Chapter 1: Dormant Volcano

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"You have to mark her now!" Her mom yells in grief, an endless trail of tears gushing down her eyes as she pleads to the King.

He doesn't say anything but he finds it very hard to ignore her words. He continues to stare at the little girl breathing her last few breaths of air. 

He's heart broken, and disoriented. Physically and emotionally drained. He's crying hard, but only on the inside.

"I don want to hurt her." He then says, voice almost inaudible yet crystal clear for the girl's parents to hear.

The baby over there. Laying in her crib. Was none other than his half. His supposed long-time companion. His mate.

He can't bear the thought of hurting and losing her. She's still too young. And she's getting taken away from him. 

The rain continues to pour heavily, thunders roaring as lighting strikes the grounds of the land. The door eventually swings open as the harsh wind pierces its way inside the castle in an undoubted strength.

His heart's crying like the storm inside. His soul's crying like the thunder.

Then.

It goes quiet. The ringing tension of silence echoes the now ghost-quite room. 

Everything's still, and so was she.

King Aziel slowly leans in over the crib, gently caressing her cheek one last time. He lets out a trembling breath, feeling his heart slowly shattering to pieces, and he plants a  kiss against the crook of her neck. 

He could've saved her with just a single bite. She could've been alive right now if he had chosen to give in to her parent's pleas. But he didn't. Cause unlike him. She was just a mere human.

Even if he did mark her then, the chances of her surviving the bite would be unlikely.

He pulls back and solemnly stares at the mark engraved on her neck through teary eyes. There's a birthmark there, symbolizing her reign over her King. He belonged to her, just as much as she belonged to him. 

A tear manages to escape his eye as he delicately caresses a thumb along the rose-shaped mark that had bounded them together now. And would even in their after lives.

"I'll find you soon my love." He whispers, inhaling her scent for the last time as he nuzzles into her warmth. "I promise."

6035

Calla's POV

Sunlight comes as woven strands, free and united, flowing into a day it reveals and solidifies, making the world of our nightly dreams something so beautiful. Each tree is a masterpiece, each wand of grass something magical.

And you wanted to just get out of here.

Away from his view. Away from this activity and away from the sun.

Who'd have thought this year's field trip would have you scheming around a dormant volcano on an island above the middle of the ocean? This is getting tiring. Especially for you.

Field trips are supposed to be fun. The main purpose of their existence apart from collecting some educational pieces of information, Is to have students interact with one another and hopefully plant the seeds that could eventually lead to friendship.

You honestly don't need more friends. The ones you currently have are enough.

You've been making a lot of noises since the expedition's started. Your closest friends were just being nice and chose to stay quiet about it, however. 

One of them decided that they have had enough of it and turns around to regard your lazy groans with a glare. "You're tired already?"

Kim Hayeon. Your friendship was honestly something unpredictable.

Having mostly known for your reserved 

introvert demeanor, you were always seen shoving your nose in a book, 

"Very." You reply half heartedly.

Today the sunlight conjured the most brilliant of mosaics, reflecting from each wisp of cloud. It was as if there was a pure joy in the light as if it were happy to create art where it shone, warm and steady.  It comes as an elixir after so many black hours. The air becomes sweeter; birds soften the dawn with their chorus; we breathe more deeply as if permission has been bestowed. Already the greyness is gone, evaporated as fast as desert rain, and the heat of the day can already be felt.

Hayeon's a few months younger than you but there are times when she acts like she's lived on earth for a thousand years. 

You're slacking behind like an abandoned greasy slime from a snail. 

It hasn't even been ten minutes since the tour's started and your legs are already killing you. 

But what can you say? Being a straight A student surely had to come with a couple of pros and cons. You get good grades thanks to that working mind of yours and that's just it. You let your mind do all the work. Not your body.

"Just how lazy can you get?" She sighs, halting in her steps to wait up for you. "It's only been like, What? Three minutes." 

The disoriented look you're displaying can easily get misinterpreted though. 

Hayeon shakes her head in disbelief before resuming back on her tracks, with a reluctant you trailing behind her.

Just when you've all managed to reach the very top, your surroundings flinches. 

"What was that?" You stop, looking around with narrowed eyes. 

Hayek stops too and opens her mouth. She felt it too. 

But before she could utter a word, the ground begins to shake as if an angry monster had awoken from the depths of the volcano. 

"Calla run!" 

You find yourself running for your dear life as the volcano-that was supposed to be asleep- began to erupt, and much to your horror, a gigantic ash of cloud decides to cut through your path and mush your sight of view. 

It's thick, eye blinding, and almost impossible to make a proper exit. 

Then you hear the sound of rocks breaking and within seconds, you find yourself knocked out as a large stone hits your head.

-

Darkness. Pitch black is what surrounds your vision when you feel cold fingers enclosing your arms. They're so tight that you try to flinch away in reflex, failing completely since you're apparently drained. Then your head starts throbbing, eyes squinting tight as a little whimper slips out your throat.

"Who is she?" A stern tone asks, but their voice appears rubbled and vague to you.

"New cattle up for auction." One of the men that had taken you replied.

"The king’s son is coming today." The other man stated as he watched you with sinister eyes. "Make sure she looks presentable."

They strip the blinds away. 

Adjusting to the dim, torch lit room, you notice the stack of wet hay flooding the rough floor as well as the misty dark metal. You start to panic.

How on earth did you end up in a dungeon!

Looking up in horror, you noticed something fairly odd about the men. They all seemed to protrude long canine teeth that resembled those fangs of a vampire.

You didn't get to think on it too much and you soon found yourself dragged and forcefully dressed in an odd light brown dress. After they had dressed you, you were thrown in a cage and taken up to a stage.

"The next cattle we have is this pure virgin young woman. " A relatively young handsome man stated from a podium as he gestured towards you in the cage.

It was then that it hit you! You were being auctioned!

The place's soon filled with mumbles, whispers from seemingly wealthy men as they closely examine your figure. Then out of the midst, you hear a cold voice mutter.

"I'll take it." 

Automatically, your eyes peer through the settled crowds in horror before they lock gazes with this doe like eyes. 

The man's clad up in a regal outfit, face concealed below a shadow with only his eyes beaming red. Your body cowers in fear under his intimidating gaze as you feel him leisurely scanning you up and down.

He may be far from where you're held captive, but the thoughts of escaping his eyes-or this whole place in general-would mostly likely be inevitable. When he flickers his tongue and stretches out a dark smirk. 

And you can only wish that all of these, were nothing but a dreadful nightmare.