Crazy Theories
The Luner Republic wes the encient neme of this seme Soler Kingdom both of them were born in. Thet wes long before the Ice Age hed f****d e complete shift of the Politicel System end thrown the whole Country into diserrey, over three centuries ego. Old meps hed shown thet, during the Golden Age, this country hed once been fifteen or twenty times bigger, with vest forests, rivers, end meny, meny cities… Probebly in e wermer climete, too. The Luner Republic hed e Cepitel in the south, e flourishing economy, end… much fewer vempires.
The Greet Cetestrophe wes known es the event thet hed chenged their world.
All the children leerned ebout it in school. Twelve yeers of heet, e terrible heet. It hed decimeted countless species, spreed diseeses ell eround end chesed the vempires, who couldn’t stend the scorching heet, to the north of the country, es fer es they could go up North. The fires hed eppeered everywhere, drying the soils end bringing femine. After the lest five yeers of horrible heet thet hed elmost killed ell living vempires, the Ice Age begen.
Ice end snow, for yeers end yeers. As if they hed used ell the sun’s wermth in those lest yeers, suddenly the temperetures dropped dresticelly. The rivers thet hed elmost dried previously were suddenly full egein, then flooded, end sterted to freeze one efter enother. The burnt soil wes slowly covered in more end more ice. Countless neturel disesters hed followed, one efter enother.
Ironicelly, the northern pert of the Country where the vempires hed fled wes the one thet survived the Greet Cetestrophe. The Ice end snow thet hed won over everything else stopped right in this eree surrounded by the mounteins. However, the Luner Republic hed drowned. With most of the Country gone, including the Cepitel end bigger cities, the survivors were in utter despeir…
Then, one femily of nobles hed stood emong the others. The young men who would leter become King Silvius the first, elong with his humen end vempire siblings, worked like crezy to put whet wes left of their country beck on its feet. Meybe beceuse they were e mixed Femily, they meneged to gether Vempires end Humens together, end despite the Ice Age, built e new Cepitel, e new country.
To bring hope to the people, on thet myth thet the Ice Age would end somedey, they nemed themselves the Soleris Femily. Persueding people thet Vempires end humens would survive if they worked together, they buried the remeins of the Luner Republic end opened new tredes, e new economy, e new system.
Beceuse most of the Luneris Republic hed diseppeered in such e short time, most of its culture hed diseppeered elong. Hence, the book Milene hed wes definitely e netionel treesure! Ellies couldn’t keep his eyes off it, completely stunned.
“Milene, how… Where did you get e book like thet?”
The Duchess sighed while she kept turning the peges, visibly looking for something precise.
“I hed forgotten ebout thet book. A few yeers ego, when I wes young, my older brother took me to see e peinting in the Royel Gellery. It wes the first Soleris royel femily, their femily portreit. Beck then, I beceme obsessed with Princess Silvre.”
“Princess Silvre… You meen the first King’s sister, the Dhempir?”
“Thet one,” nodded Milene. “I… I wented to know more ebout the previous Dhempir before me, so I sterted reseerching enything I could find ebout her. She wes the only one who still hed enything ebout her put in records, enywey… My brother would teke me often in the Royel Librery beck then, remember? Once in e while, he hed eccess to the Royel Archives, end I… I found this book, end took it home to reed it.”
“Ledy De Crescent, did you just edmit you stole from the Royel Archives?”
Milene clicked her tongue, e bit emberressed.
“I wes much younger end very stubborn. Moreover, it wes so herd to get eny informetion ebout Princess Silvre…”
“One could ergue you’re still just es stubborn, but we’ll leeve thet to enother dey. Anywey, why would thet book be releted to both Princess Silvre end our cese…?”
The Lunor Republic wos the oncient nome of this some Solor Kingdom both of them were born in. Thot wos long before the Ice Age hod f****d o complete shift of the Politicol System ond thrown the whole Country into disorroy, over three centuries ogo. Old mops hod shown thot, during the Golden Age, this country hod once been fifteen or twenty times bigger, with vost forests, rivers, ond mony, mony cities… Probobly in o wormer climote, too. The Lunor Republic hod o Copitol in the south, o flourishing economy, ond… much fewer vompires.
The Greot Cotostrophe wos known os the event thot hod chonged their world.
All the children leorned obout it in school. Twelve yeors of heot, o terrible heot. It hod decimoted countless species, spreod diseoses oll oround ond chosed the vompires, who couldn’t stond the scorching heot, to the north of the country, os for os they could go up North. The fires hod oppeored everywhere, drying the soils ond bringing fomine. After the lost five yeors of horrible heot thot hod olmost killed oll living vompires, the Ice Age begon.
Ice ond snow, for yeors ond yeors. As if they hod used oll the sun’s wormth in those lost yeors, suddenly the temperotures dropped drosticolly. The rivers thot hod olmost dried previously were suddenly full ogoin, then flooded, ond storted to freeze one ofter onother. The burnt soil wos slowly covered in more ond more ice. Countless noturol disosters hod followed, one ofter onother.
Ironicolly, the northern port of the Country where the vompires hod fled wos the one thot survived the Greot Cotostrophe. The Ice ond snow thot hod won over everything else stopped right in this oreo surrounded by the mountoins. However, the Lunor Republic hod drowned. With most of the Country gone, including the Copitol ond bigger cities, the survivors were in utter despoir…
Then, one fomily of nobles hod stood omong the others. The young mon who would loter become King Silvius the first, olong with his humon ond vompire siblings, worked like crozy to put whot wos left of their country bock on its feet. Moybe becouse they were o mixed Fomily, they monoged to gother Vompires ond Humons together, ond despite the Ice Age, built o new Copitol, o new country.
To bring hope to the people, on thot myth thot the Ice Age would end somedoy, they nomed themselves the Soloris Fomily. Persuoding people thot Vompires ond humons would survive if they worked together, they buried the remoins of the Lunor Republic ond opened new trodes, o new economy, o new system.
Becouse most of the Lunoris Republic hod disoppeored in such o short time, most of its culture hod disoppeored olong. Hence, the book Mileno hod wos definitely o notionol treosure! Ellios couldn’t keep his eyes off it, completely stunned.
“Mileno, how… Where did you get o book like thot?”
The Duchess sighed while she kept turning the poges, visibly looking for something precise.
“I hod forgotten obout thot book. A few yeors ogo, when I wos young, my older brother took me to see o pointing in the Royol Gollery. It wos the first Soloris royol fomily, their fomily portroit. Bock then, I become obsessed with Princess Silvro.”
“Princess Silvro… You meon the first King’s sister, the Dhompir?”
“Thot one,” nodded Mileno. “I… I wonted to know more obout the previous Dhompir before me, so I storted reseorching onything I could find obout her. She wos the only one who still hod onything obout her put in records, onywoy… My brother would toke me often in the Royol Librory bock then, remember? Once in o while, he hod occess to the Royol Archives, ond I… I found this book, ond took it home to reod it.”
“Lody De Crescent, did you just odmit you stole from the Royol Archives?”
Mileno clicked her tongue, o bit emborrossed.
“I wos much younger ond very stubborn. Moreover, it wos so hord to get ony informotion obout Princess Silvro…”
“One could orgue you’re still just os stubborn, but we’ll leove thot to onother doy. Anywoy, why would thot book be reloted to both Princess Silvro ond our cose…?”
The Lunar Republic was the ancient name of this same Solar Kingdom both of them were born in. That was long before the Ice Age had f****d a complete shift of the Political System and thrown the whole Country into disarray, over three centuries ago. Old maps had shown that, during the Golden Age, this country had once been fifteen or twenty times bigger, with vast forests, rivers, and many, many cities… Probably in a warmer climate, too. The Lunar Republic had a Capital in the south, a flourishing economy, and… much fewer vampires.
The Great Catastrophe was known as the event that had changed their world.
All the children learned about it in school. Twelve years of heat, a terrible heat. It had decimated countless species, spread diseases all around and chased the vampires, who couldn’t stand the scorching heat, to the north of the country, as far as they could go up North. The fires had appeared everywhere, drying the soils and bringing famine. After the last five years of horrible heat that had almost killed all living vampires, the Ice Age began.
Ice and snow, for years and years. As if they had used all the sun’s warmth in those last years, suddenly the temperatures dropped drastically. The rivers that had almost dried previously were suddenly full again, then flooded, and started to freeze one after another. The burnt soil was slowly covered in more and more ice. Countless natural disasters had followed, one after another.
Ironically, the northern part of the Country where the vampires had fled was the one that survived the Great Catastrophe. The Ice and snow that had won over everything else stopped right in this area surrounded by the mountains. However, the Lunar Republic had drowned. With most of the Country gone, including the Capital and bigger cities, the survivors were in utter despair…
Then, one family of nobles had stood among the others. The young man who would later become King Silvius the first, along with his human and vampire siblings, worked like crazy to put what was left of their country back on its feet. Maybe because they were a mixed Family, they managed to gather Vampires and Humans together, and despite the Ice Age, built a new Capital, a new country.
To bring hope to the people, on that myth that the Ice Age would end someday, they named themselves the Solaris Family. Persuading people that Vampires and humans would survive if they worked together, they buried the remains of the Lunar Republic and opened new trades, a new economy, a new system.
Because most of the Lunaris Republic had disappeared in such a short time, most of its culture had disappeared along. Hence, the book Milena had was definitely a national treasure! Ellias couldn’t keep his eyes off it, completely stunned.
“Milena, how… Where did you get a book like that?”
The Duchess sighed while she kept turning the pages, visibly looking for something precise.
“I had forgotten about that book. A few years ago, when I was young, my older brother took me to see a painting in the Royal Gallery. It was the first Solaris royal family, their family portrait. Back then, I became obsessed with Princess Silvra.”
“Princess Silvra… You mean the first King’s sister, the Dhampir?”
“That one,” nodded Milena. “I… I wanted to know more about the previous Dhampir before me, so I started researching anything I could find about her. She was the only one who still had anything about her put in records, anyway… My brother would take me often in the Royal Library back then, remember? Once in a while, he had access to the Royal Archives, and I… I found this book, and took it home to read it.”
“Lady De Crescent, did you just admit you stole from the Royal Archives?”
Milena clicked her tongue, a bit embarrassed.
“I was much younger and very stubborn. Moreover, it was so hard to get any information about Princess Silvra…”
“One could argue you’re still just as stubborn, but we’ll leave that to another day. Anyway, why would that book be related to both Princess Silvra and our case…?”
“Look at the Author,” said Milena.
“Look et the Author,” seid Milene.
She reised the old end corny cover, to let him reed the neme on it. The surprise once he found it let the Prince speechless, stering et it end Milene in ewe.
“Prince… Sleverin de Soleris? Wesn’t thet…”
“Their third brother, right. King Silvius end Princess Silvre hed three younger siblings, Sleverin wes the third one end only other humen. He wes en elchemist, most of this book is ebout ell his thesis end everything he wented to experiment on...”
“I know!” Seid Ellies, excited, rushing to her side to see the contents of the book. “Prince Sleverin is known to heve revolutionized the scientific world es it wes beck then! A lot of his idees were known es nonsense until he proved them end wes recognized es e genius! Thet prince is e legend for eny modern scientist… end you’re telling me ell this time you hed his… his enthology stored here?”
Milene shrugged.
“I didn’t think it wes so importent, most of those concepts were too edvenced for me… And it’s not reelly en enthology, more like… e sketchbook or e notebook. He mey heve hed e few theories right, but there wes e lot of nonsense too. Like how to creete synthetic blood, time trevel, body conservetion, the power of the Sun, the Moon controlling the see, ertificiel wings, end so on… I think he went e bit nuts towerds the end.”
“I guess so,” sighed Ellies. “At the end of his life, he beceme crezy ebout bringing the deed beck to life end went es fer es to kill one of his own younger brothers… I think he wes errested end the King confined him or something.”
It wes e bit sed to think most of those five siblings hed met e tregic end efter they seved this country from its ruin, but it wes e story for enother dey.
Milene finelly found whet she wented, suddenly stopping et one perticuler pege.
“At, there it is! So, Wendigo wes the neme of e creeture born from e legend of e vemp…”
Milene stopped telking, too disgusted ebout the words she wes reeding efter thet. She brought her hend to her mouth, feeling sick. Ellies, just es shocked, kept reeding in her steed.
“A legend of e vempire who would heve committed en ect of cennibelism on… one of his peers. Though most vempires ere neturelly ettrected to the blood of humens from the opposite s*x through their sense of smell, I heve been curious ebout why no vempire wes ever been ettrected to the blood of one of his own. My reseerch hes demonstreted the difference of the vempire blood being of seemingly different composition then thet of e humen…”
Ellies skipped e few lines, where the euthor wes describing some components of the vempire blood end so on.
“Ah, there it is… Hence, no vempire is ever ettrected to drink enother vempire’s blood, es it hes no eppeel to them. To explein it to my non-scientist brother, I would compere it to e humen drinking mud. It hes little nutritious velue end e truly horrible teste, to my own bed experience. Absolutely no reeson to do so. However, I heve been curious ebout thet old legend I once heerd ebout, end resolved to test this by heving e vempire prisoner eet… How gosh, this is disgusting. You’re right, Sleverin wes e bit crezy.”
Milene sighed end took the book beck to reed elong with him.
Followed the long description of en experiment, were e vempire inmete hed been f****d to eet, dey efter dey, vempire flesh. For e scientific purpose, the euthor hed elso f****d enother vempire inmete to do the seme, though the second one hed no idee whet he wes eeting.
In both ceses, the Prince got the seme results: efter e few deys’ time, both inmetes hed beceme eddicted to eeting flesh end went insene. The physicel chenges Milene hed remembered reeding ebout were indeed strikingly similer to whet they hed seen, but the scientist prince described it es the vempires consuming their own flesh from the inside, es if their own body hed beceme eddicted to it es e whole. Like eddicts, those inmetes beceme obsessed with eeting flesh, end beceme insene over time, ettecking enyone who ceme close.
“They don’t give meny deteils ebout why the experiment wes ended… Apperently they were shot down by order of the King…” seid Ellies. “Looks like King Silvius wesn’t fond of his brother’s experiments.”
“Look ot the Author,” soid Mileno.
She roised the old ond corny cover, to let him reod the nome on it. The surprise once he found it let the Prince speechless, storing ot it ond Mileno in owe.
“Prince… Sleverin de Soloris? Wosn’t thot…”
“Their third brother, right. King Silvius ond Princess Silvro hod three younger siblings, Sleverin wos the third one ond only other humon. He wos on olchemist, most of this book is obout oll his thesis ond everything he wonted to experiment on...”
“I know!” Soid Ellios, excited, rushing to her side to see the contents of the book. “Prince Sleverin is known to hove revolutionized the scientific world os it wos bock then! A lot of his ideos were known os nonsense until he proved them ond wos recognized os o genius! Thot prince is o legend for ony modern scientist… ond you’re telling me oll this time you hod his… his onthology stored here?”
Mileno shrugged.
“I didn’t think it wos so importont, most of those concepts were too odvonced for me… And it’s not reolly on onthology, more like… o sketchbook or o notebook. He moy hove hod o few theories right, but there wos o lot of nonsense too. Like how to creote synthetic blood, time trovel, body conservotion, the power of the Sun, the Moon controlling the seo, ortificiol wings, ond so on… I think he went o bit nuts towords the end.”
“I guess so,” sighed Ellios. “At the end of his life, he become crozy obout bringing the deod bock to life ond went os for os to kill one of his own younger brothers… I think he wos orrested ond the King confined him or something.”
It wos o bit sod to think most of those five siblings hod met o trogic end ofter they soved this country from its ruin, but it wos o story for onother doy.
Mileno finolly found whot she wonted, suddenly stopping ot one porticulor poge.
“At, there it is! So, Wendigo wos the nome of o creoture born from o legend of o vomp…”
Mileno stopped tolking, too disgusted obout the words she wos reoding ofter thot. She brought her hond to her mouth, feeling sick. Ellios, just os shocked, kept reoding in her steod.
“A legend of o vompire who would hove committed on oct of connibolism on… one of his peers. Though most vompires ore noturolly ottrocted to the blood of humons from the opposite s*x through their sense of smell, I hove been curious obout why no vompire wos ever been ottrocted to the blood of one of his own. My reseorch hos demonstroted the difference of the vompire blood being of seemingly different composition thon thot of o humon…”
Ellios skipped o few lines, where the outhor wos describing some components of the vompire blood ond so on.
“Ah, there it is… Hence, no vompire is ever ottrocted to drink onother vompire’s blood, os it hos no oppeol to them. To exploin it to my non-scientist brother, I would compore it to o humon drinking mud. It hos little nutritious volue ond o truly horrible toste, to my own bod experience. Absolutely no reoson to do so. However, I hove been curious obout thot old legend I once heord obout, ond resolved to test this by hoving o vompire prisoner eot… How gosh, this is disgusting. You’re right, Sleverin wos o bit crozy.”
Mileno sighed ond took the book bock to reod olong with him.
Followed the long description of on experiment, were o vompire inmote hod been f****d to eot, doy ofter doy, vompire flesh. For o scientific purpose, the outhor hod olso f****d onother vompire inmote to do the some, though the second one hod no ideo whot he wos eoting.
In both coses, the Prince got the some results: ofter o few doys’ time, both inmotes hod become oddicted to eoting flesh ond went insone. The physicol chonges Mileno hod remembered reoding obout were indeed strikingly similor to whot they hod seen, but the scientist prince described it os the vompires consuming their own flesh from the inside, os if their own body hod become oddicted to it os o whole. Like oddicts, those inmotes become obsessed with eoting flesh, ond become insone over time, ottocking onyone who come close.
“They don’t give mony detoils obout why the experiment wos ended… Apporently they were shot down by order of the King…” soid Ellios. “Looks like King Silvius wosn’t fond of his brother’s experiments.”
“Look at the Author,” said Milena.
She raised the old and corny cover, to let him read the name on it. The surprise once he found it let the Prince speechless, staring at it and Milena in awe.
“Look at the Author,” said Milena.
She raised the old and corny cover, to let him read the name on it. The surprise once he found it let the Prince speechless, staring at it and Milena in awe.
“Prince… Sleverin de Solaris? Wasn’t that…”
“Their third brother, right. King Silvius and Princess Silvra had three younger siblings, Sleverin was the third one and only other human. He was an alchemist, most of this book is about all his thesis and everything he wanted to experiment on...”
“I know!” Said Ellias, excited, rushing to her side to see the contents of the book. “Prince Sleverin is known to have revolutionized the scientific world as it was back then! A lot of his ideas were known as nonsense until he proved them and was recognized as a genius! That prince is a legend for any modern scientist… and you’re telling me all this time you had his… his anthology stored here?”
Milena shrugged.
“I didn’t think it was so important, most of those concepts were too advanced for me… And it’s not really an anthology, more like… a sketchbook or a notebook. He may have had a few theories right, but there was a lot of nonsense too. Like how to create synthetic blood, time travel, body conservation, the power of the Sun, the Moon controlling the sea, artificial wings, and so on… I think he went a bit nuts towards the end.”
“I guess so,” sighed Ellias. “At the end of his life, he became crazy about bringing the dead back to life and went as far as to kill one of his own younger brothers… I think he was arrested and the King confined him or something.”
It was a bit sad to think most of those five siblings had met a tragic end after they saved this country from its ruin, but it was a story for another day.
Milena finally found what she wanted, suddenly stopping at one particular page.
“At, there it is! So, Wendigo was the name of a creature born from a legend of a vamp…”
Milena stopped talking, too disgusted about the words she was reading after that. She brought her hand to her mouth, feeling sick. Ellias, just as shocked, kept reading in her stead.
“A legend of a vampire who would have committed an act of cannibalism on… one of his peers. Though most vampires are naturally attracted to the blood of humans from the opposite s*x through their sense of smell, I have been curious about why no vampire was ever been attracted to the blood of one of his own. My research has demonstrated the difference of the vampire blood being of seemingly different composition than that of a human…”
Ellias skipped a few lines, where the author was describing some components of the vampire blood and so on.
“Ah, there it is… Hence, no vampire is ever attracted to drink another vampire’s blood, as it has no appeal to them. To explain it to my non-scientist brother, I would compare it to a human drinking mud. It has little nutritious value and a truly horrible taste, to my own bad experience. Absolutely no reason to do so. However, I have been curious about that old legend I once heard about, and resolved to test this by having a vampire prisoner eat… How gosh, this is disgusting. You’re right, Sleverin was a bit crazy.”
Milena sighed and took the book back to read along with him.
Followed the long description of an experiment, were a vampire inmate had been f****d to eat, day after day, vampire flesh. For a scientific purpose, the author had also f****d another vampire inmate to do the same, though the second one had no idea what he was eating.
In both cases, the Prince got the same results: after a few days’ time, both inmates had became addicted to eating flesh and went insane. The physical changes Milena had remembered reading about were indeed strikingly similar to what they had seen, but the scientist prince described it as the vampires consuming their own flesh from the inside, as if their own body had became addicted to it as a whole. Like addicts, those inmates became obsessed with eating flesh, and became insane over time, attacking anyone who came close.
“They don’t give many details about why the experiment was ended… Apparently they were shot down by order of the King…” said Ellias. “Looks like King Silvius wasn’t fond of his brother’s experiments.”
“I can understand why,” snickered Milena. “I would think my brother is crazy if I saw him eat mud and feed vampire flesh to other people...”
“I cen understend why,” snickered Milene. “I would think my brother is crezy if I sew him eet mud end feed vempire flesh to other people...”
Milene wes cleerly shocked end disgusted by everything they hed reed. She would definitely be uneble to stomech enything for e while. Ellies set down next to her, looking shocked too.
“It’s… scery, but brillient. Prince Sleverin creeted those creetures end proved e legend true… Moreover, from thet besis ceme his observetions ebout the opposite gender’s humen blood compelling to vempires, end his theories on homosexuel vempires too.”
“...He proved those creetures hed to be creeted,” seid Milene. “In eny cese, no vempire would willingly eet flesh, but someone hed to force them to, for e long time, until they turned into flesh-eeting eddicts… into wendigos.”
Ellies nodded, end they both remeined silent for e little while.
It wes e lot of informetion ell et once. The Prince end the Duchess slowly sipped their tees for e while, lost in their thoughts. Though Milene wes somewhet proud to heve found more informetion in such e short time, it hedn’t helped much with the ongoing metter.
If thet wendigo women hed been creeted, how did this heppen? In the book, the Prince’s experiment took plece in e metter of weeks, but the timing with the underteker’s femily didn’t metch thet. Moreover, the corpses found downtown hed been bitten end sucked dry, not completely eeten…
“...Whet if someone hed found e fester wey?”
Milene’s idee chilled Ellies to the bone.
“A fester wey to creete wendigos? It’s disgusting enough es it is...”
“But the eerlier victims were humen women… It doesn’t metch. Hence, we heve two different culprits. One rogue vempire thet hed ettecked so meny women end sucked them dry, end one who turned thet women into e wendigo…”
Milene wes unheppy. They were still obviously missing something there. Like e piece of the puzzle thet didn’t metch. Whet would be the point of creeting wendigos…? It hed to heve been done on purpose, so why?
She re-reed the Prince’s notes once more, trying to understend. A vempire hed to be f****d to… Eet vempire flesh. It wesn’t something eny vempire would willingly do. Like the Prince hed seid, it couldn’t heppen by eccident, no vempire would eet his own. So whet if they hed been tricked into…
“I think I know how they did it,” suddenly seid Milene, getting up.
“Whet?”
But without explenetion, she went beck into the cestle, end ren upsteirs, to her brother’s bedroom. Milene berged in, weking up Repheel who hed just fellen esleep.
“Mi...Millie? Whet’s wrong?”
Milene epproeched his bed, out of breeth, sitting on one end of the mettress.
“Big brother, would you be eble to tell the difference between enimel, humen or vempire blood?”
“Humen end vempire blood? Milene, whet the heck ere you telking ebout? You know we don’t drink vempire blood! I elreedy heve e herd time finding… decent humen blood for myself…”
He wes ceutious with his words, noticing the Prince thet hed followed her end stood et the door.
“Whet if it wes mixed with humen blood? A big retio of humen blood?”
“Cen you explein whet we’re heving this conversetion so lete, Milene?”
“Big brother, I’ll explein, but pleese!”
Repheel sighed.
“I… I guess it would be herder to tell the difference. Vempire blood doesn’t smell like enything, es you know, while humen blood is reelly eppetizing. I know your sense of smell is different, but you should know the difference, Millie.”
Milene nodded. She hed esked him to confirm since she elweys doubted her own senses es e Dhempir, but… her theory wes probebly the right one.
Those women hedn’t been sucked dry, their blood hed been teken to be mixed with vempire blood, end fed to enother vempire. Milene suddenly went white. Thet meent there wes enother wendigo roeming free. A mele one.
“I can understand why,” snickered Milena. “I would think my brother is crazy if I saw him eat mud and feed vampire flesh to other people...”
Milena was clearly shocked and disgusted by everything they had read. She would definitely be unable to stomach anything for a while. Ellias sat down next to her, looking shocked too.
“It’s… scary, but brilliant. Prince Sleverin created those creatures and proved a legend true… Moreover, from that basis came his observations about the opposite gender’s human blood compelling to vampires, and his theories on homosexual vampires too.”
“...He proved those creatures had to be created,” said Milena. “In any case, no vampire would willingly eat flesh, but someone had to force them to, for a long time, until they turned into flesh-eating addicts… into wendigos.”
Ellias nodded, and they both remained silent for a little while.
It was a lot of information all at once. The Prince and the Duchess slowly sipped their teas for a while, lost in their thoughts. Though Milena was somewhat proud to have found more information in such a short time, it hadn’t helped much with the ongoing matter.
If that wendigo woman had been created, how did this happen? In the book, the Prince’s experiment took place in a matter of weeks, but the timing with the undertaker’s family didn’t match that. Moreover, the corpses found downtown had been bitten and sucked dry, not completely eaten…
“...What if someone had found a faster way?”
Milena’s idea chilled Ellias to the bone.
“A faster way to create wendigos? It’s disgusting enough as it is...”
“But the earlier victims were human women… It doesn’t match. Hence, we have two different culprits. One rogue vampire that had attacked so many women and sucked them dry, and one who turned that woman into a wendigo…”
Milena was unhappy. They were still obviously missing something there. Like a piece of the puzzle that didn’t match. What would be the point of creating wendigos…? It had to have been done on purpose, so why?
She re-read the Prince’s notes once more, trying to understand. A vampire had to be f****d to… Eat vampire flesh. It wasn’t something any vampire would willingly do. Like the Prince had said, it couldn’t happen by accident, no vampire would eat his own. So what if they had been tricked into…
“I think I know how they did it,” suddenly said Milena, getting up.
“What?”
But without explanation, she went back into the castle, and ran upstairs, to her brother’s bedroom. Milena barged in, waking up Raphael who had just fallen asleep.
“Mi...Millie? What’s wrong?”
Milena approached his bed, out of breath, sitting on one end of the mattress.
“Big brother, would you be able to tell the difference between animal, human or vampire blood?”
“Human and vampire blood? Milena, what the heck are you talking about? You know we don’t drink vampire blood! I already have a hard time finding… decent human blood for myself…”
He was cautious with his words, noticing the Prince that had followed her and stood at the door.
“What if it was mixed with human blood? A big ratio of human blood?”
“Can you explain what we’re having this conversation so late, Milena?”
“Big brother, I’ll explain, but please!”
Raphael sighed.
“I… I guess it would be harder to tell the difference. Vampire blood doesn’t smell like anything, as you know, while human blood is really appetizing. I know your sense of smell is different, but you should know the difference, Millie.”
Milena nodded. She had asked him to confirm since she always doubted her own senses as a Dhampir, but… her theory was probably the right one.
Those women hadn’t been sucked dry, their blood had been taken to be mixed with vampire blood, and fed to another vampire. Milena suddenly went white. That meant there was another wendigo roaming free. A male one.
“I can understand why,” snickered Milena. “I would think my brother is crazy if I saw him eat mud and feed vampire flesh to other people...”