New York City, 1924:
"You won't believe how these humans pollute my domain," hissed the sea serpent, Weiland, in disgust. The girl next to him couldn't stand his briny odor. But she kept her composure, lest she disappoint her boss. To an onlooker, they would make an unlikely pair: a seven-foot-tall reptilian and a petite brunette in lace and stockings.
"I can't imagine," deadpanned the girl, "And of your latest find?"
"A human corpse," said Weiland, "must've been decaying for a good few days now."
The corpse was a heap of rotted flesh, mud, and plant life.
All this for a human corpse, she thought, what is my boss thinking?
"Anything special about this corpse?" asked the girl.
"It radiates energy, a force of anger and rage…almost like…"
"A cry for vengeance," finished the girl.
"Yes, like vengeance."
"I'll need some privacy with this corpse," said the girl.
"Does this mean you will remove the body?" asked Weiland.
"That is the deal."
"Splendid," said Weiland, "Before I go, rabbit?"
He held out a mangled rabbit carcass. The girl recoiled in disgust.
"No thanks," she said, trying not to lose her composure.
"What a pity," said Weiland, "My son regurgitated it especially for you."
"I mean no disrespect…I ate a…large sacrifice an hour ago…so, so full," she said, as she patted her stomach.
"Very well. I shall return to my abode," said Weiland. With that, he swallowed the dead rabbit and leapt into the river.
"Uh, rabbits," said the girl, "All right, corpse…let's see if this amulet will do the trick."
She places the amulet on the corpse. As she pulls her hand away, her bracelet gets caught in his collarbone. There was a resounding snap in the dark.
"Oh…my bracelet always catches on everything," she said, as she gives a forced laugh. "Right…you're still a corpse. Well, I have no further instructions so….oh my."
She watches in amazement as the corpse reanimates—muscle forging to bone, skin forging to muscle, everything back to the way it was.
"Well, you are a handsome one. But…why aren't you breathing," she said, as she touches the boy's chest. Suddenly, the boy coughs up water in the girl's face.
"I suppose you're alive now," said the girl, as she wipes the water from her face.
The boy begins screaming.
"Excuse me…excuse me," the girl finally gives up, and slaps him in the face. The boy stops screaming.
"Better. All right, let me introduce myself. I'm Anyanka, and my boss D'Hoffryn wanted me to resurrect you."
The boy stared at her blankly.
"So, congratulations, you're a Vengeance Demon."
There was still no reaction from the boy.
"What's your name, kid?" asked Anyanka, as her eyes turned skyward.
"Rafael," replied the boy.
"How do you spell that?"
"R-A-F-A-E-L," said the boy, as though his lungs were being stabbed with each breath.
"We're going to make a slight change. You're going to spell it like "R-A-P-H-A-E-L"—just like the painter."
Raphael kept breathing heavily, and looking up at Anyanka.
"Welcome to the family, Raphael," said Anyanka, as she extends her hand. He shakes her hand weakly.
"Good," Anyanka said, as she wipes her hands clean with a handkerchief. "So, shall we get started?"