Chapter 261: Chapter 261 - Red-Haired Heir
Atlas hurriedly pushed open the door to where Morganna was. His hands trembled, his thoughts a storm, joy, curiosity, and a dozen other emotions all colliding within him. What would it be? A son... or a daughter? His first child.
Inside, Morganna sat on the bed, cradling something gently in her arms. At that very moment, the faint sound of crying filled the room.
She lifted her gaze toward Atlas, her eyes softer than he had ever seen them.
Step by step, Atlas drew closer. Faster, until he stood right before her, until he could see the tiny figure swaddled in Morganna’s embrace.
The baby... was beautiful. A girl. Wisps of delicate red hair framed her small head as she squirmed and let out another fragile cry.
Atlas lowered himself to sit at Morganna’s right side, his breath unsteady. His hands shook as he reached out, brushing against the baby’s tiny hand. The touch brought another soft cry from her lips, a sound that struck deeper than any battle Atlas had ever fought.
[A new life has been born under your lineage.]
[Race Identified: Dhampir (Unique Hybrid)]
[Lineage: Stormforged Herald (Atlas Blackthorn) × Queen of the Eternal Dusk (Morganna Nightshade)]
[Innate Talents Unlocked:]
[Balanced Vitality (SS) - Predator’s Instinct (S) - Blood-Mana Conduit (A)]
[Balanced Vitality: A stable blend of mortal and vampiric essence, granting natural resistance to fatigue, illness, and minor curses.]
[Predator’s Instinct: Possesses heightened awareness of nearby danger, reacting instinctively to hostile intent.]
[Blood-Mana Conduit: Body uses blood as a stabilizer for mana flow, preventing overload at early stages.]
"Dhampir?" Atlas whispered softly.
"She can withstand the sunlight well," Morganna murmured. "Stronger, faster, and more beautiful than humans. Aging slowed, near immortality. She can live on both normal food and blood."
Atlas’s chest swelled as a surge of emotions rushed through him. The Vampire Queen slowly handed the tiny girl into his arms. With trembling care, he lifted her, gazing at the delicate face framed by wisps of unusual red hair. Strange... both he and Morganna had black hair, yet their daughter carried this vivid hue.
"Do you have a name for her?" he asked.
Morganna shook her head. Instead, she took the child’s left hand, pricked her thumb, and let a small bead of blood form.
"Morganna?!" Atlas’s voice cracked with alarm.
"She is Dhampir, not a fragile human," she replied coolly.
"What are you doing?"
"Let her carry a drop of your blood," Morganna instructed.
Atlas hesitated, then nodded. He pricked his own right thumb and pressed it gently to the infant’s tiny hand, so their blood nearly touched.
"Name," Morganna said firmly.
Atlas blinked at her. "Me?"
"Yes. You are her father. Give her a name."
"Uhmm..." He fell silent, thinking hard.
"Morravienne... a name shaped by strength and grace. ’Morr’ speaks of fate—the hidden path that guided her to us. ’Vienne’ carries nobility, the elegance of a princess. Together, they mean a sovereign blessed by destiny, one who will grow radiant, steadfast, and unyielding no matter what awaits her."
"Not too long?" Morganna raised a brow.
"Your name is long too," Atlas answered with a faint smile. "We can always call her Mora, or Vienne."
Morganna paused, then nodded slowly. "Yes... the name is beautiful. Morravienne... Vienne..." For the first time, she almost smiled.
Atlas’s throat tightened as he whispered, "Welcome to the world, Morravienne Blackthorn. A beautiful little Dhampir... you’ll carry near-immortality, even while your father is still just a normal human, huh?"
"That will only remind you all the more that you are still fragile, human," Morganna murmured.
Atlas chuckled softly and pressed his thumb gently against his daughter’s, sealing the moment.
[Bloodline Ritual Initiated.]
[Morganna Nightshade has permitted Atlas Blackthorn to merge his blood with the newborn Dhampir.]
[The child’s vampiric essence has accepted the offering. Synchronization established.]
[Affinity Update:]
[– Blood Element Affinity: Low → Medium]
[Sync Progress Established:]
[– Parent ↔ Child resonance created.]
[– Atlas may receive passive growth feedback from the child’s development.]
[– The child inherits adaptive traits linked to Atlas’s Lord System.]
[– Both parties gain improved recovery when in proximity.]
Atlas tilted his head when the notification blinked before him. "What kind of ritual is this?"
"It strengthens both her blood affinity and yours," Morganna answered in her low, steady tone.
She paused, then trailed a gentle finger across the baby’s tiny cheek. "And it binds a blessing to our little girl. She will grow by my side and by yours. She will inherit our strengths, my longevity and your human resilience. She will learn both to hunt and to heal, to stand fast in battle and to fold her hands in mercy. We will teach her to control hunger, to temper power with restraint, and to protect those who cannot protect themselves."
Atlas smiled and leaned closer to the infant. He pressed a careful kiss to the baby’s forehead and felt a rush of tenderness, pride, and a fierce, new kind of joy wash over him. In that rare, quiet moment, Morganna moved closer too. She rested her head against Atlas’s left shoulder, watching their daughter with an expression that was softer than it ever was in public.
"She is so beautiful," Morganna murmured.
Atlas nodded, eyes bright. Then Morganna’s voice hardened. "If you ever get lazy, I will kill you."
Atlas turned to her and laughed quietly. "Look at you. Trying to make yourself a single parent by murdering me."
Morganna’s features relaxed into something almost like fondness. "We will raise her to be clever, proud, fast, and kind in her own way. Together we will shape her into someone the world cannot break."
Atlas smiled fully then, pressing his thumb to the baby’s warm little hand as if sealing a promise. The room held its breath around them, quiet and safe for a few stolen seconds.
According to Edrik’s information, there was a strong chance the baby had inherited the vampire trait of accelerated growth. That meant she would likely grow faster than a normal human child. Was that truly a blessing, or something to worry about?
Growing into a toddler quickly might sound convenient... but Atlas quietly hoped it wouldn’t happen too fast. He wanted to savor these moments, to spend as much time as possible with his little girl.
After a while, he rose to his feet, and Morganna stood with him. It was time. Time to introduce the newest member of Gacha Haven to the world.
Atlas walked to the door, opened it... and froze.
The area was already full, packed with people. Far more than he expected. And among them... Luna, Ember, and even the allied lords had gathered, their faces glowing with curiosity, expectation, and a shared joy.
He raised his arm, gently showing the tiny face to everyone gathered.
"Behold... my daughter, Morravienne Blackthorn. The newest member of our haven. May you all welcome her as one of our own."
The area erupted with cheers and warm voices.
"Welcome, little princess!"
"We’ll protect you, always!"
"Haha, with parents like those, this girl is destined to surpass us all. Welcome, young Blackthorn!"
Lyrassa, Mira, Serenith, and several of the other female lords gathered close, surrounding the tiny baby and taking turns to speak.
"Oh, such a cute little baby," Mira cooed, her bunny ears twitching excitedly. "Mira will show you the freshest carrots on this island, and I’ll take you to play in the flower garden!"
Ember leaned forward next, smirking at Atlas. "Oh Atlas, she’s beautiful... let’s pray she doesn’t pick up that awful personality of yours."
"That’s the alliance leader you’re talking about," Atlas muttered back dryly.
Celestia bent closer, her expression soft. "Sweet little one, may the stars always shine upon your path. I’ll make sure the heavens themselves watch over you."
On the Floating Island, births were not unusual. Whenever a combatant or a worker had children, they usually sent their babies down to the Lower Lands, or else took leave to raise them in safety below. It was the wiser choice, given that life under the Lord Battles System never truly guaranteed security.
But what about Atlas? Should he entrust his own daughter to the same path—or keep her here, in this dangerous place?
The thought pressed heavily on him, but it also lit a fire within. If he was to hold his child close, if he wanted to keep her in this haven... then he had no choice. He would have to push himself harder than ever before. Stronger as a lord. Stronger for his island, for his army, for the very structure of the haven itself.
To protect something truly precious.