-The Land of ETERNALS-

-Part 19-

Alora's POV

"Alora, don't be sad over it, okay?" Fiorella said, trying to comfort me as I wallowed in my goddamn sadness about what happened between me and Alaric. I was really mad yet sad at the same time.

Honestly, during the trip, I felt this deep connection with him, like our souls were intertwined. We had such an amazing time together, creating beautiful memories. But now, he's suddenly acting distant and guarded. It was more than just a fucking fight with his father.

I wanted to talk it out. Try to understand what the hell is going on in that pretty head of his. But I had a gut feeling that it would all go to waste. 

And then Eric, bless his sweet soul, had to chime in with his wisdom. "Alora, Alaric can be like this sometimes. Don't stress over it and think about the Zenith festival." Well, thanks for the helpful advice, Captain Obvious. I mentally rolled my eyes. But right now, all I could think about was Alaric. I was overthinking a lot. Did I do something? Was he mad at me?

Suddenly, Fiorella interjected with a valid concern, "Eric, we've been away from home for quite some time now. Don't you think Mom would start worrying about us?" It hit me then that we hadn't informed mom before leaving. 

"Don't worry, Fiorella," Eric reassured us. "We've experienced a time shift here. Although it seems like a long time has passed, on Earth, it's only been a couple of hours. I will inform Darla and make sure she understands the situation. I'll go and tell them that I'm taking you guys on another trip to some forest so that we can spend sometime together before their wedding. Yeah, that'll work." I really hope this works.

But I couldn't shake off my concern for Alaric. My goddamn heart ached. I turned to Eric, desperation in my voice. "Eric, where the fuck is Alaric right now?" My voice cracked with worry, and I silently prayed that he was alright.

Eric let out a solemn sigh before responding, his eyes filled with understanding. "Well, when he feels overwhelmed like this, he tends to seek solace in a place called Blath."

"What's Blath?" Fiorella asked, curiosity dripping from her words.

"Blath is a desolate realm, where all semblances of life have withered away. As a vampire, your strength diminishes upon visiting Earth or similar places, like graveyards. That strength can be recovered upon returning to the land of eternals. However, in Blath, the draining effect on one's power is accelerated. Alaric often finds himself there, exhausted and unconscious, seeking refuge from the burdens of his emotions." My jaw hit the floor. How long had he been going there? And how many goddamn times was he found like that? I was fucking worried sick!

"Eric, we can't just stay here and do nothing! We have to go find him, please!" I pleaded, my words filled with desperation and fear, like a melting ice cream on a scorching summer day. Alaric's well-being was my utmost concern, and I couldn't bear to sit passively while he remained lost in that unsettling dimension.

A surge of astonishment rippled through me as Alaric materialized from the shadows, his unexpected appearance catching me off guard. Words escaped me as I witnessed him standing there, a mixture of relief and confusion flooding my heart.

"Looking for me, Mi cara?" 

Alaric's POV

I could sense Alora's anger radiating like fiery waves. She was pretty pissed, to put it mildly. She couldn't believe I just showed up out of nowhere, acting all casual and dropping foreign words that made no sense to her. 

I honestly had to be here. I realized they were gonna go to the portal to get turned into vampires. And this is done in the presence of father. I was worried about what if he recognized her. So I had to be here. That is first, second is because I wanted to apologize. I was mean and rude to her. I don't usually apologize to anyone. But, I'll do anything to see her smile again and have her by my side.

"Are you joking, Alaric?" she blurted, her voice filled with a mix of disbelief and worry. "Where have you been? Do you know how worried I've been?" 

Fiorella and Eric, who were standing near us, were now standing far away from us. God, why do they have to do this. Eric knows I get into fights with my father. He could've helped me to gain her forgiveness.

"Sorry, Alora, I needed some space," I muttered, trying not to sound nonchalant. But she wasn't having any of it.

"You know what? I don't even care anymore," Alora spat, her voice dripping with bitterness. "You can go to that favorite place of yours, Blath, or stay as far away from me as you want. I wouldn't even give a damn."

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut, each syllable laced with a pain that cut deep. My heart ached, but I had to try and make her understand.

"But how can I stay away from you?" I pleaded, my voice filled with genuine desperation, hoping she would see the sincerity in my words.

"Just like you did a few hours ago," she snapped back, her voice laced with disappointment and hurt.

"A few hours ago, I was dumb-" I tried speaking but she cut me off.

"You still are," her words hit me like a sucker punch to my pride. But there was a spark of honesty in her voice that made me smile, knowing she still cared, despite her anger.

"Okay, I accept that. I am still dumb and I made a mistake," I confessed, each word resonating with remorse. "I should've told you about what happened. I'm sorry. I truly am."

"You can't just disappear like that and expect everything to be fucking fine, Alaric," she retorted, her voice laced with an anger.

Alora was furious with me. She kept talking, not letting me get a word in, lecturing me about how I shouldn't have acted the way I did. I tried to speak up, but she shut me down every time. And just when it seemed like things couldn't get any worse, Eric stepped in.

"Hey, everyone needs to calm down," Eric said, his voice calm and steady. "Alaric, I think you deserve a chance to explain what happened."

Taking a deep breath, I looked directly into Alora's eyes, pleading for understanding. "I didn't mean to hurt you," I confessed earnestly, my voice laced with remorse. "I understand that I acted recklessly, and I deeply regret my actions. Please, let me explain." And with that, Eric left too, making things easier for me.

There was a hesitation in Alora's gaze, a flicker of uncertainty as she debated whether to let me speak or no. 

"Fine, Alaric," she relented, her voice softer but still tinged with resentment. "But make it quick. I don't want to waste any more time on your excuses."

"I had yet another fight with my father. He's still the same," I murmured, my voice laced with resignation. "A cold-hearted monster, incapable of showing any hint of warmth or love. I thought maybe, just maybe, things would change this time, but once again, disappointment was all I found."

Alora's hand found mine, offering a comforting squeeze, as she softly spoke, "Alaric, why are you and your father on such bad terms?"

"He...he killed my mother when I was just 5...and he kept it hidden for 10 whole years till I turned 15...and found out about it..."

Alora's eyes widened, her hand clutching her chest, her voice trembling with disbelief. "Alaric...I... I had no idea. Your father... he killed your mother?" she gasped, her voice barely a whisper.

"And when I finally discovered the truth, his explanation was nothing short of insanity. He claimed it was done to protect our kind, to preserve some twisted notion of superiority."

"Alaric," she whispered, her voice choked with emotions. "I can't even begin to fathom the pain you've endured. The betrayal, the loss... it's unimaginable."

Alora's eyes welled up with tears, her empathetic gaze locked with mine. In that moment, I felt understood, heard, and seen by someone who truly cared.

"Listen, Alaric," she began, her voice all laid-back and chill. "I totally get it, alright? I don't want you to suffer alone. So, from now onwards, no more secrets." I had to nod knowing I was still hiding stuff from her. But I couldn't let her know anything about the unforgiveable.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--Love is a beautiful kind of fear-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-