Callaia opened her eyes with a gasp. She jumped up, expecting the vampire to be there. Her head darted around, yet all she could see was light. 

 “Callaia?” 

 Her head whipped to the voice. A small boy with black hair. “Jude? Is that you?” She ran to the boy, feeling the light around her flaring, almost swallowing them both. 

 “Well, look at you.” He stood on his toes, trying to be eye level with her. “You’ve grown, sis.” 

 “You look the same.” A tear welled up in her eye. 

 He looked down at his childish hands and shrugged. “Oh well, at least I’m stuck in my youth.” The light around her grew more intense, almost blindingly so. The boy placed a hand on her shoulder. “We’ll be together soon sis, but not right now.” 

 “What?” 

 “Seems the living world still wants to hold on to you.” He gave a warm smile before shoving her, his tiny hands impossibly strong, sending her reeling backwards. Her body flew through the air. Time slowed as she fell through the floor, reaching out to try and grab what glimpse of him she could as darkness enveloped them both. 

The paladin shot up, eyes strained as she looked towards a fire.  

It was warm. The sun was starting to set again, casting shadows inside the throne room. Ilyas was rotating a stick of meat over it, his eyes droopy as he sat on a makeshift seat. Callaia stirred beside him as Suika nuzzled against her. The paladin awoke with groggy eyes, rubbing them as she strained to look at the fire.  

“W-where am I?” 

 Ilyas glanced at her. “Finally awake huh?” 

 “You!” she began to grit her teeth. She reached for a sword that wasn’t there. As she attempted to stand however, her body fought against her as she tumbled back down. 

 “Careful. You’re still pretty out of strength.” He turned the meat, not even giving a glance her way.

 She gasped, looking around her as reality settled in again. “No way, it wasn’t a dream? How the hell am I alive? I swore I…” she began to shake as she moved her hand up her collarbone, feeling the two new scars on the side of her neck. Her shock turned to anger once more. “You bastard! What did you do!” 

 “Oh quit it already.” He snapped. “I had no choice. It was either that or we both died.” 

 “I'd rather have died.” She spat.

 He tilted his head to the side. “Well be my guest, if you don’t eat something soon I won’t be surprised if you get your wish.” 

 She realised the void in her stomach at his comment. She also noted the newly placed bandages that covered her. “What…why didn’t you kill me?” 

 “You idiot, I’ve been telling you it’s a misunderstanding.” He shook his head, removed the meat from the fire. “If you want to talk, come eat.” He sliced a chunk off, placing it on a plate he had found scavenging the castle.” 

 She was conflicted, but she couldn’t deny that she was starving. She sat across from him, taking the plate. She took a bite out of it. She could feel her stomach clammer for more. She began to feast. 

 Ilyas smiled. “So you can be civil.” 

 “Shut up.” She said through a cheek full of food.

 His smile quickly faltered. The bite on her neck was the only thing he could see. “I’m sorry, I had to bite you to survive. For both of us to survive anyway.”

 She didn’t reply, instead continuing to eat. 

 “Luckily, my blood is only half, so you won’t suffer too much of the disease. If anything, it’ll just bolster your abilities.” 

 “I’m still a damned bloodsucker now.” 

 He winced. “Not if you don’t give into it.”

 “Like you?” She looked through her brows.

 He frowned, taking a deep breath. “Clearly you still have resentment towards me. That’s fine. But right now, I’ve been tasked with rescuing the squad sent in to scout Umbratara. As is, only you and Aeon live, so I’m keeping you close. After I get paid, you can never see me again, and won't need to worry about my stupid fangs. Fine?” 

 “Aeons alive?” A glimmer of hope flashing in her eyes.

 “Yep.” He sighed.

 She looked away from him soon after, not being able to meet his eyes for long. “So what am I now? A thrall?”

 He began to laugh. “I can’t make thralls. If you have any more of those silly questions, I’m not answering anymore.” He turned to his plate, beginning to eat. 

 She huffed, doing the same. After a while she couldn’t help but feel her ideas shift. It was true he had spread that foul, vampiric disease to her, but she also figured she’d be dead by now if he hadn't. The bandages around her also made her question his intentions. Was I really so blinded? “Where did you get the bandages?” 

 He set his plate down, leaning back. “There was an ancient clinic type of thing around here with herbs and such. I was working in a pharmacy before I became a bounty hunter, at least like it paid off somewhat.”

 “I see.” She looked back down at the now empty plate. Suika flew up, resting herself on Callaias shoulder. She began to sit down, making herself comfortable on the paladin. She laughed, rubbing the moth. 

 Ilyas looked out at the broken windows, the now orange rays indicating the lack of time they had left for the day. Footsteps sounded down the room. They both looked in concern. Ilyas holding his hand out at the ready. When the source made its way into the room. The blonde haired man from earlier came in with a smile, and a sack full of supplies. 

 “Aeon!” Callaias eyes sparkled. “You’re alive!” 

 He set the sack down, wiping sweat from his forehead. “I’m not that easy to get rid of.” He walked up to the two, sitting between them, embracing the warmth of the fire. “I’m glad I made it back to find you both alive this time.” 

 “You and me both.” Ilyas gave Callaia a side eye. 

 Aeon began to chuckle. “I think you owe him an apology Callaia.” 

 “What! I-” She snarled, irritated that it was Aeon who said it. “Tsk. I apologise… for attacking you.” Her eyes twitched as she said the words

 “I accept.” Ilyas said with a smirk. He was enjoying every moment of it. 

 She looked at him with more frustration. “Don’t give me that. My squad had been wiped out, and the first Al-Bey since the great slaughter appeared right before my eyes. Of course I’m not going to listen to anything you said.” 

 Ilyas furrowed his brows. “Huh? The great slaughter?” 

 “You don’t know?” Aeon raised a brow. He began to laugh, clutching his stomach from the effort. “How comedic. What seems like the last Al-Bey doesn’t know anything. You really did grow up in the Hume community huh?” 

 “Yeah, whatever, what is it?” 

 “The Al-Bey clan was one of the three royal vampiric clans. Now there’s only two. That’s because of Idris Al-Bey,” he started. “The last king of the Al-Bey throne, he was obsessed with power. To the point where he decided to test his strength by killing every single person on Falcia.” 

 Ilyas’s face twisted. “That’s crazy. No way he was able to get close.” 

 “I’m not so sure you’re right.” Aeon stroked his chin. “He started with his own kingdom, taking the Dawnbringer, and killing every single one of the vampires of Al-bey. By the time he had wiped out his entire bloodline, the two other royals had rallied their armies, and even gotten the lycanthropes to help. Would you believe me if I told you it took the combined forces of those two Darkdweller nations, just to kill one vampire.” 

 Ilyas’s eyes went wide with shock. “That sounds like a fairytale.” 

 “It sure does.” He chuckled. “But it was reality. Idris managed to hold off that army for an entire day, in this very castle.” 

 Callaia petted Suika, who was now sleeping against her neck. “As far as we knew. The Al-Bey bloodline died with idris. So to see the pink eyes of another one, to be frank, I was too scared not to attack you with everything I had.” 

 “I see.” Ilyas began to blink in rapid succession. “That still seems ridiculous. One vampire did all of that?” 

 “The Al-Bey are related to the Hero Erebus. Erebus was nothing to joke about either.” 

 Ilyas swallowed hard. His mind flashing with images of the shadowy man. That can’t be right. He’s one of the Heroes? “You said Erebus?”

“Erebus Al-Bey of Darkthorn. The Hero who helped defeat Bahamut millenia ago.” Aeon smiled as if recalling an old friend. “He united the vampire clans against the dragon. Without him, the Heroes might never have managed to split Bahamut into the dragon shards.His ability to catch people in illusions with his eyes was unprecedented. He could create entire realms of imagination so realistic, you wouldn’t even know you were caught in his hypnosis. All he needed was for you to look at his eyes. The pink eyes of Al-Bey, the illusionists.” 

 Ilyas felt his throat tighten. Were the Whispering Caves an illusion as well? The way I appeared back on the throne as if I never left. There's no way…

 “So forgive her for her aggressiveness. I would try to understand most would have that reaction if they knew of the eyes of Al-Bey.” 

 “I understand that.” He stared at the fire, watching the flames whirl around. “So why didn’t you attack me? Instead, you sent me here to get that same sword.” 

 He shrugged. “I’ve been around for a while.” Ilyas was confused at the statement, noting that Aeon looked younger than him. “Plus, I thought you were going for it anyway. I was fine, so I figured you could go ahead and grab the sword. I saw you bury Dan and Benny as well. So I knew you weren’t a foe. Just in case, I had my palm facing you however, one suspicious move and-” A green flame burst from his palm. 

 A paladin, and a mage with magic I’ve never heard of. What a strange group to be rescuing. He eyed Aeon carefully. This guy’s no joke himself. He probably would have had me in the same state Callaia did, maybe even worse. 

 Aeon stood, moving to unbundle the sack he brought in. The purple moon made its way to replace the sun. “We should set up camp for tonight. I went scouting, but I couldn’t find a trace of the others. They must be by the other kingdoms. It’ll be too risky to travel there now with it being night and all. Our best bet is to stand guard for the night, and try to meet them in the morning.” 

 Callaia snapped her head towards him. “What? There's still plenty of time!” 

 “Nope.” Ilyas interjected. “You’re in no shape to walk, let alone fight, and I’m not leaving Aeon to either go, or stay with you.” 

 “Why not?” 

 “Because you’re my priority right now, not them.”

 Callai raised her hands. “Aeon?” 

 “He’s right.” He set out a couple of blankets he had found. “Ilyas is our bodyguard essentially. If anything were to happen to us, it’ll fall on him.” 

“This is ridiculous!” She crossed her arms.

 Ilyas caught a blanket Aeon had thrown towards him. “Shouldn’t have fought me, huh?” 

 She narrowed her eyes at him. 

 Later as they slept, Ilyas put out the fire. The only light came from outside. Ilyas wrapped his blanket around him, feeling cold, he searched around for his moth. He saw Suika cuddled up in Callaias arms, still awake, and enjoying the embrace of the paladin. Ilyas tried to whisper for the moth to come to him. He reached his hands out,beckoning for her to switch over. As she started to move, Callaias scratched the moth's head, swaying it back over to her. 

 “Mine,” she said sternly. 

 Ilyas grunted. “She came to me first I’ll have you know.”

 “Too bad.” she held the furry creature tight against her. A silence was marked between them. Ilyas staring at the ceiling, thinking of other ways he could get warm. He thought of tearing down some curtains and layering them on top of the thin blanket. Callaia called out to him softly. ‘Hey.”

 “Am I getting Suika back?” 

 “Suika?” she looked down at the moth. “Oh. No.” 

 He sighed. 

 “Tomorrow, can you make sure the General and his squad are fine? I can’t do anything as is.” 

 Ilyas looked over at her, hesitating to answer. He saw her eyes were still shut, his newfound sight making it easy to see even in the dark. “Uh, sure. I’ll make sure I keep 'em safe too.” 

 “Thanks.” 

 He looked over one more time, finding it strange how different she seemed from when she had attempted to end his life, showing vulnerability that was never there during their encounter.