After walking through the second floor, Seraphine arrived at the balcony and looked outside toward her garden area. Even though it was already night, her three sons, who were barely ten years old, were still training with all their focus.
In the middle of the garden stood three large boulders, each taller than the boys themselves. The eldest, Lycaon, with his fluffy blue hair and sharp red eyes that carried wolf-like pupils, stepped forward first. He clenched his small fist, his expression serious, and with one strong punch—
BAM!
The boulder split into two pieces instantly.
The guards standing nearby clapped loudly in appreciation of his strength. But among the crowd, there were maids and several young women who didn't clap. Instead, they watched quietly, as if their eyes were waiting for someone else's performance.
At that moment, a delicate and extremely handsome boy walked forward. His soft white hair had a faint pink tint, and his creamy white skin looked almost as if it glowed under the night lamps, with a gentle red hue on his cheeks. His face was so beautiful that it could surpass even many women, his features refined like a painting. This was none other than the second child, Cain.
Unlike Lycaon, Cain didn't put much strength into his movement. He lightly touched his fist to the boulder, and the moment his skin met the stone, the entire boulder shattered into countless small fragments.
"Woahhh! Young master is amazing as always!" the maids and nearby women clapped at once, cheering loudly in admiration. Their voices echoed through the garden.
But Cain didn't even glance at them, his expression calm, as if such praise meant nothing.
Soon, the youngest one stepped forward—Aurora. His eyes were deep red with multiple ring-like patterns circling inside them, strange and mesmerizing, while his black hair hung down smoothly over his pale face. Unlike his brothers, he did not throw a punch. He simply raised his hand and slowly clenched his fist.
In that instant, it felt as though an invisible pressure wrapped around the boulder. The massive rock began to squeeze and crack on its own until it completely crushed down, turning into fine dust and paste.
Everyone fell silent, their eyes wide in shock. Not even the guards dared to clap. Only Cain let out a laugh.
"Haha! Even though you're the eldest, you're still the weakest among us!" Cain teased, turning toward Lycaon with a mocking smile.
Lycaon's fists trembled, his teeth gritted tightly. "I'm not weak!" he shouted, and with a roar of anger, he struck another boulder.
BAAAM!
A massive shockwave burst out from his fist, shaking the ground beneath their feet as the boulder exploded into countless pieces.
Cain's lips twitched slightly as he thought to himself, "Tch… big brother's strength rises whenever he gets angry."
"See?" Lycaon said proudly, standing tall with his fists still clenched. "It's not even a full moon. If it was, my power would be even stronger!"
"So what? My strength grows under the full moon too!" Cain snapped back, puffing his chest slightly.
The two argued as they made their way back into the palace, their footsteps echoing together, while Aurora quietly followed behind them, silent as always, his strange eyes watching but his lips sealed.
From the balcony above, Seraphine stood quietly, her soft hands clutching the railing. She sighed in relief when she saw her three sons together and safe. A faint smile touched her lips.
"They've grown up so fast… I can't even believe it's already been ten whole years," she whispered, her heart warming with both pride and longing.
But her relief didn't last long. Suddenly, a sharp surge of pain struck her mind. She staggered slightly, her delicate face tightening. A wave of madness swirled inside her head, pressing down as though her own powers were trying to crush her.
"It feels… it feels like all my strength is being forced into forming a sphere inside me," she thought, her breaths uneven. "And at the same time, I have to resist this madness… if I let go even for a moment, I'll go insane."
Her hands shook against the railing. Her vision blurred for a second as sweat beaded on her forehead.
"I… I don't think I can hold on for more than a year," she admitted to herself in despair. "What should I do?"
Instead of thinking too much about it, Seraphine decided to just sleep. But because of the constant sharp pain piercing her head and heart, sleep did not come easily. Every time she closed her eyes, the madness inside her stirred like a storm, and she tossed and turned on her bed. When dawn finally arrived, her body felt heavy, her eyes sore from lack of rest.
But before she could even gather herself, another disaster had already struck.
Even inside the royal palace, chaos spread like wildfire. Servants and guards ran through the halls in panic, their voices filled with terror. The sound of crashing, screaming, and weapons clashing echoed in every corner.
Still in her thin night clothes, Seraphine stepped outside her chamber and shouted at the top of her voice.
"What's happening?"
One of the guards rushed forward, his face pale, his breath uneven. "My lady! One third of the population has gone mad! They're changing into strange monsters and beasts!"
Before he could say anything more—
BAM!
The wall near them exploded into pieces of stone and dust. From the rubble leapt out a massive humanoid wolf with glowing red eyes and sharp fangs. With one terrifying snap of its jaw, it bit down on the guard's head, tearing it apart in a spray of blood.
Seraphine's eyes widened, but she didn't waste a single second. She knew she was in no condition for a large-scale battle right now. Without hesitation, she spun around and rushed down the corridor.
Her first thought was only of her sons. She had to find them. She had to protect them.
She reached the balcony and looked out with her sharp, keen eyes to get a better view of the situation. The sight below chilled her heart.
Dozens of humanoid wolf-like creatures ran wildly through the streets, clawing at anything they saw. Among them were vampires—pale figures with bloodthirsty eyes. Their bodies burned and smoked under the daylight, but it did not stop them. Instead, they threw themselves at humans and buildings, destroying everything.
And then there were the worst of all—the anomalies. Some were headless, staggering on twisted limbs. Others were nothing but black-green miasma, floating in distorted shapes that oozed poison into the air. Some had deformed faces, multiple arms, or horrifying forms that looked like nightmares given flesh.
"What… is happening now?" Seraphine whispered, her chest tightening as she clutched the railing.
But through the chaos, she also noticed many awakened guards fighting back bravely. They struck down the beasts, helping citizens escape, trying to hold the balance. Their courage gave her a moment of hope.
She quickly returned inside and called her guards. "Do not let my sons step outside.," she ordered firmly. Then, despite her weakened condition, she dressed herself in her battle gear, fastening her armor with trembling hands.
No one dared to object. Everyone could see the determination in her eyes.
Soon, Seraphine gathered an expedition team of awakened fighters. They set out together to exterminate the creatures and save as many people as possible.
For the next few days, they fought fiercely. They secured nearby villages, pushed back monsters, and gathered clues. They tried to analyze the situation, to understand what was happening. But the truth remained unclear, and most of it made no sense.
Right now, Seraphine was inside a wooden house that they had turned into a base. Around her sat many high-level awakened warriors, their faces grim but steady.
The vice-captain, Siasta, stepped forward, holding a large paper with written notes. She bowed slightly before speaking. "My lady, from our analysis we can divide the threats into three types. The first are the wolfmen. The second are the vampires. And the last are the anomalies—those twisted, ugly, unstable creatures."
Before Seraphine could respond, a bulky man among the awakened raised his hand with a frown. "What's the difference? They all look crazy and unstable to me."
Siasta shook her head. "Not exactly." She glanced toward the door and gave a small nod. "Let them in."
Everyone turned their heads as two figures entered the room. One was pale with red glowing eyes, skin as white as snow. The other had wolf ears standing tall on his head and a furry tail behind him.
At once, all the awakened warriors leapt to their feet, drawing their weapons. The air filled with tension, the sound of steel scraping against steel echoing inside the room.
"Calm down!" Siasta raised her hand quickly. "They are sane. They can speak and communicate."
The warriors hesitated but slowly lowered their blades, their suspicious eyes still locked on the newcomers.
Siasta then pointed at the two. "My lady, our study shows that once someone survives the madness of their first transformation—once they endure the berserk state—they can regain consciousness. And when they do, they not only return to sanity but also gain new, stronger powers."
Seraphine's eyes narrowed in thought. "So you mean…"
"We can call it a second awakening," Siasta said firmly.
"Second awakening, huh?" A small smile curved on Seraphine's lips. "That's a fitting name."
"But what about the anomalies?" she asked, her tone heavy.
Siasta lowered her gaze, her voice dim with sadness. "Unfortunately… anomalies are different. Once someone awakens as an anomaly, there's no going back. They remain monsters forever, I suggest killing any anomaly at first sight or else they'll only spread like plague"
Later in the meeting, long discussions went on about these three new species. Strategies, dangers, and possibilities were debated, but eventually, the most important and sensitive topic was raised.
Should wolfmen and vampires, those who had survived the madness and regained their sanity, be accepted into society and be given human rights?
The question stirred an immediate reaction.
"No way!" one of the awakened shouted. "They aren't human anymore. We can't let them in. What if they're only pretending to be normal?"
"That's right!" another added. "They'll betray us sooner or later. It's in their nature!"
The hall filled with voices of objection, fear, and anger.
But then Seraphine stood up. Her tall figure carried a natural authority, her posture strong despite her hidden weakness. She raised her hand sharply, and her voice cut through the noise like thunder.
"Enough!"
Silence fell instantly.
Her eyes swept across the room with an unshakable resolve. "We have already verified that they are still the people they once were. They carry memories, feelings, and loyalty. They are not outsiders anymore. As long as they follow the rules and live by the guidelines we set, they will be part of our society. No one will be cast aside. No one will be left out!"
Her words were firm and final. Some frowned, others exchanged troubled glances, but none dared to speak against her directly. One by one, the objections died down into silence.
The meeting ended there, her decision standing as law.
-------------
When she finally returned to her royal palace, the atmosphere was heavy. The halls that once brimmed with guards, servants, and laughter now felt hollow. Fewer people remained; many had died. Even the graveyards were overflowing, unable to keep up with the endless deaths.
Her steps were slow, her body trembling from the exhaustion of countless battles. Every fight had worsened her condition, draining her more than she wanted to admit.
"Cough… cough…" She bent forward, her hand covering her mouth. When she pulled it away, dark red blood stained her palm.
Her heart clenched, but she quickly wiped it off and forced herself to stand straight. She could not let her children see her like this.
With heavy steps, she walked toward the hall where her sons usually stayed. But before she could enter, she saw Aurora walking toward her.
Her brows rose slightly in surprise. Unlike Lycaon and Cain, who were talkative and mischievous, Aurora was quiet and rarely approached her on his own.
He stopped in front of her, his sharp red eyes narrowing. He hesitated for a moment, then asked softly, "Mother… are you alright? Your condition—"
"W-what?" Seraphine panicked for a moment, her eyes widening. "Of course I'm fine!" She waved her hand too quickly, almost nervously.
She immediately tried to change the subject. "Why did you come looking for me?"
Aurora tilted his head, then spoke casually. "Oh, yes. Lycaon and Cain are waiting to show you something."
Seraphine let out a breath of relief and smiled. "Okay, let's go then."
But as she walked, she pinched Aurora's ear gently, half playful, half strict. "And don't just call them by their names. They are your elder brothers, remember?"
Aurora winced slightly and nodded. "Sorry," he said quickly, walking forward with her.
When they entered the hall, Seraphine's steps froze.
Inside, several men and women were kneeling on the ground, their heads bowed. They were not ordinary people. Their pale faces and glowing eyes marked them as vampires, while others bore the sharp ears and tails of wolfmen.
And in front of them stood Lycaon and Cain.
The two brothers carried themselves like kings—proud, unshaken, with a natural aura of dominance. The wolfmen and vampires knelt before them, not with fear, but with reverence, as if recognizing them as their rightful rulers.
Seraphine's chest tightened, her heart racing. Her mind immediately connected the dots—her eldest son Lycaon, whose eyes and powers were so similar to wolfmen… her second son Cain, whose beauty and nature mirrored that of the vampires.
She stepped forward, her voice soft but filled with shock.
"You… can control them?"