"Now that I think about it, whenever we watch the news broadcasts from our ho planet, we see all the progress being made there. Blogs on Earth are buzzing too—apparently, the vampires just secured a massive contract with Edgar Frost. They're the first race to get their hands on cutting-edge warping tech that hasn't even been fully deployed on Earth, all thanks to you," Misty said.
"Besides that, we have been able to live a relatively free and comfortable life compared to when we were forced to work under the governnt. I was even advised to resign or take indefinite leave when they found out I was pregnant. I'm guessing you had sothing to do with that too, right?" Misty asked, eyeing Jake.
"I didn't pull any strings there..." Jake replied, placing a finger on his chin. "But I did notice sothing strange when my ID was scanned at the station."
He snapped his fingers. "I think I know what's going on. It has sothing to do with Dad."
At the ntion of the na, a plate slipped from Misty's hands and shattered on the floor.
"D-Dad? Where did you see him? I thought he died?!" she stamred, a look of disbelief etched across her face.
Jake let out a long sigh. "It's so complicated, I don't even know where to begin. You knew him far better than I ever could since I was born just a few years ago. But this might hurt... because of the bond you had with him. Dad was resurrected by the Blood God... and tasked with killing ."
Gasps filled the dining room. Even Jill was stunned. Jake had never shared this part of the story with her.
"When he found out I was the Protoss, he couldn't go through with it. He cried. The more he resisted, the more pain he was in. So… he asked to end it."
"Did you kill him?" everyone asked at once, frustrated by the pauses in Jake's story.
"I put him out of his misery. There was nothing else I could do," Jake said quietly, and the room fell silent. Misty covered her face with her hands, though no tears ca.
"Just when I thought everything was finally falling into place… and then they try to take my brother's life—using my father," Misty whispered, her voice muffled. "When will it end?"
Jake didn't answer. Instead, he pulled sothing from his inventory, a white-and-brown seashell. He gently handed it to Misty.
Her hands trembled as she took it. She stared at it for a long mont, then abruptly stood and dashed into her room, crying. No one followed her as Jake told them not to.
"What the hell was that about?" Aurora asked, breaking the silence.
"I'm not sure. But it looks like sothing from her childhood. It must've stirred up so old mories," Jake replied. He wiped his mouth with a napkin and stood, heading after her.
---
In a vast room resembling a throne hall, a young man stood before a burly figure seated on an ornate throne. The young man wore a black, round hat with edges sharp as blades. The man on the throne had a thick, well-grood beard and sharply arched brows. But the most striking features were his glowing yellow eyes and the crown resting on his head.
The man seated on the throne was none other than the first Dhampir King, Galak, the legendary warrior who led the Dhampir revolution and freed the Dhampirs from the vampires, who had once treated them as nothing more than tools of war.
Standing before him was his youngest son, Maxwell, the most gifted and promising of his four children.
"Maxwell, I saw the developnts and reforms happening on the vampire planet. Why didn't you include that in your report?" Galak asked, his tone sharp.
"I apologize, Your Majesty. I must have overlooked it. Please forgive ," Maxwell said, bowing deeply.
"Fine," Galak grunted. "But don't let that happen again. I specifically told you to keep tabs on them."
He leaned forward slightly. "That narcissistic old vampire king is no longer active, and his insane son-in-law has suddenly backed off from war. But to think… Derek was alive all this ti." His voice lowered, laced with bitterness.
"Are you absolutely sure about what you saw?" Galak asked again, his eyes narrowing.
"Yes, Your Majesty. I witnessed his son kill him with his own hands—under Derek's instruction. From what I could tell, Derek seed to be under the control of a higher being," Maxwell reported.
Galak exhaled deeply. "Things just keep getting more twisted. That higher being must be the Blood God Derek fought back in the day. For him to fall under its control… Derek, of all people. He was a monster," he said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"Let's set that aside for now. Do you believe the vampires have truly changed, or is this all a facade?" Galak asked, surprising Maxwell since he rarely asked for his opinion.
Maxwell straightened. "Derek's son, who also happens to be the vampire king's grandson—is the one in charge now. He's acting as a sort of regent. And… he married the cold princess, Zamira."
Galak burst into laughter. "That boy! He keeps surprising . He's got taste, I'll give him that. But to think he convinced soone as ruthless and cunning as Zamira to marry him? That's unbelievable!" His grin widened, though the disbelief lingered. Even if Jake was stronger, Zamira had a reputation for using poison and manipulation to eliminate her enemies. She could've easily tried sothing crazy.
"Is he stronger than Derek? No… I doubt it," Galak murmured, shaking his head.
"I've t him and his friend once, about a year ago. I even sparred with his friend. At the ti, I was confident I could have killed them if I wanted. But now… I can't even get close enough to properly spy on him. His senses are far beyond normal, almost unnatural. From what I've seen, he may be as powerful as Derek, if not stronger," Maxwell replied, bowing again.
"What a monster…" Galak whispered. "But from everything you've told , he seems like a good person—soone who genuinely wants to see the vampires evolve. I wouldn't mind forming an alliance with him, unlike the prideful fools who ca before him," Galak said, then sat up straighter.
"Maxwell, prepare a letter…"
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