December 10, 1481...
Atcandis, the son of the Supreme Luwis and Queen Alyada, was named the new Supreme of the Kingdom of Sarsul, the homeland of the black vampires, as he is the couple’s firstborn.
“Long live the new Supreme of the blacks!” Luwis raised his right hand while holding his son's.
The crowd erupted into cheers and applause, followed by the blaring of trumpets and the pounding of drums.
“Long live Supreme Atcandis!” shouted his two brothers, Prince Alli and Prince Rowan, both merchants with families of their own.
“Long live!” echoed the crowd, each one bowing in respect to the newly appointed leader.
From the moment their firstborn was born, they already saw his potential to be a great leader. Atcandis was the eighth prince recorded in the history of the black vampires. On that same day, his wife gave birth to their second child, a boy. The celebration doubled, and their kind could not contain their joy.
“Why isn’t Zumir smiling, Father?” asked Atcandis’ eldest son, Asmal.
“Perhaps, he just doesn’t know how yet? Hahaha,” his mother replied with a laugh.
“In that case, I will teach this little prince how to smile,” Asmal said with delight.
Asmal was six years old when his younger brother was born. He would often remind his father that he had no interest in the throne and only wished to travel and grow their business. He wanted Zumir to be his father's throne successor.
“What a handsome baby!” said Sabel, one of the midwives who assisted Zenya, Atcandis’ wife, during childbirth.
The baby looked straight at her with an expressionless face, making her flinch and laugh awkwardly.
“Your gaze is quite frightening, noble Prince,” Sabel said nervously.
Supreme Atcandis, Queen Zenya, and Asmal laughed.
The Supreme lifted the baby and studied him intently, a sweet smile forming on his lips.
“I can feel that you will rule the world, my son. I sense a unique aura surrounding your being,” whispered the Supreme.
It was as if the little prince understood his father’s words. He opened his eyes and looked directly into the Supreme’s eyes. The Supreme felt something strange when his son’s eyes suddenly turned red, and then quickly to black.
His beloved wife lay on the bed, still recovering from childbirth. He kissed her forehead and gently stroked her head. He knew childbirth was not easy; he had seen his mother give birth to his two younger brothers before.
“Father? May I hold Zumir? I want to feel him in my arms,” the elder Prince said.
“Of course, Asmal. You may hold the little Prince,” Zenya replied with a smile.
Joy lit up Asmal’s face as he gently cradled his younger brother. He carried him near the large window in his parents’ room, admiring the clear sky and the lovely weather. He also caught a glimpse of the calm, blue ocean, peaceful to behold.
Asmal’s eyes wandered to the kingdom of the whites, its white flag fluttering atop its highest tower. The wind danced with the flag as the citizens of that race lived in peace.
“That is the kingdom of the whites, our long-time rival since beings like us first emerged. Do you know, little brother, I still can’t understand the roots of their hatred for us? They, too, consume human flesh and drink blood, just like us. I can’t think of any other reason why they despise us so,” said Prince Asmal with a heavy sigh.
Their parents could not hear the conversation, as the bed was far from the wide window where Asmal stood.
Asmal looked down at his brother and met his piercing gaze. The baby’s eyes turned red again, and then black. Something was unsettling about the infant’s aura—just one look could send chills down anyone’s spine.
“Asmal? Son, it’s time to feed your brother his milk,” called his father.
“Yes, I’m coming.” He walked back toward his parents.
Once his brother was drinking his milk, Asmal asked permission to go down and play with his cousins, the children of his father’s siblings.
He stepped carefully down the stairs and smiled upon seeing his bird, Owwa, waiting for him.
“How are you, Owwa? Have you eaten?” the Prince asked.
The bird approached him and nodded. They had used a special magic on Owwa so it could speak and understand. His pet was clever, almost human in thought.
“I am very full, Your Highness, thanks to your father’s gift,” replied the bird.
“Would you like to meet my newborn brother?” Asmal asked cheerfully.
“The little Prince is probably fast asleep by now, Your Highness,” the bird replied politely.
“When he wakes up, I’ll show him to you so he becomes familiar with your presence—so the two of you grow close like we are,” said Asmal.
He walked toward his cousins with the bird trailing behind. His cousins, aged around eight to ten, were his close companions.
“We’re going horseback riding across the plains, Asmal!” said Hara, his long-haired female cousin.
“But we’re not allowed there, that land belongs to the whites, right?” Asmal said with a furrowed brow.
“We can go. The whites are scared of us, hahahaha!” Hara replied, laughing with the others.
“I can’t come. Father might get angry,” Asmal said softly.
“You’re weak, huh? Maybe you’re scared of the whites!” Juzar chimed in, and the laughter continued.
“I’m not scared!” Asmal snapped, irritated.
“Prove it! Ride with us,” Juzar challenged.
“Your Highness, don’t. You know how much your father despises disobedience,” the bird whispered.
“He won’t find out, Owwa,” the Prince replied.
One by one, the young black vampires mounted their horses. When they reached the vast plains, they gasped upon seeing the healthy livestock owned by the whites. Without wasting time, they attacked the animals. The commotion drew the attention of the peaceful white workers.
“Black vampires!” screamed a white woman.
Three of Asmal’s cousins rushed toward her, while Asmal stood frozen, watching everything unfold.
“Your Highness, let’s go!” urged Owwa, but Asmal didn’t budge.
Instead of stopping them, the Prince joined the fight. Soon, the whites arrived. Their fangs were bared, eyes blood-red, ready to defend their peaceful lives from the intruders.
Owwa didn’t waste a moment and flew back to the Kingdom to alert the others. The black vampires quickly prepared for battle.
A bloody clash broke out, interrupted only by a roar from afar.
“ASMAL!” shouted Supreme Atcandis.
His eyes glowed red, claws extended, fangs exposed as he soared through the sky. The whites trembled and fled before their own Supreme could even arrive.
“ASMAL!” the Supreme cried again, his fury intensifying at the sight of his son with scratches on his face and torn clothes.
The Supreme flew like paper in the wind and mercilessly decapitated the remaining whites still present.
“This isn’t our territory, Brother! We must leave!” urged Prince Rowan, the Supreme’s youngest brother.
He carried his unconscious children, Hara and Kaugi, while Prince Alli carried the weakened Juzar on his shoulders.
The Supreme glared at the white kingdom as he carried Asmal in his arms.
The young vampires never imagined they would come to regret their actions. They were imprisoned underground by their parents for more than six months as punishment for their sins.
For two years, they were forbidden from consuming human flesh or blood. Once released, they were made to work from dawn till dusk. They deeply regretted their actions.
Meanwhile, the whites mourned the lives lost in the black vampires’ attack.
“They belittle us because they know they are stronger, more powerful, and can easily defeat us,” said Savanna, mother to one of the children who died, her voice full of rage.
“They know that no matter what we do, we can’t win against them,” muttered Rosa, a farmer who lost her livelihood and husband.
Supreme Deon heard the grievances of his people about the attack. It pained him deeply, so the next day he called for an assembly.
“All young vampires will be sent south to be trained by warriors of our race. We will not let the blacks trample on us forever!” declared the Supreme boldly.
“But will we stand a chance once they’re trained, Supreme? Or will we still be mocked and defeated no matter what?” cried a woman who had lost her husband.
“We will become strong and overcome them. The white vampires from the South are trained by warriors from the wolf race, something the blacks do not know. That’s why I thought of this way to fortify our people so we can finally stand against the blacks!” the Supreme shouted.
Everyone nodded and raised their fists in the air—a sign that they agreed with the Supreme’s plan.
That very day, the young vampires were sent south to begin their training. With their dwindling population, the Supreme would never again allow his people to suffer losses at the hands of the treacherous blacks. The betrayal by that race was still clear in his memory, even if he was just a child when it happened.
Bloodthirsty and power-hungry, the blacks only desired to rule alone. No one was allowed to stand in their way. Because the whites were weak, their former Supreme, himself a black—decided to divide the vampires into two races. The whites’ wealth was taken by the blacks, which was why they now had riches and connections all over the world, while the whites were left poor, helpless, and forced to toil endlessly to survive.
Supreme Deon would never forget those events. Even as a child, he had vowed: if he ever became Supreme, he would strengthen their army to one day wipe out the traitorous, greedy vampires.
