"I see that you have forgotten..I have always been less of a father and more of a king."
Asriel's words came out slow and authoritative, his gaze falling down matched Derick's who was some inches shorter.
Crimson red travelled fast round his eyes, dark pupils reshaping into menacing slits of a predator.
"Kneel"
In an instant Derick felt his body involuntarily fall to the ground, knees placed on the cold surface of the stone floors.
His brown eyes bled into crimson, the slight pressure that had once felt fleeting stirred in his bones in full force.
He looked up to stare at his father's expressionless face, crimson eyes that gleamed at the satisfaction of achieving dominance.
"I gave an order, not a request, neither was it a suggestion" Asriel said, tone flat and cold.
"Do you dare question my orders?"
With each word Derick felt the pressure on him grow more intense, like gravity itself held a grudge against his very existence. He clenched his hands into fist, attempting with every ounce of strength in his being to resist the pressure.
Asriel noticed this and raised a brow in amusement.
"When I said kneel I meant head touching the ground" he commented.
Derick raised his head slightly to look at the man he called father, the cold cruelty in his gaze.
He snickered.
"I believe I'm down eno….."
Bammm!
Before Derick could finish his words his head was smashed to the ground with brutal force, Asriel's right foot placed on top. Frederick just stared blankly in confusion, he didn't even see when his father had moved despite standing in his presence.
Web like cracks spread out from the miniature crater Derick's skull had created on the floor, blood seeping through the cracks.
"Better" Asriel said as he lifted his blood soaked foot.
In mere seconds Derick stood up from the ground, head healed up with no trace of a scar like he had never been injured.
"I'm sorry father, I overstepped. It wasn't my place to question your judgment" Derick apologised.
"Hmmm" that was all Asriel responded before turning his gaze away once more to Frederick.
"You shall lead the most promising noble vampires of all the clans for the expedition. For your brother's audacity he shall come along for the expedition but as your subordinate"
Derick attempted to retort but stopped himself at the last moment that Asriel's gaze had swept to him.
"Yes, father," he answered dejectedly.
"Leave us," Asriel told him.
Derick turned around and left the room, the echo of the large double doors slamming into place a testament of his departure.
Asriel turned his gaze to Frederick once more.
"Power doesn't make you a leader, the clan sees you as its best choice. Do not disappoint".
"I won't father," Frederick replied, determination written all over his face.
****
Deep within the bloodmoon castle, far from the gaze of the twin moons. A ray of light lurked in the shadows of the night, a bright figure in the world's dark blanket. The silhouette moved slowly and carefully, aiming for absolute silence. Its bright skin shone lightly like light itself although the person covered themselves beneath a cloak.
"I've always hated the cursed realm, why did I have to be the one father and here" the light figure lamented, his masculine voice almost melodic.
"Even the air here is impure" he added.
"That's why we have to change that" he heard a voice from beyond.
The owner of the voice walked forward into the person's natural light, his close cropped dark brown hair and brown eyes came into view.
"You must be Derick" the light figure asked, voice laced with disgust.
"Lord Derick" Derick corrected.
"What makes you think I'll pay respect to one the universe's greatest mistakes" the figure retorted with a snicker.
"Cause the mistake of the universe can and would end your pitiful existence" Derick threatened, the words rolling out of his mouth like a casual sentence.
The light figure wants to retort but bites back his tongue at the last moment.
"It seems you're not entirely stupid then, since your king sent you then you must have realised that I'm important to him despite me being a curse" Derick told him.
"So whom do you think he'll prefer, someone of importance or a servant who met his end because of his own foolishness" he added, nails elongating to look like claws at the last moment.
"I apologise…lord Derick" the figure finally said with much struggle.
"I think your king asked you to give me a letter" Derick asked the light figure.
"Here it is" he responded as he ruffled beneath his cloak before handing him a white envelope sealed with the emblem of what looked like a giant tree with golden branches and leaves.
Derick collected the letter from the light figure and placed it into his coat.
"Pass this unto your king, tell him that the aurora event has been reinstated and I would need some of his men a very delicate matter" he told the light figure.
The light figure turns to leave but then stops in his tracks. "Lord Derick if I may ask, what is this delicate matter" he asked.
Derick smirked, his sharp fangs gleaming for a few moments.
"A curse would fall and a new era would begin" he said, a cold flint flashing across his brown eyes.
"Understood" the light figure commented, as he proceeded to leave his adjusted his cloak and a pair of long pointy ears shone brightly, a silver earring shaped like a star hung on one of them.
But just as fast as they appeared they disappeared without a trace, the light figure was gone, a feint blue afterimage the only testament of his presence earlier.
"The space element, no wonder you sent him" Derick commented, obviously taking to noone as he attempted to grab the blue particles of light that had already began to vanish.
He dipped his hand into his coat and brought out the white envelope, his thumb lightly rubbed its seal.
"An era of only one king".