42. Conference call
Marcelline was halfway through her luxurious hot chocolate when—
BRRRR–PING!
Her laptop flashed:
Incoming Call: AMARA (+ Mia shrieking in background)
Before she could answer—
BRRRR–PING!
Incoming Call: VINCENT (Beast King — Office Line)
One more second later—
BRRRR–PING!
Incoming Call: VICTOR (Vampire High Table Leader)
Marcelline stared at the screen.
"…What is this? Supernatural conference meeting or family chaos hotline?"
She clicked accept.
All three windows exploded open at once.
---
● Amara's Window — Complete Domestic Disaster --
Amara's beautiful face popped up first…
with Mia climbing on her shoulders like a baby koala.
Amara:
"ELLI!! HELP! Mia learned to teleport—"
Mia teleported into frame again.
Mia:
"AUNT ELLI!!! LOOK!! I CAN BE A NINJA!!"
She disappeared behind Amara and reappeared on top of a cupboard.
Amara screamed.
Marcelline sipped her hot chocolate calmly.
"Parenthood looks… relaxing."
---
● Vincent's Window — Political Meltdown --
Vincent appeared next, in full king attire…
with five beast generals standing stiff behind him.
Vincent:
"Marcelline. If you value me at all, SAVE me."
Marcelline raised a brow.
"What happened now?"
Vincent whispered like a hostage:
"Amara scheduled twelve council meetings today. TWELVE."
Marcelline smirked.
"Should've married a normal woman."
Vincent glared.
"Your best friend is a menace."
From Amara's window:
"I HEARD THAT!"
Vincent immediately straightened.
"…my magnificent queen."
Marcelline choked on her hot chocolate.
---
Victor's Window — Dramatic Vampire Mode Activated
Victor leaned back in his silk robe like he lived on a magazine cover.
Victor:
"Darling Marcelline, I rushed here the moment I sensed your stress—"
Marcelline:
"I wasn't stressed."
Victor:
"Doesn't matter. I sensed it."
Marcelline:
"Get therapy."
Victor gasped like she stabbed him.
"You wound me, my queen of destruction."
Vincent rolled his eyes.
Amara laughed.
Mia popped into frame again.
"Uncle VICTORRR!"
Victor froze.
"…why is she looking at me like that."
Mia pointed at him like a tiny mafia boss.
"You still owe me a unicorn toy!"
Victor panicked.
"Y-YOUR MOTHER SAID NO MAGIC TOYS—"
Amara glared.
"You promised her."
Victor deflated instantly.
"…I'll get the unicorn."
---
Vincent:
"Why are we all on call again? Did something explode?"
Amara:
"Mia's energy is exploding."
Victor:
"My heart explodes every time Marcelline looks at me."
Marcelline:
"Victor, I swear—"
Victor:
"I'M SILENT! Shutting up now!"
Mia burst out laughing.
Vincent muttered:
"She trained him well."
Amara smirked at Marcelline.
"You sure you two aren't secretly dating?"
Victor perked up like a dog hearing the word "walk."
Marcelline deadpanned:
"I'd rather date an earthquake."
Victor clutched his chest and fell dramatically off-screen.
Mia clapped.
"Encore !!"
---
Amara looked straight at Victor.
"Tell her."
Victor's playful expression vanished, replaced by cold seriousness.
"The dark energy spike… the strong wave…
It's not coming from nearby."
Vincent added, adjusting documents in front of him.
"Our trackers confirmed it.
Not Shadowline City.
Not anywhere in Valenrealm."
Amara's voice tightened.
"It's from Hollowmist City…"
Vincent:
"…in Sparklight Country."
The opposite side of the world.
Far beyond their immediate reach.
Marcelline's eyes narrowed.
"That far?"
Victor nodded grimly.
"And elders felt it too. Vampire High Elders ordered me to stay put.
I'm not allowed to leave the country—not even for a day."
Vincent sighed.
"Same here. Our Beast Elders forbid any movement toward Hollowmist.
They said… 'You do NOT touch anything related to the ancient war.'"
Amara lowered her voice.
"Even I was banned. They said the casualties last time…
Elli… it will wiped out millions."
Silence.
The weight of history pressed into the call.
---
Vincent:
"We are kings, queens, leaders of nations…
yet our elders refuse to risk a single life.
Not when the last war almost destroyed the world."
Victor leaned forward.
"I can't leave.
Vincent can't leave.
Amara can't leave."
Amara whispered:
"So we… do nothing."
Marcelline said nothing.
She calmly placed her empty cup on table.
Marcelline:
"I'll go."
All three froze.
Literally froze.
Amara's jaw fell.
Vincent dropped the pen from his hand.
Victor went pale — and a vampire going pale was impressive.
"Elli—WHAT?!"
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Vincent barked.
"ARE YOU INSANE?!" Victor yelled, half standing from his seat.
Amara slammed her hands on her table.
"YOU'RE NOT SETTING FOOT IN HOLLOWMIST!"
They spoke over each other, panic exploding through the calls.
---
Their Fear Is Not About Power
Victor's voice cracked slightly:
"You are the strongest hybrid in existence.
We know that.
But what if something happens to you?"
Vincent's expression dropped into raw fear.
"You're not just our ally…
you're family."
Amara whispered, eyes trembling:
"Elli… you're my sister.
Mia's entire world.
My world.
I can't—
I can't lose you."
For a moment, the room felt suffocating.
But Marcelline stood firm.
Calm.
Determined.
Unshakeable.
"I'm not asking permission."
Their hearts dropped.
Marcelline continued:
"If something ancient awakened…
I need to see it myself."
Victor closed his eyes.
Vincent cursed under his breath.
Amara clutched her chest, trembling.
Marcelline gave her final statement..
Her voice was quiet.
Terrifying, even.
"I'll be careful.
And I won't engage unless necessary.
But ignoring it…
is more dangerous than facing it."
Victor whispered:
"…Elli, please."
Marcelline:
"I'll be fine."
And she ended the call.
Leaving three powerful rulers
staring at their screens
with fear they rarely ever felt.
---