Beyond the Bloodline-Chapter 210: Thrones of Resentment

Estea had remained untouched by Jamie’s presence for far too long, but he had plans to return soon—for more than just one reason.

His long-overdue meeting with the Crimson Court was at the top of the list.

Beyond that, he wanted to check on his various businesses and ventures and make sure everything was running smoothly in his absence. Then there was the matter of retrieving the Blue Moon Castle from the depths of the Arnmouth Ocean. And of course, he needed to head back to Cassarean to see how the Westley Clan had fared over the years.

"I should be done with all that before February. Then I could get Evangelista’s twins and Vespera’s grandchild."

Hearing him speak of "Evangelista’s" twins, Lapis narrowed her brows and asked.

"Seren’s grandchildren? The twins with the girl rumoured to have the Queen’s Blood."

"Yeah. She’s just like you."

Jamie’s offhand comment revealed that she too was an existence blessed with Queen’s Blood.

To put it simply, her racial factors were purer than most, resulting in higher base stat values and an inherent command over members of her race subordinated to her.

The blood that ran through the veins of her subordinates obeyed her will and If she commanded them, the blood in their bodies would obey her Queen’s Blood and force them to execute her orders. Though there were limits to this power, its potential was undeniable.

Another crucial aspect of those who carried the Queen’s Blood was the promise of power.

Anyone born with it was guaranteed to reach the Race Emperor level, a threshold of strength beyond which many across the universe would never ascend.

Unlike the majority of the universe’s population, whose potential stopped below that point, those with King’s and Queen’s Blood were destined for greatness.

But of course, like all things special, they were rare, even in the scale of the Universe.

"You have a Space Station in this Star System, right? Let’s go over there and continue talking. I also feel like eating something."

Jamie did not need to eat, but since he could, he did. It was fun anyway, so he wasn’t bothered.

Lapis, being only half a Vampire, had zero problems with normal food so she too partook in delicacies occasionally, despite also not having a need.

At Jamie’s suggestion, Lapis nodded and created a spatial gate that took them out of the atmosphere and towards the giant Space Station floating near one of Anadus Prime’s moons.

◇　◇　◇

Seat of the Pantheon

Omega Star Sea

Zanerth-O1 Galaxy

November 18th

Year 2018

Pantheon.

A pantheon was the particular set of all gods of any individual polytheistic religion, mythology, or tradition. This also applied to other races besides the god race.

The set of beings (mostly deities) that are responsible for ruling a certain universe are the members of that universe’s pantheon.

The Chief Members of the Pantheon, are dubbed Main Entities and each of them governs over a Major Aspect of the Universe.

The Seat of the Pantheon was a vast, ethereal chamber suspended in the void of space.

At its centre, a massive ring of floating thrones hovered in perfect symmetry, six on the left and six on the right. Each throne was carved from powerful metals and precious stones and adorned with shimmering energy.

Each throne radiated a different aura and attribute, reflecting the differences in the Aspects of their occupants.

Above, stars hung like scattered jewels, casting their radiant glow across the vast expanse. At the centre of this chamber, a river of stars flowed like liquid light, its brilliance mirrored by the iridescent sea pouring down from above.

This cascading light shimmered in every imaginable hue, as if the very essence of the universe was condensed into a single, surreal waterfall. It fell from a ceiling of swirling constellations, disappearing into the stellar sea below, creating an ethereal dance of light that illuminated the grand space.

At the midpoint of the circle of thrones, between the sixth thrones on either side, stood a thirteenth throne. Larger and more majestic than the others, it radiated with a commanding presence, reflecting the Authority of its wielder as the ’Master’ of the Zanerth Universe—the leader of its pantheon.

Today, only four of these thirteen thrones were occupied.

The man seated on the grand, central throne—Eldros—leaned forward with a sigh. His face was sharp and angular, and his eyes glowed with a faint golden hue.

His skin had the texture of marble, subtly cracked in places, and long, dark grey hair cascaded down his back in straight strands.

The man wore a long, flowing cloak with a subtle sheen, in a dark blue colour reminiscent of a clear night sky. He also had a mantle draped over his shoulders, secured with a simple brooch shaped like a spiral galaxy.

Although he appeared to be a regular humanoid, this man could not be anything further from that. He was a Giant—an Ancient-Breed—who had simply shrunk himself to normal size.

Parting his lips, he spoke in a voice containing faint traces of exasperation.

"So, he really has awakened."

Seated to his left was Hageshīhito, the entity governing over the Aspect of Life. Hageshīhito was a being of ethereal beauty, their face delicately symmetrical, with high cheekbones and soft, almond-shaped eyes.

Their hair was long and opalescent, constantly shifting colours, as though reflecting the myriad lives they oversaw.

Hageshīhito had pale lavender skin and wore a simple, flowing robe made of gossamer-like fabric.

The robe featured a subtle, woven pattern of blooming flowers and leaves emerging butterflies, and the cycle of seasons.

Around their neck hung a simple, small green glass pendant.

Hageshīhito’s eyes turned to Eldros, their eyebrows knitting together in a hint of disapproval.

"His slumber was far too brief. I had anticipated at least a hundred thousand years. This... abbreviates our plans."

They spoke in a voice tinged with a mix of disappointment and mild irritation and their gaze lingered on Eldros, as if searching for an explanation for the truncated timeline.

Across from Hageshīhito sat Heilong, the Keeper of Death. His appearance was a stark contrast to Hageshīhito.

His skin was ashen and his hair—short, black, and streaked with silver—fell loosely around his sharp, weathered features. His eyes gleamed darkly, with vertical pupils that seemed to see through to one’s soul.

A series of fine, intricate scales ran along his jawline, disappearing into his clothes. Heilong’s face was gaunt, with a defined jawline, and hollowed cheeks.

He was dressed in heavy, obsidian-black robes embroidered with subtle silver embroidery. Around his waist was a worn leather belt, adorned with small, ornate trinkets that resembled miniature skulls—a quirky, personal touch.

His fingers ended in sharp, claw-like nails, and a subtle ridge ran along his forehead.

"Vampire Kings from all across the Universe have been reported making serious movements in the past ten months.

To be precise, all Estean Vampire Kings across the universe, regardless of dimension or galaxy, have left their posts. They’ve all returned to the Vela Galaxy.

They have returned to Estea, and with their real bodies, not avatars or clones."

Heilong spoke and the being opposite him added.

"These avatars they normally send out were left in their place, while they themselves rushed to Estea. There is only one person capable of summoning beings of their calibre in such a way."

The calm voice with a rugged edge like the hum of a distant storm came from Cerulle, the Entity governing the Elements of Magic.

He was a Spirit with bronze skin and golden hair, with tiny sparks leaping from strand to strand.

One of his eyes was a bright burning red, while the other was a soothing green. Cerulle wore a simple white dress shirt and trousers, with no accessories on him besides the wolf tooth necklace hanging from his neck.

Eldros nodded after Cerulle spoke, then tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing as though he were seeing across space.

"Nine months is fast—faster than any being should be able to move across the galaxies, especially those billions of light-years away. Yet for him... the Alpha Hybrid... they rush."

In January, Waldron had sent out a notice to all the Estean Vampire Race Kings, that Jamie was awake and desired to speak with them.

Many of these Race Kings were in distant Galaxies, yet they either rounded up or delegated whatever projects they were handling and began rushing back to Estea.

The fact that some had managed to arrive on Estea in a mere 9 months despite the distances they had to cross was indeed proof of the fact that they were rushing, with some even sacrificing precious artifacts that would send Galaxies to war just to arrive even a few days earlier.

Jamie’s return was like a Cosmic Event; one that would ripple across the universe, affecting everything.

That was how much ’Universal Influence’ Jamie had, an influence that would not wane regardless of whether his power was missing or not.

Silence lingered in the Seat of the Pantheon after Eldros spoke. The four of them present, exchanged glances, their displeasure palpable.

"This always happens when he awakens."

Eldros finally broke the silence with his words, his voice a low rumble, resonating with the irritation that lay beneath his calm exterior.

"The Alpha Hybrid stirs after millennia, and with his rise comes upheaval. He changes everything as he sees fit, regardless of the order we maintain."

Hageshīhito sighed, their usually serene features now clouded with frustration.

"It’s not just change, Eldros. It’s the sheer audacity of his actions.

He reshapes the universe as if it were clay in his hands. The power structure we carefully build, the control we work to maintain—he tears it apart without care; as if our ambitions are worth nothing."