Heya, been a while. This is the penultimate chapter I think because I can't think of anything else after this that I need to explain. If you can, please let me know (although there are some things I'm not going to explain this fic).

There is a sequal to this, but it won't be released until series 4 is over because I want to understand how to work my idea around the series (or completely ignore it if I need to).

When the light faded, only Esta was standing. The rest of the Soluna were slumped against walls or, in the case of their leader, on their knees. Esta towered over him.

'Get out,' she said coldly. When he raised his head, she could see in his eyes he was going to argue. 'Get out!' her voice rose to a shout and a barrage of light smacked into him, 'and take your dim-brained, fight-seeking sheep with you.' As she yelled, tendrils sprouted out from her and picked the unconscious Soluna off the floor, throwing them in their leader's direction. Their leader staggered to his feet and, without looking once at his sister, fled from the school.

There was a long pause before Robin ventured, 'you've missed one.'

Esta turned to the final Soluna, the one she had called Aaron, who had been guarding the humans. He was watching Esta sadly. He spoke her name.

'Just go,' Esta said, turning away.

There was a pause before the Soluna lowered his head and headed for the exit. In the archway, he stopped. 'I'm sorry sister,' and then, 'our parents miss you.'

Esta didn't respond. The Soluna left in silence.

No-one said anything for a long time afterwards, until Vlad told Ryan. 'You should probably find Ingrid. She should know that it's safe to...'

'She already knows,' Esta interrupted.

'How?'

'She's been in the attic the whole time.'

'How do you know that?' Erin inquired.

'I can sense a vampire presence. I can even sense that Bertrand is trying to hunt me and I would advise him not to as, like I had to remind those idiots, dawn is when I'm strongest.'

'Does that mean that at dusk you are your weakest?' Jonathon asked.

Esta gave a little laugh and shook her head. 'Funnily enough, no. I'd never actually thought about that.'

'I can't believe it,' they all turned to stare at Bertrand, who was regarding Esta with a hatred Vlad had not perceived on his tutor's face, 'I've never heard of a Soluna who doesn't wish to hunt vampires.'

'And I'd never heard of a vampire who wanted to live with breathers for friends, but then I met Vlad,' Esta countered.

'The Chosen One should not be considering such nonsense,' Bertrand snapped, stepping forwards.

Esta was suddenly in his face. 'I heard things like that a lot when I was among the Soluna clan,' she hissed, 'I let me tell you for Vlad it get's incredibly irritating after a while.'

Then she was gone, flitting away back towards the school buildings. Bertrand snarled after her, but didn't continue. He was wise enough not to anger a Soluna at full power.

'What's going on here?' a strident voice asked from a doorway. Everybody in the courtyard froze.

The Count was immediately aglow. 'Mrs McCauley,' he practically sang, gliding over to the irate headmistress, 'what a pleasant surprise...'

Mrs McCauley cut him off. She had only a dressing gown and quick comb to cover up the fact that she had just gotten out of bed. She was clearly unhappy about that fact. 'Half the school and I have just been awoken by large flashes of light. I demand to know what is going on so that we can restore some sense of order here! The students need sleep!'

'Yes,' the Count wheedled, 'I know but...'

'And I believe that last time you pulled a stunt like this, I asked to be a part of it!' Alex McCauley added, glaring at the Count who was stunned into silence.

There was a pause in which Esta turned to Erin. 'Did I just hear that correctly?'

Erin nodded. 'Long story,' she said.

'Does she know that the Dracula's are...?'

'No, she just understands that a lot goes on behind her back.' Esta nodded and tried to look like she understood. Inside, she felt just as bewildered as Robin looked. Until his face split into a huge grin and the idiot muttered, 'awesome!'

'I'm sorry, Mrs McCauley,' Vlad said, stepping up to his head teacher, 'but it was a... a photo shoot. They wanted to take a few pictures using the school courtyard at night. The light was probably their lighting effects and flashes. To stop the students doing something crazy, we hid it from them and made them go as soon as they were finished. So that the students would sleep.'

'Oh,' Mrs McCauley said, 'Oh.' Then a smile slid across her face. 'You hid it from me for the benefit of the school, how sweet of you, Mr Count.'

'Anything for you, my dear lady,' the Count exclaimed, swooping in to plant a kiss on the teacher's hand.

To Esta's astonishment, Mrs McCauley giggled. 'You know, I was once told I had the figure of a glamour model.'

'How right they were!' the Count agreed airily, turning her around and leading her back indoors, one arm around her shoulders, 'it's a pity this was a private shooting. I'm sure you would have looked ravishing in one of their evening dresses.'

'Oh Mr Count! You flatter me!'

There was silence in the courtyard after the two had gone. Vlad shrugged and turned back to the group. 'We'll leave her to Dad, shall we?'

'Is she hypnotised?' Robin asked, still staring after the ancient vampire and young teacher in undisguised disgusted astonishment.

'Nah, she just likes Dad,' Vlad said, not hiding his grin any longer, 'and Dad likes her.'

'Uh, shouldn't we get inside?' Esta suggested, 'you know, before you start burning.'

'Yeah,' Vlad agreed, turning to look the young Soluna in the eye, 'I want to know everything.'

Esta ladled out the last mug of hot chocolate and carried the tray up to the attic where everyone was waiting for an explanation. She met Robin on the stairs, eager and nervous at the same time.

'What are you going to tell them?' he asked her, taking one mug.

Esta frowned at him. 'You can to go all the way back to the kitchen if you want a refill because I'm not waitressing you.'

'But you can travel at the speed of light at full power,' Robin whined, and when Esta didn't relent, 'you're mean.'

'Of course I am, Robin,' Esta sighed wearily.

'So...' Robin murmured as they rounded a bend.

'So what?'

'You're telling them everything?'

'That's what Vlad has requested.'

'Including why you agreed to come with me to find them,' Robin continued, 'about the Soluna prophecy.'

'I have to,' Esta said, 'that's started this off.'

They entered the attic together where everyone was clustered around the table in the main room. Ingrid had been discovered there, like Esta had said, drinking one of the Count's finer blood vintages and watching the probable demise of her brother through the window. She said she had been rather irritated that Esta had intervened. Esta had snapped that she was just covering up her worry and had stormed downstairs to make herself a hot drink.

The humans, minus Renfield, and Vlad accepted a mug of hot chocolate thankfully. The humans felt chilled to the bone after their time in the moonlight cage, whilst the vampires were still sore after their experience in the sunlight and so were doing their best to forget it by downing the last of Ingrid's blood. Esta knew an apology wasn't what they were waiting for. They were waiting for an explanation.

She sighed into her mug and directed her first question at Vlad. 'What do you know about Soluna already?'

Vlad thought back to the brief conversation he had had with Bertrand. 'They can wield the powers of the sun and the moon. They slay vampires. They started the slayer's guild.'

'That's true,' Jonathon interjected, 'that's why Soluna are revered in the guild. The guild would do anything for a Soluna, ancient tradition.'

'Including pointing the way to the Chosen One,' Bertrand muttered. He was still a little sore about the Van Helsings breaking their promise to Vlad.

'It's not their fault. It would be Zaron's,' Esta said, 'he's always been a bully.'

'You said he was your brother,' Vlad reminded her.

'He is,' Esta agreed, 'doesn't stop him being a jerk.'

'So how come he only used gold light and you can use both?' Jonathon asked.

Esta and Robin exchanged glances. After a brief nod of agreement, Esta pulled off the two rings she wore and placed them in the middle of the table. 'It's all about balance,' she said.

The ring on the left was a gold thumb ring. About an inch tall at the widest point, it was set with an amber stone and engraved with lines that looked like sunrays. Indeed, it seemed to give off the golden glow of sunlight.

The ring on the right was thinner and much more delicate. Made of silver, it was set with a pearly white gem, set on top of a design that reminded Robin of the symbol of eternity. There were no engravings on this ring save for three small dots at either tip of the eternity loop.

Robin recognised that ring. 'You wore it to the Halloween party,' he exclaimed, 'as part of your costume.'

'What a good memory you've got,' Esta said, picking the ring off the velvet cushion and slipping it onto the middle finger of her right hand. A silvery white mist formed around her hand and then spread up Esta's body. Esta sank back onto her pillows with a sigh. 'That feels better,' she groaned, 'the burn will heal quicker now.'

Robin was gobsmacked. 'What is that stuff?' he asked.

'Moonlight,' Esta explained, 'I originate from a clan called the Soluna who are said to have bathed in the light of the aurora and picked up the power to wield light. The rings,' she gestured with her right hand at the box, 'are set with gemstones that store light so that it is accessible at all times.'

'Why is that important?'

'Because,' Esta was much more uncomfortable about admitting this now, 'my clan originally used to hunt vampires.'

Robin's jaw dropped and he began to shuffle away from Esta. 'You mean you...'

'Not just vampires actually,' Esta mused, ignoring Robin's actions, 'werewolves, witches... anything that can be called a creature of the darkness. They are big against darkness.'

'That's why you're so interested in the Draculas!' Robin shouted, pointing an accusing finger, 'you want to slay them.'

'I want no such thing,' Esta countered, 'in fact...' she frowned, lowering her face, before mumbling, 'I need their help.'

'Huh?'

'Let me explain,' Esta pleaded, pointing at the seat Robin had just leapt from, 'I'm not your everyday Soluna.'

'What are you then?' Robin asked mockingly, 'their "Chosen One"?' then upon seeing Esta's face, 'no!'

'There are two things important to the Soluna clan,' Esta said, 'time and balance.' She gestured to the rings again. 'You see, only some people in the clan use sunlight and some use moonlight. Which they use can been spotted by which ring they wear, regardless of which hand they wear it on.'

'Which do you use?' Robin asked, 'you have both rings.'

'That's because I use both,' Esta told him.

'And that's why you're special.'

'In a way.'

'Huh?'

'Right,' Esta said, sitting up straight, 'you remember I said that time was important to Soluna? That is because depending on what time of day a baby is born, they will have a different power.' She held up the gold ring.

'The people who use sunlight are called Heliosts. They were born during the day when the sun is in the sky. They are most powerful at midday, weakest at night. Not that that is very useful when hunting vampires because obviously that's when they're asleep.' She gave a slight giggle. Robin didn't join in.

Esta coughed and continued, 'then there are those you use moonlight, called Selenists. They were born at night and are at the high of their power at midnight so are weakest at midday, obviously. That is useful for them when combating creatures of the night.

'If you recall, the other important thing for Soluna is balance. Like the sun and moon balance one another out, there will always be an equal number of Heliosts and Selenists in the clan together.

'But there are times when the sun and moon are in the sky at the same time: at sunrise and sunset. So there is a third type of light user in the clan.' Esta began fingering the ring she wore. 'They are called Eosa. A baby born when the sun and moon are in the sky together will be gifted in both types of light. Usually they are known as Eosa Ambidextrous, or simply Eosa, because, like ambidextrous people can choose which hand to use, they can choose which light they'd prefer to wield. I have twin older brothers, older than Paul and Ian. They were born at sunset. The eldest likes sunlight, probably because he was born when the sun was higher in the sky, and the younger prefers moonlight. But, if they wanted, they could use both.'

'So which to do you prefer?' Robin asked curiously.

Esta shook her head. 'I have no preference because I was not born like that. There is a third occasion when the sun and moon are in the sky at the same time. Can you think of it?'

Robin thought for a moment before saying, 'a solar eclipse.'

Esta nodded. 'That's when I was born,' she said, 'during a solar eclipse, making me, like you said, the Soluna "Chosen One".'

'Cool,' Robin murmured. And then, 'so what are you doing here?'

Esta sighed and buried her head in her hands. 'I hated it,' she said, 'I hated what they called me. I hated what I was. When I was seven, I was allowed on a hunting mission when my brothers. I watched a vampire get turned to dust right before my eyes. And her expression the second before revealed to me something that haunts me to this day: she was just as scared as I was. She wasn't a monster; she was just fighting to survive. She was probably once human too.'

Esta shook her head. 'From that day on, no matter what anyone said to me, I couldn't see vampires as my enemy. And werewolves, they're human for most of the month! They go a little wild for a couple of nights and suddenly they're a huge threat! Apparently, a few years after I was born, a hunting group went to Italy and wiped out a whole town of werewolves. What had they done? Nothing! They kept to themselves so that they didn't hurt anyone, they were careful, but my people eradicated them anyway.'

Esta glared at the opposite wall as if it had offended her. 'There was only one sane person in the whole town,' she said, 'and that was my grandmother. She didn't live in the town, but not far from it. I used to visit her every day. She called me her little gem of sunlight and taught me more about being a real Soluna than any of the stupid elders of the clan did. They were too busy making me into the clan's next saviour.'

'Next saviour?' Robin queried.

Esta nodded. 'There have been many Eosa over the centuries,' she said, 'all hailed as saviours for our people thanks to some stupid prophecy and all have ended up killing one another and ruining our clan further.'

'A prophecy?'

Esta closed her eyes and recited, 'Darkness will arise, more powerful than before. It shall cast an eternal eclipse upon the Earth and the creatures of the night shall roam freely, unafraid of the light and those that wield it.

'Seek out the Chosen One. The Dark Ones listen and follow him. Throw off the blackness and shine an overwhelming light.

'Beware Eclipse, who draws from the shadows.

'Fear the power of the Chosen One, who owns the strength of one thousand, and guides their footfalls to a new age.

'Beneath the rising darkness, two sides shall do battle. A strong light will shine in the blackness, uniting Dawn with Dusk forevermore beneath the Eternal Eclipse.'

Robin sat, gaping, as Esta finished. 'Pretty powerful stuff,' she murmured with a faint giggle as he continued to stare. Then, when he still said nothing, 'What?'

'I don't get it,' Robin said after a long time.

Esta paused before bursting out laughing. 'To be honest,' she admitted, 'I don't get half of it myself. But aren't prophecies meant to be cryptic.'

'I'm guessing the Chosen One means Vlad,' Robin said, '"stronger than one thousand", huh? Cool!'

'You see, since you mentioned Vlad being the Chosen One, that's why I've been trying to find him. I want his help. The darkness it talks about, the darkness it warns about,' Esta looked Robin in the eyes and said, 'I've seen it Robin. I've seen and it frightens me. I'm terrified because...' a tear trickled down Esta's check as she whispered, 'I don't want die too.'

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;) you know you want to