The duke's study was filled with quiet authority.
Tall darkwood shelves soared from floor to ceiling, packed with ancient tomes, sealed records, and grimoires bound in darkened leather.
Runes of privacy lay dormant along the walls—etched so subtly they almost blended into the decorations. A wide blackwood desk sat at the center of the room, its surface unmarked except for a single open ledger and a crystal paperweight that faintly pulsed with power.
Valdis stood near the middle, posture composed, red eyes steady. Opposite him, Duke Draven leaned against the desk with arms crossed. Malrik and Isolde sat to one side, while their mother stayed close, hands clasped tight in her lap.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then Draven broke the silence.
"The events of your awakening," he said calmly, "have already surpassed anything recorded as normal in Eldorian history."
Valdis did not answer. He already knew.
"The only one who understands what happened, which was enough to elicit such a reaction from the heavens, is you, Valdis," Draven said.
"But if you want to keep that information to yourself, that's fine. Nothing is more secure than keeping a secret with oneself. However, as your father, I would love for you to tell us so we can help you."
Hearing this, Valdis fell silent.
It had never crossed his mind to hide secrets from his family. He was a little scared they'd distance themselves from him due to those events
But seeing his mother's haggard state and hearing his father's words, those fears were pushed aside. At this moment, he knew no matter what, his family had his back.
He took a deep breath, nodded, and began recounting all his encounters during the awakening, from the very beginning, withholding no detail.
When he finished, the room fell silent, and everyone's faces showed shock.
Malrik finally broke the silence, his voice tinged with shock.
"Your fully awakened your dragon blood—and lived,that's…insane"
Valdis immediately caught on to the main point.
'Dragon blood—was that what the other bloodline was?' Valdis thought in shock.
Draven noticed Valdis's shock and said,
"Yes. As I mentioned, our bloodline is comparable to that of the royal family, thanks to the dragon blood flowing through our veins."
Now Valdis understood why the blood emitted such a regal, powerful aura. Dragons are divine beasts—blessed by the heavens.
And they weren't just any divine beast; they were among the most powerful.
In perspective, even the weakest divine beast can flatten a normal beast within the same realm—thanks to bloodline suppression.
"Our bloodline is attuned to the laws of destruction and space, although mastering them requires intense effort."
"But why is fully awakening your dragon bloodline considered suicidal?" Valdis asked, seeking clarification.
Draven responded,
"If someone with exceptional talent fully stimulates their dormant dragon bloodline, it will attempt to destroy the vampire bloodline. This causes both bloodlines to fight for control, likely destroying their host in the process."
"And I believe the heavenly tribulation was probably triggered by the merging of both bloodlines."
"But if you don't fully awaken your dragon bloodline, how can we compare to the royal family?" Valdis inquired.
This time Malrik answered.
"Since completely awakening the dragon bloodline is suicidal, the awakening ceremony only partially stimulates it, allowing the vampire bloodline to refine it over time. It's wasteful, but it's the only way to enjoy some benefits without dying."
Valdis nodded.
"All this brings me to the other reason I called you here," Draven said.
"Normally, after an awakening, there are two evaluations: the physique assessment and the affinity assessment. The first checks if you've been granted a physique by the heavens, and the second determines which laws you are attuned to."
"But due to your special circumstances, we couldn't do that, and now is the best time to proceed." He stood and headed for the door.
Everyone followed him to a room guarded by two sentinels. As soon as they saw Duke Draven and the others, the guards immediately kneeled and saluted.
Duke Draven nodded and approached the door. He turned his hand, pressing a gem on his ring into a matching socket.
The door glowed briefly before opening automatically. The duke didn't say a word; he simply walked through, followed by his wife Eleanor and the children.
Inside, the room was sparsely decorated. The only eye-catching items were three objects:
The first was a tall, thick, transparent crystal monolith, radiating an aura similar to thunderclouds—restrained and gentle, with a welcoming presence.
The second was a crystal ball with no visible aura, resting on a stone slab in a corner.
The third was a tiny bowl linked to a device, emanating a thick, bloody aura. His blood reacted to it, becoming slightly restless.
As Valdis took in the scene, his father's voice resonated.
"The crystal monolith is known as the Sky Crystal. It has a mysterious resonance with the heavens, so we use it to detect if someone has a heavenly physique and what kind it is. If it hasn't been awakened, it will do so."
"The second item is the Aether Law Crystal. Its function is simple: it reveals which laws you are attuned with and how strong your affinity is towards them."
"The last is the Blood Purity Crucible, used to measure blood purity. The reaction from your blood is due to the presence of the Blood Law crystal inside it. You will receive five of these after, which are useful for bloodline enhancement and refinement. Unfortunately, they are rare and hard to come by."
"You will start with the Sky Crystal, then the Aether Law Crystal, and finally the Blood Purity Crucible."
After explaining the uses of all three tools, he looked at Valdis and asked, "Do you understand?"
Valdis nodded and stepped toward the Sky Crystal.
He soon stood in front of the enormous monolith, took a deep breath, and placed his hands on it.
Meanwhile, Eleanor approached Draven and asked,
"Nothing unusual is going to happen this time, right?"
Draven looked at his wife with a helpless smile. Ever since Valdis's awakening, he hadn't had a moment's peace. She couldn't vent her anger and frustration at the heavens, so she directed it toward the next best thing—him.
He shook his head, smiling.
"He's just doing the standard check. What could go wrong? I doubt there will be any abnormalities..."
Before he finished, the floor shook, and a deep pulse emanated from the Sky Crystal.
Draven turned sharply, only to see the crystal monolith had turned black, with a massive blue flame at its center.
The calm, welcoming aura was gone, replaced by an enraged, oppressive presence.
"You can't be serious," Draven said.
Before they could react, the feeling vanished, and everything returned to normal.
The family was in shock.
Malrik suddenly said, "I think coming back home was worth it."
Before Draven could speak, space twisted, and three shadowy figures appeared instantly. Grand Elder Arkan and Mircalla arrived shortly after.
Silence descended.
The first ancestor spoke up, asking,
"What happened here, and what was that aura?"
He turned his gaze toward Draven, awaiting answers.