The Dread of Damned

"Read this book, my love," she said, handing me a volume that appeared to be of standard size. However, what captivated my attention was the cover, adorned with five thick lines in distinct colors: pure white, pitch black, navy blue, dark purple, and blood red. Each color bore an intricate pattern engraved within it, lending the book a mystifying aura. I took the book from her delicate hands, eager to uncover its secrets.

"Inside this book lies all the information you need to understand our world. Once you've read it, feel free to ask me anything that troubles you," she said, her voice imbued with warmth and encouragement.

As I opened the book and began to read, I found myself immersed in a fantastical narrative. The more I delved into its pages, the more it felt like a novel, a vivid tapestry of a world that seemed almost too surreal to be my own.

This planet was also known as Earth, yet I was not born a human. In this realm, much like my previous life, I was known as a vampire.

According to the text, vampires were ruled by five royal families, each possessing their own distinct features, symbols, sources of power, and fiefs, where they reigned supreme and their word was law. The five royal families were defined by their respective colors, and the inhabitants of these fiefs bore hair and eyes that matched these hues.

House of Noctarion: Black-haired and black-eyed, their name symbolized mastery over shadows and night. Their emblem was a black crescent moon, surrounded by swirling shadows, with sharp, star-like points radiating outward.

House of Valeroth: With navy blue hair and eyes, their name embodied valor and wrath, marking them as fierce warriors with a bloodlust that knew no bounds. Their symbol was a navy blue trident crossed with a sword, encircled by crashing waves.

House of Aetherisin: Distinguished by pure white hair and eyes, their name represented the mystic air of the gods, with an ancient and enigmatic lineage. Their symbol featured a pure white silhouette of a full moon, enveloped by delicate, swirling clouds.

House of Sanguinary: Sporting purple and white hair and eyes, their name highlighted the power of blood and seduction. Their emblem was a purple rose, adorned with blood drops hanging from its petals.

House of Mortavia: With blood-red hair and eyes, their name signified death, solidifying their mastery over necromantic arts and their dominion over the cycle of life and death. Their symbol was a blood-red skull entwined with thorny vines.

The book explained that the fiefs of these families were protected by powerful magic, rendering them hidden from the outside world—at least from normal humans. The government possessed some limited knowledge of their existence, yet no one could exert control over them.

Although the families harbored differences, they refrained from turning on one another due to a looming danger on the horizon. They knew that survival required collaboration, albeit with minimal losses. This was no easy task, considering these were royal families, and their pride stood taller than mountains—a primary reason there had never been a long-lasting alliance among them.

Humans referred to them simply as vampires, a term that denoted lowly creatures of the night, while the royals were called "Nocturnals."

I glanced up from the book and met my mother's gaze. Her white hair and eyes mirrored my own, now revealing a deeper understanding of our shared existence.

She smiled at me, her expression warm and inviting.

"Yes, my love, what you are thinking is correct," she said, as if she could read my very thoughts.

"Am I a vampire, then?" I inquired, the question escaping my lips without thought.

Her brows knitted together in response. "No, you are a Nocturnal, the most noble and mystic of our race—a Royal," she clarified, making me realize my error. Old habits die hard, and I had unwittingly used the term favored by humans.

Yet my mind churned with newfound revelations. So, I was not just a vampire—I was a Nocturnal. I had to remember that distinction; I couldn't afford to raise suspicion. More importantly, I was a child of the Aetherisin royal family, signified by our stark white hair and eyes.