The next day, Marco, Kael, and Lylah received an exciting surprise - tickets to spend two weeks at the beach, courtesy of the tournament organizers. Along with their own tickets, they were given four extra passes to bring other friends along.
Lylah, being the social one, suggested they meet up at a bar to discuss the details. "Hey guys, let's meet at 'The Crimson Dragon' bar tonight. We can talk about the beach trip and figure out who to invite," she said over the phone to Marco and Kael.
Marco arrived at the bar with Elara. Lylah informed Marco about the tickets, "Hey Marco, we've got our tickets to the beach and four extra ones. Who do you think we should invite?"
Marco thought for a moment before responding, "Elara, Griselda, Luna, and Sophia would love this. Let's give the extra tickets to Griselda, Luna, and Sophia."
Lylah nodded in agreement. "That sounds perfect. What do you think, Kael?"
Kael nodded, "Yeah, they're great friends. I'm okay with that."
Marco pulled out his phone to text the others, his fingers flying across the screen with excitement. "I've got to let them know!" he exclaimed, typing out a group message to Griselda, Luna, and Sophia.
"Hey guys! Guess what? Kael, Lylah, and I just got tickets to the beach for two weeks, and we're invited to bring some friends along! We're giving the extra tickets to you three! Get ready for some epic beach vibes!"
He hit send, grinning at Elara, Lylah, and Kael. "Done! Now we just have to wait for their responses."
Lylah chuckled. "I'm sure they'll be thrilled. This is going to be an amazing trip!"
Kael nodded slightly, a hint of a smile on his face.
Elara leaned in, curiosity getting the better of him. "What did you tell them? Are they in?"
Marco's phone buzzed with incoming messages, and he eagerly read out the responses. "Griselda's already packing her bags! Luna's freaking out with excitement! And Sophia's asking what kind of sunscreen we should bring!"
The group erupted into laughter, their excitement building as they counted down the days until their beach adventure.
As they laughed and joked, Marco's phone continued to buzz with messages from the others. "Oh man, Sophia's also asking if we can bring our instruments to have a beach jam session!" Marco exclaimed, chuckling.
Lylah's eyes lit up. "That's a great idea! We can have a mini concert on the beach."
Elara grinned. "I'll bring my guitar, and we can have a sing-along."
Kael's expression remained stoic, his eyes fixed on some point in the distance, his demeanor as cold as ever.
The group continued to make plans and discuss the details of their beach trip, their excitement and anticipation building with each passing minute.
Suddenly, Marco's phone rang. "It's Griselda," he said, answering the call. "Hey, what's up?"
Griselda's voice came through the phone, bubbling with excitement. "Marco, I'm so hyped! I've already started packing. What's the plan for when we get to the beach?"
Marco grinned, putting the phone on speaker. "We'll figure it out together, but I'm sure we'll find a great spot to set up camp. Want to discuss it in person? We're at 'The Crimson Dragon' bar right now."
The group waited eagerly as Griselda responded, "I'm on my way! See you soon!"
With that, the group ordered another round of drinks, eagerly awaiting Griselda's arrival and continuing to plan their beach adventure. Kael sipped his drink, his expression unreadable, his cold demeanor a stark contrast to the excitement around him.
As they waited for Griselda to arrive, the group chatted and laughed, their excitement about the beach trip building. Marco pulled out his phone again, this time to browse through some beach playlists. "We need to get the vibes right for this trip," he said, grinning.
Lylah nodded enthusiastically. "Play some reggae, that's the perfect beach music."
Elara chuckled. "You're such a beach bum, Lylah."
Kael's expression remained cold and stoic, his eyes fixed on his drink as he sipped it slowly.
Just then, the door to the bar swung open, and Griselda walked in, a huge smile on her face. "Hey guys! I'm here!" she exclaimed, making her way over to their table.
The group welcomed her with hugs and high-fives, their excitement infectious. Marco filled her in on the plans they'd discussed so far, and Griselda listened eagerly, her eyes shining with anticipation.
As they continued to chat and plan, the atmosphere in the bar grew more lively, with the group laughing and joking together. Kael remained detached, his cold demeanor a contrast to the warmth and camaraderie of the others, but he seemed content to observe from a distance.
In a dimly lit room, Principal Fern stood with a mixture of reverence and caution, her eyes fixed on the figure of Valtor, who stood facing the window, gazing out at the city below. Kaito Lunaris, Kael's brother, stood beside Principal Fern, his eyes narrowed in thought. Crane, the Noble Vampire with striking yellow long hair, stood a step behind, his gaze cast downward in respect. As Valtor's half-brother and Lylah's blood brother, Crane's loyalty was torn between family ties and duty to Valtor.
"Your Lordship," Crane said, his voice low and smooth, as he bowed his head. "We have come to discuss the prophecy and its implications."
Valtor's gaze remained fixed on the window, his back to the group. "The prophecy speaks of Marco, the chosen one," he said, his voice low and mysterious. "He is the key to unlocking the balance of power."
Principal Fern nodded, her eyes fixed on Valtor's back. "We are aware of Marco's potential, Your Lordship. But what exactly does the prophecy foretell?"
Valtor's gaze didn't waver, his eyes seemingly fixed on some point in the distance. "The prophecy speaks of Marco's rise to power, and the great changes that will follow. He will bring about a new era, but at what cost?"
Kaito Lunaris spoke up, his voice measured. "And what of Kael and Lylah, Your Lordship? How do they fit into the prophecy?"
Valtor's gaze finally shifted, his eyes narrowing as he turned to face the group. "They are mere pawns in the game, for now. But Marco... Marco is the one who will shape the future."
Crane's eyes flickered with interest, his gaze drifting to Valtor's face. As one of Lylah's closest relative (cousin), he couldn't help but wonder how this would affect her and their complicated family dynamics.
Valtor's gaze swept over the group. "You can now leave."
Principal Fern bowed her head. "Yes, my lord."
Kaito Lunaris nodded. "Yes, my lord."
Crane bowed his head. "Yes, my lord."
As the three individuals disappeared from his presence, Valtor's gaze lingered on the empty space before him. Suddenly, his eyes glazed over, and he was transported to a different time and place.
He saw his younger brother, Alessandro, and his wife, Lucia, standing together, dressed in their dark robes. They were about to embark on a perilous mission to uncover a powerful artifact, and Valtor remembered the sense of foreboding that had settled in the pit of his stomach.
The scene shifted, and Valtor saw the mission unfolding. He saw the dark magic swirling around them, tendrils of shadowy energy wrapping around Alessandro and Lucia, draining their life force. Valtor saw his brother's eyes widen in horror as Lucia's body began to wither away, her life force being consumed by the dark magic.
As Alessandro's own life force began to fade, he looked at Valtor with a desperate gaze. "Valtor, please... you must protect Marco, his the one, the prophecy, talks about please…..
protect our child"
Valtor's face contorted in anguish, and he shouted, "Brother!" as Alessandro's eyes glazed over, his body crumbling to the ground.
The scene faded, and Valtor found himself back in the present, his chest heaving with ragged breaths. The memory still lingered, haunting him, and Valtor knew he had to push on. He had to protect Marco, just as his brother had asked.
Marco grinned as he stuffed the last of his belongings into his backpack. "I'm so down for this, Elara. Two weeks at the beach with the gang sounds like exactly what we need."
Elara chuckled, zipping up his own bag. "I know, right? I'm so ready to relax and get some sun. Plus, Kael's been stressing out lately, so I think this will be good for him too."
Marco nodded in agreement. "Yeah, he's been dealing with a lot of drama lately. I'm sure he'll appreciate the break."
The two of them made their way out to the bus, where the others were already waiting. Kael, Lylah, Sophia, Griselda, and Luna were all chatting and laughing, their excitement palpable.
As Marco and Elara climbed aboard, Kael looked up and smiled. "Alright guys, let's get packed up and hit the road! We've got a two-week beach vacation ahead of us."
The group cheered, and Lylah started handing out playlists. "I've got the perfect mix of beach tunes to get us in the mood!"
Sophia grinned mischievously. "And I've got a whole stash of sunscreen... or not. We'll see how long it lasts."
Griselda chuckled, shaking her head. "You're going to get burned to a crisp, Sophia."
Luna just laughed, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "It's going to be an amazing two weeks, guys. Let's make some unforgettable memories!"
The bus pulled out of the parking lot, and the group settled in for the long ride ahead, eager for their beach adventure to begin.