The boys hustled to gather up all the dead and give them their proper burials. There just seemed to be a never ending amount of bloody bodies. The BEASTs tended to each other—for Kikwang and Dongwoon had gotten a few bones dislocated. They were dragged to a remote location briefly to try to conceal their yelps of pain as the others put their bones back in the proper places. Sophia personally carried each of her siblings into the kingdom's cemetery. Tears streamed down her face the moment she saw them. And every single time she was forced to lift one up and press them against her chest, it was as if a part of her soul was being by their emptiness. Damien helped take the limp bodies of her parents from their varying locations to their burial spots. They were the individuals who helped raise him, and never in his wildest imagination had he foreseen such an ending for them. Mrs. Moon was held by Sungyeol, who blankly placed her right next to Sungwoo Moon's gravesite. He had hidden her body thoroughly from the war itself after her passing. The King grasped onto the body of his late wife, holding onto her as tightly as he possibly could. It was surreal for him to just have her in his arms, when he just saw her smiling face not too long ago.

How could this be the end for them?

As the BEASTs, the living members of the Woo family, Damien, and Sophia gathered around the deceased, a sense of closure entered their bodies. Being able to give them all a proper burial was the only way to certainly part with them. They had to say goodbye.

None of them shared a single word with each other during this time. It was too... melancholic for it. Each deceased body was placed into silk lined coffins, before Sungjong willed the ground to separate at their feet. As each of the wooden boxes were slowly lowered into the holes, tears continued to rain down onto those being buried. With another swipe of his hands, beautiful roses began to engulf the covering of each and every single one. It was such an odd yet glorious phenomenon. Vines seemed to protrude from the grass itself, before wonderful flowers of all the possible colours bloomed.

This was their final goodbye to those they loved so much. It was their parting.

At least, until they meet in paradise.

One by one, each of them left the grim environment of the dead and headed off into the palace, to see if there was anything that didn't need to be rebuilt or replaced. The King. Sunggyu. Dongwoo. Woohyun. Hoya. Sungyeol. Myungsoo. Sungjong. Damien. Doojoon. Junhyung. Hyunseung. Kikwang. Dongwoon. And lastly Yoseob. All left behind the Princess, who seemed to be gaining strength with the passing seconds.

This was her last gift to the ones who sacrificed everything for her.

When she did follow behind the others, everyone was scattered in the kingdom. The King had locked himself in his bedroom, to reminisce on the times with his first love and late wife. The BEAST boys were helping butlers and maids start cleaning around the entire palace itself, lifting heavy objects and disposing of stragglers and assassin's bodies into the large fire pit outside that Dongwoo had started. Damien was just roaming about, knowing that he was the only one who had really noticed Sophia's transformation—simply because he was the one who had done it. And the Woo brothers were cleaning up the bedrooms as much as they could.

Sophia walked through the once flawless palace and noted at each flaw. Everything was not as she had seen them before. It was actually... more beautiful now. There was a light shed on the 'perfection' of vampires. They weren't perfect. No. They were more vulnerable if anything. This was a clear depiction of that.

She peered into what was once Hoya's bedroom, and saw the boys just sitting around thinking about what just happened. His was the only room not as damaged as the others. Sophia's heart crashed when she noted the pain in the expressions. They tried their best to mask it, but how could they? Even she couldn't do it.

Before she could fully even step into the room, a pair of arms were wrapped around her body and pulled her in effortlessly. She just stood there, waiting for some sort of identifier as to who it was. Their steady heartbeat oddly paced with hers. But after a while, it didn't matter. Someone eventually tapped the first person, causing them to let go so the new person could hold her next. And this happened until all seven brothers were able to embrace her even for just a moment.

Sophia couldn't seem to look any of them in the eyes. Just the thought of knowing that she was the reason their mother died.... It will haunt her forever.

The oldest walked right up to her before placing his forefinger on her chin and shifting her focus onto his chinky eyes before whispering, "It's not your fault. And I hope you won't argue with us that you believe it is."

"It doesn't matter if it really was my fault or not," she blinked slowly, "she's still gone."

"Our Mother is in a place where she's able to be with those she loves freely," Woohyun stared at the wall as he announced that.

Hoya walked to his balcony doors and opened them wide. A brief wind chilled through the entire room hauntingly. "It's what we always wanted for her."

"No matter how much we made her smile, there was still a lingering amount of sadness on her face," added Dongwoo.

"She's finally able to embrace them, like she's always wanted for so long," smiled Sungjong.

"We miss her, yeah, but we're also happy for her. We got to spend so much time with such a strong woman, and to share her with those who raised her is fulfilling," Sungyeol effortlessly intertwined his thoughts into their argument.

"Now, we'll live our lives for her, for the one who always cared, for our Mother," Myungsoo finished it off beautifully.

"And Soph," Sunggyu then brushed his fingers along the sides of her muddy hair. He pushed what he could behind her right ear before smiling sweetly and continuing, "It's not like you didn't lose people either."

Her heart skipped a beat for a moment. He was right. All of them lost someone in this tragedy. The only difference was she lost almost everyone from her life outside the palace walls. It was as if the world was pushing her to literally forget and move on from her normal life—or what she believed was normal. Clearly, her fate wasn't meant to be a 'normal' one in any way possible.

That... was merely a dream... a dream that was never going to become reality.

An impossible wish.

"It's alright, you know," Myungsoo walked closer to the two of them before reaching for her hand to hold. His touch itself was enough to calm her nerves down, "to feel some sort of responsibility for it. But in no means was it because of you."

"And none of us are blaming you for any of this," added Sungyeol from the far corner of the room. The tone of his voice sent a message of love towards her.

The Princess had passed that point. She was no longer blaming herself, especially not after the thrilling revenge she had inflicted on the Lee family. And how Damien just literally yelled at her to accept reality. He had finally been pushed to the edge by her pessimistic words. She can't change what happened. She can never do that. Lingering on it forever, quite literally now that she has the capability of being around for that long, would do nothing but tarnish each and every single one of their memories.

Sophia looked at each of the Princes, making eye contact with whoever was focused on her. A slight twinkle of joy glistened in her eyes. What she had done was something she had never foreseen, or even imagined herself ever enjoying. But it had soothed her soul. What amused her the most was... how none of them had caught on to her transformation yet.

"I'm not blaming myself anymore," she told them with a hint of accomplishment in her tone. This was the moment she'd let them know of her actions... of her choice... of her transformation. "I... I was able to avenge them."

That's when each and every single one of the brothers would have seized to breathe if they were forced to even do so. Simultaneously, their confused eyes turned to her. Their minds began to dissect her words. What did she mean by that?

"What?" Sungjong got up from the bed and looked the most confused of them all.

Sophia sighed lightly, taking in the cold air about her, before looking Sungjong in his eyes and simply stating, "I killed them."

And those words, were some that none of the Princes had ever imagined her saying.

"Who?" Hoya questioned her intently.

"The Lee family," she replied as she recalled what she had done. And how she had ripped their hearts out of their bodies. How she left the final survivor to do as he pleased. The last of them. The one who had killed the Queen.

"The entire family?" Dongwoo leaned forward a bit from the wall he was leaning on.

"I left one alive, to show him how painful it was to lose someone you loved," Sophia finished her confession. "But the rest are gone."

A part of her wanted to grin at that moment. She was satisfied with her actions. She was happy about being able to kill them. She was delighted by her transformation. But this girl understood exactly why she couldn't do something like that. Grinning about almost murdering and exterminating an entire family line was something that the old Sophia wouldn't do. No. She'd cry. She'd linger on the past. She'd admit defeat. She'd never ever resort to violence. But that girl. That feeble, weak, annoying little girl was dead.

The war had killed her too.

And now, this woman in front of them was something stronger, smarter, wittier, and better. Much better. Immortal. Powerful. Smart. Headstrong. She was now nearly impossible to defeat.

"How is this even possible?" an awestricken Myungsoo questioned her. "You're not capable of..."

"Of killing people?" Sophia finished his sentence for him. It was now or never. "I am. Well, at least I am now that I'm a completely different person."

That was what basically slapped the Princes in the face. How could none of them notice beforehand? There was a reason something about her had changed. But it was such a minor change without having witnessed it themselves, they would have never known unless told.

She was a full vampire now.

Woohyun pushed aside Sunggyu before putting his hands on her shoulders. He shook her lightly, the panic rising in his eyes. This couldn't be true. He.. he was alright with her transforming beforehand, but it didn't feel right now. It didn't. Not at all.

"You're a vampire now?!" he yelped.

She nodded. A part of her understood why he reacted that way. Another questioned his sanity. All of them had wanted her to become a full vampire, and now that she was, they reacted like this. Why couldn't they just be satisfied with her choice?

A flurry of questions followed her gesture.

"Since when?"

"Where?"

"Why?"

"WHAT?!"

"By who?"

The final question was almost an indicator. Because the transformer was unknowingly pushing himself into a situation that was going to almost kill him. A new figure knocked against the doors, indicating that they wanted to step into the room. Sophia stepped aside for the person, who had been contemplating for so long about what he could possibly say to all of them. It took a lot of courage to not even run away at this moment. And in all honesty, he definitely would have kept his distance had he known that the Prince just found out of Sophia's transformation.

Damien took a deep breath before saying, "Hey."

Everyone else seemed to simultaneously respond with a "hi" in the same tone. The same defeated tone. No one really turned to look at him and acknowledge his presence in any other way. It wasn't that they were trying to be rude, more like no one really knew how to face each other.

Woohyun kept his eyes locked on Sophia. Her eyes slightly turned to Damien, who could barely look at her himself. Something about them was extremely awkward. It made... it made everyone else take notice.

Hoya was the one to exclaim out his opinion before anyone. "It was Damien, wasn't it?"

"What?" Damien was confused as he took a step back. He was in a room full of vampires. Emotionally distraught vampires. All of which had abilities that could easily rip him to shreds.

"You turned her, didn't you?" Dongwoo asked him.

It felt as though a huge boulder was placed into Damien's throat because he seemingly just couldn't breathe properly after that. The tensions rose before Sophia stood inbetween Damien and the boys, showing how she'd protect him if any of them even attempted to hurt him.

"So what if he did?" she questioned them in return. "You guys were all on the 'turn Sophia into a vampire' boat and now that I really am, you're all mad at him for it?"

"We never wanted you to turn into one of us for the wrong reasons," Sunggyu calmly responded. He was the only one able to control his emotions at that moment.

"What is considered a wrong reason?" Sophia asked.

"Revenge," Sungjong replied from the bedside. "Darkness. All of that. That's what causes one to fall off the edge."

"I did it for the people I love," she felt something clog up also. "Not with vengeance in mind. It just... It just played out that way. If transforming into a full vampire meant that I could finally protect those I loved then I was okay with it. I'd... I'd do anything to make sure that I didn't lose anyone else."

A pause. A deathly pause.

Each of the boys calmed down, recognizing that their wishes had finally been granted. She was finally a full fledged vampire. This wasn't a reason to be angry. No. This wasn't a sad moment. It couldn't be.

"You did it for us?" Myungsoo questioned her motives.

"If not for you," Sophia honestly answered, "then for whom?"

Damien cleared his throat at that moment. He knew that one of the Princes had won Sophia's heart. But none of them did. And he really didn't want to be in the room with them for any longer than necessary. He lightly pushed Sophia to the side, to show that he didn't need to be protected, before sighing under his breath.

"I just wanted to check up on you guys," he continued. "I know this is a really tough time for us all. We've all lost something, someone... maybe even everything. And the... the one thing we all need is support."

Dongwoo and Sunggyu put their hands on his shoulders before nodding in agreement. Damien was capable of saying something like this to them all, simply because he had really grown from what he used to be. He didn't lose his parents like the rest of them, but he did lose people he respected and loved also. This hunter had as much at stake as they did. The war forced him to admit to something that he really didn't want to face at all: that he can't control others actions, and he must adapt to others if he truly wants them to be happy. Even though he was transformed into a being that he was programmed to loathe from the start of his life, it didn't bother him at all. Why? Why would he hate what he is when the person he loves is just the same? It's hypocritical. It's judgmental. It's a weakness.

"Pretty hard to stay strong right now," admitted Woohyun, who continued to blankly keep his eyes focused on the bare wall in front of him.

"It's not about having to stay strong," Damien told him. "It's about finally letting go of the pain and being able to move from it."

Woohyun showed a little smirk before turning slightly to look at Damien .The best friend of the girl he loved had really transformed alright. He was a much more respectable being now. And it was an honor to see his change like this. "Never thought I'd hear that from you."

"Never thought I'd even be in this situation with you all," the hazel eyed individual grinned himself. "Never thought I'd have to fight in a war like this. Never thought I'd become a vampire. Just goes to show you that life is just unpredictable. And—"

"And that one shouldn't keep their eyes focused on a foggy future, but on the clear present instead, right?" Sungyeol melodically added to his words, like a beautiful sentence that completed a fairytale.

"Right," Damien nodded to show him that he had taken the words right out of his mouth. "And I thought you guys should know we can't find Isaiah and Anthony anywhere."

"What?" asked Dongwoo.

"There isn't a dead body that resembles them, not even a scrap of their uniform."

"They wouldn't run away from something like this," Hoya began to analyze the situation.

Damien sighed lightly. "I know. That's why I issued a search for them. It's either they're dead or they're alive. And we'll find them. We will. I promise you."

"We appreciate that," Sungyeol thankfully expressed.

"We really do," Sungjong added.  

Dongwoo and Sunggyu took a few steps back as Hoya approached Damien. He began to braise himself for the violence that he knew the Prince was capable of emitting. But no. It wasn't a punch or a kick that Hoya planned on inflicting on Damien, but was actually just a simple gesture.

A hug, to show that they were all on the same side.

"Thanks," Hoya told him, "for doing what I think we would have hesitated on."

"Huh?"

"Transforming her," he clarified.

Damien slightly turned to Sophia, and focused in on her beautiful features. She was forever frozen in the perfect figure he loved the most in the world. It was because of him. She saved him. And he saved her.

How could their fates not be intertwined?

"Don't worry about it," he blankly replied. "It was what we all wanted, right?"

Sophia noticed how... different all of the guys were now. Just a few months, each and every single one of them did no respect the other like this. Damien was nothing but a server to the boys. He was easily replaceable. He was just a butler in debt. And the Princes. They looked like monsters to Damien. They all looked like the evil of the world.

Now... Now everything was wonderful. Everything was as it should be.

They all understood their roles in the world, in Sophia's life. They had to get along for everyone to be happy. They all had fallen in love with a girl who literally drove them all insane.

How silly.

She wanted time to be frozen in this moment. Nothing could ruin this. Nothing. This was something they all had to remember. This timeframe. When everyone was content and actually enjoyed the other's presence.

It was perfect.

"We should all get some rest," she announced. "It's been a really exhausting day for us all."

"Vampires don't need to sleep, love," Woohyun extended his hand to brush aside her hair gently.

She smiled sweetly before replying, "I know. But doesn't mean we shouldn't get any."

"Then, let's set up for it," Dongwoo raised the mood with his signature haughty laugh.

Everyone pushed aside furniture and placed as many clean sheets and pillows as they could wrangle up. All of them were really tired, to be honest. Each felt like the world was to start spinning and darken any time soon. If they were humans, they would have definitely crashed a long time ago. Sophia's suggestion was best—and had hidden motives.

Sunggyu used his ability to ease the others into sleeping. It was a beautiful, enchanting tune; which soothed all of their aching souls too easily. A small smile formed on everyone's faces as they entered other worlds.

Sophia realized that this would foil her plans, especially if it put her to sleep too soon, and so she straightened up and lightly whispered, "I'll be back. I want to grab a cup of water."

This was the last time any of them would hear her voice in a really long time.

The Princess of Akore pushed aside the grand doors before closing it right behind her. And she just waited. Waited for all of them to fall into a deep sleep. This was her time. This was what she had planned from the start of her transformation. What she had told them—that becoming a vampire wasn't because she wanted vengeance, but simply because she wanted to protect them all—wasn't a lie. It was really far from it.

Her ability was about to be known.

But was this really something she had to do? Yes. Yes it was. This was the only thing she could do... to make it all better for them. She loved them all too much to just see them be pained by the events of the war. And how they'd act so strong around her... just to not seem weak in her presence. How they made so many sacrifices for her. How they loved her unconditionally.

Slightly opening the bedroom's doors lightly, trying not to make too much noise, before poking her head and rest of her body through. She had to find her first victim. Contemplating on which Prince took a while... before she finally made her decision.

It would be Damien.

He was the one most smitten about her. And most affected by her presence. He was capable of achieving so many goals and make such a difference to the world—but won't because he was being held back by his feelings. She had to make him forget. Not for her sake. But for his.

Leaning forward slightly, she carefully grazed by his temples before willing him to forget. She couldn't make him forget her completely—it would leave to many gaps in his memory. She just... she just altered it all. She made it suit a whole different ending for him. This picture he held of her was going to be the same. He'd still recall how his old best friend was a girl named Sophia, with her same features and stubborn personality. But he wouldn't know of her lineage, her actions, her transformation. The reason he was turned was because an enemy assassin had bitten him. The Sophia in his memory gave her blood to him in an attempt to save his life... but then the assassin turned around and killed her. Now Damien had to continue on his original goals and train others to protect the defenseless from the monsters of the world.

This was easier for him. This was the best. At least... that's what Sophia tried to convince herself was the truth.

Next... next was a Prince. Sophia simply shifted herself to face him. She noticed how beautiful his features how. Just how captivatingly amazing he looked. How perfectly sculpted his nose was. How clear his milky skin was. How his grin was enough to take every part of her. How he was just someone so different to her.

But why him? Why him of all of them? He was such a jerk to her. He had pushed her away so far in the beginning. He made her hate him. He made her annoyed with his very presence. But then... then he kissed her. And when he did... he had won her over completely. It was a genuine kiss. One with pure intentions and love overflowing from it.

She lightly held onto his hand, about to make him forget about ever meeting her. It would be easier with the Princes because they've only spent a few months together. The impact would be less harsh for them.

And she was so close...

Until...

Until he smiled in his sleep. Looking at his smile like this stabbed her heart a thousand times. Sophia paused as the tears were about to overpower her body. That was her ultimate weakness. That's what caused her to stop. And not even go through with it.

Could she even take away their ultimate happiness? Could she even do that to them? When she knew that they all loved her so much? Could she... just rip them from the happiest memories they could have ever created?

A new figure had interrupted her breaking mindset with a simple question, "What are you doing?"

Sophia was caught off guard, having hurriedly pushed the figure out of the room before closing the door lightly behind them. Yoseob stared at her, his puppy eyes confused about just how fast she was. He sniffed the air slightly, as the other BEASTs joined them. Each knew exactly what she had become... and how powerful she was now.

"I'm going to repeat my question," Yoseob intently told her, "what the hell are you doing?"

"I'm making it all better," she couldn't look at any of them in the eyes.

"What better?" Doojoon asked her.

"Their lives."

"How?"

"By making them forget," a tear fell from her eye. "By altering their memories."

Hyunseung took a step forward, before Dongwoon held him back quickly. Hyunseung was mostly indifferent when it came to these sort of situations, but he just really didn't understand her choice. "You're taking away the happiest moments of their lives?"

"I'm making it easier to live the rest of eternity," she reasoned blankly. "They won't be held back by my memory."

"Why would you take away something that forms a smile on their faces?" questioned Kikwang.

"Because it's the only way they'll truly live their lives... It's the only way they can truly be happy."

"So I interrupted your process?" Yoseob asked.

"I had already done it to Damien... I just... I couldn't bring myself to do so to—" clogged up at that moment. It caused her to pause before finding her voice once more. "I shouldn't have chosen to wipe his memories next. It was my fault. Then... then it would have been easier and quicker."

"Who?" Junhyung was the one to ask the question that remained unanswered for so long.

Sophia couldn't tell them who. She couldn't. This was something she kept a secret from everyone. It was someone she loved most of all. He was the one that made it so difficult for her to turn her back on everything and proceed with her plan.

Yoseob knew exactly who it was. "Myungsoo."

Yes. Him.

If she couldn't bring herself to erasing his memories... then she had to make sure she wouldn't return. That she would never go back to them. That she could force herself to go away.

Sophia took a few steps closer to the broken mirror still hanging on the wall. Its bloody edges showed how damaged she was. Her eyes stared blankly back at her. She focused on the perfection that captivated others. The beauty. The flawlessness. How wonderful she seemed in their eyes.

"What are you doing?" asked Dongwoon.

"I'm making myself forget," she kept her eyes locked on her reflection.

"What?!" yelped each of the BEASTs.

"Are you insane?" questioned Junhyung angrily.

"Why would you do that?!" Doojoon had to hold his tongue from causing a ruckus throughout the palace and possibly waking the others.

Sophia honestly replied, "If I can't make them forget... then I have to. I'll... I'll rearrange everything. I'll... make it seamless. I'll make it perfect."

"Don't," whispered Kikwang intently. "You'll regret it, Soph."

"It's the only way to ensure that they'll stay safe," Sophia began to cry intensely.

"There has to be another way," inched Hyunseung closer to her.

"There isn't."

"Yes, there is... there always is."

"But this. This is what I choose."

They all froze. And understood that her personality and headstrong personality was something that really would never change. She had made up her mind. And it was their choice to support her or not.

"I promised that us BEASTs would support you until the end, and stand by you through thick and thin," Yoseob stood right behind her, looking at her reflection's eyes. "And that still applies."

A weak smile formed across her face. That's what she wanted to hear. "I'm glad to know that."

"What's your request, dear Princess?"

"Just take me home," she whispered as the last tear fell from her face.

"As you wish," all six members simultaneously said to seal their promise to her.

And in that moment, Sophia's entire mind was erased. She forgot the memories she spent with Cathy and Jun. How they would read to her at night. How happy she was to find out she was going to have an influx of siblings. How excited she was for school. How she could easily remember so many recipes. How glad she was to get her first job. How she met Damien. How she and him became best friends. How he'd stand up for her at school. How he'd follow behind her everywhere like a puppy. How she got fired. How she asked for a job at the castle. How Mrs. Moon was so kind to her. How she looked over her like a mother. How she had fallen for each of the Prince. How caring the Queen and King were to her. How she had witnessed so much death and tragedy about her.

She forgot their faces. She forgot their special moments. The bedroom. The fountain. The kitchen. The library. The music room. The garden. The cherry blossom tree. All of it. How she kissed some of them. How she transformed them. How she admired them. How she loved them.

All of it.

And she replaced each memory with the Princes. A BEAST boy took each of their places. This however, caused a loophole in her change. But that... that wouldn't be known until much later. It all disappeared. It all went away. Like a wound. It wouldn't be seen by the eye. But that didn't mean that it would truly be forgotten.

And the last thing that Sophia remembered, the last thing she held onto, the last thing she wanted to see—was the smiling face of each of the Princes, especially his.

I'm sorry. I really am. Please... forgive me... for what I've done. I love you. I love you all. I really do. I'm going to miss you.

I beg for your forgiveness... Myungsoo.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is it! A special thank you to those who have stuck around for so long, and to those who have commented (: I  enjoyed writing this portion of the story, but stay tuned for the surprises I have in store for you all :D Subscribe to the sequel as I have promised, alright? 

Tell me what you guys thought of this entire fic as a whole, or even just this parting chapter! 

Okay?

Oh and if I don't post regularly, just bother me at myungfany.tumblr.com lol.