Time before, the duo had gotten quite close. Lucy could tell Alfendi had loosened up a bit, his answers to her questions becoming more open. She still had this thought in her mind, and the question of his relationship with this castle on the tip of her tongue, ready to ask him about it again.
"The only thing that can really kill me is another supernatural being equally or more powerful than me. Stakes aren't effective. And even if I get hurt, with decent blood in my system, I'll heal quick enough."
They turned right to hallway and Lucy asked another question, "Wot about strengths? Is there anything you can do better than 'umans?"
"There's not much. Physical strengths like fighting, yes, but not by much. Speed is also a factor, just not a lot compared to humans. I could outrun you maybe, and be evenly matched with a trained runner." His eyes shifted to the open windows nearby, letting in a light, cool breeze and the bright moonlight. There was still a bit of time before midnight, so they could continue on without much worry.
Finally, the thought left her mouth. "So Prof, wot about that one trick you did? T' one that you used to make me pass out?" She saw a spark of realization in his gaze.
His eyebrows furrowed and he piped up, "What did you call me?"
"Prof?" She gulped. He wasn't really one for nicknames, was he?
"Why on earth are you calling me that?"
Lucy nervously replied, "Well, since you're teaching me about your kind. I just thought…" She looked away from him as he sighed. She knew it was a stupid thought. She should have kept quiet. Ideas like that were why her teachers were worried about her grades. She was too blind about the consequences of her words, really. "I wasn't…"
Not a word to respond to that. Alfendi's mind was conflicted on actually saying something insulting or somewhat accepting. He chose a mix between the two. "No. You weren't thinking. Since you have a good reason though, I guess I'll take it." For now, at least. The vampire was unsure if his little student would continue attending his classes, or if she could even handle the much harsher lessons. It was all up to her and her eager mind, he supposed.
Her expression lit up at his acceptance. "Okay, Prof. So about t' question I 'ad…"
"Right. Well, living for two thousand years gives someone an insight on many techniques and pieces of knowledge. I guess it would imply that I have more intelligence compared to humans."
Lucy cocked an eyebrow, trying to connect her question to his answer. "Are we talking about t' same thing, Prof?"
"My strengths compared to humans?"
Then she realized what was wrong. "No. I asked about the trick." She realized now that he was more focused on the silly name she had given to him. He seemed to care a lot about his pride. Something she might want to note.
Confusion was present with Alfendi. He thought back to the conversation, reprocessing what Lucy had asked to remember what exactly she had implied. A trick? "I have no idea what you're prattling on about. Can you-" Then he realized what she had previously asked about. "Oh! That. That is," He paused, "Not important."
As was everything about his past, Lucy figured. She pulled lightly at his coat sleeve, whining, "Prof." For once, she wanted a straight answer. No more of this avoiding the question. "Can't you just tell me?"
Again, he sighed. "Fine. Let me explain. I'm not exactly sure when I got the ability, it wasn't something I could do at first, but I guess the trick was something I naturally developed over time. Influencing the mind would generally involves suggesting something simple, that one would agree to, and it's best to state it clearly, so the person can understand. Normally, when one demands something of someone, it's demanding. The way I ask, apparently, people hang onto it, because it's clear and a human would want to hear more."
Maybe now. Now would be a good time. She needed to know. While everything was quiet and peaceful. When he wasn't aware of what she was asking.
That was when it all spiraled into disaster.
Now the bite was healing, like the first time, so Lucy didn't really say anything about it. Instead, she merely sighed and said, to break the silence, " So, Prof, is this not t' right time to ask anything else?"
She sat across from him in the living room, bouncing on the cushions as he tugged at a loose string on his coat.
He peered over at her, tilted his head, then shrugged as he figured nothing can get worse now. Isn't that another trigger word for disaster? Could anything really happen after all the mess moments before?
"About your past then?" She hoped that he wouldn't try avoiding the subject again.
Would telling be bad? "Since you asked then," She whispered small cheers of victory as he began, "You have heard of the Greeks?" At her nod, he continued, "So I'm sure you've heard of the Spartans. I was born around the end of their time, as they were fighting with Athens. I was subjected to military brutality until the time I was fifteen. By then, my father, a young student of his, a teenage aristocrat girl he was sworn to protect, and I had escaped to Rome. Since it was still in its early stages, no one paid mind to our entrance. As time went on, I used my Spartan training as an advantage in the Roman military."
Lucy clung to every word of his past, but of course, she always had to wonder. "Wait. So you really are immortal?" She interrupted, in need of some clarification.
"Yes, Lucy. Every supernatural creature is." After such, Alfendi continued, "Speaking of supernatural others, there was a witch, or an oracle as they were called in Greece, that followed me to Rome. Her name was Hilda, a very special friend of mine. We got along decently until I began helping the Roman army to expand its land. According to the rulers and others above me, I was very skilled. Some even took interest in me, wanting to use me more in battle. By the time I had turned twenty-five though, my family was extremely concerned for my well being and choice of career. I fought with my father for days when he said I shouldn't continue battling in wars. I broke away from him and went my own way for a while." He pursed his lips, a hand placed shakily onto his forehead as he thought deeper into his memories.
Faint growls emitted from Alfendi. Lucy was half-tempted to mention that just because she was eager to know, didn't mean he had to tell her now. She wasn't allowed that though, as he suddenly stood from the couch.
His growls stopped at once and he kept going now with a much more irritated tone, "That was when things turned for the worst. I had run away stupidly, without a home to live in anymore, not a plan or anything. Nowhere to hide, no one to turn to. My foolishness left me vulnerable for four years, until I had met with Hilda again, because I was too prideful to ask her for help in the first place. When I got there, just as I had expected, she made me feel like a fool. She made me feel weak and pitiful until I finally snapped. I threatened that with my very hands I would rip out her heart and burn it. That was my most empty threat, she told me. I had no abilities, no power, no possible way to act out such without proper tools, especially on her, a witch of great ability I had barely witnessed or had the strength to withstand. So I told her to make me something better than the human form I was born into. I craved power and would do anything to finally be the great warrior Rome had almost forgotten. To my surprise, she did so without a single thought or hesitation."
His eyes were mad now. His body once seething with rage now settled in a much more haughty poise. A smug smirk took his lips. "That was her gravest mistake. It didn't take much for me to get used to my new powers, the blood a minor, shall I say, incentive for continuing my battles, which I instantly got back into. Actually, with my help, Rome had expanded to its greatest size, I a famous warrior once more, but greater." His mirth was even more loony as he went to the climax of his past, "Hilda practically expected that though. As I was suddenly being praised for my power, like a god, she decided to put a stopper in my fame. She tossed me into a cave, put a spell on it to keep me in, and didn't let me out until thirteen specific beings I knew had forgiven me. Bad thing was, I didn't know who those people were or whether or not they had forgiven me. For all I figured, Hilda had locked me up inside and swallowed the key to that cell." He clenched his teeth and started frantically pacing around the room and the couches.
"And wot about your father? Your family? You must have figured they were part of t' spell?"
He scoffed, "No doubt in my mind. I was stuck in that cave for at least a thousand years. Humans forgive after death, while immortals could keep grudges forever. My father was a levelheaded man that supported common sense. My family, those people that fled with me to Rome, they supported me until I fought my father."
"Your family is immortal too?"
"It's the only reason I knew Hilda. I was raised around supernatural creatures. Vampires aren't bred, Lucy. They're turned, created by magic, made from the human life they once were." Al sighed, returning to his original train of thought. He knew fully well that continuing to bad mouth his father wouldn't do much. "Nevertheless, I haven't seen him at all so I could be wrong about him still being alive. Not since… Well, realistically since I ran off."
She tilted her head to the side. "Realistically?"
"When I was stuck in that cave," He clarified, "My madness had made me hallucinate, see people that weren't there. Illusions weren't the first thing I experienced though. My original reaction was rage. Energy I had accumulated from bloodshed, the power at its peak, and I had wasted it all on my anger. Pounding though stone until the cage reached its limits, barking orders for Hilda and any of my subordinates to get me out. My voice grew raspy and my strength, the energy, faded as I no longer had a daily blood source. I grew hungry and tired, and insanity didn't waste time altering my mind." He sat back down, next to Lucy. A hand rested on his forehead as he connected the broken memories. "I lost myself with those visions. Talking to air, but I never knew that. Those hallucinations felt real. Speaking with acquaintances, rivals, my sister, everyone, and they were never there. I was broken by that point, defeated as they told me I would be alright. They told me it would be okay when the spell died. They had all forgiven me and I believed them, telling them this jail wasn't their fault. I apologized to all of them. They were forgiving but I was still trapped. Years were taking its toll on me until my mind had become nothing more than a simple tool for these ghosts to talk through. My anger that gripped me in the beginning was buried in the back of my brain by then. I kept calm and waited."
Lucy moved closer to him, taking his hand off his head. "Wot 'appened when you got out? A thousand years in that dark cave. When did you even get out?"
Putting his other hand on his chin in thought, he pictured the people, the shabby houses, and everything new he saw. "Sometime during the plague in Europe. What I did was what most vampires might have done after years of undernourishment. Feed on anything with blood in its system. Afterwards, I went back to Rome, until I was hit by two distinct facts. The people, the language and the culture were all nothing like what I remembered. The second one I noticed a bit after my travels away from Rome, to Greece and finally London. My name, the achievements I acquired for the Romans, and any memory the humans had of me in my time were completely lost. I had no title in history, it seemed, so when I wandered through the countries, I was merely a passerby. When I arrived in England, having heard a thing or two about its wealth and power, I decided to keep a low profile. I figured that if I made a name for myself or made myself known, I would end up in the same position again." He felt her fingers tighten around his.
"But you did." She stated the obvious, something she knew he didn't desire admitting.
Breathing in and out through his nose, Alfendi sensed his other personality denying that statement. He was locked in once again but anger and madness told him he was never forced in here. "Yes. My fault really. The mayor, Justin, was aware of my presence in London. We had some light chats, friendly talk. Justin was learning a special kind of magic at the time. Unfortunately, my other personality held distrust for him for some reason, which caused a small tussle. Justin put a spell much like the one Hilda did, to keep me in this castle, for the safety of London's people. I didn't oppose his choice, and the results are fine, but the living space leaves a lot to be desired."
Lucy half-laughed.
Finally, now that Alfendi was done with his past, he could feel the present rush back to him. The time. Was dawn already this close? Unfortunately, the answer was yes. When he looked to her though, her startlingly red eyes were studying his expressions. He gave a light notion for her to speak, confused as to what she was looking for.
She wondered how exactly to word out her question, more a statement than anything. It didn't make sense, but what she was told and witnessed proved the fact even more. "This madness you mentioned. The other you. 'e told me 'e were the real you. Wot did 'e mean by that?" She asked. Her voice was shaking somewhat. She was worried about his denial.
That sadistic other personality? The real him? He completely denied that. That was him, yes, but at the point of anger. When he could no longer contain the rage like he always did. Not in anyway the real him. He was the one and only Layton.
Lair. You can't ignore me. I am the real Alfendi! He shut away the annoying pest of his mind. One. And. Only. That was just mental instability speaking.
"If you say so…."