Hey. Just figured i'd post this and see what happens 
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He slipped silently through the shadows, eyes shining icy blue in the darkness, lit with the glow of an inner hunger.
Out from the darkness he slipped, appearing from nothingness to stand behind her quiet form. She shivered as the chill of his presence enveloped her, casting away the warmth of her life.
His fangs slipped into her flesh like daggers into their sheaths, the warm blood flooded freely from her veins, his hungry tongue lapped it up easily.
As the color in her cheeks faded away his breath steamed from the wound, and he pulled away quietly allowing her form to drop gently to the ground.
His gaze burned into her now unconscious form, guilt striking his features, eyes closing in sorrow. His tongue crept out to lick away the stolen life, a deep heave of unneeded breath escaping his lips as he spoke, “forgive me.” His voice echoed through the darkness, before he vanished, returning to the night.
His foot steps echoed dully down the cold stone passage, they extravagant folds of his midnight robes swishing gently against his rhythmically moving legs.
He entered the expanded space of the sparsely decorated room and fell quietly to one knee, eyes falling obediently to the floor.
“You’re late.” The cold voice came almost tonelessly to his ears.
“I am sorry my lord.” Came his smooth and hypnotic reply
“What detained you?”
“Hunger”
“No excuse… But very well, what is done is done”
“Why have I been called?”
“The resurrection approaches, why else?”
“Of course.”
After a few moments of utter silence the blank voice came forth again, “stand”
“yes father,” he spoke his words with measure before rising quietly to regard the imposing presence his father presented, tall, dark red eyes, pale complexion, and power that could be felt from afar.
He stepped closer to his father and they set off down another stone passage.
“You know… Your life will end once you are filled with his essence.” His father mentioned quietly, emotion strictly in check.
“If that is my cause, then I have no choice”
With a sudden blast of motion his fathers hand came forth from nothingness and struck him violently.
“Do not speak so calmly, it is a great loss we suffer for the completion of a tradition long sense forgotten.” The voice now heard was not as before, it now quivered with emotion, strained with pain.
His hand went to his cheek to guard the tender flesh, the swelling of pain rising in his being. His face was contorted in shock, and a tear rolled down his face as he spoke.
“I am aware of the sacrifice, But I have no choice, this is the way it has to be father, you know that as much as I… I was born to fulfill this purpose, and I have been taught nothing beyond its completion. All I have gained, I have gained through no desire of anyone else… All I am I have become through my own foolish endeavors; all that I am has no barring on our society. No one cares for the loss of a single prince; no one cares of the pain felt by a father losing a son. What must be must be.” His words blazed with false determination, his mind running from the fear he so desperately desired to escape, but knew he could not. His hand slid from his cheek then and fell quietly to his side, taking a deep breath his form straightened.
His father winced and turned to continue on in silence, unable to look at his son. He took a deep, overdrawn breath to steady himself, tightly putting his emotions back in check. There steps took them downward, deep into the depths of the stone they inhabited until they reached an elaborate dining hall, in which they sat and ate in silence, neither looking at the other even once.
The next day he awoke early and went about menial tasks to occupy his time before he was summoned. Soon after he began however, a messenger knocked upon his door, and he was off to meet his father for the night’s true purpose.
The brisk air stung at his already cold skin as he stepped into fresh air. The moon hung heavily in the sky, as though it would fall upon them any moment, and the pillars of stone cast flickering shadows in the torch lit circle. His gaze was stone as he viewed his final resting place, his mind raced with the sudden realization that this was the end of his path.
With a deep breath he stepped forward into the circle, eyeing carefully all who stood before him, all dressed in robes, faces hidden by the shadows of their hoods. His gaze rested finally upon the one face that was not hidden, that of his father. His father’s grim visage made it clear to him that this was not something he desired to happen, but it would happen all the same.
His father’s words came forth to slice the night like a heated blade through butter. The clarity as he spoke was drowned out only by the precise motions his hands underwent, each second yielding to the next in a fluid arc of tradition.
“And now my comrades… We sacrifice this child’s soul, to he who must rise again. May his essence be replaced with that which may serve our great existence properly. None shall doubt the authority held by this one, who shall be he who is filled with the great night wielder. Now, Son of Shern… be born again!”
His words came to an end with a great clash of thunder, a dagger came forth in his hands, laced with ancient symbols, and sprinkled in shavings of silver and gold. The dagger sparkled in the torch light as it thrust like an arrow seeking its mark into the heart of the young kindred.
As the dagger met its mark the sky gave forth a shuddering breath, which extinguished the torches which encircled them. Then the clouds let lose their fury, and rain came down like the tears of a mother who had lost her only child.
Blood bubbled from his chest as he fell to his knees, all those whom encircled him stepped back, and his father raised his hood quietly before speaking.
“Rise again… Deltren, knight of the shadows, lord of the dark. Rise from your grave, and fulfill our prophecies… My son is no more…Deltren exists in his place.”
His eyes went in and out of focus; the world swam around him as a surge of something passed through his dieing form. Yet he knew he could not die, for what was death to a vampire? It was life, and so he lived in this new death. His body convulsed, horrendously twisting his form to its dark design, and his mind screamed with the fury of a thousand years of pain and resent.
My eyes opened painfully as consciousness once again decided to curse my pained bones, and every ach I had ever known returned to haunt me, making me regret ever having had been born. My vision swam as I looked down upon my hands, flexing my fingers one by one and then all together, trying to see if I was really alive. I was.
“What is this?” my voice quivered, it was still my own. I had not changed, not experienced the grand replacement I had been told would occur, I was still the same prince, with the same soul, and the same body.
My hand went to my chest, to feel the wound that had been made; it had already healed, understandable. I licked my lips to wet them from the terrible dryness that had come over my soul, and I winced as I realized how hungry I had become… This was no normal hunger; I felt the desire for blood as I had never known before.
It was a strange feeling, it scared me really. I was unprepared to deal with that great desire, great need. I had been hungry before, but I felt now as though every drop I had ever consumed was not enough to fill me now. I felt as though there was a great demon within my soul, crying for blood, screaming for food. I recoiled from it, I was not a beast, not a monster, this voice within me was not right, it called for death, I disliked it.
My head turned as I heard the door to the room I was apparently in open. My eyes focused on the shaking being before me, it was a simple acolyte of the priesthood, one of the ones who had most likely witnessed the ‘ceremony.’
“m-m-m’lord…” His voice trembled, “M’lord Deltren… I’ve come to see if you are well…”
“Deltren…” the word fell from my tongue slowly, as I realized that they did not know, did not know my failure to bring life to the great lord once more.
I smiled darkly as I stood, sweeping across the room with incredible ease, despite my ravaging hunger. The grin I bore upon him was one of demons and ghouls, one filled with the hate of a millennia, no need to let them in on my little secret after all.
“Take me to my f-" the word’s turned to stone in my throat, and so I began anew, “take me to Shern. Now”
I almost laughed to see him squirm beneath my gaze, for while I felt utterly the same, to him I clearly seemed a giant. He viewed himself as worthless in my presence, a mere worm that was not worthy to witness my glory… And perhaps he wasn’t worthy, who knows, we would see. My smile broadened.
He led me along the passages I already knew, and took me to where I had requested, my eyes burned into him as he said we had arrived, and I bid him leave, if he wished to keep his existence intact.
As I viewed my father it was as though living in a new world, he now bowed to me as though I lorded over him. However this was not the quivering acolyte, this was one whom held power, and knew he held power. But even power does not mean you can not give respect… My father was very wise in that manor; he was capable of seeing things more clearly then most. It was his greatest quality.
“Stand Shern” My voice came forth more commanding then I had intended, a surge of raw power pulsed through my veins, I could see I was quickly becoming addicted. I smiled all the more.
“My lord, what is it you desire from me?” his words came softly to my ears.
“I am hungry, I will hunt soon. But first I need you to take all knowledge that surrounds my legends, and bring it to my quarters.”
“Yes lord Deltren. But why?”
“I have much research to do.” I smiled, my fangs peeping out at the corners of my mouth, indicating he should not look further into the matter, and he didn’t.
I quietly turned and left then, fading into the night as I had so often before, this time with a sense of exhilaration, wondering what would present itself to me now. The possibilities seemed infinite indeed.
That night I fed as I had never before. Never before had I taken life, only borrowed. That night many died to my hunger. I felt again the great beast rise within me, I felt the hatred burn in my soul, I felt like a monster that had gorged himself on the possibilities his newly discovered powers could present… And honestly, I loved every second of it.
As I looked back upon it the next morning, I came to realize that I had been wrong in my earlier assessment. I had not remained the same. I had changed more then I would ever realize. I knew the full extent of my evolution would forever be beyond me. But it didn’t matter. I could do anything I wanted to, and furthermore I would enjoy it.
And when I returned my father had done his job. Within my room lay pages upon pages, volume upon volume. I set down to put my renewed strength to work. My eyes burned across the pages as I took in every bit of information surrounded “my” legends as I could. Deltren in fact was a very interesting character. More so then I had ever before realized.
I soon learned that he had left a few objects in various places, objects that I was eager to learn more of, but unfortunately there was not much information on them. It was then that I decided if I was to be Deltren, I would have to regain his former power, and I knew just where to start.
His voice echoed in the small room I had found myself, Shern stood defensively on the other side of the room, his gaze challenging mine.
“I do not feel it is wise you set off on a journey. You are supposed to restore confidence in the people. You are supposed to bring the light of hope. The vampiric society has become obsessed with rising to the surface. We must find a way to convince them to be content here. The surface world is not ours, and they must know that. Our empire is here. You leaving will cause distaste in the people, they will take it as a sign that the rulers are weak!” His words filled the room with passion and devotion.
It was almost painful to see the pride in his face shatter as my laugh slipped through my throat like the flowing of hot blood swirling in a mote of bubbling death. It was indeed a dark sound, a sound that could drive a man insane.
“Unlike you, I am not bound by any need for worry. My only concern is that I regain the sword of shadows. It is a much more worthy quest then you can imagine. The sword will give me the strength I need to stand against any enemy we may face. You on the other hand, have no defense against me. I believe you can put the rest together.”
I sneered hideously as I spoke, my laughter pressed through the room once more, and my eyes burned with conviction.
“Tonight I leave for the tomb of Rak’sheed. Any problems here are to be handled by you… When I return I will put all unease to rest. If things are to far out of hand by that time, I’ll merely destroy every last one who would stand against our empire. How does that sound Shern? Personally I would enjoy the death much more then having a city filled with weak vampires”
I shuddered inwardly as I spoke, feeling a wave of pain cross through me as I spoke. It was odd really, everyday it seemed as though my personality reached new levels of oddity. I didn’t notice at first, but now it was as though I battled between two desires. Which one was the true me, I was uncertain of.
As I came back to myself I saw the pure disgust written in Shern’s features, his face was calm, but his eyes were filled with disgust and pain. Filled with guilt. I smiled darkly
“You feel guilty for the loss of your son… If only you had done things differently… Challenged the rules… yes, maybe I would be different then. Maybe I would be the same as once you knew. But your son is gone now, and I’m here instead.”
My robes flared around me as I turned, settling down again as I swept my way through the stone passages and into the night where I sought to seek myself once again…
I sat quietly on the grass, gazing up at the infinite sky. The sky filled with stars that could not be counted, and darkness that could not be matched. Yet at the same time I felt my soul had become impossibly darker then even the night sky.
“What is my place? Why have I done what I have? I feel as though I’ve passed over the point of no return. I don’t remember who I am, or why I do the things I do.” My words trailed off into the night, and my eyes closed as I felt a wave of guilt pass through me.
I had forgotten myself, an unforgivable crime, and yet I felt that I didn’t really want to remember, why would I return to what I was before, when I had so much potential now.
Then I rose, my form a dark shadow in the night. I ran with all my heart and soul, trying to find what I had decided I must find. I would seek the sword of shadows, and return. When I returned I would find myself, but until then, I had only one quest.
I slipped across the sands of time like a snake through we grass, ignoring everything in my way until I reached my destination. Distance meant nothing to someone who was determined. I learned then that determination was a force that could drive a man insane, drive him to his limits, and then make him realize that he had only begun to learn of his capabilities.
As I traveled I became less, or more, of myself. My mind changed, and I found I truly didn’t care who I was anymore. I just was. It is an odd realization to come to. To find that you are simply who you are, no matter your moral commitments, no matter what changes you are confronted with. I learned that I would be myself even if everything about me changed, and in that I found peace. I found the peace to go on in life, to take each night as it came, but most of all I learned that I was never going to be the same as I had been before. Those days were gone, and they seemed to me to have happened in another lifetime.
If mentally my limitations were pushed, physically my boundaries were shattered and born anew, only to be shattered again. I was forced to crawl through swamps; traverse area’s filled with demons and ghouls. I learned to push my body in way’s I didn’t before know existed. I traveled endlessly until finally I came to a great wall of stone. I cast my gaze upward to see its infinite height. I knew this was the end of my journey, but I was unsure if I could complete it.
I licked my lips impulsively, and took a deep breath to steady myself. My mind raced at the possibilities of what may happen.
“This could very well be my end… Hopefully it’s worth it.”
With those simple words I began to climb. Each arms length brought me higher, but never any closer to my goal. The rocks slashed at my hands, and my feet burned against the stone. Sand constantly fell into my eyes, leaving my blinded, sometimes for hours.
If I had required air I am sure that that too would have been difficult to gain, so thin was the atmosphere. It was the kind of cave that had no connections to the outside world, the kind of place that darkness lived and didn’t lick guests. Thankfully I was its brother, and lived with it as kin.
We shared every moment of my climb, for day’s I pulled myself, hunger blazing in my veins, and the desire for blood burning at my reality. At times I thought of letting go, of dropping down to give myself the pleasure of hunting, it was only with the smallest shred of sanity I had managed to preserve over my journey that I kept climbing.
Finally I reached the end of my climb, rolling over on the ground and letting rest come to me. I slept for hours, or day’s, or perhaps years. Time meant nothing to me after my journey, so tattered were the fringes of my mind.
When Finally I woke, I stood to view the tomb before me. It was intricately carved, not natural like the stone of my climb had been. My smile darkened the area incredibly, and I couldn’t help but release the laughter I had so long held in my soul. I had made it, and now I would see what my destiny would be.
I walked slowly then, as though suddenly unsure if I should continue or turn back. My journey however had been to long, and I would not turn back. The ground I tread on may have been sacred, but I was the one which it honored, and I would not be held back from my treasure.
I entered the tomb and looked around, with a deep heaving of my lungs the torches of the room burst into flames after there ancient sleep. The light warmed my skin, my eyes adjusting to the brightness which contrasted the former shadows. My former brother fled from me in fear, feeling betrayed, I promised I would honor the darkness again, but for now I said, light must be my ally.
Stepping forward in a small room I viewed the treasure I had come to find, not hidden, not lost. Just waiting, waiting for me. I licked my lips in hunger, I was ready for the feel of that sword. Ready for the blood I could spill with its blade.
However it would not be so. A shadow slipped from the walls to bar my path, I bore my fangs and hissed hatefully, but it did not move. My eyes turned feral and I fell into a slight crouch, not even conscious of my actions. Then it spoke.
“Ye who have no faith. Ye who deserve it not. Be thee gone, and live here no more. I am he who guards this place, and you are not welcomed.”
“Be gone shade. I’ve come for my sword, and you will not stop me.”
The room was filled with a laughter that outmatched my own. The flames of the torches flickered and then extinguished, and suddenly my world faded away as a deep pain burst at my chest.
My hands went to my chest to find the blade of my own sword embedded within, darkness filled my mind and consciousness abandoned me in my greatest time of need.
I awoke to find myself staring me down. A dark grin on my face. I shuddered as I realized just what I was seeing.
“who are you?” my words came forth to cut the silence
“I am you” it replied in measure.
“But why are you here?”
“You’re no longer needed. I am here to replace you.”
“replace me?! What madness is this?”
He smiled coldly as he spoke his next words, and the glint of pleasure in his eyes was evident.
“you’re to weak to inhabit the name given you. I’m the true you, and you must be disposed of.”
“lies… I will destroy you!” my rage exploded suddenly, uncontrollably from my body.
My body sprung from its place, moving on accord of its own, claws raking at the pretenders flesh, fangs seeking to rip away his existence. We fought, not only did I feel his claws against my flesh, feel his flesh in my mouth. But also I felt his mind against mine. I felt our very thoughts blasting against one another, battling out to see which was superior.
I felt my skin smeared with blood, and I tasted the hot drink in my mouth. My smile was a bloodied one as I looked down at his dieing form. He just smiled at me as the life passed from him.
“I win…” he whispered, and as his dieing moment came, I read clearly the motions of his silent lips. “You lose.”
My mind blazed as my eyes shot open, my lungs screamed for air, despite the fact that never have I needed to take it in. My head throbbed and my body felt odd to me. I felt as though I controlled it from outside, but by and by the feeling returned to normal.
Slowly my hand went to my chest to grip the blade buried within, I pulled it out and took the hilt in my hand, looking down at the glimmering black blade. I smiled to myself, and the blade smiled up at me.
“I am Deltren!” my voice shook the foundations of the tomb, dust falling from its long resting place, “and with this blade… I will plunge the world into shadow…” My grin burned in the darkness of the cave, and everything around me shuddered, I was right… I had lost… And because of that, I had won, and what a sweet victory it had been.
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posted 07-07-2004 06:17 AM
