Chapter 26- Dread
"This…" Elio muttered as he read the content of the sheet with a curious look. "So much information…"
"Care to read what it says to me?" Fiona asked. Mentally, she was preparing herself to hear ridiculous things. Perhaps things that she will never be able to understand for the rest of her life.
"Ummm, it has my full name, age, gender, and my… species?"
"Yeah, that makes sense as there are many other sane species in the world aside from vampires and humans."
"I see. Well, it also says I'm partially awakened. Wait, partially awakened? What does that mean?" Elio asked. "Was that not a full awakening?"
"Wait, are you sure it says partially awakened?" Fiona raised an eyebrow. She hadn't expected to hear that at all. 'Partially? That can't be possible. I have seen his full awakening with my own eyes. It was definitely a full awakening.'
"Yes, it says here the state is partially awakened."
"..." Fiona put her hand on her chin. "Was that really a partial awakening? How? We gave him the right dose. Was that dose not enough? Or could this be due to his abnormal talent?"
"What does it mean, Fiona?"
"Uh, well, partial awakening is when someone doesn't get the full dose of the awakening serum. Their body still reacts to it, but they don't fully awaken, which keeps their potential locked. That rarely ever happens, as it is harmful to the body. But, in your case… I don't honestly know. I am pretty positive you had a full awakening, or else there would've been signs of that on you."
"Then, why does it say that here?" Elio asked.
"I don't know. I need to look into it more. But what I can say is that there are no signs of that on your body. You shouldn't be suffering from any after-effects. If anything, with the amount of Blood Energy you have coursing through your blood, you would be worrying about far more than just partial awakening." She said.
Instinctively, Elio looked at his body. 'She does have a point.'
"In any case, there is a lot of mystery about you, Elio. Many things that we thought were facts have been shaken by your mere existence. I cannot say for a fact what someone like you would be capable of, what they would experience because of their ridiculous strength."
"..."
"For now, we will take steps slowly and see where it leads us. What's the next thing in your sheet?"
"O-Ok. Ummm, the next thing is my bloodline? And it says it's dormant."
"Hm, that is expected. A Bloodline is basically the inheritance you acquire from a certain legacy of a family or a clan. As a clan of Hunters, your deeds and actions across millennials create this sort of halo around your name. A legacy that runs so deep into the very blood of its descendants. That blood gives them special powers, things that other bloodlines don't have."
"What? Merely doing something would grant your descendants power?" Elio gasped.
"Yes. But not any actions, great feats that are etched in history. Things like winning wars, killing prominent vampires or other enemies, or making a change so deep that its effects last for a very long time. Those things create a legacy, and as a result, your bloodline becomes special. In your case, the fact that it says dormant rather than 'None' means that… Well, as I expected, your name has a history, after all."
"Wait, what? My name has history?" Elio blurted out. "What do you want to say, Fiona?"
"Ever since I heard the word Ashenblood, it has piqued my curiosity, and I have looked around. But, oddly enough, there is no mention of it anywhere. It confused me a bit, but I still could tell that it isn't a normal last name. It seems my suspicion was right on point."
"A-Are you saying?" Elio's voice stuttered, and his entire body shook to the core. This felt like the biggest bombshell to have ever been dropped on him.
"That your family might've had Vampire Hunters at some point? Yes, that is most likely the case." Fiona said.
"..."
Elio stood there, completely frozen. He had no words to say. Were his family really vampire hunters? How could that be?
"It also explains, to a certain extent, why you have Blood Energy in your body even though you are seemingly a normal person," Fiona said as she crossed her arms.
However, Elio didn't listen; her words were like an echo in his head. He was still stuck on that first sentence.
'My family are vampire hunters… My family?' He frowned. 'Does my grandmother know about this? Is that why my parents died? Did she hide that from me? Could they've been Vampire Hunters?'
Countless questions formed in his head at the same time. He felt like everything, his entire life, had been a lie.
He had lived his entire life thinking he was merely a normal person. Yet, somehow, someone in his family had been involved in this supernatural world.
"Elio?" Fiona noticed his pale look.
"Huh? I-I'm fine… I'm fine." He breathed heavily. "I'm just… I didn't expect that to be the case. My family has Vampire Hunters in it. I'm just so taken aback."
"It is fine. Even I am quite surprised because for someone of your caliebr to exist it means whoever in your family tree was a Vampire Hunter was an extremely powerful one. That is the only way to explain your talent. However, if such a person exists, then they surely should've been recorded."
"This is so confusing." Elio slowly crouched down as he held his head. "I-I need to ask my grandma. She might know something about this."
"Hmm, your grandmother might be hiding something. However, as much as I feel your sense of loss and disbelief, if she truly hid something from you, then it's for a good reason. This world is far too cruel and far too unforgiving. I wouldn't want my child to know about it if there is no reason for them to. She probably did it to protect you and keep you safe." Fiona said with an odd tone.
For a second, Elio could see a hesitant look in her eyes.
"How cruel… is this world, Fiona?"
The girl sucked a small breath and then replied. "It is bloody. Very bloody. It is evil and sinful. You will see death, you will see despair, and you will sometimes think you are able to do things, only to realize you are one second too late or one step too far. You will save many people, and you will achieve many things. But, you will also face situations that will make you want to give up or leave."
Each word Fiona uttered was filled with dread. Endless dread that came from the depths of her heart. That was the very first time Elio heard her speak in that exact tone, and it made his heart grow colder.
"We are strong. But, we also realize at some point that we will never be strong enough to do what we want to do. We are very strong and yet also… so, irritatingly weak."