A/n: Thank you for reading my fanfiction!!! Hoping you liked this book! ✨️❤️✨️

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As Kousei contemplated revealing himself to his friends and father, a choice that held the promise of reuniting with the world he had left behind, a presence materialized beside him—Elder Elastarii and Elder Akihiko. Their expressions were grave, a reflection of the knowledge they bore.

"Why can't I be with my friends?" Kousei cried out. "They're here to look for me! I'm not dead, yet!"

Elder Elastarii's voice was steady, carrying the weight of the truth he shared. "Kousei, there is something you must know. The message from Prince Ryuu was not one of benevolence. He intended for your friends and family to find you, only to eliminate them afterwards. Most of all, when you chose to become a vampire, you have chosen to turn away from your humanity and embrace a different world. You cannot totally be with them ever again. You are in purgatory. All of us Vampires of Cair Luthien live in purgatory."

Kousei's eyes widened in shock, his heart clenching at the revelation. His friends' safety was now at stake, and the reality of the threat posed by Prince Ryuu's intentions hung heavy in the air.

Elder Akihiko's voice was firm, a note of warning in his words. "Your compassion is a testament to your humanity, Kousei. But we cannot underestimate the danger that lurks. If you were to reveal yourself, you would be placing your loved ones in harm's way."

The weight of the decision lay heavily upon Kousei's shoulders. His desire to reconnect with his friends and father clashed with the knowledge of the peril that awaited them. A battle of emotions raged within him, torn between the past he cherished and the present reality he had come to accept.

Kousei's voice was tinged with anguish as he spoke. "I can't believe Prince Ryuu would do this. But if my revealing myself endangers them... I can't allow it."

Elder Elastarii's gaze held a mixture of empathy and pride. "Your choice is a reflection of your character, Kousei. Protecting those you care for is a noble and selfless act."

Kousei's heart was heavy with the weight of his decision, the pain of separation and the fear for his friends' safety a constant ache within him. As his friends continued to explore the castle, unaware of the danger that loomed, Kousei watched from the shadows, his presence hidden but his emotions raw.

And so, amidst the turmoil of emotions and the hidden truths that bound them, Kousei stood at the crossroads of his past and his present, his heart a symphony of conflicted feelings. The castle's halls held the echoes of his past, and the choices that lay ahead were a reflection of the complexities of existence—the shadows and the light, the love and the sacrifice, the human and the supernatural—all intertwined in a dance that would shape the destinies of many.

...

The air grew heavy with tension as Prince Ryuu materialized before Kousei's friends and father, his form distorted and beastly in its appearance. Fear and shock painted the expressions of those present, their hearts gripped by the sudden intrusion of a malevolent presence.

"What do you want from us?" screamed Takahiko while he made his young companions stay behind him. "Who are you?"

"Don't you remember me?" Prince Ryuu asked him. "I was the one who asked you to come to Scotland."

Takahiko raised his eyebrow. "It was you?"

"Your son's blood is sweet!" Ryuu told him. "I was the one who took away his humanity and now, no one will ever be king or emperor of Japan! Not even from the maternal blood like your child can ever hold that position."

Takahiko clenched his hand and he badly wanted to punish the man but he was also afraid. Ryuu was obviously stronger than he was due to his clear, red eyes, sharp nails, and muscled arms.

Elder Elastarii, Elder Akihiko, and the Vampire Hunters, Rosen, Rowan, and Aiza Hatoshii appeared in response to the threat, their presence a counterbalance to the danger that loomed. Their expressions were a mixture of resolve and readiness, prepared to face the dark force that had manifested before them.

Prince Ryuu's voice was twisted with rage as he demanded the boy's life hidden in the castle as he pointed a silver sword at Takahiko, his threat hanging in the air like a shadow. His words painted a bleak picture of his intent, a desire for revenge and power that had taken a malevolent turn. "Reveal the boy! Let me kill and eliminate that boy!!! My master warned me that if I don't, he will end our existence! I was the one who made him a vampire, after all!!!"

Elder Elastarii's voice carried a note of weariness as he spoke, his words a reminder of a prophecy that shaped destinies. "Ryuu, you were initiated into a dark coven, but you were kept ignorant of a greater truth. He who dies and loses his humanity by the fullmoon and he who will be chosen by the great blade will bring end to darkness and suffering of all those who live hidden away from sight of humans."

"My master has told me about that!" Ryuu shouted. "That's the end of all vampires!"

"He will end our endless thirst and save us from the darkness!" Elder Akihiro screamed. "Join us instead! We have to protect the boy. We don't know but it might be him."

Ryuu's voice wavered between anger and desperation as he denied the truth. "No, my master ordered me to eliminate him and his friends! I was meant to restore the underworld to its rightful order! Victorino wanted me to kill him and invade the world of humans!!!"

The tension in the room escalated, the clash of motivations and desires an embodiment of the dualities that defined their existence. The shadows of the past, the weight of prophecies, and the choices that had led them down different paths converged in a confrontation that held the power to reshape the fates of all involved.

Elder Akihiko's voice was unwavering as he addressed the turmoil that raged within Ryuu. "Your path has been clouded by darkness, Ryuu. But you can still choose a different course—one that aligns with the greater good."

The entrance of the castle hung in a precarious balance, the choices that lay ahead hinging on the decisions made in this pivotal moment. As the truth of the prophecy unfolded and the stakes were laid bare, each heart present grappled with the enormity of the choices that awaited them.

And so, amidst the clash of emotions and the whispers of prophecy, the confrontation of shadows continued—a dance of light and darkness that would shape the destiny of a boy, a prince, and the world that teetered on the brink of transformation.

...

As the tension in the room reached its peak, a sudden presence shifted the dynamics of the confrontation. Kousei, against the warnings and fears that had held him back, chose to reveal himself to his friends and father. The shock that rippled through the room was palpable, and eyes widened in disbelief at the sight before them.

Takahiko's heart leapt at the sight of his son, alive and standing before him. His steps carried him closer, a mixture of relief and longing in his eyes. But as he reached out, Kousei's reaction was unexpected—an aloofness, a guardedness that masked the emotions within him. It was a surprise to him when he hid behind Elder Elastaari, one of the old men present.

Kousei's fists clutched the fabric of Elder Elastarii's robes, his form seemingly seeking refuge behind the elder's presence. His eyes, once warm and familiar, held a mixture of trepidation and vulnerability, like that of a scared child who had ventured into the unknown. He also stared at Prince Ryuu who was also in shock to see Kousei alive and most of all, renewed. He can sense untapped well of supernatural magical power surging inside him. He wanted to kill him but he was also able to feel as if there was an invisible barrier safeguarding Kousei.

Takahiko's voice was a mixture of emotions as he spoke, his voice carrying a note of both joy and confusion. "Kousei... Is that really you? Don't you remember me? Aren't you happy to see me? Let's go home."

Kousei's response was soft, almost hesitant, his voice a whisper amidst the silence that surrounded them. "Yeah, Dad... It's me."

The room held a charged atmosphere, the weight of the past and the present tangling in a complex dance. Kousei's friends and father stood before him, their eyes reflecting a myriad of emotions—shock, relief, and a sense of reunion that had been longed for.

But as Takahiko extended a hand once more, Kousei's gaze remained distant, his stance guarded. The transformation he had undergone, the pain of separation, and the hidden threats that loomed had left scars that went beyond the surface.

Elder Elastarii's presence remained a steady support, a pillar of reassurance amidst the uncertainty that hung in the air. His voice was gentle as he addressed Kousei's friends and father when he had to hold the boy's shoulders as Kousei released all of his painful tears. "Kousei's journey has been a complex one, shaped by forces beyond his control. His transformation is a testament to his strength in the face of adversity."

Kousei's fingers clenched the elder's fabric tighter, his emotions a storm within him—a mixture of happiness to see them again and the fear of exposing them to the danger that lurked.

And so, amidst the complexity of emotions and the shadows of the past, the reunion unfolded—a fragile bridge between a world that once was and the new reality that had taken its place.

The choices that lay ahead held the power to redefine their relationships, to bridge the gaps that had formed, and to navigate the challenges that would shape their futures.

"I cannot be with you, Dad!" cried Kousei. "Forget about me. I am long dead. I am a soul waiting for the day of reckoning! I chose to stay here to be cleansed and purified one day!"

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A/n: To all those who read this fanfiction, may I say thank you for giving my story a chance!!! 💝💝💝