Bitten By His Fangs

Prologue

(Used Tagalog for easy understanding)

"King Lazarus of Crimson Dynasty, everyone!" Applaud from the crowd have covered the entire banquet hall.

The king went to the center of the hall, pinatigil ang palakpakan ng lahat.

Nasa likod ako ng isang malaking pillar. I casted an invisible spell before I went in kaya walang kahit sinong makakakita o makakarinig sa akin.

"There is nothing to celebrate until we find Magnus and the missing crest," bumuntong hininga siya. "Dystopia will arrive soon. Without the power of the crest, it might lead to our people's fatal loss. You are all aware that we're only the vampire clan living until today. If we're gone, vampires will totally vanish from the world. Future generations won't know about our existence even on history books," saglit siyang napatigil saka tumingala.

Ang ceiling ng banquet hall ay puno ng iba't-ibang paintings ng ancestors nila mula pa noon. Witnessing all this know, it is a shame kapag nawala na nang tuluyan ang vampire clan. The realms won't be balanced. The world will only be left with the mortal and the immortal domains.

Ano ba, Iliana?! This is wrong! Letting them live will make you betray the immortal palace!

"Damian, have you found any leads lately?" tanong ng hari sa isang lalaking nakasuot ng kulay black na parang armor pero may mahabang cape sa likod. He's probably one of the leaders of the three clans na mayroon ang Crimson Dynasty.

"No, Your Majesty..." hindi ko na narinig ang kasunod na sinabi nung Damian dahil may kumuhit sa balikat ko.

"I knew you'll be here," napalingon ako sa likod dahil sa malalim na boses. His skin was pale and his eyes were blue. May takip na tela ang kalahati ng mukha niya kaya hindi ko makita nang buo.

How can he see me?

I better escape fast.

I was about to cast my magic nang mapigilan niya ito. HOW?

"Iliana Calliope, sent by the immortal palace to recover the Crimson Dynasty crest. Your goal is to keep it yourselves and let my people die," mariin niya akong tiningnan na parang gusto niya akong kainin.

I gave him a confused look. Who could he be? Is he...

"Iliana!" nawala ang tingin ko sa kaniya nang tawagin ako ni Vishnu, the person assigned by my father para samahan ako.

May naramdaman akong parang mabilis na hanging dumaan kaya napatingin ulit ako sa lalaki pero wala na siya sa harapan ko.

He's a vampire, that's for sure.

"Vish, I swear, we have problems-" napatigil ako sa pagsasalita dahil nilagay niya ang daliri sa bibig ko.

"We have even bigger problems in the palace! Magnus escaped, and brought the crest with him," he intently looked at me, na parang kasalanan ko, "It was locked with several spells and barriers pero nakatakas pa rin siya. We suspect that someone deliberately freed him," he's giving me a suspecting look.

Kumunot ang noo ko, "Why are you looking at me like that? Pinaghihinalaan mo ba ako?! I was sent here, don't you know?!" halos umusok ang ilong ko sa galit, "Buong araw akong nandito sa Vampire realm, Vishnu!" I casted my magic to leave na nasundan niya naman agad.

"I am not accusing you, Iliana. Pero lahat sila sa heavenly court, ikaw ang pinaghihinalaan..." he's trying to calm his voice.

Umiling ako, "Paano ko nga magagawa 'yon eh nandito ako sa Vampire realm? Hindi ba nila 'yon naisip?"

"Of course they thought about that. But if you wanted to free him, you could easily get someone to do it for you. You're the princess..."

"The outcast princess," I corrected him.

He was about to talk back when I teleported to one of the roofs ng mga bahay na mayroon dito sa Sanguine Village, "Why are you suddenly there?!" sigaw niya.

I smelled something. A familiar scent.

Sinundan ko iyon and I reached a chimney. Doon nanggagaling ang amoy. Sinilip ko pa iyon para makita kung meron bang nandoon.

A black cat suddenly jumped from it, making me slightly startled. Binuhat ko iyon at siya nga ang naaamoy ko kanina. How could a cat obtain such smell?

I looked at its paws saka ko iyon binitawan. Vishnu was waiting for me to go down kaya bumaba na rin ako.

The cat suddenly disappeared.

Tsk.

"Anong meron doon?" tanong ni Vishnu pagkababa ko.

"Magnus, transformed as a cat."

Lumaki ang mga mata niya at niyugyog ang balikat ko, "B-Bakit mo binitawan?! We should've captured him!"

I sighed. "What difference does it make? Kung spells and barriers nga ng immortal palace natakasan niya, paano pa tayo?" I held his shoulder, "Relax, he can't go far. His right foot was bleeding, and besides, it takes a long time for someone para makalipat sa ibang realm. Even vampires are no exception. Only immortals can teleport from one domain to another."

Walang nagawa si Vishnu kundi ang bumuntong hininga, accepting defeat.

I'll come after you, Magnus.