Rebirth and Death

Running from Vidar's followers, being haunted by the name the Betrayer of hope, so many sins from a life that was not his fault. None of those mistakes were his fault he did the best there was to do and was always the victim.ALWAYS Raziel thrashed on the ground. Had it been Lord Darkness coming back? No he was long dead. Perhaps Hannibal finally defeating his master? He would have to walk from the other side of the grave as well though not beyond possibilities, Raziel had done that same thing many times. Death seemed not to hold him. Dieing once to an asasins poison while being watched by friends, dieing again at the hands of the women he loved who was tricked by Loki, returning to die again memories lost and gained lives lived and lost. Again and again through the gifts of the gods or some trick of magic he lived again. He thought he had out thought them all, swearing his allegiance to Lord Maul so to be turned a vampire and be given the gift of immortality. Yet here he was dieing. Poison maybe, he had been poisoned before it raced through his veins though his blood did not flow. Falling to the ground he started to thrash just because movement meant he was alive. Why was he always a victim? He only wanted the world to kneel before him wanted to avenge the wrongs of the world.Death may take me, But RAZIEL KAIN will escape this as he has every trip to hell before. His vision twisted and the familar hand of death reached for him. Bravely he reached back.

Bob smiled as his children ran through their home. A much bigger home than they had in trade city, and much more comfortable with out the fires of the forge heating the house. Here he had room to spare, and space for his children to grow and play. He had Remus and the Isle to thank for that. Everyone had The Isle to thank for their lives and the prosperity and blessings of the gods they all enjoyed, 3 healthy children and a lovely devoted wife were blessings only the gods could give to be sure. But it was Master Underguard who made it possible to leave Tradecity. From what his dad had told him, his family had always been blacksmiths. He had dreamed of being able to provide more, but even being so good to be the envy of all those who knew in his trade did not seem to earn him what he wanted to give his family. Then came Master Underguard from Atlanta a merchant who had made it rich and wanted a personal blacksmith. The money was good very good and lots of work too. Soon after that Remus moved the whole family to the distant city of Jong. From what Bob knew Remus saw the recently war devestated place as an investiment or maybe just a humanitarian project. Bob smithed for their whole army, not that their army was large. The money was good and life was comfortable but every day hearing the hammer hit the anvil just was not enough to keep Bob engaged. He needed more and again Master Undergaurd come to the rescue. He taught Bob a skill or two and had him meet up with Galan, the legendary Savior of Osiris, to adventure and stop evil across the world. As Bob let his daughter slide from his knee and replaced her with his lovely wife, he realized Remus Underguard had given life and hope to not just Bob but to his whole family.

Raziel sprang up alive, well as much as he ever was. No air filled his lungs nor did his heart pace the passing of time, yet he was awake. His heart did not beat but he could hear the beating of others--4 others. The closest was that of maybe an infant it was large as a man's but not fully developed, others were approaching human hearts. One closing on him 2 others across or door or way. The closests man's heart told him the man weighted about 165 and the sound of the blood rushing indicated he was about 5'11" and carrying something in a hand to the left of his heart.
Smell came next they were all male for sure and nervous but not frightened. It would seem they wanted to fight or that they expected to. Then came sight, he looked to be a Talyun man dressed in simple robes and holding a staff. I was in Enron when I was poisoned how did I get in Talyun The surrounding room was foreign too translucent walls that had a fog inside of them maybe made of crystal. He was on a metal table that looked cold though he could not feel. That sense would not come back that was one of the prices of immortality his skin seemed mostly dead to touch.
Forcing his attention back to the man, "Where am I? answer me quickly." His voice came out more labored than forceful making him worry that it may have sounded more desperate than the angry he felt. The man just handed him a letter and stepped back. Perhaps Raziel's words had their desired effect. He quickly looked at the letter.
Strangely enough, it was from Blade. Blade found him just as he was dieing. He had meant to save him feeling that someone may mean him harm. Though Blade and his relationship had been long ago, Raziel felt a sliver of gratitude for Blade's actions. Blade had not saved his life, he took a piece of him and through magic had cloned him. Raziel was just a copy. The real him was dead. Though not from the attack that had killed him, he returned from that and became a priest to Hades who gave his life for the greater good. That did not sound like Raziel at all.

Regardless, he was alive again as he knew he would be. Yet with no reason to live. In short script Blade detailed that everything Raziel was involved in and what he wanted to pursue was closed. Maul destroyed, the Dark One defeated, and more and more. The letter included a coin which Blade said was a key to get back to the fortress and a ring he could use to teleport. Looks like he really did have a new life. He left the Fortress. He would return but now he needed to leave.

Bella was scared but she did not see another choice. Andrew had invited her to speak to his Lady saying he knew what she was and could give her answers. Answers she desperately wanted her whole life and family just dissapeared instantly and suddenly she found herself inside a walled section of the city and had floundered her way through life since then. Crossing the arched gateway into the large courtyard she scanned the crowd. Dozens of people dressed in fine dresses and costumes through the large stone and grass courtyard. Rows of torches lined pathes and illuminated the party and cast long shadows through the ball. The shadows and lighted portion of the ground seeming to fight and wrestle for control. A young girl about 16 carrying drinks approaches, "Drink my lady?" Bella responds, "No, thank you."
"Then follow me, my lady." She says as setting down the drinks on a near by table and escorts Bella through the ball to the doors of the large estate.
The large empty enterance hall stood in contrast to the bustling crowded courtyard. Lit by dozens of torches that just do not seem to fully illuminate the grand enterance hall. Bella follows the servant through a twisted stone stair case. The stones are well cut and tapestries cover the walls but the stone still seems rough and distant and cold. The servant knocks 4 times on a large oak door with iron hinges and knobs.

Bella's acute hearing detects noises behind the door and then tries to focus on something else. IT was like peeking through bed curtains she would have blushed had their been blood in her cheeks. Just a moment later the door opens and Andrew walks out, as a silken musical enchanting voice calls from with in the barely lit room "Come in my child."

Bella steps forward into a room that sprawled out before her. The only light was coming from a small glow of a massive cold fireplace in the corner of the room. The flames were not enough to light the room but enough to make the shadows dance as if they were demons and bats dancing across the cold stone walls. There may have been something else in the room but all Bella saw was her.


Skin like porecelian she sat on the red satin sheets with he legs folded beneath her. Perfect velvet hair fell from her head to past her shoulders and beyond and shined despite the lack of light. It seemed as though every hair was completely symetrical and every pore in her skin lined up perfectly to magnify and intensify her beautiful features. Wearing a long tight red dress that leaves litte to the imagination for her impressive firm bossom, she moves forward sliding her firm legs off the bed and too the floor. Black gloves went all the way up her sleeveless arms, and as she stood Bella was floored by how perfectly taylored every single thread of the gloves and dress were to hug and curve her body perfectly. Bella had never experienced such beauty and could not imagine anthing more pleasant to view and then she walked. It was watching a dark angel in motion, no sight compared and Bella felt a desire to be with touch and be touched by her. Gazing powerful purple eyes locked on Bella and there was felt a yearning and wanted, a tension between them.

"My child, thank you for coming." Putty. Bella was a candle whose wic had been let burn too long. She felt her guard and her very self melt away and run down from her core like a stream of runaway wax. "..My, Lady."
"What is your name?"
Searching for words she can only stare.
"Tell me child, I hear your companions call you Bella is that so?"
"The only name I've ever known."
"Well I shall call you Auroa, for you can walk in sunlight can you not?"
Bella nodded then taking her eyes from the lady's bosom, "With certain precautions I can walk in the sunlight."
"They call my Tatyana" A black cat emerges from under the satin sheets and races then leaps to be craddled effortlessly in Tatyana's delicate arms.
"Why have you asked me here?"
"Because your different than them." Tatyana motions with her free hand to a balcony and window that spans an entire wall of the room. How had Bella missed that? Thick black curtains were gathered at each side and the lights and people of the city lay beyond it. "You are special you are blessed you are gifted. Even among our kind."
"Our kind?"
Tatyana turns and floats to the fireplace setting a porcelian hand on the stone. She was captivating from behind. The curve of her body seemingly yearned to be touched. Her body so perfect it must have come from a mold shilloetted by the fire light only made it a teasing unseeable treasure. Bella shook her head Tatyana was talking again.
"They call us Vampires. We are the immortals. The gifted. They talk about their afterlife - Heaven," if there was a heaven Bella was in it now in what she could only describe as Tatyana's dark glow. "A place where their joy is magnified. We live that live as they walk in a foggy haze. See that vase, they only see the surface painting and as beautiful as that is they can not see how it was painted with a brush whose bristles were new soft and straight. How the Artists lines are perfect to the smallest fraction of detail. That can not see beyond the paint to the detail of how it was fired and how the kennel must have been so hot all the potery solidified at once leaving no sagging. They only see a vase."
Mesmorized by her words, "What would you have me do?"
Turning so her bright eyes caught Bella's, "Just as the lesser race has their laws we have ours. A council of the Valtirium led by myself makes these laws and enforces them so they are obeyed. As fate would have it we live under prejustice oppresive shadow of the Isle of the Winds. Never speak to or associate with the Paladins. They will kill you for what you are before learning your name. I want to protect you from them. We must all be protected and for the time being as it has been for hundreds of years secrecy is our greatest weapon." Turning now completely form the fireplace and walking towards Bella with her cat on her right flank, "You must never reveal nor do anything that could lead to the discovery of your great secret, nor the existence of any of the others of our kind." Eyes piercing her soul, if she had a soul, and fluid movement like a panther stalking prey yet Bella wanted to be caught. "SWEAR TO ME THIS THING."
WIth out thought Bella responded, "I swear, for all our safety I will live to keep you safe."
"Good" Tatyana's smile seemed to sing to her. "Take these gifts, This ring will allow me to contact you and this necklace will allow you to return here to my estate at any time in case I need you." Tatyan leans forward exposing slightly more of her perfect breasts and draws close enough that the hairs on her nose brush the hairs of Bella's cheek. If either of them breathed they would have stopped then and an intimate powerful sensual eternity lapsed in the the instant. Soft moist and cold lips just grazed the cheek and Bella's soul ached. Her soul was not alone, stunned and shocked Bella was frozen in time as the stones around her.

As she regained control, Bella examins the ornate and tasteful jewelary then quickly put it on Tatyana opens the door and Andrew walks back in. With the door open and the young servant girl standing their Tatyana gleefully approaches Andrew and tears his shirt off his chest and down his arms. Breathing over his chest and to his neck Tatyana opens her mouth as if to kiss and Bella sees the fangs emerge powerfully and with a dominate flair in the perfect symmetry.

Bella blinks to try and shake the trance she is in and the yearning with in her, "Yes my lady it seems I interupted your evenings activities and I told my companions I would return before dawn." With a courtesy Bella turns to leave.

As she crosses the bedroom doorway she turns to have one last look at the most stunning creature she has ever seen. Tatyana notices, seems to feel her gaze and while enthrolling herself to her and Andrews mutual passion asks with a sweet honey filled voice, "WOuld you like to join us?"

Bella had to clasp her cloak so she had something else to do besides scream yes. Trembling and nearly panting she replied, "No my lady, perhaps on our next visit."
"I hope so." Tatyana says between laughs as the door shuts seeming to move by no ones hand. Bella moved to leave quickly it was getting close to dawn. She felt rage and jealousy of Andrew to have his time with her, and while Bella had said no to joining them, she felt, in a way, she had.

After many lives and many deaths Raziel had been blessed. He rowed the ferry across teh river sticks to take those who fell to his lord's kingdom to their ultimate destinies. Death had not been ultimate to him before oh no. Many times had his present Lord tried to call him home only to be denied thanks to the gifts of the gods or some clever skeem. At least he thought they were clever at the time. Now in the light of his master's domain he realized how small he was and how blessed and grateful he should be. Now with mortality behind him he served the Lord Hades. He had served him in mortality hunting the evil blasphimies the undeads even though he himself had been undead once. That path had led him to being poisoned by angels blood and becoming a damned soul. His story was too complex for even him to remember yer he had an ending greater than he had hoped.

Malekite was waiting on the shore. Malekite, the angle of death, usually met them on the other shore with droves of dead he had collected and brought to the Great Lord Hades. "Raziel you must come with me to the court of our God." The one winged angel called out. Raziel did not like him, no one did even among the evil souls here, and some said even Lord Hades himself. There were rumors he did not collect everyone he was suppose to and offered deals for people to extend their lives in exchange for favors. That could not be true though the Lord Hades would destroy such corruption of his perfect kingdom. Yet he followed for it was Hades that called him not Malekite.

On a throne of skulls over a river of Blood the Lord of Death sat. He spoke simply with words from a 1000 years in the past and a million miles away. "You have served me well ferryman. It is for that reason I have called you here. There is one who blasphemes against me in the worst way. He had defiled your sacred memory and sought to remind the world of the undead filth you were and your status as Betrayer of hope. He tries to alter my words and bend around my will despite covenants to the contrary. The foe goes by many names and was your mortal friend. Eban Silverleaf Numan, Blade, Serith Silverwing. He has cloned you from when you were the obomination. You must find the undead creation and destroy it then find its creater and bring him to me stripped of his mortal shell. THE WRATH OF DEATH BE UPON THEM. I Hades Lord of the Dead make you Raziel Kain my chosen Shepard of the Damned to bring my retribution upon these mortals.