Chapter 29: A Strange Dream (Part I)

Sol was gone, taking Malachi's physical shell and leading the vampires of the Sabbat out of the Demon Realm.

The so-called betrayal of four hundred years ago, the four centuries of searching and struggling, and the war between the Sabbat and the Camarilla—at this moment, it all lost its meaning.

I sat on the ground outside the thicket of brambles. The sunlight overhead was exceptionally warm.

So this was the end for Malachi and Sol?

What about me? What was my ending? What would happen between me and Gareth?

All the strength in my body vanished, and I suddenly felt very tired. Knowing full well I shouldn't sleep, I still slowly closed my eyes. Bathed in the sensation of the sunlight, it felt so warm.

I had a dream, a very strange dream. I dreamed of Gareth.

I dreamed I was flying in the sky, with pure white wings and an angel's halo.

Gareth looked just like me; he held my hand, his smile so warm.

Beautiful spirits danced among the flowers, an accordion played a melodious tune, and a choir sang.

...And there was the benevolent visage of God.

Everything was so wonderful, as if I were in Heaven.

"Gareth..." I couldn't help but call out in joy.

With just that soft call, all the peace was shattered. Suddenly, Gareth’s usually gentle eyes were filled with terror.

I plunged headlong into a bottomless abyss...

"Aurora, Aurora! Wake up... Nightmare, disperse!" Alastor’s voice barked in my ear, like a bucket of cold water poured over my head. I felt my constantly falling body finally hit the ground.

"Ah!" With a cry of alarm, I opened my eyes.

"It's alright, just a prank by a Nightmare." Alastor patted my head and smiled.

"A Nightmare?" I stared blankly at Alastor.

"Yes, a dream familiar—a low-level spirit. You were probably too weak, allowing it to take advantage of the opening."

I nodded, feeling a bit despondent as I recalled the dream.

"Aurora." Alastor suddenly pulled me into an embrace.

"Hmm?" I was still replaying the dream in my mind.

"Let's elope."

"What?" I finally snapped out of it and pushed him away.

"Let's elope!" Alastor looked at me, his eyes sparkling like a puppy's.

"Huh?"

"Let's run away. I'll take you to the ends of the earth..."

I blinked, then burst out laughing. "You’re a terrible actor."

"Terrible, huh..." The sparkle in his eyes dimmed slightly, and Alastor let go of me.

"Wait, where’s Snowy?" Looking around, I belatedly realized that Snowy was gone!

Anxiety gripped me. I hurriedly stood up and began searching everywhere, hunched over.

"Snowy! Snowy! Snowy..."

Failing to notice Alastor's complex expression, I rushed off to track down Snowy's whereabouts.

I searched every corner of the palace and every secret passage in the castle.

The moon was dark, the wind was high, and ghostly shadows loomed everywhere.

"I am a vampire, I am a vampire, I am a vampire... I’m not afraid of ghosts, I’m not afraid of ghosts, I’m not afraid of ghosts..." Inside the castle of the Demon Realm, a small figure trembled against the base of a wall, muttering under her breath while moving forward in small steps.

I shivered and chanted to bolster my courage while searching for traces of Snowy. But I had clearly overestimated my abilities and underestimated my lack of a sense of direction.

I confirmed with great sadness that not only was I lost, but I hadn't found a single strand of Snowy's fur.

"I am a vampire, I’m not afraid of ghosts... Ah!" I slammed into a pale, ghostly shadow. I screamed, closing my eyes like an ostrich. "I’m a vampire! you can't do anything to me!"

Silence.

Total silence.

I peeked with one eye, then opened the other.

I was immediately dumbfounded.

White was white, but this was not the "White" I was looking for.

Standing before me was the long-missing Inquisitor of the Camarilla... Albus!

"Inquis... Inquis... Inquisitor..." Under his icy gaze, I trembled spinelessly. I peeled my lips back into a stiff smile. "Long... long time no see..."

Albus gave a faint nod and walked straight past me, treating me entirely as if I were air. Perhaps I should be grateful; after all, treating me like air meant he had no intent to kill me.

Watching his peerless back, I belatedly remembered my tragic situation of being lost and hurriedly followed him with cautious steps.

Establishing a safety distance of three meters, I followed behind him.

Around a corner—huh? He was gone!

"No one named 'White' is any good!" I ground my teeth in resentment.

"Hmm?" a voice rose slightly.

I turned to stone.

I slowly and stiffly turned my neck, only to see Lord Albus standing right behind me.

Staring at him foolishly, I chose silence.

He wouldn't kill me just because he didn't like what I said, would he?

"Have you seen enough?" He spoke flatly. Though his voice was faint, it was as cold as ice.

I quickly shut my mouth and nodded vigorously. "Enough, enough..."

"Lost again?" His voice was as icy as ever.

I continued to nod. "Mm-hmm."

If I had a tail behind me, it would surely be wagging right now. In my state of high nervous tension, I didn't deeply process the implication of "again."

He turned and left.

I stared blankly at his back.

He paused, turned around, and frowned slightly at me. "Are you coming or not?"

"Oh, right!" Snapping out of it like I was waking from a dream, I trotted forward to follow him. "Lord Inquisitor, have you seen Snowy?"

"Hmm?" His voice rose dangerously.

"Ah! I meant my pet. He's also called Snowy..."

He stopped in his tracks and looked at me coldly.

Uh... he wouldn't suspect I was doing this on purpose, would he... I shivered and took a small step back. "It’s just... a little white ball of fur. Very cute... He's my pet... He’s gone..."

"If he's gone, he's gone." He resumed walking.

"No, no, that won't do. I plan to take him back to the human world. He's so small and can't protect himself. The Demon Realm is so treacherous; I can't bear to leave him behind. He'll be eaten by monsters!" The more I spoke, the more alarmed and frightened I became. I shook my head. "No, I have to find him."

Albus didn't even spare me a glance, continuing to walk straight ahead.

You bloodless, tearless, heartless, soulless big demon! I cursed him fiercely in my head. Looking back at the looming ghostly shadows, I hesitated about going to rescue my pet Snowy, whom I imagined to be suffering.

Suddenly, a sharp wolf howl pierced the night sky.

I jumped in fright. While disloyally praying for Snowy to have good luck, I spinelessly trotted after that bloodless, tearless, heartless, soulless big demon.

For a split second, I thought I saw the corner of a certain demon's mouth curve into a wicked arc.

Blinking again, it was clearly still the same unchanging deadpan face.

It must have been a hallucination...