Morvain Mare stood in the grand, shadow-drenched hall of the Mare estate, his towering figure radiating authority. His chiseled frame seemed carved from marble itself, each muscle defined, his presence so commanding that even the emerald moonlight seemed to bend toward him. His eyes glowed a pale silver, colder than ice, and his aura shimmered with the power that had made him a legend among Pye vampires. Morvain had once single-handedly ended the "Crimson Siege," where hundreds of witches had stormed the eastern gates of the vampire lands, slaughtering families in the night. With his mastery over Shadow Dominion — the ability to summon legions of living shadows to bind and suffocate enemies — he had broken the witches' army in half. The walls of the Mare home were lined with ancient weapons, relics, and medals of war, each a testament to his reign of strength and ruthlessness. By his side stood Saya Mare, the elegant and calculating stepmother. Her beauty was icy, her long obsidian hair flowing like black silk, her lips always curved in a half-smile that carried more venom than kindness. She had birthed Rieta and Zeiss, but claimed Carl and Nia as her own in name only. Tonight, she and Morvain spoke of their decision to shift to the elite town where the highest-ranked families resided — a place of even darker laws and greater power. Their voices carried authority, final and sharp, echoing across the gothic dining hall.
But their children did not welcome the decree. Carl Mare's jaw tightened, his muscular frame tense as his glowing golden eyes flashed with anger. Beside him, Nia Mare's face was calm but her lips pressed into a thin line, her disapproval clear. Across from them, Rieta sat tall, her radiant brown hair cascading over her shoulders, her expression sharp with annoyance, while Zeiss leaned against the wall, his chiseled arms folded, smirking as if amused. Though all four siblings hated the idea of leaving their current land, their unity fractured immediately. Carl and Nia stood as one team, unwilling to align with the children of Saya. Meanwhile, Rieta and Zeiss bonded together, equally unwilling to bend to Carl's leadership. The hall simmered with unspoken tension, their glares sharper than daggers. They all shared the same goal — to stop their parents from moving — but their pride created fault lines, each team vowing to outwit the other.
The siblings' rebellion began subtly, their voices softened and their bodies feigning weakness. Rieta and Zeiss acted fragile, clutching at their chests and pretending that the air itself of the elite town would damage their health. Nia and Carl staged quiet conversations that the elite town wasn't safe, that hidden dangers lurked there, whispering doubts in their parents' ears. But Morvain was no fool. His eyes, sharp as a predator's, scanned his children with suspicion. "Strange," he rumbled, his voice like thunder, "all four of you resist at once. I smell deceit." His gaze cut through their acts, leaving no room for argument. Saya placed a cold hand on his arm, her smirk widening. "Let us see the town with our own eyes, Morvain. Tomorrow, we will visit the elites ourselves, and the children will keep the house." Morvain agreed, his booming command echoing through the hall. "You four will guard this estate. Prove yourselves useful." As his words sank in, tension flared like wildfire.
That night, when the emerald moon reached its highest arc, the Mare children's quarrel erupted. In the darkened corridors, Nia's voice, cold and sharp, clashed with Rieta's fiery tone. They hurled blame at one another, each accusing the other team for failing to convince their parents. Zeiss, ever the agitator, fueled the argument, sneering that Carl and Nia did not deserve to share their house or name. Carl's control snapped. His golden eyes blazed, his aura flaring like a storm. He lunged at Zeiss, and the hall became a battlefield. The fight was brutal, vampiric, primal. Claws extended, fangs glistened, blood sprayed across the black marble floor. Carl's strikes were heavy and precise, his fists crashing into Zeiss's ribs like hammers. Zeiss countered with speed, his lean frame darting, his kicks slicing through the air. Their snarls echoed through the hall, two predators locked in a deadly dance. Shadows stretched and warped as their strength shook the estate. Then came the cry — Rieta, caught between them, was struck across the chest by Carl's wild swing. She fell, her white gown staining crimson as she crumpled unconscious to the floor.
The sight broke the rhythm. Zeiss's cocky mask shattered, replaced by raw horror. He dropped to his knees beside his sister, tears welling in his sharp eyes. "Rieta!" His voice cracked, his hands trembling as he lifted her. Carl froze, his chest heaving, regret flashing across his otherwise cold features. Nia knelt swiftly, her glowing form radiating calm and strength. She placed her hand over Rieta's wound, her eyes narrowing as she unleashed her rare healing gift. A warm emerald light flowed from her palms, knitting the torn flesh, restoring Rieta's breathing. When Rieta stirred, her lashes fluttering, gratitude filled her voice. "Thank you," she whispered faintly. Zeiss looked up, his pride dissolved into humility. "I… I am sorry, Carl. For everything. What if… what if we worked together? All four of us. Then maybe our parents would listen." Carl's jaw clenched, his golden eyes narrowing, but Nia's hand on his arm steadied him. Her cold voice carried reason. "I will make him agree." Carl turned away but gave no objection. For the first time, fragile unity was born in the Mare children.
The next evening, the siblings moved as one group, though tension still simmered beneath the surface. Their path led them to the Bloodpool — a vast, shimmering lake of scarlet, created by the Vampire God to feed his children. The air around it reeked of iron and ancient rituals. There, they spotted Joseph Bale, his brother Andrew Bale, and Nyx Oliver standing at the edge, their forms moving sharply as they practiced hunting techniques. Andrew's strikes cut the air with precision, Joseph's snow-white aura freezing the ground where he stood, and Nyx… Nyx moved with a determination that seemed colder, sharper than the others. Zeiss stepped forward, his arrogance reawakening as he looked directly at Nyx. "You are Jamie's brother," he said with disdain. "Then why are you wasting time learning these poor, filthy skills?" His words dripped contempt. Andrew stiffened, fury flashing in his eyes. "Filthy?" His voice thundered, his aura expanding as he unleashed his Mister Vampire form, his body morphing into a colossal beast of shadows and claws, prepared to strike Zeiss down.
Carl reacted instantly. His frame shimmered and darkened as he took his Shadow Vampire form, an aura of moving black tendrils erupting around him as he leapt between Andrew and Zeiss. The Mare sisters followed suit, their powers igniting in bursts of emerald fury. Nia's body split into three identical forms, her multiplying powers creating a small army of herself. Rieta unfurled enormous wings, her figure elongating into a terrifying aerial predator, glowing eyes sharp as blades. On the other side, Joseph's body crystallized into frost, his skin glowing pale blue as he transformed into his Snow Vampire form, ice spreading across the ground. The air was thick with power, the emerald moon burning brighter, the clash inevitable. Claws extended, wings spread, growls echoed. The fight was about to erupt in a storm of blood and ruin.
But then Nyx stepped forward. His golden eyes glowed faintly as he raised his hand, his cold voice slicing through the chaos. "Enough." The command was low, yet it carried weight. The Mare siblings and the Bale brothers froze mid-air, their bodies locked in place, their forms paralyzed. The flapping wings stopped, the shadows ceased moving, the frost halted its spread. Time itself seemed to bow to Nyx's will. He opened his eyes wider, and in that instant, the forms dissolved, each vampire collapsing back into their normal states, panting and bewildered. Silence fell, heavy and suffocating. The Mares and the Bales alike stared at Nyx with wide eyes, their shock unmasked. Zeiss was the first to speak, his voice trembling. "How… how did you do that?" Joseph's gaze hardened, though his tone carried awe. "He is Jamie's brother. Different skill set." Carl's fists clenched, his jaw tight, his eyes burning with restrained fury, but he gave the command. "We're leaving. Now." He pulled his siblings away, though as they departed, Nia's gaze lingered. Her eyes locked with Nyx's once again, and this time she felt it — a spark, a connection, something powerful and unexplainable.
When the Mares were gone, Andrew turned sharply to Nyx. His eyes glowed with questions, his tone edged with disbelief. "How did you do that? I've never even heard of such a power." Joseph, calmer but equally unsettled, added, "That wasn't ordinary. Not even the upper ranks can silence transformations like that." Nyx's face remained still, cold, unreadable. He looked at them both, his voice flat and sharp. "I don't know." Without another word, he turned, his robe trailing as he vanished into the night. Back in the solitude of his home, he sat at the desk, his hands trembling slightly for the first time since entering this world. His mind replayed the moment — the way time bent, the way their powers broke at his command. His eyes darkened. I am not a vampire. I am an ordinary human. Then what am I becoming?