The next day, John woke slowly, his senses feeling incredibly sharp. He lifted his hand and flexed his fingers, expecting residual pain, but found his body felt powerful, dense, and strangely light. Every muscle fiber was humming with residual energy, and the metallic odor of his sweat was gone, replaced by a clean, neutral scent. He felt better than he ever had in his life.
When he opened his eyes fully, he saw a girl's face barely an inch from his own. She was staring at him with intense curiosity. She had beautiful, voluminous crimson hair that framed a face with smooth, unnaturally white skin, and her eyes were a deep, dark black.
She was staring at him for a few seconds before she finally smiled, a bright, friendly flash of teeth. "Hi, my name is Carmilla. What is your name?"
John lifted himself up from the soft, vast bed, which felt enormous and alien. "My name is John."
"Nice to meet you, John. You are Aunt Angeline's son, that would make you my nephew because my father is your mother's elder brother." She said this with the casual, slightly formal air of someone used to stating lineage.
The door, made of dark, heavy oak, swung open, and a man stepped in. He wore a simple, well-worn leather coat over dark clothes, a stark contrast to the elegant silks Leonidas wore. He was tall, lean, and moved with the quiet, effortless grace of a lifetime of training.
"Carmilla, what are you doing?" the man asked, his voice low and serious.
"I came to greet John, Father," she replied, turning to him with a quick deference.
The man stepped forward and looked at John. He had short red hair matching his daughter's, and his eyes—a deep, observant black—studied the boy briefly. "Greetings, John. I am Zeno."
"Nice to meet you, Uncle Zeno. What's poppin'?" John asked, standing straighter on the thick Persian rug. "You look almost just like Mother, its just Mom's hair is black. But you have red hair."
Zeno looked genuinely confused by the question, his brow furrowing slightly, but Carmilla giggled, a clear, crystalline sound. "Dad, 'what's poppin',' I believe, means 'how are you doing?' It's human slang, but a bit outdated."
Before Zeno could respond, the door opened again and Angeline rushed in. "Good morning, honey! Are you okay? Does anything still hurt?" Her hands immediately went to his face, checking for any residual fever or sign of pain.
"No, Mom, I feel great, actually. Better than before," John assured her, pulling her close for a hug. "Where is Dad?"
"He is downstairs, having a drink with your uncle Markus. Oh, by the way, I talked to your brother, Uncle Zeno, here, and he is going to be your teacher. Zeno is the strongest swordsman in the entire Crimson Clan," she said, looking Zeno directly in the eye, implying a confidence and trust that he could not ignore.
"Come, stand up, John, and go to the bathroom to brush your teeth. I want you to meet your uncle Markus before we leave. Milla, dear, can you please show John where the bathroom is?"
"It would be my pleasure, Auntie," Carmilla said, beaming. She was clearly excited to have a new playmate, or at least a new person to show around the vast, labyrinthine castle.
Carmilla led John out of the room, down a short hall, and into a luxurious bathing suite. When they got to the bathroom, there were already two other people present. A young lady was meticulously doing her hair and make-up in front of a massive, ornate mirror.
"Mom, this is John," Carmilla announced. "John, this is my mother, Cassandra."
Cassandra, a beautiful woman with hair the color of midnight and striking black eyes, paused her routine and gave John a gentle, warm smile. "You must be Angeline's son. Nice to meet you."
John immediately smiled back at Cassandra. "Please to meet you, Aunt Cassandra."
While John quickly brushed his teeth, Carmilla waited patiently, then led him out of the suite and down the stairs. The castle was an endless parade of new faces. Carmilla casually introduced him to several maids and butlers, all of whom gave him a respectful, formal nod, as well as a few imposing figures in simple uniforms that John recognized as the Knights his mother had mentioned.
They went to a large, sunlit parlor room, decorated with heavy velvet curtains and a bar area carved from dark, polished marble. There, John saw his father drinking with a tall, extremely muscular man who looked more like a security guard than a vampire lord.
"Yo, son! Come here," Jiren called out, clapping his hand on the muscular man's shoulder. "Let me introduce you to Markus. He is your uncle—Zeno's younger brother, actually—and my rival from back in the day—we've had a few scrapes." Jiren gave Markus a mischievous grin.
John went up to them. Markus was indeed a tall man with black hair, wearing black pants and a tight white vest that clearly showed off his powerful physique.
"What's up, Uncle Markus? What's poppin'?" John asked, giving his characteristic, casual greeting.
Markus looked at John completely confused, tilting his head. Jiren chuckled deeply. "My son is asking how are you, Markus! It's just human slang. You'll have to get used to it."
"This one is doing fine, young John, I am Markus Crimson, and I'm honored to finally meet you. I will later introduce you to my two sons, Richard and Thomas, as well as my two wives, Emma and Helen."
John looked genuinely shocked, his eyes wide. "Two wives?" he blurted out, the cultural difference hitting him hard.
Markus looked at John's shocked expression and laughed even harder, finding the boy's honesty refreshing. "That's right! It's perfectly normal in this world."
A moment later, Angeline and Anna came into the room, both wearing sober expressions. Angeline walked directly to Jiren.
"It's time, Jiren. We have to go back before the portal closes." The air immediately shifted from family pleasantries to heavy inevitability. The time for goodbyes had arrived.