Chapter 3

onerous oath
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​My unfamiliar reflection stared back at me as I stood in front of the mirror. I could hardly remember my appearance while still living as a human, but this current felt even more unusual.

Rurik had already offered me explanation, but it was still hard to believe that the runes on my face were manifestations of Zaria’s loyalty towards me and mine to her.

I scoffed at my reflection while gently brushing the rune on my right cheek. “You must really want to be my sister.”

“And even if it takes me several lifetimes, I wish we can be sisters again in one of our next lives. I want to be part of your life once again…”

Her last words rang clear in my head, and it didn’t take a lifetime for her wish to come true. Zaria had clearly become a part of me in a literal sense, with her blood assimilating into mine, and her charm protecting me beyond her death.

“I will use your gifts accordingly,” I murmured.

After much deliberation, I decided to visit the royal library. There were still a lot of questions in my head, but Rurik couldn’t answer everything all at once. As he was also getting busy with magic affairs, it would be much more efficient to search the answers to my concerns myself.

My footsteps echoed through the dark and desolate hallway of the main keep leading to the royal library. Aside from few select scholars, only Zaria frequented this place, and it had become less visited after her demise. After all, most royal followers would rather hone their physical skills instead of wasting time in the library.

The earthy smell of old paper immediately hit my nose as I stepped inside. I walked past the rows of ceiling-high shelves lining the dimly lit main hall and stopped in front of the locked chamber infused with natural magic. Beyond the door was a room where classified information and unpublished materials about the undead and humans were kept.

Those of Stryzygan bloodline could access to the restricted chamber any time, but I wasn’t able to visit it before as I was busy with a lot of things.

With a drop of blood on the handle, the double doors creaked open. I could immediately feel the ominous air inside the chamber, as if it was a realm for dangerous and unfathomable information.

There was only a single table in the middle and the room was much smaller than the main hall, but every single paper stored here was much more important than the books outside.

I started scanning the books and documents about the first group of undead who developed self-awareness. Although some information were already known to most vampires, there were still details that could only be passed on to members of the royal family.

I pulled out several books from the shelves and placed them on the table. Amongst them, I was most intrigued by the book titled History of the Dark Age, written by a human who got enlightened as a magus. From the brief description on the front page, a vampire stole this book from a traveling warlock, and had become a prized good as only ten copies had been printed since its production.

Due to the fragile state of the books, I had to turn every page in a careful manner, slowly absorbing everything that was written. It took me a while to understand everything, and I realized how brutal the earliest days were.

Undead creatures were branded as savages and spawns of the devils in the ancient times. They ravaged human settlements in search for flesh and blood, forcing the latter to engage in violent fights to protect themselves. The continuous bloodshed amongst villages gave rise to humans who surpassed the threshold of humanity, gaining enhanced strength and wisdom to counter the undead. They were called the “enlightened” and were later recognized officially as magi—humans who could use magic and divinity.

The sudden growth of the magi, with each unit being referred as either witch or warlock depending on their sex, drove a large number of the undead to the extreme north. The war between the humans and undead went on for centuries, and due to an array of changes, including change of habitat, behavioral shift, and close interaction with humans, one undead gradually developed self-awareness.

The magi called him erkióvinur, or the archenemy of mankind in ancient language. He then named himself Kiov the Savage as an epithet to what the magi described him as.

“The first king of the undead is a spiteful one, huh?” I murmured.

They already had enough troubles with Kiov, but it quickly escalated into a great war when he sired several broods to continue the lineage of intelligent undead. In response, the magi launched relentless attacks to prevent the undead from establishing their own coalition that could threaten the safety of the world.

Only three of Kiov’s heirs survived and he named them after his mortal enemy, Eirik the Great Sage, the magus who attained complete enlightenment, as if to mock the magi’s leader and his followers.

“Eiryk, Greigor, and Sagasus,” I read and almost laughed at Kiov’s audacity. “I didn’t know the first king was this petty.”

The three heirs then established their own territories in the north, and officially named themselves Eiryk Stryzyga, Greigor Moroi, and Sagasus Lilith, announcing the foundation of the three vampiric kingdoms.

There were already public information about the first monarch of Vrivarya, Eiryk Stryzyga, but what I wanted to know was the extent of his ability. He was hailed as the greatest blood manipulator amongst the Stryzygas, and awakening the rune must have meant that I had something similar to him.

Was it our ability? Our will? Our ruthlessness?

 I had yet to test the limit of my awakened bloodline ability, but if this rune was truly a manifestation of King Eiryk’s power, then I had the leverage over our enemies, and I must use it to teach the magi, as well as the Lilith clan, an unsparing lesson.

***

“Your Highness, it is time for your visit to the Revali fief,” announced Sigrid from the other side of the door.

After spending my entire day in the library yesterday, I stayed in my chamber to prepare for my meeting with the Revalis.

The queen implied that she’d be watching my actions first before deciding to take my side, and to strengthen my support, I needed to confirm the Revalis’ support.

After finishing my preparations, I stepped out of my chamber, and Sigrid escorted me to the courtyard.

“Your Highness,” greeted Kei who would accompany me to the Revali fief along with Sigrid. He was standing in front of my carriage pulled by Sheriff the grim, and it looked like they were still disgruntled with each other.

“Let’s go,” I ordered.

Besides Sheriff’s absurd speed due to his enthusiasm, the Revali fief was also the closest noble house from the palace grounds, so it only took us about ten minutes to reach them. The gatekeepers immediately opened the main entrance, and we were escorted to the most exquisite drawing room of the Revali mansion.

“Greetings, Your Highness,” Alexei greeted as the door creaked open.

Before meeting Alastor Revali, the head of the house, I wanted to talk to Alexei first, hence, his presence in the drawing room. It had been weeks since I last saw him, yet I could still see the fresh rage in his eyes.

I sat right across him while Sigrid and Kei stood behind the couch. “Have you thought about my proposal?”

His eyebrow subtly twitched before meeting my gaze. “Are you certain about that, Your Highness?”

“I am,” I replied.

“But you’re the rightful heir. You’ll be the next sovereign. Your bloodline needs to continue.”

“It’s Zaria’s bloodline that has to live on,” I retorted. “Her heir will be my heir.”

An uncomfortable silence fell between us. After Zaria’s death, I had already decided that I would fulfill her last wish—to have a family. And perhaps…it was also one of the reasons why she wanted me to absorb her blood.

To sire a youngling, vampires only needed their own blood and a suitable human host. Even without Zaria, Alexei and I could produce her heir since her blood was in my system.

“Are you going to present the youngling as your own blood?”

I nodded. “Yes. Otherwise, the nobles won’t allow the youngling to be my heir.”

Siring an heir was not the most pressing matter during this time, but it would benefit me if Alexei and I were on the same boat.

“Then, will you ever reveal her parentage?” he asked.

“Once the youngling’s ability manifested, I shall.”

Alexei did not say anything after that. He seemed to be deliberating my proposal as he would effectively be my betrothed in the eyes of the people. He’d be the future king consort and his position would be beneficial for the Revali clan, but unlike his father, his loyalty lies with Zaria, and not with the throne.

A deep long sigh escaped his lips after a few seconds. “I will accept your proposal in one condition, Your Highness.”

I gave him a curious look upon hearing his agreement. I thought it would take some time for him to

“Tell me.”

“Swear that you will keep the youngling from death, just like how lady Zaria did to you.”

I could feel the growing presence of Kei and Sigrid behind me, and they were ready to attack Alexei as soon as I give a command. Not only that demanding an oath from a royal blood considered an impudent act, but he was also insinuating that I might not honor it without my word of honor.

If he were taking to either the king or queen, Alexei would have been beheaded before he could complete his sentence. On the contrary, I liked that he was audacious enough to impose his condition because that meant it was a serious matter to him.

“I swear to my bloodline,” I said. “This world rejected and sacrificed Zaria for my survival. From now on, I shall sacrifice the world if that is what it takes for her blood to live on.”

​This time, I’d be the one declaring the war even if it meant living as a villain.

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