A bright ash light slowly faded from the heart of D’Angelo’s estate, revealing what remained in its wake. Deep inside a reinforced facility room, Santiago D’Angelo stood before the Vessel — the twisted fruit of his obsession — now radiating with unnatural power after absorbing what was left of the orb. “Such beauty,” Santiago whispered, eyes wide with awe. “Even in its incomplete state, it exudes such immense hate... and still, it managed to look elegant.” The Vessel’s body shimmered dark purple, its form semi-transparent like a volatile time bomb laced with living wires — vein-like shadows snaking across its skin, pulsing. Graceful, and terrifying. It closed its eyes, as if peering into its own mind. “I see them…” its voice echoed — calm, cold, godlike. “like they long to be found. To be reunited. So much power… I see everything. What is… and what is yet to come. But I can’t… grasp it.” Its eyes opened slowly — glowing, calculating — and fell on D’Angelo. “Your knees are t

The cars rolled to a halt, greeted by the sight of a breathtakingly vibrant civilization nestled beneath the colossal canopy of a forest. Despite the massive branches that stretched across the entire sky like a living ceiling, the environment remained bright and warm, bathed in filtered golden light. Modern buildings lined the streets, clean and well-maintained. Street lamps stood tall, casting soft glows, and people bustled about with purpose and smiles — as if danger were a concept too foreign to touch this hidden paradise."And, here we are," Dylan announced, stepping out of the car, a proud smile on his face. "Astonishing, every single day.""Woahhh! How do you even build a modern civilization in such a primitive setting? This is insane!" Ivy exclaimed, her eyes wide with wonder."Are you sure we're still on Earth? Isn't this place supposed to be dark, with how thick these tree branches and leaves are?" Fenris observed, a hint of genuine curiosity in his tone."I get you..." Luciu

Evening sunlight, filtered and warm, steeped Alistair's quarters in the muted hues of sunset. Yet, the noble skinwalker felt none of its peace, Garghat's words still clinging to his mind like a persistent burr. His eyes narrowed, a predatory glint in their depths as long-dormant memories stirred. A towering silhouette, a figure whose glistening silver hair seemed to ripple with unseen wind, eyes like twin seared rubies. A presence so immense it made every noble supernatural instinctively realise that they love their lives. This was The Hero. Behind him stood his six children, the original Holy Knights, all bearing the same formidable features. This was the Dawn Era, the day the supernaturals faced utter defeat at the hands of humans, pushed to the very brink of extinction. Then, a chilling thought struck him. Aurora... she vanished for a time, only to return wielding overwhelming power after being chosen by Auraeus himself. It should be impossible, he mused, leaning bac

"During the Great battle, as Auraeus was about to be sealed by The Hero, he managed to transfer an ample portion of his power and consciousness to those closest to him in his army—the ones who stood with him at the frontline." Alistair explained, watching Garghat, who held his coffee, listening intently as he sat elegantly. "Those individual supernaturals who received from it became extraordinarily powerful. They are the ones currently referred to as nobles, myself included. Among them, the vampire faction received the greatest concentration of power, with a vampire named Marlon standing at the very top because he was closest to Auraeus at that time." "What are you getting at, Alistair?" Garghat pressed, taking a slow sip of coffee. "Unlike the other factions—especially nobles who have tasted Auraeus's power and crave more—Aurora seeks to break the seal and revive Auraeus back into this world. But she needs to perform a ritual to do so." "What ritual is that?" Garghat's brow furrowe

"The vessel that measly guardian created with the relics is developing exceptionally fast even after absorbing three of them," Auraeus's voice, a chilling echo, resonated in Aurora’s mind. "I wonder how he'll do when he eventually goes against you."Aurora opened her scarlet eyes, her stare just as piercing as a needle. She reclined on her throne, a posture of languid power, an elbow resting on its arm, her chin lightly propped on her hand. Her long, silky dark hair spilled around her, a midnight cascade against the rich fabric of the chair. The faint glow of a lone oil lamp traced the sharp planes of her face, revealing an unsettling blankness in her expression, a stillness that transcended mere calm."Looks like you can now share your presence across multiple places at a time," she stated, her cold voice echoing back in her own mind."A little progress, but it's better than residing in the emptiness of those relics that damned brat sealed me in," Auraeus replied with a mental purr.