Author's Note: A big thanks to everyone who has read the first chapter and decided to like and/or follow it, and a bigger thank you to all who took the time to write a review/comment on it. (darkwolf1986, Andrew, +2 guests) As always I hope that those who decide to read this enjoy it as much as I did writing it.

Chapter 2: Awakening

Tsukune's fevered mind raced through his dreams, twisted images of his past were haunting him, the faces of foes he had fought to protect those that were dear to him. Some of the faces were familiar to him, like Saizo and Kuoyo, but most were faceless or were people he didn't recognize at all, all of them were laughing at him as they attacked him simultaneously. Tskunue tried to escape, he twisted and turned, he used all of the evasive techniques he had learned over the years in his effort to escape them but it was to no avail. Just as his attackers were about to finally close in on him a bloodcurdling roar ripped through the air, sending all of his enemies flying but forcing Tsukune to stop in his tracks. Another roar ripped through the air behind him as he slowly turned to view this new creature, his breath caught in his throat. Tsukune's eyes fell upon a creature that looked as id had been spit from the bowels of Hell itself, a massive humanoid creature that stood easily nine foot tall with jet black skin, massive bat-like wings protruded from its back that were easily twice that of its height, and a set of viscous looking horns that decorated its temples.

Tsukune looked upon the creature with fear as his eyes adjusted to the creature's visage, he took note that the creature's skin was not totally pitch black as he originally thought as his eyes graced upon its arms and took in the sight of what appeared to be intricate scarlet markings that started at its wrists and traveled to its shoulders, the markings looked to be almost tribal in their design. Finally Tsukune's eyes met those of the creature causing his blood to run cold, those eyes were like those of a creature he had but met once, the pupils were four point stars. Tsukune took an involuntary step back as the creature began to chuckle darkly as if it had heard something twisted.

"Who are you?" Demanded Tsukune.

"I am the thing under your bed, in your closet, in your head. I am the darkness that lies in the soul of each man, woman, and child." The creature laughed darkly as it began to close in upon Tsukune slowly. "I am the suffering felt by all when war comes to call, I am he who revels in the delights of death and despair I am the brother of Erebus, I am Summanus. Look upon me boy and fear me for I am death and I come for you." Tsukune's eyes widened in fear as the creature had halved the distance between them at this point. It opened its hands as dark energies began to swirl around its palms, creating twin kama that were bound to its arms by chains.

"Tsukune, wake up…" A voice familiar to him pleadingly whispered through the dark as he felt to feminine arms wrap around his chest from behind.

"Kurumu?" Tsukune whispered questioningly.

"NO! THE BOY IS MINE! MINE TO KILL!" The creature roared in rage at the voice as it threw a kama at Tsukune in a vain attempt to snare him.

"Please Tsukune, wake up!" The voice Tsukune was sure belonged to Kurumu begged just a little louder than before, and just as the kama was about to pierce his flesh.

Tsukune awoke with a startled gasp, his thinking clouded momentarily with thoughts of escape until his eyes filled with the sight of a place he knew well, he was in the nurse's office surrounded by his friends, Kurumu, Mizore, and Yukari, he also spotted Moka and ruby off in the back with a nurse they had been conversing. Shock and hope filled the faces as he gazed upon them all.

"TSUKUNE!" All the girls yelled, joy and happiness filled their voices as he was tackled simultaneously by the three around his bed, his face filling the all too familiar spot in between Kurumu's glorious cleavage.

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Kurumu had been watching stoically over Tsukune as he slept in the nurse's office. She had not gotten much sleep when Moka had joyously told her and the others that their beloved Tsukune had returned but then solemnly told them that Tsukune was catatonic. She and the others had taken shifts staying by his side so that when he did wake up at least one of them would be able to be there for him, today had been a free day so they all were able to be with him today. Kurumu was sitting on his right side holding his hand. She was starting to worry even more now for her destined one as the thought that he might not wake up ran through her mind.

"Tsukune, wake up…" She pleaded softly.

Everyone in the room visibly stiffened when he moaned ever so softly that it was barely heard at all "Kurumu?"

"Please Tsukune, wake up!" She called out once more in the hope of coaxing him out of his catatonia. To everyone's surprised joy he awoke suddenly with a start and a gasp for air as if he had been kept underwater for longer than he could hold his breath. A shocked silence filled the air as he looked around the room for a moment and just before he could get out a single word Kurumu, Mizore, and Yukari all tackled him simultaneously and Tsukune found himself with his face in Kurumu's chest and with Mizore and Yukari on either arm.

"TSUKUNE!" They all cried, "We thought you were gone forever!" Cried Kurumu.

Tsukune started twitching from lack of air when Ruby and Moka came over quickly to separate the others from their beloved Tsukune so that he could breath, Tsukune gasped for air.

"I—I had forgotten—what that was like." Panted Tsukune.

After a several minutes of letting Tsukune catching his breath and almost nonstop questions from the girls all went quiet as Yukari shouted out "We thought you were dead!"

All was silent as Tsukune told them that thankfully wasn't the case.

"What of Alucard?" Moka asked softly.

"He's no longer going to be a problem… he's dead."

Everything went silent as the girls processed the new information. "What happened to you two Tsukune, and what are those marks on your arms?" Moka asked, Tsukune just barely caught a hint of worry in her voice.

"These," Tsukune gestured at the marks that created what looked like a full sleeve tribal tattoo "are seals to keep me as I am now. They are approximately eight times more powerful than your old rosary though Moka. As for what happened to me though, you might want to sit down as this is long and it's going to be hard to believe. Once his friends had all sat down, looking at him expectantly, he started his story.

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FLASHBACK

Tsukune's strength was wearing down to a dangerous low, he was exhausted because the fight with Alucard was going on too long. He looked upon the gigantic true form of the ancient shinso vampire and shuddered, how where they going to stop him this time? The last time Alucard had arisen it had taken all three of the Hades Lords to seal him away, but now the Hades Lords' strength as a group had waned from its former glory and Alucard had just gotten stronger. Tsukune was becoming desperate as he tried to protect Moka's unconscious form when he heard a voice in his head.

"Child—," The voice was dark and full of power, but it also held warmth and concern, like that of a father for his child.

"Who's there?" Shouted Tsukune.

"I am an ally who is here to aid you child, you have been found worthy of our attention, and I am here to correct a mistake I made too long ago. If you wish to save those you care about, make your way to your enemy and come into physical contact with him. I shall do the rest."

"What is going to happen?" Tsukune questioned the voice.

"There is no time to explain, if you truly wish to save all you will do as I require and do it quickly for I have little time in which to aid you." The voice disappeared.

"Damn it all to hell…" Tsukune growled, he went back to Moka's unconscious form and lightly kissed her forehead. "Wait for me Moka, I'll be back soon."

Tsukune ran for all he was worth toward the beast that was Alucard, dodging rubble and the fallen bodies of his comrades and allies. Thankfully the beast's attention was on the Hades Lords as it thought Moka and Tsukune would no longer be a problem to it. Tsukune was within a hundred yards of the creature before it noticed him and decided to put him down permanently, the creature slammed a fist upon Tsukune but was to slow as Tsukune easily jumped out of the way and then on to its arm.

"All right! Anytime now!" Tsukune called out to seemingly no one in particular.

Alucard lifted his arm to his face so that he could look upon the annoyance that had been a thorn in his side one last time before he crushed it. As the creature went to destroy Tsukune with his other hand Tsukune felt a power explode from him, a power not his own. Alucard's eyes opened with shock and horror as he recognized the power that flowed out of Tsukune like water. He went to throw the boy as far away as he could but before he could react; a black sphere of energy burst forth from the boy to envelope them both.

As everyone else looked on in awe at the power Tsukune displayed, the sphere of energy dissipated to reveal that both Tsukune and Alucard had disappeared. Shock went through everyone as they registered what had happened, Alucard was gone but so was Tsukune, it seemed that the boy had sacrificed his life to do away with the ancient vampire. All was still until Moka's mother, Akasha Bloodriver, regained her composure and ordered that all the wounded to be found and taken care of. The threat was gone, Akasha could tell that her daughter was somewhere close by and alive, but her friend, Akasha could not sense the boy that held a special place in her daughters heart anywhere, Moka would be crushed to hear of this.

Tsukune whole body hurt, he felt like he had been torn apart and put back together in the blink of an eye. He had his eyes screwed shut as he tried to block out the pain he felt, as he lay where he was he started to take a mental inventory; legs and arms? Check, fingers and toes? Check. He could feel that everything was where it should be and that nothing felt broken, the only thing that felt off as he lay there was the intense sound of ringing in his ears as if he had stood right next to the speakers of a heavy metal concert. A few moments passed and as the ringing in his ears dissipated he opened his eyes to take stock of his situation.

He was in what looked like a magnificent throne room, grander than anywhere he had been before including Moka's home. He started to stand and as he looked around he spied Alucard in his human form lying on the smoothly stone floor as well, all traces of his power as a vampire had disappeared leaving him looking human. His eyes stayed on Alucard as the shinso rose groggily, shaking his head side to side as if to rid it of a headache. Alucard's eyes caught sight of Tsukune and filled with hate and rage.

"YOU!" Alucard roared. "WHAT DID YOU DO!" Alucard jumped up and started to charge Tsukune with the intent of killing the young vampire.

"Enough" The voice that Tsukune heard earlier ripped through the air, halting Alucard in his tracks. "It was I that brought you both here."

Both vampires turned to the voice, and what Tsukune saw was what seemed to be a man that was sitting on the throne, the power and confidence that emanated from him was staggering, easily dwarfing the power he had felt come from any of the three Hades Lords or even from Alucard himself. As Tsukune's eyes locked in on the man as he stood up revealing his impressive physique, he had the physical appearance like that of a vampire; the man stood easily six foot tall and had pale skin that was without mark, thick platinum blonde hair that reached just past his shoulders, a physique similar to that of an athlete who could do anything you could ask of him, a masculine chiseled face that seemed as if the gods themselves had a part in making it, unlike other vampires Tsukune had seen before the man had a full but well-trimmed beard that match his hair in color and his dress was that of a man of power from ancient Greece or Rome. But what caught Tsukune's eyes were the man's own, the sclera were as black as night around blood red irises and his pupils were four point stars. Those eyes were filled with a battalion of emotions, pain, rage and pride, mercy, power, forgiveness and sadness.

"Hello father." Spat Alucard, "What had it been? Ten-thousand years since we last talked?" The hate and disrespect in Alucard's voice was evident.

'Father?' Thought Tsukune, 'Is this man truly Alucard's father?' Tsukunes eyes widened at the prospect that there was someone even more powerful than Alucard.

"Hold your tongue you insolent boy." Growled the man "You have been brought here to be punished for your crimes against the natural order of the world, even though you are my son I cannot allow this to pass. Do you have anything to say before I carry out your punishment?"

"Just that I regret not killing more of those pathetic humans faster and not gaining enough power to end your miserable hide." Sneered the vampire.

"So be it, it is with great regret that I do this my son…" The man lifted his hand and pointed his palm toward Alucard "Requiescat in pace" he intoned.

A lance of pure dark energy burst forth from his palm and caught Alucard in his chest, the energy spread across his body as he howled in pain and rage.

"BURN IN HELL OLD MAN!" Alucard screeched out one last time as his body disintegrated under the onslaught of the dark energy.

"I'm already there…" The man whispered to himself as he stood there and watched his son disappear into nothingness. "Now for you young man, tell me what is your name." Tsukune recognized that this was not a question.

"Ts—Tsukune sir."

"Good, thank you for answering so quickly. Do you know why I brought you here Tsukune?"

"No sir." Tsukune said quickly.

"Follow me Tsukune, let us walk and I shall explain to you why I did what I did." He turned and started to walk out "I suggest you keep up, there are some things here that are quite touchy and there have been no guests here in a long, long time." Tsukune surprised himself as he ran to catch up to the man, he was intrigued to say the least.

They started walking down a long hallway adorned with works of art that each were a paragon of perfection. They walked for a good two minutes before the man spoke again.

"In the beginning there was nothing but Chaos, she was supremely powerful but incredibly lonely, to curb the feeling of being alone she made thirteen companions. The generations to come later would call them the Primordials, for it was from their power that the universe that you know was created from.

Tsukune listened with enthusiasm as the subject genially interested him, however this was not answering any questions but Tsukune refrained from saying anything as he felt that the man would not allow an interruption to go unpunished.

"Some of the Primordials created others in their image while others created new beings. Very few created had a hand in the creation of more than one race.

The man stopped to gaze upon a magnificent mural that depicted all that he had talked about and more that he hadn't.

"My name is Erebus young Tsukune, the Primordial of the very darkness itself and the first to be created by Chaos herself not as a lesser, but as an equal being. I created the race that once was known as the Serek-Tai or the Shadow Lords in your language. I am, was, the father of the creature that was known as Alucard, and he in turn fathered the entire race that you know now as vampires.

Tsukune's eyes widened and his breath caught in his throat as the implications of what he had just heard registered in his mind. Here in front of him now was the second oldest being in the entire universe, a being that was old when time and space were still but young.

"The reason that I brought you here as well Tsukune, is that my time is near. My fellow comrades have disembodied and have once more taken their rightful places. The reason I have not yet is that I wished to leave my power, the power of a dead race, in the hands of one who is worthy. Not a person who would use that power for evil but one who will wield it with compassion and mercy, one who knows how it felt to be oppressed by those stronger then oneself but has still remained true to themselves. You see there is the champions of the other Primordials are going on a rampage and I do not know why, I also cannot get involved directly."

Tsukune's mind raced at the thought of where Erebus was going with this.

Erebus put a hand on Tsukune's shoulder as a warm smile graced his face. "The reason I brought you here is because I wish for you to wield my power on this side of existence. Because I know you, Tsukune, will aid in the protection of balance for the world and work towards a better future for all."

"I would be honored sir." Tsukune said humbly, a feeling that rejecting the offer would not be a wise idea.

As soon as he finished speaking Tsukune felt a wave of power flow into him from Erebus's hand, the Primordial still smiling as the power flowed, changing both their bodies. Tsukune's body changing to match what Erebus's body once was and Erebus's body changed till his body looked human.

"I did not give you all my power, that would have killed you, but I have given you enough to do what needs to be done." Erebus stated, his voice having lost all of its former power but it was still filled with pride, kindness, and warmth. "I also will not leave you yet so that I may train you in the wielding of your newfound powers.

Over the next few weeks Tsukune went through training that was so intense, so dangerous, that Tsukune seriously doubted he would survive it at all. Things went on in this fashion until the day that Erebus was no longer on this side of the veil, and Tsukune left the castle to return back to his own realm. Returning just in time to save Moka from her attackers and fall unconscious in her arms.

End of Flashback