Chapter 240: Heretic / 1.1 : This Kian is a half-witch/vampire
When Kian opened his eyes he was sitting at the head of an oval desk that took up most of the large room. Around the table were, men and women. He seemed to be in a council room.
He touched the arm of the throne he was sitting on, and his eyes flashed with something indecipherable. He looked at his clothes confused, he was wearing a warm coat above his suit, and he had on sunglasses.
He looked at his pale hand and he smiled. Why did he think that he would be at the top without sacrifice? It’s pretty clear that he leads whatever this company is, but he had to pay a price.
He looked toward the floor-to-ceiling windows. There was a blinding sun and he scrunched his eyes. Even with his sunglasses, it bothered him.
"Cousin, you shouldn’t look at the sun."
Kian looked at the young girl next to him., she looked breathtaking. She was wearing a white dress and her long hair was cascading on her back. Her gold eyes were shining in worry, and there was something about her that made Kian want to protect her.
He nodded and looked at the man on his left who was talking before the girl interrupted him. When he resumed he blinked to receive this universe’s information.
This Kian is an 18 years old heretic. In this universe, three races cohabit. Humans, vampires, and witches. Kian lived in the modern era and was lucky to be born at a time when the three lived in peace. Each race was governed by its people, but the three depended on each other.
Kian was born into a family of witches, his mother Lillian Celestino was the grand witch of the council of witches called CW. The CW governed over all the covens, meaning that all witches had to follow their rules.
The CW was created by Kian’s mother after she gave birth to him. Lillian wanted to make sure that her son would live in a world where the witches and vampires would always be united.
The Celestino was a family known by all covens because of their strength and their origin in the old country. They were already respected, so it was easy to have eight leaders from the most powerful coven be part of the council.
Lillian who was part of the most powerful family of witches was the leader and worked with her father to make sure humans and vampires would become dependent on them. The vampires had taken over the economy and most companies were owned by them.
Lillian worked hard and was able to create a blood substitute that tasted the same as humans. She patented and called it Sanguin. Sanguin had the same benefit as blood did on the vampires.
After a treaty was signed between each race vampires couldn’t drink blood unless a human agreed to donate it, but the humans would sell it at a steep price.
Since Lillian’s blood was made with ingredients easy to get and alchemy was used, she could sell it at half the price the humans’ would and make a large benefit.
The vampire started to only buy blood from Lillian’s company Celestino Inc. The benefit from Sanguin allowed Lillian to reinvest the money and she decided to sell potions, elixirs, and talismans to humans.
A lot of those had medicinal and protecting properties. Quicky Celestino Inc became a recognized name whether in the witch community, vampires, or humans.
The reason why Lillian wanted badly vampires and witches to have strong bonds is that her son was a heretic.
Despite Kian being half witch and half vampire, he and Lillian managed to survive his birth. Witches or vampires giving birth to a heretic would always end up dead.
Nature didn’t allow for a heretic to live more than a few minutes, and the mother would always pass a day later. But Kian and Lillian were the exceptions and she believed that he was the proof that vampires and witches should ally.
Every step she took including making Celestino Inc a household name, was so her son could usher the witches and vampires into a new era. As soon as Kian was five she started to teach him everything he would need to know to run the council and the company.
The fact that a heretic and witch had survived childbirth led all the witches to worship them and believe that it was a sign of the Wiccan Goddess. As Kian grew up he showed leadership and power beyond any other witches.
By the time he was ten he was already respected and worshipped as his mother was. Lillian who was in talks with the royal vampire family agreed on a treaty that would make witches and vampires one by marriage.
The agreement specified that Kian would marry the firstborn of king Magnus Nova and that the two would rule both witches and vampires. The Nova family was rich and respected by the vampires, as much as the Celestino were by the witches.
The Novas were the richest in the world, their brand was used by everyone. Not only did they have a foot in technology but they sold ingredients witches needed daily.
The two agreed that they would lower the price so vampires and witches could get access to what they needed easier.
Lillian signed the contract and it was agreed that Magnus’ son Lucian would marry Kian when he turns 19. Unfortunately, Lillian passed before she could see it come true. She was killed by a former disgruntled employee from Celestino Inc.
The entire world mourned her, and Kian took over the company and council. A year after becoming the leader and president he became sick. His side effect looked similar to those a mother carrying a heretic baby would get.
After seeing the Celestino family doctor, he was told that he only had a year to live. Subsequently talking to his uncle Cayus and aunt Arabella, who had moved in with him with their daughter when his mother passed, he decided that it would be best to name Serena his heir.
Kian was close to his uncle Cayus since he worked for Celestino Inc and was part of CW. When Lillian was alive she had made every loyal coven leader of CW part of the board of directors by giving them shares of Celestino Inc.
She also gave her sweet brother ten percent. Kian was the majority holder with sixty percent. Cayus and Kian met king Magnus face-to-face and agreed that Serena would be the one to marry Lucian and that the rest of the terms would stay the same.
Since the king still gained the same out of it, he agreed. When the world found out that Kian was sick and only had a year to live they were disappointed, but they believed that he was incredibly strong when he said that he would only step down from the position when he had to.
Serena was added to the CW and shadowed Kian at the company, where he taught her everything he knew. A month before the wedding between Serena and Lucian King Magnus invited the entire Celestino family to stay at the palace so they would have their first Beast Warfare together.
Beast Warfare was an annual show beloved by every race. Vampires or witches would fight a beast from the dark forest in a stadium. Usually, the vampire royal family and Celestino would be in their tribunes.
The king believed that it would show everyone that even with the demise of Lillian and her son Kian, vampires and witches were still united. They agreed that it would also allow them to change the terms of exchange between both companies.
Kian who had gotten sicker spent most of his time there in his room asleep. With his illness worsening, he was always tired and unable to stand the sunlight.
Even with the help of their doctor, he died three weeks later during Beast Warfare. A beast was let loose out of the stadium and he didn’t have time to escape since he was so weak.
The entire world mourned his death as they did his mother. His family was heartbroken but still had to go through with the wedding a week later since it was contractual. Lucian and Serena ushered in a new era after their wedding.
Vampires and witches each respected the terms of their agreement, furthermore, everyone could tell that Lucian and Serena truly loved each other which only brought both races closer together.
Vampires and witches became one and they were no longer a war between the two races. Most people believed that Kian had to die for both races to thrive.
When Kian had received all the information he made more research in Versem and then looked at his sweet cousin. When Serena met his eyes he smiled. She smiled back.
He looked at his uncle Cayus on his left and listened to him.
"I believe that we should add in another deduction of ten percent. It will only show king Magnus our good faith and he’ll do the same. We all know that most witches can’t afford their prices right now. We should make the first step."
All the council looked at Kian including his uncle Cayus.
No matter what the council is just that, they’re here to counsel him. Ultimately the decision is his.
Kian looked into Cayus’ eyes, and then down. If he was stupid he would believe that he only became sick because he is a heretic but every universe was created to make him suffer meaning this isn’t a coincidence.
His entire life he was perfectly healthy, he only became sick after his mother passed. And those who have more to win in this whole thing are his family.
Like a fool, he taught his cousin everything he knew when they were the ones who had been poisoning him since his mother died.
His mother’s death too wasn’t only the act of a disgruntled former employee, it was all orchestrated by his uncle. Kian was the most powerful witch and now he is dying.
Kian looked around and said:
"No, let’s wait until we get there and meet with Magnus to start negotiating. The meeting is adjourned."
As soon as he stood up, they all did respectfully and bowed. Kian walked out of the council room slowly followed by his guards and assistant. Serena looked at her father and he looked back with a frown.
