Excerpt from Alexander Humboldt-Fonteyne’s documents of 1939 - Found in the Vatican Secret Library


It’s difficult for me to find the appropriate terms without risking being judged as a fool. Yet it appears obvious to me to have, furtively, crossed the threshold to another universe. To relate these events immediately while they stay fresh in my memory seems imperative, as sharing knowledge is likely to change the course of our common history.


To this day, the enigma persists as to the origin of this prodigy, a true beatitude that allowed me to contemplate the splendors of an unexplored country. My epic odyssey took place in Istanbul, while I was looking for famous galleries to shelter the remains of vampires and other legendary creatures. A journey which, alas, proved disappointing, devoid of so much vaunted traces.

When I was thinking of quitting these galleries, empty and disillusioned, heaven and earth seemed to switch suddenly. Dazed by this unusual event, I went outside, to see a striking change in the surroundings. The panorama unfolded before me was nothing like the one I had left behind, and for a moment I believed I had hit my head, thus immersing myself in a trance explaining what my eyes perceived. The town had swept away the coal-stained clouds, erased all traces of the Ottoman occupation, and its inhabitants, richly adorned, interacted in equal harmony. The suburbs of this jewel city were enveloped in lush vegetation, revealing Constantinople as it should have been.

Would I dare to confess the extent of my shame when I think of our civilization, compared to the unity that this land seemed to have prospered?

My incongruous outfit in this world led me to be quickly spotted. Wandering in the streets whose opulence defied the richest kingdoms, sheltered in a vehicle whose propulsion mode escaped me, I discovered other wonders that, to this day, remain inexplicable to me.

Soon I was introduced to a council ironically called the Dragulescu Council, in reference to Vlad Tepes, the impaler himself. This counsel was kind enough to enlighten me on all that I’m about to record in this diary.


Our two worlds share a common history, shaped by the same cataclysms, the same trials, the same beliefs. At least, this convergence persisted until the 15th century, when story abruptly took an unexpected turn.


In the year 1448, when the Ottomans freed Vlad Barab III to reclaim his throne in Wallachia, supported by a cohort of 500 horsemen, he crossed paths with a woman, Beendhi, whose influence would seal their fates. This legendary clairvoyant, gifted with an exceptional power to predict the days to come with astounding precision, chooses to reveal to Vlad the future contours of her existence. Mystery remains about her decision to enlighten Vlad rather than any other male of that time.

The prophecies of Beendhi, unveiled with care, foreshadowed the full fate of Vlad. The loss of the newly acquired Wallachia throne, the duplicity of Mehmet; absorbed in the planning of the Constantinople fall, the reconquest of the regality by Vlad without any help. But also his defamation as a barbaric monster, the lies Matthias Corvin bore, the demise of his beloved wife who preferred suicide to a less lenient destiny, the betrayal of his brother Radu, and eventually his own death. Beendhi also revealed to him that he would be eternally known as the “impaler,” feared throughout Romania, and ultimately turned into a blood-drinking demon by my mentor, Bram Stoker.

These revelations, no doubt, shook the prince, prompting him to question the word of this unknown woman. According to the legend, she offered him a power as a token of loyalty, seeking to earn his trust. However, another version suggests the prior existence of this ability, kept secret by Vlad. It was Beendhi’s disclosure on the specifics of his gift that convinced Vlad of her exceptional talent. Thus, he decided not to hide it and to let it express itself fully. The contours of this capacity remain an enigma, but it’s plausible that it played a crucial role in the rest of its history.

This power proved to be a transcendent strength, allowing Vlad to reshape his destiny. He maintained his position on the throne of Wallachia, forced Emperor Matthias Corvin to assist him, thwarted the capture of Constantinople by taking Mehmed’s troops from behind and sent the sultan back east. Well beyond these exploits, with the support of Beendhi, he also overthrew Emperor Constantine, an ally of Rome and the Church, openly declaring himself “vrăjitor,” a warlock. Above all, at no time did he succumb to the misdeeds that earned him, in our world, the nickname of Tepes, the impaler.

At the very moment when Vlad Dragulescu proclaimed his nature as a prince sorcerer in front of the church, Beendhi deployed her immense power. She did so to communicate with all magicians, shamans, druids, and other followers of the esoteric arts, urging them to emerge from the shadows. And so they acted, overthrowing the clergy and the inquisition orchestrated by the Pope since 1420 in Switzerland. Pope Innocent marked the end of the papal succession.

This awakening of the Vrăjitorus, a name preserved in homage by the practitioners of the occult talents, took on a global scope. It was supported by means whose description troubles me, but which seem to be commonplace in this world: transmission by mirrors, baptized Psyches.


Plunged into a realm where Christianity has given way to unexplained magic on our earth, and where science has given way to a reality that no one could comprehend, I should, logically, feel fear. However, I’m forced to recognize how advantageous this metamorphosis has been, judging by the abundance of the planet and the wealth available to all, in stark contrast to our universe marked by war, famine, hatred and social hierarchies…



It’s difficult for me to express all the wonders I have witnessed without appearing extravagant. Nevertheless, I assure you that my descriptions are entirely faithful and that my eyes have grasped every detail.


Constantinople became a bastion of exchange, both scientifically and magically. Scientific evolution followed a different path, based on witchcraft and its exploitation for the benefit of all, rather than relying exclusively on empirical progress. The deep-rooted respect of the Vrăjitorus for the planet and all forms of life prompted scholars to operate in harmony with the earth, rather than to its detriment.

Of course, not all the inhabitants of this world are Vrăjitorus; the majority, like you and me, are devoid of glamour. The council therefore set about finding a way to make supernatural accessible to those they call “non-wearers”. The solution came from the African continent, which, free from the influence of Christian missionaries, and inspired by contact with Beendhi, forged into a united and powerful nation. They discovered crystals on their land, able to store and restore mystical energy. These crystals now feed each aspect of life in this realm, from the lighting of every home to the strange vehicles that roam the streets.

Medicine, in this universe, appears to assume a sophistication beyond my conceptual scope. They seem capable, with the help of unknown and indescribable instruments, to discern who carries magic in them and who is devoid of it. However, the council categorically refused to share any explanation, arguing that this too advanced knowledge could disrupt our world if it were leaked to ill-intentioned minds. Although I comprehended their precautions, being ignorant as a scientist was a deeply frustrating experience.

My distress was accentuated by the news that, in this magical world, no trace of cryptids exists. Despite the sorcery's omnipresence  and the apparent ease of communicating with natural spirits or ancestors, the strange creatures I hunt on our earth seem to have never arisen here, except as subjects of legends and tales.

I was also astonished at the discretion of witchcraft, devoid of the flamboyant manifestations one might expect from a performer. This magic is based on the utilization of energies channeled according to the affinities of each vrăjitorus. As well as on the varied use of mediums such as potions, spells, amulets, and the consumption of plants with mysterious properties for our world. Only a few practice a visually spectacular sorcery focused on amplifying their physical attributes.

Their lack of army also stunned me, an absence justified by the missing borders, substituted by Lands founded on cultural traditions inherited before the fall of Constantinople. Thus, the West is now the Gallia Lands, India and its neighbors are the Bharat Lands, and so on.

My queries about the disappearance of conquering monotheistic religions, such as Christianity and Islam, provoked strong emotional reactions, suggesting a deep sensitivity on the subject. Their reluctance to respond indicates to me that their demise has been as radical as their existence, or that some of them remain and are integrated into this realm. However, my questions stayed unanswered.


It was on this last attempt of curiosity that they begged me, with firm politeness, to return to my original earth. Making sure that there was no evidence or relic of this world in my pockets, they led me back to the tunnel through which I had appeared. I was once more going over this moment when ground and sky seemed to be reversed. When I left the catacombs, I found myself again in our dark universe, now looking very sad and dull.


I then devoted myself to laying down on these pages everything I had witnessed, hoping that these visions could inspire humanity to take a more harmonious and peaceful path.