1913

“Good morning, father,” a young boy said as he walked down the red carpeted stairs. The boy had just woke up from his sleep and prepared to attend school.

“Good morning, Magnus,” said Brian Marley. Brian Marley is an heir to the very wealthy family of the Marleys. He spends his days with his son, Magnus, and the family dog, Manny. Brian’s wife had passed away during a tragic accident in the air, but luckily he and Magnus were able to survive the accident with the aid of a stranger who had passed by.

“Is breakfast ready?” asked Magnus. “I must get going soon.” Magnus walked to the dining room, located below the staircase. His father followed him.

“Yes,” said Brian as he walked. They stopped at the table where Magnus had sat down and began to stuff the food in his mouth.

“Magnus! Mind your manners while eating!” yelled Brian. Magnus began to eat slowly.

“Sorry, father,” he said after swallowing. Breakfast had not taken long to eat. Once Magnus had finished, he ran to his room, got dressed, returned downstairs, and said goodbye to his father and Manny. Brian had watched his son as he left for his day of school.

“A fine boy he will be,” commented James, one of the family butlers.

“Yes. I know he will turn into a fine gentleman one day,” replied Brian.

*******

In another setting, a young, arrogant boy was in the climax of a match of poker against a grown man. They held their match in a bar to where the winner would receive a full course meal.

“It looks like I win,” said the boy. The boy took the fine course meal. Before he could take a bite, the man shoved the boy’s face in the food.

“That’s what you get little brat!” the man said before leaving the bar. The boy ate his meal with discontent, then made his way to the second floor of the bar where he lived. He went to his father’s room who was terribly ill.  

“My son, Aeron, I am facing a severe illness. I will pass away any day now,” said Levi Bennett. “You must do something when I pass. Find the note from Mr.Brian Marley, who I had saved seven years ago. He will take you into his family.” Aeron looked away from his bed ridden father and walked out of the room. He thought nothing of his father besides him being a sick drug and alcohol abuser. If anything Aeron was glad that his father was near death because of how much he hated him.

The next day, Aeron’s father had passed away. He held a proper burial for his father in a small graveyard. Aeron looked at his father’s grave.

“You were nothing but an alcoholic who drove mom to death. I’m glad you passed away with a terrible illness,” Aeron said. He then spit on his father’s grave, but felt some sort of sadness. Levi was the only blood that Aeron was left with. Now he was gone. “Maybe this family will be different,” said Aeron as he read the note written by Brian Marley.

******

A few days had passed since the death of Levi Bennett and Aeron was on his way to the Marley residence as Magnus was on his way back home from school. They arrived at the same time. Magnus stared at the boogie which Aeron was in, and then stared at Aeron while he walked out of it. The two boys stared at each other for a solid five seconds before making conversation.

“Who are you?” asked Magnus. Aeron stayed quiet until Brian walked out of the mansion.

“You must be Aeron Bennett,” said Brian Marley. “Welcome to the family.”

“Welcome to the family?” questioned an astounded Magnus.

“Yes, Magnus. Aeron will be joining our family, as your brother. His father rescued us from death. We owe it to his father who had passed away recently,” said Brian.

“Oh! Is that true, Aeron? If so, it’s nice to meet you! I’m Magnus,” Magnus said as he reached out to shake Aeron’s hand. Aeron stared at Magnus’s hand which he then shook.

“Hope we can get along,” Aeron said. Magnus smiled.

“From this day on, Aeron Bennett will be treated the same as Magnus,” Brian said to all of the butlers.

******

It was a beautiful, sunny day when Aeron joined the Marley family, so Magnus went out for a walk. He could not immediately settle with the thought of someone else joining his family in an instant, so he decided some fresh air would help him. That was until he saw two boys bullying a girl.

“Give that doll back!” the young girl screamed. The two boys, around the girl’s age, were messing with her doll.

“Shut up!” yelled one of the boys. Magnus decided that this was not right and stormed onto the scene.

“Hey, give her doll back!” Magnus demanded as he charged into one of the boys. He tackled one of them onto the ground and went for the other, but his reactions were not comparable to the other boy. Magnus had been struck down almost instantly. His mouth had some blood, so Magnus pulled out his handkerchief to wipe it off. That was when one of the boys realized the name on it.

“Oh, you’re one of those rich brats,” he said in disdain. The boy that was tackled down got up and spit on Magnus’s shoe.

“Don’t mess with us again,” he said as the two left. The young girl had rushed over to Magnus’s side almost immediately after the fight.

“Are you okay?” she asked. Magnus looked away.

“I’m fine,” he said, “I only helped you because it was the right thing to do. No need for thanking or care,” Magnus said as he started to walk away.

“Wait, what’s your name?” the young girl asked.

“Magnus. Yours?”

“Erina,” the young girl said. The two gazed at each other for a short moment until Magnus claimed he had to leave. Erina smiled as she watched Magnus leave.

******

Aeron began settling into the new room that left him absolutely flabbergasted.  The room seemed as if it was larger than the entirety of his previous house and even larger. Everything about his new room differed from his prior one. He unpacked his suitcases into the dressers and drawers and walked back to the living room. From the rooms to the walls of the mansion, Aeron had started to realize that everything around him was a completely new experience. He’d never lived in such a fancy and expensive building before, let alone step in one. Brian was walking nearby and saw Aeron, so he decided to join him.

“What do you think?” Brian asked.

“Of what?”

“The house, of course. Is it comfortable?” Aeron looked down. He felt that his old home still held a fair portion in his heart but there was no going back to it. This new house, being a thousand times more luxurious, would be the new home that he would grow and love for the next decade.

“It’s great,” Aeron said. “I’m glad to be in your care.” The comment left Brian with a smile. Brian owed Aeron’s father a great debt, but Brian felt that taking Aeron into his care was not enough to repay it. Brian owed Aeron’s father his life, so he would try to make Aeron feel at home as much as possible.

“I hope you and my son, Magnus, get along. You’re practically brothers now, after all, and I think-”

“I wouldn’t go that far yet,” Aeron interrupted, “as we only just met today.” Aeron started to feel hesitant to accept the thought of having a sibling. Moreover, he felt indifferent about the thought of his new life. He needed some time to take it in. “I will head back to my room-” Aeron saw Magnus walk back into the house, who carried a very visible injury on his mouth.

“Magnus! What happened to you?” asked Brian. Magnus looked away and wiped some of the blood off his mouth with his bare hand.

“It was just a small fight. I protected someone,” Magnus answered. Brian looked down at his slightly injured son.

“I’m glad you did so, but not at the same time.” Brian placed his hand on Magnus’ shoulder. “One day, I hope you will turn into a fine gentleman, but fighting with others won’t help you accomplish that. Get cleaned up and join us at the dining room. It’s almost time for dinner,” said Brian. He let go of Magnus and placed his arm on Aeron’s shoulder which then directed Aeron to the dining room. Magnus watched Aeron as he walked away, then went upstairs to cure himself of the injury. Nothing else but the thought of Aeron now living with him remained in his head. His mother had died too early for more siblings so he had no idea what it was like to have a sibling.

Is he really gonna live here from now on? Magnus thought.

******

Magnus and Aeron sat across from each other at the table, and Brian sat in between them at the end of it. They were served spaghetti and meatballs. Magnus ate in an extremely sloppy manner while Aeron dined in a sophisticated etiquette.

“Magnus!” Brian yelled. “Don’t you see how Aeron is eating? Why can’t you eat with manners?” Magnus looked down, wiped his mouth, and apologized.

“Sorry, father. I will eat properly.” Magnus glanced over at Aeron quickly, who had acted like the conversation hadn’t happened. Upon finishing his meal, Aeron stood up.

“Thank you, Mr.Marley,” he said as he bowed his upper body. Brian was caught in a pleasing manner and started to laugh.

“No no, you can call me your father, Aeron!” he said as he continued to laugh. Magnus grinned for a short moment and continued his meal while Aeron headed back to his room. Brian looked at Magnus.

“He’s a fine mannered boy. After watching you eat, I realize I had not taught you properly. I guess we’ll need to start from the beginning,” Brian said as he wiped his mouth of the tomato sauce. Magnus grinned once again and immediately stood up.

“Father, it feels weird with someone else to join our family instantaneously. I don’t know if I’m comfortable with it.” Brian frowned and closed his eyes.

“Magnus, I owe a debt to Aeron’s father. If it were not for him, he would not be able to sit here together and enjoy our meal today. He is a kind boy, please get to know him.” Magnus looked down before leaving the room.

“Alright, father.”

******

Aeron had still wandered around the mansion, searching for rooms and areas that he hadn’t already seen. To his surprise, the mansion almost seemed like an eternal journey. It was then he stumbled upon Magnus’s room. He made sure no one was around and entered. Magnus’s room was the total opposite state of the rest of the mansion. It opposed the clean, polished appearance as clothes were scattered everywhere, drawers left open, and the bed out of order. Aeron was shocked, but not very surprised after what he had seen over dinner. He searched for something valuable that he may want in Magnus’s room until he hesitated.

Tch, I don’t wanna be like my father… he thought. He continued searching anyways until he found a necklace. It was pure gold with a diamond encrusted and shined as the ocean did.

I’m no idiot. I know this could sell for a lot. Aeron decided to leave with one belonging. He left the room and walked to his own. In the hallway, Aeron noticed a stone mask hung up. His initial sight of it had scared him, and he wondered why such an unpleasant mask would remain in such a beautiful mansion. Aeron shook when heard footsteps beside him and looked over. It was Magnus most likely heading to his room. Magnus saw Aeron and decided to stop by.

“Hey, Aeron!”

“Hi,” Aeron responded. Aeron had only then just realized that the necklace was in his hand, so he clenched his fight tightly and began to walk away.

“Hey wait up!” Magnus called. “Are you alright?” Magnus noticed the clenched fist of Aeron.

“It’s nothing,” said Aeron as he attempted to continue on.

“What’s in your hand?” asked Magnus. Aeron knew of the situation he was in. One wrong move and he could immediately get into trouble.

“Nothing,” he replied. “It’s just my hand is a bit loose, so I need to stiffen it up.” Magnus was not buying Aeron’s claim.

“Can you open your hand then?” Magnus asked. Everything on Magnus’s face read for a serious mood. Aeron began to walk away.

“I said it’s nothing-” Magnus grabbed Aeron’s wrist with a tight grip. This caught Aeron by surprise and he lost his clench over his fist. The necklace was revealed to be in his hand.

“This is… my necklace!” Magnus yelled. “What were you doing with it!” Aeron released himself from Magnus’s grip while still holding the necklace.

“I was doing what I felt like with it!” Aeron yelled. He had no intention of lying now as he got to this point. “If you wanna fight over it, then come at me!” Magnus’s face transformed into an onslaught of rage, which he then delivered to Aeron as he tackled him into the wall. The stone mask had fallen onto the ground.

“That necklace is from my mother! You’ll pay for what you tried to do!” Magnus said as he tried to punch Aeron. Aeron intercepted the punch and delivered one of his own to Magnus. Magnus fell back and Aeron was the one with the advantage know. He punched Magnus’s face twice until Magnus kicked him away. They both got up and punched each other’s face almost immediately, but the only one hurt was Magnus. Aeron had kept overpowering him that he had felt almost hopeless.

No way I’ll let him get away with what he did, Magnus thought. Magnus tried to punch him only for Aeron to parry him into the wall.

“The necklace is mine now!” said Aeron as he was about to deliver the final blow. Magnus had not given up yet. He would not let himself lose this fight, because if he lost this fight, he would lose forever. Magnus dodged the punch and delivered a solid uppercut to Aeron’s jaw. The force of the punch was enough to knockout Aeron. Magnus huffed and puffed until one of the butlers came into the scene. He took both Aeron and Magnus to Brian so they could explain the situation they had created. No one had noticed the splattered blood over the stone mask that lay flat on the ground.

1924

“Pass it over here!” a boy yelled to his teammate.

A rugby game was going on between two high schools. The game was slowly headed towards its conclusion.

“Got it!” yelled Magnus. Now, six-feet four, Magnus was 17 years old and playing rugby for his school team. He ran towards the touchdown line as fast as he could, but the other team would not let him as they all jumped on top of him. Even with all that weight, Magnus continued to walk towards the line, impressing the whole audience. He knew he wouldn’t be able to continue this so smoothly, so he looked out for a teammate. When he spotted one near the line, he threw the ball with all his strength. After spiralling in the air for a solid five seconds, the ball was caught.

“Bennet catches the ball!” the announcer yelled. Levi ran towards the line without anyone in his way and scored the points. “It’s over!” the announcer yelled as the whole crowd cheered. The boys on the team began to huddle and cheer for themselves too.

“Levi! Levi! Levi!” the team cheered. Levi smirked and looked over to Magnus.

“I couldn’t have done it without you,” he said. Magnus smiled and the two shook hands. Their relationship had fixed itself after 11 years and the two finally got along.

After the game, Magnus and Levi rushed home to tell their father about the glorious victory they had accomplished. They headed up to Brian’s room, where they found him laying down in his bed.

“Father! We just won our game!” Magnus said in excitement. He noticed his father was still as ill as the day before, and the day before yesterday, and the week before. “We wish you were there to see it,” Magnus said softly.

“I do too, my sons,” Brian said. “You two have made me proud, keep it up…” Brian said as he passed out.

“Father!” Magnus yelled.

“It’s okay,” Levi said as he pointed to Brian’s chest. “He’s just asleep.” Magnus let out a soft smile in relief.

“Rest well, father.”

Levi walked up the stairs while holding a tray with a cup of water and a small container. He was bringing up medicine to Brian’s room. Magnus noticed him walking up and decided to stop him.

“Hey, is that father’s medicine?” he asked.

“Yes,” Levi said as he continued walking towards the room. His face carried an unusual expression.

“Wait!” Magnus yelled. Levi stopped.

“Is something wrong?” Levi asked. Magnus walked toward Levi with nothing less than a serious expression.

“Let me see the medicine,” Magnus demanded. Something in Magnus believed that the medicine Levi was holding was no ordinary medicine. Levi shook and turned around.

“I have to give this to father immediately,” Levi said as he walked away. Magnus grabbed Levi’s shoulder. At an attempt to shrug it off, Magnus’s arm wouldn’t budge. Levi grinned. He put down the tray of medicine and faced Magnus.

“Do you not trust me, brother?” he asked. Magnus closed his eyes.

“Your hesitant act just shows that something is wrong, Aeron!” Magnus opened the fold that the medicine was in. “I knew it. This isn't my father’s prescribed medicine.” Magnus put the pills in his pocket. “I’ll have only the butlers take care of father. You stay away from him!” Aeron gazed at Magnus as he walked away. He knew he could not walk away from the mess he created with two stable feet. He grinned and walked to his room silently.

On the way to his room, he noticed the Stone Mask on the wall. The sharp eyes, the dark look it gave out, all matched what Aeron displayed at the moment. Aeron grabbed the Stone Mask from the wall and took it straight to the library.

******

Three days had passed since Magnus had left the mansion to get the pills checked. He went to a doctor he knew well to have them examined and returned to the mansion with a significant question for Aeron. As Magnus entered the house, Aeron stood right before the entrance.

“I’ll try my best to explain, Magnus” Aeron said slowly.

“What are these pills?” Magnus asked immediately. “I went to have them examined. It’s not  normal medicine to give to someone who…” Magnus slowed down. “To someone who lays on their deathbed.” Aeron grinned.

“Magnus…” He suddenly struck Magnus directly in his face. Magnus fell back while clenching his mouth, the area of impact. Aeron looked down on him.

“I’ve worked toward the building of my own life. I don’t need anyone else to share it with. Not your father, not you.” Aeron pulled out the Stone Mask that he took from the display and put it over his face. “I’ve researched while you were away. This very mask can give me the power to rule! I’ll rule over this country first, then the whole world. But, I don’t need those who I care about in my way. You would be a hindrance. Just a device that could be used against me.” There was blood on Aeron’s fist that remained from when he punched Magnus. “Now, if I pour this drip of blood on the mask… it should work!” Aeron raised his fist in front of the mask.

“Aeron, no-!” Magnus yelled.

“It’s too late, Magnus!” The blood fell. The Stone Mask unleashed hidden blades that injected into Aeron’s head, it’s wearer. Aeron screamed in pain immediately before he fell with his back to the ground. Magnus got up from the ground and rushed to Aeron’s side. He picked him up slightly and checked for consciousness. He couldn’t find it.

“Aeron, no…” Magnus said out loud as tears began to roll down. He quickly wiped them away as he remembered about his father.

I have to take father and get away from here. Magnus thought. Determined, he got up from the ground, until he looked back. Aeron suddenly disappeared. Magnus viewed the whole place, turning his head multiple times in every direction available. Aeron was nowhere. An instant later, Magnus felt a tap on his back. Hesitant to turn around, Magnus took a couple of steps forward. When he turned around, he saw Aeron. He stood completely still, identical to before he lost consciousness. Completely normal.

“Aeron, are you..?” Magnus asked as he walked toward Aeron. Aeron stopped him with a single glance and smirked afterward. Aeron walked toward the staircase and pulled on it. With tremendous strength, he was able to rip off a portion of the railing. Magnus gazed in complete awe.

“I’ve done it, Magnus” Aeron said. “I’ve attained the strength I needed.” He began to laugh maniacally. Once he stopped, he looked at Magnus. “You and I have no connection. Just remember that when I rule this world and rid it of those who wreck it.” Magnus grabbed Aeron’s arm before he could walk away.

“Don’t do this” he said. “You can live a normal life with father and me. Forget about conquering the whole world. We’ll make a change the right way.”

“Magnus, if you get in my way now… you’ll die” Aeron stated. He threw Magnus’s arm away from his own and began to walk away, until the butlers stood in his way. Unaware of the severe danger Aeron had become, they held rifles to his face.

“Master Aeron, surrender yourself at once!” one of the butlers yelled. “We will help you-”

“Help me rule the world?” asked Aeron. The butlers filled with confusion as he asked, but their confusion was quickly interrupted by Aeron walking towards them. “Get out of my way, or else…”

“We won’t hesitate to shoot if you take one more step!” Aeron stopped, then took another step. The butlers hesitantly began to open fire upon him who stood completely still, taking in all of them at once. They pierced through his body as blood splattered everywhere. With his arms out, he took in the final round of bullets until the butlers pressed on the triggers to result in nothing but the faint noise of a loss in ammunition. Holes covering his body, Aeron began to walk away once again. The holes slowly began to fill themselves up and it appeared as if nothing ever happened to him anyways. He looked completely healthy and alive. Magnus, who could only stare at what Aeron had become, decided that he needed to take action against him, so he ran after Aeron and tackled him straight to the ground. As they both fell, Magnus took on the damage from the recoil while Aeron felt only the slightest of a tickle.

“Aeron! Stop this!” Magnus held onto Aeron’s arms, but Aeron got up as smoothly as he would if nothing held onto him. He had become a superhuman, a titan-like creature, and an immortal being all together, until he revealed a weakness. Aeron suddenly fell to the ground with Magnus still clenching his arms. He looked around to find what he needed until he realized that he could get it from what was right next to him, but he hesitated.

“I need blood…” he muttered.

His legs stopped moving.

His eyes started to fizz.

He could reach for the blood beside him, but it belonged to his family. The thought of taking blood from Magnus left his immortal heart nauseous.

“Aeron, I know you don’t want to do this” said Magnus as he grabbed Aeron’s arm once again. That’s all Magnus was able to do at this point. In the past, Magnus had grabbed his arm to try and reason with him. If physical violence needed to take place, Magnus would go through with it. It was just impossible in this situation. There was no hope for winning a fight now. Reasoning was Magnus’s only hope.

“You still hope to stop me? What nonsense,” Aeron said as he shrugged Magnus off of him. “I won’t hesitate in stealing your blood-”

Footsteps emerged. Aeron looked over at the grand staircase and saw who he had not anticipated to see.

“Stop this, Aeron” said Brian. That same line reminded Aeron of Magnus, and then the thought made Aeron realize something. The similarities between Magnus and Brian were that of a  true father and son. Aeron was never truly apart of this family. As the blood dripped from Magnus’s face, a tear rolled down Aeron’s eye. It was his time to abandon this family. Aeron pulled out a grenade he got hold of when Magnus left to research the pills.

“It’s time I take my leave,” said Aeron. “You should take yours as well.” He pulled the pin and placed the grenade down, then disappeared almost immediately. His last words were a whisper to Brian’s ear, but he said “Thank you, Brian.”

The grenade exploded.

Rubble and debris filled the whole mansion. From the ceiling to the ground, everything was torn apart. I tried to get up, but I couldn’t. I was completely covered. After pushing the debris that was above me, I was surprised I survived the explosion. The butlers who lay next to me, however, didn’t. The thought of them immediately led me searching for my father. I removed the rubble one after another from the endless piles. Eventually, I found my father under one of them. I checked his vitals immediately.

He was alive, but unconscious.

“Father!” I yelled out to him in hopes of him waking up. He started to grumble and groan, until he finally opened his eyes.

“Magnus..?” he asked.

“You don’t need to speak,” I said. “I’ll get you to a hospital right away.” My father looked around to what we had woken up to. It was devastating to see how half of the mansion fell down to nothing. A sight that my father had put his life into, broken down and destroyed. I knew it upset him, but nothing could be done about it.

“Why, Aeron…” my father questioned himself. He could only contemplate where he went wrong with Aeron. A fostered child who had almost nothing growing up. I couldn’t even understand why Aeron chose his path.

“Don’t hesitate, father. I’ll fix this,” I assured him. I lifted my father from the ground and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. I needed to get him medical attention right away. Then, slowly, we walked together, away from our house. The home where I grew up. The home that my father had spent his life on. I was determined to fix it all, but my father’s health and Aeron’s insanity came first. We continued to walk, until an average sized man stood in our way. He wore a white suit and a top hat. His mustache convinced me he wasn’t from here, but from another country. I opened my mouth slightly, until he answered before me.

“Don’t bother asking. My name is William Wyatt,” he said. He signaled behind him. I didn’t see it at first, but there was a carriage waiting with medical assistants. “They’ll take care of your father,” William said. I didn’t know who this person was at all, but I could feel that I could trust him. A positive aura almost identical to the light of the sun surrounded this man. Also, my father needed help immediately, it was no offer I could turn down. I released my unconscious father onto the carriage. They began to move away immediately as I stood with William.

“Magnus, you will defeat Aeron. I will teach you all you need in order to do just that, so come with me,” he said. He signaled for me to follow him. Again, it was no offer I could turn down. From the moment Aeron had transformed, I knew I couldn’t stop him. I was powerless against him.

“The Stone Mask isn’t something that should be freely floating around,” said William.

“Huh?”
“I’m glad I got here sooner, or else it would’ve wreaked more havoc. Right now, Aeron is the only one who was affected by its powers. Let’s make sure he doesn’t spread it around.”

I couldn’t fully understand what was being said.

“Hey… wait. The Mask was destroyed in the explosion Aeron left. How would he be able to spread its power?” William looked at me. He could tell I was clueless about the mask.

“What Aeron has become is a monster. A monster that feeds off of blood and spreads its power through its teeth.”

“So… a vampire?”

“Yes, essentially.” William stopped as we came across a pond.

“William, how do you know about all of this?” William closed his eyes and looked down.

“You see, Magnus… it’s a long story. One that we don’t have time for. Let’s get training right away.” I felt his determination to stop Aeron as well.

“Right.” William began walking again, straight towards the pond. I was about to warn him about the pond, but he didn’t need the warning. He began walking across the pond as if he were walking on the ground.

“Very soon, you’ll learn this too,” he said before stopping in the middle of the pond. He turned around to face me. “I will teach you the power to defeat a vampire.” I then figured it out. The reason I could trust this man was because he was the embodiment of hope. He shined as bright as the sun and illuminated over the hopelessness I had of stopping Aeron. I knew I had to learn from William right away. I wanted to shine as bright as he did.

7 days later…

I had heard back from my father after he was put in medical care. He was reported to be doing well and the doctors aimed for a speedy recovery. I couldn’t be more glad to hear about it, and I was more than excited to visit him. Just the news alone let a smile on my face grow, but it saddened me that I couldn’t visit sooner. It was my last day of training with William, and I had grasped upon the power that William had taught me. The power to stop Aeron: Sunlight. It all focused on keeping the rhythm of my breath at a constant rate. These past seven days, I learned how to keep it at a certain beat, and it helped me master the techniques of the Sunlight. The reason why I needed to master this power was because vampires are weak against the sun, so this power would naturally aid me in stopping Aeron. By the seventh day, I could harness the power of sunlight within my hands and my legs. I then attempted to walk across the pond as William did on the first day, which I successfully aced. I felt more ready than ever, so William and I started to make our way to Aeron. We knew where he would be based on his goals.

“He said he wanted to rule the country, so he’s probably in the castle,” I told William.

“Let’s make our way right away then,” he said. We left the pond behind as we made our way towards the castle. By then, I had figured that Aeron had taken it over with his newly obtained powers in a matter of minutes. No sign of it appeared on the news, however, which worried me. Is he somehow keeping it hidden? I had to get there and find out immediately. Somewhere inside of him, I know my brother that I grew up with remains. With my own newfound powers, I was determined to put a stop to him.

Our walk had begun almost two hours ago and we still had a long way to go, but we were about to find ourselves in one of William’s carriages he had called for. We got on and continued from there to conserve some stamina for the battle. It had been another hour until we entered a dark tunnel. Suddenly, the carriage had stopped. I decided to peek outside to look for the cause of the holdup. Two men whom I could not see clearly were in the way of our carriage. Our coachman asked them to move, but they would refuse to respond, so William and I stepped out of the carriage.

“Hey, could you move?” I asked the men. “We’re in a rush.” They stood completely still. Suddenly, one of them pushed me against the wall of the tunnel. He swiped his fingers against me but I caught his arm before it could reach.

“We were sent by Aeron to stop you,” said the other man. “I think we’ll kill you inst-” William knocked out the other man in an instant. Shocked, I looked at him for a moment until he said something.

“This is your test then, Magnus. See how far you’ve come with handling your new power.” I clenched onto the man’s arms tightly and slowly pushed them away. Using the opportunity to break loose, I slid under him and struck his back to which he fell to the ground afterwards. It seemed as if I had finished him off, but he stood up very quickly.

“Have you been enhanced too?” I asked. He closed his eyes, shook his neck, then nodded.

“If you mean Aeron’s power, then yes. Lucky for me, but unlucky for you!” He rushed at me again, but I was prepared this time. I took a deep breath and channeled into the power that William had taught me into my fists. Once the man got close, I put every ounce of power into my blow against him. Surely it was enough to take him out as the strike sent him flying away. The two men were both now unconscious. Surprised at my own power, I gained more confidence in defeating Aeron. I felt that this was something we could pull off and win.

We took their bodies and exposed them to the sunlight in which they faded into dust. Their bodies weren’t capable of handling sunlight anymore. We returned to the carriage and continued on to Aeron, which wasn’t far anymore. As soon as we arrived about five kilometers away, we got off the carriage and walked the rest of the way there. This was going to be the fight of our lives, and we were ready to face him. He stood there, waiting for us. Our eyes made contact, and then he smirked.

The throne of the castle already belonged to me. It’s been 7 days since I escaped from my old home, but I’ve already grown into this newly obtained one. All of the servants were now under my command. I controlled this castle as I would soon control the rest of the country. But my weakness was exploited during that fight with Magnus. I need to consume blood to survive, or else I’ll go crazy. So I ordered the butlers to bring me the wealthy class citizens who spent their free time pestering women and lounging around at bars. The servants caught a man and brought him in by force, and it was quite lucky for me. I knew the face of this man.

“7 years ago, you smashed my face into my meal at an old, beaten down bar,” I said to the man. “Do you recall?” The man, frightened out of his mind at what was happening, screamed and squealed. “I didn’t think so, but I do. Oh well, you can make up what happened then with your life now.” I bit into his neck and sucked every single ounce of blood he had in him. He grew pale and distorted in a matter of seconds, until he collapsed onto the ground. “Dispose of him,” I ordered my servants. They carried his body away.

My powers are unfathomable. Not only can I regenerate broken down limbs, I can transfer my power onto others. I learned this when two of my men dared to defy my orders. The conflict ended with me biting them, but not killing them. The bite transferred my own power into their bodies and thus, were given powers similar to mine but much weaker. Once the transfer of power was complete, they followed my every command. I sent those two men to kill Magnus, whom I’m certain is on his way to stop me now. Little does he know that nothing can stop me now, though I’m curious to know how he will attempt to do so. If it’s just his raw strategy of brute force, he’ll die in an instant. I’ve mastered my powers enough to take him down without much hesitation.

The world has been restoring from the world war. This is my perfect opportunity to rule it as the nations are weakened. With my power, I could take on the forces of any leader without much bloodshed. But first, I’ll have to conquer here. I’ve already started with this small castle of a wealthy estate. Their forces, though weak, were probably not comparable to main forces of the nation, but I know that I can take them over.

Today sparked a certain rush inside of me. I had heard back from one of my servants that the two men I had sent out before were defeated by Magnus and another man. The power that Magnus has obtained sounds powerful, but I won’t know it until I confront him head on. So I decided to wait for him in front of my castle. There would be no hiding or obstacles in his way. I will kill him myself, then rule the rest of the nation. I’m going to stand up for those who are disadvantaged and in poverty, and rid the world of those wealthy monsters who never offer their aid to the poor. I heard footsteps nearby to which I then saw two men walking towards the castle. They saw me, and it was none other than that man and him. Our eyes made contact, and then he frowned.

The two men who were once brothers but now enemies had finally reunited. Both standing on opposite sides, they knew that not one of them would make it out of this fight unscathed. Magnus frowned while Aeron smirked. Their actions, thoughts, beliefs, and emotions had all become opposites when they grew up. Their differences proved their rivalry.

“Why, Aeron? Why put father through all of this?” Magnus asked.

“Don’t bother with the talking, Magnus. Let’s settle our differences, what do you say?” Magnus knew he wouldn’t receive a proper answer. Clenching his fists tightly, he looked directly at Aeron. His face had changed from a sad expression to a very serious one.

“William, don’t interrupt us. Even if I’m on the verge of death, leave us be.” William nodded and respected his decision.

“I don’t think these servants will leave me alone anyways,” he said. “You handle him, Magnus. I will handle them.” William walked away and begun combatting the servants.

The two brothers stood still, facing each other in the dark, night sky. They started to approach each other slowly, until they suddenly struck one another in the face. The impact sent them both back.

“Your strength was always equal to mine, but your powers are no match for mine!” Aeron said as he swung his hand at Magnus. Magnus caught his arm and used it to throw him away. Aeron stood his ground and rushed back at Magnus. He used his claw-like fingers to attack Magnus, but Magnus dodged it before he could reach. After taking a deep breath, Magnus channeled his power into his fists and punched Aeron in his gut. The heavy impact forced Aeron to cough out blood, and it was strong enough to send him flying. An unscathed Magnus stood still and looked down upon Aeron.

“Before I finish you off, I want you to know that father is alive and doing well. I’m going to take care of him properly. I would have loved for you to join us… but you’re a monster, Aeron. You’ll pay for whatever you-” Aeron grabbed Magnus’s leg and clenched his claws. Magnus squealed in pain and fell back a little. Aeron used this to deliver a blow, stronger than Magnus’s, right into his face. Magnus fell straight to the ground, covering his bruised face.

“Finish me off? Don’t be silly. I was testing your new power. I have to say, it was quite impressive. But it was no match for mine.” Aeron held his claws out and bared his fangs. “You die now, Magnus!” Magnus kicked Aeron’s face, pushing him away a little. He stood his ground once more. Magnus got up and the two were back to square one. They traded blow after blow, not one of them having their faces touch the ground again. They were both determined to win this fight. They knew one of them had to lose, so they didn’t ever give up or stop.

They were prepared, however, to immobilize the other. Magnus channeled his power into his fists again and struck Aeron’s body, negating his vampiric powers due to the sunlight, while Aeron dug his claw into Magnus’s throat, distorting his breathing. Neither one of them could use their powers anymore, so they relied on brute strength. They were ready to end this fight, so they both struck each other in the face once more. They knocked each other out and fell to the ground.

Three hours had passed and they had finally woke up, to find out that they were not in front of the castle anymore. They were in a hospital. William had brought them there and had been waiting for them to wake up.

“You both have defeated each other, completely,” he said. “You were both determined to bring each other down and that was what you did. At this state, all of Magnus’s powers had been used up to negate the rest of Aeron’s powers. You’re both powerless now.” William uncovered something that he had left on the chair. It was the Stone Mask that Aeron had used to gain his powers. “This mask can no longer be used since Aeron had already used it up. Still, I’ll do some research about it and find out where it comes from.” William covered the mask again, and had started to walk out of the room. He said something before leaving. “Your differences should be set aside now, before it’s too late.”

Magnus and Aeron laid in two parallel beds, and did not bother to look at each other. All Aeron could think of was how he can’t fulfill his goals anymore, and Magnus felt defeated by the fact that he wouldn’t have survived the fight without William’s help in the end. They were both defeated.

“Hey, Aeron… you’re strong” said Magnus. Aeron ignored him. “Look Aeron, I know you want to change the world. You want to help those who grew up in the similar conditions that you did. That’s what you want, isn’t it?” Aeron smirked. “Aeron… we can do it together, but not through mass murder. We’ll use the advantages that we have to help the disadvantaged. I promise I’ll help you. So will father. So please, Aeron, come back with us?” Aeron stayed quiet for a little. Magnus thought that he had lost Aeron for good, until he spoke.

“You know, Magnus, you made me realize something during our battle… I’m not the strongest creature alive. You proved me wrong. So I thought, maybe I wasn’t doing this the right way.” Aeron looked at Magnus. “I’ll trust you on this. Let’s change the world together.” Magnus smiled, and then the two of them laughed.

A week had passed and the two of them were healthy once again, except for the fact that they were powerless. Aeron still felt bothered by sunlight while Magnus found it trouble to breathe sometimes, but very rarely. They picked up Brian from the clinic and headed back to their mansion, which was being rebuilt.

“Well, boys, we have some work to do” said Brian. “Let’s make it quick and not waste any time. Aeron’s dreams await,” he said as he smiled at both Magnus and Aeron. The sun shined brightly as the three of them headed back into their home, together.