Epilogue: The Humans "Come on, you've got more than that." Raziel said, bouncing up and down in front of Melchiah on his knee bracing a wound. Raziel unloaded a punch into Melchiah's face, sending him into the dirt again. "Brother...you are to strong for me," Raziel kicked him in the side, knocking him over again. "You have won!" Melchiah pleaded. Kain was still displeased. The other brothers stood watching, Duma, Zephon, Turel, and Rahab. They clapped there three fingered hands with every blow. Poor Melchiah thought he could take Raziel on, and challenged for a spar. "Do you hear?" Raziel asked, "He wants out." Raziel outstretched his hand, Melchiah siezed it and stood up, his wounds beginning to close. "Anyone else wish to spar?" Raziel asked. Kain stood behind them all, he poked Rahab in the shoulder, "Rahab is next." Rahab turned around, "Yes, Master." Rahab rushed into the sand pit, Melchiah's blood pooled up. Raziel cracked his neck, and resumed springing up and down at the ankle. "You ready?" Raziel asked. "Always." Rahab responded, bouncing as well. Raziel rushed in aggressively, elbowing Rahab in the chest, knocking him over. A one hit knockdown. Rahab rolled, catching his breath and coming up with a wild kick. Raziel ducked under it and chopped Rahab on the shoulder. Rahab swung around, smashing his fist into Raziel's face, sending Raziel to the side but not off of his feet. Kain smiled. Raziel spit some blood from his mouth, and lunged forward unloading a barrage of strikes into Rahab with incredible speed. Rahab fell, of course, but not after stumbling backwards and taking many hits. Rou slowly walked in, hearing the noise. Rou the tall man, one inch shorter then his master, Raziel. His hair was short and black, his lips were black like all the other divine ones, and his eyes were that of a fledgling, somewhat changed. His pupils were red, tinted, while the rest of his eyes were black. He was the only one of his kind, not one of Kain's six councilmen, but not a fledgeling. Raziel made Rou long ago when he first was resurrected, and kept a servant around while no other brothers could have one like Rou, only fledgelings. Rou stood in the shadows for a second, everyones back was pointed towards him, no one could see him. Raziel and Rahab fought, sparing. Rou noticed Melchiah kneeling and breathing heavily, he must have stood up to Raziel again. Rahab fell, a line of blood flew and Raziel bounded backwards. Rahab stood up and yelled, rushing Raziel, slashing him on the neck, blood spiling forward and Raziel's eyes going wide. The brothers rushed forward, one by one checking Raziel over. Rahab did a forbidden action, while sparing such fatal moves were prohibited strictly. Rahab watched as they all tried to keep Raziel standing as his wounds closed. Kain watched. "And inch deeper and you would be as dead as him, Rahab." Kain said, Rahab subsided. "Now get to work." Rahab rushed from the chamber, passing Rou. Rou walked into the chamber, standing silently. A cloak from his shoulders hung, weaving with the slight breeze, and his shoulder pad with the Clan banner covered his right arm, and his sword, as he stood there watching. Raziel seemed to be recovering quickly, still holding his neck, blood soaked his clothing in front of him. The smell of recycled blood was unpleasant for a Vampire, freshness was crutial. Kain noticed Rou. "What is wrong?" Kain asked. "The clan has something to inform us, sire." Rou said. "There are humans moving towards us, reports are that they are all armored and equipped with serious weaponry." "Ahh..." Kain nodded, "When will they arrive?" "I was informed that they are setting up base camps, and ramparts around our kingdom, sire." Rou reported. "Ramparts?" Kain asked. "Yes, heavily guarded ramparts, two for each clan under our control." "Displeasing." "Is my Master fit to speak?" "Yes." Kain waved to Raziel. Raziel walked forward, holding his neck. Rou whispered to Raziel for a few seconds, Raziel nodding. "I believe we should all know about this, Rou." Raziel said. "Very well." Rou cleared his throat, and all the brothers looked at him unitedly. "There are spies, within the palace. Particularly, within Duma's territory, they are planning to destroy the furnaces." Duma nodded. "Yes," He boombed. "Some of my workers have been a little suspicious, asking there C.O's where things are, what controls what..." "They are planning it soon, from what I am told." Rou said, saluting them. "Am I dismissed?" He asked, Kain dismissed him so they could speak in council. Rou moved from the chamber, into the cold air outside. The air was as thick as ever, the contant smell of chared wood and trees from the furnaces was comforting, and the smoke billowing into the sky from Duma's territory far west was also another reminder that they were still alive. Rou headed for the watchtowers, climbing his way up onto the walls of the central infrastructure, and moving down the wall. He peered into one of the Astronomical devices used by Turel to map stars. He used it to spy on the human ramparts. They gathered in masses, throwing flaming torches back and forth between them, constructing catapults and devices to fling large canisters of water into the walls of Kain's city. This would not do. Rou turned the scope towards the Abyss, and everything there was nominal, a couple of fledglings gathered on the ledges to drop gifts to fortune into the Abyss. Rou watched one of the ramparts that was moving towards them, and it was looking as if it were loading one of the catapults... Rou watched as they loaded it, with a flaming sphere filled with a black liquid, oil. The catapult fired, sending the flaming ball screaming forward, landing just outside the main wall. Turel was walking down the side of the wall, towards Rou. "My Stalkers will have a ball with them when night falls..." Turel said, looking thru the scope. "Night never falls for them, there fires burn a dozen feet into the air." "Plenty of shadows." Rou nodded. "Yes, they appear to be testing there weaponry, and I fear for us if we do not demolish them." "They are religious fanatics, the markings on there armor and banners are religion crusade marks, and that means that they will not have good tactics." "Do not underestimate them, Turel." Rou said, leaning against them small brick outcropping on the wall. Rou looked off into the darkness as Turel made a few more obvious assessments. Rou was tired. Rou, my thoughts on thee The room quickly filled with smoke, seconds after the roll was lit. Rou was smoking a leaf roll, from a plant that grew particularly well in almost any environment in which it was placed. When the buds of a budding female are plucked and cured, then ground up into vats of powder that could be rolled by a leaf and smoked, it became popular with the Vampires. For humans it would make them immature, and stupid, for Vampire's it detached the essence from the body, allowing more intense thought, better thought patterns in general, it helped them take on dilemmas. They called it Masim leaf. Rou sat backwards in his chair, absorbing the environment. He sensed that much would change in the next few weeks, with the humans taking so much gaul to commit such an act as declaring war...those subservient fools could not even thinking about hurting the Vampiric forces, there was no change in hell...was. They always knew that, that was why they moved beyond the smoke. Rou looked around, hearing a noise outside of his door. It sounded like someone kneeling and slipping. Rou got up, not fond of that noise. He retrieved his blade from its scabbard, a long blade, slender and jagged. He swung his door open, and looked outside. Nothing was there... Kort looked down from the roof of Rou's home, waiting for Rou to step outside. Kort jumped off of the roof, landing behind Rou. Rou jumped, instantly spinning and throwing the blade diagonally right on Korts chest and stomach. Kort staggered back. "Kort, you idiot!" Rou said to him, shoving Kort into the house. Kort was a fledgeling in Duma's clan that idolizes Rou, and liked to sneak around Rou just because he idolizes him. "What are you doing out here Kort?" Rou asked, Kort was bracing his wound as it closed. "I just wanted to say that I saw you in the tourney!" Kort said, jumping into the air. "Are you going to go back in next year?" "I might...but that is none of your business, Kort, now get out of here before someone catches you." Kort nodded. "Yes!" He exclaimed, clambering towards the door. "I hope to see you nex'year Rou!" "Thank you for your support." Rou said coldly, pointing to the door. Kort nodded happily, quickly shifting thru the doorway. Rou wiped his sword off. "Stupid kid." Rou finished off the blade, and threw it back atop of his bed, catching a glimpse of the books on his bookshelf. "Please state your full name." He remembered those words as if it were a meal ago. "Roulyn 'des Preditorian." Rou said, still a child, still a human. "Do you accept your punishment?" Raziel asked, standing over the boy with his arms crossed. "Yes, sir." Rou said. The memories of his childhood flashed in and out, making his eyes dry out, his mouth become like that of cotton, and his throat clumping. Being abducted and raised by Vampires. Kain's more cynical plots, having human children raised to hate humanity, and later have them infiltrate human cities to cause havoc. Rou was just the victim, even though the ones he grew up with probably died long, long ago. At the age of 28 human years, Rou was turned a Vampire. He has been 28 ever since, no better no worse. It has been 938 years since Rou sat in the sun apon the grass, or have a drop of water touch his skin and feel cool and refreshing. Instead for the last 938 years he has been avoiding sunlight and water, each feeling like hot pokers on his skin. He has been riding to cities every three days and abducted a human to drink some of its blood, for the last 938 years. And he has been evolving to a higher state, for the last 938 years. Vampirism was a gift, Rou had it when he was a human, and when he attacked and successfully killed a high ranking Vampire in Raziel's clan, Rou was slated to replace it. 938 years later he still serves, and is still forever loyal. He was glad humanity was removed, it only flawed his being.