Beyond the Bloodline-Chapter 228: And on the Seventh Day…
Seven days. One week. One-fourth of a month. One-fifty-second of a year.
A short span for some, a long time for others.
Yet, within these seven days, the inhabitants of Estea felt, once again, the unmistakable presence of the entities that ruled their world.
It began with a message, sent to the Crimson Court, the governing power of the Vampires, on the continent of Nightingale. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮
When the message reached the five lower-seat members stationed there, it was immediately relayed to the higher ranks of the Court, sparking a chain reaction.
That single message with only 2 words kickstarted a spectacle of power rippling across the Vela Galaxy.
Estea was a planet with 99 moons, though one in particular held a special place among them.
This main moon, vast and luminous, was large enough to be a planet in its own right.
If it had been just a little farther from Estea, it would likely have developed its own orbiting satellite. But as fate would have it, it fell within Estea’s gravitational field and became one of its natural satellites.
On the surface of this moon lay the Lunar Sanctums.
Just as Estea itself was divided into fifteen continents, so too was the moon split into fifteen territories.
Each race on the planet claimed its own Sanctum, with the fifteenth reserved as a Neutral Sanctum.
The Vampire Sanctum was host, for the time being, to their Race’s powerhouses—The Race Kings and Queens who commanded legions of Vampires across the universe.
Upon receiving the message from the lower seats, the Vampire Kings and Queens began their descent.
Every day, as these powerful entities arrived, the mortals and even some lesser Deities on Estea found their hearts catching in their throats as they felt one powerful aura after another.
These were beings of such immense power that they could shatter Lower worlds with their mere presence.
But Estea was an Apex world. Built to withstand these powerful forces, the planet was completely undisturbed by the repeated descents.
Each descending Race Ruler possessed auras that eclipsed the entire planet, and this alerted the other Races on Estea about what was going on.
The rumours were true—The Vampire Kings and Queens of Estea were all returning home.
The Interstellar Operations Management Board of Estea swiftly attempted to rebuke the Vampires, issuing sanctions for violating the pact that restricted Deity presences and movements on Estea after the war.
But the Vampires did not care.
They dismissed every summons and ignored every warning, with more Vampire Rulers coming in every day.
Any barrier meant to halt them was rendered meaningless; these were Race Kings, powerful enough to rule galaxies. A mere planetary defence was not going to impede them.
Especially when the Planet ’herself’ did not intend to.
Faced with the Vampires’ resolute march, the other races sent word to their own Race Kings, alerting them to the situation.
These Rulers, wary of the Vampires’ motives, made the journey to Estea as well, uneasy at what such a gathering could portend.
Even their usual Crimson Court meetings didn’t warrant this many Race Ruler presences.
The last Crimson Court meeting had 50 Race Kings attending physically, but now, 50 Race Kings had descended on just the first day!
Yet the Vampires paid little mind, their focus entirely on the continent of Nightingale, where they remained, ignoring their counterparts.
Then, the seventh day arrived—November 27th.
A day of no particular significance to the people of Estea.
But now, it was soon going to be seared into their collective memory.
This day saw more arrivals than the past six days combined. Spatial gates burst open in the void surrounding Estea, as massive ships docked at lunar outposts, delivering yet more powerful Vampire Rulers onto the planet.
They all descended onto Nightingale, entering the Bloodrealm, the Crimson Court’s naturally occurring Dimensional Realm.
And they were not alone.
The Rulers of the Werewolves, too, followed suit.
Although not as numerous, nearly every Werewolf King and Queen from across the Vela Galaxy and the surrounding satellite galaxies that made up the entire Super Cluster gathered as well.
The Werewolves knew full well the reason for the Vampires’ return—and if their hunch was correct, they were next. Even if it wasn’t, they had no choice but to gather.
The mere possibility of that person showing up on Lupinora was enough for all of them to gather.
This was the power of universal influence—an influence that could stir beings from the farthest reaches of the universe, dictating their actions.
The Universal Influence of the one known as the Azure Void Paragon.
◇ ◇ ◇
Sanguine Hall.
Sanguine Citadel
Bloodrealm Dimensional Realm
November 27th
Year 2018
The Sanguine Hall within the Sanguine Citadel was a grand, imposing chamber that perfectly reflected the Authority and sophistication of the Crimson Court.
Located in the naturally occurring Dimensional Realm named ’Bloodrealm’, the hall was circular and cavernous, with a dramatic architectural design that gave it the appearance of an inverted cone.
The seating arrangement sloped downward, forming tiers along the hall’s crimson-veined walls.
The seats were arranged in a hierarchy that was immediately discernible, with rows sloping downward from the highest to the lowest points of the cone.
Those at the top, members of the lower ranks, sat with their seats slightly raised, overlooking the court.
As the seats descended, they became progressively grander, intricately adorned with dark mahogany and rich leather, indicating the status of the Vampires who sat there.
Rather than ’Seats’, they felt more like ’Thrones’.
The closer one’s seat was to the base, the higher their rank within the Crimson Court.
Every seat was marked with the insignia of the Court.
At the very base of this inverted cone, at the centre of the hall, was the Founders’ Table, crafted from black marble and polished to a mirror sheen.
Arranged in a perfect circle, the table seats the ten founding members of the Crimson Court, each chair distinctive in its craftsmanship.
On each seat was the Insignia of the Ten Founding Clans/Houses of the Crimson Court.
Vespera, Lorelei, Evangelista, Haera, Tepes, Cazimir, Ianari, Fanchon, Hendrik, Westley.
In the centre of the table laid the Court’s insignia—a crimson rose surrounded by a circular design of thorned vines—rendered in striking, luminous detail.
The insignia wasn’t merely decorative; it radiated an aura similar to that of the Race Rulers who held the seats of the Court.
Underneath the table, extending outward, the insignia was mirrored on the floor in a grand design that encircled the Founders’ Table, making it impossible for anyone in the hall to ignore the symbol of the Court’s strength and legacy.
◇ ◇ ◇
The Sanguine Hall was filled with lively and vibrant energy, the walls resonating with the echoes of countless conversations that overlapped.
The Vampire Kings and Queens of the Crimson Court were seated, their various styles of attire reflecting their differing personalities.
Some wore dark, impeccably tailored suits, crisply formal with silver cufflinks glinting in the low, ambient light.
Others opted for a more relaxed elegance: semi-formal cloaks over fitted vests, and dark leather gloves, their outfits striking a balance between regality and functionality.
A select few, among those who held Higher Seats, even sported a casual flair—loose-fitting tunics beneath open blazers or long coats.
They sat closer to the bottom of the Inverted Cone-shaped chamber, gathered here from distant corners of the Universe.
A gathering of powerhouses enough to conquer entire Galaxy clusters in a matter of hours.
Conversations hummed through the hall, a blend of whispered schemes and sharp laughter, as the Kings awaited the beginning of their meeting.
Some were arriving even now, and when Wanet’s grandfather, Waldron Vespera III—a man with magenta-coloured eyes and black hair—entered, he caught sight of someone he hadn’t seen in a while.
"Well, well, Waldron. It’s been, what, 200 years since we last crossed paths?"
A Race Queen of House Lorelith, Bianca, spoke upon sighting Waldron and hearing her words, Waldron raised an eyebrow, chuckling with a hint of disbelief.
"200 years? Do you even hear yourself? It’s been more like 2000 years. You need to get your sense of time checked."
Bianca waved him off with a light laugh.
"200, 2000. It’s all ’2’ anyway.
I’ve been stationed in a galaxy where time flows a bit slower. Messes with the mind."
She shrugged casually, as though time dilation were just an everyday inconvenience.
Hearing her, a nearby Race King from the Ichabod Clan, Juluis, dressed sharply in a fitted charcoal suit, caught this and joined in with interest.
"Slower, you say? And which primary galaxy would that be?"
"Conavis. Lovely place, if you don’t mind everything moving at a snail’s pace."
A chorus of murmurs and raised brows swept through the cluster of vampires gathered near them, and Juluis gave a quick, knowing nod.
"Ah, yes. I’ve heard that one is as slow as it is deadly. Careful you don’t forget how long you’ve been gone, Bianca."
Waldron chuckled lightly as he headed up to his seat and greeted the King of House Haera seated next to him.
"Been a while."
"Says the guy who vanished when the Gyran Sector was discovered."
Upon the mention of that location in the Alatheia Galaxy, Waldron leaned forward, addressing the King of House Haera seated beside him.
"The Gyran Sector has been growing increasingly troublesome. The humans there have found a way to align with some Celestial Deities. They’ve raised defences stronger than anticipated."
The Haera King, a pale figure with a gaze as sharp as a dagger, tilted his head thoughtfully.
"Celestials, you say? The interference of celestial energy is a nuisance. And wherever Celestials go, we’re sure to begin seeing gods too."
