The first thing Xander knew when he awoke was pain. When he opened his
eyes, the light in the room felt like fire trying to burn his retina out of
his head. The ticking of the clock sounded like thunder bolts crashing in
his skull. Every breath seemed to burn like acid in his chest. Every
muscle in his body felt like it had torn apart while he slept. There was
only pain.
Xander remained like that for over two hours, the clock beating out the seconds against his brain. Finally, steeling himself, he quickly rose off the couch and ran to the bathroom. Diving into the shower with his clothes still on, Xander turned the cold water full blast. The shock of the cold pushed the pain away in an instant, leaving only a dull ache.
Exiting the shower an hour later, Xander slipped out of his sodden clothing slowly. Most of the pain had vanished, except in his eyes, which winced at the sunlight streaming in through the small window of the bathroom. "What the hell is wrong with me," he asked his aloud. His voice sounded incredibly loud to his ears and he quickly stopped talking.
With closed eyes, Xander left the bathroom and felt his way to his bedroom. Closing the curtains on the windows, he fell on his bed. Lying in the relieving darkness, Xander took a deep breath, and was temporarily relieved to find it didn't hurt to breathe any more. "Thank you, God!" he whispered, fearing that he would burst an eardrum if he spoke any louder.
Ignoring the fact that he was still wet and naked from the shower, Xander simply lay on his bed, breathing deeply. His eyes grew accustom to the darkness so quickly, the Slayerette thought he'd turned a light on. Discovering that the lights were in fact off, Xander looked around his room and was amazed at how clear everything looked to him. He finally glanced at the mirror over his dresser and nearly jumped off the bed in shock.
No one had ever accused Xander of having a bad body or being out of shape. Cordelia had once remarked, in one of their utility closet 'discussions' that it was a shame he hid it under so many layers of ill- fitting clothing. Which was why it took his mind a moment to realize that the reflection in the mirror was indeed his. In place of the lean, well- proportioned body Xander had grown into, was a body seemed chiseled of marble.
Every ounce of excess fat had disappeared from his body, leaving highly defined muscle behind it. His chest, usually marked by the smooth curves of his pectorals, was now a pair of smooth discs with the feel of flexible steel. His abs, once only visible if flexing, now stood out almost proudly, each separate muscle visible and ready to be used as a washboard if needed. His shoulders had seemingly doubled in size, giving him the look of a linebacker with a neck. His arms.Xander marveled at his arms. His biceps had grown, as had his forearms, three times their original size. His hands looked strong enough crack coconuts. Xander almost fainted when his eyes traveled 'below the equator'. EVERYTHING had grown. His legs, once long and lean, now rippled with muscles. And the growth hadn't limited itself just to his legs.
"I look like Jean Claude Van Damn crossed with John Holmes!" Xander said in frightful awe at his reflection. Running a trembling hand across his chest, Xander couldn't help but be amazed at the feeling of his skin. It was smooth and hairless, and as more sensitive then it had ever been. "What happened to me?"
Suddenly the memories from the previous night came crashing down upon him. The Bronze, his birthday, the fainting spell, Buffy walking him home.the strangers waiting in his living room, the story they told him.the letter. Moving faster then he though possible, Xander ran from his room, down the stairs and to the living room. The light from outside blinded him for a moment, but he didn't need to see at that moment. Going by memory, he made his way to the coffee table and found the envelope exactly where he'd left it the night before.
The name 'Alexi' stared up at him from the front of the envelope, the handwriting as elegant as he remembered. Xander tore it open in almost a panic, emptying the contents onto the couch. Two sheets of paper, a photograph and a ring were the sum of envelope. The first thing Xander looked at was the picture. The worn edges and the yellowing of the back told the age of the picture, where the date June 20, 1981was scrawled in a rough hand. In the photograph, his father as a young man had his arm over the shoulders of an older man, both were smiling with obvious joy. Xander stared at the image of his father, sadness filling him when he realized that he'd never seen his father so happy. The older mans' smile was just as big as his fathers', if not bigger. He was about the same height as Xander's father, dressed in a military uniform. The red stars on the collar signified that of a general. It took Xander a moment to realize that it was the uniform of a General of the Soviet Red Army.
Putting the picture down, Xander looked at the letter next. The writing was of the same hand as that of who had written the name 'Alexi' on the envelope. Written in English, the handwriting was elegant and controlled.
Dear, Alexi
I would beg your forgiveness on the conditions under which this letter reaches you. Had any other way been deemed possible, I would have ordered it. By now you have undergone the first phase of the Rebirth, and, along with pain, your mind must be full of questions. I will attempt to answer as much as I can in the limited time I have here.
My name is Stefan Ivanovich Razkov, and I am you paternal grandfather. I was born in 1888 in St. Petersburg, Russia. I will not give you a history of my life, for I have already written that book. I will not bore you with the details of my childhood, as they would mean less then nothing to you. What I will tell you about is your Family and your role in it. My brother, your Great Uncle, has probably already told you much of our history, so I will not bore you with that either. It is all well documented and told better then I, no writer to be sure, could tell. Instead, I shall tell you about things that will interest you and, hopefully help you.
With the first phase of the Rebirth complete, you probably have many questions. Gregory and Sonja will answer them for you, as they have both been preparing for many years for this day. I will, however, give you a brief overture of what is happening, before continuing with what I alone can tell you.
The Rebirth is a spell, as you have probably been told. All the memories, skills and knowledge that those that have come before you, will be passed on to you. The first phase begins with the advancement of your body, making it the pinnacle of the human species. You are probably still in pain from the transformation, and for this I am sorry. You should have been prepared for it, but.circumstances, which I will tell you later, have not permitted it.
The first phase is, fortunately, the most painful of the phases, which number 4 in all. Your 5 senses will be the most difficult to become accustom to. It will pass, I can assure you. By the end of the first day, your brain will compensate for the added information that your senses are sending to it. The other half of the first phase concerns your physical appearance and abilities. You will have now noticed that your body looks quite different then the one that you have grown accustom to over the years. More muscle, less excess weight, and other physical.enhancements. You are now stronger and faster then most human beings alive. Your hand eye coordination is has been significantly heightened. Your awareness of the world around you has been increased. Your body is now as perfect as it could ever be.
I have looked into this, and discovered that the first phase in fact resquences your genes into the optimum possible combination possible. Which, to common men like you and I means, that you are now, physically, the best child your parents could ever produce. Considering your gene pool, I'm sure you have become a strongly built young man.
The second and third phases are purely a mental reconstruction. The second phase will, in laymen's terms, make you smarter. Your memory, learning capacity, instincts and imagination will be increased incredibly. It is, in my opinion, the most enjoyable part the Rebirth. The world will appear in ways you've never considered. Your mind will open to possibilities that would have seemed impossible before. It is truly a spiritual experience. You will never be closer to God as you will be the moment the second phase of the Rebirth begins.
The third phase is, while similar to the previous phase, a more.humbling experience. The third phase involves the transfer of memories. It is then that you will understand truly your role in the Family, and of what you might accomplish. Over one thousand years of history will become yours in an instant. You will feel overwhelmed, I can promise you. May even think you have gone insane as the memories of your ancestors become intermixed with your own. This feeling will pass, and in the end you will know more about who you are then you ever have. You will know what it is to be a leader and a father. War and peace, love and hate, conflict and tranquility, the memories of all these things and more will be yours as if you had lived them yourself. That and all more mundane knowledge such as science, history will be yours, just as they were mine. You will also know magick. Strong, ancient magicks. Spells and rituals that have been lost for centuries will be yours to call upon. I urge you to use them with the strongest discretion, as our family legacy, while based on magick, is not supported by it.
You will of course know all this after the third phase.
The forth and final phase is both the easiest and the most difficult. The forth phase will connect all of the previous phases, and make them truly a part of you. It will be after this final phase of the Rebirth, that you will truly know what you can accomplish, and the talents, knowledge and abilities that you gained through the previous phases will be so a part of you, that you wonder how you could have been anything else. When once you were hesitant, now you will be confident. Where once you were afraid, you will now be fearless. It will be as if a chain that had held you down, has now been lifted.
The final phase is the only one you have any control over. It will happen in the instant you accept your Birthright, completely and totally. It is that which makes it both easy and hard. If you had been taught from childhood to accept it, to know it and not fear it, it would be the easiest thing in the world. But, because this has been thrust upon you without warning, if may be the most difficult thing you have ever done. I can only hope that will accept this role which is yours, and yours alone.
Xander put down the first page of the letter with a shaky sigh and an even shakier hand. His grandfather's words had answered a lot of his questions, but left him hungry for more knowledge on what was happening to him. The pain was now completely gone, leaving only a residual soreness in his new muscles and a slight headache. His eyes had now grown accustomed to the sunlight coming through the windows, and the ticking of the clock and the beat of his heart no longer hurt his ears. Happy with this fresh discovery, Xander picked up the second page of the letter, wondering what else his new grandfather had to say to him.
Now that the formalities have been dispensed with, let me first express my condolences at the loss of your father and mother. I wish.well, at this point in my life I find myself wishing for great many things. One of the firsts is that I could have seen your father one last time. He left this family hastily, leaving many things unresolved between us. He was my son, and I will love him until this body no longer takes breath. That said, I would say that your father was a stubborn young man. He could not forgive me for an injustice he believed I had done him.
Your father was raised from birth to believe that he was the Heir of our family. Everything he was taught until the age of 18 was built around the assumption that he was to take my place when I died. It was thought a safe assumption, as the first born son has been the Heir for the past 12 generations. It rarely skips over to grandchildren.
When your father's 18th birthday came and went with no Rebirth, he felt cheated. Jovan was always an impulsive young man. He could also be remarkably short sighted when he chose to be. After his marriage to your mother, he became more and more angry. At the family as a whole, and me in particular. He would fly in to fits of rage, yelling and screaming that his destiny had been stolen from him. He blamed me, accusing me of not trusting him to lead our family, or of letting my own thirst of power override the best interests of the family. Most of these outbursts were only done between the two of us, but a few occurred at family gatherings and functions.
When your mother announced that she was pregnant with you, I rejoiced. Mainly because I wanted a grandchild to dote upon, but also in the hope that with a child of his own, your father would learn some responsibility. And for a time he did. He hovered around your mother like a maid, and had a perpetual smile on his face. It wasn't until the prospect was raised that you would become my Heir that your father again became angry. He became enraged at any mention of you becoming my Heir, vowing that it would never happen.
2 months before you were born, your father announced that he and your mother were going to Berlin for a vacation. I was concerned that your mother shouldn't be traveling in the final months of her pregnancy, but Jovan stressed that it would be a short trip and that your mother was looking forward to it.
They left our home for Leningrad, and then flew directly to Berlin. Two days later they bribed a border guard and entered West Berlin. Where they went immediately afterward, I am unsure of. I'll I do know is that 5 months after leaving Russia, your parents were spotted in New York City.
I could go into detail about how much it hurt to have my only son break his ties with me so abruptly. I could tell you about the nights I spent worrying about your mother, who was accustom to having everything done for her. I could also write of the tears I shed over you, Alexi. About how I longed to hold you even once. How I begged your father to let the family raise you and provide for you. I will not though. I have already spoken badly of your father, and I ask your forgiveness for it.
I loved your father. He was my only child. He was a good man. A proud man. He could have done great things for our family if he had stayed. Instead he left us, took your mother and you with him. He refused to talk with anyone from the family.
When I was told how he treated your mother and you.I wept. I have lived through two world wars and seemingly countless revolutions. I have watched my homeland and my family torn apart by violence a number of times. I have seen all of this and more. Yet when your cousin Sonja told me of the beatings and abuse your father heaped upon you, I wept.
I want you to know that your father was not always like that. He was once kind and generous. He was raised from birth to lead an empire, and for him to have left all of the comforts and luxuries of his home must have taken much courage. I know you may not think so now, but you are still young. Perhaps after a few years, you will know why your father became the man he did.
I must now mention something that will be difficult for you to read, but I must tell you. I know of your work with the Slayer. It fills me with more pride then I can tell you of, to know that you have the courage and passion to do such a thing. It also saddeneds me to know that you will have to leave it behind if you are to fulfill your destiny. I know how much you care for Buffy, Willow, Rupert and your other friends, I have spent hours reading Sonjas' reports on them. Leaving them will be painful, but you must know it would have happened anyway. I'm an old man, and you may think I have no idea what the strength of your friendship can endure, but I have seen friends come and go over my lifetime. Sometimes it is you who must leave them, other times it is they that leave you. Both are painful, and if I could, I would do anything in my power to spare you from it. Yet it is part of life.
Inclosed with this letter is the Family ring. It has been passed down for over 700 years from Heir to Heir. It is yours, whether you complete the Rebirth or not. You are the Heir and with the passing of this Ring, my last conscious duty is complete. The rest will be nature taking its course.
I have also given you the last picture of your father and I together. I thought that you might want it.
I am growing tired and must sadly end this letter. I wish I could have met you in person, Alexi. I wish you could have come to your home and sat with this old man. I would have probably bored you to tears with stories, but I would have enjoyed every minute of it. I will pray for you, and I know that deep in my heart, you will accept your Birthright and take your rightful place in our family.
I give you all my love and hope you take comfort in the knowledge that you have a family that longs for your return.
Your Loving Grandfather
Stefan Ivanovich Razkov
PS: I do hope that I have spelt your friends' names correctly. If not, please excuse my poor spelling. They are...unusual names...
Xander stared at the letter for awhile after he had finished it. "This is all real," he finally said aloud. The letter, the picture.the story he was told last night. All were the truth. Numbly picking up the ring, Xander stared at it. A two-headed eagle was engraved in gold, and a wreath of red laurels colored with rubies. It was a simple design, without pretense or glamour. It was the emblem of a proud, sturdy family. A family that it appeared Xander was to become the head of.
Folding the letter carefully, he placed it and the photograph back in the envelope. Putting the packet on the coffee table, Xander picked up a small slip of paper with an address written on it. Sonja had given it to him the night before, telling him to come there after he woke up. "I need answers," he muttered as he looked at the address.
Rising from the couch, Xander took the paper, the envelope and the ring up to his bedroom. He had to get dressed. He had a family reunion to attend.
Xander remained like that for over two hours, the clock beating out the seconds against his brain. Finally, steeling himself, he quickly rose off the couch and ran to the bathroom. Diving into the shower with his clothes still on, Xander turned the cold water full blast. The shock of the cold pushed the pain away in an instant, leaving only a dull ache.
Exiting the shower an hour later, Xander slipped out of his sodden clothing slowly. Most of the pain had vanished, except in his eyes, which winced at the sunlight streaming in through the small window of the bathroom. "What the hell is wrong with me," he asked his aloud. His voice sounded incredibly loud to his ears and he quickly stopped talking.
With closed eyes, Xander left the bathroom and felt his way to his bedroom. Closing the curtains on the windows, he fell on his bed. Lying in the relieving darkness, Xander took a deep breath, and was temporarily relieved to find it didn't hurt to breathe any more. "Thank you, God!" he whispered, fearing that he would burst an eardrum if he spoke any louder.
Ignoring the fact that he was still wet and naked from the shower, Xander simply lay on his bed, breathing deeply. His eyes grew accustom to the darkness so quickly, the Slayerette thought he'd turned a light on. Discovering that the lights were in fact off, Xander looked around his room and was amazed at how clear everything looked to him. He finally glanced at the mirror over his dresser and nearly jumped off the bed in shock.
No one had ever accused Xander of having a bad body or being out of shape. Cordelia had once remarked, in one of their utility closet 'discussions' that it was a shame he hid it under so many layers of ill- fitting clothing. Which was why it took his mind a moment to realize that the reflection in the mirror was indeed his. In place of the lean, well- proportioned body Xander had grown into, was a body seemed chiseled of marble.
Every ounce of excess fat had disappeared from his body, leaving highly defined muscle behind it. His chest, usually marked by the smooth curves of his pectorals, was now a pair of smooth discs with the feel of flexible steel. His abs, once only visible if flexing, now stood out almost proudly, each separate muscle visible and ready to be used as a washboard if needed. His shoulders had seemingly doubled in size, giving him the look of a linebacker with a neck. His arms.Xander marveled at his arms. His biceps had grown, as had his forearms, three times their original size. His hands looked strong enough crack coconuts. Xander almost fainted when his eyes traveled 'below the equator'. EVERYTHING had grown. His legs, once long and lean, now rippled with muscles. And the growth hadn't limited itself just to his legs.
"I look like Jean Claude Van Damn crossed with John Holmes!" Xander said in frightful awe at his reflection. Running a trembling hand across his chest, Xander couldn't help but be amazed at the feeling of his skin. It was smooth and hairless, and as more sensitive then it had ever been. "What happened to me?"
Suddenly the memories from the previous night came crashing down upon him. The Bronze, his birthday, the fainting spell, Buffy walking him home.the strangers waiting in his living room, the story they told him.the letter. Moving faster then he though possible, Xander ran from his room, down the stairs and to the living room. The light from outside blinded him for a moment, but he didn't need to see at that moment. Going by memory, he made his way to the coffee table and found the envelope exactly where he'd left it the night before.
The name 'Alexi' stared up at him from the front of the envelope, the handwriting as elegant as he remembered. Xander tore it open in almost a panic, emptying the contents onto the couch. Two sheets of paper, a photograph and a ring were the sum of envelope. The first thing Xander looked at was the picture. The worn edges and the yellowing of the back told the age of the picture, where the date June 20, 1981was scrawled in a rough hand. In the photograph, his father as a young man had his arm over the shoulders of an older man, both were smiling with obvious joy. Xander stared at the image of his father, sadness filling him when he realized that he'd never seen his father so happy. The older mans' smile was just as big as his fathers', if not bigger. He was about the same height as Xander's father, dressed in a military uniform. The red stars on the collar signified that of a general. It took Xander a moment to realize that it was the uniform of a General of the Soviet Red Army.
Putting the picture down, Xander looked at the letter next. The writing was of the same hand as that of who had written the name 'Alexi' on the envelope. Written in English, the handwriting was elegant and controlled.
Dear, Alexi
I would beg your forgiveness on the conditions under which this letter reaches you. Had any other way been deemed possible, I would have ordered it. By now you have undergone the first phase of the Rebirth, and, along with pain, your mind must be full of questions. I will attempt to answer as much as I can in the limited time I have here.
My name is Stefan Ivanovich Razkov, and I am you paternal grandfather. I was born in 1888 in St. Petersburg, Russia. I will not give you a history of my life, for I have already written that book. I will not bore you with the details of my childhood, as they would mean less then nothing to you. What I will tell you about is your Family and your role in it. My brother, your Great Uncle, has probably already told you much of our history, so I will not bore you with that either. It is all well documented and told better then I, no writer to be sure, could tell. Instead, I shall tell you about things that will interest you and, hopefully help you.
With the first phase of the Rebirth complete, you probably have many questions. Gregory and Sonja will answer them for you, as they have both been preparing for many years for this day. I will, however, give you a brief overture of what is happening, before continuing with what I alone can tell you.
The Rebirth is a spell, as you have probably been told. All the memories, skills and knowledge that those that have come before you, will be passed on to you. The first phase begins with the advancement of your body, making it the pinnacle of the human species. You are probably still in pain from the transformation, and for this I am sorry. You should have been prepared for it, but.circumstances, which I will tell you later, have not permitted it.
The first phase is, fortunately, the most painful of the phases, which number 4 in all. Your 5 senses will be the most difficult to become accustom to. It will pass, I can assure you. By the end of the first day, your brain will compensate for the added information that your senses are sending to it. The other half of the first phase concerns your physical appearance and abilities. You will have now noticed that your body looks quite different then the one that you have grown accustom to over the years. More muscle, less excess weight, and other physical.enhancements. You are now stronger and faster then most human beings alive. Your hand eye coordination is has been significantly heightened. Your awareness of the world around you has been increased. Your body is now as perfect as it could ever be.
I have looked into this, and discovered that the first phase in fact resquences your genes into the optimum possible combination possible. Which, to common men like you and I means, that you are now, physically, the best child your parents could ever produce. Considering your gene pool, I'm sure you have become a strongly built young man.
The second and third phases are purely a mental reconstruction. The second phase will, in laymen's terms, make you smarter. Your memory, learning capacity, instincts and imagination will be increased incredibly. It is, in my opinion, the most enjoyable part the Rebirth. The world will appear in ways you've never considered. Your mind will open to possibilities that would have seemed impossible before. It is truly a spiritual experience. You will never be closer to God as you will be the moment the second phase of the Rebirth begins.
The third phase is, while similar to the previous phase, a more.humbling experience. The third phase involves the transfer of memories. It is then that you will understand truly your role in the Family, and of what you might accomplish. Over one thousand years of history will become yours in an instant. You will feel overwhelmed, I can promise you. May even think you have gone insane as the memories of your ancestors become intermixed with your own. This feeling will pass, and in the end you will know more about who you are then you ever have. You will know what it is to be a leader and a father. War and peace, love and hate, conflict and tranquility, the memories of all these things and more will be yours as if you had lived them yourself. That and all more mundane knowledge such as science, history will be yours, just as they were mine. You will also know magick. Strong, ancient magicks. Spells and rituals that have been lost for centuries will be yours to call upon. I urge you to use them with the strongest discretion, as our family legacy, while based on magick, is not supported by it.
You will of course know all this after the third phase.
The forth and final phase is both the easiest and the most difficult. The forth phase will connect all of the previous phases, and make them truly a part of you. It will be after this final phase of the Rebirth, that you will truly know what you can accomplish, and the talents, knowledge and abilities that you gained through the previous phases will be so a part of you, that you wonder how you could have been anything else. When once you were hesitant, now you will be confident. Where once you were afraid, you will now be fearless. It will be as if a chain that had held you down, has now been lifted.
The final phase is the only one you have any control over. It will happen in the instant you accept your Birthright, completely and totally. It is that which makes it both easy and hard. If you had been taught from childhood to accept it, to know it and not fear it, it would be the easiest thing in the world. But, because this has been thrust upon you without warning, if may be the most difficult thing you have ever done. I can only hope that will accept this role which is yours, and yours alone.
Xander put down the first page of the letter with a shaky sigh and an even shakier hand. His grandfather's words had answered a lot of his questions, but left him hungry for more knowledge on what was happening to him. The pain was now completely gone, leaving only a residual soreness in his new muscles and a slight headache. His eyes had now grown accustomed to the sunlight coming through the windows, and the ticking of the clock and the beat of his heart no longer hurt his ears. Happy with this fresh discovery, Xander picked up the second page of the letter, wondering what else his new grandfather had to say to him.
Now that the formalities have been dispensed with, let me first express my condolences at the loss of your father and mother. I wish.well, at this point in my life I find myself wishing for great many things. One of the firsts is that I could have seen your father one last time. He left this family hastily, leaving many things unresolved between us. He was my son, and I will love him until this body no longer takes breath. That said, I would say that your father was a stubborn young man. He could not forgive me for an injustice he believed I had done him.
Your father was raised from birth to believe that he was the Heir of our family. Everything he was taught until the age of 18 was built around the assumption that he was to take my place when I died. It was thought a safe assumption, as the first born son has been the Heir for the past 12 generations. It rarely skips over to grandchildren.
When your father's 18th birthday came and went with no Rebirth, he felt cheated. Jovan was always an impulsive young man. He could also be remarkably short sighted when he chose to be. After his marriage to your mother, he became more and more angry. At the family as a whole, and me in particular. He would fly in to fits of rage, yelling and screaming that his destiny had been stolen from him. He blamed me, accusing me of not trusting him to lead our family, or of letting my own thirst of power override the best interests of the family. Most of these outbursts were only done between the two of us, but a few occurred at family gatherings and functions.
When your mother announced that she was pregnant with you, I rejoiced. Mainly because I wanted a grandchild to dote upon, but also in the hope that with a child of his own, your father would learn some responsibility. And for a time he did. He hovered around your mother like a maid, and had a perpetual smile on his face. It wasn't until the prospect was raised that you would become my Heir that your father again became angry. He became enraged at any mention of you becoming my Heir, vowing that it would never happen.
2 months before you were born, your father announced that he and your mother were going to Berlin for a vacation. I was concerned that your mother shouldn't be traveling in the final months of her pregnancy, but Jovan stressed that it would be a short trip and that your mother was looking forward to it.
They left our home for Leningrad, and then flew directly to Berlin. Two days later they bribed a border guard and entered West Berlin. Where they went immediately afterward, I am unsure of. I'll I do know is that 5 months after leaving Russia, your parents were spotted in New York City.
I could go into detail about how much it hurt to have my only son break his ties with me so abruptly. I could tell you about the nights I spent worrying about your mother, who was accustom to having everything done for her. I could also write of the tears I shed over you, Alexi. About how I longed to hold you even once. How I begged your father to let the family raise you and provide for you. I will not though. I have already spoken badly of your father, and I ask your forgiveness for it.
I loved your father. He was my only child. He was a good man. A proud man. He could have done great things for our family if he had stayed. Instead he left us, took your mother and you with him. He refused to talk with anyone from the family.
When I was told how he treated your mother and you.I wept. I have lived through two world wars and seemingly countless revolutions. I have watched my homeland and my family torn apart by violence a number of times. I have seen all of this and more. Yet when your cousin Sonja told me of the beatings and abuse your father heaped upon you, I wept.
I want you to know that your father was not always like that. He was once kind and generous. He was raised from birth to lead an empire, and for him to have left all of the comforts and luxuries of his home must have taken much courage. I know you may not think so now, but you are still young. Perhaps after a few years, you will know why your father became the man he did.
I must now mention something that will be difficult for you to read, but I must tell you. I know of your work with the Slayer. It fills me with more pride then I can tell you of, to know that you have the courage and passion to do such a thing. It also saddeneds me to know that you will have to leave it behind if you are to fulfill your destiny. I know how much you care for Buffy, Willow, Rupert and your other friends, I have spent hours reading Sonjas' reports on them. Leaving them will be painful, but you must know it would have happened anyway. I'm an old man, and you may think I have no idea what the strength of your friendship can endure, but I have seen friends come and go over my lifetime. Sometimes it is you who must leave them, other times it is they that leave you. Both are painful, and if I could, I would do anything in my power to spare you from it. Yet it is part of life.
Inclosed with this letter is the Family ring. It has been passed down for over 700 years from Heir to Heir. It is yours, whether you complete the Rebirth or not. You are the Heir and with the passing of this Ring, my last conscious duty is complete. The rest will be nature taking its course.
I have also given you the last picture of your father and I together. I thought that you might want it.
I am growing tired and must sadly end this letter. I wish I could have met you in person, Alexi. I wish you could have come to your home and sat with this old man. I would have probably bored you to tears with stories, but I would have enjoyed every minute of it. I will pray for you, and I know that deep in my heart, you will accept your Birthright and take your rightful place in our family.
I give you all my love and hope you take comfort in the knowledge that you have a family that longs for your return.
Your Loving Grandfather
Stefan Ivanovich Razkov
PS: I do hope that I have spelt your friends' names correctly. If not, please excuse my poor spelling. They are...unusual names...
Xander stared at the letter for awhile after he had finished it. "This is all real," he finally said aloud. The letter, the picture.the story he was told last night. All were the truth. Numbly picking up the ring, Xander stared at it. A two-headed eagle was engraved in gold, and a wreath of red laurels colored with rubies. It was a simple design, without pretense or glamour. It was the emblem of a proud, sturdy family. A family that it appeared Xander was to become the head of.
Folding the letter carefully, he placed it and the photograph back in the envelope. Putting the packet on the coffee table, Xander picked up a small slip of paper with an address written on it. Sonja had given it to him the night before, telling him to come there after he woke up. "I need answers," he muttered as he looked at the address.
Rising from the couch, Xander took the paper, the envelope and the ring up to his bedroom. He had to get dressed. He had a family reunion to attend.
