The Salvatore Saga, How to heal a world? (Book 2 of The New world.)

I sat at the table, the worn wood cool beneath my fingertips. It had been a few days since I woke, and the scent of Wulfe's busy movements filled the air, a mixture of earthy soil and metallic tang. He had been collecting various items, preparing for our mission. The room was dimly lit, the faint flicker of candles casting dancing shadows on the walls. The darkness held no fear for me, as a feline shifter and vampire, it was a familiar embrace.

As I chewed on the rationed meat, its flavor was not as rich as wagyu, but it sufficed. The taste was savory, tinged with a hint of artificiality. The room was filled with silence, interrupted only by the occasional creak of the door as it swung open. My mind wandered to the memories of my old bases, sturdy fortresses of the past. Perhaps there, we could find supplies to sustain us, at least for now.

With Wulfe by my side, my soulmate, the weight of the losses we had endured threatened to crush me. The deaths of Adam, Charles, Magnum, Colin, Murdock, and Dexter hung heavy in my thoughts. But amidst the sorrow, I found solace in the knowledge that Lepard and Demon had survived. I clutched my pendant, feeling the cool metal against my skin. Two chambers filled with ash, reminders of those who had departed, and two chambers filled with fur, a symbol of the hope that I might one day see them again.

The passage of time held no power over me, for I was immortal. It felt surreal to wake up 800 years later, as if Mariella's visit and my subsequent explosion had happened just yesterday. But now, with Wulfe by my side, I was ready to face this new world. The unknown lay before us, and while I could not predict the future, I knew that I wanted Wulfe beside me, always. Never saying never, for the possibilities in this ever-changing world were vast, yet a sense of realism tempered my optimism.

I continued to chew on the synthetic meat, unsure of the animal it was meant to replicate. Its texture was slightly rubbery, lacking the tenderness of natural flesh. It was a trade between humans and supernaturals; the humans providing rations in exchange for us giving them whatever we had found and gotten radiation out. Someday, perhaps, I would evolve beyond the need for wagyu, adapting to the new world. It was possible that wagyu no longer existed, and I had to accept that as a reality.

As I sat there, contemplating the events that had unfolded over the past 800 years, Wulfe's words echoed in my mind. It struck me that Salvatores had restored humanity's connection to their emotions, but it was my sacrifice that had made it possible. And then, the news hit me like a ton of bricks: Damon, Number One, and Mariella had ascended to heaven, never to return. Other Salvatores had moved on with their lives.

Damon was truly gone, and perhaps it was for the best. I knew I had a tendency to be vulnerable to his manipulation, so this fresh start was a blessing. It was a chance for me to be myself, and maybe even develop a deeper friendship with Wulfe. I wasn't quite sure how to feel about that yet, but it was a possibility. As for the other Salvatores, I hoped they were happy, but I had no desire to seek them out. I felt nothing for them.

I still held onto the memories of what they had done, although I knew it wasn't healthy to hold grudges for millennia. But that was just who I was. They had never been on my side, and as always, they had listened to Mariella. Because of their actions or Mariella's plan, I had been drained, my siphoning powers spiraling out of control. I had absorbed all the emotions that the tech mages had stolen from humanity, and released them so that humans could not reclaim them. The result was an overwhelming flood of both positive and negative feelings, causing my mind to explode with their power.

But being a conduit, I had found a way to channel those emotions into various objects scattered throughout the world. For 800 years, Mariella and the rest of the Salvatores had been protecting Earth, bringing happiness to humans. They ascended to heaven around the same time I had awakened. Perhaps it was meant to be. I had Wulfe, my best friend, my confidant, and I needed no one else.

I finished the last of my meal, deep in thought about my new life. Change had never come easily to me, and this complete transformation, with no option to revert back, felt overwhelming and left me feeling helpless and weak. I didn't feel like the strongest being in the universe, but rather the most bewildered.

Of course, I still had my memories, so I could recall both the good and the bad. If I wanted to, I could transport myself back to the comfort of Damon's arms or even to the dank cell in those wretched places. However, it was a relief that Sark, Krycheck, and most of the evil medical facilities were no more. There was no need for me to reclaim my position as a leader, especially not in the paramilitary underground resistance.

Sure, I could have taken charge, but then again... I also came to the realization that I was no longer wealthy. Well, perhaps I could find something in my hidden stashes, but what did wealth even mean in today's society? Who had power and riches? What was the value of currency? Maybe this was a valuable lesson in humility for me. No longer would I strive to be the best or the richest bitch around. This was truly a fresh start. 

 I was awakened from my daydream by the sound of two sets of footsteps instead of one. Alright, so we have a visitor. I wondered who it could be, a human or perhaps something supernatural. I did recall that we were protecting a horde of vampires when I blew something up, not quite sure what came out of it since Wulfe was protecting me and not them. Maybe it was one of them.

I remained seated as Wulfe entered and spoke to me, "My unicorn, we have a guest here who I believe will be crucial for our mission to heal the world."

I looked at him and replied, "Oh great, I have a feeling we need all the help we can get."

He smiled as I caught a whiff of passionfruit. Was this some Salvatore now coming to see me? But no, it wasn't exactly passionfruit; it didn't have the sharpness. I took a deep breath and smelled wild strawberries as well. I could see a tall man standing in the shadows, but his face remained hidden. He stepped closer, emerging from the shadows so I could see him clearly.

It had been so long since I last saw him, and he hadn't changed. Those deep blueberry blue eyes, the arrogant expression, the cruel mouth, and his tall, strong build. He looked like Damon, but he had my eyes, Damon's cruelty, and my ferocity. My son, our firstborn child, Derek. I was astonished, as I had assumed he was trapped in the other dimension as well.

He said to me, "Hello mother, we have a lot to do in order to heal the world. So you better get your attitude in check."

He was as straightforward as ever. My son had never been one for emotional displays, even though he had raised many of my other children and had been with women. He wasn't as promiscuous as the Salvatores, but more of a free spirit who engaged in casual sex when he wanted. He used and moved on, never getting deeply involved. I couldn't help but wonder if it was in his genes, something he inherited from me and Damon. But then again, perhaps it was his upbringing or his life experiences.

I found my voice and said, "But how? Aren't you from those other dimensions? Aren't they locked away from us forever?"

As we huddled together in the dimly lit room, the absence of life weighed heavily upon us. The scorched earth outside painted a surreal picture, devoid of birdsong or the familiar sounds of traffic. The ruined remnants of what was once been an opulent mansion surrounded us, casting a somber atmosphere.

Derek's voice pierced the silence, breaking the stillness. "I have my reasons for being here," he said, his words echoing in the empty space. "Healing the world is my job, and once I'm finished, I'll move on. I won't see them. My duty lies in other worlds, other dimensions, where I am needed. It's not as simple as locking them away forever. The magic houses hold the key, the doors to those worlds. Without them, or someone to create new doors, nothing is truly over. And as for my disposition, well, I am a telepath. I can see that you're still a neurotic mess."

A small, muted smile escaped me, despite the heaviness in my heart. I couldn't help but long for my family, sighing in my mind about the naivety I once possessed. I had believed that Charles and I would be together forever, but it was not meant to be. He was gone for good, and there was no bringing him back. He would not become a ghost in my life; he was a part of my past, forever confined to my memories. Love can be an overwhelming force, tearing us apart in ways we never thought possible. I had no idea what remained of me. My hand went to my locket, touching that damn pendant.

Suddenly, Derek approached me, his gaze fixated on my pendant.

"I'll take that," he declared, his voice firm. "Thank you very much. It will help me create connections, in case I come across them or someone who can help. No need to load it anymore that you have already loaded it with."

Before I could react, he yanked the pendant from my neck, stashing it away in his pocket. He looked at me, his eyes filled with a mix of determination and concern.

"Just deal with it," he urged. "Now is not the time to fall apart. This journey won't be easy or short. You need to pull yourself back together."

With a swallowed breath, I pushed down my emotions and nodded. I was ready. It was time to help heal the world, to make this planet livable once again. Who knows what the future held for me?

Wulfe had told me about the evil humans who had tried to brainwash those who survived, attempting to establish a new world order in the absence of hope. Those poor humans were punished, banished to the confines of the domes, cold and hungry. But my former pack had restored hope to the world, making humans, good ones overthrowing the wicked ones.

Although the world was still a dangerous place for humans, they dared to venture into those domes, seeking solace and safety. There was too much radiation left, even Mariella and the pack had sucked and used it for 800 years. They weren't siphons like me. Radiation level had been dropped but dust cloud over the sun kept world in perpetual dimness and coldness. 

Wulfe had been contemplating the idea of witnessing the moment when the humans emerged and experienced the actual sun for the first time. I hadn't considered it for that long yet. Wulfe was almost as eager for conversation as Mariella had once been.

I stood up and embraced Derek.

He returned the hug and exclaimed, "It's so good to see you, Mom. I've missed you and I believe we can heal the world together. We will rebuild this planet from scratch."

I replied, "It's wonderful to see you too, my son. We have a lot to accomplish. First, we need to find a way to bring down that bothersome dust. We're also working on inventing a rocket. And then, it will be exciting to observe what evolution has in store for us. Perhaps we can give it a little push to speed things up."

Derek informed me, "I know. Wulfe told me about it. We will infuse my magic into the process. That way, it will gain strength. However, it won't be just one rocket; we'll need many of them. And we must involve the humans or anyone living above ground in this endeavor. When the dust settles, it could be the key to new life flourishing. Just imagine, it's only dust now, but if we can gather it and form soil, we can attempt to grow something once we have sunlight again. I can provide us with seeds, but we might also find something valuable here. We need to explore what the humans have in their safekeeping."

I responded, "That sounds like a plan. I know humans have a seed bank and similar resources, but I'm unsure if they've survived. Radiation might have affected them. However, we can always search and see if we can locate them. In my greenhouses, I had many plans and seeds, but again, I'm not certain if they're still intact. It's a shame my aquariums didn't survive."

Derek suggested, "We should try using Wulfe's reversal magic to bring those fish back to life once we have clean water. And, Mom, from now on, let's not waste anything. We should collect and utilize our shit and piss as a fertilizer. Start thinking about how we can handle the waste."

I fell silent. There was so much for us to do, but then again, we had time on our side. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rebuild the Earth. Road ahead would be long, it would be hard but then reward. It would be so perfect. And what comes after that? Who knows?

I remembered a conversation I had with my mom long ago when I was still human. We discussed the scenario of colonizing a new planet, deciding what to take and what steps to take. And now, here I was, actually doing it. It may not be exactly as we had envisioned, but I couldn't help but wonder if it was just a random idea or if I had received a subtle nudge from somewhere.