Chapter 13: VISION

"Vreihya! What happened? Why is there blood on your clothes!" my mother cried loudly when I suddenly reappeared back in my room in the palace. Uncle held me swiftly since I was going to fall due to the shock and the blow of the object that the boy's father had caused.


"ENTRANTE!
They wounded you!" Uncle shouted angrily, and I felt enraged. The wind in my room seemed to be intensifying, a sign of uncle's rage. I'm experiencing a significant loss of blood.


"They're cruel!
Why did they treat you like this, Vreihya?" my mother screamed as my vision blurred from tears, but I no longer had the strength to shout and move. I appeared to be a lifeless body in uncle's arms.


"Call Macara, it appears that they used silver on Vreihya!
" uncle yelled hastily as I felt my little body had been laid to my bed so that I could lie down more comfortably.


It stings!
The agony is overwhelming ! That's how I feel as a rush of blood flows from my stomach. It was entirely their fault that my mother was crying and my uncle was worried. They're usually like that when I'm feeling something. I'm also embarrassed with them because I feel like I'm becoming a burden.


"They'll pay for it!
" mother yelled angrily before fleeing the room to summon the babaylan who faithfully serves our family. Soon after, I had a strong want to vomit. I attempted to stop it, but I couldn't because a lot of blood gushed out of my mouth as I coughed.


Uncle's eyes widened as he lifted his bloody palm, and it began to tremble as he was scared to look at it.
Uncle, please! I don't want you to be worried in this way any longer. I noticed how his eyes changed color, indicating his tremendous wrath.


"Un...
Uncle," I stammered, tasting my own blood. I attempted to reassure him that everything would be alright and that he shouldn't worry, but he clenched his palm as if ready to kill at any moment.


"They'll pay Vreihya!
They'll pay!" he roared quickly and furiously, his body taut with rage. The air in the room became more intense, as though it matched his wrath. I wanted to speak to him and calm him down, but I was becoming increasingly weak and my vision was blurring.


Uncle's face became blurry before I closed my eyes and became completely weak.


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"TIYO!" I exclaimed as I struggled for breath. My chest was hammering as a result of the nervousness I was experiencing.


When I looked around, I realized everything.
A dream! I shook my head because it wasn't just a dream, but rather a memory. That day left a deep impression on me. Until now even though the wound in my stomach had healed because of the silver but my heart had never mended.


My hatred for their race appears to have resurfaced.
As I carefully rose from my bed, I tried to composed myself. In fact, my fingers was still shaking as I yanked my hair out of my face and tucked it between my ears.


I got up and went to my balcony, where I was engulfed by the mild heat of the sunlight that illuminated the entire forest.
I took a deep breath, as if experiencing the serenity of the surroundings would help me forget the memories that was returning to me. It's quite difficult to forget. It left an indelible mark on me.


I just felt a blossoming root creep on my veranda, and as I looked at it, it bowed gently as if to pay me respect.
I immediately smiled when I heard what it said.


When I stroked the flower, its color brightened.
It stated that the mortal was still sleeping and made no attempt to flee while we were in separate rooms. Because of what happened yesterday, his body appeared to be quite fatigued.


I felt a little nervous and flustered since what occurred to us last night came to mind again.
I have the impression that the Moon Goddess herself is devising a strategy to bring me closer to him. But my smile vanished as my heart felt that pinch as I remembered the pain they had inflicted on me.


I stroked my stomach where I remembered the bullet stroked, I already knew the term because uncle had explained it.
I've also seen people use them to murder their kin and sometimes innocent people. My hatred rushed to me right away. I was shaking violently. I must not let myself fall for him. I cannot admire a mortal race of vicious and destructive beings.


I now need to concentrate on why there appears to be a possibility that his eyes could change, but I still feel that he is human.
I've seen a mortal become royal-blooded vampire due to consuming royal blood, but how is this different for Mino?


I can tell that there is an effect on him, yet something in his body is resisting the change.
My problems has gotten worse since the mortal entered this world. I missed being able to sit in my throne without worry. I miss walking around our kingdom's barrios and playing with the young vampires. I missed the days without worry, and all I need to do is provide an abundance of food and flowers to our people.


I am just a princess that enriches the nature and bring them closer to people in need.
When I remembered how magnificent our palace and the common vampires' dwellings were in our kingdom, I immediately smiled.


Their homes, fields, and roads are overflowing with flowers and green grasses.
I am not lying when I claim that our kingdom is the most beautiful and nature-loving of all the kingdoms. Nothing compares to our kingdom as a living sanctuary for nature.


I was thinking joyful thoughts until I heard the gentle rise of the mortal from his bed across the room.
Hammers struck my heart at the mere thought of him being awake. Vreihya? Why are you so nervous? He is only a human! I violently disregarded the idea and whatever it was causing my heart to race once more.


I exited my room quickly and came to a stop right outside his door.
I have no idea why my heart is beating harshly again. I gently knocked three times on the door and instantly heard the quick beating of his heart, as if he had been shocked, but he also gradually calmed down.


I heard his slow footsteps approaching the door.
He carefully pulled open the wooden door. I looked up slightly as soon as he opened the door because he was a little taller than me. I was welcomed with his drowsy eyes, which I stared at for a time before feeling embarrassed.


I know we're not both fine yet, so I shouldn't act like our issues and hatred for each other are already over.
I'm sure this isn't enough to lose his despise on us. No kiss could ever make him forget his hatreds. I believe he is only calm now because his mortal body is exhausted of what is going on, for how many times has he nearly died.


"Come with me, we need to eat," I said softly and seriously, as if nothing had happened between us last night, I expected for him to object, but all he did was nod softly, as if he didn't have the strength to argue.


I instantly turned away from him in order to hide my nervousness.
I could sense his soft footsteps trailing after me. We carefully crossed the wooden staircase, and I noticed him turning his attention around, as if he was looking more closely, and I became worried as I felt his glance behind me for a brief while.


Entrante!
When did I learn to be nervous when a man looks at me? I'm used to it, yet it appears that it's my first time to be looked at with him. I despise this kind of feeling! Why do my knees tremble when he is this near?


He was also aware that I could sense his gaze, so he turned away and continued to look at his surroundings.
We had already descended the steep stairwell. After a few more moments of solitude, I opened the large door, revealing a magnificent forest. A cool air welcomed us, as did green trees and grass, as well as flowers. We both took a big breath, as though we were taking in the pleasant atmosphere.


We proceeded to a long wooden table that had a variety of raw fruits and vegetables.
He voluntarily sat at the far end of the table despite the fact that I had not invited him since I could sense his hunger. He hasn't eaten anything since he arrived in our world.


I sat at the other end of the table as well.
We were both eating quietly and had no intention of speaking. When I bit into my favorite fruit, I immediately grinned. As its purple juice poured out, I was immediately struck by its intrinsic sweetness. I felt him gaze at me a few moments later. He reached for the same fruit I was eating, as if he wanted to taste it as well.


When he bit it, I looked at him quickly to see how he reacted.
I immediately grinned as I noticed his widening eyes as he chewed it and swiftly took another mouthful, as if he like the taste as well. That fruit is absolutely delicious.


I smiled even more as he swiftly bit and chewed, the fruit is completely gone on his hand.
He instantly grabbed another and bit it. I couldn't help but chuckle as the fruit juice flowed across his lips, but he continued to bite and chew swiftly.


While his mouth is still chewing, he laid out in front of me his hand holding the fruit, but he couldn't say anything because his mouth is full.


"Loreko is the name of that fruit," I said, laughing since he looked like a child eating it.
He simply nodded and proceeded to eat. When there was no lureko in front of him in a few minutes, he looked at the lureko in front of me. My eyes immediately widened, and I grabbed the container and embraced it. Woah! He intends to devour everything, which I will not allow because I like them as well.


I immediately stood up, as if I were going to flee away from him with my most precious fruit at any minute.
I also want to eat it, and I will not let him eat it all. He grinned at me right away, and I gave him a fixed glance. You won't be able to take it away from me! And I tightened my hold even more on my favorite fruit.


"Come on!
Just give me one," he begged, but I shook my head.


"No!
You can't take this fruit away from me!" I exclaimed, but he quickly smirked, as if he was ready to steal it from my arms at any moment. But, for a little while, he seemed to accept that I would not allow him to touch my fruit.


I likewise sat back in my chair to eat quietly.
He returned to eating another fruit, but it wasn't as tasty as loreko.


The silence engulfed us, but after a while, he looked up at me, and I met his gaze.
I was thinking earlier if we could take advantage of the fact that we were both calm to talk. I also want him to understand that I am not responsible for anything that happens in his body.


"Mi...
Mino!" I softly blurted out while our gazes were locked.


"I vow with the name of the Goddess of the Moon that I didn't do anything to your body," I assured him calmly.
I braced myself for a possible outburst, but instead received a quiet nod from him, as if he agreed. His reaction astonished me right away.


"I know...
The Goddess of the Moon showed me," he said gently, and my brow furrowed at what he said. Wait! What? Who showed him what?


"What do you mean?
" I uttered fast because I was surprised at what he was saying. Is it really the Goddess of the moon who showed him that? How?


"The minute I felt my eyes burning, I gradually gained some vision from her," he said, as if he still couldn't believe what he was saying.
My mouth suddenly opened. Why would the Goddess of the moon interact with him? I quickly looked up, even though there was no Goddess in the sky because only the sun and clouds were visible.


"She's talking to me, but I can't hear or understand her well," he said again, leading me to return my focus to him, and all I saw was defeat in his eyes, as if he didn't know how to understand what was happening to him.


"I felt myself changing, but the moon's forces cleansed me as if she couldn't bear the thought of me being one of your kind," I was entirely filled with uncertainty and questions.
What are your plans, Goddess of the Moon? What is going on? What are they for?


I'm wondering if he's just a mortal and lowly creature, or if there's something else in him, because the Goddess seems to care for him differently.


"What did she say to you?
" I was intrigued about him because I wanted to know what had been shown to him. I want to be certain and limit the number of questions in my thoughts.


"What I can hear and remember clearly from everything she said is that her strength is fading and she is losing the ability to observe and know everything that is going on in this world; her connections are weakening," he stressed as he answered my queries.


I know the Goddess will become weak and must be replaced, but why should she inform Mino?
Why should he reveal this to a mortal? Mino, who exactly are you?


"Why is she telling you that?
Who are you really?" my doubtful question to him. She also doesn't communicate with us vampires too much. We last heard her voice when my mother was declared as her champion.


"I don't know how to understand what she said to me since even I, don't understand what she wants to convey," he said gently, and I couldn't help but be grateful that we didn't have to shout, dispute, or debate right now.
We appear to prefer to cool down in order to first address our own questions that fighting cannot settle.


"She told me that-" he immediately hung up what he was about to say before glancing up for a second, as if looking at the Goddess even though she wasn't in the sky, and then back at me.
When our eyes met, I was stunned, and I was hypnotized all over again.


"She told me that I am blessed with the light of the moon and that I am her vision for this world!
" he added firmly, his eyes glowing blue, making my chest quiver.


Vi...
Vision?


Mino, who exactly are you?

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