Blut-Reich: Immortals' Fate In Mortals' War

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[TheSerpentSpitsOnAltars]

Welcome to Blut Reich, the sequel to long running rpg thread Blutsaugers: WWII Vampires Vs Werewolves. (Click to see our history)

_______________________________________________

Now the Time of Cain is over. Slain by the forefather of the werewolves, things were now uncertain. Without the shadow of the First Dark Immortal, the Umbra-Homus haunting them, the various immortals now are left with tough choices. Their fates are no longer just a matter of their own ancient blood feuds for the human's World War which is destroying early 20th century Europe spreads around them.
Without the nefarious Count Rutger, a disciple of Cain's to lead them, the Blood Empire, or Blut-Reich is splintering into rogue smaller covens and factions. Many of the elders lost in the great battle in Eastern Europe's mysterious Crypt of the Ancients, only a few of Cain's first kindred children have survived to hold together the loose clan of Vampires seeking to preserve humanity.
The werewolves who helped them now seek peace with their allies, and allowance to hunt down the rest of Rutger's followers. A loose band of various lycan kindred, they struggle still with their place in the world, and seek new territory to rebuild their lost packs.
Meanwhile, deep in the heart of the growing European battlegrounds, the eccentric Nazi colonel, Standartenführer Ivar Heinlein has his own agenda in service to the mysterious Thule Society who appear to have plans outside of the Fuhrer's own vision of the Third Reich.
More and more supernatural races, some who cannot claim heritage from Cain's immortal bloodlines surface slowly. With the legacy of the Umbra-Homus no longer holding sway, more of the unknown world forgotten by many mortals surfaces to deal with the consequences of the human's Great War.

Which Side Will You Choose?

[Mirnduck]

Profiles/OOC

[Zieg Wolfblade]

([--_^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^_--])
The First Caretaker
([_--vvvvvvvvvvvvvvv--_])
The Death of Cain

The Umbra homus. The very first vampire. The beginning of it all. Had awoken.

After having been sealed underground for centuries Cain had finally been freed by the actions of an elder seeking his power. Count Rutger. Upon his awakening Cain set his sights on over-throwing the world order and ascending to god-hood. The ripple that was sent through the entire world on his awakening was felt by all of those that came after, even the werewolves. And none felt it more so than the first lycanthrope, Dunkelheit.

Set on stopping Cain for good Dunkelheit had trailed after Rutger to the cave that the ancient Umbra homus had been sealed in. Although for personal reasons primarily Dunkelheit still kept in mind that if he failed the entire world would be thrown into chaos. So he confronted Cain in the depths of the earth, resolved to end his rival's reign before it began. In the darkness of the cave, accompanied by the unnatural golden glow of Cain's blood, the two titans fought. They traded blows for only a few seconds before the victor was decided.

In one brief moment of triumph Dunkelheit had left himself a bit too open and the Umbra Homus had managed to land a kick straight to his jaw. He was not prepared for the blow for it came quickly and his body had not been braced for the impact. So instead of weathering the blow as he should have been able to, he instead found himself sailing through the air by Cain's strength. If there had ever been a close match to Dunkelheit's brute strength it would have to be the first vampire's incredible speed. One moment he would just be simply standing before you with that wretched glowing blood of his and the next he would be tearing your throat from you. Dunkelheit had enough speed of his own to insure that the Umbra Homus could not land such a fatal blow on him, but he certainly was not fast enough to contend with every blow that his counterpart threw at him.

He hit the wall with a resounding crack, his body weight and Cain's strike's strength combining to send breaks spider-webbing across the surface of the passage's walls. His body dug into the rock with the blow, and his focus on the world slipped ever so slightly. Which was more than enough to loosen his grasp on his human form, which was requiring more and more discipline to maintain with his wolf so close to the surface, and let his body begin the transformation. His arms grew longer, the muscle layering over and expanding exponentially under his skin. His legs grew out as the balls of his feet pushed away from his ankle bones, making them their own separate joints. His spine twisted and writhed in his back as it pushed out new links at its end, growing his tail. The ribcage exploded outward, giving his lungs free room to expand completely as his face stretched and became the angular snout of a wolf. And finally, to signify the full transformation, hair sprouted from every pore of his body and spread quickly across his flesh to wreathe him in midnight-black fur.

The first werewolf hit the floor of the cave long after his transformation completed itself and he was left to stare at Cain with those burning yellow lanterns he called his eyes, fully alive with the light of his beast. His animal, the wolf, was screaming at him to tear his mortal enemy in half and coat the cave with his unnatural blood. But the rational side of Dunkelheit's mind was still in control, and it was quickly working through what it could do to create an opening in such a fast creature. As he stood there, eyeing Cain in that bredth of a second, he felt debris alight on him as it fell from the dent he made in the wall of the cave behind him. He didn't dare take his eyes off his opponent to glance at the wall, but he knew that he had made its surface unstable and had opened up fissures in the granite. Fissures that he could exploit.

The tactical side of his rationality told him that he needed to creat an opening in Cain's defenses, and that he had to time his attack perfectly or he would meet with the same success that he had been having: paltry attacks that would have no lasting affect other than to annoy the elder vampire. He had to end it fast before he took any real damage, the idea of possibly getting any of Cain's blood in his system was beyond repugnant. He knew he had to take the first vampire's head from his shoulders. No other form of assault could kill the Umbra Homus. Even having been pierced through the heart was not enough to stop this pseudo-god of blood suckers.

He had already decided his form of diversion as he reached back with his left hand and ripped a chunk of rock out of the wall behind him. He knew it was dangerous and could de-stabilize the cave around him. But it was the only thing he had to distract Cain long enough for his plan to work. The piece was moderately large at about the size of Dunkelheit's transformed state's torso so it would do the job. He hurled the piece of granite, misshapen and jagged with its unnatural and broken edges, at his adversary in his attempt of a diversion. Now it would have been ideal if Cain would have tried to break the granite slab, leaving himself wide open. But Dunkelheit knew better than to trust to that hope. So he assured himself the best possible route of attack and made sure that he would stay out of sight.

As he had predicted the Umbra Homus merely moved his body under and to the side of the stone slab, almost performing a splits in the process but making it look effortless. And of course the cocky b*****d that he was he would wait until the last second to do so to both show his superiority and to take Dunkelheit by surprise with his sudden movements. Which was what the werewolf had been panning on. For he hadn't simply just let the rock fly, he had followed after it with his unnaturally powerful legs pumping to keep him just in stride with the slab. Just before it would hit Dunkelheit kicked off of the floor and sent himself sailing up into the air up above the slab that he had thrown and putting him out of Cain's line of sight when he ducked around the rock. Meaning that when Cain had been expecting to meet the werewolf head on he instead found himself face to face with nothing, his opponent seemingly vanished.

He heard the loud thump behind him, he knew what was coming so he whipped his body around inhumanly fast to meet his nemesis. And was met with his powerful hand instead as it came in contact with the side of his head moving counter to the turn of his face. The sudden joining of two opposing powers colliding at once meant that the weaker power would give first. And in this case the base of Cain's spine just was not able to compensate for the brute force of Dunkelheit's strike, and his head was torn clean from his shoulders to fly through the air, trailing more of that inisidous glowing golden blood as it went. The stump of Cain's neck spurted even more of the foul liquid high into the air, the aorta splurting blood in a spray with the last few beats of Cain's great heart. And in that deluge of golden glowing light the first vampire's existence was destroyed, his body slumping to its knees in the aftermath of its decapitation.

Cain's wrath, however, would not be quieted so easily as his head hit the ground. Its mouth was still opened wide, and from his maw there came a horrid screech of a howl that echoed through the entire cave and reverberated through the world. Its call was the blood-bond of all the vampires and werewolves of the world, screaming his hatred and defeat through the existence of all those that came after him. The head screeched and Dunkelheit dropped to his knees, joining Cain's decapitated body and screaming his own agony towards the ceiling as his entire body was wracked with with hellfire coursing through his veins. His animal wanted to flee, to try and escape the horrible pain that the b*****d was still inflicting on him even in death. It took all of his impressive discipline to stop himself from ripping his chest open with his claws to try and rid himself of the flames in his body. The notion of Cain's blood on his hands entering his body being the strongest thought in his mind keeping him from tearing into himself.

As the head screeched and screamed the still-open eye sockets began to light themselves in the same unearthly glow as his blood, replacing the orbs of his eyes. The glow extended to emanating from its ears, nose, and mouth as well, growing stronger by the second. And with each passing moment the remainder of Cain's body began to shrivel and decay, as if something had sucked all the water out of its tissue rapidly. The glowing of Cain's head intensified, the pores of its skin now emitting the glow as well, while Dunkelheit's scream rose as well next to the still rapidly decaying body. As the unnatural glow of the head grew even brighter to encompass the skin the body finally shriveled completely into what resembled a mummy of ancient Egypt. The light from Cain's skull was so bright now that it was like a small sun was being birthed in the recesses of the cave, giving light to a vast stretch of the darkness as the shriveled carcass began to blow away as dust in a non-existent wind.

The head's screech grew even higher as the star bright head began to collapse in on itself, reaching its highest point just before it was completely sucked into itself and leaving behind a small circular scorch mark on the stone in the shape of the head. As the decapitated head disappeared in its own brilliant display of destruction the corpse disappeared with the last vestiges of dust being carried away into the returned darkness of the tunnel.

Dunkelheit was left on his knees, back in his human form with his face turned up towards the ceiling. If anyone had witnessed him at this point the only word to describe him would have been 'drained'. The flesh of his face was pulled taut with the stress induced on his existence, all the muscles of his body were tightened to the point of nearly snapping, and his eyeballs were rolled up so far into his skull that only the whites were visible in his sockets. With Cain's dying screech finally ended Dunkelheit fell over in a slump on the ground, gasping for air and shuddering violently like he was having a seizure.

The death of the vampire 'god' was felt throughout the world by every creature of Cain's descendance. With purer ancestry the stronger the burning of their blood would be. The Umbra homus was dead, thereby averting a catastrophe. But the cogs of fate continue to turn in this war of the immortals and new threats to their survival loom menacingly just over the horizon.

[Bottom_ Of_Pandora]

{{Can we post now?}}

[Bottom_ Of_Pandora]

Amalia Simone

Amalia wanted so much to follow Reeves as he left the room, but knew he needed the time to regroup as it were. Only her eyes followed him until he was out of her site. Sighing softly, she turned her attention to Rudolf when she heard it. A moment before the pain started. A scream, unlike any she had ever heard. It tore through her mind, her body, her soul. Joining it were the howls of the wolves. She doubled over as howls ripped up from her throat, falling to the floor. Rudolf and the other wolf, were clawing at their heads, trying to dig the screams out. Amalia was not much better. Her human fingers seemed to be lacking, as she dug at her own mind. Her mind was in such agony, that she couldn't form a shield around her mind, or the others. Every time she tried it would shatter with the force of the inhuman screams.After a moment though, the screams stopped in her mind. Panting she looked up through the curtain of hair that hung in front of her eyes. The others were laying on their sides, confusion and pain warring in their expressions. With a few soft whispers that they were okay, and that they would talk about it when she returned, Amalia pulled herself up off the floor. Grabbing her vacated chair she hauled herself up and headed to go find Reeves. She knew that if she had that kind of reaction, he would be too, only she didn't know if his mind could take it when hers barely did. She stumbled up the stairs, crawling in some places, before reaching the landing. Breathing heavily, she shoved open the door to the room he was now in.

"Reeves. Reeves? Are you alright?"

She asked, as she pushed the door open wider.She prayed as the door opened so she could see the whole room that his mind hadn't broken again. That she could still reach him.

Molly McKade

Molly had just stepped out from the bar again with another low life soldier thinking he was going to get his jollies off with her, when the Umbra-Homus's scream ripped through her mind. Her hands clutching her head, she dropped to her knees. In her pain her fangs dug into her lips, causing blood to spill from her mouth. It slid down her chin, pooling slightly in her lap as she tried to contain her own screams. The soldier, thinking she was crazy stepped over to her and crouched down to check on her. Moving her long dark tresses away from her face he saw the blood and assumed that she had been hurt before he stepped from the bar. Scanning the area around them, he saw no one. He was just about to stand and walk into the bar to get assistance to help look for the man who had hurt her when her hand grabbed a hold of his wrist. Her pain caused her to break his wrist almost as soon as she grabbed it. His screams were cut short when her teeth sank into the flesh at his neck. She drank deeply, trying to block the screams that were not her own out. The man struggled, but in her frenzy, it was useless. After a few moments the scream cut short. She slumped forward, cradling the now dead man in her arms. Golden eyes looked out into the night, fear evident in them for the first time in a very long time.

"Cain...he lives...no longer."

As she whispered these words she stood, dropping the body. She knew that whatever had killed Cain would surely come after all those of her kind. Any who were powerful. This thought carried her into the night. Fleeing her beloved city for parts unknown.

[Veritas Airieth]

==============================
~( > Darq Marquise < )~
==============================

If you come inside, things will not be the same
When you return to my night
If you think you've won
You never saw me change
The game that we have been playing

Darq was ready for this to end already. He was done with this cave and with Alya. No longer did he want her in his sights. He just wanted to be rid of these things. He sword broke with her swing, his earlier attacks and her defenses taking their toll. He had to admit he felt a tad bit bad for her now. That had been a fine sword and it had been made by someone very close to her. It wasn't something that could be replaced or fixed easily. But neither was what Darq was about to do. Alya was now wide open.

Darq moved forward and started high while going towards Alya and lowering. he would hit her with three precise attacks. Kidney before lung and then finally heart. It would weaken he enough to allow him time to either walk away or cut her head off. But as Darq was about to strike his eyes shot wide and his slits narrow until they were almost closed. He felt it before her because of his direct relation through drinking of blood. Cain was dead. A scream filled the cavern and was echoed by Darq's voice. Pain and rage laced his features as he fell to his knees and bellowed out in pain with the scream. It felt like he was being torn apart and like every ounce of blood in his body was burning him as the sun would. Darq's scream was reverberating off the caverns walls as his body began to glow brightly much as Cain's was now doing. His connection to Cain was still strong and fresh. Darq's mind was raging to make it all stop but it wouldn't. Cain was dying and it was as if the Umbra Homus was attempting to take Darq with him. Darq threw his arm to the side and scream with new vigor as his body became a beacon of blinding light before it was snuffed out in a small shock wave with blue lightning accents shooting from where he was. Smoke and debris kicked up from the display.

There, now in a small indented crater laid Darq. His body twitched and convulsed with his eyes rolled back into his head, only the blood red visible. he was stunned but very much a live and there was no telling when he might revive.

Arm yourself because no-one else here will save you
The odds will betray you
And I will replace you
You can't deny the prize; it may never fulfill you
It longs to kill you
Are you willing to die

[Veritas Airieth]

┏┭┮┭┮┭┮┭┮┭┮┭┮┭┮┭┮┭┮┭┮┭┮┭┮┭┮┭┮┭┮┭┮┭┮┓
┣x Reeves - Reaver - Reithx ┫
┗┵┶┵┶┵┶┵┶┵┶┵┶┵┶┵┶┵┶┵┶┵┶┵┶┵┶┵┶┵┶┵┶┵┶┛

What is this thing I've become?
Another animal chained, destined.
to fall, to crawl, to kill everything and everyone.
All these deeds That I've done
All the blood I caused to run!
Remember I did this for you!
Don't forget how far I have come!

Reeves was looking at the pillow Amalia had rested her head on. he found it hard not to pick the thing up and breath in her scent while hugging it. he did not do this. half because he feared someone might walk in to it and half because he refused to let his instincts control him. he had allowed that far too many times. Reeves was then content to do little more than sit there and rest. he would just rest...

Or not. Reeves' head snapped back and his eyes opened wide. The colors respectively sharpened and became brighter. Strange images moved over his vision. the cavern from before. red pulsed in his eyes as pain seared through him. What was this!? reeves heard his own screams and realized he wasn't even screaming. They were not his but the person who these visions belonged to. reeves himself was locked with tense muscles. His forms were shifting sporadically while he sat up right on the edge of the bed. His wolves were panicking while they tried to stop his pain and mental stress. He couldn't take much more with the shape his mind was in. More images leaked into his eyes as they rolled into the back of his head and he was gone for a minute. When reeves came back to his body it was in fits like a seizure. he fell from the bed and onto the floor. He was in his human form but he was now much like Darq was thanks to the connection his father made into his mind. Darq could no longer use it but the pain was now shared at this moment.

Reeves was on his side sprawled out on the floor. the whites of his eyes stared at the wall as he gave small twitches and convulsions. He was still out cold from the short but excruciating pain. he would be fine given time to rest and relax but at first glance it didn't seem that way at all. In Reeves' stead Reith and Reaver answered Amalia in her mind. His voice was flustered and pain as he tried to form the word correctly "We are having....trouble...." "Yeah. You could say ******** that hurt..."

Cause I need you to believe!
That I am not a machine.
Sever the cables inside.
Please just set me free...
Yeah, I need you to believe.
That I am not a machine
sever the cables inside.
please set me...free!

[TheSerpentSpitsOnAltars]

Adieu Adieu Parting is Such Sweet Revenge

{{Soundtrack: Hellraiser: Resurrection }}

Already weakened, the nearly skeletal Rutger was not prepared for the horrible burning pain which surged through his shape. Pulling away from the soldier who had been trying to help him escape the Tomb of Ancients, he fell to the floor grasping at his chest as he flailed about. A few attending lesser vampire soldiers all doubled over for a moment, but their reactions were not as intense.

The roar of terror which tore through the caverns then was silenced.

Trembling Rutger was pale and glassy-eyed. The soldier leaned over him and smiled a fanged toothy grin. The dark elder could only look up questioningly.

"It appears mon ami, that your Blut Reich has come to an end. That was the cry of our god. Our forefather. Funny..." The soldier said, his voice sliding into Antoine Remarque's own which brought horror across Rutger's shriveled face, "...I did not hurt as you have. Perhaps it is due to Cain's final gift to me. Oh yes, Von Koenig, it is the Parisian. I assure you I am quite alive."

Antoine, now a vampire-like wraith of consciousness, his psychometric abilities evolved from Cain's direct blood to extend his presence into other bodies leaned in to the man he once considered friend, and now enemy and looked at him with fierce eyes, whispering. "I shall survive. And it is you old friend who shall perish in this Tomb." There were sounds of men approaching, but in the distance screams as wolves were closing in no doubt. Gunshots continued again after Cain's death rattle had tore through all of those with cursed blood. Antoine returned his attention to the dying Rutger who was bleeding out upon the ground. He leaned in and kissed Rutger on the forehead gently. Then turning to one of his torn ears, whispered darkly, "If there is a Hell, and all of our kind truly are damned, may my precious Daphne be waiting for you and your whore. Adieu."

Antoine slipped through the crowd of soldiers who had survived the battle, all charging to help their master. Quickly and stealthily, he emerged from the cave and stepped into the dark woods.

[Mirnduck]

♦♦ The sword braking was a tall tell sign that her life was up to the Gods now. Alya fell to a knee, and the moment was a breath away. Then she heard the reaction to Cain's death before she herself felt it. Suddenly her body went cold. Everything froze up, her eyes clenched tightly. She felt like someone was running cold water all over her body, and she started to convulse. She forced her eyes open needing to see where her Maker was, but it was not like she could do anything about it. His reaction was much worse, and much more sever then her's.

The bright light covered along the walls, and the explosion cratered the floor. The lightning was an impressive site, however... Alya missed all of it. Alya felt the feelings subside, though she was panting painfully. The chain around her body was not comfortable, and her hands were clenched so tightly about her body she scratched small lines. Blood dripped down her arms as she forced herself to sit up. Her dark ebony hair ran along the ground as she sat up.

Alya's could see Darq. He was laying in a ball on the floor, the red's of his eyes showing. A shaky hand reached out for the broken sword. She had to kill this monster that lay not ten feet from her. Alya hopefully recovered faster then Darq, she thought as she stood. He had one hell of blast of pain, and anguish as he had taken in the Maker of all Makers blood. She did not know that he had taken in Cain's blood. Swallowing, Alya stood, her knees wobbled, she was now extremely parched, and needed blood. She had used more then her share of energy fighting Darq, and it was showing more so after the event of Cain's death.

Alya nearly fell upon Darq as she got to him. She landed on her knees, she was straddled over the top of him. She pulled the broken sword up into the air planing to aim for his heart, then take his head. Then the memories flashed about her mind. From where they met, to how they fell in love with each other. It was some sick trick her mind was playing on her, or her heart took over. Yelling loudly, she plunged the broken sword into the ground right next to his neck. Tears flowed down her cheek, some hit Darq's cheek as she sat upon him her back bent over him. Her hands were holding tightly onto the swords long hilt, and her elbows on either side of head, and she sat there trying not to give into her emotions competently. Her long dark hair covered her naked back, and fell in front of her chest. It rolled down her shoulders, as she sat up, and looked up at the ceiling. A painful scream fell from her lips, and she glared threw tear struck eyes. She could not bring herself to kill the man she hated more then anything else on this earth.

Alya stood free of him. Leaving the ancient sword in place next to his neck. It had nicked his skin, but it was clear she missed because she could not kill him. Her heart over took her mind, and her body followed even though her mind wanted this more then anything. She picked up each piece of the broken blade, then walked over to the piece that lay in the ground. It was well over the thousand years she was, if not twice her age. She left that in the ground next to him. Alya did not know why. But with each step she took way from the man who helped lay the path of what she was today. The sent of the sun followed in her foot steps, as she walked from the cave their deadly fight started.
♦♦

[Meta-Shroom]

FOR OLD TIME'S SAKE

Dracula gloomily leaned forward. The knuckles of his hands resting together underneath his powerful jawline. His elbows supporting his head by planting themselves onto the wooden table. He had been silent ever since the announcement of the death of Cain. The others freely talked among themselves as excitement and even fear ran through them. Discussions were being held on what their master's first orders might be, and where they would go first. There seemed to be little doubt that the Count would reclaim his Transylvania. It was after all their true home. Suddenly the conversation ceased and the striking powerful voice of their master echoed out above the din. "Fendrick." With a gulp that one could have mistaken for either fear or the swallowing of the last of his food Fendrick turned his discolored eyes towards Dracula. "Yes Master?" His young voice was twinged with a slight horror that showed he knew what was coming next. "I require your the use of your eye." Fendrick turned a shade of green that matched his left eye. Without hesitation he plunged his right hand deep into his eye socket and plucked out his eye. Though quick and clean the intense pain the rolled throughout his body was obvious to any and all of the observers in the room. "Here my master." Walking around the table he handed the organ over to his lord. "Very good Fendrick." Gently grasping the eye Dracula exmined it. Turning his attention back to the now one eyed vampire he smiled gently. "Does it hurt Fendrick? Are you in pain?" His cruel smile turned into a low laugh. "Persephone, my faithful maid, take Fendrick to his chambers. He deserves a reward for his loyalty. Bring one of our virgin guests to his room, and then give them some along time." The vampire maid, who had been attending to the feast this whole time, simply bowed in response. With his own curt bow Fendrick followed the maid out of the room. Dracula was not one to be argued with and if he didn't follow his master's orders than he could lose much more than just his eye. At least his eye would grow back. Before the one eyed vampire had even left the room Dracula crushed the eye in the palm of his hands. Vapors exploded outwards and up into Dracula's face. Inhaling deeply the silver haired man felt a rare state of Euphoria fall upon him. My master....Bring me to my former master...Bring me to my betrayer....Bring me to Count Rutger! As their master's body fell back into his chair limp the others returned to their feasting and their conversations. For this they knew would only be the first of their lord's strategic moves to lay claim to the kingdom of vampires. Long had they waited this day in their cold Russian prison, but soon they would be rewarded for their enduring loyalty.

IN THE CAVE OF NEVER ENDING PLOT HOLES

The soldiers gathered around their gaunt skeletal master. They were unsure what they needed to do to help him, but knew that they needed to act quickly to get him out alive. The liutenant in charge of this platoon stepped forward. "Quickly men! Pick him up! We must carry him to the slave pens. If he can feed then we can get him out of here alive!" As his men rushed forward to lift up their commander the officer felt a chill run down his spine. The sound of footsteps, low and steady, approaching caused the officer to whirl around while bringing his machine gun to bear. "Halt or I'll shoot!" The figure that the officer was pointing his weapon at seemed oddly out of place. He was tall, but had a presence that seemed to large for these tunnels and caverns to hold. The few splashes of red color visible on his clothes only seemed to emphasize more this man's ability to be one with the surrounding shadows. A feeling of overwhelming terror passed through his entire body, and he realized that all of his subordinates were frozen in just as much terror as he was. Then the stranger spoke. "Children. I have no use for children. This is an affair of gods, and not something for children to trifle with. Do me a favor and cut your tongues, burn your eyes, and shred your ears for naughty children must be punished when they place their noses in the affairs of gods." Horrified at the man's words, the officer found himself even more terrified by the almost invisible forces that compelled him to reach down and grab the knife off of his belt. A quick glance around revealed the panic in his fellow soldiers faces as they one by one reached up with their knifes, and cut out their own tongues.

Dracula watched with satisfaction as the children removed themselves as a burden in his presence. It was so nice when children obeyed their elders. He approached the fear stricken elder that lay gaunt and skeletal on the ground. "Count Rutger." A feeling of satisfaction welled up inside of Dracula. "My how things have changed." Slowly he bent down bringing his face close to Count Rutger's own. "I once offered you my best friend an equal partnership in ruling vampire kind, and the world beyond. You betrayed me for the machinations of your own ambition, and now at the end of the road we see exactly what those foolhardy dreams of yours have brought you. All that was once yours will be laid to ruin, and when I rise my shadow shall be cast upon all that was once yours. Know this as you die. What has transpired here is the fault of none other than your own self, but die happy knowing that you have set the stage for my return." Slowly he caressed the head of his former mentor. He could see the dying man trying desperately to push his last words out of his throat. "..Dracula...Impailer of Wallachia...Even your shadow can not darken the fires of the atom...Without me..our kind is do-..doo-.." Dracula, in a mockery of tenderness, placed a finger across Rutger's lips. "Sshh. You mustn't exert yourself my friend. Now is the time for your rest. Let go Rutger, dream the sleep of the dreamless, rest the rest of the dead." Bringing his hands across his fallen foe's face Dracula closed the now dead Rutger's eyes. The power of dominion was powerful, but Rutger had been so weak that only the mere suggestion of death had been enough to end the once powerful vampire's life. "Now let your body be the conveyore of my message. Let all know that the lord of death resides in Wallachia once more!" With that he vanished. The only traces of his ever having been their was the mutilated vampires sitting in shock, and a note pinned to Rutger. Written in blood and Romanian was a message. "Nu trebuie să existe Sânge Imperiului dvs. adevărat cu excepţia cazului în care Lordul seturi la ca tronul."

{"There shall be no Blood Empire unless your true lord sets upon that throne."}

[TheSerpentSpitsOnAltars]

Shadow of Wallachia

Maric and Arianah were tending to Gideon and the other fallen just as Cain's death roar had passed through. Their blood on fire, actual heat coming off of their bodies the pair of elders were in agony.
She grasped for her head, her body in a constant state of transformation from human to animal. Maric was actually glowing at one point, hovering slightly as arcs of energy poured out from him like liquid lightning. Reaching out he clung to Arianah's hand, as they tried to keep themselves sane in the shared pain with the First One.
After it had passed through them and all of the kindred, they together rose and wiped the blood from their noses and ears.
"The First One, the Umbrahomus, is no more." Maric said, actually with sadness. "We must find Rutger before he escapes."
Arianah steadied herself, placing her weight on the small boy's shoulders. "My son has saved us. Maybe from ourselves." She turned as if listening to the air. "Do you feel that? The...pressure."
Maric's eyes narrowed as he seemed to be peering at the blank rock wall. "I will take care of Gideon and the others. Find Dunkelheit. Something else is wrong..."
Then they both felt a chill and said together. "Rutger? No, something...something else?"

[Bottom_ Of_Pandora]

Amalia Simone

Amalia stumbled into the room, falling to her knees near Reeves body. She reached out a shaking hand to push his hair from his face. She saw the pain marring his features. When she heard Reith's and Reaver's voices in her head, she gently moved his body so he rested on his back. Peering down into his eyes, she wondered why they were answering and not him.

"What is wrong with Reeves? Why are you two answering for him?"

Amalia asked, both physically and mentally. She herself was in massive amounts of pain, but it was fading quickly. It seemed that with the death of the Original, she no longer felt like a weight was resting on her shoulders, making it easier to breathe. She knew that he could no longer plague the earth with his presence. She sighed as she smoothed his hair back from his forehead, trying to get Reeves to answer her, gently touching his mind. She was not trying to break into it, but get him to answer her call. Another part of her mind reached out for Gideon. Her reach found him, brushing across his mind, questioning. She felt another presence near him, and touched that mind as well, questioning if Gideon was alright.

[TheSerpentSpitsOnAltars]

Sleeping Dragon

{{Soundtrack: Darkness Theme - Legend }}

"Do you know these?" Standartenführer Ivar Heinlein asked the drained young vampire soldier chained to the chair in his private tent. "No, I don't imagine you would. You are of this newer generation. Weak, ignorant, unaware of the sins of your forefathers. Too busy trying to hide in the shadows, forgetting why sometimes even your kind threw themselves to the mercy of the sun to escape...something far older and far more hungry." He leaned in close to the turned Nazi soldier who had been sent from Rutger's flock to spy on him. In the dark welcoming night, the candles burned brightly in Ivar's quarters, illuminating the tapestries and relic reliefs he had strewn about in his personal collection that traveled with him.
He grabbed the vampire by the throat and forced his head up to look in the direction of what appeared to be something from a church or an artist's odd religious findings. The creature was trembling because whatever this man in a Nazi colonel's dressings was, his captor appeared terrifyingly stronger than a vampire like himself.

"St George and the Dragon. A man sanctified by the legions of Heaven itself to slay the horrible worm which they said was the Devil incarnate." He squeezed the vampire's neck to keep his head up like a twisted school teacher with an unruly child. "This was cut from a church's tapestry by one of my lovers. We used it to strangle the parish."

He gestured towards a broken vase which was illuminated brightly by the candles. "The educated know of the great Greek civilization and their fairy tales about gods and goddesses and the horrible titans. There is the famed Zeus, the immortal one with lightning at his disposal slaying and imprisoning the great beast Typhon. Ah, Zeus, what an interesting character in history. Birthing mankind only to feed upon them in the end."

Digging his strangely now clawed fingers into the neck of the whimpering blood-sucking thing in his grasp, Ivar continued, his voice taking on a strange accent. He gestured to a fresco that was partially lit. It depicted a cat cutting the neck of a snake by a tree.

"Ah, the ancient Egyptians and their b*****d sleeping god Ra. As a desert cat he took up his blade and slew the universal devourer, the dark god Apophis as the Greeks called him. His Egyptian name was closer to Apayph when spoken. Just like so much the Western thinkers so distorted history and tongues. They said in their myths that day and night came about because Ra would slay the darkness, only to arise from its bowls at dawn. One day Ra will not rise, not without a rival to blot out his radiance."

He then whispered into the ear of the vampire sadistically, gesturing with his now slit eyes in the direction of the center piece. An even older stone carving with a half-beast man standing proudly attacking a winged monster with many animal shapes in it. "And Marduk created civilization after cutting off the head of the dragon Tiamat and letting life spill forth."

His strangely forked and elongate tongue buried itself into the left eye of the victim. As the vampire screamed Ivar even whispered lower, drawn-out emphasis on his softer vowels and consonants with a hissing resonance over top of the man's screaming. "YOUR BELOVED FOREFATHER MARDUK HAS FALLEN. SLAIN BY ONE OF HIS OWN CREATIONS, AND NOW TIAMAT'S CHILDREN SHALL RISE TO GREET THE TWO SUNS WHICH SHALL APPEAR ONE DAY AT DAWN AND BURN AWAY YOUR FILTH TO ASHES."

The vampire was decapitated in one swift motion as Ivar composed himself.

[Bottom_ Of_Pandora]

Jirxabelle (Jirx) Eornost

Jirxabelle had been wandering the forests of Romania near some caves for what seemed days. She kept seeing random wolves, who were giants, wandering around. They seemed lost, disorientated, and confused. Whenever they met up with another wolf however, they didn't fight like she expected. They just joined up and continued on. Jirx didn't know what to make of this, and neither did Tobias. He just grumbled at her side, something about dogs. Jirxabelle rolled her eyes and continued on. She hadn't been in that particular forest long, but figured it would be a short cut to a town she had heard was on the other side of the forest. Casting silver eyes to the skies she mentally counted how many hours until sunset.

"Looks like we have about an hour or so before dark. What say you we set up camp?"

She asked the giant white tiger walking at her side.He huffed his answer and plopped down amongst the leaves and soft earth. Figuring he was going to be lazy this night, she laughed and told him to stay put while she went for some fire wood and food. His only response was to rest his head upon his paws and close his brilliant blue eyes. Smirking she took off into the quickly darkening forest. She had collected several pieces of dried wood, and brought them back to their "camp site" and began to make a fire. She gathered kindling and pulled the flint from her pack. After a few tries the kindling lit with the sparks. Blowing softly to encourage the flames, she slowly built up the fire. Satisfied it would last until she came back with food, she wandered off into the night. Her footfalls were silent, a predator stalking prey. Jirxabelle's every sense open to the night life, but not to the things that were stalking her. When the deer she had been about to take down with her knife sprang towards her, she knew something was up. It was then that she sensed it, something was watching her. She flipped her knife into a defensive hold and crouched, waiting.

"Poor little hunter, out all alone, with no one to protect you."

Echoed out around her, making it hard to detect. Or at least it would if she were human.She cocked her head to the side, listening for the source, hearing silence in only two places. Confused, she turned and threw her knife high into the trees, hearing the sickening sound of the metal sliding into flesh and a hiss of pain. Jirx didn't understand how these things could have escaped her notice, or why they were so far from their food source. A feline growl rumbled from her as the two vampires dropped from the trees. The growl was trapped in her throat, as she didn't want to tip them off to what she was. Most vampires had never encountered her kind before, she they usually chalked it up to the beast she traveled with. She was glad he wasn't here, she didn't want him fighting after so much traveling. As she continued to crouch, watching the vampires she took notice of their attire. Nazi uniforms, though ripped and dirty. She took note of their markings and rank, in case she ran into more of their friends.

"Armes kleines Mädchen, sollten alle alone.You wissen, dass Reisen im Wald ist gefährlich, und in der Nacht nicht weniger?"

His German accent was thick, but not hard to decipher. Jirx made herself look small, weak. It wasn't hard for her to do, given her petite frame, and lithe limbs.

"Bitte, tu mir nicht weh. Ich bin verloren, und Angst."

She whispered, making her voice tremble. She glanced up through her lashes to watch their expressions. They seemed to be positively drooling. As they stepped closer to her, the one who spoke reached out to grab her, his fangs glinting in the moonlight over head. As his hand closed on her shoulder her hand lashed out. Wicked sharp claws dug deep into the tissue and muscle at his neck. With a look of surprise on his face he tried to back away from her. Jirxabelle wouldn't relinquish her hold upon him. She dug deeper, aiming to severe his spine. A growl rumbled up from her chest as she felt her claws scrape against the bone. She had just snapped the bone when she was flung into a nearby tree.She slid down the trunk, landing on the balls of her feet and falling forward to rest on her hands. She looked up as the first vampire's body hit the ground, the other looking on in confusion."Please do not hurt me. I'm lost and scared." [

"Sie sind kein Hund."

He stated, confusion plain on his dirty features. With a smile she leaped for him, claws extended. She slammed into him, his arms wrapping around her, attempting to crush her. Had she been human, he would have been able to. As it were, she sank both hands into his chest, on either side of his sternum. As her claws hooked under the connecting ribs, she looked into his dead eyes, seeing fear. She always wondered how something dead could show emotion. With a feral grin she jerked both hands up and out, ripping open his chest cavity. The vampire looked down in fascinated horror as she gripped his heart in her small hand. Watching his eyes the whole time she squeezed for all she was worth. Within moments he was dust under her. Blowing the dust from her clawed hand she stood and sauntered over to the other. He watched her with rage contorting his features. If she listened close enough she could hear his neck repairing itself. Wanting only to extinguish his unholy flame of a life, she dug her claws underneath his jaw and just behind his head where the spinal cord connected to the skull. With a violent jerk, she tore his head free. Not even waiting for him to ash, she turned and left the scene. For a while she wandered around, searching for food. Finally she came upon a gaggle of pheasants. She took them down easily, throwing stones at them with shifter speed and strength. After collecting about a dozen of so, she turned to head back to Tobias and camp. As she was passing the now ash piles, she stooped and pulled her knife out of a pile of ashes. Smiling she tossed the birds to Tobias.

"You pluck them, I am going to wash up."

At his quizzical expression, she motioned to the ashes that covered her. He growled low in his throat, but she waved him off letting him know she was fine and they were gone. With that she went to a nearby stream to wash up.

*"Poor little girl, all alone.You know that traveling in the forest is dangerous, not less in the night?"
*"Please do not hurt me. I'm lost and scared."
* You are not Wolf.