Rebirth

13. Asphal

Dear Journal,
Upon starting this new journey, I was driven by blood thirst, anger and revenge. Now, day by day, I've come to realize that this is much larger than any human desire I submit to and I must do away with the triviality of mortal emotions.

                                               - 𝓔. 𝓢𝓽𝓮𝓮𝓵𝓮
                (1605)

Once Baltazaar had ran Emma from his private cabinet, he placed the chest in the corner from which she took it. The contents inside were centuries worth of historical knowledge, secrets, memoirs and records on what Europe was like before the assimilation of the four great kingdoms.

He had countless scrolls, books and even artifacts that outlived many great kings. In fact, each item contained information older than the very castle he would soon rule over.

Baltazaar had a wide array of knowledge on most, if not all the creatures that use to or still roamed the earth due to his ancestor's records.

This, however, was not limited to him as all male monarchs were taught and given these things in order to prevent the fall of the great kingdoms.

It was believed that the women would rule with their hearts and not their fists and as such, they were kept in the dark to a great extent.

Faes, werewolves, elves, centaurs... vast information on all of them were right at his finger tips except one creature, the vampire. He was so fascinated with Eli because the knowledge on his kind was not only vague but scarce.

Often described to be hideous demons who feasted on the blood of the living, unable to walk in the sunlight. Elias however, did not match this description, which meant he was probably something different, something mutated, something dangerous, something Baltazaar hoped to have in his possession and ultimately, be in control of.

Then, there was the case of Odelina.

Every monarch in each Kingdom was taught the story of the four great Kingdom's creation and Odelina was always at the forefront of the legend.

She had aided the kingdom's existence and in the same breath, its destruction. She was taught to be dangerous and powerful, which is why she was sentenced to death and buried in an unmarked grave centuries ago. But now there was labrish of her return and though the people of the great kingdoms do not remember her, the crown did and they were all terrified.

Baltazaar was not at all shocked. Infact, he was expecting it. He was not as gullible and lackadaisical as his predecessors as once they had enlisted the information on to him at the young age of 12, he took it seriously and began to prepare.

As half fae, he trained hard and honed his powers and wits in preparation for disaster. His goal, however, was to disband the other 3 kingdoms. He wanted to make Selvalley, Pretvar and Gandalwell yield to Asphal as he would become supreme ruler over all the kingdoms, commanding armies, both human and supernatural so he could ultimately and eventually spread his parasitic roots to other countries and eventually, the world.

The witch with whomst he had formed an allegiance with, Grizelda the maker was his consort. She had found him at the age of 8, which was coincidentally the normal age for faes to start displaying their magical powers. He was spewing sparks from his hands in a forest in Asphal and she had taken him under her wing from ever since. She watched him grow up and morph into the man that he is today. He trusted her with his life for she had never failed him.

A rowdy knock sounded at the door, snapping Baltazaar out of his thoughts.

"Enter!" he shouted.