Somewhere beyond my throne room door, I could hear the frantic cries of my children as the humans laid waste to my empire. I didn't care that they were slowly but surely making their way to me, intent on my ultimate destruction. At my feet a fledgling trembled, his breath came in wheezing gasps. "Master." He said softly. "We must leave this place. They're coming." From his disgusting lips the prophecy was almost ominous. I looked down at him and growled.

"It no longer matters." I closed my eyes and laid my head against the back of the throne. I had designed it for her…

"Master!" the fledgling's tone was more urgent. "They're killing your children…They're killing us!" My claws reached out of their own accord and grabbed the young vampire by the throat. I threw him roughly, the sickening crunch echoed off the hollow walls of the throne room. At least he would not see the human's repugnant scheme come to pass. I couldn't say the same for myself…or her…I hadn't been able to save her, just like I would not save myself now.

Kain would tell my brethren my vanity had been the reason the humans had decimated my clan. But even he knew that it wasn't the truth. And if Raziel had still been alive, he would know it too.

"Dumah!" The vampire hunters were pounding on my door. Again I opened my eyes, this time the face of my older brother came into my view.

"Turel." I said his name slowly malice dripping from every syllable. Turel moved forward and stood beside my throne.

"Don't do this." He whispered. "Kain would not approve."

"Kain would not approve?" I roared. I got to my feet in one swift movement and snarled at him. Behind me, the heavy wooden door shook beneath an enormous weight. "I don't think our dear Lord Kain will mind my loss. He seems to be thinning the herd…" the door trembled again. "Don't you think?" Turel frowned and shook his head.
"They'll kill you." He said, almost as an after thought. "Is that what you want? To die?" He glared at me.

"She did…" I told him softly taking my place back on the seat of my elaborate chair. The door trembled violently this time, splinters tearing free of their rightful places.

"Why do you dwell on that woman? She was weak…human…" Turel's voice stalled as the middle of the door bowed inward and groaned. "Dumah!" He shouted even more urgently. His claws grabbed at my forearm as he tried to pull me from the seat.

"I loved her…" My words were too soft even for my brother to hear, but they hung in the air like a black cloud. "I needed her…" I took in a deep breath, my memories altogether painful and loathsome…

From our fledgling days Kain had preached to us about destiny and fate. At the time my brethren and I had scoffed at his words, but some years later I discovered there were truth behind them…

I had a bad habit of waking up long before dusk had settled itself across Nosgoth. It had been that way since I had been made. It was almost as if somehow I knew that I would meet her.

She'd been standing on a hill over looking the human city the first time I saw her. The sun almost engulfed her as it set, making her seem ethereal. Even then I had been tempted to brave my affliction to it and go to her.

At first I entertained the thought of waiting until the sun had fully set and making her my next meal, but something about that seemed wrong. She was a creature wrought from the very beauty of Nosgoth itself. So I waited. A month I watched her…

Turel dug his claws into the ivory flesh of my arm and I growled at him. I didn't want her memory to leave me. I wanted to keep it close to me in hopes that once the humans had finished their caliginous deed, I could return to the place where she would be waiting for me.

"Dumah!" Turel seemed somewhat frantic.

"I know what my name is." I growled softly. "Must you continue to say it as if it were diseased?"

"You'll wish it was diseased when they break through that door, Dumah!" Turel shouted. "Don't let this happen." He paused, taking in air that his long unused lungs did not need. "They've already killed the majority of your children. Do not join them…" I turned eyes that had once been bright with energy and vitality on him, knowing that even he would be able to see that I had lost the will to live…