- Chapter One -

I positioned myself across the table from my sire, running my finger around the brim of my golden goblet of blood. Resting my head upon my own hand as I slouched over in my chair, I found myself still a bit distraught over what had preceded these moments. It was then my thoughts shifted back to Kain. Strangely, I wasn't upset with him for taking my life. The act was fair and just, even I could agree with that. And what of Kain? Where was he now? What was he involved in? I found myself questioning these, amongst other things concerning the elusive vampire. The thought of him plagued me - haunted me at the very base of my soul. I knew not why he had captivated me so - I simply knew that he would not soon be forgotten.

Vorador slumped back into the velvety cushion of his own chair - placing his elbows upon the armrests and conjoining his hands before his face. I could feel him looking upon me from the distance - something that, had I been human, I most likely would've been in fear for my life over. "It pains me to see you as tortured as this, my dear." He sighed. "This is highly unlike you."

My stare shifted from the goblet onto Vorador as I refrained from making a move. I found my eyes narrowing at his callous remark of what was and wasn't like me. "Forgive me, my sire." I hissed. "But this is a bit more than I expected."

Vorador released his hands from each other and placed them back down over the armrests of his chair. "Although as understanding as I am of such an issue, you must keep your wits about you, girl. This is not the time to be angry or resentful. You need to be strong now. The past is over, you need to move forth with your life."

I lifted my head and rose to my feet at the end of the table. "Move forth with my life?" I questioned. "What life? I have no life." I continued as I threw my hands in the air, and knocked my chair to the floor. "I have no idea how it is I even live and you sit here and tell me to move forth?!"

I moved quickly to Vorador's side and hunched over the table, putting my face nearly to his. "How dare you sit here and fill my head with such things."

Vorador rose from his seat and glared upon me. "How dare I fill your head with such things?" He asked as he begun to laugh madly. "I dare fill your head with these things because they are the truth. You are living in the past, Umah. There is no reason to do so. You need to collect your thoughts and enjoy your "gift" of divinity. The gift I bestowed upon you so long ago."

I rose again to a fully standing position there in the dining hall. I was not about to back down from this confrontation - no matter what. Vorador owed me an explanation and I would be damned if he would pass it off now. "I used to revere this "gift", Vorador. Now I loathe it." I taunted. "I cannot be divine if I know not of how I came to be this way. The Cabal needs a strong leader. I cannot be strong if I remain in the dark about my own existence. " I sighed and turned around to face the walls of the dining hall, seeking out the bowl of blood in which to refill my goblet. "We may as well hand Meridian back to the humans if this is how you want it."

I was greeted with yet another cynical laugh as my response. "But Umah, Meridian is back in the hands of the humans." Vorador replied. I stopped in my tracks and turned back to my sire.

"What?!" I asked. "What of the Cabal?"

"The Cabal disbanded nearly seven hundred years ago." Vorador explained, this time in a more serious manner. "After the Hylden City fell and the Sarafan Order crumbled, there was no purpose to our resistance. There was simply nothing to resist."

I found myself in utter shock at these revelations. Had so much time actually passed since I last walked amongst our kind? Vorador pulled his chair to me and helped me into it. I looked up to him, my mouth agape. "Where am I?" I asked. "Vorador, please tell me why and how I have come to be this way.please."

My sire kneeled beside me and placed his hand to mine, cradling it as he began to speak. "My dear, Umah." He replied. "You are still a part of Nosgoth, however the Nosgoth you had known, exists no longer."

I listened intently as he continued; I tried ever so hard to hold back my own tears.

"The Sarafan are again on the rise - in both numbers and power. They've enlisted a new brigade of vampire hunters and executioners. When we found you, we brought you to the only place we knew would be safe." Vorador explained as he looked over the dining hall. "Here, to my mansion. I live a relatively quiet and peaceful life here. I have given up the thrill of the hunt and merely send my servants to do the dirty work for me. It is imperative that beings such as ourselves, maintain a low profile during these times. There are few of us left I am afraid." He said as he lowered his head in a bit of misery.

I extended my arm to him, lifting his face. "How many of us are there?" I questioned.

Vorador was hesitant. "Yourself, along with two ancients remain and one atrocity." He sighed. "With his children I think there are ten of us all together - not counting the offspring of his children."

Ten vampires remain? How did our numbers drop off so dramatically? Had we been victorious during the conquest of Meridian, this would not have been the result.

I began to ponder over who remained a part of my declining race. Obviously there was Vorador - one ancient. I could not put my finger on who the others could possibly be. "Who remains, my Sire?"

Vorador rose to his feet and turned from me. I nearly jumped to my own feet in order to follow.

"Who remains?" I demanded. A deep sigh escaped his lips as he again turned to face me.

"I survive." he paused. ".my sire survives, and."

The suspense was disturbing. "And?!"

"Kain survives."

"Kain survives?" I gasped. Could it be? The being who haunted me so, even through death, still walked the land? "Then he was successful in defeating the Sarafan Lord? There truly is nothing more to resist."

"He has sought sanctuary in a retreat high above Nosgoth, however the base of his empire are the dilapidated pillars." Vorador explained.

"His empire?"

Vorador nodded. "Following the defeat of the Sarafan Lord, Kain moved forth with his conquests of the land. He further developed his gifts and became one of the most powerful vampires I have ever encountered. He managed to find a way to create more of his kind, although I am still unsure as to how this was accomplished. I am very curious as to how a creature formed from alchemy can compete with those of pure blood.very curious indeed." He explained.

"What is this of his children?"

Vorador made his way over to the crystalline bowl of blood and graciously refilled both of our goblets - pausing only to take in a single mouthful before continuing on with his tale. "Kain committed the most blasphemous of acts and raised six "vampire" lieutenants. I use the term "vampire" very loosely here. I pity these souls, however I applaud Kain for mustering up the courage to do it." He smirked. "These children of his have gone off and had offspring of their own - creating clans and territories of what is now an impure vampire menace which serves as Kain's second empire."

I shook my head. I cannot believe Kain had risen to such power in this limited amount of time. "The first empire was bad enough. This one is completely mad. Kain won't stop until he has destroyed all of Nosgoth. His arrogance drives him.blindly too, I might add."

"I sense a bit of resentment towards him. Tell me, Sire, what has changed since the time he helped you?" I inquired. I crossed my legs and sat back in the chair, slowly sipping from my goblet and never taking my violet hues off of Vorador.

Vorador simply chuckled. "My dear, times have indeed changed. I required his help then. I figured he would help preserve our race. He has done nothing but condemn it. It is under his rule that the humans fight us again. Under his rule that they hunt us down and take our lives - without even questioning why." He explained as he folded his arms and glared down at me. "I hardly believe this is any cause to "praise" him."

"You support the humans?" I remarked. I found myself unable to hold back my own laughter - this had been the first sign of happiness since I had awaked and I was determined to seize the moment. "Never in a thousand days would I ever expect to hear this from you, Vorador."

My happiness was rather short-lived as my humorous transgression was met with a stern backhand across my face. I winced in pain as I looked upon him with a piercing glare. I caressed my cheek and displayed a fierce look of anger.

"Don't mock me, girl." He stated. "Your rebellious nature has no place here."

I rose to face him, but I did not dare strike him back - I knew better. "I am beginning to think that I have no place here." I smirked. "I cannot be associated with those who support a race that is not our own." I began to laugh hysterically. "Oh, how I pity you, Vorador."

"Pity me? Why do you pity me, Umah?"

I was testing him now. I couldn't help it. "Because you are no longer the "divine" being you once were. No one respects you - no one is devoted to you. Your flock has abandoned you.their allegiances are with Kain now. Why else would you claim the life of a hermit in this secluded place? It is more than clear to me what my faith should be placed in. Forgive me, "my Sire", but you are no longer in a position for me to naively place my faith in." I replied as I began to chuckle maniacally.

I was beginning to sound like Kain himself - my own arrogance surprising me with every word that escaped my darkened lips. It was then that I made my way the door of the dining hall. Extending my hand to the doorknob, I turned back to Vorador, who simply stood there in awe of my newfound opinions.

"Obviously Kain has thinned the human herd, it is now time for him to turn on the vampire cowards. Take care, my Sire." I replied as I released the door and teleported away from the mansion. I was pleased to know that my old gifts had not abandoned me - now I would seek out new gifts to enhance me.