Prologue
Souls and spirit astir within the aggression, a mass of stress and
energy so thick you could feel the negative electricity it the air.
The many who could not see- believed. The even fewer that could were
a tad more leery. For of all those angels and devils in attendance
that night, some had already set to work for what was to come. Others
just kind of braced themselves for whichever way the wind blew, and
one could almost feel the electricity sparking and arcing between the
eyes of the devout.
Waiting for the evil to come, but in what shape would he come. A man
or something that resembled. Not really and truly comprised of any
human parts- save the hearts and minds of the believers, whom lent
their energy literally to what they deemed this most righteous cause.
For in their minds, evil was winning the battle for dominion over the
world- and such horrors were being made by mankind; it was with a
always hopeful heart that they dreamed of a place without pain or
fear. That so many now seemed lost into an all too seductive world;
that the notion of the night stalkers and the hunters endured in
their most basic counteract and all that lurked between each shadow.
But still the young and the poor ignorant men and women of the world
could not see that the end of the world was at hand.
The signs of the times were ominous, through some such
interpretations of chapter and verse of the only holy book they chose
to espouse, the Mardik. Those fears, however, dissipated among them
and nearly disappeared as the world grew and still evil sat cold and
unmoved. But there were those who fought from in that shadows. They
hid and protected the world from the evils which seemed to be growing
in number in the world. And the prophecies were made real only by
those any gods or goddesses, either dark or light; but even within
the mind of mortals this knowledge grew dim. Some became allergic to
this light and fangs sprouted out from their mouth, and their
features thin and graceful. Humanity had always hunted and
slaughtered them, persecuting them as evil and vile creatures. But
all that was about to change as well. It was a holy war and that the
Children of the night had been so ravaged by mankind- they would
purge the world of the only evil they really knew.
For gods and goddesses were not immortal creatures, and what the
changes of these mortal they did not understand and proclaimed them
evil and wrote this in the holy scriptures of life that were written
in blood. So the children of the night hid and the gods shadowed
themselves to all, but more things were to be born.
Chapter One
The piercing rain continued to palter down on the lonely figure, as
it stared aimlessly into the blackening night. Confusion shrouded the
deeply fragile looking woman as she wondered how it was that she
always wound up standing above the view of the city. She tried
frantically to search for a piece of memory that would aid her in her
search. Thunder deafened her ears and a stroke of lightning
illuminated the sky. It seemed almost an omen and it startled her
feet motion. She ran off the top of one building and then onto
another.
She was an ancient creature, and although she no longer walked in the
open and chose a life onto herself. To hunt and protect the mortals
that her ancient family created. They had long died or gone into
hiding after the great war. Raven’s family that had been so powerful,
had fallen, they let the human take over the world, gave them free
will.
The only family, real family she would ever find was an old
shaman in Africa. He taught her about her powers, and how to utilize
them. She was informed; that they were all linked to one king. It was
through him that all magic and power came from good and evil.
Secretly her family continued to thrive, and learn to live as they
were.
Sitting down on the top of the roof she listened to the
sounds of the city. She had witnessed the rise and fall of many
empires that she had taken part in many up rising and had made many
of them fall. The great war destroyed it all, and every single human
that dared fight against it’s will. She knew that from the beginning
of time, her kind had existed. That they knew all of the past, the
worlds mind inside and out, that they hide the knowledge from the
rest of the humans.
As dawn approached, she knew that she had to speed her
search. She was acutely aware of the mortals going on with there
daily life not knowing the evil that would soon rise if she did not
put an end to it. Silently she entered the rushing flow of mortals
continually moving about her. It is now that she could feel his
desire to kill again, his undying hate. She knew tonight he would
choose a victim and kill him, if she did not find him first and take
his power.
Using her preternatural powers, she sought out the mind that
seduced his victims into a mental state of complete submission. The
attack was always swift and often vicious, ripping through the flesh
of the throat to expose the fount that he craved. Often the attack is
so brutal, that she could feel the pain of the victims in her self,
feel the bones of the victim break in her body. Raven knew that she
must end it
If the human where to know that, they would panic or discomplete from
the knowledge of this world, but some had also known what they had
evolved into werewolves, witches, monsters and vampires.
She keenly aware of her surroundings, when a movement from a window
above caught her eye. She smiled to herself and started walking into
the building. However the outside looked the inside look new.
Everything was polished and taken care of, carefully, she looked
around, sensing that the rider was after her as she climbed the
marble stair case. When she saw nothing, in the hall she followed her
mind to a large oak door. Almost silently she heard movement from
behind her, she knew that the rider was in front of her this only
meant someone was following her.
Raven turning slowly to see the creature behind her, nothing was
there. Then the sound of footsteps came to her, from the end of the
hall. A tall Light-haired man stepped towards her walking to her now
in swift strides. Long ancient coat hung around his body, his head
was down and he seemed intent on just his own concerns until he was
opposite Raven. Then he stopped and his head came up. He stared
straight at into her darkened green eyes. Her heart began pounding so
hard that she felt sure the man could hear it. Her hands became damp
and freezing, unlike her mouth, which was dry and hot. At the same
time, beads of sweat began trickling down her spine as the man stood
where he was, looking toward her. Raven stayed where she was, not
talking just gave him a hard look. Finally, he spoke.
"I know why your here," he said in a quiet, tenor voice. He did not
move from his place and Raven kept hers, watching him. Her hand moved
to her blades sheathed at her back. After what seemed like forever to
Raven. He tilted his head and walked towards her.
"Stop." The word was spat from her lips. From behind her she heard
the rider, before she could pull her blades he moved. Suddenly, vise-
like hands pinned her elbows to her sides. Trying with all her
strength to break the grip and twist, she found the grip was immobile
against her. Darkness surrounded her when a pain exploded in her
head.
She laid there within a void of all encompassing darkness. Or at
least it felt as though to her. Her eyes opened, but there was only
darkness it was as though she had suddenly passed from life into a
state of absolute desolation from which even her dreams could not
escape. The ashen embrace of this shadowed realm was so empty that
her own thoughts dissolved within its ebon grasp.
Fear filled her mind for a brief second then anger, when her memories
came flooding back into her mind, and within brief moments the numb-
like wonder came slowly like fog, when she gazed through the
darkness. She wasn’t in a cell of any kind but a room with a small
couch and a few tables. "Where am I?" She thought. As she sat up,
pain filled her body, "crap." Her limbs were stiff and sore, but
hardly dead. That was a relief to her, first she looked at herself,
her coat had been taken with her weapons. The last thing that she
remembered was that the rider was following her, as she had wanted
him to. Then she remember the vampire, he had gotten in her way,
stopped her from killing the rider. She through her fist down on the
couch beside her body, she swinger he legs over the edge of the couch
and looked down to the sound of hissing. A skull with a little demon
had its self-wrapped around the skull, it was long, and green with no
legs just arms. Attached to the arms where hands of long claws. The
skull is what caught her attention, she gazed deeper at the skull,
through the darkness to the fangs. A vampire’s skull is what she saw,
she remember the being that kidnapped her was a vampire she could
clearly hear his thoughts. The creature-demon had its body through
the eyes and out underneath it to bring it body at the top of the
skull, where it sat looking at her. No longer hissing it puts its
head down and ignored her presence, sighing deeply she flopped her
body back down on the couch and picked up a book that was on a table,
she already knew what the doors were locked, this room was made to
hold some on in it. She stated reading the pages. He slowly entered
the room, hidden in shadows. He knew he could not be seen by mortal
eyes, or any eyes for that matter. His steps was silent, and his
breath was cold. The woman he was following was sitting, or rather
slouched against the arm of the chair reading by the moonlight, so
encompassed in the book. He was fascinated by beings like her. So
pure and innocent, but with quick emotions. Such an opposite of what
he was. Therefore he longed to know beings like her so, talk to them,
to tell them. And yet he feared her. She was so powerful, her kind
had ruled so long, and then the disaster and they all disappeared or
died, which he didn’t know. Her hair was black tossed back from her
face, her eyes as she scanned the pages were bright green.. Her face
was already a detailed memory. Such purity as the one she held was
something he would never see again. She was wearing black jeans and a
black tank top. Then the moment he had feared came, he knew she hated
vampires wanted them all dead, She looked up. Thoughts flowed through
his head like a waterfall. Her green eyes gazed straight at him. She
was so calm, even though she knew that she had a great amount of
anger inside her. Still she kept her anger in check.
"Are you fearless?" He asked.
"No, I am not fearless."
"Is not every living thing though? Even to have the power to survive
is a show of fearlessness." He reproached.
"Yes." She started and looked at him closely. The muscles in his body
pulled like a bow string. "Relax, Marius, I do not intend to kill
you, yet." His eyes went narrow in disbelief or suspicion of which
she had no clue. His own doubts were almost tearing him apart.
"Do you plan to kill me?" He asked more to himself than to her.
"If it can’t be sided, yes I will kill you." She said standing.
Silently he walked over to the windows and opened them for air.
"What are you searching for?" He said slowly turning.
"I am searching for peace and security."
"By killing men," He said shrugging, and sitting on the couch.
"Your not a man, not really." She said.
"What I am then." She ignored the question.
"I am hunting vampire and you have gotten in the way of that." She
paused, and then continued when he said nothing. "There is not only
two but four, they ride on horses of color."
"Why do you need them killed."
"To save what’s left of my humanity and to save the children of my
kind."
"But how can you stop them."
"By taking the power from them, one of which you have of the second
killed."
"I have the second, Yes." He said slowly he took out the pouch in his
pocket, and laid it in her hand.
"Thank you,"
"Your welcome Akara." Her face turned stoic.
"What did you just call me?"
"that’s what they called you when you ruled, I was there a long, long
time ago. You killed my kind, hunted them."
"Yes, I did, when we where free. As your kind hunted mortals." She
paused. "Did you live in paradise."
"Yes, and was taken into darkness, the night after the first great
war, when Eve Atlantis was destroyed and went into the lake of fire."
"We won then we’ll win now."
"Last time the evil didn’t have his full legions on the earth, and
still Eve Atlantis fell."
"Yes well we still win." She placed her hand over her heart. He sat
there and looked at her. He had never helped a killer of his kind and
here she was sitting in his house talking to him as if he was alive.
"Would you let me help you."
"No." she answered flatly, a dangerous look in her eyes. She sat
silently.
"And if I refuse?"
"I will kill you."
"And if I fight you?"
"You will die."
"Well I don’t care you’ll get some assistance, even if you don’t want
it."
"Raven." Her eyes grew cold. He looked down at her hand a small
silver blade had been exposed from her hand.
"Planning to kill me."
"Insurance." In the blink of an eyes she was outside the window into
the night.
energy so thick you could feel the negative electricity it the air.
The many who could not see- believed. The even fewer that could were
a tad more leery. For of all those angels and devils in attendance
that night, some had already set to work for what was to come. Others
just kind of braced themselves for whichever way the wind blew, and
one could almost feel the electricity sparking and arcing between the
eyes of the devout.
Waiting for the evil to come, but in what shape would he come. A man
or something that resembled. Not really and truly comprised of any
human parts- save the hearts and minds of the believers, whom lent
their energy literally to what they deemed this most righteous cause.
For in their minds, evil was winning the battle for dominion over the
world- and such horrors were being made by mankind; it was with a
always hopeful heart that they dreamed of a place without pain or
fear. That so many now seemed lost into an all too seductive world;
that the notion of the night stalkers and the hunters endured in
their most basic counteract and all that lurked between each shadow.
But still the young and the poor ignorant men and women of the world
could not see that the end of the world was at hand.
The signs of the times were ominous, through some such
interpretations of chapter and verse of the only holy book they chose
to espouse, the Mardik. Those fears, however, dissipated among them
and nearly disappeared as the world grew and still evil sat cold and
unmoved. But there were those who fought from in that shadows. They
hid and protected the world from the evils which seemed to be growing
in number in the world. And the prophecies were made real only by
those any gods or goddesses, either dark or light; but even within
the mind of mortals this knowledge grew dim. Some became allergic to
this light and fangs sprouted out from their mouth, and their
features thin and graceful. Humanity had always hunted and
slaughtered them, persecuting them as evil and vile creatures. But
all that was about to change as well. It was a holy war and that the
Children of the night had been so ravaged by mankind- they would
purge the world of the only evil they really knew.
For gods and goddesses were not immortal creatures, and what the
changes of these mortal they did not understand and proclaimed them
evil and wrote this in the holy scriptures of life that were written
in blood. So the children of the night hid and the gods shadowed
themselves to all, but more things were to be born.
The piercing rain continued to palter down on the lonely figure, as
it stared aimlessly into the blackening night. Confusion shrouded the
deeply fragile looking woman as she wondered how it was that she
always wound up standing above the view of the city. She tried
frantically to search for a piece of memory that would aid her in her
search. Thunder deafened her ears and a stroke of lightning
illuminated the sky. It seemed almost an omen and it startled her
feet motion. She ran off the top of one building and then onto
another.
open and chose a life onto herself. To hunt and protect the mortals
that her ancient family created. They had long died or gone into
hiding after the great war. Raven’s family that had been so powerful,
had fallen, they let the human take over the world, gave them free
will.
The only family, real family she would ever find was an old
shaman in Africa. He taught her about her powers, and how to utilize
them. She was informed; that they were all linked to one king. It was
through him that all magic and power came from good and evil.
Secretly her family continued to thrive, and learn to live as they
were.
Sitting down on the top of the roof she listened to the
sounds of the city. She had witnessed the rise and fall of many
empires that she had taken part in many up rising and had made many
of them fall. The great war destroyed it all, and every single human
that dared fight against it’s will. She knew that from the beginning
of time, her kind had existed. That they knew all of the past, the
worlds mind inside and out, that they hide the knowledge from the
rest of the humans.
As dawn approached, she knew that she had to speed her
search. She was acutely aware of the mortals going on with there
daily life not knowing the evil that would soon rise if she did not
put an end to it. Silently she entered the rushing flow of mortals
continually moving about her. It is now that she could feel his
desire to kill again, his undying hate. She knew tonight he would
choose a victim and kill him, if she did not find him first and take
his power.
Using her preternatural powers, she sought out the mind that
seduced his victims into a mental state of complete submission. The
attack was always swift and often vicious, ripping through the flesh
of the throat to expose the fount that he craved. Often the attack is
so brutal, that she could feel the pain of the victims in her self,
feel the bones of the victim break in her body. Raven knew that she
must end it
If the human where to know that, they would panic or discomplete from
the knowledge of this world, but some had also known what they had
evolved into werewolves, witches, monsters and vampires.
She keenly aware of her surroundings, when a movement from a window
above caught her eye. She smiled to herself and started walking into
the building. However the outside looked the inside look new.
Everything was polished and taken care of, carefully, she looked
around, sensing that the rider was after her as she climbed the
marble stair case. When she saw nothing, in the hall she followed her
mind to a large oak door. Almost silently she heard movement from
behind her, she knew that the rider was in front of her this only
meant someone was following her.
Raven turning slowly to see the creature behind her, nothing was
there. Then the sound of footsteps came to her, from the end of the
hall. A tall Light-haired man stepped towards her walking to her now
in swift strides. Long ancient coat hung around his body, his head
was down and he seemed intent on just his own concerns until he was
opposite Raven. Then he stopped and his head came up. He stared
straight at into her darkened green eyes. Her heart began pounding so
hard that she felt sure the man could hear it. Her hands became damp
and freezing, unlike her mouth, which was dry and hot. At the same
time, beads of sweat began trickling down her spine as the man stood
where he was, looking toward her. Raven stayed where she was, not
talking just gave him a hard look. Finally, he spoke.
"I know why your here," he said in a quiet, tenor voice. He did not
move from his place and Raven kept hers, watching him. Her hand moved
to her blades sheathed at her back. After what seemed like forever to
Raven. He tilted his head and walked towards her.
"Stop." The word was spat from her lips. From behind her she heard
the rider, before she could pull her blades he moved. Suddenly, vise-
like hands pinned her elbows to her sides. Trying with all her
strength to break the grip and twist, she found the grip was immobile
against her. Darkness surrounded her when a pain exploded in her
head.
She laid there within a void of all encompassing darkness. Or at
least it felt as though to her. Her eyes opened, but there was only
darkness it was as though she had suddenly passed from life into a
state of absolute desolation from which even her dreams could not
escape. The ashen embrace of this shadowed realm was so empty that
her own thoughts dissolved within its ebon grasp.
Fear filled her mind for a brief second then anger, when her memories
came flooding back into her mind, and within brief moments the numb-
like wonder came slowly like fog, when she gazed through the
darkness. She wasn’t in a cell of any kind but a room with a small
couch and a few tables. "Where am I?" She thought. As she sat up,
pain filled her body, "crap." Her limbs were stiff and sore, but
hardly dead. That was a relief to her, first she looked at herself,
her coat had been taken with her weapons. The last thing that she
remembered was that the rider was following her, as she had wanted
him to. Then she remember the vampire, he had gotten in her way,
stopped her from killing the rider. She through her fist down on the
couch beside her body, she swinger he legs over the edge of the couch
and looked down to the sound of hissing. A skull with a little demon
had its self-wrapped around the skull, it was long, and green with no
legs just arms. Attached to the arms where hands of long claws. The
skull is what caught her attention, she gazed deeper at the skull,
through the darkness to the fangs. A vampire’s skull is what she saw,
she remember the being that kidnapped her was a vampire she could
clearly hear his thoughts. The creature-demon had its body through
the eyes and out underneath it to bring it body at the top of the
skull, where it sat looking at her. No longer hissing it puts its
head down and ignored her presence, sighing deeply she flopped her
body back down on the couch and picked up a book that was on a table,
she already knew what the doors were locked, this room was made to
hold some on in it. She stated reading the pages. He slowly entered
the room, hidden in shadows. He knew he could not be seen by mortal
eyes, or any eyes for that matter. His steps was silent, and his
breath was cold. The woman he was following was sitting, or rather
slouched against the arm of the chair reading by the moonlight, so
encompassed in the book. He was fascinated by beings like her. So
pure and innocent, but with quick emotions. Such an opposite of what
he was. Therefore he longed to know beings like her so, talk to them,
to tell them. And yet he feared her. She was so powerful, her kind
had ruled so long, and then the disaster and they all disappeared or
died, which he didn’t know. Her hair was black tossed back from her
face, her eyes as she scanned the pages were bright green.. Her face
was already a detailed memory. Such purity as the one she held was
something he would never see again. She was wearing black jeans and a
black tank top. Then the moment he had feared came, he knew she hated
vampires wanted them all dead, She looked up. Thoughts flowed through
his head like a waterfall. Her green eyes gazed straight at him. She
was so calm, even though she knew that she had a great amount of
anger inside her. Still she kept her anger in check.
"Are you fearless?" He asked.
"No, I am not fearless."
"Is not every living thing though? Even to have the power to survive
is a show of fearlessness." He reproached.
"Yes." She started and looked at him closely. The muscles in his body
pulled like a bow string. "Relax, Marius, I do not intend to kill
you, yet." His eyes went narrow in disbelief or suspicion of which
she had no clue. His own doubts were almost tearing him apart.
"Do you plan to kill me?" He asked more to himself than to her.
"If it can’t be sided, yes I will kill you." She said standing.
Silently he walked over to the windows and opened them for air.
"What are you searching for?" He said slowly turning.
"I am searching for peace and security."
"By killing men," He said shrugging, and sitting on the couch.
"Your not a man, not really." She said.
"What I am then." She ignored the question.
"I am hunting vampire and you have gotten in the way of that." She
paused, and then continued when he said nothing. "There is not only
two but four, they ride on horses of color."
"Why do you need them killed."
"To save what’s left of my humanity and to save the children of my
kind."
"But how can you stop them."
"By taking the power from them, one of which you have of the second
killed."
"I have the second, Yes." He said slowly he took out the pouch in his
pocket, and laid it in her hand.
"Thank you,"
"Your welcome Akara." Her face turned stoic.
"What did you just call me?"
"that’s what they called you when you ruled, I was there a long, long
time ago. You killed my kind, hunted them."
"Yes, I did, when we where free. As your kind hunted mortals." She
paused. "Did you live in paradise."
"Yes, and was taken into darkness, the night after the first great
war, when Eve Atlantis was destroyed and went into the lake of fire."
"We won then we’ll win now."
"Last time the evil didn’t have his full legions on the earth, and
still Eve Atlantis fell."
"Yes well we still win." She placed her hand over her heart. He sat
there and looked at her. He had never helped a killer of his kind and
here she was sitting in his house talking to him as if he was alive.
"Would you let me help you."
"No." she answered flatly, a dangerous look in her eyes. She sat
silently.
"And if I refuse?"
"I will kill you."
"And if I fight you?"
"You will die."
"Well I don’t care you’ll get some assistance, even if you don’t want
it."
"Raven." Her eyes grew cold. He looked down at her hand a small
silver blade had been exposed from her hand.
"Planning to kill me."
"Insurance." In the blink of an eyes she was outside the window into
the night.
bravenet.com