PROLOGUE

3099 Words
COUGH, I SHOULDN'T WRITE THIS HERE, BUT I'M AFRAID I MUST. [YOU GUYS WONT NOTICE IT OTHERWISE - no one likes a/n] ARC 2 IS BEING EDITED, and it's a serious edit that changes around 40% of the plot and adds 30% more of it. But ARC 3 is set in the past, describing the meeting of Mikhael and Ethan, so you can go and start reading from it. You won't lose out on anything, and by the time I'm done with edits, you can return to read this part again. It starts from CHAPTER 35. Edited parts and non-edited parts in the previous second arc conflict a bit, so I don't recommend reading despite this warning, but if you want, proceed with caution. Trigger warning: The following work contains... Damn, it contains pretty much everything violence, curses, tobaccos, alcohol, blood, gore, manipulation, psychological harm and war-related. Story is set in the midst of war, or so to say war that ended two decades, fought between two races. There is no good or evil in this story, only many people struggling to live despite fate having dealt them bad cards. I do not represent any of views here, since there's too many conflicting characters, and I took neutral grounds in accepting them all. Who is right and wrong here, I myself don't know, characters don't know and no one can know - but themselves once they reach the end point. I only tell a tale of a struggle and desire to change one's fate amidst blood and terror. Life is tough, so I do not intend to mock anyone that is still trying hard to live, no matter if they do so by taking drugs to fight off cold in the middle of freezing cold, drinking to numb their pain, ignoring mistakes just so that they can take one more step forward, losing themselves in fiction because reality sucks, nor do I - unrelated to them - intend to ever judge them. So I'd be thankful if no one would try to use moral grounds to talk bad about characters (as vampires here reign supreme and their views are that of strong), religious beliefs (as magus and Vatican here are prepared to do anything just to keep on living a better future, even if their means weren't right), humans using violence due to fearing the unknown (you'll see as you read) - because that's what living are, flawed, imperfect, paranoid beings that just want to live even if it means breathing without understanding what breathing properly is, so they'll steal that air from others. Main character here is old, old enough to feel indifference by time and slaughter, having witnessed history repeat itself for centuries and centuries. He is disappointed in world, but he still lives in it because he knows that disappointment isn't all that's there to this world. He sees good not because he's desperate for it, but because he knows that it exists somewhere even if his eyes cannot reach it, but he won't deny that there's bad things either. So he's quite lackluster about it and full of contradictions, but wouldn't impose them on anyone - like I won't force you to believe in my ideals. I just ask you to see, listen and then choose whatever you want to think otherwise, even if it's to forget, hate or disdain or acknowledge and let it be. Also, a so-so spoiler, in this novel, Ukraine gets wiped off the map, but many other places suffer through similar disasters (although it's mostly the plot of 3rd book) - since that's what war is. This was a setting that was mentioned long before war even began in reality (before covid-19 even began, damn it), but considering how me merely erasing words won't change a damn thing in real life, I decided not to change it or edit. The basis of history in this world was realistic, with a tint of magic, and Ukraine was a pure coincidence - so should I erase everything ever mentioned here starting from 5 000 years ago because of it? It's not me being heartless, it's me being realistic. Fiction is fiction, with a tint of events from real life - but that doesn't mean that one should use real life to judge it. If that's what you want, then read newspapers instead. And finally, thank you for picking this book. May you, among the endless pages of this story following Mikhael and many other characters, finally find an answer to living that you sought for. Again, I cannot tell you what is right, nor what is wrong - so be your own judge of it. Have a nice reading, Sincerely, author IT WAS definitely not Mikhael's lucky day. He had to run for an entire hour at a speed that surpassed 80mp/h just to catch up with the next train for Texas, only to MISS it and be abandoned alone in the reformed zone where the magnificent city of New York once used to be. Don't get him wrong, he didn't really have anything against that city that was once destroyed and rebuilt into a terrific prison dome — it was a nice place where you could find a couple making out at every sixth corner and a vampire at every second. Most of them were allowed to roam free by the royal family of vampires and W.E.R.P., but there was a minority of them who were an annoying bunch of bothersome punks with world domination plans Mikhael hates to deal with. Not because he was weak... But because he was too lazy! And most of the time, they were newly-turned bloodlings who hadn't gotten caught yet and would prey on any moving target just to quench their insatiable thirst — and damn do they run faster than even some century-old blood-suckers! Or vampires that hate the royal bloodline. And then there were guys like Mikhael, who managed to hide for a long time without getting discovered. What he did mind, however, was what this place entails: the outskirts of Eden — or the final zone around the infamous vampire lair he truly had no guts to step into, the kind of place that would eat him without even spitting out his bones, the most likely place for his ash to be scattered and his life ruined. No, he wasn't joking! Eden, the city located inside Corvus Nigrum, was a special city inhabited by vampires, ruled by vampires, owned by vampires and everything solely vampire-related. After the destruction of New York during the Great War twenty years ago — vampires took over its territory and built "Eden" here, a paradise for vampires where humans had no say in. There were some vampires in space and all, but come on — Earth was their home for millenniums, so who'd bother with colonized planets of the 24th century? Moreover, with suspicious aliens lurking around whose blood might not even be used as food!? Vampires were here before Christ even came to preach about God. What good is some alien planet now? No way, Earth's soil is the best. Humans can go and fly in space if they want... Anyway, there were some humans in this city, but... They still had to obey the reigning Pureblood vampire aka. the Royal family. Other humans would live there because they liked danger and, well, vampires are all rich and beautiful beings that can afford to pay for their blood, so honestly — why not? Most vampires are also good lovers in bed, cough. But Eden, despite being the so-called vampire lair, was also a kind of prison to some. Surrounding the entire city was a transparent barrier supported by eight enormous pillars through which vampires couldn't cross unless they were given a special permit from the royal family. Surrounding this scary city that his brethren inhibits, Mikhael's current location was precisely that ring-shaped zone around Eden. Corvus Nigrum. Named after the faction of Eden's reigning vampire — the Sixth Pureblood, with titles terrific enough to show that he shouldn't be messed with — it was a place where both sides mingled and was actually under human supervision... partly. In a sense, it was a place safe enough for humans to come and get connections to vampires while also being a backyard for vampires to obtain human blood or company. Again, any place that is known as the 'neutral zone' or 'screening zone' was a perfect lair for crime and shady deals. It was definitely a place that someone like Mikhael would avoid. "Well, to be honest, while it says that humans rule outside, and vampires inside — but it's not so reliable..." Mikhael didn't think that humans would dare to truly compete with a Pureblood if it really comes down to it. And if the Pureblood reigning over Eden was to learn of his existence, then he'd really be beyond saving. After all, neither Mikhael nor humans can beat him. Black Raven Eclipsing the Starless Sky. Also known as the 'Lord of Shadows and Thorns'. Either of these two modifiers describing one of the most powerful vampires in existence made Mikhael shiver in fear. That guy was a madman, but then again, to Mikhael — any vampire older than himself was the same. "Olden age makes one crazy." Especially vampires. Even he himself wasn't that sane, to be honest. His IQ may be on the lower side a little bit, but he wasn't ignorant about his mental state. The fact that he was standing just a few miles from a Pureblood already made him doubt his sanity, while not running away immediately made him doubt if he had gotten tired of living! Anyway, politics and the rules weren't something that Mikhael liked to get involved with — so he truly had no idea who's in genuine charge of this Corvus Nigrum. Still, for a little vampire Hunter like himself that would usually never dare to get involved with those big-shots — the exhausted Half-blood could only resign himself to glare at the sky and curse a certain vampire target that had him delivered right in front of their doorstep! "Newlings run fast as hell!" Even faster than the train to Texas he had just missed earlier. And considering that there's not even a single village or town for another few hundred miles from Corvus Nigrum and Eden, while that train was the last one departing tonight, he couldn't quite just run all those miles when he could easily escape tomorrow by another train. Hell, he may even walk for an entire day by the time he sees signs of civilization. See, that's how bad of a reputation this vampire lair has. He did not complain in vain! With an exhausted sigh, Mikhael raised his right hand to rub the back of his head, being quite proud of his curly golden hair that never got tainted by the darkness surrounding him... Okay, okay — it was hair dye, but it still looked good on him! His eyes, though, were an odd, inhuman pale blue — like a crystal pond, they reflected the stars completely, giving him an otherworldly appearance. Well, vampires are all handsome to begin with. There's nothing they can do about their flawless physiques. Even their bones alone are first class — white like jade, forget about their skin. Naturally, as any other vampire — Mikhael could simply switch the color of his eyes to the red ones, but that would be a waste. That action burned blood. A lot of blood! The same blood supply he can't easily recharge at the moment! "My mood is bad, I feel exhausted, I'm out of blood and everything around me annoys me... I feel like something bad is going to happen tonight." His eyes narrowed. Vampires have extremely sensitive instincts. And Mikhael, who also hunted the same kind with such overpowered abilities, was even more intuitive. So he didn't dare to be careless even though he had already finished dealing with his target. Rather, he glanced at the full moon in the sky and considered his next move. Humans originally created energy collectors and planted them all over the moon to better harvest the sun's energy and then use it for the Earth's new technology. This, however, made the good old moon appear like a non-stop shining light bulb afterwards — no matter if it's day or night! The full moon was ever present. So werewolves celebrated every single day ever since. While vampires... Well, vampires don't really like it since it makes their natural hunting period brighter. But since their race — most of them, at the very least — became pacifists (self-proclaimed), there isn't really a need for dark nights any longer. 'They say that the skies in Eden have no moon, though?' It wouldn't be that difficult to hide the satellite light-bulb with the legendary barrier that surrounded that lair of night-walkers. Vampires don't mind darkness and can see perfectly fine in it, so why would they need this huge shiny moon above their heads? Shaking his head, Mikhael continued to walk forward, without a certain destination in mind. He wound up in this city tonight only because he was chasing someone all the way here, but it wasn't his first time visiting this place — yet every time he came back, everything would have changed beyond his recognition. Nostalgia hit him, but Mikhael didn't really mind it. He loved the change — he loved how the world was always moving forward. Before he noticed, two decades passed after the war and disaster — so witnessing the tranquility of a silent night isn't something an old antique like him could complain about. If only vampires didn't exist, though — he wouldn't have had to deal with these problems that directly struck at his recurring existential crisis. Well, humans too. Neither is any good. Mikhael didn't like anyone that caused trouble. He soon forgot all about his previous sense of unease, trying to overcome this newfound sense of depression. Sighing again — for his mood always dropped once his thoughts turned to the memory of both sides back-stabbing each other — the golden-haired Half-blood noticed that he had already arrived in the empty park. Right in front of him was a harbor and noisy sea full of wealthy yachts, while behind him was a dazzling city reeking of money. "..." Glancing down at a simple, yet elegant white bench and park with not even an animal present — Mikhael smiled to himself; no need to spend money and a free bed to sleep on — a perfect place to stay the night! Corvus Nigrum was a nice place, but if you don't have land property here — it would be bad for your pockets instead. Considering how even the most ordinary pebble was made to replicate the old-century era, hotels with actual antiques here were expensive as Hell! Mikhael, who simply wanted to nap and get as far from this place as possible afterwards, had no intention of wasting money to stay a single night! "I guess this is it for us, tonight?" A chuckle slipped past his lips before he stroked the silver briefcase inside which was stored one of his precious babies — a White Hydrangea twin gun. Dual weapons were the trademark stigmata of the Twenty Seats, an organization of vampire Hunters that he belonged to. Because Mikhael was an eight centuries-old vampire who had seen some real world, he didn't want to risk having his stuff stolen. So he used the void ability — something only available to old vampires — to throw inside his precious briefcase. It wouldn't have been the first time that he's been robbed while sleeping, after all. Next, he glanced at the ordinary rucksack that didn't have anything of value before taking it off. It... It would do as a pillow for the night. As for his instincts warning him about danger? No way, his attentiveness wasn't that decent. "Now, all that is left is to choose a bench to sleep—" Mumbling to himself, Mikhael suddenly paused in his steps. It was barely audible, but he still heard it — a woman's scream, probably human. Why would a vampire, who stood on top of the food chain in the current era scream in the middle of the night? "Well, there are some circumstances, but still—" Ah, he got distracted again. He wasn't that good with stuff like patience and memory unless he was taking revenge on someone. Mikhael sighed once again — this wasn't his mission and he had nothing to do with it. Corvus Nigrum had many vampires and humans patrolling around, so nothing too serious would happen. The girl will only have some of her blood sucked and be left alone or — in the worst case scenario — die from blood loss or cold. He had nothing to do with it, so he should just— Another, but louder this time. "...Mikhael, you i***t — you'll get in trouble if you help." Mikhael's been through it hundreds, if not a thousand times — and this will definitely turn out to be just another similar case. This Half-blood didn't need the ability to foresee the future to know that he'll get involved with some nasty trouble if he acted now! It was the only truth he knew; help others and get involved in their s**t, then get hunted down! "Help! Someone!" The owner of that voice was drawing closer to him and Mikhael inwardly cursed. He was going to regret it, but what was the worst thing that could happen? Get an arm chopped off? Get drenched in blood? Accused of murder!? Whatever the girl was running away from, and it had over 200% chances of being a vampire — he'd deal with it quickly and then go to sleep. Since this human had already decided to run towards him, he couldn't just ignore her. He can't sleep if someone is dying and screaming next to his bench, after all. Again, he wasn't that good with stuff like patience or unwavering will. 'Calm down, Mikhael,' The blonde man took a deep breath. He was prepared. Whatever hardship saving that human may bring, he was ready to deal with it. What was the worst thing that could happen on such a beautiful night with the full moon illuminating it brightly from the very center of the sky? Boy, he should've known better.
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