SWNOVELS Chapter The Forgotten Time
In truth he has long forgotten when exactly he was born. Back then there was not an accurate calendar system and after the Great White it was actually a couple hundred years before his mother and father met. Things were very different on the immortal side of history, with their long lives naturally their knowledge and technology evolved faster.
Ten thousand years is a close estimate, but if his parents were still alive Alucard was sure they were undoubtedly that age--at least mother would be. So much time has passed that he can barely recall their faces, it took Elisabeth diving into his subconscious to finally pull that memory out to preserve her appearance in a painting. The artist did well, but nothing could truly capture her beauty, she was unlike any other immortal--the eldest of them all, some would call her ‘the first’ for being born first.
Alucard can vaguely recall his childhood, occasionally he remembers running thru a silky green meadow with his sister. The sun bounced off her bright blonde hair, reflecting its light as her wind picked up the loose petals of nearby flowers. Though they were around five years apart one could not tell because they were so close in appearance and relationship. They always played, though far from the castle, returning to it never took longer than a couple breaths. Though their friend could not keep up with such an achievement.
Back then their were not words such as ‘human’ of ‘vampire’ simply ‘mortal’ and ‘immortal’--people similar yet different. Their friend was a young mortal girl, one brought back by their father after the defense of a nearby village--she was the only survivor. It took them weeks to get her to say something and when she finally did:
'Thank...you...'
Such simple words and yet they meant the world to Alucard, he was captured by this mortal. Though their worlds differed, he found that she connected him to hers unlike any other before, he fell in love.
In that time, what seemed to be another world, love between immortal and mortals was very common. This gave rise to ‘Noble’ class immortals, those born into immortality and yet possessed mortal blood. They were not always born immortal, but nonetheless if they chose and only as a last opinion their king and queen would make them one of them. On occasion these former-mortals would lose their sanity, drowning in their powers they were quickly put down. This caused tension between the family of the Reign and the mortals, but trust was always maintain between them.
In the years that followed another son was born into the immortal family and such a birth was celebrated throughout all the land and beyond to others who heard the call for unity. There was however a complication with their little brother’s birth--he had no heartbeat. Vampires cannot survive without a beating heart, that is an undeniable fact even Purebloods are killed if it is destroyed. Sierra did what any mother would, she saved her child. Dracula had kept Amelia, Alucard, and the mortal girl away from their mother, but the eldest son saw what was being done. Mother was no fool, she was well aware of her son’s presence and allowed him to see his baby brother. She was keeping him alive by giving him her blood, an act which turned his golden blonde hair snow white. For the first time Natas cried as an infant should, proof of his livelihood and his beating heart. Alucard held his brother and those cries turned to smiles and laughs as Natas’s entire body glowed with tiny flame. I will always protect you
As the years went by children became adults and were recognized as such on the eve of the Reign’s century celebration. One hundred years of peace and prosperity since Sierra and Dracula’s union and the birth of the Reign. Mortals and immortals alike celebrated together as a single people who held neither hatred nor unhappiness against the other. Dracula spoke before his countrymen, raising a glass to honor those who had made their dreams possible. Sierra was nowhere to be seen and after a time Natas too was gone, drawing concern to none because only Alucard had noticed.
The youngest son and his mother were away in the library whispering so not even an immortal could hear. His mother told him little about what she said, but he knew that those words were of a woman much older than she appeared--older than even father, even further still.
“One day, when I am gone you will have to do what I could not.” Sierra held in her hands a binding of numerous animal skins, cleaned, pressed and cut evenly; depicting pictures--a story. On its wooden cover was a beautifully carved sun, though the color faded it could easily be seen being once of yellows, reds, and oranges. She gripped the book tightly, feeling the rough texture of the wood under her fingertips with each grain. If only she had the courage to do what should have been done then this outcome could have been avoided.
“You will not be alone, you will have your brother and sister there with you.”
Sierra gave the book to her youngest and hugged him tightly, mainly to hide her tears for what she had done to her child. She condemned him to this fate, passing the curse of her weakness to the next generation in hopes they will surpass their forerunners. Natas did not completely understand his mother’s words, but by the tone of her voice this was important to her. Having only of wanting to fulfill her expectations of him he held the book with a smile. He would not fail her, whatever she asks of him he will do without hesitation because that is what family does.
Alucard knocked on the door and asked as to their reason for absence and it was skillfully lied that Natas had gotten nervous with so many people around. The elder brother walked closer, placed his hand on his younger’s head and roughly caressed it.
“Come now you will miss the celebration! You best go now or all the gorgeous women will be taken!” Alucard laughed, when hugging Natas’s head under his arm.
Finally mother grabbed the both of them by their hands and made way for the Great Hall--best not to keep their father waiting. Amelia growled as the brothers finally returned, having been left alone while at the mercy of every suitor who asked for her hand in dance. Her and Mina stood together as they ridiculed the boys, but of course Alucard’s smooth talking swayed his lover into a dance. Amelia pushed her brother to a lovely immortal who was around his age, yet was too shy to speak to anyone which drove away any suitor. Amelia herself held no interest in the men here, she preferred to be without a partner and to enjoy the party from afar. Mina patted her sister’s back,
“You have all the time in the world to find that person--I have already foreseen your happiness.”
Amelia smiled and hugged Mina before sending her back to her husband’s side. This was true, Amelia was to be happy, but what came after was not something the mortal had ‘seen’ yet.
The years continued for the family and the kingdom. Though Mina refused to become an immortal, her life and youth was preserved by consuming her lover’s blood. In that time, her visions gradually saw farther and farther into the future until a sight so horrific she was forced to tell Sierra. Mina thought her gift was becoming a curse, but Sierra did not. It was as everything was planned, the beginning of this world’s end--their end. It was only a matter of time, the queen knew that, but still she fought against that fate to defy what had been said long ago. She had already noticed it, starting from Natas’s birth, Sierra knew this would come; it was in their blood.
Mina did as instructed, though without knowing why she wrote down all her visions had revealed, to create the written record to warn those of the next generations. It would not be now, or tomorrow, or next year, it would be long after they departed from this world--the future would be entrusted to those who followed. Soon after the Book of the Moon was completed their entire world fell apart.