A/N: Warning: Incredibly short chapter ahead! Used solely for plot development! Hope it explains things... . Or it could just piss you off...

Chapter 9

Sayumi hitched up her dress and rushed over to him, kneeling next to him to check for life; well, as much life that could be found in a vampire. She breathed a sigh of relief that he was alright, merely unconscious. Her heart pumped hard and fast from worry as she continued to kneel next to him, gently petting his hair; hoping he would awaken soon. She was so distracted that she didn't hear the tent unzip.

"Greetings, Miss Sayumi…" The voice surprised Sayumi, causing her to instinctively grasp Raziel's tunic and pull herself closer to her.

"M-master Runekin, what're you doing here…."

"Why to come get you, my dear…" Two large military men came up to stand next to Runekin, one of which was holding a long pipe in his hand.

"And just why would I want to do that? Is this your doing?" She motioned to Raziel, making Runekin nod and snap his fingers.

"Because if you don't come with me, your friend there's gonna get a nasty wound from a pipe being rammed through his heart." His words sent a shiver of fear and anger through her, making the ground rumble a bit. Raziel's new body was still a mystery, they didn't know if being staked would paralyze him like other vampires or if he'd come back from the dead again; either way Sayumi didn't want to put him through that after all he'd been through.

"I trusted you and your kind, but I see now that I should have just listened to Raziel…"

"Yes, he seems somewhat bright if not a little paranoid but you should not condemn us all. Your friends, Josh and his little gang, had nothing to do with it. Actually, they're a little tied up at the moment…" His words shocked her abit, she had thought the humans all shared the same intention for coming to Nosgoth, "You see, those fools really did just come to learn about your land and its creatures and cultures. Moronic anthropologists… They don't realize the sheer power that can be harnessed in this world." His gazed turned cold and his smile evil, "Isn't that right, Sayumi? Oh great spirit of Nosgoth…."

"H-how did you k-know that…?"

"I have an ancestor; he actually came from Nosgoth but was thrown out in the great exile. He had all his notes about this world save for future generations. And according to them, it would seem that this isn't your first time taking a physical form." Runekin cast an evil smile towards her, "Lucky for me too that you decided to do so again…" He offered out his hand to her, beckoning her to stand and come to him.

"Come along, my dear, we have work to do…"

"If I come with you willingly, will you promise me that Raziel will be alright….?"

"Of course, my dear. After he wakes up in a few hours he shall be released, you have my promise." Sayumi sighed at this, she gently ran a hand over Raziel's silken ebony hair before standing and waking over to him. He offered his hand to her again but she simply gave him the cold shoulder, it would be a cold day in the Spectral Realm before she willingly accepted his hand.

~H~T~

Sestine sat on the battlements, watching Kain's bats fly toward the human camp while she held her stone to talk to him.

"Sestine, what were you reading?"

"It was a history book…"

"Eh…?"

"It told of Runekin. The one that was born here."

"Tell me the tale; it may be of importance for later refrence." Kain wasn't much for old stories but this one might be important. Sestine nodded despite the fact he could see her, she blew warm air on her freezing fingers.

"It was long ago, when all the races were still young as was the land. A child name Fuinth Runekin was born to a young human couple in a small village; which no longer exists, by the way. From his birth, the village leader and the village priest knew that a great evil was harbored within him but his parents would not listen." She took a breath and warmed her hands again, "The years went by and Runekin secretly began to study dark magic until the lessons consumed his soul…"

"The Elder God…?"

"Probably. Anyway, he also took on alchemy, not to make gold but to construct a one-of-a-kind stone. It was called the Ever-Kin Diamond, a jewel that harnessed the magical energy of a great eclipse and alignment of planets."

"What did it do with the energy?"

"When aligned with a specific eclipse in Nosgoth, the jewel becomes empowered with magical properties. These properties are what gives the jewel its name: Ever-Kin. The user of the jewel has the power to cast a spell on any living creature and depending on the strength of the user, the easier it is for them to take control of the creature they cast the spell on." Rubs nose then sniffles slightly, "Once they have the control of that one creature, the user's command spreads to the victims immediate linage with two generations both forward and back. That means they also take command over grandparents, parents, children and grandchildren! It's like killing five birds with one stone!"

"Such a power should not belong in this world….."

"Exactly! Kain, do you realize that the new Runekin recognized Sayumi? He must have found out what she is somehow."

"So….?"

"So….! Kain, if he got his hands on her then Nosgoth would fall into organized chaos!"

"There's no such thing, Sestine…."

"You know what I mean! Sayumi is Nosgoth and what does every living creature call itself?"

"…A child of Nosgoth…"

"Exactly! We are her children and therefore her immediate family!"

"He could command Sayumi then he'd have control of every living creature in Nosgoth….!"

"Right! We must stop him!"

"But how can we do that if he gets to her first?"

"Well, he might not have the diamond yet! There's still that chance. Also, there's a talisman that can be made to ward off the spell from those who wear it."

"How do we make it?"

"Not sure yet, it was made up by Fuinth's aide who rebelled against him because he didn't like what he was doing. He then gave it to my people to write down in the history books…"

"Let me guess… They used stupid, pathetic excuse for a bookkeeping system on it…?"

"…Correct… Which means that's why I have to go find it, I'm hoping it's in one of the many libraries in my castle, otherwise it might be in the old catacomb library under the mountain…"

"Wonderful…. Well get on it, I'll be back as soon as I can!" Sestine cut the line once he was down and quickly jumped off the battlements, onto Wralyx's back.

"To the dungeon library! As fast as your paws will take you!"