Important Notice: This is the sequel I mentioned on the last chapter of Infinitas, titled Pietas Terminus. This is just a sneak peek for Pietas Terminus. I can't post the whole story here due to this site's policy. Please check my livejournal for the full story.

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Pietas Terminus
By Myka
Fandom: Vampire Game
Pairing: Duzell/Phelios
Summary: Sequel to Infinitas. Years have passed since Duzell took Phelios away and changed his life forever. Now the war rages on between them and Phelios tries to reach Duzell one last time.

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Time heals all things.

That has some truth to it, but time also changes things. It flies by when you're at war, turns children into men in the blink of an eye. Forces choices upon you that you might not make otherwise.

War really changes everything.

The Kingdom of Pheliosta was having its first peaceful night in months; the raging war finally finding a moment of halt. But its people didn't rest easy and neither did its king.

Phelios stood on the balcony of his room, staring out at the setting sun. The wind blew at his face with tenderness, bringing with it the stench of war, and death. Smoke rose in the distance, remnants of a battlefield where the vampires now had settled. They were so close now, slowly advancing, still recuperating from the last big battle.

There were no more women and children in this place, they had all been sent away for their safety. He had spread them along the neighboring kingdoms once it was clear the vampire army intended to take on Pheliosta before anything else. Phelios had decreed for everyone left in the castle to remain indoors after dark; for the gates of his kingdom to be closed indefinitely. A few years ago one of his first orders as king had been to raise the walls surrounding the castle even higher, to make them vampire-proof. He was sure only the strongest vampires would even have a chance to jump it over. Phelios would be as bold as to guess only one could.

The vampire king himself.

The sky played at hues of purple and orange, the sun nothing more than a flickering dot on the horizon. Phelios breathed in the air and opened himself to the coming night.

The years had changed him, too. Duzell had.

Phelios remembered. He had never forgotten. The time he spent with the vampire king; was kidnapped by him; held and bitten and-

Sometimes it still hurt to remember.

That time with Duzell had changed his life forever.

A knock at his door brought Phelios back to the present and he slowly turned his head towards it. "Come in."

The door opened slowly and in walked a man with long pale hair, green eyes, and a neutral expression on his face. Phelios offered a smile to the man.

"Hey, Jinnai."

The man bowed his head. "My king-"

"Phelios, Jinnai," the young king corrected him. "I thought that after so many years you'd know that."

He knew. Years ago, Jinnai had come here under the guise of a teacher, sent by the vampire king himself to spy on Pheliosta, to spy on the young prince Phelios had been back then. He came here as an enemy and ended up part of the family. It hadn't been easy, though. There was a point where he had doubted himself so much on which road to take, who to be loyal to. The only reason he was here now, talking in confidence with the king of Pheliosta was because he had been allowed to. Duzell had released him from his duty, something that still baffled Jinnai even after so many years. And also, even after all those years, he knew that Phelios always kept the thought in the back of his mind that Jinnai might be still spying on him for Duzell.

The older man continued forward until he was just a few steps behind Phelios, who had gone back to stare out from the balcony.

"Phelios- Your Highness- the last report just came in. It looks like the vampires are stirring and reorganizing. They may attack again any day now, perhaps even as soon as tomorrow night."

"And tonight?" Phelios asked.

"The report doesn't indicate that, sire."

Phelios took a deep breath. News of only one peaceful night. Not enough for his troops to recover, not nearly enough.

"Thanks for the report."

"Phelios," Jinnai started to say, then paused.

The young king turned around, his face blank. "Jinnai. You're the person I trust the most, you're the only one that knows my secrets."

"My king-"

Phelios tilted his head back. "What goes on in my dreams. What I really think of this war. That my wife's child is not my only child. That I'm not entirely human."

"Phelios," Jinnai called, wanting to comfort.

"Is it true what you told me, Jinnai?" Phelios asked. "About Duzell?"

A coldness ran down Jinnai's body. "Your Highness, please-"

Phelios met Jinnai's eyes then, certain, his voice hard. "Out of all the people in my kingdom you are the only that knows that I need to do this."

Jinnai looked down and swallowed hard. "Since you accepted me into your kingdom I have never lied to you, my king. But I can't say that what you wish to do is the right thing. As a friend, I'd say the past is the past and that it should be let go. Phelios, please-"

"I need to see him," Phelios interrupted, his voice firm. He knew Jinnai meant well, but he had made this decision a long time ago. He was not backing down.

"He might kill you," Jinnai tried.

"I'm not a child anymore. I know how to defend myself now. I know spells," Phelios replied, his voice calm once more.

"I really don't think-"

"Enough, Jinnai!" Phelios snapped as he stepped away from the railing. "Just make sure nobody comes to my room until dawn. I can trust you with that, can't I?"

Jinnai's mouth settled into a neutral frown. Phelios was going to do this no matter how much he objected. "Yes, my king," he said with a bow, his voice sad.

Phelios walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry so much, it probably won't work."

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Climbing out of his window and onto the roof brought memories. Phelios remembered how scared he had been that night years ago, how he had tried to be brave even if it meant taking his own life. It was from here that he had allowed himself to fall in every possible way.

He sat by the edge of the roof, his feet dangling in the air. He looked beyond the walls of his kingdom then closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He let his senses run wild, hearing everything, feeling everything. Searching for the one who made him like this.

Jinnai had told him that vampires could sense their fledglings, especially someone like Duzell. But Phelios only shared some of that power; he didn't even know what exactly he was. After it had happened, the only 'symptoms' he really had where a slight increase of strength and agility and he had also become increasingly good with magic. There was no abhorrence to sunlight, no hunger for blood.

The silence seemed to stretch around him, his senses becoming more attentive as he tried to call out. The wind blowing gently, an owl hooting in the distance.

Duzell… Duzell…

Phelios didn't actually believe it would work. Duzell surely felt nothing except hatred for him after all; the vampire was almost at his doorstep itching to take him down and everything that was precious to him. Phelios knew what he had to do to put an end to everything, and why, for his own selfish reasons, he was here on this roof calling out the king of all vampires.

He didn't believe it would work until he heard footsteps behind him.

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Please check my livejournal for the rest of the story.