Post by Ryder on May 31, 2007 23:52:45 GMT -5
I had prevented Gehenna, but the cost had been high. My allies, my friends, all had met final death. My clan, my brood, my kin, turned their backs on me. The one soul I had loved in over six hundred years, gave her life to save mine and the rest of the world. Once again I was alone in the world. This time, it was true loneliness; I had no one, not even my clan.
So I began to wander among the mortals, drifted into their side of this world, the wings that had mysteriously grown on my back, remained there. I chose to cover them; I knew I would never be accepted by mortal or vampire because of them. I was an unwilling, dispossessed, abomination. I had seen the father, Caine, but yet I knew not why I still remained, why I alone had survived Gehenna, out of the entire Council of Fire.
I knew no joy, pain and vengeful anger ruled in my mind and heart. Yet I still managed to keep true to my blood, even if the clan had exiled me, I was still Banu Haqim, I was still a childe of Haqim, no matter what. But down in my undead heart, I knew that I carried stronger blood than anyone else that could have survived, Haqim gave me this gift, and only he and I knew of it.
But woe to me, staying alone was my key to surviving, keeping Caine’s bloodline alive. So I began to travel to mortal clubs hoping that the booze and music would suffocate my woes. Night after night I traveled, every night to a new club for a new attempt. But not blood, booze, nor violence would quench the empty howl in my soul. However, in my smothered travels I happened upon independents like myself, lost, clan-less, homeless, sire-less, and helpless. One in particular found himself in my attentive gaze, he went by the name Yukimura, though he hailed from Japanese descent, he shared my bloodline, I had found a brethren.
Over months that had spawned from the endless days and weeks, I had come to know Yukimura, quite well actually. He had even taken the gracious act of bringing me to a new club upon himself. This club was called “The Cell”, and it was an entertaining place indeed, often filled by conflict, and brawls that I often found myself stepping into. I had come to know this place as something close enough to call “home”. I slept in the basement away from the light of the sun, and each night I would rise to the sounds of the base amps shaking their floor, my ceiling, and I would clandestinely make my way up the stair case, through the back room and into the midst of the mortals, into the midst of my misfits.
After a while, after making allies and enemies among them, frequent visitors knew me by name. One night someone different entered my domain. His eyes glowed with a neon green, his face painted as if he were trying to be a clown, but he was far from that, the paint upon him amplified the fear he placed in people without a thought. I seemed to have offended him one night in particular, which ended in me going through many tables and into multiple walls. From that night on, I knew what he was; I was not alone after all. I had found a Malkavian…
After the episode with the Malkavian, I began to learn that the clans indeed had fallen apart, scattered to the wind like dust, including clan Assamite, those who exiled me. Now these clan-less independents were forming entirely new clans of their own. Mixed with different bloodlines, no one clan was pure, resembling the Camarilla and Sabbat sects before them. And I watched as they fought against and made pacts with one another, they had just picked up where their sires before them left off. But the fact remained; I was not alone in my city. But I was positive, that I was the eldest of them all. This idea went unchallenged by anyone who had a brain, all who challenged me beyond the single malkavian, fell under my blade. I was respected by many, feared by all, cared for by none.
Through Yukimura I had met a young mortal by the name of Siaria. I had found her at “The Cell” one night and asked Yukimura, “Who is that girl? I see her many a night, and yet do not know her by name.”
“As far as I know she is called Siaria, she comes here for many of the same reasons as you my friend. She had a sister, long ago, but she was kidnapped at a young age. Her family shows next to no compassion for her, though she would well enough die for them. It’s sad really, especially due to the fact that she could die at any time, her heart is weaker than most, too weak.” His voice almost seemed saddened at the thought. My gaze shifted from her to his face, he seemed to be solidified in remorse for the girl. I shifted my eyes back to watch her, “You love her don’t you Yuki?”
He shot a wide eyed stare at me, “What?! Me?! N…no of course not!”
I shook my head with a slight smirk, “Don’t hide it friend, you know that I can tell when you lie. You forget what I am.”
“Fine, I do. Ya’ happy now ‘T’? I’ve said it.”
I laughed at his defensiveness, “Don’t worry Yuki, you know that all your words are safe with me. At least you can still love. When you become as damned as I have, love becomes a thing of the past, never to be felt again.” My eyes lowered to match my heart.
“Toby, no worries man. She’s more your type than mine anyway! Hehe.” His laughter was followed by a loud “Ouch!” as my foot, accidentally hit his leg.
“Ooh, my bad. And excuse me you god damned dolt, but I preferred my women dead.” A smirk crossed my face.
“Oh yeah, I forgot.” Yuki muttered through his clenched teeth as he rubbed his leg. I shifted my vision back to this “Siaria”, who seemed to be bothered by a young male, who had obviously had more than his fair share of alcohol. In my head something clicked and without another thought, I turned to Yuki and spoke, “I’ll take this one man, sit back and see how a master works.”
“A master huh? So that’s what they’re calling someone of low IQ now?” His remark was answered by my middle finger waving ‘goodbye’ to him as I walked over to assist Siaria. I pushed my way through dancing mortals, most of which smelt of booze or sex, a lot of both actually, I finally came out to stand behind the drunk whom had grabbed the young lady by the wrist which he was jerking her by. I reached out and tapped him lightly on the shoulder to get his attention. He turned to face me, and his expression changed quickly from smirking to astonishment, apparently from my apparel, chain “Tripp” pants, a “Reality Sucks” t-shirt, all topped off by a trench coat, with my hair pulled back in a short pony tail, similar to the ones that the Japanese men had long ago. But best of all was when his eyes drifted over my rather distinctive scar that began just above my right eye and ran horizontally down my face and neck to continue under my shirt. “Ok, listen; I’m gonna say this once nicely. I don’t think the lady wants your company, so why don’t you just leave her alone, hmm?”
“W-what?” He stumbled over his words and his voiced trailed off due to his drunkenness. “Who the do you think you are talkin’ to me like that? Don’t you know who I am? I’ll kick your ass pal!”
“Hmm,” I nodded, “let me rephrase this, leave her alone or I’ll kick your ass back to the slime bag that gave birth to you.” I held back a smirk after that one; I had to try to remember it after this.
“ You pal! I’m….”
“I don’t care who or what the you are,” I said, cutting him off in mid-sentence, “leave her alone peacefully or I will make you.”
He swung at me; it went wide off its intended target, being my face. So much that there was no need to even make an attempt at dodging and his weight kept him going, right onto a nearby table. I tilted my head in respect to Siaria as I said, “Please excuse me, milady.” and walked over to the drunken idiot, whom in his stupor, remained laid out on the table. I grabbed him with the intention of lifting his up on his feet, but instead caught his elbow in the jaw. I shook my head; he had no strength to compare with mine, an insect. I adjusted my grip on his shirt and tossed him aside, over another table. He recovered rather quickly from that for a drunk, and to my surprise, with a beer bottle across my head.
“Ok, I was gonna play nice…but, you had to go and piss me off.” I blocked as he raised his right arm against me, then with his arms outward I took advantage and open palm struck him in the chest, thus sending him flying into yet another table, which just so happened to be occupied. I strode over, “Sorry ‘bout that folks, enjoy the rest of your night.” I voiced to them over the clattering of silverware and plates. I sighed as I grabbed the drunks’ shirt and hauled him to his feet, away from the table. I felt him attempt to squirm free, so I merely tightened my grip. But I had somehow managed to underestimate his strength all together, I realized this all too late as he pulled free of my hand. He turned to me quickly, especially quick for a drunk. Then that’s when I noticed it, the yellow feral gleam in his eyes, the primal glow.
“Awww, shit! I just had to find one of you doggy freaks, didn’t I? Just my in’ luck.” I grabbed a short metal rod off of my belt; I shook it to force it to extend to its full length. I brought it around in a menacing twirl before allowing it to rest upon the right side of my back, putting my left arm forward, motioning for the lupine to come and get me. His facial structure was slowly changing and he snarled at me.
“Good, he’s young.” I thought to myself, an older lupine would have been fully changed and all over me by now. He charged at me, just as I had in mind, I swung around, nailing him in the back of his skull, creating his momentum to take control of him, making him stumble and fall into the middle of the floor. By now we had attracted the crowds’ attention. It was ok, during Gehenna, the humans had found the existence of Cainites and Lupines to be true, and so this was nothing more than a nightly occurrence to them.
“Is this all you got you in mutt? Should I get a bone or stick to motivate your hairy ass?” I diverted a smile that wanted to shine upon my face, that last one was funny, I don’t care if I was about to get my ass handed to me. Unfortunately, the humor came to a sudden halt as he tore away his shirt, and seemingly the flesh upon him, changing in mere seconds and right before my eyes. “Oh shit….”, were my words as I witnessed his face jutting out into an elongated snout, the rest was so quick that it seemed as though he had been in his wolf form the entire time.
“This isn’t good, definitely not good.” I went to draw my Soul-blade, only to have the mutt strike it out of my grip, repelling it across the floor. “Oh no…”, I managed the words just as I was backhanded across the room. “Ooohhh sshhiitt!” I cringed the moment before I went through the ominous bar table behind me. The wood splintered under my weight, as my bulk forced its way through. The thunderous crack filled my ears, drowning every other sound, the wood splintered and snapped away in every direction. I hit the floor with a blustering thud accompanied by the sickening cracking of bone and tissue. My head reeled as the pain, mixed with the bass beat of Marilyn Manson’s’ “Beautiful People”, making the world throbbed and spin. I lay amidst the rubble that, a minute ago, had been the bar, writhing in pain. I felt a shot of hot, sticky, putrid air, cut into my face, as if it were made of knives. And the only thing I could think of was, “Yuki doesn’t have dog breath…..” , right before I was lifted off the ground, face to face with the beast, I peered down his mouth onto the rows of teeth within it, drool falling over his curled lips. My face recoiled and my skin crawled from the rancid odor that wafted out of the beasts’ muzzle. I frantically clawed at his arms in a desperate attempt to free myself, but he just tightened his grip. I could feel death creeping into my already dead body, I had to find a way out, I had to calm the hell down and think, quickly. I braced my arms between the joints of his elbows and thrust outward, I watched as his elbows bent upward with a sickening snap of the bone. I fell to the floor as he leaned back and let out a pain-filled howl of agony. Then he tilted back to me before once again roaring in pain, drowning out everything else, including the music and screaming bystanders. The beast reached a great muscle bound arm back over his shoulder, apparently straining to reach something. I regained myself and got back on my feet, making a glance over the beasts shoulder, to see the face of Yukimura.
“Tobias! Here!” Yuki called out as he tossed a weapon to me. My eyes traced it through the air, snatching it in mid-fall. Unsheathing it from its wooden resting place, the blade cried out in a metallic shriek. The lights from the ceiling made the katana glimmer as though it possessed its own aura. After my spilt second of admiration for the blade, I brought it about in a swift cleave, straight through the lupines neck and throat. He choked out a gurgle as he choked on his own blood before the nerves in his brain died, his head falling off after his head twitched.
“Damn, what a mess you guys make when you die. You just have to bleed everywhere.”
I stood over his headless corpse, I watched as the lupine features seemingly melted away, leaving a decapitated human in its wake. Then the pain caught up to me. I looked down at my chest to see it agape with three rather large gashes in my flesh. I clutched at my chest in immense pain, my eyes darting along the walls for an exit. My doorway was too crowded to get to, which left me with only one exit route. I ran and bolted out the doors, looking desperately for somewhere to hide, only to find a less than desirable alley. I propped myself up against a trash can, only to hear one of the softest voices that I ever had.
"Very impressive back there, caught my attention quite well."
"Who are you? What do you want?" My hand instinctively clutching the kukri tucked in the rear of my belt.
"My name..., is not important, but you are, everything about you, I think maybe I could help you..." She tossed her auburn hair back over her shoulder, revealing her hazel eyes better. "After all there is plenty to know about you"
"There is no helping a warrior like I, and if you know me, then you know this"
She then fully stepped from the shadows, her eyes and hair playing with her facial features, and for a moment I was taken back, feeling a lost feeling that I had not felt since....Melody. No, it couldn't be, she died at the end of Gehenna, and my heart died with her.
"Well, though you feel that way...Tobias, I have an offer for you. I think you would make an excellent addition to our little family, what do you say?"
I stood there in silence for a moment, this was my chance to try again. I could start over. I raised my gaze to match hers and gave a sly smile, "Where do we start?"
She turned and looked back at me over her shoulder with a smile, "Follow me, and oh, by the way, the names Rowan." I followed her out of the alley and then down the deathly empty streets, for what seemed like forever. We then turned into another alley only to descend down a flight of stairs. They were just right there going under a building, and I, the seemingly king of this city, had never seen them. Rowan opened a large metallic looking door into a pitch black room, I hesitantly followed. My eyes searched for any light at all, but there was nothing. I turned both ways, searching for a silhouette, Rowan, anything to see. But I could no longer make out anything in this ink like darkness.
"Rowan? Rowan!" My hand instinctively clutched the hilt of my blade. Then, a light snapped on, pointed directly at me from a higher angle. I raised my arm, blinded by the light. "What is all this?" my eyes began to adjust as the light softened, along with it more lights flickered on. And then one by one they stepped out of the shadows into the light. The first three took their places ahead of the rest. A women with dark hair with a hint of a red tint to it, on her right stood a woman with long brown hair with spots of red and black underlying it, most of which fell in front of her face, hiding much of her features. Then on the left stood a man, no, not a man. A malkavian, it was the one from the club. The man with the painted face and the glowing neon green eyes. My eyes snapped away from him as the woman in the center stepped forward, her dark hair contrasting her slightly paler skin. She let a small almost subtly kept smirk play across her ruby lips. "So, you're Rowans little find? Well, as the head of this little, organization, may I welcome you to the Shadows Haven. I hope it lives up to your expectations, Rowan will show you anything you need." And with that the Woman turned and returned to the shadows that had birthed her, the other two followed her silently. Once they had disappeared into the darkness the others simply seemed to fade away, except for one.
“I see you’re making friends already,” chimed Rowan from her resting space against a far pillar, clouded by the shadows. “Come on, I’ve got some others for you to meet.” She turned and without another word, started down a hallway. And I followed, a few steps behind, but still close enough to catch her eyes trying their best to subtly look over her shoulder. She was young, especially in comparison to me. I swear that I could have been her great grand sire, hell; I could have been her sires’ great grand sire. But still, when you’re dead, age becomes meaningless. So, the tugging for her inside me was easily dismissed, not because of age, but because I knew better, I knew what I was.
She introduced me to a man named Cypher, a warrior and a healer. I liked him almost immediately, especially after he had graciously healed my wounds. Next was a man that went by the title of Rose, his actual name had been lost to the ages and he had chosen his new name after the time of judgment. He was as artist with a fighting spirit, making his company enjoyable for the short time of which I was privileged to have it. After him came one more, a man who was a bit more unique than the rest, at least that’s what Rowan had said. Somehow the feeling I got about him was strange, as though his lineage and mine had been connected further down. But I dismissed those thoughts as well. Rowan explained that River had come from the land of Australia, but with all the antitribu running around, he had fought his way north to the U.S. Unfortunately I did not get the pleasure to meet this warrior, but I allowed that to be fine for the time.
When finished with the greetings for me, Rowan led me down yet another long, stone corridor. Doors lined the hall on both sides, each bearing a name. River, Cypher, Rose, Sade, Scathatch, Rowan, Mordecai, and Ezekiel, the last one I took notice of.
“Rowan, this Ezekiel, who is he, why have I not seen him?”
“Oh Ezekiel, he’s another cleric, like Sade but he’s out a lot, usually on business a lot. He’s an agent so we never really know where he is. “
“I see…” we continued down three more doors to step in front of one that was barren of any name.
“Here you are, this will be your room. Better get some rest, the sun’ll be up soon, and you may still be weak from the damage that lychan did to you.” She opened the door for me, and I took one step inside before she turned to walk away.
“Rowan…” I stopped her, “Thank you.”
She smiled sweetly before she subtly nodded and returned with “it’s no problem Tobias, sweet dreams.” Then turned and disappeared from my doorway. I took the little time I had to look my new home over, the crimson bedding, no windows, that was a good thing, wouldn’t want to wake up and end up being deep fried in my sleep. It wasn’t a castle like I had grown used to, but it was enough to call home. It was a hell of a lot better than that basement. But still, this was no Cologne and these people were not family, but then again, who out of my family was still alive?
Memories of what I had been witness to fluttered through my mind, images full of fire, blood, and ruins played behind my eyes as if someone were watching some sick home movie. So much death, I forced myself to stop such thoughts from being in my mind. Thinking about all that now would not help me, I needed to move on.
I stepped over and opened the closet door, which resembled something of a wicker material, as if it had been made from baskets. Inside hung a pair of pants that seemed to be made of a crystal, but were cloth all the same, their white and silver shimmer seemed to come from the cloth itself, seeming as how there was not a single light in the room turned on. Also, was a vest to match it, both hung in the otherwise empty closet, untouched by the dust that thickened the walls and floor around them. Then without a thought I was removing my belt and side arms, placing them on the bureau. Removing my old and torn street cloths was nice enough, but adorning the white crystalline like apparel felt wonderful. It was if I were wearing the rays of the sun itself, but it did not burn.
I turned and saw sandals by the door, my brow arched as if to offer its own sarcasm. I walked past them and through the doorway into the stone hall. The door slid shut without a complaint despite its decrepit look, looking quite old. As I turned down the hall, not even with a single step, then I noticed lettering etched into my door. Glittering in a golden finished was the word, “Tobias”.
“Well I guess there’s more to this place then meets the eye.” The words seemed to die out as they were spoken, as if the air had suffocated me very own voice. But this door had caught my interest and I wanted to know more, so I took it upon myself to take a closer look. I called upon the blood in my undead veins, the powers of auspex, and I looked into the very essence, the soul of the building. It was amazing, so much had happened in this place before I had arrived. And these people, they had been here nearly a year, and yet I had had no knowledge of it in the very city I had claimed as my own. I snapped out of my trance-like state, only to have a voice ring in my ears.
“Taking an interest in your new abode?”
I turned about to face the voice, Mordecai…my expression was not moved. I stared back into his lime green eyes, which in turn were cold, almost like stone. I had not even felt his approach on me, but I could feel his powers now. He was strong, I hadn’t met anyone of his potential for a long time, and this earned him yet more of my respect. Then my mind finally shot back to his question.
“Actually yes, if I am to remain here I figured I could know a bit about it. That is, if you don’t object…”
“No I don’t, by all means go ahead. But watch how far you look, you could end up losing your sight.”
I nodded; he was not threatening me, merely a warning in his tone. “Got it.” On normal terms I would have struck a man down for raising any tone near his to me, but this was no normal situation. My past had to be put behind me if I was to stay here, and I had to accept that. Mordecai silently turned and stalked back into the shadows from which he had come from. There was something about him I could not get past; I could not tell whether I came form his cold, glossy eyed stare or the callous in his voice. But there was definitely something he wasn’t sharing. But I didn’t feel now would be the best time to get involved in that area. So I merely walked further down the corridor. The walls and floor; they were all stone, cold. It reminded me of everything I was trying to put behind me.
I had not noticed that in my absent-mindedness, I had been walking down the corridor and now stood in what appeared to be a kitchen. But if this were a home of other cainites…then what purpose did a kitchen hold? Unless the Dark Age fairy tales were true, that vampires could somehow ascend the need for vitae. But that was preposterous, or was it? A hand fell upon my shoulder, soft and gentle, yet its sudden presence had startled me in such a way that I had come close to jumping. But instead was taken by a quick reflexive twitch and turning around. I ended in a close face to face with the man known as Cypher”
So I began to wander among the mortals, drifted into their side of this world, the wings that had mysteriously grown on my back, remained there. I chose to cover them; I knew I would never be accepted by mortal or vampire because of them. I was an unwilling, dispossessed, abomination. I had seen the father, Caine, but yet I knew not why I still remained, why I alone had survived Gehenna, out of the entire Council of Fire.
I knew no joy, pain and vengeful anger ruled in my mind and heart. Yet I still managed to keep true to my blood, even if the clan had exiled me, I was still Banu Haqim, I was still a childe of Haqim, no matter what. But down in my undead heart, I knew that I carried stronger blood than anyone else that could have survived, Haqim gave me this gift, and only he and I knew of it.
But woe to me, staying alone was my key to surviving, keeping Caine’s bloodline alive. So I began to travel to mortal clubs hoping that the booze and music would suffocate my woes. Night after night I traveled, every night to a new club for a new attempt. But not blood, booze, nor violence would quench the empty howl in my soul. However, in my smothered travels I happened upon independents like myself, lost, clan-less, homeless, sire-less, and helpless. One in particular found himself in my attentive gaze, he went by the name Yukimura, though he hailed from Japanese descent, he shared my bloodline, I had found a brethren.
Over months that had spawned from the endless days and weeks, I had come to know Yukimura, quite well actually. He had even taken the gracious act of bringing me to a new club upon himself. This club was called “The Cell”, and it was an entertaining place indeed, often filled by conflict, and brawls that I often found myself stepping into. I had come to know this place as something close enough to call “home”. I slept in the basement away from the light of the sun, and each night I would rise to the sounds of the base amps shaking their floor, my ceiling, and I would clandestinely make my way up the stair case, through the back room and into the midst of the mortals, into the midst of my misfits.
After a while, after making allies and enemies among them, frequent visitors knew me by name. One night someone different entered my domain. His eyes glowed with a neon green, his face painted as if he were trying to be a clown, but he was far from that, the paint upon him amplified the fear he placed in people without a thought. I seemed to have offended him one night in particular, which ended in me going through many tables and into multiple walls. From that night on, I knew what he was; I was not alone after all. I had found a Malkavian…
After the episode with the Malkavian, I began to learn that the clans indeed had fallen apart, scattered to the wind like dust, including clan Assamite, those who exiled me. Now these clan-less independents were forming entirely new clans of their own. Mixed with different bloodlines, no one clan was pure, resembling the Camarilla and Sabbat sects before them. And I watched as they fought against and made pacts with one another, they had just picked up where their sires before them left off. But the fact remained; I was not alone in my city. But I was positive, that I was the eldest of them all. This idea went unchallenged by anyone who had a brain, all who challenged me beyond the single malkavian, fell under my blade. I was respected by many, feared by all, cared for by none.
Through Yukimura I had met a young mortal by the name of Siaria. I had found her at “The Cell” one night and asked Yukimura, “Who is that girl? I see her many a night, and yet do not know her by name.”
“As far as I know she is called Siaria, she comes here for many of the same reasons as you my friend. She had a sister, long ago, but she was kidnapped at a young age. Her family shows next to no compassion for her, though she would well enough die for them. It’s sad really, especially due to the fact that she could die at any time, her heart is weaker than most, too weak.” His voice almost seemed saddened at the thought. My gaze shifted from her to his face, he seemed to be solidified in remorse for the girl. I shifted my eyes back to watch her, “You love her don’t you Yuki?”
He shot a wide eyed stare at me, “What?! Me?! N…no of course not!”
I shook my head with a slight smirk, “Don’t hide it friend, you know that I can tell when you lie. You forget what I am.”
“Fine, I do. Ya’ happy now ‘T’? I’ve said it.”
I laughed at his defensiveness, “Don’t worry Yuki, you know that all your words are safe with me. At least you can still love. When you become as damned as I have, love becomes a thing of the past, never to be felt again.” My eyes lowered to match my heart.
“Toby, no worries man. She’s more your type than mine anyway! Hehe.” His laughter was followed by a loud “Ouch!” as my foot, accidentally hit his leg.
“Ooh, my bad. And excuse me you god damned dolt, but I preferred my women dead.” A smirk crossed my face.
“Oh yeah, I forgot.” Yuki muttered through his clenched teeth as he rubbed his leg. I shifted my vision back to this “Siaria”, who seemed to be bothered by a young male, who had obviously had more than his fair share of alcohol. In my head something clicked and without another thought, I turned to Yuki and spoke, “I’ll take this one man, sit back and see how a master works.”
“A master huh? So that’s what they’re calling someone of low IQ now?” His remark was answered by my middle finger waving ‘goodbye’ to him as I walked over to assist Siaria. I pushed my way through dancing mortals, most of which smelt of booze or sex, a lot of both actually, I finally came out to stand behind the drunk whom had grabbed the young lady by the wrist which he was jerking her by. I reached out and tapped him lightly on the shoulder to get his attention. He turned to face me, and his expression changed quickly from smirking to astonishment, apparently from my apparel, chain “Tripp” pants, a “Reality Sucks” t-shirt, all topped off by a trench coat, with my hair pulled back in a short pony tail, similar to the ones that the Japanese men had long ago. But best of all was when his eyes drifted over my rather distinctive scar that began just above my right eye and ran horizontally down my face and neck to continue under my shirt. “Ok, listen; I’m gonna say this once nicely. I don’t think the lady wants your company, so why don’t you just leave her alone, hmm?”
“W-what?” He stumbled over his words and his voiced trailed off due to his drunkenness. “Who the do you think you are talkin’ to me like that? Don’t you know who I am? I’ll kick your ass pal!”
“Hmm,” I nodded, “let me rephrase this, leave her alone or I’ll kick your ass back to the slime bag that gave birth to you.” I held back a smirk after that one; I had to try to remember it after this.
“ You pal! I’m….”
“I don’t care who or what the you are,” I said, cutting him off in mid-sentence, “leave her alone peacefully or I will make you.”
He swung at me; it went wide off its intended target, being my face. So much that there was no need to even make an attempt at dodging and his weight kept him going, right onto a nearby table. I tilted my head in respect to Siaria as I said, “Please excuse me, milady.” and walked over to the drunken idiot, whom in his stupor, remained laid out on the table. I grabbed him with the intention of lifting his up on his feet, but instead caught his elbow in the jaw. I shook my head; he had no strength to compare with mine, an insect. I adjusted my grip on his shirt and tossed him aside, over another table. He recovered rather quickly from that for a drunk, and to my surprise, with a beer bottle across my head.
“Ok, I was gonna play nice…but, you had to go and piss me off.” I blocked as he raised his right arm against me, then with his arms outward I took advantage and open palm struck him in the chest, thus sending him flying into yet another table, which just so happened to be occupied. I strode over, “Sorry ‘bout that folks, enjoy the rest of your night.” I voiced to them over the clattering of silverware and plates. I sighed as I grabbed the drunks’ shirt and hauled him to his feet, away from the table. I felt him attempt to squirm free, so I merely tightened my grip. But I had somehow managed to underestimate his strength all together, I realized this all too late as he pulled free of my hand. He turned to me quickly, especially quick for a drunk. Then that’s when I noticed it, the yellow feral gleam in his eyes, the primal glow.
“Awww, shit! I just had to find one of you doggy freaks, didn’t I? Just my in’ luck.” I grabbed a short metal rod off of my belt; I shook it to force it to extend to its full length. I brought it around in a menacing twirl before allowing it to rest upon the right side of my back, putting my left arm forward, motioning for the lupine to come and get me. His facial structure was slowly changing and he snarled at me.
“Good, he’s young.” I thought to myself, an older lupine would have been fully changed and all over me by now. He charged at me, just as I had in mind, I swung around, nailing him in the back of his skull, creating his momentum to take control of him, making him stumble and fall into the middle of the floor. By now we had attracted the crowds’ attention. It was ok, during Gehenna, the humans had found the existence of Cainites and Lupines to be true, and so this was nothing more than a nightly occurrence to them.
“Is this all you got you in mutt? Should I get a bone or stick to motivate your hairy ass?” I diverted a smile that wanted to shine upon my face, that last one was funny, I don’t care if I was about to get my ass handed to me. Unfortunately, the humor came to a sudden halt as he tore away his shirt, and seemingly the flesh upon him, changing in mere seconds and right before my eyes. “Oh shit….”, were my words as I witnessed his face jutting out into an elongated snout, the rest was so quick that it seemed as though he had been in his wolf form the entire time.
“This isn’t good, definitely not good.” I went to draw my Soul-blade, only to have the mutt strike it out of my grip, repelling it across the floor. “Oh no…”, I managed the words just as I was backhanded across the room. “Ooohhh sshhiitt!” I cringed the moment before I went through the ominous bar table behind me. The wood splintered under my weight, as my bulk forced its way through. The thunderous crack filled my ears, drowning every other sound, the wood splintered and snapped away in every direction. I hit the floor with a blustering thud accompanied by the sickening cracking of bone and tissue. My head reeled as the pain, mixed with the bass beat of Marilyn Manson’s’ “Beautiful People”, making the world throbbed and spin. I lay amidst the rubble that, a minute ago, had been the bar, writhing in pain. I felt a shot of hot, sticky, putrid air, cut into my face, as if it were made of knives. And the only thing I could think of was, “Yuki doesn’t have dog breath…..” , right before I was lifted off the ground, face to face with the beast, I peered down his mouth onto the rows of teeth within it, drool falling over his curled lips. My face recoiled and my skin crawled from the rancid odor that wafted out of the beasts’ muzzle. I frantically clawed at his arms in a desperate attempt to free myself, but he just tightened his grip. I could feel death creeping into my already dead body, I had to find a way out, I had to calm the hell down and think, quickly. I braced my arms between the joints of his elbows and thrust outward, I watched as his elbows bent upward with a sickening snap of the bone. I fell to the floor as he leaned back and let out a pain-filled howl of agony. Then he tilted back to me before once again roaring in pain, drowning out everything else, including the music and screaming bystanders. The beast reached a great muscle bound arm back over his shoulder, apparently straining to reach something. I regained myself and got back on my feet, making a glance over the beasts shoulder, to see the face of Yukimura.
“Tobias! Here!” Yuki called out as he tossed a weapon to me. My eyes traced it through the air, snatching it in mid-fall. Unsheathing it from its wooden resting place, the blade cried out in a metallic shriek. The lights from the ceiling made the katana glimmer as though it possessed its own aura. After my spilt second of admiration for the blade, I brought it about in a swift cleave, straight through the lupines neck and throat. He choked out a gurgle as he choked on his own blood before the nerves in his brain died, his head falling off after his head twitched.
“Damn, what a mess you guys make when you die. You just have to bleed everywhere.”
I stood over his headless corpse, I watched as the lupine features seemingly melted away, leaving a decapitated human in its wake. Then the pain caught up to me. I looked down at my chest to see it agape with three rather large gashes in my flesh. I clutched at my chest in immense pain, my eyes darting along the walls for an exit. My doorway was too crowded to get to, which left me with only one exit route. I ran and bolted out the doors, looking desperately for somewhere to hide, only to find a less than desirable alley. I propped myself up against a trash can, only to hear one of the softest voices that I ever had.
"Very impressive back there, caught my attention quite well."
"Who are you? What do you want?" My hand instinctively clutching the kukri tucked in the rear of my belt.
"My name..., is not important, but you are, everything about you, I think maybe I could help you..." She tossed her auburn hair back over her shoulder, revealing her hazel eyes better. "After all there is plenty to know about you"
"There is no helping a warrior like I, and if you know me, then you know this"
She then fully stepped from the shadows, her eyes and hair playing with her facial features, and for a moment I was taken back, feeling a lost feeling that I had not felt since....Melody. No, it couldn't be, she died at the end of Gehenna, and my heart died with her.
"Well, though you feel that way...Tobias, I have an offer for you. I think you would make an excellent addition to our little family, what do you say?"
I stood there in silence for a moment, this was my chance to try again. I could start over. I raised my gaze to match hers and gave a sly smile, "Where do we start?"
She turned and looked back at me over her shoulder with a smile, "Follow me, and oh, by the way, the names Rowan." I followed her out of the alley and then down the deathly empty streets, for what seemed like forever. We then turned into another alley only to descend down a flight of stairs. They were just right there going under a building, and I, the seemingly king of this city, had never seen them. Rowan opened a large metallic looking door into a pitch black room, I hesitantly followed. My eyes searched for any light at all, but there was nothing. I turned both ways, searching for a silhouette, Rowan, anything to see. But I could no longer make out anything in this ink like darkness.
"Rowan? Rowan!" My hand instinctively clutched the hilt of my blade. Then, a light snapped on, pointed directly at me from a higher angle. I raised my arm, blinded by the light. "What is all this?" my eyes began to adjust as the light softened, along with it more lights flickered on. And then one by one they stepped out of the shadows into the light. The first three took their places ahead of the rest. A women with dark hair with a hint of a red tint to it, on her right stood a woman with long brown hair with spots of red and black underlying it, most of which fell in front of her face, hiding much of her features. Then on the left stood a man, no, not a man. A malkavian, it was the one from the club. The man with the painted face and the glowing neon green eyes. My eyes snapped away from him as the woman in the center stepped forward, her dark hair contrasting her slightly paler skin. She let a small almost subtly kept smirk play across her ruby lips. "So, you're Rowans little find? Well, as the head of this little, organization, may I welcome you to the Shadows Haven. I hope it lives up to your expectations, Rowan will show you anything you need." And with that the Woman turned and returned to the shadows that had birthed her, the other two followed her silently. Once they had disappeared into the darkness the others simply seemed to fade away, except for one.
“I see you’re making friends already,” chimed Rowan from her resting space against a far pillar, clouded by the shadows. “Come on, I’ve got some others for you to meet.” She turned and without another word, started down a hallway. And I followed, a few steps behind, but still close enough to catch her eyes trying their best to subtly look over her shoulder. She was young, especially in comparison to me. I swear that I could have been her great grand sire, hell; I could have been her sires’ great grand sire. But still, when you’re dead, age becomes meaningless. So, the tugging for her inside me was easily dismissed, not because of age, but because I knew better, I knew what I was.
She introduced me to a man named Cypher, a warrior and a healer. I liked him almost immediately, especially after he had graciously healed my wounds. Next was a man that went by the title of Rose, his actual name had been lost to the ages and he had chosen his new name after the time of judgment. He was as artist with a fighting spirit, making his company enjoyable for the short time of which I was privileged to have it. After him came one more, a man who was a bit more unique than the rest, at least that’s what Rowan had said. Somehow the feeling I got about him was strange, as though his lineage and mine had been connected further down. But I dismissed those thoughts as well. Rowan explained that River had come from the land of Australia, but with all the antitribu running around, he had fought his way north to the U.S. Unfortunately I did not get the pleasure to meet this warrior, but I allowed that to be fine for the time.
When finished with the greetings for me, Rowan led me down yet another long, stone corridor. Doors lined the hall on both sides, each bearing a name. River, Cypher, Rose, Sade, Scathatch, Rowan, Mordecai, and Ezekiel, the last one I took notice of.
“Rowan, this Ezekiel, who is he, why have I not seen him?”
“Oh Ezekiel, he’s another cleric, like Sade but he’s out a lot, usually on business a lot. He’s an agent so we never really know where he is. “
“I see…” we continued down three more doors to step in front of one that was barren of any name.
“Here you are, this will be your room. Better get some rest, the sun’ll be up soon, and you may still be weak from the damage that lychan did to you.” She opened the door for me, and I took one step inside before she turned to walk away.
“Rowan…” I stopped her, “Thank you.”
She smiled sweetly before she subtly nodded and returned with “it’s no problem Tobias, sweet dreams.” Then turned and disappeared from my doorway. I took the little time I had to look my new home over, the crimson bedding, no windows, that was a good thing, wouldn’t want to wake up and end up being deep fried in my sleep. It wasn’t a castle like I had grown used to, but it was enough to call home. It was a hell of a lot better than that basement. But still, this was no Cologne and these people were not family, but then again, who out of my family was still alive?
Memories of what I had been witness to fluttered through my mind, images full of fire, blood, and ruins played behind my eyes as if someone were watching some sick home movie. So much death, I forced myself to stop such thoughts from being in my mind. Thinking about all that now would not help me, I needed to move on.
I stepped over and opened the closet door, which resembled something of a wicker material, as if it had been made from baskets. Inside hung a pair of pants that seemed to be made of a crystal, but were cloth all the same, their white and silver shimmer seemed to come from the cloth itself, seeming as how there was not a single light in the room turned on. Also, was a vest to match it, both hung in the otherwise empty closet, untouched by the dust that thickened the walls and floor around them. Then without a thought I was removing my belt and side arms, placing them on the bureau. Removing my old and torn street cloths was nice enough, but adorning the white crystalline like apparel felt wonderful. It was if I were wearing the rays of the sun itself, but it did not burn.
I turned and saw sandals by the door, my brow arched as if to offer its own sarcasm. I walked past them and through the doorway into the stone hall. The door slid shut without a complaint despite its decrepit look, looking quite old. As I turned down the hall, not even with a single step, then I noticed lettering etched into my door. Glittering in a golden finished was the word, “Tobias”.
“Well I guess there’s more to this place then meets the eye.” The words seemed to die out as they were spoken, as if the air had suffocated me very own voice. But this door had caught my interest and I wanted to know more, so I took it upon myself to take a closer look. I called upon the blood in my undead veins, the powers of auspex, and I looked into the very essence, the soul of the building. It was amazing, so much had happened in this place before I had arrived. And these people, they had been here nearly a year, and yet I had had no knowledge of it in the very city I had claimed as my own. I snapped out of my trance-like state, only to have a voice ring in my ears.
“Taking an interest in your new abode?”
I turned about to face the voice, Mordecai…my expression was not moved. I stared back into his lime green eyes, which in turn were cold, almost like stone. I had not even felt his approach on me, but I could feel his powers now. He was strong, I hadn’t met anyone of his potential for a long time, and this earned him yet more of my respect. Then my mind finally shot back to his question.
“Actually yes, if I am to remain here I figured I could know a bit about it. That is, if you don’t object…”
“No I don’t, by all means go ahead. But watch how far you look, you could end up losing your sight.”
I nodded; he was not threatening me, merely a warning in his tone. “Got it.” On normal terms I would have struck a man down for raising any tone near his to me, but this was no normal situation. My past had to be put behind me if I was to stay here, and I had to accept that. Mordecai silently turned and stalked back into the shadows from which he had come from. There was something about him I could not get past; I could not tell whether I came form his cold, glossy eyed stare or the callous in his voice. But there was definitely something he wasn’t sharing. But I didn’t feel now would be the best time to get involved in that area. So I merely walked further down the corridor. The walls and floor; they were all stone, cold. It reminded me of everything I was trying to put behind me.
I had not noticed that in my absent-mindedness, I had been walking down the corridor and now stood in what appeared to be a kitchen. But if this were a home of other cainites…then what purpose did a kitchen hold? Unless the Dark Age fairy tales were true, that vampires could somehow ascend the need for vitae. But that was preposterous, or was it? A hand fell upon my shoulder, soft and gentle, yet its sudden presence had startled me in such a way that I had come close to jumping. But instead was taken by a quick reflexive twitch and turning around. I ended in a close face to face with the man known as Cypher”