The bluish flame of the brazier flickered, as if stirred by an invisible breeze. The name still echoed in the stone walls.
Drakar (frowned, deep voice):
"Vardek? Who is he? A renegade? A former Alpha who has fallen into madness?"
Lady Morrena turned slowly to Astarion, her gaze piercing the mists of the past.
Lady Morrena:
"You are the best person to answer, Astarion. Unlike us, you lived through those times."
The Vampire King briefly looked away, as if an ancient memory had bitten him to the heart.
Astarion (sighing, irritated):
"It would have been better if that name had remained forever buried in the ashes of time..."
A heavy silence fell. Then, the vampire raised his head and fixed his gaze on Drakar's.
Astarion:
— Varek is… an enigma. An elusive being. He appeared from nowhere. Some say he was once a man… others, that he was never truly alive. What I do know… is that he has long pursued a single goal: to find the Primordial Grimoire.
Drakar (repeating):
— The Grimoire… That old tale to scare children? Could it really exist?
Lady Morrena (darkly):
— It is very real. And in the wrong hands, it could upset the balance of all worlds. It is the heart of the Origins, the source of what shaped the bond between our peoples and magic. If Varek gets his hands on it…
Astarion:
— Then nothing will remain. Not even the memories of what we were.
Drakar gripped the armrests of his throne. Her gaze blazed with cold anger.
Drakar:
— Then we must find him. Eliminate him.
Lady Morrena:
— No. Not yet. We must proceed with caution. He is cunning. He uses shadows as weapons, striking where we are most vulnerable.
She stood up, imposing in her dress of shadows and stars.
Lady Morrena:
— For now, we must gather our forces. Warn our people. Keep them on alert. A storm is coming… and I fear it will not be made of wind and rain.
Astarion:
— I will send my messengers across the vampiric lands. The Old Bloods must know.
Drakar:
— The packs will hear my call. Even the Eastern Alphas will respond if they sense the gravity of the threat.
Lady Morrena (in a grave tone):
— Good. But I hope we don't come to a confrontation. If this war breaks out... it won't just redden the earth. It will wipe out entire bloodlines.
The three figures remained silent for a moment, united by the fear of an enemy none of them yet fully understood.