Submerged in the water, Khalfani was entirely in their zone. Nothing else mattered in this moment as the water cut off all noise like a sound-proof wall. This was their therapy. It didn't matter what time of year it was, this place was always the same temperature-wise, so a dive in the pool at six in the morning was perfectly normal, expected by now as apart of their routine. Six months in and they were still in the process of getting used to their whole...position in this country. You know, with being the Pharaoh's grandchild and all. Political power was something Khalfani aspired for for as long as they could remember. Their goals required them to be able to make decisions that could effect entire countries at a time, but now that they were actually in this position, there were so many things that they hadn't been prepared for. Having this status of nobility only made them frustrated. It was just a pretty title that they really couldn't do much with as is.

The Pharaoh's word was law, so really, there was so much more they had to do. Of course, the vampire didn't agree with everything their grandfather did. Besides feeling like a glorified diplomat, they also had developed more enemies than they had expected- specifically from people outside of the kingdom. Nomadic chiefs, beast-tamers, people who found purpose outside of the rich bountiful cities of Desierto. There were people that loved them too. Alongside their brother Khnurn, they had become the prince-brothers of Desierto with their older brother being more famous.

The most annoying "perk" of all was having guards and servants follow you everywhere. EVERYWHERE. All day. Everyday. It was to the point where Khal had to damn near beg the Pharaoh to remove them. Maybe that's what power looked like? It wasn't enough. Perhaps it would never be enough. The driving force of their commitment to the Pharaoh was power and they needed more but not in the way of senseless guards following you pretending that they could protect you better than themselves. Sure, there was undoubtedly the aspect of love involved in their relationship with their grandfather somewhere, but what mattered most was how they could use that power. Everything was politics- as much as they hated it. It was all politics. As they emerged from the water, they ran their fingers through their hair, water dripping down their body as they gazed out and leaned over the ledge to watch the sun rise.

Villa:

At least the only things they had to complain about was having too many guards. They smiled with a sigh. This was the first time they were genuinely happy. Man, times had changed so fast. One minute they had been young and lost, found by Odin, given purpose, but angry at the world with no real plan on how to go about seeking vengeance...and now they were just...chilling. Still, there was so much for them to learn. They may have bulked up and shit, fought a few people and wrestled a few monsters, but there was still a huge gap between them and Khnurn. Even Odin and Konyo. The Pharaoh expected the vampire to aid their elder brother in battle against more of their incoming enemies in the future, but they were quite literally the weakest out of the family and even the trio that was Khnurn, Konyo and Khalfani themselves. Triple K the people called them. It was embarrassing to actually admit to themselves. It was for that reason that the Pharaoh had paid someone to mentor them, though the young Morningstar had no idea when they would show up today...

"ربي" Khalfani heard, slowly turning their back towards the rising sun as the guard wrapped in fabric holding a spear and shield walked forward from the opening that led to the long pool Khal was in. "Hm?" they inquired. "يوجد من يراك هنا ، أرسله فرعون." For a moment there was silence. The Eternal nightmare mage attempted to figure out who it could be but to no avail. "Hm. It's early..." They said before turning around and facing the sun. They felt safe here. Completely safe in fact. "أرسلهم ، شكرا لك" Khalfani said coldly, telling the guard to bring the visitor in as they gazed toward the peeking sun.

The water was always so refreshing, and what was even more amazing was the fact that it wasn't enchanted. The kingdom of Desierto had the best of everything. Of course, that was only an issue in the Sorcerers eyes. Best to enjoy it while they had the privilege too. The sun was no longer shying away from the horizon. Now it would prove to be triumphant as it arose gracefully. Such a powerful thing, the sun. A source of power that the vampire had been unlucky to no longer be able to harness. As the water trickled down their chest, they hear the shuffling of the feet of a guard. One foot at a time, but if there were two people then...

"Hm." the prince turned around only to see Konyo. One of the strongest people they had met to date. Not only that, but Konyo was a comrade who they had actually grown to care for. War had that effect. To build bonds almost taboo for the sake of survival. The beautiful man with delicate features and traits most simple-minded people would assume only pertain to women, was no pushover. He was mighty and had trained Khalfani diligently.

You see, Khalfani's magic was... not like other magics. It didn't conjure magic circles and it wasn't any tangible worldly element. Simply put, they had the ability to manipulate a force of nature that chose them. In other words, it was literally by the grace of God that they could use it. With that being said, their development was a lot slower than most folks. They had to train harder than the average mage. Meditation and keeping a level head was key. So, thanks to Konyo, the vampire had become better controlling it. Konyo took on the initiative to help Khalfani, knowing the circumstances. But then why were they here? Could it be that their grandfather is now paying Konyo to train them? If so...then Konyo truly was the ultimate hustler.

As the Hawkeye spoke, Khal could only smirk. Vampirism was no easy thing to control. The hunger itself had a mind of its own. "Of course, you can. I'm sure Shakir wouldn't mind." Khalfani said waving their hand. Shakir, the consort, widened their eyes. There was nothing he could do. Contrary to what he probably thought, he'd enjoy it a lot more than Kon would.

"You never fail to help me, brother. I guess my grandfather told you to come?" They asked. "But wait. Before we get into that...how are you feeling? You seem to have control over the darkness." Of course he did, Konyo was a genius.

As far as Khalfani was concerned, here in Desierto, Konyo was deserving of the highest treatment. Shakir flinched as Kon drew his blood. The panther raised an eyebrow in surprise. Feeding wasn't as orgasmic when you didn't physically embrace the prey. Perhaps that's what made them so different. Khalfani hadn't fought the darkness, he embraced it and Kon? Kon preferred to neglect the culture of vampirism. Khalfani had turned him, which meant virtually nothing other than the fact that they were bonded, but he was...different. When all was done, Khalfani gestured for Shakir to come and so he did, holding his wrist as he shuffled towards the pool.

"Of course, I expect nothing less from my mentor." the Desiertan said with a sigh. The Desiertan climbed out of the pool dripping wet and entirely naked. Body tuned from months of training and war. His most private areas immaculate in more ways the one. Not a piece of fabric on his body. Shakir's faced reddened, but he could not turn away. Not until Khalfani told him to. That, was also something Khalfani hated about this place. "If you need anything, I'm here to help I hope you know that. If the urge ever becomes too strong, or if you simply need a place to stay." Khalfani said coldly before pausing and turning to Shakir.The servant was hesitant because he knew what was coming.

"May I? I need to feed." He asked. Shakir nodded and raised the slitted wrist to Khal's mouth. The naked prince closed his eyes and began drinking. His eyes flashed a bright red color as he relished in the pleasure. After about a minute, he nodded to Shakir to leave and turned to Konyo. "The Pharaoh sent you for me... I can't activate my magic for some reason. It's still something I'm struggling to grasp. Chaos is difficult to control and the Pharaoh doesn't like that I'm not dependable enough." Khalfani said coldly. Although he wouldn't show it, he was annoyed that he was the brother his grandfather had to keep an eye on all the time. Prophecies and fate or whatnot. "You said you needed help before meeting with my grandfather. I'm assuming that means you're a little rusty, so let's help each other."

The formidable mage before him flexed his magical capabilities without even trying. The bow, the eye, the arm, all of his items were extremely strong. Khalfani winced at the thought of being beaten to a pulp. Still, the prince was extremely excited. Grandfather couldn't have chosen a better person to help him control his abilities. Kon was a master, with all due respect and for what it's worth, Khalfani also respected him. In the end though, his true goals remained a mystery. It's what drew Khalfani to Konyo. He seemed to be a rebel at heart, but perhaps he was actually just selfish. Despite the rumors of him and his father having beef, Khalfani understood his own complicated position. Sometimes he even questioned whether or not Odin was the right man to have pledged loyalty to. That was the strength of love, I suppose. It made you see things about people from a biased perspective. Still, he knew that Odin wasn't a bad man. The Lich would always have Khalfani to defend him. It was because the Vampire had nothing to lose that he was so willing to throw his body on the line for the guild master of Eternal Nightmare.

In the end, Konyo had agreed to fighting Khalfani. Their training beforehand would pale in comparison to an actual fight. Kon was merciless, that much was revealed on the battlefield. The archer moved towards another room and Khalfani followed, still naked as water dripped off of his body until one of the servants came to cover him with a silk white robe. Everyone tended to his every need here, it was quite annoying. The two of them would eventually fight, but of course, Khal being completely overwhelmed and being beaten far too easily.

Yet, this was only the beginning. Next time, he wouldn't lose so easily.