Dr. Saltzman told you a little about me."
"Hum, He told me you could see magic." Hope did not deny, cutting a piece of food from her meal. "Is it true?" She asked, taking a bite of her food.
"It is." John nodded. "Though regarding you, I still haven't taken a look at you."
At the mutter of the boy's words, a sparkle of curiosity ignited in Hope's eyes. "How does it work? Seeing magic?"
"It's cool. It's an effect of one of my abilities. Technically, I can't see only magic. But every energy."
"You can see every energy?" Hope widened her eyes a little, slightly awed by the boy's words. "Literally?"
"Well, mayyybe I'm exaggerating regarding every energy, I don't know. But I sure can see a lot of them." Turning his head, John pointed out to one of the room's corners, where a security camera was located. "There, for example. I can perfectly see many things in and around that camera. The electrical current powering it, the heat dispersed around it like a fog, small sparks of energy surging within it – which I have the faintest idea of what it is – and rapid bursts of electricity going out of it, like a swarm of fireflies compressed down into a cable, traveling along it." Yep, my senses are definitely improving with the input of energy.
Hope listened attentively to every word said by the boy. Her usual nonchalant, unapproachable posture was fading away as curiosity consumed her mind. "And what do you see when looking at magic?"
"What I see… in a few words, there is no pattern in magic." John shortly replied. "Which makes a lot of sense, actually." He added, taking hold of his mug of coffee.
Hope raised her eyebrows "How so?"
"I don't know how you real witches perceive magic, but-" The boy wiped some droplets of coffee from the corner of his lips. "-from my perspective, I always thought that magic would be something random – natural. Something you couldn't perceive a pattern in."
Hope nodded, continuing to eat her meal while indulging in the conversation. "Not exactly far from what is our general view of magic."
"Hm, if it's not a big secret, can you share with me this view later?" John asked.
"Sure." Hope easily agreed. "After you tell me of your perception of magic. And then I will continue my explanation of the supernatural society."
John readily agreed by nodding at the girl. "Sure, no problem." Taking a napkin, the boy calmly cleaned off a portion of food resting by the corner of his mouth. "Okay… what I will say might sound obvious, but magic is everywhere. And the way I see it is like our world is engulfed by it."
Hope had just finished chewing on her food when listening to the boy's introducing words to the subject. "Explain." She said, putting her free hand over her mouth to cover it.
At the girl's sign to continue, a quiet eagerness started to slowly take over John's expression. He admitted to himself it was quite enjoyable to share what he was also experiencing for the first time with someone else.
"Think of every magic present in our world – everything of it – as an ocean." Some hand gestures were made by the boy for him to express what only he had seen. "That's how I see it. A colossal ocean overlapping with our world. Every place, every corner and creek, is drowned in magic."
Led by the boy's detailing, Hope started to imagine the scenery. "I can imagine what you are describing…" She muttered, digesting the idea presented by him.
Across the table, observing the subtle changes in the girl, the weak but surging show of interest, the boy's lips naturally curled up in quiet happiness. "Magic is something really interesting to observe. Even if my contact with it has been very short, I've been experiencing great joy just by studying it little by little. Slowly learning the intricacies and laws involving it." John said, the words flowing out of his mouth carrying a softer tone from before.
And even if preoccupied by her own imagination, the change in the boy's own intonation was subtly noticed by Hope, who had her own curiosity ignited by the boy expressing his passion.
"It seems… interesting to look at." Hope twisted the fork in her hand against the meal while murmuring these words.
Having his eyes on Hope, catching a little of emotion slipping through the girl's barriers, the young man thought of something.
"Do you want to see it?"
The words halted the girl's actions, her hand with the fork hanging midair. "See it?"
"Yep." John nodded.
"You mean seeing magic?" Hope required confirmation again.
"Yes, Hope." John chuckled at her reaction.
Reconfirming, Hope let a drop of her expectancy slip through her. "How?"
John smiled. "That I don't know."
Almost immediately, Hope's expression fell. After the boy's words, she looked at him incredulously at his suggestion."How can you not know when you proposed the idea?"
John shrugged his shoulders. "You are the witch. You won't tell me there isn't a spell that can connect two people's sight, right?"
When about to reply, Hope halted in her words. The boy's reply enlightened her.
"There is one." She said after a quick check through her known spells. "A few, actually."
John took hold of his mug of coffee, a smirk painting his face. "If you want, we can try it. Just give me a heads up." He said, drinking the remnants of his hot drink. "Now, however, it's your turn to tell me a few things."
These words reminded Hope she still had much to explain to the young man sitting across her.
Unconsciously, I lost myself in this conversation. Hope thought, exhaling to clear her mind. "Where were we again…" She murmured to herself, quickly remembering from where she should continue. "Right, the witches' view of magic – It isn't wrong to say the same insight we have today is the same as thousands of years ago: Magic is a force of Nature. While it is an aspect by itself, it is also a part of Nature."
"Nature?" John thought out loud, truly curious of what Hope could answer to him. Despite him already having much knowledge of this world, there was a genuine curiosity from the boy's part that wished to learn more about this environment from someone who lived in it their whole lives.
"Correct." Hope nodded at the boy's remark. "At the same time you can call it Nature, you can also call it World, Universe, Destiny – however you want."The words coming out from Hope's mouth were laced in an unmistakable sentiment of hopelessness and mockery. "Believe it or not, Magic has a sort of regulating force.
"Oh, I believe in it." John replied quickly, "After learning about the truth of my life, hardly will I not consider any possibility that my mind might think about." Never shall I not be entertained with Infinity within my reach. The boy smiled at his thoughts.
And Hope, noticing the sign of joy from the boy, frowned her brow in wonder. What is so funny?
"So, the world has a Will, which decides things and all…" John asked, casually. There are a few examples out there. The boy monologued internally. Gaiafrom Nasuverse is a good example. But when comparing both – Gaia and Nature – it is rather obvious the former is more complete, or rather wholly, and active than Nature. It operates and interferes in ways beyond Nature. Mid-way through his train of thought, John slightly squinted his eyes at an idea. Damn, now I am wondering how things would go out if Nature decided to create a Primate Murder of sorts to take down all supernatural creatures going against its laws. It sure would be a change from it acting so subtly – adding disadvantages to work as a counter-weight to the many advantages the supernatural have.
While partially lost in thought, Hope commented on the boy's words. "I think 'deciding' is not the best word to describe it." She said, putting down the cutlery by the sides of the plate. "'Reacting' is a more fitting word."
Slowly, John dragged his whole attention back to the girl. "And what would be the difference between them in this case?"
Hope had her arms crossed beneath her chest. "Deciding means you thought about the events which unfolded and came up with a solution to it," She reached her hand out to her mug of coffee. "while reacting is something more primitive. You don't think, you act based on your instincts." She took a sip from her drink, staring at the remainder of the drink in the bottom of her cup. "Believe in me, if Nature had the power to decide, the world would be extremely different."
"You talk like you are sure of that." John replied, eyeing the girl attentively.
Noticing his observant eyes, Hope smiled, a little mischievously even. "Maybe I do." She said, raising her mug to drink the rest of her beverage.
"Well, now I'm curious." John commented. "How different do you think they would be?" He questioned, trying to lean on his back when he suddenly remembered he was sitting on a bench, almost falling back.
Almost spectating the young man falling, Hope muffled a laugh which also almost made the coffee do the reverse way. "Urgh, I just know they would be different." She said, quickly reaching out for a paper to wipe away the droplets of coffee that slip by the corner of her mouth.
"If you say so, I'll be waiting for an answer some day." John joyfully said, leaning over the table with his elbows. "So to kill my curiosity, how about we go back to our topic and you tell me about werewolves and vampires. I want to know how much of the fiction is true."
Hope smiled in amusement. "If you watched Twilight, then you are going to be disappointed."
John exaggeratedly widened his eyes. "Are you telling me vampires don't twinkle under sunlight? Booring." He took his hand to his chest, complimenting his act.
The young man's antics earned a small laugh from the girl. "No, they-"
Overlapping with their voices, everyone present in the dining hall saw themselves forced to halt their words to hear the soft voice echoing through all corners of the Salvatore School.
"Attention, students. 5 minutes for M1."
"Attention, students. 5 minutes for M1."
"Attention, students. 5 minutes for M1."
After repeating the warning three times, the voice ceased, dying out slowly across the school. And following it, the calm and quiet dining hall erupted again. The sound of students rushing to stand up to their feet and the sole of their shoes hitting the wooden tiles of the floor rapidly took over the room.
Observing everything calmly, John turned to Hope. "I guess this is better than a bell." He muttered, looking around at the sound boxes attached and spread through the ceiling.
"A normal school bell wasn't fit for us." Hope said.
"Because of vampires and werewolves?"
"Yes." Hope affirmed. "Sometimes, enhanced senses suck."
You sure know. "I see." John replied in understanding. "Now that breakfast is over, what do we do?" Seeing everyone leaving the dining hall and having also finished his meal, John was curious about the next step of this tour.
"I will continue the explanation along the way." Hope replied. "Do you have any place in particular you wish to visit first? Classrooms, Gymnasium, -"
"Library." John didn't let her list all the options before replying. "I want to take a look at the library." He repeated, strongly.
Seeing the enthusiasm of the boy, Hope smiled in agreement. "Sure, we can go there." She said, slowly getting up from the bench. "Along the way, what do you want to hear first, vampires or werewolves?"
"It can be werewolves." John answered, copying her movements.
Hope, who was closer to the room's exit, patiently waited for the boy to get by her side so she could start walking.
"I think you will be surprised about the origin of werewolves. Vampires as well too." Hope said, approaching the Dining Hall's doors. "To begin with, werewolves were created around 1500 years ago by a native american witch living in the area which in present days is New Orleans, Louisiana."
John pushed open the doors, permitting Hope to go ahead first. "Created?" He asked, feigning his ignorance.
"Hmh." Hope nodded. "From the tales, the witch was powerful. Extremely so. And her tantrums threatened the safety of the village. So, for the betterment of their lives, the villagers – including her relatives – hunted the witch down with magic of their own and wolves. And successfully, they captured her."
"Let me guess, they killed her."
I wish. Hope murmured inwardly. "Not completely – her death was temporary. But at that moment, when everyone thought she was dying, herself included, her rage erupted." Despite her own sentiments attached to the figure of the story, Hope's words were calm and slow to pass on the tale. "Emotions are a powerful fuel for magic. And to someone already so powerful, the anger worked beautifully for her to cast one of greatest feats seen in the history of magic. Looking up at the Full Moon bathing her death, she condemned her tribe. For as long as they lived, they should become the beasts they used to hunt her every once a month. And the Full Moon would act as the Enforcer of that punishment. And so, for the first time in history, werewolves were born."
It seems equal to what I know. One less change I have to worry about. John thought. "I see, so vengeance and anger are the reasons behind the werewolves' creation. Not so much different from Lycaon, I guess."
Hope raised her eyebrow slightly at the boy's comparison. A little surprised for him to know the myth. "You think? For me there is a huge difference." She said.
"And what are they?" John questioned.
"Lycaon and his sons deserved what happened to them for their cruelty. The villagers, whatsoever, only did what was necessary to protect their people." Hope replied, casually. "They didn't deserve the fate of having their bones breaking every full moon and losing their mind to primal instinct."
Listening to her, John nodded in comprehension. "Makes sense." He said. "I guess then the only similarity between the two stories is that the witch and Zeus are both suckers."
"Pft!" Hope's lips failed in containing her laugh. "Hahaha, I guess you can say that, haha!" The girl's expression lightened up throughout her laughter.
"Hahah." Though reserved in comparison, the young man laughed together with the girl.
And while their laughs echoed through the corridors, the young man had his eyes briefly locked on the girl's expression. Because at that moment, it seemed the world centered around her smile.
She is really beautiful.
…
In the now silent environment of the Salvatore School, two pairs of steps echoed loudly when two teenagers approached their destination.
Stopping beneath the entrance's archway, Hope looked up to the boy. "Welcome to the Stefan Salvatore Library." She announced, opening her left arm in a gesture to refer to the place. "I bet you didn't know it had a name when you invaded it last night."
Listening to her words, John forced out a smile. "It seems Principal Saltzman told you even that."
"He did." Hope confirmed, walking into the library. "Alongside everything else."
One step behind her, John raised his eyebrows in curiosity. "Everything, you say." At the end of his words, he looked around the place, noticing only one presence besides theirs.
"Yes." Hope replied. "Including that you are immortal." She stated, turning around to face him.
"Well, that's what my mother told me, and I believe in her. So…" He opened his arms. "Behold, I am an Immortal." He jokingly said.
A smile reactively appeared on the girl's lips in response to the boy's small antic. "Yeah, you are." She said, getting closer to the bookshelves.
As they approached the bookshelves, the pair of youngsters naturally also approached the only person in the library besides them. The said person was arranging some books on the shelves closer to the entrance.
The person was a man, of black skin, short hair and brown deep eyes adorned his face. He owned an average height and it would be assumed his physique was of athletic nature by the toned exposed forearms and straight posture.
When the sound of the steps got closer to him, the man wearing a formal light blue shirt and black pants turned around to meet his visitors, acknowledging their presence.
"Hello, Mr. Williams." Casually, Hope greeted the man.
"Hello, Hope." The man returned the girl's greetings, but his eyes lingered shortly on the girl before resting on the young man by her side. "New student?"
To confirm the man's suspicions, John smiled his way. "Name is John." The boy said, reaching his hand out towards the man.
Momentarily looking at the hand, the man reached out his right hand, taking hold of the young man's. "Dorian Williams." His words were followed by a shake of his hand.
"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Williams." John said, slowly retreating his hand when feeling the man's grip loosening.
Seeing both men had introduced themselves, Hope chimed back in the conversation. "John, Mr. Williams is our librarian. So if you come up to study here and have some trouble looking for any book, he is the person you should look for."
"I see." John expressed his understanding.
"As Hope said, if you need anything, feel free to call my name. I'm here to help." Dorian added, picking up a few books he had by the side. "Do you guys need anything now or are you just passing by?"
Not so subtly, John looked at Hope, waiting for her approval to ask.
Noticing the look, Hope nodded. "We have a curious one here, Mr. Williams."
"I guess so. Alaric told me he invaded the library." Dorian said, smirking at the idea.
"Everybody knows that now?" John asked loudly, a sigh escaping from him.
Dorian patted the boy on the shoulder. "Well, I got a good laugh out of it when Alaric shared the news with us, staff. So tell me, what are you looking for?" He said, putting some of the few books in his hands on one bookshelf nearby.
"Hm… Hope has been telling me the origin of the supernatural species. What do you have about them?" John asked, observing Dorian.
Listening to the boy's words, Dorian halted in his actions and very subtly and briefly took a glimpse at the girl now standing behind the boy.
Hope, having her concentration in the conversation, didn't miss the librarian's actions and had a faint idea of what he meant by that. In response, she just nodded with her head on his way.
However, the actions, no matter how subtly they were done, were still perceived by John's senses. For the simple reason the actions of the librarian seemed to last longer than normal in the young man's eyes.
Giving a quick thought over the topic presented, Dorian set his eyes away from the shelf in front of him. "About 'Species' Origins', we'll have a few examples." He said, stepping away from the bookshelf and setting his gaze on the entirety of the library, thinking over where would be what he was searching for before setting out to it.
The librarian only took a few steps to stand before the bookshelf containing what he searched for. And quickly, his fingers trailed over the dozens of books before stopping on a specific one.
Making the action of grabbing it and retrieving the book from the shelf, Dorian now held a book covered in leather. "Here." He said, reaching his hand with the book towards the young man who followed him.
Not having any scrupulous, John grabbed the book and gave a quick read over the words carved on the brown leather-cover. 'The Three Pillars of the Supernatural World'. He muttered inwardly, holding the item with great care. It's not a book which will teach me how to create a fireball or summon a treant, but it's something. He thought, raising his eyes from the book to the man standing before him. "Thanks, Mr. Williams."
"No problem, kid." Dorian said. "Will that work for now?"
"Yes."
"Then if you'll excuse me, I've gotta go back to work." Dorian said, walking away from the two teenagers to continue his daily routine of work.
After watching the man walk away for a second, John turned around to face Hope and raised the book in front of him. "Look what I got." He smiled broadly, showing the book to her.
"He, you look like a kid who just got their favorite toy." Hope commented, her eyes lingering on the book for a moment.
"That's not far from that." John said, taking a look at one of the available studying tables in the center of the library. "How about we take a look at the book and then continue the tour?"
"I can't think why not." Hope said, following the boy by his side.
When heading down to the center of the library through the small staircase connecting both levels, John couldn't help but notice something along the way.
They were a few boxes, with frames of wood but faces of glass to showcase what was within the boxes.
And just as soon as John set sight to the items within one of the chests of glass, they captured his attention.
"Is that a diary?" John asked, bowing down a little to have a better look at the item.
Approaching to see which item John was looking at, Hope confirmed the boy's guess. "Yes. More precisely, Stefan Salvatore's diary from 1898."
Listening to that name again, John let out a hum of curiosity. "I guess I'll need to know who this guy is for him to have a library named after him and his diary exposed in it." He said, feigning his ignorance of who Stefan Salvatore was with certain ease.
Also, while inspecting the old book, he took a very quick peek at all the chests of glass he could see around the library, but what he looked after was not present apparently.
Maybe it is in their archives or something like that? John thought, listening to Hope's words of explanation.
"He was one of the two Salvatore brothers who lived here, before the school was established." Hope paused for a second. "A few years ago, a certain event took place in Mystic Falls, and Stefan Salvatore died. His brother, Damon, donated the building to Dr. Saltzman and Mrs. Forbes. And thus, the school decided to name the library after him in his honor."
"I see…" John muttered in comprehension, his eyes still glued to the diary. "Then he must've been a vampire, right? To have lived this long."
"How else do you think he would be able to have written a diary from the 19th century and having died just less than a decade ago?" Hope rhetorically asked, smirking. "His brother Damon still lives in Mystic Falls. As far as I know, he is married to Mr. Jeremy's sister."
"Seems like a huge gossip." John commented, slowly straightening his posture. "Who is the Mrs. Forbes you mentioned?"
"The school's former Headmistress. Dr. Saltzman replaced her a few years back when she set out to travel around the world in search of more students." Hope promptly replied.
Or more exactly, to find a cure for the Gemini Curse. But I guess not many know that by now. John thought, looking away from the box. "Must be nice." He said. "Come on, let's grab a table. Actually, you wouldn't have a studying table reserved only for you, right?" A teasing tone laced around the boy's words.
"No. There are too few of them to claim one as my own." Hope denied the possibility. "However, I have one I prefer to use." She added, resuming her walk.
John, meanwhile, had an expression saying 'really?' over his face while walking behind her.
And when reaching said table, a hopeless smile printed on the young man's face. "I think I'm starting to understand you, Hope Mikaelson." John said, also approaching the table located in the most isolated corner of the library.
Listening to his words, Hope turned around to face the boy. "Really? And what did you understand about me?" A smile graced her lips.
"You are a lonely girl." He casually replied.
The girl stifled a laugh. "Well, well, we have a Sherlock Holmes here." The smile on Hope broadened in amusement. "Come sit down, detective. Or do you prefer to read on your feet?" She pulled up a chair for her to sit.
John did the same for him, sitting opposite to the girl as he placed the book on the table. "Do you like him, Sherlock Holmes?" He asked, adjusting himself on the chair meanwhile.
The question was far from having any relation to what they were previously talking about. Nonetheless, Hope wasn't bothered to respond. "Unfortuantely, I've never read his novels. And you?"
"Neither." Replied the boy. One thing I have to look up later is what movies, series, etc from my world also exist here. I must be careful to not spit out something that never was created in this world. Storing this idea for later, the young rested his hands over the book's leather-cover, but not intending to open it yet. "Then, what do you like?"
Hope tilted her head to the side. "I guess we are changing topics." She calmly commented, intertwining her fingers in front of her while she rested her elbows on the wooden surface.
"Is that a bad thing?"
"No." Hope slowly shook her head. "But how about we continue on the order we were following and finish up this first?" She tapped on the book with her finger, a casual smile hanging on her lips.
But a casual smile that the young man seemed to take notice of something different lurking behind.
Strange. Was the boy's thoughts on what he noticed. Or better yet, on what he felt looking at the girl.
Everything on her was the same. Her eyes, smile, posture – nothing changed on the surface. Even then, the young man's new senses tried to tell him something was different.
That's great. Dryness was laced around the young man's thoughts. I turn off my empathy and I become unable to read someone. An almost pitiful smirk appeared on John's lips.
Keeping a calm facade, the boy slid his fingers underneath the book's cover, opening it while staring at the girl.
"Since we already concluded the part of witches and werewolves, I guess only vampires are left." Hope said, stating the obvious.
John listened to her suggestion and weakly nodded, leafing through the first few pages. Not much time was needed for him to find the book's summary, to know what exact page he should look about.
And when his eyes read the title written over the page, John found himself musing over an idea. It's possible.
"The Origin of Vampires: The Mikaelson Family…" He read loudly, more than enough for Hope to hear his words. "Mikaelson – Isn't that your surname?"
"It is." Hope said, but not adding any other word to her phrase. And that seemed enough for anyone to start thinking a little more about it.
With his eyes lingering on her for a moment, John proceeded to browse through the book's soft, yet not slippery pages. He was heading towards the page he found on the summary, keeping an eye on the lower outer corner of the paper so as not to skip over it.
Hope silently waited for the boy to reach the page he looked after, observing the movements of his fingers with her chin resting on the palm of her right hand. She was strangely calm, serene even.
Page 54. When John found the page he was looking after, the itch on the back of his head that had stopped returned for a lingering moment. Yeah, I'm guessing I know what my senses are trying to tell me.
Taking a quick look at Hope and seeing her looking back at him with a gentle smile, John retreated his eyes back to the book.
"This species," He started reading. "is possibly the most influential creation by humanity's hands. But not because of their strength, used to guide wars into outcomes not expected. Not because of their compelling, used to make humanity forget things they were not ready to see. Nor it was because of their bestiality, which we use to remind ourselves that deep down there are monsters in us. The greatest achievement of this species was none other than it presenting for humanity the possibility every dreamer sought after – Immortality." These were the first words typed on the yellowish white page, right under the bold title of this chapter: The Origin of Vampires.
What a grand first paragraph. John thought, his eyes lowering to read what was written below. "The Vampiric Species' creation dates back to more than one thousand years ago, on lands nowadays known as Mystic Falls…" The boy momentarily stopped his reading. "Wait, isn't that the town close by?"
"It is." Hope casually confirmed.
"That's so cool!" John exclaimed.
"Is it?"
"Of course! It's the birthplace of an entire species! It's like knowing the exact location where the first homo sapiens was born." John attempted to explain his enthusiasm. "Don't you think that's amazing?"
Hope shrugged her shoulders. "I don't see much in it. Though I think I can understand your excitement."
Maybe it's because in your point of view, that's just the place you've spent half your life and where your father and uncles were born. Nothing more. John thought, retreating back to the book while saying nothing else.
"More than a millennium ago, Europeans from northern regions – Vikings – had arrived on these lands, fascinated by a world they thought to have discovered. Their surprise came when people, of different appearance; religion and culture, showed up around their newly established settlements. They were the owners of these lands, the natives of this world…" There was no rush in John's voice as he recounted loudly the words printed before him.
His tone was steady, and his expression was slightly brightened by the story he read. Even if he had knowledge of what happened, of truths even the writer of the book had no idea about, there was still a small excitement rising in the boy's heart that made itself appear on his face.
And as he read, Hope casually watched him. The right corner of her lips slightly curled up as she observed the young man with a tinge of curiosity.
Tick… Tack…
Across the library, an old pendulum clock hanging on the northern wall made itself constantly present by the echo of its clicks.
Seconds, minutes went on. And throughout these moments, the young man would sometimes have his face raised to face on the girl sitting opposite of him.
By the time they were approaching the mark of almost 10 minutes since they sat down, John slowly put down the book, closing it as he lifted his head to meet Hope's eyes.
"So… you are Klaus Mikaelson's daughter." John muttered, keeping an impassive expression. "The Original Hybrid himself."
"Or others like to call him, 'The Great Evil'." Hope said, subtly nodding her head. "Yes, I'm his daughter." She calmly added, not hiding away from the truth.
"And your uncles are the first vampires of the world."
"Exactly."
"Holy shit!" John shouted, his eyes beaming. "That's incredible!" He added, having to hold his voice down when remembering he was in a library. Even if only three people were present – including himself.
How the boy expressed himself made Hope blinked. Not once, but twice.
She stared at him, then down at the book. "To which page did you read?"
"67." John replied.
Ignoring the fact the boy read more than a dozen pages of a very detailed and descriptive book in ten minutes, Hope once again stared at him. "Then you read about some actions of my father, right? How he was perceived by others. How he was known as the Great Evil of the world." She accented her words, the ones she wished for the young man to focus.
"Yeah, I just read the book." John nodded.
Hope widened her eyes slightly, and her posture seemed to deflate a little.
Seeing the changes, John's lips curled up. "What did you expect?" He casually let out his curiosity, crossing his arms over the table.
A short silence followed before the girl decided to reply.
"…The same." Hope said, murmured to be more exact. "The same treatment I always get when people know more about me."
"I see…" John said. "Care to tell me why?"
"Why… why is there always a need to be a 'why'?" Hope muttered. "Can't we always just act that way because of no reason?"
"Sure, we can think like that if you want." John said, letting the silence sink in again.
…
No one moved, no one talked. John just casually watched the girl in front of him. Accepting her answer.
The silence, often peaceful, at this moment was bothersome.
"You are infuriating." Hope broke the silence.
"My friends used to tell me the same sometimes." John smiled in response, and reminiscence.
"Huf…" Air escaped from Hope's lungs through her nostrils. "I wanted to fasten things." She said, "Skipping social interactions, so you could join the rest of the school in ignoring my existence."
John leaned back on the chair. "You wanted me to hate you?"
"Hate is a strong word." Hope said. "I just wanted you to act like the others. Have pity, contempt, distaste for my existence."
That's some low self-esteem. "Strange for you to wish for me to act like the others. As far as I could tell, you were upset by the words from those girls in the dining hall."
Hope blinked. "You heard?" She questioned.
"I did." John confirmed. "It seems contradictory to me for you to hate it so much and just want me to be like them."
The corner of Hope's lips curled up. But it was no act of joy, but a depreciating one. "You would be like them in no time. Everyone is."
… Okay, that's hurtful. "You think I would hate you due to who your father was? Or your family? Sorry, but I can't."
"Everyone can. My family is like the mix of history's greatest sociopaths." Hope said, trying to force the idea.
"You are right, your family did unspeakable things." John didn't try to deny that. "A short passage of the book reveals how many historical tragedies happened because of your family. Villages were massacred and cities burned. But by the end," He opened the book once again, right at the last page he read. "even the author attempts, even if remotely weakly, to show his respect for all the atrocities your family did. For you."
…
Once again, the silence was welcomed between both teenagers.
"And you think it is okay to do it? Commit so many sins for something as family?"
Slowly, very calmly, the boy nodded his head. "I always saw myself as someone… protective of who I love. Always imagining the things I would do if a loved one of mine suffered some injustice. And by the end of every mental simulation, I always end up thinking – I would do it. Despite the guilt of the thought of destroying other lives for the sake of someone I love, I would do it." A light smile tucked John's lips. It is strange to say this, for your family taught me a little bit of this concept of "Family".
"So… lonely girl," John got her attention. "even if you want to push me away, sorry, but you can't use your family for that." He added to his prior words.
Staring at the young man, her eyes slightly narrowed, Hope couldn't help but contemplate about the boy before her. "And what if I just want you to be away from me?" Through her question, her expression remained impassive.
"Sorry, but I took a liking to you. You'll have to suffer from my company." John helplessly said, shrugging his shoulders.
Hope, seeing the answer of the young man, casually nodded. "I guess there isn't much I can do."
"No, there isn't, werewitchire." John said, laughing.
Hope tilted her head to the side, blinking into surprise. "What did you call me?"
"Werewitchre." John replied. "Since, you know… the book here says you are the first speciesmen holding the active bloodline of all three species."
"You gave me a nickname?" Hope asked.
John nodded. "Yes."
For exactly one second, the girl remained unresponsive towards the boy's affirmation. A mask she sometimes wore throughout the short time she has been with the boy.
However, this mask covering her face – the one of uncaring and indifference – cracked. A single corner of Hope's lips curled up, forming a smirk. But not one of mockery or self-loathing, one of enjoyment.
And under that crack, the mask completely broke apart, revealing a smile that couldn't be held back anymore.
"Pft, haha!" Hope bursts into laughter. "Where did that come from? Hahaha!" And she continued.
She attempted to cover her laugh with her hand, but to no avail. Hope's laughter echoed through the library, and strangely, it brought a stronger sense of peace and calmness than the previous silence.
Seeing the girl's reaction, finding enjoyment in the nickname he thought of, John was also experiencing a good mood.
Well, it's some improvement. "I thought it was a good nickname." He said, crossing his arms.
"It is, it is…" Hope between laughs. "Just, ah… unexpected." Unconsciously, she wiped a tear in the corner of her left eye.
"Then can I call you that?"
Hope smiled. "Absolutely not."
"Tsk."
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Hello, Author here. Someone asked me in one of the chapters how often I pretened to post new chapters. Right now, I can guarantee you all one chpater per week, every sunday. However, by how fast I'm writing recently, there may have chapters also uploaded by wednesdays or thursdays (In my local time, of course. Where I live, places like Australia might be in the next day already) or even earlier.
Secondly, I wish to read your opinions about the MC. A few of you said he apparently changed his personality or something compared to the previous write, but I don't feel that way , so I would like to see what you have in mind.
Also, I got a P.a.t.r.e.o.n. in case anyone wishes to support me. Right now, its 3 (three) chapters ahead.
The link is: patreon . com / Endless Phoenix 186 (remove the spaces)
I plan to add more things in the future. My sole focus right now is the main part of this story, but I have a few things in mind that I think it'll be a good add.
That's it, hope you enjoyed today's chapter