Chapter 834: The thirteenth's son
The Royal Guard waited patiently outside the castle for Quinn to escort him to the King’s castle, where Dwight was already waiting for him. There he would find out what Dwight wanted to talk to him alone about, and Quinn was also hoping he could get some answers of his own.
Before leaving, Quinn made sure that both his Vampire knights would be able to take care of the place without him. He handed both Leo and Paul a specially designed mask, each one slightly different from each other in their design.
"You want us to wear these?" Paul asked as he looked at the mask as if it was some cheap decoration for Halloween.
’Is this what the kids consider cool these days?’ He thought.
"Logan created these masks." Quinn answered. "Although the system allows me to summon you when I wish, it doesn’t work the other way around. Phones don’t work here if you haven’t noticed, but these masks are all linked to each other so we can at least communicate by using them. You don’t have to wear them at all times, just when there is something you need to tell me."
"Have the others been given masks as well?’ Leo asked, not having seen anyone else wear one yet.
"You might have missed it, but Logan and Sil usually have them around their waist. The others from the Cursed faction have a secret place where they are keeping them. I thought about whether or not to hand these to the students in the tenth family as well, but for now, I think it’s best just for us to keep them."
Quinn didn’t give them his reasoning but Leo understood that it had to be more of a trust issue than anything else. Quinn himself also didn’t want them to get involved and was sure someone like Erin or Leo would be near them at all times.
Just as Quinn was about to head out the door, he heard a familiar voice call out to him.
"Quinn!" Fex shouted. "Are you leaving for your meeting? If so, do you mind if I pop along with you?"
"I’m about to head to the King’s castle, I’m not sure you would be very welcomed there." Quinn hesitated to take him along.
"My bad, I didn’t mean that I wanted to go to the King’s castle. I was actually thinking of meeting with my family. I know I was banished from there, but I believe if I come there as a member of the tenth family, it might be okay for me to just have a talk with them." Fex started to scratch his head, yet making sure that he did so carefully, so it didn’t mess up his gelled back hair. "The thing is, with me being part of the tenth family and all, I kind of need your permission."
Quinn just smiled back at him. "Sure. If anyone asks, just tell them that I’ve sent you as my representative."
Exiting from the castle, Quinn met up with the guard and explained that he had important business at the thirteenth castle first.
"Forgive me for my impudence, but he can go on his own, Sir." The guard responded. "He shouldn’t need you to babysit him."
"If you’re worried about losing time, don’t worry." Quinn replied with a grin on his face, as he cast his Shadow travel skill, and the three of them were swallowed up.
Travelling via the shadow was a lot faster since they could simply go straight underneath buildings. Additionally, it allowed Quinn to remain hidden from the public eye. Seeing the cameras he was sure that everyone knew who he was, and he just didn’t want to deal with the attention and rumors going around.
Once they reached the thirteenth inner castle area, the three of them popped out, and walked up to the guards.
"I, Quinn Talen, family leader of the Cursed family, have come here to request a meeting with the thirteenth leader. Please deliver this message posthaste." Quinn announced, following Fex’s plan.
Fex was unsure whether his father would allow him to meet him if he just came unannounced, but if another leader made such a request, especially Quinn, he was sure his father would have to accept.
While the guard went ahead and gave the okay it was time for them to split up.
"Fex, spend as long as you need here. You have already helped out enough and now there are others that can help us. There’s no rush to come back." Quinn encouraged Fex, before popping back off into the shadow with the Royal Guard and heading towards the King’s castle.
Taking a deep breath, Fex followed the guard into the castle. He tried to hide his face from onlookers, slightly regretting not bringing a mask along, so it didn’t take long for him to get spotted.
"Isn’t that the thirteenth leader’s son?"
"I thought he was banished, what is he doing returning?"
"I’ve seen him at the tenth family’s announcement. Do you think he’s a messenger boy for the tenth now?"
"It’s a shame to have fallen so far. He had such a bright future ahead of him."
Gritting his teeth, Fex chose to ignore the comments until he finally entered the castle and subsequently the throne room. Awaiting him wasn’t just his dad, but also his sister.
When Lee Sanguinis, the thirteenth leader, saw his son walk through those doors, he didn’t know how to react. He had been wondering what Quinn might want from him, so he was surprised to see his son walk in instead. He stood up and came before Fex as he looked him directly in the eyes.
"I see the time apart has not really changed you. You’re so old yet you still pull these stunts." Lee sighed. "Did you really have to come see us this way? As someone from the tenth family, instead of a son who wished to see his father?"
Hearing these surprising words, Fex started to tear up.
"Father...." He choked on his words as he couldn’t fight against the tears. "I’m sorry." was all he could say while he continued to cry and fell to his knees.
Fex had expected to see his father’s usual form before him. The one that always put pressure on him to become the next leader, the one that would scold him for doing something bad, but for the first time since his early childhood, the words spoken were soft and gentle.
"You have nothing to be sorry for. I should be the one apologising. I didn’t really know how much I cared for you until..." Lee paused for a second and turned his head to Silver by his side. "...until I nearly lost both of you. Let me tell you this now, I hold both of your lives above any vampire code."
Silver started smiling, her father really had changed ever since the incident involving Fex. He was almost a completely different person. In the past, Lee had wished to become King, which was why he had followed the code so strictly. Only after he was forced to banish his son, did he realise that losing everything to get to that position would be meaningless.
Wiping his tears away, Fex got up from the floor.
"Father, I wish we could talk and stay here, but I know that I have to return to the tenth family at some point. Quinn, he’s a good leader and I want to help him. Unfortunately, that means I can’t stay by your side. I know you wanted me to become the next leader of the thirteenth family and I kept running away from it, thinking that Silver was always better suited for that position. I still think I would make a horrible leader, but I’ve always wanted to become a vampire that you can be proud of. And I think I can become one by staying at Quinn’s side."
Smiling back, Lee wanted to comment that he was already proud of Fex. Who else would go through what he had done, just for a friend? There weren’t too many in the world now, and all because he had made a promise. He regarded the current Fex as a bigger man than the other leaders who would hide behind schemes and stab each other in the back.
"That is why, before I leave here I want to show you something, something that can help the thirteenth family." Closing his eyes. Fex started to concentrate and feel the power from within his chest.
Breaking down the crystal in his body’s something slowly started to appear in his hands, until eventually they could see a large needle like weapon.
Standing on his feet, with his mouth left wide open, Lee started to walk towards the weapon Fex was holding. He had his hand held out as if he wanted to grab it.
"That can’t be, is that a-"
"A blood weapon, yes." Fex nodded, proud of his accomplishment. "And it’s not one that has been made from someone else’s blood crystal. This weapon came from my very own blood. I can bring it out and place it back as I wish, and it works just like any other blood weapon."
Silver could no longer keep her mouth closed, but soon her excitement changed to feeling proud of her little brother.
’You claim that I should have been made the thirteenth leader, and then you go pull out something like this? You truly don’t know how talented you are.’
After showing them the blood weapon. Fex went on to describe in great detail how he was able to achieve this and what the necessary steps were. The two of them were listening and hanging onto his every word. Even after an explanation it didn’t seem like something they could do just on the spot, and it would take some time to learn, and more importantly teach to their most promising family members.
"I’m truly sorry father, but I think it’s best I go now." Fex apologised in a sad tone. "I fear staying longer will just make me too attached to this place. You can do what you want with this information. Give it to the King, share it with others or keep it to yourself. I just want you to know that you were the first one I’ve shared this with."
Touched by his son’s determination, Lee nonetheless allowed Fex to leave.
’That boy might have changed the whole vampire race and he doesn’t seem to even know it.’
On the way back, Fex no longer cared about what the others spoke about him on the streets. He was too happy to care.
’That was the old Fex of the thirteenth, now I belong to the tenth family!’ He thought to himself on the way back.
However, after only taking a couple of steps forward, someone called out to him.
"Fex." A soft voice called out.
When he turned around, he could see two hair buns wrapped up. There was only one person he knew who had that hairstyle.
"Kazz, what do you want?" He asked.
The look on Kazz’ face was one of concern, for she didn’t look happy, in fact it was almost as if she was on the verge of tears holding it in.
"I’m... Sorry."
******