69 years later
POV: Nero
After returning to Salem from Russia with the ashes of Mikael, my sister and I—though mostly I—made the final preparations to transform Salem into something far greater.
Castlevania.
Within a month of my return, the city was officially renamed. I called in every favor I had across the world. Vampires, witches, werewolves, and every other supernatural creature that owed me loyalty spread the word.
Castlevania was now a haven for our kind.
Salem had always been something of a secret. A hidden sanctuary where supernatural beings could exist without constant fear. But what it had been before was nothing compared to what it was becoming now.
Where there had once been dozens of vampires, there were now hundreds.
Witches arrived from covens scattered across Europe.
Werewolves came from packs long hunted by humans.
Creatures I had never even heard of began appearing at our gates, all searching for the same thing.
Safety.
A home.
And I gave it to them.
After another month, Castlevania was thriving. Supernaturals from all over the world had begun settling here permanently. Businesses were forming, alliances were being made, and slowly but surely the city was becoming exactly what I envisioned.
The capital of the supernatural world.
During that time I received word from Selene that they would be returning soon.
What surprised me, however, was what I didn't hear.
Dante's voice.
Usually he was the first to speak when we contacted each other through the crystal ball. Calm, relaxed, always making some comment about how I should stop sending him into temples.
But this time…
Nothing.
When I asked Selene about it, she only said one thing.
"The wolves are safe."
That was all she would say.
And if I was being honest, that's all that mattered.
Eventually they arrived back in Castlevania.
And they brought with them a surprising guest.
Diana.
I hadn't expected to see her return with them. For a moment I simply stared, trying to understand why she was there. Then I noticed the look on Dante's face.
His skin looked paler than usual.
His eyes hollow.
And suddenly I realized something.
Nora wasn't there.
I didn't have to ask what had happened.
I already knew.
We all gathered inside the Bennett family mansion to hear the full story.
The one who explained everything was Caleb.
He stood in the center of the room while the rest of us listened. Monna, Jamine, Selene, Dante, Mekesa, Diana, and myself. And the rest of Monna's children.
Caleb took a breath before beginning.
"The first part of the mission went exactly as planned," he said. "The BosRoq clan didn't fight us. Like you predicted, Nero, they're peaceful. They were nice enough to hand over three wolves."
I nodded slightly.
"That's what I expected."
Caleb continued.
"After that we headed toward the Paxon clan's territory. That's where things went wrong."
"What do you mean wrong?" I asked calmly.
Caleb sighed.
"We were attacked."
"By the Paxons?" Mekesa asked lazily from her chair.
"No," Caleb said. "Not just them.
"The Maralux clan was there too."
My eyes narrowed.
"Both clans working together…" I muttered.
"Yes," Caleb said.
"And so they captured us. We didn't even put up a fight." Selene said
Dante finally spoke, his voice quiet.
"There was no point."
Everyone looked at him.
"If we fought," he continued slowly, "we would've died before we could get the wolves. So we let them capture us."
Caleb nodded.
"They took us to some kind of temple," he said. "Stone walls, ancient markings everywhere. We were locked inside while they argued about what to do with us."
"Well one argued."
"The leader of the Maralux clan, the father of the boy me and Mekesa captured wanted to know where he was."
"And then?" I asked.
"That's when Diana showed up."
I turned toward her.
She simply crossed her arms.
"I happened to arrive at the BosRoq clan during my travels," she explained. "They told me about a group that they had given three wolves to.
I thought it could be you. She said while looking at me
"So I followed the trail."
"I eventually made it to where those four were being held captive ."
"Before breaking them out I knocked out three wolves for the escape."
"They were hardly a challenge."
Caleb continued.
"When we broke out of the temple, Diana already had the wolves hidden and ready outside. We grabbed them and then we ran."
"Eventually though."
"We reached the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean. Selene suggested we jump and use our magic to survive the fall."
Selene spoke calmly.
"It was the only option."
"So Caleb and I jumped first," she continued. "Then Dante and Nora were about to jump—"
Caleb's voice lowered.
"That's when it happened." Diana said.
The room went silent.
"A chained kunai came flying out of the forest," she said quietly.
"It went straight through Nora's neck."
Monna gasped, tears already falling down her eyes.
she continued slowly.
"The chain, while still in her neck, dragged her back into the forest."
Dante clenched his fists.
"I tried to go after her."
"But I pushed him," Diana said coldly.
Everyone turned toward her.
"You what?" Mekesa said.
"I pushed him off the cliff," Diana replied calmly. "If he went after her, he would've died too."
It was at that moment I realized that. It was most likely the sire bond at work here. She knew getting the wolves was in my best interest. So she did what she had to. to make sure those wolves made it back here.
Dante's voice trembled with anger.7
"I could've saved her!"
"No," Diana said flatly. "You couldn't."
She looked directly at him.
"She was already dead"
"You would've died with her."
Silence filled the room.
Caleb spoke again.
"When we reached the boat, Dante tried to go back."
"But…" he paused
Diana finished the story.
" I snapped his neck."
Mekesa got up in a rage .
"You fucking bitch!"
She shrugged.
"He would've gone back into the jungle alone."
Selene added quietly while crying,
"And Nora was already gone."
When Monna heard that part of the story, she collapsed to her knees.
"My baby…" she whispered.
Jamine immediately knelt beside her, holding her shoulders.
"Mother… breathe…"
But she was crying uncontrollably.
No parent should ever have to hear about their child dying like that.
After that Dante changed.
He became quieter.
More distant.
The calm, but sometimes reckless brother I only came in bursts .
The only people he had spoken to in the first few years after were me and Mekesa.
And even that was rare.
I once thought he had turned off his emotions.
But he made it very clear that he hadn't.
He was feeling everything.
Every moment.
Every memory.
Everything.
But that was years ago.
And now…
Now it was time.
The year Monna had predicted had finally arrived.
The year Freya Mikaelson and Dahlia would awaken.
Speaking of Mikaelsons…
I had one of my hybrids from the Poldark pack, which I now ruled.
A loyal warrior.
But one of those old heads that loved to cause chaos.
With the help of a spell from Monna, he looked exactly like Mikael.
I had him hunt the Originals.
Making them believe their father was still chasing them.
Keeping them running, and afraid.
Everything had to happen exactly the way it did before.
At least…
For now.
I stood in front of a grave.
An old friend rested beneath the soil.
Monna Bennett.
Her headstone read:
"A loving mother, a powerful witch, and a friend to the most charming man in the world."
I had written that myself.
Losing Nora had broken her.
No parent survives that kind of pain unchanged.
But in the end she stayed by my side for the rest of her life.
She was my best friend and it was sad to see her go.
In the original lore of TVD universe the Bennett witches were once chased out of Salem by humans.
And in turn they were forced to relocate to Mystic Falls.
But now…
Salem was Castlevania.
Here they were safe.
But still…
Eventually I would need them in Mystic Falls.
History had its path.
And for things to go right.
I need some of them there.
A familiar voice interrupted my thoughts.
"So," Dante said behind me, "are we finally completing the last piece of your plan, brother?"
I turned slightly.
"Yes," I said.
" Yes we are brother."
He stepped closer.
"So this is it," he said quietly. "After centuries of planning."
I turned fully toward him.
"When this is done," I said slowly, "the world will change forever."
Dante raised an eyebrow.
"And you'll finally get what you want."
I smiled.
"Yes." I said
"The one thing every supernatural creature fears."
"The being at the very top of the food chain."
Dante smirked slightly.
"Well then," he said.
"Shall we brother."
Later that night…
Me, and Dante stood in the Bennett attic.
Jamine sat in a chair in front of us chanting softly.
Mekesa right next to him leaning back in her chair.
A large map of the world lay on the floor before him.
Mekesa groaned.
"Locator spells don't usually take this long."
Dante crossed his arms.
"Maybe because Dahlia has spent centuries hiding herself and Freya from the outside."
"So it's not exactly going to be easy little sister."
I chuckled.
"He's right."
"Dahlia is one of the most powerful witches to ever exist."
"The fact that Jamine is even close to finding her is impressive."
Mekesa rolled her eyes.
"Fine, fine."
She turned toward me.
"So," she said, "is your wife finished collecting the pieces of the Hollow?"
I smiled slightly.
"She contacted me through the crystal ball a few days ago."
"And yes."
"She has the final piece."
Mekesa leaned forward.
"So it's really happening."
"After all these years."
"It is." I said
"It is."
Finally I muttered to myself.
Eventually Jamine stopped chanting.
He slowly opened his eyes.
"I found them," he said.
Jamine was now eighty-seven years old.
But the kid only looked about fifty.
It actually made me feel old for the first time when I saw him and Vail get married.
The boy I watched grow up was finally a man.
"And you're positive, " Dante asked.
" Yes," Jamine said.
"And where are they kid? " I asked.
Jamine chuckled.
"I am eighty seven years old uncle."
"And I am 343 years old"
'So yes you still are a kid to me."
"Yeah yeah whatever."
He pointed toward the map.
"They're in France."
" More specifically, Paris."
I put a hand on Jamine shoulder.
"Good job kid, you never disapoint"
"A lot like your mother in that way."
Clapped my hands once as I turned toward the door.
"Alright then my lovely siblings."
" Pack your things.."
Mekesa laughed in joy as she hopped out of her chair.
" since where going to France. "
"What should I bring"
I smiled.
"Bring your most beautiful dress, little sister."
"I suspect…"
"We're going to a royal ball."
–
Three Months Later
We arrived at a quiet port in France under the cover of night. The harbor itself was busy enough—merchant ships unloading cargo, sailors shouting across the docks, horses pulling wagons full of grain and wine—but none of them paid attention to us. To them we were simply another group of travelers arriving from a distant shore.
In truth, we were something far more dangerous.
I had only brought my most trusted soldiers with me. Most of them were hybrids, the rest vampires I had personally turned. Loyalty was not a concern. The sire bond ensured that betrayal was impossible. Their lives, their loyalty, and their obedience belonged to me.
Of course, my siblings were with me as well.
Jamine had located Freya and Dahlia in Paris. According to his spell, their presence had appeared suddenly—like a flare of magic lighting up the world. That alone confirmed my suspicion. When witches as powerful as Dahlia and Freya awakened from a century-long slumber, the magical shockwave would not go unnoticed.
So before arriving here, while on the ship I contacted a witch who owed me a favor and happened to live in Paris.
Their answer had been immediate.
"Yes," She had said through the crystal mirror . "There was a surge of magic the moment the year 1612 began. Something… something powerful."
"Where?" I asked.
She hesitated before answering.
"The Cour des Miracles."
The Cour des Miracles.
The slums of Paris.
It was a place where the poorest of the poor gathered. Beggars, thieves, criminals, and those abandoned by society lived there. The name meant "The Court of Miracles" because during the day the streets were filled with cripples, blind men, and injured beggars—but by night those same people suddenly walked perfectly fine, their "miracles" cured once the public eye was gone.
In short…
A perfect place for witches to hide.
My siblings and I walked through the filthy streets.
Around us were broken buildings, narrow alleys, and people huddled near small fires to stay warm. Children ran through the streets stealing bread while drunken men shouted insults at one another.
The air smelled like rot and smoke.
Mekesa coughed, covering her nose with her sleeve.
"God," she muttered, "this place smells disgusting."
I shrugged.
"Well, it is called the slums for a reason, Mekesa."
"Yes," Dante added dryly, "and if you could stop complaining for five minutes, little sister, that would be wonderful."
Mekesa immediately turned toward him.
"I was told we were attending a royal ball," she said, gesturing dramatically around the filthy street. "This—" she waved toward a drunken man passed out in a pile of straw, "—is not a royal ball."
Dante sighed.
"Yes, Mekesa, that is what our brother said."
"Then explain it to me again," she said impatiently.
"We need to find the place where Dahlia and Freya woke up," Dante replied. "Once we find that location, we Nero will track their smell."
He looked at her flatly.
"To be honest, I don't even know why I'm explaining this. You should already understand that."
Mekesa groaned loudly.
"Why must you two always be so dense?"
"No one is dense," Dante replied calmly. "You're simply dramatic."
That made me chuckle.
"He's right," I said.
Mekesa shot both of us with an annoyed glare.
"You two are unbearable."
Eventually we stopped in front of an abandoned house.
It wasn't particularly large. Just a small wooden structure squeezed between two crumbling buildings. The windows were boarded up and the door hung slightly off its hinges.
More importantly…
I heard no heartbeats inside.
Dante stepped forward and placed his hand on the doorframe.
He closed his eyes briefly.
"They were definitely here," he said after a moment.
"The magic is still lingering in the walls."
I smiled slightly.
"Well then," I said. "Let's take a closer look."
We all stepped inside the house.
It was quiet and covered in dust
There was barely any furniture—just a broken table, a few old chairs, and torn curtains hanging from the windows.
"Dante," I said, "check the basement."
He nodded.
"Mekesa, check upstairs."
"Aye aye, captain," she said mockingly, giving me a dramatic salute before walking up the staircase.
Dante simply shook his head and headed toward the cellar door.
I began searching the main floor.
At first nothing looked unusual.
Then I noticed something on the floor.
White chalk.
A circle of symbols carefully drawn into the wood.
I crouched down and studied it.
Immediately I recognized the spell.
"This was the concealment spell," I muttered to myself. "The one Dahlia used to hide them for a hundred years."
With everything I knew about the spells used throughout the supernatural world, identifying it was easy.
Suddenly Mekesa's voice shouted from upstairs.
"Nero! Dante!"
"I think I found something!"
I blurred up the staircase instantly. Dante appeared behind me only seconds later.
We entered a room upstairs.
Mekesa stood beside two coffins.
Both of them were open.
I walked over slowly and leaned over one of them.
Inside was a simple pillow and blanket.
I placed my hand on the pillow and brought it to my nose.
The scent was surprisingly very potent
I smiled.
"I have their scent."
Mekesa clapped her hands together.
"Well goody."
"Then let us go find us some witches."
POV: Freya Mikaelson
We had awakened again.
Every century it was the same.
Sleep.
Awake.
Serve Dahlia in gaining more power.
Then sleep again, and do it all over again.
Two centuries had passed since I lost Mathias. Since I lost my…my child.
Even now the pain of that loss felt as sharp as the day it happened.
But this time would be different.
This time…
I would escape this vile creature.
This would be the year I finally left her.
The demon who called herself my aunt.
"My dearest Freya."
The voice made my stomach twist with hatred.
I turned slowly.
Dahlia stood behind me, smiling.
We were inside a tailor's shop filled with expensive fabrics and dresses.
"Come along now," she said pleasantly. "We've been asleep for a century. I thought it would be fitting to celebrate our awakening."
"I do not wish to celebrate anything," I said quietly.
Dahlia's smile faded slightly.
"You see," she continued as if I had said nothing, "the King of France is hosting a royal ball tonight."
She lifted two elegant dresses from a rack.
"And by pure coincidence," she said with a smug smile, "we received an invitation."
"I do not wish to attend a ball," I said again.
The air suddenly grew colder.
Dahlia's eyes hardened.
"Ungrateful child."
Her magic surged.
An invisible force pulled me across the room. Her hand wrapped around my throat.
"You will do as I say," she hissed.
"You will attend this ball."
Her grip tightened slightly.
"And you will enjoy it, my sweet Freya."
Then she dropped me.
I fell to the floor, gasping slightly.
Dahlia held up the two dresses again.
"Now," she said casually, "which one shall it be?"
She lifted the first.
"The Red one."
"Or blue?"
POV: Nero
Choir:
Long live Louis the Thirteenth!
Long live our valiant king!
A devil bold with many gifts,
Who drinks, who fights, who laughs and sings!
Raise the glass and strike the drum!
Let every noble voice now ring!
Long live France and all her glory!
Long live King Louis the Thirteenth!
Wine and steel and gallant hearts,
France stands strong beneath his reign!
Dance tonight and sing with joy,
For the king shall rise again!
I danced slowly across the ballroom floor with Mekesa.
She wore a stunning purple gown—one I knew for a fact she had stolen from an English princess years ago.
"You know," she said while spinning gracefully, "I've attended many balls over the years since you freed us brother."
She glanced around the room.
"But none quite like this."
I chuckled.
"Well, little sister, this one is royal."
"Yes," she said. "Which raises a question."
She leaned closer.
"Where exactly is this King Louis?"
I smirked slightly.
"Louis is little more than a child," I explained. "Around twelve years old."
"Oh is that so, and who rules in his state."
"His mother governs in his place."
"And who is she?"
Before I could answer, a voice called out from the staircase.
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
I smiled slightly.
"Speak of the devil."
Everyone in the ballroom turned.
Standing at the top of the staircase was a woman in a light blue gown, holding a glass of champagne.
The Queen Mother.
Marie de' Medici.
She raised her glass toward the crowd.
"Thank you all for attending tonight," she said loudly. "Today we celebrate the birthday of my beloved son… King Louis XIII."
Applause echoed through the hall.
"Though His Majesty could not attend this evening," she continued, "I assure you he wishes for all of you to enjoy yourselves."
She lifted her glass higher.
"So please…"
She smiled.
"Dance."
–
The ballroom quickly returned to life after the Queen Mother finished speaking. The brief pause dissolved into laughter, music, and conversation as the orchestra resumed playing. Nobles returned to the dance floor, their elegant clothes swirling across the polished marble. Servants moved between the crowds with trays of wine and champagne while aristocrats whispered gossip about the court.
Dante took Mekesa out onto the floor shortly after, leaving me alone to observe the crowd.
My eyes scanned the ballroom carefully.
Somewhere in this room was the witch I had come all this way to find.
And you are?
The voice came from behind me.
I turned to see the Queen Mother herself—Marie de' Medici.
She stood with the same confident smile she had worn while addressing the ballroom. Up close she carried herself with the quiet authority of someone used to being obeyed.
"Your Grace," I said with a respectful bow, "what a pleasure it is to meet the ruler of France."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, my lord," she said with a small amused smile, "you mistake yourself. I am merely the mother of the king."
I straightened slowly.
"Please, Your Grace," I replied smoothly. "I believe we both know who truly rules this kingdom."
She let out a light laugh at that.
"You are bold," she said. "And I do not believe I have seen you before tonight."
"That is because you have not," I answered. "Allow me to introduce myself."
I bowed slightly again.
"My name is Nero Tone, Your Majesty."
"Well then, Lord Tone…"
She paused mid-sentence.
Her gaze shifted past my shoulder.
Curious, I followed her line of sight.
Across the ballroom stood a woman in a striking blood-red dress. Her blonde hair fell over her shoulders like gold, and even from a distance I could see the sharp elegance of her features.
Freya Mikaelson.
So Dahlia had indeed brought her here.
The Queen Mother tilted her head slightly.
"That is a beautiful dress," she said quietly.
She studied Freya for a moment before adding with mild disdain,
"Too bad it is wasted on some low-born lady."
I smiled faintly.
"Yes," I said. "A terrible waste."
I turned back to her and bowed again.
"If you will excuse me, Your Grace."
Without waiting for permission, I walked away, leaving the Queen Mother standing there with what I imagined was a very bruised royal ego.
I crossed the ballroom until I reached Freya.
Up close she was even more striking.
"Hello, my lady," I said gently as I took her hand and kissed it.
Her cheeks flushed slightly at the gesture.
"And to whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?" I asked.
She hesitated for a moment before answering.
"My name is Freya."
"Freya," I repeated with a smile. "A beautiful name."
She studied my face cautiously.
"And you are?"
"Nero Tone my lady," I replied.
She nodded politely.
"Well meet, Lord Nero."
I gestured toward the dance floor.
"May I have this dance?"
For a moment she seemed uncertain.
Then she smiled and nodded.
"I suppose one dance could not hurt."
We moved onto the dance floor as the music swelled again.
To my mild surprise, she danced quite well.
For someone who only lived one year out of every century, she adapted quickly to the rhythm.
"So," I said while guiding her through the steps, "where does a woman such as yourself come from?"
She laughed softly.
"I suppose you could say I'm from very far away."
"Ah," I said. "Homesick then?"
"Not exactly," she replied.
"Running away from family troubles?"
Her expression flickered for a moment.
"Something like that."
I leaned closer as the dance brought us briefly together.
"My lady," I whispered near her ear, "if I were you… I wouldn't want to be part of that family, Miss Mikaelson."
Her eyes widened.
But before she could react—
I snapped her neck.
Her body went limp instantly.
However, I continued the dance, holding her upright and moving gracefully so no one would notice. To anyone watching, it looked like nothing more than a romantic slow turn across the ballroom.
"Dante," I said quietly.
With vampire hearing, he heard me immediately.
"Yes, brother?"
His voice carried from across the room. He was dancing with a rather beautiful noblewoman.
"I have her," I said.
"Meet me in the bathroom."
Understood.
With my speed, I carried Freya discreetly out of the ballroom and into a private corridor. Moments later I entered the restroom.
Dante arrived shortly after.
"We don't have long," he said immediately. "Dahlia will realize something is wrong soon."
"I know."
I pulled out a small vial and cut Freya's wrist. Blood flowed steadily into the glass container.
Once it was filled, I sealed it and stored it safely in my dimensional storage.
"Done," I said.
Dante nodded.
"What now?"
"Take her upstairs," I said. "Find a room and leave her there. Then find Mekesa."
"I'm already here."
Mekesa blurred inside standing beside us.
She looked around with raised eyebrows.
"You do realize this is the women's restroom, right?"
"I didn't see a sign," I replied.
"And that hardly matters."
She rolled her eyes.
"What am I to do dear brother?"
"Dante takes Freya upstairs," I said. "You go back to the ship and prepare everything. I'll gather my soldiers."
Dante nodded and lifted Freya over his shoulder.
"On it."
He blurred out of the room.
Mekesa stretched lazily.
"Fine, fine," she muttered. "I'm going."
She vanished just as quickly.
After that I gathered my vampires and hybrids throughout the city. Within minutes we were all moving toward the harbor.
Everything was going perfectly.
Too perfectly.
Just as we were about to board the ship, a cold voice echoed behind us.
"Where do you think you are going?"
I turned slowly.
Standing a few steps away was a woman with black hair and a deep blue dress.
But the power radiating from her was unmistakable.
Dahlia.
I gave a polite bow.
"My apologies, my lady. My companions and I were simply taking an early leave."
"Do not play games with me, child," she said coldly.
Her eyes glowed faintly with magic.
"I know what you have done."
"And I know what you have taken."
She stepped forward.
"I do not know why you—"
Before she could finish speaking—
Her neck snapped violently.
Her body collapsed to the ground.
Behind her stood Dante.
Magic flickered faintly around his hand.
I smiled.
"You know," I said, "I had that handled."
"Oh, I know," Dante replied with a grin.
He walked over as the rest of our soldiers boarded the ship.
"Did you do what I asked?" I asked quietly.
"Yes," he said.
"I placed a tracking spell on Freya."
He crossed his arms.
"When she eventually runs from her aunt, we'll know exactly where she goes."
"Excellent," I said, patting his shoulder.
I looked toward the ship where our army waited.
"Now brother," I said,
"Let us go change the world."