Elena wandered through Arthur’s house, her thoughts spiraling despite her efforts to quiet them. Theo had just stepped out to feed, and the sharp pang of jealousy that settled in her chest was hard to ignore. She knew it was just feeding—his way of surviving—but still, it felt like something more. As if, despite everything between them, it was a quiet admission that he didn’t truly care for her—that he didn’t want to be close to her in the way she wanted.


    She found herself drifting toward the vast meeting room, the one with the imposing oak table that dominated the space. Her gaze landed on the stone tome resting atop it, and immediately, she felt the pull—a subtle, insistent tug that unsettled her, like the whisper of a siren’s call.


    Hesitantly, she approached, her breath shallow as her fingertips brushed over its rough, broken surface. Elena felt it then, a strange connection to the artifact that hadn’t been there before. It was faint at first, a subtle pulse beneath her fingertips, but then something shifted. An energy stirred, creeping into her thoughts like a presence. The sensation startled her, causing her breath to hitch as she instinctively stepped back.


    Before she could pull away, the room around her began to blur. A disorienting wave of dizziness swept over her, and suddenly, she was no longer in the meeting room.


    The soft, muted light now filtered through a thick, gray fog. Elena stood frozen, her heart racing as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. The space was vast yet empty, with no clear beginning or end, and the silence was eerie, almost deafening.


    As her gaze adjusted, she noticed faint outlines emerging from the fog—large, crumbled structures that once seemed grand and magnificent but now stood in ruin. She took a step forward, feeling the overwhelming presence of something ancient and lost. It was as though the place was infused with a forgotten power, one that called out to her, and yet... it felt abandoned, as though whatever once gave it life had long since faded.


    A single symbol glowed faintly in the distance, carved into one of the broken stones. The mark pulsed with a dim, golden light, sending a strange warmth through her chest, as though it was a part of her. She reached out toward it, drawn by the warmth, but the fog thickened before she could grasp it, shrouding the symbol once more.


    A shadow flickered at the edge of the mist, too quick and too far to see clearly, but it sent a chill down her spine. She could feel the weight of eyes on her, watching, waiting. Just as a sense of dread began to build, she was suddenly pulled back, yanked out of the strange vision as abruptly as she had been drawn into it.


    Elena blinked, gasping as she found herself back in the meeting room, her heart pounding in her chest. Her hands still rested on the artifact, its surface cool beneath her fingers, but the sense of connection, of something deeper lurking beneath, remained.


    She stepped back from the table, her pulse still racing, the edges of the vision lingering like a fading dream. What had just happened? Had the artifact shown her something, or was it her own mind playing tricks on her?


    As she struggled to regain her composure, a soft sound of footsteps made her turn sharply. Arthur stepped into the room, his eyes immediately locking onto her with concern.


    “Elena,” he said, his voice calm but questioning, “are you alright?”


    She blinked, her thoughts still reeling from what she had just seen. “I—” She hesitated, her eyes flicking back to the artifact. “Yes, I think so.”


    Arthur’s sharp gaze flickered between her and the artifact, and he crossed the room with slow, measured steps. “Are you sure? Now that you are bonded to it, it may react differently.”


    Elena nodded, though the movement felt mechanical. Her gaze remained on the artifact, the weight of the vision pressing down on her. What had that place been? Why had it felt so... real? She shivered, unable to shake the feeling that the artifact had just shown her something it wasn’t supposed to.


    Arthur didn’t press her further, but his expression grew distant, thoughtful. After a long pause, she finally spoke, her voice quiet. “Theo told me this artifact is important in vampire mythology... but why? What does it mean?”


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    Arthur let out a deep sigh, the weariness of centuries creeping into his posture. He gestured for her to sit down, and after a moment of hesitation, she did. He followed, taking a seat across from her, his gaze darkening as he spoke.


    “That is a long and complicated story, Elena,” he began, his voice heavy with the weight of the past. "But I suppose it all started with my father."


    Arthur’s expression grew distant, as if he were peering through the long corridors of time. Elena felt a strange sense of awe. For the first time, she could truly see eternity written in his features, the agelessness of his form. It wasn’t just his physical appearance—it was his presence, something otherworldly, something that reminded her how small and fleeting her own life was.


    “There was once a time when even I was young,” he said, a ghost of a smile flickering at the corner of his mouth, though it faded quickly. "A time when the Earth was still being forged by the chaos of our solar system. The Creator—my father, if you will—was setting in motion the events that would one day lead to the existence of humans like yourself. During that time, he saw fit to bring into being myself and all of my brothers and sisters. We were his eyes and ears among the stars. Some human religions would come to refer to us as angels—beings of light and goodness, protectors of mankind."


    Elena’s breath caught in her throat. Angels? The idea seemed almost absurd, yet she could feel its truth. He was a being born before the Earth had oceans, before the first humans had even walked upright. She felt lightheaded, as though the weight of his revelations might tip her over.


    Arthur watched her reaction but continued. “But humans... are poor judges of character, Elena,” he said, his voice tinged with something darker. “We are beings just as flawed as anyone else—some of us more than most. When the Earth was still young, my father tasked a handful of us with monitoring the world, specifically humans. We were to ensure that you made it safely down from the trees, that you survived and thrived. That was our role.”


    He leaned back in his chair, his gaze growing harder. “But over time, some of us grew bored. Frustrated. We had been given a limited scope of existence, little autonomy despite all of our power. And so, we began to resent our roles. I was one of them. And my brother Lucian... was the other.”


    Elena’s eyes widened. “Lucian,” she whispered.


    Arthur nodded gravely. “Yes. Lucian. He and I, along with others, rebelled against our father. We believed we knew better - believed that if we were simply given free reign over the Earth, we could transform it into paradise. We did not want to simply watch over humanity. We wanted to help shape it.” His eyes met hers, and there was a deep sadness there. “Father punished us for our hubris and disobedience, turned us into what we are now—cursed. Bound to the Earth, forever walking in the shadows. Forever feeding on the lifeblood of the creatures we were born to protect.”


    Elena swallowed hard, trying to process the enormity of what Arthur was telling her. The vampires weren’t just some aberration—they were fallen angels, beings of immense power and ancient history, now reduced to this... existence. And Lucian was one of them, one of the first.


    “ The artifact you now find yourself bonded to Elena is said to have the power to undo this curse. As your brother mentioned, it is also theorized that it can open a portal to the Creator’s Kingdom. It could be a way home…”


    Elena sat in stunned silence, her mind trying to wrap itself around everything Arthur had just revealed. Fallen angels, the Creator’s kingdom, the curse... it was almost too much to process. She felt the weight of her bond to the artifact in a new, frightening way, realizing just how deeply entwined it was with ancient forces far beyond her understanding.


    Arthur’s eyes softened, noticing her struggle to take it all in. “I know this is difficult to comprehend, Elena,” he said gently. “The artifact you now hold wasn’t originally meant to be here. It, along with others, was infused with divine power before the fall. These objects were once part of the Creator’s Kingdom.”


    Elena swallowed hard, still trying to grasp the enormity of it all. “So... how did it end up here? On Earth?”


    Arthur shook his head slowly. “That is the mystery. No one truly knows how or why they found their way here.”


    Before Elena could respond, a soft shuffle of footsteps caught her attention. She turned slightly, catching sight of Theo as he stepped into the room. His presence seemed to fill the space effortlessly, drawing her eyes to him. For a fleeting moment, her thoughts scattered.


    Theo’s gaze met hers, holding her in place. She tried to remain casual, forcing her fingers to stay relaxed on the edge of the table, though the subtle tension in the air was unmistakable. The soft light of the room outlined his form, casting a muted glow on his face.


    Theo’s eyes flickered briefly toward Arthur before returning to Elena. He shifted, his shoulders tightening slightly, and then he spoke. “Arthur, could we speak for a moment? In private.”


    Arthur glanced at Elena, his expression unreadable, but gave a slight nod. Without a word, he rose from his chair and moved to follow Theo toward the hallway.


    Just as Arthur reached the threshold, a sudden knock echoed through the quiet room, cutting through the moment. Elena’s heart leaped in her chest. She didn’t need to wonder who it was—she knew.


    David.