Half a year later
Rome feels emptier since that day. I admit I miss our conversations.
This is no longer the grand city it once was, but little by little you can see some of its former glory as it is rebuilt.
The city has nothing more to offer me, perhaps it is time for me to continue my journey, I was never one to stay in the same place anyway.
I take one last look at the city before heading for the exit when I notice a group of vampires in the distance, dressed in black clothes with dark red embroidery, one of them with a familiar scent.
-"An acquaintance, what was his name? Kai?" Aro says as he lifts his hood slightly.
-"Kael," Kael says as he looks directly into Aro's eyes.
-"Ah, yes, I remember. It's a pleasure to see you again," says Aro as he extends his hand.
-"Indeed, it's been a pleasure," says Kael as he walks away.
Aro doesn't seem offended that Kael didn't greet him, but the rest of Aro's group surrounds Kael, not letting him leave.
-"There have been some rumors of a person with miraculous abilities. Do you know anything about it?" Aro asks authoritatively.
-"I've heard some rumors, but he was killed. Anything else?" Kael says as he approaches Aro in an intimidating manner.
-"Oh, no, it was a pleasure to see you again," says Aro with his usual smile, but a little surprised by Kael's attitude.
Kael turns and disappears into the horizon.
-"Don't you think he was a little disrespectful?" asks Caius.
-"He's not worth the effort. It seems our journey here was in vain," says Aro as he disappears.
Caius remains in the same place, with an indecipherable expression.
-"Find him and when you find him, kill him," says Caius to two of his followers, then disappears in the direction of Aro.
One day later
As I travel through dense forests, I begin to notice an unnatural, deadly silence. I start looking around for something that might explain my unease, and then I smell a very familiar but strange scent. Until I find him, with coal-black hair down to his waist, red eyes, and pale skin. A figure with an otherworldly, almost divine beauty. Before I can fully process what is in front of me, my mind is clouded with rage and I instantly appear in front of him, ready to tear him apart at the same moment he grabs me by the neck. I try to fight, but nothing can move his arm, almost as if I were being pressed by a mountain.
-"Long time no see, Kael. Did you miss me?" says the creature provocatively.
Because I'm being grabbed by the neck, I speak with difficulty.
-"Who are you?" Kael asks angrily.
-"More than 2,000 years, and that's all you've got? Pathetic, you don't deserve to know my name." The creature says disappointedly.
The creature approaches Kael's ear and speaks playfully.
-"Tell me, Kael, how did it feel to tear your father apart with your bare hands? To feel the life leave his body, was it good?"
Kael, overcome with rage, tries to move, but his body does not respond, as if frozen.
-"Why? Why me? What do you want?" Kael asks sadly.
-"Oh, don't be like that, we actually have a lot in common, you know. We're both cursed, and we both have our hands stained with the blood of our families." says the creature thoughtfully.
"But was it really that bad, your father's death, I mean? I saw it with my own eyes, there was no regret or pain, hahahahaha." says the creature with a frenzied laugh.
"All because of what you turned me into, it was you, it's your fault," Kael shouts furiously.
"No, no, no, I'm sorry, but no. The truth is, Kael, you and I are the same, empty monsters in human skin. So don't lie to yourself." says the creature with the most sincere look it has had during the conversation.
"How sad, I expected more from you. Well... let's make a deal. The next time you find me, if you manage to make a single scratch on my skin, I'll tell you my name. However, if you remain weak, I will continue to kill everyone around you, just as I made the Roman superiors order the death of your friend, hahahah." says the creature in a mocking tone as it disappears.
It was almost as if he had never existed, a dream. But I knew I would find him again.
The anger remained concentrated in my body, almost like a volcano about to erupt, when I hear footsteps.
"We finally found you," says one of Caius' two emissaries as he appears in front of Kael to grab him.
Even before his hands reach me, I can see that he's simply too slow. I grab both his hands and push his body back with one leg, tearing off both his arms in the process as his body falls to the ground. Before letting him get up, I crush his head.
The other vampire looks at me before starting to run, still slow, and at that moment I appear in front of him with my arm extended toward his head, killing him instantly.
My anger has not subsided, so I sit down and look up at the clear blue sky. I think about the moments I spent with my father, the first time he taught me to shoot a bow, the joy and smiles we shared. Was that a lie? No, at least he can't take that away from me.
I get up and shake my clothes, now calmer. I look back at the horizon, but now with a purpose in mind.
"Don't disappoint me again, Kael," says the creature as he watches Kael leave, with a hint of hope in his voice.