A/N: Thanks for stopping by for a spell and readin' my work. This is in the City of Heroes section for a reason Chapter 1 may not have a lot to do with that universe. Hang tight possibly loyal reader, we're getting to Paragon City soon.

A few translations for you.

Ce te-as mai trimite la origini- I'll send you back to your origins

Fire-ai al dracului- May you belong to the devil

Shadowy Requiem

Chapter 1: The Awakening

Part 1: Blood Brothers

Illumination bathed a distance castle. Like the gaze of the gods the moon stared over the dark stone of the towering buildings. Castle Tepes looked over the Transylvanian countryside, its black towers casting a dread sense of protection to the peasantry below, as if the intent of the castle had been fundamentally perverted. Standing amongst the gothic architecture, staring out below to the darkened country was a man. Not any man. This man was special.

Aranatta Tepes stood atop the towering peaks of the high rise. A dull pain ached behind his eyes. He'd not rested in many days. His night had come, his father lay on his deathbed. Years of waiting had finally produced a culmination of events. His father's kingdom would soon be his.

"Is he dead yet?" The brooding man's low voice echoed off the castle fortifications. "Speak sooth, jest not and speak of our father's wellness. Speak, Alucard and tell me of our father's death." He turned, hard features staring at his brother. His brother, Alucard, was only brother in name. Sharing only half of the blood in their veins never truly made them brothers. Had it not been on their father's insistence Aranatta never would have considered Alucard family.

"His passing is not forthcoming. He seeks our audience." Alucard's voice was softer, more solemn then his brothers. He had always been the weaker. His mother being mortal, where in Aranatta's been more then human. The goodness in Alucard's heart and motives gave his brother a palatable distaste for his younger part-sibling. The Tepes brothers exchanged glances for a moment. "Aranatta, his time comes soon; test not his mettle before his death."

Aranatta snickered, what mettle lasted in their dear father? One final wish for his father, the man had taught him enough for that respect, his last respect. He stood and followed Alucard to their father's bed chambers. The colors his father had picked for decor soothed his spirit. Shades of blood red with dark midnight blues tinted with hints of black seemed to calm the uncoiling beast forever beneath his breast. Aranatta sat beside his father on his bed side.

"Speak father, have haste in your words." Aranatta tapped his foot; he sighed heavily and gazed over his once strong father. The dark pacts his father had made were finally taking a toll. "Devil's own luck" they used to call it. Too many lucky events and too many bleak favors drew angst down on their father like moths to candles, with similar disastrous consequences.

"My childer, hither near and take my words to heart and soul. Tend me thy hand so you may know the impact of my counsel." The once proud voice forced out, his long slender hand reached out. Alucard, quickly reached out to hold his hand.

"Still begging for his favor, Alucard? Speak soon father." Aranatta leaned back against a different bed post. A single night of wanton desire had produced Alucard, and that mortality made him weak. Weeping over family was a coward's ploy. Aranatta grinned, his eyes beginning to cast a shadowy glow.

"Pay your brother no mind Alucard. I've ruled this land for many years, the wounds I've suffered are finally proving fatal. Aranatta, my son, you must posses compassion for the lowly humans, the darkest parts of your soul shall damn you to Perdition. Respect above and below, my child. Lo mortals be our substance, nay does that fate damn them to death. Alucard, allow not your human blood to suspend the core of what you are, let not the unhallowed dull the light of your soul. For your fate be grander then furies oft spin. My childer take as you will of my estate, and forget not my lessons. Respect garnered through fear, benevolence and justice. Let not the dark aspect of our lives spoil your hearts." His blood red eyes slowly dimmed into night, his wraithly skin pulled tight and he gasped in pain. His back arced and he fell to the bed, his body turning to ash.

"That is the end Alucard. Our father is dead." Aranatta's hand slowly drifted to the sheathed metal blade at his hip. "I take as I will of his estate. I will take all of his estate, my feeble brother. You may take your leave." The hum of metal sang through out the bed chamber. His time was nigh, finally his father had died. Too long was he in the shadow of his weaker brother, too long was he entrapped in studies and war rooms as his brother was allowed a sunbathed carefree life. Vengeance was his.

"Your life is yours to live brother. Leave me one keepsake of this former life ripped from me before I go. My mother's locket." Alucard reached out and grasped a gold chain from the human shaped pile of dust lying on the bed.

"Take it, I will not reminisce of our father's weak moment with a cattle woman. As you leave, Alucard, tell the serfs of what has happened.

"Tell them Vlad is dead."

VvvV

It had been years since he was up here, one-hundred twenty three to be exact. Aranatta stared off over the country side. He was no longer a Tepes no longer a member of the dark royal family, no longer the son of Vlad or the brother of Alucard. He was Aranatta Toladeth, the drinker of innocence, the bather of blood. The number of atrocities he had committed against mortal law were innumerable and he reveled in all of them. Too often does history repeat itself that new foot steps should be heard at this balcony.

"Speak quickly, say your business and leave me to my contemplations."

"Aranatta Toladeth" The voice was strong, impudent and thick with the rolling lilt of Ireland. Not a servant and not a welcome guest. Aranatta turned to face his trespasser. "I am Alsandair"

"I care not for your name, just the explanation of your expeditious flight from here, emerald tongued worm." Aranatta grasped his blade, he stared an icy glare into the very soul of the armor clad human. His kind was not welcome.

"I have come tae rid ye of this world and tae end yer tyranny of this land. Vlad was a tolerated evil, yer regency has strangled the life of the land, and I've come tae end it." The man produced a chained flail seated from his back.

"A fight there shall be, your name will not be listed amongst your libris. Pathetic mortals, for you have the luck of heroes in your veins you suffer from delusions of grandeur. Not every one of your pathetic little species is saints and saviors. It is a shame you shall mercilessly learn this fact." Aranatta's blade hummed into place. The warlord let loose a low snarl baring long fangs. Dark pacts and black magics coursed into his body, the shadows wrapped around him like a cape.

His father had been young and foolish when he first channeled the shadow magic, Aranatta was not however unprepared. The dark pacts he made with the demons were more solid and placed Aranatta under control. He would not meet an early demise from his pacts, nor would he meet his death at this pup. Some pup who took up his father's flail to strike him down, whose lifetimes still numbered single.

Aranatta charged forward, shadowy tendrils wrapped his fist like a second glove. Jutting his hand outwards, bolts of black magic engulfed the human. Suddenly a shimmer of blue light filled Aranatta's eyes, the sanctified energy seared his eyes stopping him dead charge. He screamed, some heavenly magic wasn't going to do him in. His senses far out matched his opponent.

The boots bounding made rhythmic bass while chain links provided the tempo. Swordplay was a dance he had been told, to dance the tango of war one must flow with the rhythm of combat. Aranatta fluidly slid away from the man's wild strikes, the spiked ball narrowly missing each strike. Aranatta's sight dimly showed streaks of colors towards him, with uncanny speed he parried the chain of the flail spun wildly around the blade. A sharp jerk shattered the chain sending the spiked iron ball cascading over the wall. A wave of thick darkness blasted from Aranatta's hand striking the man against the wall.

"Pathetic." Aranatta taunted, stalking forward, he clenched his fist and oily tendrils wrapped and pulled on the man, holding him tightly against the wall.

"Ce te-as mai trimite la origini!" Aranatta leveled the blade at the man's chest.

"Whosever shed last blood. By man shall his blood be shed. Destroy all that his evil, so that which is good may flourish!" The man screamed, producing a small blue vial hurled it at the demon lord. The glass shattered and the multitude of water droplets each drop burst into a thousand flames on Aranatta's body. The tendrils pulled away from the man and he covered his ears away from Aranatta's unholy shrieks.

Blessed water! Hallowed liquid! Aranatta swore in the language of demons and pulled away from the man.

"Insolent fool and your worthless toys, your god is dead and your sickly faith empowers your tools weakly." Aranatta waved the fire out in a single stroke. Maybe this fight would turn interesting.

"And when I vest my flashing sword, and my hand takes hold in judgment I will take vengeance upon mine enemies" the man pulled a dagger from an inner chink of armor. With unearthly precision the dagger flew past Aranatta's futile block. The dagger embedded deeply into his chest. A spiritual burst of energy channeled into his body. Sending Aranatta reeling in pain, he dropped to his knees.

Interesting turned to possibly lethal in seconds. The man approached him. Aranatta willed the magics to work, willed his body to move, willed his soul to live. The dagger kept him rooted, truly, was this the power of human magic? A pure hatred burned in his eyes as the man pulled loose a cross.

"Fire-ai al dracului!" Aranatta's fiery curse didn't slow the prayer the hunter started. Unholy hellfire appeared behind Aranatta's eyes as it furiously tried to escape.

"And shepherd I shall be. For thee, my Lord, for thee. Power hath descended from thy hand. Our feet may swiftly carry out thy commands. So I shall flow a river forth to thee. And teeming with souls shall it ever be. In Nomeni Patri Et Fili Spiritus Sancti."

The human placed the cross upon Aranatta's forehead. The creature roared in pain searing blue light shed from the cross and engulfed both the Human and the Demon. Aranatta felt his skin burst into flames, his armor singeing and burning. The blasted heat of hellfire itself engulfed and left nothing more then smoldering remains atop the dark castle.

The man looked down at the armored skeleton. He lowered the blue cross and left it on the corpse.

He turned and left.