The Dread of Damned

"Come in," came a voice from inside, carrying a weight of authority. The doors creaked open slowly, as if the very air inside was heavy with ancient power.

I stepped inside, Vasen at my side. The room was vast yet felt intimate, dominated by a long white table meticulously organized with documents, vials, and scrolls. Charts and graphs littered the surface, all neatly arranged. At the head of the table stood a man who appeared no older than Vasen, though his white eyes betrayed an age and wisdom far beyond his physical form—eyes that had seen eras unfold. His shoulder-length white hair, combed back, added to the agelessness of his appearance.

"Welcome, young prince," he said, his voice soft yet commanding, resonating with a quiet, undeniable authority.

"You don't seem much older than Vasen." I observed, testing the waters.

"Looks can deceive, young man. After reaching a certain point, age becomes irrelevant to us Nocturnals. We watch as the present fades into history, written into the annals of time. The futures promised by fragile humans come and go, their laborious efforts often little more than cruel jokes in the grander scheme," he said, his voice tinged with nostalgia.

"Cruel joke?" I echoed, intrigued.

"You will understand in time," he replied, his tone suggesting I ask no more for now. "Come, let me see the future of House Aestherisin."

He gestured for me to approach, and I stepped forward until I stood an arm's length away from him. His white eyes scanned me, their gaze penetrating as though he could see every fragment of my past, present, and future.

"The future is bright," he said after a moment, his voice like a judge passing a verdict. "But the hands guiding it are steeped in mystery... and darkness."

"Darkness?" I inquired, unsettled yet intrigued.

"You should know that better than anyone by now," he said with a knowing smile. "Rest assured, no one will fault you for indulging in certain desires. We are beings born of and driven by them, after all."

"As long as I can back it up," I added, completing his thought.

He nodded. "As long as you can back it up," he repeated, chuckling softly. "At last, the moon has blessed us with a true leader."

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you implying my father isn't a good ruler?"

"He is a good man," the head replied with a slight shake of his head, "but the throne does not need a good man now. Not in these times."

"Bold words," I remarked. "Words that could cost you your head."

He laughed, a deep, hearty sound. "If only it were that simple. I wouldn't need to say these things if they weren't true. Your father once stood where you stand now, and when I looked into his being, I saw a kind heart, a soft spirit, and a deep desire etched into his very being. But those are not the qualities required of a ruler—not then, and certainly not now, especially with the growing unrest in the elders council which is making things hard for you and the betrayal of the Vestian."

"Do you think I'm a better fit?" I asked, my tone serious.

"That remains to be seen," he said, leaning back in his chair. "But I hope you will fill the throne as a true king, just as you've filled his bed as a true man."

He sat down, picking up a document. "You may go now. Vasen will show you to your quarters and fetch you when it's time for your lessons."

I turned to leave, Vasen following closely as the door shut behind us. Once we were outside, I broke the silence.

"Is he always right?" I asked.

"The head's power is tied to the flow of time and the future," Vasen said thoughtfully. "No one knows for sure, but he has never made a wrong prediction—not yet, at least."

We continued in silence until we reached a room. It was spacious, dominated by a large, regal bed. A marble desk stood by the side, lined with books, while a raised platform adorned with crystals hummed with latent energy.

As I took in the room, Vasen re-entered the headmaster's chamber, where the older man still sat behind his table, engrossed in his papers.

"What do you think?" Vasen asked.

"The tides of time are shifting," the headmaster replied, his gaze distant. "New powers are awakening. He already has full silver blood flowing through him."

"There are others," Vasen said, his voice low. "One born in the east, with a deep Purple Heart. Another in the north, with navy blue Bones. Among others I am sure we don't know of"

"They grow stronger," the headmaster mused, "as though the universe itself seeks to balance the scale tipping the favour of those beings by sending these individuals."

Vasen nodded slowly. "The future does seem... interesting."

"After so long, it finally does. The wheels are turning, and these are the last ones we can train before the final battle begins," the headmaster said, his voice heavy with the weight of what was to come. "Keep an eye on him. How he deals with the three will reveal just how different he is from his softhearted father."

Vasen stood silently for a moment, deep in thought, before leaving the room, the headmaster resuming his work with a quiet air of finality.

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