The Portal: Life with the Vampire and Werewolf Queen
Chapter 10: A Family Celebration and Confronting the Fear of Separation
On a vibrant morning, Miya decided to reward Lyra and Vespera with a well-deserved "day off" as a token of appreciation for their diligence in the tasks assigned to them over the past month. After a month of hard work at the house, they resolved to prepare a modest gathering to celebrate their togetherness. Jiro, Lyra, Vespera, and Miya—gathered in the kitchen to whip up a delicious feast: adobo, sinigang, and a sweet leche flan, which they savored together at the dining table.
As they ate, the conversation buzzed with energy, though it was impossible to avoid the subtle rivalry between Lyra and Vespera for Jiro's attention.
"Jiro, try this—my adobo is the best!" Lyra exclaimed, placing a piece of meat on Jiro's plate with a beaming smile.
Vespera quickly interjected, "No, Jiro, taste my sinigang—it's far superior to Lyra's nonsense!" her tone brimming with pride. Jiro chuckled, attempting to mediate,
"Thank you both—your cooking is equally delicious!" Yet, the two persisted in their jealousy, each vying to be Jiro's favorite at the dinner table.
"Impressive, you've both nearly perfected your cooking skills. Miya's culinary and teaching talent is truly remarkable too," Jiro remarked with admiration.
This comment sparked a sudden pout from the two girls, who began to complain. "Why do you need to praise Miya? I prepared this for you!" Vespera huffed, her voice tinged with frustration.
"Yeah, we worked hard to learn this for you!" Lyra added, crossing her arms in protest.
After the hearty meal, Miya suggested they continue the fun by watching movies in the living room. The room soon filled with laughter as they began with the first film—a horror movie chosen by Lyra.
From the outset, Lyra and Vespera revealed their childish fear. "Jiro, it's so scary! Don't leave me!" Lyra cried, clinging tightly to Jiro's arm while hiding behind a pillow.
"Yes, Jiro, hold me—there might be ghosts here!" Vespera added, latching onto his other shoulder.
"You picked this movie, yet you're both terrified to watch it," Jiro teased with a laugh. Throughout the film, they refused to let go of him, their hands gripping him as their eyes remained half-closed in fright. Jiro laughed but allowed them to find comfort in his presence, becoming their shield against the chilling scenes.
Noticing their reactions, Miya proposed a change of genre. "Come on, let's try a comedy—I'm sure you'll love it," she said, inserting the next movie. As the comedy began, the mood shifted—Lyra and Vespera started laughing, like children discovering a new kind of joy.
"Jiro, look at that—his exit through the door is hilarious!" Lyra shouted, laughing while holding Jiro's hand.
"Yes, Jiro, this is so much better than horror!" Vespera chimed in, smiling as she joined the laughter. Their delight transformed the atmosphere, making the room lighter with each comedic moment.
After the comedy, they opted for a romance film, which elicited a range of reactions. When the lead characters shared their first kiss on screen, Lyra and Vespera froze, their eyes wide with wonder.
"Jiro, why are they doing that? She pressed her lips against the man!" Lyra asked, her face reflecting confusion.
"Yes, Jiro, that looks strange—what is it?" Vespera added, her brow furrowed. Miya chuckled at their innocence and explained,
"You're both so naïve. The leads are in love, and the kiss is a sign of their feelings."
"A sign of their feelings?" Vespera echoed, puzzled.
Intrigued by the explanation, Lyra and Vespera couldn't resist asking more. "What exactly is love, Miya? How does it work?" Lyra inquired, her voice brimming with curiosity.
"Yes, we don't understand it. It feels different from family love," Vespera added, trying to grasp the new concept.
"It's normal to love someone who's part of your family, but that man wasn't part of the woman's family," Lyra pointed out thoughtfully. Jiro nodded and attempted to clarify,
"Love is a deep emotion that isn't limited to family. Sometimes, you fall for someone who isn't a relative—such as a boyfriend or spouse. It's about care, trust, and being there for each other."
"Oh… so you can love someone outside your family," Vespera mused, processing the idea.
Still, Lyra and Vespera struggled to fully comprehend it. "Why love someone else when we already have a family? What's the difference from how we love each other?" Lyra asked, her expression clouded with confusion.
"Yes, Jiro, I feel more comfortable with our family—I don't get how to love someone else," Vespera added, a hint of fear in her voice. Miya posed a question to them,
"What do you know about family?" and explained simply, "A man and woman come together to have a child and build a family. For instance, if your parents hadn't loved each other, neither you, Lyra, nor you, Vespera, would exist."
Lyra and Vespera marveled, like innocent children learning something new. "So that's why we're here… because of love, which is needed to start a family?" Lyra asked, her eyes sparkling with awe.
"Yes, and as we saw in the movie, they started as lovers, and once their decision is firm, they vow to be husband and wife, and that's where a family begins," Miya elaborated clearly. "One day, you'll each create your own family," she added, sparking more questions.
"Us? So, we'll have to find another man outside our family to love?" Lyra asked, startled, glancing at Jiro.
"It's possible, but we can't predict the future," Miya replied with a shrug.
As she explained, Miya sidled up to Jiro and linked her arm with his, teasing the others. "Like Jiro and me—we plan to build a happy family in the future!" she said with a mischievous grin. Lyra and Vespera were stunned, unable to believe their ears.
"Jiro, is that true? Why would you do that with Miya?" Lyra cried, her voice laced with jealousy and disbelief.
"Yes, Jiro! Why Miya? Is it because of her money and big house? You won't leave us for her, will you?" Vespera added, her face etched with intense emotion.
The two grew sulky, unable to accept the possibility of losing Jiro. "We won't allow you to have another family besides us!" Lyra shouted, tears welling in her eyes.
"Yes, Jiro, we're your family—you can't abandon us!" Vespera pleaded, her voice trembling. Miya stood and escalated her teasing, "No one owns Jiro, so you can't stop him from choosing who he wants. Maybe he'll pick me!"
Lyra and Vespera boasted, "We're Jiro's family, so he can't marry and leave us!" but Miya countered, "Your relationship as a family is different from being husband and wife. Jiro will care for you until you're old, but I'll be his priority as his wife." Still, she continued her jest, "You could be nannies for Jiro's and my child, as long as you're kind and obedient!"
Those words weighed heavily on the girls' hearts.
"What if you have a child? Jiro might stop visiting us!" Lyra exclaimed, her voice thick with fear and jealousy.
"I can't accept that! Jiro, break up with Miya right now!" Vespera added, incredulous at the prospect. Miya intensified her teasing,
"If Jiro and I marry, we'll leave and live far away—peacefully as a couple, far from chaotic vampires and werewolves like you!" This ignited their anger, and they pulled Jiro away from Miya.
"You can't leave, Jiro! You can't abandon us!" they shouted in unison, their hands clutching him tightly.
Jiro quickly intervened, "Calm down, both of you—Miya's just joking! We have no relationship, and I have no plans to marry soon. I'm too young for that!" he explained, soothing their distress.
"Miya, stop the teasing—I don't understand why you keep doing this," he added, almost scolding her.
Miya relented with a smile, "Fine, it was just a joke. But even if it's not me, someone will claim Jiro someday, and you can't stop it." She stepped away to fetch more food, and they resumed watching, though her words lingered in Lyra and Vespera's minds.
"Miya, why do you do this?" Lyra asked, her voice trembling.
Both girls clung tightly to Jiro's arms, their eyes reflecting deep worry, prompting Jiro to sigh as he reassured them, "I'm not going anywhere, I promise. As long as you need me, I'll stay by your side."
A few minutes later, as they watched, the possibility of losing Jiro gnawed at their thoughts. "What if it's true, Vespera? What if Jiro really finds another family?" Lyra whispered, her voice heavy with sadness.
"I can't accept that, Lyra. He's my only family—I won't let him go," Vespera replied, her eyes betraying her fear. Their emotions cast a silence over them, their attention drifting from the movie.
Shortly after, Miya decided to step outside for some air. "Come on, join me outside!" she invited, but Lyra and Vespera stood firm, still upset with her.
"We're not going with you!" Lyra snapped, arms crossed.
"Yeah, we don't like you!" Vespera added. Miya teased again,
"If you won't come, I'll just take Jiro—we'll go far away to start a family!" The two leapt to their feet in fury,
"We're coming! You can't take Jiro from us!" they shouted, their tone almost threatening.
"Miya, enough with the teasing," Jiro interjected firmly. Miya laughed, amused by their reaction, as if they were children unwilling to part from their mother.
In the car, their conversation continued. "Jiro, is it true you'll leave me if you start another family?" Lyra asked, her voice laced with anxiety.
Jiro chuckled, "Forget what Miya said—it was just a joke. I have no intention of leaving you."
Yet Lyra admitted, "I can't brush it off, Jiro. I keep thinking it might happen someday. You're my only family—I don't want to lose you." Vespera joined in,
"Yes, Jiro, you're my only family too. I don't want to be alone," her tone desperate.
Jiro smiled at their sincerity, recognizing the depth of their emotions. "I've already promised, haven't I? That won't change," he said, his voice full of conviction. Lyra and Vespera smiled, immediately embracing him, their hearts overflowing with love.
"Thank you, Jiro. We're happy to hear that, and we trust you," Lyra said, her voice soft with relief.
However, as the car rolled along the winding rural road under the dim glow of dusk, an unforeseen catastrophe struck. Ahead, a colossal, shadowy creature—its form a grotesque amalgamation of sinew and scales, with glowing crimson eyes—leapt from the dense forest, its roar shaking the air as it blocked their path.
The mysterious beast, exuding an otherworldly aura, seemed to materialize from a rift in reality, its presence hinting at a force tied to Lyra and Vespera's forgotten past.
The collision was instantaneous and violent; the car's front crumpled against the creature's massive frame, the impact hurling the vehicle into a spin. Glass shattered, metal groaned, and the car careened off the road, crashing into a ditch.
In the chaos, the creature's purpose became clear. Tendrils of dark energy snaked from its body, wrapping around Lyra and Vespera, who were still dazed from the crash.
" What happend?.. lyra.. vespera."
Before Jiro or Miya could react, a swirling portal—its edges crackling with violet light—ripped open in the air, and the beast dragged the two girls through it, their screams echoing as they vanished into the abyss.
" Lyra!... Vespera!!"
Jiro, his heart pounding with desperation, fought against his injuries. Despite his weakening state—blood trickling from a gash on his forehead—he summoned every ounce of strength, leaping toward the portal just as it began to close. His fingers grazed the edge, and with a final surge of willpower, he tumbled through.
" Jiro.."
Miya, witnessing Jiro's reckless dive, gasped in horror but acted swiftly. With a determined shout, she hurled herself after him, narrowly slipping through the portal's shrinking gap before it sealed shut with a deafening thud.
The three found themselves in an unfamiliar, desolate landscape—the Eternal Warlands—where jagged cliffs loomed under a perpetually gray sky, and the air thrummed with the distant clash of steel. Lyra and Vespera lay unconscious, their bodies beginning to glow with faint traces of their lost powers, while Jiro and Miya, battered and disoriented, realized they were now in a world of warlords, .