Royal Offering

Endless Potential

Veronica's Pov

The days became so much better having my brother back in my life. We may have differences now but he is still the my old nerdy knight.

Rosette started to arrange my servants and the guards of my manor as she pleased. Its irritable and getting on my nerves but I agreed to take the throne back for her. She promised to make changes both in the human world and the vampire community.

My brother started to train us further and enhance our dormant potentials. Even I improved in using my speed and power efficiently. Today is another training session with my brother along with some of the forces we have. We were not that many but only sixty seven souls including me Rosette, and my brother.


"Alright Ladies and Gents. Lets get this thing Rolling." My brother announced. His tone was monotone and lacks emotions but sure he is commanding.


We all stood and formed a circle around the huge matt. My brother deemed to use larger ones in training since we vampires tend to move a lot and a little piece of matt would be inconvenient. at first almost all of my subjects refuse to acknowledge another human in the manor but I didn't mind it the least. I trained with my brother everyday for the last week and gradually there came some onlookers and saw how our sessions were beneficial. The onlookers increased and then some participated. Gradually all my subjects came to acknowledge my brother's worth.


"Can someone volunteer and be my partner?" Brother asked politely but his facial expression remained cold and blank. I don't know why he is keeping it like that on public but I love it when his expression softens when he looks at me. Sadly the same goes when he looks at Rosette.

Martin, the head guard of the manor raised his hand to volunteer. He was the first onlooker and participant of the training and he has been trying hard to get stronger since he was thrown back to his place on his first meeting with my brother. I guess his curiosity worked for the better in his case.


They both stood in the middle and nodded to each other acknowledging each. Then they begun to take their stance but this time, brother just hid his hands behind him. We all fell confused as to what is the goal of todays training. He always had something to improve aside from the techniques and this one is the most confusing one.


"Alright... Today is not to improve your fighting capabilities. I'll teach you all how to improve your speed. First of all let me ask you. Did anyone try to run at their top speed during battle?" he asked and well all once again hit the question mark. Of course nobody did! You can't run full speed since your vision would not be able to keep up!


"Since none has been able to do so, let's make some theories first. A human can run only a tenth of your speed and so why can their potential not diminish if they run into full speed? Its not that we are slow, our coordination with our locomotor skills were equally proportional with our vision. So what is the problem since vampires where overwhelmingly faster than us?"

Answer dawned on us. We were always been ahead of humans in physical terms both speed and power. We were intelligent in out own way but we lack few things. Cautiousness, and the near death experiences facing a stronger opponent. We always suppress our opponent with greater force and speed but we never had the chance to have experience facing a stronger opponent. We can't fight each other aside from challenges and that always lead to death. If your weaker then you die. We pile experience only facing humans but never against fellow vampire in a battle.


"First of all, our exercise is to improve and balance your vision with your kinetic abilities. Martin." he paused and pulled out three coins. "I have here three coins and all you have to do is pick the ones that will fall and make the tail. You have 1/3 chance and you must not rely on your luck. Find it and you will be cleared."


He nodded and we all thought that it would be easy as cake. My brother might pull all tails without any control and have a 90% chance that two out of three will be tail.

Then he begun to flip the coins rapidly. The coins were tossed in a considerable distance from each other that you won't see the three all together in mid air. As the coins fall towards the ground, brother caught two of the coins and flip it once more and kicked the one that slipped in his grasp bouncing it forcefully towards the ceiling while spinning wildly and the other two coins were being passed wildly in brothers hands still spinning wildly. Then he caught the two and stomped the one spinning on the ground the same time he closed both of his hand.


We were dumbfounded with the actions. Did we attended a freak show and not training? Did he just do what we see? Its impossible! We can't focus on three things at the same time, much look intently on three coins spinning wildly while being tossed in mid air.


"Now which of my hand has the coin that have the tails?"


How the hell can someone see through that? This is impossible! Even the one I focused intently fell to be head so I don't know the other two! He said no relying on luck!


"The left hand." Martin replied confidently and nodding to himself seeming satisfied with his answer.


"How did you see? I might have two more tails on my right and the one I hid on my foot."


"I saw the right to be head and the one in foot is obviously might be head or tail which is too risky to choose. I deem the left hand to be the tail."



My brother broke a smirk and showed the one in foot in tails. Then he opened the right hand to show a head. Then slowly, he opened his hand to reveal a head. Did the coincidence been this great? That was a total neck breaker right there! No two tails!


"What? How did this happened? I did my best of my ability to choose the safest spot of my chances... Can you perfectly manipulate the ones that will show?" Martin asked stuck between fascination and disbelief. Sure it might be logical to take a wrong pick but since we are vampires, we should be able to see clearer than humans thus making it to our great advantage.


"I can. If that was a gun and I aimed it at you then fired the one you didn't chose, you'll be dead. Now let's switch to the actual training for this session." he discarded the coins and the ground and we saw the trick. The two coins have the same side and only one coin have the tail or the head. It was a trick that you chose where you would bet and if you chose the wrong coin to follow then you lost the chance already before the game concluded.


We stared at brother in awe and wonder. Who would have the confidence to trick us just like that? Apparently only Florence Effin.

"For the day, Martin you go and run the manor in every corner of the house and retrieve the seals I placed randomly with your top speed. It might be hidden and you must get seven in total, you can't pick it randomly since I put numbers on them. You collect them by other and you do it one by one. You pick one and you hand it to me then you go and find the next seal. You must not slow down below your top speed and I will give you two minutes to retrieve it." he said and gasps and disbelief filled the house. This is torture and unreasonable! Using our top speed is quite tiring and the house had the others working and there were furnitures all over the house.


"Before you go, I will assign people all over the place to avoid some mess in the house." he begun calling names and assigning people in some areas and turns accordingly. When there is only a few people left, "Now. On three. One......


Two....


Go!


Then Martin ran as fast as he could leaving a mass of crashing sounds along the house. It took him twelve minutes to gather all seven of them and he was panting and sweating like a pig. Clearly the challenge is just too hard.


"What did you notice while you run Martin?" Florence asked the now lying on the ground Martin gasping for air.

"The house which I thought I am born and know all my life seem like a foreign place... The place is blurry and I crashed on few things but all the personnel you assigned prevented any damage to the furniture and the walls. They were effectively placed and I noticed that every time I ran when I found a wrong piece and look for the right once changes. It became more easy as more times I repeat." he reported accurately.


Florence nodded and handed him some water. "That was a good observation. After you catch some breaths and think you can do it again, let me know and we can perform the next challenge."

He nodded in agreement and gulp down the water. All other personnel that were assigned earlier begun to fill the room again. They were handed with a voice recorder to listen and all of them stared at my brother who was now writing something on a piece of paper with something with awe and admiration mostly the female ones. Who would not? He assigned everyone in different positions and prevented any damage like he already saw the scene. Just another situations where my brother displays how genius he is.


After a while Martin stood up, " I'm ready." Florence stopped writing and nodded. Then he begun assigning people again but his time only seven people.


"Alright now I have another set of seals, seven of them on the same room just two feet from the ones you picked out earlier. The numbers were still the same and you still have two minutes." he stated and after the count of three, Martin rushed again but miraculously, the house is not filled with noises just some but definitely lesser.

After three minutes, Martin completed the task. All of us were in awe and admiration for Martin's feat. He himself was surprised that he was able to do it with much lesser time and he was not panting and sweating like crazy.


"What did you observe this time?"

"The same as earlier, the personnel was effectively preventing damages but this time the place seem like the old manor I grew up with. My speed is more stable and getting the seals were easier."


"What is the difference this time?" Florence asked.

"Its the familiarity. The curves, the turns, the location of things, the earlier mistakes were corrected and even though the things came blurry, it was like I can still see things pretty normal." he reported, satisfied and proud of himself, who would not? He did run on top speed and made the feat.


"That is the solution with your kinetic movements. Familiarity. We can't do something with the way your eyes were designed with your superior speed but we can add something to balance things out. Its the same in battle. You look for common patterns, habits, even how they blink their eyelids or the intake for air. All those information will add how you would familiarize an opponent. Now lets continue with out exercise. All of you will have the same challenge and ingrain it all in your memory. The feeling, the sensation in running on top speed, the difficulty, the solutions. All of those is necessary for you to improve." he announced almost pleased with the ways things were developing. The challenge go on and on and it surely is almost identical. The first attempts were longest and the seconds were always shorter significantly. Then it came to my turn. I walked in front and nodded to my brother. I smiled sheepishly and quite excited yo try it out since I am the fastest here and that vision-movement problem is quite the issue for me.


"Now.. Mari please try it out. " he said smiling at me genuinely. Then he begun assigning people but I can't help to ask why did he assigned more people than the rest's tries.


"Kuya? Why did you assign more people in my turn than the rest? Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" I asked curiously wondering why he did so. Am I worse than the others?

"You will see Mari. You are smart and you will figure it out once you try to run. Remember.. No lazying and holding back. Give it your all in running. Make me proud." he said and ruffled my hair. He smiled at me encouragingly and I returned a sheepish smile. My brother is expecting high things of me! I am so flattered right now.


I nodded and prepared as he count to three. When the count to go fell, I dashed as fast as I could and smashed towards a soft material, it was a foam being held by one of my subject just on the side of the first turn towards a room. I gasped as I realized what brother is meaning to tell. My speed is greater thus harder to manage.

I crashed and smashed along the house every now and then and as the time goes on, I begun to be disappointed in myself. Maybe my brother overestimated me.


I finished the challenge after an hour. After a freaking hour! That is the longest and with a wide margin compared to others. The longest was twenty minutes and I did it on sixty minutes. The manor was fine but my pride is deeply wounded with the challenge. Who would have thought that I am the worst in the bunch. I laughed frustrated with myself.



I walked closer to my brother handing him the last seal. My head was rooted to the ground and was sweating like a pig. I can see the faces of my subjects like they were not expecting the results.


My brother places his warm and comforting hands on both of my shoulders. Then he lifted my face. My eyes were watery and filled with disappointment. I was so sorry for not making it up with my brother's expectation.


"Keep your head up Mari. You did well breaking my calculations. I expected it to be timed at thirty seven minutes but you did it with an hour. Do you know what that mean?" he asked while wiping the stray tears that traitorously fell. I shook my head slowly since my being is filled with disappointment. I looked around and saw some gasping expressions from my subjects. I can't read them properly this time since I was so absorbed with disappointment.


"That means you did great Mari. All of my calculations were exactly as they were on the others. Now let's try again. Remember how it feels and the sensation of running at top speed. Keep your head up and believe in yourself like I do believe in you." he soothed but I don't know if he is just sugar coating things. I decided to try my best still. Every crash and smash was engrained in my memory, every curves and turns, furniture, and lighting. The he started to count and I cut him off. Doesn't he need to assign people? I might break down the house!

"Don't you need to assign people?" I reminded him by cutting him off but he just shrugged and smiled at me. Oh well... Hope the manor would still be on one piece.


When the count fell on go, I run fast as I can and remembered all the faults earlier and avoiding them. Making solutions and adjustment on center of gravity of my body during turns and straight runs. Then collected the seals the best I can. I did not know when did I end and started.


When I ended, I noticed I was not even sweating, no panting for breaths, no slips and no crash and smash. I was struck with wonder and confusion how did I manage to do it. When I went back from my own world of thinking through how things happened, I approached my brother.


My brother clapped his hands in acknowledgement and so my subjects did follow. I looked around and saw many admiration faces from them, all of them mostly Martin. He was bouncing on his spot literally. I was filled with so much acknowledgement and happiness but still wonder if those claps were just because I finished with no crash and smash. When the claps and congratulations were over, my brother approached me and hugged me.


"48 seconds. That was your time Mari. I expected a minute but then again you did rip my calculations to ruins. This is my sister!" he said while sounding so happy that made my heart swell. He acknowledge me! He did praise me so well!

I was bouncing up and down in my spot with joy. After a disastrous first attempt came an awesome second try! It was the best achievement I ever had! Totally the happiest moment too!


"Now then. Remember what you learned about yourselves today. Practice and hone those sensations in every time you got. We will apply those tomorrow in practical battle against me. On the field where you can run amok and use the large terrain as your advantage. I will let you experience going all out against an opponent using your full speed but now we seem to deserve a meal and rest. Shall we?" Florence announced and the room was filled with cheers and excitement. Even I am looking forward on going up against brother with the new speed and power I can exert on battle.


We ate dinner all together that night and the manor was filled with happiness which was first for the first time. Everyone was pleased with the knowledge they gained and new lengths they reached. We kept on talking and sharing of informations during our training. Despite the sore legs of ours, we continued to talk and for the first time, I felt close to my subjects. Even Lily relaxed that night and joined with us happily making conversations with others. It pleases me when others begun to approach brother for some advices on how to improve themselves but I still get angry when some dared to flirt with him in my presence. I let it slide and enjoyed how my brother squirmed under my subjects clutches. Somehow this day has been meaningful to the manor.



The next day, the manor was empty aside from Rosette watching from the balcony of the manor while drinking tea that my brother prepared along with Lily. I was reluctant at first to leave Lily with her but she seem too eager to have time alone with Lily.


We assembled at the front field. We were all wearing some fitted outfits that were easy to move with. Some were wearing their guard uniforms standing proud and tall. I guess the training did some major boost in confidence among my subjects in me. I am even dressed with my black battle outfit. It was just a simple light armor, black colored having marks of the elders I slain at the arms and my name engraved at the neck of it. Everybody seem eager to start so as me.

Then Florence walked in the field wearing an outfit the same as the one he wore when he first arrived at the manor. It was an all black outfit which fitted his body perfectly. It highlighted his muscular body despite the heavy looking vest he is wearing. His appearance this time seem not someone we dined with last night. He was wearing his death reaper's aura which even me flinched at the sight. He was carrying to pistol with wicked looking knives at front and a long blade his back with another knife strapped in his leg. He was then wearing a blank expression like he always does.


"Let's set the rules first. You guys come at me with real intent to kill and use all your abilities to do so but you can only strike once. After you strike once, you will go to the side and wait for further instruction. Go all out and let's make you guys stronger than ever. After this day, you will feel other vampires were on human level in speed and strength but this one will not be easy. Now straighten up!" he commanded and of our self confidence faded in the air. He look so overwhelming and scary as hell!


"Oh by the way, don't underestimate me. Even if this babies on me were only paint gun and plastic ones for training, give it your all and show your superiority. Don't let this one human stood victorious after 273rd time facing death as an opponent. I'll take seven at a time. Remember how to use Familiarity to your advantage. Watch my every move for they carry a clue as to how someone makes decisions and actions. Read my timings, my pattern and habits. Make me fall." and with that he ended the chit chat and took his stance.

Seven of my subject took a step forward letting everybody know that they will take on the challenge first. They were skilled guards of the manor and has been defending it since it has been built. They also took their stance and scattered across the field like they already made a plan on how to defeat an overwhelming opponent even though they are just facing one human. A human which can see how things will go already even we even realize it. Completely predicting things and reactions and taking the perfect solution in every possible situation. The ultimate forecaster.


The seven did their best and knew they can't win without sacrifices and so they did all they can do and did their best and launched their single attack then they did stand on the edge after failing to land a hit. I can see that they are satisfied with what they did and I am proud of them for providing us information and knowledge how fearsome our opponent is.

The rest of us tried our hardest and when my subject feel like they can't do it, they squeezed all the information they can get and fed it to the remaining. I grew anxious every moment passing by, its over the half of us already and all we managed was a few scratches and grazes over there and there but nothing came close to be considered fatal. Its just like how I expected, he seem to know what, where and how things are going to be. His movements where shallow with minimal effort and making some sacrifices in order not to be taken out. It looked desperate but chilling to watch. Its like he is in constant lifeline that one mistake will lead to death already but he is making it out barely but successfully. One thing I learned. He is to be feared by everybody. Then again it puzzled me how Rosette was able to sink her claws on him. He was deadly and cunning, too strong for a green plant like Rosette to handle. I bet even the elders won't be able to stay alive against him for two minutes.


As time goes and my subjects failed, reality came sinking upon us all. That there is always someone better than you are. Someone which can do things beyond your own capabilities, someone more cunning and clever, someone stronger than you can dream of and that someone is standing right before us. Finally, it is down to the last group with only four members including me, Martin, Jessica, and Luis. This is the strongest team we can muster at the moment but someone we can't see a ray of hope to success. It is just too blurry before us like something is blocking our victory. An invisible wall, layer or whatsoever something is it that hinder us but we can't give up. We had to learn from this defeat so we can move on and overcome the future ordeals.

We stepped forward and looked at our fellow challengers. They all had paint near the eye, the heart, the throat, the lungs, the legs, and some were even on the spots were sunshine don't shine. They all gave an encouraging nods and smiles towards us. Then I processed all the data I had, his quickness, reflexes, breathing patterns, time when he blinks, even his heartbeats within the minute! I got data but who knows what await us when we face him. Like he said, no holding back so we all ran in different directions.


I circled around him silently behind the thickness of the tree. Others were on the other directions opposite with each other and being stealthy silent as possible. I can barely hear them as they also stalk him leaning closer and closer with our fangs and claws on show for the world to see despite suppressing our immense bloodlust.

Then finally the moment has come. The three will act as a bait and destroy his first barrier for me to struck the finishing blow since I am the fastest and strongest among us four. Never did I imagine to take on someone with the need of other's support. It feels weird but nice having connections with the others. I admit I hated them in the start but the days we spent together showed me that it is not too bad being a vampire.

Martin and Jessica leaped from their hiding place and started to confuse him with their feints but still not delivering their only chance to strike. Luis started to sneak on his back silently but fast while keeping the minimum noise. Then he lunge at him and tried to tackle him by the arms while clipping himself with the help of his legs on Florence' torso. He still didn't strike and just hold him, rendering his movements. Then when the time is there, I got out of my cover while he is trying to fry Luis from his back by jumping forward and smashing Luis' body between mother earth and his own body. I rushed as fast as I can from behind and thrust my prominent right hand with the momentum I built along with my top speed. For the second time since I met my brother, I saw victory flash between my eyes but then again something gone wrong.

When Jessica and Martin thrust their own prominent hands, Florence tilted his head sidewards to avoid Martin's claws then snaked his arm around Martin's hand and pulled it towards him making it like a painful grip and rendering any other movement from Martin while pointing a gun on his face. He then pulled Martin sideways opposite to Jessica then did another painful grip on Jessica's arm by his leg then pulled his leg too rendering Jessica's movement making her grunt with the pain. Me being on his front view now while aiming for his head still in the middle of hitting and missing until he ducked his head lower and raised his other free arm and pointed a gun on my temple while he is still crushing Luis with his knee and was still gasping for air with the painful smash he received. That concluded our battle against him. We were utterly defeated.


"Enough! Let's see what data we can spare in this battle." he said and then we all stood up walking slowly besides our fellow challengers. We still could not believe that we can't win against him even though its always seven against one. When were were gathered in one side, he reached for a bottle of water before speaking again. At least this time around we all made him break in sweats and made him catch his breaths.


"Good job. I definitely saw improvements. Now let's see how many times you died while engaging me." he then started to walk to each of us and pointed how the paint will symbol his attack on us. Some have bullet paint marks some were from slashes of knife or blade in necks, throat, hearth, head and we gasped at how many times we died while battling him. I died four times while others were on seven or eight in average. I got bullet paints on my heart, my throat and upper right eye then a slash on my left side stomach area but its quite long and considered fatal if it was a real blade.


"Now then people don't be disappointed with the results. This challenge is like the one we did yesterday. We will battle again and expect tremendous change of results. You got the feeling while clashing with me and that will help you a lot. None has survived against me while using my pistols and knives aside from Rosette and I am sure that the next time we clashed I am sure the result will be different with all of you. Take a rest for a while. You all are in the right track. Keep it up now I need to stitch the cuts I had." he said and started to walk away but I held him. There is something I must ask.


"Kuya. Why did you wait for the last nanoseconds before you avoided my blow? I know it is not from exhaustion and other factors because I saw that you already saw my strike. You didn't move like I had expected and waited for the last seconds to duck. Why?" I asked confused and intrigued by the subject knowing my brother to be calculating and all that flaw could cost him his life one day.


"Let's talk about that behind doors. Its too personal I guess. Anyway I need to tend my wounds.. Uhhh my body will soon turn to lines and stitches. See yah all later folks review what we had and make use of it." he said waving us goodbye and headed for the manor. Then it all dawned to us. He was only human... His wounds won't heal spotless like us those wounds would remain as a scar since they were long even if shallow. Now I feel all guilty being serious but he just used toys against us and not harm us aside from some grips and tackles.

I'll get all the knowledge I can get and catch up to him so I can protect him from all the harms.


"That I promise." I mumbled to myself.







A/N: hello there people! I would now take my OJT so I don't know if I can update while working. Thus I made this long chapter. Enjoy reading and leave some vote or comment if it deserves such. Good day!