Chapter 2. Mystery.

Chapter 10. Leaving Transylvania.

Lady Gastella announced that we were leaving Transylvania and headed for the country of werewolves Liconea.

“We are departing for Liconea tomorrow for the upcoming tournament! Just heads up, humans and werewolves were our enemies long ago; don't expect a warm welcome,” She mentioned.

The students looked anxious hearing her say those words.

“Remember who you are fighting for! Our King Dracula expects a lot from you! Make him proud!” Gastella motivated greatly.

The students became less anxious and replaced with pride and determination.

“Now take this final day to make your last preparations. Class dismissed,” Gastella's final words hit the class hard, they couldn’t wait for the tournament to begin.

“Let's go!”

“We need to ensure we have everything!”

“Watch out humans and werewolves! You will face the might of Vampires!”

The students did not make an effort to hide their enthusiasm.

Esteban, Cecilia and Leyla also looked eagerly for the beginning of the tournament.

“I guess you three also look forward to the upcoming tournament,” I jokingly remarked.

Cecilia looked especially eager.

“How could we not? This is our chance to show others what we got! To prove that Vampires are the strongest in the world,” Cecilia explained to me with her eyes sparkling in excitement.

It was certainly not wrong to be this excited about a tournament, but her last words, ‘prove that Vampires are superior,’ are words which were heavily used during the tragic war.

The idea that a race had to be superior to others is what played a major role in causing the tragic war.

Part of me wished that this kind of mentality had been washed away by the ages, yet looking around the class, it was certainly not.

If not careful this mentally could easily start another war claiming innocent lives once again.

“I appreciate your enthusiasm but all of you must remember that this is only a friendly tournament, showing respect is equally important,”

The three of them understood my words.

“We know Ilyas,” Leyla said with a smile.

The three of us left the class and separated to make our final preparations.

“See you all tomorrow,” Esteban waved as he left us.

“Don't be late,” Cecilia said, walking away, leaving me and Leyla alone.

“What will you do?” I asked her.

“I will pack a few clothes and see my mother later on. What about you?” She asked me.

“I will just head for my room to come up with some strategies for the upcoming tournament,” I replied.

“Then I will see you tomorrow,” Leyla bowed her head slightly and walked away.

I headed for my room, and for the rest of the day, I came up with plans for how to win the tournament.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

I spent the last 3 weeks training the three of them in the best possible way. All of them made major leaps forward, and I knew they were ready for this.

I also felt a gaze looking down upon me, and it wasn't Dracula; it was a celestial, but who it was was uncertain.

I didn't pay it full attention as of yet and decided to call it a day.

The next morning.

Our class was standing outside the academy gates with their backpacks ready for the journey. In the crowd, I found Esteban, Leyla and Cecilia, who looked ready, with each of them having their own backpack.

“Uhm Ilyas…” Leyla called out questioningly.

“Yes?” I asked.

“What do you mean, yes? Where is your backpack?” Cecilia cut in.

Looking around I was indeed the only one without one.

“I put my things inside my own storage space,” I replied.

The faces of those three were all dumbfounded upon hearing my explanation.

A storage space is magic which allows the caster to create it's dimension for various purposes, one of which is to store items.

“Uhm?” Esteban wanted to ask something before he was cut off by a female voice.

“Listen up!” Gastella emerged from the gates.

The students turned to face her.

“We will embark on foot to the nation of Liconea! Those who cannot keep up will be left behind and will not partake in the tournament!” Gastella dropped a serious bombshell.

The students, for obvious reasons, looked anxious hearing her words.

“We need to support each other,”

“Stick together,”

“You better not fail,”

The groups said amongst themselves.

“You three just stay calm and follow me,” I told them in a calming manner.

The three of them looked less anxious hearing my words.

“Esteban, you wanted to ask something?” I remembered him being cut off by Gastella.

“Never mind,” Esteban said somewhat disappointed.

I was sure he would tell me later on.

“Now, everyone follow me!” Gastella ordered us.

Gastella led us through the capital city of Transylvania, past the castle, where I could feel the gaze of Dracula.

I looked up at the castle, and with my magic eyes, I clearly saw Dracula smirking at me from his window inside his throne room.

“Hold on to that smirk of yours while you can,” I mumbled.

I wondered if Gastella was ordered by Dracula to lead us past the castle on purpose to try and provoke me.

It almost worked but just almost.

The residents cheered for us.

“Show them what you got!”

“Win for us!”

“ The power of Vampires will win!”

Gastella led us through every part of the city besides the slums which upset Leyla.

“Your mother is proud of you,” I tried to comfort her.

“That's right Leyla,” Cecilia supported Leyla further.

Leyla smiled, holding back tears.

“Thanks you guys,” Leyla said with gratitude, holding Cecilia’s shoulders.

We made it to the city gates which meant that we were on the verge of leaving Transylvania.

For many, this was the first time setting foot outside the city. Some were excited about this new chapter of adventure, and others were anxious to leave.

“Let's go everyone, don't slack off,” Gastella did not care about the mixed emotions of the students.

“The trip will be seven days on foot!” Gastella yelled at us as we passed the city gates exiting Transylvania.

“You three will see the world from a different point of view,” I told them.

They looked excited to see new things and potential stories to tell.

Hours later

We walked for a few hours without rest. Humans would have needed to rest long ago, but Vampires have far superior stamina in comparison.

But even Vampires need a rest eventually.

Looking around, the class seemed exhausted and, as night approached, began to tire.

Even Esteban, Cecilia and Leyla looked visibly exhausted.

“How are you still this energetic?” Cecilia asked in an exhausted tone.

“I don't get tired,” I replied with a smirk.

“Show off,” Cecilia replied, slightly annoyed.

“Alright, we will make camp here!” Gastella mentioned.

We were deep inside a forest where monsters are a common occurrence.

“Finally,”

“About time,”

“Thank the Celestials,”

The students were relieved.

The students set up their tents, which honestly could have been done with maker magic, but we were told that magic was forbidden during the trip.

One could argue that my space was also magic, but I did cast it before the trip began, so I was not in violation of the rules.

Gastella came to me.

“Since you don't get tired…you can be on guard duty,” She must have heard my previous words toward Cecilia.

It seemed she kept an ear open at me during the trip to report to Dracula.

“Sure I don't mind,” I replied with a smile.

Gastella walked away in her tent.

The students sat around a massive campfire, talking to one another about the trip and upcoming tournament, roasting meat and marshmallows.

I never had a so-called marshmallow before, it wasn't a thing 5000 years ago.

“Try one,” Esteban handed me a branch with a roasted marshmallow at the tip.

I grab the branch.

“Thank you,”

I bit into the marshmallow…

It was sweet and had a sticky texture.

“It's delicious,” I remarked.

I can confirm that the corollary world has certainly improved immensely.

“You look like a child,” Leyla giggled.

I smiled. It was nice sitting around with your friends, feeling the warming flames rather than seeing the flames of death on the battlefield.

An hour passed and the students went inside their tents with girls and boys separated.

I sat on a rock on guard duty.

“Good night,” We wished each other.

“Don't fall asleep,” Cecilia said jokingly.

“Make sure you get plenty,” I replied.

One by one, the students fell asleep, and the crackling flames of the campfire were overshadowed by the snores of the sleeping students.

Hours passed, and I made out a thick white mist heading for the campsite, engulfing it and me.

It was no ordinary mist…

In the mist, I made out a figure in a black silhouette.

“It's been a while… fallen King,” A voice echoed throughout the mist.