The Extra Wants Control

A stunned silence gripped the clearing. Chatham's declaration, hanging heavy in the air, had shattered the facade of normalcy. The whispers that had begun as a ripple transformed into a crashing wave. The legendary Vampire Queen, a being shrouded in myth and whispered warnings, stood before them, radiating beauty and fury.

If Valeriana is a monster of this era, then Verona is the Valeriana before Valeriana was Valeriana.

Eyes darted between Verona and Neveah, the pieces finally clicking into place. Neveah is the prince of Vampires.

The tension, thick enough to choke on, was broken by a quiet question. Neveah, his gaze fixated on his mother"Are her eyes… purple?" he thought, with a hint of wonder.

Verona, her initial fury softened by her son's dazed state, a small smile played on her lips. It was a rare sight, a glimpse of warmth that seemed to defy the aura of power that surrounded her.

Turning to Chatham, Verona gestured towards Neveah. "Hi Cara," she greeted, her voice regaining its usual regal composure. "Seems you are doing well, hmmm? You even got to 11 stars. Congratulations! I should promote you, don't you think?"

Chatham, still reeling from the revelation of of seeing her Queen, bowed her head, a mixture of surprise and a strange sense of excitement playing on her features. "Thank you, Your Majesty," she stammered. "Such an honor would be…"

"Oh! Have you met my son?" Verona interrupted, amusement dancing in her purple eyes. "This is my heir. Neveah Nox."

Neveah, still bewildered by the 'strangeness' of his mother while looking at Verona with scrutiny offered a greeting. "Hello," he mumbled, unsure of the proper etiquette in this bizarre situation.

Chatham, recovering her composure at the introduction, bowed once more. "I greet… my prince," she said, the last word catching in her throat. The realization of who she was addressing, the heir of the Winter Queen, sent a jolt of nervous excitement through her.

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd that wasn't Aethelred or the other leaders. It was the students, the younger generation who had just witnessed the power shift play out before their very eyes, This handsome vampire was Neveah and he was the prince?!

Zehn stared at Neveah with a mixture of envy and disbelief.

"Wait," he muttered, mostly to himself. "I don't swing that way, but... that handsome dude is Neveah and he's a prince?! Come on, why does he get to have everything while my life's shitty?" He scowled, kicking a stray pebble. "Not to mention this stupid tomb trial. I've encountered more brain teasers than fighting challenges.

I'm not a bookworm, so I didn't know how to solve them! Not to mention how unlucky I was – triggering traps in every chamber, getting stuck in stinky slime… why does my life suck while another guy's life is amazing? He's the prince, has a beautiful, strong mother, he's handsome, strong, and smart… Like, damn wait, I'm glazing, aren't I?"

Zehn shook his head, his envy tinged with a grudging respect. Neveah's hidden identity and the revelation of his powerful lineage changed everything.

" Prince?" Azrael who cowardly didn't speak up for Neveah who saved his life thinking that Axl was right in what he said so far was now surprised that Neveah is the prince.

Enia felt his blood run cold. He remembered his earlier interactions with Neveah, the casual way he'd "bugged" the prince. His face drained of color. "Count Chatham? Did she say that person is… Neveah and he's a prince? The prince?

Wait, that woman is the Queen? I bugged the prince? Oh no, is my life in danger? If he's the prince, why didn't he say anything? I better hide for now…" He cast a furtive glance around, desperately searching for a hiding spot.

The revelation of Neveah's true identity sent shockwaves through the students. Envy, fear, and a newfound respect warred within them, creating a volatile mix of emotions that would likely have long-lasting consequences.

A knot of unease tightened in Vera's stomach. She stood apart from the throng of students, her gaze fixed on the unfolding drama but her mind far away, lost in a conversation long past. A voice, sharp and laced with authority, echoed in her memory: "Vera, don't ever get near the Royal Vampire House or its affiliated members. If you do, in fact, meet any one of these people, report to me immediately."

Seraphina's words had always felt cryptic, a whispered warning in their otherwise carefree childhood. Now, under the weight of the revelation that had just rocked the clearing, they slammed into Vera with the force of a revelation.

Her face hardened with a grim resolve. Reaching into a pocket within her cloak, she retrieved a holographic communicator. With a flick of her wrist, she activated it, a shimmering image forming above her palm. It displayed the scene in the clearing – Verona facing down the stunned leaders, Neveah standing beside her, his presence no longer a secret.

"Vera, I'm kinda busy right now," Seraphina's voice crackled through the communicator, tinged with a hint of annoyance.

But before Seraphina could finish, Vera cut her off. "Big sis, it's them… the Royal Vampires." She held the communicator closer, ensuring the image was clear.

The annoyance in Seraphina's voice vanished, replaced by a sharp intake of breath. She was told of everything happening ."So… Neveah is the Vampire prince? And he managed to overpower all four blessed at once after beating up a bunch of dragons too?" she questioned, disbelief lacing her tone.

Azrael, who had was close to Vera, looked down at his shoes, his face pale in shame of being outdone even when they ganged up on Neveah.

Seraphina let out a sigh, a sound that resonated with both frustration and a hint of admiration. As she studied the scene, her eyes narrowed in surprise. "Count Chatham… 11-star already? Shit…" she murmured, her voice lost to the communicator but her mind already racing with possibilities.

Another figure emerged, radiating an aura of power that rivaled even the stunned leaders. It was Clara, the former Elven Queen, her emerald cloak swirling around her.

Ilyana turned, her brow furrowing in surprise. "Clara? What brings you here?" she asked, her voice low and rumbling.

Clara's gaze, sharp and unwavering, landed on Ilyana. "A monster has awakened," she declared, her voice echoing through the clearing. "And I'm here to ensure the safety of my people." Her words were laced with a barely veiled warning, a clear reference to the newly revealed Vampire Queen, Verona.

Clara then moved towards Lara, who watched her approach with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. "Are you alright, baby?" Clara asked gently.

Lara nodded, her expression still etched with confusion. Her eyes, however, darted towards Neveah, dhe stared at him strangely.

Across the clearing, Kim stood rooted to the spot, her jaw slack with disbelief. "So that's why," she muttered, piecing things together. "The reason he looked shady but was hella strong… because he was hiding the fact he was the Prince of Vampires?"

A bitter taste filled her mouth. The guilt she had felt for mistrusting Neveah threatened to overwhelm her. "But… but he tried to kill the dragons, almost killed Axl…" she mumbled, trying to justify her earlier assumptions. "He's a bad person, right?"

Astrid, standing beside Kim, offered a curt nod, her expression devoid of surprise. Unlike Kim, her reaction was one of cold disapproval. Neveah's royal status meant little to her. She believed in merit and character, and in her eyes, Neveah's hidden identity and his actions during the trial painted him as a dangerous individual, someone who used power for his own ends.

To her, he was just as bad as anyone else who abused their position.

The revelation had split the students into distinct camps. Some, like Lara, were caught between their newfound respect for Neveah's strength and the lingering doubts about his past actions. Lara couldn't say she knew Neveah but, she didn't believe Axl's bullshit reason that Neveah attacked him for no reason.

Neveah was someone who attacked when provoked, this was proved by the pale goblin ( she means Enia, she doesn't care about his name) who confronted Neveah at the dorms.

Others, like Kim, grappled with the dissonance of his royal lineage and his perceived aggression. And then there were those like Astrid, who saw not a prince, but a potential tyrant, and felt a cold disapproval of Neveah (100% sure he don't care).

The clearing was a microcosm of Elnova itself – a chaotic blend of emotions swirling in the wake of Verona's revelation. Axl, the center of the accusations mere moments ago, now stood as a pale caricature of his former self. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead, his gaze darting nervously between Neveah and the imposing figure of Verona. "This bastard was a prince?

Shit, Fuck,Fuck, Fuck, Fuuuck!!!" he thought, the weight of his own arrogance crashing down on him.

Verona, her violet eyes radiating a cold fury, turned towards Aethelred. The Dragon King, who had initially held his head high, now found himself dwarfed by her presence. He hovered awkwardly in the air, the advantage of height suddenly stripped away.

With a flick of her wrist, the world seemed to shift. A subtle force pulsed outwards, and everyone who had been airborne, including the stunned dragon elites, found their feet planted firmly on the ground. The sudden shift caused gasps and stumbles, further emphasizing Verona's dominance.

"So," she hissed, her voice laced with icy venom, "Dragon King, tell me why you are threatening my son."

The audacity of her stance stunned even the most seasoned observers. Aethelred, who prided himself on his regal bearing, was startled momentarily. Regaining some semblance of composure almost as quickly, he puffed out his chest and said.

"Your son…" he began, his voice cracking with pressure. "He tried to kill my son, not only that, he severely injured many dragons. It's unforgivable."

Despite his words, a flicker of doubt danced in his crimson eyes. His hands, hidden behind his back within the folds of his robe, were clenched into fists, the white knuckles a stark contrast against the red and blue scales. He yearned to unleash his fury, but a primal instinct held him back.

This woman, this terrifyingly powerful being, emanated an aura that screamed danger, and what's even more scaring was that he couldn't get a read on Verona's stars. For the first time in his reign, Aethelred was forced to choose diplomacy over dominance, a bitter pill to swallow but a necessary one.