I hear it fading
I can't speak it
Or else you will dig my grave
We fear them finding
Always whining
Take my hand now
Be alive*

Watching the sun disappear behind the horizon, the ancient figure reminisced about what has been and what was about to come. Over the centuries, his race had become week, corrupted. There was no way of saving them. No, they had to leave the face of this planet for him to start over. And his enemy down there would help him. He already did by hunting down those weak and unworthy. A formidable warrior like him didn't have too much trouble with it. And his humans seemed to be of good use as well. He'd be watching them for a while longer. One of the humans reminded him of someone he had known and lost so long ago.

Jumping down from the roof, he blurred into the maelstrom of humans on their way home from work, to see friends, to have dinner. Walking amongst them, he dreamed of the day his children would no longer have to hide. Not only from them but from the sun as well. Degenerated as they were now, the race was only a step above rats living in the sewers. This saddened and outraged him at the same time. Soon. And with the right person by his side, he'd father a new race. It was up to him and only to him. The other one like him refused to pass on his legacy, rather hating and defying the whole existence of them all. But the true path would be fulfilled one way or another.

We walk amongst you
Feeding, raping
Must we hide from everyone*

Blade knew about him watching. But he felt like it wasn't about him. The eyes of the enemy seemed to be focused on something else. Someone else. Given the fact that Scud and Alia basically were one person, there was no way of telling which one of them was of interest. Scud surely could have some knowledge about the old Overlord and some inside things, at least to what the enemy knew. Truth was, Scud didn't know much and all he knew was passed on to Blade. Alia, on the other hand, had nothing the enemy could want. Besides reproductive organs, that was. And that worried Blade like nothing had before.

This creature was not to be taken lightly. The only reason he had survived their last clash was because his "friend" thought they were alike. Not in a million years. Even though his blood thirst had taken over once, he'd never consider himself one of them. He'd rather ram his sword through his own chest. They were nothing alike. And it bothered Blade that he was still out there but he had prove to be hard, if not impossible, to kill. So the next step had to be planned careful. Posing to be him, the enemy had somehow managed to wake up in the morgue and get out. So daystar had been a failure. But it taken a while before Blade had found out. After all this mess had gone down, he had drawn back for a while. The loss of Whistler had hit him hard. Gone was the old man. During his absence, the enemy had taken care of the Nightstalkers. Nobody was left. Why Scud and Alia were still alive was a riddle to be solved. And soon.

The sun had just come up when Scud and Alia finally went to bed. What luxury to have a bed with an actual frame! Scud let himself fall into the soft pillows and held the blanket up for Alia to crawl underneath. Half rolled on his chest, she rested her head on his shoulder and he kissed her head while wrapping her arms around her. Life was good these days. Too good to be true. And as if she had the same thoughts, Alia shivered before she said "It has been quiet for to long" "I know, buttercup, I know" "So, Bubbles, what are we gonna do?" Snorting that she used that silly nickname on him today, he shrugged. "Dunno. Bein' sucker-bait was the job-description" "Oh, now you're being pessimistic" she said while tracing the scarred skin on his belly. With time passing, they'd become more even and softer. The red was already fading but he still lacked feeling in the most part of this area. It was simple, scarred flesh with destroyed nerve-endings didn't send much sensory things to the brain.

So in order for him to feel anything, she moved farther up his chest to the even part. Thoughtfully playing with the soft hair there, she felt Scud raising his head, looking at her. "We should be prepared for them to come" "Aren't we already? Sides, we got the Daywalker on our side" "Sure, but he ain't here all the time. 'Memba how easily the got me? Man, good think I told him. Imagine how that could ..." "SCUD!" "Yes, Ma'am?" he mocked. Slapping him softly on the arm, he ouched dramatically and by rolling over, he buried her underneath him. Laughing, he rubbed his nose on her neck and kissed her. Arms tight around him, she felt like never letting go again. "Seriously, Josh..." "I know, doll, I know. We gotta be careful. Can't lose ya. Been through to much already." Sometime later, they had fallen asleep like that.

Scud was woken by the smell of coffee. Blissfully rolling around in the bed, he stretched his arms and groaned. He got a pair of black pants out of the closet and choose a blue plaid to go along with it. Alia had insisted on stocking up his wardrobe with something else but his beloved red pants. The practical argument of blood not being that visible on red was thrown down by the simple fact that black worked just the same. So he put them on every now and then. Getting his vest over it, he got his first smoke of the day outta the pocket and while he slouched towards the delicious smell, he lit it.

Alia sat on the table, on the chair closest to the heater, earphones in, head slowly nodding to the beat. Her plate was empty, her mug still steaming. The window behind her showed the world glinting with the first hints of frost. Eyes unfocused, she wasn't even there, totally focused on her music. He smiled to himself and got himself a cup of coffee too. Searching for milk, he found it on the counter where Alia had left it once again. She always forgot to put it back. He'd long given up on saying anything about it like she never said a word about him spreading his toys everywhere. It was just the way it was.

He sat down next to her, waving a new smoke infront of her face. She didn't jump, just lifted her eyes and took it from him with a nod. Stealing one of the earphones, he put it in his ear and sat next to her silent, shoulders slightly touching. Neither of them noticed Blade walking by the little kitchen room, stopping outside for a split second. Shaking his head, he thought he might never understand. But somehow he did. Guess in a world ripped off any walls and shrouds and blindfolds, having someone at your side kept you sane.

Oblivious to this, Scud and Alia drank coffee and smoked to their music.

Do you Believe? Do you Fade like a Dream?
Let me hear you BREATHE
Let me watch as you sleep
The Sparrows Eyes Promises shift into judgments
I cannot deny that you were designed for my punishments

*Disturbed- forsaken, Slipknot - gehenna